biginjapan

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.

Heck yeah!! Great job!

Congratulations!!!

Congrats!!! Awesome very happy for you

Thanks @higher! Which phytocane product did you use? I'm happy to see that this is a product that I can get shipped to Japan, not sure where to start though.

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.

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

I would encourage you to try it a couple of times before stocking up if you can. I thought it was my savior the first few times I tried it and then couldn't stomach it anymore.

@sc101071

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!!

I don't have fears really. Just a concern that I won't lose in the boobs! I need these things gone somewhat. Lol. I do hope I lose all over too. I have a feeling I will.

@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).

...as for photos, I'm not sure yet. I'd like to hit onederland first I think or some other significant milestone. But, you never know!

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)

There will be a next time for the other clothes then. Safe travels!!!!

You have done great. You are almost there!!!

Thanks everyone!

Congratulations!

Me too! I have lost 78 and have 74 to go till I meet goal.

Keep up the awesome work!

Congratulations!!

...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!

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!

Yeah. I like to change it. Hoping for a good pic somewhere down the road to put on too.

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!

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.

How fun, to be able to go to Germany on a business trip. Sounds like fun. lol Enjoy your business trip! And enjoy your "new" clothes too. You'll do well, despite the food.

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.

You'll fit into those shirts in no time! What other things have you tried? Stomach handling them?

I was stalled the entire 2 weeks during the pureed stage. Stalls happen. I'll be 3 months out on the 1st and I've been on a stall for 1/2 of the time. The scale is going down so I try not to let it frustrate me too much. The scale will move. Just give your body time.

Thanks everyone. I'm in pre-op, not post-op. My period started yesterday (2 days early) so I wonder if that also has something to do with it.

The first three days I lost weight, the next four I didn't. I'm at the beginning of my second week.

Yep, for sure...i always stall around my period.

We love feeling great! Don't question something you don't want an answer to!

That's wonderful!

Yes! It's very normal...makes one wonder how it's possible.

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.

Thanks! I know it looks bad now, and will probably get worse as time goes by, but I'm hoping there will be some bounce back. However, I am VERY bottom-heavy, have always had huge thighs, so I guess this should not be unexpected.

I have already accepted that my body will probably get worse before it gets better. I haven't really inspected though, just chugging along with what I'm supposed to be doing for myself. I'm sure I'll take note of things later, but I will keep that hope.

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).

How is the rate of clothes there in Japan? More expensive? I can only imagine everything being a petite and size 0 there. LOL

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.

Happy Dance!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

Oh, man, that's so exciting! Maybe go to a special tea house and get some good sencha!

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

Congratulations!

Awesome work I will also be tracking in KG when I get my surgery done later this year.

Congrats!

I had a big sigh of happiness for you!!! Yay!!!! 😊

That word morbid....good grief...it's just depressing isn't it? Ugh. I shan't be too long after. Sometime this year. Enjoy your new milestone!

It's such a terrible word - I was shocked the first time I realised that I was in the morbidly obese category. I have to say I am so happy and relieved to be out of it!

Glad to hear it!

How did I miss the big day!?!?!?! Since this forum update I can't find anything.  Just found some of these posts you did today. Ugh.  Soooooooo HAPPY for you!

Thanks! I'm having a hard time navigating the new site too.

So exciting.... congrats

:-)

How exciting!!! Yay!

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!!!

As of right now, I'm 200 pounds - one more to go to reach onederland! - It would be nice if it was tomorrow - 6 months since my highest weight (which happened to be January 1st).

Amen! I understand that feeling!

I know the feeling. The scale is an awful tool. It has way too much power over us.

That's why I'm trying to only weigh myself once a week. And not to compare my weight loss to others who seem to be doing much better. I have to remember that revision surgery is usually not as successful (in terms of overall weight loss) than surgeries done the first time around.

You're also quite short, right?

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.)

Awesome. Sounds like you've got great management , no weighing/counting/measuring. That's what I'll be doing. Can't stand to do that. It's harder work, in my opinion. You have mastered it and being on a trip! Wow. Good job.

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.

yay inches!!! I almost can't believe it's been one month already for you. Wow.

Welcome back (I remember you 😉) Good Luck & Safe Surgery !