Hi February losers! I know we've got a great group in the pre-op sub forum, but now that we are on to week two, thought we should start the thread over here too! I see a few other Feb stragglers around so hopefully they can join here too.

I had my surgery on Monday 2/3. I'm down 10.5 as of one week. Not sure if this is a normal amount or not. I'm not getting in much calories, but do get in Protein of at least 50g per day (need to up this) and all my Water. I have a drain which still causes me pain. Other than that thing, I'm doing good on my incision and recovery. Today I start back up work, but thankfully it's from home and I just have to work on a laptop or computer.

So looking forward to the losing phase of this journey with you all and learning and growing from each other.

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by kimr

I've lost 61lbs so far and I'm not sure if that's average for 4 months.

Tammy - that's great and yes I hope it's average because I've lost the same amount : ) I've been stuck for several weeks now - so my "average" weekly loss has dropped from 4½ lbs/week to 3¾ lbs. Hopefully the scale will move again soon now I've increased my exercise to 40 minutes/day.

Sullysrant - fantastic job! 101 lbs in 4 months is amazing. Keep it up.

Deanna - wow 76 lbs - fantastic!

I guess Tammy and I are on the slower end. My weight loss is all post-surgery, and I'm feeling so much better - diabetes gone, more energy, fitting in chairs that used to be tight, able to bend over easily etc

Deanna, you are an inspiration. 13 miles biking and 6 miles walking/jogging... I hope I can work up to the 6 miles per day.

So great to hear from everyone. Really sounds like you all are doing great on your journeys.

I need to start back in exercising. Haven't done much since I got the cast off my foot. I am slowly losing, but definitely at a less rate than a couple months ago. Wine is not helping. I think I'm about 69lbs down and that is from surgery date of 2/3. For breakfast I usually have a protein drink once I get to work. If I'm unusually hungry in the morning, I'll have an egg and a sliver of avocado. Lunch most of the time is a salad, packed with protein (chicken, egg, beans, hummus, etc). I sometimes get one larger salad at my work cafe then eat half for lunch and half for dinner (if I'm working late). I try not to eat past 6 o'clock and my dinner varies a ton. Sometimes it's just a quest bar, others it's what my family is having, or leftover lunch as I mentioned. I have not been logging my food anymore. I know it's something I need to get back to as that is when I am most successful. I am in ketosis (state of fat burning) as I have no sugar or carbs for the most point. One fun NSV for me is I'm starting to feel and see my collar bones!!!

Deanna

I have oatmeal with a tablespoon of Chia seeds every morning except on the weekends I have some protein cereal. Lunch usually consists of a salad with feta or cottage cheese and pears. I alternate lunch with turkey taco meat or something every few days. Dinner is a variety of fish, ground turkey, shrimp, Chili etc.

I unfortunately can not eat eggs or chicken since my surgery. Every attempt has come back.

I focus mainly on my protein first. I try to add broccoli or something but I usually don't eat it.

I try very hard to have 2 protein drinks a day. I love the Premier from Costco or the Ohhh Yea brand.

I try to get lots of water but only average 5 cups per day.

Edited June 21, 201412 yr by SullysRants

I think exercise has been the main reason for my loss so far.

Edited June 21, 201412 yr by SullysRants

Hi,

I think most of us are around the same amount of loss since surgery (around 59-69 pounds down) except for Sully with the amazing 101 pound loss. Wow, fantastic Sully!The amount of exercise is impressive, as is the amount of healthy food and the protein levels.

I am 66 pounds down since the surgery, which is line with most of you, and I have lost 116 pounds in the last 4 years. I also lose faster at some points than others and like Tammy sometimes it is when I do something different, like going on holiday that it seems to speed things up. For example when we went to Hawaii I dropped a few pounds on arrival, which was strange. I then plateaued for a couple of weeks when I got back and then started losing slowly most days for a while afterwards. I can see that my body is different even when I am not losing, which is good, though I can't really see much difference around my abdomen, it is more higher up my body. My protein levels are not as high as most of you, but then protein drinks don't go down well, and even if I add it to foods it doesn't work that well. On iffy days I find having much protein difficult, other days I am more successful. My food is generally very healthy but sometimes if we are out I will eat what I can that I can cope with, and with the highest protein/ calcium I can. I am certainly not avoiding carbs like Kim, although I don't have much and what I do have is very small in quantity. Fruit is common either with fibre rich cereal in the morning or as a change of taste after lunch or dinner, or in a smoothie. Philly lite on crackers/bread at lunchtime and beef carpaccio or salads in the evening are the most frequent foods.As for exercise, I can't do that with my back problems but I am losing power/muscle in my legs. I am trying to do toning exercises but no difference so far, maybe I should get a sitting exercise bike type thing. Though with my lack of exercise, hormonal problems and my weight loss over the years before surgery (which I have been told will all mean that my weight loss will not be as great overall as for most people) I am glad to be on track with other people here.

I think we are all doing absolutely great. congratulations to us all! We would have been so pleased to read these posts before our surgery in February, if we could have known in advance. I know that I would have been so reassured.

Take care all of you

Claire

Hi Claire,

I have a recumbent bike and it doesn't cause much if any stress to my back and feet. I'd like to talk to a personal trainer to see if we could work around my back and feet problems. Maybe I can get to the gym this next week and talk to someone.

Take care

Tammy

Hi Claire,

I have a recumbent bike and it doesn't cause much if any stress to my back and feet. I'd like to talk to a personal trainer to see if we could work around my back and feet problems. Maybe I can get to the gym this next week and talk to someone.

Take care

Tammy

Hi Tammy,

That sounds like a good idea, if you have a local gym. I think I will look into recumbent bikes and also contact a gym that has just opened nearby which apparently is particularly for people with disabilities.

Thanks for the help and I hope that all is ok with you.

Claire

Finally - it happened - the scale moved after nearly 4 weeks of being "stuck" - so I'm on track with most people too - 62 pounds in 4 months. I'm lucky that it's summer and I can swim every day (we have a pool) but I agree that some form of exercise is important for me. I really sympathize with you, Claire. Before I had my knees replaced, I was so limited in what I could do. Hope the gym or recumbent bike works out.

I went to a wedding this weekend and saw lots of people for the first time in several years. Some kept saying how well I looked - I'm still overweight so they didn't realize why - but clearly those dropped pounds have improved my overall health

Edited June 23, 201412 yr by JanetteH

Finally - it happened - the scale moved after nearly 4 weeks of being "stuck" - so I'm on track with most people too - 62 pounds in 4 months. I'm lucky that it's summer and I can swim every day (we have a pool) but I agree that some form of exercise is important for me. I really sympathize with you, Claire. Before I had my knees replaced, I was so limited in what I could do. Hope the gym or recumbent bike works out.

I went to a wedding this weekend and saw lots of people for the first time in several years. Some kept saying how well I looked - I'm still overweight so they didn't realize why - but clearly those dropped pounds have improved my overall health

Interesting isn't it Janette, people can't quite spot what the difference is some of the time. I attended the graduation ceremonies of my last year's group of students last week and they know me well enough to comment on the fact that I have lost weight. However, they obviously could tell that something was different, but couldn't work out what.

I am really glad that you have lost some weight again. it really is hit and miss isn't it, but 4 weeks is such a long time. hopefully the trend will continue for a while now. I think a recumbent bike will be too expensive if I get one that is ok for my weight. I will see if anything is possible elsewhere.

Take care

Claire

Hello all,

I trust everyone is doing well these days. We're going on 5 months and it doesn't always seem like it's been that long, I was on vacation and hit a really cute shop in Amana, Ia and found some cute outfits I purchased for later in the summer for when I got small enough to fit them. It's the first time I've purchased outfits since surgery. I was curious how much smaller I'd have to be before they fit so I tried them on and to my surprise they fit perfectly. It's a good thing I didn't wait till later to try them or they would have been too big for me. Whoo hoo!!! Now I want to go shopping.

That is awesome all your clothes fit! Show some pics!

Has anyone being finding a bunch of random bruises?

I've got two giant matching bruises on both my legs right now. The only thing I can figure out it's from where my knees are boney now and they push into my legs in myself.

Hello all, I trust everyone is doing well these days. We're going on 5 months and it doesn't always seem like it's been that long, I was on vacation and hit a really cute shop in Amana, Ia and found some cute outfits I purchased for later in the summer for when I got small enough to fit them. It's the first time I've purchased outfits since surgery. I was curious how much smaller I'd have to be before they fit so I tried them on and to my surprise they fit perfectly. It's a good thing I didn't wait till later to try them or they would have been too big for me. Whoo hoo!!! Now I want to go shopping.

I've done this serval times. I had a bunch of clothes put back from a friend who had surgery too and most of the time when I think "that won't fit yet" it does. I'm between a 16 and an18 right now my 18s are all too big though.

How do I post pics from my phone?