ready2smile

I received a wonderful box from my Penpal Pegi. She really paid attention to our emails and text convos & incorporated a lot of things to not only help me with my lack of energy, but also helped to inspire me. Which is even more special because we're at very different stages of our journeys.

I got a water bottle, energy and Fiber supplements, pistachios (love them!), mini spatulas, a super pretty Washington State calendar, pens, a journal, Protein Bars, mio, sugar free hard candies, little single packs of hummus (never saw those before), flavored water bottle toppers, and other things I'm sure I've neglected to mention. My favorite thing of all was the letter she sent. It's great getting to know people better through this process, sharing your successes, failures, tips/tricks, fears, hopes, creating friendships and being a support to someone else.

Sw 210 cw 199 lost and gained this year, I guess revision from lap band to gastric bypass was not all that I thought it would be! Still struggling!!!!!

Sorry to hear that Marla. Especially after all

you've been through. I've struggled too. I'm such a slow loser. I guess what I'm learning most from this is no two people are alike and I'm always going to be a work in progress. I'll always have to try harder, forgive myself more, and dig way deep for the motivation to stay on track and exercise.

I guess that's why people refer to it as a "journey", a word I never really liked by understand much better after living a year in this life.

Wish you all the best!

I feel you on that! My surgeon said don't loose anymore and I've lost another 6 lbs... They need to make a manual on how to stop loosing!!! Now I look like one of those ballerina girls with the flat chests!!! But yet somehow I still wear a 32 DD??? I def need volume!!! And money to pay for the volume !!!

I definitely don't have a problem with losing too much. Im ok with the way I look at my current weight, but I'd rather lose another 15. It's so much harder than it was in the beginning, and I haven't been as mindful of my eating as I should be. In regards to my chest area, never been my biggest asset-but my hubby thinks I should get LASIK before boobs so I can see what I've got, lol. I told him I don't need to see em, I'll know they're they're when I don't have to push them up courtesy of Victoria Secrets!

Congratulation Lady's it's Almost Been A Year For Me Jan 2,13 Have Lost 113 I Feel Great!

I'm Also Schedule For Surgery For A Tummy Tuck Jan 21,14 Before Surgery And Now

You look amazing! Congrats on your loss and best wishes on your upcoming tummy tuck! I'm hoping to do the same after another 20lbs, (breast lift and implants too) just need to find someone reasonable.

Hello everyone It is official as of Thursday I have hit the goal of my surgeons to get to 175. I am currently at 174. I haven't been here since high school. Attached is from left to right left in pink was two years ago in turquoise was last year and in red is this year at Christmas time.

You look great. What was your starting weight? I'm at the same weight you are-I had surgery at 240. I too haven't been this size since high school. What a wonderful feeling it is.

Next week will be a year that I had surgery.. I have lost almost 100 lbs and loving my new journey call life!!! SD 1/3/13 289 lbs Today 12/29/13 197 lbs

Ou look fabulous, and so happy! Congratulations. Mine is on January 10th. I'm actually a little nervous to go to the dr this time. I'm proud of my loss, but don't want to disappoint my surgeon or myself. I feel like I can keep going-now if I can find the motivation!

Ok so I am stuck like glue to my weight but in its defense I have not exercised in a while. I am having sweet cravings and unfortunately I don't dump. I just need to start to move more.

I'm right there with you in the needing to move department. I got too complacent.

Hey everyone!

Hey there. How's it going?

Just got an email about the new site and realized its been forever since I've checked in here. How's it going? I miss catching up. I'd forgotten how much this used to be my support system.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had it at our house this year. I ate more than I should, and foods I shouldn't have-but overall much less than I ever have on any of my 39 turkey days. Enjoyed my family tremendously. I actually walked out to grab a guest a drink and caught my 7yo nephew taking a swipe of cool whip directly from an unopened container in the garage fridge! He dropped it and hid in the corner, told me "something fell". Not much else in there was white, and his auntie is a pretty good detective and realized even if "something" did fall from the fridge, it doesn't get all over your face by falling down. Can't say I blame him, and I held no grudges-his new nickname is CW.

Lets see, what else? I just had a birthday, my 39th. Last one before the big 4-OH! I'm at the lowest weight I can recall being at since grade school. Sadly, I haven't technically lost any weight for about 2 1/2 months (unless you count the 5 I've taken off and put back on). Time to get on with it eh.

I'm quite sure it has to do with lack of motivation and restraint. Actually, I think most days my brain is motivated but I can't get it to connect with my lazy body... I can tie it to 5 things I need to correct: I haven't been tracking my food, getting in enough Protein, exercise, or Water, and I've never attended an actual support group. So, I started tracking again yesterday. I'm getting up right now to make a Protein Drink (with water) that I will take with me on the 2 mile walk my HB and I are about to go on. Then when we get back I'll find out what date the monthly support group is on and actually GO!

So enough for me-I have a drink to make and a walk to take. Guess I should get out of my jammies 1st (now that I actually talked myself into moving this body of mine!).

Have an awesome night all, best wishes.

R2S

Would have loved for my taste buds to change after surgery. Wish I was one if those that came out hating or dumping with all sweets. Wasn't in the cards for me so I have to be extra careful and stay clear of old habits.

This time of year really sucks when you're trying to lose or even just maintain a weight loss. Knowing what "needs" to be done is completely different from following through. They weren't kidding when they said this is only a tool and you have to use it to your advantage. It's not easy, the weight doesn't simply "fall" off once you have the surgery like a lot if people think. Its a lot of hard work and determination. There are so many bad choices out there-you can't just put on blinders, and even if you did it wouldn't necessarily make you successful. Eeks, I think I need a 12 step program for people who need help eating clean, high Protein foods, drinking Water and exercising.

I've felt like poo for eating too much junk, resolved to be better, then the next day lost my will and did the same crap. I seriously need to find my will power again. The last month and a half has been stupid, I haven't lost anything at all and it's my own fault. I've stopped tracking and fallen back on a lot of bad habits. I don't eat much at a time, and I do eat 3 healthy small meals-but it's the junk I eat in between that is doing me in. I know better, and it makes me mad. I had to fight hard for this, I need to quit blaming the Halloween candy and my husband being an enabler and do this the right way like I know I can. I'm so disappointed in myself. I've come so far this time, from a size 20 to a 12...but I know I can do better. I need energy to feel good-and I sure as heck won't find it eating crap and sitting on my ass.

I'm doing the same crap. Even worse, not logging my food. Trying to get back on track, it's the night time eating/snacking that gets me. I crochet but I can't do it all night long. I hate that I like so many different things. Can't wait until Halloween is over. Wouldn't hurt if I could get my hubby to be more supportive and less of an enabler. He knows better too, he's had the same surgery.

Okay December group. I can't get enough food today. I'm afraid of over eating' date=' but every three hours today I'm starved out. Has anyone else experience this?[/quote']

Tummy grumbles or bored eating? I've been "bored eating" lately so thought I might ask. If its grumbles, might be time to add in a few more healthy calories...otherwise, a hobby like playing cards, crochet, reading, etc.? I have to keep my hands busy when I get like that. Good luck!!

Where is everybody? We need to stick together and support one another. Hope everyone is enjoying their new you.

Agreed! We get busy living life and forget about the support we need and how good it feels to give it.

I'm 65lbs down, not a huge loss in comparison with some others, but with all things considered-I feel like I've accomplished a lot. My body has changed, don't recall when I wore a size 11 last or weighed less than 185. I'm 175 now and I get a lot of "hey skinny lady's" and "stop losing weight already's", "you look so good", etc. It's nice to hear but I feel like I have at least 10-25 more to lose. I'm pretty hard on myself.

I can go up a lb in a day-not from how much I eat but what I eat, so I still take the scale pretty seriously and feel like I'm far from an expert on food and getting the perfect routine. Unfortunately I have little imagination with food prep and in the cooking areas so my meals are pretty boring, lol. I do try to track all my meals in MFP, helps me to be accountable. I know I need to exercise more, but I'm healing from a knee injury.... which I'm sure is partly why the energy level is a bit low still even though I take my Vitamins. By the end of my work day I'm worn out.

Oh, and I love wearing smaller clothes, but shopping can be both overwhelming and frustrating. Expensive too!

Hw 256 sw 233 dos 12/11/12 cw 152

You look wonderful!!!

You look fabulous!!! And your smile is so bright.

Deflated! I picked up new bras at the Hanes outlet near my house. Padded cups which keeps everything in place. They measured me and I was surprised at the size change. My jeans are now smaller then my teenage boys which feels good.

My 19year old said he is so proud of me. It felt good to chat with him about all the changes.

I love it when our kids are proud of us. Went to the mall with my hubby and daughter yesterday. There's this store called Buckles that has really cute clothing, boots, belts, jewelry-they carry MissMe jeans too. It was nice to be able to look around with my daughter knowing if I wanted to I could buy something and when she encouraged me to try on some jeans I was like nah, I'm not small enough yet. Of course I grabbed the two biggest sizes because I had no idea what an 11 or 12 equaled in MissMe's...it was a wreck. They laughed at me because they were so saggy. The clerk had to go back twice for smaller sizes and the fit was just ok so I didn't buy any. Later we ended up at another store and happened to see a super cute pair, in an even smaller size-they fit like a glove and my husband insisted I get them. Was crazy trying to wrap my head around it.

I like your saying like slices of pizza. I haven't been able to come up w a word to describe them.

Gen :-) 12/15/12

Went to Victoria Secrets with my 19yo earlier this week to get a new "lift" bra. Had a $10 off coupon-didn't even use it. I was so disgusted by the fact that I went down another cup size that I couldn't even muster up the excitement that I went down in band size too. Talk about deflating your ego....I left with nothing.

The pain will also go through to your back area on the right too' date=' if I remember correctly. A year before the bypass I was having a lot of issues w mine. Was going to have surgery bit then I changed my eating (less fats) and it stopped. I was lucky.

I'm not telling you to change your eating, lol. I have read a lot about people having their gallbladder removed after this surgery. Almost makes you wonder if it should be taken at the same time, lol, just like Jessie's surgeon does. I hope it was only a one time thing for you. I do know I have gall stones but I haven't had any issues, knock on wood. Mine probably should have been removed during the surgery.

Gen :-) 12/15/12[/quote']

The more I hear the more it sounds like it could have been something else-no back pain when it occurred either. Perhaps just a little weird, yet very painful heartburn. Good point on the fatty foods, I heard about them being stressors as well. They are very limited in my diet since surgery so not much worry there. Glad you were able to avoid surgery. Hope it's not in my future either.

Figured I'd give an update since my last post on this topic. I've been getting in about 100g of Protein pretty consistently over the last week, some days a little more. Mind you I'm a slow loser, but I've already lost 3.6 lbs. It's not always easy because I have to supplement with protein powders and bars to do it, (BLECH) but I try really hard. Eventually I'll learn to do this better with food, but for now it works for me. My only question is why in the world didn't I do this sooner?!

Thanks for sharing guys. Its funny to think of it like that but yes, it did feel like labor pains. I only had those two in a row though, and nothing on the right side. Pain was in the center of my stomach and up under my ribcage. Maybe it was unrelated, hoping so. Don't want another surgery.

I'm recouping from Gallbladder surgery. Hopefully it won't be as bad as gastric bypass!

I'm so glad you're feeling better! I've known a few people who had their gallbladders removed after GB. If you don't mind me asking, what were your symptoms? I had a couple of the worst pains in my upper stomach, lower chest area last night. Was almost like when I had my hernia but with a different kick to it-this didn't move up to my neck and shoulder. It happened once, then again about 5 minutes later. I got nauseous and super hot, but don't think I had a fever. Wasn't dumping, I know that feeling.

I agree, don't give up and getting a good amount of Protein helps! I've refocused on getting about 100g a day recently and the weight is coming off again. Still slow, but the scale is moving.

Hope you find a new job soon! Best of luck to you.

I just saw this behavior in myself and had to have a come-to-jesus moment. You're in good company, we all struggle at some point-its why we're here. My new goal is to get in 100g of Protein a day and 6 cups of Water, eat clean and snack healthy. It's especially important now because I can't exercise much. I have to keep all weight off my right knee and was ordered to be on crutches for 6-24weeks (depending on how well/soon it heals). I log everything in MFP, it's awesome. tuna and shrimp are excellent sources of protein-they are the easiest for me to eat. Syntax nectar has good shakes; I've tried the fuzzy navel (my fave) Roadside Lemonade (ok), and vanilla bean (super vanilla and almost too sweet).

I also removed all the bad Snacks from my desk so I don't get tempted, and stocked up on fruits and veggies, (and it doesn't hurt that I can't carry much while on my crutches). Whatever you do, just keep trying, don't give up.

How's everyone doing? I've seen so much progress throughout this group and am so proud of everyone. For the most part I've been doing ok. I do struggle, lose a little here and there-and yet I noticed I've been sabotaging myself. I don't eat much, but I'm not making the best choices and snacking too much. I've sucked at getting my Protein and Water in, so today I stepped it up. No snacking, clean eating and lots of protein. I worked so hard to get here, I can't see myself being satisfied with mediocre results. I want to be happy in the skin I'm in and be proud of the progress I've made, but feel like I'm disappointing myself. Anyone else go through that?