SKCUNNINGHAM

Thanks for this post - quite a cool way to look at things. And, one of the most important things about the sleeve, is that it provides us hope for getting our weight in control.

Just a thought here - if you are worried because friends and co-workers ask how much you have lost, and you feel bad if you keep telling them the same number - tell them you only weigh once a month (or once every two months - whatever you feel like telling them) - it is part of your program. Then you could say - last time I weighed - I had lost X pounds - but I can tell I am smaller than I was then. If you keep telling everyone this - they may quit asking you the same question every time they see you.

Hey Rootman - give us an updated status! How far is that belt wrapping around you now? What size are you in here at the 4th of July? You are doing great! I appreciate your thoughtful responses to peoples' postings.

1) Mix with Salsa and a little shredded low fat cheese. 2) Marinate chicken in soy sauce based marinade 3) Mix 3-4 oz chicken with 2 T. Dill relish and 2T lite mayo for chicken salad. 3) Get mustard (yellow or dijon) and add sweetener to make a honey mustard. Dip chicken cubes on toothpicks into honey mustard. 4) I have a lime chilli rub from Williams Sonoma that is tasty on chicken 5) Slice chicken very thin and cut into pieces about as big around as a cucumber. Make "sandwiches" using two thin slices of cucumber with a piece of chicken between them.

Don't worry about the pain while you are in the hospital - they give you drugs so you won't feel the pain. You may feel like your feet aren't touching the floor, but you won't feel pain. Once I got home (after a one night stay) I had to take a total of one pain pill - ever. Haven't had so much as a tylenol. The only time I hurt some was trying to figure out a comfortable way to sleep and get out of the bed or recliner. I recommend you get a weight / support belt (Walmart - like warehouse guys wear) and wear it 24/7 for the first couple of weeks. That and get a heating pad.

Congratulations on the weight loss! And, IMHO, start screening your calls so do don't talk to people you know are going to upset you.

I am going to miss my 4th of July Challenge by a few pounds (drat my recent stall) - but that is not keeping me from setting two challenging goals By 8/22 - my six months anniversary - I want to lose a total of 85 pounds SN..............................Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal SKCUNNINGHAM.....253......................183.............167.............15 By Labor Day, I want to lose a total of 95 pounds SN..............................Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal SKCUNNINGHAM.....253......................183.............157.............25 This Labor Day goal will have me below the 150 mark on my home scales!

Women's sizes have gotten larger over the last 50 years - just read an article on that not too long ago. I don't know about guys sizing. Your sizing makes a lot more sense than women's sizes do, to me. A 38 pr of pants has a 38" waist - makes perfect sense. A size 16 women's pair of pants has nothing on it that is a 16. Congrats on the weight loss!

THAT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST NSV's I'VE EVER HEARD OF. WAY TO GO!

I was surprised to find out I am in the middle of Acceptable - I thought I would still be OBESE. I guess my head hasn't caught up to how much weight I've lost. My BMI still calculates me as obese, but in 10 more pounds I will be just overweight. My % is 27.5%. Another cool thing to track. When I hit goal, I am going to go get underwater weighed at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas.

When I was a kid - thongs were what they now call flip-flops - and I didn't like the feel of the material rubbing between my toes. I have never gotten past the idea of having material rubbing between other parts of my body. I have had younger female family members explain it is kind of like getting use to wearing a bra - soon you won't notice it. If you like the look of yourself wearing a thong, and don't mind the way it feels - go for it!

CONGRATULATIONS! What a victory! Keep up the great work.

Maddie - you look OUTSTANDING! Congratulations! BTW - love the lashes in the fancy photos. Were they a problem to get put on? To get removed?

The best Protein Drink I use in ISOPURE PLUS. I ordered two cases from Amazon (I live in the middle of nowhere). It comes in an alpine punch flavor and a grape frost flavor. Both are "lightly" flavored - not strong like some of the fruit flavored Protein Drinks. 8 oz has 15 grams of Protein. I use them now if I realize I haven't gotten enough protein in towards the end of the day. Early on, I also mixed unflavored protein in sugar free fat free pudding (I'm not too terribly lactose intolerant). I use nectar brand protein powder in either vanilla Bean torte or Fuzzy Navel to make fruit smoothies for Breakfast. A little bit of fruit, the protein powder, some crushed ice and Water. Throw it into the magic bullet and in a nanosecond or two you have a shake. I ordered these online -from unjury site. The best milky-type protein drink (premixed) is Myoplex. The chocolate and the vanilla are both good. You can find it lots of places - I get mine at WalMart - (WM even has a store in the middle of nowhere). I use these if I don't have time to whip up the smoothie, or if I need to take a meal with me. I have to put protein in my stomach every 4-5 hours, so this is a good way to do that. Hopes this helps. Good Luck!

Congratulations on your decision. You are doing the right thing, IMHO. I am also 5' 4". Back in 1987 I also weighed 204 and lost down to 118 through modifast. Three years later, I was back up to 180 and went on modifast again and lost back down to 130 (needed surgery). In the mid 90's I was back "up" in weight again, and went on basically a doctor supervised south beach with a ton of minerals and supplements. Lost well - till I got tired of taking 80 pills a day. I gained everything back and was up to 237 in 2002. Over the next 9 months I lost 103 pounds with a high Protein low carb diet with the help of a hypnotist and becoming a serious gym rat. Great way to lose weight, but when I quit listening to my hypnosis CD's and had a car wreck that prevented me from exercising, I started gaining weight again. My sleeve was on 2/22 of this year (took me a year to get approved). My highest weight was 262 - last September. DON'T chicken out this time - don't do what I did and spend years losing and gaining, losing and gaining. As some blonde weight guru that used to be on television would say "Stop the Insanity". I really hope you go through with the surgery. The sleeve provides us a tool for much more than losing weight (although it is OUTSTANDING for that purpose). The sleeve provides us a tool to KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF for life. That is what I need. I think your headache is due to withdrawing from sugar, white carbs and caffeine. I had a headache most of my two week pre surgery diet. It does go away. I consoled myself during that time with a quote my trainer used to tell me "Pain is a sign of weakness leaving the body." I would tell myself it was making me stronger for the fight ahead of me. And I think your desire for food is as much caused by wanting the comfort food brings you as in any real hunger you are feeling. Food was my "go-to solution" for everything I felt. Now I get comfort from the great feeling of control I have. If I get hungry, I go try on clothes I haven't worn for years, or take my measurements, or try on rings and bracelets that fit for the first time in years. Didn't mean to write a book. Good luck.

I took my first Zumba class yesterday. It was fun! I had to sit down during one of the songs and catch my breath - but other than that - I stayed moving for the whole class. My body was asking "what the heck did we do?" the rest of the day. Can't wait to go back to class again. And, as an added benefit, I think it shook some stuff loose inside me - the dam broke today and I am no longer constipated.

I started out crushing any prescription pills I was on (BP, hormones). Then I switched to quarters, then halfs and now I am swallowing pills whole. My viatims are gummy form, my calcium is a taffy-like chewable. Vitamin D is a liquid. I am also on chewable iron (the best tasting / least nasty one is Bariatric Advantage) and sublingual B12. I also take Biotin to help my hair - it is also sublingual.

Congrats! You should be so PROUD OF YOURSELF! What are you going to do to celebrate the milestone?

On my 4 month "surgiversary" this week, I noticed I was feeling sleepy and lethargic. I took my blood pressure over a 4 hour period, and it was running about 95 / 55. I'm surprised I was up and walking around! Talked to my doctor. She had me cut my blood pressure medication dosage in half. I had already eliminated one of the two drugs I had been taking for blood pressure after my 3 month check-up. So I have gone from 2 pills twice a day to 1/2 pill twice a day. YEA! So far, my blood pressure is running about 105 / 65. I feel much better. Zumba class later this morning - I don't think my blood pressure will be low after that!

One more "My Future's so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" (this one for the title alone).

Smooth - Santana (we all want our surgery / recovery to go smoothly) Take it Easy - Eagles (Doc - please take it easy, those are my insides you are messing with!) Sugar Shack (that's about as close to sugar as you'll be for a long time) Good luck! Your doc sounds like a personable guy.

If someone should accidently see you in a changing room, and happen to notice your stomach apron, I bet they would think "Wow, that lady has lost a bunch of weight. Way to go! I wish I could lose weight like that." I don't think we need to be embarrassed about things like that any more than an amputee should be embarrassed by his / her missing limb. I think a person who would think less of you for having a stomach apron needs to turn her hyper-critical mirror around and look at her own self. I know of at least ONE flaw that would be shining out visibly - her small and narrow mind.

I hope you get better soon. Please contact your doc and ask if he can put you in the hospital to get fluids. You will feel much better once you are hydrated. I know that is not your entire problem but I bet it is the cause of the fainting.If your surgeon doesn't help, get in touch with your primary care physician. Someone needs to get you some help. The easiest Protein to drink for me is a clear (slightly colored) lightly fruit flavored drink called Isopure PLUS. I ordered it over the internet because I live in the middle of nowhere. An 8 oz bottle has 15 grams of protein and no carbs. It comes in a light punch flavor and a light grape frost. Two things you can do to relieve pain that is not pain med related 1)get a support belt for your waist. I got a large black one with velcro straps like the warehouse guys wear when they lift. I wore it 24 hours a day (except when I showered) for the first two-three weeks. The second one is a heating pad - I kept it on low and placed in where it hurt. Sorry you are having a rough time. My thoughts are with you.