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Wow! What a great feeling! Great pics too... I live near a few mountains and in the past they have teased and alluded me.. I tried to conquer one before my sleeve and it laughed in my face! I didn't get anywhere near the top! So, one of my goals is to go back and kick its ass... Just waiting for the great British weather to behave and up I go!! Well done to you ...

Hey m2g... Great to see you, I've missed you! Now that you're ready I'm sure you're gonna get rid of that small gain and then some! You've always been a good friend to me on here, so shout if you need me! Glad you're back to the exercise, I know how you enjoy it and get great benefits from it. Remember, my lovely friend, slow but sure wins the race! Hugs from across the pond x

Hiya decogirl, What an awful thing for her to say! She clearly has no idea what she is talking about and her research, is well, simply wrong... 30% is just ridiculous ...IMO. You don't have to deal with her negativity! If you're unhappy, find another doctor, she should be supporting you. I've experienced similar, althiugh not as crude, by a nurse... I just gave her the death stare and asked 'if she'd finished', picked my dignity up of the floor and walked out with my head held high! Remember this, you got the sleeve to take charge of your health and well being, do not let others influence you- easier said than done I know- but you were strong enough to get the operation and lose a tremendous amount of weight so far. This tells me that you are already in control... That doesn't need to change because of someone's words! Ignore her unkind words; keep doing what you are doing and simply prove her wrong! I'm 2 21/2 yrs out now, I've lost over 90% of my surgeon's goal and 78% of my ultimate goal and I've kept it off! I believe that the sleeve is a tool that will stay with us (yes you can eat around it, if you chose to do so- but you can do that with the other surgeries too). There is no expiry date to the sleeve! Oh, and congratulations on your weight loss... You are defo rocking that sleeve! This is a great forum for support. Keep us posted...

Hey! I've never heard of the fastdiet (prepares to google it)... Sounds interesting! Yea, defo no bloating with no white food and that alone is a great feeling. I had a piece of cheese on toast yesterday, thin bread, but boy, did I suffer.... Belching like a chap! Not pretty and not clever! It's been months since I last had that and I'm not in a rush to repeat it either! NannyG, have you tried adding more oil and flavours to your meats- sorry if that is a stupid question- but I don't enjoy dry meat, and I kinda gets stuck, if that makes sense. So I use a lot of olive oil, soya sauce, herbs and spices to zing it up a little, especially pork! I usually have a variety of roast veg, again sprinkled with olive oil...it is yummy and moist. I find it easier to eat and digest.

I've had a rough couple of days, very emotional and teary ... Silly billy that I am! Anyway, not been eating very well... No structure as my appetite is all over the shop, one day I am not hungry, next day I'm starving but my sleeve feels tighter so I can't eat much, then I get the head hunger, which I thought I'd gotten rid of!!! Oh dear me, such a drama... Anyway, scale is now stuck at 160... But with what's going on I'm ok with that, for now! At 18 days post TT I know I've just gotta focus on healing - getting rid of this seroma! So basically, I'm doing nothing but sat on my butt, making a cuppa, sat on my butt and walking to the loo and back! I'm getting bored too, so I have to be careful not to start eating crap! Wish me luck!

Loving that Churchill quote NannyG! Glad you've found us! How are you finding ditching the junk food...when you say low carb do you mean. No white- bread, rice, Pasta etc. I find that when I ditch white flour, wheat and excessive sugar my whole body just feels better! This site really has helped me stay on course and although I haven't (yet) met goal, I haven't had a regain either (I have a 3-4lb bounce range).

FYI 72% is about the same as me....I would say that it is pretty bloody fantastic! I too would, ultimately like to lose 20 (plus a bit) and, yea, I've worked out that it is going to take time... I think at this stage in the game, time is something we have! How is the higher cal working... Do you feel better? I eat macadamia nuts pretty much daily to get some more healthy cals in.

Hey my lovely friend.... Ha! 159 is now bouncing to 160!! It was nice to see it for a day or two! Glad to see you back with us! I've missed you! Remember to let us know how you're doing! Hugs across the pond x

Proud by name, proud by nature...and rightly so! Seriously, you look fantastic! What an amazing transformation; you deserve to be happy and healthy. I agree with the above, you are always positive, encouraging and honest in your posts... An inspiration to all of us here- old vets and newbies alike! Well done and your transformation and thank you for posting.

Omg! You look awesome! I'm 16 days post op TT & uplift and look nowhere near as flat as you... How do you keep the swelling down- I can't stand as straight as you either *sighs*. I have a seroma and it is not going away, surgeon won't drain cos he doesn't want to risk infection ... I wanted him to but hey-ho. Please share any handy hints, cos I'm getting fed up of the swell hell!

Hey Bookleen, glad you've found us! I understand your wanting to get to goal, I'll be 3 yrs out in July and I'm desperately trying to 'finish the job'. This thread really has been a life saver for me over the last year plus. I hope you find it useful and a safe place to come to have a vent or moan or tell us how great things are... Anyway you like it! So, a lil update from me...I'm 15 days post TT & uplift now and all the steri strips are off and my surgeon is happy with how I'm healing. However, I have a seroma (a collection of Fluid above the TT scar and below the belly betton- common complication post TT). I was hoping that he would drain it but he said that the risk of infection wasn't worth draining! With that being said, I'm really swollen and can't see my final result! Ok, ok, ok, I know it's early days... I just didn't want this extra swelling to deal with. The constipation is better too... Still have to take a laxative here and there but at least there is some movement...lol! Phew! I'm moving around a little easier, but get tired easy- all normal apparently. I'm standing a little straighter but not there yet and probably won't be for a few more weeks, I don't want to push it either as the skin needs time. On the plus side, the scale now shows the minus 3.3 lb he removed and a little more! This morning I weighed 11stone 5 pound which translates to 159lb!!! Omg! I hope that this is 'real' weight loss...if that makes sense! It is hard not to get excited about this all time low, hopefully it will stay and even drop a little lower? Just 5 lbs from mt sleeve surgeon's goal now! Oh and I bought some leggings in a uk size 12 and they fit me! Yey! Ok so, they're stretchy but still... I'm still following the primal way of eating, keeping flour, grains and processed foods of my plate. I'll keep you all posted! Hope everyone else is doing well... Let me know! Hugs across the pond

Oh and great info gmanbat!

Yep fiddleman, I totally agree with you! As I was first trying to lose I would work out 4-5 times a week plus walking and I lost at an incredibly slow rate- then I injured my back and physically couldn't exercise, my weight did not change. I didn't record cals burned, or eat them afterwards... Thought this was self defeating. The only thing I was really aware of was being hydrated. I truly think, for weight loss, it is 80-20 food choices and exercise. Now, saying that, I do have good tone and visible muscle, especially in my calves and a little on my thighs (more fat there though) so I do not regret training and, when I am ready, I will build myself back up to the boxing gym where I used to kick ass and thoroughly enjoy it. This time though it won't be for weight loss but for strength and fitness.

Hi! Goal weight is a very subjective and an emotional topic - to me anyway! I would say work with your body... Do what feels right for you. Continue to eat healthy and move ... See what happens. Your current weight sounds pretty good from here! Although easier said than done, try not to stress about numbers. How do you feel? How do you clothes fit? Are you fitter, healthier? Losing weight is more than just numbers. Perhaps give yourself a week (or more) to rest from 'losing' to kinda reset yourself. Maintain in that time and see if you are ready to reboot? Just an idea. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

It's all new, You really do look amazing! No help I know, but please believe me. I can't really add anything other than agree with the positive comments that you've already received. What I do know is that your awareness and intellect will getmyoumto where you want to be. Hugs

Hi! This article is interesting and, if I had read it post op, I would be a little concerned too. But, the sleeve is indeed a tool/aid for us/you/I to use to help us reach optimum health via weight loss and fitness goals. How each one of us approaches this will be completely different, with of course, similarities. Personally the sleeve has been the only way that I have EVER lost and maintained. My surgeon gave me a goal of 154lbs, of which, at over 2 2/12 years post of I have yet to meet. I am just 8lbs away and those pesky little pounds refuse to leave me (perhaps this is my set point?) I continue to battle onwards and downwards as there is no expiry date to my sleeve. Oh, and as a foot note my surgeon's goal will leave me in the over weight sections of the bmi chart! My personal goal is lower than my surgeon's and I am 24lbs away from that! Not sure if I will ever see the magic number, but I ain't gonna starve myself to get there, for sure! So, percentages... According to my highest goal weight I have lost over 90% of the excess and according to the lowest I've lost 76%! I've maintained this loss for 19mths now. Even though I have not reached a certain number on the scale I still view myself as a complete success and I am fitter and healthier now, than I was 20 years ago. So much so, that I am recovering from a tummy tuck and uplift, so I can finally see and appreciate the 'new me'. My point, regardless of what we read or hear this has to be our own, individual journey to health. We must make it work for us both what we eat, how we move and to overcome the thought process that can undermine us.

Wow! You look fantastic! I hope my results are half as good as yours. In complete swell he'll today and feeling really blurgh (think I have a seroma? See the surgeon thurs for two week check up) but seeing your pic has really cheered me up and made me remember why I did thud... To feel normal again!!! Thank you for posting!

Hey frumpynomore, Soooo pleased you are well and getting the benefits- you're nearly 3mths post op now? And check you out in those jeans and swim wear! How long did it take for the swelling to go down? I'm still really swollen in the tummy, just above the waist, gets worse in the evening, but I'm only 11 days out so I'm hoping this will get better. I've been too scared to put 'normal' clothes on, still in leggings and joggers! Oh, and look at your to do list...lol... I would love an arm lift, but it ain't gonna happen, I've spent enough on this body and can't justify anymore! The belly was my biggest problem and I'm so pleased that its gone! Thanks for the update... Keep us informed!

Capt Derel knows his stuff! Great advise given, as usual! Seelessofme, You haven't stopped yet! And, yea, it does get harder the nearer to goal you get. You've been given some really good advise here, the low carb approach is a great way forward - if you can, cut out breads, grains, flour based and processed foods and enjoy fresh home cooked food; good meats, veggies, eggs and so on. Try to take a break from the scales- yeah! I know, easier said than done- and just keep on keeping on! Good luck, let us know who you're doing!

Hiya Bookleen, Yeah, a tummy tuck! The surgeon took off over 3lb if skin off but that isn't showing on the scales yet, still really swollen, but it will get better eventually. I started a thread over a year ago, 'gonna get to goal, wanna join me?' And I do update there. I find it really useful to have a place to come and vent or chat or share ideas. You're right, it is really good to have people who understand the position you're in; who have been there and got through, or who you can just share ideas with. My friends who know about my sleeve are amazing, but they just don't 'get' it!

Yep! Laughing is a shocker post TT! My friends came to visit me when I was 4 days post op ( only 10 days post op now) and told me some stories, had tears or laughter and pain rolling down ny face! Still have to 'hold' my tummy to chuckle! All worth it though!

Hi! Yep, constipation is aain in the ar*e! I've always suffered with it post sleeve is no different. I put benefibre in my Hot drinks and add flax seeds and chia seeds on top of my food. I have to say this helps and might be worth a try for yo too? Increasing Water, as already mentioned, is also worth trying. I also se laxatives occassionally. Good luck!

Just found this thread! I'm another who is not at goal but I've maintained my lowest weight, with a 2-4lb bounce for 18mths. I've never stopped trying to get to goal, apart for a few weeks here and there having some 'time off'! So, I have 9lbs to get to my surgeons goal and 24lb to get my personal goal. I too will keep on keeping on. I'm 9 days post TT and once I've fully recovered I plan on getting my mojo back and back into the gym. Not necessarily for weight loss, but for toning. I'm thinking that whatever weight I get to, I want to look as good and as strong as I can. I will start with walking, once cleared, and build up from there aiming to back to the boxing gym by sept/oct! I'm following the primal eating style, and not logging at the moment - my hubby has lost 28lbs eating this way since the new year, I've lost a pound! Still, a pound here and there is better than nothing! Good luck one and all.... We are still in this together!

Hiya, I am over two and a half years post sleeve and nine days post TT with uplift. I have to say that I have found it easier to recover this time around and am so far doing well. There is a forum for cosmetic stuff, plenty of interesting posts there. If you have any specific questions please ask and I will do my best to answer. So far, even with a lot of swelling, I can see a real difference! The sagging skin was awful and really took my confidence away, almost like being morbidly obese again. I know everyone is different, but for me, the op was worth it to get rid of the excess.

Awesome! Where we live, uk - Wales, we are surrounded by mountains and they've always eluded me! I did try several years ago, pre sleeve, and failed at about a third of the way. Last year webhadba very wet summer so I just didn't get the opportunity to get to the top! This year I will!! Seeing your post and pictures has reminded me and given me that motivation to get to the top! Thank you for posting.