NewNewMe

I recall a very sad time when I got on a roller coaster to find I didn't fit. This was before they had the special large passenger seats available. I was so embarrassed to be taken off the ride in front of everyone leaving my frightened kids to ride alone. I never tried again and had not been on a coaster in many years. Last week my son and I went to Busch Gardens in VA. I road every coaster! It was such a huge NSV for me. The odd thing is that I was still afraid I would get kicked off even though I knew I fit like everyone else. I don't think I will ever shake that feeling that I am still my old size.

Six weeks out you should not be drinking your calories. Eat 5-6 small high protein meals a day. I would suggest tacking your food with myfitnesspal. Don't forget to exercise too!

I would highly suggest using the C25K app. I started in January and have run two 5k events since. I run 3 times a week now and really feel it has made a difference in my weight loss. I love the freedom of running for exercise. When jogging try to breath in through you nose and out your mouth.

I went on vacation at 3 months out. I came back lighter than before I left. First time that ever happened. Vacation was great! I would go on your cruise!

Myfitnesspal

Great job! Keep going! C25K was best thing I did for myself his year. I started in January and ran my first 5k in April. I am running another at the end of August. I run 3 times a week religiously. It is harder now with intense heat but I am determined to keep running in all weather.

I don't miss anything! I just don't crave the junk like I used to and when I do indulge I am like eh that was ok. No need to eat a ton of cookies or cake or chips. They don't have a hold on me anymore. But if I want some I eat it and move on. That is not my norm, my norm is choosing what is best for me. If you treat this as a restrictive diet you will go off eventually. Make life changes instead.

I get people who just keep going on about how "skinny" I am and then keep asking me if I see how "fat" they are getting. It makes me very uncomfortable. Especially since I am not "skinny" and they have never been fat. It is nice to say they notice my loss but once is enough and they don't need to rub in how skinny they are by saying they are getting so "fat".

I have shopped at Women Within, Romans, Catherine's, and the Avenue so long I don't know where else to go. I am getting to the point happily where I'm in the smallest sizes at some of the above mentioned stores. I have been buying workout clothes at Kohl's but am not fond of a lot of their normal clothes options. Would love to hear where people started shopping when they were still plus size but not super plus. Thanks!

I went on a Segway tour on a cruise excursion recently. It was so nice to be far below the weight limit. I plan to go to an amusement park around by birthday and ride every roller coaster without fear of not fitting. I am also planning to go white water rafting with my adult kids later this summer with no fear of the life vest not fitting. Another item on my list is to go horse back riding.

I just came back from a 2 week vacation and cruise. I had gained 4lbs. But the worst part was I was always hungry and eating carbs when I came back. It is a never ending cycle with carbs. Your hungry all the time. After a few days I booted up my fitness pal and forced myself through a day with no carbs. I was back on track after that one day. You need to detox off those carbs. Now I can eat a small amount each day without the constant hunger. I dropped the 4lbs plus 3 more. You can do it!

My doctor told me the B vitamins were the most important with sleeve. Take B12 and Folic Acid with your other vitamins.

Congratulations! Just follow your surgeon's directions after. The first weeks are the hardest. Try to relax because you will love the way you feel after get you past all the stages and are eating normal. New normal . Remember the first 6-18 months are the best months to get the most from your surgery. So eat per your NUTS advice and move as much as you can. Good luck!

Tomorrow marks my 1 yr anniversary of my lap band to sleeve revision (4/30/15). Best thing I ever did! It has been a great year with a lot of changes. I am down 105lbs (166 since lap band). I'm still losing, just slower and I am good with that. I actually ran a 5k last weekend. A year ago I could barely walk a mile. I feel so much more confident and comfortable in my sagging skin (skin surgery coming up next year). I feel like a normal person now not driven by food and enjoying being active. I have attached a couple before/after pics. The first one is a year ago and today. And the 2nd one is pre band and today.

I never had regret. The first few months were the hardest. They require the most work from you. Make sure you get your water and protein in! After the first few months I learned what it was like to be a "normal" person who was not driven by food. Today marks one year from my surgery. I still have a way to go to hit goal. But I feel like a completely new person. You can't reverse this, so embrace it and all it has to offer! Here is my 1 year before/after.

Thanks everyone!

This is why I chose to have the surgery. I spent a year and a half fighting weight off only to regain plus when my life had unexpected stress. It came back on so fast I didn't get a chance to wake up and correct things. After the surgery I know I can't do that kind of damage that fast. I am hoping if I start to gain I will wake up and fix it before it gets too out of hand.

YAY! How did it go? It went well. I didn't run fast but I finished. There were a lot of big hills which I was not prepared for. Making it up the hills surprised me.

Is anyone else doing a C25K? I am on week 2 day 3. So proud I made it this far. Never thought I would be trying to run a 5k at my size. I hope I can manage week 3. Would love to hear from others on this journey.

I ran my first 5k today! I can't believe how far I came in a year. My 1 yr anniversary is Saturday!

Use myfitnesspal to track what you eat. I started a couch to 5k program and found that really kicked things back in gear. I am running my first 5k next weekend.

I was fortunate to have a motion bed. This let me sleep on my back a few nights. I was back on my side before the end of the first week.

I am almost at one year post op. There is nothing I can't eat. It is so nice to feel normal. I don't have the cravings I used to. I usually choose healthy foods and I am very happy to eat them and to eat small portions. I don't feel deprived anymore like I did on "diets".

The band was a nightmare! I don't get why people are still getting them. Like we are all stupid but that won't happen to them. They latch on to the few "success" stories and get it anyway. I guarantee those "success" people will end up band less someday. I wish I had people to tell me about these nightmares back in 2005. It was too new. I really don't get why doctors are still putting them in. It is all about $$. I hope they do recall them and stop them from going into future victims.

I had got a band in 2005. I lost 85lbs the first year and then started getting horrible reflux. I couldn't sleep at all. They took most of the fluid out which helped greatly but not with weight loss. I yoyo dieted for eight years and then finally did a revision to sleeve at the end of last April. This was the best thing I ever did! Night and day from that horrible band. I did get some heartburn in the earlier months. But no reflux. The heartburn was easily controlled with OTC meds and now seems to have past. Good luck!