Summer Rain

Awesome attitude @@CanyonBaby!!!

Being a day off for us, my husband and I went to town. It is spring, now, so it's time for motorcycle gear. New for me, as I am 50+ lbs lighter than last fall, so a new jacket and helmet were in order. Lo and behold, a size large as opposed to a 3x (motorcycle jackets tend to run small) for the jacket!!!! And a size small (does this mean my brain shrank, as well?!) for the helmet, down one size. Then, the dress I had ordered on line came in the mail, so I tried it on. Down to an xl from a 2x! I looked in the mirror, and for the first time since I started all this in November, I thought "WOW! I look GOOD!!!!". I NEVER expected to see that "skinny" person again, and even though my husband tells me all the time I look great, you still have to hear it from yourself, you know? Kind of a "self-affirmation". With my new haircut, my "new" body, and a few new clothes, it sure turned my light ON!
SO! For my motivation to keep losing, this is now going to be my motivation: whether or not I have money to spend, I am going shopping. Not necessarily to spend, but to keep my motivation going on losing the rest of my excess "baggage". When I feel depressed, sad, un-inspired to keep going, I AM going to go and shop. I WILL try things on I have never had the nerve to try on before. I WILL find that desire to keep on my path. And I needn't go broke doing it, because I DON'T have to spend money to find VICTORY in my experience!
ONTO THE STORES!!!!!!

Hey all. I'm back feeling healthy and as of this morning I'm down 62 lbs. Approaching half way to goal

I'll be changing jobs week after next and just had a thought... My new co-workers have never know me fat. How weird\wonderful will it be to have a truly fresh start?

Just got back from vacation and can say its the best one I have ever had. We went to Williamsburg, VA and Washington D.C. I didn't have to worry about not keeping up when walking from place to place. Most the time I was the one least winded after hiking up the hill! I fit in all the rides at Busch Gardens (with room to spare). And Iost 1.5 lbs while on vacation and really didn't eat that great just didn't snack any and got my Water in. Got to say the sleeve is the best thing I have ever did for myself.

I went on a long weekend to Las Vegas with a girl friend for a "girls get away" this past weekend. Had lots of fun. She knew I had the surgery and has been a great supporter.
As our time went on, I realized how different it would have been if we did this a year ago, pre-VSG.
I would have waited behind for her to go run around instead of walking 8+ miles a day.
I would have been planning our Breakfast, lunch, dinner, food treats, etc. instead of oops...we didn't get lunch.
I would have been planning at least one nap if I wanted to stay up late, instead of going 36 hours w/o sleep the first day. After that about 4 hours a night.
I would have felt out of place and awkward around all of the twenty-somethings in the places we went thinking they were looking at me.
I think I would have croaked going up and down the broken escalotors around the strip. Instead I scaled them like a teen, and even passed a gasping 12 year old.
The plane travel was also so much better. I usually get a window seat. Not only because I like the view, but because it was one less person I was inconveniencing - I could squish against the window. This time it was actually comfortable...dare I say roomy.
I stepped on the scale this morning, and I'm 1.5lbs down. Who loses weight on vacation?
The changes we go through are kind of gradual even though our clothing is getting smaller. It took something like this to really see what a change it's made to me. It's really awesome.

My surgery was almost two years ago and I've been "at goal" for over a year. I am still amazed when I see pictures of myself not fat.
The kid in this picture is a size 2. I am not. Ha!

I'm still trying to get used to it. Not so easy when there's such a before and after difference. My surgery was just over two years ago.

Thank you! I'm seriously scared about my upcoming surgery (no previous hospital stays/surgeries, etc.), but I'm hopeful of the end result . Glad I found this place and all the support I've been reading on here!

Hey guys! It's been about 8 months since my sleeve and I'm down 96 pounds from my pre-sleeve weight. The food is still a struggle sometimes, but thankfully the sleeve is a great tool at keeping me in-line. I love to eat and breaking the habit of wanting to gorge on something tasty is tough!
Anyways, I've just bought my first bicycle since my youth and as my first hard exercise since the sleeve, I rode almost 15 miles yesterday. I felt like such a boss and it was so much fun! I have some pretty major lower back issues, and running (or any other "bouncy" activity) makes my looseness bounce too which is very uncomfortable and unsightly, so cycling seemed like the perfect solution. I think picking up a new, fun, hard exercise will jump start the rest of my loss to get down to my goal weight. Speaking of which ... I don't even know what my goal should be! I originally put 225 in for my goal here, but I feel like I could lose more, but I don't know what my "ideal weight" should be. I've never been a healthy weight before. I'm 6' tall. If I could crack into the 1's that would be amazing, but I don't know if it's realistic with my body frame.

I had Both surgeries done and I had a very easy recovery. No pain meds after the first 12 hours or so. The hernia has not come back but it has only been 5 months.

You're the one that has to live in your body and mind...Not your family, not your friend. Yes, there's a stigma to weight loss surgery - people do not realize what it entails. Some may say this is the easy way out - I can guarantee you, that is not the case.
Here's what I know...I was not going to lose the weight on my own. I had metabolic syndrome, I was pre-diabetic, and have thyroid issues. What I would need to do to lose weight was not sustainable - I would have to severely restrict my calories and work out many hours a day in order to lose a few pounds. Giving it "one more try" wasn't going to work.
I finally decided to lose weight when I reached 256 pounds - barring marrying my husband and having my son, the decision I made on 08/21/13 was the best decision I made in my life. I decided to tell 5 people prior to surgery and have only told one more person since surgery. I don't expect people to understand my decision - sometimes I can't believe I decided to do it myself; it is a very drastic action.
This is your decision - people around you are going to have their opinions. I decided early on that since I didn't want to hear negativity, so I was very careful who I told. My dad totally did not understand - he asked me "Will you be able to give up all of those foods you love?" My reply was, "Dad, I have eaten enough bread for a lifetime. It's time to stop." He started to cry - he totally didn't understand. Now, he asks me about my diet and how I feel when I eat. He calls the surgery "a necessary surgical procedure". He sees how great my life is now and how happy I am - I am finally living the life I am supposed to live.
So, do what you need to do for you - this is your life.

Eff em'
It's your body and your business. Who cares what they think. They are living your life for you. Don't even waste the breath trying to convince them. Simply tell them, "thanks for you opinion" and walk away.
Then start to work on you. Join a gym. Start walking every day for at least 30 minutes. Cut back and/or quit sodas. Walk the walk while you are undergoing your testing.
Here's a good tale to counteract the horror stories your dad told you. I had the easiest time of it. Easier than my surgery to repair my meniscus and easier than my full hysterectomy. I woke up in recovery and was able to get up and walk. I had zero complications, zero gas and zero pain. I never used the pain pump in the hospital and didn't get the prescription for pain filled because I felt that good. I returned to the gym at 3 weeks and haven't had any issues with nausea and vomiting. Every food I have tried, I have tolerated. I have lost 80lbs in 6 mths.
This was the best thing I ever did. I should have done this 20 years ago.

I was hot before, I'm on fire now!

Almost 5 months out, and I finally hit that 75 lb mark. Took some pics to celebrate!

I never thought it was going to happen but it did! I'm almost 6 months post op and today I hit 199. Haven't seen it in over 15 years. I'm down 87 lbs. as of today. This surgery was the best thing I could have done for myself. I have been frustrated lately because the loss has been slow. I've been continuing to do what I'm supposed to and I guess it's working. My goal is 160 so 39 more lbs!

I do not post here much but I am a frequent lurker and reader. I was sleeved on September 12, 2014. So I am a little over six months out. I am down 105 pounds. I am 15 pounds way from my goal of 215. I am pretty comfortable with my eating plan. I cheat occasionally but not often. My activity level has increased significantly over the last several months. I am hoping to reach my goal by June. Here are a couple of before and after pics.

Hi everbody! I had my sleeve done October 23rd 2014. I have gone from 215 pounds to 165 as of today. Thats 50 pounds. My family thought I took the easy way out at first. Not any more! They see how I hard I have worked! I have MS so I can only exercise slowly and take breaks. I am 64 years old. I would say 80 % is for health reasons and 20% is for vanity! I stay on tract real good during the day but I am having a hard time at night. Always have even during my Weight Watchers years. Anyone with that problem also? Oh yes my name is Ginny!

... 150 more to go, with momentum on my side! Also, I will reach my first cycling milage goal of >100 miles per week by the end of this week.
Thank you all who have provided insight into this process so far!

Congrats. I hit ONEderland today too! Feels great!

I am a year and 7 months out and I have been struggling with getting to the goal. I have not given up but I have picked up bad habits again. I have been going through some stressful things and I found that when I am stressed out I turn to my security blanket of "potato chips". It has made me feel like I was feeling better as I ate the bag of crunchy goodness. I paid for that goodness by the scale not moving or going up in number. Well I got my head together and got focused. Well it happened and I am now 198.2 pounds and I am so excited. It made me feel so good that I joined the healthclub to really put in the work. I am still trying to figure out how to deal with the stress and not go to the chips. So I started at 323 and now 198.2, 48 pounds from my goal. I AM DANCING!!!!!!!!!!!

I got on the scale this morning and it read 199.0! I think it has been 18 years since I weighed below 200 lbs.
I went shopping last week and I was able to buy XL tops and size 16 pants! That is down from 3X tops and 24 pants. I am so excited I can hardly stand it.
I am 52 years old. I was sleeved on November 4, 2015 (15 weeks ago). My recovery from this surgery was very easy and I am thankful every day that I had this procedure done. I now LIKE leaving the house to go places and I hope to have a job interview in the next week or so (telephone interview last Friday). I even took a picture of me in my new interview clothes and sent it to my daughter and I would not be embarassed if she showed it to anyone else. That is a big deal as I have stayed out of pictures for YEARS.
Two weeks ago I took my son to visit a college campus and I was able to walk the the whole tour! That was about 2 hours of walking around the campus and different buildings. 6 months ago I couldn't have done that.
HW: 265
SW: 243
CW: 199
Good luck to those just starting this process. All you post-op people please keep posting your successes and NSVs - they are appreciated and encouraging to all of us.
Summer

I know its a little early to get too excited, but as of yesterday I finally hit ONEderland!! 198.6! That is also just about the half way point for my weight loss journey, about 60 lbs to go. Whew! Feels like it took forever to get here!! so excited!!
Now, if I could just stop my hair from falling out, everything would be perfect!! LOL

I got on the scale this morning and it read 199.0! I think it has been 18 years since I weighed below 200 lbs.
I went shopping last week and I was able to buy XL tops and size 16 pants! That is down from 3X tops and 24 pants. I am so excited I can hardly stand it.
I am 52 years old. I was sleeved on November 4, 2015 (15 weeks ago). My recovery from this surgery was very easy and I am thankful every day that I had this procedure done. I now LIKE leaving the house to go places and I hope to have a job interview in the next week or so (telephone interview last Friday). I even took a picture of me in my new interview clothes and sent it to my daughter and I would not be embarassed if she showed it to anyone else. That is a big deal as I have stayed out of pictures for YEARS.
Two weeks ago I took my son to visit a college campus and I was able to walk the the whole tour! That was about 2 hours of walking around the campus and different buildings. 6 months ago I couldn't have done that.
HW: 265
SW: 243
CW: 199
Good luck to those just starting this process. All you post-op people please keep posting your successes and NSVs - they are appreciated and encouraging to all of us.
Summer

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I'm going to post a pic of myself 11 months out from wls as an update. I can remember being a newbie and the whole "loose skin" and "hair loss" thing used to freak me out. You can scroll above to read my starting stats if you're interested. Consider me an experiment if you will. I'm a middle aged woman in my 40's who has had two huge babies. I am down 90 pounds from my heaviest. I spent the majority of my adult lifetime is the 160-170 pound range until I gained weight after having children. I spent maybe 10 years weighing over 200 pounds. My weight at my heaviest was 241. I weighed 226 the day of my April 2014 surgery and today I weigh 152. My surgeon's goal weight for me was 160. My goal weight is 140-145.
My skin on my tummy is horrific. I have stretch marks from two pregnancies. When I bend over I look like I could welp a litter. Upright, it isn't too bad. Nothing a Tummy Tuck won't repair if I decide to go down that route one day. I have virtually zero skin hanging from my arms. Some is on my thighs.
So what did I do from the list above? Not much. Yes, I drink Water. Probably never the amount I should. I'm active, but I just started "exercising" this month 11 months post wls. I've never lifted weights. I hate the feel of lotion. It feels slimy to me so I've never used it. I have always used a loofa sponge and moisturizing shower cream everyday for years ("Nivea happiness" if you want specifics!). I also lost my weight realllllllly slow. I think this was a huge one. I remember reading that every time you lose weight, it takes your skin 2-3 months to adjust. I totally agree. There would be times the skin on my thighs would look horrific and then a few months later would snap into place.
I think genetics and how many years you spent overweight probably play the biggest factor. There are some warning signs that you may experience loose skin post wls. I carried the majority of my weight in my mid-section, so it doesn't surprise me this is where most of my excess skin now is. If you have pockets of fat that begin right above your elbows, you will likely have bat wings. I have learned that this journey also includes us learning to accept our new bodies. Because I have a memory of being in shape from before, I find myself being even more critical of myself and my imperfections at times. It's a process and everyday I learn to love and accept the new me a little more. Most people post pictures of themselves fully clothed on this site and I always wonder what's lurking underneath. So here I am. Be kind.