The New Kel

@Dashofpixiedust8 Wowza! Girl, you look Beautiful! It's like a brand new butterfly is emerging, you look amazing AND so cute!!! Isn't is remarkable how we discover the person we deep down knew we were finally comes out with the weight loss, having been hidden under our weight before? Anyway, congrats on your progress!!!

For me, it's been expensive. I had felt a lot of shame when I was plus-sized. (self inflicted unwarranted shame) . So, as I have been dropping sizes, I feel the need to get at least one pair of new jeans in my newest, smaller size. It's a psychological thing for me. Needless to say I now have a closet full of jeans from size 20 to 8, and my wallet certainly is lighter, too. @OutsideMatchInside has a great idea of at least trying the clothes on, so you can see your weight loss even if you don't buy the clothes. I've done that. I've gone in with tons of clothes and left with nothing except for a sense of great satisfactions...a salesperson's nightmare, lol! I also think @Newbeva has a great idea. Buy leggings. I have a couple pairs that I bought in XL and L that I still put on because they are form fitting even tho they are too big. Also, I have gone to some of the better thrift/consignment stores in my area. Have fun with the shedding of sizes. For me, it has been a big moral booster!

Hi all! My date was Oct 3. I'm doing really well! Energy is off the charts good, feeling really healthy for the first time in over 20 years! I've lost 83 lbs and have gone from a size 20 to an 8. I hike with my husband now and actually LIKE walking and being active now! VSG was the best decision I've ever made. Eating is easier now. I can eat about 3.5 ounces of lean protein and have added lots of variety to my diet; salads, fruit & veggies, etc. Been meaning to post recent pics, so I will post them soon.

Congratulations...you look terrific!!! Like a new person!

I love bagging up the fat clothes and getting rid of them FOREVER. It feels great! My latest NSV is weighing less than my husband. For the first time ever! I feel so much sexier being smaller than him finally.

This is so true!

Hiking!

Congratulations!! So glad you are enjoying your new life! I love NSVs like yours. Shows how WLS can truly give you life back!

Wowza! You look great, girl! Truly a beautiful transformation. Congrats on your success!

That is wonderful!! It's amazing how much life improves. For me, it's the ability to walk up stairs effortlessly. (This used to be a huge struggle for me). Also, hiking with my husband used to be torture. Now its easy, breezy and FUN!!!

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned the difference between men and women as far as disclosing WLS. A lot of women are terribly judgmental about each other and weight (wether they. say it or just think it). Its so sad but women are programmed early on to think that if we "just eat right", "just do pilates and exercise", "just have will power" then we will look like the models do. We constantly mentally judge ourselves against other women and I think way so more than men do. I could be wrong but I think most men accept WLS as simply another means to the end without judgment, which is healthy. More women tend to think it's the "easy way out" because of all the insane media and programming we have endured growing up, making us think we are inferior if we don't look like Barbie by eating celery. So that's a long-winded way of saying I understand why so many of us are private. OK...off my soap box now.

I'm a private person IRL. Only my husband, daughter and my parents know. It's up to the individual if they want to tell people. I have extended family that would have gossiped endlessly and been negative, so I chose not to tell them.

Don't worry- you are very normal! It know feels slow to you but I've read hundreds of posts (mine own included) who began the same way with the same weight loss first few weeks. Your body is adjusting to a very new way of life. It's learning how to shift around nutrients and even if you see the scale move slower than expected, I would bet that your clothes are looser by the day. The weight will all come off, in ebbs and flows. Some weeks the scale will move fast, other times your clothes will get looser but not much scale movement. Coming from my experience!

Sashimi is the best!! It's perfect" soft, pure protein, little bit of "good" fat, no carbs, and yummmmmm!!!

@Elizabethtash I was one of those who WAS hungry after surgery. I was sooooo disappointed and angry that I was feeling so hungry for weeks after surgery. And then suddenly (I would say around 6-8 weeks post-op), the hunger literally stopped. At 2,3,4 months post op I had such little hunger that I would have to make myself stop and eat. Then, at 5 and now 6 months post-op, I get hungry but not at all like the feeling just before and after surgery. Now it is like a healthy "reminder" type of hunger feeling. I'd say about every 4 hours I get a signal of hunger that is easily soothed by eating a small something of protein. Then it's satisfied! It makes life so much easier. Before surgery and up to two months after surgery I had such terrible, gnawing, relentless hunger that made me crazy. I'm telling you this because I wish I had known, while I was prepping for surgery, that some people remain ravishingly hungry for a few weeks after surgery. I truly thought something was wrong with me and my sleeve. Hopefully you get through with less hunger but please know that if you don't it's OK, it's normal, and I've read many accounts like my own who struggled with post-of hunger for weeks. Good luck to you! And know that no matter what you feel in the early stages, by the time you are several months out, you will have a new, much healthier appetite!

Congratulations! That is a wonderful milestone!

I ate sushi (actually sashimi....no rice!), at 4 weeks post op. But please check with your surgeon first! I was allowed to because sashimi is so soft. It goes down super easy and is super healthy. Just check with the doc first. :-) I love me some good sushi. I have it at least once a week, I just dont eat the rice.

Great post. Congrats on your surgery! I can truly relate to your breakup with bad foods. I did the same, had to say goodbye to a destructive friend in food. But saying hello to your new healthy food friends is wonderful and so healing. Best to you in your recovery and journey!

Ha! I hope she has a sense of humor! But in a serious not, you look great despite the flamingos!!

It was my turn at work to be the weekly meeting's "door greeter" today. I work with about 100 people and many hadn't seen me in months. I had no less than 5 people say "You've lost a lot of weight have'nt you?" and "You look slim and trim!" Happy NSV for me!

If you are in the stage where you are allowed "normal" healthy food, and lime me you get occasional cravings for something salty and crunchy, look for these thingys: Baked Cheese Crisps. No carbs! Perfect for when you soooo want some freaking chips but know you shouldn't! I put a couple inside a deli meat roll. Fantastic!

Congratulations and happy re-birthday!!!

When sales people in "regular sized" clothing stores actually come up to you and smile knowing you are a very potential customer.

Welcome! You will find tremendous help and resources here. Good luck to you!

There are differing opinions on this. My NUT tells me not to have any ever again but I am a bad girl and I have coffee every day. I am still doing well in my weight loss. They say that caffeine can cause stomach upset due to acidity on your new pouch, and also it can mess with your natural hunger (making you either not hungry or too hungry unnaturally). That said I only have one (occasionally two) cups of coffee each morning. I waited for three months though, so that I ws fully healed before having it.