NtvTxn

I was at my surgeon's goal at five months out, and five lbs under a month later. At 23 months I am maintaining at my goal/under Dr. Davidson's goal with no problem. 100% of my excess weight it what I lost, I don't know what is "normal" but I know that this is possible, I never dreamed I'd lose this much! Initially THIS was NOT my goal, I would have been happy to get down to whatever weight just so I could wear a size 12. That happened in two shakes of a lamb's tail. I reset my goal to a size 8....I now wear 4's and 6's. The doctor set his goal at my 3 month ck up, and when I saw it was possible, I lowered it 5 lbs to give myself a pad. Set your goals high, it's possible, in fact, it's probable! Good luck!!!

In about three weeks I'll be 2 years out. I was very strict with myself until I reached goal, but without hunger and the restriction.....this has seriously been the easiest thing I've ever set out to do and accomplished! I am still uncomfortable if I eat too much. I weigh every single day, when I'm home, I weigh and measure all my food. I use an on line program to keep track of Protein and calories. I seldom miss a day, at least not during the week. Saturday and Sundays are a little more hectic. Just to give you an idea of what I can eat at almost two years post op. Tonight I had 3 oz of chicken breast cooked in cream of mushroom Soup. 1/2 of a small new red potato, .125 cup of 1% cottage cheese and .125 cup of pork and Beans. To me this seems like a lot of food, compared to what I could eat a year ago, but when I think about what I use to eat and look at what other people eat.....it is very little. I use a salad plate, so a lot is visual!! Don't worry, this is a wonderful tool.....I haven't had one minute of buyer's remorse!! I love my sleeve!!

You can do this, and be 100% successful, but you must do what we know we are suppose to do. I don't know about the cokes stretching our new little tummies. Tiffikns seems to do fine with them.....but according to almost every single doctor, they are off limits, if for no other reason than they are empty calories or As a gym teacher use to say to her girls....just paste it on your hips.
Protein, protein!! at 23 months out, I still weigh and measure my food when I'm home. Hang in there, you have a great tool, use it to it's fullest extent

It does not have to happen to you.....When I went to the seminar, they said this was to give us a way of life, where we never have to diet again. That's well and fine, but until I reached goal, I treated this as THE most important diet of my life....and since I had forced Portion Control, no hunger, true motivation etc.....it was NOT difficult at all. My daughter popped two yogurt covered cheerios in my mouth to try before I reached goal, neither of us were thinking. The minute I tasted 'sweet' - they came out like I'd taken a drink of sour milk! I mean I was a straight arrow!!!! My nurse said I was 'rigid' and followed that up with.....'it works for you'. I reached goal in just under five months. Slowly but surely I started tip toeing into eating like a real person. Now I think I eat like a naturally think person. Life is good. Good luck!!!

I revel in being called skinny - to my face, behind my back, I don't care!!! My glass is 3/4 full - it's just lets me know I've been successful!!!
Someone told a group of us at a support group ages ago, "People are use to seeing you one way, chances are you've been large for years. When that changes you DO look skinny, some may think you look unhealthy or are losing too much. That's normal"
I agree there are probably some are envious, but I haven't done anything they can't do.
What is the best is when someone who only knows the new me complements me on something to do with my size. I had a sales lady say to me "You are so little, I am sure it will fit"
This is so fun, I am thankful every time I go to a mall, knowing I can walk in any store and find something cute to wear!!
My suggestion is, thank God you were able to have this surgery and change the course of your life....and thank God people notice!!!! =)

Nobody dared say anything negitive to me really, but I am certain there are those that are waiting for me to fail. I am wearing a size four jeans. Size FOUR!!! Seriously, I hold them up and still think 'NO WAY' and sure 'nuff, they fit. Mom always told me I was big boned. Who knew, she was wrong!!! I am not. I'm not a tiny, petite, little thing, but I am healthy at a size 4 jeans and a medium top, some times a small. It is shocking, still, after a year, when somebody says "You're so tiny" or somebody calls me skinny. This surgery is forced Portion Control, that is what I needed. Of course we can make bad choices, but a little common sense, and this is a miracle in my book! I eat like a naturally thin person I think. I don't do without anything except carbonated drinks, that's it!!!
Enjoy and the nay sayers will be asking you questions and may jump on our bandwagon!!!

HaHaHaHa! when I read this I picture the person who told me I would never be a size 6. And that's why I am laughing. I am a size 6. I am very comfortable in my skin. I am loving my body, life, and myself on a whole other level.

I had my gastric sleeve on March 30, 2011 and have lost 118 lbs. so far...................

Yeah, this sort of stunned me, too; now I feel like men take me a lot more seriously. Dunno what that's all about, but it's not unwelcome, either.
People really see you as a completely different person when you're in shape vs. obese. It shouldn't be that way; we should judge everyone by their merits (brains, humor, kindness, etc.) But the cold hard facts of the matter are: looks -- and weight is a huge part of "looks" -- really are important in this society. My feeling is that I can either rant and rave about how that shouldn't be the case -- and achieve nothing, and be miserable -- or I can just do what I can to look the best I can, and enjoy the rewards.

Everything is well said here. I personally love sharing something with my hubby. He doesn't need to eat all that food anyways,, and all I can eat is a couple of bites if I'm lucky. I like to stick with Protein that is soft and easy for my tummy to digest. I also will sample a few other things. I was really surprised when I went to a certification class and everyone went out to lunch together. Everyone was offering everyone else food. I ended up throwing away most of my expensive meal. So I just don't order anything for me. Soup is a really good choice too..... Have a great time at the party for your mom and who cares what others are thinking, you are the important one! You are ROCKIN that SLEEVE! Have a wonderful time and let us know how it went.

I totally understand, you're talking to someone who weighs daily. I'm all about numbers!! I don't know how much the sizes have changed over the years, but my size 9 wedding dress from 1979 swallows me, so when my size 8 jeans are way too big, I figure that's pretty accurate. I know for sure foreign made, high dollar brands run small. I found a pair of Italian made jeans for a steal, my GAP jeans are a 4, these are an 8. They fit good, but they are definitely different. I don't think they're quite as comfortable. Anyway, shopping is fun for the first time in my life!!!!!!!

I know what you're talking about, I can eat ONE oz of chicken, but TWO oz of steamed shrimp and a half cup of cottage cheese! I don't want to do anything to mess this up!! I'm afraid when I have this, "oh, I have taken one bite too much" thing, maybe I've stretched it....in my mind I am pretty certain it is ALL IN MY MIND, but I just want to make sure!

I revel in being called skinny - to my face, behind my back, I don't care!!! My glass is 3/4 full - it's just lets me know I've been successful!!!
Someone told a group of us at a support group ages ago, "People are use to seeing you one way, chances are you've been large for years. When that changes you DO look skinny, some may think you look unhealthy or are losing too much. That's normal"
I agree there are probably some are envious, but I haven't done anything they can't do.
What is the best is when someone who only knows the new me complements me on something to do with my size. I had a sales lady say to me "You are so little, I am sure it will fit"
This is so fun, I am thankful every time I go to a mall, knowing I can walk in any store and find something cute to wear!!
My suggestion is, thank God you were able to have this surgery and change the course of your life....and thank God people notice!!!! =)

I had surgery five months ago TODAY and hit my surgeon's goal last week!!! I'm below HIS goal now and only a couple of lbs away from my goal...I want a five lb cushion. I've lost ALL my excess weight, I weight what I did in the ninth grade - LESS than I did when I got married. I'm wearing a size eight! I couldn't be happier. Not one second of buyers remorse or regret - it's been disgustingly easy. Like Tiffany or someone said, I've followed the doctor's rules and eat Protein first. I get in at a minimum, 57 mg a day, and sometimes all the way up to 80. Good luck....I'm certain you will lose 100% of what you want to lose! I can't believe someone on the medical team would be discouraging at all. Where are the "cheerleaders"??? I know there are statistics, but they should be followed up with.....BUT!!!!

I am currently, as of this morning, 10 lbs under my surgeon's goal and 5 lbs under mine. I've gotten down to 132, but 140 this morning. 132 was too low, so I let myself gain back a little bit. I'm comfortable between 137 and 141. I don't know if this counts as gaining weight back or not. At my one year follow up I was told to expect to gain 5 - 7 lbs as I stablize. It seems normal to me. I'm still wearing size 4 and 6 jeans. I eat whatever I want. Sharing pumpkin or banana nut bread from Star Bucks with my husband is something we do every Friday, and some times on Saturday too. I snack on graham crackers with Natural Peanut Butter two or three x's per day. I had to find something to add calories into my diet so I'd quit losing. I think I'm addicted, it's really good. I can go up and down 3 lbs easy as pie. If I gain a couple of lbs, I find it easy to lose it again in three or four days. Up my Protein and liquids - 'back to basics'. I love it that I feel in control - food doesn't control me!!! Life is good.

Looking back over the past 17 months - remembering this journey of mine, from the time I attended the siminar in April of 2010 - I'd say THE most exciting NSV I've had was seeing my collar bone!!!!!!! Wow, it was so cool, and I still like seeing it in pictures!
Hip bones were neat too, but realizing I have a real collar bone has been by far, the best NSV. Second place is the day I bought a pair of jeans at the GAP - size 4!!! I have 4's, 6's and a size 8!! I can wear the 6 when I'm having a "fat" day - but the size 8, I haven't worn them since January!
I'm curious as to what the most exciting NSV has been for the rest of y'all....c'mon, share!!

No more CPAP/sleep apnea after only about 3-4 weeks post op, and no more blood pressure meds! I LOVE my sleeve!!

Christmas of 2010 I got my mom a pair of dress pants as one of her Christmas presents. She couldn't fit them and in all of the Christmas rush and confusion, I couldn't find my receipt so I just kept them. You know how you have that pair of pants or that dress and you don't get rid of it/them because they are your "one day I'll be able to get into that" item. Well, just on a whim, last Friday I tried on the pants and although the scale has been moving at a snails pace not only could I fit the pants they were loose!!

I would say having to use a safety pin to keep my dress pants from falling. They didn't have a belt loop lol

There have been many many many!
But I'd have to say my very best NSV was when I actually completed running my first real 5K event. I never stopped to walk any of it. That was the best feeling I've ever experienced. Especially since barely one year ago I was scheduled for my first of two knee surgeries.
I love my sleeve!!!

Today I was able to zip a pair of boots up over my calves!

Looking back over the past 17 months - remembering this journey of mine, from the time I attended the siminar in April of 2010 - I'd say THE most exciting NSV I've had was seeing my collar bone!!!!!!! Wow, it was so cool, and I still like seeing it in pictures!
Hip bones were neat too, but realizing I have a real collar bone has been by far, the best NSV. Second place is the day I bought a pair of jeans at the GAP - size 4!!! I have 4's, 6's and a size 8!! I can wear the 6 when I'm having a "fat" day - but the size 8, I haven't worn them since January!
I'm curious as to what the most exciting NSV has been for the rest of y'all....c'mon, share!!

At times I feel guilty for lying. I have two stories, some times I combine them. "I am taking Topamax, a preventive for my Migraines. One of the side effects is weight loss" (this is true, sadly, i did NOT lose weight when I started taking it) I also devulge part of the truth. I'm eating healthier and Portion Control. Ok....this is all factual, but I have FORCED portion control. There are many people who know, but there are others I am not close to and I don't feel like telling....but if it is someone who is overweight, moderately or quite a bit, I feel bad. I hate for someone to feel like a failure because I could 'do it' and they cannot. We all know, it is just about impossible to lose it and KEEP IT OFF. So.......this is what I do, and how I feel about it some of the time. So much baggage!! LoL

Don't forget "Natural Peanut Butter" - high in calories for a TB, but GOOD fat and oh-so good and the natural PNB has no partially hydrogenated anything, no additives. It's all good!

I am almost 10 months out, reached goal in just under five months and at 6 months I was five lbs under goal. Now I am 12 lbs under and work to not keep losing. I still weigh and measure my food. You are doing great! I agree, we need to know what you are eating and how much. I never counted carbs, that is not something my doctor and dietitian has us do, but I do an on line log that keeps track of my Protein and calories....it also tracks the carbs. I look at it but don't worry. I watch calories and protein. My concern was not losing my hair. A girl has her priorities, right??!!! Right now I can eat a half cup of cottage cheese, I've been able to eat a half cup for a few months now. I was worried at first but after some reassurance, I realize that as time goes on, it is normal to be able to eat more. I do still feel quite a bit of restriction, but I can definitely eat more than before. Give us more details!! As far as RNY - I'm the only one I personally know that has had the sleeve. Two friends are banded, one kept it for 6 weeks, had severe problems and had it removed. The other one is going on five years and started regaining a year ago. I know 12 people from my home town that have had bypass surgery....ONE is doing great. The others.....some never reached goal, the others have gained some of the weight back. Some more than others. I think it may be great for some, but I didn't even consider it because of the ones I personally know. Just sayin'