Madmax68

@@Chrystee So excited for you that you are so close!

I haven't had problems being cold - in fact I am the opposite - I always have a window open at night (I'm from Winnipeg and it's starting to get chilly in the evenings). I think it may be that menopause has cancelled out the being chilly. It may also be that my Iron is normal for the longest stretch of my life except when I was pregnant and taking care of myself. for myself, when my Iron is low, I get cold.

196.6

I'm from Winnipeg, Canada so have to swim indoors a good portion of the year. I do love the swimming though and credit it a great deal for my steady losses. I swim an hour of laps three to fie days per week. Sometimes I pick up an aquafit class instead, just for fun. I bought myself an underwater Mp3 player and it totally makes the workouts fly by.

@@heather5565 Hi Heather! I'm from Canada too - Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I took up sewing. I found I could make myself new clothes at a fraction of the cost and it keeps me busy. So far I've made three dresses, two skirts and an outfit for a little niece. It's been fun.

The one thing to be careful of is the costs involved here too. I shop for fabric at little discount stores, and have a budget for each project (I made two wraparound skirts for less than $5.00 each but invested more in some party dresses).

I've actually been pretty textbook, the nutritionist told me last week. For the first six months I averaged 2.7 lbs/week and since then it's been 1.7. Some weeks are higher, some are low or no loss at all, these are averages. I'm seven and a half months out. I eat on plan and exercise regularly.

I found a weight loss expectations image and found it pretty accurate for me. I'll try to paste it here.

@@Barry W

I'm 7 months out. My starting BMI was 47.6 and is now 30.1. If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again, only sooner. I've had zero complications.

@@stephh I hope you feel as great as you look! Way to go with the triathlon - amazing!

197.9 - onederland baby! Woo hoo!!!!

@@Indieflickers - Right! I should have mentioned that. Sweet potatoes, peas, Beans (lots of legumes) and squash. They're all great sources of fibre and other nutrients too. She did ask if I could eat rice, but I'm off rice right now - it makes me queasy. I'm making baked sweet potato fries for dinner. (I cut them into fries and spray them with a bit of Pam before putting them in the oven - delish).

I am just back from a meeting with my nutritionist. I'm at 1200 calories, as per her recommendation. Today she told me to increase my carbs. Apparently, the reason I am so tired all the time is that my muscles need some carbs to fuel the swimming. I had been eating 50-70 g/day. I'm supposed to increase it to 90-100. I'm a little nervous, but last time I stalled she told me to increase my calories from 800 to 1200 and it worked. I'll give it a try for a week, at least.

I drove the day after I came home from the hospital (three days after surgery), but I was not taking painkillers.

200.2 - I can see onederland - just not quite there yet. Hopefully this week!

@@Indieflickers - It's pretty simple I eat 1200 calories and work out three to five days per week, one hour per day. I swim, which burns a lot of calories, close to 900/hour. I usually lose 2-3 lbs per week.

This week I've been sick with a cold so have been closer to 800 calories and I haven't worked out either, so the scale isn't moving.

@@Chrystee - it might be worth trying an increase for a week, especially if you are exercising a lot. I think our bodies are all different, but I've found a good calorie to workout ratio and it's working for me.

I have noticed when I dip below 1200 calories I start holding onto the weight. I've been sick with a cold and had a bit of a rough week emotionally. As a result I haven't been eating enough and haven't lost any weight this week.

At three months I was getting upset because I was losing so slowly and the nurse practitioner at my Bariatric Program told me to increase my calories from 800 to 1200. The weight started melting off. For my body, 1200 calories seems to be the magic number.

I swim 3-5 hours per week too.

200.8 - onederland her I come!!

Thanks @@CowgirlJane!

I always enjoy your posts and responses to folks. You have been inspiring me. I am so happy to see your progress with the sleeve. You've worked hard and it's really paid off.

I have a question regarding hip pain and riding. I have severe arthritis in my right hip (I had dysplasia as a kid so the cartilage wore out and I need a replacement) and want to go riding now that I've lost weight.

I used to ride when I was young and miss it so much, but people are telling me it would be way to painful. Do you have any tips? For example - I think the western saddle would be more comfortable, and if I keep my stirrups somewhat long, posting might be easier. What is your experience?

For me it really didn't. They repaired the hernia at the same time as the surgery and spent one extra day in the hospital (Because I was nauseous from the meds and couldn't get Water down not from the hernia repair. Once they sorted that out I was fine and went home).

I was required to drink five diabetic Boost per day for two weeks. I also had Water and unsweetened drinks like Crystal Lite.

In the two weeks I lost 20 lbs and had no complications during surgery as my liver had shrunk considerably

204!

@@Helena101

The absolute and only way to lose weight is to have a negative caloric intake. While we are losing weight our bodies need to expend more energy than we are taking in. At maintenance we need to balance to two but if anyone hopes to lose weight there needs to be a deficit.

Yes! I have two herniated discs in my back and a hip in need of replacement. I started swimming before surgery and then started again three weeks after. I have been so pleased with the results and swimming burns a crazy amount of calories. To change things up, I pick up a Water aerobics class now and again. It is all great and non weight-bearing, so has not hurt my back or hip.

I have to say, since surgery, my back problems are pretty much non-existent. My hip problem will never go away but is more tolerable with the weight loss.

My shoulders are starting to look pretty good too - lol.

The Nurse Practitioner from my bariatric program recommended I up my calories to 1200 per day when she found out I was swimming 3-5 days per week. I burn close to 1,000 calories an hour swimming according to MyFitnessPal and was eating closer to 800 calories. When I bumped up my calorie intake, my weight loss seemed to pick up a bit. When averaged out, I've lost 2.5 lbs per week since surgery and the stalls have been minimal.