Meryline

Finally time for my 6 months before and after pictures.
I have lost over 90 lbs.
A week ago I completed a Nordic Walking half marathon.
I have prevented a second back surgery, and life is pretty good.
I have under 15 lbs until I have a normal BMI. I started at 42.

My suggestion is to take a step back, and kind of start from scratch. You don't have to jog, go for a walk. You don't have to do 40min, start with 15. If you do 15min 3 times a day, you are doing 45. And then slowly increase as your get stronger.
You say you eat healthy. For a whole week, write down everything, and I mean everything, you eat, even if it's just gum. Eat as you have, don't make any changes. Then look at it and see what you can eliminate, one thing at the time.
You don't have to do everything at once.
Also, before you get approved for the surgery, you'll have to go through a whole lot of test which will determine if your body can handle the surgery. Also, you can withdraw up until they put you under.
If you are considering this, maybe start the process and see how it goes. If your insurance requires 6 months supervised diet, then the only way around it is self pay really.

Dang! You look so great. Congrats on your inspirational success. So glad you've been able to go without a second surgery!

Thank you for sharing. Except for height, our pre-op stats and body shape are similar. I can't wait to look as great as you do!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using BariatricPal mobile app

Before 298lbs. After 225lbs and I almost have abs.

Today I had an "ah-ha" moment. It took 4 years, but I think I get it! It was triggered by this before photo popping up in my Facebook memories from 5 years ago, (coupled with my most recent post-op photo taken last week, down 120 pounds since surgery in 2013). (attached below)
....And then reading the following quote on a friend's post:
"Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything that isn't you so you can be who you were in the first place."
I've struggled for years since losing the weight after surgery with questions of "is this the 'real' me, or am I just pretending and the 'real' 'fat' me will resurface sooner or later?" "Can people really change long-term?" It felt like the obese, sad, self-hating "me" was a monster waiting just below the surface to re-emerge. Give enough time and the right circumstances, the "real me" monster will rear it's head and I'll find myself back at nearly 300 pounds.
Guys! I get it now! It's not about change. It's not about the "sticking power" of change. It's not about willpower or determination. It's not even about counting carbs, Protein, calories, and ounces of Water. Sure those are tools that help. But it's not about that.
It's about doing the hard emotional work to figure out why I was hiding myself behind 150 excess pounds. It was about allowing myself to have a voice and using it. It was about demanding self-respect and respect from others. It was about leaving behind, painfully as it was in some cases, the toxic people in my life who emotionally damaged me. It was about processing the feelings that I didn't allow myself to feel for 18 years.
Once I realized this, once I did this work, I could little by little shed the layers that hid who I was. I don't hate myself anymore. I'm not even angry at myself for letting myself get to be 300 pounds like I was when my journey started. I realize now that I was coping. I was doing the best I knew how to do at the time. I look at that person in the "before" picture below and I feel compassion because I know she did her best.
I'm able now to let go the "fear" - and trust me, it's a literal fear - of that "real me" monster re-emerging from just below the surface. I can let it go because I realize, this is the real me. It was actually opposite. It was all the hiding I was doing under the emotional eating and the 150 excess pounds that was hiding the "real me."
So I have to on some level disagree with those who say this is a process of change. Sure, you have to change your behavioral choices with food and exercise or none of this will work. But for me it was not "becoming a new person" or "changing" who I am as a person. For me it was about simply allowing myself to feel and allowing myself to return home to who I was before I was hurt and who the universe intends me to be.
Feel free to check out my blog linked in my signature for more of my journey!

Guys I did it! 15 months out and I have finally reached and surpassed my goal weight of 140LBS!
You guys have no idea how proud of myself I am!
Don’t give up guys! Keep pushing! I am here for all of you ️ 

Gahhhh! Beyond excited and proud of myself !

Wow! That's great on all fronts. You look fantastic AND you are healthy! Way to go!

Not only do you look fantastic, but sounds like you feel great too! Lean, strong, healthy and happy! YAY for you! :-) Don't stop what your doing...it's working !

Good job!!! Congrats!!!

Congratulations.

Inspirational!

Wow totes beautiful, well done. And gorgeous dresses!

Wow you look great! Congrats!

So I had my 6 months check up at the hospital on Thursday, 1 day before 7 months.
I saw my surgeon who could not be more thrilled with me. I have lost 82% of my excess weight. (which is a little strange as I have lost 91% of what will give me a normal BMI) They don't want me to loose too much more weight as I'll start to look sickly. They don't think I'll need any plastics, as I don't have an over hang and my blood results are great (the doctor at my support group will probably disagree. All my values are within range, but some are in the lower end, and since she is a specialist on supplements for bariatrics, she prefers us in the upper range). They also have a score that they calculate, that I don't remember, but it was very high, and she called me a success case. I don't go back until my 1 year check up. (I'll just have blood drawn in 3 months and show my support group doctor)
They were actually fully booked for the BIA test, but the surgeon wanted med to have one, so she called and asked if they could fit me in, and they could. They are done by the nutritionist.
She was also very impressed when she saw me, and after the test she could not be happier. I have the values for all 3 tests (1 month pre op, 6 weeks post op and 7 months post op) I managed to gain another 4 lbs before starting my pre op diet, so it wasn't at my very highest.
The only negative thing was my phase angle. It has dropped. It's a measurement that shows how well your muscles are getting nutrition. That along with my total Protein (from the blood test) she wants me to eat more, and get more protein. Other than that, everything was great and she was so impressed, especially how much muscles I still have. All the working out and walking has helped tremendously.
I have included pictures from about 6 months and 7 months post up. It's only like 5 lbs between the pictures, but I see several changes.

So I had my 6 months check up at the hospital on Thursday, 1 day before 7 months.
I saw my surgeon who could not be more thrilled with me. I have lost 82% of my excess weight. (which is a little strange as I have lost 91% of what will give me a normal BMI) They don't want me to loose too much more weight as I'll start to look sickly. They don't think I'll need any plastics, as I don't have an over hang and my blood results are great (the doctor at my support group will probably disagree. All my values are within range, but some are in the lower end, and since she is a specialist on supplements for bariatrics, she prefers us in the upper range). They also have a score that they calculate, that I don't remember, but it was very high, and she called me a success case. I don't go back until my 1 year check up. (I'll just have blood drawn in 3 months and show my support group doctor)
They were actually fully booked for the BIA test, but the surgeon wanted med to have one, so she called and asked if they could fit me in, and they could. They are done by the nutritionist.
She was also very impressed when she saw me, and after the test she could not be happier. I have the values for all 3 tests (1 month pre op, 6 weeks post op and 7 months post op) I managed to gain another 4 lbs before starting my pre op diet, so it wasn't at my very highest.
The only negative thing was my phase angle. It has dropped. It's a measurement that shows how well your muscles are getting nutrition. That along with my total Protein (from the blood test) she wants me to eat more, and get more protein. Other than that, everything was great and she was so impressed, especially how much muscles I still have. All the working out and walking has helped tremendously.
I have included pictures from about 6 months and 7 months post up. It's only like 5 lbs between the pictures, but I see several changes.

So I had my 6 months check up at the hospital on Thursday, 1 day before 7 months.
I saw my surgeon who could not be more thrilled with me. I have lost 82% of my excess weight. (which is a little strange as I have lost 91% of what will give me a normal BMI) They don't want me to loose too much more weight as I'll start to look sickly. They don't think I'll need any plastics, as I don't have an over hang and my blood results are great (the doctor at my support group will probably disagree. All my values are within range, but some are in the lower end, and since she is a specialist on supplements for bariatrics, she prefers us in the upper range). They also have a score that they calculate, that I don't remember, but it was very high, and she called me a success case. I don't go back until my 1 year check up. (I'll just have blood drawn in 3 months and show my support group doctor)
They were actually fully booked for the BIA test, but the surgeon wanted med to have one, so she called and asked if they could fit me in, and they could. They are done by the nutritionist.
She was also very impressed when she saw me, and after the test she could not be happier. I have the values for all 3 tests (1 month pre op, 6 weeks post op and 7 months post op) I managed to gain another 4 lbs before starting my pre op diet, so it wasn't at my very highest.
The only negative thing was my phase angle. It has dropped. It's a measurement that shows how well your muscles are getting nutrition. That along with my total Protein (from the blood test) she wants me to eat more, and get more protein. Other than that, everything was great and she was so impressed, especially how much muscles I still have. All the working out and walking has helped tremendously.
I have included pictures from about 6 months and 7 months post up. It's only like 5 lbs between the pictures, but I see several changes.

I had a really interesting 6 month post opp (1 month delayed) on Thursday @Berry78. I should make a post about it. And yes, I am close to goal, under 10 lbs, although my surgeon told me to not loose too much more.

LOL this made me laugh. I try. I have days where it's nothing like this, but most weekdays are. And I meal prep because I'm lazy to do a lot of cooking during the week, it's usually only the last warm meal I cook fresh, the rest is pre made.
Of course, it's interesting and fun to see what people are eating.

Congrats on the loss and being so close to goal. Sorry you're having issues with your body metabolizing enough protein! Hope your new intake helps meet your needs.
I will say, your menu sounds like my NUTS wet dream. It's beautiful and sounds so yummy. I want to scream at you right now, "Get in mah belleh!!!!!"

Thanks for playing and sharing!

I had a really interesting 6 month post opp (1 month delayed) on Thursday @Berry78. I should make a post about it. And yes, I am close to goal, under 10 lbs, although my surgeon told me to not loose too much more.

Makes sense to increase since you are very close to goal and exercise so much. You're doing great!

Let's see. I'm 7 months post op, my NUT want me on more food because my latest BIA test also showed that my muscles are not getting enough nutrition and latest blood test shows my total Protein is dipping. Since 6 weeks post op I have gotten all my protein from food (mostly high protein yogurt), but I now have to add in a shake a day to get enough. I get around 100g from food.
Today looks like this
Meal 1 - oatmeal with flax seeds and pumpkin seeds around forgot that add that I have high protein yogurt in it as well. 15g and I a Iced Latte I'll get 22g
Meal 2 - chicken in Fajitas sauce and and 10g of dry Pasta 27g (4-5oz)
Meal 3 - Stew with lean meat, potatoes and carrots 18g (5oz)
Meal 4 - Because I'm lazy, another stew 18g (5oz)
Meal 5 - 125g of salmon and 50g of brussel sprouts 27.5
Meal 6 - Shake
Without the shake I'm at 116g of protein, 43g of fat and 57g of carbs of a total of 1084 kcal. My nut wants me closer to 1400-1500 kcal. If I add the shake I'll get 141 protein, 46 fat and 64 carbs of a total of 1249 kcal.
I meal prep so I know how much each portion has of everything.

Let's see. I'm 7 months post op, my NUT want me on more food because my latest BIA test also showed that my muscles are not getting enough nutrition and latest blood test shows my total Protein is dipping. Since 6 weeks post op I have gotten all my protein from food (mostly high protein yogurt), but I now have to add in a shake a day to get enough. I get around 100g from food.
Today looks like this
Meal 1 - oatmeal with flax seeds and pumpkin seeds around forgot that add that I have high protein yogurt in it as well. 15g and I a Iced Latte I'll get 22g
Meal 2 - chicken in Fajitas sauce and and 10g of dry Pasta 27g (4-5oz)
Meal 3 - Stew with lean meat, potatoes and carrots 18g (5oz)
Meal 4 - Because I'm lazy, another stew 18g (5oz)
Meal 5 - 125g of salmon and 50g of brussel sprouts 27.5
Meal 6 - Shake
Without the shake I'm at 116g of protein, 43g of fat and 57g of carbs of a total of 1084 kcal. My nut wants me closer to 1400-1500 kcal. If I add the shake I'll get 141 protein, 46 fat and 64 carbs of a total of 1249 kcal.
I meal prep so I know how much each portion has of everything.