So hello VST peeps! Today is the day! I can honestly say the sleeve gave me my life back. It's been a heck of a journey. I am not at my ultimate goal of 200# down, but so far I have lost 145#...so just a few more steps and I will get there. I also encourage everyone to take measurements from beginning to end because I am happy to report I have lost a total of 48.5 inches from all over my body...wild huh? I wanted to share a pictorial journey with you . So here we go!

Me 12 hours before surgery

Me 6 months post op

Me at 9 months out

And me today right before my workout

So that's my story ..it's still a work in progress but with hard work, dedication, and diligence, it's becoming, finally, a reality!

Inspiring!

Pipula!!!! Oh my goodness you foxy lady! Congrats you look amazing and are an inspiration to me. I am getting skeeved on the 22nd.

Great job

Many thanks for sharing your progress. Congratulations on your Anniversary! A very inspiring journey for those of us on the verge of our surgeries. Thank you!

Thank you all for the kind replies! It just motivates me even more to strive for that goal weight!

Great job!!!

Amazing & so inspiring!

You look amazing!

You have a great butt!!

You have a great butt!!

WOW...that's a first!!! Another great NSV!!

Thank you! It is truly life changing! And you will be there very soon as well! Good luck in your journey! It's all about self discovery...

Hey Piplula! A year already......isn't it amazing? It's gone by slowly and quickly, all at the same time. And look how far you've come! An inspiration, a motivator, a success story. Did you think you'd be these things when you started your journey a year ago?

Fantastic job, and I KNOW you will get to the point you want (though in so many ways, I think you're "already there"!).

You were sleeved about 6 weeks before I was, and of course I was closely reading the boards and trying to understand what my own road was going to look like. Your posts, your honesty, and sharing your ups and downs made a big difference for me. Thank you!

Like you, I'm "still a work in progress". I have a month to my "surgiversary", and if I'm really lucky, I'll hit the same mark you did (145 lbs down). Currently I'm 134 down and feeling great! Another 50 lbs to go, and it may take 8 months more, but there's no rush.

As much as our bodies have changed, the real transformation is in our psyche and in our confidence and approach to life (at least for me, that's true...). I feel more prepared to take on anything now, and I know that with determination and perseverance, I can do it!

So Amazing. You look Great. Woohoo!

Hey Piplula! A year already......isn't it amazing? It's gone by slowly and quickly' date=' all at the same time. And look how far you've come! An inspiration, a motivator, a success story. Did you think you'd be these things when you started your journey a year ago?

Fantastic job, and I KNOW you will get to the point you want (though in so many ways, I think you're "already there"!).

You were sleeved about 6 weeks before I was, and of course I was closely reading the boards and trying to understand what my own road was going to look like. Your posts, your honesty, and sharing your ups and downs made a big difference for me. Thank you!

Like you, I'm "still a work in progress". I have a month to my "surgiversary", and if I'm really lucky, I'll hit the same mark you did (145 lbs down). Currently I'm 134 down and feeling great! Another 50 lbs to go, and it may take 8 months more, but there's no rush.

As much as our bodies have changed, the real transformation is in our psyche and in our confidence and approach to life (at least for me, that's true...). I feel more prepared to take on anything now, and I know that with determination and perseverance, I can do it![/quote']

You can do this! I have no doubt you will be there soon!

Thank you for posting the pics! You look AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, and SO HAPPY and HEALTHY! Love your kitty too! Thank you also for sharing you diet and exercise info. I need to find me a yoga class! I'm struggling with getting in the exercise, partly a schedule issue and partly I just don't wanna! LOL! Guess I'm lazy by nature. I do enjoy walking and biking and have a gym membership but have trouble getting consistent in my work-out efforts. I have a lot of arthritis and that can hold me back too. I'm only 6 weeks post-op and my weight loss has already slowed down to a crawl, just 1 lb a week. If I hadn't been sleeved I be OK with that but now I want it to go faster! Of course I know I need to work at this a little harder than I have been, especially with getting more exercise. Your journey has really helped to inspire me! Blessings to you!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Thank you for sharing. You are doing an awesome job. Very inspiring!