boringtessa

Meeeee! I have never been a normal weight since childhood, so the surgery will be giving me a brand new experience! I can't even imagine what it must be like to NOT be the fattest person in the room, nor what it's like to walk around without the weight of two full-grown humans putting stress on my hips, lower back, legs, and feet. I'm looking forward to the new normal-weight me, I can't wait!

36, single (and loving it!), nerdy, PC gamer, board game collector, former musician, Christian... I traveled to Germany last year, and now I've got a mean case of the Wanderlust, too (@greentealael)!

Ok, the titles might be a little dramatic. Maybe it should read more like: "How to Fu*k Up Your WLS In 11 Easy Steps". LOL. I think it should be required reading! But I think #6 should maybe be first!
https://www.healtharticlesweb.com/deadly-mistakes-with-bariatric-surgery-that-can-ruin-patients-life/

Pre-VSG and post-VSG. I have lost 61 pounds and hope to lose 10-15 more. 
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I'll kick it off.
Me at my smartest vs me at my cutest lol

In the left photo (pre-op) , I was in my choir’s 80s concert. In the right photo (7 months post-op) I was in the play “You Can’t Take It With You”.

36, single (and loving it!), nerdy, PC gamer, board game collector, former musician, Christian... I traveled to Germany last year, and now I've got a mean case of the Wanderlust, too (@greentealael)!

It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall?
I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea.
Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds.
For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response:
What can you do to "break" a stall?
1) STAY OFF THE SCALE
Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale.
2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE
In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck.
3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY
As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do.
If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall).
4) EXERCISE
If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle.
5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT
If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall).
6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE
About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics.
7) JOURNAL
One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil.
-- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general.
-- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place.
-- Write about what life was like before surgery.
-- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future.
-- Write about your fears.
-- Write about your NSVs.
-- Make a gratitude list.
-- Make a bucket list.
-- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self.
Just write.
8) SEEK HELP
Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous.
The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them.
The last, and most important thing you can DO is:
9) EMBRACE THE STALL
Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process.
Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines.
Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss.
If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

I have a funny story that happened to me that I wanted to share because I can't tell anyone I know about this! So I ran 2.5 miles and was all sweaty. Afterwards I had to go to the bathroom so I proceed to do my thing, sat down and slipped off the dang seat because I was so sweaty. All I could do was laugh at myself because I never saw that coming. My coworker (was at fitness center at my office) asked if I was okay and all I could do was laugh and choke out that I was fine, just embarrassed. I waited for her to leave the locker room before I made my exit from the stall. 😆

I chose by BMI - my goal is the weight right at the border of "Healthy" and "Overweight". Also, 150 is a nice, round number, and it is almost exactly half of my starting (and highest) weight.

I chose by BMI - my goal is the weight right at the border of "Healthy" and "Overweight". Also, 150 is a nice, round number, and it is almost exactly half of my starting (and highest) weight.

500 calorie limit at six months out from surgery?????? Am I getting this wrong? I can see 500 in the first stages after healing from surgery, You should be at higher calories at this point. Contact your surgeon's office dietician to check calories and diet instructions.
You may find more food enjoyment with increased calories and trying new bariatric recipes and real food (you should be off shakes by now)(shakes never make me feel full or satisfied)
Nutrition can still be flavorful. Google bariatric recipes. Log your food to insure the calories and macros total to fit you plan at the end of the day.
I use myfitnesspal - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.myfitnesspal.android&hl=en_US
My dieticians recipe site for food ideas: http://insidekarenskitchen.com/bariatric-friendly-recipes/
chicken fajitas - Make some up without the tortilla. Bariatric pizza recipes sugar free pumpkin pie parfait If you are cooking for your family. They can eat what you eat. Example chicken fajitas let them have the tortilla. Nothing wrong with our families learning to eat healthy. Kids take on what we model to them.
Side note: This is not talking about your situation at home. I have my own opinion on cooking separately for family members. Especially if it's foods that will temp you and derail your program.
I would not cook for anyone that can't be supportive. I would set out Cereal and milk, lunch meat and bread, frozen dinners for them to microwave. If they want a home cooked meal it will be healthy.
Ok off my soap box.
I would love to hear back if your office increases your calories. I also want to know how you feel about your food world after trying new foods and recipes.

I think I've posted it several times in the last couple of weeks... It's very easy to find in google - Average weightloss bariatric surgery - then click on images

Honestly it wasn't that bad! I didn't even feel it. He was talking to me the whole time he did it! I heard him cut the stitch and didn't feel a thing. He held it up and said it's out! I started to cry.

I just need to share my excitement with someone...I’m 5 days smoke free in preparation for surgery. My surgeon said we can schedule surgery after I’ve been smoke free for 3 months. I’m finally on my way to 3 months! It took me about 3 weeks since my first appointment to finally quit but I did it. This is something I NEVER thought I could do but with the help of Chantix I did it.

Next I need to ween myself off of diet sodas. I drink diet soda like it’s Water so this is going to be really hard for me as well. Does anyone have any tips on weening yourself off of the stuff?

To be honest, I was unsure how this was going to go once I was told I’d have to quit smoking but now that I have, I really feel like I can do anything. This is the first time in a long time that I have felt that way! I’m just so excited and proud of myself that I had to share :)

Another October 3rd here!
I can't wait! I'm slowly buying all the stuff I need - I even bought a Squatty Potty after reading on this forum about Constipation and how much the SP helped. Trying to make sure I have enough Protein Shakes, stocking up on interesting spices to punch up bland food. I've got a food scale as well as a fancy new body scale that measures all sorts of things. I meet my surgeon again on September 11 and will find out if I go on a liver shrink diet or not and get all the last-minute instructions!
I'm a little sad about the surgery because I love to bake, and I will probably have to give that up for a while (which I know will be worth it, I won't regret it), so for my birthday in a few days my mom and I are going to bake a bunch of things we've always wanted to try to make... one last fun experiment since I've been very good with my pre-op diet.
Anyways, good luck everyone!

Alright, after surgery on the 3rd, I'm finally home from the hospital, safe and doing well! A little out of it, but feeling good, feeling like I've done the right thing!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to check in :) had my surgery Monday 10/1 and I feel great :) just went for a short walk with my dog and got some gas out lol but I took Percocet once in the hospital Tuesday, Tylenol Tuesday night, and since then no pain meds. A few days were tough I won’t lie, but I feel really good and you will too!!!! I’m able to sleep on my side now (game changer as I hate sleeping on my back) and can’t wait to start something other than Protein Shakes etc in a few days :) stay strong all!!!!

Got my call! 11:30am tomorrow. I am supposed to show up at 9:30, and they're going to let my partner back with me once I'm wearing the surgical gown and have my IV in.
That's pretty much exactly what I'd hoped for. I have class until 9pm tonight, a half hour drive from home, so I was dreading them saying "come in at 5:30am" or something like that. Instead, I'll have several hours to toss and turn and not actually sleep, lol, and my spouse will be awake enough to function, getting me to the hospital. And we don't have to do our teary goodbyes out in the waiting room, with me contemplating my fate alone in between doctor visits--he can sit with me and chat until they roll me back into the OR. ❤️
I am so nervous. But I'm ready, too. I've done all the prep, so much reading. I was perfectly happy on the three month "practice" diet for phase three, and I feel good about that lifestyle. Over the past week I've followed the liquid diet religiously, no cheats. So the parts that are within my control, I know I can handle, and I really need to stop dwelling on the parts that are out of my control--I picked a really good surgeon, I'm in the best possible hands, there's nothing worry will do for me.

We all have or will get frustrated with our weight loss.
We all have or will question if we are doing things the right way.

I'm not different.

I wanted to showcase why focusing on the short term isn't the best thing to do.

Here we have my 1 week weigh ins. I'm so super frustrated with this. I've got this goal I want to meet and it's getting tougher and tougher. 2.7 lbs is still a respectable drop. But, I see this line and it makes me sad.


Here is my month. 7.4 lbs. This isn't great at all. The downward trend is good, but the rate, really gets me frustrated.


Here is where things start looking much MUCH better. Here is my year in review. 85.2 lbs total. Here is where we can start seeing why it's so important to look at the whole journey and not just the small daily/weekly or even monthly numbers. I am proud and pleased when I see this chart.


And here is my full weight loss weigh in history. Here is where you can clearly see the struggles. You can see where I got the Lap-Band and started this whole process. You can see where the Band and I stopped working well together. You can see the gains and losses, all the super frustrating stalls. But what I really want people to take away from this is, the whole picture shows the real story. When we focus too much on the small things, we lose focus. When we don't take the whole journey into account, both past and future... we lose sight of our own successes.



I hope this helps someone to get through a stall or to realize that, it's never too late to start over.
Just keep moving forward and try your best not to worry about the small little blips when the whole history will show something much different.

Stay Strong.

The entire process of my pre op visits were based on the rapid weight loss. I wish I knew that on my second week I would stall for almost three weeks. And that was okay. I don’t think the emotional battle in between yourself and what you are becoming is spoken about enough. The first few nights after being out of the hospital I just kept weighing myself over and over again hoping I would magically see a difference on the scale. Before your surgery you can tell yourself all that you want about it not being a quick fix - but when you are waiting to see your weight change it’s an entirely different story. Your mind can do crazy things and you need to be ready to fight your crazy thoughts. I was two weeks out thinking that I was done. I am the person that this surgery will not help at all. With all of that being said , I am the happiest I have been in a very long time. This was the best decision I ever could have made. I have a chance to have a healthy life and be the best me possible. I am stronger then I have ever been. Not physically but mentally. Every little struggle you are going to face and you WILL face some struggles, will be completely worth it. Because YOU are worth it. Maybe I am writing this to inspire you a little. Or maybe it’s just a reminder to myself that I too am able to to do this. But whatever it is. Stay strong, fight the battle and be the best you

Surgery buddies! Hi-5!

My local area has a roller derby team. Might be something to look into!

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When I was a kid I used to rollerblade. I don't think I've roller skated in forever but a HUGE goal of mine is to join a roller derby league! There's one up here and the outfits and everything about it seems awesome.

I used to love going rollerskating, and skiing. But with the weight came balance issues. Maybe once I get used to be thinner again the balance will come back and be more stable and I can get back on the the rinks and boards.