No u are not, but YES I AM A SUCCESS!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

BEAUTIFUL! YOU LOOK GREAT! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Foxbins 625]

You are gorgeous! So nice that weight loss has helped you discover your hidden strengths!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

My darling friend!! Thanks for this awesome post.. I just "needed" this today. :-) Of course as always you are just lovely and continue to get more and more every day!!!! (((Hugs)))

[sugarmamma7 2]

Thank you for your post it has affected me more than you know Thanks for helping me realize that I am worthy of this new gift of life. That I should be doing this for myself and not just for my kids because I deserve it. You are right about everything that you said. I think each pound of fat was a layer that someone had to get through so they couldn't hurt me. Well no more hiding here I come world. I deserve this lets do this! You made me realize that I am a hero for standing up for me and for fighting for me. My parents don't want me to get this surgery but I deserve it ! I don't want to be the victime anymore. I want to be strong. Thank you for your post you are truely an inspiration to us all!

[thinoneday 445]

No matter how hard or how easy this journey becomes to you, It is always about the self battle! I believe, our worst enemies are hidden within ourselves, It is not my Ex, or my so called friends, or relatives or even LIFE issues. The main problem is always about who you are and where YOU can take YOU! Everyone got their own obstacles and issues in life but It always comes down to the person to decide when and how they are gonna step above them and carry on, also its your choice if you wanna carry on stronger or just a victim.

People dont make you the victim, you do that favor (ironically) to yourself.

I didnt mean to bore you with this intro, but after years of being nothing but that over weight girl who kept hanging her problems and excuses on her weight and stuffing as if I am burying my problems with food, I came to conclusion that I WAS THE ONE WHO DID THAT TO MYSELF, not the circumstances. When I was a young girl in school I was a very naughty one, I can barely remember this girl now, but I knew she was seeking self acceptance for no reason! she was accepted but she couldnt see it! she was loved but she wasnt wise enough to know who are these ppl who loved her that she kept pulling away from. When I got a lil bit older, I was seeking love! I had 2 failed relationships but did they fail me or did I fail them? I think now with a clearer mind before body I can actually say I FAILED my choices, I gave up so much on myself cause I never appreciated myself! so I give in to any possibility of love just cause I was afraid I will never be loved.

Now after several years of being single, fat and barely used for anything but some so called sweet flirtation, I could have easy given in more to more stuffing and crying over my poor victim self. BUT I DIDNT! I had the band 7 years ago, I lost 130 pounds over the course of 7 years, With all the battles I had with it I was considered a good patient, I never gained weight although I could have! It was so easy to be done with the band, but again I was growing stronger everyday, getting out of my shell. Even when the compliments stopped and I stopped losing weight I still wanted more, I didnt just give up , so I searched and searched for the sleeve and I had it done.

With the sleeve life is so much easier, even when it seems that it is not. I am talking first of all food wise, who hates to have a variety of everything? but in a good moderate sense?, I have never had a boring day since the sleeve, cause I am not bound to certain food or otherwise I will be gaining weight the next day. The sleeves keeps prooving to me everyday that everything is possible.

When I stop losing for several days and I say thats it I am done, the sleeve is done with me it comes back next day with a nice 1-2 pounds surprise on the scale. When I start blaming myself for the Pasta bite yesterday, the sleeve still assures me that I can have this bite and still lose, When I am nasty with the sleeve (myself) it is nasty back! and thats when I try to have this extra bite or that fatty deep fried food!, or when I feel like I can eat something and it goes down easily so why not stuff myself?..

Everything is restricted yet not boring!

BUT! I still come back on here and find people comparing themselves to others weightloss, as if we are trying to find a new problem in life to start being the victim! or to just be a failure! ofcourse failure have been your good companion for few years, it is okay to miss it!! and wonder how come you are in no victim position anymore? , I will tell you and tell myself, GET OVER IT! you are just a hero for going under such procedure and for battling for ur life! some do these things in many different ways, and they are heroes in their ways, so when will be the time you applause for yourself and enjoy the journey? Dont skip this feeling!! u will miss it when u are goal is here.

you will be also missing on the layers of mental strength you could have developed instead layers of just plain worrying and stress!

When people states that yeah I look quiet bit different I just know deep inside either how jealous or how much they dont dislike me, NOW I blame them not ME! cause ME did everything and still doing absolutely all the things toward success.

If you are doing this for your kids and family, good you have a big support system and motivation, but you are actually doing it for you!, your kids will know how to survive later, cause life goes on, but you are doing it really for YOU TO ENJOY MORE OF THEM! be your biggest cheerer and your biggest inspiration. Everyday wake up feeling stronger for battling the real enemy within you, which is the strongest one of all things you can face in this life.

That is my perspective now about both happiness and success, after all band, sleeve, RNY and god knows what else he is gonna inspire ppl to invent, these are just TOOLS! for help! but you are the one who can decide to be the warrior using their tools right or just the victim standing behind a rock of excuses and fake battles.

OKAY LETS TALK SLEEVE NOW:)

as I WILL ALWAYS SAY! it is an emotional roller coaster the first few weeks, but you will get through them!

Life has been so good,

I have been more open to socializing,

I dont fear going out to eat,

I can order anything and fit it into my meal plan, I dont feel food choking me anymore so I Can have a nice sitting with the friends and family now,

I no longer turn off my mobile trying to hide away from people ( cause I dont know what to wear to hide the fat) , I no longer fetch my old friend (failure), I no longer turn down any possibility of meeting new ppl,

I no longer need huge amount of make up to just show my face and take ppl's mind away from my body,Except if I am going to a wedding.

I am no longer ashamed to sit on the pool feeling ppl staring at me, I feel normal although I am still not at goal weight

I wore sleevless shirt yesterday and I didnt feel self conscious although my first procedure to be done later is those bat wings.

I am now wearing belts cause I cant keep buying new pants every couple of weeks.

I wanna reach out to every person who is overweight and talk them up about the sleeve and how much they are wasting their time without it.

I wonder how did I fit in those old cloth! they must have been so tight and I didnt really care!

I dont look good in them now as they are so loose and I STILL dont wanna spend money on cloth that will be no use in couple of month.

I dont obsess about the scale ANYMORE.

I like the rate am losing at, I actually thank my body for doing its work and not going at full speed, cause I know the consequences.

I will be always grateful to this board and ppl here.

I had a friend convinced to have the sleeve last week and he just had it done and I feel like I SAVED his life!

I am still looking for love but now I AM NO VICTIM and AM SO MUCH WORTH IT and I wont settle for anything unless it is good enough for me!

I am at a weight that I have never seen in 15 years! and I am living the dream

YES I AM A SUCCESS cause I chose to be!

Looouu, thank you so much for this post. . . i was this victim for a long time. . i had the sleeve done Dec 29, 2009 and on January 2011 my weight loss stopped dead in it's tracks. . . here came June, then July and still never losing, it was heartbreaking to me. . . i felt that this was the end of my journey and there were MANY reasons. . . many reasons but never one which included ME. . . then i read your post and it turned me around 360 degrees! Now I've started dieting for the next 6 weeks. . . I told myself that it is ME who controls what I put into my mouth. . . it is ME who controls whether I lose, gain, or stay the same. . . it's definately NOT the stress that work causes, or the bad day that the patients gave me, or the sadness because my hubbie is upset with me. . . IT IS ME. . . and because of these words, I have the ability and the will to change MYSELF. . .

Thank you so much for those very very wise words "YES I AM A SUCESS cause I chose to be" How wonderful and how very true. . . I'll let you all know how much I've lost each and every Friday. . . thanks again Louu you are a total inspiration. . you have changed my way of thinking in more way then you can ever know

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Gorgeous and wise!

[Loooou 30]

Looouu, thank you so much for this post. . . i was this victim for a long time. . i had the sleeve done Dec 29, 2009 and on January 2011 my weight loss stopped dead in it's tracks. . . here came June, then July and still never losing, it was heartbreaking to me. . . i felt that this was the end of my journey and there were MANY reasons. . . many reasons but never one which included ME. . . then i read your post and it turned me around 360 degrees! Now I've started dieting for the next 6 weeks. . . I told myself that it is ME who controls what I put into my mouth. . . it is ME who controls whether I lose, gain, or stay the same. . . it's definately NOT the stress that work causes, or the bad day that the patients gave me, or the sadness because my hubbie is upset with me. . . IT IS ME. . . and because of these words, I have the ability and the will to change MYSELF. . .

Thank you so much for those very very wise words "YES I AM A SUCESS cause I chose to be" How wonderful and how very true. . . I'll let you all know how much I've lost each and every Friday. . . thanks again Louu you are a total inspiration. . you have changed my way of thinking in more way then you can ever know

and now I WAS CHECKING BACK AND U ARE 12 LBS below goal!! WOHOOOOOOOO FOR all that success!!))

[Loooou 30]

Thank you for your post it has affected me more than you know Thanks for helping me realize that I am worthy of this new gift of life. That I should be doing this for myself and not just for my kids because I deserve it. You are right about everything that you said. I think each pound of fat was a layer that someone had to get through so they couldn't hurt me. Well no more hiding here I come world. I deserve this lets do this! You made me realize that I am a hero for standing up for me and for fighting for me. My parents don't want me to get this surgery but I deserve it ! I don't want to be the victime anymore. I want to be strong. Thank you for your post you are truely an inspiration to us all!

I think you should add a WARRIOR next to HERO TOO!! you are fighting the good fight and you are more than half way there:) NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT FROM U!!

[Loooou 30]

I just love checking back on posts!! and looking at every post here, realizing how far we have come! means more than losing layers, but gaining A STRONGER MENTAL LAYER of our own!! CONGRATS EVERYONE!!

and for all the slow losers/doubting minds/or just not a full believer there! KEEP HANGING ON!! and KEEP STEPPING UP! no matter how many bad weeks or horrible thoughts u had.

I AM about to be one year out in a matter of few weeks! and I couldn't have asked for more. Slow and even not steady will get me there.. but anxious and stressed me will just get make me step back.

72 pounds down is all dedicated to this board and ME:)

[Lissa 2,631]

Lou, I think this was one of the first posts I read on VST and I'm glad it got pulled to the top again. Your words are so wise and appropriate to our personal journeys here. They definitely resonate with me because of outside issues I'm having.

[Loooou 30]

I just love checking back on posts!! and looking at every post here, realizing how far we have come! means more than losing layers, but gaining A STRONGER MENTAL LAYER of our own!! CONGRATS EVERYONE!!

and for all the slow losers/doubting minds/or just not a full believer there! KEEP HANGING ON!! and KEEP STEPPING UP! no matter how many bad weeks or horrible thoughts u had.

I AM about to be one year out in a matter of few weeks! and I couldn't have asked for more. Slow and even not steady will get me there.. but anxious and stressed me will just get make me step back.

72 pounds down is all dedicated to this board and ME:)

[Loooou 30]

Lisa, Thank you and as a sleeve sister I wish you all the strength in the world:) you are doing great!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

72 pounds down is all dedicated to this board and ME:)

you look fantastic and have a great attitude. Congrats to you!

[Loooou 30]

Thank you feedyoureye:) ur words mean a lot to me:) and Congratulation to u too!! 5 POUNDS AWAY FROM GOAL ) it is amazing:)