fernandfj

I had my surgery in late July and I am paying more attention to how I look. Since I am still in the losing stage I haven't gone crazy on clothes - just enough to maintain a work wardrobe. This isn't a mid-life crisis, it's wanting to look my best and live life fully after years of neglect. I am looking froward to doing a lot more traveling and being more active with my my family. I feel like this whole process has opened up the future for me and I want to be ready for it!.

I am about 6 1/2 months out and am at 1000 calories per day and over 100 gms Protein a day. My weight loss has slowed down the past couple of months and I stall for about half of the month, but the trend is still downward. I expect to stay at 1000 calories for another few months until I reach goal.

Thanks for posting this. It really hit home. Funny how the biggest regrets were for actions not taken!.

To answer the OP's question, it can happen in a very short time and you just know it in your gut. My wife and I met overseas six weeks before I had to leave the country. We spent every moment together and were engaged after knowing each other for such a short time. That was 14 years ago and we still act like newlyweds. Neither of us were expecting to meet someone and it just happened - but we both knew right away. I was going through a divorce and she swore never to date someone who was separating; our families were not pleased with the idea; yet we just knew and we persevered. We were right.

I was sleeved July 29 and am down 117 lbs including preop diet. Along the way I've shed many clothing sizes (50 to 36 in pants; and XXL to L in general) My co-morbidites have disappeared and I'm off all meds but my daily Vitamin supplement and nexium, I feel great and more alive than I have in many years. Still finding my way about what I can and can not eat, but all in all I am really happy I did this!

I'm at about 1000 calories per day right now with over 100 gms of Protein a day. I tend to hold at a weight for a week, drop a pound or two and then hold again. The trend is still going the right way, so it's good! I'm also fighting head hunger especially at night and I can eat about 3 oz of meat or fish at a time, but still have a hard time getting in anything else. Haven't tried salad yet as it seems like I will fill up really fast and I'm having much better luck with things like sashimi and tartare than cooked Proteins.

Congratulations!!! Your dedication is inspiring!

I waited until my early 50s to do this surgery and I wish I had much earlier. i waited until the extra 150 lbs I carried ruined my knees and created four lumbar hernias in my back. Congrats to all of you who made this decision in time to maximize its benefits. Great for all those who lost weight without WLS - i did too and gained it and quite a bit more back. This sleeve is a great tool exactly because the restriction is permanent. Some of us need that extra help - and that is no cause for shame.

Like many here, I am trying to overcome my fixation with a number - current weight, weight lost, loss per week, etc. Whenever I start looking at the fact that I can go a week at a time where my weight stalls, i get frustrated. Then I force myself to take a step back and realize all I have accomplished. Over the past several months I have lost more than I ever have (a small person's worth). I went from always looking around a room to see if I was the biggest one there (and always ending in the top two or three) to not even checking anymore. I no longer take meds for the dreaded co-morbidities. I no longer have sleep apnea. I have to change clothes because they are too loose, not too tight. I can run up a flight of stairs and not feel like a coronary is coming. I feel alive and healthy. Stacked up against all that, what's a number?

I'm just over 6 months out and it still takes me a good twenty-thirty minutes to finish my breakfast protein shake/smoothie. I've just learned to factor it into my schedule.

Like @@Stevehud my wife has been my biggest support. Being able to live longer and better and enjoy life with her is my biggest motivator. She has loved me heavy, thinner, heavier and now thinner. Luckily she has adopted a healthier lifestyle and we're in this together. We've both pledged to be in our best shape ever by our next birthday and are well on our way to achieving it! It;s important to have someone who supports you during this transition. Even more important is clear communication. We have been able to avoid problems and resolve strains that my WLS caused by talking about them and working out solutions. Many times, you can do things that cause tension without knowing, If the lines of communication are open, you can discuss and resolve the issues. If you say nothing, they can fester and become a real problem. This transition is not easy and takes lots of hard work. It can strain even the strongest relationship. Yes, we did this for ourselves, but when you are in a relationship you are not acting in a vacuum. Keep talking and you can reach solutions. Good luck!

Congratulations! ll that hard work and effort has paid off! You must be sooo proud of what you have achieved!

As many have stated, there is no right or wrong way here. It has to do with your personality and situation. I told my immediate family and coworkers and also have told people if they inquire what I'm doing. So far everyone has been very supportive. I am not an evangelist, but I don't hide it. This has worked for me, but I fully understand those who want to keep it to themselves.

BEST: No more meds, knee pain, back pain, CPAP and feeling better than I have in years! Trying on clothes in sizes I had forgotten about. Seeing the appreciation in my family's eyes for taking the steps necessary to be around longer to share life with them. WORST: My spikes of anger for no reason My obsessive need to weigh myself everyday - and the negative feelings when the scale does not move What I feel when I eat too fast or the wrong thing. It has been an incredible six months where I feel much stronger physically as well as emotionally. I am even getting used to that new guy I see in the mirror. I admit I am worried about keeping things going with my tendency to drop new habits and revert to past bad ones, but I know I will work to make sure that this does not happen this time.

We've all passed the six month mark - how is everyone doing? I'm very happy with my results and my goal that once seemed a pipe dream is now within reach!

Congrats This type of NSV definitely shows the hard work pays off! I also tried on some clothes I had hoped would be good in the future yesterday (36 waist pants) and they all fit!!!!! In fact I returned the 38 waist pants I ordered with them! Considering I started at a 50, it feels great!

I've lost quite a few favorite foods. I used to love crab and shrimp and they just don't agree with me anymore. I try once a month to see if I can bring them back, but so far no luck. I loved grilling meats (that's why I love your bbq photos @dub) but just an ounce or two of meat feels like lead in my gut. Same is true for chicken. Luckily fish and some raw or smoked meats are still ok. Eggs were tough for a while, but they are ok now. I tried a bit of pizza a while back and won't try that again for some time. Hopefully now that I passed the six month mark some of these issues will fade.

Fantastic! Keep up the great work!

Congrats - and the fact you went walking instead of snacking tells you all you need to know. Also, stalls do end. You are human, and you may slip up. You have proven however that you can choose a healthy alternative. I have tried to walk the straight and narrow path and have been successful for the most part. It was hard for me to accept when I slipped up, until I realized that I was just adding too much pressure on myself. Now I make every effort in the days following a slip up (successfully, thank God) to avoid starting a pattern. You are doing great!

Congratulations! Your success is really inspiring for those of us following behind you.

I have been lucky as well. Not a day goes by that my co-workers do not encourage me with positive comments. I have also been blessed with an amazing wife that has supported me without hesitation. She has really been incredible, and I appreciate everything she has done for me. I really thank her for her patience in dealing with my moods as I sorted things out. I could not have come as far as I have without her constant support.

I have lost more in the past six months than I thought possible and I am starting to really comprehend how deep the changes have been regarding my health and habits. But, I am pissed at myself because i have stopped exercising! It's been about two months now that my exercise activity has dropped from almost daily to four or five times a week, to two or three times a week and now less than once a week. I am still losing, although my weight loss has slowed to about 2 lbs a week (which is still awesome!!!!). I am only 20 lbs from goal, and I know I will make it. Yet, I am still angry about not exercising and not finding the motivation. Actually, I seem to be angry about everything. I just get pissed all the time at the littlest things. My family is walking on eggshells around me, worried that they will upset me. What the hell is going on? I have achieved something I am proud of. My body doesn't hurt anymore. I feel like I can tale anything on. YET, there is this seething beneath the surface that just won't quit. I recognize that the anger exists (yeah therapy), now I just have to get to the bottom of it. Could I really be so upset that I can't eat as much or as many things as I used to? Am I really missing food that much? I have to get over it, because I have not come this far to not enjoy this new opportunity!

I'm a week shy of six months since surgery and have lost 112 pounds. Stick to the program outlined by your doctor (protein, water, exercise) and you will see results. Don't obsess about the numbers - you will stall, move up and down - and if you expect a linear, steady drop, you'll go nuts (I speak from experience here). Good luck!

Congrats on making an important decision. Stick with the program and you will see great results - you get back as much as much you put into this. This surgery is a wonderful tool, but like all tools it sis only effective if you learn to use it correctly. Good luck!

TheRealMeISHere - THANKS!! These recipes look fantastic. I will try many over the weekend!