Rogofulm

Woo HOO!!! Traveled for Thanksgiving and still lost 2 pounds! New weight - 175.

I shared this thought with someone on another forum who had just posted before and after pics. She looked amazing, but still felt like a large person hiding inside a small person. Here's what came to me..... Having not known you "then", and only meeting you "now", I find it hard to believe it's you – even though I know full well how profoundly we can change. When you meet someone who has lost a whole bunch of weight, you are meeting a normal-sized person, not a formerly-heavy person. So we need to teach our inner voices how to "be" that new person that others are meeting for the first time, and let go of our former baggage. Maybe that would help us move forward more confidently instead of focusing backwards. Does that make sense? I recognize the whole, "those who forget the past are destined to repeat it" concept, but perhaps we should remember our past lessons, while living in the present and looking forward to the future. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

177 (same as last week)

You and your 10-year-old kid can BOTH fit in your old sports coat.... and button it!

@@mimisturn That's the best testimonial you could post! Congrats on the weight loss thus far, and don't freak out when you hit The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. Say hi to the Mouse for us!

Corollary... When you're on your way back from the bathroom and decide on the spur of the moment to do a lap around the stairs just to kick-start your metabolism! (My legs still burn every time, though.)

Sleeved June 24th. Down 88 so far. Keep it up fellow June sleevers!

Try to drink TWO bottles! That will help the weight come off AND help you feel satisfied. Good luck!

Excellent point, @@erp! Actually, I have friends who now say, "Hey Slim!" when they see me. I know they mean it in a relative-to-what-I-was sense, but I love hearing it! And lots of folks say, "You're disappearing before my eyes." To which I respond, "That's the plan!" But today I heard a new one. A guy in my office said, "Holy s**t! If you turn sideways and stick your tongue out, you'll look like a zipper!" Made me laugh so hard I didn't think to respond, "You don't even need to do that to look like a d**k!". I really don't think anyone means to offend us when they say these things. They just want to compliment us in a humorous way. So that's how I take it. I'm relishing these compliments while they keep coming, because one day I know they'll stop. And then I'll miss them!

My secret weapon is beef Jerky – low fat, high Protein, and really chewy. If you have a sodium problem you may need to be careful, but otherwise, it's a great snack – or Meal Replacement when you don't have time for anything else. On long car trips, whenever we stop for gas I buy a small bag of jerky. It has replaced Wheat Thins as my travel munchie. But you'd better pack a toothpick!

How long ago was your surgery? I was on insulin and metformin pre-surgery. By the second week out, I went off all diabetes meds and my levels have remained in the 80-100 range ever since.

Yes it does! But by day four you may really start to notice improvement. That's when I was able to stop taking the pain pills. Hang in there! And make sure you get your fluids in and take some kind of Fiber to avoid constipation. That can be a real problem in the first week or two. Good luck!

177 this morning. (Actually, 176.5, but I'll save that half-pound in case I need it next week. ) Thanks, Susan!

Woo HOO!!!! Congrats!!!

Congratulations! I knew it would! Next week it's my turn. I've agreed to lead our monthly support group meeting and my topic is Social Eating and Surviving the Holidays. Wish me luck!

Hi Melissa, Sounds like you've gone a bit off the reservation. If you're not already, I'd suggest jump-starting your day with a protein shake. Then just eat protein plus a few veggies all day long. And you MUST get your fluids in! Here's how I do it... Hope it helps! I bought two 24-ounce Tervis Tumblers (and handles) at Bed, Bath & Beyond; one for work and one for home. At least 30 minutes after Breakfast (and after coffee) I fill one up with sugar-free, decaf Crystal Light (or generic) iced tea and sip it all morning, finishing up at least 30 minutes before lunch. At least 30 minutes after lunch, I fill another and sip it all afternoon. (Sometimes I work in a snack, sometimes I don't.) Then, at least 30 minutes after dinner I fill my last one at home and sip it all evening. That's 72+ ounces of Fluid every day! If I have to go somewhere, I bring my tumbler in the car with me. And if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime or snacktime, I drink even more. If I'm going to a casual party where there won't be anything "appropriate" for me to drink, I bring along more tea in a cooler. A bit obsessive? Perhaps, but it works!

Great article, thanks!

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!

Did you get a prescription for Protonics (Pantoprazole) from your doctor? When I ran out my stomach hurt all the time until I got it refilled. Then it went away.

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!!

Jot down a quick outline and tell your story. I presume that's what the doc wants you to do. If this is for the seminar, it's a marketing thing for the doctor, right? You're not on his payroll, so warn him that you're going to be brutally honest. Then be honest, and share the good, the bad, and even the ugly. Like.... It hurts like hell when you first wake up, but it quickly gets better during the night and over the next few days. Like... be sure to get your fluids in, or you can get badly constipated during the first few weeks. And like... It's the best decision I could have made, and so far I'm thrilled with the results. (Assuming you really feel that way.) Good luck! Having read a number of your posts, I know you'll do great!

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!!

I bought two 24-ounce Tervis Tumblers (and handles) at Bed, Bath & Beyond; one for work and one for home. At least 30 minutes after Breakfast I fill one up with sugar-free, decaf Crystal Light (or generic) iced tea and sip it all morning, finishing up at least 30 minutes before lunch. At least 30 minutes after lunch, I fill another and sip it all afternoon. Then, at least 30 minutes after dinner I fill my last one at home and sip it all evening. That's 72+ ounces of Fluid every day! If I have to go somewhere, I bring my tumbler in the car with me. And if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime or snacktime, I drink even more. If I'm going to a casual party where there won't be anything "appropriate" for me to drink, I bring along more tea in a cooler. It sounds obsessive, but it works!

You can do this! I smoked for 22 years. During the last 15 of those years, I was smoking 3 packs or more a day. If I took the elevator from one floor to another, I needed to have my smokes with me in case the cable broke. If I wasn't dead, I was gonna smoke! SO... If I can quit smoking, the devil himself can – and so can you! I've been smoke-free for 19 years now, but I remember my addiction as if it were yesterday. Aside from marrying my wife, having a child, and now having bariatric surgery, I still consider quitting smoking as one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. Okay, Here are some tips: Sipping citrus drinks helps curb cravings. Since fruit juices are forbidden after WLS, perhaps Crystal Light lemonade will work. Quick intakes of breath also curb cravings. If you need to suck on something (since candy will be off limits), try cutting a soda straw to roughly cigarette length. Then stuff it with two coffee stirrers to give it a "draw". There's some satisfaction to be had there. For a week or two after surgery, all of your routines will be broken. That also breaks your smoking routines and makes quitting a little easier. I quit the day I had my hip replaced. Do not drink alcohol! Whenever someone tells me they quit and then started smoking again, I ask if they had an adult beverage in their hand when they had that first smoke. 100% say yes! The good news is that you're not supposed to drink booze on this program anyway, so that should help. And finally, nicotine cravings only last 30 seconds or less. At first they keep coming, but each day that passes, the cravings get weaker, and the time between them gets longer. You can tolerate anything for 30 seconds, right? Keeping this concept front-and-center really helped me make it through. Good luck -- you can do it! And imagine the double-health benefit you will achieve. You'll feel so much better!!!

Congratulations and welcome to Onderland! Keep it up!!!