SueSaBelle

I understand completely. The last trip my husband and I went on was to Vegas. I really had no desire to go because I it was two weeks before my total hip replacement so I couldn't take my beloved Aleeve. I was achy all the time, no matter what position - standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on stools, walking, even lying down. When I got on the plane to come home, I thought to myself, "This is the last time I will have to stress out about where I sit and who I am next to." I never want to feel this bad ever again. Now that I have recovered from that surgery, the rest of my body is letting me know that I am not out of the woods yet.
I am counting on WLS to help with my osteoarthritis in my left hip, knees and ankles, along with the plantar faciitis in my right heel. I am looking forward to having more energy to daily chores like cleaning my house, and gardening again.
I am also looking forward to enjoying my life again with my husband. We both want to travel. I have been putting off a trip to Asia because I dread how small the seats will be. After I lose the excess weight, look out world! The possibilities are endless - like white Water rafting in Scotland, and Zip lining in Costa Rica....

2 and a half days until,SueSaBelle and. I have our surgeries. Wish us both good luck and keep us in your minds September 5th, okay?
😷&😷=🌈

It is tough, especially if you are at or near a weight that is your heaviest in your life. I focused on watching positive videos on YouTube of people that were successful with their weight loss. I cruised Instagram and looked at people that had lost large amounts of weight there. Lots of people looked like me, normal people with jobs, without personal trainers and personal chefs. If they can do it, so can I, so can you, and so can anyone else here. I stayed away from any post on here with any negative heading.
As far as being ashamed, that is always there in the background with a bit of regret that I ever let things get so far out of control. But I can’t change the past. I try not to dwell on it because it doesn’t help anything anyways. I try to focus on living healthier every day now, and it is working.
Good luck with your surgery.

I have developed the dreaded "bellydo" as well.
Bellydo = "Her belly stick out more 'den her a$$ do!"

Greetings Gals!

I started at 350lb, Surgery weight was ~325lb, Tummy Tuck was at ~195 and my one year mark in February has kept me at about 175lb. 13 months after my surgery, I had to get gall bladder removed because I was having ugly gall bladder attacks and they found several stones. They attributed it to severe weight loss in small amount of time. Also, for those at the beginning, my best advice is to not allow yourself to get discouraged with stalls because oooooh my, how I loathed them! Just stick with the magic number 6 and don't consume more than 6g of sugar in any sitting or with any beverages. Stay Focused. Be Grateful Everyday. Appreciate your wonderful body at every stage,

We may have longer journeys but you still get to enjoy life every step of the way!
Dont wait for goal to start your life! I’m still a big girl (over 200 pounds) but I’ve been trying all kinds of things that I thought were reserved for thin beautiful girls:
Online dating. Yoga. Gym. Speaking up at work. Wearing expensive skinny jeans. Walking the dog during the day time. Shopping at real stores intead of online. Smiling and speaking to strangers.
Maybe that sounds weird or small, but when you start where I started on this journey, it’s not just about losing weight. It’s losing the feelings of shame.
I’m grateful for the insane, difficult, beautiful, horrible long journey that I’m on. It wouldn’t have been the same if I had only had to lose 60 pounds to get to goal.
When I hit my goal, it’s going to be amazing. But I’m not waiting any longer to enjoy life! :-)

And honestly, your life is more at risk. You are older and have more than likely dealt with the weight much longer than your daughter. Your risk ratio is going to be MUCH higher than hers. My family saw the benefits of my surgery. My wife goes to the gym with me, my son's are eating better, because I'm eating better and we don't buy foods that I can't (or am not supposed to) eat very often now. So my surgery has had positive implications for the rest of my household. So, if you do end up getting the surgery yourself, she will more than likely benefit from it as well.

Check with your insurance company... mine has a max limit for out of pocket. So with my surgery this year, pretty much every other approved medical need, is covered at 100%. So, if one of my immediate family needed to have surgery, they could, and it would more than likely be 100% free at this point.

Talk to your insurance and find out what costs you can actually be looking at, never just assume anything!

I haven’t told anyone but being overweight has prevented me from planning a wedding or having children. Now that I’ve had the surgery once i get to my goal weight I want to do both of those things! I also want to go on outdoor adventures and not worry about being out of breath or being in pain

I understand completely. The last trip my husband and I went on was to Vegas. I really had no desire to go because I it was two weeks before my total hip replacement so I couldn't take my beloved Aleeve. I was achy all the time, no matter what position - standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on stools, walking, even lying down. When I got on the plane to come home, I thought to myself, "This is the last time I will have to stress out about where I sit and who I am next to." I never want to feel this bad ever again. Now that I have recovered from that surgery, the rest of my body is letting me know that I am not out of the woods yet.
I am counting on WLS to help with my osteoarthritis in my left hip, knees and ankles, along with the plantar faciitis in my right heel. I am looking forward to having more energy to daily chores like cleaning my house, and gardening again.
I am also looking forward to enjoying my life again with my husband. We both want to travel. I have been putting off a trip to Asia because I dread how small the seats will be. After I lose the excess weight, look out world! The possibilities are endless - like white Water rafting in Scotland, and Zip lining in Costa Rica....

Matt as I get closer to my surgical date (9/5/2018) I am getting more anxious. I have done lots of reading and research so I know this is the right thing for me to do. As I scour these forums for last minute information, I have to tell you that your posts are very reassuring. It is funny because my husband is really supportive and reminds me that I will handle this like I handle everything, with grace and strength. However, it isn't the same as someone who as already traveled a similar road. I really do appreciate your advice and Thank you!

Ok, first off, there is no such thing as "normal" with the bypass, everyone's surgery is different in some aspects. Even surgeries done by the same team, are going to have variations. AND everyone heals differently.

So, don't stress about "normal", worry about your requirements. I could down a full cup of food before 2 months was out, just make sure you are making good choices, do not drink for 30 mins after eating, I don't follow the before typically, but the after part is important to making sure you stay full and don't just flush everything through. And DO NOT eat and drink at the same time for the same reason.

Those cravings sound mental... find something that tastes good that's a good alternative to those foods. I love ice cream, couldn't live without it sort of like. I found Halo Top, low cal, low sugar, good taste. So it's a good "swap" for standard ice cream and it fits into my diet and restrictions with no issues. The trick isn't to deny, it's to defer. Don't deny yourself something, defer those cravings to something else that's close, but healthy.

Not sure why you are ashamed about how much you can eat... unless you did the surgery yourself... or are somehow willing yourself to want to eat more... you can't blame yourself for what's instinctual.

Things will get hard. When they do, remember all the reasons why you want the surgery. And never forget that it does get better. Whatever it is, it *will* get better. The pain will pass, you will heal, you will feel normal again in the future, you didn't make a mistake, you aren't the only one, well all have stalls, don't focus on things you can't control, never focus short term issues, work for the long term goals, no one gains or loses the same way so don't compare your body to anyone else, don't compare your weight loss to anyone else, stick to your plan and if you have questions that might be serious, NEVER be afraid to call your surgical team!

Oh!
I would love to hike in Scotland
Walk the Freedom Trail in Boston with my husband
Cross Country Ski again
Buy whatever clothes I want
wear cute shoes!!!!
Ride a horse again
NOT have to knit the biggest size sweater - I will be able to knit any sweater pattern I want!

I am glad that everyone has future plans! I read some of them and thought "Yes! I want to do that as well." My ultimate would be to learn how to properly surf in the ocean and be successful at it. Maybe somewhere like Hawaii or Australia. I would worry about sharks though. And the hubby wants me to go see "The Meg."

I am glad that everyone has future plans! I read some of them and thought "Yes! I want to do that as well." My ultimate would be to learn how to properly surf in the ocean and be successful at it. Maybe somewhere like Hawaii or Australia. I would worry about sharks though. And the hubby wants me to go see "The Meg."

I am glad that everyone has future plans! I read some of them and thought "Yes! I want to do that as well." My ultimate would be to learn how to properly surf in the ocean and be successful at it. Maybe somewhere like Hawaii or Australia. I would worry about sharks though. And the hubby wants me to go see "The Meg."

I understand completely. The last trip my husband and I went on was to Vegas. I really had no desire to go because I it was two weeks before my total hip replacement so I couldn't take my beloved Aleeve. I was achy all the time, no matter what position - standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on stools, walking, even lying down. When I got on the plane to come home, I thought to myself, "This is the last time I will have to stress out about where I sit and who I am next to." I never want to feel this bad ever again. Now that I have recovered from that surgery, the rest of my body is letting me know that I am not out of the woods yet.
I am counting on WLS to help with my osteoarthritis in my left hip, knees and ankles, along with the plantar faciitis in my right heel. I am looking forward to having more energy to daily chores like cleaning my house, and gardening again.
I am also looking forward to enjoying my life again with my husband. We both want to travel. I have been putting off a trip to Asia because I dread how small the seats will be. After I lose the excess weight, look out world! The possibilities are endless - like white Water rafting in Scotland, and Zip lining in Costa Rica....

A lot of the things I've put off are more because of pain from arthritis/plantar fasciitis than because of my looks or anything: going to the zoo and some local museums, trying stand-up paddle boarding, getting back on the elliptical and catching up with the story in Zombies, Run!, hitting up the Renaissance Fair, taking some classes on wild foraging herbs and edible plants, going on some bird walks... I've got a lot I'm looking forward to.
I'm looking forward to getting into kayaking, which I have held off on because I'm worried I'll get to the kayak rental place and my butt will be too big for the boat. I'd also love to learn to SCUBA dive! And swim with dolphins!
On the looks front, yeah, I'm looking forward to being willing to swim with groups of people I know. I may have enough saggy skin that I'll still need to wear a suit with shorts, but that's fine. (My current suit has shorts, and it is pretty cute. I'll miss that, a little, when I size down out of it. But I bet there are better options in smaller sizes, anyway!)
This isn't something I'm deliberately putting off (besides not applying for anything right this second, given the big medical procedure I have coming up), but ... I have kind of a crappy job, right now, and getting into a job that better suits my skills and experience has been a real challenge. Part of it is the field I'm in, no doubt. But part of it is my size: people look at a fat woman (I'm not out as non-binary to potential employers) and assume they're stupid, no matter how good their resume might be. And, yeah, my confidence is probably not where it should be, because I know that. So I'm looking forward to getting out there, in my smaller interview clothes, and getting a job that's right for me. (I'm also taking classes, to help bridge the gap between my under-employment and where I want to be.)

I want to be able to wear a dress without my thighs chafing

Some things I'd love to do now, not in any order:
1. Renew my vows. My husband and I didn't do it the traditional way, partly because I was embarrassed to have a formal wedding at my former size.
2. Go on a vacation with LOTS of outdoor activities. I'd love to go paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding, zip-lining... you name it... I want to try it. (With the exception of skydiving).
3. Start a family. This is something very motivating for me. We were unsuccessful trying for the past 5 years of marriage. I'm really hoping that we will get pregnant fairly quickly after my 12 month waiting period.
4. Get professional family photos done.
5. Go ride rides at an amusement park.

This are the top tips I recommend to people getting started....
Here's my top 13 tips!
Start altering your diet now. Cut out processed food, or at the very least processed sugar. Practice eating your Protein first and then focus on non-starchy veggies. Also, start tracking your food. There are lots of apps that make logging very easy. I personally use MyFitnessPal, but there are others out there. Find something that you like to drink that doesn't have calories. Try different caffeine free teas and Water additives. I still can't drink plain water....so you want to have something on hand that you know you like. Cut out caffeine. Most programs allow caffeine back in relatively quickly, but caffeine can hinder your body's ability to heal. You don't want to go through caffeine withdrawal along with the aches and pains of surgery. Don't use Protein Shakes before you absolutely have to! I made the mistake of supplementing some of my meals with shakes to "prepare myself" for the pre-op diet. Big mistake. You will get to the point where they are DISGUSTING, and you don't want to increase the timeline of that by drinking them before you need to. Start incorporating exercising (even if it’s just walking) somewhere in your daily routine. It will make it easier if it’s already a habit. Practice chewing your food at least 20-30 times before swallowing. Muscle has memory and it will be so much easier if you already have this habit. If you screw up and swallow too soon after surgery, you will pay the price. Set timers and don't drink and eat at the same time. I highly recommend having at least 1 visit with a therapist to establish with someone for after surgery. It’s not required, but everyone seems to have some emotional struggles afterwards. Whether its 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years you may struggle with the changes. I personally wouldn't share with people, unless you know they will be 100% supportive. It is nerve wracking already and you need nothing but positivity. Plus it’s a lot of pressure from people who know you've had WLS, versus people who think you are on the weight loss track. People think that the weight is going to melt off after surgery, and sometimes it doesn't. You don't want the extra judgment. Don’t engage people with people who say “WLS is too dramatic” or “You could just diet and lose the weight” or “You aren’t big enough for surgery” or “It’s the easy way out”. SCREW THOSE PEOPLE, they don’t know. They will never know how triumphant our victory will be. I would also remember that you need to make time for you! Make the time to shop healthy, meal prep, cook healthy, and plan ahead. And I’m talking to all the selfless mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives. We give so much to our families, but NOW is the time to focus on ourselves. We are doing it for them, after all. We are doing it to prolong our lives and improve the quality of our lives. Come up with a reward system of sorts. You want to acknowledge your successes. For my 50lb mark, I went and got pedicures with my girlfriends. For my 75lb mark, I bought myself some new dresses. For my 100lb mark, I bought myself a really nice full length mirror. Stalls happen and are completely natural. There are tons of threads in this community that you can search for suggestions or for advice. Hunger happens. Some people don’t experience a decrease in hunger, but it is easily manageable with a small amount of the right foods.

Common pitfalls.
Focusing ONLY on your weight and not including body fat %, overall composition, lean mass, physical body measurements. You will stall, there will be times when you just stop losing weight, or gain a little even. This is a problem when you are only looking at your weight. Because you could be losing fat, gaining muscle, etc... but if you don't pay attention to the whole picture, you can and most likely will be come frustrated and discouraged, because you "aren't losing weight"
Not prepping ahead of time. Start getting your Water intakes upward of 128 oz a day. Get your sugar intake down to as close to zero as possible. Start getting your Protein levels up. Start exercising now. Start all the habits you'll be forced to adopt after surgery now.

Get ready to avoid temptations, "slider foods" etc. There are a large number of bad foods that you won't have any trouble eating, get your will power ready now.

Be ready to not be "typical". All the numbers and %'s and everything you'll hear being tossed around. Those are simply averages and that's it. Don't expect to lose 100 lbs in 3 weeks (if you laughed, you haven't read enough of these threads), you might even gain weight right out of surgery. Be ready for your weight to be all over the place for a little while. But give yourself a break and take the time to heal first.

Take **EVERYTHING** in stride, focus on the long term goals and not the day to day.
Be sure to be strict with your diet and goals, but be flexible enough to give yourself a break if you slip up.
The Sleeve is a tool only, it WILL NOT magically make everything go away. Not everyone losses the hunger sensation so just assume you won't, that way if it does come back or never goes away, you won't be disappointed before you even get a chance to start.

All in all. Stay Strong, Focus on WHY you wanted to have the surgery and keep those goals reachable.

I understand completely. The last trip my husband and I went on was to Vegas. I really had no desire to go because I it was two weeks before my total hip replacement so I couldn't take my beloved Aleeve. I was achy all the time, no matter what position - standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on stools, walking, even lying down. When I got on the plane to come home, I thought to myself, "This is the last time I will have to stress out about where I sit and who I am next to." I never want to feel this bad ever again. Now that I have recovered from that surgery, the rest of my body is letting me know that I am not out of the woods yet.
I am counting on WLS to help with my osteoarthritis in my left hip, knees and ankles, along with the plantar faciitis in my right heel. I am looking forward to having more energy to daily chores like cleaning my house, and gardening again.
I am also looking forward to enjoying my life again with my husband. We both want to travel. I have been putting off a trip to Asia because I dread how small the seats will be. After I lose the excess weight, look out world! The possibilities are endless - like white Water rafting in Scotland, and Zip lining in Costa Rica....

I understand completely. The last trip my husband and I went on was to Vegas. I really had no desire to go because I it was two weeks before my total hip replacement so I couldn't take my beloved Aleeve. I was achy all the time, no matter what position - standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on stools, walking, even lying down. When I got on the plane to come home, I thought to myself, "This is the last time I will have to stress out about where I sit and who I am next to." I never want to feel this bad ever again. Now that I have recovered from that surgery, the rest of my body is letting me know that I am not out of the woods yet.
I am counting on WLS to help with my osteoarthritis in my left hip, knees and ankles, along with the plantar faciitis in my right heel. I am looking forward to having more energy to daily chores like cleaning my house, and gardening again.
I am also looking forward to enjoying my life again with my husband. We both want to travel. I have been putting off a trip to Asia because I dread how small the seats will be. After I lose the excess weight, look out world! The possibilities are endless - like white Water rafting in Scotland, and Zip lining in Costa Rica....