kltklass

Looking forward to this next challenge. Start weight 205.5. My goal is 197.5, which is 8 lbs. I look forward to being in onderland!

205.5

205.4

207

This post helped me when I started to compare my story to others on this forum. I have reprinted it with permission from Cheri, the author. I hope this helps you stay positive. Please stop and do the math by Cheri People get completely freaked out by what I feel are unreasonable expectations. They fly into a panic. They assume that the first time they don't lose on the scale that their loss is done. They think that two weeks at one weight is a massive stall. They look at other people's large losses and forget that we don't all lose at the same rate. First - if you did a pre-op diet you are not going to have the same loss your first month as someone who didn't do one. Your pre-op loss should get counted into your loss calculation if you did a pre-op diet. Second - a stall is three weeks or more at the same weight with no fluctuation. Are you panicked after that? Well, my friend coops once spent twenty one MONTHS at the same weight. She finally broke through and never regained during that time, and even lost two sizes while not budging on the scale. Is it the miracle cure you may have been hoping for on the scale? No. But stalls are not the end of the world. They are certainly more normal that flying to goal in six weeks, I promise you. Third - losing anything more than a pound a week is good. Are you eating less than ever before? Yes. Does that guarantee you'll lose faster than ever before? No. I had two nine week stalls - no movement except upwards for my monthly cycle. I had months where I lost but only in the tenths of a pound. It's not normal to expect a big loss every time you step on the scale. It's setting yourself up for disappointment. Fourth - your pattern is your pattern. You can compare yourself to other people sleeved the same day or with the same stats but it doesn't matter. So much of this is individual. So if you're constantly seeking out other people and comparing your losses to theirs, you are eventually going to discourage and frustrate yourself. Fifth - are you closing in on goal? We all lose even more slowly the less weight we have to lose. So if you only have sixty pounds to lose but shed thirty in your first three months, please don't be hysterical because you're "only" losing a pound a week now that you're past the halfway point. It's normal. Stop. Breathe. Do the math. Adjust your expectations. This is not a race. You do not get a special award for reaching goal more quickly. Your surgery was not pointless or worthless if you manage to get to goal in two years instead of six months. The real goal is not losing the weight. It's keeping the weight off. That's real success - that's what we're here to do. It does not matter if you hit goal in nine months or two years - the real challenge and the real journey begins with maintenance. How quickly or slowly you lost does nothing to change the challenges you'll encounter there. I am not ranting at anyone in particular. I just feel that this is an issue that comes up constantly and it's actually pretty silly for people to fly into such a panic without really thinking. I've seen folks upset when they're logging losses of upwards of four pounds a week. Point to the diet that helped you accomplish that and was easy to maintain prior to surgery.

209! Made it to my goal early.

I am sorry you are having acid reflux. I have no suggestions. I just wanted to wish you luck and hope you find relief soon.

This is normal. You just had major surgery last week. Your body is going to be healing in the next 3-4 weeks. When I had my hysterectomy recovery was 4-6 weeks. Thankfully, this doesn't take as long, but, your body will need to rest and recover. Remember to get lots of sleep, protein, and water. Walk for short periods then rest. Take it easy and time will heal. Good luck

Holy moley, that's a lot of stuff! I have no idea what to do with them or if you can take them. Good luck.

Good luck to you. We will see you on the losers bench tomorrow night. Take care of yourself and remember to walk, walk, and walk some more.

I can so relate to your issue. I am a full-time student at 50 yrs-old. It can be challenging to get all the homework completed as well as your exercising. I take snacks with me to class so I am not tempted to stop somewhere and eat. I usually keep protein bars in my car and my backpack for emergencies. Make the time either in the morning or evening to exercise depending on your schedule. Sometimes between classes I walk around the campus. Good luck with your classes. You got this!

Great answer, Arts137

I would look under the complications forums for information regarding possible leaks. I had the VSG in August 2013 with no problems. My doctor was Dr. Garcia in TJ, Mexico. He preformed 3 separate leak check before I left the hospital. 1 during surgery, 1 after surgery and 1 before I went home.

What type of procedure do you currently have and why do you want to change to a DS? I would make sure to research all the details before changing. I'm not sure, does the DS have problem with nutrient absorption? Sorry I don't have any insurance detail for you. I was a self pay that went to Mexico for the VSG. Good luck.

Fascinating video. It is amazing what doctors can do with technology. Thanks for posting.

For those not wanting to follow the surgeon post-op diet I suggest they watch TLC's my 600 lb life- Penny's story. It is very eye opening.

I am 5'3 and I started at 300 lbs. I now weight 211 lbs. My surgery was with Dr. Garcia on 8/6/13. Best thing I have ever done.

Follow the pre-op diet and your liver will shrink. You got this!

211 lbs. Thanks Bea for your great work!

It never ceases to amaze me the games my head plays with my psyche. As I continue on this journey the changes that are happening to my body astound me. It wasn't so long ago that I weighed 325lbs at my highest weight. I was fat, sluggish, and in ill health (both mentally and physically). I suffered from depression, anxiety, thyroid, and type II diabetes. Fast forward to today, I weigh 213.6 lbs. YEA!!! The diabetes is under control (no longer on medication), my depression and anxiety are much better. I no longer wear a size 32 pants and a 3-4 X top. I am down to an 18 pant and 1X top. This is a great achievement for me. (I am very proud of myself!!) That being said, I have been here before. I get close to 200 lbs and a flip gets switched and I sabotage all this great progress and balloon up to 300+ lbs. The games start when I look in the mirror and think "damn...girl you are looking good!" and then I see a current picture of myself and I still look FAT, positively huge. I realize this is a figment of my imagination. I am not as big as I once was. When I look at past pictures of me at my highest weight I wonder why I had not realized how big I was. I knew I was fat. Morbidly obese did not register in my mind. My greatest fear is that the surgery will fail and I will return to unhealthier ways. Although, I feel much better, all I can think of is how big I look. It undermines all the progress I have made. As I said...Head Games. I am a full time student studying Social Work. This semester we are studying the history of family violence/sexual assault which is triggering lots of emotions. Since my surgery has taken away my coping strategy (emotional eating) I need to find a better way of dealing with past memories. Good thing I am surrounded by people who can help me deal with these issues. Thanks for listening and being there for me.

I too, have 80+ lbs to lose. I am trying so hard to keep cookies and candy out of the house. My mother has a stash she keeps upstairs and I know they are there. This makes it challenging when I have a bad day. Thankfully, my sleeve will not allow me to eat more than 1 1/2 cookies. (I do occasionally splurge). My philosophy is all thing in moderation...including moderation. I have tried so many diets in the past that have failed because I told myself I "could never" have something again. I decided on the sleeve for the amount restriction and it works if I let it. Patterns are very difficult to break. Especially, if you are used to combining it with food. Somehow it gets cemented in the brain....Oh, it's 3:00, it's time for tea and cookies before class... or a bedtime snack to get you thru the night. That being said, they can be broken. I try to find a healthy snack to eat with my tea or a Protein shake during class. Bate and switch works wonders. Guilt is only useful if you are the one doing something wrong and I detest the word cheat. People cheat on their spouse or taxes. I prefer the word detour. When you go off your plan you are making a detour, just like a roadblock, you go around and continue on your journey. I find this works better for me and I don't have the guilt that goes along with the word cheat. Shells, you got this. Take your time as this is not a race. Enjoy your journey and forgive your self. No one is perfect. Good luck.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. I really needed to hear that tonight.

Good luck to you.

214 lbs

Mac and cheese. I try not to have it very often. I haven't had any baked potato's yet. I did have a bite of a sweet potato with butter and sour cream. That could be hazardous if I had it in the house. I'm 5 months out and I still prefer soft food instead of dense foods.