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Best decision right! Wish I would've made it earlier. Never would have thought I was capable of everything that I have been doing. Weight lifting, what?! running 2.5miles with my pup, who me?! Still having the energy to play with my kids and spend time with my husband without falling asleep. Wow! This is truly a second chance at life so lets take full advantage!! Happy to have you on this crazy and fun ride!

Well that alone is a HUGE NSV!! whoop whoop!! 2lbs down yasss!!! killing it! How many calories are you eating? I had my surgery 1/24 I eat around 1000-1100 but I work out like crazy. I'm a bit coo coo LOL I started with walking on my lunches for 20min, worked up to 30min, now I still walk on my lunches for 30 min, go to the gym or work out at home, 30min weight lifting, and i take my pup for a run for 20-30min. Movement really helps! Just giving you a run down of what I eat and you can take it or leave it lol but I wake up make my protein coffee- Decaf cold brew with 2tbls of collagen and a café late premier protein shake (i know I know no caffeine allowed but I haven't had adverse effects) I make these crustless quiches for my bfast: eggs whites, spinach, 1 slice of ham (deli meat kind) top with thin sargento sharp cheddar cheese on top of it. I make like little mini loaves for the week, Lunches are always a protein and a veggie. One week I did Just Bare chicken bites and carrots lol- own little take on a Wing place- This week I am doing a bento box with grapes, strawberries, celery, cucumber, cracker or quinoa chips, turkey roll up with a laughing cow cheese and nuts. snacks are a Greek yogurt. I weight and measure everything. Input everything into my netdiary tracking app and stick to it for the week. I am not perfect at all, Ill come home and grab a popsicle or fruit and might go over my calories for the day, but hey this is a lifestyle change and this is life long. Its hard to remember that when we all have so much weight to lose and we want that immediate satisfaction, but we got this!

That's so smart - I have been trying to get my house in order this week, too - this sounds like great motivation to me because I TOTALLY would be doing the same thing; you're right - going crazy about everything I see that needs done at the worst possible time to deal with it! I hope your EKG is good as well! I'm sure it will be *crosses fingers* I go in on Monday for my Pre-Admission Testing; I'm not sure if they'll do an EKG or not but I'm glad you mentioned it! I was just reviewing my paperwork and it says that "You will have non-fasting labs drawn at this appt. and may have other testing done." so I guess it's possible; I hadn't even thought of it. I'm sure they mentioned it and I lost it in the overwhelming amount of information I've been trying to process. It really is a LOT to keep track of. I lucked into hearing about that app I mentioned, Finch, from another friend who also had WLS. (Weight Loss Surgery - it took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out that abbreviation! ) She had the sleeve, and another friend of mine had the Roux-y about a year and a half ago done by the same surgeon I'm using. I've watched her recovery, and it's been rocky. I think doing a 'virgin SADI' as you called it will be way better for me. She's already got an ulcer due to continuing to use NSAIDs and drinking way too much coffee. She also went back to smoking cigarettes. It's been quite the motivator to do this right, I'll say that much! I start Colace and the Liquid Diet on 7/29, so we'll be on about the same track! I've got the one week pre-op diet, and then surgery on Aug. 5th as long as I get the insurance and other clearance! Best of luck!

Number one: don't base your satisfaction with yourself based on how you compare to others. you will NEVER be satisfied. Number two: don't ask other people if you should be disappointed in YOURSELF. you don't need (nor want) others to be in charge of your own self-respect. Number three: despite the fact that Numbers 1 and 2 above is OBVIOUS and LOGICAL, the reality is basically NOBODY follows them, so don't feel bad if you don't either. Number four: even though i JUST said don't compare, i'm going to give you some data to compare (lol).... at 2.5 months i lost 52.6 lbs (which was 22% of my total body weight...52 / 235 = 22%) and i understand, based on statistical data and anecdotal evidence, that i was a pretty speedy loser, so...yeah.

Hey there @Star1234 ... I think a lot depends on your starting weight and BMI and your goal weight and BMI. I'm nearly 4 months out and have lost 21.9kg and have 15kg left to go until I hit my goal but I've been pretty much stalled for the last 3 weeks.

I know this sounds weird, but embrace it. And yes - I know it's weird at first, but after a while I found it very liberating. For the first time in my life, I was never hungry and didn't give a flip about food. For almost all of us, hunger eventually comes back sometime during the first year (mine came back at five months out), and then things get a lot harder. So right now it's going to be easier for you to lose weight than it ever has or ever will be - so take full advantage of that! At nine years out I still can't stomach bananas. I find them very cloying. I used to love them pre-surgery.

I definitely should be sleeping lol I have to get up at 5:30 for work and it's now 3:40am. Ugh... WHY do I do this to myself??? So many think that the prep before the surgery, and the recovery from the surgery, and the first 6 weeks post-surgery is the hard part. Then they can just go back to eating what they want, just in smaller portions. They don't really make any changes, unless their taste buds change or they develop any food allergies. And they don't incorporate much in the way of exercise because they just think the surgery and eating way smaller amounts will be enough. And a few years down the road, AFTER the work has been done and you're maintaining your goal weight for a few years, that might very well be the case for SOME (not all) people. I've even seen it on here. But that is most DEFINITELY not the case the first year, or sometimes (in my case, for example) not even the first 2 years (although I choose not to even try, personally. I like how I eat, live, look, and feel and it's not worth it to incorporate any of the bad foods I use to eat back into my diet "just because I can"). The first year or 2 is really for doing the work, and many don't realize how much goes into that. Like you said, reading it and living it are 2 very different things. The work still has to be done, but giving yourself grace in understanding why there's such a struggle with it can go a long way in helping deal with it and move on from it.

So I studied in Berlin for 2 years - when I left Paris I was a size 34… and as the years went by I was still a size 34 in Berlin… and then I got back to Paris and realised I’d gained a size … insidious indeed! But yes, French women and esp Parisienne women tend to be pretty small! The average BMI for a French woman between 30 and 50 years old is 23.2 and for a Parisienne woman between 30-50 years old it’s 21.1! I’m still the fattest woman in my office and friend group by quite a bit - I think (but I’m not sure) that weight is also highly correlated to level of education here and I work in an office with 95% of PhDs … that might explain it..: that or the fact that black expresso and a cigarette is considered breakfast (also guilty of this). It’s hard because you have to « enjoy » food and the wine and the cheese and the pâtisseries at social occasions but you’re also judged very severely for being even the tiniest bit overweight - so basically you have to starve in private. Things are slowly changing but up until about 5 years ago it was basically mission impossible to find any clothes over size 42 ( American size 10) on the high street. Fat people (esp fat women) are despised. I was treated so badly when I was fatter, with so much disdain, so much rudeness, so much disregard. In French public space women’s bodies exist to be desirable and desired. To put it crudely if you don’t look « fu**able » enough you’re not welcome in public spaces… ( also see parralel with female headscarves being forbidden in public spaces and even wetsuits for women being forbidden on some public beaches ( must be swimsuit or bikini) because wetsuits were seen as Islamic propaganda)… In France women’s bodies belong to the male gaze. It’s a complicated issue.

Hi after many years, diets, etc I am taking the plunge. I feel like this is my last resort on one hand and on the other do I belong here? I am 69, 4ft 11 inches tall and weight at my consult in may was 181.7. I have sleep apnea, high cholesterol, arrhythmia. I have tried every diet under the sun and I know you have heard it all before. So I want to feel healthy with what little time left as I am on the other side of the mountain. Right now going thru Insurance requirements of 12 visit combination with medical weight loss. psych evaluation etc. At least I can do 2 appointments a month. I am going to Carillon in Roanoke, Virginia. They had this as one of the online support groups. I am a little overwhelmed with all the info, steps etc. My BMI is 35.59 but with my sleep apnea I can squeeze in. They want me to maintain my weight right but I think I gained about 3 pounds.

I have been creeping around here for months and finally decided to create an account and share. First though, I have to give great credit to my wife and family. My wife has been so supportive and flexible through the whole process. She has always been by my side, but during this process she read and learned about the changes, as much or more than I did. She has gone above and beyond with her support and care for me, all while still running a busy household. My kids are a constant reminder of why I did this -- so that I would be around for a long time. I wanted to be able to participate in life with my family. I also have to thank my surgical team and the care they provide. It has been great and truly lifesaving. I weighed 514-lbs on 9/12/22. I was a big boy to say the least. Shockingly, I was not in horrible medical condition. I did not take any medicine. Did not have diabetes or high blood pressure. I did have swelling in my legs, constantly sore/bad knees, and was very quick to be out of breath. I lived a very sedimentary live and limited my physical activity. I wanted to be able to be more active and be around with my family for a long time. I finally got up the nerve to discuss with my wife and she immediately got on board. I went through the program without an issue. Checked all boxes and completed all steps. Surgery was on 2/28/23 and it went well. I was up and moving that night, because that was one of the biggest hurdles to clear in order to leave. I was able to sip and keep liquid down. Discharged after one night! Incisions were sore, as expected. Gas was the worst, and not the good kind of gas that can clear the room when expelled (yeah, I am a guy), but the awful painful surgical gas, which took almost a week to fully go away. I was basically fully cleared by the doctor and back to work (in a nonphysical job) one week after surgery. My process was textbook, none of the complications that many have experienced, and I am lucky for it! This process has not been easy but has not been impossible. I have followed my plan, with the support at home, and it is working. I feel physically so much better. I am so much more mobile and active. I have never been happier. I have made changes to my daily life to support the process. My diet has changed but not radically. I eat a lot less and that is the biggest driver of my weight loss. I walk and am active in live, but I do not have a detailed exercise plan. I am still learning exactly what works for me, but most importantly I want others to know there are many routes to get to the same place. I try to get the big stuff right and not sweat the tiniest of details. My blood work at my six-month checkup was solid. Protein was on the low end in the range, but still acceptable. I was encouraged to keep on keeping on (shout out to Joe Dirt). They were comfortable enough to set my next follow up appointment out to one year. I was scared and nervous. I have had good days and bad days (constipation is AWFUL)! Most importantly, I wanted to share my story and I hope it can help others in some way. I never wanted to be skinny. I could care less what my BMI is. I wanted to feel better. I wanted to be able to participate in life with my family. And I am! I am no expert and I still have a long way to go, but I am happy and glad I had this surgery. As I have seen here, over and over again, we are all different, so what works for me may not for others, but I still wanted to share, and I hope it might be of some benefit to someone else. The non-scale wins are just the best! When I started this process, I was so huge that home scales couldn't hold me, so I would go months without weighing, but I knew good things were happening because of all the non-scale wins. Cherish those! This is a long (probably too long) post, so I will wrap. I recently weighed on my home scale (yeah, that's right, it now holds me) and I was at 288-lbs. If anyone has questions or wants more details about my journey, please let me know. I would be happy to share more.

I'm sorry about the stalls. No matter how much we know they will happen, it doesn't make it any easier. I know in the past, the closer I got to my goal weight, the slower it would come off. @BlueParis this could be the case with you? How are things feeling... your body? Your clothes? My dietician told me that these things will continue to change even during stalls.

oh no hunny LOL! We went through everything I could do. Back lift, arm lift, breast augmentation with lift, lower body lift (taking 15inches in the front and 10inch off the back), inner light lift. Its about 70k. Which I would LOVE to do but no way. If I can get a tummy tuck arms and boobs I would be so happy everything else is fine enough for me that I am not self conscious about. or that with the weight lifting has been getting tighter.

I agree with the others, it’s too early to make calls about what your final stabilised weight may be. Don’t make decisions based on the number on the scales. It’s not uncommon for your weight to bounce about a little before it stabilises. Bounce back regain is real for many whether that be your body resettling or you making adjustments to complement your lifestyle. And don’t forget your remaining weight resettles itself, even though the scales don’t move, so how you look now may not be how you look in a couple of months. I initially lost my curves and was sad about losing my hour glass shape. A few months on & there it was again - smaller ratios but there. Body dysmorphia comes into play too: how we. See ourselves & how others see us. I thought I’d be too thin & gaunt if I got lower than my goal but here I am 11+kgs less and I’m far from gaunt or skeletal. And like @ms.sss, people who said I was too thin many kilograms more than I am now, think I look fine now and don’t say anything. Remember your goal is not necessarily your body’s goal (new set point). Working out your maintenance isn’t always easy. It wasn’t for me. I was still adjusting to how much food I needed to eat & what I could actually physically eat & I was subconsciously ignoring where my body wanted to be. Enjoy the ride and only worry if your surgeon and doctors aren’t happy.

Hello and welcome! Also -- congratulations!! How exciting it must be to be at that stage of seeing the weight peel off, and past the point of initial recovery, and past the point of choosing which surgery to get. I noticed that you chose to go with the sleeve as opposed to the Roux-y surgery. I think that's where I'm likely to begin, myself. I have bounced around, investigating what they call a SADI-s / Loop / SIPS surgery which has an extra component with the intestine beneath the sleeve, often done as a revision of the sleeve for those who regain weight or aren't satisfied with their results. It SEEMS to have fewer side effects than the Roux-y (full gastric) but I just don't know. I've also been given a fair amount of advice suggesting I try to find an expert to do the duodenal switch (DS) due to my BMI being in the high 50s/low 60s. I'm certainly willing to try to go that route but as someone else said -- there is usually a LOT of back and forth before committing to surgery and I'm almost 7 months into the program I'm at with my current surgeon. How long would it take me, realistically, to get this far again? WLS is such a difficult and scary commitment, and then getting on here BEFORE having a surgery has filled my brain with so many more complicated options. Its kind of hard for me to commit to big decisions and sometimes I wonder if learning more and more is making matters harder for me. I love to feel in control of what's happening with my body and try to inspect EVERY detail such as to avoid any regrets -- but sometimes staring at the water for too long makes one less likely to jump in, doesn't it? But you've DONE it! I think the sleeve is a great option and respect your choice, and am so happy that it has gone smoothly thus far. It could just be my perception, but most of the men I've seen post about their surgeries seem to indeed have a bit more gentle recovery, with fewer complications. I've seen a lot of folks caution me (this forum and others) about whether I'd be satisfied with the degree of weight loss if I were to go with a base sleeve, Roux-y, or SADI-s. This makes me really appreciate where you talked about that dark spiral and maxing out at 407. I say this as someone who feels like I understand pretty dang well what you're talking about because my max weight was 435! Being 'down' to 366 feels a heck of a lot better by comparison, and I got this far by myself, so maybe I don't need to be as concerned about satisfaction with the numbers as I do making sure I'm comfortable with the process of surgery to help me continue my weight loss journey. Please keep us in the loop as you continue on to your goal! Also - congratulations to the rest of you posting here who are inches from your goal weight or have already made it there!! No matter what surgery (or surgeries) helped you get there, you DID IT! Definitely an inspirational group of people here!

You are another source of inspiration to me and I feel that we are very much similar (stats and progress and the love for food lolz) from what I gather through your replies and posts. I do not weigh daily and I do not track. I did track for 3 weeks a month or so ago and saw that I sit at around 800 calories a day (around 4.5 months post op) and now at over 6 months post op I still eat the same amount give or take. Even at my fittest and slimmest I never tracked or counted my calories and I don't think I will be doing that in my future if I am able to maintain my weight (with a little deviation that is). I also hate the weighing scale as it gives me so much anxiety (my heart starts thumping in my chest every time I step on it, I know I should talk to a therapist but I digress). What helps is that I exercise a lot and love working out since forever and it is sacred to me. I was traveling the past week and decided to have a little fun (to celebrate reaching the lowest weight I ever have) and allowed myself to eat normally (what the kids and the hubby were having) and that included burgers, bread, dessert (dumping is no joke, yikes!) and all things I didn't allow myself to eat. The portions were tiny mind you (thanks restriction). I decided to step on the scale once I was back and saw that I had lost 200 grams lol. I guess I should make friends with my scale and say hi multiple times a week instead of one. How do you keep tracking your calories without getting bored?

@JennyBeez That is definitely the right way to go with it! I am so used to doing weights when I am at the gym, so it will be really weird going in and focusing on cardio (which I bloody hate), and body weight! What kinds of light exercises do you do? Definitely take it easy lovely! I am sorry to hear that your weekend wasn't great - sometimes everything comes all at once doesn't it? We are our own worst critics, and definitely see things 10000x worse on ourselves, as others may perceive them. Just make sure to get some self-care time in and remind yourself of how far you have already come ❤️ You got this x I haven't even had an appointment with my Dr yet - I don't think I am due to until 3 months post-op! But I did use my mum's blood pressure machine yesterday and it was ever so slightly high which is strange! I will be extra careful when standing for sure - and even more so when exercising, I don't want to pass out 😅

Thank you all for making me feel justified! I have an appt with my surgeon today and plan on speaking to him in regards to her comments. Also talking to him about goal weights and such. I felt like I self sabotaged this weekend. I didn't eat terrible but I didn't eat great either. We were so busy, I grazed. still tracked it but didn't sit and eat a meal which of course made me graze. But today is a new day!

Hey! I'm SO glad your pain is better managed now than it was a few days ago! I totally hear you about the passing gas (and btw I need to go back to tagging multiple people in a reply, feel like I spammed this board >. ) I'm nervous about taking too much stool softener because I know with the SADI loose stools can be a thing but at the same time with all these danged protein shakes I'm just not sure the colace 2x day is doing enough. I hope bowel movements level out for me soon; I've gone from one extreme to the other once already and don't want to do it again lol -- We made it to the other side, though! I'm so happy for you and hope your recovery continues to go smoothly. I'm interested in the binder thing people keep talking about - I wonder if they didn't do that with me because I had the SADI/SIPS instead. (For those not familiar with the SADI/SIPS, it's basically just starting with the sleeve and the surgery they most commonly do to revise it by shortening the intestinal tract beneath in place of the Gastric Bypass right off the start - I chose it because I wanted to eventually be able to take NSAIDS and there's a thread here that discusses the SADI/SIPS more. My surgery was still laparoscopic and recovery has been about the same from what I see, just fewer points of connection internally to heal) I'm also excited for all the rest of you folks with upcoming surgeries! I don't want to spam anymore but did want to say to @Singingbarista and @AndreaJD that the insights you've offered were super helpful, especially in terms of 'telling others' about the surgery. That's GREAT advice - to say you've been working with a dietician and weight loss clinic. You're so right; it shouldn't matter what others think but women especially have long been taught to seek approval. It's just another thing to relearn and the amount of support on this forum has been absolutely fantastic. I finally got a delivery of Premier shakes this evening in flavors OTHER than chocolate, French vanilla, and Mocha and oh my goodness it's SO nice to taste something strawberry-ish! I didn't want to keep responding to each post independently but to those who had very little notice about the surgery date - that's for sure a mixed blessing! Less time to prepare, but less time to be nervous about it, I guess? Sometimes it's easier to just plunge in (as long as you feel educated and ready!) To all of you going through the liquid diets, especially if you feel hungry during it - I'd suggest you might really want to consider trying some of the 30g protein shakes. I was very worried that I would be hungry but those are surprisingly filling, especially if you drink a lot of sugar free flavored water / Gatorade / Powerade of some kind. And don't forget you can enjoy sugar free popsicles, flavored warm broths, fat free cottage cheese, sugar free pudding, sugar free jell-o, and sugar free yogurt (usually - I mean, obviously follow the guidelines you were given by your surgical team!) The pudding can be made with protein shakes to help with your protein intake instead of milk, and if you match the flavors it's actually quite tasty and filling.

Does anyone else go to buy clothes and still want to buy your starting weight size? It’s hard for me to comprehend I have to buy smaller sizes now. I went from a size 5x/30 to a size XL/14, and I still look at the plus size section. My husband is forever saying "honey, you're not in those sizes anymore" and guides me back over to the regular section. Anyone else have this issue? And if so, when does it get better?

out with the gals last night...had margaritas with a side of guacamole and chips for dinner omg. i kept meaning to order a proper entree, but just didn't get around to it so just ate the leftover chips and guac that was on the table... the margaritas alone were like 800 cals! so warning to those drinking mixed drinks during weight loss phase! keep your calorie counts in mind! one of my margaritas!

Last year I had given my daughter a bunch of jeans that were too small for me. I just got to take them back!! She brought me 10 pairs of jeans and 3 pairs I got to send back because they were too big!! The ones I got to keep were size 9’s. I didn’t want to go buy clothes yet because I’m still 9lbs from my goal weight and 19lbs from my surgeons goal weight. Very much in need of toning my stomach though. I keep hearing my surgeons words in my head over and over “skinny fat””skinny fat” if you don’t exercise you’ll look “skinny fat” ugh, this is my stomach right now. Never mind I’ve had 4 babies and that last one I had when I was 38 so my abdomen has not been bikini ready in a lifetime. So small win for me, I fit in a size 9 jeans, big loss…out of the jeans is not as pretty. Time to really get to toning and exercising and move onto the next steps in getting healthy. I haven’t stepped on the scale in a few days. Eating wise I have not been sick in over a week. All my vitamin levels are where they should be. Things are finally falling into place.

That is very helpful! I appreciate how much time and thought you put into your responses. I am around one kilo away from my new goal which I think is too low anyway, so I want to shift to maintenance at the moment but I am scared, worried, don't know how and I think I'm developing a low key ED. I was out with my mom and sister for lunch yesterday and we went to this fancy Chinese place and ordered dim sum, Kung Pao Chicken and Tenderloin. Obviously due to restriction I had very little food but then they brought in a dessert platter with mini samples of desserts they were testing and I was really scared to even trying a mini bite of anything. My mom and sister went like you aren't going to gain weight if you have one bite of something you fancy! this is not healthy. I don't know how to shift gears for maintenance and I am so worried of weight gain but also don't want to be sick looking. I have blabbered too much but I really want to learn from people who have successfully kept the weight off for years but are not afraid to eat. I need to achieve that balance and don't know how to do it.

Well done @Bypass2Freedom @JennyBeez and @NickelChipon your successes so far. I am watching all your journeys with interest 🙃 I’m SO looking forward to getting back to the gym. I find it a massive boost to my mental wellbeing as well as my fitness. Great tip re checking blood pressure, I never even thought of that. I hope your hormones settle down for you Jenny, they can be impossible to deal with at time! Embrace all your wins - weight loss, different foods, exercises, swimsuits 🏆

Could you find the motivation to even start with a few small steps, like finding a way to get your protein up even by way of including it in water and that way two steps covered in one? Your body needs the protein and if you are not getting enough it could be contributing to your mood/fog. So what if you haven't gone to the gym, I don't go, but I have made an effort to find a couple of fitness things I like to do. I know I could do more but hey I am doing more than I did pre-op so its a win win as far as I am concerned. I am not going to put unrealistic pressure on myself as I know I will fail, maybe that is the same for you? For the alcohol you don't say how much or often you have a drink but if you can't go cold turkey could you even cut back or opt for a lighter drink? I have a drink (or three) when out with friends, its not the end of the world but I am realistic that it will probably impact the weight loss for a few days and I restrict myself to only when out, certainly not at home as that is a bad habit that I am trying to make sure I don't bring back. Could you start writing a daily positivity list/journal of all the positives you are finding from the loss you have had so far? I started to do it to help me with the PTSD I am suffering from my surgery, I note just random things such as; was able to jog to catch bus and not be mortified / was able to get through turnstile without turning sideways / so and so told me I was looking great / sun is shining and I feel energised / had to tighten jeans belt again Small steps could help you out of the funk and get you on track as there was a reason you would have had the surgery and you don't want to get back there. It takes work but you have already made good progress but it will get harder to loose the lbs and you could end up with other health problems if you continue as you are. Does your doctor have a support team that you can reach out to? I think an honest conversation with them is needed and will help you, they can hopefully provide tools to get you in the mindset needed to continue. Don't feel ashamed to talk to them as I am sure you are not the only one how feels like you do.