Sonia65

I don't think it's the easy way out either. But if it is, so what? What's wrong with taking advantage of scientific and technical advances?
I drove to work this morning instead of jogging all the way there. Or riding my nonexistent donkey. Easy way out?
One of my friends takes birth control pills to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Sounds like the easy way out . . . she should struggle with the rhythm method and hope for the best like her foremothers did.
Basically anyone who uses a power lawnmower, accepts anesthesia for getting a filling, or buys meat at the supermarket (instead of hunting, killing, butchering, and cleaning it themselves) has no moral high ground when it comes to taking the "easy way out."

Finally after the longest stall ever, I hit 100lbs lost!!! Eeeeeeeeeee!!! So excited! And guess what?? I'm no longer "morbidly obese"... Just "obese"!!! Yay! Next stop--ONEDERLAND! And being "overweight"!!! :D

I'm not fat (on the outside) any more! I'm not skinny by any means, but I'm not fat. I weigh 157 pounds which is still far too much for my 5.3 frame, but I wear size medium tops and size 8 pants, which is officially smaller than the average American woman.
I am no longer shopping in the women's section.
I am no longer wearing the largest size in the ladies' department.
I pick up clothes in consignment shops and often have to reject them for being too big. ( WTF?!?!?!)
I fit in bathroom stalls and dressing rooms with room to spare.
I can walk through turnstiles/bus aisles/theatre rows front ways instead of turning sideways and sucking it in.
I no longer stress when some jackhole parks too close to my minivan when I can barely open my car door to squeeze in.
Every seatbelt fits.
I can put my handbag in my seat with me instead of on a different chair.
I can sit in a booth without my tummy and/or boobs smooshing up against the table.
People don't mind sitting next to me at the movies or in tight restaurants.
More people make eye contact/open doors/smile/initiate conversation with me than ever before.
I am no longer looking around to see if I am the biggest person in the room because I'm not. Ever. Not even in Zumba.
I can wear my leggings home from the gym and stop at the store without caring if I run I to anyone I know.
I could go on forever. I'm still a fat girl on the inside so this whole thing is very surreal. It's just finally starting to set in that after 20 years of being obese, I'm now just a regular sized fit mom (with some loose skin) who can do anything I fracking want to do because I gifted myself with the least easy "easy way out" I could have ever chosen to do.
Love love love. Love.

I weigh less than my dad!! My dad is thin and never has any body fat so realizing I weigh less than him and even could put his shorts on was huge for me!

I had to have my surgery pushed back to August but just wanted to share with someone and do a happy dance for getting down to 215 from 327

Isn't it amazing! I just worked out for an hour.... 6 months ago my work out consisted of 4 minutes of trying to tie my shoes.

Hello All! It's been forever since I've posted. Still not used to the new format. Some recent NSV: a friend called me petite, I can wear skinny jeans without looking like a total fool, I find myself fitting between obstacles in my 2nd grade classroom that I couldn't have before, I'm out of plus sizes, I fit in some size medium tops, I feel the urge to move more, and I am 100 lbs. down from my highest!!
Crazy ride these last 7 months. Congrats to everyone. Love the posted pictures. I get around to that soon.

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

So i went out with friends last night. Amazing time. I have had alcohol in the past wine makes me a little tipsy, beer just makes me full... Last night we had a cream type wine and some shots before we went to the bar. OMG I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk down the stairs to the car! I'm such a light weight now. It was a fun tipsy feeling and once I was at the bar I switched to Water. Danced for 2 hours and had a blast! One of my friends said I looked like a cute little barbie doll last night. haha made my night!

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

Hello everyone,
glad to see there a still a few familiar names around. It took me a few months but finally got the new app on my phone. It seems as of everyone is doing well and hitting those milestones both on and of the scale. Congrats everyone.
I reached onederland in November and am 1 pound away from 100 lost. It feels really good :-). The nsv's are also lots of fun. Some examples are:
going horseback riding and getting on and of by myself
shopping in regular stores (although it was really hard at first, I walked out of many stores because I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start! )
much more energy
joints that don't hurt
first pair of knee high boots
much lighter suitcase when going on holiday
buying a really cute sun dress off a vendor on the beach
That's about it for now.
Keep up the good work.

Here is a little victory of sorts? soooo in the past when 450+ lbs RJ would slip on the ice and fall on his tookus it would be a very tramatic experience trying to get vertical and in most cases a passer by would render assistance. In short it sucked an i would always get injured to some degree.
This year i have gone down twice. The second one occured last night on the way back from the trolley ride home. But in both cases this year i was able to brace properly bounced right back up ( no assistance required) brush myself off in under 5 seconds and be on my way uninjured.
I love my new life.

Wearing size 16 jeans today! Feels awesome!

Ok. Glad we got that sorted out.
May I offer a bit of advice? You may hear stories, but there are some important things to keep in mind. Many of the stories people pass on are about a friend of a friend's 2nd cousin (or some such distant relationship) who supposedly had such and such a problem. The first problem is that the facts are often distorted and exaggerated in the retelling because everyone loves to tell a good dramatic story, especially if they are trying to persuade you not to have surgery. You can never be sure what their agenda may be.
The second problem is that you never know the details of the other person's physical condition, their age, any co-morbidities which may have contributed to the situation, how well they followed their program before and after surgery, whether they followed the surgeon's instructions precisely---or did they do something stupid like not going to the ER when complications arose or tried to eat a steak 2 days after surgery, etc.... Some people make mind-boggling choices. A friend of my family developed an infection and blood clot after surgery. It was a weekend and instead of following her doctor's instructions and calling him to report any problem or going to the ER when she had very clear symptoms of a clot and an infection, she decided not to disturb her doctor on the weekend with a phone call and not to spend $75 to go to the ER. She died when the clot broke loose. She was a warm and wonderful woman, but she made two terrible choices. Sad, but her story doesn't signify anything for your likely journey other than a warning to call your doctor or go to the ER if you have concerns.
So while such stories may make you aware of some potential complications or issues, your journey will be very specifically your own, depending on your condition and history and how well you do with your program. There is so much to learn about WLS and the lifestyle changes you have to make before surgery and every day of your life thereafter. It's good to seek out information, but try to keep a balanced view and don't add unnecessarily to your own natural jitters by filling your mind with supposed horror stories. They bring you down and sap your energy just when you need to be focused on your own health and well-being.
All that said, if you read the thousands of posts on this forum and several similar ones you'll learn an awful lot about the challenges people have faced, as well as see the support they've gotten and how they have worked towards solutions. I hope this helps and that you will enjoy your journey and have the weight loss you seek. I sailed through surgery and recovery, even though I am older and have heart trouble, and am so thrilled with the results. I wish you similar happiness!

I like to look at it this way...
You had three french fries. You did not go eat an entire plate of them. nor did you eat an entire cake. I think as long as you are watching in moderation, and enjoy a treat every once in a while... I don't see it as a bad thing. When dieting before, when I would eliminate certain foods and not allow myself to indulge, that is what led me to over indulge and binge. I had 1 peanutbutter cup last night. I did not eat an entire bag.... nor did I want an entire bag, that is a great feeling!
DON'T beat yourself up! We've come a LONG way

So i got very brave today and purchased a digital bathroom scale to help me better measure my progress and keep me focused .
I promised myself a week or bi-weekly weigh in so i don't drive myself into a obsessive compulsive tailspin. Fortunately for me i threw caution to the wind and hopped on the scale (Please note this has been my mortal enemy for decades) and to my surprise i am down another 18 lbs! Yipee . This puts me ahead of my goal to be in the 200"s for Thanksgiving.
As of today's glorious date i am down a total of 145 lbs since i started this program 1 year ago
At this rate i should be ( God willing and the Creek don't rise ) at my goal weight of 180 Lbs by May of 2014.
Thanks you God for letting me find Dr.Richard Ing and the entire team at The Bryn Mawr Hospitals Bariactric center.
.
Hope everyone is have a Beautiful Sunday.
RJ

The printed word can sometimes be misunderstood because, unlike when we talk in person, you can't hear the 'tone' of the words. You can't tell if someone is being funny, sarcastic, angry, or happy. Some people don't have the vocabulary to say what they really mean and use words or phrases that mean something else entirely, completely unintentionally. We have to be understanding and overlook these types of things that may be purely innocent.
Some people 'tell it like it is', or think they do. What it really is, is an opinion. Opinions are just that - opinions. It's what a person thinks and it isn't always (maybe even RARELY) based on fact. Opinions are just one person's perception of a thing. Sometimes the person who 'tells it like it is' can make you see something in a way you didn't consider before. It can be a good thing.
And then there are 'trolls'. These are people who like to stir up trouble by deliberately making comments that offend or anger others. Then they sit back and watch the sparks fly. One board that I belonged to was almost destroyed by 'trolls' making offensive comments in a 'hit and run' fashion. The best defense against 'trolls' is to ignore them. They want a reaction - don't give them one.
A lot of people here genuinely want to help by sharing their experiences, offering encouragement, and celebrating successes (their own and yours). At times we seek advice and sometimes sympathy from others who have already gone through things that we find bewildering. It's comforting to know things will improve and get tips to cope with our problems.
What all of the above have in common is that they are all comments made by people we have never met and likely never will. Whether positive or negative, you are the one who chooses what to read and when/if to respond. Just ignore what you don't like and enjoy the rest. You don't need to abandon the whole board. There is WAY more positive here than negative! :-)

Thanks! I'm down 65 lbs since surgery. I stepped on the scale 4 times to make sure it wasn't a fluke lol

Congrats! So what is your total loss? I am still 19 pounds from onederland. Thinking I might be there for Christmas. What a lovely gift that would be. :-). Either way the weight is going in the right direction so I am happy.

I really wonder what, physiologically, could be happening that several are hungry and feeling big frustration. I keep wondering if it isn't because of the estrogen-fat release depression the doctor told me about. I mean we're burning pounds and fat, hearing good comments but not yet seeing a supermodel in the mirror, feeling better but not yet marathon ready, losing our hair (me), puking occasionally when we eat a bite too much (anyone else occasionally worried we're a shade too close to bulimia), happy weight is coming off while criticizing ourselves for the ugly jiggly fat folds, and we're just so accustomed to failing that we keep waiting for the next shoe to drop and ruin it all. I think therapy, support groups, and time can help but people nature is to want everything perfect now and we've learned to be impatient far longer than we've learned to be patient. As hard as it is, seems to me at this point we just have to give ourselves permission to "be", "settle", and "just accept" where we are in this moment in this vessel. We can and will DO this together!

Hope you all don't mind but the July group is so quiet I am Jong your June group :-).
Right now I feel like c**p.
Stayed out a bit longer than anticipated and had no Snacks with me. So when the family grabbed take out from the grocery store before we shopped I thought the yogurt parfait looked like it would work for me. Yogurt, granola, fruit. ... what can go wrong? Well half way thru got nauseous and crampy. So stopped eating. Went online and checked nutrition and it had 300 calories must have tons of sugar. Paying for it now:(. Lesson learned... always carry emergency Quest bars.

Feel like c**p.
Stayed out a bit longer than anticipated and had no Snacks with me. So when the family grabbed take out from the grocery store before we shopped I thought the yogurt parfait looked like it would work for me. Yogurt, granola, fruit. ... what can go wrong? Well half way thru got nauseous and crampy. So stopped eating. Went online and checked nutrition and it had 300 calories must have tons of sugar. Paying for it now:(. Lesson learned... always carry emergency Quest bars.