BarnGirlWK

Hi KatieD6982

Well, I posed the question so that we do have some awareness around what got us in the pickle in the first place. Yes, life throws us curve balls and bumpy roads.

You've already taken the first steps, so good for you.

When is your surgery?

Hi Squizzo

There is truth in that. I have never lost more than 40 or so pounds in one try; have never got to goal weight to re-set anything.

Like you, I'm optimistic that THIS TIME, I will get there. I want it so darn much!

You've made an important decision for your future healthy and lean self. Congratulate yourself.

BarnGirl - there is no perfection, but I make substantially good choices on a regular basis... even now in maintenance. My life has changed beyond belief. I am 50 years old and look better than I have since I was 22. I feel great, I can hike, ride horses like a demon and no longer feel so top heavy and off balance.

I do have to work it though - this is no joke. The weight comes off pretty easy at first, but after I lost about 120 or so I had to really work hard to get to my goal weight. I was and remain very motivated. I hit goal in Feb 2013 and weigh about 18 less than that now... so very slowly lost those last 18 "vanity" pounds.

This is my favorite recent pic of me... those shorts are size 4 and that top is from the juniors "one size fits all". Shocks me as at one time I wore 32W pants!

Well, I'm a little younger than you are. I was NOT a chubby kid. I was of normal weight right up to about 14 years old. And I have only been 'this heavy' for about 6 years.

I guess I'm trying to ward off any of those ailments. And others. There are days that my body hurts so much (from exercise the day before) that it is hard to find a pain-free way out of bed in the morning. Carrying extra weight affects my ankles a lot, my knees somewhat, and my hips somewhat. Especially during exercise.

I do hike at this weight, too. And I'm going to ride horses again when I'm at my goal. I'm a city girl, but I can find horses to ride. I'm part of the chuckwagon community here in Alberta. I'm around horses plenty, just don't ride them.

The picture is one I would be proud of, too. Size 4 shorts and a junior's one size fits all top. Woo-eee! You look like you've never had a weight issue. And I see no excess skin. What did you do with it?

I'm from Calgary, Alberta. I have two sisters and a niece and a nephew and a Dad. And aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I am interesting, smart, loyal, hard-working, a great friend, dependable, adventurous, silly, funny, fun.

I AM more than my weight. I AM more than my surgery. I have dreams, goals, desires, hopes, frustrations, tears, love, forgiveness, ambitions.

And starting now, I'm living for them.

• feeling comfortable naked (in the right situations)

wearing blingy western wear - (why is western wear sized so small?)

not wearing shapewear

shopping in ANY store, NOT the plus-size stores

not being the heaviest person in the family

seeing what I look like at a normal weight

feeling comfortable in a swim suit

doing exercises without my belly being in the way

being complimented on the way I look (rather than 'you have nice eyes')

shocking people or not being recognized

I have come to understand obesity as a disease process.

It is something to google... the concept of obesity as a disease process.

I will google that, thank you CowgirlJane.

I am very impressed with your results, too. Wow! 150 pounds in 14 months, and you are maintaining below your goal weight.

I'm assuming you followed the post-op diet to a 't' and were very focussed on your goal.

How does life 150 pounds lighter feel? What are the differences between your life then and your life now?

What is your age (range)?

Thanks, again.

It does not matter what you decide to do. There will be someone to advise you against it.

Whenever you make changes, especially positive ones, the people in your life must change how they relate to you. And they get uncomfortable about that because YOUR change is what is the catalyst for THEIR change in the way they relate to you. And they did not see a need for change at that particular moment

They already know how to relate to you as an overweight person. As a person changing habits and lifestyle, they now need to relate to you as a healthier, slimmer person. And there will be some who won't want to. So they encourage you to stop where you are, or go back to where you were so that THEY are more comfortable around you.

I have found that others in my life are more comfortable around me when I'm heavy. When I'm dieting or changing my lifestyle and they still want to be around me, they need to accept my choices, and possibly examine if there are any changes needed in their own lifestyles.

For some, it is way easier to stay where they are. And even we have been there for a certain amount of time before we decided to take action.

I'll get my two cents in here.

For me, weight loss is emotional. Very emotional. It is personal.

I recognize that we're all different. But we are all human beings. We all started perfect, normal, ideal.

I'm not even consciously aware of when I started to gain weight. I was not a heavy child. I was a normal weight child. I believe I am not meant to be heavy. I do recall my 16th birthday and being appalled to realize that I had nothing to wear that made me look good for an evening out.

In our household, junk food was not allowed. Babysitters hated coming to our house. Yes, I had tasted soda pop and potato chips and chocolate. But not at our house! And it tasted good! Very, very good. And when I was 13 years old, I started babysitting, and had some of my own money. Guess what I bought with it? That's right. Junk food.< /p>

I was also an emotional person. Still am. And I was never close to my mother, though I dearly wanted to be. She just didn't want it. As an adult, I recognize that was her doing, not mine, but it still affected me. But I found some comfort in music and in the taboo foods. So, is that where it started? Food replacing affection?

But I saw other kids eating it. Why weren't they getting heavy? Why was I?

I actually didn't really know that my weight was not normal as a teenager. Until seeing cousins one summer who I hadn't seen since the summer before. And in greeting, the cousins happily pointed out that I "GREW"!! And then the 16th birthday with nothing flattering to wear. The other kids at school ranged in sizes, so it wasn't apparent that I was overweight. Though, there was some name-calling "Cow" in junior high. Oh, and my mother decided that she would also call me a 'big, fat, cow' whenever she was irritated (mostly at the sight of me). So, there was the stigma now. I am being likened to a cow. I got through high school all right, (though another emotional time during my parents separation and divorce), and made my first registration at Weight Watchers at age 19. I was done with being a cow.

By the way, my two sisters were not overweight at this stage.

And, yes, I lost a little weight before I gave up on the effort because I felt like I wasn't part of things. That was almost 70 pounds ago, the first time I joined Weight Watchers.

Are relationships partly to blame for gaining weight? I mentioned my relationship with my mother. And, of course, teenage siblings can be cruel. And their friends, too. Where my friends, some overweight, too, accepted me, fed me, supported me.

And go on in life to my naïve feelings for someone not being reciprocated; to no real interest shown to me by a man; to an abusive marriage, which I entered full of love; to divorce; to losses of loved ones. To where I am now.

I want to get off the cycle now. I'm ready. I don't want to have (emotional) excuses that make it okay to be overweight. I want to stop the insanity.

But I really do feel that you have to look at why you are overweight to begin with. Then you can heal. And normalize.

Hi there

I have tried many, many, many weight loss methods since I was 19 years old (the first time I joined Weight Watchers, but not the first time I was 'fat'). That's 30 years of the weight loss insanity

And while I had success on many of them (temporary success, obviously), the one thing that was never addressed was "Why am I overweight in the first place?"

Weight loss programs focus on losing weight. Some of them have a 'keeping it off' element, but not many do. So, the focus is on reacting to the symptoms rather than causes (starting where it started with the weight gain).

Why did the weight gain start? Is it ALL because of lack of willpower or self-control? Is it because of genetics? Is it emotions? Hormones? Why are some people predisposed to putting weight on when others face similar situations and are not so predisposed? Why is weight loss so hard to maintain?

I doubt very much that I'm overweight because I'm lazy, don't try hard enough, can't control myself, etc. Which are easy judgements from people who have never had a weight issue.

I look forward to your posts.

I'm in my 40s and have made the decision to end the weight loss/weight gain insanity! Yay me! I do not want to face the health conditions associated with aging AND being overweight: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetic risk, joint problems, etc.

There were times when I felt I was getting too old for this option, but when I kept researching and found patients in their 60s, I thought it would be okay for me, too.

I've never been at a 'normal' weight as an adult. And dare I believe I will now find out?

Hi! So I have scheduled my sleeve surgery for October 2014 at the OCC with Dr. Ortiz! I'm excited and really nervous! I want to make sure I come prepared.. So, what did you bring with you to Mexico? Anything you wish you'd taken? Anything not to take (I tend to be an over-packer)?

I have my surgery scheduled on August 24, 2014 with Dr. Elias Ortiz. I'm going through A Lighter Me. Thank you for posting this as the suggestions do enhance the information that was available to me in my client package.

Keep the packing light. You will be handling your own luggage on the way home, so keep it light for lifting. Keep it simple and downsize where you can.

It was also recommended to take $1 US bills for tipping and such. I plan to enjoy a little shopping while there, so will have some small denomination cash for taxis, too.

Your profile does not say where you live. I am coming from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Hi @@mom2bubsnboo

I am going through A Lighter Me from Calgary, Alberta to Tijuana. My surgery is coming up on August 24. The whole decision/deposit/scheduled date all happened in the blink of an eye. When I did contact them, I asked for their first available surgery dates, so I literally have no time to think about it. I just pulled the trigger.

I'm optimistic. I'm hopeful. I'm nervous - but not in the least about going to Mexico. This all feels right.

Your profile does not say where you live.

I'm in Calgary. I would love to keep a support network going for us Calgarians. Please check in regularly and update. Perhaps one day and meet and greet?

I don't know about a 'Calgary Program' that was mentioned by @kelliecalgary. I just did my own research, selected to go through A Lighter Me and pulled the trigger. What is 'the Calgary Program'?

I am pre-op, with surgery scheduled in Tijuana on August 24.

I made the decision, paid my deposit, picked a day. Including my research and decision process, this took 5 days. My surgery date was scheduled for less than a month from my deposit being paid. Poof! Decision: surgery: done!

I am still pre-op.

Hi everyone

I'm in Calgary. I am pre-op. I'm going through A Lighter Me for Gastric Sleeve surgery on August 24, 2014 in Tijuana.

Those of you who have already had the surgery, any pointers for us Albertans?

Thanks

Thanks Sandi in FL for the invite to join this group, even though I am having my surgery on August 24. Yes, we will be at the hospital at the same time. I'm at Mi hospital with Dr. Elias Ortiz.

My journey is all through A Lighter Me, who arranges the surgery, the transportation to and from the San Diego airport, and the hotel stay. I have been looking at all weight loss options very seriously this year (2014), and only really started to consider the VGS for about a month. And, once I decided, I paid my deposit, picked the earliest surgery date I could, and here I go. This all happened in a space of three weeks.

I'm finding that I am unable to order unjury products here in Canada and would really like to be able to try some of the soups/broths. Not to mention the Protein shakes. Too bad.

Again, thanks for letting me join in. Sounds like Sandi in FL and Taken_Chances19 and I are all at Mi hospital in Tijiuana. Sandi in FL, your profile does not name your surgeon. Do you know his/her name?

Hi Sandi in FL, Yes, I am also at Mi hospital. And the Marriott Hotel. Our paths will certainly cross there.

I look forward to meeting you.

I have not told one person that I am going to have surgery. This is very personal to me and it is very emotional.

I'm doing it for me. I know I will see some weight loss from pre-op preparations, and will need to explain why I'm not eating much for lunch or out for drinks. The timing is pretty optimal as the occasions are at a minimum. Those in my life have seen me lose weight, they've seen me gain weight. I think some are totally rooting for me, and others expect me to fail (again).

And what they don't know, they cannot judge. I'm optimistic the results will speak for themselves.

I'm in Calgary, Alberta and am scheduled for surgery in Tijiuana on August 24.

I have not had much to time to think about it, freak out about it, prepare for it. I'm only 3 weeks into my decision and am starting my 14 day pre-op eating plan. The plan is a Protein shake for Breakfast, a Protein Shake for lunch, and dinner of Protein and salad. One optional protein shake later, if required.

I used to diet in preparation for occasions: weddings, graduations, reunions, summer season. The eating plans would start after my January birthday and I would follow strictly for a set period of time. I always considered this way of eating to be 'temporary', and that meant my efforts, results, successes were also 'temporary'.

I am a regular at the gym, 4-5 times a week. I have made friends there and have been supported and accountable to them, and them to me. Including instructors. Though, I am clearly the heaviest one in the group. These people have seen me lose weight, gain weight, continue to come to the gym regardless of my size. Recently, one of these people, who has had weight loss success herself, said to me, "I am concerned that we have not been seeing you lose weight even though you are here all the time. In fact, I think maybe you have gained some?" I know her intent was to help and support, and that is the spirit in which I took her comment. But having it out there, said aloud, is exactly like seeing a photograph of yourself. The reality is harsh.

The comment was not the catalyst, though. Just one of several things I have taken notice of recently (in the last year). I have noticed that several exercises are uncomfortable or impossible for me to do because my belly is in the way. My ankles and knees and hips are less forgiving and are often exhausted after exercise (which is regular) and I find that I am in some pain (not the good pain) daily. And at my last annual physical exam with my doctor, I have been asked to regularly monitor my blood pressure. I have not yet been diagnosed or medicated for high blood pressure - but I sure do not want to.

So, I decided that I am going to do something about my situation FOR ME. Forever. Not for an occasion, not for a while, not until I get bored with it.

I'm 14 days away from the next chapter in my healthy life. Wish me luck.

Hi, I'm in Calgary and going to Tijuana via San Diego for Gastric Sleeve surgery later this month.

I'm excited/nervous/hopeful/scared/optimistic