DropWt4Life

People will definitely notice, and many will comment and ask questions. Eventually, it dies down, and things get more back to normal. I still get comments from time to time, and every long once in a while, someone will tell me to stop losing weight. I just smile, and go on about my day.
On a good note, my health insurance company gave me $700 yesterday for losing the weight, and staying active last year. What a wonderful surprise! It was announced in an insurance renewal meeting, and a few comments were made, but positive ones, which is all good.

Whether or not you end up having loose skin, it is a good idea to hire a trainer to show you how to workout. I think that genes and age are the main drivers of skin elasticity. You appear to be young, so that is good. I will say that the amount of weight lost definitely plays a role.
If you meet goal and lose over 2/3's of your body weight, you should have loose skin no matter what. I don't think weight training is going to help with that, because you just can't bulk up that much. You might feel better about yourself nonetheless.
Besides, you are doing this for health. Everyone focuses on the vanity aspect of it. Take care of yourself, do everything that you can to drop the weight, add in weight training to tone where you can, and then......If you need some nipping, tucking or lifting....Get it.
Life is too short to not live it to the fullest!
Oh yeah, I wouldn't tell my personal trainer that I was having surgery unless you just want to. You might only be working with him for a few weeks anyway, and it really is none of his business. Also, no matter how hard you work after surgery, he is going to remember you as the lady that had surgery, not the lady that has put in work to reach her goals.
Just my 2 cents.

I haven't told anybody at work, because I felt that it was just none of their business. They know that I've always lived in the gym before surgery, so I just told them that I am not eating crap like I did before, and eating way smaller portions. All true. They saw me eat at our Thanksgiving luncheon, and asked if I was going to eat more. I told them that I didn't want to load up on carbs and sugar, so I'm just eating a little. Also true. Everyone has definitely noticed my weight loss, but I don't care.
I can eat anything I want now. I can eat around my sleeve. It won't stop me from drinking soda, eating Cookies, popcorn, chips, bread or tortillas. If I indulged in these things every day, I would most probably re-gain a lot of weight.
It is becoming more about food choices for me. As I eat a celery stick with a teaspoon of organic fresh ground Peanut Butter while my co-workers are having their morning donut, they can just look at me as a person determined to be healthy instead of a wls patient that took the easy way out.
As an aside, a manager at my work had gb a few years ago, and regained a lot of weight back. Everyone watches every single thing that she puts in her mouth, and criticizes her behind her back. However, they don't criticize their other co-workers that are eating what she is eating even though they are eating more of it. Just an example of the double standard that can occur when everybody knows your business.
Just my two-cents.

I think that the important thing to remember is that everyone is different. Just like there are those super thin people that can eat anything and not gain weight, there are people whose bodies respond better to these surgeries than others. People of the same weight and height also have different body compositions. We simply cannot compare our amount of weight loss to anybody else's.
The attached pic is the same lady....Size 16 to a size 10....182 pounds vs. 181 pounds. The pic on the right has tons more muscle then the one on the left. My guess is that the lady on the left could lose 15 pounds faster than the one on the right, because she has way more fat to lose. If you didn't see this side-by-side, you would probably think both were the same size as they are the same height and almost the same weight. If the one on the right complained that she lost only 5 pounds in 3 weeks while the one on the left lost 15 pounds, you wouldn't have an answer as to why this was the case. By seeing the pictures, you can draw the correlation.
Please don't get discouraged by others' success in relation to your own. All you can do is your best, right? Take one step at a time and one day at a time. As long as you don't give up, you can't lose in the end.
Good luck my friends!

Man, that dude is sad. He really doesn't have your back. How can someone who loves you actually talk like that? Easy way out....You know what is the easy way out?
Having a friggin metabolism that allows you to stay thin while eating burgers, fries, pizza, candy, etc.
Never having to look at the scale and decide, I'm only going to have Water instead of the friggin beer that everyone else will be drinking at the party.
As a matter of fact, the easy way out would be to say, "f** it! I don't care about my health. I don't care about my looks. I am just going to eat what I want, and drink what I want, and everyone can just Kiss My a**!"
Tell him that the next time he wants to be intimate, you already took the easy way out, and took care of yourself. Then tell him to do the same.
I'm a guy, and probably breaking man code, but damn!

Many different surgeons have many different plans for their patients. This is primarily because they see different scenarios play out with their patients. What I don't understand is why they don't ALL err on the side of caution. Case in point...Liquid diets. Veggies and Protein during this phase is not liquid, but it is allowed on some plans. I have recently replied to posters that were allowed to eat meat on day 3 post-op. That is crazy to me. Why not require a set of standards that apply to everyone? They can have substitutions for say those that are lactose intolerant, have a heart condition, etc.
It is sometimes hard to tell people to follow their doctors' guidelines when they are told to eat meat a few days after surgery or that they should take weight loss pills (Phentermine) before and after surgery. Just Sayin'.

Dr. Illan is an excellent choice. Inexpensive, but the best part is you will be completely taken care of. I went with him, because I couldn't find any past patients that had experienced major complications. It was a great decision. I spent two nights in the hospital, and 1 night in a nice hotel along with a companion. All was included. I was even visited at the hotel by a doctor the night before I left home. It was safe, and honestly I have never received better care in the states. I didn't ever have to ask for pain killers, nausea medicines or anything else, because the nurses were in my room to add the medications to my IV every few hours. I would go back in a heartbeat if I needed to. Do your due diligence, but just know you will definitely be in great hands if you go with Dr. Illan.

What I want to know is....Where can I get one of those plates?

I think that the important thing to remember is that everyone is different. Just like there are those super thin people that can eat anything and not gain weight, there are people whose bodies respond better to these surgeries than others. People of the same weight and height also have different body compositions. We simply cannot compare our amount of weight loss to anybody else's.
The attached pic is the same lady....Size 16 to a size 10....182 pounds vs. 181 pounds. The pic on the right has tons more muscle then the one on the left. My guess is that the lady on the left could lose 15 pounds faster than the one on the right, because she has way more fat to lose. If you didn't see this side-by-side, you would probably think both were the same size as they are the same height and almost the same weight. If the one on the right complained that she lost only 5 pounds in 3 weeks while the one on the left lost 15 pounds, you wouldn't have an answer as to why this was the case. By seeing the pictures, you can draw the correlation.
Please don't get discouraged by others' success in relation to your own. All you can do is your best, right? Take one step at a time and one day at a time. As long as you don't give up, you can't lose in the end.
Good luck my friends!

Lacecute, stalls happen, and it sucks big time. I will say, though that you aren't eating nearly enough to jumpstart your weightloss. Your body is probably holding on to each morsel you eat, because you are in starvation mode. I had my surgery a week before you, and I eat a lot more than that. You should be eating 800 calories per day at the very least. What you listed totals about 400 calories.
Start following your program. Everything is ok with the exception of the chips of course. Eat something every 2-3 hours. Focus on Protein (more), healthy fats (you've got them), and get some Fiber in. You are going to be malnourished and constipated like crazy if you keep eating like that. You need to actually eat something at this point. Some lean protein and vegetables for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. A Premier Protein shake for 1 of your Snacks if you are still lacking in protein. Have the cashews or some fruit (berries) for another snack. If you are still under, add a small salad to finish off your day.
This is what I ate yesterday.....
Breakfast: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup of spinach, 1veggie sausage (116 cals, 3g fat, 2g Net Carbs, 16g Protein)
AM Snack: 1 Premier Protein Shake (160 cals, 3g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 30g Protein)
Lunch: kale salad with cubed turkey (195 cals, 15g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 12g Protein)
Early PM Snack: 1 oz. raw almonds (160 cals, 14g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 6g Protein)
Dinner: 3 oz. grilled salmon with 1/4 cup chopped broccoli (185 cals, 11g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 19g Protein)
PM Snack: 2 celery sticks with 2 triangles of laughing cow cheese (85 cals, 3g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 4g Protein)
Macros: 901 calories, 49g fat, 11g Net Carbs, 87g Protein
Oh, and stop stressing also. That causes your body to hold on to fat. Cortisol is increased with stress.

Lacecute, stalls happen, and it sucks big time. I will say, though that you aren't eating nearly enough to jumpstart your weightloss. Your body is probably holding on to each morsel you eat, because you are in starvation mode. I had my surgery a week before you, and I eat a lot more than that. You should be eating 800 calories per day at the very least. What you listed totals about 400 calories.
Start following your program. Everything is ok with the exception of the chips of course. Eat something every 2-3 hours. Focus on Protein (more), healthy fats (you've got them), and get some Fiber in. You are going to be malnourished and constipated like crazy if you keep eating like that. You need to actually eat something at this point. Some lean protein and vegetables for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. A Premier Protein shake for 1 of your Snacks if you are still lacking in protein. Have the cashews or some fruit (berries) for another snack. If you are still under, add a small salad to finish off your day.
This is what I ate yesterday.....
Breakfast: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup of spinach, 1veggie sausage (116 cals, 3g fat, 2g Net Carbs, 16g Protein)
AM Snack: 1 Premier Protein Shake (160 cals, 3g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 30g Protein)
Lunch: kale salad with cubed turkey (195 cals, 15g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 12g Protein)
Early PM Snack: 1 oz. raw almonds (160 cals, 14g fat, 3g Net Carbs, 6g Protein)
Dinner: 3 oz. grilled salmon with 1/4 cup chopped broccoli (185 cals, 11g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 19g Protein)
PM Snack: 2 celery sticks with 2 triangles of laughing cow cheese (85 cals, 3g fat, 1g Net Carbs, 4g Protein)
Macros: 901 calories, 49g fat, 11g Net Carbs, 87g Protein
Oh, and stop stressing also. That causes your body to hold on to fat. Cortisol is increased with stress.

I am officially three months out as of yesterday, 11/7/2017. I feel great. I never thought that I would realize this rate of success so quickly. May of this year, I was sitting at 326 pounds. I was unhappy. I was just existing. I had been overweight for the majority of my life even though I was always active. I was the most in shape fat guy around. I worked out 5-7X per week for years. I tried every diet known to man. I would lose 30-50 pounds, and then gain it back. It was then hard to start up again. I tended to eat well during the week, only to destroy my progress over the weekend.
I had surgery on August 7, 2017. It was truly a life-changing experience. Shot out to Dr. Illan in Mexico, and Bariatric Pal for giving me this opportunity to change my life for the better. I am 19 pounds from my goal as of today. I have gone from a 44" pant size to a 36" pant size. The most miraculous thing that I noticed today is that I am no longer 6'2.5" tall. I am 6'3" today. I actually grew a half inch! I found out at a doctor's appointment two years ago that I had shrunk a half inch. I though that it was because of age. Well, look at the pictures below.
The left grouping was taken in May at my high weight of 326 pounds. The middle grouping was taken on 8/7 and 8/8 (before and after surgery) at 289 pounds. The right grouping was taken yesterday at 239 pounds. If you compare the middle and last grouping, you can tell that my posture has straightened out. I am actually taller by a half inch. Crazy!
Anyway, I didn't do this in SUCCESS STORIES, because I don't feel that I am there just yet. Who knows what the next three months have in store for me!
Has anyone else noticed a height change after weight loss?

I guess I will go ahead and approach this from a male perspective. If a guy is truly ready to be in a relationship, he won't mind waiting for it. If he is trying to get it on the first date, he is only looking for a hook-up. What really attracts many men to women thin or large is confidence. Confidence is important. Many women that have lost a lot of weight, as you said, may still feel fat, and just don't think they are as beautiful as they truly are. This may be a turn-off to some guys.
Love yourself and don't settle for a jerk. You deserve much more. Don't, however bring up other dates or guys on a first date. Don't discuss sex either for that matter. These topics tend to lead to disappointment or even resentment. Meet up on the first few dates and get to know the guy. That way, you both go your separate ways once it is over.
When you are ready, stop meeting up, and start going on more traditional dates. I wouldn't try to meet guys through dating sites either. Not that you can't find a good guy on one...You would probably do better by going out to happy hour at a restaurant or a festival with friends.
Again, be confident and happy on the inside. You must love yourself before you are ready to love someone else. Good luck to you ladies out there that are trying to meet your soul mates.

I agree with Sosewsue61. You should post your intake here so that we can get a look into a typical day or two of your diet. It helps to know what advice to offer to you. If you have lost 37 pounds in 2 1/2 months, how long has it been since you've lost anything? Are you currently in a stall, or are you losing a pound here or there?
If you are losing nothing at all, then you should re-evaluate what you are eating. You should be around a 1,000 calories per day with 80g of Protein per day. You should be getting in veggies every chance you get. If you are working out a couple days per week, then that's great.
If your eating is on point, and you are exercising, you will continue to lose weight. The speed at which you lose is not as important as the fact that you are losing. Comparing yourself to others is counter-productive. It isn't going to help you reach your goals. Be positive. You are doing well.

Dr. Illan is an excellent choice. Inexpensive, but the best part is you will be completely taken care of. I went with him, because I couldn't find any past patients that had experienced major complications. It was a great decision. I spent two nights in the hospital, and 1 night in a nice hotel along with a companion. All was included. I was even visited at the hotel by a doctor the night before I left home. It was safe, and honestly I have never received better care in the states. I didn't ever have to ask for pain killers, nausea medicines or anything else, because the nurses were in my room to add the medications to my IV every few hours. I would go back in a heartbeat if I needed to. Do your due diligence, but just know you will definitely be in great hands if you go with Dr. Illan.

Man, that dude is sad. He really doesn't have your back. How can someone who loves you actually talk like that? Easy way out....You know what is the easy way out?
Having a friggin metabolism that allows you to stay thin while eating burgers, fries, pizza, candy, etc.
Never having to look at the scale and decide, I'm only going to have Water instead of the friggin beer that everyone else will be drinking at the party.
As a matter of fact, the easy way out would be to say, "f** it! I don't care about my health. I don't care about my looks. I am just going to eat what I want, and drink what I want, and everyone can just Kiss My a**!"
Tell him that the next time he wants to be intimate, you already took the easy way out, and took care of yourself. Then tell him to do the same.
I'm a guy, and probably breaking man code, but damn!

I have not had the same experience, but was an ovo vegetarian for 3 years. I still eat a mostly vegetarian diet with fish/turkey incorporated (have to right now). Once I am farther away from surgery, I will probably move back or at the very least become a pescatarian. I just have to get better at getting my Protein without the addition of mock meats, whey Protein Shakes and CHEESE! I love egg whites, but just can't stand to eat them everyday. Veggie Protein is nasty to me, and very chalky as well. I will figure something out, because I just don't want to go back to animal foods being 60%+ of my diet long term. I feel better at 20% or less. I would be interested in hearing ideas about getting protein in without meat, mock meats, whey protein, cheese and milk, and/or an excess of tofu/soy products. The sheer amount of food I was able to take in in one sitting helped me reach my protein goals before (5-7 cups), but this will not be enough while I can only consume 1/2 cup of food.

If you are constantly getting some type of Protein in, and Fiber as well, you should not experience hunger. I made sure that every 2 hours or so, I was eating or drinking something. I never got hungry. Before cooking meals, I had a Protein Shake. I then would not be hungry when dinner or breakfast (on weekends) was ready.
I did a 2 week liquid diet even though I only had to do 1 week. I lost 25 pounds during this time, because I was determined to make it work. My advice would be to get your mind right. This is for you, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You've just got to look for it. We've tried and failed at every diet we've ever tried our entire lives. This tool is worth the trouble and hardships, because it tips the balance in our favor.
It may sound crazy, but self-talk works wonders. Everyday, wake up and look into the mirror. Tell yourself that you are beautiful...That you will work hard to achieve your goals that day.....That you are worth happiness.....That you are going to SUCCEED!
It will happen for you. Good luck on your journey!!

My wife was fully supportive of me having wls, but this is my mindset on the issue...
Life is short. Time is the most valuable asset known to man...or woman. You are not promised anything tomorrow. All you can do is to do the best you can every day. When I die, I would hope that I was able to live my best life...That I made lasting memories with others...That I made a difference in the lives of others. It is a real drop the mic situation.
Marriage is not guaranteed to last either. We try to suppress the things that make us happy sometimes to keep our marriages strong as it is all about compromise. I will not compromise my health for a marriage or relationship though. Let me tell a story about my wife's best friend...
She was obese, pre-diabetic, in pain, and unhappy for years. Her husband loved her at over 250 pounds, and refused to support her having surgery. She stayed in the marriage for another 9 years. The marriage then ended up dissolving after an affair was discovered. She was destroyed. After the divorce, she had Gastric band surgery, and lost the weight.
She is now happy and healthy in a committed relationship with a great, supportive guy. Her takeaway is that she gave up a chance at happiness and good health in her twenties for a guy that ended up not being there in her thirties. If she could change one thing, she would have had the surgery 9 or 10 years earlier.
Do you. Don't let a husband keep you from being your best you. He isn't in pain. He isn't going through what you are going through. You can't worry about threats. Live your life. If he leaves, you will find another. Someone who believes in you. Someone who truly has your back.
I wish you the best of luck.

My wife was fully supportive of me having wls, but this is my mindset on the issue...
Life is short. Time is the most valuable asset known to man...or woman. You are not promised anything tomorrow. All you can do is to do the best you can every day. When I die, I would hope that I was able to live my best life...That I made lasting memories with others...That I made a difference in the lives of others. It is a real drop the mic situation.
Marriage is not guaranteed to last either. We try to suppress the things that make us happy sometimes to keep our marriages strong as it is all about compromise. I will not compromise my health for a marriage or relationship though. Let me tell a story about my wife's best friend...
She was obese, pre-diabetic, in pain, and unhappy for years. Her husband loved her at over 250 pounds, and refused to support her having surgery. She stayed in the marriage for another 9 years. The marriage then ended up dissolving after an affair was discovered. She was destroyed. After the divorce, she had Gastric band surgery, and lost the weight.
She is now happy and healthy in a committed relationship with a great, supportive guy. Her takeaway is that she gave up a chance at happiness and good health in her twenties for a guy that ended up not being there in her thirties. If she could change one thing, she would have had the surgery 9 or 10 years earlier.
Do you. Don't let a husband keep you from being your best you. He isn't in pain. He isn't going through what you are going through. You can't worry about threats. Live your life. If he leaves, you will find another. Someone who believes in you. Someone who truly has your back.
I wish you the best of luck.

Good job. Working out is great for you over the long term. Yes, take your time, and ease into it. Before you know it, you will start developing muscle definition everywhere.
Good luck!

At 1 week out, I was able to finish a 20 oz broth without problems. I was not allowed to try purees until this week (week 3), so I cannot offer much guidance on that. I will say that I can only consume 3-4 ounces of purees now depending on the thickness of the puree.
I am glad that you can handle these foods so early, but It will be a toss-up until you get to the full puree stage, because all Soups, pureed or not have different consistencies. 20 ounces of vegetable Soup pureed might be nothing compared to 10 ounces of a thicker vegetable soup pureed if that makes sense.
When you get to eating pureed mashed potatoes, grits, veggies, cottage cheese, I would weigh these at first. If you can easily eat over 4 ounces without feeling some discomfort, then I would try to get used to stopping at about that amount. You should never get full. Stop once you are satiated. If you feel full, you've probably eaten too much.
Good luck on your journey, and keep us posted.

I am wondering why they would want to re-sleeve you instead of possibly doing a GB conversion. That seems to be the next logical step. I have read that you shouldn't re-sleeve as your stomach has already been cut open and there is a lot greater chance of complications from staple line leaks. I am sure there is literature out there that supports both sides though.
Have you tried to go back to basics? Protein, veggies, grains and fruit only with 0 processed foods? I think the hardest thing is getting rid of processed and junk foods once you have started eating a lot of them again. If you fell off of the wagon, get back on track. You have gained 61 pounds overall, and I think you can lose it without having another surgery. You should still have some restriction there.
Incidentally, your profile says that you had Lap-Band and not VSG. Did you change surgery types at the last minute, or did you actually have Lap-Band?
I am sorry that you are once again having to weigh options.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

I go to the gym, because I lack the equipment at home to get the job done. I do have a stationary bike at home, which gets some use about 2X per week though. As to your question, I would say that do whatever you can keep doing for life. If you generally hate the gym, you probably won't go. If you lack the motivation to workout at home, you probably will find reasons to forgo exercise there as well.
Involving your family on hikes, sporting events, etc. is an excellent idea. I play volleyball with my daughter on the weekends. We play for about 1-2 hours at a time, and it is a great workout. I don't feel as though I am getting a workout either, so that is a plus.
Whatever you do, remember that if it isn't sustainable, it won't work.
Good Luck!

My surgery was 6 months ago today. I am sitting at 228 pounds, which is 8 pounds from my goal. I have not eaten low carb. I have incorporated tons of weight lifting into my exercise routine, and have eaten 85% clean over the past 6 months. I am just BARELY under what is considered obese by medical standards even though I have a 34" waist at 6'3" tall.
My takeaway from all of this is.....Don't base your progress on anyone else's. I am 98 pounds from my high weight (shown on left). I have lost only 61 pounds since surgery. However, you can see a definite difference in how I carry my weight. I am very happy with my progress. I am not at goal, but am no longer actively trying to get there. I am just focusing on my health.
My diet consists of tons of vegetables, Protein Shakes and lean Protein, super grains and fruit 6 days per week with 1 day of indulgence. Whatever I crave, gets eaten that day. I consulted with a bodybuilder friend of mine a few months ago, and he told me that the best way to lean up is to give yourself a day every week or so to calorie and carb load. This helps your body avoid thinking your are in starvation mode. Ever since I adopted that method, I have leaned up and increased my muscle percentage.
Anyway, I do track my meals with MyfitnessPal. I do weigh my food to ensure that I don't overeat. I don't deny myself anything. I just wait for whatever I want that week, and prioritize.
I am glad that mostly everyone is doing well. Just keep fighting for the life you want to have.