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Hello from sunny San Diego!

When last you heard from me I was a ball of anxiety, preparing to leave Iraq. That was three weeks ago. Since then I did indeed leave Iraq, proceed through the aggravating Army redeployment process, cross the country (seeing friends and family along the way), and finally drove from Colorado to California, where I am now. Now I am with a dear friend helping her out with her newborn. My eating has been disordered of course, and unconscious anxieties about returning home etc. have manifested themselves in carb & chocolate indulgences that may or may not have turned into 3 lbs. Travelling (tmi alert) always makes me super constipated though so that might just be fake pounds, a couple of courses of Miralax will tell. =P

I am in the two-oh's though, I thought I was even 201 the other day but today it says 205, which may be the snickers (yeah I know I know) talking.

This is a healing process, coming home, and way more difficult than leaving home. I actually bought a dress in the regular women's department at Target the other day - xxl of course, but still! It is a little thin cotton sundress with a deep v neck that I wore with a tiny amethyst cardigan and little silver strap wedgie sandals. It was the first time I had worn a short (knee length) dress in 12 years. Very strange. A lot to process.

So I leave here soon and will travel northward to the bay area where I will settle down for 2+ months of quiet living, I will reconnect with my food, my exercise, my self. Here's hoping those months find me slipping under the 200 lb. equator and sailing toward goal. =)

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Hey Globetrotter,

glad to hear from you and glad that you are safe and sound... sounds like you are looking forward to getting into a routine again. I am sure once that is in place those pesky 5lbs will leave you once and for all as you quietly slip into onderland and beyond!

Your new dress/outfit sounds beautiful... and I love the strappy sandels touch... good for you! I bet you felt as amazing as you looked..

Good luck with your home coming =]

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Welcome back! Jealous that you are in California, I was just in San Fran 2 weeks ago. It was a nice change from the still-subzero temps here. And I love Target! They are expanding into Canada, except for they are having some issues because there's already a similarly named apparel company here (way worse), so who knows how long it will take to work out the legal issues.

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Welcome back to the USA!

Enjoy getting aclimated again ... things will settle down & you will get to your goal. Just keep plugging away!

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Hello from sunny San Diego!

When last you heard from me I was a ball of anxiety, preparing to leave Iraq. That was three weeks ago. Since then I did indeed leave Iraq, proceed through the aggravating Army redeployment process, cross the country (seeing friends and family along the way), and finally drove from Colorado to California, where I am now. Now I am with a dear friend helping her out with her newborn. My eating has been disordered of course, and unconscious anxieties about returning home etc. have manifested themselves in carb & chocolate indulgences that may or may not have turned into 3 lbs. Travelling (tmi alert) always makes me super constipated though so that might just be fake pounds, a couple of courses of miralax will tell. =P

I am in the two-oh's though, I thought I was even 201 the other day but today it says 205, which may be the snickers (yeah I know I know) talking.

This is a healing process, coming home, and way more difficult than leaving home. I actually bought a dress in the regular women's department at Target the other day - xxl of course, but still! It is a little thin cotton sundress with a deep v neck that I wore with a tiny amethyst cardigan and little silver strap wedgie sandals. It was the first time I had worn a short (knee length) dress in 12 years. Very strange. A lot to process.

So I leave here soon and will travel northward to the bay area where I will settle down for 2+ months of quiet living, I will reconnect with my food, my exercise, my self. Here's hoping those months find me slipping under the 200 lb. equator and sailing toward goal. =)

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Welcome back! I was just in richmond this weekend attending a belly dancing festival. Enjoy your return home!

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Hello from sunny San Diego!

When last you heard from me I was a ball of anxiety, preparing to leave Iraq. That was three weeks ago. Since then I did indeed leave Iraq, proceed through the aggravating Army redeployment process, cross the country (seeing friends and family along the way), and finally drove from Colorado to California, where I am now. Now I am with a dear friend helping her out with her newborn. My eating has been disordered of course, and unconscious anxieties about returning home etc. have manifested themselves in carb & chocolate indulgences that may or may not have turned into 3 lbs. Travelling (tmi alert) always makes me super constipated though so that might just be fake pounds, a couple of courses of miralax will tell. =P

I am in the two-oh's though, I thought I was even 201 the other day but today it says 205, which may be the snickers (yeah I know I know) talking.

This is a healing process, coming home, and way more difficult than leaving home. I actually bought a dress in the regular women's department at Target the other day - xxl of course, but still! It is a little thin cotton sundress with a deep v neck that I wore with a tiny amethyst cardigan and little silver strap wedgie sandals. It was the first time I had worn a short (knee length) dress in 12 years. Very strange. A lot to process.

So I leave here soon and will travel northward to the bay area where I will settle down for 2+ months of quiet living, I will reconnect with my food, my exercise, my self. Here's hoping those months find me slipping under the 200 lb. equator and sailing toward goal. =)

Hey Globetrotter I was wondering about you! Glad your moving on and settling in your new life. Your summer dress sounds lovely, good luck!

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Glad to hear you got back safe and sound. . . heck girl at least you haven't gain 21 lbs like i have since last october! Your doing good. . . Miralax is excellant! Good luck losing those 3 lbs! You'll do good!

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So glad you've made it back home . . . take it easy on yourself . . . my hubby was there 2 years ago, and it was a longer time readjusting than he thought . . . so be kind to yourself :) Don't stress about the weight -- it will take care of itself -- :)

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I am from s.f. Although I live in modesto now. I go out there all the time. You are still an inspiration to us newbies and will soon be in onederland!

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Welcome back, Globetrotter! Glad to hear you are back in the U.S. and adjusting to life on this side of the world. I know the adjustment can be tough, but you'll get there. Don't worry about the snickers. You are going to be in Onederland soon enough! :)

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    • Doughgurl

      2 days until I fly out to San Diego to have my Bypass Surg. in Tiajuana Mexico. Not gonna lie, the nerves are starting to surface. I don't fear the surgery itself, or the fact that I'm traveling alone, but its the aftermath that I'm stressing about the most, after this 8 week wait. I'm excited to finally be here, but I am really dreading the post surgical chapter. I know its going to be tough, real tough and I think I'm just in my head to much now that the day i here. Wish me luck, Hopefully I'm one of the lucky ones, and everything goes smoothly. Cant wait to give an exciting update,. If there is anyone else have a June bypass or even a recent one, Id love to have someone to compare war stories with. Also, anyone near San Antonio Tx? See ya soon with the future me. 💜
      · 1 reply
      1. Phil Penn

        Good Luck this procedure is well worth it I am down to 249.6 lb please continue with the process..

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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