kitten22996

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190

Sorry I'm late. 191

193

195

195 (-5lb)

195 (-5lb)

Starting weight: 200
Challenge goal weight: 175

I am not on a diet. I am on a program that is to last me the rest of my life. I failed miserably at diets and so I don't do them anymore.
I eat everything. Just not so much. I eat the same food my husband does but eat it in this order. Protein first, veggies, fruit and then carbs.
If I am going to eat carbs I make sure the are a complex carb so that I get the best value. I have never counted calories. But have tried to make sure I drank my Water. Took my Vitamins and got 60-80 gm of Protein in a day.
I eat like a skinny person and plan to continue that way.
My nut said that we live in the real world and that we better learn how to eat in that world as well. I have taken her advice and run with it. If I want a cookie I eat one. Not the box. That is the difference.

So do we all take our final pictures wearing costumes?

Jane raises an interesting question: what would be better if I got to goal?

For me there are two or three things. I'm in the overweight category now, so my health gains from having the surgery and getting out of morbidly obese are pretty much established. I'm wearing normal sizes, generally a 12-14, depending on about 50 variables. So those things are basically where they should be. My ego would like to be a size 8, but that is kind of neither here nor there.
I think many of us have an underlying belief that if we get to a certain point we will no longer feel fat. Intellectually I know this cannot be true; if I feel mostly the same way about my body now as I did 65 pounds ago, I clearly still have some serious mental work to do. But I waffle between thinking I'm huge, and thinking I'm thinner than I am (and then I see a picture.) So, no…further weight loss probably won't fix that. But my brain likes to trick me into thinking that I would feel better.
Comparison and jealousy: I also would like to think that getting to goal would fix this. I do think it would, honestly. I am having a hard time right now with reading about those who are more successful, in a quicker time, and especially the ones who say, "I followed all the rules, and if you're not having my kind of success then you need to be more honest." And you know what's worse? "I just eat whatever I want, small amounts. I don't really work out. I'm doing great." And the ticker says that is true. Mmmm, I don't know. I know this behavior is poisonous to all of us, but I am having trouble making myself not care. I am trying to believe that if I follow all the rules, success will follow, but like so many things in life that is really only part of the equation.
One final thing: I would like to improve my running and my running time. I believe that being lighter would help this. And that it must help my knees and hips, who are a little less forgiving than they were 10-20 years ago when I ran more regularly. And that might be the only reasonable reason to strive for goal weight. To be better at my physical endeavors.

The hog.

   


The package.

I'm not "hiding" anything.
No, I'm not embarrassed.
No, it's not a "secret".
I *DID* do this on my own. Yes, I had surgery, but no one weighed and measured my food, tracked my intake, ran my miles, danced my Zumba, lifted my weights, swam my miles, or did any of the other work I had to do to lose 110+ pounds last year. My surgery was a tool, a really super awesome tool that I will be forever grateful for, but I lost the weight, no one did it for me.
Why have I not made my surgery public knowledge? Because it's none of anyone's business. I have so many more things about me that are *MUCH* more interesting than my surgery. I am a successful business owner with 300+ women on my team, I am a mom of two gifted teens who I am very proud of, I am a volunteer for a women's shelter, I am a martial arts training instructor, I have a pet hedgehog who is as cranky as they come, I can move both of my eyes independently of the other, I can sing songs in sign language, I hate getting dirty but I have a new love for doing mud runs, I am white Water certified in kayaking, I can do the splits in all three directions, I've been married to the same man for 20 years and haven't attempted murder yet, I have a wicked sense of humor and can insult you five ways to Sunday and you'll thank me for it without even realizing it.
I have no desire to explain (to people who really aren't truly interested) what a sleeve is, how it works, why they really don't know someone whose mother's best friend's cousin's neighbor's brother's wife's dentist died from this surgery/gained back all their weight/was malnourished/has seizures/never lost a pound/etc, nor do I care to explain my portion size, justify why I eat what I eat, answer the question "are you allowed to eat that" every time I put something in my mouth...
I don't talk about my pooping habits with the general public or my menstrual cycle, my gall bladder attack, why I used to pee when I sneezed, my IUD, my sore boobs during PMS, etc. I don't talk about the size of my hubby's package, how often we do the do, where we conceived our children, what we fight about when we fight, how much money I make, how much money he makes, my IQ, what brand of handbag I carry most often, or how much I spend on shoes annually, either.
Any other questions?

At first I didn't want to tell people specifically at work because I didn't want them to react negatively for me taking off the time away from work for what they would see as "elective" or "cosmetic" even. Since then, I have not told a lot of people about my surgery, but others I have. It is kind of a case-by-case basis. I have told the majority of my close friends and family, but not my co-workers and acquaintances. I view it as any other medical procedure, because it is just that, a medical procedure. I don't feel the need to make a blanket announcement about it. I just kind of view it as personal....if I choose to share it then, fine.
But in reality, while the surgery is an amazing tool, it is not what makes me choose the right kinds of food to put in my mouth, and it does not make me get out of bed every morning to run at 5:30, or it doesn't make me go to cross training while my family is still in bed sleeping on a weekend. When people want to know how I've lost weight, yes, surgery is a huge part of it, but in reality, it's so much more than that. So I can answer them honestly without disclosing my medical history should I choose to take that approach by telling them that I am eating a high Protein low carb diet, completely changed my lifestyle, and started regularly exercising.

You look freakin awesome!!!

What a great thread, matt1912! No, you are definitely not alone on this!
After my surgery, one day I noticed an obese person shoveling in a 12" Subway sandwich so fast it looked like she wasn't even breathing, and I just saw my OLD SELF; then went to my car and cried--for me AND for her. It just gave me another reason to be so thankful for this second chance at health and happiness. I must say that I too was surprised at myself for my reaction and thought I was being "judgemental." I doubt that any of us are thinking "mean thoughts" toward these people that we are now noticing, we are just reacting to SEEING OUR old habits. That's really pretty powerful stuff for the ol' emotions to handle!

Hello Darlinks.
I've been away for a bit. Did you miss me?! (That's a rhetorical joke, btw!)
Went on holiday. My first proper holiday in the sun since being sliced and diced.
So, what did I learn on my travels to foreign climes?
Water consumption. It is kinda important. Stops one from passing out and prevents your skin looking akin to that of a sun-dried prune. Beer and vodka-sprite. It is not a good substitute for Water. Despite it being entertaining, it gives you a headache and forces you to have to drink far more water to replenish and sustain hydration levels which then compromises food intake. It is also not as nice as Guinness. But then you all knew that. Protein. I was at an 'all inclusive' affair. I realised pesky chef's don't particularly like dolling out the Protein en-masse as it is expensive and they're trying to minimise costs. Consequently, I became that person who swiped 'the best bits', muscled people out of the way to get the extra piece of steak or last omelet being served in the mornings. Without sufficient protein I felt weak. It also compromised my ability to drink beer and vodka-sprite - and who needs that?! Puddings/Deserts. Are absolutely pointless and made me feel sick. The tube that is now my stomach has very much done its job, in that I do not tolerate sugary things well. I also found it dehydrated me, which then compounded the feeling of 'urgh'. Subsequently, if I wanted something sweet, I opted for water melon. Sweet enough, tasty and well, is largely made up of water! Huzzah! Sun tan cream. Before buying this, please have a little think about how much you will actually need. I, with my head up my bottom, bought enough lotion to slather up an entire herd of elephants. Clearly, as with most body-dysmorphics, I had bought what I would have previously consumed pre-sleeve. When my skin was three times the square footage. Consequently, I came home with three untouched bottles.< /li> hair Loss. Yes, weird, but a point I hadn't considered. If, like me, you lost a fair amount of hair; be forewarned. When you go out into the sun where your hair has thinned, you can easily get a burnt scalp- unless you protect it with cream or a hat or something. I got a burnt head and then a few days later had to deal with all the serious flaking going on. Not an attractive look; your partner picking out massive lumps of skin out of your hair like some chimpanzee grooming its partner when you're out for dinner in the local town or in pleasant company. Jewellery. Yes, I have lost weight. Yes, I wore jewellery. Yes, I drank vodka-sprite, went dancing and didn't realise till the next day that my watch, the one I'd been promising to get some links taken out of, had flung off my wrist at some point during the evening and was now lost. A diamond ring also flung off on a separate occasion, but thankfully, I spotted it happening and quickly reclaimed it. Don't put off getting your jewellery re-sized. Or, alternatively, and if you're going dancing - don't wear it. I was very sad I'd lost my watch. Still, gives me an excuse to buy a nice shiny new one.... Razors and shaving. Bit personal but hey, we're all sharers here. What a difference losing 60 odd pounds makes?! I could reach the places other razors couldn't previously reach and in record time, too! No awkward breath-sapping contortions, fuzz or badly-packed packets of rolling tobacco for me, thank you very much! Sweating and heat rash. Practically non-existent in comparison. What a difference. Amazing. Made my holiday. Prepare to be amazed. I was. Feeling attractive. Finally it happened. I realised I was thinner, healthier, happier and that even my hair is getting thicker, my skin is beginning to snap back into shape again - along with my boobs! I was humbled and left with a warm, smiley, fuzzy feeling. My bottom got pinched a lot, too. So I assume that my inner happy was matching my outer happy and that made 'him' want to grope me more If you hadn't already worked it out... I had a lovely time.
Here's hoping you, too, have a very happy, warm, fun-filled summer. Everything we've gone through? It's so worth it.
Revs x

There's what called the "honeymoon period" of about 12 mths or so. Meaning, it will be EASIER for u to lose the first 12 mths, not that ur limited to 12 months. Ur right, how r we expected to lose so much in 1 yr? U aren't. Ur just sposed to take advantage of the easier first 12 mths to lose weight. I think it's cuz most peoples hunger comes back after the first year. I never lost mine so my honeymoon period was the first 10 days!
Most people will continue to lose at a much slower pace after the first year. Not sure where that "window" "rule" became and actual "rule", cuz it's not.
Good luck!

Powaqqatsi,
This is a great topic. You primary point -- that these surgeries are NOT a panacea or magic wand of weight loss is totally correct. If you can lose weight on your own and keep it off, then I wouldn't consider this surgery. For me, I just couldn't and wanted to extra help.
You can still gain weight by eating the wrong foods, not exercising, etc. I'm six months post opp and sugar drinks, alcohol, Cookies, ice cream, and chips basically go down just as easily post surgery as they did pre surgery for me. So, if those are your big weaknesses, then I'd tell you it's not going to help. Fortunately, for me, those weren't my problem. My thing was that I ate way too much and had a ridiculous appetite all the time and this surgery does help tremendously for that. For example, in the past, I'd eat a large rack of baby back ribs with fries and slaw and then wonder about desert. Now, I eat 2 or 3 ribs (no fries, no slaw) and feel completely stuffed and satisfied. That kind of help has allowed me to get back to my high school weight and has been totally life changing.
Anyhow, going in "eyes wide open" is super smart. Loosing a bunch of weight can make folks feel exuberant about their decision and your right to set expectations properly.

Ok, here's my opine, and it might seem harsh. 1) have you hit the 70% of the total amount you need to lose according to the Dr.? 2) are the people that are saying you look sickly heavier (or slightly overweight) themselves? 3) Are YOU at the goal that you invisioned for yourself when choosing this surgery?
See it really has nothing to do with others opinions about your journey in this process we call WLS. I just had my year check up w/the Dr. and my only long range goal was to have made the 70% weightloss mark by this checkup. Sure, I gave myself lots of mini goals along the way, but 70% was the biggie for me. And damn if I didn't achieve it!! Now, do my arms jiggle, sure. And I won't even get into what's happened to the "girls!" So, who cares, I sure don't. Instead of limiting yourself because of things others are saying, focus on what YOU want out of this experience. Weightloss IS going to slow down after (if not during) month 6 and beyond. Focus on YOU...the final results are really about what makes you a happy and healthier person at the end of the day.
So, if people are commenting about your looks....it's probably because they're having a hard time adjusting to the new you. But are you happy with how you look? If so...then don't worry over their comments. If not...start saving for plastics or work on toning what you can so you might improve things. .
Take care,
Annette

You look beautiful!

Hope you are feeling better Sweetie. Tomorrow I will be 5 Weeks out. Last week wad the first time I felt half way normal. I had a hernia fixed at the same time as my sleeve and it had been a battle with it. Like you, I couldn't eat or drink for Weeks. The Dr says it will still take time to heal, but I started on actual food this weekend- lean ground beef and chicken. I feel 10x better. I'm still not getting in all my Water so that's my next step. I promise it does get better. It took me awhile to believe that, but it does. Just push threw and in a few Weeks it will be all better. Good luck!

Hope you are feeling better Sweetie. Tomorrow I will be 5 Weeks out. Last week wad the first time I felt half way normal. I had a hernia fixed at the same time as my sleeve and it had been a battle with it. Like you, I couldn't eat or drink for Weeks. The Dr says it will still take time to heal, but I started on actual food this weekend- lean ground beef and chicken. I feel 10x better. I'm still not getting in all my Water so that's my next step. I promise it does get better. It took me awhile to believe that, but it does. Just push threw and in a few Weeks it will be all better. Good luck!

I'll tell you my story...No one, including my own family, commented on my weight loss until I hit the 50 pound mark. I couldn't believe it.
Then I realized something - my weight was a bigger deal to me than it was to others. I thought of myself as The Fat Girl. Other's just knew me as...me. The people that know me, didn't identify me with my weight - I identified myself as my weight. Yes, I felt good on the day I hit 50 pounds lost that two people commented on my weight - they weren't people particularly close to me (the mom of my son's friend and my financial planner). My husband also pointed something out...I was wearing baggy clothes and it was hard to tell that I had lost so much.
I documented my process by taking measurements and pictures - the pictures are a real help, you will see yourself getting smaller. It's awesome. You know you're successes - this is your story.
You're doing great - hang in there. Next thing you know, you'll start getting looks. (I was out walking the dog the other day and caught a guy checking me out - that's a good ego boost!)

Ok--I don't want this to be a yadda, yadda, I eat nothing but soy curd, sprouts and organic Beans kind of post, but what the hell. I'll throw caution to the wind and share. Tonight I went to that dark, secret dungeon of hell--a restaurant (!) with my family. I was starving, and even a sleeved celiac has desires that the menu was ready to satisfy. Burgers, juicy, heaped with cheese and bacon on a gluten-free bun. Gluten free pizza, gluten free chicken tenders (NO WAY!) I couldn't decide.
I have been telling myself that occasional dalliances with naughty food would be OK, if I could stay within my calorie range and keep my carbs reasonable. But I've been staying away from all types of pork and beef and cheese. I need to cut my saturated fat. I keep telling myself all this important nutritional stuff, but did I mention I was starving?
Here's what I did. I went to the bathroom, turned around and checked out my back fat. Yep, back fat. I have it, it's ugly, and man, those florescent lights taunted me, "GIRL! You don't look as good as you think you look. Now waddle away!" I grabbed a love handle and wagged it at myself in the mirror. It jiggled back like fleshy white Jello. So back to the table I slumped, defeatedly. And I ordered a hummus plate, no pita! (That's my pitiful triumph, feel free to applaud...)
My kids and husband ordered deep-fried avocado fries, macaroni and cheese pizza (that's pizza with macaroni and cheese on top) and buffalo wings. And I ate celery, carrots and hummus. Uh huh. I know.
Anyone else have restaurant triumphs or tales of woe to share?