Pink_Ninja

I had my sleeve surgery on 3/25/15. Going on vacation and having a good time was one of the catalysts for deciding to have surgery.
Well I got back from a week's vacation and probably had the best vacation ever. I spent a week at Disney World with one day at Universal.
I sat in the middle seat on the airplane and rode ALL of the rides. No problem at all! I felt like a normal sized person. In fact, I was sad to see so many obese people in scooters. I was thinking how are they having a good time?
I did not make the best food choices and when I got back was pleased that I hadn't gained any weight. But I was also happy to get back to my "normal" food routine. However, I lost 9 pounds the week after. I think I must have been retaining Water in my ankles. I had two broken ankles two years ago from a car accident and sometimes have cankles now when I walk a lot. : (
Anyone on the fence about the surgery, DO IT!! Prior to losing the weight, I always had crappy vacations. Not anymore!
Total weight loss so far: 140

Egg muffins (crustless quiche muffins). Just pop one in microwave for a few seconds and you're good. You can make different kinds with any veggies or meat combos.

Hard to believe what a difference a year can make... lost 121 lbs. so far! So glad I took "Before" pics and actually saved the clothes (3X top & 2X pants) to try on again at my 1 year Surgiversary! Here are the pics to show the difference, along with a couple of current pics in clothes that actually fit (tops M & jeans S). Having RNY (4/21/15) was one of the best decisions I've ever made! "Thank you" to all who've encouraged, supported and loved me every step of the way. Here's hoping everyone can be the Happiest and Healthiest version of themselves
54 years young
5' 2" tall
HW: 285
SW: 260
CW: 139
GW: 130

Now the "mad scientist recipe adapting" phase starts. It really can be so interesting exploring what you can make or remake old family favorites into more WLS friendly versions.
Enjoy this stage. It really can be joyful.

So I'm sitting here on the couch watching the Saturday morning news (Living the dream, I know)...
I thought I'd check in here, so I reached over and grabbed the laptop...
Opened it, signed in and have been sitting here checking you all out and commenting in my usual inimitable style...
All of a sudden, I realize that I've been sitting here for half an hour with the laptop actually in my lap..
MY LAP???
When did I get A LAP??
Oh yeah!!!
Listen up b*tches -
NSV or not, I HAVE A LAP!!!
Anyway, that's all...
Go back to your...
Whatever y'all are doing at this time of day/night...
I'm going out for a LAP DANCE!!!

It's not who you love, but how you love that matters.

I'm laughing at the pickle sucking images that come to mind......
Glad you feel relieved.
Later on....after you advance onto solid foods you'll be able to enjoy them with no problem. They come as sides to a lot the stuff I order at work cafeteria or in restaurants......chicken sandwiches, burgers, etc. I'll eat the burger or chicken and then have the pickle as sort of a dessert. Works for me.
Hang in there.....you are going to be amazed at how easy this wls is to live with down the road. So easy to find a way to win.

One of the things that has happened to me with loosing weight is that I no longer just completely and utterly HATE myself.
So the other day my dad was playing around with his phone and I noticed him holding it up like he was going to take a picture of me. So I just smiled and he took the picture.
Then this happened:
dad: "wow"
me: "what?"
dad: "you actually let me take your picture"
and then it hit me. Before, if I ever saw someone pointing a camera/phone in my direction I would put my hands up or walk away or just say please don't take my picture. I couldn't stand someone taking a picture of me
but now I didn't even think about it, just smiled for the camera

This is something I know will happen but I am not excited about... My friend knows this and sent me this fabulous meme... Thought you guys might appreciate it!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This is something I know will happen but I am not excited about... My friend knows this and sent me this fabulous meme... Thought you guys might appreciate it!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

The following is simply my opinion...
At 12 days out, you can't cheat with the post op 'diet'..
At 12 days out, you're not on a weight loss diet...
At 12 days out, you're on a post-surgery, what's best for your healing innards 'diet'..
At 12 days out, what you're doing is going against a medically 'prescribed' eating plan that is given to you to assist with the quicker healing and recovery from what is major surgery, and should see you thru until you're able to start eating regular food again...
So (again, in my opinion), at 12 days out, what you're doing is CHOOSING to ignore the doctor's orders and eat something that, while calorically won't make a scrap of difference long term, could (repeat, COULD, not will) have a massive effect on the time it takes to heal properly...
Of course, I'm no doctor...
I'm just some guy who has an opinion on stuff...
And yes, I know EXACTLY how difficult this stuff is...
But believe me, the rewards are so worth the inconvenience...
Good luck with your choices in the next few weeks...

I went to a specialty shop locally in the Chicago area. You'll have to Google one in your area. I have heard places like Victoria's secret don't really do proper measurements because they want everyone to fit into the bras they have on hand. Not sure if it's true but I know there are no stores that carry my size, nor have I ever had a bra that's fits me so perfectly. The place I went carries all of them in Stock so there was no waiting but if I had to wait I would have for sure. Seriously... well worth it and no more expensive than a good bra from somewhere else.

Well, having someone to encourage you when you want to quit is super important. My hubby had the surgery 3 weeks before me and has not had the stalls that I had. But, he kept me positive and reminded me about my progress.
I've been working out since 3 weeks after surgery. I have gradually increased the intensity and added some things. I started out walking. I then added zumba. I then added body pump. I then did aqua aerobics. Now, I have a routine:
Monday morning: run 3 miles Monday night: zumba for 1 hour
Tuesday morning: walk 3 miles Tuesday night: body pump for 1 hour
Wednesday morning: run 5-8 miles
Thursday morning: walk 3 miles Thursday night: body pump for 1 hour
Friday morning: run 5-10 miles (eventually this will be more as I am training for a half marathon)
Sat & Sun rest days but still very active Walking, hiking, etc
Food: I can pretty much eat whatever I want in limited quantities. I eat 800 to 1200 calories a day...sometimes more.
I literally eat every 3 to 4 hours. I have 3 main meals and 3 Snacks.

Today was my one year check up with my surgeon. I have lost 95% of my excess body weight. He is super proud of my accomplishments. He said I am in the top 10% of surgery patients for weight loss in 1 year. I also got the speech about maintaining and keeping up my good habits ! I have never regretted my surgery. I have not had any complications and have had a great amount of support during the process.
My stats:
Weight: 294 Now: 135
Size: 4x/28 Now xs-s/4
I literally couldn't run to my mailbox this time last year and now I am training for a half marathon and compete at least once a month in a 5K or 10K. I do zumba, lift weights, and have energy to play with my daughter. Life is good!

Exactly one year ago today I got my sleeve.
As part of my process of losing weight, I have decided to post my story. Warning, emotional dump below. Thank you to everyone who reads. I am so grateful to BP and to everyone who has the courage to share as I learn and am inspired by your stories – so I decided to post my own. I cannot imagine going through WLS without BP and you all.
Figuring out why I got fat – and how to heal myself
I have literally spent the past 30 years in different types of therapy trying to figure out why I do not take care of myself, love myself or feel worthy of love. Through the process, I have learned a lot about myself, done some hard work yet was still very overweight (high 421) and struggled daily with basic self-care.
I am a social worker and have also spent the past 25 years working in the helping profession, yet I was not helping myself. I am so grateful to be able to say now that I am taking care of myself, really for the first time in my life of 44 years. Thank you WLS.
I have been in talk therapy on and off since I was 14 when I tried to kill myself because of nightmares and flashbacks from childhood trauma that scared the hell out of me. I was in a group for sexual abuse survivors for many years because of the sexual abuse from my grandfather - a known sexual perpetrator that my mother moved into our house for free babysitting. I have done focused healing work on my abuse from him and the immense abuse and neglect from my mother. I have done somatic body work and EMDR for trauma, couples therapy with my husband to work through how my trauma and his trauma trigger each other, a formalized emotional eating disorder program for my binge eating (and of course Weight Watchers numerous times, nutrisystem, South Beach, Optifast, you name it) and copious amounts of psychoanalysis, CBT, solution-focused therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, psychotropic medications, self-reflection and journaling, self-help books etc…
And I weighed 421 pounds.
Enter my decision to get the sleeve. I had been resistant, buying into the myth that if I tried hard enough, I would figure out how to take care of myself and not overeat. After struggling with enough energy at 421 pounds to run a non-profit, take care of my family and go to school for a masters in social work, I took a year off from school and signed up for the weight loss program at Kaiser. I always heard that in order to take care of others you must take care of yourself, but for some reason I thought I could be the exception. I was finally motivated enough for WLS.
A year later I got my sleeve at 385 pounds, and today, exactly one year after my surgery I am at 253 pounds with another 100 to go. I could never be here without WLS and my learning to finally and truly start taking care of myself. I realized that the solution was inside me the whole time – realizing that at my core, I felt I was a bad person and had to show everyone else this by my weight. I was using my weight as a boundary because I couldn’t say no or take care of myself.
In addition to WLS, I have started mindfulness training, worked hard on self-compassion (based on Dr. Neff’s work) and letting go of the shame that kept me big (Brene Brown’s work). I still have a long way to go, but today I wanted to honor how far I have come from the scared little girl who was traumatized to the adult I am today who finally is not scared to be healthy and take care of herself. Happy one-year surgiversary to me!

@Djmohr Thank you! That's awesome news! I really can't stand having to use the shaker and the potential for the clumps. I've had the Premier Protein and it's delicious! I think I'll give that a go for a while since it seems to work for so many people!
Also thanks about the heads up for the calories. I think I'm just going to chill out and not worry about it and just follow what my NUT said. It's working, obviously, but I just was worrying myself about it so I am just going to step back and take a deep breath and keep on keeping on
Great job at getting to goal! I can't WAIT!!! :)
PS: I JUST remembered that today is officially my one monthaversary! Down 32lbs since surgery date! Ridiculous!!!

I haven't had surgery yet but I have stopped drinking during and 30 mins before/after meals... I have also given up caffeine.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

8 more lbs!!! Cannot wait to hit that marker. Bitter sweet!
Now when I shop and have to show my ID to cashiers they tell me it doesn't look like me! Hahahaha! Guess it's time to get a new license . Almost 4 months post op and it will be a year May 3 when my journey began.

Well I have had a crazy 8 months trying to qualify for this surgery, I left the office crying on April 5th thinking it wasn't going to happen until August due to a series of unfortunate circumstances and then I got a call this morning saying my surgery is approved and although my surgeon is not available in May the head surgeon at my office has agreed to do it on May 16!!! I cannot handle all of these ups and downs! Can't believe it!
Just had to share

Congrats, Pink Ninja, glad it went well! I'm having my endoscopy this thursday, its the LAST STEP in all the steps we have to take. Good luck to all of us!

@@busybeebug best of luck with the rest of your 6 months!
@@Valentina having my glasses was a huge help today! I found out I have a hiatal hernia that they will repair during surgery. They also took some biopsies but the MD said that everything looked good
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

whew! That's out of the way.
On to the next step...

@@busybeebug best of luck with the rest of your 6 months!
@@Valentina having my glasses was a huge help today! I found out I have a hiatal hernia that they will repair during surgery. They also took some biopsies but the MD said that everything looked good
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just downloaded the Baritastic app and it has a chew timer as well as a timer for the 30 mins without drinking before and after eating... Maybe try that?
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks @@Valentina for your response! It's more an issue that I get motion sick without my contacts so if I know in advance I can just wear my glasses
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App