laguerr13

I have had no problems with sweeteners except the slight aftertaste, but as I learn more, and can learn to be in total control of my intake I plan to use raw sugar for certain things like my first cup of coffee etc... , I've been reading a lot about sugar vs. sweetener, and I'm coming to find out that sugar can actually be better for you, it's what we use it in or consume that becomes our pitfall, ie sodas, energy drinks, Desserts etc. , but in a more pure form is actually healthier for you than sweeteners, like tea with a tsp of honey, or coffee with 2 tsps of raw sugar, it's about moderation, and frequency, my goal is to find a great balance in what I eat, learning the right amounts of carbs, fats, Protein etc. I really don't think low carb is a good long term fix, especially after reading an article of how Dr Atkins passed away, and also articles relating to diets and Parkinson's, and even Alzheimer's, these things I mention are not meant to start debate for or against, it's just how I want to find proper balance and stay healthy LONG TERM!!!!

I'm glad this thread has stayed up do long, you know you lost weight when your realizing that in a few more months you'll be looking at XL shirts
( very big deal when you were a 5-6X)

I don't care
, let me call it what it is bull****!!!!! First of your post is very misleading and you chose to omit certain parts of how you gained the weight back, but more detrimental is the fact that your sources about "muscle loss" are misleading and down right wrong, there are variables as to why people lose muscle mass, age, sex, genetics etc..... I have lifted weights for over 25 years, and when I had my sleeve done I chose to research about keeping muscle and taking Proteins, I can pull stats all day to counter what you are saying, but how bout this instead, you are in no way qualified and in fact may cause someone wanting to have the surgery to see your post and say no, when you light a match make sure your not in the middle of a gas station, one of the last people I spoke to had her surgery 2 years prior and had gained 75lbs back and had complications, when she told me I shouldn't have it I had already spoken to her sister at work and her truth was totally different, she NEVER intended to do anything past having her surgery, and had been back to many of her old habits before 1 year was even over!!!!!!
Maybe the surgery never worked for you, but you had no right to throw that crap on here, we will never know what really happened will we????
Only you and God really know, how's this for stats, when I wanted this I researched for two years and found this remarkable
90% of people who claimed complications and failure, never followed through with post surgery regimens
5% due to incompetent surgeons
5% due to complications from surgery
Hhhmmmm??????
As for me Since June 10th I've lost over 48lbs, my BMI is at 47.8, down from 59, and I've gained 4lbs of muscle mass, if your stats were a boat it would sink....... Too any holes in your story!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll sit back and relax cause I love to leave It to Karma!

I thought this joke I learned from my teacher may help calm your fears:
" there was a young man who was sailor, while on leave he upset a gypsy who cursed him and said that on his 50th he would die by the hands of an Elephant, he went on to marry, have 2 wonderful kids and a very successful career, then on his 50th he remembered the curse, he called in to work since the circus was in town, a friend called and asked him to go fishing, he declined since the circus was camped by the lake, his wife asked him to go outside with the kids and have a picnic since there was a parade, he once again declined because the Elephants were leading the Parade, at 11:59pm he asked his wife to get the champagne and as he popped the cork he began to countdown, 10,9,8,..... He pooped the cork, it hit the blind, bounced off the couch, brushed a lamp and hit a an ivory 5lb Elephant on the curio cabinet, it fell and hit him on the head killing him him instantly at 50 yrs old"
You can spend your time locked in your world of safety, but it is a world you create and not what life really is!!!!

You make the appt with anyone listed as "center of excellence" also shop around, there were two in my area, I chose the one recommended more by word of mouth, and listed in network, the surgeon can tell you if you will qualify right away depending on BMI and associated health like apnea, pain, etc....... UHC choice approves a high percentage as long as you do at least 3 dietician visits, also I was on a very tight budget and assumed everything was through my insurance, check to see what is included in the deal with the surgeon, you may need money upfront for certain tests, and the dietician, and things come up like Vitamins, and Protein, good luck let me know if you need anything, you can inbox me anytime I check once per day.....

I thought this joke I learned from my teacher may help calm your fears:
" there was a young man who was sailor, while on leave he upset a gypsy who cursed him and said that on his 50th he would die by the hands of an Elephant, he went on to marry, have 2 wonderful kids and a very successful career, then on his 50th he remembered the curse, he called in to work since the circus was in town, a friend called and asked him to go fishing, he declined since the circus was camped by the lake, his wife asked him to go outside with the kids and have a picnic since there was a parade, he once again declined because the Elephants were leading the Parade, at 11:59pm he asked his wife to get the champagne and as he popped the cork he began to countdown, 10,9,8,..... He pooped the cork, it hit the blind, bounced off the couch, brushed a lamp and hit a an ivory 5lb Elephant on the curio cabinet, it fell and hit him on the head killing him him instantly at 50 yrs old"
You can spend your time locked in your world of safety, but it is a world you create and not what life really is!!!!

I'm glad this thread has stayed up do long, you know you lost weight when your realizing that in a few more months you'll be looking at XL shirts
( very big deal when you were a 5-6X)

That is awesome to hear and very encouraging, before our daughter was born 7 yrs ago I was down 60 lbs to 340lbs then two years ago I was shocked, I weighed in at 400lbs, so last two years hovered around 380lbs, then when I started this journey was weighed two weeks ago at 362.2, now following my pre op diet and 11 days away, I think I will be down to between 348-354lbs, which will help me greatly with surgery and recovery, especially walking, thank you for your post, these forums really keep me upbeat

Yeah it finally happened at the end of last week, I went back to work last Tuesday and had lots of hugs and positive feedback, but on Friday and yesterday I got the "dude are you sick?? Cancer???" But the one that made my nurse intervene by placing her hand over my mouth and shoving me away so I would keep my job was
"Oh my god your getting too skinny, what hell did you do, that's so weird?????" I guess my nurse loves me and didn't want me to mention the $8500 pair of boobs standing in front of me that were purchased as a gift to her husband who left her a year later anyway for a GIRL 10 years YOUNGER!!!!! Yeah at 55 years old in sure those hooters will get to heaven way ahead of her after she passes........????

I don't care
, let me call it what it is bull****!!!!! First of your post is very misleading and you chose to omit certain parts of how you gained the weight back, but more detrimental is the fact that your sources about "muscle loss" are misleading and down right wrong, there are variables as to why people lose muscle mass, age, sex, genetics etc..... I have lifted weights for over 25 years, and when I had my sleeve done I chose to research about keeping muscle and taking Proteins, I can pull stats all day to counter what you are saying, but how bout this instead, you are in no way qualified and in fact may cause someone wanting to have the surgery to see your post and say no, when you light a match make sure your not in the middle of a gas station, one of the last people I spoke to had her surgery 2 years prior and had gained 75lbs back and had complications, when she told me I shouldn't have it I had already spoken to her sister at work and her truth was totally different, she NEVER intended to do anything past having her surgery, and had been back to many of her old habits before 1 year was even over!!!!!!
Maybe the surgery never worked for you, but you had no right to throw that crap on here, we will never know what really happened will we????
Only you and God really know, how's this for stats, when I wanted this I researched for two years and found this remarkable
90% of people who claimed complications and failure, never followed through with post surgery regimens
5% due to incompetent surgeons
5% due to complications from surgery
Hhhmmmm??????
As for me Since June 10th I've lost over 48lbs, my BMI is at 47.8, down from 59, and I've gained 4lbs of muscle mass, if your stats were a boat it would sink....... Too any holes in your story!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll sit back and relax cause I love to leave It to Karma!

51 and luckily for my wife this is my midlife crisis! ????

I'm glad this thread has stayed up do long, you know you lost weight when your realizing that in a few more months you'll be looking at XL shirts
( very big deal when you were a 5-6X)

Licia : I turned 51 in February, after a 10 year bad marriage, I remarried a wonderful woman and began my life over , I have 2 step boys, 5 yo twin boys, and my 7yo princess, but in the last few years I've lost some close friends, and suffered more pain in my knees, and back than ever, my mobility issues and fear of falling, all played a part in making this decision, it took me 2 years of research, and educating myself, now I am 4 days away from surgery, I started this part of my journey in January @ 388lbs, so with that I started to "practice diet" and with that my pre surgery diet I weighed in last Monday @ 349lbs ! I'm the process I accidentally learned one of my most important lessons, the rest of my life will not be I diet, it is me admitting that I learned and practiced bad habits I learned early on, and now I am already comfortable with it, in fact I have pretty much made some of the most awesome meals I have ever had on this surgery pre diet, and I am looking forward to even better meals "AS" (after surgery) lol, remember, and I am quoting one of my new mentors on here "eat to live, not live to eat", I want to be independent at 55, 60, 70 years old , that is my goal!

First pic from late 2014 with me at 388lbs, and me last weekend and 6 months out....... @ 267lbs and going!!!! 

It's funny, I just want the things I was able to do when I was younger that has only been hindered by my weight, getting off the floor, sleeping on the ground when I go camping(although I got pretty spoiled with my big man cot) and I have always wanted to learn to Kayak cause I fish a lot, um only dats away from finding out when I am scheduled, everything is done.......

51 and luckily for my wife this is my midlife crisis! ????

I can see what you are talking about, but your beautiful and to me that skin is like a wound, remnants from another life, I was at 388 in January and today I am at 256, after surgery on June 10th, I bed am losing very quickly, and I knew those before and after photos were going to let me down, it's very rare to look like some of those people in the pics but you are real as am I, I also found that I don't have as much excess skin as I assumed I would, especially since I do a lot of weight training, I'm very content to be the healthiest I've been my whole life and yes I also have side effects that bother me a little, sneezing during most meals, and constantly cold even in the summer, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, thank you for your honesty and open minded posting of what many consider to be extremely personal pictures of one's self, I would post too but I got a new phone yesterday and unfortunately my pictures didn't transfer, you have my admiration and respect.......

I'm glad this thread has stayed up do long, you know you lost weight when your realizing that in a few more months you'll be looking at XL shirts
( very big deal when you were a 5-6X)

@ sineadorebellion : we live in San Antonio but are wanting to relocate in the next few years to Rockport or Corpus Christi, and BTW I like Empire Records too.....lol

You guys are killing me with this jeep thing, I used to have a Wrangler X soft top, and my wife said I can have another one when her school is finished, and now I'm mesmerized by their new Jeep Rengade Sport, just gotta be patient like my sleeve lol.......this was my baby til my wife got preggos with my daughter

Haha someone already told me I look to "Skinny" I said I'm in it to make myself happy since no one did my surgery but me.....

I haven't posted in a few months, after I retired on December 31st, 2015 I took over as full time Daddy, my wife has successfully begun her career and is on to her way to get her Masters in September this year, I see a lot of new faces on here and some old losers like me so I thought I should give an update, I began my journey in January 2015 @ 388lbs after fighting depression during the previous year holidays ( my entire birth family passed on, father, brother, stepdaughter, and mother, and it was the first anniversary of her death on December 12th 2014), I began dieting before even meeting my surgeon to show I was serious and committed, so when I met him in April 2015 I was @ 365lbs, my surgery was June 10th 2015, and I believe I was at about 326 or so, today I am 7 days away from my 9 month surgerversary !!!! And I am @ 248.0lbs, only 53lbs away from my goal weight, never would I have believed I would have been able to come this far and this quickly, I've had 3 stalls and 2 injuries which kept me out of the gym but I remained focused and determined, I also have my maintenance and future goals for after I meet my goal weight, my was size when I began was 60w, I have also lost 14 waist sizes and now am at 46w, soon I will also be an XL size shirt, I am now a 2x, down from 5&6x, I am opting before and after to give encouragement and let the newbies see that anything is possible to when YOU WANT IT!!!!!
It's hasn't been easy, it is hard work but overall my life is 1000x better, I'm also posting my motto which keeps me on track...... Good luck and don't give up    

SIX month surgiversary today and feeling good. 40 more lb's to goal weight and can't wait.
Good job everyone, keep up the good work!!
Also, thank you for this forum, it has been a great resource with lots of good people on it.

I don't care
, let me call it what it is bull****!!!!! First of your post is very misleading and you chose to omit certain parts of how you gained the weight back, but more detrimental is the fact that your sources about "muscle loss" are misleading and down right wrong, there are variables as to why people lose muscle mass, age, sex, genetics etc..... I have lifted weights for over 25 years, and when I had my sleeve done I chose to research about keeping muscle and taking Proteins, I can pull stats all day to counter what you are saying, but how bout this instead, you are in no way qualified and in fact may cause someone wanting to have the surgery to see your post and say no, when you light a match make sure your not in the middle of a gas station, one of the last people I spoke to had her surgery 2 years prior and had gained 75lbs back and had complications, when she told me I shouldn't have it I had already spoken to her sister at work and her truth was totally different, she NEVER intended to do anything past having her surgery, and had been back to many of her old habits before 1 year was even over!!!!!!
Maybe the surgery never worked for you, but you had no right to throw that crap on here, we will never know what really happened will we????
Only you and God really know, how's this for stats, when I wanted this I researched for two years and found this remarkable
90% of people who claimed complications and failure, never followed through with post surgery regimens
5% due to incompetent surgeons
5% due to complications from surgery
Hhhmmmm??????
As for me Since June 10th I've lost over 48lbs, my BMI is at 47.8, down from 59, and I've gained 4lbs of muscle mass, if your stats were a boat it would sink....... Too any holes in your story!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll sit back and relax cause I love to leave It to Karma!

She bought me a new SUV this weekend as a reward, it's too fancy for a guy like me, leather seats, moon roof, fully loaded but I drew the line when she said to get those people figure stickers for the back window of our kids, her and all our pets, that's 13 freakin stickers!!!!!! How the hell will I see out the back lmao