Malin

What makes it so easy to gain weight even after bariatric surgery? Let’s commit to zero weight regain in 2017. You can put these good habits into action right away!


Zero Weight Regain 2017

What are your long-term weight loss goals? Likely you have a positive, upbeat vision of a thin and healthy you. Bariatric surgery might be an option you are considering. Or you may have already undergone one of these weight loss procedures.

Given your dreams and all the hard work you are going through to achieve them, would it be a shock to hear: Many studies show that in the five-years following surgery, patients often gain back most or more of the weight that they had lost.

What makes it so easy to gain weight even after bariatric surgery Unfortunately, any bariatric surgery fails in the long-term when not married to a maintenance plan.

Let’s commit to zero weight regain in 2017. Are you with me? Who’s all in? Then let’s get started with some required reading. The following are good habits you can put into action right away!

Eat Healthy
The ball is down, Times Square is back to business as usual, and January 1st is bloated with stroke of midnight promises. As we close on January, the month of the year when the most traditional date for personal improvement offers itself up, it’s a good time to check the progress you are making on your resolutions. Among those promises made is the pledge to get fit by eating healthy. If you are among those who share this intention, here are 10 healthy eating resolutions to get you started!
Read, “10 Healthy Eating Resolutions.”


Build a Support Network
Patients voice concerns about the difficulty of establishing a bariatric support network. And they struggle to find the balance needed to address their personal recovery needs in the post-weight loss surgery world. Such concerns are well-founded and not unusual. But many bariatric patients meet that challenge and successfully build a viable, multi-dimensional bariatric support network. There is no reason why any person who has had weight loss surgery cannot construct a reliable and useful post-bariatric support network.
Read, “How to Build a Bariatric Support Network.”


STOP Stress Eating
Knowing what we need to do can be quickly overturned by what we want to do. Stress demands relief. Harmful and unhealthy choices are often exercised to relieve stress because they are familiar. Emotional eating can provide that relief, but it is a short-lived solution that can have the side effects of overweight or obesity. And if you have had bariatric surgery, you are setting yourself up to regain weight that you have lost.
Read, “What to Do about Emotional Eating!


Step-up to Permanent Weight Loss
So, you’ve had bariatric surgery and think never again will food be a problem. Right? Well, its not quite that simple. Bariatric surgery is a powerful tool that helps you lose weight, but it is not a cure-all. Permanent weight loss requires more than a bariatric surgery. Permanent weight loss requires that we forever change the way we feel, think, and act around food. Follow our steps to turn “bad habits” in “healthy habits.” They’ll set you on a straight course toward permanent weight loss.
Read, “10 Easy Steps to Permanent Weight Loss!”


Be Committed!
Stay on your path to weight loss. It takes dedication. So be dedicated. It takes perseverance. So persevere. The surgery is not a means to an end. It is only the beginning.

Living larger than ever,
My Bariatric Life
http://www.mybariatriclife.org

And you thought political ads were the worst?
January ushers in a completely different-- but equally irritating ad campaign—dieting and weight loss commercials.
Bariatric dietitian Elizabeth Anderson caught some TV this weekend --cheering on her New England Patriots (!!) and checked out the latest promotions for a skinnier 2017.


You've got pills, powders, exercise gadgets and diet programs, all new and improved for the fastest, easiest weight loss EVER.
Now before I launch into my diet rant, let’s clear the air about some of the exercise plan promises.
Any exercise expert worth their salt will tell you those lean bodies you see—the glistening, tanned ones, are not made by any exercise alone.
They’re realized with very strict diets and exercise.
Exercise alone just cannot yield these results.
But what I want to really vent about today is the popular diet ads.
One popular diet program I saw advertised extensively this past week boasted,

“Lose 14 pounds in two weeks!”


I can see how well-intentioned folks are attracted to this message.
It’s a no-brainer plan:

· delicious looking food (brownies! Pancakes! Pizza!)
· super-fast and significant results
· comes with the endorsement of a well-known and liked
celebrity What I’ll ask you to consider before digging out your credit card though, is all that tiny fine print at the bottom of nearly every screen of the ad.

“Typical weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week.”


That’s quite a discrepancy people.
Would you feel disappointed if you spent money on two months of prepackaged diet food and lost the ‘typical’ amount of weight—4 pounds?
I would be, since I can’t even diet for half an hour.
‘Knowledge is power’ sounds like a Power Rangers slogan but if you realize these ads are preying on your trigger points, you are going to be a lot more cautious in your purchase decisions.
I don’t want to be discouraging here. It’s natural and healthy to want to improve your health at the start of a new year.
I simply want you to do that as a savvy consumer.
One who resists ‘too good to be true’ or exaggerated promises and invests in sustainable strategies for long-term, permanent weight loss.

Starting an exercise program is easy. Staying with it — not so much. Don’t be a statistic! Twenty-five percent of people who start an exercise program quit the first week. Another 25 percent quit within the first six months.
Let’s face it, exercise is typically not on the top of our priority list and is sometimes seen as a dreaded chore. Confusion about where to start and what to do can be a little daunting. The old misconception of “no pain no gain” is not realistic anymore. If people push themselves too hard and too fast they will most likely hit a wall or even get hurt and will become discouraged.


I recommend making exercise fun again! Don’t worry about trying to get in the best workout in 30 minutes to an hour, but look at it as an activity that permeates your day and seeps into your daily activities. Even a five- or 10-minute brisk walk can help boost your energy and help you become more productive.
Recently I received my very first fitness tracker for Christmas. It is so much fun to join challenges with your friends! Being realistic, I set my goal to 8,000 steps a day, knowing that I am at my desk much of my day. I set up reminders on my fitness tracker for 10 minutes before every hour change to remind me to get up and move. Even if you don’t have a fitness tracker, have challenges with your family, kids, etc. Fun challenges might be seeing who can do the most jumping jacks, pushups or sit-ups in one minute or who can jump rope the longest.
You don’t need heavy equipment or have to join a gym to incorporate an exercise routine in your life. Just use the best piece of equipment available: you! Take the chore out of it, and have fun again! Small changes make a big impact over time. Every minute adds up throughout the day. Keep in mind that in those minutes make sure to get your heart rate slightly elevated to a point that you can take a few breaths while talking and aren’t completely winded or gasping for air; that might be too strenuous. Walk with a purpose, as if you are on a new mission to achieve a new you. Throw away the scale and focus on how you feel, and the inches will start to come off. Lifestyle change is not a quick fix to see overnight results; it takes time to build healthy habits. Slow and steady wins the race!

Bariatric Dietitian Elizabeth Anderson explains why feeling sunshiney is the perfect reason to keep visiting your local phlebotomist.


New Year, new calendar, time to enter in to your digital devices all those reminders and important events for 2017.
Birthdays, anniversaries, car inspection and for bariatric post-ops…don’t forget your LAB WORK!
I know this is one of the first things that gets forgotten in the avalanche of to-do’s in the first year after weight loss surgery.
As a bariatric dietitian, I try to make it easier for my clients by sending reminder emails and letters to them and their PCPs.
Many of my clients will say, “Elizabeth, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been; I feel great! Why waste time and co-pays on lab work?”
Short answer? It’s critically important—no matter which procedure you had done.
The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends lab work after bariatric surgery at 3 months, 6-9 months and 12 and 18 months. After that, an annual work-up is usually sufficient.
Here’s why:

Vitamins and minerals play many key roles in weight management. If you don’t get adequate amounts, you’re compromising your health and slowing down your weight loss.
Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass and BPD surgeries ALL change your metabolism. This means the digestion and absorption of nutrients, vitamins and minerals can be negatively affected.
Some nutritional deficiencies lead to severe consequences--some irreversible and at least one, fatal.
Nutritional deficiencies continue to occur after surgery—some as far as 20 years post-op.
a. Iron deficiency is most commonly seen 4+ years after surgery!
b. Dietitians in Boston, MA report that in one group of post-ops—43% were B12 deficient 15 months after surgery.
Many patients are deficient in key vitamins before surgery.
a. One study showed 48% of WLS patients had at least one nutritional deficiency before surgery! (1)
b. Another study showed more than 50% of all WLS patients are low in Vitamin D preoperatively. (2) It’s safe to say those pre-op deficiencies don’t improve with weight loss, reduced calories and smaller meals.
I send my patients to their doctors and NPs with this list of recommended labs:

ü Thiamine
ü Folate
ü Vitamin D
ü Vitamin B12
ü Vitamin B6
ü complete protein
ü complete metabolic panel (CMP)
ü complete blood count (CBC)
ü Lipid panel
ü Liver function tests
ü Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
ü Bone density test or (DXA) every 2 years. More often than I like, providers will pick and choose from the list. They too, wonder if all the tests are truly necessary.
I gently push back with the research data and thankfully, more labs are ordered.
When the labs come back, make sure your bariatric dietitian or some member of your bariatric team reviews them.
Many healthcare providers aren’t well-versed in the nutritional concerns after WLS and might miss an important trend.
I know regular labs are one more thing on the to-do list, but remember, you made a life-changing investment in yourself and your health when you had bariatric surgery.
Consider all those vials of blood just part of your insurance policy protecting that investment!
-Elizabeth Anderson MA, RDN, LD

References:
1. Ernst B et al. Obes. Surg 2009;19(1):66-73.
2. Gehrer S et al. Obes. Surg 2010;20(4):447-53.

If you’re keeping up with the news on weight loss, it’s becoming very clear that most efforts at long-term weight loss do not work. This suggests that most of the behavioral changes people attempt to make are unsustainable over the long term. We are also learning that this difficulty has much more to do with a number of biological factors and much less to do with willpower. Recent research on the resting metabolic rate and leptin levels (and other factors) of those who have lost large amounts of weight suggest that the human body fights efforts to keep weight off. It’s as if the body tries everything in its power to put the weight back on! The good news is that you can stop blaming yourself. It’s not you; it’s biology. While these facts are discouraging, it’s not necessarily a lost cause.


Perhaps the big takeaway message for those trying to lose weight AND keep it off is this: Do not make changes in your behavior that you are not prepared to maintain for the rest of your life. Notice that I’m focusing on behavior, not losing weight. Consider that you do not actually try to lose weight. You try to change certain behaviors that you believe will eventually lead to weight loss. Weight loss is the desired outcome of a number of changes in behavior, some involving what you eat, some involving how you eat, and others involving your level of activity. It is critical to keep your focus on your behavior, not the scale. That same research also indicates that the body fights efforts to keep weight off for many years after the initial weight loss…maybe even for the rest of your life. You’re going to experience hunger. You are going to have cravings. Your body is going to keep fighting. Therefore, you are going to need to keep fighting.
We also know that despite all of this new research, reducing your intake of calories and burning off more of them remain two of the pillars of weight loss success. Your strategy to lose weight and keep it off must incorporate those two factors. With all of this information in mind, you can see why it’s silly to try to discover “the best diet.” First of all, “diets” are short-term interventions that you certainly know by now will not work. Second, we illustrated that whatever behavior changes you make, you would need to keep them going for many, many years. It’s simply not possible for one set of behavior changes to work for everyone.
It really comes down to figuring out what the best strategies are for you to reduce your calorie intake and to burn off more of them for many years to come. This is something you should give a great deal of thought. I know its January, but avoid jumping on the first idea that all of your buddies are considering. Now that you have read this article (and others), you probably have a lot more information that they have. Perhaps you can share this information with your friends who also want to lose weight and you can all put your collective heads together and come up with some strategies for one another. I have some suggestions.
Consider that you do not have to get it 100% right on day one and you probably should start small and try to build a pattern of success. Try to hit singles, not home runs. For example: If you decide that cutting carbs is going to be one of your strategies, start by trying to cut your carbohydrate intake by 10% for the first few weeks and work your way up to 50% or whatever your long-term goal will be. If you start by going no-carb on day one, I can introduce you to 100’s of people that were back to carbohydrate-rich diets and total weight regain by week four. Similarly, if increasing exercise is one of your goals, consider focusing on the number of days per week that you exercise, not how many calories you burn on the treadmill. Build a pattern of success. Over the weeks, try to increase your time and make it a point to find types of exercise that you enjoy…not necessarily the ones that burn the most calories, but rather the ones you believe that you can stick with over the long-term.
Also, consider making changes in your eating behavior rather than just in your diet. In other words, focus on how you eat not just what you eat. If, for example, you consume a great deal of calories by impulsively picking at food throughout the day, a good goal would be to eat only three meals and one snack per day and to avoid eating at other times. Here are some other suggestions: always go to the supermarket with a list and avoid purchasing anything not on the list; keep fruits and vegetables out on the counter for snacking; drink more water especially if you’re not certain if you are hungry or thirsty. You get the idea.
If you think about it, you may know all of this already. If you are fortunate to know someone who has lost over 25 pounds and kept it off for many years, I would bet that this person has made some permanent, dramatic changes in his habits. He’s a vegetarian. She exercises five days a week, every week. He doesn’t eat dessert anymore. She doesn’t drink anything with sugar. In other words, she’s not on a diet and it’s not with a short-term goal weight in mind. Her approach to food, eating and activity is fundamentally and permanently changed. That’s the goal.
In summary, think long-term. All signs point to the need for a consistent, sustained battle for long-term weight loss success. Take your time and discover some small but significant modifications you can make in your diet, eating behavior and activity level and try to build on them week by week. The ultimate goal is to make changes that can last year after year. Now that’s a winning New Year’s resolution.

We've all heard it.
'Mind over matter. Want to lose weight? Try pushing back from the table more often.'
Bariatric dietitian Elizabeth Anderson explains how these and other utterly ridiculous suggestions might finally be retired in light of new research on self-control, willpower and weight.


Turns out, we aren’t that good at self-control.
The good news? Who needs it??
Researchers are discovering that teaching people to resist temptation provides either short-term gains or is just an outright failure.
“Effortful restraint, where you are fighting yourself—the benefits are overhyped,” according to Kentaro Fujita, a psychologist studying self-control at Ohio State University.
Brian Resnick from Vox.com says the implications of this are huge.
“If we accept that brute willpower doesn’t work, we can feel less bad about ourselves when we succumb to temptation. And, we might be able to refocus our efforts on solving problems like obesity.”
So what does work? Because clearly some people are managing their relationship with frosting better than me!
Fujita explains, “We tend to think of people with strong willpower as people who are able to fight this battle effectively. Actually, the people who are really good at self-control never have to fight these battles in the first place.”
Say what??
A landmark study from 2011 revealed that people who rocked self-control, those who described themselves as ‘good at resisting temptation’ reported fewer temptations throughout the course of the study.
And funnily enough, those who reported using willpower admitted they were not meeting their goals AND they were exhausted from trying!
This, I understand.
“People who are good at self-control seem to be structuring their lives in a way to avoid having to make self-control decisions in the first place, “says researcher and psychologist Brian Galla.
Galla says creating a schedule or lifestyle that makes exercise and eating healthy the easiest most routine thing to do, are the ones most likely to consistently do it.
“A trick to wake up more quickly in the morning is to set the alarm on the other side of the room. That’s not in-the-moment willpower at play, it’s planning.”
Fujita suggests ‘the really good dieter’ wouldn’t buy a cupcake because they wouldn’t have passed by the bakery in the first place. Or, they would create a negative reaction to the cupcake instead of a positive one—i.e., ‘Ick! A cupcake. What an artery-clogging, life-shortening sugar bomb.’ (I’ll let you know if this works!)
“Self-control isn’t a special moral muscle, it’s like any decision. And to improve the decision, we need to improve the environment and give people the skills needed to avoid cake in the first place,” Galla says.
Neuroscientist Elliot Berkman from the University of Oregon believes the term ‘self-control’ needs to be abolished.
“It’s really no different than any other decision making.”
Berkman is testing out a theory in his lab called ‘temptation bundling’ where people make activities more enjoyable by adding a fun component to them.
The research is still young but one study has already showed people were more likely to work out when they could listen to an audio copy The Hunger Games.
I’m personally eager to try out some of these ideas. I’d like to create an index of strategies and habits you guys use to make the ‘healthy’ thing to do, the easiest thing to do.
Please email me your ideas and I’ll compile the tips to share!

Thanksgiving didn't go exactly as planned? Are you already checking out New Year's diets?
Bariatric dietitian Elizabeth Anderson offers a more pleasant alternative that's more effective and delicious.


One of the first nurses I ever worked with told me about the Eating Season.
Spanning from the time you buy your first bag of Halloween Candy until you consume your last nacho during the Super Bowl—this puppy runs 3 full months and includes the daunting period from Thanksgiving to Christmas or Hanukkah.
The last month of the Eating Season provides both a lifeline for the overindulgent and a guilty reminder of the time-tested principle of cause and effect—courtesy of incessant ads for diets.
Is there a different way? Oh yes my friends, there is. And it allows you to fully enjoy goodies of the season without gaining weight.
Sound too good to be true? It is if you’re not willing to do some pretty close self-examination.
Are you up to the challenge?
#5 Eat Your Damn Protein
WLS post-ops, you are SICK of hearing it but if you’re living it, you know it’s vital to success. At every meal, at every snack, seek protein foods and eat them first.
Loop-hole alert: meals should be about 20-30 grams of protein and snacks at least 8 grams.
#4 No Rules or Restrictions
Following strict diet rules during the holidays actually makes perfect sense. It makes shopping easier, meal planning a breeze and decision making is a piece of cake? You’ve got enough to worry about; this is no time to be worrying about what to eat.
Problem is, it’s a short-term strategy. Rules work when you use them but they’re not sustainable long-term. That means a period of rule-following always leads to overeating.
Don’t do it.
Decide what you want to eat and after your protein, enjoy it--fully. Eat it slowly and with full attention. Stop when you’ve had enough and you’re not overfull. You’ve got limited room, so fill it with great discrimination.
Avoid the stale store-bought cookies, the picked-over cake in the breakroom and savor mom’s monkey bread with bliss.
#3 Honor Your Hunger
Don’t be skipping any meals to save calories or because you’re ‘too busy’ to eat.
You’ve got to eat something every four hours to keep your metabolism in fighting shape and your blood sugar level.
Caveman hunger does not serve you well. Your body, brain and bloodstream are all conspiring to get you to eat because it perceives a threat to your survival. Seriously! Don’t let this physiological mechanism take over. Take charge with self-care and regular eating.
#2 Speaking of Self-care
It’s impossibly busy this time of year but you’ll be one hot mess if you don’t sleep 7 plus hours a night, exercise your heart 15 minutes per day and take your vitamins.
You compromise your weight when you skip any of these vital self-care essentials.
#1 Believe Something is Different
Research exploring the thought patterns of women with obesity revealed a consistent lack of confidence in their weight maintenance skills/capacity.
You’ve seen the platitudes: ‘If you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re right.’
Buddha knew it, positive psychology researchers know it but… you doubt it?
Grab a Dr. Wayne Dyer book or Google byronkatie.com and begin to notice what you’re telling yourself and what you believe about yourself and your weight.
Once you uncover some of those self-limiting beliefs, you might find fighting off the desire to have a piece of cheesecake has more to do with avoiding Cousin Charlie than your ‘weakness’ for sweets.

Been maintaining in the low 190's for a couple of months now. Over 150 lbs lost. Hard to
believe I used to fit in those pants!

pounds gone!!
SW 252
CW 152
GW 150
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Latest....
Week before surgery

This weekend

6.5 mos out, I'm about 20-25 from goal. Still trying to decide. Down 115 ish from surgery
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am very proud of myself , but have not meet my goal yet . 248 to 206 sleeved march 2, 2016[

17 months post op.
HW 340 CW 200. NYC

Maintaining!
Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Couple of pics from 11/19/16. Had a early Thanksgiving with family and friends up in Michigan, haven't seen several of them since last year. Was definitely nice getting the compliments. Sometimes it's hard to notice the changes yourself that others can so easily see. I was actually called "tiny", which I do not ever recall having been described as. I know I have a ways to go, hoping for another 15-25lbs (least what I am working towards). I know now that at 200lbs., I am smaller than when I played ball back in high school many moons ago. Had a good weekend and it has given me a encouragement for the path towards my goal.

My mom sent me these two pictures today--one she took at the hospital the morning of surgery, and one she took today to send to my aunt (who has also lost a great deal of weight). I can't believe how big of a difference it is at 3.5 months out! When I look in the mirror I feel like I look exactly the same as I did so it's nice to have progress pictures like this. I wish I had pictures like this of my highest weight lol.
Surgery: 8/1/16
HW: 300
SW: 278
CW: 224
GW: 170
Also wearing an outfit of jeans and a sweatshirt I bought in 2013 that never actually fit haha. Still a bit poochy in these jeans but they slipped on no problem

I'm scheduled for surgery on 12/19 and I've found these posts (and the subsequent encouragement by the community) invaluable during my prep. I'm expecting to feel miserable emotionally and physically and have prepared myself and my support team (husband, family, friends, etc) to just keep telling me that feeling terrible is normal and I can get through it.
Also I know that if I have complications or just normal emotional freak outs, I can come here and the community understands and will hold my hand.
These posts are great and no one should feel bad about making them.

This is what makes these kinds of posts so dangerous sometimes. This isn't to take away from anyone who has had legitimate medical issues post-op that have nothing to do with them making poor choices. Some people will have issues, but others will not. I can tell you that I had a practically seamless surgery and recovery. I had one little infection with the incision inside of my belly button. I took antibiotics for a week and it cleared right up. Other than that, everything has been routine.
I encourage you to think about the facts. Eating and drinking, as you have known them, will change forever; you will have to follow the guidelines of your plan to be healthy and successful; any positive change in your life requires sacrifice, perseverance, and grit. If you are willing to rise to the challenge, you should be fine.
Please don't let anyone's particular experience derail you from what could be a life-changing experience for YOU.
Good luck.

Sounds like a Perfect Storm of a lack of Hydration, Nutrition, Vitamins, Proteins, Hormone changes, and a Surgery Team with all the bedside manor of a falling safe. That is NOT a judgement, but a statement of empathy and caution.
After surgery, it is vital that we are aware of our nutrient and Water intake for each day. A LOT has changed, and we have to re-learn how to feed ourselves. We also depend on our Surgeon and Nutritionist teams to give us the guidance, direction, and corrections that are needed to help with our successful journey. Support groups are also extremely helpful.
I also realize that none of this means much when you are neck deep in trying to recover from a string of ineptitude that would drive ANYONE crazy. Another idea would be to go back to your Gastroenterologist for a post-op look at your Upper GI tract. He or she may give you the answers you need and a plan for going forward. When they ask you why you are not talking with your Bariatric team, be blunt - "because they have shown themselves to be INCOMPETENT" and you NEED ANSWERS.
Remember that the Doctors work for you, not the other way around! Take charge of the situation by changing your direction. Prayerfully, this, in combination with other suggestions, will get you on track and healthy again. We are ALL here for your success!

My Dr gave me some really good anti-nausea medication that melts on your tongue. This is my second time through this (had to get my sleeve revised) and the first time I had very similar issues. The way I got over this hump was those meds and lots of popsicles and water ice. The cold soothed my stomach and the sugar helped my mood. I lived off that and protein drinks for the first few weeks and it really did help me transition. Please know that your frustration is warranted. It's frustrating but worth the work. Keep us posted! We're rooting for you! Now go get some popsicles and put on a good movie!!

I'm going to give you 2 pieces of very concrete advice.
First, you can't lay in bed and cry, you HAVE to figure out how to get some nourishment into your body. You feel awful, of course, but you're only going to feel MORE awful if you don't get something in to keep your electrolytes up. I have problems with my potassium levels, it started while I was in the hospital post-op and I still have to be careful. Milk is a good source of potassium, and Fairlife milk has good Protein, too, plus it helps replenish the Calcium you lose when your potassium is low.
broth with protein powder is a MUST for you right now, and you should use the Fairlife milk and add protein to it as well. And you need to get your Water in, whether you're nauseated or not.
Second, if your medical team won't respond to you, you need to find someone new. Period. Call around and find someone who will take you. Tell your current team that you're leaving if they don't take your care seriously. You need carefully coordinated care right now and speaking only to a PA who can't be bothered to pull your chart before calling you back isn't competent care. Go to the ER again if you have to and tell them your practice won't take you seriously. It's absolutely critical that you're under the care of a team who understands the complications that follow bariatric surgery and if your original surgeon won't provide care, you HAVE to find someone else.
I'm sorry you're feeling so awful and I hope this isn't worded too strongly for you, but you're sick and feeling hopeless and you MUST do something to help yourself. Get some broth and protein in your stomach, drink water and make phone calls on Monday. It WILL get better!

My weight loss journey began in November 2014. This has been a wonderful journey. I have watched my body change from being morbid obese to seeing the true contour of my body. Here are some pictures of my amazing results. I have loss 108 pounds so far and have about 34 more to go. Life is truly wonderful on the losers bench and I am enjoying everyday even more.

Half of me gone as of today!
Dec 2014 HW 298
SW June 2015 257
CW 148
Size 26 to now size 8

I love seeing everyone's pictures! I have hit my goal size (size 8) but still have 3-5lbs to lose.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A year ago I never could have begun to hope that I would be where I am today. Feeling so very grateful! (VSG 11/17/15)