MrsLuvMuffin

Thanks!!! Surgery went well. Very sore today and really tired

That is so exciting. Tomorrow will start a new life for you.

Um, I shop at thrift stores and wear really nice clothes that fit me very well no matter what stage of weight loss I'm in... and I spend pennies on the dollar for good condition, name brand clothes and accessories. Thrift shops are the BEST for finding inexpensive clothing for losing (or gaining) weight, since most people donate clothes if they still look good.
The trick is to find thrift stores in the ritzy or upper middle class sections of town. I'll still check out any shop I see if I have some time and am looking for something, but I've found designer stuff for cheap at those places, or at the very least, really pretty tops and jeans for much less than I'd pay at even Target or Walmart.< /p>
Husband has been losing weight with me and we just had to buy him new dress shirts and a sport coat... found two Calvin Klein dress shirts for $5, and a beautiful Joseph A. Banks wool sport coat for $15. I bought a really pretty ruby red off the shoulder top that matches perfectly a skirt I wanted to wear... $3.

Sorry, the author is Carole Jackson, and yes its updated and still in print. Try Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, or just google for info.

Im 57 years old , gone from 225 lbs to 144 and im pretty darn sure I haven't spent $30, 000 dollars on my wardrobe in my entire life. I dont have to dress up for work ( jeans are fine) but I still look stylish, professional and pulled together every single day. People compliment me often on my nice clothes , it's always from Goodwill !!! I bought only what looked good and fit my body, and age, not because it was popular or a bargain price. I will say one book that helped me a long time ago was called "Color me beautiful" I think the author was Carole Johnson ? She saved me a fortune once I figured out what season I was ( winter) , I ve never bought the wrong colors since. Money well spent !!

My biggest challenge while I was losing 90+ pounds was not breaking the bank while acquiring clothes I knew I wouldn't be wearing very long.
Like many of us, I shopped out of my closet for many months as I dropped from sizes 18-20 down to 14. But below that, the pickings got thin, so to speak.
As I shrunk down through sizes 12, 10 and into 8s, I found some magnificent pieces -- and not just for work or "dress-up" -- at shockingly low prices at high-end consignment shops. Casual and weekend clothes (jeans, workout clothes) came from Target, JCPenney (a surprising good source of "yoga clothing"), and T.J. Maxx.
Here are few good online fashion sites for grown-up women:
https://www.pinterest.com/SusanKHaynes/stylish-over-50/
http://fiftynotfrumpy.blogspot.com/
http://www.fashionafter50.com/

Gosh.
I found a good seamstress as I got closer to goal. Saved me from donating almost new clothes. About $10. Per article. Now they are almost tailor made... Just an option for those not able to spend thousands⭐️

An important aspect of learning to love the new you in the mirror is creating a personal style that flatters the woman you are becoming! While experimenting with new styles and fashions is fun, the time and money you will need to create and maintain a wardrobe over a 100 major weight loss period can be daunting!


To help you avoid making the same mistakes I did, here is a brief list of pot holes to avoid.
1) Not making adjustments to the size clothing you wear early in your weight loss- Clothing that is too loose or badly fitting can exaggerate rather than slim the body's silhouette. As little as 15 pounds can determine whether a garment will eye-catchingly drape or unappealingly droop on your frame. Selecting styles which will adjust to a changing figure can stretch the period over which clothing can be worn.
2) Selecting unflattering and/or dark colors - We have all heard that wearing dark colors, particularly black, will make us appear thinner. The truth is that the silhouette, proportion and fit of a garment all make more difference than the color ever will. Simply put, there is no one size fits all and everyone does not look good in black. Most people look better in a set of colors which complement their individual skin, hair and eye undertones and which typically does not include black. Once that color scheme is identified you can confidently purchase clothing which will look beautiful on you individually.
3) Wearing clothing inappropriate to your age, thinking that age appropriate clothes will appear frumpy-I personally know how bad an idea that can be! I gained weight in my early 40's and as I lost weight in my 50s I was attracted to particular skirt styles and dress types both in lengths which were more appropriate to how I had dressed in my30's, the age at which I had been able to wear them last. Because I had worn large sized unfashionable clothing during the period in my life when I likely would have been adjusting to a more grown up wardrobe, I was unaware that wearing those earlier styles made me look as if I were trying to look 30 again. Dressing age appropriately does not mean you have to look frumpy, it is possible to find clothing which will be attractive and alluring on a more mature woman.
4) Buying clothes inconsistent with your current lifestyle - by the time I reached by goal I held a responsible position in a financial institution with a conservative (unpublished, but implicit) dress code. Some of the clothing I selected, because I both liked it and found I could wear it, was brightly-colored or ultra-feminine and not always appropriate to my workplace. While it is okay to have some 'fun' clothes which are either more alluring or casual, you should dress for work in a style consistent with your place of business, and save the casual wear for extracurricular events.
5) Waiting until the end of your weight loss to discard clothing which is now too big. There were numerous times during the two years it took me to reach my goal where every little bit of positive reinforcement I could get was needed to keep me on the straight and narrow path. Being able to toss out the old clothes can symbolize a 'no going back' mentality and reinforce the behaviors necessary to ensure that your reach your goal.
6) Spending too much money on your transition clothing - it is not necessary to build an entire wardrobe from scratch each time you go down one size or to spend a fortune on designer clothing at each stage of your weight loss. Nor should you limit your purchases to Target and KMart until you reach your goal weight. There are a number of ways to manage the expense of maintaining a stylish, well-fitting wardrobe during your weight loss period.
I made all these mistakes and more. By the time I’d reached my goal weight, I had spent a lot of money and wasted countless hours buying clothing and accessories! I had no idea how to create my own, personal style. That was a luxury I never allowed myself when I was overweight. I had to learn the basics of building an image using fit, color, proportion, and style from square one.
At that point, I decided to call in a professional, and I hired my first image consultant; she changed everything. She taught me ways to reduce the time, effort and expense of creating my new look.
She helped me match my outside self to the way I felt on the inside.
I loved how simply wearing the right clothes and accessories made me feel. It really helped me acknowledge my own, personal transformation, and encouraged me to dig deeper and work harder on me.
I loved the process of working with an image consultant so much that I decided to become one!
I believe style is more than the just the way you look on the outside. It’s also the way you feel and think on the inside. Your personal style is a statement about who you are, what you think, and how you live. It’s the energy you project to others and should reflect how you to live in the world.
Every day, I have the privilege of helping women just like you create and communicate their personal style—through the beginning, middle and end of their transformations.
Are you ready to emerge as the woman you truly are, inside and out? Then don’t wait another second. Call me and set up a time to discuss how I can help you create your new look, and your new life.

So I can finally eat something and I am scared to. I am afraid of hurting myself. I have not had any nausea since I left the hospital. I can drink all my fluids since about 5 days. I can take pretty decent size swallows of liquid, not gulps but but almost normal sized swallows. I have no issues drinking my Protein. I feel pretty normal just with no appetite.
I am afraid I will hurt myself eating by being able to eat too much. I am afraid I will be able to eat too much. I am afraid of making the right choices.
At this point I want to just stick to Protein drinks because the limitation is comforting.

I agree with the other about prepackaged crap.
Sounds like you have some real issues. I wonder if t your doctor is allowing toast just to make you feel good, or if there is a medical reason for it. Ask the doctor.
I eat what I call "CLEAN" Proteins that ar EFFICIENT, By that I mean
Greek yogurt.--- read the label. The one I am eating now is 18 grams Protein for 130 calories (1 cup)
I never buy a yogurt that is more than 10 calories per gram of Protein.< /p>
Refried Beans are a protein, I consider them IN EFFICIENT . TOO many calories and too many carbs for too few protein grams.
eggs
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Ground turkey
Pork chops
Fish
Even steak
I eat a lot of meatballs in Tomato sauce

I've been lurking on and posting on WLS message boards for over two years. I've seen so many patients post here and elsewhere that they are relieved to have been sleeved and to finally have something that keeps them from overeating.
But it seems that few people are willing to track their food intake other than to count Protein grams. Some don't even do that. Some seem to eat until their smaller stomachs tell them they're full. Many people seem to confuse satiety and being full.
Many people never say or seem to know know how much or what they're eating. "I was sleeved so I'd never have to diet again!" is a common refrain. When encouraged to track their food intake, their refusals sound a lot like children who whine, "Nobody's the boss of me!"
Being an oldster (69 years old), I just shake my head.
Anybody who is (or was) obese who thinks WLS is a magical solution that will excuse them from changing how much they eat and what they eat and other behaviors and ways of thinking that led them to become obese is (I wish there were a better term for this, but I can't think of one) a fool.
As usual, I'm preaching mostly to myself. I can't be a fool about this. I have to be a grown-up about this. I have to be vigilant about this. A little fear won't hurt me either.

Hi i'm scheduled in for surgery on 10th august. My surgeon said that i only have to do a 2 week low fat diet pre op, feel a bit mixed about it to be honest, bit like im cheating, when most ppl say they usually have to do a liquid diet. I was gearing myself up to do it to be honest, and asked him if my liver really will shrink enough for it to be safe enough for surgery, his reponse was absolutley. So i think im going to follow what he says however im going to swap 1 meal a day with a Protein Shake. It cant hurt can it really and i need to get used to drinking them for after the op anyway. Anyway a big GOOD LUCK coming your way for all the august sleevers including myself. Lol .and also to everyone else yet to be sleeved. Exciting times !!!

hi I'm getting mine tomorrow. Very scared as well. Drinking my last Water now before bed.

I am glad to be on my last day of liquid diet. I go in for surgery on Tuesday at Bryn Mawr Hospital with Dr. Richard Ing. I am excited. I am nervous about pain after surgery and obviously not looking forward to the two weeks of liquid post-op. I know it is all for the sake of my long term heath, which I obviously want.
I just hope that I will reach a point where I can enjoy a single piece of pizza again. Not a whole pie like I used to and certainly not on a regular basis. I have started eating better as part of the pre-op program and actually enjoy tracking with MFP and my Fitbit. I guess after two weeks of nothing but these horrible shakes I find myself missing real food. I know I will eat again and that I will enjoy food in a new and healthy way. Right now I just have pre-surgey jitters.
Thanks for letting me share.
Scott

Is Bariatric Fusion flavored? What do you mix it with? I am a nurse practitioner that works in a hospital and I notice there are a lot of food pushers around, be strong! Do you have to have surgery where u work? I do I bet that's gonna be sooooo awkward!

I totally found my new favorite pre-op food today: 30 dollar snowcone machine, sugar free zero calorie cherry or blue raspberry Syrup, and a handful of ice cubes. Totally hits that dessert craving I've been having!

@@gertiemay, I just started my 2 week liquid diet on Thursday. The first two days weren't too awful, but I did battle with head hunger and cravings. I work 2nd shift and typically am not a Breakfast eater so I would have a shake at 2pm, drink two bottles, have another shake at 5pm, drink more Water, have a shake at 8pm, a lot more water, and then a final shake around 11(I don't go to sleep until LATE). That routine helped keep me "satisfied"; however, the copious amounts of food were terrible. Now, here it is day 3 and it's easier to not look at food and want to "cheat".
Just make sure your Protein Shakes have enough Protein. I started with the Atkins Advantage shakes with only 15g of protein. I had a muscle milk this morning with 40g and seem to be more satisfied. I do not like the amount of sodium in those, so I will be making the changes to Premier. Now, I'm not much on sweets so my Nut is allowing me one serving of fat free, low sodium, broths. That has been a God send at this point!
You can do this!!
that should be *drink two bottles of water

I'm all set for July 11!! I'm very very excited! I'm from canada and flying to mexico to get it done. Happy to join you all in our journey. I imagine there'll be ups and downs but we'll get through it together

We have the same date!! I'm excited one of the NP's I work with told me to buy GasX strips and liquid Tylenol or Motrin because narcotics make me very nauseous.

I am also July 1!! Started pre op liquid diet and have lost 10 lbs in 4 days.

I just scheduled my VGS for July 13th. I could have gotten it done in April, but I had work issues that I have sorted out. I'm nervous because I feel like I have so little time to get everything done! I'll have to do a 10 day liver reduction diet which I'm worried about feeling full enough on. We have a small trip planned right before I go bak to work so I'm excited about that as well, but not as excited for a Disney trip we haven't even planned yet. I'm happy about being able to enjoy it with my kids when the time comes!!

I don't know any of you ... But I couldn't be happier to be apart of this team. Thank you for saying everything I needed to hear! ❤️

I'm fairly new here too...but I couldn't resist replying. First, you do not need anyone to validate your decision. No one goes into this without researching and thinking hard about it. And second, people like that...I'll keep it clean, they can either be supportive or go mind their own business. What does she mean you don't deserve it? Everyone deserves to be healthy and happy! What kind of friend tells a friend that they don't deserve that? And I'm sick of hearing people say that surgery is the easy way out...there is NOTHING easy about preparing for this surgery, and I'm sure after the surgery will be no picnic either. Maybe she doesn't deserve your friendship....

Who are these people you are calling "friends"? I would kick anyone to the curb who talked to me like that!

This is your journey not theirs. Try and make a point of surrounding yourself only with people who you know will support you. Stay true to yourself and your own goals to lose weight and be healthy.
You'll be a much happier person in the long run if you don't change your direction to please somebody else's vision.
Good luck!