Welcome all ye Sophomores! This is our thread! The thread about nothing--and everything. Let's discuss it all! Let's share all our sophomore experiences, our angst, our struggles, our suggestions--let's talk about life! Let's become friends! You can be on any kind of food plan, do any kind of exercise or not, be gay or straight, engage in cardio or not--you just have to be in the "tweener" stage post WLS. This is where we let it all hang out. And who knows...if maybe we have a thread with a meelion posts, they Alex will give us our own forum!

Sophomores RULE!!!!

hehe

On 12/15/2018 at 11:06 AM, Orchids&Dragons said:

By popular demand, re-posting this here:

I am under orders to NOT take: Iron, Vitamin D, or Calcium. I see the kidney doc again after Christmas. All my orders will probably change.

Details:

Iron - probably have hereditary hemochromatosis, which means that your body doesn't release extra iron through urine, it stores it in your organs (kidneys, liver, etc.). By the time they diagnosed my brother, he was already in kidney failure and had advanced cirrhosis of the liver. His iron levels were something like 400x normal. Only treatment is bleeding out the over-iron enriched blood. They took a pint/week for months to get him down to normal levels. His kidneys improved, but his liver is very damaged. After he was diagnosed, we realized that this is probably what my dad died from. It can cause all the issues that they diagnosed, but they didn't recognize the cause. He had an enlarged heart and cirrhosis. Doctor would not believe that he was not an alcoholic. We're not positive that I have it and I don't want to do the genetic testing because I am a regular blood donor. (It's really good blood, lots of iron and doesn't hurt the recipient). But if you've been diagnosed with a blood disorder, they have to throw it out. My doctor says that since bleeding is the only treatment, I'm basically self-treating and don't need to be tested so long as I donate blood. My iron levels always test at the high end of the men's range even though I eat almost no red meat and don't take iron supplements. I used to donate double-reds all the time (unusual for a woman to be able to) but now I have to do whole blood because recipients had bad reactions to double-reds from type A donors who'd had many children. Apparently, with each pregnancy, your body builds antibodies and these can affect blood recipients.

Vitamin D & Calcium: My blood Calcium levels are elevated and they don't know why. Usually, it's caused by a tumor on your parathyroid gland, but I've been checked and that's not it. Again, this is another mineral that should be passed out through urine, but for some reason, I appear to be hoarding.

Sorry for the novel (but you asked for it!)

Oh wow O&D! I'm sorry you're going through all that!

One of the things I love about you is how you just deal, move on, and don't make an issue of anything. But just having to go to the Dr., the tests, etc, is a huge hassle. I would be whining about the inconvenience of it all, if nothing else!

20 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Yes, to all of this.

Professionally I think I'm mostly able to cover my flaws with compression panties, fitted pants, and wrapped or ruched dresses. The tough one is my arms and short sleeves, and of course my neck. It's just my own vanity that makes me want to wear sheath and body con style dresses!

Losing the weight, and getting ps will undoubtedly help my career. Within my current company the effect will be limited, as the ladder is out of rungs. But it will give me more options (and better pay!) if I decide to go elsewhere. In some ways that seems unfair. But the reality is, I'm the face of my company to many people. Why wouldn't a company want someone healthy and attractive (as well as competent) to represent them?

Body lift, tummy tuck, neck, arms and legs. Would be wonderful. I'm envious.

Companies value healthy and attractive to represent them. I was promoted over very qualified and senior staff. Later I was told the reason why. It was to represent the company but, also to manipulate men that we were doing business with. It was not such a compliment to hear from staff that the only reason I was promoted was because I had big boobs.

31 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Then did you pinch your fingers together and "asplode" her head? ?

No, it gets worse, she's super nice, funny, and good at her job ... I can't even hate her

10 minutes ago, Healthy_life said:

Body lift, Tummy Tuck, neck, arms and legs. Would be wonderful. I'm envious.

Companies value healthy and attractive to represent them. I was promoted over very qualified and senior staff. Later I was told the reason why. It was to represent the company but, also to manipulate men that we were doing business with. It was not such a compliment to hear from staff that the only reason I was promoted was because I had big boobs.

Ugh, that blows!

I had a former manager who could not mention me without going on and on about me being a woman, the first woman in role, him patting himself on the back about making the team more diverse. Ugh, I cringed every time. It was the only qualification for my position he ever mentioned.

I have this weird, vengeful satisfaction around the fact that I got all my promotions and kudos at my company while hovering around 300lbs. It’s part of what’s made my weight loss transition different this time - it feels like rather than changing my body to society’s expectations so I can progress at work, I got there by merit alone and can now do whatever the hell I want, which happens to be dressing and behaving like Rene Russo out of The Thomas Crown Affair.

I also think that’s why I haven’t hit a dieting slump yet - I’ve been less focused on the numbers on the scale or tracked food and far more focused on what sorts of clothes I can buy, what sort of shoes I can wear, how I impact a boardroom when I walk in. I get a new audience for that stuff every time, so the thrill isn’t wearing off. Food has been relegated to such a bottom-tier priority that I’m still using it as a fuel source rather than struggling with it (don’t worry, I’m sure that will roar back at some point, especially if I hit a depressive lull)

Come back to me in 3 months when the new apartment has settled in, the clothing budget has run out and the focus on food reasserts itself.

3 minutes ago, sideeye said:

now do whatever the hell I want, which happens to be dressing and behaving like Rene Russo out of The Thomas Crown Affair.

Love this!

Damn now I'ma have to go rewatch TCA!

25 minutes ago, sideeye said:

dressing and behaving like Rene Russo out of The Thomas Crown Affair.

focused on what sorts of clothes I can buy, what sort of shoes I can wear, how I impact a boardroom when I walk in. I get a new audience for that stuff every time, so the thrill isn’t wearing off.

, the clothing budget has run out

Ok, now I need to watch TCA for some wardrobe inspiration.

Same here, mostly new audiences for my new wardrobe, and a mix of seeing people that knew me before WLS or have never met before. Definitely get a thrill every time I put on an outfit that makes me feel thin and sexy.

I used Black Friday, Cyber Monday et al and hitting goal as an excuse to rebuild the wardrobe. Good thing I didn't give myself a budget, I would have blown it.

Edited December 17, 20187 yr by sillykitty

3 minutes ago, Healthy_life said:

Ok, the shoes are the only pieces I can pull off until after I get my PS

8 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Ok, now I need to watch TCA for some wardrobe inspiration.

Same here, mostly new audiences for my new wardrobe, and a mix of seeing people that knew me before WLS or have never met before. Definitely get a thrill every time I put on an outfit that makes me feel thin and sexy.

I used Black Friday, yber MonCday et al and hitting goal as an excuse to rebuild the wardrobe. Good thing I didn't give myself a budget, I would have blown it.

27 minutes ago, sideeye said:

I have this weird, vengeful satisfaction around the fact that I got all my promotions and kudos at my company while hovering around 300lbs. It’s part of what’s made my weight loss transition different this time - it feels like rather than changing my body to society’s expectations so I can progress at work, I got there by merit alone and can now do whatever the hell I want, which happens to be dressing and behaving like Rene Russo out of The Thomas Crown Affair.

I also think that’s why I haven’t hit a dieting slump yet - I’ve been less focused on the numbers on the scale or tracked food and far more focused on what sorts of clothes I can buy, what sort of shoes I can wear, how I impact a boardroom when I walk in. I get a new audience for that stuff every time, so the thrill isn’t wearing off. Food has been relegated to such a bottom-tier priority that I’m still using it as a fuel source rather than struggling with it (don’t worry, I’m sure that will roar back at some point, especially if I hit a depressive lull)

Come back to me in 3 months when the new apartment has settled in, the clothing budget has run out and the focus on food reasserts itself.

My goal gift was a new closet. Painted it and hung a beautiful chandelier. My addiction took over my closet. I donated many things and invested in my capsule wardrobe.

Struggling to find things not to like about RR and TCA wardrobe? I try to dress in some similarly figure outlining clothes all the time. And take not-so-secret vain pleasure doing it. Even though I know I will never look "hot". LOL. I'm ok with that. I at least want to feel "not dowdy" any more.

3 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Struggling to find things not to like about RR and TCA wardrobe? I try to dress in some similarly figure outlining clothes all the time. And take not-so-secret vain pleasure doing it. Even though I know I will never look "hot". LOL. I'm ok with that. I at least want to feel "not dowdy" any more.

You have a great sense of style. You know what is flattering your figure. No frumpiness allowed.?

I want to wear the LBD in the upper right corner! I'd have to get a new life first though in order to have some place to wear it!