To Be Thin 2011

Awesome and loved the pics! Thank you for sharing.... my secret goal is to do a 5k... I have heard once you do it, you become an addict and will do more and more!!! Congrats to you!

My stats are below!

I am here!!!

Just curious why you cant drink de-caf coffee? My surgeon said no caffine/no alcohol for 6 months. So far I have been good!

Hello and Congrats!! I am eagerly waiting for my 75 loss mark! I am at 72,, - I wanted to comment that I too am surprised that some people totally do not notice I have lost any weight at all.. I am not trying to be vain or a glory seeker, it actually is like a little game to see who will or will not say something or ask me a question about my weight loss. Kind of a bummer, I saw my niece memorial day weekend, first time I have seen her since Christmas and she did not notice or say a thing! On the other side of the coin, I dont like it when people are too noisy and ask such personal questions...! Congrats again 75 loss is great!!!

LOL! I like this post!!! My total weakness is potato chips,,, I would eat a 1/2 bag a night.. rarely ever did I go without chips everday. I tried one potato chip over memorial day weekend and all I could taste was grease... I guess I have been away from fried foods/greasy foods for so long, I could not taste the chip, all I could taste was grease... So I was happy with that and dont care to try another one any time soon!!! Have a good day on your "normal food" day!!!

I have never tried Optifast brand, but since it is a "national" product like Slim Fast or Adkins, it should be much better than your generic brands. Just my opinion but any shake that is premixed are always better than the powder that you have to mix. I just cannot get into the powder that I have to mix with Water or juice, etc.. Biggest tip I can give you that has helped me is always, always have plenty of ice with any of those shakes, keeping them cold helps the taste! Just a suggestion,, they most likely are starting you on this in hopes that after surgery you will continue to buy and use the product. Almost all WLS people comsume some type of protien supplement. If you dont like it, my suggestion would be to try other types of protien mixes - if you have a GNC store nearby they often will let you "tatste test" a protien mix. I totally love liquid Protein shots - they are in a test tube and come in various ranges of protien grams. I buy mine at Sams & at Costco's - fruit punch flavor I mix it with crytal light. The kind I got at Sams Club is 32 grams of protein..that is a lot of protien!! I mix it with orange crystal light and it is really good. You can get protien tubes at WalMart, CVS Pharmacies, Wal Greens pharmacies, etc... may be worth it for you prior to surgery to try a few just so you have some that you like for when you come home and need to kick in the liquid & protein. Good luck..

Same with me, my surgeon ok. liquid tylenol for the first 30 days.

Hey 119 pounds CONGRATS!!! That is AWESOME!!! I totally understand and feel the exact same way as you. I thought part of my feelings is being imbarrased that I let myself get over 300 lbs, and when people ask how much I have lost, I do not want to tell them because obviously I have much more to lose, I dont want them to know how much I weighted to begin with... To me your feelings are not silly one bit, they are justified, you have earned the right to share or chose not to share any of your personal business. (But thanks for sharing with us, that is so awesome to see big number loss like that!!!)

I am a slow loser, keeping around 2-3 pounds each week. My doc told me I will enter the "honeymoon" stage with my sleeve in the 3- 6 month post op time frame and that is when I should see the most weight loss. I am not seeing it yet and I am approaching the 5 month mark. Has anyone else experience higher weight loss during this time frame or have any thoughts on this?

yes, I had COPD - Smoker for 32 years, I finally quit 2 years ago!!! My doc not only cleared me for surgery, but he was happy for me and totally agreed that WLS was right choice for me since I was continually gaining rather than losing... Stay positive, good luck!

Awww,,, Sometimes a good cry makes things better! Hang in there it totally gets overwhelming... really... up until the day of surgery you may still be wondering if this is the right thing, it is.. and it will be fine, you will be fine....... Keep in mind the first couple of weeks may be tough - you are having surgery.. as with any surgery you are going to be sore, you are going to be weak or tired... its o.k.. your body will be in the healing phase and each day you will get better. The kicker is 4-6 weeks after surgery when you have to go down a size in clothing... oh yea,,, it makes it all worth it!!! Read, read, read --- anything and everything about sleeve surgery and protien foods, etc.. it really helped me so much being prepared for what to expect and what to have in the house for when I came home... sugar free popcycles were my savior the first two weeks after surgery, kept my hands busy and gave me something to eat and its liquid!!! I ate pizza for the first time about 3 weeks ago... wow... it was totally awesome! I could only eat one slice but it was so worth it!!! Hang tough, keep on the forumn and ask questions... good luck...

Hi Becky, Congratulations on your first week loss!!! I wanted to comment on how wonderful I feel your post is! I too read, read, read, anything and everything I could get my hands on about WLS... It totally helped me become prepared for my new life! I have not ventured out to the WLS cookbook yet as I am still careful on what I will eat or not eat, most of the recipes I have seen so far have more carbs than I choose to eat right now, maybe once I am further down the line on the loser's bench. Let us know what cooks books or recipes stand out! Good luck on your journey...

Thank you all for being so real with your thoughts & suggestions.... I do truly appreciate that! I guess I look at some posts on here and some peoples weight loss and they appear to have these high numbers 75 pounds in 3 months or 125 pounds lost in 6 months.... Reading some of those posts make me feel really behind the loser bench instead of on the losers bench!!! I know everyone is different and as much as I keep telling myself NOT to compare my weight loss with others, its hard not too!!!

LOL!!! I will be eyeing over the meat counter at my local grocery store this weekend looking at 50 lbs of meat!!! Great idea!!!

Hi Pauline! Hey.. Congratulations on the 90 lb weight loss!!! yeah!!! That is something to be proud of!!! I read numerous web sites, and stories on WLS, forumns and advise. Several people refer to a "Pouch Test"... it is a 5 day disipline of the basics, like when you first had surgery. I have read very positive comments on it, read one person that did not like it because it is a temporary diet rather than looking at what you are eating overall and changing your complete diet.. whatever.. It is called the 5 day pouch test, there are several web sites about it if you google it and I also attached one link.. http://www.5daypouchtest.com/ Good luck.....

Hi Pamela, I am not as far out as you or the others posted here, but I did want to comment on the excercise... I dreaded it.. totally, absolutely. I mean come on, I was over 300 pounds, I did not exercise at all. I have a treadmill and weight bench with nice weights, I have the DVD's for all kinds of cool cardio - but did not use any of them until just 2 weeks ago... I talked with a fellow sleever that had her surgery about 4 months prior to me, she joined a gym and told me how she started slow (of course) but she was determined to try it for 30 days. It really kicked in the weight loss for her and she went on and on about how much better she feels. So, I pondered on it for several weeks, excuse's..etc... I finally made up my mind to dedicate myself to 1 month of walking on the treadmill. Last week I started at 1/2 each day, 6 times a week. I weighed myself this week and lost 5 pounds!!! I cannot believe I lost that much just adding walking to my routine. This week I kicked it up to 45 minues each day and I knocked the speed up some.. I actually have sore leg muscles so I know its doing some good! I weigh myself tomorrow and am curious to see how I did. I have not changed my eating one bit, the only change is walking on treadmill at night. It is hard, I have had to say no to going out with friends last week because I knew I wouldnt walk if I went out.. last night my daugher wanted me to babysit my little granddaughter after work and it was very, very hard to say,, but I did tell her that I could only after I get my 45 minute walk in first...so she had to wait to bring baby over! For me it has only been 2 weeks of treadmill so that is hardly an excericise routine to brag about, but I do feel better about it rather than coming home from work and watching tv or being on the computer... I feel like I am doing something more to help my body... I never thougth I would say it, but I do like the treadmill time..gives me alone time and I think and walk. Good luck in finding what works for you, pick something - aerobics, walking, swimming, etc.. pick something and then dedicate yourself to 2 weeks of it and see your results... I am sure you wont be sorry!!! Good luck friend..

WOW --- I just read your weight loss stats, congratulations!!! You are only 3 months away from your surgeryversary!

I developed a relationship with my treadmill.... it was hard, one of us did not want to cooperate but slowly I gave in and accepted the fact that the time I had spent at night "snacking" and sitting around watching TV, would be better spent on the treadmill... it is so hard to change old habits... but, when I am done walking my 45 minutes on the treadmill each night, I do feel better, I have a clear mind, a good outlook and I dont feel deprived of snacking & watching tv! It is so odd.... trust me, I am not a fitness person or walking person, but I truly want to lose weight and forced myself to be on the treadmill.. now it is slowly becoming habit! Good Luck in finding what works for you...

I take Biotin... its hard to find out the exact recommendation on amounts...a fellow WLS friend told me she takes 2 - 5000 mg gel tabs a day,,, so that is what I take and so far (fingers crossed tightly) I notice no difference in hair loss... I bought my Biotin 5000 mg over the net, found them in a small little gel tab the size of a pea! So easy to swallow, no taste, high Biotin ... love it! I also found the exact same that I am buying over the net at Meijers - but I know not all states have Meijers stores.. Walmart does not carry the 5000 Biotin in the gel caps... Good luck, hope it helps, seems to work for me...

Wow, everyone is in favor of the bullet! I bought one prior to surger because nut classes/nut suggested everyone get one. Yes I used it the first 3 weeks during those phases, but now it has become one of those useless kitchen gadgets..... My regular blender would have been fine, I would have saved $$$ and storage. I just dont cook or mix enough to use it on a regular basis.

Hi Purdy, Please trust you are not alone, I was totally overboard absessed with trying to hit my protien goal, actually made myself worse. My doctor told me I was stressing way to much over the protien, he told me the first 3 weeks its o.k. to not hit protein mark..... why didnt they tell me that to being with!!!! Once I chilled out about eating and protien, I felt so much better it was incredible! The first month I lived on sugar free popcycles! They made me feel like I was eating something, and it is liquid into your body.... I still love them! Hang in there, focus on healing first, then you will work up to your protein levels... I drink a protein shake a day and I also do the tube protein shot once a day with crystal light... really helps me bounce up the protien. Good luck, rest & happy healing!!

Hi! Totally agree with Dee... the head games is hard on us! Your hormones are in high gear! Hang in there, it is so hard but keep reminding yourself everyone is different in the way the lose weight and what works for them.. in time you will find what works for you. There are great suggestions on this thread already! My tastes have changed so much since WLS... I never liked beef jerkey before and now I love it! I found a small 1.5 oz package it is 97% fat free, it has 22 grams of Protein, yes, this is correct 22 grams of protien! It is 120 calories and 5 carbs. I eat a package almost every day! It is so filling for me! I really have to look for the 22 grams, its Jack Links brand which is sold all over, but hard to find the 22 grams! I have found it at Cabela's, Menards and one local party gas station in my town carrys it! Most of the small packet I find are 10 grms or 15 grams... I also eat fat free cottage cheese every day, I love it and never cared much about it prior to surgery! I eat Adkins bars daily, they have a nice variety, and are very easy for me to grab & snack on at work. I am not much of a cook, I do not have a family to prepare meals for so my situation is different I can totally focus on my protien, calories and carbs and not be tempted by cooking "meals" for others. I too have played with the lowering calories to 600 and kicking in the exercise more and it did not work for me, it did the reverse, I lost .8 of a pound that week... I bounced my calories back up to 1000, and focused on eating every 2-3 hours and I have been much better at losing, 2-3 pounds each week,, I dont post high numbers and thats o.k... as long as I am losing, I am smiling! Good luck in your choices and finding what works for you....and remind yourself we are all different!