seaux_beautiful_vsg

This has been my biggest struggle since surgery. I try to take little bites and eat slowly. After a lifetime of shoveling it in like Garfield eating lasagna, it's a very hard habit for me to change. I work on it though. I haven't made it 15 mins yet, but I'm getting there.
The instant correction I get from my tummy when I gulped too fast is a great motivator and feedback device. It will bring you to your knees if you aren't careful.

I puréed some chili and ate 2 oz. it took me a while. like 40 mins. I was really just licking the spoon. it wasn't good at all and maybe that's why too lol.
thanks everyone for your comments!!

I try to take my time....15 mins or more.
Occasionally, I'll forget and jump on it too fast. I get a nice reminder when I do that.....and it lasts for a long and uncomfortable time. One would think I'd quit forgetting.
I love my sleeve and what it's done for me in this short time. Very easy to live with. Zero complaints from me.

When I first came out of surgery I was in a LOT of pain from the gas. Once I got to my room and was hooked up to my pain pump I was fine, I pressed that thing every 10 minutes. I did have a lot of pain when I tried to sit up and get out of bed but it was minimal for the most part. The gas was the worst.

Hello to all. I had my rny June 17 2013, and lost 143 lbs .I still see myself as a larger person. One day as I was walking into Walmart, I saw my reflection in the door. I stopped walking and was starring at myself. After a few people stopped and asked me if I was o.k.. I told them I lost 143 lbs. and not used to seeing myself smaller. We all kinda giggled and went in. I'm still waiting for my brain to catch up. But it is a fun journey...

I second the "take pictures" (works better than the mirror) suggestion.
Also, eventually you're going to get down to REAL normal sizes. With no X anywhere in the size.
When your sizes hit the single digits it's going to get very, very real. And I believe, given your weight loss record thus far, that that will happen for you.
This whole WLS transformation is just a mind-twister. I'd honestly advise you that you're not weird or abnormal at all to be struggling with these changes. I think many people do. Just relax and enjoy all the good sensations you're having now. Fortunately, we don't have to go through all this personal growth in a month's time. It just takes a while. Can't rush it. You'll get there.

And this was one of my favorite responses from @CowgirlJane:
This is normal. I used pictures - before, during and after to give my brain practice at seeing myself more realistically.

I am almost 10 months out (not sure if that is what you would call a veteran) and from my experience I started seeing myself in a better light about 2 months ago. I felt good about my weight loss months 1-8 but it wasn't until about month 8 that I started feeling like a normal sized person. I have also been overweight all my life. I am down to a size large top (maybe a medium) and 12 pants and I have never felt better. Yeah, I have loose skin but you can't tell with my clothes on. I nearly cried the day I realized I no longer can fit in the plus sized section at clothing stores. Then it also dawned on me that I can shop at "regular" people stores like NY & Co or the cute little boutiques. Having this surgery was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I wish I would have done it sooner!

Okay here goes. I have been overweight all of my life. This surgery has given me something I was never able to do on my own. So far I have lost 103 pounds with about 75 more to go.
My question is this:
When does the brain see the real me and not the old me? I know I no longer wear a 4x but an XL. I no longer wear size 32 pants but an 18. When I look in the mirror I see lots of extra skin but in my head I am still the fat girl. Did you do anything different to help you see the new you? Is there anything that helps?
Thanks for any words of advice you can give!
Cindy

Contrary to what you see on forums, most people with the exception of men, don't lose in the first 2 weeks after surgery. You are full of IV fluids, and swollen. Your body has had major trauma, and it is recovering.
If you don't eat you aren't going to lose any weight, If you want to lose, push fluids, drink all the Water you can, and eat according to your program.

@@Mbain - embrace the stall - search thru BP for stall especially the infamous three week stall.
YOU WILL STALL, it happens, breathe....

I don't know because I don't wish to know. It would just be something else for me to obsess about and really it is a teeny tiny difference. Of course I would think a smaller one would be better but larger ones show less complications such as strictures. I figure my surgeon is a professional who had performed countless operations with a tiny complication rate so he knows better than I what he's doing.

54lbs in 6 weeks is great!!

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the scale... I am trying to not base my journey on that number... There are so many NSV's that's occur that I'd miss if I focused solely on the scale. 11 1/2 weeks and down to 178.3. I have 0 complaints... I am very glad I made the decision to have this surgery... Even more glad that I am learning to use it is the tool it was meant to be. I read a lot, say a little. Lots of people compare their journey to that of someone else... Stress stalls weight loss, take the stress off yourself and just take it one day at a time. This surgery was NOT a magic solution. Fact is you can gain the weight back if you don't work the tool effectively......
I'm glad that I've learned this lesson early on. I have a clear road ahead of me. Thank you all for sharing your stories. You're a big encouragement to lil ol me.

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the scale... I am trying to not base my journey on that number... There are so many NSV's that's occur that I'd miss if I focused solely on the scale. 11 1/2 weeks and down to 178.3. I have 0 complaints... I am very glad I made the decision to have this surgery... Even more glad that I am learning to use it is the tool it was meant to be. I read a lot, say a little. Lots of people compare their journey to that of someone else... Stress stalls weight loss, take the stress off yourself and just take it one day at a time. This surgery was NOT a magic solution. Fact is you can gain the weight back if you don't work the tool effectively......
I'm glad that I've learned this lesson early on. I have a clear road ahead of me. Thank you all for sharing your stories. You're a big encouragement to lil ol me.

Stay off the scale. Don't compare your progress to anyone else's. The weight loss will come. Everyone loses differently. Focus on your nutrition. I can't stress enough stay off the scale... Because that will stress you out and stress definitely impacts weight loss.

I don't see how that could be an issue at all. 7 grams of carbs is not a lot actually.
I've never had a carbonated slurpee either... Even the one's at sonic don't have carbonation. I wonder what you're drinking.

"Level of fat***ness" that caught me off guard. You will get there. One day at a time.

Feeling the difference will be the biggest motivation for me. But due to my level of fatassness, 54lbs isn't enough to REALLY see it yet. So I settle for the lovely number. That will change soon.

I'm happier feeling the difference in the way my clothes fit and seeing THAT number go down... from a 22 to a 10/12 when I've NEVER been that size in my life is amazing to me, so there is where I place my focus... the scale doesn't give the whole picture for me as long as I'm looking good I'm great.

Enjoy the SF Slurpees. The worst thing that will happen is you can get "brain-freeze" if you drink it too fast.

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the scale... I am trying to not base my journey on that number... There are so many NSV's that's occur that I'd miss if I focused solely on the scale. 11 1/2 weeks and down to 178.3. I have 0 complaints... I am very glad I made the decision to have this surgery... Even more glad that I am learning to use it is the tool it was meant to be. I read a lot, say a little. Lots of people compare their journey to that of someone else... Stress stalls weight loss, take the stress off yourself and just take it one day at a time. This surgery was NOT a magic solution. Fact is you can gain the weight back if you don't work the tool effectively......
I'm glad that I've learned this lesson early on. I have a clear road ahead of me. Thank you all for sharing your stories. You're a big encouragement to lil ol me.

I agree. I'm only 6 weeks out so I tend to weigh daily because each day it goes down a bit and what a great way to start the morning. If it doesn't go down, or it goes up, it doesn't bother me and I put the scale away for a few days. As I get further along I'll stuff the scale into some dark corner.
Right now I enjoy the happy dance of seeing the new numbers. Besides, my clothes are only slightly looser right now and being down 54lbs, that is really annoying. So for me it's the opposite of what I suggest for everyone else. I'm focusing on the proof that the number is going down since my pant size hasn't gone down yet. Stupid razzle frazzle pants!

@@seaux_beautiful_vsg
You're a smart girl!
You're doing so great!

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the scale... I am trying to not base my journey on that number... There are so many NSV's that's occur that I'd miss if I focused solely on the scale. 11 1/2 weeks and down to 178.3. I have 0 complaints... I am very glad I made the decision to have this surgery... Even more glad that I am learning to use it is the tool it was meant to be. I read a lot, say a little. Lots of people compare their journey to that of someone else... Stress stalls weight loss, take the stress off yourself and just take it one day at a time. This surgery was NOT a magic solution. Fact is you can gain the weight back if you don't work the tool effectively......
I'm glad that I've learned this lesson early on. I have a clear road ahead of me. Thank you all for sharing your stories. You're a big encouragement to lil ol me.