looly

You must be proud of yourself! I hope the people close to you are proud of you too!

As far as health is concerned, I feel fine at the weight I am now (170 lbs). As far as vanity is concerned, I'd like to lose a bit more, but not much. I think it all depends on your skeletal frame. I have a wide pelvic girdle, which is already beginning to show through the skin - a look which I don't like (though others may!). Also, my rib cage finishes just 1 or 2cm above my hips, so I'm never going to have a small waist - there isn't enough space between my ribs and hips for my waist to go in. I'd like to achieve the magical BMI of 25, but as soon as my face starts to look drawn or saggy, I'm stopping!

I've also found that I put more water in the bath now because I displace less of it - as Archimedes would say - "Eureka!". It's also nice to get in the bath without setting off a tsunami that splashes onto the floor! ?

This liquids-only early-recovery period won't last long compared to the rest of your life. I can't remember who said "This too shall pass", but it kept me going during the early days. When I did switch to solids, I found that just a small amount made me feel full, so I had to use distraction techniques instead of eating - reading, jigsaws, computer games, drawing, walking, repairing clothes, needlework, painting - anything that kept my fingers out of the fridge! Remember that this is the hardest time, but you will become accustomed to the changes. Best of luck!

I'll have to keep some fat - swimming's my favourite exercise! ??

I tried fasting for 2 days (16:8 pattern) and lost a pound. Promising so far! ?

This is, admittedly, very silly, but....has anyone else noticed this...? I've lost a shed-load of weight and I have an apron of skin up front. It's truly flop-tastic. ? However, when I'm in the bath, it magically begins to float up into a rather endearing little pot-belly. ? I know that fat is less dense than muscle and so it will float, but to see it in action is a bit of a giggle!

I didn't need anything special - apart from something for the constipation!

I used to drink 2 bottles of wine a week. I didn't get smashed, but I had some every night. I thought I wouldn't be able to break that habit easily, but WLS did break it. Now I don't drink at home - just when I'm out with friends for a special occasion. The last time I had alcohol was about a month ago, but this weekend is a girls' weekend, so I'm going to be making friends with a bottle of Prosecco. ? Really looking forward to it - it's a treat to have a wee tipple now!

I had an infected wound after having a hysterectomy years ago. The oral antibiotics sorted it out - no problem.

Thank you for this reply, AZhiker. I didn't reply to it straight away, because I thought I'd research what you said a bit first. I had initial misgivings that I could fit enough healthy nutrition into an 8 hour window, given the restriction I feel. However, I'm looking into the 5:2 diet as a possibility and tried fasting for 16 hours out of the last 24. It wasn't too difficult. You've given me food for thought (which involves no calories - hurrah!).

Its been a weight off my mind as well as off my body. Absolutely no regrets.

Not for months, and then only a little bit.

Thanks for that guys! I'm glad that you all achieved success through the steady application of the healthy principles you've learnt. That's reassuring. This rang true for me... I am think I'm probably too influenced by the idea of BMI 25 or less being the ideal. I'm happier with my health and my relationship with food now. Perhaps I just need to develop patience and trust the balanced diet that's worked for me so far.

I have no fixed opinion about this issue - I'm just interested to hear other people's views and approaches. I've got to the point where my BMI is about 27/28ish and I've lost oodles of weight. I've only lost a pound in the last 7 weeks or so, but I have lost inches, so I'm not too worried. However, I think my weight loss is beginning to 'bottom out'. Ideally, I should lose another 14-20lbs, and to this end, I was thinking of using a ketogenic diet for a few weeks. However, I've had some conversations with medical types about it recently (a retired doctor who's a friend, a bariatric nurse and the nurse at the local GP's surgery). They all said slightly different things, but the common threads of what they said were: If reaching the BMI-25-target is important to you, then by all means try! The final pounds of weight loss are difficult and - because of the type of severe restrictions needed to get there - are not often sustainable. The differences in health benefits between a BMI of 27ish and 25 are negligible. Ketogenic diets are not really recommended long-term for bariatric patients. I might still lose more weight using a balanced diet (with small portions) and although it would take longer, it would be more sustainable. From my own point of view, I had stopped thinking about food so often and I felt that this diminished importance of food in my mind was good for my mental health. There's a risk that if I go back to a diet with 'forbidden foods', I may start thinking about it too much again (which - for me - would be counter-productive). However, I know that some of you guys have achieved (and surpassed) that magical BMI of 25. How did you do it? Did you have to adopt a different strategy for the last few pounds, or did you just keep on plugging with the good habits you had learnt? As I said, I'm not here to pre-judge; different things work for different people...I'm just interested in hearing about a range of strategies that work.

I'm still the old me....although I've had to find other things to do with my fingers in idle moments instead of snacking! I look hugely different on the outside, but inside, I still have the same values and personal qualities. It's up to you how much you want to change. The potential is there for a complete Madonna-style reinvention...it depends how much change you can cope with all at once! ?

I've thrown up so hard it shot out of my nose as well as my mouth (but never out of my ears!). ??

Oh no - you naughty, naughty girl! You didn't immediately admit that you were wrong, give up all your independent ideas and do as you were told. No wonder you must be punished and shown the error of your ways! (-whilst simultaneously having everyone's positive attention taken off you and onto her). ? Sounds like mum's feeling a bit insecure and isn't looking forward to you changing!

I haven't had a single person be nasty with me because of the surgery. I've got some lovely friends (not many, but they're peaches!)? Some people have been b*tchy with me in the past - but that was their problem, not mine. I've detached from them and interestingly, they've turned on each other now. What goes around comes around, eh?

I took Biotin. I had a bit of hair loss around the 4-6 month mark, but it grew back. It's just a temporary thing - don't sweat it. The weight loss will last much longer! ?

Textured stripes (but both are good).

I find this thread such a relief - I'm glad other people's bedrooms have shoes on the floor/clothes on the bed/all-sorts-of-gubbins on the chair! I am not alone - thank you! ?

I only went to the hospital twice before my op. The first one was when I discussed the idea with the surgeon and made my decision. The second one was when I went to see a nurse a week before the op: she weighed me and took some bloods. I was in and out in 10 minutes! It sounds quite abrupt, but I did have good support afterwards: I can speak to a bariatric nurse whenever I want to.

I was told to stop eating when I was no longer hungry, and not to keep eating until I felt full. Its taken me some time to learn the difference!

They just want you to shrink your liver a bit to make the op safer. I would have thought that losing a stone would have put you well on the way to achieving that. You've still got 8 days to go as well! I also think they want to see a bit of commitment from you towards a changed lifestyle (at least, that's what my surgeon said). I don't think you should worry about it.