atlchick

My hair has finally started to shed. Nothing too horrible...yet. Just really annoying! I had a cute hair style picked out but opted to order extensions instead. I'm not upset by it, I knew it was going to happen so I'm not shocked. I've decided to look at it as my internal "fat" girl and "skinny" girl are fighting. One of them is fighting dirty and pulling hair out!! I'm betting on the skinny girl to win the fight in the end! Ha! So if you lost hair how long did it last?

So....I'm a fit size 8/10, you are only 2.5 inches shorter than me and 15 pounds heavier.
I'd hardly call that SOOOO fat.
I'd tell her to suck my ass, but I'm rude like that.

Just remember........most people are no darn good.
How about....."I am not fat or ugly. I am just allergic to you and I swell up."

I go through bouts of eating healthy and bouts of eating junk. We're human and yes some people will f'up completely. Some people will get tired of feeling like they are on a diet all the time and indulge from time to time. Others will have no problems making good food choices all the time. However your judgement of these ladies is why a lot of people keep surgery a secret because the food police come out to patrol and judge.
Since you are pre-op, talk to more post ops. Read the veteran's forum because surgery doesn't "fix you". Most likely you will not wake up hating French fries or whatever it is you like to indulge in and for the record, I ate salt Water taffy, Cookies, and drank wine last week. Good luck in your journey.

You look amazing!!

I weighed 255 (my highest ever-had had a baby and never lost the weight). I lost about 11 pounds before surgery (did not work on it very long before surgery). I knew I could lose it on my own if I wanted but I was tired of going up and down up and down. I knew this would help keep it off. Im a little over a year out and happy to say I have kept it off. Yes, I try to eat variety and not feel deprived also. I try to eat half of the bread on a sandwich-stuff like that. Good luck!

Its definitely normal to go through many stalls which can sometimes last a few weeks. Your body is resisting. I had lots of stalls early on and I was a slower loser than others too. That being said, Its important to track all your calories and Water intake at the early stages so you can see how many calories you are actually eating. I know I was very surprised on the amount of calories I was actually eating vs what I thought I was eating. This is helpful so when you get into the stalls you can see the progress and see when you had the most successful weight loss...what you were eating and doing during those times.

Yes when I am at work. I work in a school and the majority of my coworkers are overweight. I notice how much food they are eating, and I feel bad, that I am even noticing. I definitely do not want to turn into one of those lifestyle changers who judges or looks down on others. So I tell myself that I am being completely unfair and to cut it out!

I would like to add, probably not a good idea to remove unless you have to. There are side effects of dealing with not having your gall bladder that are not very pleasant so you would probably want to avoid. My neice had to have hers removed (nothing to do with VSG) and food goes right through her now....mucho bathroom breaks...trying not to be too descriptive here

Laser hair removal hurts! I did it years ago and my face was red and bumpy for a few days.
The silk'n doesn't hurt even on highest setting. Only spot that gets a tad sensitive is upper lip. I've used it on my face, legs, arms, and armpits without jumping like I did with laser hair removal.
It was worth every penny!

I will answer your picture with a picture.

Looking for sleeve friends in the southern VA area? I am right on the NC/VA line, about 45 min above Greensboro and about an hour below Lynchburg.

I chortle, I snort and if you really get me going, I piggle. You know, pee a bit with my giggle.

Congratulations on all your NSV's ! It s the little things that count, right ? And since you asked .................. I have to tell this story because I think its hilarious, but my deepest apologies to any one that might be offended !! A few weeks ago my hubby and I were vacationing in upstate NY. As we were leaving the hotel one AM, I saw 2 ladies sitting together outside near their room ..( it was hot, I had a long red maxi dress on, looked nice ) As I walked near them to get to our car, I nodded and said a quiet " Good morning ." They both looked back at me, and one said in a kind of low, sexy voice, "Well,........... good morning !".. My hubby teased me all week long about my " girlfriends !" Im sure you get the picture, but we couldn't stop laughing about it !! You had to be there !!

So yesterday I was at the grocery and I grabbed a hand basket thinking I was only getting a few things. A few turned into a bunch and my basket was quite heavy about halfway through the market. I hefted my basket up onto my hip (which used to be quite ample) and it slid right down my leg. Hmmm.... I tried again. And again. I seriously couldn't figure out WHY my basket didn't rest comfortably on my side like it always has. It took about 3 minutes of pondering this phenomenon before I realized I no longer have big wide cushiony hips on which to rest whatever it is I might need to carry. I seriously chortled with glee startling the produce man. HA!

Last week I had a girls' weekend away with my besties. We loaded up the luggage cart with all our stuff and I took my usual place behind the cart as the one who is designated to push it through the lobby. (I'm the only one who can be trusted not to mow innocent people down.) I couldn't budge it. I pushed and I heaved and I shoved that cart and it wouldn't move. I pulled it with all my might. Nope. One hundred plus pounds less of me wasn't going to move it no matter how hard I tried. So bizarre.
The ocean was another weird experience for me. I was a lifeguard growing up, both ocean and pool. I am a swimmer and I was even at my fattest. This summer was my first summer in 20+ years "thin". I was tossed around like a rag doll, totally off balance, barely able to gain footing because there is so much less of me. Oh, and I no longer float like I used to. In fact, I sink like a stone unless I give it a whole lotta effort. SO SO not what I'm used to.

I love the NSVs like fitting in a theater seat with my purse next to me, shopping in any store, passing by people in narrow aisles without rubbing them with my butt, etc. but some of these off the wall things really throw me off guard and it takes me a while to figure out what the heck is going on.

You?

Congrats! I'm over three years out, and I love the sleeved life. I've been at goal for more than two years and I'm about to wear out some jeans, instead of growing out of them!
Looking forward to your two years plus success story. I'm saving you a spot on the goalies bench. There's room for lots of us cuz we are so much smaller :-)
Lynda

grateful for my good health, being fit, not as flabby as I feared, NO celulite, thin legs, still have big boobs, I'm 10 pounds from goal, 100 lbs lost since my heaviest recorded weight, I'm active, I wore a 2 piece for the first time in almost 20 yrs this summer, almost flat belly, and the most important results... no more high blood pressure, no more border-line suger diabetes, no more shots in my back to stop chronic back pain from herniated disc, My biggest surprise other than my success of finally being successful at weightloss and how well I eat and work at staying alert on my eating habits is that after I lost alot of my hair post surgery... it came back curly!!!which I love. No REGRETS, I am happy with my choice but understand that it is a personal one... and it takes commitment. This is not a sure thing and I respect my little stomach and though... I guess I've changed on the outside I hope that I am still the same on the inside. Thank you for allowing me to brag a bit...I hope others will share their 1 + year out stories too.

@@truberry
i always try to look to the good from the bad
you lost some of the girls
but you are healthier, thinner, happier now
15 years ago i lost my girls too
but i needed a double mastectomy
i'm here at goal to talk about it!!!
kathy

So today I was asked about excess skin. So I wanted to share my skin. Warning there are photos of me in my bra.
So a little about me.
I had gastric bypass on Halloween 2013.
Hw: 333 pounds
Surgery weight: 283 pounds
Current weight: 180 pounds
Estimated excess skin weight from doctor: 20 pounds
Height 5 foot 6 inches
Size 10 stretchy, size 12 regular fit, size 14 tight fit.
Size M shirts
Size WHEN I started 4xl
I will try to attach some before, after and skin photos.
Goal weight 140-150 pounds.
Goal life: healthy, and live life to the fullest
I wanted to share these because I look not so bad with clothing. I don't like having the excess skin, but it doesn't define me.
Remember it can take up to two years for skin to shrink.
I am not ashamed of my excess skin. Do I wish it was gone, yes I do, but life unhealthy was much worse
I hope this does not deter you to lose weight and have this surgery, because this life is so much better and it is worth it!
Let me know if you have any questions
I will likely do this again when I hit goal weight. As you can see in the below pictures, I still have a lot of adipose tissue in the skin, so I am sure it will get better
Cheers!

Ok... Here are my "official" 1 year progress pics. I've had my daughter take all of them every month & I handed her the camera tonight & said "last one!!!" And we both had a cry :-) anyway....
 136.2 pounds lost & 52.5% of my original body weight.

I haven't posted for a while and just wanted to send this update. I was sleeved in march 2013 at about 300 lbs and reached my goal in jan 2014 at around the low 180's. today, Aug. 20, 2014, I still weigh 182, so since jan I have basically maintained my weight in between 180-185 so I think this is the weight I will permanently stay at. I exercise 3-4 times a week. over the last 1.5 years ive become a runner and do about 15-20 miles per week. i started out by just walking but now ive also completed a few 13.1 mile half marathons and earlier this year I finally fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine and completed a 26.2 mile full marathon. I can definitely eat a lot more now that I did when I was first sleeved, but I do make the right food choices of what I put in my mouth. I can see that if I made bad food choices I could easily gain back 15-20 lbs or even more because like I said, I can eat a lot more now than I could a year ago. so making a lifestyle change is critical for long term success with the sleeve. if you don't make the correct lifestyle changes, eventually you will stop losing weight and as your ability to eat more increases, you could actually start gaining weight again. thankfully ive been one of the lucky ones and ive had no complications or trouble eating. I never hit any serious plateaus as I went from around 300 to the low 180's very steadily. but I did work the program and I always ate right and I always made time for exercise. I think these last 2 steps is what truly made me successful and made my journey an easy one. heres a few current pics from this month. life is good, the sleeve is the best thing that's ever happened to me and at the age of 51 im in the best shape of my life!
if any of you have any questions for a 1.5 year out sleever, ask away and ill gladly answer.
   

My research began back when a Co worker/ good friend had his surgery. I watched as he lost 157lbs in one year. I began reading and viewing youtube videos and asking questions. I have gone from a size 10 to 12 to 14 then 16 then back down to a 6 and all the way back up to 16. That seems to be my stopping point. I left onederland once again and hate my photos once again. I knew what I was doing to myself but it's so hard to not eat the things I know I shouldn't be eating. It's hard to cook for my husband and my son when all they want is fried chicken and cheeseburgers tacos and pizza. I fell back into eating bad again. I'm not blaming them at all it's just a fact that they do not eat veggies or salads.
I finally have gotten to the point where I decided to do something for me. I made an appointment to attend the oband seminar in Las Vegas in January. They went over all of the options available and because of all the research I've done I had a general idea of what I wanted. I decided on the sleeve surgery and set up my first appointment with the Dr. And started my series of many tests that my insurance requires prior to approval for surgery. For the next 7 months I attended the seminar, had a psychologist evaluation, a psychiatric evaluation, a stress test, an upper GI, ultrasound, 6 Dr. Visits, weigh in each month, sleep study, blood work, chest xray, had my gallbladder removed, nutritionist visit, and attended a 4 hour pre op class last week. This brings us to this point. I am the night before my surgery. Nothing but liquids since I woke up. And if this wasn't enough stress I got a call from my assistant store director informing me that I will be reporting to another store when I get back from fmla. Apparently they need me to help fix this store! ? I worked today and all my employees were crying and sad that they are taking me away. My period was supposed to stop a day ago. The couches with my built in recliner will not be delivered in time (they'll be here on Wednesday) I just can't take all this stress. All I want to do is to get through this night and begin my journey and hopefully it all falls into place one day at a time. I've wanted this so badly for over a year now and have taken the steps to make it a reality. I am having this moment for me! I am making a life change for myself.
I want to just go to bed and wake up and it'll be tomorrow, my day. But I'm waiting for a call from the hospital. Apparently they are supposed to call and confirm the time to report to the hospital and surgery time, as it could change. They could call as late as tomorrow morning! OK. This will all pass and seem unimportant I know. Be happy. It's finally here. Get through this surgery and heal and begin losing and becoming healthy and strong and confident again. It's all going to be OK and I'm going to be successful at this ! I will report back tomorrow when I'm awake from surgery and let you all know how it went.

Yay, I just realized today that I know weigh what my driver's license says I weigh! That is so awesome!! Just thought I'd share my "win" today LOL

Yay, I just realized today that I know weigh what my driver's license says I weigh! That is so awesome!! Just thought I'd share my "win" today LOL

So I posted before and after pics back in March when I was down 50 pounds. But now that I'm actually below goal, I'm submitting this as my "official" before and after pics. 8 months and 92 pounds later....
December 4, 2013
August 3, 2014