M2G

WOW congratulations!!!! I don't think you are too skinny either, you look great. And in my experience it's always EASIER to gain a few lbs that it is to lose them. So if you ever want to put a few on, you can add an extra snack or some extra good fats (nuts, avacado, etc.) to your daily intake. Weight lifting will also put some muscle on instead of fat. Congrats on your success.

If it doesn't have a straw I'm not drinking from it. I use a Copco reusable 24oz drink tumbler with a straw for all my Water. Everyday, since 2 days post-op. Carbonation NEVER. I gave it up over 3 years ago and haven't had a single sip since. Everyone is different and everyone has different rules.

I'm not skinny now but I DO NOT miss the extra weight at ALL!!! Totally agree with LV, I feel the most "normal" now because I'm just average, not super skinny and not morbidly obese. I "blend" in more now than ever before.

Okay ladies, I'm up +2lbs from my lowest weight. Buuuut, had a lightbulb moment...I just started taking a hour long 2x a week weight lifting class. And just checked my body fat (hand held cheapie machine that I've had for at least 10 years) and my body fat is the lowest it's been. So maybe I'm putting on muscle weight? Gah! I don't like the 2 lbs but I'm hoping that will even out at some point.

Welcome to the pack!

So I just wanted to say one more thing. I personally was concerned about the low Iron. So I had my annual pap and brought copies of my labs to my OB just for a second opinion. He knows all about my VSG, etc. and I asked him "am I on the slow train to anemia?" He said NO. He said my labs looked awesome and his remark was this "look 8 out of 9 iron tests that you had done were awesome, I personally would not worry about this one being slightly low." So that is that. I really didn't WANT to take iron supplements but I would if I needed to. I was glad to get a second opinion. Looking forward to seeing my surgeon in 3 weeks and getting his take on things also. By then I will have 3 diff. drs. looking at these numbers, that should cover all my bases...

So I just need to vent about something. I started my Women and Weights class last Tues. So then this week was week 2 (it's a 6 week class) and I've not been in *love* with our instructor but I do have to say she asked me what I hoped to get out of the class and I told her that I would really like to work on my form. I mean, really, what's the point of going to the gym if you have crappy form and aren't getting the most out of your workouts. So she has been good about helping/correcting me etc. And I've been sore a lot which tells me that I'm getting to some un-used muscles by taking this class. So yesterday she took us down the main are of the gym where all the machines and the free weights are (this area intimidates me because it's usually where all the macho men hang out) and the machines are confusing, because there are so many things to adjust, etc. So I was HAPPY she took us there and I really liked the workout etc. But here is my vent. I mentioned that I've been doing Curves for the last 9 years and she and another lady looked at each other and were like "oh we can't believe that joke of a place is still in business"...hahaha. (I quit Curves this past Spring because I was spending time and money at the gym and not using Curves as much.) I WAS PISSED. You don't "endear" yourself to your clients by sh*tting all over the exercise that they have done. Yet EVERYONE who deems themselves some type of expert in "exercise" will guffaw at my efforts of 9 f'ing years at Curves. I went between 3-6 times a week CONSISTENTLY for 9 years. So yeah I didn't turn into a bodybuilder, and yeah I wasn't dripping sweat and horribly sore the next day, but honest to God it GOT me OFF the couch and doing something. I don't feel like those 9 years were a waste. My cardiovascular system certainly didn't feel like I was wasting it's time. Pffffttt. Okay, thank you for letting me vent. I'm letting go of this because I'm trying hard to like this woman. It honestly just amazes me at people's reactions.

OH NO! That is horrible!!! (weigh-gain...whatever...you will get that off) but house burlarized? Crap, that sucks. That is truly traumatic Dee and I'm so sorry. I wish I could say or do something that would make it less awful, but I just said a quick prayer for you. Hugs.

So I started off Oct. with a bang, and did a double workout yesterday. I just started last week with a new fitness class called Women and Weights. I go to a gym regularly and take classes, at least 3 a week. But my own personal preference is cardio...I like the exercise high I get from it. But I was only doing a small amount of weights, so I decided to take a class gear towards weight lifting ...and liked the idea of women only. There are 7 of us in the class (so nice small group) and the instructor changes things up everyday. So I Tues and Thurs I do 1 hour of weight lifting and then go directly to do an hour of spin. Now yesterday for weight lifting, she decided to warm us up by having us do cardio. I did a mix of the stairclimber (first time trying this machine and must say I'm not a fan...the moving stairs are a bit dizzying and the only way I could manage it was to make it super-fast otherwise my toes kept hitting the stairs as the unfolded from the machine...) and the treadmill. So I added those numbers into my total so far. 18.2 is my kickoff number!

Wow, 6lbs of skin? Is that above average? That's awesome. When this is all done I bet you will be very happy with the results. Congrats on shedding the "final" piece. I was going to click on your photos of the skin and see them "larger" ...but I just ate some Breakfast, so maybe later.

YAY Cheri!!! Girl, hang in there you have a LOT on your plate right now and I think OD is right, keep checking in with us because we all missed you, 5:2 or not. You just work on getting some sleep, driving that hubby around (sorry he is hurt, but at least he was trying to be helpful around the house, yes?) and just work on maintaining right now. I have to say that a 140-150 window sounds pretty fecking good, so I wouldn't worry about it right now. OD, I hope today is better...hugs! Georgia, you are a ROCK STAR!!! OMG, you are just amazing and I'm sooooooo happy for you right now!!! :D I got back on that big ole 5:2 wagon yesterday and did eggbeaters and coffee for Breakfast, then had a 60 cal low-carb yogurt about 2pm when I was just needing "something" and chicken with cheese and salsa for dinner (no chips!) oh and a few bites of broccoli also. So I'm back in the right place after a 2 day veer off the path. Today will be a good test as I am doing women and weights plus spin. I NEED to fuel my body with healthy food!

Okay, I'm all in this month too! Thanks for keeping this going Ted! Also glad your wife's surgery went well! BTB...glad you are on the "other" side...hope the drugs are keeping you comfy! Thanks for checking in and glad your wife is participating also. ~Sheila

Honestly I think a cruise is one of those huge "tests" of how far you have come in regards to resetting your attitudes, feelings, and habits in regards to food. Because it's so plentiful, it's everywhere ALL THE TIME and you are trapped on a ship with no way to escape, ha ha! It sounds like you did amazing and still enjoyed yourself WITHOUT being in a food coma (love that comparison ...food coma...so true.) Anyway, it's great that you used your sleeve the way it was intended and also didn't fall off the exercise wagon. That's awesome!!!

What ^^^SS^^^ said! She said it perfectly! It took me 18 months to get to my lowest post-op weight (and that wasn't even goal... close but not goal) so I don't want to discourage you at all. There is never an expiration on your sleeve and we all get lulled into the weight dropping rapidly in the first few months after surgery and EXPECTING that we *should* be able to drop that much weight *consistently* when the reality is that we are going to slow down tremendously and sometimes stop all together before we are *ready* (I felt like my body picked maintenance...NOT me!) Anyway, I would say to keep working your sleeve. Be accountable for what you eat (I use caloriecount.about.com...free food tracker with a free phone app) and push yourself in exercise. Getting out there and working out is one thing but pushing yourself is another. Keep using this awesome tool but be PROUD of how far you have come and what you have already accomplished!

Thank you all! I normally DON'T go overboard on feast days, usually I'm around 1,100-1,400 in regards to feasting days. I guess that is part of why I'm frustrated. I have been chipping away at this for 2.5 months and please do not misunderstand me I'm thrilled at losing -9 to -11lbs (yep hit a low a while back and then just been bouncing...arrgh!) and I totally am happy with losing ANY weight at all. Just frustrated at how fecking quickly the weight can pile on and how fecking slow it comes off. Gah. At any rate I have NOT had a grazing weekend like this past one in a while and I'm not sure I understand WHY I did it. I know not having the correct batteries (they are like watch batteries, not just the normal AAA batteries you have laying around) for my food scale somehow jumped into my brain as "f*ck it...don't bother" and then that continued for 2 days. And I knew I was grazing but in the moment I didn't care. Anyway, thank you guys for giving me encouragement...I've had my coffee, and egg beaters this am, and am working on my first 24oz of Water, so the self-destructive behavior ends now.

Here's a funny for you all...

So good luck Butter on your surgery!!! Glad it is still "on" and now you have me thinking about my resting HR...last time it was like 54 or 56 which I thought was awesome...or maybe it is awesome....now I'm not sure...lol. Will do some checking on that. LSU- your wife's sleeve surgery is today also? Best of luck to her, I hope things go perfect! Love husband and wife sleevers, as my husband is sleeved also. It's great to be on this *journey* together and makes life so much easier when you can split one restaurant meal in half and then you each get half of that for the next day's lunch! So I just want to say that even though I didn't pop in here every day this thread (and all of you) gave me encouragement. I have been exercising REGULARLY for the last 9+ years (it was 9 years this past April) so I give myself a pat on the back for that. I started out going to Curves at least 3x a week and sometimes 5-6x a week. Before surgery, I bought a treadmill. These are all great things, but what the last few years has taught me is that it's easy to get complacent with regards to exercise. I was so stuck in the mindset of "but I got off the couch, did my exercise, I deserve a medal because that is more than most people do" when really I need to realize that if I'm not dripping with sweat, a little out of breath and SORE the next day (or the next hour) then I'm probably not challenging myself. And while yes it's great that I exercise on a regular basis, I need to consistently change it up and do MORE. Taken me a long time to learn that lesson, maybe some of you aren't as hard-headed as I am. Keep on challenging yourselves!!! OH I *almost* forgot my total for the month (think I jumped in here a few days late) was 121.57!!!! Woo hoo!

Been OUT of the loop HERE and with my eating. Sigh. Trying to remember what happened last week. OH that's right, I started a new Women and Weights class, so it's a hour of weight-lifting with an instructor (taking me a while to warm up to her) 2x a week. And then I go directly from WAW's to Spin class for an hour. So I decided to stay away from fasting on tues and thurs. So last week I fasted Mon and Fri...though Fri. came in at over 600. Then this weekend I'm not sure what happened. My food scale battery died and I have yet to get a new one. So I just ate my way through the weekend. No measuring, grazing like it was my job, carbs....gah. So I'm here this am, trying to fast and trying to reign it in. Sheesh. I see my surgeon in about 3 weeks for my 3 year checkup and he *knows* I'm doing the 5:2 but things have slowed way down for me in regards to losses (I will admit to getting an initial "high" after seeing the scale go down so quick in the first few weeks...) but I suppose that I'm getting a tad frustrated with doing the 5:2 (so I would *love* to see how low I can go before going in there and would *love* to give him a glowing report from 5:2 land) but not seeing the scale move much. (Swizzly you out there? ) I know there are so many "other" health benefits from doing the 5:2 but I will NOT lie and sugarcoat anything...I'm doing it for the weight-loss benefit right now and when I'm not getting that "benefit" out of it, pfffttt, well I guess I'm just frustrated. The one OTHER benefit I love is the way I feel on a fast. Like food is NOT the most important thing in my life and that I can do with less. Great feeling. So anyway, pulling up my big girl panties today and getting BACK UP ON THAT 5:2 HORSE and I will get my sh*t together and forget about this weekend. Love you ladies. :wub:

Coops I forgot Coops....YEAH GIRL !!!! Get your groove on my sleeve sister! YOU ROCK!

FYE - OMG, that is horrid! Do you work with disabled students? Georgia - I hope you got some rest. No sleep is HARD on us, hope it was a short-term thing... LV - yay you got your workout done, even if you didn't want to. UK - sorry about the funeral ... I am a sore puppy today, and normally I would go to fusion today but I have an appt that conflicts, so I guess I will maybe hit the treadmill for a bit. Trying right now to decide if I should fast today or Fri....aaaah decisions... Missing some of our ladies, hope they are well and hope to hear from them soon!

To the OP congratulations on your amazing loss!!! And thanks Kathy for doing the math for us. Love you! :wub:

WOW, that is amazing. And thanks for the laugh about the cruise ship "hiding" behind you. Congrats on your success!!!

Wow, incredible progress! You look so much healthier and HAPPIER in the 2nd photo. Also looks like you don't have any loose skin, that is awesome! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your success with us.

http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/mornings-with-mavis-free-kindle-books-flexees-tank-tops-sure-gel-maxell-batteries-tall-boots-more/ I swear by Flexees tanks by Maidenform. I must have about 25 of them... no joke. I wear them everyday and even when I'm working out. I wear a size down from my normal size. Normally I'm a L and I started buying these in M. Something I learned was to STEP INTO the tank and pull it up that way, so much easier than going over the head. I have a similar tank by Spanx and I like it okay, but I like the Flexees better.