Hunter

In 2013 I lost 80.6 pounds. Surgery 5.21.13 I lost my addiction to SEVERAL pain medications and antidepressants. I lost my need to have a 2ND spinal surgery. I lost the feeling that I HaVE to exercise. I do it because I want it in my life. I lost my size 26pants and 3xl tops, to a 10-12 pants, and med, lg WOMENS shirt. Yesterday my 8 year old told me the skinnier I get, the taller I get. ♥ im 5'6. I am 42.8 pounds away from a goal no one thought possible. Cant wait to see what I say about 2014! Oh my resolution has NOTHING to do w weight, for the first time in a longgg time!

congrats

Is that 90 lbs. in 4 months...holy moly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!amazing!

Yes I started my pre-op diet on 8/6/13 @ 344 now I am at 252.4 I feel blessed. I have been able to stay on plan fairly well except during the holidays the last 4 days have not been good. I have to get back at it!

I have lost a little over 90 pounds. Surgery was 8/20/13.

That made my heart sink, RJ. I know EXACTLY the scenario. I used to go quiet. Feel wounded. And eat for comfort at night.... The years of wounding are making me a bit angry of late... I have to be mindful not to go too far the other way.... As attractive as litigation might be, maybe a quick 'go **** yourself' might make me feel better about things these days. Particularly if its accompanied by a flick of the hair and a flouncing away with my new, much smaller behind wearing something fabulous. When it happens, I'll be sure to let you know how it felt x

The more I read your post the more I like you! I love your biting whit!

Started challenge at 264 goal 250 current weight 252.4 did not make goal glad the Holidays are over ready to get back in my normal routine thanks for doing this it has helped me to stay closer to plan. Now to get back on plan and blow the valentines challenge out of the water!

I just got my insurance approval today!! I'm so excited! Surgery is scheduled for January 14th!

congratulations!

254 this week not going to loose 4 pounds in a week but on the bright side I have lost 10 pounds from Thanksgiving till Christmas!

"buy the sports bra" hunter OMG - I didn't realize/see i was in the guy's room didn't see your handsome face in the pic i'm sorry for my comment (#2 above) many women have your same "situation" i thought you were a Lisa/Mary or Joan!!!! not a tom, fred or bill still friends??? you have done amazing with your weight loss of 89 lbs keep up the good work happy holidays kathy congrats

No biggie LOL I am not a .007 just posted it in the mans room to get feed back from other men that may have had the same issue not to hide. I enjoyed your response. No worries

I am in! Going to be close on goal for New years.

Hey hunter. I completely get it. I have to day...I'm 44 and my abdomen was never going to get better until I had a TT, which I did. But my chest did get better and is still getting better. But....until then, ere are numerous compression garments that you can wear which may help. Here's some examples. They are a bit pricey but much more effective than just a under armour type shirt....these things really hold stuff in place. They seem restrictive at first, but you very quickly get used to them and like the feeling of things not bouncing around. http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product/compression_garments/male/index.vm

thanks

Had mine in b-ham on 8/20/13 from the florence area.

Hi I'm having my surgery in Birmingham at St. Vincent's east with Dr. Miles on January 21st

Dr miles did mine in August love it!

I was doing my cardio the other day I felt good and was really getting into it. I decided to start jogging for the first time and....... Quickly realized I either need a sports bra or duct tape or at least safety glasses LOL. This problem is much better than weighing 350 I actually laughed but I am looking for suggestions being 43 the way I carried my weight and having lost 89 pounds already I don't see this getting any better. What can I do to at least slow the bouncing.

Had one. It was not pleasant but it was doable!

I could not. Only in soft stage be careful with eggs early on I are a lot of egg beaters I was out one morning and cooked whole eggs and got really really sick. We are all different so you may have no problem but I would not wish that on anyone.

Grrrr, I'm stuck! Today's weight 225, same as last week. Surgery date 11/18. I'm only 4 weeks post op, I really expected to lose more before hitting a stall. Starting weight 248, surgery day 239. Back to work 2 weeks post op @ 225. Gained 2 pounds, lost 2 pounds and here I sit. Frustrated! Appt today with surgeon, said to keep working on getting liquids, Protein & exercise in daily, come back in 2 months. Said they will check my labs & if anything unusual shows, he will call me. This is still sooo hard!

Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It will work out. I was about 6 weeks out before I really settled into a routine and started using my fitness pal to track my food and exercise which really helped me. Some like me (170 pounds overweight) who lose mega weight those first few months have much further to go than you. It has slowed to a pound or two a week now that I am closer to goal. Your body has been through a lot it will happen just stick to the plan.

Pre surgery wt 344

Start of challenge 264

Last week 257

This week 255.8

Close to 6 pounds from goal going to be tough but maybe it will motivate me to make better choices next week! My Christmas starts Sunday with my first family function.

I knew as I closed in on 100 pounds lost it would slow but I secretly wanted to be at 244 New Year's Day but hey I started my pre-surgery diet on August 6 at that point if you had told me I would be down 88 pounds by Christmas I would have been over joyed!

In another stall for 5 days just going to do my best!

I had my first date post sleeve yesterday. It was great. The boost to my self esteem was the only reason I had the courage to ask her out! I met her just before being sleeved and she has watched the process we talked some about nutrition and how I eat today but it did not make me uncomfortable. That was one of many topics discussed during the 2.5 hour lunch. It was cool I cut my steak in little bites and paced my eating to finish with her. Which left more time for me to focus on her and not the food. So it is still hard I think it always will be but for me it is much easier.

Start of challenge 264

First week 262

Second week 257

Had a great week stall broken ????????????

Ok I read the first few pages of this thread and my ADD kicked in but here it goes: I had a normal childhood well my brother and I always knew our parents loved us but the only reason they were together was for us at times I wished they would have separated but they were doing what they thought was best and doing their best.

At a early age I found my first addiction TV I could get lost in whatever show was on escape from the world. As I grew into my teen years my self esteem became lower and I found the next (of many) addictions.... Then at 18 I was the youngest person ever licensed as a Paramedic in the state of Alabama. A high stress job and a budding addiction problem were like fire and gas. (Not blaming the job)........ The chemical I used became stronger and stronger..... I have a period of my life I don't remember I refer to it as the 90s... In 2003 I reached a point that I either had to die or get clean. I chose the latter....

My new found recovery blossomed as did my ass. The old feelings of worthlessness and useless would return from time to time. The eating spiraled..... Then the yoyo dieting...... The abuse of self when I would regain...... Now mind you I had several years clean and the thoughts would go through my head " you can stay clean but you can't stop killing yourself with food." My self esteem took a nose dive I just became settled with the fact I would die early from complications of morbid obesity. Then a year ago a friend had her sleeve done! The weight fell off I was amazed....... I went to a seminar about WLS and had a emotional spiral...... I wanted to do it to lose weight and become healthy again but the thought of giving up food ( what I wanted to eat, when I wanted to eat, in the amounts I wanted) terrified me to the point of paralysis. I would lay in bed as obsess about WLS but did nothing..... Then my father became ill ending up in a coma for 7 days...... As I stood over the bed in ICU thinking I was loosing him, mad because he did not take care of himself it hit me, right in the gut I was going to die a slow terrible death. Food was as surely killing me just as the dope had been. I made the decision that day to start this journey!

The one advantage I possible have on others is a very small understanding of addiction and behaviors surrounding it. That DOES NOT make be bullet proof or better than it just gives me tools others do not have yet.

1) I believe that denial is not just a river in Egypt

2) Denial is a warm and fuzzy place and leaving it sucks but is the only path to personal growth!

3) addiction effects ALL areas of my life

4) God does not make junk!

5) I CAN NOT compare my insides to others outsides any longer!

6) There is no substance that can fix me be it drugs or food. (When I internalize this one I will be on my way)

7) This is a journey not a destination I will never arrive or be cured.

8) Life is good

9) I am a hot mess on most days and that's ok so is everybody else. Only the strongest admit their weakness. Refer to 5

10) I need to be involved with people who share the same struggles as I do. There are things I can learn from them that no one else can teach me

11) laughter cures much

Thanks for all your honesty! I feel close to many of you and stalk your posts regularly! It is on me to reach out and get to know you better!

Just 1 more second! Sorry, couldn't help myself dde1d

oh you can bet in the same situation I would have used it on you lol! Heck of a game took 10 years off my life

Hunter, Roll Tide!

Roll Tide

I've gotten to "know" many of you just by reading your online interactions and have to say this is the greatest support group ever. As a group, people are informative, supportive, open, caring, and just plain fun to be around. It takes a bit of time to search through profiles and get a peek at who you are and what's going on with you. So, I was wondering if we might want to take a minute to introduce ourselves, post a photo, or do something a bit "more" here in this topic thread. My name is Bea and I am a mother of 4, grandmother of 7, and great-grandmother of 1. At 53 that may sound a bit of a stretch, but a couple of those in the mix are steps. Anyway, I'm not a fast loser but have been consistent. Here I am at the halfway mark on my journey (68 down, 64 to go) and I find things slowing considerably. Still, I'm doing just fine in my journey I think. I have a high stress job (Marketing Manager at a $50 million company) and have an extra stressor in that I'm currently working on my PhD. I also keep an apartment in the city (Houston) while I go to my home in the country, where hubby is, on the weekends. I have to say I am LOVING my sleeve (and so is my sweetie!) and what it has done for me already. Thanks so much to all of you for being here for me since, even when I don't interact a lot, I READ READ READ postings here every single day and find them to be incredibly helpful! Here's a recent picture of me so you'll have an idea about what I look like:

I am 42 single my step daughter and my grand son live with me. He is the light of my life. I am a precision mill-wright in the paper industry. I was sleeved on 8/20/13 down 83 pounds my weight loss has slowed mostly because I have not eaten as well as I should. Now that I have put it out there maybe I will clean my diet back up! I love my sleeve.

I had to have a print out from the SD card in my c pap to prove compliance and had to have it with me day of surgery.