WorkinOnMe

3-4 weeks for first stall .... 4ish months for 2nd .... MANY in the 2 years since.

You said you feel like you are mourning food .... Honestly Hun, you are. And that's ok! I am almost 2 years out, lost about 140lbs, and no longer take ANY prescription medications for comorbidities (just allergies). The few weeks leading up to surgery were HELL for me. I was miserable, fought with my kids, and my husband &I had a really rough time helping each other through. I mourned the loss of food, especially when I watched my family eat what I couldn't. Then I had my surgery. BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE!! My husband went to a couple post-op counseling sessions with me & it actually strengthened our relationship. I started walking & then running road races, which has lead me to a group of amazing women. But most of all my view of food COMPLETELY changed. I am never hungry. I don't miss eating certain things, and if I get 'head cravings' I let myself have a couple bites and that is usually plenty. My entire life has changed. Vent away if you need to ... People here are great sounding boards! But try to remember that this is just a small step as you move towards the rest of your life!! Good luck!

You said you feel like you are mourning food .... Honestly Hun, you are. And that's ok! I am almost 2 years out, lost about 140lbs, and no longer take ANY prescription medications for comorbidities (just allergies). The few weeks leading up to surgery were HELL for me. I was miserable, fought with my kids, and my husband &I had a really rough time helping each other through. I mourned the loss of food, especially when I watched my family eat what I couldn't. Then I had my surgery. BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE!! My husband went to a couple post-op counseling sessions with me & it actually strengthened our relationship. I started walking & then running road races, which has lead me to a group of amazing women. But most of all my view of food COMPLETELY changed. I am never hungry. I don't miss eating certain things, and if I get 'head cravings' I let myself have a couple bites and that is usually plenty. My entire life has changed. Vent away if you need to ... People here are great sounding boards! But try to remember that this is just a small step as you move towards the rest of your life!! Good luck!

You said you feel like you are mourning food .... Honestly Hun, you are. And that's ok! I am almost 2 years out, lost about 140lbs, and no longer take ANY prescription medications for comorbidities (just allergies). The few weeks leading up to surgery were HELL for me. I was miserable, fought with my kids, and my husband &I had a really rough time helping each other through. I mourned the loss of food, especially when I watched my family eat what I couldn't. Then I had my surgery. BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE!! My husband went to a couple post-op counseling sessions with me & it actually strengthened our relationship. I started walking & then running road races, which has lead me to a group of amazing women. But most of all my view of food COMPLETELY changed. I am never hungry. I don't miss eating certain things, and if I get 'head cravings' I let myself have a couple bites and that is usually plenty. My entire life has changed. Vent away if you need to ... People here are great sounding boards! But try to remember that this is just a small step as you move towards the rest of your life!! Good luck!

I am almost 2 years out & I still dont have a goal weight. It was never about that # for me though .. it was about my glucose & diabetes. THAT goal was to be in the normal range. Happy to say I have maintained that. As for weight... I have lost 70% of my excess body weight. I still drop a pound here & there but nothing drastic. When people ask what my goal is I am honest & tell them I dont have one.

First off, It Works doesn't claim to melt off pounds or make you lose weight with their wraps. It is used to tighten & tone skin. If you looked at the photo I posted the person didn't need to lose any more weight...she had already done that.
I was wrapped by a distributor, it was not 'compression' or tight. The over wrap is light & simply holds the wrap in place (or use plastic wrap because it is a household staple). Nor is it losing Water weight as you need to drink more water. If you are purchasing these through Amazon, I don't know that they are real. The only place I would trust is a distributor. The claim is that it will tighten & tone & firm. You may lose inches but not pounds. It does not claim to add muscle, nor does it say it will melt fat. If you are using them for any of these reasons I would not doubt failure. However, I am starting to get loose skin from rapid weight loss & this is one way to try to tighten that up a little. I spoke to a distributor I trust & am happy to share the info when I get it.

I too travel frequently and have to eat out when we are away. I am nearing the one year mark, but have been eating out since just after my pureed stage. I have found a few things that helped me:
1. Get familiar with the menu BEFORE going. Most places have menus online now. Take a few minutes to research what restaurants are in the area and check out what they have to offer. I find if I am armed before going in, my frustrations are less.
2. Don't be afraid to order an appetizer as your meal. I do it all the time. When they ask if you want that first, I simply say "No thank you, this is my meal tonight." Never had an issue.
3. Protein, Protein, protein! I tend to order fish, chicken, or if all else fails, a burger and I pull it apart. I eat the protein, or what I can of it depending on the portion size. Sometimes I give my sides to kids/hubby. Sometimes I just leave them on the plate.
4. If I really cannot find a single thing to order, I will get a Soup. I never order chowders, as they are too heavy for my sleeve and fill me too fast. However, most restaurants have French Onion or another broth based Soup on the menu.
I love TGIFridays because I can order 2 sliders, eat just the patties and be full. I also have been know to ask if I can order off the kids menu. Some places allow it, some don't. I just tell them that due to abdominal surgery I cannot eat typical portions and I hate to waste food.
Best of luck & enjoy!!!

I too travel frequently and have to eat out when we are away. I am nearing the one year mark, but have been eating out since just after my pureed stage. I have found a few things that helped me:
1. Get familiar with the menu BEFORE going. Most places have menus online now. Take a few minutes to research what restaurants are in the area and check out what they have to offer. I find if I am armed before going in, my frustrations are less.
2. Don't be afraid to order an appetizer as your meal. I do it all the time. When they ask if you want that first, I simply say "No thank you, this is my meal tonight." Never had an issue.
3. Protein, Protein, protein! I tend to order fish, chicken, or if all else fails, a burger and I pull it apart. I eat the protein, or what I can of it depending on the portion size. Sometimes I give my sides to kids/hubby. Sometimes I just leave them on the plate.
4. If I really cannot find a single thing to order, I will get a Soup. I never order chowders, as they are too heavy for my sleeve and fill me too fast. However, most restaurants have French Onion or another broth based Soup on the menu.
I love TGIFridays because I can order 2 sliders, eat just the patties and be full. I also have been know to ask if I can order off the kids menu. Some places allow it, some don't. I just tell them that due to abdominal surgery I cannot eat typical portions and I hate to waste food.
Best of luck & enjoy!!!

The Couch to 5K program is a good one, and I plan to use it to boost myself from walking to jogging to eventually running.
Background ... I am almost 8 months post-op. At just over 1 month post-op I walked my first ever 5K race. I have been trying to do 1 a month since then. I still walk, but my time has improved from 56 minutes on the first one to 45:06 on the last one in Dec. I am at the point where I feel I can't improve any more unless I start jogging, however I have really bad knees from previous injuries and running has never suited me well. A family member used the Couch to 5K program a couple of years ago after having her 4th child and she was very successful with it. Think that is the direction I am headed in.
Good Luck! I'd Love to hear how you do when you start your 5K's!!

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

I guess this is a combination of a fitness post & a NSV.
Did a 5K on Sunday, well, my version of "wogging" .... a combination of fast walking and slow jogging. Managed to not only PR with a time of just under 40 minutes, but it was also my very first sub 13minute mile pace!!!! Ok, ok, not MUCH under a 13mm, but it started with a 12 and that is all that matters, right!?!?!
Yay me!

ROFL!! It is a cozy workplace ... then again, I have worked with some of these people for 15+ years and if you know ANYTHING about the education field we aren't ones to hold things back. Definitely a "tell it like it is" group of friends here! Just glad that I was on the receiving end of something positive ... it goes both ways with that!!!

I can pretty much echo what everyone else is telling you, but I will add this ....
BUY NEW UNDERWEAR!!!!! Now. Don't wait.
By the time I left the hospital after 3 days my panties were saggy and my butt was uncomfortable. I wasn't up for driving yet, so I put it off til the end of week 1. By then my granny panties were flapping in the wind and if I didn't have my pants on there was no guarantee they would have stayed up at all.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

173 again this week .... cant seem to break through this!!!

173 again this week .... cant seem to break through this!!!

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

YES a million times over to the "start living" part!!!!
I was sleeved May 2105 (almost 1 year!) and did my first 5K in August 2015. I do this really pathetic half walk/half job thing that I call "wogging". I just did a race last week and did my first sub 13 minute mile pace for the whole race. Super proud ... but I did question if it was my bat wings that gave me that extra "speed" during the race. My husband assures me that this wasn't the case and even told me it was a good thing I got new sports bras or the flapping and swaying of the girls might have been enough resistance to slow me down. I also went to our local running store and was fitted for a great pair of running shoes. They are expensive, but sooooo worth it!
In another couple of weeks I will begin training for walking a marathon in September. I highly suggest that you look into a training program. There are a bunch out there if you look, but they are super helpful. And speaking of training ... do you think you might get your ass cheeks to teach mine how to clap?? I could use the extra encouragement on my runs and I think a cheering section just might do the trick!
Best of luck! Keep us posted on your progress, I'd love to follow you throughout the training.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.

Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.