1Day1Life4Now

@@farfalla_8, The amount of weight you lose depends directly on how much you are into this weight loss thing. It's way more mental than physical. If you want to stick to the diet and exercise, your weight loss will be limitless. If you want to cheat and sit on the couch watching tv, it will be slow and painful... it's really up to you. Everyone is different and age, metabolism and life style are big factors so you can't judge what you will do by what someone else is doing. Do what your doctor says, follow the plan and whatever you want to lose will be within your grasp. Good luck to you.

yes it did happen to me. My hair is sooo thin as are my eyelashes. I miss my once thick luxurious locks but I miss being smaller more. Hair loss is a small price to pay for long term weight loss. I know it will all come back eventually. Not too sure about the eyelashes but you might want to check with the skin doctor. they have meds that can make your eyelashes grow and thicken up.

oh yes,,,,shopping now is way different and I buy ahead to the sizes I will be down the road. Keeps ms motivated but broke. LOL

As the saying goes...opinions are like a**holes , everyone's got one. If you feel great then it is great. If you want to look more feminine then dress more feminine but if you are happy in the clothes you have then you are fine. Don't let anyone else's opinions change how you view yourself. Thin is in and you are right there in the mix.

Yes I can understand how frustrating this could be for you. It sounds like she is trying to sabotage your weight loss efforts starting with the surgery. You might want to take a more assertive stance and rather than asking for days off, inform her of the surgery date and the days you will be taking sick leave. Don't tell her there are alternative dates for anything or she'll want to take control. People like that have control issues and will highjack your surgery plans if you let her, by telling you when you can have surgery and when you can take off etc. All of us can be replaced at any time in our jobs regardless of how competent we may be so if you are off at the end of September.... she can find someone to do your work. Let her know that the week you choose is the only one that works for you since your mom is coming to take care of you etc... Stand up for yourself. I bet If she was having surgery she wouldn't postpone it for office reasons.

I got tired of plain water very quickly but I found the zero calorie Koolaid drops in the grocery by all the water flavorings and it changed everything. With the kool-aid flavoring I can drink water all day long and it goes down so easy. I've tried all of the flavors but I like the cherry the best. Give it a try and it might help you.

wow look at that hour glass figure you got going on. You look wonderful. Keep up the good work.

My doctor said if we didn't want to crush pills just get the chewable ones and it makes a huge difference. At first I got the gummies and they are great but I've now bought the Bariatric Advantage chewables that come in multiple flavors. Some Vitamins don't come in chewable so I just swallow them whole. Sometimes I think some of the surgeons are just overly cautious. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns and do what is best for yourself.

I added olive oil to my diet and it seems to have helped. I also drink a cup of hot tea.... it does help.

I am guilty as sin. I have eaten popcorn a few times.... I love it. I know it is empty carbs and not good for my sleeve but sometimes I have to have something like that or I will go nuts stressing over it. I try to eat fruits but I'm a tactile person and enjoy the munching that goes along with eating the popcorn. I don't recommend anyone doing it but I had to admit my guilty pleasure.

wow, My heart goes out to Carolina Girl and to tbahm. Carolina Girl, condolences on your mother's passing. May her memory be eternal and all of the happy memories fill your heart. tbahm....please focus on yourself and getting over your surgery. Once you are feeling better and you've gained your self confidence from losing weight, start looking for another job. There are lots of hospitals, physicians offices etc that would love to have someone of your caliber and job skills. Once you have found that new job, it might make you feel better to tell that Office Manager that calling employees "bitches' is as unprofessional as a manager can be. The role of a manager is to be a leader and set a good example for other employees so that an atmosphere of camaraderie exists so everyone is on the same team with the same goals. Obviously this manager has issues of her own and has very poor management skills. Don't take her attitude or behavior personally....she is acting out due to not being able to deal with her own problems. Keep telling yourself that you are above all that and you are better than that and you don't need to feel bad. Have pride in your work and in yourself and let that speak for itself. Life will get better, have a little faith and patience and don't be afraid to make changes when the time comes. Good luck to you.

Becca, congratulations on pulling the trigger on the sleeve. Your are going to love it. You are one lucky girl to have a boyfriend that is that supportive. I am impressed that he not only goes to the meetings with you but has read up on everything. Sounds like you have an in house support group which will do wonders for you during those weak moments you may have along the way. You will wonder why you waited so long, I know I did. I guess it's better that you did wait because if you had done it in 2008 you couldn't have gotten the sleeve and you would not have had the amazing support of that new man in your life. It was all destiny...... and to happen just as it did. Congratulations again and good luck on your continuing weight loss.

Anthony, have a little faith. You had good doctors and you will do fine. Have some confidence in yourself too. The first 5 or 6 weeks is pretty tough as far as eating and drinking but it really does get easier. We all struggle at first with the eating and drinking so I can see where it has you worried but please put those worries aside and focus on those things in which you actually have control. Worry accomplishes nothing but focusing on eating and drinking right will ensure you of success and isn't that what you are after? Relax and enjoy the ride on this weight loss journey....you are in for some exciting times. 6 months from now when people are constantly complimenting you .....you will wonder why you wasted any thoughts on problems that you will never have. Good luck to you.

Hello all. I had my sleeve surgery in February. I am 59 now but I was 58 when I had the surgery. Though we don't lose as quickly as the young ladies we lose a lot faster with this surgery than on our own. I feel wonderful since having the surgery and though I still need to lose a lot more weight, the changes in my life have been amazing. No more pain in my hips and knees, my arthritis is bearable and I sleep much better. I have more energy and it is so much easier to move. I do exercise but not a lot...I do intend to increase my exercise but so far...I've just been doing a little treadmill and stationary bike. I had to do a 3 month preliminary diet before I could get my insurance approval and then a very strict 2 week pre surgery diet. At the time it seemed so hard but it really isn't. Just eat what they tell you to eat, it will set the stage for your success post surgery. Y'all are going to love the sleeve and you are going to feel so much better. Good luck everyone. I don't blog and I don't have a lot of pics to share.... I'm technically challenged and don't know how to do all this stuff so I am happy to just sign on and read the posts and write a few responses. See y'all on the losers bench.

I have saved money in all areas but alas....I've spent the money on new smaller clothes. I now love to shop. Woop Woop. Shoes and clothes....they are so easy to find now.

StartingYoung, you have a great attitude and that will help you win the battle against this obesity. Just remember that you can live a normal life and eat normal foods, you just have to have boundaries and limitations. You can have a drink when you turn 21 but you probably shouldn't have more than one. Empty calories are never good for you. As far as colas....Once you have been away from them awhile you won't miss them. Colas have no redeeming qualities what so ever so don't spend one minute missing them. You will have a more enjoyable and healthier life and just think about how cute you will look in those small size clothes. Shopping will become a new fun past time for you. You will have a positive, beautiful and wonderful future. Good luck to you.

I didn't have the insulin shots but then my blood sugar tends to run on the low side anyway. Pain causes blood sugar to rise and its not unusual to be given insulin shots when in pain while you are in the hospital. A couple of years ago my husband was in a motorcyle accident and broke all of his ribs, had a head injury and numerous lacerations all over his body. They were giving him insulin shots in his stomach even though he wasn't diabetic. The nurses explained to me that the amount of pain he was in caused the blood sugar to rise and he needed the insulin to keep the blood sugar at a manageable level. I feel this is most likely the reason they were giving y'all the insulin. They had your health and best interest at heart so be thankful they paid such close attention to your vitals as it most certainly has helped in your recovery. Good luck to all of you.

I think the OP may have just been expressing her opinion of some things she has seen but I'm not sure exactly what she was referring to. I have seen some negative and rude posts from people albiet they are few and far between. Like one of the others mentioned above. If you see something you don't like it is probably better to move on and not engage in the negative dialog. This is a great site but unfortunately we are dealing with humans and none of us are without a few flaws and we don't all communicate as well as some others.

Surgery, anesthesia and the severe restriction of food intake all add to the hair loss. Not a thing you can do about it unless you just don't have surgery. Everybody is different when it comes to when they start and stop losing the hair. Mine started at 3 months but has now quit at 6 months. Of course I added more red meat and fat to my diet in order to turn the hair loss around. I used to have very thick hair but now it is very thin so I couldn't afford to lose much more. My weight loss has slowed down but I feel like my skin and hair look better. I suppose you have to pick what is most important to you. I want to lose a lot more weight but my appearance is important to me as well. I have a very high profile job and I'm required to work with people from a number of various agencies. I didn't want to look like I was a cancer patient. Plus I didn't tell anyone I worked with about my surgery so if I showed up with no hair they would think I had a major illness. I cut my hair and take it one day at a time and will just wait until it thickens up again

for a couple of months after surgery you won't be able to lift over 10 pounds. Take it easy and heal and for future jobs over the next few months, remember the no lifting policy. Good luck. you are going to love your sleeve. The first 2 or 3 weeks is a learning process but after that you will be flying high.

How do you feel in the dress? I think its beautiful and you can't beat the price. Everyone needs that little black dress they can wear for any occasion and this one would certainly work for many situations. I say keep it.

Not all changes are good but be sure that along with your weight loss and a new job, you will be motivated to make all kinds of changes in your life. That's what it is all about. Good luck to you and may your next job be your dream job.

Hi, I had breast reduction (which comes with a lift) about 14 years ago. They are still perky. I've lost 60 lbs in the last 6 months and I've lost some in my breasts but not a whole lot. I am a comfortable C. Lose your weight and then have the surgery, you will love it. It's awesome. As surgeries go breast reduction is fairly easy. I took off work a week.

I am 59 and sadly I do have a little bit of sagging skin. My stomach is not attractive in any shape form or fashion. But... the fat was not attractive either. At some point in time I plan to have a tummy tuck. Till then, I'm enjoying wearing smaller sizes and being able to live like a normal person. WLS is the best thing I have ever done.... bar none.

thank you so much for this. I've been struggling lately and this puts a lot of "stuff" into perspective for me. Wonderful insight into the real problems of obesity and over eating.