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...

I love this thread. Thanks girls!

Hey EscapePod (love the name, btw), welcome onto our thread. :-) You're doing great--look at those stats!

So here's a new twist to the "I have this strange shortness of breath thing that my docs are puzzled about" saga--it's not cardiac, it's not pulmonary, it's not inner ear--maybe it's reflux. Reflux. I just found out about laryngopharyngeal reflux--I have every single one of the symptoms! And it can cause the exercise-induced shortness of breath (asthma symptoms), eustachian tube dysfunction, the whole nine yards!! I'm actually excited to have a possible explanation for all of this nonsense and made an appointment with my ENT again to see if I can get scoped for an official diagnosis.

Meanwhile, seems like treatment is similar to that for GERD--antacids, raise the head of the bed, avoid tight clothing, don't eat late at night, avoid highly acidic foods. It's going to be tough to avoid coffee and tomato and citrus (some of my absolute favorite daily foods), but if avoiding them means no more of this junk, that will be fine with me. I'll figure something out. I've restarted Prilosec and will be able to tell in a couple of weeks, evidently, if that's going to be a good solution. It's so weird to think that reflux can cause all these things without my also having heartburn--LPR is similar to GERD but you don't feel the same heartburn pain; it's called "silent reflux" because you can have the symptoms and not realize it's reflux related, plus the symptoms can be attributed to any number of other things (like post-nasal drip/sinus infection, asthma, patulous eustachian tube, etc., all of which I am now experiencing but all of which can be caused by LPR!).

So Celebrate with me, ladies--I think it's entirely possible my medical mystery has maybe been solved. We'll see. :-) Feeling hopeful!!

Meg I sure hope that you have found out what is wrong and that your new course of treatment helps!

Dorrie I agree with everyone about not beating yourself up over poor choices, because we all do them. I just try to balance out my poor choices with some good ones. We have to focus on how far we've come, but still stay on top of the gains.

GT - WOW, I have never seen your pictures before, OMG, you look amazing!! You should be so proud. I am still trying to get my head to catch up as well. I'm still overweight but I don't think that I'm going to get to "healthy" BMI of 25...so I'm working on keeping the lbs off all while still thinking in the back of my mind that I would like to lose -10 or -15 more. Not sure when I'm going to be able to buckle down and lose again, so just working on maintenance for now.

Coops, so glad you are off the tablets...I am hoping that things get easier and I'm also sending you some sunshine!! Hang in there girlie!

I've restarted Prilosec and will be able to tell in a couple of weeks, evidently, if that's going to be a good solution.

I don't have reflux, well I had it once in the last year... but have noticed a little bit of a funny feeling in my throat... I have been

so hungry lately too... I have been off the PPIs for a year... but I started taking one this morning. Just to see how I do. I have to say I

have NOT been hungry today... its just one day, we will see how tomorrow goes. Hope you have found your culprit!

Isn't it interesting how these PPIs help us out? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have found the culprit--now that I'm aware that a flock of symptoms might be tied to the same thing, I'm much more aware of them. I'm actually really glad about finding it, even though it looks like treatment might take a while before I get any true relief (the tissues all have to heal up, which means keeping the acid off them long enough--it only takes one or two exposures to acid to mess up the laryngeal tissue, evidently, and I don't even like to think about the tissue in the back of my nasal passages/ear tubes). The hardest part has been trying to sleep in an upright position--my hips/butt get pressure aches, or I get a crick in my neck. I'll figure it out, though!

Oh Meg, I hope the PPI helps big time for you, sometimes the lack of sleep, for me anyway, is the worst! Lets hope you'll find relief soon! How are you finding maintenance otherwise?

I have never used anti acid tablets, I do get rumblings now and again, but nothing major!

FYI, it will defo be interesting to see if they help with the hunger... does the extra acid make you feel hunger? I seem to go through stages... more recently I am not feeling hunger, not real hunger... If I haven't eaten much by say, 6.30pm - 7pm, then I do get a sensation, but nothing like it used to be. My empty sign is a headache more than anything!

We have broken up from school now... this is our official summertime, and we have actually got a bit of sun! I am so relieved not to have to go to work! I do have work that I need to do at home; schemes of work and admin stuff... but I don't mind doing that from the comfort of my living room...lol Or the garden for that matter as we actually have some sunshine!

On the weight loss front, still no real movement, but I am staying at the lower end of my bounce range... but, and this is weird I 'feel' smaller... and I am still getting comments that I look smaller! My clothes are certainly more comfortable - I will have to measure again! I honestly can't believe that I've been in a stall for 9 mths! I think I am 'over it' now - not as frustrated or desperate... I still want to get out of the obese range (I am just a few pounds away from being overweight...lol). Perhaps when I can exercise more I will see something happen. I dunno! If push comes to shove and this is me then I would be relatively happy with my appearance and completely happy with my health, so that is a win!

Lets keep it going though... I really enjoy this post!

Hi all! You know the show The Biggest Loser? One of the comments I hear most from people, and I've been one of them, is - well of course they can lose crazy amounts of weight! Anybody could if that was all you did all day long and you had round the clock nutritionists and personal trainers, duh!!

Well, I've decided to make a sugar free lemon pop out of the lemons life has handed to me - When I lose my job and my house in 8 days I will have nothing better to do with my time than job hunt and exercise, so that is precisely what I'm going to do! I am going to be a one-woman Biggest Loser and my trainer/nutritionist will be my sleeve!

In Kansas we are experiencing the worst of the heat and drought afflicting the midwest this summer so I will exercise at dawn and dusk and use the hottest part of the day for sitting at the computer applying for jobs. Since I do Crossfit I will change up my diet to reflect the "paleo" they favor.

My goal? July 31 to Aug 31 - 30 lbs! I know that is a bit of a stretch but I figure, if you shoot for the moon and miss, you still land among the stars!!

Hi all! You know the show The Biggest Loser? One of the comments I hear most from people, and I've been one of them, is - well of course they can lose crazy amounts of weight! Anybody could if that was all you did all day long and you had round the clock nutritionists and personal trainers, duh!!

Well, I've decided to make a sugar free lemon pop out of the lemons life has handed to me - When I lose my job and my house in 8 days I will have nothing better to do with my time than job hunt and exercise, so that is precisely what I'm going to do! I am going to be a one-woman Biggest Loser and my trainer/nutritionist will be my sleeve!

In Kansas we are experiencing the worst of the heat and drought afflicting the midwest this summer so I will exercise at dawn and dusk and use the hottest part of the day for sitting at the computer applying for jobs. Since I do Crossfit I will change up my diet to reflect the "paleo" they favor.

My goal? July 31 to Aug 31 - 30 lbs! I know that is a bit of a stretch but I figure, if you shoot for the moon and miss, you still land among the stars!!

and that is why you have my respect... turning a negative situation int a positive one! GT, you are one determined lady! Please let us know how you get on, both on the job front and on the exercise front... I am a tad bit green of your crossfit -- I'm still out of the boxing gym, although due to the exercises that the physio has given me I do feel 'stronger' around the hip and lower back area. Hoping to return to the gym soon, but until then I will live my training through YOU!! You go for it! x

Oh and as a foot note.... I have book a family holiday to the Greek island of Crete - this is a special place as it is where I met my husband 19yrs ago; a holiday romance that has changed my life. This year I will be going back the same size clothing as the day I met him! WOW! Can't believe I am actually writing that, it has just hit me how far I have come...

Just gotta sort out some swimwear.... eeeek! x

Oh and as a foot note.... I have book a family holiday to the Greek island of Crete - this is a special place as it is where I met my husband 19yrs ago; a holiday romance that has changed my life. This year I will be going back the same size clothing as the day I met him! WOW! Can't believe I am actually writing that, it has just hit me how far I have come...

Just gotta sort out some swimwear.... eeeek! x

See, now that is just AWESOME. I'm so happy for you. YOU ROCK!!! :wub:

Thanks Swizzly,

thank you... x

I only realised it when I wrote it! Different 'shape' but the same size... I'll take that one for the team (won't mention that I am about 17lbs heavier...lol... but I am carrying it well...heheheee!)

I love the conversations here. I've been away from the forum since friday and will be away coming Wednesday to next monday again. I'm really going to miss it. I had a horrible weekend where I ate more carbs than usual. I did feel a lot more energy and got more accomplished, but I also went up to my high bounce of 151 lbs. I know some of it's water weight because I use a lot of salt. So now this week, I'm going to get back to basics and get my bounce back down. I'm really needing to get my head hunger under control.

Coops, you are doing really good now! Congrats, I love hearing that your feeling skinnier because after all, you are skinnier!

GT, I love your determination and positivity. This is a great time for you to use some of your free time to exercise. you will find a job!

Meg, I'm hoping the PPI works for you, I know I haven't been taking mine lately and I'm wondering if that had something to do with how much I was eating this weekend, not the good food either, some carbs.

Now it's time for me to get back to basics!

Thanks, ladies! Nice to have a little crew here that "gets" it! GT, I'm also thinking about the Paleo thing. My husband and I have transitioned into a pretty veggie-heavy diet (I even introduced him to kale chips the other day, and he ATE them and LIKED them), mostly just for fun and experimentation. My sleeve is still really tight--I can't eat a lot of food at one time, even now, like really only between 1/2 and 2/3 c. unless it's Soup, so I've been trying my best to make the food count nutrition-wise. Anyway, we were looking at some TED videos on youtube (those free educational ones) and found this one by Dr. Terry Wahls (you can google her name)--she's amazing, a physician who was diagnosed with MS and has basically helped herself manage it through the paleo diet. It's incredible. Anyway, we don't have any sort of illness, happily (knocking wood now!), but we would like to stave off anything that we can, and we're looking at paleo. I can't eat much meat, which is really my stopping block. I know dairy isn't the best thing out there, but I count on that Protein source a lot--don't know if I could get enough volume in with an entirely vegan diet.

Feed Your Eye, are you still vegan? And are there others who eat a more or less paleo or a vegan diet (NOT the same thing, not remotely, just asking about two different programs here!) who could provide me your insights/advice/pros and cons?

Edited to add that I've been vegan for years at a time before, and I prefer vegetarianism; I can tolerate shellfish and dairy.... the thought of "giving up" food isn't an issue, and in fact it's not about that for me, it's about getting optimum nutrition that will work with my sleeve. :-) Thanks in advance for advice/tips/discussion!

Hi all, thought I would check in - haven't found a job yet, the person whose couch I was to crash on is backing out, my supervisor has gone on vacation (Tuesday is my last day), and none of the exit paperwork or questions have been addressed. wow. I'm stressed about everything and people telling me not to stress just makes me angrier! My boyfriend is uselessly supportive, if that makes any sense, he is all too happy for me to be in charge of everything so he can placidly sit there like a small child absorbed in licking their popscicle. I don't have the wherewithall to deal with such a drain right now, I need a grown up. But I can't break up with him right now because I need a place to live! I just have to wait a few weeks until he leaves for study abroad and I take over the sublease of his apt.

So that's it in a nutshell. Oh and it is very hot and droughty here in Kansas.

Yikes, GT, hang in there. Sounds like a lot of room for positive things to come in--I'm sending best thoughts and wishes to you!!