STLoser

Omg! Faith No More!!! One of my all time favorites!! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I understand. I was a 5 or 6x, and it's still hard to believe I'm a large (or medium!). Sometimes when I'm buying clothes I feel like a total imposter and I'm shocked when they fit! It takes a while for our mind to catch up with our body! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

That is awesome! You rock that tag!!! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Here's what I do. I hate tracking but I've been doing it consistently now for 2 years and that's a big deal for me. I still don't like it but it helps me see I'm making good choices and getting enough protein. At the same time, I DO eat when I'm hungry and I'm not extremely strict about calories. If I'm hungrier one day I eat more that day and I always ask myself if it's head hunger or actual hunger. The other thing I do is take a day off every week or so where I don't track, but I still listen to my hunger signals and make healthy choices. It just gives me a break from tracking. This has worked well for me for 2 years now and I haven't had any real gains and have consistently lost and am still losing, albeit very slowly now. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Ugh. I see I had some typos. Sorry [emoji51] Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I have NEVER, ever in my life worn smaller than a large, even at my thinnest. Back when I was this weight ok the 90sb I think sizes were a little smaller than they are now. I bought some shorts recently at Walmart and I got large. They fit OK but are big around the legs. I really liked them though so I went back for more and got a medium. I thought there is no way these will fit and I was shocked that they're perfect. A MEDIUM. Even if it is vanity sizing, I'll take it! I have never worn a medium anything in all my 50 years! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I've been on this site about 2 years now and I'm not a person who is on any social media or Facebook because I don't like all the drama. One reason I stay here is because everyone is so supportive and helpful and there has not been any drama or bickering until I saw your reply to Arabesque. While I can understand that it could be taken as smug, I've seen countless posts from her and she has NEVER been smug or condescending to anyone and has always been helpful. It's hard on the internet to assess someone's tone or intentions. Knowing all the posts I've seen from her, I really think she was just trying it offer something interesting. I heard the same thing about 7000 steps the other day. I don't think anyone ganged up on you. They were just trying to let you know that Arabesque wouldn't act that way. I have found her to be one of the most knowledgeable and supportive people on here. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Yesterday, my son wanted to look for insects in the back yard and I went outside with him. While I was out there, I jumped on his trampoline! Now, I'm 50 years old and have a bum knee, so it wasn't the acrobatic jumping I could do in my younger days, but the fact that I could do it at all, and that I'm well under the weight limit for the trampoline is quite a victory for me, and I felt like a kid again! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm glad I could help and if you have any questions I'd love to answer them! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I went to my son's Field Day at school today. I haven't been in 2 years because of COVID. A mom came up to me that I used to talk to all the time before COVID but we lost touch. She came up to ask if I was with my son because she was trying to find his mom. I was like, it is me! She couldn't believe it! Last time I talked to her I told her I was getting wls but that was in 2020. She said she kept saying to her husband that maybe it was me, but he said no that's not her! She finally decided to just come over and ask. Lol I mean, I see a difference in my self after losing 202 pounds, but so many people don't recognize me and it's crazy. I don't think I look that different, but apparently, I do. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I am so sorry for your loss.. Your dad sounds like such a wonderful man and I had tears in my eyes reading this. As a nurse, I learned early on to never judge someone based on their looks and to listen to my patients. Obviously, none of these people did that in your dad's case and if they had they could have saved his life. I am so sorry you and your family had to experience this. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm almost 2 years post op now and I'm pretty sure surgery is still on my mind every day, but not the surgery itself, just the things I do now to support the surgery, like getting my protein and vitamins, etc. I'm still losing, albeit VERY slowly now, but I had over 200 pounds to lose at the start, and that's part of why it's still on my mind every day. I still track my food, and probably always will, but I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm no longer hungry but not full to the point of restriction. I have overeaten on a few occasions and it's not comfortable, so I learned pretty early on not to do that and it's become second nature not to stuff myself anymore, which is an amazing thing to me because I pretty much always stuffed myself before surgery. I feel like what I always imagined people who were never overweight must feel when they eat and it me it's a miracle. Also, I don't have the raging kind of hunger I had before. I was someone who got hangry. I don't get that way now. Anyway. I'm rambling, but yes, the fact that I had surgery is still always on my mind, but I welcome that because it keeps me on track. It's a new normal, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm pretty sure this is the favorite NSV I've ever read on here! [emoji23] This gave me the best mental picture! So awesome! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm basically and open book, so I have told everyone I know, and everyone has been pretty supportive. I had one person early on say it was the easy way out, and I set them straight. I am a pretty outspoken person though. That person had been nothing but supportive since that one time. I was at a funeral last week where I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time, and I did get many comments on my appearance. I just said thank you to people who said I looked great. Only one person asked what I had been doing and I told her I had wls, and she is a thin, never been overweight, person, but she was very supportive and curious about what it entailed, and asked many questions about my experience. It was actually nice to educate someone about it. I don't care if people do judge me though. All this being said, you have a right to keep it private if you choose. Not everyone talks too much like me. [emoji51] I would just tell people I had been eating right and exercising if I didn't want to share that I had surgery. It's the truth, after all. [emoji4] Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I had the SADI-S on July 23, 2020, so I'm getting close to 2 years out. It was definitely the best thing I ever did. I was self pay because our insurance at the time didn't cover any wls. I have lost 200 pounds. I started at 393 (I'm 5'3") and I'm currently 193. I'm hoping to lose more. I'm losing very slowly now, but it's still coming off. The surgery was not bad, except for the first few days I had a lot of nausea. Lo and behold, our insurance now covers wls, including this one, so my husband is having it done on May 13th. They are giving him nausea meds pre-op, so I'm guessing quite a few people have had nausea with it like it did. There weren't very many people having it done when I did so they didn't know as much. I am so happy I chose the SADI-S. I feel amazing, and I have tolerated most foods. I do notice alcohol just doesn't seem to sit right in my stomach, but I've only had it a few times since surgery and I'm not a big drinker so it doesn't matter too much to me anyway. My life has changed completely in so many ways! It is late and I'm tired so I can't think of what else to write at the moment but I'll be glad to answer any questions you have! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Ha ha ha. I agree with this.. I turned 50 last August. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

That's my problem too. I have those ring sizers, but my fingers are several sizes smaller and they aren't thick enough to make them fit anymore. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I can't tell you or count how many times I was told I was fat since I was about 10 and weighed 90 pounds. In highschool I was 160 and so many people gave me the "you have such a pretty face if only you'd lose weight" line. I had friends tell me when I gained weight. When I became a nurse I had coworkers say stuff about my weight. When my son was a baby he was delayed and we thought he might have autism. When he was 5 we took him for an evaluation, and the doctor mentioned our weight (my husband is 6'10 and a big guy), and she went on an on about it which had NOTHING to do with why we were there. I've had doctors mention my weight for completely unrelated medical conditions. I had family members mention it. I could go on and on and on. Customers when I worked in retail before I was a nurse. And yes, men mentioned it too. But my husband, when we met, said I guess you weigh around 220. Just so blunt, lol. And NOT in a critical way. Just a matter of fact thing and he was the only person I ever admitted what I weight to, because I knew he didn't care what I weighed. And he doesn't care and never has. But my whole life, I thought none of my accomplishments mattered because I was fat. I did a lot of soul searching long before I had wls and eventually realized I was me no matter what the outside looked like and I liked who I was. I learned to accept myself, and I think that has made this process easier. I don't care what anyone thinks anymore. I wasted too much of my life letting others tell me I wasn't good enough because of my weight. And it is NOT OK to mention people's appearance whether it's weight or anything else. Many people are just jerks! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

That * sorry for the typo. I may have lost 200 pounds, but I still have fat fingers! [emoji23] Also, all my dietitian visits were covered too for the first year. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I was self pay. My surgery (Loop DS) was in July 2020 in St. Louis. I paid 21,000, which included all the pre and post op testing, surgery, 3 day hospital stay, and 1 year of follow up. I did end up staying in the hospital 4 days, but my surgeon was able to get the hospital not to charge me for that. I still follow up with my surgeon every 6 months, and now we have insurance that covers wls, so those visits are covered. It makes me mad that after never once having insurance thaglt covered wls, practically the second I paid for it myself, we got insurance that covered it. However, I have no regrets and would GLADLY pay thr 21,000 again right now if I had to! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

You'll be here before you know it. [emoji4] Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Absolutely counts! That's awesome! Congratulations! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Same! Rings are my favorite jewelry and I have a ton, but they're all size 10. I wear a 7 but now but almost a 6. I sure miss my wedding rings but I'm wearing a temporary one for now until I get them resized. It's so good to have smaller fingers! Great NSV for you! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I just got back from getting my yearly mammogram. When they gave me the little gown/vest to put on, they gave me the regular one. I've always had to wait for them to go find an extra big gown before. After so long being bigger than the biggest size most places carry, and the biggest person in every crowd, it was crazy to put that standard sized gown on and have it be really loose. Like, I'm not even close to the top size person who would be able to wear that standard size gown. I'm in the middle! I could wrap it way extra around me! Sometimes blows my mind to be "normal". Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

This is so wonderful. Congratulations on finding your confidence and living your life to the fullest. Your post brought tears to my eyes! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app