CowgirlJane

I agree completely that needing to lose 50-60 is a whole different weight class than I was in...needing to lose 150-170 range! I am also happy there are choices as all surgeries have pros and cons and people should consider them carefully. What I took issue was the remark that you can tell "by looking" at someone that they were sleeved it simply isn't true. I am 50 and I look good and healthy compared to women my age and I think remarks like that scare people off from finding real solutions to the obesity that is killing them. I know I used to believe that about gastric bypass and it just isn't true...if you eat well, exercise etc it will show up in your health. The attached photo is me with no makeup, no shower, bed hair..haha...The pale skin is my Irish genetics not poor health. I have really good labs and will be 3 years out in December

Jess I agree with listening to surgeons and Plication might be the next great thing but it is completely bull that sleeve patients are not healthy or healthy looking. My blood work is perfect, I hike, bike and ride horses like a demon. I am fit active and attractive and your remark is insulting.

The consult I had in usa she estimated about 5# of skin...I thought it would be more but since I didn't have much fat it turned out to be 5.5#. I lost a lot of weight so I guess my skin did bounce back some...

The consult I had in usa she estimated about 5# of skin...I thought it would be more but since I didn't have much fat it turned out to be 5.5#. I lost a lot of weight so I guess my skin did bounce back some...

I can't emphasize enough how much of this is a "head game". Yeah, we have extra skin but if you take an objective look around there are plenty of less than perfect bodies out there! Love what ya got, make the most of it, enjoy life. Do not let lack of perfection slow you down! No matter how skinny, pretty, cute, smart, rich OR WHATEVER you are - there is always someone "better". Who cares - all we can do is be our best selves right here and now. I had plastics but I have significant extra wrinkles on torso under my arms. Affectionately known as "side boobs". It can be annoying that I sometimes don't buy a close fitting top because the side boobs show. Or, more importantly, I have to choose bras and swimsuit tops carefully so they don't emphasize that extra skin. Whenever I catch my self "woe is me" over my side booms I say a little prayer of thanks that I have extra skin and NOT extra fat there anymore. I mean - what is it about us that we beat ourselves senseless over extra skin when we are just so aweome???

I think this process is a bit about learning about what works. I started out tracking every morsel of food as that is a proven success strategy. What my NUT noticed is that I had been doing that for a lifetime, and yet always gained weight back. She challenged me to stop doing that and to eat more intuitively... my rate of losses actually increased! I know this is risky territory and I don't advocate it for all, but I had emotional baggage over tracking food and apparently stopping that worked for me. I do weigh frequently. During weight loss phase, daily. Now, at least 3X a week. I don't get stressed by small variations and it helps me feel accountable. If I am feeling "fat" it reassures me that i don't suddenly weigh 300#. If I am feeling cocky and the number starts sliding upward, it reminds me to refocus. I encourage you to find the balance that works for YOU. I do believe strongly in accountability, but it takes different forms for different people.

It gets harder after about 7-8 months for many of us... however.... it took me 14 months to get to goal and my losses were really good in the months 11-14. Somewhere around months 8-10 post op my losses slowed way down because i had introduced too many high carb Protein bars etc. When I changed things up, I went back to steady losses. I was stable at goal for about 6 months before i decided to lose a few more vanity pounds. I have lost about 18# between Feb 2013 (when I hit goal) and this spring. So, my personal belief is that if you keep "working it" and following the rules you can keep losing. Good luck! If I wanted to lose 10# more right now - I am sure I could do it. I am content where I am at, I am just saying that the sleeve doesn't stop working, I think we just stop working the sleeve...

I didn't even know I had anxiety disorder until after I got to goal. I realize in hindsight that one of my many "uses" for overeating was quieting my anxiety. Once food no longer worked to numb that away - it got pretty awful. so, I think you are wise to take it seriously, to seek counseling or other help through this process. Now, I seem to be quite stable and feeling pretty dang good! I have learned better coping skills...including... and here was the shocker for me... "I won't die if I feel bad sometimes!" Anyway, best of luck to you - this is quite a journey!

There are many good Protein drinks - but look for low carb/low sugar, modest calories for the protein. I like Premier Protein (Costco!) which are 30g protein/4-5G of carbs and about 160 calories. A good powder is Syntrax nectar which are uber low carbs, about 100 calories and 20g protein. I would look for ones with similiar stats and really limit the bars - too much carbs for the protein amount!

Kim I think you are doing great ((hugs))) I am on a carb cycle..dang it. I weighed 143 this morning which is fine, but I feel about 243. Does excess carbs make a person bloated? I feel fat..Haha. I keep thinking one morning that scale is really gonna bounce up if I don't get a handle on all this bread I am eating...and loving by the way. I felt sick yesterday so went to bed early. Hoping today is a better feeling day. I am"supposed" to be casually dating several guys right now according to my counselor and coach...but I have lost all interest in that. I think she is right though....I am repeating an old pattern of limiting myself to someone before I really know him. I am into Theo but am cautiously proceeding...and I sense he is the same. Like we'd both like to be in passionate throes everyday but instead we see each other more like weekly and arrange dates such that the passion is limited to some lovely kissing makeout sessions only. I love that our dates are active and fun and involve "doing" something. I like that,it is a good way to proceed but I need to make an effort I guess to do some other dates even though I am not drawn to it. A guy I met at a dance is interested plus the good old online prospects I haven't met yet!

Ok, I am at goal and absolutely do not want to get smaller.. however I am still mostly a medium top and if fitted..might need a size 8 dress. My butt on the other hand... size 4 (some size 2 even). Sizes are all over the place and lack consistency..also I have broad shoulder and big ribcage....and breasts. Be prepared that even when you get to goal you may think you should fit a different size...but it really does not matter. Others don't notice. I am single and dating and I can assure you no man has said to me... gee..you'd be perfect if you were a size "x". Go for an overall"look" of health and fitness, that is where it's at!!! You'll get there!

Ok thanks for clarifying. I think your point has little to do with what people should weigh but rather why do they stop short of their own goals. I started at over 300 and when I got to the 180-190s my weight loss slowed to a crawl. That happened for a few reasons...the normal "honeymoon" period ending, that I was leaning heavily on protein bars (high carb) and then it was comfort with my appearance. When I weighed 190 I could physically do what I wanted, felt healthy BUT I still had a certain matronly look...was well protected from strangers noticing my woman ness. I looked like a middle aged mom. I spent time thinking about what I wanted before pushing to my goal of 158 which was still over 25 BMI but certainly got me noticed. Now I am at 140 which is for me "skinny chick" land looks wise and a 23 BMI. I am comfortable now but it was a huge adjustment losing that emotionally protective layer of fat. Curiously, I got more attention from men when I weighed 158. However, the man I was seeing at the time loved my looks but when he saw me the weight I am now he told me I had "made it" and to maintain right here. Bottom line I feel good at this size but the idea of it back when I weighed 190 was a little scary I guess.

Ok, I guess I don't assume they are selling themselves short. I was really thrilled and pleased to hit goal even though it was over 25 BMI. It is true that I am under 25 now but I still don't buy into the idea that my success at goal was not legit or "not good enough"

I reread your post and maybe what you were really talking about was how self limiting beliefs can be. That I agree with. I also stand by my initial premise that I see alot more people who beat themselves up over losing massive weight but..never quite good enough...always questioning their own success. Well my initial goal was some pounds heavier than my current weight. I don't really think being a few pounds lighter makes life that much different. My surgeon also told me that getting underBMI OF 30 is a healthy range for previously morbidly obese person. I also second the general sentiment of why do you care about others people's goals? I actually find it fascinating that many people on these forums are oddly interested in what others eat (many threads on watching people eat in restaurants), their size and weight etc.

Hmmm....I see the opposite. People who were super morbidly obese get down to a reasonable weight...say the 25-30 BMI...and they feel like failures which I think can lead to regain.

Fairy sleeve - that is ideal. This is the time to get over food addictions and lose alot of weight. Your tastes and hunger will return, for now food is like a prescription you take for good health.

I had severe sleep apnea - now cured! During surgery, they have you intubated so no additional risk. The risk is after surgery while you are still a bit "suppressed" so they want you to use your CPAP and monitor oxygen levels. No problem.

I had the band for 10 years and I felt like I was always hungry, but eating dense Protein often made me feel pain or discomfort. Since I knew that revisions might not lose weight as well, I talked alot to the nutritionalist about this. She started me down the path of not thinking about "full" or "too much". Rather I was to practice stopping eating when no longer hungry. Now, that was a new concept! So, I suggest that once you are on solid foods you start thinking that way - absence of hunger, not full. I have vomited a few times since being sleeved, each time it was from inhaling food too fast. I don't know about foamies or any of that... I am 2.5 years out and have not experienced those things. Small quantities of dense protein and veggies, follow the guidelines and you will likely feel satiated. A couple of caveats... first 6 weeks, I ate by the measuring spoon and clock - while your stomach is healing you can't trust the "signals". Also, acid can feel like hunger so be sure you are on a PPI the first few months at least while your body adjusts to a small tummy.

My children are much older... the one that is living with me clearly eats much healthier. He slimmed down a bit over the last few years - he was never obese but on the chunkier side of normal. So... the EFFECT has been great!

Sometimes they can't get a nicely shaped and size sleeve on revision so ask about it. I was revised in 2011 and very happy with my sleeve!

How is everyone doing with losing or maintenance? I feel like I have been over indulging. I love having my son home but now there is bread and other siren calls in the house.

Haha! Well, we met in the late afternoon and toured a local "famous" distillery. Then we went on to the planned "wine walk". The way that worked is that you buy a wristband and get 8 "tastes" that are located at different businesses and stores that stayed open for the wine walk.Other stores stayed open late for the walk so from 5-8 we wandered through shops and had tiny tastes of wine. My date was so funny... he knows wine but is not a snob. He described one as "notes of pencil eraser". Most of the wines were quite lovely though. One of my aquaintances is a shop owner - she was the first and last stop. I forgot we were supposed to bring our own wine glasses so she loaned us a couple! While we were chatting with her and deciding where to go have dinner, another local came in and suggested a new restaurant - a bistro with a deck over the river. They brought out a blanket for me since it had been a hot day I was dressed in a sundress and started to get chilled. We had a lovely dinner, watched the sunset and the hot air balloons floating by. Plan to see him again Friday night

I have been guilty of the all or nothing thinking too. I had a regain of about 5# in the summer of 2013, and I honestly thought..."5..10..100 - its all the same" I had to like get a grip and ask myself what kind of crazy is that thinking? So, I lost those 5 quite readily and it wasn't the same as 100...sheesh.

I am not an olive garden fan but I love a good hummus and pita or clams with French bread!

I also searched for "Massive weight loss" and such key phrases. What I thought was important was a surgeon who had lots of experience with my type of situation. I lost a lot of weight..and had a goodly amount of skin. I consulted with eome great local surgeons but went to Mexico in the end.