Luna Girl

I know exactly what you mean. We are football fans and I had to buy the mens jerseys cause the cute womens ones didn’t fit anymore. I am excited to be able to wear them again.

Last year around Christmas, I found my perfect Christmas sweater. It is a fair aisle St. Louis Cardinals Christmas sweater. I'm a very big fan. It was on clearance for 15 bucks and an Xl. I was a 5x at my biggest and 3x when I bought it. When I showed it to my husband he said he couldn't picture me being small enough to wear it. It is more like a large or medium than and xl. I told him you wait. I will wear this next year at Christmas. Well, I DID wear it this year and he thought I looked hot! [emoji16]
It's probably dumb to some people but being a big baseball fan I was always sad I couldn't get the cute women's clothes they sell for fans. This is probably my favorite NSV!!

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Hello All,
You may have heard that superpowers are all the rage these days. It seems you cannot turn a corner without running into someone bitten by a spider or someone who possesses tremendous strength when angry even if they turn green. But I have a superpower of my own.
I can resist my archenemy. "Food."
During my 54 years here on Earth, I have not won many battles against "Food." I know many people that can defeat the powers of "Food" easily. They can resist "Food's" charm. They can limit "Food's" evil ways. I have envied them.
However, this year is different for me. I have spent the last seven days locked in a battle with my nemesis and I have emerged victorious. Ring the freaking victory bell!
Perhaps many of you can relate, this battle hasn't been just any "run of the mill" battle. This was the ultimate showdown of good versus evil which occurred during Christmas Week.
Many of you probably already know the methods of my foe. Perhaps "Food" is your nemesis too. Hence, you are familiar with the trouble maker and the reign of terror that "Food" can bring.
"Food" launched a furious attack against me with:
cheese dips Crackers pretzels Gourmet sliced cheeses topped with pepperoni Cheesy pizza loaded with toppings Homemade Christmas Cookies chocolate Fudge - like all mothers make Crispy bacon Cinnamon French Toast Fresh, warm bread But I countered with my new superpower...my VSG. This power was given to me on 12/15/21, just before the epic showdown. I was able to duck, dodge and perry my foe's attacks with some carefully timed Protein and plenty of fluids.
I am not going to say it was easy, because part of me wanted to succumb to temptation. But I adapted and overcame the demon. In the end, I stood tall and victorious.
I hope that you, the people who truly understand this daily struggle, are able to emerge victorious also. The feeling is almost indescribable.
My most sincere wishes of success, health and happiness to you.
The struggle is real.

This gave me the chuckles. So I don't try and analyze every pound, I only count in Emma's. Emma was a 12 pound rat terrier that everyone liked. I'm down just over 6 Emma's. Sobering indeed!

my wife bought the whole family Christmas pajamas. I was annoyed, mainly because I didn't want to be one of those families that do that and the PJs for guys are never flattering. On top of that, she got me a medium. I haven't worn a medium since I was about 12, so I didn't even want to put it on. But... it actually didn't fit too bad. It was a little tight, but didn't look like a body suit like I thought it would. A few Christmases ago, I would have probably needed either 2x or 3x, so that's a big change.

I have always worn shirts and sweaters that were a little big to cover up my being overweight (atleast that was what I thought was happening). This Christmas my wife bought me some sweaters. A year ago I was wearing 3X, probably could have done 2X. She bought me medium sweaters which I was ready to be embarrassed because I figured I was too heaving to fit in a medium. We damn...I fit in a medium. What a feeling.

Congratulations and Happy holidays!

Wow you look amazing! Thanks for sharing this I needed this today!!!

Wow, you worked hard and it shows!

Oh sorry I missed a question…I decided on this weight because I had gotten down to 165 once before (very, very briefly) and I’d liked how I looked and felt. So I put that down as my goal weight. Sitting at almost 340 lbs at the time I kind of worried my surgeon would roll his eyes, but everyone just accepted that and I went forward with that as the goal.

I think a goal weight is a personal thing- some people look amazing still “overweight” , some people are more muscular, etc. I like that I’m in a healthy bmi but at the end of the day I kind of feel like I know what I want to look/feel like, so that’s how I came to the decision.

Best christmas present *ever*!!! Thank you for sharing your story and your photos, it's such a help and inspiration to know that people really do do this!

Thank you all for your kind words! These forums have been great for keeping me on track before and after surgery. I really appreciate you all.

Honestly this is pretty much the only “before” pic, and I’m not even quite sure it’s at my highest. My program said take before pictures right before surgery, take measurements. But of course I didn’t listen. My main goal for photos pre-op was “don’t be in them”.

A few more questions I see all the time I here I will answer: yes I lost hair, yes, even though I got my Protein and Vitamins. It just happens. I cut my hair shorter, and literally the only other person who noticed was my hair dresser. And all the hair is growing back now, which looks kind of funny since it’s a little frizzy halo on my head. But the whole hair thing is kinda funny to be honest, not a huge upset or a tragedy.

No, I don’t feel like weight loss made me look dramatically older, nor did I gain wrinkles or jowls. But I’m in my 40s, and I’m a skincare enthusiast and regular Botox user so that may have influenced stuff. 😂

Yes, I can eat “normally” now. If I went out to a restaurant with someone who didn’t know it wouldn’t be obvious outside of what looks like a small appetite. I’m not eating special bariatric diet food.

Happy to answer any questions people have! And thank you all again.

Awesome testimony! Sending good thoughts to both you and your wife! 🙏

New to the forum, here is readers digest of my story.
I am a 47 year old Caucasian male. I am on my third career. One kid to graduate HS this year, one to graduate in 2 years. Married 21 years. And I'm pretty good at lying to myself.
I always told myself I was really good at dealing with stress. Never recognized I was a stress eater the entire time. I spent 15 years in EMS right out of college, 3 as an EMT, 12 as a Paramedic in a high performing urban 911 system. Then I went into the labor union world for another 10 years, negotiating contracts and working in workplace disputes. Now I work in Medical Insurance as a teacher/trainer/adult education specialist, teaching others how to handle appeals and complaints.
I have some unique abilities that helped lead to me being 364 lbs (6 foot tall) in December 2020.
I remain fluent in the 7-11 diet. I can look at a hot dog on the roller and tell roughly how long it has been on it. I consumed up to 2 liters of soda per day for many years. My partners all used to smoke, but I watched my grandfather die of COPD from smoking as a kid and have never touched a tobacco product. So in essence, I replaced cheap ass convenience store food and soda for smoking during my EMS career. My metabolism changed around age 30 and I just couldn't keep the pounds off anymore. And, this is important... I DIDN'T CARE.
I was pretty burned out, crispy as a medic. I got a job offer to move into the labor union world, negotiating contracts and representing other EMTs and Paramedics around the country. I moved my family (wife and 2 young kids) to another state to work for a startup labor union. I took it. And I stopped exercising as I tried to conquer a new career field. What they don't tell you about labor work is that it is also high stress work. I cut soda out during those years but drank a lot of sweet tea and despite what my doctor, family, and friends would say.... I DIDN'T CARE about my size.
The union I worked for went through an old fashioned union labor coup. My life was threatened and people intentionally harmed me personally and professionally. At the same time, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. The union I worked for was absorbed by a big national union player. I signed on with the big national player because I needed the insurance for my wife. We weren't in a good place, survival mode. I spent the next few years traveling for the new labor union, in order to have the insurance to pay for my wife's cancer treatments.
When my wife was well enough (she still is chronically ill, years later) to travel, I moved our family back to our home state of Oregon. The labor union I worked for (who had approved my move) promptly laid me off. So back into survival mode, I became a statistic. Middle aged man, laid off, starting a 3rd career. I was hired by a Medical Insurance Company that paid very little, but jobs were scarce and it was what I had. I took a second job at a local grocery store and worked 60-70 hours per week for a few years. There's no such thing as dietary control when you are working that much and are that tired, and frankly....I DIDN'T CARE about my size.
Over a few years, my financial situation has improved and while we are not well off, I no longer work 2 jobs. My PCP asked me 3 years in a row to look into bariatric surgery. I finally looked into it, and this is important... I CHOSE TO TAKE THIS PATH. The choice is important. The surgery is just a step to get there.

It was time for me to grow up. I'm 47 years old, Life is damn hard and I need to start taking care of myself... I already have several other medical conditions associated with middle age. I frankly still don't care what I look like physically, but I can see the road ahead and don't want to go down that path (obesity gets worse, diabetes, HTN, Stroke, High Cholesterol, Heart Disease).

I did this to myself by not being disciplined. So to make this lifestyle change, I need to be as disciplined as possible. I was ready. I CHOSE. IT IS TIME TO GROW UP.

December 2020 - 6' tall - 364lbs
RNY Surgery December 2021 - 316lbs
I am 4 days post surgery writing this today.
And I worked my ass off to change my relationship to food.

That's my story... For what it is worth. I finally decided to grow up.

Yes, I also weigh less than my husband now, which is amazing. He and I are almost the same height but for most of our marriage I was twice his weight. Now I’m ten pounds less. It was fun playing on the teeter totter at the park last weekend and being the light one for once!

He weighs almost the exact same amount of weight that I’ve lost, and I can barely pick him up for a second or two. It’s incomprehensible that a year ago I was going about my entire life with that weight on me. How did I even walk? Now I know why I was so exhausted all the time.

Another sweet option is frozen grapes.

Congratulations!! You look fantastic! And Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to share since this is a safe place.

Being heavy really destroyed my knees and hips. Now they are getting closer and closer to being normal. I have now lost 158 lb and It took 480 days. That number 158 lb happens to be how much my lady friend weighs. So, 480 days ago my life was as if I carried her on my back day-in and day-out, 24 hours a day and seven days a week for all of the preceding years. That is very sobering!

I don't have a husband, just a "semi-ex-boyfriend" (in Spanish "amigovio") and he is 5'10" and weighs 135 holding a cheese stick and soaking wet. I don't think I will ever weigh less than him! (He doesn't have an eating disorder; he's just naturally thin as is the rest of his family.)

Me too!!!
Less than my husband for the first time ever. 😁

I can't stop touching my collar bones and my hips!!!!
Also, I made a Santa suit in 2003. I sewed it by hand. It's red sequin fabric with white fake fur trim. Think "Liberace goes to the North Pole". I wore it at my heaviest (293lb) and now I'm 192! I know it will be falling off, but I have worn it every year and I will "make it work" at Tim Gunn would say.
Happy Holidays Everyone!

Back with a new NSV: I officially weigh less than my husband. First time in our 25 years of being together. Not only can I wear his shirts, but they are baggy on me.

My shirts that I've had for decades (literally - one is from a charity walk in 1994!) are now so big they are almost nightgowns. It's a great feeling.

Congratulations!! You look fantastic! And Merry Christmas!