bostonmama

I drank more than I should have starting around one year post op, and ended up with transfer addiction to alcohol. (I very rarely drank pre op).
Tried to quit drinking, and could see the addiction reverting back to food, I regained 15 lb from my lowest weight in a couple of months.
I tried counseling, was put on a lot of medications that made me feel like a actual crazy person, so ended up quitting them all, now I am trying to cut back on drinking with a goal of quitting on my own.
My experience with alcohol now is much like my old experience with food before surgery. I sometimes wish I had never gotten WLS in the first place, but if I am able to quit drinking it will hopefully be a small bump in the road to an overall healthier life post wls.

I drank more than I should have starting around one year post op, and ended up with transfer addiction to alcohol. (I very rarely drank pre op).
Tried to quit drinking, and could see the addiction reverting back to food, I regained 15 lb from my lowest weight in a couple of months.
I tried counseling, was put on a lot of medications that made me feel like a actual crazy person, so ended up quitting them all, now I am trying to cut back on drinking with a goal of quitting on my own.
My experience with alcohol now is much like my old experience with food before surgery. I sometimes wish I had never gotten WLS in the first place, but if I am able to quit drinking it will hopefully be a small bump in the road to an overall healthier life post wls.

I drank more than I should have starting around one year post op, and ended up with transfer addiction to alcohol. (I very rarely drank pre op).
Tried to quit drinking, and could see the addiction reverting back to food, I regained 15 lb from my lowest weight in a couple of months.
I tried counseling, was put on a lot of medications that made me feel like a actual crazy person, so ended up quitting them all, now I am trying to cut back on drinking with a goal of quitting on my own.
My experience with alcohol now is much like my old experience with food before surgery. I sometimes wish I had never gotten WLS in the first place, but if I am able to quit drinking it will hopefully be a small bump in the road to an overall healthier life post wls.

I drank more than I should have starting around one year post op, and ended up with transfer addiction to alcohol. (I very rarely drank pre op).
Tried to quit drinking, and could see the addiction reverting back to food, I regained 15 lb from my lowest weight in a couple of months.
I tried counseling, was put on a lot of medications that made me feel like a actual crazy person, so ended up quitting them all, now I am trying to cut back on drinking with a goal of quitting on my own.
My experience with alcohol now is much like my old experience with food before surgery. I sometimes wish I had never gotten WLS in the first place, but if I am able to quit drinking it will hopefully be a small bump in the road to an overall healthier life post wls.

I am not skinny but the way my body looks now gets me a lot of attention. People hold doors for me, give up seats on public transportation and they flirt with me. However, it makes me unhappy. The reason is, I wonder in the back of mind, would you had spoken to me when I was heavier. Or, would you date me if you saw my loose skin out of these clothes?
The hardest part of it all is getting use to the attention. When I was heavier, and I dated someone, it was like okay they like me for my personality. Now it is like, "do you like me because of how I look or is it my personality."

My confidence is way up since losing about 80 lbs, but I still feel like a deer in headlights in front of a camera. I've been avoiding them for so long I have no idea how to look good in photos! I guess this means I am not photogenic, but there must be something I can do to get a flattering photo of myself.
I have only one picture taken with my 6 year old, and none with my toddler. I would really like to take some pictures with them. Any tips?
TIA!

Before wls I had an addiction to fast food, I thought about it constantly on my 1.5 hour commute each way and though I promised myself I wouldn't stop, I often did..
Since surgery that behavior has stopped. I work and have two small children with after school activities and because of this we still take advantage of some convenience food, but usually if I'm going to McDonald's I'll get nothing and just feed the kids, occasionally I'll get a grilled chicken salad. If we get pizza I eat one slice. Imo occasionally eating these foods is a normal part of life and don't need to be forbidden in to be successful. We do this 1-3 times per month.

Before wls I had an addiction to fast food, I thought about it constantly on my 1.5 hour commute each way and though I promised myself I wouldn't stop, I often did..
Since surgery that behavior has stopped. I work and have two small children with after school activities and because of this we still take advantage of some convenience food, but usually if I'm going to McDonald's I'll get nothing and just feed the kids, occasionally I'll get a grilled chicken salad. If we get pizza I eat one slice. Imo occasionally eating these foods is a normal part of life and don't need to be forbidden in to be successful. We do this 1-3 times per month.

BTW, @James Marusek have I told you lately that I you? I love when you post studies and articles! I adore debating this stuff and love that you make me think analytically. I learn as much from the replies as I do about the study or article! Thanks James!!

My surgery discharge directions read "Eat 3 meals daily, eat slowly and chew food well; avoid skipping meals." The first meal of the day is Breakfast and generally it is the meal that many individuals skip.
A research study in Spain examined the possible link between breakfast consumption and obesity — especially abdominal obesity, which is the type most closely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic problems.
This epidemiological study included 1655 adults, about half each of men and women. About 53 percent were between 18 and 49 years of age, and the rest were between 41 and 64 years old. Two-thirds reported that they were habitually inactive ('active' meant that they performed at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity as part of their daily life, or at least 2 hours per week of structured physical exercise), and about one-third overall said they were current smokers. Participants' height, weight, and circumferences were measured during personal interviews, and food consumption was assessed by 3-day dietary records.
Only a small percentage of participants reported never eating breakfast — 3.6 percent overall, while 82 percent said they always ate breakfast and about 14 percent said they sometimes ate that meal. Dairy foods with cereals were the most frequently reported items consumed for breakfast. Men with Wt: Ht ratios > 0.05 (i.e., abdominal obesity) were more likely to be breakfast skippers than their slimmer counterparts, and there was an inverse significant statistical association between always eating breakfast and the odds of abdominal obesity.
Participants who ate breakfast 'sometimes' and 'always' were less likely to report that they smoked (43 and 33 percent respectively) compared to those who never ate breakfast (51 percent): this difference was statistically significant. Furthermore, those who skipped breakfast were also more likely to have other unhealthy characteristics such as physical inactivity.
Thus, the authors concluded:
[T]here appears to be a greater likelihood of health-compromising behaviours in people who miss breakfast, including increased prevalence of smoking, poorer food choices and greater energy intake from Snacks.< /em>
https://www.acsh.org/news/2017/12/02/breakfast-might-be-marker-healthy-lifestyle-could-it-prevent-obesity-12226
So generally it seems research points to the importance of breakfast (primarily because it kick-starts your day, and minimizes the temptation to snack).

I can't afford plastics. I'm also an old fart (49) and never expected to be a bikini model after surgery. The only people that have to see me naked is me, my hubby and the occasional Dr. Started at 254 I'm 137 this morning. The loose skin I can tuck away with shape wear. A good bra does wonders.
Reality the skin on my mid section hangs below the top creases of my legs. Bat wings, My butt and my back, my inner thighs. The only reason you can't see it in the photos is Shapewear and clothing to hide it.
Weightlifting is filling the skin out a bit. But it will never be gone unless I have plastics.
Im three years out. I think I can live with it.

1) the way I feel. No more inflammation in my joints, I feel comfortable in any thing I wear, I can tie my shoes without holding my breath..lol
2) the way I look, my confidence has come back, I make more eye contact during conversations and command respect.
3) my sex life...It been a while since I got my wife to climax in any other position other than her on top, but now I dont crush her as much I suppose and she gets multiple orgasms now from all different positions..Plus she seems more into me now..
4) the attention and flirting from the opposite sex (sometimes the same sex..lol) I must admit it feels good and its more noticeable to see these younger women flirting with me or looking at me in the gym or when Im out. I catch them sneaking peaks all the time now...Yeah boy!!! Feels nice to be noticed..
5) clothes shopping and dressing sharp, its so much more easy to find decent and stylish clothes in my size now..Not many modern brand names make a size 46 wiast and 2 xl shirt...Plus I look great in slim fit everything now!!
6) the fact that I have potentially increased my life span and reduced the probability of me getting ill in the near future.

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

NSV: so i randomly went jean shopping and the size 4 actually fit, and really fit. I thought i was going to have to squeeze into them for dear life lol. I've been fat my whole life so this is new to me. The fact that i'm actually a small still blows my mind, but yet the scale still says im overweight smh. I'm still going to view this as a victory.

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

Before wls I had an addiction to fast food, I thought about it constantly on my 1.5 hour commute each way and though I promised myself I wouldn't stop, I often did..
Since surgery that behavior has stopped. I work and have two small children with after school activities and because of this we still take advantage of some convenience food, but usually if I'm going to McDonald's I'll get nothing and just feed the kids, occasionally I'll get a grilled chicken salad. If we get pizza I eat one slice. Imo occasionally eating these foods is a normal part of life and don't need to be forbidden in to be successful. We do this 1-3 times per month.

Before wls I had an addiction to fast food, I thought about it constantly on my 1.5 hour commute each way and though I promised myself I wouldn't stop, I often did..
Since surgery that behavior has stopped. I work and have two small children with after school activities and because of this we still take advantage of some convenience food, but usually if I'm going to McDonald's I'll get nothing and just feed the kids, occasionally I'll get a grilled chicken salad. If we get pizza I eat one slice. Imo occasionally eating these foods is a normal part of life and don't need to be forbidden in to be successful. We do this 1-3 times per month.

Before wls I had an addiction to fast food, I thought about it constantly on my 1.5 hour commute each way and though I promised myself I wouldn't stop, I often did..
Since surgery that behavior has stopped. I work and have two small children with after school activities and because of this we still take advantage of some convenience food, but usually if I'm going to McDonald's I'll get nothing and just feed the kids, occasionally I'll get a grilled chicken salad. If we get pizza I eat one slice. Imo occasionally eating these foods is a normal part of life and don't need to be forbidden in to be successful. We do this 1-3 times per month.

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

I love being able to buy clothes and feel good about how I look in them. Instead of always being disappointed!

Thanks everyone! By way of update, I am now down to 159, and my surgeon's goal for me was 160. So that's awesome! I am in a size 6 pant, and size medium top and dress. It's just surreal!

I had my surgery June 20th, 2017 and so far I am down 74 pounds. I'm currently 221 Pounds. I have quite a bit more to go but I'm getting there!