Hi everyone who is having surgery in October 2014. We can start a new topic for those of us who have had surgery already.

This is the spot were we will all end up, were we'll share our stories and recovery. It will be a new dawn for so many of us. Let's stay close as united we will conquer anything that comes our way!

BEST WISHES GLADIATORS

@@amylynns

I love greek yogurt with berries too. I have decided berries are the perfect bariatric food. A little sweetness but not too much. They come in tiny packages sized for our tiny tummies and they taste so good. I even purchased baby spoons so I can eat my yogurt slowly. I love it so much I save it for the time of day I will be in greater need of comfort. Something like I'll go grocery shopping (I hate it) but then I can have my yogurt with berries. It is the highest food commodity in my trade book. I call it my trade book because I allow myself to get something from my trade book if I provide the work. Something like, if I clean the kitchen, then I can watch a TV show. Those are the little trade games I play. I have all these rewards for motivation, lol. I know, I'm special that way.

I am celebrating my birthday today with my family. SO excited because I am going out to dinner for Maryland crabs, a favorite of mine. Probably one crab will be all I can eat but that will make me happy anyway. I MUSt stay away form hush puppies, they are like fried corn bread nuggets. Too much oil/sweetness and I do not want to get sick. Fortunately, eating crabs is a slow process and that plays well in my favor. By the way, eating too fast is my number one issue since surgery.

I decided to buy an outfit yesterday just to boost today's celebration. Found a really nice dress and tried a few sizes and the usual, nope too big need a size down still goes on. For whatever reason I have a hard time believing I am that small. Yes, I still walked around the Women's section. The size dress that fit best was a 10. Imagine that a size 10. The fabric is a little stretchy but for a fitted dress, it's a dream come true.

Hello Gladiators! I love reading ALL the stories we share with one another. I am 30lbs from my goal weight. From 321 to 193lbs.its exciting! Just like most of us.. the excess skin is ugly and frustrating! Has anyone gone for a consultation with a plastic surgeon to see if the insurance will pay, and what kind of surgery will be needed.

Im still having some critical low blood sugars at random times. I see an Endocrinologist this week, and ill get a blood work up, and CTScan to look at the pancreas. My Primary MD and my gadtric bypass MD seems to feel that I'll need surgery on my pancreas to limit to insulin being secreted into my blood stream causing low blood sugars.

Is anyone experiencing any low blood sugar episodes?

Beni.. i too find myself in the womans section as well! I too have a difficult time accepting that i can shop for clothes in the "regular" section. I wonder how long this sensation will last?? When i look into the mirror, i see a smaller person.. i like what i see, but accepting it is different.

@Beni... Happy Birthday, Queen Gladiator! May your year be filled with joy, activity and wonderful amazement!

Amylynns - Greek yogurt! Berries! Put in blender with Almond milk and protein powder! Yummy! And, frozen berries work well! They act as ice cubes to keep drink cold.

@@Shadow427

Thank you so much. I managed 2 crabs, hurray. But if you think about it there is not a lot to eat in a crab. They were very good and I was so happy they didn't make me sick. I was wondering! And I even had a perfect single bite of cheesecake.

@@joankrie

I cannot wait for the day that I stop wandering into the woman's section. It is a complete waste of time. I am a size 10 and nothing in there fits. Accepting who I am is extremely hard. I still see myself the same way but when I look in the mirror I see someone else.

For example, I was at a National Park the other day and it was a very hot sunny day. This park ranger was talking to some park visitors. There was a chair under this shade canopy and I stopped and sat to tie my shoe laces. He looked at me at some point and I said. I'm sorry, I took over your chair. His answer still stops me on my tracks "Please do, you are so beautiful you are allowed to sit anywhere." This is the first complement I have received from a guy in over 20 years. I must say, I did look extra nice that day. I was wearing a new outfit and had done my hair and make up nicely. For me it was a 10 day. It felt so nice not to be ignored. I am sure a year ago his answer would have been "it's okay." After the people he was talking to left, guess who came over and talked to me for a long while, I was a little taken aback because no one comes to talk to me, not like that ever. Wow! He was charming and it was not weird but I was not sure what to do. Fortunately, my family came back and I could say bye in a graceful way.

Happy Birthday Beni! I'm glad you were able to eat your favorite food and not get sick! And what a flirt you got!! That's awesome. It does feel nice to be acknowledged. That didn't happen when we were heavier. People looked right through you, or worse, looked at you with a bad look on their face. But not anymore! Those are part of the rewards. Like being able to tighten a seat belt on a plane and crossing our legs when we sit and tying shoes without sitting down and not having to lean against something while putting on underpants so you don't fall! I am a size 10 also and bought my first pair of skinny jeans! I love them with a flowy top. So cute!

Congratulate yourself on not only having a birthday and looking great, but on adding probably 10 more great looking birthdays to your life! We are finally healthy and not at risk anymore for so many diseases and health related problems!

So I have never really cared and always wore whatever I wanted, and sometimes that was even a bikini. At my heaviest I never really got any comments, I'm sure people stared or looked but I never noticed, mostly because I just don't care.

But I had an odd experience yesterday at the Water park with my boyfriend. He and I have both lost over 100 pounds each, he did not have surgery so he doesn't have any scars but still has the skin and stretch marks. I was in a bikini and he was in regular swim trunks, he was going to wear a shirt and I asked "why?!" I forget not everyone is as carefree as me.

I am used to little kids saying "hey your tummy looks funny" or "hey your tummy looks like my mommies", but I am not used to adults saying anything.

1st encounter we were standing in line and a very young woman (a little socially awkward) said "hey what happened to your stomach, I was confused looked down and laughed because I forget I don't look like everyone else. Then I told her I lost over 100 pounds. She smiled and said "oh I thought were going to say you had like 8 kids" hahaha no kids yet. (Her mom was very heavy set and I could tell she was embarrassed, I smiled and continued dance around to the music)

The second encounter was a bit more interesting. My boyfriend and I were sitting having a water and Protein bar break, and I was ready to go ride more slides, he was taking longer and laughing at me because I kept dancing in front of him singing " I'm ready I'm ready" "come on slow poke" when a man walked over to us as we were walking towards him and said "you guys used to be heavy set? I said yes, he said "I just wanted to tell you, you both look really amazing" I smiled and really didn't know what to say.......it was odd but also must have taken guts come up to someone and say that.

Both encounters had me a little perplexed but still proud of my journey and have no plans of hiding my body any time soon!! Hahaha

This is from yesterday morning, it's a post I shared on the FB page that I admin, this was before my odd day at the Water park LOL

I did it! I did it! I did it!!!

I have been stuck at 138.4 for 20 days....I really wasn't too upset because that was already past surgeons goal of 140 but I was wanting to at least ONCE see my goal on the scale of 137.

Yesterday I finally lost half a pound after 20 days and was 137.9 I was all kinds of happy with that!!!

THEN.....

This morning I woke up to 135.7!!! I moved the scale all over the bathroom to make sure it was flat and every time it was the same!! ???????????????????????? yay ????????????????????????????????

Yesterday I truthfully rested and then slept more than I have slept in months last night. Maybe my body just needed a break ????????

Happy Birthday @@Beni !!!!! ????????????????????????????

Hi everyone

Hi everyone

Hi!!

Hit and passed doctor's goal of 110, went on maintenance and promptly gain 4 pounds. Backing off that maintenance a bit, see what happens. Hope everyone is doing well.