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keep up the good work ladies! I'm back down to my mid bounce range now, which is a relief and my diet has defo improved.Cutting out grains and flour has reduced my hunger and empty stomach sensation... and that I find a relief. I go to the cosmetic surgery open evening on Thursday and will let you know how it went. The only thing that will stop me now is the money - I just hope I can afford it!

Great stuff... but you need to buy new jeans... they are WAY too big!! Congrats! =]

Oh God noooo... I didn't mean that... no stay so I can cheer you on!!! x

just gotta say though, escape and skinny - I would love to be either 152 or 147, in fact, I would probably call that goal for me! You are both doing great and you both have a normal BMI, that is something I don't think I will see as it is 28lbs away!!

thanks Skinny!! Not seeing any progress on the scales though... cut out the sugar in my tea and coffee this week and so far so good... reducing milk too - see what happens! Been eating pretty well, had a blip yesterday that included biscuits but back on course today. I haven't eaten bread for over two weeks so that is really good for me! I just gotta keep on keeping on...

Girls I would love to join in... but... after not losing anything for over a year and struggling at the top end of my bounce I think it would be a little foolish of me... I say this because, if I do a challenge and don't see results I get soooo disheartened! It is bad enough at home seeing the scale move for the hubby and not me! I ain't being mean and I will cheer you both on!! x

Hey swizzly ... spooky but I read that last night!! Very interesting! Yea, I have to give it at least a month... hubby has already lost 5lbs doing it with me! It is not that different to how I was eating before xmas, but I have to work on reducing the sugar and milk... that is my target for this week! I do feel better in myself, defo not so bloated even with the constipation. No foggy head either at the moment... that might change but I will stick with it. A lot of my friends have started slimming clubs and they are doing my head in with points this and sins that....arghhh! I hate slimming clubs and the whole psychology of them - and I bought in to it for way tooooo many years! I will have a look at the fiber menace too. Hope you are well...

Hiya, I am 2 1/2 years post op... never got to surgeon's goal of 154 never mind my personal goal of 138! 135 would be a dream for me, so well done to you! One thing I have noticed, that many sleevers around my time who made goal gained - some a little some a lot - so perhaps me not meeting goal in the first place has stopped me gaining??? Dunno??? Over the last 15 mths I have been in a stall - not lost a pound regardless of what I have done or not done; and I have tried everything. I have a bounce range of 164-168 and I am stuck here. I did go a little above this over Christmas but that is Christmas!! I have noticed, over the last 6 mths, that I can eat a little more than I could at 12 - 18 mths post op and now I am really aware of my portion sizes. I don't want to gain - in fact, I won't gain!! I am starting to follow the primal blueprint train of thought to see if that way I can lose the extra ... I really want to get to my surgeon's goal at least. The good thing with the sleeve is that there is no expiry date on it To maintain I think you still have to be aware of what you are eating and make sure that old habits don't come back. Keep a positive mental attitude towards food, remember it is fuel for the body and find other ways to reward and enjoy life. Good luck in maintance

just a quick update...thought I would give swizzly's idea a go and I've been trying to follow the primal blue print style of eating... I'd say, that I am 80% there! No bread Pasta and rice - cut out all cereals and grains. Not so good with the sugar, but I am weaning off that. Eating lots of good meats, veggies, nuts oils and some dairy. Feeling good but not showing on the scales. I am 2 lbs above my highest bounce. I am also really constipated - my second bad bout in a mth... this is starting to worry me a little as I had sorted this problem out! I'm taking flax and chai seeds and some benefibre in my drinks.... any ideas??? I've had to take laxatives several times! Oh and was like this before I changed my diet... blurghhhh. Fingers crossed the new way of eating will start things going again... if no movement over the next two weeks, I will start logging my food! How are you all doing?

At two weeks out I didn't even look at the calories - I focused on making sure that I was healing and resting. Follow your surgeon's instructions and you will be fine. I started counting cals around the 4 -6 week mark when I had introduced solid food and was comfortable.

Hey Skinny, sounds like you had a really good chat...and you're, it does put things into perspective. Perhaps the 'new' style of eating will help you get rid of that last 7 lbs... good luck and let us know how you get on x

FYE, I haven't tracked for ages.... I did a day about 3 weeks ago and it was around 1400- included in that was a small choc bar that I don't normally have so I would say that I am ok cal wise. However, I do think this might be an option for me to in a week or two if I don't see the lower end of my bounce range soon. I don't understand what you mean... do you think I should lower my intake or just keep doing what I am doing and call it a job done? At this point I am open to all suggestions! I wish I was one of these sleevers who come on her saying that they can't stop losing weight and NEED to eat!! *sighs*

Skinny you crack me up... I really wish I could see a skinny me!! But all I can think of is that I am still obese. I know it is just a word... but I hate it; even the sound of the word is horrible! As much as my body is being stubborn, my mind is too... as much as I am tired of 'dieting' there is a voice within me saying that you are not done yet! It is like a constant battle! But yea, protein and veggies are defo a good starting point... oh and more water! x

Thanks Swizzly, I have been thinking along these lines, I remember you mentioned this way of eating before. I go back to work Monday and by then I want all the cr*p foods out of the house so I can focus. Too much temptation is not a good thing for me. I have started reducing bread and have done so for a few days (I've been really constipated to the point of pain - 10 days! so getting rid of the bread was an effort to get the old bowels moving) and I have to say that I haven't really missed it. Apart from the Christmas sweeties, I don't eat a lot of sugar although I do have some in my tea and coffee... perhaps I need to look at that - I drink around 5 cups a day so that is 5 teaspoons. Can that really do that much harm? lol Oh and a Happy New Year to you and yours xx

Oh, as a side note... my hubby says to keep on keeping on... he wants to lose a little weight too (to take the pressure of his knees more than anything else), so perhaps with him on board it would be easier?

Okay ladies, I need your input and suggestions here ... It has now been a full year since I started this thread; and a little over 14mths since I have lost weight. I was so confident that I would lose those last 14lbs in a year - just over a pound a month wasn't to much to ask for, but alas it didn't happen regardless of what I did and I am gutted I am currently in the middle of my bounce range, even with Christmas food and no exercise - so that has to be a good thing. What I am wondering is whether I continue to battle my way to goal, or just sit here and maintain? I am really torn. Like I have said before, there is a part of me that is happy with my progress and then the other half feels like a failure cos I didn't reach my surgeon's or my personal goal. I am still on the obese side of the BMI and I don't like that label! If (and when) I get my TT done, that might take off a few pounds to get me into the overweight range... but I don't want to count on that!! Seasoned sleevers... I need your words of wisdom again! x

I absolutely agree... before I would be so grateful to find something that actually fit, I didn't care what it looked like.... now it is different. Now I want to look good in what I wear; if something doesn't look good or I don't like it I put it back... there is a huge difference isn't there... Now this is what I call real progress!!

I would defo take the scar over my saggy belly! I am 2 1/2 yrs out now and I haven't lost a pound in over a year, despite my trying! I am 10lbs from my surgeon's goal and 24lb away from a normal BMI... In that year, my shape has changed dramatically and I have gone down a dress size... I contribute this to purely exercise. My tummy area, has gotten better, but it is still 'a problem' for me as whatever I wear I am very aware of it and to be honest it really gets me down. I am 41, I now feel 25 but my mid section of my body looks 90!! I need to get it all together and at least look my age - I still like feeling younger though...lol So yea, a TT and its scar is on the cards for me!!

Well done and congratulations on a great weight loss! To get rid of old clothes is a real turning point... for me it was a case of removing the comfort blanket and a realisation that I can never go back there. I have to say, like you, I enjoyed the process of getting rid of my 'fat' clothes and replacing them with clothes that suited my new body shape! Happy days!!

SS, that is great news... I am looking to go in mid April - fingers crossed that I can afford it. Keep us up to speed on the process... and good luck! Exciting!

Just want to say a Merry Christmas to you all... thank you for being here for me in 2012 and may it long continue in 2013! As we say in Wales 'Nadolig LLawen i pawb' - Merry Christmas to all!! Hugs from across the pond x

well, I've started the ball rolling... I've booked myself in to a cosmetic surgery open evening... specifically looking at TT and a boob job (not to make em bigger, but just round,..lol!) It is on the 24th Jan, so 5 weeks away. The lady I spoke to said I might be able to have both done at the same time - cutting down on time off work and cost! Once I get specific details I will let you know - I think I will be pretty much 'done' then regardless of what the scale says! Hope you are all well...

that IS interesting... and a clear reason not to stress over the numbers on the scale - I defo do that! Also explains why I haven't lost a pound in over a year, yet I have dropped a dress size! I would much rather look like the third pic than the first... mind, the first would be better than they way my mid section looks now...lol! Thanks for posting...

I don't think 8lbs is too slow. In the beginning the most important thing is to recover, let you body take its time to readjust to the new mechanics and heal. Concentrate on your pre op instructions, get plenty of Water and give yourself time. I was/am a slow loser... the sleeve is the only thing that has ever worked for me... any other diet or programme - whatever you want to call it - just made me feel like a failure as I could ever shed more than 7lbs! Now at overt two years out I have lost 10x that and it is staying off. Good luck... give yourself time and be kind to yourself. It does get better.