DeletedMember

Holy Cow! I haven't been on Bariatric Pal in couple of years (or more). One of the big reasons I dropped off the online forums is that I had adopted a WFPB diet, and not only was that completely out of line with the mainstream WLS thinking, but I didn't even like to hint about it as I would get extremely negative feedback. Imagine my shock when I logged back in to Bariatirc Pal today to see a vegan forum with a WFPB post. My mind was blown to say the least, LOL.

Holy Cow! I haven't been on Bariatric Pal in couple of years (or more). One of the big reasons I dropped off the online forums is that I had adopted a WFPB diet, and not only was that completely out of line with the mainstream WLS thinking, but I didn't even like to hint about it as I would get extremely negative feedback. Imagine my shock when I logged back in to Bariatirc Pal today to see a vegan forum with a WFPB post. My mind was blown to say the least, LOL.

Holy Cow! I haven't been on Bariatric Pal in couple of years (or more). One of the big reasons I dropped off the online forums is that I had adopted a WFPB diet, and not only was that completely out of line with the mainstream WLS thinking, but I didn't even like to hint about it as I would get extremely negative feedback. Imagine my shock when I logged back in to Bariatirc Pal today to see a vegan forum with a WFPB post. My mind was blown to say the least, LOL.

Holy Cow! I haven't been on Bariatric Pal in couple of years (or more). One of the big reasons I dropped off the online forums is that I had adopted a WFPB diet, and not only was that completely out of line with the mainstream WLS thinking, but I didn't even like to hint about it as I would get extremely negative feedback. Imagine my shock when I logged back in to Bariatirc Pal today to see a vegan forum with a WFPB post. My mind was blown to say the least, LOL.

Holy Cow! I haven't been on Bariatric Pal in couple of years (or more). One of the big reasons I dropped off the online forums is that I had adopted a WFPB diet, and not only was that completely out of line with the mainstream WLS thinking, but I didn't even like to hint about it as I would get extremely negative feedback. Imagine my shock when I logged back in to Bariatirc Pal today to see a vegan forum with a WFPB post. My mind was blown to say the least, LOL.

I started at 458 pounds. Now (5 months post-surgery) I am at 312 pounds.
Here is the story from my bio:
I am a teacher and on-air FM radio personality in my mid-30s from south Texas. I found BariatricPal on a Google search for Bariatric compression pants pulled up a forum post from this site.
I am 5 months post-op, and am doing absolutely magnificent. I now recommend Bariatric surgery for anyone who asks me about it, of course after asking the "qualifying questions" first (i.e. Are you morbidly obese? Do you have high blood pressure? How about sleep apnea? Diabetes?)
I got weight loss surgery because I've been a big dude my entire life. The last time my family remembers me being "thin" was age 7. Post-30 years old, I got sick and had to go to the doctor. I had the shock of my life when I was told I was over 450 pounds, and approaching 460. I had no clue I was that heavy because I had nowhere to weigh myself, and was in complete denial. After that, I started pursuing Bariatric surgery.
I had pursued it before, a few years earlier. That was how I found out I had sleep apnea, because that surgeon required a sleep study. However, I felt like chattel being run through a cookie cutter system, and I didn't like that, so I stopped seeing that doctor and let it go for a couple years.
When I found the surgeon I eventually used, everything changed. I felt like a person, not just a file. I felt like he was actually catering my program for my specific needs, not trying to fit me into a pre-prepared program.
I had my surgery on July 5, 2016, one day after Independence Day. I am now independent, and not a slave to my body or my weight. I have lost 145 pounds total, 101 of those pounds was lost after surgery. I am now 313 and much happier with myself. I am only 57 pounds away from my year goal, which is 7 months from now. I have already hit my 6 month goal 1 month early.
The best part of the process is seeing the looks on people's faces (especially my students) when I tell them about how much weight I've lost and just the overall feeling better and being able to move a lot better than I have in years. The pain that I have felt in my knees has gone completely and the pain in my back has diminished (will not ever completely go away due to scoliosis).
The worst part has already passed, and every day is getting better. The worst part was the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery, when the intense diets were. The shake replacements were absolutely the worst part, because for me, they really didn't taste good with anything. I am getting my Protein now through bars, which, oddly enough, taste better than the shakes, and eating a lot more meat than I'm used to for all my meals.
I hope to benefit from BariatricPal because I live in a rural area with no access to surgery support groups less than an hour's drive from my town. I can't afford to drive that far weekly, and I'm hoping BariatricPal can help with that.
All in all, I'm happy with how things have gone. I'm looking forward to what my life will bring, and I'm extremely happy already. I can't wait for the rest of my life.

What I've found to help me is to do one of two things:
1) Get some exercise. If time permits I might go to the gym, if not I'll just get out and walk the dog. It kills time, is a great stress reliever, and tends to make me less hungry.
2) Eat. Yep, I'll eat. If I am really obsessing about food, I will go eat some; however, I will only eat healthy, low calorie food. Specifically veggies (preferred) or fruit (low calories fruit like berries). If I don't feel like eating either of these things, then I know that I am truly not hungry and refer to #1 :-).
That may not work for everyone (#2 specifically), but it works for me. It satisfies the cravings while fueling my nutrition. And it is EXTREMELY hard to get fat on cucumbers and/or blueberries.

What I've found to help me is to do one of two things:
1) Get some exercise. If time permits I might go to the gym, if not I'll just get out and walk the dog. It kills time, is a great stress reliever, and tends to make me less hungry.
2) Eat. Yep, I'll eat. If I am really obsessing about food, I will go eat some; however, I will only eat healthy, low calorie food. Specifically veggies (preferred) or fruit (low calories fruit like berries). If I don't feel like eating either of these things, then I know that I am truly not hungry and refer to #1 :-).
That may not work for everyone (#2 specifically), but it works for me. It satisfies the cravings while fueling my nutrition. And it is EXTREMELY hard to get fat on cucumbers and/or blueberries.

Hey friends! I'm almost 10 months post op so I thought I'd share an updated before & after photo. I started at my highest weight of 205 last year. According to the BMI chart, "normal" weight for my height is 98-127 so I initially had a goal weight of 125 in mind. My surgeon actually told me that he is considered "overweight" on the BMI scale but he's pretty much all muscle. I have been working out regularly since 3 months post op so he told me that I may never see 125 on the scale if I continue to build muscle. He told me to have a goal body fat percentage rather than a goal weight. At the beginning of my journey, my body fat percentage was 53% (yikes!). My goal percentage is between 20-24%. I'm happy to report that today I am down 65 pounds and have a body fat percentage of 20%. I may never lose those 13 extra pounds and be at 127 but I'm now in the "healthy range" for body fat percentage. I just want to let you all know that you don't necessarily have to weigh a certain number to be healthy. I am still overweight according to the BMI chart but I'm in the "athlete" category on the body fat chart. Keep in mind the BMI chart only factors in your height and weight, not where the weight actually comes from. Weight from fat is bad but weight from muscle is good.