MSer07

One more sort of side shot:

240ish (not even close to my heaviest) vs 166 (pic from Monday)

Thank you so much. I'm obviously in the beginning stages of this thing but take great encouragement from someone like you that has pushed and pushed to successful results. Huge respect for what you have to overcome to get the results.
Inspiring.

I just read through this thread.
This AWESOME thread.
You are my hero.
No excuses. No quit in you. Finding a way to win.
I've very impressed with your approach and you results.

No, I didn't quite mention an exercise plan. I have a condition where certain joints are very hypermobile and at times it causes extreme pain. Whether my joint slips out of place or I overextend the joint, my muscles become very sore. I have good days/weeks and then bad ones. I've learned certain actions that cause my joints to slip so I try to avoid them. That's scrubbing my tub, washing my dogs in the tub, pushing a full grocery cart and washing dishes for more than a few minutes. My joints most effected are sacroiliac (SI), entire spine from cervical to lumbar, knees, ankles, and wrists. When a joint is out of place the muscles and nerves surrounding it become very angry. They spasm, get very stiff and sore, and sometimes develop painful pressure/trigger points.
As you can guess it is very difficult to maintain a structured exercise plan. I work closely with my chiropractor who tells me I'm not allowed any high impact exercise, only walking to avoid jarring my joints. I used to do Zumba one or two times a week and work through the pain but it got to the point I couldn't function anymore. I also have to be careful about stretching because it's so easy to overstretch muscles. You know how you get DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) after a difficult workout? I get it after pretty much any activity beyond a normal day and it lasts almost a week.
But, I'm a very stubborn person and I constantly do things I'm not supposed to. Last week I was cleaning my house and decided to haul two 50 pound bags to Goodwill by myself. So I carried them to the car then threw them up on the platform. I felt like an Amazon woman. I've been sleeping on a heating pad for a week now because the back pain has been horrible. It hurts to be in any position.
A few months ago I did a 5K and really wanted to do it in under 45 minutes so I ran some of it and at one point I overextended my stride too much and my SI slipped out. I was stubborn and waited too long to have it put back and it ended up taking three visits to put it back where it belongs.
So the short answer is I try to walk the track at the high school when I can. Sometimes I get bored and I run. Most of the time I'm just trying to get through a normal day (full-time job with a standup desk).

This is the coolest thread! Your story is so inspiring! Keep up the good work!!

I've had two people tell me in the past week it's time for me to stop losing weight...
Nah. I'm going to hit my goal. Thanks for the opinion though!

You look beautiful!! Congratulations ????

I'm so late with my update. On October 1 I weighed in at 167.6. I lost 1.4 pounds in a month. My measurements stayed exactly the same. This was my lowest amount ever lost but 1) I still lost weight, 2) I'm super close to goal, 3) my skin tightened a LOT over the last month.
I've noticed a trend in the way my body loses weight. I have weeks where the scale reflects large losses but my skin looks very wrinkly then I'll hit a 3-4 week stall but my skin tightens up during this time. I'm very happy with the progress my saggy thighs are making! I can't wait to post my one year pictures next month!!!
Here's an awesome before and after of my skin from over a year ago when my PCOS was out of control vs now.

I went to my cousin's wedding last night. I actually felt beautiful in my dress. My mom took a picture of me sitting down. No problem with it. I love my sleeve!! Here are some pics.

 

Monthly Update!
I weighed in at 169.0 so I hit my goal of being in the 160's. Woo!! These last pounds are taking longer than I anticipated. At this point it doesn't look like I'll hit my ultimate goal weight by my surgiversary because it would require I lose more than one pound per week and I don't want to stress myself over something like that.
I got myself a FitBit and I'm so excited to try and figure out how to meet those dang goals. Right now it's been raining every day so I was only able to get to the track one day but I'm planning on getting back into running this fall. My friend asked if I would do a 15k with her in March and I would love to!
My stomach is looking very wrinkly and sad. The skin on my legs is starting to firm up a bit. I asked my boss if I could bank a vacation week from this year so next year I could take off four weeks in a row to get plastic surgery. He said yes! Now I just need to figure out how to finance it. But I'm probably a year away from that for now so I'm not worrying too much yet.
I went shopping last Friday. After six hours I had two pairs of shoes. And I only bought those because they were on sale. I don't quite know what my sense of fashion is right now but I don't like anything on the racks. I'll figure it out. I guess I'll just have to spend more time trying stuff on.
My cousin's wedding is in a few weeks so I'll be seeing family that hasn't seen me since before surgery. I'm excited to see their reactions. I'll laugh if my grandpa doesn't recognize me. ????
Current measurements
Neck - 12 1/2
Under breast - 34
Waist - 33
Hips - 39
Arm - 13
Thigh - 22
Total inches lost
Neck - 2 1/2
Under breast - 11
Waist - 12
Hips - 14
Arm - 3 1/2
Thighs - 5 1/2

Beautiful results Krisrpaz!!! You look wonderful!!! So glad the Whole30 worked so well. Thats a fantastic result!!!!

Whole30 was a huge success for the month of June!! It was a LOT of planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning, but the results more than make up for it.
I lost 10 pounds for the month of June. So I've lost 87 since I started my pre-op diet last October and 116 since my highest weight. I'm only 14 pounds from my goal weight!!!
Inches lost in June:
Neck - 1/2
Under boobs - 1/2
Waist - 1 1/2
Hips - 2
Arm - 0
Thigh - 1
Total inches lost since October:
Neck - 2 1/2
Under boobs - 9 1/2
Waist - 11 1/2
Hips - 13
Arm - 3 1/2
Thighs - 5 1/2

I'm going to share my before and after pics I've been taking each month. This is October 1 vs July 1. 9 months, 8 months since surgery.
  

Yes, Whole30 is a strict paleo diet. 100% clean eating with no processed foods, sugar, sugar substitutes, dairy, grains, legumes, or alcohol. So approved foods are meat, vegetables, some fruits and fats.
One thing I've done consistently is start and end my day with a 20 oz cup of hot tea. I did this from day 1 of my pre-op diet and continue up to today. It automatically gets me 40 oz of Water each day so it makes getting at least another 20 during the course of the day really easy.
Another thing I try to do consistently is choose Protein first every time. I would say I do this 90% of the time. But life gets in the way and I've gone off track a few times. When I do this I try not to beat myself up. I'm not on a "diet". I made the decision to eat that ________ (fill in the blank). Then I make sure the next decision is a better one.
Before Whole30 I always had certain items on hand that would keep me on track - cottage cheese singles, cheese sticks, boiled eggs, beef Jerky, Protein Bars, etc. I know my biggest trigger is being stressed and unprepared at work. If I forgot to make boiled eggs for a quick Breakfast I would grab a cottage cheese. If I get lightheaded at work because I haven't eaten enough I always have a Protein Bar in my desk. So knowing my triggers and being prepared for them has been very helpful.
Now on Whole30 it's a little more difficult to have approved Snacks on hand. I make a giant frittata on Sunday and cut it into a portion I can grab and take to work to heat up. snack is usually blueberries or a banana. Today I had some nuts. lunch is leftovers from the day before and dinner is whatever scrumptious recipe my hubby decided to try.
I miss cheese. A lot. And Splenda...but I've got to work through these addictions. I made it through the first week easily but I have a feeling the next week is going to be the hardest. While my husband and I enjoy cooking, it's a lot of work. Lots of prep and cleaning. But the food tastes better than any takeout our town offers. But I still miss the convenience of picking up some grilled chicken or a rotisserie some days. Thank goodness for my crockpot!!!

These are my legs!! ????

It's going very well so far. I actually feel better than I have in a long time. While I miss a lot of foods, especially yogurt and cheese sticks, my congestion and some skin issues have cleared up in only a few days. I have more energy. I LOVE the taste of the foods my husband and I have made. I've realized I still have an attachment/addiction to some foods (chocolate, ice cream, Splenda) that needs to be broken. Like breaking any addiction it's not easy, but I know it will be worth it! Here is a look at some of the meals we ate this week:
   

Thank you! You are doing great. I do believe measurements are so important, sometimes the scale does not give us credit where due!

The one above is an app called "Monitor Your Weight". I like that you can see where you started, where you are currently and how far from your goal.
I also have My Fitness Pal but I haven't been tracking my food as much since I'm doing Whole30 at the moment and you don't worry about calories.
Aside from electronics, I weigh weekly, measure and take a full body bra and panties pic monthly. It helps to compare pics month to month.

That is awesome!!! Congratulations. What all is that you are using for tracking? I like it.

My coworker who has known me for 10 years (he's seen me at all my weights, especially my heaviest) saw me walking across the lobby to my office and he said, "I just saw you walking across the lobby and I didn't recognize you." ???? Nice NSV.

Whoops. I'm a few days late. Here are the latest stats:

Total Inches Lost:
Neck - 2 in
Under boobs - 7 in
Waist - 10 in
Hips - 11 in
Arms - 3 in each
Thighs - 4 1/2 in each
I can't believe I'm so close (yet so far away) from my goal of 160 pounds. I've never been successful beyond 20 pounds lost on my own so I'm still in denial that what the scale says is true. I have days where I look in the mirror and I see no difference. Then I'll see a picture someone took of me and I won't recognize myself because I look so much smaller. It really blows my mind.
Last month my energy level was a little better but I'm still struggling with joint pain and sleep issues. I'm going to see my primary doctor tomorrow for my 3 month blood work and I'll ask him for advice. I've never been more excited to weigh in at the doctor's office!
For those wondering, I'm 5'7 and at this weight I'm currently a very comfortable size 14. I could probably squeeze into a 12 but I don't like to feel like I'm going to pop out of my pants. My goal size is a 10. I may need a Tummy Tuck to get there though. The stomach is still shrinkled (lol that word makes me laugh every time) but not as bad as I thought it would look. Some day I'll get the courage to post those full body shots....

Thank you for sharing your journey. I'm at the beginning phase of mine. The sit & wait for my appts. & insurance approval. If all goes as thought the surgeon says I could have my surgery in July. I'm so looking forward to get this ball rolling.

MONUMENTAL DAY!! I'm in Onederland. It was worth the wait. At first I was in disbelief. I weighed three times. Then I was ecstatic. Then I got very emotional because I met the goal I've been striving to meet for almost 15 years.

Hello! Another month went by and I felt like I was losing at a snail's pace. However, I still had a loss every week so I'm happy! My weight this morning was 200.6. That means I've lost 60 pounds since I started my pre-op diet 5 months ago. 60 pounds in 5 months. That's an average of 12 pounds per month. When I think of it that way I can't help but be thrilled with my progress. I will be in Onederland soon!!!
Here are my updated measurements:
Neck - 13
Liver - 36 1/2
Waist - 37
Hips - 43 1/2
Arm - 13 1/2
Thighs - 23 1/2
Total
Neck - 2
Liver - 8 1/2
Waist - 8
Hips - 9 1/2
Arm - 3 (each)
Thighs - 4 (each)
My hair loss started this month so I went and got it all chopped off and lightened. I'm still losing quite a bit, hoping it eases up soon. Here's a bathroom selfie I took earlier this month

Before and after. Less than 50 pounds to my goal weight!