Lee

Welcome to VST! I'm glad you're not lurking anymore. I can't comment on the liquid diet because that's not what my plan called for. I was on a 1200 calorie diet until I lost my required weight pre-op. Once I got to my pre-op goal I was scheduled for surgery. I knew that if I gained, I'd be sent home on surgery morning, so it was a great motivator. You can do this! You'll be so happy to be on the Loser's Bench with the rest of us.

I've never been to Walmart. I can see a trip there in my future. For right now I'm not eating nuts and sticking to all fresh foods so I try to shop organic whenever possible.

I never had heartburn pre-op. I didn't know I had a hernia until post-op when the surgeon told me. I take Protonix 2x a day and haven't had any problems since Day 3 post-op. For those first few days I was waking up with a mouthful of acid. I didn't have a clue what it was but I hated it. I just started sleeping on elevated pillows until I was sure the Protonix kicked in.

I often use the Plain Fage Greek Yogurt a week or more after the expiration date on the container. I figure it's already in a tart state and I think the cultures keep it good for a longer period. I always look for the container with the furthest out date. Yup, I'm that annoying person. :001_tongue:

I'm always curious about how people lose at different rates. Today I'm starting my 7th week post-op (Wednesday 2/17 surgery). I was on a 1200 calorie diet pre-op and had to be at 230 on surgery morning or I'd be sent home. I've been eating low-carb both pre-op and post-op (30 carbs or less a day). Week 1 - 7.4 Week 2 - 5.8 Week 3 - 2.2 Week 4 - 2.8 Week 5 - .6 Week 6 - .4 Week 7 - 3 pounds - so happy to be losing again! So if you think you're the slowest loser, forget it! There's always someone slower or faster than you. Keep a positive attitude and be grateful for having this great tool. I love the way my body is reshaping. Everything looks the same, just smaller.

Well when I get there we can all celebrate!! :biggrin0:

Ms B~, you've done awesome. You're so close to goal. I can't wait till I can say I'm in a size 10! :crying:

Congrats on a great start to all this. Being just about half way to goal must feel awesome to you! :crying:

Congratulations!! You're doing terrific!

Thanks Anna. I've been very closeted at work about my WLS. I don't want people looking at me/judging how I'm doing. I feel like this is such a personal journey but love sharing it with everyone here.

Goodlife, I haven't posted my progression pics here yet, but today I did post them over at OH. If you friend me there, you'll have access.

Chancie, you really rock! You know we all want to grow up to be just like you.

I measured the day before surgery and do so each month. I track it in myfitnesspal . com. I'm only two months out but did measure yesterday. -4 hips -4 stomach -2 thigh -2 upper arm -2 waist -2 armpit -1 under bust -2 bust -1 neck I was really happy to see the loss on the tape measure because I only let go of 3 pounds for the entire 2nd month post-op. It reassured me that something is going on and things are shifting. I started in 22/24 dress slacks. The 18's that I was wearing to a business meeting on Friday were falling down. I had to run home and change clothes after the meeting. I'm also taking pictures once a month on surgery day. A friend came over last night to take pictures for me. I need to go load them on my mac and see how they turned out. At one month I couldn't see any changes but maybe I'll post those as well. Friends have access to my pics. I just don't want them out there for guests to the site.

Mini, here's a good website to check out. If you click on the picture of the exercise you want to see, you'll actually see it being done. It really helped me learn about form. Stretching Exercises I was lax with exercise in my first two months. I think that going back to work on day 7 just left me tired out, then I got lazy and only exercise 1 or 2 days a week. I have no excuse as I have a full gym and pool here at home and live on an urban lake with a 3.5 mile path around it. Yesterday was month 2 for me and I decided to step it up. Last week I walked to work 3x. It's only about 20 minutes each way, but better than driving. Yesterday morning I got out and walked the lake, then did it again this morning. I would much rather sit on the couch until the urge to exercise passes, but I know I can't and shouldn't. I have a good rebounder in my living room and try to remember to get on it. I put a set of 5 lb weights on the coffee table to remind me to work my arms while I watch tv and that in turn reminds me to get down and do some crunches and stretching. Again, I just got them out this week but we have to take baby steps so we don't give up. I joined a fitness challenge on the Lightweight board on OH that commits to 30 minutes of exercise a day. I want to do that and try to be accountable.

I've tried it several times. I can get it at my local grocery store. Each time I buy it and get excited. Open the bag. Rinse, smell it, dump in the trash. Regardless of how long I rinse it etc, it still has a terrible fishy disgusting smell. I'm not generally a picky eater but this stuff really is strong. We're all different so you may like it. I haven't tried it post-op.

There are so many variables. While I haven't lost in pounds, this morning I had a meeting and had to dress up. I put on a pair of lined dress slacks with cute cuffs etc. I had them on about three weeks ago and they fit perfectly. This morning I was in a hurry to get to the office. I had to roll over the waistband because the pants were dragging on the floor. The butt and stomach were ridiculously baggy and gapping. Not the professional look I was going for. Needless to say I stayed seated in the conference room, then ran home to change the minute the meeting was over. GRRRR So whether the scale is moving, there are always changes happening post-op. We just need to look for the signs! I love that so many of us are post-op right around the same time. I don't use your stats to beat myself up, but to give me hope that things will speed up for me a bit. Today my hairdresser said that she can see my hairloss really starting. So sad. I think I'm going to add more Protein into my plan to see if it helps. She explained to me that our hair is protein and when we're lacking it, our hair shows it.

WTG girls, you are both doing terrific. Congratulations on surviving the earthquake! How fun to have met each other to share the journey.

Hey, I hit the same stall. I think both you and your wife are doing terrific. Congratulations on a great first month!

Youknowit, let's really celebrate the fact that you're out of the 180's forever! That must feel incredible to you! We're both going to get to our goals but the journey might not look like how we imagined. I think I'm going to learn a lot about patience and healthy expectations along the way. I haven't been under 189 in over 30 years. I'm excited to see what my body does and how I feel. I already have so much more energy when I'm out walking. How does it feel to be 179?

KZol, I think that having expectations can be really difficult. I read about so many people dropping 20 pounds a month and then I look at myself and want to compare but that's dangerous. Doing WW perfectly I'd drop 1 pound a month and the leaders were sure I was lying. Doing perfect Atkins I'd drop 10 pounds a year when others shed 100. I know my body which is why I had the WLS so that at least if it came off, it most likely would stay off if I stick to Protein first for the rest of my life. I think that there are so many factors like metabolism, age, previous history. But what I know for certain is that a positive attitude, program compliance and a healthy expectation can really make this work. I just keep visualizing myself in that little black dress at the end of the journey.

Hi Curves, welcome to VST. This is a great forum. I be you're going to be so darn happy with your revision!

Thanks cutie! My goal is by my birthday the first week of October. I'm upping my exercise to try to get there. I WILL make it!

KZol, I was a very healthy eater pre-op. Rarely ate sugar or any white carbs. Ate very low carb. Always small portions. dinner out was always a shared entree or a shared appetizer and salad but rarely an entree shared if there was an appetizer. One glass of wine about 4 times a year. Never soda or junk food. Rarely a dessert. Mostly organic foods. My splurges were with fresh fruit and big salads. I've been thinking it's more my age that has me losing slower than the young folks, but maybe it has something to do with how we ate pre-op as well. I'll be interested to see what people say.

Hey Anna, you're such a doll and such a delight to share this forum with. I wish I had shed all of those pounds in two month. I was 249 last year and had surgery at 229 so only 22 pounds have come off in two months. I try to remember that I'm one of the older ones and maybe it will just take a little longer, but I have complete confidence that it will all happen for me. :tongue_smilie: