coops

Hey! I'm just over 3 mths post TT with muscle repair to the lower abs (had BL too) . It is a tough recovery, but worth every moment. Be prepared for lot of swelling - that is completely normal and it does get better with time. I still swell at the end of the day! Getting rid of the skin has made a dramatic difference, not only physically but mentally too. Good luck and shout if you have any questions

Hope everyone is ok! I'm actually doing really well on the 5:2 and I saw 160 this morning - I know, it's not official weigh day, but couldn't help but share the news - even more exciting than the royal baby! This puts me out of the obese range and into the over weight range which, I can live with - I ha the label obese. Feeling positive again, and hopeful that I can get to my surgeon's goal! Hubby is doing well to - since the beginning of the year he has lost 37lbs but following the primal way of eating and the difference in him is incredible! The way we are going, we are gonna be one fit couple....lol! I have to say, it is a lot easier losing weight with him on board.

Cathy... aren't those parents lovely! Showering you with choccies can only mean one thing as far as I am concerned.... you are good at your job!! Had a weird fast day yesterday... very 'shaky' through the day, and I mean literally shaky - I think it was due to the heat, humidity and the fact that I spent hours in my garden working! My restriction was incredible too - I had my fruit and yogurt (about 150g) and I could only manage half of it! I put what I couldn't eat in the fridge and finished it for 'tea'! It was just like the first mth I was sleeved and going onto solids. Very strange. I know I shouldn't weigh every day, but I just can't help myself, and I buzzing to tell you - I saw 160 this morning. I know it is prob Water from sweating all day yesterday but I was sooooo happy! The scale will prob go back up tomo but I've seen it again so I know with time and patience I can actually get past and stay past my set point! It's a normal day for me today, and seeing that low number means I will eat well - be mindful about my food choices! So bl**dy happy right now! I actually feel very positive about my surgeon's goal - just six pounds away! Oh and for the record at 160 I am not obese BMI calc says 29.27! Double yey! I did see this number about 3 weeks after my TT but then I kept gaining to my normal bounce range; let's hope that by following the 5:2 I can keep going! Hope everyone else is well... onwards and downwards (please!) x

Oh... forgot to say, weighed this morning and saw 162! Yes! Fast day today, so lets hope that number stays... gonna have some fruit with yogurt to start my day! Not sure about tea yet, might be some oats? Oh decisions! I'm off work now... it is our 6 weeks school holidays and I don't know how the fast days will feel now... it will be interesting to see the difference in how I 'cope' mentally!

Sorry to say this girls, but I think sweeteners are poison and I never use them... if I happen to have a drink with them in I can taste it and I won't drink it. I hate the taste and the thought of what they do to my system! i would rather have sugar!

thank you for your lovely comments... I really don't deserve the title 'hero' although, I quite like it! lol the last three years really have been a learning curve! And I am sure I will continue to learn, like so many of us vets. I will have a look for pics, try to find 'the one' my hubby took om July 2nd 2010 as we left the house for the hospital! I have posted it before... so some of you would have seen it. I really don't recognise the woman looking back at me, and to a degree I feel sorry for her, even though at the time there was no sympathy in sight! One thing is for sure though... this forum has helped me so much, I really have met a lot of decent people on here who have cheered me on and cheered me up when I needed it the most! You know who you are , and I thank you x

yesterday wasn't a fast day (next one is tomo-Monday) and I wasn't really hungry. I had a biscuit thing for brekkie- which was late morning , a handful of nuts and dried cranberries for lunch and pork with roast veggies for tea... I didn't look for food in between and didn't want or crave food! If this is a 'side effect' then I am chuffed about that! I went to Curves in the morning on an empty stomach -just had a cuppa before hand - and I have to say, I did feel a little tired. I don't think it was due to not eating, more to do with getting up and going straight away; almost like my body and muscles hadn't woken up properly!? However, I do like going in the mornings, kinda getting it out of the way and the rest of my day is my own.

FYE, I really hope so 'cos I am finding really easy to follow and stick with! Even if it comes off really slowly, as long as it comes off and I can see progress, I will be happy. And, I have to say, it is working for you TOO! In fact, all of us are rocking this right now! Loves it!

OK, so this is a kinda rough idea... I think I started around the same time as Laura and FYE so... Start date: 11 June 13 Start weight: 168 weight as of this morning 163 (offical weigh day is always a Saturday even though I do admit to weighing daily) is 163 so, that is a 5lb loss so far! Not to shoddy for the slowest loser in town...lol

Laura, sounds like you have a tough weekend ahead - as far as the food goes, you could play this two ways, Either let rip and enjoy meals with your son and fast Monday or fast over the weekend... not sure what would work for you the best? Remember the 5:2 is all about gaining control of food at YOUR convenience - what works for you best.

Aw, fankooo... I am hoping that I can stay here - perhaps with a small bounce - for a few days and then go down again?! Don't worry too much about the bouncing around (lol) I've been doing this for 20 mths - I first saw 153 in Oct 11! and have seen the same number up and down and up and down... now I've see 163 I am hoping that I have broke my 'set point' and that things will go down again. Enjoy your holiday and try not to worry about food; let your sleeve do its job. I put on 6lbs when I went to Spain for 6 days! A lot of it was Water and being constipated and it came off as quick as it went on! Just enjoy your time!

well kiss my arse and call me henry! stayed at 163 this morning, after a 'feed day' and it is Saturday so this is my official weight! YEY! Laura - love the twinies!! and we are a similar height! You haven't got any decent jeans I could borrow...lol

163lb this morning girls! I know I will see it go up and I've seen it and am hopeful that it will keep going down with time and more effort! So pleased! Just 9lbs off my surgeon's goal... c'mon!

Georgia, you really are a star and I am in awe... 19lbs is fantastic!!! You really are throwing the set point theory in the water my lovely!

M2G, I weigh in stones and pounds - so I am 11 stone 9 pounds this morning - I do the conversion as it is easier! The kilos confuse me to; my surgeon weighed me in kilos and that really threw me. I like to stick with what I know, but the whole pounds thing is 'norm' for me now! Glad you got through day one and saw a loss... that really does spur you on, doesn't it! FYI - I love to draw, pencil s my choice. I love drawing portraits, especially Robbie Williams...lol... I'll try and find a pic to show you. Cheri - the beauty of this plan is that you fast at your convenience - I've started the day with a fast in mind and it all went wrong so I just did a 'damage limitation' day and fasted when it suited me! Happy days! Hope everyone else is doing well.

smashed my fast day yesterday... really proud of myself... and plenty of water... oh and the scale read 163 this morning! yes, you read that right,,, 163! I know it will bounce around for a few days but I've broken the 164 that I have been seeing for ages... yey!

Hey! Coops here... I am still trying to get to goal at over 3 years out... don't worry you are not alone in this adventure. Now, I haven't lost a pound in 21 mths... despite my trying and trying, but what I have lost is 2 dress sizes in that time! Weird right? Goal is absolutely relative... and what might be right for you may be wrong for someone else. I've been told by many that I shouldn't lose anymore... ha! Wrong! I know I look better than I did 3 years ago, and I am so much more healthier and fitter that I have been in over 20 years, but now I want to LOOK as good as I FEEL! So I refuse to give up! I had a TT in March and that really has helped me not only by getting rid of the excess skin, but also by realising the huge achievement that I have committed to... although I am not at goal, I have not regained either - so my position is kinda bitter sweet. I suppose every cloud has a silver lining and all that jazz. My advise to you; take stock of what you HAVE achieved in that last 13-14 mths. Don't pressure yourself because your body won't like it! Remember, there is no expiry date on the sleeve and that is one thing I am determined to prove! All the best and never give up!

Loving this thread! Ok, so here I am... good ole Coops who never got to goal despite trying her hardest... sighs! So, long story short - fat kid, fit teenager but 'chunky' back in the day never smaller than a UK 12, mainly 14s but I was fit and healthy. I think I had some sort of body image problem cos when I look back on ole photos I seem to look small! Still, those days are over and I've learnt a lot since then. When I got married I was about 147 - a high weight for me as I tended to stay around the 140 mark and from that day on I slowly gained and gained and gained. I put on a shed load of weight with each pregnancy and never lost it despite spending a lot of money on different diet clubs and plans. I started thinking about WLS many years ago, but the truth of the matter is that we couldn't afford it - in the UK it is really hard to get it on the NHS and private surgery costs a fortune. I never lost hope though and once we were a little more financially stable I researched properly and went to a few WLS open evening which is where I learnt about the sleeve and instantly knew that is was perfect for me. I wanted something that would last forever; like I was giving myself a commitment to gain and maintain health. And, although I am not at goal, and still medically obese, that is exactly what has happened. I truly am a different person today than I was 3 years ago. I absolutely and utterly refuse to give up on the goal quest... even though there have been times where I hit really dark places emotionally and psychologically because I did not see the numbers I wanted to. They were hard times and I have to say that a lot of people, who I now consider friends, on here helped me out more than they will ever know or realise! I have to say that the 5:2 way of living has given me new hope to see at least my surgeon's goal of 154... maybe even lower. I would be happy to see that number as I feel that it has been laughing at me for so long. However, I have also learnt that even if I never lose another pound I am healthy and fit and that was my main objective - that box is ticked! From here on it is aesthetic! I want to look as good as I feel I hope that makes sense and doesn't come across as if I am someone who has a massive ego, because I don't! I am self aware now though and I appreciate, for the first time in many year, ME! I am so pleased to have this support, encouragement and advice in the form of this thread... especially for us Vets, and that is no disrespect to the newbies... we all have our own 'journey' and it is always nice to travel with people who are in a similar position. At three years out I feel that weight management is really starting to make sense. I t's been a long ride and it isn't over yet!

Swizzly... check you OUT! OMG! I know how much you've lost... I mean I can read your stats... but to see the transformation is amazing! You are a stunner... and I agree with Laura so pretty too! Congrats my lovely! You look awesome x

Fasting for me today... my last mouthful was last night about 11pm (don't judge me...lol) and I am going to have some fruit and yogurt around 12.30, so that is a nice long time - been to Curves this morning - I am really surprised at how I can do the circuit with no problem on an empty stomach! I am working afternoons today - parent teacher consultations and I won't finish until 7pm. Not taking any food and will drink herbal tea whilst I'm there. So that will give me another good window without food. I think I will have more fruit and yogurt when I get home. I just find it easy on the tummy and really filling, tasty - low cal too! Bonus! The scale is holding fast at 164lb and I really want to see lower - please let this fast day do the job and let me break my set point once and for all...lol!

had a good fast day Monday, an ok 'feed' day yesterday, but today has gone t*ts up! Eaten lots of biscuits! Heads in the shed today -been tough in work and my kids leave for a two week holiday with my parents, so I'm feeling a little stressed! I'm not organised with my food at all! Gotta reign it in now, will have to be really aware of what I eat for the rest of the day and I'm going to Curves later to try and get rid of this stress. I think I need to up my exercise now to get rid of some of this stress! *deep breathe - and repeat; I can do this, I can do this...*

Let's see some before and afters then! C'mon! x

Thanks to Laura, for getting me in the group! Cheers me dears! x

OK... I've just checked back and I started the 5 : 2 around the 10 June so just about 5 weeks and I have lost 4lbs... there has been a lot of bouncing around and I can't seem to get under 164lb - hence my question about the set point. Now, back in March after my TT I saw 159 - albeit for just a day or so, but it was there... my big question is, why am I stuck at 164 again? Is it just the same old story, whereby I just gotta keep on keeping on? I'm not going to stop the 5:2 plan cos I really do like the way it makes me feel. Today was a fast day and I went to Curves, did my best work out to date and didn't feel shaky or any negative effects and all I had eaten was 2 chicken legs and a salad! Such a good feeling... So, how do I break the 164lb weight without cutting off my left leg...lol!

scratch that... I can't reply to the 5:2 thread... anyone know why? *weeps silently*