Knee2010

A 10, I am wearing a size 10 jean today. Since my Nov VSG date I have gone from a size 20W to a size 10 jean!!! All I can say to those who are either anxiously waiting for their date and for those who have recently had the surgery is "THIS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!" And it's wonderful to realize that you (I) won't ever get back into those 20s! (except for comparison purposes lol)

I know what you mean. The gym I go to has a heated "lap pool", you can adjust how fast of a current is flowing toward you. I put the water treadmill that they have in and then adjust the water flow speed to pretty fast and then I start walking. I "shoot" for 45 minutes but I haven't made it yet. 30 minutes is the most I can do, but when I get out of the pool my legs are sooooo rubbery. But the heated water feels so good on my joints and being in the water (bouancy) makes it easier on my joints also!

Nothing last week. sigh... SW 166 CC/1st Weigh in 161 GW 150

I have been going to the gym 3-4 days a week doing mostly cardio stuff. I walk on the treadmill, use the eliptical and ride the recumbent bike. I also swim. I can't do any weight lifting/strengthening type of exercises because I have an artificial knee. But I can tell with the low impact cardio that I have been doing I am seeing that I am toning up. I do have some loose/sagging skin that I figure between being overweight forever and being 50 years old that's to be expected, but my husband is the only one that gets to see that. lol I'm just so darn excited to be in a size 10 jean, 30 years ago when I got married I was wearing a size 9, it's just unbelievable!!!

Check your local thrift stores/goodwill. We have multiple goodwill locations in San Antonio, but one of the locations has 25cent Saturday. Everything in the store is 25cents. Now that one location gets pretty busy, but for 3 bucks you can get 12 items. I didn't know about this until just recently. I went there 3 weeks ago and walked out carrying over 50 items. My husband went with me to help carry and we got plenty for my current size plus 2 sizes down, (being optimistic lol).

I'm in also. SW 166 GW 150

I knew all along that you could & WOULD get to your goal. You have worked really hard to get there and I'm so proud of you. I use you as an inspiration in my own day-to-day choices of what to eat and wether or not to exercise. Does your sister visit this site? Has she seen the before/after pics?

Does anybody have any tips/suggestions on what I can do for exercising with an artificial knee? Currently I am: 1. Walking on a treadmill 2. Using the eliptical 3. Riding a recumbent bike 4. Swimming Because of the the artificial knee I cannot do squats, lunges or things like that. I also cannot do any weight lifting which would put extra pressure on that joint. I feel pretty good about far I have come since my surgery, but I want to make sure and reach my goal so any help/suggestions that I can get is all the better. Thanks in advance!

I am in the medical center. Glad to hear you are doing well. Once it warms up some more we will have to try to get together and go shopping for SMALLER clothes!

Welcome to the club! I had my surgery by Dr. Seger at BMI of Texas. What part of San Antonio are you from? Theres a few of us in here that are from San Antonio. Karen

Try rubbing in Coconut Oil.

An added bonus to the amount of protein is the Loooooong shelf life/expiration date. It lasts a lot longer than the plastic half gallons of milk you buy which is good for us since we drink smaller amounts now.

Way to go!!! I know you will get to your goal, I've seen how hard you are working for it and it WILL HAPPEN. Size 10 jeans, all I can say is WOW and I can't wait till I'm there. I put on size 12 jeans this past weekend and help up my size 20's, it is so hard to really believe that what used to fit WILL NEVER FIT AGAIN!!! Keep on working hard, you are an inspiration to me and on days when I am feeling like not going to the gym or maybe just eat a cookie, I think of how far you've come and I tell myself that if you can do it then I can too. So you have helped me to stay on track on days when I would'nt have. So Kudos to you and to everyone else who just keeps working it one more day and then another day.

I'm kinda in reverse to the above posts. I wrecked a motorcycle in 2009 and in 2010 I had my right knee replaced. No choice, it had to be done due to the damage. Anyway, afterwards I soon realized that I needed to get my excess weight off in order to keep my artificial knee as long as possible. So I had my surgery on 11/15/2011, had to do a 4 month diet per my insurance. I have seen dramatic results in how I feel since losing some of my excess weight. I don't have near the amount of pain that I had prior to WLS. Don't misunderstand, I do still have pain on a daily basis (and always will), but I can walk a heck of a lot easier and I know I am overall a lot healthier. So either knees first or WLS first, it's a plus to get them both regardless of which one comes first!

I have already had my knee replaced so I can't run/jog. I do use a treadmill and also the elliptical. Why won't those 2 help get rid of the belly fat and love handles? I realize it might take twice as long as running, but wouldn't it eventually help? I always thought that walking was just a "slow, low impact" version of running? Am I wrong and if so, why? Thanks for any input/insight.

Any women out there that thinks they will (in the long run) save money is in for a big/huge shock!!! Since my surgery I have spent any food/grocery money saved at Victoria Secrets. LOL I sometimes think I am in there every other weekend. I am proud to say that I no longer own a single pair of "beige granny panties". My husband commented the other day when he was helping me sort the laundry that my pile looke like an Easter basket exploded. I loved it (he does too). lol

I think, scratch that, I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT on YOUR time schedule!!! For it to happen you need to lose about 2-3 pounds a week? With that goal in mind, as hard as your working on this, it is possible. Just keep reminding yourself how bad you want it and how good/great it's going to feel when you do get there. I have a picture/saying under the glass on my desk at work that says: NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY IS GOING TO FEEL so I see that all day every day as a constant reminder. I know how you feel about wanting to get to goal "before" vacation/seeing your family, we have our vacation scheduled for October going to Key West FL, well that will be 1 month before my 1 year anniversary and I have made it my goal to lose all my weight before we go. I want to wear shorts and bikini tops and not worry about grossing people out. lol Anyway, call me anytime you need any extra encouragement or on melt-down days.

Free2B, I had my right knee replaced Feb 2010, (a motorcycle accident in 2009). Anyway, at that time I had found the following webite and I used it like crazy to gather information and talk to other "knee" people. healthboards.com The website has all kinds of health topics to pick from, just scroll down until you come to the knee section and go to that area. It really helped me alot to be able to talk to people who had already had theirs replaced. It's a lot like this site. Very helpful with a lot of good people. Hope this helps. Karen

Jerry, I feel your pain. I wrecked in Jan 2009, broke right femur, tore my right knee all to pieces,(ended up having it replaced) split my right shin bone, broke both bones in left wrist. We are truly the lucky ones to have survived a motorcycle accident. I too gained quite a bit of weight after the accident due to inactivity. I had my sleeve on Nov 15, 2011 and already I can tell the difference in how my body is feeling (less pain). So welcome to this site, it is a great place to be and you will find that everyone here really is very helpful.

Way to go!!! What are you going to tell that girl at work now? lol

I find that I do my best if I weigh my food before I even put it on my plate. It seems if I just eyeball/guess at the amount to put on the plate I always put too much and then I try my darndest to "clean my plate". But if there is only 3-4 ounces on the plate, then I do clean my plate. Hope this helps.

Dont ever be embarrassed to ask, just make sure you don't embarrasse yourself when asking. My husband went with me to my last pre-op appt with the doctor and as I was going thru my list of questions I would look the doc in the eye/face when I addressed him with a question. Well, when I got to that question it just came out of my mouth " when can we have sex?" you could have heard a pin drop and then it clicked in my brain what/how I asked the question, so then I had to clarify that I meant sex with my husband and not the doctor. My poor husband was beet red, but they were both good sports about it. Talk about feeling stupid, sometimes it's just a train wreck when you open your mouth. lol

Welcome to the group!!! For me, what I did once I got home was whatever amount you drink the first day (and for me it was about 1/2 a bottle of water), write it down or mark it on the bottle. Somehow, whatever works for you, but track it and tell yourself tomorrow you have to drink "more" than today. And if it's a visual thing, that seemed to make it easier for me to be able to drink more each day. At first it is hard, but after a couple of days when some of the swelling has started going down and some of your anxiety is gone, it is easier to drink. You probably will still only be taking small sips but you will be able to take more of them closer together throughout the day. I can now take an almost normal size swallow (actually 3-4 at one time). Good luck and just hang in there. It does get so much better every couple of days!

I can't run because of a knee replacement, do you think riding a recumbent bike will get me the same results?

Wow, 19 pounds!!! I'm doing the Happy Dance for you since your still taking it kinda slow. But as soon as you can move around more, then you can do your own HAPPY DANCE!!!!