biginjapan

I never heard of it before so looked it up. It looks gorgeous, but I could never do it - I suffer from serious vertigo, so anything that has me at a high place with a lot of drops around me is not safe for me.

Those trips sound awesome. You should definitely look into Groupon for things of the sort. As for the silverback gorillas...wow, I didn't know that! But I understand why they may feel that way, because they are so large and powerful and they don't want anyone else to be either. Right? Seems like it would be that way.
I hope all is well with you post-op. What a great new life, eh? Blessings to you hon!

Like others, I will be putting away money now for the next 1.5-2 years to get plastics done. However, I don't see that as a gift to myself, it's just the second part of the weight loss journey. I would also like to get a tattoo, but I would wait until after plastics are finished.
So, for hitting goal, I'd like to do something that I would never have been able to do at my current or highest weight, like climb Kilimanjaro, or hike to Everest base camp, or see the gorillas in Uganda/Rwanda (forgetting the fact that the hours+ hike through a humid jungle would have been a killer, apparently the silverback gorillas feel threatened by "large" (i.e. obese) humans and will sometimes show displays of aggression towards them). Or there are some great walks that I would like to do, such as the Camino de Santiago in France/Spain or the Machu Picchu trek in Peru. I'll probably need to keep a separate savings account for any of those trips as well.

How's everyone doing post-op? I just had my surgery yesterday, and other than the scars on my belly and general fatigue, I feel great. Don't know how long that's going to last though!

I feel I could have written this. So far I've only told close family and will tell a couple of close friends. Surgery in 2 weeks.

I'd say great, but it's clear that I am in the beginning stages of a cold (dry cough, sniffles, general fatigue) - and all on my first day back in Japan too! But I'm down almost 30 pounds since starting my pre-op diet on Jan 16th, although most of that was pre-surgery (only 5 pounds down since surgery). I can definitely see it in my face, and my hands and feet oddly enough, but not really anywhere else so far. I just realised that I lost in 1 month what took 3 years to gain. I feel like I'm travelling back in time - "the last time I was this weight was in _____." If anything, that will help me figure out what clothes to go fishing for as I lose weight.
I wonder how noticeable it will be when I go back to work and/or when people will feel the need to say something to me about it.

I was sleeved January 25th... from that evening on, I walked as much as I could every chance I got... and then I would rest and when I felt rested I'd get up and walk again.
Now, I am 3 weeks post surgery and I walk a minimum of 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) a day. I'm not yet cleared for any other exercise yet, so I feel like I should walk as much as I can since it is the only exercise I can have for now!

This post is just to share and help me process/be aware. RS
RNY almost 11 months ago and overall things are tough but this has been a great thing.
This week I've had a lot of stress, some from good things, some from negative/bad things. Thursday I blew my calories and found myself doing some emotional eating. Finding way too much happiness in peanut butter.... Friday I worked to correct it and still am today. It is difficult some days!
I just need to remind myself, yes I do still turn to food sometimes. I need to be careful of that. I need to stay aware and make myself use other coping skills. Have to keep trying to change my mind/thoughts/behaviors. Probably always going to be working on this and I need to remind myself that is ok.
One bad day doesn't undo all the good. Just need to learn from it and not run from it. Needed to get this out and think it through, admitting and owning up to it.
If you have any strategies that help you, I'd love to hear them!

I'm just over a week post-op and I haven't told anyone. It's not that I'm ashamed of the surgery, I'm just a very private person and don't generally overshare with anyone. That said, there are some very negative people I do not want to share this with, so if and when I do tell people it will be a select few.

Congratulations on your surgery and weight loss so far!! I can't wait to pull out some of those clothes from the back on the closest!

Your last sentence about how noticeable it will be to others is something I really wonder about. Telling family and close friends is one thing, but I don't really want to have to explain to people all day, every day, for months at work. I work in a hospital where everyone knows me and will notice (and comment on) weight loss.

For what its worth, I've been on this site since 2010 when it was lapband talk. This site is full of very valuable insights, experiences and information and tons of helpful information keeping me in check, however, I stopped coming here about 2 years ago due the very ugly attitudes coming from a handful of veterans. I would pop in every so often and read a little and to my dismay would see nothing was changing and the ugliness continued. I found some very useful support pages on Facebook, however, facebook is not in a forums format such as this site, thus, searching for questions/information on facebook is difficult. I really missed this site, however, it was getting really bad! If the bad apples were banned or if they have changed their tone, I, will try this site again. Thanks for posting this. If I had not seen this post, I would have never come back to ask any questions. I posted a question to another forum concerning GERD and am looking forward to getting some feedback from here again. jake

Sleeved Feb 7. Heeling good and have energy. Dull pain when sitting up but I think it's cause I have a dry cough if I dint drink enough.
Everything is going down the hatch easy. Today I hit my 70g of Protein.
Also down 30lbs since starting pre-op 3 weeks ago

I was sleeved on the 8th also. Haven't had any issues...just a little sore. Was able to take my ppi with no issues. Going to try Jello this evening and can start my Protein Shakes tomorrow . Haven't been that hungry yet, plenty of energy, & haven't taken my pain meds since I got home.

Had my sleeve on Feb 10, and everything went well....Im almost thinking too easy, all but some gas pains.

On the first day after the procedure, I was able to 64oz Water, 3-4 oz of beef broth, and 4 sugar free Popsicles, plus did two significant walks

Woke up this morning, feeling hungry. In 3 hours, I had one Protein, EAS chocolate shake 11oz and 16oz of water.

I'd say great, but it's clear that I am in the beginning stages of a cold (dry cough, sniffles, general fatigue) - and all on my first day back in Japan too! But I'm down almost 30 pounds since starting my pre-op diet on Jan 16th, although most of that was pre-surgery (only 5 pounds down since surgery). I can definitely see it in my face, and my hands and feet oddly enough, but not really anywhere else so far. I just realised that I lost in 1 month what took 3 years to gain. I feel like I'm travelling back in time - "the last time I was this weight was in _____." If anything, that will help me figure out what clothes to go fishing for as I lose weight.
I wonder how noticeable it will be when I go back to work and/or when people will feel the need to say something to me about it.

How's everyone doing post-op? I just had my surgery yesterday, and other than the scars on my belly and general fatigue, I feel great. Don't know how long that's going to last though!

10 days out no buyers remorse or regrets.

I've read a lot on this topic too, including a few of the studies mentioned in the article, and I totally agree with it.

Agreed. Exercise is necessary for good health, but not for weight loss.

Geez that was long!!! I agree with the bulk of it. Exercise only accounts for less than 20% of your overall physique (fat, muscles, etc) and diet is over 80%. People can lose weight just from changing their diet alone. Exercise is a boost really. I've never really agreed with the calorie in, calorie out though. I did once upon a time, but now it's just eating better quality food and watching how much to eat. Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full/content. Now, the article almost came off as, you don't have to exercise at all. Although this can be true, kind of, it's even better to incorporate exercise to get the best "bang for your buck" so-to-speak. So, for weight loss, yes, it can help. But heart conditioning, muscle building, strengthening, stretching...those are all excellent benefits of exercise and we still do lose calories doing them (if you count calories) but the diet is what counts most.

I don't drink coffee, but I am a Starbucks addict. However, being less than a week post-op means that the only thing I can drink there is herbal (mint) tea. I have to say I find it really soothing on my new tummy.

@kimberb &@biginjapan... yay! So happy for you both! I can't wait till April for my turn!

My surgery was also on the 9th, and I haven't weighed myself since then since I'm currently staying in a hotel and have no access to a scale! I don't arrive. back to Japan until Saturday, so that helps. I'm hoping to only weigh myself twice a week - on Mondays and Thursdays. I think that will help keep the obsession at bay,

I had my surgery yesterday. Some gas pain in my left shoulder for an hour or two post-op, but nothing more since then. Had some lower abdominal pain from the drain, but they just took it out and I'm already feeling much better. That said, now that I'm drinking liquids, I feel really fatigued. I've been walking a lot though, more than everyone else on my floor combined! To be fair, most of the others seem to suffering a lot, either from pain or nausea. I really haven't had a problem with either.

Hi there, if you haven't seen one of my posts from today. I need to let you know I had my surgery 2/9.
So I've weighed myself every day for a long time. It's a habit or an addiction. You pick. So today when I got up I almost weighed myself. I stopped in time. I do believe I got the shakes and broke out in a sweat. Lol
I've sworn to only weighing once a week. My weigh in day will be Thursday's. That's 4 long days away. I sure hope I can stick with it. Hubby may have to hide it from me. So if some strange lady knocks on your door asking if she can weigh herself on your scale, nicely tell her it's not Thursday yet. Lol