-
Content Count
617 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Status Updates posted by biginjapan
-
Yay! Finally hit onederland! My weight loss was stalled for a couple of weeks but the last week or so it has been moving again. Because I'm tracking in kilos I didn't actually realize that I am now under 200 pounds. I'm so happy! Next goal to hit, probably this week, is for my BMI to hit the lowest obesity level (class I). After that I'll be gunning for just overweight, but that probably won't happen until summer, provided I can keep from snacking during all this working from home!
-
Congratulations!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Awesome work I will also be tracking in KG when I get my surgery done later this year.
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Congrats!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
-
Did my weekly weigh in this morning and am a little disappointed that the scale has not budged since last week. However, I am focusing on the fact that I'm sticking to my plan and that I can see that I'm losing weight, not only in my face, but in how my clothes fit. Guess I'll be using the quarantine to do a big purge in my closet!
-
I know the feeling. The scale is an awful tool. It has way too much power over us.
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
-
Going for my revision to bypass tomorrow. Feeling a little nervous but also laidback at the same time. Pre-op diet was different to what I did three years ago, but I guess there is no one right way to do things. Here’s hoping all goes well!
-
Welcome back (I remember you 😉) Good Luck & Safe Surgery !
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
-
Today I finally hit 100 pounds lost since my highest weight! I'm pretty stoked, and hoping I can get to goal weight by the time of my one-year surgiversary.
- Show previous comments 6 more
-
Heck yeah!! Great job!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Congratulations!!!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Six months post-op and 90 pounds lost! I'm so happy with the weight loss, but I still can't help wishing it was 100 pounds instead. I still need to find time to do my measurements and take some photos though - I'm leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow morning, so am pretty busy cleaning and packing before I go.
- Show previous comments 3 more
-
Thanks everyone! I really am happy as I've never lost 90 pounds in one go before.
@Newme17: Hong Kong is just for a few days as a layover on my way home. I have 2 suitcases full of clothes that I am bringing back with me to give away or sell (I still have 5 more boxes of clothes though! - too bad I couldn't bring them all with me)
-
You have done great. You are almost there!!!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
I've got the dreaded "turkey neck" thighs!
Seriously, I was applying some BodyGlide anti-chafing stick to my inner thighs this morning, and I guess its the first time I really looked down there in a while, because I was shocked to discover that the backs of both my inner thighs literally look like a turkey neck! I was so shocked! As I've been losing weight, I of course have some loose skin, but nothing really bad (or so I thought). Thankfully I won't be wearing shorts or a swimsuit for some time yet....
- Show previous comments 1 more
-
I haven't heard of the thighs doing that...I am with Outside though, maybe over time some of the skin will bounce back. There's always hope! Hang on to it.
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
I've entered a new country and it's called onederland! Another goal achieved...how to celebrate?
- Show previous comments 1 more
-
Happy Dance!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Oh, man, that's so exciting! Maybe go to a special tea house and get some good sencha!
-
biginjapan and 30SOMETHING reacted to this
-
when i lost 100 lbs
i got my 1rst tattoo!!
1rst initial of my three
grand-kids put on my wrist
you can do same -letters
of my grand-kids on your
wrist tooor pamper
yourself at the spa, nails
etc. congrats kathy
-
So...officially I'm still obese (BMI 35) but I certainly don't feel like I am. I feel so much better (and smaller) at this current weight than I did the last time I was here (albeit gaining then). Just need to get that pesky scale moving a little more!
-
You've lost a lot of weight, so I'm happy that you don't feel like you are "obese". But I'll be even more happy when you can get rid of that label. It'll happen!!!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Amen! I understand that feeling!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
-
Ughh - hair loss is very real. My hairline is noticeably thinner. I've been losing hair constantly for the past 3 weeks (exactly 3 months post-up). Today was the first day I dyed my hair since the hair loss started and everytime I went to squeeze water out of my hair, more hair kept sliding out. I know it's temporary but it's still scary!
- Show previous comments 6 more
-
I use the phytocane revitalizing serum. On the box it says it's for hair loss due to stress, diet, fatigue, pregnancy.
It's really lovely and kind of glamorous to use. It comes as 12 amber glass ampules, you crack the top off, stick on the plastic applicator and massage the serum directly onto your scalp after a shower. I love the scent and it leaves my hair really soft and volumized. It's expensive but I found it to be quite effective. I personally didn't take biotin post op because I had tried it years ago and ended up growing some unwanted body hair.
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
I started noticing hair loss around the 90 day mark post-op as I had my surgery 10/17. I just bought this shampoo from Amazon. It pours fast be careful.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018DP2JW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
-
As of today, I'm halfway to goal! 70 pounds down, 70 more to go... And I'm just under 10 pounds away from hitting onederland! I'm 3.5 months out from surgery today and I have to say that even though the weight loss seems slow at times, I'm very happy to be where I am right now.
- Show previous comments 3 more
-
Congratulations!
Me too! I have lost 78 and have 74 to go till I meet goal.
Keep up the awesome work!
-
Sweet as peaches and biginjapan reacted to this
-
Threw out 3 garbage bags of clothes today - the old, stained, repaired, kept "just in case" clothing that is just taking up too much room in my closets. One of those bags was just pants with lots of dreaded "chubb rub" repairs. I'm left with 6 storage boxes of clothes (down from 14) that I would like to sell or give away, hopefully in the next month. I've kept one storage box (only about 1/2 full, surprisingly) of favourite too-big clothes, just for future reference/photos. Even as I was packing stuff up, I was like "how did I ever think this was kind of a normal size?"
- Show previous comments 1 more
-
I have one box of clothes to "shrink into" - mostly size 14-16 (or mediums for tops), and a couple of loose-fitting 12s...The clothes that are slightly too tight to wear in public are already in my closet now and are marked out with hot pink hangers.
I have one entire box of clothes that still have tags on them, never worn. Hopefully I can get some decent money (30-50% of original cost) for those. Another box of barely worn clothes (5 times or less). I don't even want to think about how much money I've wasted on clothes never or barely worn (a couple thousand at least). As for shopping, of course, I want my rate of weight loss to continue as it has been, but at the same time I hope I don't have to do too much shopping online before I go home this summer, since trying things on in person is always so much better than guessing with online shopping (especially with international shipping).
-
Actually, the cost is probably similar to most other first-world countries. You can get cheap stuff and really expensive stuff. There are a few foreign brands here, like the Gap, Eddie Bauer, H&M...and some Japanese brands that have become more popular worldwide like UNIQLO. However, most of the sizes are only for Japanese - so for example, the biggest size at Eddie Bauer is a 12, but it's a 12P (for petite). That doesn't mean for shorter women, it's smaller overall (more like a 6 or 8 back home). Interestingly, UNIQLO is selling larger sizes (up to 3X - Japanese 3X, not US sizes) to cater to the many tourists who shop there while visiting the country. As such, I was able to buy a cardigan and a pair of pants there that I really like. The pants are still too small - but if I lose 20 pounds I'm pretty sure I'll be able to wear them in public.
Generally speaking, many Japanese women have next to nothing for boobs, at least until they have children (99% of bras are padded), narrow shoulders and backs, no hips, no butts (flat, flat, flat - sometimes it's just a fold to indicate where the butt stops and the leg begins). That means, even for thin Western women who live here, there isn't much for them either, since the tops are too small (not broad enough in the back/shoulders, no room for boobs), and pants don't fit well either, since they don't leave any extra room for a real booty or hips. Of course, that's just a generalisation, but I have no idea where larger women who don't fit the mold shop for clothes. Luckily for me, even though I don't go home that often, I do travel in Asia quite a bit, and almost any other country has more options than Japan has, either because they have a legacy of colonialism and/or have a long history of Western tourists visiting. That means there are many other foreign brands that I can shop at, and they do carry real plus sizes.
-
Down 60 pounds today! I was very happy to see the scale drop below the 100kg mark this morning - it's such a wonderful visual reminder that things are working (slowly but surely). Once I lose 10 more pounds I will be halfway to goal, which is almost unbelievable to me!
- Show previous comments 2 more
-
Gym opening at 10am!? That is absurd and unheard of, especially in the states. Walking is great. Good conditioning for your heart too. I'll have to get used to "just walking". I do love my weights, but even now I'm out due to injury, so that's out. I find it amazing that it's gonna be three months already for you. It really does seem like you just had it. 😊 I'm just so happy to hear it seems to be going well for you. Keep at it hon!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Gyms opening at 10 a.m. is pretty much unheard of everywhere. Welcome to Japan! Though I think some gyms are starting to have earlier hours, like 9 a.m. Luckily, there's a local community center right down the street from me, and they have a gym which only costs about $3 per use, which is a great deal. The hours still aren't great, but at least I don't have to pay for an expensive membership.
-
Earlier...9am. LOL That's quite funny!
That's a pretty good pay as you go membership. I froze my gym account for six months, it's cheap, but $20 going out the door for not using it during my injury adds up. There's a school track down the street, I'll get to walking on. Probably start tonight and take my kids with me.
-
Yay! I am no longer morbidly obese, just obese! It feels great to get out of the "morbid" category.
-
My 2-month surgiversary is today! Down over 50 pounds since I started the pre-op diet in January, down 2 clothing sizes and one shoe size (back to my normal size 8). Completely revamped my closets with "new" clothes from storage. Stalled at the moment but hoping to see the scale move soon!
- Show previous comments 3 more
-
@Newme17: Boobs are so individual, it's hard to know what will happen to them! By measurements I should be something like a double D or larger, but the reality was that I was at best a D. I was never a big girl to begin with - for most of my life I've been a B, it's only the last 8 years or so that I crept up the alphabet. I'm definitely now losing a lot of boobage - I'm already down to a C cup, and the ladies are swinging past my knees (just a little exaggeration!). Starting this month, every month for the next 1.5-2 years I will putting away some money for a future boob job - regardless of what happens to the rest of my body, it's the first thing that will need to be fixed (maybe in conjunction with, what will like be, some bat wingage).
-
Back from Germany and have lost almost 7 pounds on that trip (10 days). I didn't weigh or measure anything, but after a month of post-op foods I knew how much an appropriate portion size would be. Still, it was hard to find a variety of food that I could eat, and I mostly relied on eggs, cheese, and sliced meats for my protein/nutrition, plus protein shakes (I brought my own powder to mix) and vitamins. Also started eating a variety of different veggies, all with no problems. Caved in and ate some fruit sometimes (raspberries, blueberries) and fruit-based yogurts (despite the sugar) because they looked so delicious and unlike anything we can get in Japan. Also learned that I can eat just about anything (tried some small sausages, and a couple bites of bread, among other things) without a problem, so I'll always have to vigilant about what I eat since my only restriction will be the size of my stomach and nothing else.
-
Thanks! Actually, now that I'm back I'll probably go back to counting/measuring for a while, just to get back on track. I'm now 6 weeks out from surgery which means I am no longer restricted from anything (healthy), not that that's been a problem for me! Ordered the diabetic meals for the plane rides (going to Germany was great, coming back was not) - the first meal I had was a steak! But it went down no problem (about 4.5 weeks out from surgery). Not that I'll be eating red meat every day, but it's nice to know that I can.
-
The scale finally moved down a little today - that makes 40 pounds lost! It's hard to believe that number even though I know it's true.
- Show previous comments 2 more
-
So I just arrived yesterday. Having a hard time finding food to eat other than cheese. That said, it's forcing me to try other things. Still trying to find soy or almond milk for my shakes.
i did buy two shirts small yesterday. I know I shouldn't, but they were too cute to pass up. Officially they are a size 8 or 10 in US sizing, but based on what I saw in the States, they would be considered a 12 or 14 there.
-
One month out from surgery! Still stalled...(thought I wasn't - it was just a tease). Still, 15 pounds in one month is not bad, and the inches are definitely coming off. I may be able to get into a smaller size as my biggest clothes are just barely hanging onto me now.
-
Finally! My stall has broken after 11 days with no movement on the scale.
- Show previous comments 2 more
-
...and breathe...
That's how it feels for me every time. Even though I know better, I almost always say, "Well, I guess that's all surgery has got for me." Great Job and Good Luck!
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
Thanks MowryRocks! I wasn't too worried, as I've been reading these boards for quite a while, but still, it's so much more motivating to see that number go down!
-
MowryRocks reacted to this
-
Yeah. I like to change it. Hoping for a good pic somewhere down the road to put on too.
-
biginjapan reacted to this
-
The 3-week stall is real...no weight loss over the past 10 days!
- Show previous comments 7 more
-
Actually, Japan is like that too. I just read an article that says Japanese are the worst for taking any kind of paid vacation - less than 50% of what they are owed (which is about 2 weeks). Even school teachers don't get much holiday time, since they are often involved with sports and other club activities throughout the summer, plus PD. Luckily, I work at a private university, so I don't have to worry about things like that.
-
Really? So Japan isn't all great in that area either huh? Well, you enjoy your private institution then! If my work ends up becoming too stressful for me in any way, I will be leaving. So far, it's not. I'm a one man show these days with the bosses showing up occasionally. So it's good. But my husband carries all the weight anyway, I work to stay busy. Do you plan to stay in Japan indefinitely?
-
I'm not sure - probably (even though my Japanese is terrible). There's not much in terms of full-time work back home for teachers like me (all short-term (4 month) contracts). As long as I can keep getting long-term contracts with lots of vacation time, then I'll probably stay.
-
One day post-op and feeling good so far!
-
The countdown is on...one week till my operation! I'm so excited!
-
Pre-op diet, day 10: No hunger, no cravings. Feeling great. Is this normal?
-
One week down on my pre-op diet and already my weight loss has stalled. Not sure if that's normal or not.
-
Day 3 of pre-op diet and feeling good! Already lost 3kg, which is good, since that's what I gained due to some "food funeral" type eating in early January. :-(
-
I added you as a friend, if you don't mind. I'm not on the pre-op yet, probably won't be for another couple of months (going through insurance) but my head is telling me to have a food funeral. I'm doing my best to not. I'm trying to develop great habits now. How long are you on your pre-op? 2 weeks?
-
Because of my BMI, I'm on it for three weeks. Luckily, it's not liquids only, as I am allowed 2 small meals a day. I've been losing every day except today :-( but 10 pounds in 3 days is pretty good. I want to try to keep my calories at about 1000 per day. When I hit my second week, I'm going to try to go to one meal a day with protein, and the rest just shakes. I'll keep that up until I get to L.A., as then I'll be on liquids only (3 days pre-op). As for my food funerals, it wasn't exactly like that. I didn't want to throw too much food out, so I tried to eat and make things from what I had at home that I knew I wouldn't be able to eat again for a very long while. But I did splurge on nice chocolates (like Lindt), had a big meal of sushi, etc. I couldn't do a food funeral like most, because it's hard for me to find the things I really like here - like good pizza or lasagne or cheesecake...so my last full meal was a non-event, just eating some salami and as much cheese as I could handle from my fridge (still ended up throwing some out - I know I can eat it post-op, but the expiry dates wouldn't last that long.)
-
-
Pre-op diet starts today! Drinking my first shake now...
- Show previous comments 5 more
-
I'm hoping to find some individual packets, rather than a big tub of it. I'm aware that what I like now may not work for me after surgery. However, since my options are limited in Japan, I'd like to have some to see if it's one of the flavours that I enjoy. That said, miso soup is cheap and easy to find here, so I may rely on that more.
-
@biginjapan - Unjury does offer individual packets of all their powders. A word of caution - water temp shouldn't be higher than 140 deg. or the whey might clump. It doesn't change the taste, just the texture, and it feels really strange in your mouth. I do use more than 8 oz. of water when making the chicken soup and I add just a pinch or so of chicken bouillon for added flavor. I was fortunate in that my taste for all the things I was using pre-surgery did not change post-op; however, I did find that for more than a year I preferred highly seasoned food to anything; not necessarily spicy hot, which I love, just not plain Jane foods of any variety. And, now that I'm more than 2 yrs. post-op, I still like everything I did before surgery - highly seasoned or not.
You've probably already know this - you can always add some unflavored protein to your miso and other soups. Someone suggested to me to mix it initially with cold or tap temp liquid before adding it to hot liquids so the protein is dissolved first. I was going to get some Genepro unflavored to put in my morning coffee, but I took their advice and have been mixing the unflavored Unjury with the creamer and SF syrup before adding the coffee and it's been working without clumping :-) Yea! Morning protein coffee - hot enough for me.
I wish you much success!!