JulesUp

This thread is great. I love seeing new folks come in and watching the progress of those who have been here a while. ❤️
I started over 300, but I saw a 2 in the first digit on the scale today. (Something like 13.5 pounds down since surgery on 10/3. Not exceptionally fast, but nothing to sneeze at, either. I can already walk further and climb hills and stairs better.)

Hello fellow sleevers. I have been on this site very little in the past couple of years but have logged in today to respond to a question. Since I'm here, I feel obligated to tell you all the things I've learned after 5 years.
1. The people that told me my approach to living life with the sleeve was all wrong and that I would fail, gain weight in a few years, stretch my sleeve, and regret my actions are mostly gone now. I have seen a couple of them around but the most are long gone. Do not pay much attention to the know-it-alls. They know no more than anyone else and are just as likely to fail.
2. Obviously you want to follow your Dr's instructions but don't get too hung up on strict rules and diets. If you make reasonable decisions and balance your good and bad food choices, your sleeve will do most of the work for you. I have eaten anything I wanted since day one. I try to pay attention to Protein etc., but I do not deny myself anything. You have the sleeve for a reason. Let it do it's job. Don't force it to hold more than it can and do not deny yourself the things that make you happy. Balance - just do it.
3. WLS is much more than losing weight. It is getting to the bottom of the issues that cause us to compensate with food in the first place. Pay more attention to your mental well being than the numbers on the scale. Your long term success depends on it.
4. Know that even after you reach your goal weight you will still be the same person with the same insecurities. Being thin changes nothing. If you did it for health reasons then hopefully those will no longer be an issue, but the person you are and how you feel inside doesn't change from losing weight. That has to change on the inside. No way around it.
5. Know that once you have made the necessary changes inside and out there will be some people that don't relate to you the same or just plain don't like you anymore. Also know that what they think is completely irrelevant . Physical and mental changes for the better intimidate those with small minds. Don't give them a second thought.
Thanks for reading.

Wow! That’s amazing progress! Congrats!

It is daunting. But just think where you will be almost a year from now.
My high weight was 389.
My surgery weight was 369 on 12/2/2017.
Im about six weeks shy of my one year anniversary and I weigh 223.
Follow your program and your life will be so different in a year you will not believe it!
We May have farther to go but we can still get there, believe it!

Hello girls!
I am so excited to report that one week past my 3 month surgery anniversary (7/12), I reached 100 POUNDS LOSS from my highest weight!!! I have lost a total of 79 pounds from the day of surgery and I am so happy with the amount of weight I have lost so far in this short amount of time. It certainly hasn’t been easy and there are days I can’t keep anything down, but despite the hurdles, I am super motivated and started going to the gym again. It’s been so much easier to hang on the treadmill for 30 minutes and will continue to test my endurance. I know it will get harder as I get closer to goal, but working on life changing habits that I can live with to transform to a healthier version of me. In the meantime, I am also rediscovering who I was before I gained all this weight. A great non-scale victory to report is that I have no problems fitting into a restaurant booth and husband says he doesn’t hear me snore any more. I am guilty of not using my pap machine as I have lost so much weight the pressure chokes me and the strap is so loose from the weight loss that’s it’s useless. I plan on getting another sleep study done in the near future and hoping to rule out the sleep apnea diagnosis. I never knew I had it prior to surgery but had to get a sleep study completed in order to qualify for the surgery. Hope all you are doing well in your journey!

Hello girls!
I am so excited to report that one week past my 3 month surgery anniversary (7/12), I reached 100 POUNDS LOSS from my highest weight!!! I have lost a total of 79 pounds from the day of surgery and I am so happy with the amount of weight I have lost so far in this short amount of time. It certainly hasn’t been easy and there are days I can’t keep anything down, but despite the hurdles, I am super motivated and started going to the gym again. It’s been so much easier to hang on the treadmill for 30 minutes and will continue to test my endurance. I know it will get harder as I get closer to goal, but working on life changing habits that I can live with to transform to a healthier version of me. In the meantime, I am also rediscovering who I was before I gained all this weight. A great non-scale victory to report is that I have no problems fitting into a restaurant booth and husband says he doesn’t hear me snore any more. I am guilty of not using my pap machine as I have lost so much weight the pressure chokes me and the strap is so loose from the weight loss that’s it’s useless. I plan on getting another sleep study done in the near future and hoping to rule out the sleep apnea diagnosis. I never knew I had it prior to surgery but had to get a sleep study completed in order to qualify for the surgery. Hope all you are doing well in your journey!

Hello girls!
I am so excited to report that one week past my 3 month surgery anniversary (7/12), I reached 100 POUNDS LOSS from my highest weight!!! I have lost a total of 79 pounds from the day of surgery and I am so happy with the amount of weight I have lost so far in this short amount of time. It certainly hasn’t been easy and there are days I can’t keep anything down, but despite the hurdles, I am super motivated and started going to the gym again. It’s been so much easier to hang on the treadmill for 30 minutes and will continue to test my endurance. I know it will get harder as I get closer to goal, but working on life changing habits that I can live with to transform to a healthier version of me. In the meantime, I am also rediscovering who I was before I gained all this weight. A great non-scale victory to report is that I have no problems fitting into a restaurant booth and husband says he doesn’t hear me snore any more. I am guilty of not using my pap machine as I have lost so much weight the pressure chokes me and the strap is so loose from the weight loss that’s it’s useless. I plan on getting another sleep study done in the near future and hoping to rule out the sleep apnea diagnosis. I never knew I had it prior to surgery but had to get a sleep study completed in order to qualify for the surgery. Hope all you are doing well in your journey!

Hello girls!
I am so excited to report that one week past my 3 month surgery anniversary (7/12), I reached 100 POUNDS LOSS from my highest weight!!! I have lost a total of 79 pounds from the day of surgery and I am so happy with the amount of weight I have lost so far in this short amount of time. It certainly hasn’t been easy and there are days I can’t keep anything down, but despite the hurdles, I am super motivated and started going to the gym again. It’s been so much easier to hang on the treadmill for 30 minutes and will continue to test my endurance. I know it will get harder as I get closer to goal, but working on life changing habits that I can live with to transform to a healthier version of me. In the meantime, I am also rediscovering who I was before I gained all this weight. A great non-scale victory to report is that I have no problems fitting into a restaurant booth and husband says he doesn’t hear me snore any more. I am guilty of not using my pap machine as I have lost so much weight the pressure chokes me and the strap is so loose from the weight loss that’s it’s useless. I plan on getting another sleep study done in the near future and hoping to rule out the sleep apnea diagnosis. I never knew I had it prior to surgery but had to get a sleep study completed in order to qualify for the surgery. Hope all you are doing well in your journey!

I have hit a mile stone for me, I broke 350 today I weighed in at 349.4 I am hyped!

It does not take much to make me happy!

It’s not exactly the greatest point in my life but before surgery I was 460. Thankfully I was able to lose a lot since then but still at a CW of 334. Journey is hard but I know it will be worth it!

Hey gals, I am down to 290 at 7 weeks, other problems still there but I will gain "happy" where I can!

I hit two-fer-ville (299) on 10/1. I am currently in a stall at 297 but so happy with my progress. I am seven pounds away from my first goal of 100 pound loss from my highest weight. I hope I can make it to onederland and will join you in a Happy Happy dance! At least now we can say we are closer to that goal. Taking one day at a time. Best wishes to you too!

Non scale victory! I bought a straight sized fleece today!!!! 😲😲😲 I couldn’t tell you the last time I shopped from the straight size section (certainly has been years if ever)!

The scales been a little stuck at 253 this week, but my clothing keeps getting looser so things are still happening!

I hit two-fer-ville (299) on 10/1. I am currently in a stall at 297 but so happy with my progress. I am seven pounds away from my first goal of 100 pound loss from my highest weight. I hope I can make it to onederland and will join you in a Happy Happy dance! At least now we can say we are closer to that goal. Taking one day at a time. Best wishes to you too!

July 12th here. Things are going really well. I weighed in this morning at 279lbs. Puts me at 100lbs down from my highest weigh in which was early March of this year and 63lbs down since surgery date. CONGRATS everyone on your great success'.

Yeah me neither, I did break the 300 pound barrier, I am now in two-fer-ville, was 298.6 last Wednesday, the diamond,in a mound of costume jewelry. Will I ever break 200? Gosh , I hope so! And you will hear and see me do a Happy Happy Joy Joy dance clear where YOU are at.🎁🎶

So- my stats.. highest weight: 380. Start weight: 340 surgery day (7/17/18) weight: 302 Today’s: weight: 254 lbs.

My goal weight is 189, but my personal goal is 170.. so here’s hoping I can keep this up!

Another 7/12'r here and feel the same. I see differences in my body but it definitely does not register. Weighed in at 283.2lbs this morning so down 1lb shy of 60 since surgery and 97 from highest weight. Happy with the results on weight loss so far and feel great physically. Wish my back issues would go away with the weight loss but that does not seem to be happening.
Congrats to you all on the success so far!!!!

I had my surgery on July 12th and down 70 pounds from surgery date and 92 from highest weight pre-op. I have run into people in the street that have not seen me in some time and are quite surprised about the weight loss. I am down 4 pant sizes. I am feeling better and more confident about myself. However, I am not sure my own transformation is sinking in yet when I look in the mirror either. I have lost weight faster than I expected and can't imagine how far this journey will transform me into the new me at my one year anniversary.

I had my surgery on July 12th and down 70 pounds from surgery date and 92 from highest weight pre-op. I have run into people in the street that have not seen me in some time and are quite surprised about the weight loss. I am down 4 pant sizes. I am feeling better and more confident about myself. However, I am not sure my own transformation is sinking in yet when I look in the mirror either. I have lost weight faster than I expected and can't imagine how far this journey will transform me into the new me at my one year anniversary.

Bellasoo, I don't see my progress. I'm down almost 50 lbs and I still see the old me, before surgery. Yeah I can wear different clothes, but it doesn't quite sink in. My friends think they have to put me in therapy lol.

I had my surgery on July 12th. I am down 50 pounds for a total of 87 pounds. I feel so much better but I can’t get used to how I look when I see myself in the mirror. I was so used to a round face that my thinner face throws me off. I’m not sure I like it yet. 😕

Thank you. I never want to look back.

Today I went to the doctor and weighed in at 146lbs down since prior to the pre op diet in January. Surgery date of 1/19/18. Original weight was 332lbs at 5’4 and today I’m 186lbs. Initial BMI was 57 and today 31. I started in a size 4X top and a size 26 pants. Today I am a large top and a 10-12 pants. I am six pounds away from the initial goal that the surgeon and I set at my first appointment. Ideally, I’d like to lose another 40lbs on this journey.

For those who come to this site to look for validation to do this surgery....let me say this:
1. This process does work IF you put the work in.
2. This has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.
3. My only regret is I didn’t do this sooner. I’m truly living my best life now.

These are my current pictures. I’m not posting before shots because I’m not interested in the past, only the present and future. This is me today. (There are pictures in an album on my profile if you want to compare where I started)

I want to hear tips from people that maintain effortlessly. I thought maintaining would be easier.
The transition from weight loss into maintenance was interesting. It was hard to let go of weight loss phase after living that way for so long. Just took time to adjust.
How have you ordered your life to make the entire process easier - for loss and maintenance phases?
Four years out. Living healthy comes naturally. Grocery shopping and cooking is a breeze. Gym is my stress relief. Instead of weight loss goals I have fitness goals. I live life and indulge once in a while. When I gain, I go back to basics. I have chased the same ten pounds up and down the scale. (with the exception of my third year)
Are you still struggling to find balance?
I am settling into the fact my weight bounces around. I know how easy it is for me to gain. I experienced being stuck at a sixteen pound gain in my third year. Basics stopped working ( I have no idea why) Fourth year basics are now working well. I dropped back into my maintaining zone.
Prefer complexity to simplicity?
I prefer to do both
I take breaks. I don't log and I workout less. Right now my goals are distance running driven. To stay healthy I log food and train.