jobillandjosh

Bacon-n-Limes that is such a compliment you just put the biggest smile on my face. :-) Thank you!

I am also October 6th! I am definitely good with buddies. :-)

I started loosely back in January. I got really serious in April when I did my intro meeting. They told me to eat 1700 calories a day and to get moving. I started using MyFitnessPal to track calories and began wearing a Nike FuelBand every day then also committed to working out 4x a week in any way I wanted - swimming, walking, whatever. I had to change a lot, but figured that would be my life post-surgery anyway. Now though still very nervous like everyone else :-) It's easy to lapse so even now takes work to be on top of it.

Any interest in adding a 3rd? My surgery date is a little before yours on 10/6, but I could still use buddies doing this around the same time as me. I'm not really nervous yet, but I did just get my date today and it's slowly sinking in that that is in like 18 days. Whew! I've been at this for about 6 months and delayed surgery for the fall due to work and vacations I had scheduled.

I've been scheduled for October 6th. After doing this for 6 months it feels weird that it's almost here.

Just curious. I don't have any outstanding appointments or meetings. I already have insurance approval.

Crystal - I'm also in MA. So there's one more person for you doing this at the same time as you. :-) I was thinking about vloging too but I don't know I did just buy a notebook so I could just write down my feelings and thoughts so I can keep my mind free you know? I wish I knew more people around my way who were having it done so we could go on the journey together

I think what you need to ask depends on what you're doing with food now. Are you following your calories every day and trying to lose weight before surgery? You can ask her what a good plan is to help track your food after surgery (or for your life, if like me, you're going to need to). I've asked about Fluid intake post-surgery with exercise - especially in the first few months with the sipping. What changes would the nutritionist recommend?

I just had my 2nd follow up today with my surgeon and the nutritionist. No homework or anything. Just keep doing my thing. Next follow-up is at the end of July where I think they'll submit paperwork (apparently BCBS is good to work with). I got a copy of my 1 week pre-op which looks OK. Test are really within the 4 weeks prior - so gallbladder ultra, upper GMI drink test, and EKG. Plus routine surgery labs. He doesn't anticipate any problems. Funny in that my schedule is part of what's dragging this out for me, but it's OK as I feel like I need to get my ducks in a row. I tried PB2 with chocolate yesterday. It was OK. Plain PB is better to me. I tried Shakeology chocolate. Not my favorite, but I didn't mix it with a blender. It was really kind of gritty. Unjury chocolate was too sweet for me. I was going to try Muscle Milk next or something by Optimum Nutrition. Try some other flavors too.

Didn't they give you a book outlining all of your tests? I'd be a little worried about that if they didn't....Mine are gallbladder ultrasound, upper GI (chalk drink), and an EKG (plus blood, etc. above). 3 hour duration.

Me! I exercise regularly now, but my weight does make some activities difficult, uncomfortable or sometimes painful. Plus my doctor said no excercising for the first 4 weeks. He's ok with low speed walking and moving - just nothing sweaty and heart pumping. Thinking of even that is hard for me.

I don't have anything WLS related this week. It's getting so muggy outside even with going for walks at 8 PM - UGH humidity is not my friend. :-) Good luck with your appointments!

So many kinds of wrong in your post....You look great in your picture. Unfortunately, this person has filed away your "fat" picture and it appears to be the only way she can see you. Or is somehow jealous of your progress and wants to make you feel as if you look bad. Either way, it's all on her. My temper probably would've made a rare appearance with a firm GFY. People do the same thing with pregnancy. Everyone feels they have the right to touch your body. Or ask when you're having more kids. Somehow people feel pregnancy means there are no boundaries. So while I haven't had surgery yet, I have had kids and actually can't have any more so I get how invasive and incredibly rude people can be. Keep on keeping on - healthy and happy. That's the best revenge.

My insurance and doctor haven't asked me to lose weight. I've been doing that on my own since January and am down 30 lbs. I have about 3 months until surgery and I plan on doing what I'm doing now so I'll actually lose more weight. My surgeon was fine with this. He said do what you're doing. Make habits. OK great! But losing weight on my own is totally messing with my head. I know I need this surgery. I have lost this same 30 lbs I don't know how many times and have 90 to go. I don't lie to myself about needing surgery, but I don't always like it. I feel like I'm mourning that I couldn't do this on my own. It's not the food I feel bad about. I'm mourning losing this life where I don't have to sip all day, where I won't throw up foam, or worry about hair loss. I know what I'm going to get on the other end is a great chance at a wonderful, healthy life. It's just the pounds I'm dropping right now sometimes make me think why can't this time be different? Because it's not. Period. Is this weird that I feel like this? Or is this a normal phase of the process? When I get like this I try to remember the benefits of surgery and that it gives me the best chance I will ever have at managing my obesity.

I did start with a different WLS last year and just did custom track to lose weight, work with a physiologist and nut (so non-surgery - wasn't ready to commit). Like my last ditch effort. Lost 30 lbs. Yes - this same 30 lbs. Derailed and gained it all back. That's how I knew I was finally ready to admit defeat over my own body and as sad as I was feeling like I'd failed, it's the most hopeful decision I've ever made. A lifetime of taking it off and putting it back on. Like I said, I know I need this surgery. There will be no backing out. It helps to know other people feel like me.

Someone at work gave me like a 5lb bag of chocolate Shakeology. I guess I know what I'll be trying this weekend. I also tried Powerful Yogurt today (Maple flavored). It's like 170 or 190 calories, but is like 21 g of Protein. Was pretty good. I tried unjury chocolate, but it was way too sweet for me. So I guess I have tried a few things. Right now I'm just suffering horrible PMS and want to inhale my house. :-) I have my follow up on the 30th so we'll see what happens next. I think we're supposed to talk dates. I was low on Vitamin D in my labs so they have me on special supplements for that. I can't do surgery until Sept anyway with work and vacations. I want to be able to throw my little guy around the pool and I can't do that post-surgery. Probably couldn't do it earlier now anyway with the Vitamin D issue as I have to get re-tested in 2 months. I just keep plugging along.

Just going to support meetings and a follow up at the end of the month. I'm just being asked to show consistency with what I'm doing to prove that I'm ready. I keep a food diary on myfitnesspal (MFP) and an exercise log on mapmywalk that I have to bring in this time. I haven't given much headspace to surgery yet. I'm just trying to take my time and focus on the work I have to do. Right now, I'm using MFP to teach myself how to eat - what foods I like, how much I can eat, how many calories, carbs, Protein, etc. everything has and how to stay within a daily calorie limit. I plan on using MFP long after surgery to help me stay on track.

I should go in Sept as well. I have BC/BS with no supervised diet window or weight loss required prior to surgery. I do have some work and family obligations though so Sept made the most sense with back to school and a big work commit out of the way. My doctor didn't think the timeframe would be a problem.

The real turning point - My Mom was in the hospital last month due to complications with her COPD. I just saw so many other patients who were overweight, dealing with pulmonary issues, suffering from diabetes complications with horrible mobility and I just got that that would be me some day. I realized how small my life has become and the things I've avoided because of my weight like flying, small restaurants, group activities, etc. Turning 45 and feeling like my joints just ache from carrying this weight around. Feeling like I can't do all of the things with my 5-year old that I'd like to do. Worried that he won't have a Mom if I don't get my act together. Worried that I'll suffer diabetes complications if I don't figure this out. Regaining the same 30lbs again this year that I managed to take off after dieting and exercising last year for what is surely the umpteenth time. I feel like I finally really see myself instead of the me I have in my mind who's not carrying all of this weight and have finally decided I'm more important than the food I do battle with daily.