dramagirl28

I had the same reaction, exactly! One sip, and down the drain it went. I tried the strawberry unjury, and once I got all the clumps dissolved it wasn't horrible. The best shake I've found so far are the Oh Yeah! brand RTDs. Not exactly cost-effective, but they're pretty good. I wish the Atkins shakes had more Protein. The Caramel Latte flavor was unbelievably amazing. Of course, I'm still pre-op so who knows what I'll end up liking.

I totally get what you're saying. I would be mad if someone suddenly wanted to date me after dropping the weight. I'm really glad that my boyfriend met me as a heavy person, and then watched me get to my heaviest, and is now supporting me through this. He's thin as a rail and loves me for who I am inside, which is what I have always wanted from a man. Something to consider though is that as we lose weight, we will become more confident and outgoing, and I think that confidence is a lot more attractive than our bodies. I think I was single for so long because I thought I was unattractive because of my weight and it showed in my personality. Good luck, and bring back stories!

Would you say that even after a slip, gaining 21lbs, is it easier to get it off with the sleeve than it was before the surgery? I understand it's not going to drop like it did in the honeymoon period, but is it easier to diet now having built-in portion control?

I'm 250lbs on a good day, a size 20 or so. I can go on all the rides, although I don't do the kiddie rides because I don't have children. I go on all the coasters, all the fantasyland dark rides, etc. The only ride I don't like is the Matterhorn because the car is set up so that you can fit two people in one seat, one right behind the other (at Disneyland at least), and my boyfriend likes to share a seat. I hate it because I'm really too big to do that, but the ride operators give everyone the choice of sitting by themselves or with someone. You'll be much more comfortable in your own seat. The bigger I get, the less comfortable I am on Space Mountain. If you're much bigger than me you may want to be careful of that one, but it is really fun so I hesitate to steer you away from it. Have a good time! There are tons of rides you can do comfortably.

I spoke with my boyfriend about this today and he had a good suggestion. Once the weight starts coming off, instead of trying to NOT see myself as fat, I could try to start seeing myself as thin, or at least healthy. I can do things that thin/healthy people do that I can't do now, like hiking. He suggested that we join a hiking club so that I can start identifying with a different group of people... active people, so that I can then think of myself as an active person. Sounds like a pretty good strategy to me. Ugh, I can't wait to go under the knife!!

I am struggling with this right now as well. I am pre-op and a therapist just told me that I need to learn to love myself now, because the weight itself is irrelevant to my self-esteem. I just feel that since I've been overweight my whole life, being the "fat girl" is part of my cultural identity. How do I strip that away? It's like asking me to not think of myself as a brunette, as a Californian, as a woman. I feel so overwhelmed. I don't even know where to begin.

This is totally what I needed today. This is such a long process. In the beginning I was so excited and went at it full-speed ahead, but now I'm halfway through my 12-week class (which I hate, as it's nothing I didn't already know) and I not only lack motivation to try to get some pre-op weight off, but I'm also freaking out a little bit about the surgery itself. It's nice to focus on all the positive changes this will bring.

Hi, I'm doing Options in Corona and will mostly likely get referred to Harbor City. How does it work when you finish the classes? Do they just assign you to a surgeon without providing any information? I have only heard about Dr. Zane and Dr. Belzberg from Harbor City. Did Dr. Mun replace one of them or do they have three now? Is Harbor City our only choice? I'm a bit frustrated that they keep us in the dark so much about the post-Options process. I like to research!

You've done all the research. You've learned all the facts. You've made your decision. Time to close your eyes and leap! You'll wake up a happier, healthier person.

Legally they can't ask you why. All you'll need is to provide a note from your Dr. saying you will be under their care and away from work until xx/xx/xx. If you get questions, just tell them that it's personal. That said, I have read a lot of posts from people saying that they were surprised by how supportive their co-workers were. Obviously they will notice that you're losing weight. They might put two and two together anyway.

I know WW just changed their program... now they calculate points based not only on calories/fat/fiber, but also carbs and Protein. So make sure you're not calculating the points values of food based on old materials. I have been on WW twice where I *really* tried. The first time I lost 45lbs and the second time almost 70lbs. It really works if you follow the plan. As soon as I stopped tracking and attending meetings I started putting it back on. And whatever you do, DON'T tell anyone on the WW forums that you've had surgery!! You'll be bombarded with negativity. I've seen some pretty brutal posts. Good luck!

I had this EXACT thought process about 3 years ago when my mom was getting a GBP. I went with her to her orientation and by the end of it wondered if I should also have surgery. I had lost weight successfully with Weight Watchers in the past, but gained it back. Ultimately I decided I was too young to "give up" on my willpower, so I went back to WW, joined a gym, and had lost 70lbs in about 6 months. Then the same old same old started happening.... cheating more here and there, choosing to go on dates rather than going to the gym. Now I'm back to the same weight I was at that point, but 3 years older. For me, I CAN lose weight on my own, but I can't keep it off. I have decided that I need help. I need a tool to prevent me from overeating. And I read so many posts from people saying they wish they had their surgery years ago, so I'm not going to wait any longer. If you haven't REALLY tried to lose it on your own, you should definitely give it a shot. There were lots of people in my WW group that were lifetime members and successfully maintaining. But if you're like me and you have tried and you need help... there's technology available! Use it and finally be healthy!