BigSue

Oh yeah, that’s a good one! I completely forgot about how much I hated the way my hands looked with the dimpled knuckles. Plus, my fingers were always too big for rings. I think I would have needed size 13 and most rings aren’t made that big.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset. The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” protein bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl salad dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet). Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

Congratulations and great work! I hope you don’t get too hung up on the number on the scale because holy moly, look at your long list of non-scale victories! If you are happy with the way you feel, the way you look, and your health, I’d call that a win.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others. I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me: Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season. Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person. Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items. Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one! I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

Wow… I’m not in the UK, so I have no idea what is considered common practice, but this is not only terribly unfair, but also illogical. It’s not like a transplant where they may only have a few hours to get the organ into a recipient; they should be able to give you at least a few hours to respond (and also a way to reach them). They can’t possibly expect you to be ready to answer the phone at a moment’s notice any time, anywhere. If I had to guess, I would say this is probably not really their policy, but the person who called didn’t want to take the time to call you back or wait for your call and just moved on to the next person because it was easier. That would be a really callous way to handle something so important. I hope you can find someone to correct this so you can get your surgery!

I am so jealous! Only when I started to avoid black clothing did I notice how many things are ONLY available in black. I was initially frustrated after my color and style analysis because it seemed so difficult to find anything that met my many new "rules", but I eventually came to realize that this is a good thing because it stops me from buying clothes that look good online but end up being unflattering on me. I am a lot more picky with what I buy now, so instead of having a closet full of stuff I never wear, I have a small selection of pieces that suit me well. The clothing rental subscription helps a lot, too, because it allows me to wear new outfits all the time without buying a lot of additional clothes. It's really tempting to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe all at once, but I think I am much better off building it over time. There's a lot of good info online about how to dress for your body type (Kibbe body type is a pretty common system), if you don't want to go for a professional analysis. I think clothing rental is also a great way to try out new styles outside of your comfort zone.

I haven't told anyone -- even my family -- that I got surgery. It's none of their business, and people can be really ignorant and judgmental about WLS, and I don't want to debate about it. Sometimes when someone says, "Wow, you look great!" you can divert the conversation away from weight loss just by saying, "Thanks! So do you! It's great to see you; how have you been?" My go-to answer when people ask me how I lost the weight is, "I made a lot of lifestyle changes..." That alone is often enough to make them lose interest because they're looking for an easy answer. If they press for more information, I'll talk about using MyFitnessPal to track my food, getting a FitBit to track my steps, waking up early to work out before work, finding healthy recipes on Pinterest, incorporating more vegetables into my meals, using grocery delivery to avoid temptation, etc. Which is all true. I'm 3.5 years post-op, and over time, the surgery itself is less of a factor and the "lifestyle changes" (I used to hate that term, but that's what it is) are what matter. Nowadays, weight loss drugs like Ozempic are pretty socially accepted, more so than surgery. I would be more willing to admit to using Ozempic than getting WLS, except that I haven't used weight loss drugs and I wouldn't lie to say I did (and wouldn't want to have to answer questions about side effects, cost, etc. that would probably follow). But since weight loss drugs are so common, people might just assume.

I get irrationally excited about having extra room in seats. It used to be a tight squeeze to get my butt into a standard chair, and I dreaded having to sit through a long meeting in a chair with arms that dug into my thighs, but now I fit into any chair with room for accessories! I love getting into the car and being able to put my purse next to me. Or sitting in one of those meeting chairs with arms and having room for my tablet on one side and thermos on the other. Or going to a movie and having plenty of space for my coat. It feels like I'm finding secret hidden compartments everywhere I sit.

Yikes… Unfortunately, you have to be careful when purchasing on Amazon, especially when different sizes or colors could be from different sellers. I have purchased both of these items multiple times (the first most recently in October 2023, the second in June 2023) and have never had that problem, but thanks for the heads up for anyone considering ordering.

I never go out in public without a shaping cami. I lost 200 pounds, so I have quite a bit of sagging to contain. I swear by Maidenform Flexees because they are reasonably priced, comfortable, and effective. They are long enough to cover my whole belly, firm enough to hold in the excess skin, but not uncomfortably tight. Here are the ones I wear: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UJ7YYA/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EVOO9QW/ For bras, I like Warner wire-free. I used to be a busty lady, but not so much after losing 200 pounds. I actually went to a lingerie store to get a bra fitting, and it was super frustrating because none of the bras they recommended did anything for my deflated chest. I left without buying anything because the Warner bra I wore into the store was better than anything I tried on. I also hate underwires, and these Warner bras are very comfortable while also providing shape and support (also very reasonably priced): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T7GE5NQ/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D1MFRKT/

Oh yeah. I'm 3.5 years out and the honeymoon has long been over. If I weren't extremely careful about what I eat, it would be terrifyingly easy to fall off the wagon and jump on the regain train. The surgery still helps, for sure; even when I eat too much, I think back to how much I would have eaten before the surgery and realize that my overindulgence now pales in comparison. But it still takes a lot of effort and attention to maintain my weight. My first recommendation for you is to get back on the scale and see exactly where you stand. No matter how much you've regained, stepping on the scale isn't going to change it. Believe me, I understand not wanting to know (take it from someone who did not own a scale for over a decade before my surgery), but staying in denial will only make things worse. I found a fantastic podcast called "We Only Look Thin," hosted by a husband and wife who each lost over 100 pounds. They did NOT have WLS, but they have so much insight and advice. They address a lot of the things that you worry about, so if you are open to listening to podcasts, I highly recommend this one.

YOU GUYS this machine makes ice cream out of protein shakes! I am so obsessed with my Ninja Creami. I'm way past the stages that involved subsisting mainly on protein shakes, but even now, I am loving the ability to make delicious ice cream that's even lower in calories than Halo Top (and doesn't leave me painfully bloated if I eat more than 2 bites of it, the way Halo Top does). This thing would have been a game-changer during the pre-op diet, liquid, and pureed stages. I would almost say it should be a mandatory purchase for all WLS patients (j/k but HIGHLY recommended). Who else has jumped on the Creami bandwagon?

Oh yeah, I was also super strict with myself for the first year or two post-surgery. I remember my first Christmas after surgery when I baked dozens of cookies and didn't even take a single bite. Wish I could still be that disciplined. Last year on my birthday, I decided it would be ok to indulge in a dessert treat on my birthday, but then realized I didn't have anything indulgent in the house (but I did have a fantastic filet mignon for dinner, so I didn't feel too sorry for myself, and I bought myself a "birthday" cupcake the next weekend, anyway). To my disappointment, I don't get dumping syndrome, but if I eat something with too much sugar, I get really tired and feel like crap for the rest of the day.

Happy birthday! I had my surgery less than a week before my birthday, so I was still on liquids for my birthday. I didn't (and really couldn't) do anything food-wise for my birthday that year. What else do you normally do to celebrate your birthday? Do your friends and family give you gifts? You can still open gifts on your birthday. Maybe instead of going out for a birthday meal, you can find another (non-food-related) activity to do with your friends and family, like a movie or show, escape room, spa day, mini golf, etc. Something to consider with respect to a birthday treat is that you might have a bad reaction to it, so think about whether you want to risk getting sick on your birthday. Maybe instead you can find a bakery that makes sugar-free cupcakes, or a health food store that sells protein brownies, or make yourself a sugar-free protein mug cake.

I got the Deluxe because (1) it has bigger containers (24 ounces for the Deluxe vs. 16 ounces for the other models) and (2) it has more programs than the other models. To be honest, I don't fully understand the difference between programs, and I'm not 100% convinced it matters (e.g., what's the difference between light ice cream and frozen yogurt programs?), but it's nice to have options. I like the bigger containers because it allows more flexibility in what recipes I can make, and I usually eat half and re-freeze the other half for later. A few pro tips: Buy extra containers. You have to freeze the mixture for 12-24 hours, so you'll want to be able to make it in advance so you don't have to wait until you consume one to freeze the next one. The machine only comes with two containers (unless you find a deal that includes extra containers), and I bought 4 more for a total of 6. My extras are not Ninja brand but they are the same shape and size to work with the machine, at half the price of the Ninja brand. Re-spin! No matter what program you use, your ice cream will probably come out looking like powder and you'll think something is wrong. Put it back in the machine and re-spin at least once, sometimes two or three times. Some people say to add liquid before re-spinning, but I recommend NOT to do that, because as it sits at room temperature during the re-spins, it will start to melt into its own liquid, so if you add more liquid, it will get too soft. Also, this is kind of confusing, but if you save some for later, you have to re-freeze it in the container and then creamify it using the applicable program (e.g., light ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt, etc.), NOT re-spin. In other words, never use the re-spin button when it's frozen solid. You'll probably need to add sweetener and/or flavor. When people are dissatisfied with recipes, I suspect that it's usually because of insufficient sweetness. YMMV, but I like things super sweet, so I always add sugar-free sweetener (erythritol and/or Splenda) and lots of it. People say that freezing and creamifying it makes it taste less sweet, so when you taste the liquid before freezing it, you'll probably want it to be on the verge of too sweet. Same goes for flavor -- it tastes weaker after freezing and creamifying. There are some great flavorings available that can really enhance your creations. Lorann, One on One Flavors, and Bakto flavorings are available on Amazon and offer a ton of variety. McCormick cake batter extract is also a delicious addition to vanilla bases and is available at most grocery stores.

It is very common and normal to feel regret in the early post-op days. This is probably the most difficult part of the WLS process because your diet is very limited, you're still adjusting physically and emotionally to your post-op life, but you're not seeing the benefits of the weight loss yet. In other words, this is the time when you have the most drawbacks and the fewest benefits, but as time goes by, it will become the opposite -- you'll be able to eat more normally and you'll experience many scale and non-scale victories. It's hard to see that now when you're in it, but when you look back on this time a year from now, it will seem like an insignificant blip on your journey.

I think that's a good response! Since I haven't told anyone, I haven't been in the position of having to defend my decision, but I'd like to think I might say, "Yeah, I don't have the willpower to do it myself, and I'm smart enough to realize that I needed surgical intervention."

I bought it on Black Friday, so I've had it a little over a month. No major problems so far. I will say it's a pain to clean and runs really, really loud (seriously, you should either leave the room while it's running or wear ear plugs), but for the results it produces, I think it's worth the trouble. I held off on buying it for a long time because America's Test Kitchen gave it a negative review, but I don't think they were considering the advantage of being able to make healthy ice cream.

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma on WLS. This is why I haven't told anyone except medical professionals about my surgery. Not even my parents or siblings, and definitely not coworkers or friends. So, my strategy for dealing with negative comments is to avoid the subject entirely. You know what's best for yourself and what they think is irrelevant. If, however, you want to respond to them, maybe you can educate them on what WLS really entails. People who are ignorant look at it as the "easy way out" or cheating in some way because they have no idea how intense the whole process is. The comment about not having the willpower to do it yourself is ridiculous to anyone who has been through it, because taking the initiative and putting forth the effort to go through with it takes a heck of a lot of strength and courage. And even with the help of the surgery as a tool, it still takes a lot of willpower to stick with your program, lose the weight, and keep it off.

My highest recorded weight was 341 pounds, but I lost about 70 pounds before surgery. I'm almost 3.5 years out and I'm in the mid-130s now. I didn't expect to lose this much; I wasn't really hung up on a specific number, but I think my original goal weight (based on average WLS data) was about 180. It was initially fairly easy to lose weight after surgery (the "honeymoon period" when my restriction was very strong and my hunger was almost nonexistent), but it took a lot of effort to get to where I am and maintain it. I've completely changed my diet and eating habits and I work out a lot (at least 90 minutes every day). A lot of my life revolves around diet and exercise to maintain my weight, but I still enjoy food and eating at least as much as before, and I have discovered a love for a lot of healthy foods. After losing over 200 pounds, I do have excess skin, and I don't currently have any plans to have plastic surgery. I have a flabby belly and sagging thighs. I have a little arm flab but not as bad as I expected. My butt and chest are quite deflated. I'm never going to have a bikini-ready body and I accept that. A shaping cami works wonders to hold in the belly, and flattering clothing can hide the rest well enough that no one would guess that I used to weigh more than twice as much. I care much more about the non-scale victories than the number on the scale, and for someone who started at a super morbidly obese weight, getting to my current size is a whole new world. My health has improved in so many ways -- my blood pressure is normal, lipid panel is good, and my doctor undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. I used to have a hard time finding clothing in my size, as I was too big for even "plus size" clothing at some stores (I used to wear size 26/28), and now I can find my size almost anywhere (I am now size 6/8 or medium/large). I used to struggle to walk short distances or a couple of flights of stairs, and now I can walk miles without breaking a sweat and glide up 10 flights of stairs without stopping. It's amazing how much easier it is to get around when I'm not carrying the weight of a whole extra person. I used to be hyper-aware of people judging me for my weight, and I dreaded meeting people face to face, knowing that they would think less of me when they saw my size. It is hard to describe the emotional burden that has been lifted by not having to worry about people making negative assumptions about me based on my weight. I have not had any direct complications from the surgery, but because of the rapid weight loss, I developed bradycardia (slow heart rate) and had to get a pacemaker. That's been rough, but overall, I am far better off having had the surgery and losing the weight.

I would not be too concerned about losing too much weight. Unless you have extremely rare and serious complications, it is infuriatingly easy to eat more than enough calories to maintain. For most people, avoiding regain is the biggest concern in the long term. I’m about 3.5 years out and I have to be super careful to track my calories and work out every day. If I weren’t careful to eat low-calorie foods, I could easily gain back a lot of weight. The effects of the restriction wear off over time and I can eat much larger portions than I could, say, 1 year out. Not nearly as much as I could eat pre-surgery (I was a bottomless pit!) but if I were still eating the same high-calorie foods, I would be in trouble. The only reason I’ve been able to maintain my weight loss so far is because I completely changed the way I eat. Going through the post-op diet progression forced me to reset my diet, relearn how to eat. Now that my restriction has weakened and I can’t rely on my stomach to limit my portion sizes, I have to fill my stomach with low-calorie foods. In some ways it’s easier than before surgery because I’ve retrained my palate and developed good habits, but it is definitely still a struggle every day.

Congratulations! That is an amazing accomplishment to lose OVER 100 POUNDS!

The annual subscription for Bariatric Pal Multivitamin One is the best priced bariatric multivitamin you can get. I think all chewable multivitamins taste terrible, so I get the capsules. I suggest you order a smaller quantity to try before you commit to a whole year’s worth. I also use Bariatric Pal calcium chews. I LOVE the French vanilla caramel and Belgian chocolate caramel. They taste like candy. They are lower priced than most other brands, and they often go on sale (I bet they will be on sale for Black Friday!).

What a fantastic NSV! Truly life-changing. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy learning to drive your new car.

What a fantastic NSV! Truly life-changing. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy learning to drive your new car.