My biggest dilemma is that I have to take medicine in the morning. I don't want to eat until around 11 am because I like to have a late night snack of 100 calorie pack of cocoa dusted almonds. I've been putting off taking my medicine but the one I can't put off is an anti biotic.

I guess I can share this ,lol. I have to take an antibiotic before have sex or I will get a UTI.I have to take it with food.

I guess half of a Greek Yogurt would be 50 calories. I need to look up string cheese and baby bell light.

How about you? Is the 5:2 plan working with your life? I also don't like working out with my trainer on an empty stomach.

Will this not work if you have 11 hours in between instead of 12? There must be some reason you have to have 12 hours off.

493... how perfect is that.

Here is what is funny, the espresso stand was still open so I could have changed that $5 bill but i didn't think of it at the time. I think I didn't really want those reeses... it was just a reminder of how i USED to live... but that was a very long time ago. I think if I ate that big bag of candy now I would be sick as a dog.

Jane,

It sounds like you did pretty good considering!

I got to the snickers part and thought uh oh!!

I'm happy there is not a vending machine in my life!

That's pretty big about the plastics money..

Im sure I would go through lots of emotions too

You handled it well

Ok. Fast day done, I came in at 493...

493... how perfect is that. Here is what is funny' date=' the espresso stand was still open so I could have changed that 5 bill but i didn't think of it at the time. I think I didn't really want those reeses... it was just a reminder of how i USED to live... but that was a very long time ago. I think if I ate that big bag of candy now I would be sick as a dog. [/quote']

Lol I even got 59 grams of Protein

I still get the mental urge sometimes to grab a bag of candy or a cake and binge but I've not giving into it I hope it gets better over time...

Today shopping? Lord I fit into everything!

But I also got to see that in certain dresses my lumps bumps and somewhat saggy stomach really show. Kinda of buzz kill but it's funny how I used to deal with that. You know come home and binge.

Today it was, come home and dig in to my beloved Greek yogurt (I think I have a crossover addiction to it)

I didn't want plastics going into this.

But I wonder if that will change after I've lost a bit more???

I'm sitting in the office, it's a fasting/cleansing day (green superfood drink, tons of flaxseed, probiotics) and another person in the office is eating her hot lunch, it smells like salmon in cream sauce and rice and I could f***ing murder some salmon right now ... AND there is a bag of Ghirardellie dark chocolate salted caramel squares in the freezer. MOTH** FU****!!!!

I'm sucking down the green tea like it's my job (well, it is actually today haha). Is green tea an appetite suppressant or is that a placebo effect? About to have my protein shake with flaxseed, it's noon, then around 3 I will have my green drink, then dinner will be around 6, a salad full of color. My goal is to stuff myself so full of salad that to even attempt a chocolate square would bring on the slimes, so I won't do it.

So my two fast days this week were both a bit over on cals, but that is ok. I made up for it by doing a third semi-fast day and I'm happy to announce I'm back to my low!!!

I started a new weight training class (in addition to 3 classes already, so now I'm up to 5 INTENSE classes a week...whew) 3 weeks ago and my weight immediately went up. As much as I knew it was probably muscle-related I wasn't happy about it. I can finally say those lbs are gone! Happy day!

GOAL FOR THE WEEKEND...KEEP CALORIES LOW.

My mom will be in town and that usually triggers over-eating for me (not binge stuff just more than I would normally eat) so I'm REALLY working hard to keep that in check.

M2G congrats on your new low, your new exercise regime must be paying off, well done for sticking with it when the weight was going up. Are you after a weight on the scales or a dress size or a combo of both?

M2G congrats on your new low, your new exercise regime must be paying off, well done for sticking with it when the weight was going up. Are you after a weight on the scales or a dress size or a combo of both?

Well right now my focus is getting off my regain. I was sleeved almost 3 years ago (Oct. 22, 2010) and did great until about 18 months post-op. I started working full-time and had to cut back on my exercise, combined with me deciding I was sick of tracking my food, I regained about 20lbs in the year 2012. So I'm trying to lose that (-11 are gone yeah!) and then once the regain is gone I will have another 8-10lbs to get to goal. And then I will just have to see. I'm not really chasing a clothing size although I have a feeling that at my goal weight I might be "between" sizes which would frustrate me so WHEN I get to goal (see I didn't say if...hahaha determination is the name of the game!) I will see where I "land" and then maybe see what I want to do.

Exercise has been a fairly big part of my life for the last 9 years but it wasn't until I was sleeved that I really began to get serious about it and even now I have *finally* learned that just doing some exercise...well that's great for some people, but for me I need to continuously challenge myself. It's easy to get complacent and fall into that whole idea that you did something and something is better than nothing when it comes to exercise, so I'm really trying to push my own limits higher.

Lol I even got 59 grams of Protein I still get the mental urge sometimes to grab a bag of candy or a cake and binge but I've not giving into it I hope it gets better over time... Today shopping? Lord I fit into everything! But I also got to see that in certain dresses my lumps bumps and somewhat saggy stomach really show. Kinda of buzz kill but it's funny how I used to deal with that. You know come home and binge. Today it was' date=' come home and dig in to my beloved Greek yogurt (I think I have a crossover addiction to it) I didn't want plastics going into this. But I wonder if that will change after I've lost a bit more??? [/quote']

I know exactly what you are saying, LV! Thought I want a nice tighter fitting dress to show off my new slimmer shape. Found the perfect one with crisscross front. Top and hips etc looked great til I saw the "outline" of my "apron" even though I don't have a large one. And I didn't have ANY shape west on so probably could have managed it with some but.... .

On the good side all my size 8 skirts are loose now! And have managed to buy several actual medium tops. At 5'8" that is a BIG thing for me. Now, still usually it will be a L top because I carry weight on top not bottom! .

Anyway, fast day yesterday wound up around 550. Another one in the bag! Holding on to my loss. Up a pound. Down a pound. But I know in a week or so I'll be looking for another down!!!!

So my two fast days this week were both a bit over on cals' date=' but that is ok. I made up for it by doing a third semi-fast day and I'm happy to announce I'm back to my low!!! I started a new weight training class (in addition to 3 classes already, so now I'm up to 5 INTENSE classes a week...whew) 3 weeks ago and my weight immediately went up. As much as I knew it was probably muscle-related I wasn't happy about it. I can finally say those lbs are gone! Happy day! GOAL FOR THE WEEKEND...KEEP CALORIES LOW. My mom will be in town and that usually triggers over-eating for me (not binge stuff just more than I would normally eat) so I'm REALLY working hard to keep that in check.[/quote']

Way to go, M2G!!! All that hard work paying off.

I know exactly what you are saying' date=' LV! Thought I want a nice tighter fitting dress to show off my new slimmer shape. Found the perfect one with crisscross front. Top and hips etc looked great til I saw the "outline" of my "apron" even though I don't have a large one. And I didn't have ANY shape west on so probably could have managed it with some but.... . On the good side all my size 8 skirts are loose now! And have managed to buy several actual medium tops. At 5'8" that is a BIG thing for me. Now, still usually it will be a L top because I carry weight on top not bottom! . Anyway, fast day yesterday wound up around 550. Another one in the bag! Holding on to my loss. Up a pound. Down a pound. But I know in a week or so I'll be looking for another down!!!![/quote']

Lol yep I didn't think I had a hanging pooch up front until I tried on a dress or two!!!

Ugh and I HATE shape wear (and nylons) so my choices were few....

Girl when are you going to start doing only one day a week?

I feel a lecture coming on... bear with me.

I hate Shapewear too and generally don't wear it. I have been wearing it because the compression helps my pre surgery anxiety, but generally I hate it - especially in the summer.

I used to be very very very self conscious about the hanging belly skin and the shadow of it does sometimes kinda show through in dresses, but you know what i discovered... NOBODY ELSE notices! We judge ourselves so hard! I saw a picture of myself in a summer dress that I felt horrified by my belly, but that same dress I had gone on a date in (this was back in June/July when I was dating) and the fellow told me I looked amazing in that dress... and I don't think he was ONLY flattering me..haha.

My boyfriend is one of those guys with just zero filter... my god... he says whatever comes to his mind. I am not insulted because he really does seem to think I am beautiful, so when he says these things... they aren't negatives. anyway, one day he said "you really know how to dress, when you are clothed, the hanging belly is invisible and you just look voluptous. You know you really are hot." I could have done with out the hanging belly remark, but his larger point was much appreciated.

Yesterday I was at an important meeting at work and i don't know what possessed me to wear a fashion forward, form fitting horizontal striped sweater dress. I was wearing tights since i wanted my legs covered, and had on short ankle boots - but i had one of those moments when I got to the office "what the hell am I thinking - dressing like a college girl!?! - I am 49!" Anyway, as we walked back to our building after the meeting two attractive and in my eyes, normal sized women ;probably late 30s started gushing over my "style". They LOVED the dress and talked about how the stripes and sweater dresses just looked so stylish etc. I made a joke about how i need to look for vertical stripes and one of them said "with your cute little figure you can wear it, the rest of us need vertical stripes". I am a size 8 pants, 10 on top - at 150# there is nothing "little" about me... then it hit me - it is the proportions! I have a 9" difference from my bust to my waist to my hips. the reason is I have a big rib cage and my tummy skin serves to be fake hips when properly arranged...haha

When I walk dressed stylishly in the mall, i notice men looking at me. At first, I thought my ass was hanging out or something, but then I realized, no, they were looking at ME.

The point I am trying to make is that based on what I have seen of your photos, and your stats, I bet you look mad hot in those clothes. You pick apart every little flaw because women are trained to do that. I bet you look great. You just need to put on a little attitude, some cute shoes and accessories and just rock those stylish clothes. You have EARNED it! What I have noticed with women I work with is that so many of them are so embarrrassed by lack of perfection that they either cover up or give up. I figure it takes very little extra effort to look a little bit in style. I don't wear low cut or super short, but I do wear well fitting rather then baggy sacks. Baggy sacks don't make a baggy tummy look any better...

So, I don't want to hear about how you have too much of a hanging belly when we weigh basically the same and I KNOW damn well I have way more extra skin since I lost so much weight!

Okay, lecture over.

Lol yep I didn't think I had a hanging pooch up front until I tried on a dress or two!!!

Ugh and I HATE shape wear (and nylons) so my choices were few....

Girl when are you going to start doing only one day a week?

oh Georgia, that lecture was for you too..., and I bet it applies to many that read this board.

I also realized that is one of my central fears of plastics, that my proportions will get messed up.

Too big of boobs and I will be top heavy since I already have broad shoulders and a huge ribcage (bones). I want that extra skin gone, but with the lower body lift and no extra tummy to be fake hips... I have a fear of being one of those all boobs no butt, no waist women which I do NOT find attractive.

I decided to dress in that same sweater dress when I meet the doc and tell him, I don't want to lose this balance proportion! I used to think the key was being tiny skinny, but no, the key is proportions.

Thank you Jane I needed that lecture!

I went shopping again today. One thing I can say I have choices now... It's funny this time last year I would be trying to get out of even going to the wedding!

And shopping? It was about finding something that fit, never mind liking it..

I was torn between something kind of sexy or something fitted and boring.. I ended up going with the boring A line dress because well, it's a wedding...

I realized I really like my causal clothes more than dresses!

Oh and sleeveless no bueno!

You will be so happy that you decided to get your arms done EVERYTHING is sleeveless!

I had a lot of catch up reading to do! I haven't been online much. I just got rid of the virus on my lap top and now I am having trouble with the part where the charging cord plugs in. I don't want a new lap top because I don't want windows 8!

Coops that drawing is beautiful! You are very talented.

I haven't been able to get back to my low of 139. I seem to get very close after the fast day, but then go up a half a lb or something when just eating normally. I am really beginning to think I am in maintenance and not going to be able to lose 5 more. That's okay though. As long as I dont GAIN!

I am so happy everyone else is doing so well!

I have a fear of being one of those all boobs no butt, no waist women which I do NOT find attractive.

I *completely* get this...I have very broad shoulders and back/ribs plus big boobs. My top is one or two sizes larger than my bottom. I am NOT a fan of being hipless/assless. =/ Sigh...it's always SOMETHING, isn't it?! LOL

How interesting... Shape is so important and standing at 5 2 even more so! However, I completely understand how the apron affects us... how we dress, how we feel and how it completely disfigures the achievements we have made. Last year I tried on a lovely dress for our school prom - it was something that I had dreamed of wearing and it fitted beautifully - however, the apron was all but waving at me. My friend was with me and she said that it looked amazing - I asked her about the mid section and she agreed - it apron looked bad. Later on that year I tried another dress on, this time one for work - it was a UK 14 and too big on the shoulders, back and waist - tight around the apron! That was the moment when I knew the skin had to go.

I know a lot of us will be ok with the apron, will wear it as a badge of honor as it represents such success. Some of us will go through this with minimal skin left over. But to me it was an issue both physically - stopped me exercising cos it would bounce around and hurt my back - and mentally.

Now it has gone. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a uber flat tummy and I am not perfect - still have stretch marks and some fat there, still have a (small) muffin top - but the difference is incredible. Truly!

When I went to see my TT surgeon, I told him that I felt I sounded pathetic when I say the difference it has made to my quality of life... but he 'got it'!

Our body image is all relative and subjective. The important thing is how the skin affects us on a day to day basis.

I would go through it again - now!