Comfy_Blue

whoo hoo!!! go you! ONEderland is awesome. I entered it a couple weeks ago. It feels really good. Let's try and get to the century club (100lbs) next! 140 here I come!

I'm 2 months post opt and I haven't had a soda except at a baby shower and even that sip was accidental. (My friend made punch in a big bowl and I didnt realize it was ginger ale as a base). Immediately after that sip I put it down. Occasionally I get a twinge for something other than Water, so I'll have a half cup of fruit juice and/or milk. I try to mainly drink lemon water though. I've heard soda stretches your pouch and even though I am by no means a purist, having broken my addiction to them, I can't imagine going back. I don't plan to drink another soda the rest of my life. (unless science creates a bionic stomach in which case I'd love a transplant and could eat whatever i wanted. lol)

Lol i'm glad you're taking it so well. People say all sorts of weird/inappropuate stuff. A guy at work told me I'm gettimg skinny like my Mommy and that's good. A woman who hasn't spoken a word to me in the four years we worked together approached me in the copy room and says in one irritated breath " so how much weight have u lost anyway?!". Someone else called me a shadow of my former self. Another coworker (an older female) tells me I look beautiful every time she sees me and i'm so thin now (then she proceeds to list all the improvements to my physical appearance). Crazy!

The best feeling to me is when I go clothes shopping. I used to only shop for jewelry, hair products and other accessories while my mom and/or friends looked at clothes. Now I love trying on stuff because I don't have to worry that it'll be too tight on my breasts/sides/belly/butt. I always had a hard time finding cute clothes because Lane Bryant is expensive and didn't always have the styles I'm more drawn too (I like to wear more Bohemian clothing). I also feel good when I see people I havent seen for a long time. I used to feel ashamed because I was so thin in my younger years and had put on 95lbs. Now when I see people, I don't feel like a shrinking violet imagining them whispering to themselves or others about ''how big Blu has gotten''. I feel more confident and am speaking up more. I am still shy and anxious, but slowly finding my voice more and more instead of just being grateful to God people were being nice to me in all my heaviness.

In addition to weight loss giving me a nice helping of body dysmorphia (I can only tell I am smaller when I look at side by side pictures, but even then I look only slightly smaller to myself. Not like I've lost 40+lbs) Now I'm finding that my perception of other people's weight is off. Like I saw an episode of Mike and Molly and Molly looked HUGE to me. In the past, whenever I saw the actress she just looked a little heavier than average. My best friend stopped past Mom's house to drop something off for a baby shower and she too looked really heavy to me. When I was 245, she looked to be at least 2 - 3 sizes smaller than me. Now I look at her and her body just seems so large. I asked Mom if she looked heavier to her and Mom said she looks the same as she did at my wedding (six months ago). People that I always considered "skinny" now look average and sometimes a little chunky to me. Like my aunt. I always considered her very small (she wears a size 8 or 10 pants). Now she looks average to me. The same with my two "stick thin" bridesmaids. When we were trying on dresses, I was in awe at how skinny they looked changing their clothes. While they don't look chunky to me now, they do look "average" not stick thin anymore. The only person who still looks the same is my cousin who is a size 0, but when I saw her in my wedding video (she had just had a baby) she looked heavier to me. At my actual wedding, I remember marveling at how super skinny she looked having just had a baby two weeks before. Now I'm like, "Wow, you can totally tell she just had a baby". I also find that when I go out to eat, it makes me feel a little sick because what once seemed like "just enough" food now feels like someone has sat down a Thanksgiving dinner in front of me and said, "eat this". A portion of mashed potatoes now feels like a huge saucer. 8 chicken fingers used to be satisfying. Now I'm like, "dude, why are you giving me so much food?!" I often feel guilty because when the servers see my plate they're like, "Aw, honey what's wrong ? You don't like your food? I can get you something else?"

First off, congratulations everyone! As another poster said, no matter your progress, you all have made the decision to be healthier and more conscious of what you're eating. whether you lost or maintained, Thank you for this challenge Bea. Your challenge really helped hold me accountable because as it got closer and closer to Friday each week i'd be like "maybe i shouldnt eat this extra _______" or "i'm going to walk today" because i didnt want to post that i had remained the same or God forbide heavier. I'm also pleased to have a record of my success. Anyway, I made goal and have entered ONEderland. SW: 217lbs GW: 199lbs CW: 198.6 My victories (scale and non scale) have been a motivator to those around me. Mom is watchingnwhat she eats and now does like me and asks for a box before her food comes out. The only time she orders a dessert is at applebees(they have a tiny brownie bite for like $1). My husband has also been seeing a nutritionist and has lost 11.3lbs. He wants to lose w/o the sleeve first and in six months time reevaluate if he wants the procedure. I will definately be participating in the next challenge.

That's okay, we're still proud of you. Maintenance is just as important (if not more so) than losing. I used to weigh 150lbs, but i couldn't maintain it, so i ballooned to 245lbs at my heaviest. If i had your skill of maintenance, that wouldn't have happened. So even though i know it's gotta feel a little dissappointing to have not lost weight during a weight loss challenge, don't feel bad. :-)

I'm about 7 weeks post opt and doing well. Unfortunately, despite all the scar cream I put on twice daily, 3 of my 5 scars are still raised and red. I'm not planning to wear a bikini ever, but I still want them to fade into nothingness. I am almost ine Onederland (yesterday I was 200.8!) and my husband's been inspired to get healthier and lose weight. He's taking Phentermine and has lost 10lbs. I am very pleased with my body right now. I can wear a large coat (used to be in 1X/2X), my ''tight'' jeans are now super loose and practically fall off me now, and I'm sweating a lot less. My sleep apnea is a lot better too. I don't wake up at 4am with a painfully full bladder anymore.

I began my journey at 245lbs Oct. 31st. Dec. 23(surgery date) I was 226lbs. When i weighed last night and this morning I was 200.8lbs. I just started exercising today (45 mins on treadmill) so i may lose faster. I like the rate I'm losing right now though because it's giving me time to adjust to my new body. If i started losing 5 - 10lbs a week, people would get suspicious of my surgery (yeah i'm in the wls closet) and it would be jarring for me. I don't eat Pasta, greasy foods, hardly any fast food, and i almost never touch bread because even in small doses they hurt my chest and give me. That God awful stuck sensation.

*hugs* i'm so sorry. my grandfather died suddenly when i was only two weeks into my sleeve. I had just started puree phase. I ate so much junk that i caused myself physical pain and gained 4lbs in three days. However, i got back on the horse and am back losing consistantly. Don't beat yourself up. You are human and it's understandable. You are not alone. Don't give up!

Even though I was much smaller in high school and college, i have had people make fun of me for everything from wearing glasses, to having a Book poking out my backpack, to not listening to rap music. When I dyed my hair blonde, i was accused of being "fake". When i dyed my hair black i was called a wanna be Goth. It doesn't feel good but what i have learned from it is that (stupid) people are ALWAYS going to have something negative to say. you can be the embodiment of physical perfection and beauty and someone is going to be nasty just because. still, i'm sorry you had to experience it. I remind myself that people who are truly happy with themselves don't have to belittle others. If you have beauty and happiness inside, that's what you project. If you are full of ugliness and have issues with yourself, then that's what you project. Plus college boys are idiots. I remember my college boyfriend, his friend and I were walking to class when a girl who was probably like a size 20 or 22 walked across our path. The idiot friend (who was bug eyed, gangly and used to beg for food from other student because he used his meal plan money to buy a guitar, new clothes and other crap) burst out into laughter and gawked so hard like she had 10 heads, was purple, weighed 1,000lbs and was riding a unicycle. He immediately started up with the fat jokes and kept trying to get us to join in. We both just kind of looked at him and bf was like "so, she's heavy. Why do you care?" And i was like "yeah. how would you feel if she was laughing at you for being scrawny?" Immediately his friend tried to backpedal and say he was just kidding around and it was cool she was big and more power to her. I feel like people say stupid sh-- like that to fit in. I'm sure if we had jumped on the fat band wagon, it would've kept up. Screw those guys.

201.7lbs (so I'm 2.7lbs away from my Vday goal of being under 200lbs on 2/14).

WHOA! Go you! It sounds like you've had an incredible week of NSV's. keep jp the great work. You're an inspiration to those of us who are frustrated by the scale at times.

Im glad you're feeling better LSP. I'm 6 weeks out and I lose about 2 - 3 lbs a week. Slow and steady wins the race (plus decreases our chances of stretch marks and super loose skin)

! Another way to think of it, is if you had GAINED 18lbs would you think, "aw, it's nothing, only 18lbs?" (if you're anything like me, I suspect you'd be freaking out!) 18lbs is a lot and as another poster said, it sounds like you're right on target, NOT a failure. Plus as much as it would rock wake up a size 8, you don't want to lose too fast because: 1. Stretch marks (It sounds like I'm losing a little faster than you because I am 6 weeks out and have lost 22lbs since my actual surgery) and I now am the proud owner of HUGE stretch marks on both sides of my waist and under my arms. 2. It's more noticeable (I'm one of those who chooses not to tell most people, so I've been losing at a slow, steady enough rate that people aren't "suspicious" I've been sleeved.) 3. Two words: Bat Wings 4. (Don't quote me on this) but from posts I've read on here and what other wls folks have said, losing very quickly because you're not eating enough/the right foods can cause your body to go into starvation mode and you plateau/stall for awhile. I am 6 weeks out and have not yet (*knock on wood*) hit a stall because I'm not starving myself trying to lose 40lbs a month. PS: Try to be positive. You're losing. Even though it's not as much as you would like, you're losing. That's a plus, especially if pre-opt you remember watching your weight steadily creep up the scale

in addition to these suggestions make sure u are drinking lots of water. my ex got backed up really bad in college, so he'd drink a cup of hot water every morninf anda little before trying to poo. I hope you find something that works, Constipation is awful

That's awesome! My husband and I were talking about how we wished they would lower the requirement because it discourages people who really need help. I was blessed because my insurance requires six months but fortunately i had happened to be doing weight watchers during that time (and had a one year e-Tools statement and the little weigh in card WW gives you to prove it). If i had had to go to a Nutritionist and wait six months, i honestly probably wouldn't have had the surgery. I was ready to change NOW. i didnt want to wait because who knows what could happen in six months. I could have gotten pregnant. Or developed more co morbities. I would still be suffering from sleep apnea and pain in my joints and irregular periods.

So for those if you further out, is it safe to say we should expect to lose some boobage? At my heaviest I was a 42DD. I am probably a little smaller now, but am still wearing the same sized bras because they don't feel baggy. In high school, i was between 145 - 150lbs and I wore a B cup. I don't know if that is considered endowed for that size body or not. I assume i will be a b cup again when this is over. While i don't want my breasts to become (even more) saggy, i would like smaller ones because a lot of tops don't fit (especially button downs) because of them. I have a sz medium dress that i can get my arms and head into, but it won't fit because i can't get it over my breasts. It gets stuck right above them. Annoying.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I try staring at myself in the mirror but i can only do a few seconds at a time. I talked to my husband yesterday evening about my posting here and he said "you can't see it? Let me show you something". He found pictures of me the day of surgery that I had forgotten about. There was a series of like 10 photos in good lighting from different angles. At first i thought i looked the same. Then he took 10 new pictures of me and we compared them side by side and while i still don't look THAT much smaller to myself, i could see a different. My double chin used to be super pronounced, but now it's a small lump. The shirt doesn't gap open across the chest anymore, i guess because my back is smaller. My torso is smaller too. It's still a journey, but seeing those pictures really did help a lot.

I too am very well endowed. Worried I will loose a lot off the girls after surgery. My husband said that would be ok he guesses. We will just have to see how it goes. I wear your before sizes now and hope to have the same type progress you're having in a few months You can and will do it Barbie! I have never lost so much weight before but it seemed to me the main places it's been falling off are my hands, face and definitely my thighs are melting but my breasts are still big. I actually want the, to go down. If not i feel like they'll start to look like implants.

I take a multivitamin and one calcium chew a day. I fear losing nutrients and having weak bones and other ailments from defiency when i'm oldet

My v-day goal is to be under 200lbs. Last week: 207 lbs This week: 203 lbs This week was really hard because a lot more people are commenting on my weight loss than ever before, but I have some body dysmorphia going on, because when i look in the mirror, i don't look slimmer. i almost wish I could cover myself in big clothes so people won't comment. I can feel their eyes on me when i walk into a room at work, especially people who work in different parts of the bldg and don't see me everyday. At first i thought it was all in my head, but people keep pulling me aside wanting to know what i'm doing and examining my body.

Hmm, let's see. At my heaviest I was about 246lbs and wearing a sz 20(some of my pants were sz 22) and squeezing in several too tight size 18s. Currently I am wearing a size 16 pants (almost in a 14 because my sz 16 skinny jeans are starting to sag and keep sliding down even when I wear a belt). So how many sizes down is that, like 2 or 3? I started my journey back in November and was sleeved Dec 23, so going from a 20/22 to a loose 16 is amazing, I am able to wear some large shirt (was in tight 1x's and some snug 2x's). Now most 1x's are much too big or very loose and bulky. I am very well endowed, so when i wear a large i feel a little self conscious because it fits my torso well but hugs the "girls" (who haven't slimmed down at all) and makes them look really big My husband loves it.

For thise who are at goal or gone down a significant amount of weight, how long did it take your mind to catch up with your body? When you look in the mirror do you still see yourself fat or what everyone else sees (a skinnier you) I didnt understand how people could be so skinny and still think they're fat until recently. A lot of my coworkers are mentioning my weight loss and I even had a former student see me in the hall and tell me he liked how skinny I look now. He's only 7 so i was like "for him to notice and to be only a child it's gotta be true". But i can't see it! It's frustrating and i feel like i am still 240+lbs and being told I look so good/thin/amazing. It's dumb, but i feel almost cheated because they can see what I can't. I also feel like people are lying to me which is crazy i know and can't be true. I know you all are going through this too, but has anyone actually overcome it? I thought it wouldnt happen to me if i focused on non scale victories )ie: my tight jeans becoming loose, being able to wear this really cute dress i bought a couple sizes too small, being able to wear a large shirt or skinny jeans) but i still feel heavy. I try looking at old pictures but i feel like i didnt really look like that, it was just the camera making my face and body look fat.

I'm down a little over 30lbs and even though he's supportive, I know sometimes my husband has a little resentment, but if I'm honest, sometimes I have resentment toward him too! Since I don't eat much, I'm okay eating the same thing for dinner 2 - 3 nights in a row before I get sick of it, whereas he eats a lot, so he wants something different each night. I resent that a dish/side that would last me for an entire week (like ground turkey meat w/taco seasoning) will only last him 1, maybe 2 meals (if he doesn't have seconds). It's an adjustment. I think keeping communication open is how we keep from blowing up or staying mad. He hasnt said he is afraid i'll meet someone thinner and leave him, but when i asked him before surgery if he'd resent me for being smaller he said ''only if u started treating me badly because i'm a big guy''. We havent had any major blow outs yet but i'm only a month in. I feel most irritated that he NEVER cooks and since i don't eat out during the week(processed foods put the pounds on me even in moderation) I end up having to prep ALL our Protein rich meals. We'll probably discuss that tonight because I also end up washing all the dishes (but that's a discussion for another forum)