IcanMakeit

I am happy for you that your surgery and recovery have been without drama. As one who complained bitterly immediately post-op, I can tell you that your theory regarding pain/discomfort levels, and the rate of recovery did not hold true for me. I was absolutely miserable (with nausea, not pain) one day and ready to dance the next. It was like the sun came out after a storm. From what my surgeon told me, I understand that my experience is quite common.

If I understand your stats correctly, you are asking if it is possible to lose 240 lbs in six months. That would mean a rate of loss that averages over 9 lbs per week. I have never heard of anyone doing that. But this doesn't seem like a healthy goal. Most people who have more than 100 lbs to lose plan on it taking a year or more. I hope you will give yourself some slack! You don't have to be superwoman. If you set your expectations too high, you may get frustrated when you don't attain them. That could lead you to give up. Just follow your surgeon's program, take it one day at a time and you will eventually reach your goal. I forgot to say: Whatever loss you attain by your birthday will be a victory. Enjoy it.

153 today. I was afraid to step on the scale because, due to a back problem, I have not exercised or even moved much for a whole week. Better get back on track before my weight gain fears materialize. My back is better but still painful. I'm going to start slowly.

Ok, so now you know what doesn't work. Just because you made a mistake and took a wrong path does not mean you are doomed to failure. You are now doing what you need to do to get on the right path: start over at the beginning. It won't be easy, but it is definitely do-able. You can do this!

High five! What an amazing accomplishment. I hope you are feeling very proud of yourself. I am in awe at the speed in which you attained your goal.

My authorization did not have any such caveat (that I am aware of). However it probably isn't anything to worry about. Contact your insurance company and make them explain so you can rest easy.

I have been reading with growing jealousy about women who have lost significant amounts of weight and have now dropped several dress sizes. These are wonderful accomplishments and deserve to be applauded. But mixed in with my congratulations is my feeling that it is unfair that people who weigh 30 - 50 lbs more than I currently weigh, wear 14's and 16's when I can't fit into 18's and 20's. I know it's petty to be jealous, but just today I tried on an XL jacket and found, once again, that it was way too small. I've come so far in pounds lost (more than 70), and I've barely changed size on top. I'm still wearing my size 24 tops and dresses, for gosh sake! And they are only a little bit large on me. And my waist is still so large and flabby, I have to wear slacks with elastic waists. How many more lbs must I lose before I, too can shop in the regular sizes? Ok. Thank you for letting me get that off my chest. I'll try to return to being a reasonable excuse for an adult now.

I love your screen name. Here in California "Tina" is just a normal name. Lots of girls and women I know have that name. This group hasn't been very active. But maybe that's not unusual for this website. It would be great if there was more activity so that we could get to know each other. Possibly we're all well enough that we have nothing to report. I hope that's it.

"So has anyone else just made the decision and gone from the consult to surgery within a month or two?" (Raises hand.) I did exactly that. I started dieting on my own at the beginning of this year and really had a lot of success. I was feeling pretty good about it until I thought back to the last time I dieted seriously. I lost over 120 lbs and then proceeded to gain it all back after only a couple of years. That's when I reconsidered weight loss surgery. I had thought about it years ago, but decided it was too drastic a step for me. But with the realization that all of my weight loss might be undone after a few months or years of success, I changed my mind. I went from that "ah ha" moment to being post-op all in 2 1/2 months. I am only 4 1/2 months out now so it's too soon to say that I'm a success. But I do feel strongly that this tool is going to make a difference when I reach maintenance. It's helping me to develop better habits: I have gotten used to eating small portions, and then waiting to see if I am still hungry; I'm working on slowing down when I eat; and I make sure that the food I put in my mouth is nutrient dense rather than empty calories. I have also returned to logging all my food and exercise. (And I exercise! I never did much of that before with any regularity.) These changes give me confidence that I will continue to enjoy my new healthy lifestyle in the coming years, so I think that even though I made a snap decision, I made the right decision.

Today's weight: 155. I'm now 20 lbs from my surgeon's goal. I know the last 20 lbs are the hardest, but these challenges help me stay focused. I hope there will be another one after this one.

At two weeks out, I was still on a full liquid diet. What does your program call for at two weeks? If you're on liquids, you can have Greek yogurt with artificial sweetener and vanilla. This was a special treat to me at that stage. If you will have advanced to purées by that time, maybe you could make a parfait with Greek yogurt, sugar free jello and puréed fruit?

157 this morning! I verified my scale at my doctor's office, so I shouldn't have any more uncertainty.

I'm about two thirds of the way to my weight loss goal and am in a bit of a dilemma. Most of my clothes are too big and look sloppy on me now. But when I try on new clothes, I find that I still need to buy plus sizes in tops and dresses. Most of my weight loss has been from my bottom half! And my bosom has hardly shrunk at all. I've been hoping that things will even out as I get closer to goal and intended to wait before getting too many new things in a (hopefully) interim size. But my baggy clothes are starting to get me down. Although I hate spending money on clothes that will only fit for a month or two, I guess it's time to break down and do it. I just wish they made clothes for us apple-shaped women. It seems that most things are made for pear shapes. I feel like starting an apple-shaped women's movement. Hmm. I need a slogan.

161 today. Turns out that I had not solved my scale problem and have been living in a fool's paradise. It was nice to believe that I was below 160. But now mean old reality is slapping me in the face. Now I'm going to have to really stay focused if I'm going to make my goal.

I'm sure all hospitals are different, but I'll bet most at least ask you for your weight on the intake form (mine did), and some probably make you stand on the scale. You should check with your insurance and ask if there are any circumstances where authorization could be revoked on the day of surgery. It seems like that would be extremely unfair.

Thanks for sharing your photos. My belly looks very similar to yours. I already consulted with a plastic surgeon a couple of weeks ago. She told me to come back when I stop losing weight. I didn't want to wait! I hate my wobbly bits. But seeing your photos makes me realize that loose skin isn't really that big a deal. You look great. Since I'm 60 and I was obese for a long time, it isn't likely that my skin will tighten up much on its own. But look how great you look in your clothes. Instead of obsessing about loose skin, I should learn how to dress better.

The first thing you should to do is stop looking backward at your mistakes. You can only change the future. As far as getting back on track, it is definitely not too late. To get started, go ahead and meet with your nutritionist or just dig up and re-read all of the information you were given at the time of your surgery. The steps you took to lose 60 lbs will work again if you follow them. It may feel insurmountable, but you just need to start moving forward to overcome your inertia.

I share your frustration @geelynn. I have lost a noticeable amount of weight, but I still wear a 1X top. It's almost like I'm losing all my weight from the places that aren't covered by clothes. LOL. I'm just hoping that when I get to goal, I'll be able to shop in the regular size section.

I am glad that this thread was revived. I have long believed that my past diet failures happened because I did not view the diet as a new way of life, but rather, as a temporary remedy. This led me to really question my nutritionist's and surgeon's post op diet advice. It seemed too much like my former diets. In the past I could do diets, I just couldn't do maintenance. But even though I was unsure if this would really work, I am following their program as best I can. I figured, they must know something I don't. But in the back of my mind, I still believe that changing your eating patterns has to be done in a sustainable manner. And I often question if a 1000 to 1200 cal diet is actually healthy for the long term. I know it wouldn't be if we were not taking vitamin supplements. Reading the debate contained in this thread has given me much to think about. I really want to be successful for the long term, so reading what works for others is very instructive.

It is great that you are so concerned about your friend. I also admire your sensitivity in coming here to ask for advice rather than confronting your friend. It is very hard to hit your caloric and Protein goals for the first few months after surgery. This is a common problem and does not, by itself, indicate any disorder. If your friend is developing a disorder, she might become defensive when questioned about her eating/exercise habits. Since you don't know whether or not she has that problem, it's better to offer her advice about the problem you know she has - not getting enough Water. There are lots of helpful hints on this site to cope with this issue. At 500 cals a day it is also possible that she isn't getting enough protein. You might be able to ask her about that without making her uncomfortable. And you could suggest that she talk to her nutritionist for tips on raising her intake.

I'm really hopeful about this challenge. Starting weight: 160; Goal weight: 150. I want to get within striking distance of my ultimate goal.

I'd love to have a TARDIS! That way, I could visit myself in 2015 and have a preview of the new me. (Yes, I know fellow Whovians, it's against the rules to interact with your future self.) I'm still not 100% confident that I am doing things right or that I will be able to maintain my new, healthier lifestyle. I want to tell my future self to stay the course. But since we have to go through things one step at a time, we should trust that our preparations and determination will carry us through -- your surgery and post-op period, my long term health goals. And let's remember to reach out to others when we need support.

This is a good thread. Reading everyone's accomplishments is very motivating. My three favorite outcomes so far: 1) Diabetes is GONE. 2) I feel more confident. 3) I can walk for miles without a problem. Six months ago, I could barely walk a block.

It's a bummer to turn down work, but you might have the same problem getting enough nutrition that so many of us had. Better safe than sorry.