Forsythia

Oh, I swore up and down that I would never run. The last time I legit ran was Junior High (think 1990). And when I did that, I fell into a mole hole and sprained my ankle pretty darn badly. So I'm already predisposed to be wary about it! So the fact that I am doing it is just bizarre to me!

I have no issues going out to eat. Just know that 2/3rds of it is going to be boxed up. Think of all the money you will save on lunch the next day at work - you can have leftovers for three days. LOL! Once I was back on general diet, I was able to eat whatever I felt like at a restaurant. When I was first sleeved I stuck to things like Soups at restaurants just because I didn't know how my stomach was going to react to things and Soup was always pretty safe.

I really only considered the sleeve. The band just seems to have too much potential for issues (and the surgeons at my hospital really prefer not to do them because of the issues). I liked the idea of having something permanent that did not reroute my insides or effect digestion. I don't like idea of malabsorption for another 30 plus years. So for me the sleeve was the best choice.

You are going to feel pretty full until all the swelling goes down. So like, three bites and you are good. And you will have more than that on your plate and totally think it can't possibly fill you up. But yeah, it will. Those first few weeks I wasn't even hungry. I had to force myself to eat. I suggest only eating a bite or two. Even if you think it can't possibly fill you up. Then wait a few minutes and assess if you need more. If yes, have another bite, if no, refrigerate for later.

I had trouble with plain water post op. It bothered me cold. It bothered me lukewarm. I could only tolerate it with crystal light or some kind of flavoring. Now I have no issues 5 months out, but those first couple weeks... nope.

Sugar has no nutritional value. It's just empty calories. A lot of people find that carbs like sugar slow down their weight loss. I have no issues with sugar. Some people do, but I can eat it just fine now.

Sleeved on May 5th. Currently I'm 228. Down 84lbs since the surgery. Woot.

My job at the time only had PTO (paid time off). No separate sick/vacation/personal days. I took a week of vacation. I chose not to take medical leave because I did not believe that I was going to need more time off than that. Also, I could not afford to be off longer than a week since medical leave is not paid. I could have gone back after 5 days.

I'm a nut, because I was not nervous at all! Even as I walked up to the hospital, I was pretty chill. I figured if something bad happened I had a good run. LOL.

Awesome!

You look good!

I didn't have to play the weight game like you did, but I knew that my surgeon's office's scale weighed me four lbs higher than my scale. Always.

Being the vain sort I never really minded looking in the mirror at myself. I look in the mirror and sometimes I'm like, "Oh hey, look you have collarbones." But most of the time I just don't see the weight loss. I see the smaller numbers on the scale and smaller sizes, but to me I see the same rolls and lumps so in my mind I look the same, even if those rolls and lumps are smaller. People swear up and down that I look good, but I fear there is always going to be a disconnect, even with therapy/mental work.

By the time you get all the tests and visits scheduled you will have used up that three months, possibly more. I had to have an endoscopy and had to schedule that out by a couple of weeks due to availability. So fear not, that time will fly by.

I got guilted into telling my parents (by someone who is no longer a friend because of this). My mother promptly told her sister who told her daughter. I play words with friends with this daughter. She commented to me "congratulations on your lap band". I didn't have a lap band. And this illustrates why I did not want to tell my parents. Now the entire Stewart/Lynch side of the family knows my business. So tell the people you want to tell, but don't give into pressure to tell anyone you don't want to. And know that if someone in your family is a gossip everyone is going to know.

I love my gym. Honestly, no one is going to care if you are on the treadmill. You get into this mental zone where it is just you and the machine you are on where you tune out all the other goings on. And this is generally how everyone is. Besides, at 230, you will not even be the fattest fat person at your gym - trust me. I was the fattest fat person at my gym when I was 312 lbs and no one paid me any attention or made fun of me or anything.

I'm pretty lazy when it comes to planning meals. I usually stock up on yogurt, Protein shakes, and frozen atkins/lean cuisine/weight watchers meals for work (well, not right now since I left my job.. but when I do work.). For dinner.. well sometimes I just eat a couple slices of deli meat or left overs. I don't have a family to feed (I have a husband, but often he works a funky schedule so he is not always home for dinner) so I'm not so stressed about what to eat and when.

Do you have a smartphone? There is a free app for your phone (iphone or android). I always log via my phone and rarely log on via my actual computer. Makes logging so much easier - especially if you are at a restaurant or something. You can add me if you like - adiggs2777.

I fully admit to being a lazy slug if I give into my baser inclinations. And every once in awhile you are fully entitled to do so. But if you are just feeling sluggish and have no energy, you might need to re-evaluate your routine and or Protein intake. I'm allowed coffee, and the only way I am going to get in Protein powder is to put a scoop of vanilla body fortress in my morning coffee. shakes are tolerable at best. Gross at worst. I find it dissolves the best and doesn't clump up which some other brands do. Then I top the coffee off with a shot of sugar free caramel, vanilla or pumpkin spice syrup. This way I get my protein easy peasy. Reading your responses, I think that your daily routine is just what is causing your slugishness. Taking care of kids all day is not easy. Is there any way to dial back your hours, or start later so that you can get in some you time early in the morning? Some people feel better if they get up early and get in some treadmill or spin or whatever it is they like to do time.

Other than having to wait for six weeks to get back to lifting, I have had no issues with working out or drinking during said workouts post op. I always do about an hour of cardio and 45 minutes or so of weights. We're the same age, but keep in mind how long you have been overweight and genetics will also factor into the loose skin issue. I have loose skin on my sides by my boobs, my inner thighs and on my upper arms. There is some by my stomach but not as much as those other areas. But then again my stomach seems to be the last to go. So in the end I won't know how or if the skin is going to bounce back. I just make sure to moisturize every day and keep on working out.

Because I am running. Who the hell are you, Andrea Diggs? A runner? Let me say that when I run, its like a minute or two of walking, then a minute of running, then back to walking, etc. So it is not like full on half an hour 45 minutes of running. But I am on a treadmill doing something I swore I would never do, ever. Running. And it is not bad. I'm slow - only 4.2 mph, but walking has gotten too easy? Running on actual pavement is harder than the treadmill, but at the gym I feel I've hit my walking limit and almost have to move on to running to get the calorie burn that I want. At 228 lbs, I burn fewer calories than I did at 280. I gotta make up for that somehow. Please seriously, let me know if you see any zombies. Because this is a sign of the apocalypse.

I have a digital one by ozeri I got for under $20 on amazon. Holds up to 11 lbs. You can tare out the weight of plates or bowls.

JamieLogical fyi, the same thing happened to me. When I was 294, it took a lot of weight before I went from a 26 pant to 24. It took much less to go from a 20 to an 18. Sizes are funny.

Girl... liquid in, liquid out. Once you get on purees and then solids that will go away. You will probably experience constipation then!

Woot. Also, one of my first normal foods was a taco, and I'm not a Texan. Lol! Who doesn't like Mexican food? I'm sure when you go to the doc's you are going to rock the weight loss.