scarlet333

Thanks again Bea for all you do. These challenges are great and got me past a long stall last time. Count me in too.

Love all the great stories here. I got a good compliment yesterday when my 12 year sons friend's dad came to pick him up he said "Oh I thought you were Tom's sister not mother". He may have been laying it on a bit but still made me smile.

As someone who basically lived in Lane Bryant, it is exhilarating and frightening to realize I can and have a right to walk into any small boutique and find clothes for myself! Experimenting with stores I never shopped in before like Black and White. Just checked out that 6pm website and thought it looked promising. I am also liking the Jennifer Lopez collection at Kohls.

I can definitely see the difference! They do say 50 pounds is usually when people start noticing the weight loss. Don't buy too much at any stage because you will keep needing smaller and smaller sizes. Good luck.

You look awesome. Congratulations and healthy and happy New Year to us all. Imagine our New Years Resolution maybe different than what we have sworn in the past- to loose weight.

I too have a sleeve of steel and can eat anything. The only time I made myself sick or slimy as we say is when I ate one too many bites of some delicious steak at a restaurant. I can however be perfectly happy with just a few bites of cake, pie, ice cream, Cookies etc. That is new since pre-sleeve I wasn't content till it was all gone.

Just got the nsv. Congratulations on all that excess seatbelt. Thank you so much for the advice. I'm glad to know I can do it. Wow 8 miles sounds mind blowing. You are an athlete.

Congratulations on your surgery and great success. I agree with you about great surgeons and bedside manner. You would think that someone would have clued him in along the way that pointing out how fat or overweight you still are might not be the best motivator. I have already experienced a slow down in weight loss. As you can see from my ticker I am close to my goal which would put me at a normal bmi although not the 110. I know he means well I just feel like a little kid bringing home there report card with all 95's and the parent saying gee you still have to get 5 more points to be a 100. I know he is not my parent and I shouldn;t look to him for validation. That's why I love this website. Good luck and keep me posted as time goes by. I joined some exercise and weight loss challenges on this site and find them very motivational. Can't wait for my 1 year check with Dr. G!

I had my surgery with Dr. Gadaleta in March of 2013. I think he is a wonderful surgeon and I have every confidence in his skill as a surgeon however I think his bedside manner needs a lot of improvement. I have follow up appointments every 3 months and I know he is pleased with my weight loss but its like pulling teeth to get a compliment out of him. On both my 6 month and 9 month appointments he told me how many pounds "overwieght" I still am. Way to turn a positive into a negative. I just walked out of his office shaking my head. I walked in so proud of how well I was doing. According to him I will not be "overweight" when I reach the weight of my 12 year old son which is 110 pounds. He wants you stay at 800 calories a day despite the fact that I am running 3 miles a day 3 days per week, and working out with weight 2 x per week. He also makes me feel rushed and does all the talking not really giving me a chance at questions.

Now his staff is great. My favorite was Yvonne who worked there for years and ran monthly support meetings but when I was there for my 6 month follow up she told me she was moving on to a new job. Carol who works with Yvonne is not nearly as nice or friendly. The rest of the staff is great.

In summary, he is skilled and I had confidence in him as a surgeon but am so glad I found this website to turn to for support and good advice.

Mr. Bean you look awesome and good luck on the half marathon. I know you will do great you are an inspiration to those of us who are chugging along at a snails pace trying to make it to 2 miles.

Well after much anxiety I took your advice LisaT and found my magic pace which I discovered is just slightly faster than my fast walk but I did it. I ran the full 20 minutes. The things I promised myself and told myself in my head when I wanted to stop! I knew I was going to make it when I looked at my phone and had less than 10 minutes left. The next day on the app is back to 8 minutes. I sure this has some logic to it and I am determined to finish this app. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

I know that for the first time in too long to remember I bought a shortish dress for New Year's Eve and tights. I could never manage myself 75 pounds ago squeezing my legs into pantyhose or tights and feel so uncomfortable all night. This year I am so looking forward to wearing them and heels. Love my clingy sweater dress too. You will be there too before you know it.

Well I wouldn't quite use the word "fun" yet but I must say I am happy and a bit proud when I am at the end of the run. I hope to get to the point of finding it fun like butter. It's just to darn hard right now to be called fun.

I finished day 2 of week 5 which were the 8 minute runs and was able to do it with a lot of huffing and puffing but still did it. Tomorrow this crazy app jumps to a 20 minute continuous run - what the... Then the next day goes back to 8 minutes. I assume the inventor of the app has some logical reason for this. I must admit I am intimidated but I will try my best even if it means slowing down to a crawl.

I'm bored with this whole weight loss thing. Seriously, it's as simple as that.

I know some times it seems like we are always thinking of grams of Protein, drinking enough Water, exercise, time between eating and drinking etc. I also feel I was obsessed with my weight before I had weight loss surgery but just in a different way. For example getting out of bed each morning reminded me of my swollen feet, and painful knees. As I showered each morning I would think this bath towel does not fit around my body. As I got dressed each morning I would think what could I wear that day that would disguise my size. When getting on my morning train ride I would think I hope I fit in the seat and the person next to me wouldn't feel I was taking up more than my share of room. As I bought my Breakfast I thought I hope others are not thinking why is that fat chick buying that bagel she really shouldn't. At work I hoped I wasn't asked to have to walk around the office building too much because my feet would swell. In my social life I actually dreaded invitations because I didn't have anything flattering to wear and would have to buy something new thinking it might make me look thinner. Well believe me I could go on and on how being obese affected every aspect of my life.

Now 9 months later I do feel like I think about weight frequently but now its this towel fits around me quite nicely. I could wear anything in my closet and its not too tight and looks good on me, imagine I can actually jog around my neighborhood and not feel ashamed. I look forward to social invitations because I can't wait to wear something special and feel proud.

Now as to the slow down in weight loss well can I relate. Today was my 9 month check up with my surgeon. I was relieved that I had loss 8 pounds since my last weigh in at 3 months ago. Keep in mind that 4 of those pounds were lost in the last 3 weeks. One thing he said to me that has really sunk in my mind is to remember to "chew" your calories. This means even though I was staying reasonable close to my calorie level, I was eating a lot of yogurt, cottage cheese, laughing cow cheese spread and Protein drinks. All of these things are good Snacks but if I ate more dense Protein it would fill me up more so that I might be able to resist that 100 calorie cottage cheese or 100 calorie Protein Drink. I think this is true to for me because I have noticed my calorie level sneaking up slightly because I am starting to feel more hungry. Instead of one of these soft Snacks I should be eating more dense protein. By the weigh what has broken my stall was joining the christmas/new years challenge on this website. It has caused me to really focus on diet and exercise.

The bottom line is this is for life but I do believe once we have maintained for a while it will become so ingrained that we will not notice the obsession with all the little things.

I am definitely going to continue and I keep chanting in my head with each step "I think I can, I think I can". As for Florida, not for me I usually like cold weather just not when the wind is making my eyes tear and nose run. Hoping Santa will bring me some new warmer running clothes. I agree its the hands, ears and face. I may get one of those ski masks that cover the whole face with eye cutouts. That would definitely be attractive.

Started week 5 this morning and found it the most challenging yet. I have so far not had to repeat any days and accomplished each day with only some struggle. Today after the 3 5 minute runs I had to push myself for the first time and I am definitely a little nervous about day 2 which calls for 8 minute runs. Did any of you find the jump from 5 minutes to 8 minutes too challenging? I think I can do it but I think it will be extremely tough. I probably didn't start this thing at the best time of year since it is snowy, icy and in the 20 or 30 degree range each day but I really want to get through the whole app. Thanks for listening and any advice about running in freezing temps.

We are so with you and understand this problem. When I was 16 years old I had my jaw wired shut due to a broken jaw. I did not loose a lot of weight even though I was unable to eat for 6 weeks and then only soft foods for and additional week or 2. Why? Because I found I was able to drink a milk shake with no problem. The reason I am telling this story is because we can always find a way around anything.

I am one of those strange people who actually enjoy exercise and have actually exercised on a regular basis almost all of my adult life (even when obese). The lesson in this is that we can over eat almost any exercise we do. So while exercise is great for us and I recommend everyone should incorporate exercise into there life on a regular basis, its what we are eating that actually makes us loose/gain weight.

Having said all of this I have had periods of time during the 9 months I've been sleeved where I have indulged in the dreaded sliders. My advice would be to think of this struggle as 1 day at a time. It might be overwhelming to tell ourselves to stop eating those tempting sliders/carbs forever but what I try to do is just to get through this day. I tell myself when I get into my bed tonight I want to feel proud of what I ate. One day leads to another and another. If there is a slip well I focus on the next day as a "perfect" day.

The other thing is I've stopped telling myself I am buying the Cookies, candy, cake, ice cream etc. for my kids. I try to be something for them as a treat that will not tempt me (for example gold fish, pretzels, ice pops). These things are not something I would normally binge on so present less of a temptation. The tempting items are just not convenient for me in my home calling my name.

Good Luck. You can and will do this.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Bea for doing this. It is just what I needed to get me back on track. I feel focused like a laser beam. I actually surpassed my goal already. This morning I weighed in at 148.8 for a loss of 2.6 pounds this week. That hasn't happened for a long time. Imagine loosing weight during this time of year. I will still be reporting in for the next 2 weeks.

Good Luck to everyone.

Very well said. I think many of us feel the same way. I used to joke that I had the opposite of anorexia. I would look in the mirror and think "I don't look bad, I look pretty good". Then when I actually saw pictures of myself, well OMG how I looked so fat like my face and skin was going to explode. I know they say that being thin can't make you happy or change problems in your life but boy I feel like confronting other issues in my life as a thinner person, I am more confident and happy.

I wish I had done this years ago but I can only claim ignorance. It was like a switch went off in me one day when I heard that Caroline Manzo's daughter on the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" was having lap band surgery I started looking into it and 5 months later I had the sleeve surgery and never looked back. When I think of the years spent obese I could cry. But no more.

On week 4 of the app and chugging along fine but I must say it was cold yesterday (in the 20s) and for first time it felt a little harder to run. When breathing in the cold air felt like it was taking my breath away but I persevered. Hoping next run day is a little warmer.

Wow you look so great! We have similar starting weights and current weights and goal weight but alas I am 2 inches shorter than you and what a difference that makes. To be able to tuck in a tshirt like that and look like you with that flat stomach! Its funny I worked as a Jenny craig consultant for years and the things people will take off before getting on the scale. Lets just say I have seen people get down to there undies right there in the lobby.

Seriously, I have my 9 month check-up next week and am totally nervous about my surgeons reaction. I think I will be lucky if I am 4 pounds down since my last weigh in 3 months ago. It has gotten much harder to loose and he is such a stickler.

I think a lot of our lives were put of balance so to speak, before the sleeve.. The years leading up to my highest weight, then the sleeve, I became a non person.. I was just a mother and a wife,

my family mattered more to me than me.. Not only did I get rotund, but I think some respect was lost for me. From my daughter in particular...

It's funny, for every step I take in life there are multiple ripples in so many different directions. I take care of others, I forget myself. I forget myself and others forget me too.. I take care of myself and others think I've forgotten them.. Maybe I have to some extent. Thats the balance I need to find. I need to take care of my family but I need to not forget myself which is so easy to do.. I did not binge this weekend.. But I did not take care of myself either..

The best response I have heard about this issue is a quote from Dr. Phil "The best thing you can do for your children is to take care of their mother".

Some great suggestions and advice already given. Even though we are focusing on the upcoming holidays this advice is applicable all year round. After New Years for me there is my birthday and valentines day in Feb, St patricks day, easter, mothers day, fathers day, 4th of July, summer bbqs etc... My point is if we make excuses that it is a special time so we should indulge there always seems to be something else coming up. A way of life means learning to cope with these situations. I think having a little bit of what you want after getting in your Protein requirements if you feel it will not send you into a tail spin is the way to go. Good luck to all and remember the holidays is also about socializing with people and not focus too much on the food.

I left the hospital with a drain and had it removed 9 days later at my doctors office. Having the drain was annoying and it was such a relief when it was removed but I think it was what my surgeon always does and probably a good thing because alot of gross stuff came out of it.

Checking in this mornings weight is 151.4 down .8 again. Slow, slow weight loss but at least its a loss.

Got in my day 1 of week 4 this morning. See photo for the weather this morning. I'm not allowing myself any excuses.