Sarsa333

It's been two years now since my sleeve, and it's the best choice I ever made. My weight is stable +/-10 pounds or so, and it's relatively easy to take off weight that creeps up.
I can eat pretty much all kinds of foods now. I still eat relatively small amounts, eat slowly and with small bites. I don't drink with my meals except a small sip now and then. I focus on low carb and high Protein meals. I eat plenty of fats. I still eat my Protein first at every meal. I try to stay away from carbs, particularly refined carbs like breads, sugar, honey, rice, potatoes, corn, etc. I don't mean I never eat those things, but I try to limit it or I start to gain.
How much can I eat? I can eat 5-6 ounces of meat and a 1/2 cup of vegetables at a meal. Sometimes I can eat more. I can eat a fair amount of salad, as lettuce doesn't seem to take up much room.
I walk for exercise, take the stairs, and use a standing desk at work. This keeps my metabolism working better. I hate working out or gym classes. I still drink a lot of fluids and if I don't I get dehydrated very easily. I do drink alcohol, but I try to stay away from sugary cocktails with lots of fruit juice or sweet mixers.
The first six months are the hardest. The next six months are difficult, but so much easier than the first. The second year things get much easier, but this is also a danger zone for a lot of people, I think. You must always be aware of what you eat. That said, it is easy to stay on track if you follow your rules:
Eat your protein first Eat your vegetables second, and eat a good variety of them Enjoy fruit but limit it Avoid starches and sugars as much as possible (potatoes, rice, corn, bread, tortillas, Cereal, pasta) and save them for special occasions. pizza is my downfall. Keep up with your Water, Vitamins, and tests to insure you are not deficient When you want to drop some weight, do 3 days of Protein shakes. That will reset your sleeve. Then eat high protein/low carb until your excess is off. Once you are back at goal, slowly reintroduce foods back in and try to minimize those carbs to stay at goal.
I'm happy to answer questions. Good luck to you all.

The session I attended was just as bad!
Husband and wife walked in together and the husband has a bag of McDonald's! I totally thought I was being Punk'd. Seriously? The presenter asked him to leave.
There was a lady in the room who had surgery years ago, but brought her friend who was interested. This woman bitched the whole time and questioned the surgeon as if he was doing his surgeries wrong. All I remember is her saying "well, I couldn't have beef! I can't digest it! They told me to never eat it! "
Ugh.

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I worry about it as well. The last time I was a healthy weight was at the age of 10 in 1988. My weight is my identity and the change will be life changing. I'm looking for a good therapist to be part of my health care team and will see a therapist for the rest of my life. I want to be happy. I want a re-do on my lost childhood.

I just had surgery Tuesday and I know exactly what you mean. I have never been a self-hatred person, so I genuinely like myself and my body. I was worried and a little scared of what this will do to me. But what I did hate were some of my behaviors, some of my inhibitions, and all of my health problems. I won't miss them. I think our behaviors will change, but not who we are. We are always the first people to tell others that you should love people for what's on the inside and not on the outside.....I think we should do that for ourselves . Hang in there, friend. Doubts and a little sadness and second guessing are normal!

I think I get it. I've been overweight my whole life. This chubby cheeked face is all I've ever known. I don't know how I'll feel the first time I look in a mirror and she's gone. That does bother me a bit. I try to focus on the positives, but I do worry that I won't be "me" after surgery. But then maybe that's ok too. Maybe we need to be accepting of a new version of "me" and learn what we like all over again. I've heard some post op people once they reach goal weight refer to their surgery date as their new birthday, because they were taken through a new childhood and into a new life. You even start out eating like a baby if you think about it! First liquids, then soft foods like baby Cereal, and then slowly til we get to solids. So maybe we are babies again, so maybe it's ok to cry a little. LOL

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

Thank you, most important thing, is you are in the process.. I'm really glad I can be of any assistance to you, even if it's just a few words of encouragement... Be strong

I love your inspiring words! I'm early on in the process with about 4 months out.

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

Sweating to death while I dry/straighten my hair.
Having to stuff my body into Shapewear and then have said shapewear clipped to my bra to stop it from rolling.
Needing help with buckling my shoes because they're too tight.
Bra extender.
Needing to basically marinate my body in Icy/Hot or Tiger Balm after a workout because my joints hurt so bad.
Untagging myself in unflattering photos after an event LOL
Dont miss these things.

I can't offer advice because I have yet to have the procedure. I can tell you that you are in the right place to get advice. I wish you the best!

I started at 248- I'm now at 173 so 75lbs gone forever! I was wearing a very tight size 20 and 2x top. I'm now in 10/12 bottoms and medium or large tops.

I remember being pre-op and my favorite thing to do was look at progress photos and dream
I am 6 months, 10 days post op and I am down 128 pounds total. This isnt a very great pic since I have been sick, but i still took it because anything is better than my before!!

Went to my doctor yesterday for my 3 month post op visit. So far all's well. I've been cleared for pretty much all foods except for steak and pork, which come in month 6--i'm not much for either, so I'm not really worried about that. I'm down 77 lbs total, including my preop which started in January. My BMI is down to 30.4 (almost out of the obese ranges!), my body fat % is down over 20% from my first weigh in. I've been slowly gaining muscle (woo hoo!) each month. Having an easier time getting my liquids and Protein down everyday. So far no complications, no complaints, and no regrets!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

@@Sarsa333 Welcome! You've found a lovely place to roost. Congrats on making the decision to charge your life! Love your post! ????
Speaking of the sweating (cuz when isn't that foremost on our minds) it reminded me of The Karate Kid (the original with Ralph Macchio, not the remake, who was a major hunk in my day).
Anyway... back to sweating... Do you remember the scene where he came dressed as a shower for Halloween? Complete with a shower curtain and an overhead faucet? Of course, he didn't use real Water. But, if we were to tinker with that idea (or outright steal it), and rig up a way to use some real Water, we'd be raking in the dough! (Sorry most of my words just somehow come out food related).
Start by selling a few portable showers in Lane Bryant, and like dollar days at McDonalds, all of our fellow fatties will come running (but don't stare directly at them running, as all that fat in motion and friction burns will be forever imprinted on your retinas). We might even have to add a warning label that spells that out too. Like those "don't jump in the pool with your hair dryer on" labels. Or "this coffee is actually hot!" Don't want any law suits.
Anybody with me?

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!

I just decided two weeks ago to research wls. I've been fighting this for 25 years and I can't do it anymore. It is my plan to do the surgery at the end of November or early December. This post came to me at the perfect time!
Top 10 Things I won't miss:
10. Having to shop in the basement of department stores. It's like Macy's is ashamed of me! Let's put the fatties down there.
9. Lord, the sweating! Especially after I shower because what is the point?
8. Showing up to social events with my make-up sliding off my face from sweating and/or social anxiety. I look cute when I leave the house, but look like a sloppy hot mess when I arrive somewhere.
7. Sweat dripping off me after I vacuum my studio apartment.
6. Dating without explaining my weight!
5. Another sweating one...going for a long walk in the winter and sweating because my jacket is too warm. I live in Minnesota.
4. Weighing more than my male friends, some twice as much.
3. Being the only overweight person in my family.
2. Not blowing out the crotch in my favorite pair of pants. Seriously not cool to have this happen at work!
1. My cats will hopefully stop kneeding my front butt, aka my gut!
Thank you all for making me laugh and for the amazing encouragement!