mamamc32

You're much nicer than me. I would probably have made a snarky comment to the "you were so big!" comment. She sounds like a jerk!!
I tell people I had surgery, and I don't care how they react. I actually put it on my FB and included the line, "There's no shame in my game."

I take my lunch to work every day. Today, I am having a tuna Creations packet, two light mini babybel, and a couple of mandarins. I take leftovers from dinner quite a bit, but I also like to make salads with taco meat, chicken, or turkey. P3's are a little pricey, but they are easy to grab and take for lunch, too.

It depends on your plan. My plan allows for healthy carbs, but some discourage them.

I haven't made oatmeal for a long time, but I used to like to make overnight oats. Now that you mentioned oatmeal, I am going to have to make some soon!!

It depends on your plan. My plan allows for healthy carbs, but some discourage them.

I don't think I ever had any major issues with food. I became obese because I neglected my health for too long. First, I worked my way through school. I wasn't getting enough rest or taking time for myself, so I ate too much to compensate. Then I had my first child. Then my mom got sick, and during that same time period I had twins. Shortly after my mom passed away, I got sick and nearly died. Afterwards, I had PTSD.
Ultimately, eating too much is what made me overweight, but there were a lot of external factors/lifestyle issues that contributed. I know those things happen, and my long-term promise to myself is that I will not allow my health to suffer because I am focused on other things. I have to make it a priority - no matter what else life throws at me.

I take my lunch to work every day. Today, I am having a tuna Creations packet, two light mini babybel, and a couple of mandarins. I take leftovers from dinner quite a bit, but I also like to make salads with taco meat, chicken, or turkey. P3's are a little pricey, but they are easy to grab and take for lunch, too.

I've been married for 15 years . . . and there is absolutely no way my husband would refuse to talk to me about something important to me. That would be a HUGE issue in my house. I think you should address that first.
Ultimately, it's your body and your decision. I know it's a lot harder without support, but if this is something you really want, you may just have to do it. Maybe he doesn't fully understand the health risks at your current BMI? If that's the case, make sure he does. It's not a question of "if" you're going to have health issues - it's really a "when."
I know it's not exactly the same thing, but my husband was not supportive when I first wanted to go back to school. He thought I was going to be wasting money and I wouldn't follow through (in fairness, I was young and a little flaky then). When I got my bachelor's degree, I got to say "told you so." When I got my master's, I got to say "SUCK IT, DH." So . . . I do understand that it's hard to make a decision without your husband's support, but I also know it can be done!

I had mild pain after surgery. It was kind of a "pulled muscle" feeling for about a week. After that, I was fine! I'm 5 months out now, and I feel pretty normal. Sometimes eating isn't much fun because I get uncomfortably full after a few bites, but that's the purpose of surgery! It hasn't been bad at all!

I've been married for 15 years . . . and there is absolutely no way my husband would refuse to talk to me about something important to me. That would be a HUGE issue in my house. I think you should address that first.
Ultimately, it's your body and your decision. I know it's a lot harder without support, but if this is something you really want, you may just have to do it. Maybe he doesn't fully understand the health risks at your current BMI? If that's the case, make sure he does. It's not a question of "if" you're going to have health issues - it's really a "when."
I know it's not exactly the same thing, but my husband was not supportive when I first wanted to go back to school. He thought I was going to be wasting money and I wouldn't follow through (in fairness, I was young and a little flaky then). When I got my bachelor's degree, I got to say "told you so." When I got my master's, I got to say "SUCK IT, DH." So . . . I do understand that it's hard to make a decision without your husband's support, but I also know it can be done!

I was cleared to start exercising 6 weeks after surgery. I was allowed to walk right after surgery, though.
Make sure you ask your doc about weight training. My doc actually encourages it because it helps you maintain/gain muscle mass. When you lose large amounts of weight quickly, your body will actually consume muscle. Less muscle = slower metabolism.
I'm not an expert, but I'd definitely run that by your doc!

I think the high protein/low carb diet is necessary shortly after surgery because you just can't eat that much, and you have to keep your Protein up for healing and to maintain your muscle mass. I know that as I am getting further out, though, my NUT is encouraging me to keep adding fruits, veggies, and complex carbs.
I'm intending to do a more balanced diet of lean Proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains for long-term. I am already eating that way now, and my NUT is happy with my diet and my progress.
I'm a heart patient, so I always have heart health on my mind, too!

I had mild pain after surgery. It was kind of a "pulled muscle" feeling for about a week. After that, I was fine! I'm 5 months out now, and I feel pretty normal. Sometimes eating isn't much fun because I get uncomfortably full after a few bites, but that's the purpose of surgery! It hasn't been bad at all!

Thank you all for your input! This forum has been a source of inspiration and support for me.

As for my husband, I dropped the subject of WLS surgery temporarily so that we could enjoy Valentine’s Day and his birthday this past weekend without conflict. We have both put in a lot of work on our marriage in the past few years, and I’m not willing to throw all of that away. I have decided to write him a letter outlining how important this is to me and the reasons I want to do it. I sometimes have a difficult time articulating my point when we’re in a heated discussion. I have also discussed this issue with our best friends who are a couple that we spend a lot of time with. They are excited for me, and are prepared to back me up and help him see that he’s being selfish by withholding his support on this. If he’s still not on board by the time of my appointment with the surgeon in March, I may schedule an appointment with our pastor who is a licensed counselor that my husband has the utmost respect for.

I’m feeling hopeful again about the possibility of changing my life for the better! [emoji4]

I'm definitely not skinny, but I think men do treat me differently now. More of them seem to talk to me, smile at me, etc. I also get FB friend requests from rando guys on FB when I put my picture in my profile now. It's weird.
Women who know me seem to treat me about the same, but strangers are nicer. I think that's weird, too!

I haven't had any major complications, but there are definitely mental aspects to post-surgery life that I didn't really think about.
First, you can't overeat - even if you have the worst day ever, you can't turn to food for comfort. Is that a con? Not really, but it does mean you have to find new ways to deal with your issues. Prepare yourself.
Second, there are times that you are going to be pissed off that you can't eat what others are eating or as much as they are eating. I didn't expect that at all. You just have to change your way of thinking!
You can't take a break from your new lifestyle. You will get sick and/or potentially cause harm to yourself if you don't follow your diet guidelines. This is 100% commitment for the rest of your life. I'm not saying you'll never eat normal foods, but you have to be committed to eating nutritious foods in the right quantities. Make sure you are ready for that before you take the plunge.
I didn't have any major food issues before surgery . . . I just neglected myself for too long, which led to my weight gain. That being said, the mental aspects have still affected me from time to time. They are all manageable, but I definitely think this is more of a head game than people realize before surgery.
Good luck with your decision! Even with all of the above, I do NOT regret my decision. I feel better than I have felt in years, and I'm really happy I went through with my surgery!!

I've been married for 15 years . . . and there is absolutely no way my husband would refuse to talk to me about something important to me. That would be a HUGE issue in my house. I think you should address that first.
Ultimately, it's your body and your decision. I know it's a lot harder without support, but if this is something you really want, you may just have to do it. Maybe he doesn't fully understand the health risks at your current BMI? If that's the case, make sure he does. It's not a question of "if" you're going to have health issues - it's really a "when."
I know it's not exactly the same thing, but my husband was not supportive when I first wanted to go back to school. He thought I was going to be wasting money and I wouldn't follow through (in fairness, I was young and a little flaky then). When I got my bachelor's degree, I got to say "told you so." When I got my master's, I got to say "SUCK IT, DH." So . . . I do understand that it's hard to make a decision without your husband's support, but I also know it can be done!

I haven't had any major complications, but there are definitely mental aspects to post-surgery life that I didn't really think about.
First, you can't overeat - even if you have the worst day ever, you can't turn to food for comfort. Is that a con? Not really, but it does mean you have to find new ways to deal with your issues. Prepare yourself.
Second, there are times that you are going to be pissed off that you can't eat what others are eating or as much as they are eating. I didn't expect that at all. You just have to change your way of thinking!
You can't take a break from your new lifestyle. You will get sick and/or potentially cause harm to yourself if you don't follow your diet guidelines. This is 100% commitment for the rest of your life. I'm not saying you'll never eat normal foods, but you have to be committed to eating nutritious foods in the right quantities. Make sure you are ready for that before you take the plunge.
I didn't have any major food issues before surgery . . . I just neglected myself for too long, which led to my weight gain. That being said, the mental aspects have still affected me from time to time. They are all manageable, but I definitely think this is more of a head game than people realize before surgery.
Good luck with your decision! Even with all of the above, I do NOT regret my decision. I feel better than I have felt in years, and I'm really happy I went through with my surgery!!

I haven't had any major complications, but there are definitely mental aspects to post-surgery life that I didn't really think about.
First, you can't overeat - even if you have the worst day ever, you can't turn to food for comfort. Is that a con? Not really, but it does mean you have to find new ways to deal with your issues. Prepare yourself.
Second, there are times that you are going to be pissed off that you can't eat what others are eating or as much as they are eating. I didn't expect that at all. You just have to change your way of thinking!
You can't take a break from your new lifestyle. You will get sick and/or potentially cause harm to yourself if you don't follow your diet guidelines. This is 100% commitment for the rest of your life. I'm not saying you'll never eat normal foods, but you have to be committed to eating nutritious foods in the right quantities. Make sure you are ready for that before you take the plunge.
I didn't have any major food issues before surgery . . . I just neglected myself for too long, which led to my weight gain. That being said, the mental aspects have still affected me from time to time. They are all manageable, but I definitely think this is more of a head game than people realize before surgery.
Good luck with your decision! Even with all of the above, I do NOT regret my decision. I feel better than I have felt in years, and I'm really happy I went through with my surgery!!

I don't do this, and I never will. If you're not far enough out that you should be eating those foods, you should really just go without. It's a short phase, and you can get through it! If you are far enough out to eat them, either eat a bite or go without. This seems like a really bad habit to get into.

I haven't had any major complications, but there are definitely mental aspects to post-surgery life that I didn't really think about.
First, you can't overeat - even if you have the worst day ever, you can't turn to food for comfort. Is that a con? Not really, but it does mean you have to find new ways to deal with your issues. Prepare yourself.
Second, there are times that you are going to be pissed off that you can't eat what others are eating or as much as they are eating. I didn't expect that at all. You just have to change your way of thinking!
You can't take a break from your new lifestyle. You will get sick and/or potentially cause harm to yourself if you don't follow your diet guidelines. This is 100% commitment for the rest of your life. I'm not saying you'll never eat normal foods, but you have to be committed to eating nutritious foods in the right quantities. Make sure you are ready for that before you take the plunge.
I didn't have any major food issues before surgery . . . I just neglected myself for too long, which led to my weight gain. That being said, the mental aspects have still affected me from time to time. They are all manageable, but I definitely think this is more of a head game than people realize before surgery.
Good luck with your decision! Even with all of the above, I do NOT regret my decision. I feel better than I have felt in years, and I'm really happy I went through with my surgery!!

I've been pretty lucky. The only things that have been difficult for me to eat are chicken, shrimp, and regular bread. I still eat chicken and shrimp regularly, but they fill me up extremely fast and give me that overly full, gross feeling. Steak and tuna are actually way easier for me to eat. Bread just sits like a rock, so I don't like to eat it. pizza is like that, too.
Fruits, veggies, and dairy seem to be fine for me.

It sounds like you are doing awesome!! I'm not sure that 205 is a reasonable goal . . . most people (even ones who start heavier than you) seem to lose 20 - 30 lbs the first month. If you are following your eating plan and getting your exercise, you're golden. I wouldn't stress about the numbers - they will follow!

It sounds like you are doing awesome!! I'm not sure that 205 is a reasonable goal . . . most people (even ones who start heavier than you) seem to lose 20 - 30 lbs the first month. If you are following your eating plan and getting your exercise, you're golden. I wouldn't stress about the numbers - they will follow!

My butt has totally disappeared . . . I still have my tummy to work on, but my legs and butt have gotten significantly thinner. It's the weirdest thing. Sadly, I'm apple-shaped, so I really NEED my tummy to slim down. I'm hoping that it will eventually catch up!