BeeLee37

I am just starting this process. I went to my first seminar August 6 but found out two days later they do not accept my insurance so it would have to be done out of network. I said "no thank you" and now my second seminar is scheduled August 13 with a different surgeon. I am 5' 3" and 230 pounds. After the first seminar I was talking to the guest speaker and another woman told me I do not look like I needed the surgery. It was strange to hear that. I told her I did and that she could not see my high blood pressure, high cholesterol or bad back and painful joints. She apologized but I see what you are saying here. I must look like a lightweight but sure do not feel like one.

The first photo was before I started my two week pre-op diet, last April. I weighed 231.8 at my heaviest, and was wearing a (tight) size 16. The second one was taken a couple of weeks ago, at about 153. I now wear a size 6-10, depending on the brand. Someone else on here posted before and after wearing the same clothes, and I thought that was a good idea, so that's what I've been doing so far, but then thought maybe I should add some wearing clothes that fit too, hence the third photo!

I finally reached goal weight of 150lbs at a little more than 14 months out! i am so ecsatatic! I dont think i have EVER been 150lbs in my life....this has been an incredible journey. So to date i have lost 107lbs (started at 257). now for the stretch goal!

Today i Celebrate my one year surgiversary! I am so proud of everything that i have accomplished. I started at 257lbs and am now dow 98 pounds in total. My current weight is 159lbs. I am still a few pounds away from my goal but i am happier than i have ever been in my life. I have struggled with my weight since i was a little girl. I had such an intense loathing for the way i looked most of my life. I feel like this surgery has changed me so much mentally and physically. before i had pain all over my body, Migraines, depression etc. I would refuse to even look at people. Now i have gained so much confidence and it feels so good! i chase my kids around the park for hours while before i was only able to go for about 30 mins. i wouldnt exercise at all and I was treating myself horribly by gorging myself on food. now i feel like i actually know what real NUTRITION is. its not just stuffing my face. its all about giving my body fuel, and using that fuel for energy. One of the best parts is that i can go about my day and not have to think about food every second. Before i literally felt like i was that little boy in the movie d**k Tracy, all i could say is "when do we eat?" I wouldnt trade my sleeve for anything. So for the first time here are my before and after pics.

Hi all! It's been awhile since I've been here, but I had my surgery one year ago today and I wouldn't have been able to get through it without all of the support I received here. I started out a year ago at 250 lbs, size 20 and a year after VSG I am 155 lbs and a size 6!  

My first and middle name Brandy Lee and I was 37 yrs when I made my profile here= BeeLee37.

Congratulations, you are almost to the finish line

I will go anywhere my family goes with the exception of a buffet. It does not mean I have to eat or eat what they eat. When I started this process I never intended to be afraid of being around food or to be overly strict. I started getting heavy when I was 26 years old (after 2nd child, tubes tied and gall bladder removal within 6 months) so I knew how to eat before that point and stay at a size range of 3-6. I want to be like that again and being afraid of going out to eat or worrying about every little thing will never get me there. I am one month out, maybe my mind set will change later but at this point I don't plan on it.
Added- It was after the birth and 2 separate surgeries that I noticed I did not recognize a full feeling anymore. I do not know why that happened. Only got worse over the next 12 years and was ten times worse after my hysterectomy in 2011. I wanted to add this info because this surgery has brought me back to how I was before all of that and I am not trying to advocate eating "off plan" to anyone else. I just know how I was before and how I feel now in regards to eating and eating outside of my home.

27 pounds lost in one month is insanely amazing!! Congratulations on your success!

I love that show! LOL, I did keep my phone right by me to calculate the weights as well The Dr seems to care and I love hearing him talk Great show, very informative.

Actually, I'm not cheating. Cheating would be if I in fact did eat the whole bag or ate these type foods to excess. As I said above, I did not do that. I simply satisfied a taste craving without the need to binge. In my case, it was a means to maintain control of my eating. It's perfectly acceptable to eat foods that have carbs and sugars and the sort and still maintain a healthy diet. It just must be in very limited and controlled amounts.
However, if you feel that attempting any trigger foods would be to slippery a slope and risk blowing the whole diet, that is understandable too. I surprised myself in my ability to eat just two little pieces and be satisfied. Who knew.

I just say my body is on hold. My longest hold was 4 days so far but there have been a couple of 3 days too. I am averaging 1 pound lost every 2 days since surgery (17 pounds since surgery). When the hold is over the weight loss catches up. As long as you are not eating crazy amounts of food your body will have no choice but to release the weight. When it is ready of course.

I will go anywhere my family goes with the exception of a buffet. It does not mean I have to eat or eat what they eat. When I started this process I never intended to be afraid of being around food or to be overly strict. I started getting heavy when I was 26 years old (after 2nd child, tubes tied and gall bladder removal within 6 months) so I knew how to eat before that point and stay at a size range of 3-6. I want to be like that again and being afraid of going out to eat or worrying about every little thing will never get me there. I am one month out, maybe my mind set will change later but at this point I don't plan on it.
Added- It was after the birth and 2 separate surgeries that I noticed I did not recognize a full feeling anymore. I do not know why that happened. Only got worse over the next 12 years and was ten times worse after my hysterectomy in 2011. I wanted to add this info because this surgery has brought me back to how I was before all of that and I am not trying to advocate eating "off plan" to anyone else. I just know how I was before and how I feel now in regards to eating and eating outside of my home.

I just say my body is on hold. My longest hold was 4 days so far but there have been a couple of 3 days too. I am averaging 1 pound lost every 2 days since surgery (17 pounds since surgery). When the hold is over the weight loss catches up. As long as you are not eating crazy amounts of food your body will have no choice but to release the weight. When it is ready of course.

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

My Dr did not do a catheter either. He said the surgery was so short it was not needed. I was all prepared to argue against having one and was nicely surprised by his answer.
Like everyone likes to point out though- Every Dr is different. Best of luck to you

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

I don't think marfar7 has an eating disorder, unless it is the same one that all of us have that caused us to resort to WLS. After all, she is at a 25 BMI and has lost nearly 100 pounds. She must be doing something right!
I think her post was to let us know that you don't have to be perfect at measuring everything and not ever cheating in order to succeed at weight loss.
Of course...that is my opinion, and every one of us has one.

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

Ummmmmm that loose comment was about my stool.....not me personally LoL!

For the record, I wasn't attempting to be judgemental about how anyone eats. I was truly just pointing out that not everyone can eat perfectly, or even want to. I see posts every single day to people who "cheat" and they're given a sermon about how to eat "right"
I apologize if I offended anyone. That was not my goal. My goal was to share that u don't have to be "perfect" and be successful.
Now I'm hanging my head in shame for offending anyone...
Marci

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.

I did not see the OP as being judgemental or looking down on anyone. She wrote her feelings and her ability to lose weight while eating less. Not perfectly healthy, less. That is why I got this surgery as well. I do not plan on eating salads for the rest of my life, my problem was I could not recognize when I had eaten enough. I was not grazer, I was a binger with no off button. This surgery is my off button and I will eat what I have always eaten now that the button works.
Thank you for your post, everyone is entitled to share their thoughts and experiences.