Lissa

I was wondering about you a couple of days ago! Thanks for the update and you do look FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aleach, If it's any consolation, you're doing more, faster and at a higher incline than I did on the treadmill to start... and I've dumped the treadmill for the elliptical and recumbent bike! I could barely do 5 minutes on the treadmill to start with and I was totally thrilled when I walked around the lake in my apartment complex!! That's barely 1/4 of a mile. Just keep moving slowly and steadily and you will get there! You're already doing a terrific job!!!

CLK, I'm so happy you posted about your struggles! I've eaten some things that aren't strictly good for me lately... and I've found another possible slider. Clif bars are the bane of my existence! I found a couple of new flavors (oatmeal raisin walnut and black cherry almond) that are both fantastic tasting! I've really missed the taste of fruits other than bananas apparently!! Now I find myself wanting to snack on the Clif bars, which sounds like it would be good, but they have around 300 calories EACH. Once this box is gone, I am not buying any more of them until I'm in maintenance. I'll stick with the Premier Protein bars that, while they taste fine, don't tempt me to eat them as Snacks. I am addicted to exercise and can't imagine a day without it now. I think the exercise is slowing down my weight loss, in combo with those darn clif bars, LOL. I reached the Century Club on May 28 and it's taken me until today to get from there (252) to 249.4! I've lost another size since then, but I really want to see that scale moving. Shame on me. I should be happy with the smaller measurements and loose clothes and I should quit whining! Okay. Whine over. Thanks for listening.

You're completely normal. Scared and excited are what we all feel just before surgery, I think.

BTW, Suzi, your doc didn't give you liquid pain meds? Those will definitely make you sleep.

I dont consider this a problem, but I've noticed that I need significantly less sleep now than I did pre-op. I'm not sure if it's surgery-related since I started using a BiPap machine two weeks before surgery. I can go for days on 4 hours or less sleep at night and my energy level is still super high. My theory is that it's a combination of less weight, more exercise and the BiPap machine. No matter what, I'll take it!

Furby, Ricotta bake tastes like lasagna to me. Yummy stuff! I'm getting some ricotta today!

CJ, Welcome to the loser's bench!! I loved your post and I agree, you should be published!!

As your body releases fat, it also releases the hormones that are stored in that fat. It takes special effort to deal with that, for sure. Wait till your libido kicks into high gear! Good luck!! And I sincerely mean that! LOL

mashed cauliflower and cheese? Truthfully, I'd probably make some ricotta bake (everyone I know likes it) or check out Eggface's site for ideas for bariatric friendly dishes that non WLS patients will like too. She does some really cute and healthy stuff.

The only advice I can offer is to learn to slow down and savor what you can eat. You'll be able to eat more as you progress, but this is about learning how to deal with the mental side. Slowing down will help later with portion control as well. Good luck!!

OTR is totally right about how our thinking changes. For me, food is either protein or not protein these days. I won't say that I don't eat bad stuff sometimes, because I do, but I don't let it defeat me. Each day is a new beginning and we will get there. I'm amazed at how many sleevers reach goal... and how many of them actually exceed their initial goal!!

I love seeing new pictures, too! It's astounding how much everyone changes in so little time! I still don't 'see' it in my pictures, but it must be there because it's there for all my sleeve sisters and brothers!!

I was pre-diabetic prior to surgery, although no meds yet. I didn't have to deal with A1C issues, but it seemed like I just kept getting sent to another doctor and another doctor and another doctor before I finally got my date. I had an IVC filter installed before and removed after my VSG, so three surgeries. I still say that every single minute of it was worth it!!

Oh, yeah, it's to be expected! You're getting ready to make a humongous change in your life! I can't even describe how much my life has changed for the better! I love being able to wear clothes that would have never made it up to my thigh before... or how great it is to know that I'm not going to be a sweaty mess if I decide to take the stairs instead of using the elevator. Shoot, just having the energy to choose those stairs is phenomenal!! Good luck!!

Well, it should look pretty good if you're exercising. I have one on my back that doesn't appear to have changed much at 100 pounds lost. If it's ugly when I get done losing weight, I'll do something with it.

I'm only 10 months out, but Cindy H is right. This is a complete lifestyle change. You have to be committed to using this tool. However, it is a lot easier to avoid temptation because there just isn't room to put junk food for the most part.

I waited three months, but others have had success sooner. Did your doc give you any guidelines on food? If so, you should follow that advice. If not, I'd wait until you can tolerate most foods since salad typically has a lot of fiber in it and it could be tough for your sleeve to handle for a bit. Just like anything else, start very slowly until you know that your sleeve can handle it.

If it makes you feel any better, I loved hot green tea pre-op and it still tastes like plastic to me today. Some things are easier to give up than others. Good for you for choosing to stick with your plan!

You should know that low-carb diets like Atkins and South Beach are much more successful on the first/second attempt than they are on later attempts. That's especially true if you are or become insulin resistant. food funerals are bad for you, but it seems they are a part of our thought processes before surgery for all of us. You just have to do what you can to minimize them. If it helps, you will be able to eat anything you want post-op, just in smaller portions. Good luck! I have no idea about the minimum amount you must lose before surgery. Ask your doctor for his/her requirements.

Why shouldn't you say it, Olivia? We're all grown here...well, most of us are grown. We've discussed penis size and enlargement after WLS, breast size and shrinking after WLS... and we've discussed our increased hormones afterwards, too! BTW, you don't have to wait until after surgery to have sex. As my grandma used to say "You've got one of those; you can get all of THOSE you want!"

I hate insurance companies! Our having this surgery only saves them money in the long run!! They should be begging anyone who has a BMI over 30 to have WLS instead of doing the deny, deny, deny dance. It kinda looks like the hokey pokey, but you have to force them to put "one hand in"!

God has a plan for you...and part of that plan was for you to find this because of your decision. It's a blessing that they caught it and that it will be treated. (((Hugs))) I know you don't see that plan yet, but He will reveal all in the fullness of His time. Good luck! Please let us know once surgery is over.

Gym time is invoilable, non-skippable, and you WILL be disappointed if you expect me to skip the gym for less than a cataclysmic event!

All of you were newbies at rowing? The guy in front of you was out of line, IMO. If the coxswain said you were doing fine, then you did fine. It's not you, it's the guy in front of you.