Dragonsmate

now at 188 pounds

OMFG you rock! Blessings to you, and the only other thing to say is Brava! Smashing, truly smashing love <3

forgot to post weigh in results, current wt 195.0 pounds

Back again-didn't make my Labor Day challenge but I think I was a bit too optimistic

SW 196 pounds

GW 180 pounds

I usually weigh on Sundays but I will log in as often as I can

Thanks for keeping it going!

final weight 196 pounds.

I am 47 and prior to weight loss surgery, I would rarely have a hot flash but literally over the past 2 weeks, it is every day, several times a day-gawd.

...I wonder if you burn calories with hot flashes...hmm.

Awesomesauce girl-keep on rockin it! Congrats and know you are very inspiring!

So I am about 6 1/2 months out from surgery, feel great, have tons of energy and I am not doing anything different...so.

I was curious if anyone around my, ah, age, has experienced increasing hot flashes while losing weight? I have lost about 86 pounds total, and over the past 2 weeks, it is as if an internal switch was flipped and I am literally having hourly flashes (or as mother called them, "power surges"). I know fat cells have estrogen in them and obviously as we lose weight, estrogen is naturally depleted from them but good god-this is pretty annoying...well, and if truth be told, also amusing

Don't get me wrong, I will trade weight loss for hot flashes any day but I just noticed a significant increase...could be timing...could be that summer is finally here in Texas, but these episodes happen in the house where my husband like it quite arctic and I avoid the Texas heat like the plague...

Anyhoos, thought some of you might get a chuckle and some may have had similar experiences so I thought I would toss it out there and see

Have a great day all!

I eat carbs but I am careful with the type. I had this surgery in order to live a life that is enjoyable and satisfying. I love fruits and vegetables and not having them is neither enjoyable or satisfying. My focus is Protein, and I always try and eat that first, however, this is a life-long journey and the minute I tell myself something is off-limits, the cravings begin. My carb intake slowly increased the longer I have had my sleeve but I try and make sure they are ones that are healthy for me. Old fashioned, but I believe the real truth is about the calories.

All macronutrients have calories and it is the measurement of energy used for cell metabolism. Anecdotal evidence points to the increased number of calories verses the actual type of macronutrent being the real culprit of weight gain, and more and more scientific research is finding this anecdotal evidence to be true. Do not misunderstand me, certain foods can trigger dopamine receptors in the brain and various other pathways of central nervous system chemistries increasing cravings and decreasing chemical signals to the brain that help register satiety, but by and large, if calories in is less than calories out, weight will be lost. There are those who will argue that stalls are a result of "eating too many carbs" or "not eating enough calories" etc, but I don't buy it. We underestimate the number of calories by as much as 50% in the US population-can't speak for my mates across the pond, but this underestimation is pretty considerable. If "starvation mode" existed, why did concentration camp victims continue to lose weight when their captors/tormentors stopped supplying food?

<jumps off soapbox>

In short, I got this sleeve to use as a tool to help me control portion size and help me make healthier choices without restricting what those choices may be I weigh my food and measure everything, including carbs, and thus far, 6 months out, I have NEVER stalled. Live the life you choose and understand everyone has a different biochemistry and metabolism, some do well to limit carbs, some do ok with carbs, but it is all based on individual needs.

count me in-I think I was a little aggressive for my Labor Day challenge so my Halloween goal will be 185 pounds. Will post my starting weight when the final weigh-in for the Labor Day Challenge is done. Thank you for keeping up with this! You rock!

weigh in today: 199.2 lbs 8/19/2014

congrats! just hit onederland today myself and it feels a bit...odd. Blessings on your journey

Hit my 6 month mark 6 days ago and all I can say is....wow. 84 pounds down (including pre-op 2 week diet) and I feel great. PA at my surgery clinic is very pleased, hell, I am very pleased....its just....

Why the hell do I look like a half-burned candle with wax melting down to the base?!

I know we lose weight in different areas faster or slower than other but good grief! LOL

It is all good though, I am off my CPAP, off my blood pressure medications, hitting the gym 3-4 days a week, running the husband ragged (he is in shape btw), and I feel as if I am getting my life back. Rockstar material!

Oh, and I am doing my first 5K run in a month-wrangled my sister and co-worker into the run as well...

Life is good.

Have not been logging my weight but weigh in yesterday 200.3 lbs

Madam, I totally get you. I had to be shown a picture taken by a colleage to begin to see the difference. Still, it is a pretty nasty mind fk.

I still avoid mirrors and reflective glass (freezer section in the grocery store I am not looking at you), but I am forcing myself to look in the mirror at the gym.

While I am still 60 pounds away from goal, I need to work on getting comfortable with "me" again. I am getting better about pics but I still have not posted any to my FB...baby steps I guess.

I actually found a pic of me at my goal weight many years ago-the only one I had left, and I have it taped to my computer at work...a reminder and an encouragment of sorts.

Sometimes I wish I could yank out my brain and play that stupid antique "Operation" game and rewire my hard drive...

I try and hit the gym right after work-I work nights so I get to the gym around 9:30 am. I will space out my resistance training every other day (3 times a week) with a brief 30 min cardio work-out after lifting. On my non-lift days, I do a long cardio work-out. This time works for me because the gym is on the way home, and I seem to be able to stick to the routine at that time verses going before work. As an incidental benefit, it actually helps me work off the caffeine so after my shower, I can get to bed and actually sleep.

RJ, your musings are thoughtful and I believe they can be applied to any situation in life, not just WLS. So many different people that are from different backgrounds, cultures, belief systems, self-awareness, and stages of any journey have different levels of understanding and comprehension (not always the same thing). Those who go before can either pave the way and maintain the road, or they can just walk along and admire the view-neither activity wrong or right, just different.

<3

Hope you are well my friend, namaste.

turkey pepperoni (1 ounce) with a piece of string cheese

boiled shrimp (5 large is about 2 ounces) with lots of lemon juice

chobani simply 100 cal yogurt

beef jerkey-Jack's Links makes a 100 calorie pack that is just the right size

1/2 medium apple with 1 T all-natural Peanut Butter

the one snack I will indulge some carbs is 1 ounce of goat cheese (herb/garlic flavor) with 2 Wheat Thins flatbreads.

Hope that helps as well

I just received 2 sports bras from Amazon.com and wore one for the first time today at the gym. omfg-most amazing and supportive bra eva! Brand is Glamorise, sizing goes up to 46G, cost per bra is 25.61 right now. I will be buying more of these bad boys as I drop sizes. Has a cool front panel for extra support and fits like a bra, separate cups and all.

This made my night! LOL! The "food" containing THC can hit you like a freight train because while it takes longer to process via the GI tract verses diffusion through the lung epithelium, once it is absorbed, it is more powerful...heh heh....

When asked at work, I just respond with "eating healthier and exercising" which is complete truth. I don't feel it necessary to share surgery details with anyone other than my husband, mother and a couple of close friends. It was a very personal decision for me and there are folks out there with very different opinions from mine regarding bariatric surgery, and I just do not feel the need to justify my decisions to anyone.

I feel it is similar to taste in music and there are folks out there who just don't like AC/DC which I totally get, however I decline to debate the awesomeness of "Back in Black." Silly answer but it is 1 am and that is all I have right now

In a lot of cases, H1 blockers (benadryl, phenergan, compazine) can make this condition worse. I have had RLS since childhood and it is annoying at best and debilitating at worst, and agree it can affect more than just the legs. Anesthesia plays a huge role as well as certain conditions such as kidney failure, insomnia, low ferritin. Agree with following up with your PCP. It can take 3-6 weeks for your body to metabolize anesthetics (mainly the inhaled gases) and during this time, the restlessness can come and go. Usually worse at night, or after sitting for long periods of time (think movie theater, desk job, airplane flights), and sometimes, cold temps can trigger it.

Trust me, I feel ya, and it sucks. Call your doc and see if there is something they can give you for some relief. Best of luck to you.

I see you have already discussed this with your doc-smh at providers who are still blowing this condition off when we have scientific data to support the issue (finding that folks who have this long-term lack ferritin in the dopamine receptors in the brain). Hope it is just temporary for ya!

took about the same amount lost for folks at work to start commenting to me as well. I think it is a combination of 1. not wanting to offend, 2. just not paying attention in day-to-day activities (I get tunnel vision when I am busy and I will look up and go, "wow, that person is smaller!") 3. Thinking about making a comment but getting distracted and forgetting...until you see the person the next time...etc.

It was also more apparent when I started wearing clothes that actually fit-losing weight puts a strain on the pocketbook as far as clothes go I tell ya! Congrats on your loss and just remember to not turn down the compliments. It is hard at times to take compliments but it is recognition for your hard work

RJ, I cried enough over the weekend to fill buckets so I figure some humor was due. I will admit, I am not the model patient when it comes to some of my instructions (I am rabid about logging my intake but that is it), I usually take a Centrum Vitamin and extra thiamin as well as an additional B complex Vitamin but I don't take Calcium and my Fluid intake was god awful...but this was a giant wake-up call. Because of the stones, I am not restarting my Calcium as my last set of labs were in the rock-star range without it, but fluids are my new BFF! It was also a good reminder not to become jaded towards my own patients when they are admitted-being in the hospital kinda sucks so I now have an even greater appreciation for staying out

There are all kinds of equations to figure out optimum Fluid intake but a simple rule of thumb is, keep your urine as clear as Water and you should be golden, er pardon the pun >.> Additionally, if you are not having to empty your bladder every 2 hours, then up the intake (disclaimer: this is provided you are human, have normal renal function, are not at a public fairground, or have other instructions from your personal care provider)...Blessings to all, and to all a good night.

<drops the mic>

Keep in mind, your body takes 3-4 weeks to metabolize and process the anesthetics used to put you to sleep for the surgery. Fatigue is a common side effect and as the above posters mention, just continue with the fluids and Protein. Patience is a must so stay determined and back the work-outs down temporarily while your body continues to heal. Good luck and welcome to the loser's bench!