Forensikchic

I am quite sure you will make it under 200 by summer. You will probably make it to 20 really fast and have to set another goal. Wont that feel better than not making it??? Thats my motto. I set mine for less and less each time, still hoping to make one. I was 3 pounds shy this time, as I usually am. I am hoping to make it this time though for sure! My doc says the loss will slow down and try to incorporate that into my goal setting. Good luck to us! We can do it!

Cassandra, I think 49 pounds in seven weeks seems to be a tad aggressive. I know when I first started challenges, I started at 20 pounds. I figured if I got there early, I would reset a new goal for more. I have not made my goal on any of them so far. The most I lost in one 7 week session was 18 pounds in the beginning. Maybe you should consider starting out with a 25 pound goal and if you reach it early, then set another 10 pound one if there is time permitting. The last thing you want to do is set a goal that you dont have enough time to reach and then you feel discouraged. I hope I am not coming across as negative nelly. If it were me I would start my first challenge with a little less aggressive goal. jmho. I will of course be here to cheer you on no matter what your goal is! We can do this! You are gonna rock that sleeve!

In about seven short weeks, Valentine's Day will be here! Who's up for a challenge? With the holidays behind us and some of us making our goals and some of us falling a little short, I thought I might motivate us a little more by starting a new challenge. The New Year is at hand and we will all want to start off with a bang! This challenge is shorter than the previous two I have been involved with, so set your goals accordingly... I seem to set mine a little too high every time but it makes me work harder trying to reach it. My stats for this challenge are: SN: Forensikchic SW: 179 GW: 164 CW: 179 pounds to lose: 15 Upon reaching my goal I will be down 70 pounds overall!!!!! and only 30 more to goal! Its time to kick that exercise in gear and get this show on the road! We want to be looking fly come summer time! Who's with me?

I put my SW as my starting weight of the challenge, my overall starting weight was 234. I dont know what you guys want to use there but either is ok by me.

I just posted the Easter challenge... I will see if Irene will pin it for us.

Well, I have a small gain for today but I am not changing my ticker either since this is not my normal weigh in day. I lost 12 pounds during the challenge instead of my goal of 15. I got close and that certainly counts! I weighed in this morning at 166.9. Aunt Flo paid a visit last night and so I think that might have something to do with it. I feel bloated and crampy. I am going to celebrate all 12 pounds! Yay! I got within three pounds of my goal and I am happy with that! Now for the Easter challenge! Lets go peeps, we can do this!!!!!

Its by simply orange. It tastes really good with the protien powder in. You wouldnt know it at all. I think their are other brands too but that is the brand I get.

I have tried unjury with oj and its okay.. doable. I just ordered some from jarrow unflavored. It changes the oj to an lighter color but it stays mixed, doesnt stink and has no taste really. I mixed it this morning with orangepineapple juice. It was very good. I also dont taste the juice before I mix it so I dont know if there is a difference. I have been drinking it this way for three weeks now. I like them both but prefer the jarrow to the unjury. I am going to try some more kinds when I run out of jarrow. I ordered it from amazon. Good luck.

Hey guys. I just wanted to fill you guys in on what my surgeon told me during my visit. I have lost 67 pounds so far and he said that was above the curve. yay! He also told me that for me to lose the final 30+ pounds by summer (my goal) I would have to be more aggressive with my exercise. I already started zumba a few times a week and walk about 2 miles or so 5 days a week. He said to by a weight vest for the walks or hand weights. He said I was going to have to really do some serious calorie burn daily to make that goal. He said he would be happy if I reached 135 by Thanksgiving. Whatever. I told him I was tired of people acting like my goals are too aggressive and I was gonna do it by summer. He said he accepted my challenge and I said ITS ON NOW BUDDY. I am so stoked about proving to him and everyone else that just because my Honeymoon is over doesnt mean I cant acheive my goals on my time line! So, I will be getting jiggy wid it from here on out. I see my family in June who have not seen me and I want to be able to say I reached my goal. constipation issue--- still having it and the dr. said to take colase everyday and mineral oil but to be warned that mineral oil works too well sometimes. Vitamins- Still have to take the Vitamin D prescription once a week. It was on the low side of normal still. caffeine-- he took me off of it for surgery and I never went back. He told me afew months ago I could have some coffee here and there but I drink decaf now. I have trouble getting my fluids in. I only get about half of it and I want to start drinking some unsweet tea to help with that since I love it. He said it was ok and he would rather me have some caffieine than not enough fluids. BUT... caffeine is an appetite stimulant and thats why they dont want us to have it. ANy thoughts on this? I dont know what to do?? Overall, I am down 67 pounds, by bmi is 29 (overweight), down from 40 (morbidly obese) and am wearing some size 12 jeans today (down from 20)! I cant complain and I love my sleeve!

My surgeon told me the honeymoon was over at 3 months. He said I needed to work really hard to get to goal. I didnt really start a hardcore exercise program until about two weeks ago. I was just walking a couple of miles a few times a week and I thought i was doing good. Now I am doing zumba three times a week AND walking at least two miles 5 days a week too. I bought a weighted vest like he said and I walk using it. I also bought a fitbit to help me know how many calories I am burning. I think when you get down to 30 pounds left to lose, the hard work has to come in or goal will be a loooong time coming. He said I would lose for 2 years. Thats the window but the honeymoon is where the weight just comes off with little or no exercise.

I was thinking Easter too. I am so close to my Valentines Day goal but I am going to wait until Tuesday morning to see what happens. I think it would be awesome to have an Easter challenge too. I think we should start it V day or the day after so we can close out one and then start the next one. These really motivate me to keep going.

I did my first yoga class Tuesday night. It was hard for me to hold the poses but I felt very relaxed when I left. My instructor helped me with the poses and it was ok. I think I might even go back again! Good luck!

Hey guys! Well, today marks my 6th month surgiversary and I am down 65 pounds. I am currently in a stall that has lasted about 2 1/2 weeks. I started inching down by tenths since Monday. We will see if its breaking in the next several days. I seem to be in a holding pattern where I lose 8 or 9 pounds one month, then stall and lose 6 the next month, then it catches up and I lose 9, then stall again and lose 6. Overall I am thrilled with the results so far! I feel I am halfway through my journey as I plan to lose all my excess weight by one year post op and I am 65% there so not a bad start! I have struggled like a lot of folks with the fact that others who are the same as me have lost more than me but I have to keep focusing on myself and just be happy for them and keep keeping on with my plan. I have full faith that I will get to my goal! My sister has decided to join me on this journey and she is getting scheduled for June. So excited for her! This will also benefit me as I will have to be more diligent in my eating to set a good example for her. I dont know about any of you that are six months out or more but I have found that my bones are becoming a problem! They are starting to protrude and bother me when I am trying to sleep. My ribs and hip bones are digging into the bed and feel uncomfortable. I thought I was laying on something or had my gown or the covers bunched up, but it was my ribs! Holy Crap! My husband says I am getting bony. I knew from being skinny in college that I have very prominent bones but I had forgotten because its been 22 years. I still have fat and skin hanging but my bones are really showing up now! Cool or not so cool NSV... I will try to post a pic tonight when I get home from work!

Thanks everyone. I feel like I really have a chance now at reaching my goals and not gaining back. I keep noticing these little things that make me smile. My fingers are smaller now and my hands look bony too. So happy to have long slender fingers again as opposed to the the little sausages sticking off my pudgy hand. I can wear all my rings and now they are getting too big. I am going to try to increase my liquid intake and see if that will jump start me out of my stall thanks to Linda, my sleeve sisters advice. I have never been a thirsty person and just dont generally drink very much but I am determined to change that. Her surgeon said that it effects your weight loss, so I am going to try it too. Thanks Linda! I hope to have a good report on Friday for my checkup. I had my bloodwork done for it and I will find out the results then. Cant wait!

The oj thing is still working for me too! I ordered some Jarrow unflavored and its not as good as unjury but doable. On the bones issue... i have had the same knee thing too, cant lay on my side with my knees together as they seem to grind into one another... my thighs never allowed them to touch before! lol. Also, I find that I am crossing my legs more now and my knee from one leg is digging into the other one and leaving a mark! Who knew thin people had these issues? I love all of it! Also, my boss told me that people notice my weight loss more now because I am wearing brighter colors and more fitted clothes. I hadnt realized I was doing this! Wow, everything is changing. I wanted to fade into the background before and now it seems like I unconsciously want to be noticed!

Hey Linda! I think you might be on to something. Like you, my Fluid intake is very low. I usually fight hard to get 40 ounces of liquid in and I count decaf coffee too. Maybe that is why I stall every couple of weeks. I am going to try harder to get my fluid in this week and see if I see a difference. I bought a fitbit and that has helped me get with the program on being more active. My surgeon visit isnt until friday so I will ask him if he thinks thats why I have slowed down so much or if it could help get this next 35 pounds off. He told me at three months that if I wanted to reach my goal, I had to really increase my exercise. I am doing that now. I started zumba a couple times a week, yoga and I try to walk a couple miles at lunch every day. yesterday I got 2.5 miles! The fitbit motivates me to try to get the extra steps in, instead of being so sedentary at work. Good luck to you! Let me know if you find out anything else that might help us get this last 30-50 off and I will do the same. We are almost sleeve sisters! Maybe half sisters since we are a day apart. lol.

Im still stalled out too. I have weighed 169.8 two weeks ago, then 169.4 last week and now 169.3 and fluctuated all in the middle up to 172 at times. I think that we need to up our exercise to get through these stalls now. Thats my plan. Wondering1... we have lost about the same percentage.. mine being about 65%. I think that is right no track. We knew we would stall some and they are going to be longer and closer together from here on out. Ill be interested to hear what our surgeons say after our 6 month visits! Everyone please report on that!

SN: Forensikchic SW: 179 GW: 164 CW: 169.3 pounds to lose: 5.3 Im down a few ounces but I think the stall may be breaking! I am actually down a fraction instead of up two pounds. I have been fluctuating between 169.4 and 172 for two straight weeks. I have upped my exercise after buying a fitbit to motivate me. I think it might be working! Going to zumba again tonite and have been walking or working out steadily for the last four days and one and off for the last two weeks. Hope that helps get things going for me. I really want to have some more weight off before Wednesday (my 6 month surgiversary) and also I go to the surgeon on Friday for my checkup. I think we have about a week left in the challenge and I am hoping for big numbers by next Tuesday!

Okay, so I could not stomach protein shakes after surgery. I became lactose intolerant early on and even the lactose free muscle milk cramped my stomach and gave me diahrea. I bought Unjury unflavored to try to hide it in yogurt and such.. .No luck. I hated everything I tried and wasted a lot of money. FINALLLLY... today I found an answer that is working for me. Orange Juice! I had bought some heartwise OJ to help lower my cholesterol and didnt want to waste it so I put a half scoop in a half cup. I had to put it in the blender to mix it smooth but it was good! NO taste. So I added the other half of each to make a whole cup and blended that. It got a little frothy but it still tasted like OJ to me and I drank it all no problem. No diahrea and it didnt cramp my tummy. I will be making this orange juice in a travel coffee mug and sipping it on the way to work each day. SO EXCITED to finally figure out how to get my protein in! WOOOHOOO! Thought I would share!

I found out the hard way that the Tropico50 reduced calorie orange juice is nasty and doesnt work for this. The better quality OJ you use, the less you taste the protein. Needs to be good brand kinda thick OJ. I dont have to use my blender any more. I got one of those shaker cups from Tupperware and I just put it in there and shake it well and then I pour it in an insulated cup with a straw. The straw is awesome because it doesnt matter then if it froths up, you are drinking off the bottom and it tastes just like regular OJ. The cup I have is from tmobile and has a screw on lid with a straw kinda built in. You dont smell the protein this way either. I ordered some more unflavored in a different brand. We shall see if it works as well. Ill let you know!

I went back to work after one week. I felt weak but I was okay to do my job and its a desk job mostly. I did fine. I think you can handle a class or two a week. Its not that bad a surgery. You will be fine.

So awesome! I am glad to know this! I forgot all about it. I paid 14,200 for my surgery and then had a kidney surgery after that! Woohooo! so happy I can claim some of this! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

My blood pressure is 90/50 almost all the time. Its my normal since i was a teen. If it gets up to 110/70 it means I am upset! lol. I stay cold a lot because of it but no other repercussions. Embrace it! My blood pressure was actually 85/60 the other day at my checkup and the doctor wasnt alarmed at all. He said I was doing great and low was better than high! I just thought you might want to know that this low blood pressure aint no thang!