dashofsunshine

I want to eat to live instead of living to eat. I don't want to let it control me anymore. I want to be able to hike the Grand Canyon and have children one day and be with my husband for many many years instead of dying from a heart attack at age 40. I have always struggled with my weight - we dieted as a family all through my childhood from age 7. I want my life to be more than the unhappiness and depression I feel when I look in the mirror. I want to be able to love my husband with my whole heart, which of course, requires me to love myself first. I'm 26 years old and I can't walk up a flight of stairs without being winded. So I'm having surgery in hopes that I can wake up every day and look around at the world with wonder as opposed to waking up every day and simply existing. Good luck to you guys ????

Also, there are some threads on the forums where people give their height and current weight/dress size and some attach photos. Go look at those and find someone with a similar body type/ height and see if that doesn't help you pinpoint a goal weight ????

@@roundisashape if you're worried about setting your goal too low and getting that "all or nothing" mentality, then maybe try setting a goal of like 60 lbs lost to begin with. Something very attainable for you. Then, when you reach it, or get close to it, you can re-evaluate. That might help keep you from getting discouraged! I was overweight my whole life until high school when I lost 70 lbs (excessive starvation and two hours of exercise 7 days a week works, but is not maintainable). I got down to 145 lbs (size 6/8) and I am 5'8". I was really happy and felt beautiful, but as I went to college and fell into deep depression, I gained back all the weight and then some. I'm excited to try to get back down to my high school weight. Good luck to everyone! ????

November 20th here! I am absolutely thrilled. Slightly nervous but really just ready to do this, more than anything. My husband got me a gastric sleeve plushie off of Etsy to keep with me in the hospital after I wake up, haha! It is so cute and she personalized it for me. Attaching a photo so you guys can see! Good luck everyone, you're in my prayers!! ????

I am 5'8" and I weighed about 145-150 in high school. It was the fittest I have ever been in my life, and I starved myself and worked out two hours a day to maintain it....I was a size 6/8 and felt absolutely beautiful. I'd love to get back there. Attaching a photo so that you guys can see what 145 lbs looked like on a 5'8" frame. Cheers and good luck!!!

I am pre-op as well, but every single person I have spoken to has stressed the group therapy meetings and meeting with the hospital psychiatrist afterwards. They have all said it makes a HUGE difference because this journey, for most of us, is going to be a lot mental as well as physical. Good luck!!!

Climb a flight of stairs and not have to hide being winded at the top. Paint my toenails/tie my shoes. Try on clothes/shoes without breaking into a sweat 10 minutes in. Go to a mall and buy clothes from a store with no plus size section. Hike the Grand Canyon. Go out to a fancy restaurant and actually feel like I deserve to be there just as much as the skinny people. Fit into an airplane seat again. Comfortably. That's the beginning of my list!! ????

@@vsgchick I'm November 20th as well!! Good luck to you!! ????

Surgery is a permanent tool. It is definitely not a fix all. You may be able to lose the weight doing an all protein diet, but once you start eating carbs again, it could pack back on. Who knows? Surgery reduces the size of your portions forever, unless you force yourself to stretch your stomach back out by eating too much. Yes, surgery will require immense discipline, and so does dieting. Surgery is for those individuals who have tried time and time again and cannot get lasting success. I would talk to your doctor and family and see what they have to say about your thoughts! Good luck!! ????

I am November 20th! My pre-op starts 14 days before, but I may start it a couple days early, mainly because 1) I want to give my surgeon the best possible chance for laparoscopic (I do NOT want to be cut open) and I know that the liquids will make it easier, and 2) I find myself over eating recently because I have that "oh, I won't be able to have this much longer so I better eat it now!" mentality, which is very bad, lol. I'm nervous but excited. I turn 26 tomorrow and there are so many things that I want to do that my weight holds me back from....I simply cannot wait! I was married in May and for our one year anniversary we are going to hike at the Grand Canyon ????

Last year my husband and I went to disney world/Harry potter world and there is a ride inside the castle at Harry Potter world that has a serious weight limit. But they don't tell you about the weight limit - they let you wait in line like everyone else and when you get to the front of the line, they pull the fat people aside and try to force them into a seat- in front of EVERYONE - and if you can't fit, they make you leave. I got outside and cried and cried - I was thin in high school and had never experienced not being able to fit on a ride. It was mortifying. Also, recently I went to a fall festival and sat on a bench (it was connected to the table) and the entire table almost flipped because it couldn't support my weight. I ended up on the ground with many looks of pity aimed my way. "That poor fat girl" I could just hear them saying. That's it for me. I'm done. No more! I can't wait for my surgery!

I'm scheduled for November 20th!! I will let you know how I'm feeling afterwards ???? everything will be fine, I just know it! Will keep you in my prayers!

This. Is. Awesome. I can't wait to do my own! And tie my shoe laces without discomfort!!! Haha ????

I am pre-op (scheduled for Nov 20th) and this post brought tears to my eyes because I know exactly what you're talking about with the sweating and the tiredness and the trying to work out only to be exhausted...I want to walk up a flight of stairs and not have to hide my heavy breathing from others. I cannot wait to live a better life for myself and my family. You are such an inspiration!! Thank you so much for sharing ????

I am paying out of pocket in the states. It is costing a FORTUNE and I am using all of my savings (my parents are helping out as well). I tried to get approved by my insurance and they said it wasn't happening. I had the option to switch to a different plan in hopes that maybe they would cover it on a more expensive insurance plan, but they required me to have been morbidly obese for at least 5 years before surgery (it has only been 3 for me being MORBIDLY obese...I've been overweight most of my life) and I decided that I would rather pay out of pocket than wait two more years and gain another 100 lbs and get diabetes. The worst part is that I turn 26 in 4 days and will be dropped from my secondary insurance which was my dad's. He works for the Post Office and has the federal employee program, and the entire surgery on his plan would have cost $350. Because of the law, however, I'll be dropped on my birthday. Horribly disappointing. But I'm coughing up the money because, what better to spend it on than a long, healthy, happy life?

I start my pre-op diet 14 days before surgery, so October 30th will be my last day of food. I haven't gotten my protein shakes yet but will probably do that this weekend ???? when we say "started our pre-op" that means we've gone to a pre-op appointment and the diet we're talking about is the all fluid diet which should have been prescribed by your surgeon!

Hey y'all! I'm new I'm pre-op (surgery scheduled for Nov 20th) and I'm 5 foot 8 inches tall. In high school I managed to lose 70 lbs by starving myself and exercising two hours every day (I don't recommend this to anyone), and the attached photo is what I used to look like (dressed for a cotillion ball). I would love to get back to this size, it is my ultimate goal. I was a 6-8 US street size, and I felt beautiful. Good luck to everyone!!!

Hey y'all! I'm in Nashville and going with Dr Dyer at Centennial. Pre-op Nov 4th and surgery Nov 20th. I'm really excited! Good luck to everyone who is pre-op ????

Hey guys! I am scheduled for pre-op Nov 4th and surgery Nov 20th. Insurance would not cover it so I am using basically all my savings, but I can't think of anything better to spend the money on than my health! If anyone on here is religious, I would appreciate the prayers! Good luck to everyone ????