Hello fellow sleevers,

just thought I would start a thread for all those who want to get to goal in 2012, regardless of where we are in the process.

I posted it the 'Slow Loser' thread, because that is what I am!! (I am not complaining by the way, just pleased to be a loser...lol)

For me to get there, I know that at 18mths out I need to be strict, accountable and have support from those in the same 'place', who understand that the sleeve isn't a miracle but a tool.

I have done well so far, but the weight hasn't 'melted' off me and since 6mths post op I have had to fight for each and every pound. At first it made me a little bitter, frustrated and I started to get into a 'dark place' about it, now the scale victory tastes sooooo sweet!

I have taken the month of December 'off'... I needed to rest from the constant worry of food, cals, water, carbs and protein... my head was spinning and I was starting to feel very frustrated and overwhelmed at not being at goal again. I needed time out!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas period and I have eaten what I wanted and when I wanted it; this includes ALL foods, no food was off limit and I let my sleeve do its job! The quantity was low but I still enjoyed every mouthful. Interestingly, I found that my cravings were satisified very quickly... 1 or 2 biscuits/sweets, and so on, hit the spot, instead of 5,6,7,... you get the picture. Subconscious damage limitation? I don't know but I like it!

I have learnt a lot by doing this. I now know that I can eat a little more if I 'try'... I know that I can enjoy food again without feeling guilty and I know that food doesn't have to be the enemy. So, with all that, what was the outcome? Yep, I have gained 2lbs above my personal bounce! Oops!

I am not, in the slightest, worried about this because I KNOW what is the cause... sugar and salt! And this time, I am sure it will come off as quick as it went on!

So, what is the plan?

Per my surgeon's instructions: I am going back to basics... yep that ole one...lol

• 3 meals a day - no snacking.
  
• Weighing my meals between 6-8oz depending on what is on the plate.
  
• Protein first, followed by veggies.
  
• Plenty of water.
  
• A limit of 1000 cals a day.
  
• Continue with my exercise - boxing twice a week, gym in work 1-2 times a week (depending on work load) and walking my dog (just over a 2 mile circuit). The exercise is the only thing that I have stuck to in December... I actually enjoy it now!!
  

As a side note, and I ain't sure if my American friends can get this, but here in the Uk, on SKY there are a few fitness channels. I have recorded some aerobic workouts that are really good... they're free and can be done at home... this is saving me some money on classes and DVDs and if I don't like the workout I can delete and look for another!! Bonus!!

Ok, who is ready to join me on the final stretch to goal... hope on board and enjoy the ride my friends...

Hi ladies! I quit smoking 3 weeks ago today (Woohoo!) However I've had a 6.2lb weight gain since then. It's not just Water because this is the part of the month where i usually lose and next week starts that 4lb gain I am eating more but I think it's mostly my metabolism slowing down. It's really freaking me out. Anyone else quit smoking and how much bounce back did you see?

OMG that is AWESOME NEWS! I am soooooooooo happy for you! At this point I would say that the bounce back gain is worth the effort to quit the smoking. You can always buckle down later and lose the weight, but you can't repair your lungs whilst smoking.

GREAT JOB SS!!!

@SouthernSleever Way to gooooo on quitting smoking! I didn't quit smoking with the sleeve, but I did quit years ago, and my metabolism did normalize (or maybe I stopped eating to handle the withdrawal :-)), so hang in there!!!!

@Meg Whooooooohooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations, I am so excited for you!!! Take a moment to just feel so proud of all you have accomplished! Think of all you have done for yourself and your loved ones, and I hope you are glowing from head to toe! Thank you for the inspiration, lady!!!

Guess what? No, I haven't broken my stall , but! I ran a mile and a quarter last night without stopping! And then, I went to yoga class!! Being fit is awesome!

Hi Everyone, I'm back from my cruise to Mexico. It was nice, but unfortunately DH caught a stomach bug midway through the cruise and was really not feeling well for the last several days. I usually catch whatever he catches, but somehow escaped the stomach bug. In the days before he got sick we had a lot of fun. food was everywhere, and I certainly enjoyed it, but I know I was eating much less than pretty much everyone on the ship (based on what I observed was on peoples' plates in the Lido restaurant) and for the most part I ate a pretty healthy diet (I got in plenty of fruit and veggies along with Protein, but also indulged in dessert after lunch and dinner, and mid-afternoon snacks). When DH and I would share dinner each night, the steward always had this weird look on his face like he couldn't believe we would do that! I didn't see anyone else around us doing that so I guess it was a bit odd. I was also lightly active -- I exercised pretty much every day (but fun kinds of exercise -- walk/jog around the promenade deck, snorkeling in chilly Water, dancing, tai chi,etc. -- not as intense as the workouts I do at home) and I took the stairs a lot rather than wait for elevators, etc. When I got home the scale said I was within my normal 2 lb. "bounce" range and so I'm calling it even -- no weight gained or lost.

The cruise director mentioned that on average people on a cruise gain 1 lb. for every day they are on the ship, so I feel very good about not having gained weight. It does make me go hmm, how did I not gain weight while having lots of indulgences and slacking off a bit on the regular vigorous exercising? Maybe if I stayed on ship a couple more days I would have gained weight ... who knows ... it does make me seriously wonder though if I've hit my new "set point" for my weight.

The worst part of going on vacation is getting back into the swing of normal life! Whaddaya mean, I can't sleep until 7:30 every day, and have to do harder exercise, and people aren't cleaning my house and serving me fab meals I didn't have to cook??? LOL. Back to the regular grind ...

Y'all, I hit goal!! Seriously! I hit it on Friday but decided to see if it was just a low bounce or dehydration or something--but it was still there yesterday (my 11-month sleevaversary) and this morning, too, so I'm going to officially declare that I have reached goal! I just posted in the success column.

NOW, this goal isn't really my goal. This was a sort of "secondary" goal--first was to get to my dietician's goal, which was 212 and would have left me in the "overweight" category. My current weight of 190 was something I set because I remember being that weight, and it's comfortably within the "normal" BMI for my height. Now, I'd like to attain my size goal--I want to be a comfortable 10/12 (I'm currently a 12/14) and see about moving to "medium" clothing. I plan to get into exercising--really I do. I just hate it so much!!!! But I know that's what I should be doing, and I know I'll feel and look so much better if and when I just do it.

On the up side, it's getting much warmer, and summer around here means excellent produce available, so continuing a really healthy, veggie-centric diet is pretty easy to do (and tasty!). I'm hoping that over the summer, I can maybe drop 5-10 pounds and then see what my body wants to do.

So I'm going to keep posting here, if y'all don't mind, because I definitely have unmet goals that I'm still working on and still need/want encouragement on! (Have I said how much I hate to exercise?)

Meg,

Congrats! I can't wait to join you at goal!! And I'm looking forward to hearing about life in maintenance.

Lynda

Kris, sounds fantastic!

Hey Kris:

My husband and I sell cruises as a sort of sideline business, so we're always excited to go and hear about others' experiences! I'm glad you had a great time! We went on our last one back in August, and I had been sleeved for four months. At that point, my sleeve was still being REALLY snippy about what it would and wouldn't tolerate, but I also managed to enjoy myself thoroughly--plenty of fruit, low-fat yogurt, Soup, etc.--and lots to do other than eat! Plus, I think that was the first cruise I had been on where I didn't feel like I was going to melt from feeling so HOT all the time. We're going again in May with a group from my school and in June with a community choir, and I expect to really enjoy both a LOT--also because now I don't feel so horrible about wearing shorts and cool, comfy clothes, and I can move around without breaking into a sweat. :-)

You're right about the stewards, though--ours quickly got to know that I was going to order soup and fruit and maybe a dessert (from which I would take a couple of bites if sleevie allowed)--he finally quit worrying about me, but it made me realize how most Americans probably look to these guys, who are typically from much less economically developed countries. We eat SO MUCH FOOD! We saw numerous people ordering multiple Entrees and multiple Desserts.

This whole sleeve experience has really helped me see the tie-in to our marketing system, our industrialization of the food-growing process/economy, our growing (hah) obesity problem, and the continuation of those issues into the pharma/healthcare area. It's all sort of one big circle, and I for one am glad to be breaking the chain of obesity-related illness in my life. Yay sleeve!! (and I'm a normal person, I promise, not a conspiracy theorist, but seriously--I can see such a link between how we're encouraged to eat, our resultant health, and the economy!)

Hello all...

great to hear all the updates... good to hear that everyone is doing well and chuging along!

Kris, your holiday sounds amazing! Just what the doctor ordered. And isn't it great that food just isn't an issue anymore. So chuffed that you had a good time. We haven't been away for 2 years but this year we are trying to save every penny to get a sunny holiday! We defo need one!

I still haven't seen the scale move... starting to get on my nerves a little. I really thought that when I started the New Year logging thingy, that I would see a pound or two go... but no! I am still logging, sometimes I take a weekend off... I seem to be ticking the right boxes, but it seems the same ole; the body doesn't want to comply with the head!

I am starting to think that 'this is me' again... this stall has lasted just over 5mths now, so perhaps I am done? Then this louder voice starts shouting...'NO WAY LADY, you're no where near finished'!!!! I just keep reminding myself that I must keep on until the end of this year... that will be the 'end' for me!

I know I talk about being using patience in this journey of ours... but mine is starting to dwindle a little.

One thing I need to do is to increase my exercise. I love the boxing that I do, and I am seeing great results in strength and fitness but I am wondering if my body is just getting used to it now. In May my work load will decrease as our oldest pupils will leave for study time prior to their exams. I will have more time then and II have promised myself that I will go back to the gym in work and start using the treadmill again. Time really is precious at the moment, days are turning into nights and rolling by so fast! By the time I have finished work; after school clubs and meetings, get home sort the kids and tea out bla bla bla, then plan or mark for the next day, I am finding it is 10pm and I am knackered! My hubby has gone back on to his shift pattern and this has changed time constraints too. I suppose it is just a case of doing what I can when I can at the moment.

On the up though, things in work are getting better as the atmosphere is brighter and the pupils are more settled after Jack's funeral. This in turn makes everything feel better. I am sleeping better to, which lifts my mood and am starting to feel back to my normal self.

SO all in all... no change but things are getting better... Oh and the sun is coming out to play more too...

ANd, I still haven't had a biscuit!! =]

Hey Coops ~ it seems like i'm in the same boat with you. I have a little bounce weight but haven't lost anything significantly for a few months. I also am wondering if I'm at my resting point. I also need to increase my exercise, but seem to avoid it. That I will begin today. Going to the mountains and having some fun this weekend. I do have an appointment next with with my surgeon for my 6 month check in. I will have a lot of questions to ask her about kick starting it. I am going to try and eat more calories (healthy calories) this weekend too. Don't give up, this is just a life style change.

Hey Dorrie,

good luck with your appointment, do tell us what she says. I'll be interested in any advice on kick starting things.

Funny you should mention the mountains, where we live there is a beautiful mountain walk. I tried it pre sleeve and couldn't make it to the top... boy I was winded, knackered and had cramo all in my legs. I came home and cried as I felt that I had let my whole family down. Since then the hunny, kids and dog have done the walk many times and all I get to see are the pictures. Well, this Easter break I intend to walk to the top and enjoy the scene and maybe a picinic!!

I get what you say about a life style change... I agree 100%! This is just what I 'do' now. Not sure if the extra exercise will help signigicantly as it hasn't really in the past, but psychologically it does wonders for me, so it is worth the effort there if not on the scales. I have to remember that this just isn't about numbers but quality of life too.

Oh and I've just noticed that you have a 'normal' BMI... WOW!! Congrats on that my friend! x

Hey all - need some advice from me fellow nearly-theres: I have not lost any weight since Christmas and have possibly even gained 3 lbs. Now it is true that I have been struggling with bad foods, there have been doughnuts, snickers, and alcohol (oh my), but even with all that, my calories almost never top 12-1500. Even on the day when I have had a doughnut my calories are at 1200, with carbs no greater than 50.

I have a lot of people, friends and strangers, comment on my exercise habits. They are all like, "wow, you work out a LOT". Which got me to thinking, yeah, you know, I DO work out a lot. So, WTF, where are the results? Five days a week I work out, and I do all the stuff you are supposed to do - change it up, cardio, don't let my body get used to a routine, Water, blahblahblah. I run over a mile a day now, do yoga twice a week, dance tango twice a week, lift weights, strength training, eat high Protein...

How could my 5'3" body "want" to be at 170 pounds?? How?!! =(

Coops ~ Thank you so much! I did realize that I was in a normal BMI. That means that even if I don't loose my extra lbs, I wouldn't qualify to get a GBS, LOL, I wouldn't want that surgery anyways. I love my sleeve.

You will make it up that mountain trail next time! I pretty much can guarantee that! Walking is a great way to clear our minds and plus this is when we gain a lot of insight into us. It's called an epiphany. Love these. My intuition tells me that you are already successful with weight loss and now you are starting to embrace life and it's many joys! You are pretty awesome, strong, and have a lot of courage. Thank you for being here for me.

GT...! I think our stats are very similar. I'm 5 2 and bouncing between 167- 164lbs and have been doing the whole five months!

I am soooo feeling this! I've struggled with the 'ho'w questions too... frustrating really isn't the word is it? I really don't know what the answer is... I wish I did!

I read - I think on here, a long time ago - that some people get to a weight that they were for a long time before piling on the extra pounds. Then they seem to stay there for a while. I think that eventually they started going down again... sorry it is a bit vague but it was when I was first sleeved and I trawled this board for any info! I am sorta hoping that this is true... but who knows how our bodies are. They certainly are a mystery to me.

I really wish I could help more... just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in being baffled!!

Ladies,

For those of you who are really and truly "stuck" at a weight, and feel like you're already doing everything you can, I wonder if you've considered body fat testing? I think body compositions can very so much, and it may be that you're where you should be regardless of what the scale says. Those "extra" pounds may be muscle, or extra skin.

I recently discovered there's a mobile service in my area that does submersion body fat testing, and the pricing's pretty good. I'm pretty tempted to give it a try at some point, just to satisfy my own curiosity about how I'm doing.

I totally understand having a goal, and not wanting to give up on that goal, and my blessings and support go out to everyone that's working so hard to get to where they want to be, but I know for myself that I have a bad habit of getting more and more disciplined to reach a particular goal, and not being able to maintain that discipline long term. The last time I lost a lot of weight I started training for a 10.5 mile event (walk/jog for me, mostly walk). In order to build up the endurance for mileage I was doing 2+ hour workouts regularly. It simply wasn't something I could imagine keeping up indefinitely, though, and once the event was over the weight started to creep back on, sending me spinning into a downward spiral of weight gain >> depression >> more weight gain.

I'm not saying this is an issue for anyone else, but I'm working hard to make sure that whatever I'm doing now is something I can honestly and truly contemplate doing for the forseeable future, because otherwise the weight it helps me lose isn't going to stay off. (And, as time goes on and my metabolism changes, I may have to get even more disciplined just to maintain!)

I'd definitely still like to lose a few pounds, and I suspect they'd come off more quickly if I tightened things up a bit, but I remind myself that I've made HUGE progress, I look great, I should be really proud of what I HAVE achieved, and the most important thing is to continue to work on good, healthy habits I can stick with. If I take off a few more pounds in the process, that's just "icing on the cake" (if you'll forgive the expression!)

@Coops - yep our numbers are pretty similar. In the years during which I gained my weight I spent maybe a couple of months my freshman year in college at this weight, not terribly long, so I doubt my body had time to get used to it. In fact, I've never spent long at any single weight in my life, always inexorably creeping higher. I think once I did the math and figured that I had basically gained on average about ten pounds a year since 14 yrs of age or roughly a pound a month for 16 years. I haven't lost weight since the first week of January and in fact the scale shows me as 4 pounds higher than my all-time low so I guess I'm frightened that this will happen again, frightened that my body may turn traitor on me and gain gain gain, that I will not achieve normalcy and non-flabbiness. =( =( I look in the mirror and all I see is a flabby squashy middle-aged-before-her-time marshmallow. =( =(