Today is my 2 month anniversary of surgery. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, especially since the weeks and months leading up to it seemed like they were going in slow motion.

I have lost a total of 43.6 lbs since my surgery day, which I'm very pleased about. I took my measurements on surgery day and what's even more amazing to me is that I've lost TEN inches off my waist! That means I actually have a waist now! HAHA! I've lost a good amount of inches off hips, thighs, chest, and even calves! I went from squeezing into a size 18W (really more like a 20W if I was being honest) to wearing non-stretch, regular size 16 pants so that's a loss of 3 or 4 sizes since the difference between a 16W and a 16 is a lot (as I found out).

I am very strict with what I eat, which hasn't been easy during this season. I've traveled to Miami twice for business (once when I was on purees), I made 8 zillion Christmas Cookies, and I pretty much stick to my plan of Proteins and some veggies. I admit that in the beginning it was fear of developing a leak that kept me on the straight and narrow but now that I'm cleared for pretty much anything it's the will to succeed that is keeping me on program.

I've worked out since the day I got home from the hospital. By Day 4 I was on the treadmill, granted - for just a few minutes and very slowly. In 2 months I've started running again and I'm feeling more and more in tune with my body every day. I also started lifting weights from the beginning (light at first) but now I'm going all out and my arms are AWESOME (if I don't say so myself :thumbup:).

What makes me the happiest is not so much the weight loss or improvement in my physical activity (although I'm thrilled with that), it's that I was fortunate to have a successful surgery with no complications. I did not take this surgery lightly and I did a ton of soul-searching before doing it. I feel so lucky to be writing this today, healthy and feeling good.

Thanks for reading! And to everyone else on the journey -- enjoy!!!

Hi Beaglemamma!!

WOW how wonderful you are doing! I am not working out as much as I thought I'd be but I plan on hitting it much harder after Christmas. I'm 5 weeks out and have lost 38.5 #'s as of today. My goal was 40# by Christmas.. so I just may make it. What an amazing goad and accomplishment that would be! I have only lost one size..but am a much bigger gal than you and am dreaming of the day I can say I'm in a size 16 pants.. "can't imagine the feeling" ...... Keep us posted and thank you for sharing your story!

~Chandra/shutterbug

Congratulations Beaglemamma! You have definitely rocked this sleeve. Your willpower is amazing with both the food and exercise, good job. I really want to pick it up a bit on the strength training, this post inspires me.

you are really groving that sleeve. you go girl. keep up the great work.

i want to stop eating mashed potatos. they feel so good going down, they don't hurt like most meats. i am doing the mushy stuff. i love eggs and cheese in this stage. i think i could eat an egg every meal but dont want to get tired of them..

Wow. That is exactly the kind of story that I needed. Congratulations on your success. I am going to be sleeved on 12/29 and stories like yours are such an encouragement. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

What a great post. I agree, us pre-sleevers need these posts to motivate us and get us excited. I love that you said your arms are awesome. I think I'm about the size where you started. Did you have big arms to begin with? I'm really afraid my arms are going to stay big.

*creatinglee* -- yes, our starting weights were about the same. I was 249 the day of surgery. I had big, meaty arms. I wondered that same thing if they would shrink and how much loose skin I would have. I'm happy to say that so far it's not obvious that I have loose skin and I am developing quite the musculature with my biceps, triceps, and shoulders. I vary my workouts to using very heavy weights and then the next day I'll do a high rep/low weight workout. It astounds me how my arms can fatigue using 3 or 5-lb dumbbells when just the day before I was doing chest flies with 15-lb dumbbells. If you're concerned about your arms I would read up on different training methods. The one I used initially when I was recovering from surgery was the Bill Phillip's Body for Life method (you can find it online). You can start that at any weight, you'll just move up to heavier ones as you get stronger.

Good luck and you'll do great!!!

Beaglemama, thanks for that great response. Now I'm stoked to get downstairs into the gym! I'm going to keep following your progress.

Congratulations beaglemamma for your success. I still have one week to Celebrate my 2 months anniversary. I like your sentence ( it's that I was fortunate to have a successful surgery with no complications. I did not take this surgery lightly and I did a ton of soul-searching before doing it. I feel so lucky to be writing this today, healthy and feeling good). This is excatly How I feel. I lost 37.5 pounds so far. I was afraid that this surgery will be complicated and I will suffer problems that were never there before and I am so thankful I am still alive and in better health, lighter, and decreased my risk for diabetes, hypertension, breast and ovarian cancer.

Today is my 2 month anniversary of surgery. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone' date=' especially since the weeks and months leading up to it seemed like they were going in slow motion.

I have lost a total of 43.6 lbs since my surgery day, which I'm very pleased about. I took my measurements on surgery day and what's even more amazing to me is that I've lost [b']TEN[/b] inches off my waist! That means I actually have a waist now! HAHA! I've lost a good amount of inches off hips, thighs, chest, and even calves! I went from squeezing into a size 18W (really more like a 20W if I was being honest) to wearing non-stretch, regular size 16 pants so that's a loss of 3 or 4 sizes since the difference between a 16W and a 16 is a lot (as I found out).

I am very strict with what I eat, which hasn't been easy during this season. I've traveled to Miami twice for business (once when I was on purees), I made 8 zillion Christmas Cookies, and I pretty much stick to my plan of Proteins and some veggies. I admit that in the beginning it was fear of developing a leak that kept me on the straight and narrow but now that I'm cleared for pretty much anything it's the will to succeed that is keeping me on program.

I've worked out since the day I got home from the hospital. By Day 4 I was on the treadmill, granted - for just a few minutes and very slowly. In 2 months I've started running again and I'm feeling more and more in tune with my body every day. I also started lifting weights from the beginning (light at first) but now I'm going all out and my arms are AWESOME (if I don't say so myself ).

What makes me the happiest is not so much the weight loss or improvement in my physical activity (although I'm thrilled with that), it's that I was fortunate to have a successful surgery with no complications. I did not take this surgery lightly and I did a ton of soul-searching before doing it. I feel so lucky to be writing this today, healthy and feeling good.

Thanks for reading! And to everyone else on the journey -- enjoy!!!

AWESOME work! Keep it up!

Wow. That is exactly the kind of story that I needed. Congratulations on your success. I am going to be sleeved on 12/29 and stories like yours are such an encouragement. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

You're going to do great!!! Best of luck with your surgery and I know you'll be posting YOUR success in no time!

Today is my 2 month anniversary of surgery. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, especially since the weeks and months leading up to it seemed like they were going in slow motion.

I have lost a total of 43.6 lbs since my surgery day, which I'm very pleased about. I took my measurements on surgery day and what's even more amazing to me is that I've lost TEN inches off my waist! That means I actually have a waist now! HAHA! I've lost a good amount of inches off hips, thighs, chest, and even calves! I went from squeezing into a size 18W (really more like a 20W if I was being honest) to wearing non-stretch, regular size 16 pants so that's a loss of 3 or 4 sizes since the difference between a 16W and a 16 is a lot (as I found out).

I am very strict with what I eat, which hasn't been easy during this season. I've traveled to Miami twice for business (once when I was on purees), I made 8 zillion Christmas Cookies, and I pretty much stick to my plan of Proteins and some veggies. I admit that in the beginning it was fear of developing a leak that kept me on the straight and narrow but now that I'm cleared for pretty much anything it's the will to succeed that is keeping me on program.

I've worked out since the day I got home from the hospital. By Day 4 I was on the treadmill, granted - for just a few minutes and very slowly. In 2 months I've started running again and I'm feeling more and more in tune with my body every day. I also started lifting weights from the beginning (light at first) but now I'm going all out and my arms are AWESOME (if I don't say so myself ).

What makes me the happiest is not so much the weight loss or improvement in my physical activity (although I'm thrilled with that), it's that I was fortunate to have a successful surgery with no complications. I did not take this surgery lightly and I did a ton of soul-searching before doing it. I feel so lucky to be writing this today, healthy and feeling good.

Thanks for reading! And to everyone else on the journey -- enjoy!!!

You are doing wonderfully! Keep up the excellent work! I had to laugh at you "8 zillion cookies" phrase! I love that . . . can see you working like a wild woman, flour flying, apron around your neck. . hair askew! hehehe. .

Yes, you are very blessed, I too am doing alot of what if's right now. . (my surgery is on tuesday) . . but this is my 18th major surgery and I know that i'll be ok, but if the Lord wants me to come home, so be it, I've lived a great life and my daughter is set . . .i wouldn't worry about her, hubbie now is a different story, might need daughter to teach him how to properly balance the check book!:thumbup: . . . but in all reality, this isn't a easy surgery but I have put all my trust in my physician, anestheologist, and God. . . let the journey begin!

Merry Christmas and may you and yours have a very Blessed New Year!

Wow. That is exactly the kind of story that I needed. Congratulations on your success. I am going to be sleeved on 12/29 and stories like yours are such an encouragement. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

Hi Barbann! I'm being sleeved on the 29th as well, down the road from you in San Antonio! Good luck with your procedure! I'm sure we will both do great!

Congrats on your amazing progress and outlook on your success.