All of us love to post after or during pics, and I'm no exception. Today however, I'm also posting my before pics in all their "Glory" and let me tell you, it's not easy to post these.

I used to wonder why vets hated posting their before pics. Surely it was a sign of how far they'd come? Now I understand why we hate posting them. Because we show ourselves and the world how far it had gone, how far out of control it was, and how much work we had ahead of us.

Feeling emotional today as I share these with you but forcing myself to be honest with myself. I hope someone who is unsure will look at these and realize it will all be worth it. That stupid liquid diet, the post-op not eating thing, the pain, the worry, the concern you will never lose, the stalls.

And FWIW, even with 85% of my stomach gone and a low carb diet, I only AVERAGE about 2 lbs of loss a week, including the early days of 20 lbs in one month. Yeah that doesn't happen anymore. This month I lost 2 lbs in a MONTH. So hang in there, it will happen for you as well

I'm 5'5 tall and large build based on wrist measurement. SW: 230, SW: 222, CW: 158.6, GW: 150

Edited April 27, 201412 yr by gamergirl

You have done great - you look amazing! I know you really want to whip those last few pounds off and I have some techniques that work if you are willing and able to do it. I am not sure it is worth it mind you as I think you look just perfect right now!

I don't have a problem sharing my before pictures. I keep one in my office. I know that is contrary to what many others feel but I don't hate myself for being super morbidly obese (I looked much bigger then you did girl!). I keep it there for perspective, it is so easy to slide back.... just a few pounds, then 5, then 10 and then 100... well, it is for me anyway. I keep that photo to remind myself of what my surgeon told me. I have a disease called obesity. Right now, I have the primary symptoms under control - I am at a normal weight - but to never ever forget that metabolically, I have the attributes of an obese person. Seeing that awful looking photo of myself, not hating myself for it but rather forgiving myself for truly not understanding my health issues before I met these great bariatric surgeons - that is what I focus on.

I know that many don't feel this way, but maybe because I was so terribly obese that I need to keep this in my mind. My all time highest weight was 332; my start weight for VSG was 308. This morning I clocked in at 142. It is almost incomprehensible to me at times how much I have transformed, and yet I know that it can all go back to where I was if I don't remain vigilent and focused.

I have said it many times, maintenance isn't really THAT different from losing weight. I still follow the basic techniques that helped me lose all that weight.

I have a disease called Obesity. I LOVE THAT. It's such a good way to put what we will deal with for the rest of our lives. Thank you for that.

I will PM you for details on the "whip off" technique. I assume you mean 5:2 yes?

CowGirlJane: I would love to hear details of your "whip off" technique. I'm not down to the last few pounds yet, but I would like to get a head start....

Hi so inspiring! Tomorrow is my surgery and I'm so scared I stumbled across the complication site and had no idea no one ever told me about complications (did think so bad) I am having second thoughts just since last night! I have a 4 yr old and can't imagine not being well enough to take care of him! Please any advice scared and nervous!

Hi! How are you doing?

You look amazing!! Good job. I'm very happy for you and all of your hard work.

You look amazing!! Good job. I'm very happy for you and all of your hard work.

Thank you so much!

I will say, I was somewhat surprised to find that it was quite hard work. Even with the sleeve feels like you have to work hard to make it work for you. Not initially of course, when you can barely eat. But after you're healed and your stomach can hold more, the choices you make, the ability to eat more but choosing not to, etc are just hard work somedays.

All worth it

GG: thanks for sharing your before and now pics, you look amazing and beautiful! Going by your rate of weight loss I too am a slow loser. It didn't feel that way to me though because pre-sleeve I would maybe lose 1 lb in a week on your typical diet and then regain it plus more!

I am struck by the posts in this thread who write about feeling ashamed of their weight in the beginning. I guess it's because I have been obese and/or morbidly obese my whole life. I never before experienced life as a "normal" size person, and even now 100lbs lighter I'm still not a "normal" BMI. So I had no "before I gained all that weight or how did I let myself go so far" comparison.

I didn't have WLS because of feeling ashamed of my body, although I did feel ashamed. I had it because I was in pain all the time and I hoped to have a better quality of life (which I do). But I was made to feel ashamed of my body and my desire to overeat for so long that I look back now and think how that shaming not only didn't in any way help me to lose weight, it fueled the fire of my overeating, and it still can wreak havoc on my life.

Most of us chose to have WLS because of our health and well-being, not because we were ashamed of our bodies. The improvement in our physical appearance is really the icing on the cake (sorry for the food ref. LOL). Holding onto shame only holds us back from fully living and enjoying our lives now! So what if one was once morbidly obese? It took courage to change our lives and it will take a lot of determination to stay the course.

Obesity is a disease of the body but also of the mind and for me the healing of my psychological weight and food-related issues is going to take much longer and be much more difficult. The surgery was the easy part!

wow....this is my first post on this website and i am so happy for you. your post and your pictures really give me hope. i am presurgery so far...probably going in by aug/sep. you are an inspiration because i thought the sleeve would not be enough and i am freaking out. thanks!

All of us love to post after or during pics, and I'm no exception. Today however, I'm also posting my before pics in all their "Glory" and let me tell you, it's not easy to post these.

I used to wonder why vets hated posting their before pics. Surely it was a sign of how far they'd come? Now I understand why we hate posting them. Because we show ourselves and the world how far it had gone, how far out of control it was, and how much work we had ahead of us.

Feeling emotional today as I share these with you but forcing myself to be honest with myself. I hope someone who is unsure will look at these and realize it will all be worth it. That stupid liquid diet, the post-op not eating thing, the pain, the worry, the concern you will never lose, the stalls.

And FWIW, even with 85% of my stomach gone and a low carb diet, I only AVERAGE about 2 lbs of loss a week, including the early days of 20 lbs in one month. Yeah that doesn't happen anymore. This month I lost 2 lbs in a MONTH. So hang in there, it will happen for you as well

I'm 5'5 tall and large build based on wrist measurement. SW: 230, SW: 222, CW: 158.6, GW: 150

Hi so inspiring! Tomorrow is my surgery and I'm so scared I stumbled across the complication site and had no idea no one ever told me about complications (did think so bad) I am having second thoughts just since last night! I have a 4 yr old and can't imagine not being well enough to take care of him! Please any advice scared and nervous!

Hi! How are you doing?

Hi I'm doing really well today is 10 post op I've been back to work for 3 days now and feel great!! I'm getting in 4 protien shakes and 50 oz Water. I have my post op appt may 15, 2014 so we shall see how much I've lost! Good luck and God Bless!!