Keys Pirate

Hello Elisa! (and Tiff! You Gorgeous Momma!! )
Great to hear from you and so cool on your upcoming trip to the Keys and S. Florida - you'll have a great time! You've definitely picked a few of the 'not to be missed' attractions of the area and I am happy to share a few more with you. One thing I have to tell you, however, is I am so NOT a girly girl - it's not even funny!! I think I've had one massage in my life, one pedicure and maybe two manis... lol! So, my reflection of what to do may not be indicative of your tastes. I am very much an outdoors, athletic type (much of the reason I was sleeved) and my recreation time speaks accordingly.
With that, do be aware that it is downright CHILLY here in January as is the Water. That said, it's entirely possible that we will have a warm snap with air temps in the high 70's, maybe even low 80's but don't count on it. If you want to swim, bring a wetsuit to put over your swimsuit!
I don't spend much time in Miami so I can't give you much advice there; I know South Beach is a hot area as is Lincoln road - it is a road that is closed to car traffic with nothing but chic shops and restaurants up and down that's kind of neat. There is a lot of art in Miami if that is your thing.
South to the Everglades, one of our favorite places for nature and bike riding - don't miss it if you want to see alligators, Roseate spoonbills, many birds of prey and so much more in their natural element. BRING A CAMERA (duh!) - it's a great time to go as well as the bugs are at a minimum. The park is very large with good access on the north side (highway 41) and on the south from a town called Florida City. We are closer to the south side and there is a lot to do in corny old Florida City; there is a winery, a coral castle, a ridiculous fruit/veggie flea market type thing called Roger is Here (?!), airboat rides, tons of indian history and attractions (miccosukee tribe) and more. If you go thru the park to the town of Flamingo, you can kayak or canoe or even camp.
Once you get into the Keys, take your time. Not much to do or see in Key Largo except Pennekamp State park for kayaking (mangrove tunnels are really neat) or taking a glass bottom boat tour. There are a ton of dive and snorkel boats that go out of Key Largo too if you are interested. The reef that parallels the Keys is amazing... Oh, before I forget, on your way back up, maybe take Card Sound Road rather than 'the Stretch' or main highway; Card Sound is very scenic and back country. There is a cool restaurant (the only one as a matter of fact) there called Alabama Jacks that is better known for its ambiance than food...
Tavernier and then Islamorada (where I live) are next. Again, diving and fishing are the primary things to do around here. There are a zillion good restaurants too but, unfortunately, seafood is not cheap; they really capitalize on the tourist dollar, sadly. Our favorite restaurant is Lazy Days. There is a place called Theater of the Sea in Islamorada that is pretty neat; like a mini Sea World. Check out World Wide Sportsman for interesting shopping - it's got a Hemmingway boat inside as well as a huge fish tank and some cool stuff. There is a great bar upstairs with a fantastic view. If you happen to be here on the full moon, there is an excellent full moon party next door at Morada Bay. It gets pretty nutty and is a ton of fun! There aren't many beaches at all in the Keys and the few that are here are man made - mostly. You can stop at the Cheeca Lodge for their beach and to explore the gorgeous property - or to get a massage. Also in Islamorada and a little more laid back you'll see an Outback Restaurant/Hampton Inn; (a chain) stop in for a bit and check out the little beach. They often have live music outside and they used to do ultralight flights from there but I don't know if that is still the case. You can go fishing on the Captain Michael if you think you might enjoy that; they run out of Robbies Marina twice a day. Even if you don't fish, do stop by the marina and feed the Tarpon- they are mind blowing. They also sell a lot of neat, locally made stuff there.
Onward to Marathon - the Turtle hospital is fun as is the Dolphin Research Center - definitely worth checking out but not so cheap... Next door to the DRC is a restaurant called the Wreck - great food and tons of it! If you like Stone Crab, Keys Fisheries in South Marathon offers $1.25 claws at the bar only. Yum. Then you'll get to the 7 mile bridge which is cool; 7 miles over the ocean - many movies were filmed there. Not a lot to do or see in Marathon - it's really kind of a mom and pop, working Joe kinda place.
On your way south be SURE to stop in to No Name Key off of Big Pine - the Key Deer are there (the only place in the world) and most concentrated near the No Name Pub (good pizza) but it's not easy to find...The deer are about the size of a labrador retriever and will come right up to you looking for a treat... Best to see them late in the afternoon. They are amazing. There is also a Blue Hole there with a friendly (?) gator and the like - it's one of the only natural fresh water sources in the Keys.
Not long before Key West is place called Baby's coffee on your left; stop in for a cup - you won't regret it! Ton's of cool stuff in there too.
OMG there is soooo much to do and see in Key West! our favorite area is the historic waterfront where there are a bunch of old schooners and great bars, restaurants and people watching. Must try a Key Lime martini but only at a place called the White Tarpon - everywhere else they are crap. Be careful tho - any more than two and you will be on the floor! Go for a sunset sail on any of the schooners; we are partial to the one called the Western Union as we were married on her but they all do a great job. All of the restaurants are good; you really can't go wrong. We love the Rum Barrel. Of course Duval Street can't be missed. There is another bar called Captain Tony's off Duval that is the oldest bar there and the ceiling is covered in... bras... and is known for their Pirate's Punch (we sound like absolute lushes but adults go to KW primarily for one reason...!) We really enjoy the Butterfly Conservatory - more than we thought we would - it's very relaxing and just plain neat. Again, take a camera. If you go there, you won't be far from the Southernmost Point and a nice beach. It's good that you are spending 5 days in KW - you won't get bored, I promise. Make sure you spend plenty of time walking around and getting off the beaten path; there are no unsafe areas to worry about. You will find a super old cemetary, an historic bar called the Green Parrot and the Truman Annex with a free ocean museum and a couple of old military boats. Also, take the trolley around town; it is tourist to the max but it really is an excellent tour with information to be gleaned nowhere else and they go all over the island. You'll have a blast, no doubt about it. We have been living here for over 6 years and we still go to KW for a getaway on a regular basis.
And please, you are not being rude in the least, I'd be looking you up if I was coming your way, without a doubt!
Feel free to ask any more questions you may have, I'm happy to help! And good luck with your sleeve!!!!!!!!!
Carol
p.s. I'll post this on the board too in case anyone else might be coming this way.

Hello Kate The Great,
First, everything Kansas and Yolanda said is spot on. The more you can do as far as following everything your surgeon recommends, the better your odds.
Second, you must go into this with a positive attitude!! This is soooo important, not just to prevent dying but for the entire journey. This was my third surgery (cesarean, parotidectomy prior) and one of my most vivid memories about this one was grinning from ear to ear when they finally came to wheel me in. I was so sure and committed to this... and happy! My husband was near tears, however, and still thinks I'm a freak for the delight I was expressing. Once I made the decision, I couldn't get on the operating table fast enough!
Third, you are not going to die... but... always a but and it's wise to be smart about it... get a will, get a living will, buy life insurance or more life insurance if you already have some. It's cheap, relatively speaking, even for fat people. You can always cancel it later. I did all three because, even though I may have died doing something I wanted to do, it seemed like a great excuse to totally set my family up if I did go.
Good luck, you're going to do great!!!
C

conseccorp, the bottom line is you gotta stop it and stop it now. You can do it, you need to have a serious Come To Jesus talk with yourself and us or a support group or all of the above. You can do it buddy, the first few days of quitting sugar sucks, I imagine it would be like kicking any addictive chemical, but it's over fast and then the cravings are pretty much gone. You gotta quit or you're going to be terribly disappointed and no one wants to see that. We are here for you!!!
Carol

Waking up every morning with a sh** eating grin and realizing it WASN'T a dream!!!
Oh, so much more... !

Ok, call me a glutton for punishment but I've been thinking that maybe putting together a Sleever's Rendezvous of sorts might be fun! What do you guys think? Stupid idea? It would be open to any sleever at any stage. Where would we do it and when? (I'm in the Florida Keys and it's pretty cool here...) Activities? How many days long? Anyone wanna help coordinate? Love to hear your thoughts and ideas...
Happy 2011!

Being almost a year out, all I can tell you is sit down, put your seat belt on, hold on and LISTEN to your body!! Everything you read and are told is questionable and subjective. My apologies to all the docs but it's true. Your best source of day to day info is probably right here on this board. Yes, you absolutely need your Protein and fluids at the start and have to do everything you can to meet those guidelines. Afterwards, it seems to only get more confusing. I lost the weight FAST by watching carbs and exercising. That said, my cal count was well over 1000 only a few months into the process. BUT I exercise like crazy, we ride our bikes hard over 100 miles per week. It got to the point that my body fat got so low that I had to start adding carbs back in and eating more like a normal person, it's a head twist but it works for me. I've been maintaining since September and just woke up this morning to find I'm down another .4 of a pound; the lowest I've ever been and I had lasagna, nut clusters and a girl scout cookie over the weekend, AND didn't ride my bike due to schedule stuff. Go figure. Enough babble about me, listen. To. Your. Body. You will know if you need more or less. You will know if you are cheating. You will know if you are doing the right thing. The guidelines and especially the calorie numbers to me are a very loose set of parameters. In fact, I quit using myfitnesspal.com after about 8 months because the numbers were always high even though my body was/is perfectly happy. I only followed a few cardinals; protein, Fluid, low carb, exercise. Bingo. There are so many rules that I broke, it's not even funny. I still eat fast, I drink with meals, etc., etc.
Good Luck and don't kill yourself overthinking this, really.
C

Ok, call me a glutton for punishment but I've been thinking that maybe putting together a Sleever's Rendezvous of sorts might be fun! What do you guys think? Stupid idea? It would be open to any sleever at any stage. Where would we do it and when? (I'm in the Florida Keys and it's pretty cool here...) Activities? How many days long? Anyone wanna help coordinate? Love to hear your thoughts and ideas...
Happy 2011!

Yep, me too. I seem to be hungry a lot more than I expected to be and sure am looking forward to the possibility that it might taper off... I am taking my acid reducer very regularly and sure know when I forget (not often!) I find I am much better off eating small, lo-carb items here and there through the day like string cheese or a piece or two of some kind of lunch meat or chicken or maybe a hard boiled egg. My "meals" are so small and so lo carb that I don't see how I can possibly be harming my weight loss with these Snacks but on the days when the hunger really gnaws, something's gotta give and I don't feel guilty about it.
Loosing - you're doing great at 33 pounds. I'm at 39 and feel great about it. I do have to say that I've only had one stall that lasted for a week about two weeks after surgery. After really examining what I was eating (myfitnesspal.com) and really kicking the carbs to below 30/day, I've managed to avoid any more stalls. The fat is a little high but, as has been proven time and again, it's not fat that makes us fat, it's sugar (carbs) so I don't sweat that too much either.
Good luck to all of us, it sounds like we're all doing terrific!!
Carol

I have to throw in my 2 cents here. First, I wonder how much exercise plays into this grazing equation... I haven't heard mention of it from anyone. I exercise a LoT with about 100 hard miles/week on my bike so that in itself makes my nutritional needs different in itself.
Second, I know I'm the minority here but grazing has been law for me. There, I said it. The reasons are multifold but before I go into that, I should mention (to Thinoneday, specifically) that I've been hugely successful thus far, 90 pounds in 6 months, no real stalls, 101 pounds total in less than than 9 months, only 3 pounds to go (but the last few seem to be coming only from my boobs... UGH!) and I couldn't be happier. My calorie count has been 1000+ (sometimes well over) for many months now, carbs 30-40, fat - a lot because of low carb. Working like a stinking charm for me.
Here's why I do what I do and have pretty much from the start of solids. 1.) I have had on going acid issues from the start and a little bit of food does miracles for me as far as soothing. Yes, so does Gaviscon, ppi's are a whole nuther story as are neutrallizers and I've done my share of both and still do. Anyway. The last thing I want to do is go to the grocery store "starving". So, I always have a hunk of cheese or some Jerky or something handy. Magic. That said, the acid thing seems to be improving slowly but surely so I am hoping to get away from always feeling like I need food within arms reach.
2.) Full blown sit down meals for me nowadays are really no fun - I am full so fast at meals, wish I could eat more and usually end up uncomfortable for a while afterwards. To me, that situation is more dangerous than a few almonds or a wedge of cheese anyday. The flip side to *that* comment, however, is sometimes I DO crave a nice full feeling and sitting down having a 'normal' meal is definitely the answer. I do still like to cook and the huge home cooked meals of yesterday are long gone - I'll make a nice, low carb Soup or piece of meat or whatever works for the family and myself. Last night was fajitas for example, a great graze/meal combo type food if that makes any sense. Also did some deviled eggs for Snacks. yum.
3.) My job. I am on the Water on a boat almost all day five days a week and the food served for lunch is the same everyday. And, while its low carb-able it gets reallllly old so I bring snacks. Also, since I am the captain, I can't really sit down for a meal as I am always 'on' so to speak.
4.) Also improving is my very vocal stomach! It's mostly funny but I am also in school and it makes so much noise sometimes that I have to put something in it to quiet her down or people start looking at me funny! It's not even hunger, usually, but it is very distracting and annoying when I'm in a quiet classroom.
So, as long as I continue to make good choices - and that is SO easy these days - I figure I'll be just fine. I always have a fun variety of yummy, healthy food around to choose from, I rarely - hardly ever - crave crap anymore and if/when I do I can usually just get over it or am satisfied with just a bite or two. Things are sooooo different post sleeve. I've never felt so optimistic about sticking the course - for the rest of my life - ever.
Moral to the story here is it's a different ride for EVERYONE and we shouldn't give anyone a hard time if it's working for them! I think these 5-600 calorie a day diets are nuts once on solids and impossible to sustain long term, ESPECIALLY if there is exercise involved. Just my opinion, not trying to bash anyone and I'm certainly no doctor. But, I could never do it, never would want to do it. I'll never stop enjoying food and don't want to, I just have to do it much differently than before.
I love all the input here and reading everyone's stories. You guys have ALL been hugely instrumental to my successes, I want you all to know that.
Wooohooo!
C