Hi everyone! I used to post on here pretty regularly, but I have not updated any of my information in a really long time. As of today, I am just about 14 months post VSG. I currently weight 173 pounds after starting at 241 pounds, My personal goal is to weight under 169, so that is my immediate goal right now. I have been stalled at around 176 for the past few months, but that stall was my own fault. I wasn't tracking my food and I was eating a lot of junk. When I start grazing, it is pretty amazing how quickly my calories can add up! The past few weeks I have really tried to pay attention to whether I was eating because I was hungry, or because I was bored, stressed, etc. Now since I am back to tracking, I have dropped 3 pounds, and I also feel so much better.

One of the things that I have really noticed is how I tend to eat more according to my emotions, and I have really made an effort to work on that. I have been trying to replace food with exercise, and I think that has helped tremendously. I played soccer in HS and college, so exercise has been a HUGE part of my life. I am not sure why I let that slip the past few months, but I did. So adding the stresses of my personal life and the grazing in the kitchen, it is easy to understand why my weight stayed at 176 for so long. And speaking of my personal life, y'all...it has been a sh*t show! LoL sorry for the language, but that is the best way to describe it. At the very end of October, my dad went to the doctor for a physical because he had been feeling tired. Two weeks later, he was gone. He had stage 4 liver cancer that had spread all over his body. Soon after he died, we found out that he had abnormal blood results for at least 2 years, and his primary care doctor never ordered additional testing. It was a hard pill to swallow. I have also had issues in my 6-year relationship, and I am at a point where I don't know how much more I can take. I have stayed for our daughter, but I feel so unappreciated. Perhaps that makes me selfish, but I feel like I am just "convenient" for my significant other, and that is the extent of our relationship. We basically live like roommates, we don't sleep in the same bed, nothing physical goes on between us, he hardly speaks to me...we have become roommates and we have been like this for more than a year. But I cook, clean, and take care of the kids...so I feel like he has no issues with the way we live. It just makes me sad, I am really struggling with it right now.

Anyhow, I hope everyone is doing well! I am so glad that I had the VSG. I am surprised at how much I am able to eat, yet I love that I am satisfied so with much less food. It was the best decision I could make!

Here are a few recent photos too....

I'm sorry about your dad. It's so hard when they just go with no warning. I know you want to lose more weight but you look amazing!

I'm so sorry you have/are going through so much! You look fabulous and are healthy for that pretty daughter of yours. Hang in there ?

I'm sorry for the loss of your Dad. You look great! Keep it up!

Oh jeeze! So sorry for your loss and struggles!!! ((hugs))

I'll say good intentions for the home situation!!! On a bright note, you look fabulous and your cutie patootie daughter is the bomb dot com! What a smile!

Hang in there and come play with us again!!!

?My condolences on the loss of your Father?

?AND Looking GREAT! Plus you deserve to be appreciated and significant too. Hope it all works out soon ?

You look beautiful! I know exactly what you mean by emotional eating. That and boredom are a real problem for me. I also lost my sweet Daddy a year ago. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 brain cancer (the same thing John McCain had) and it was all down hill from there for the next 10 months. I took a fml leave from my job and spent some quality time with him as well as getting to take him everyday for his treatments. Having that time was quite a blessing. I am so sorry you did not have that with your Dad. I can imagine that only doubled the loss and pain you were feeling. Nothing ever prepares you for losing a parent no matter what age you are and how long you have with them. My family is Italian so our heritage set us up from birth to be eaters. We eat for every occasion, good, bad, happy and sad. I know I used my Dad's illness and death to over eat and I didn't care. I need what ever outlet I could find to feel better. I reached my highest weight at 192. I finally, am taking care of me. I'm the oldest child and caretaker of our family however, my own care was always being passed by. I want to be happy! I want to feel good in my body! I am so happy I decided on this sleeve journey. Sure it comes with great sacrifices and dedication but I am up for this life style change. I also, have fibromyalgia and want my weight loss to aide the symptoms I suffer from that disease. I was sleeved on June 13th and am doing great!! I'm down to 164.2 today! Anyone who is doubting this process or scared- I'm telling you can do this. The immediate gratification sure helps as a motivator. Girl, you look gorgeous so jump back on the wagon and hit the trail full speed. We are all going to mess up or cheat but that's ok. We have the tools to do this and we owe it to ourselves. To be happy, to be healthy and to be proud of our successes.

You look beautiful! I know exactly what you mean by emotional eating. That and boredom are a real problem for me. I also lost my sweet Daddy a year ago. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 brain cancer (the same thing John McCain had) and it was all down hill from there for the next 10 months. I took a fml leave from my job and spent some quality time with him as well as getting to take him everyday for his treatments. Having that time was quite a blessing. I am so sorry you did not have that with your Dad. I can imagine that only doubled the loss and pain you were feeling. Nothing ever prepares you for losing a parent no matter what age you are and how long you have with them. My family is Italian so our heritage set us up from birth to be eaters. We eat for every occasion, good, bad, happy and sad. I know I used my Dad's illness and death to over eat and I didn't care. I need what ever outlet I could find to feel better. I reached my highest weight at 192. I finally, am taking care of me. I'm the oldest child and caretaker of our family however, my own care was always being passed by. I want to be happy! I want to feel good in my body! I am so happy I decided on this sleeve journey. Sure it comes with great sacrifices and dedication but I am up for this life style change. I also, have fibromyalgia and want my weight loss to aide the symptoms I suffer from that disease. I was sleeved on June 13th and am doing great!! I'm down to 164.2 today! Anyone who is doubting this process or scared- I'm telling you can do this. The immediate gratification sure helps as a motivator. Girl, you look gorgeous so jump back on the wagon and hit the trail full speed. We are all going to mess up or cheat but that's ok. We have the tools to do this and we owe it to ourselves. To be happy, to be healthy and to be proud of our successes.

I feel better already.

Y'all are awesome, thank you for all of the condolences and compliments!

I feel better already.

R.I.P.

So I just scheduled my first consultation for an arm lift, woo hoo! I have no idea what they cost and I am not traveling out of the country for it, so I will probably have to save for a good while, but at least I will know whether I am a good candidate and the price.

My arms are the only part of me that needs some "professional" help, in my opinion. I have a bit of an issue with my upper thighs, but it is something that only I notice and not noticeable to others, even in shorts. I would love a bigger chest, but I am not willing to pay for it, haha. Luckily, my chest has only gotten smaller, but I don't have any issues with extra skin in that area. Considering I am between an A and B cup (yes, you read that right, a 39-year old that could wear a training bra, LoL) I don't think I have to worry about extra skin even if I lose another 10 pounds.

You look beautiful! I know exactly what you mean by emotional eating. That and boredom are a real problem for me. I also lost my sweet Daddy a year ago. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 brain cancer (the same thing John McCain had) and it was all down hill from there for the next 10 months. I took a fml leave from my job and spent some quality time with him as well as getting to take him everyday for his treatments. Having that time was quite a blessing. I am so sorry you did not have that with your Dad. I can imagine that only doubled the loss and pain you were feeling. Nothing ever prepares you for losing a parent no matter what age you are and how long you have with them. My family is Italian so our heritage set us up from birth to be eaters. We eat for every occasion, good, bad, happy and sad. I know I used my Dad's illness and death to over eat and I didn't care. I need what ever outlet I could find to feel better. I reached my highest weight at 192. I finally, am taking care of me. I'm the oldest child and caretaker of our family however, my own care was always being passed by. I want to be happy! I want to feel good in my body! I am so happy I decided on this sleeve journey. Sure it comes with great sacrifices and dedication but I am up for this life style change. I also, have fibromyalgia and want my weight loss to aide the symptoms I suffer from that disease. I was sleeved on June 13th and am doing great!! I'm down to 164.2 today! Anyone who is doubting this process or scared- I'm telling you can do this. The immediate gratification sure helps as a motivator. Girl, you look gorgeous so jump back on the wagon and hit the trail full speed. We are all going to mess up or cheat but that's ok. We have the tools to do this and we owe it to ourselves. To be happy, to be healthy and to be proud of our successes.

I'm sorry for the loss of your Dad. Best wishes on your post sleeve journey.

On 6/18/2019 at 3:36 PM, marissagil said:

You look beautiful! I know exactly what you mean by emotional eating. That and boredom are a real problem for me. I also lost my sweet Daddy a year ago. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 brain cancer (the same thing John McCain had) and it was all down hill from there for the next 10 months. I took a fml leave from my job and spent some quality time with him as well as getting to take him everyday for his treatments. Having that time was quite a blessing. I am so sorry you did not have that with your Dad. I can imagine that only doubled the loss and pain you were feeling. Nothing ever prepares you for losing a parent no matter what age you are and how long you have with them. My family is Italian so our heritage set us up from birth to be eaters. We eat for every occasion, good, bad, happy and sad. I know I used my Dad's illness and death to over eat and I didn't care. I need what ever outlet I could find to feel better. I reached my highest weight at 192. I finally, am taking care of me. I'm the oldest child and caretaker of our family however, my own care was always being passed by. I want to be happy! I want to feel good in my body! I am so happy I decided on this sleeve journey. Sure it comes with great sacrifices and dedication but I am up for this life style change. I also, have fibromyalgia and want my weight loss to aide the symptoms I suffer from that disease. I was sleeved on June 13th and am doing great!! I'm down to 164.2 today! Anyone who is doubting this process or scared- I'm telling you can do this. The immediate gratification sure helps as a motivator. Girl, you look gorgeous so jump back on the wagon and hit the trail full speed. We are all going to mess up or cheat but that's ok. We have the tools to do this and we owe it to ourselves. To be happy, to be healthy and to be proud of our successes.

I am so sorry to hear that you lost your dad too. Cancer really sucks!!

Congrats on the weight loss too, 162 is AMAZING!