alexeleni

Go to http://www.tickerfactory.com and you set it up there. It'll give you a code you can copy and paste into your signature (which you access through your profile here on VST) let me know if that helps, I can explain more if needed!

That's amazing! Congrats to you!

I lost 20 lbs my first month but then slowed WAY down. I can't do protein shakes, so I ate a lot of tuna, soft tofu, ground turkey, and greek yogurt. Also, saltines and creamcheese, when I desperately needed something that went crunch. You're doing great!

aww, that almost made me cry! Congratulations. Your sleeve is not only wonderful for you, but for your little girl as well. (and I'm SO annoyed Courtney won, btw.)

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful feedback! If you end up making one of my recipes, please comment on the blog and let me know what you think and what you changed, etc!

That's fantastic! Everyone sets different goals, and you should be excited when you meet yours! Today I hit one of mine, which was losing 15% of my bodyweight. The more goals I set, the more little excuses to be happy and motivated I have.

Ugh, what a snotty person. I think there are probably higher-end consignment shops that would actually take that stuff. Some are just geared toward skinny people.

That's so smart, having clothes in a lot of sizes. I go "closet shopping" since I still have a lot of old clothes that are now starting to fit again, but I should definitely check out Goodwill too...I wonder if mine has that kind fo sale...

That's completely ridiculous. Silly me, thinking anesthesia was part and parcel of GIANT MAJOR SURGERY.

YAY! Let me know how you like it!

I am still between 600-800 calories a day, and am about 7 weeks out. I am not losing as fast as I'd like, but this is the amount of calories I can get in, so this is what I eat....I think probably when I can eat a bit more my body will be happier, but it's a process, right?

Argh, I definitely needed to hear this....and I need it like, daily. I am so obsessed with the scale and trying so hard not to be!

I don't know a lot about plication, but I do know that almost everyone hits a stall around weeks 3-4. Mine lasted over a week, some people's lasts really long, like two or three weeks or more. It sounds to me as if you are experiencing something normal and should trust your doctor. As long as you're doing your part( making good choices, ramping up exercise as you can), you're in a good place and doing great. Slow weight loss is good for your body. Don't worry!

Yay congrats!

WOW you're doing fantastically. Way better than I am! I am only down 31 total. NSV= Non-scale Victory. Congrats on your loss!

My BMI was about 40 when I first considered the sleeve, and I am like you and have few complications. What I've learned so far is that the sleeve is DEFINITELY a tool, not a solution, and this process is not all easy! However, I am also 5'2" and I know that even the 30 pounds or so I've lost so far has already made a big difference in the "problems around the corner" like blood pressure creeping toward hypertension and pain in my ankles and knees. Do all your research--this forum is a great resource. And then, make a good decision for you and DON'T LOOK BACK.

That happened to me and occasionally still does when I'm tired...and I am five-ish weeks out! Don't worry, it's normal and will recede.

So, am I a slow loser? Half of that was in the first week, and then the remaining ten pounds took the rest of the month. I am not minding if I am slow, but I just want some comparison..... I am going to get my engagement photos (taken in early December) back this week. I am hoping that by the wedding they won't even look like me!

Hello! Not everyone loses 5-8 pounds a week, and your body is adjusting to a lot of changes. Don't worry too much! Just do what you're doing. It'll come. We're in this for the long haul. I have lost 29 pounds since I began my liquid diet on January 5th. You'll get there!

My fiancee and I totally skipped Valentine's Day, so last night he had the brilliant idea to take me to the Melting Pot, which is a fondue restaurant. The first course is cheese, so of course be careful--I had very very little of this! But the main course is Protein, which you cook in broth. Basically zero carbs, small chunks of varied protein, and lots of flavor. We didn't have dessert, I was too full (I made the mistake of having a few bites of salad. I miss salad, but...never again! It fills you up way too much.) It is a bit expensive, but we split an entree ($24) which was perfect--I had two chunks of lobster and one shrimp and was totally happy, and my fiancee ate the rest of it and most of the cheese, of course. A great place to go with friends, too....nobody will look at you funny for eating three bites of things. It's also good for eating sloooooowly because you have to wait for each bite to cook. Mongolian Hot Pot type places are the same sort of thing, I want to try one of those next. In any case, if you're looking for a special/romantic night out that is sleeve-friendly, Melting Pot is a good idea.

Hey, Becca! First of all, you're from Houston--that's my home! I wish I could explain to you how much I miss it. Where did you get sleeved? Secondly--you have to do not the Big Night Out and split an entree from the menu. The Houston one management were always really nice to me, though, when we went with special requests or anything, so I bet you could do it if you call ahead.

PLEASE talk to your nutritionist before you go on Weight Watchers as well--the points system is not always compatible with what we need to do, especially right after surgery. For example, most fruit is zero points, but we know we can't eat fruit without thinking about it! Consulting your nutritionist is the best thing you can do.

I eat about 600 calories a day and really struggle to get my protein in, but I'm getting better! And of course I always eat my protein first. That really does help! I use MFP to keep myself accountable, but right now it is most useful for tracking nutrients, not calories, to be sure I'm not eating too much in the way of carbs/fat (though I give myself a break sometimes on those--600 calories is quite low and I can't hold more so I do vary what I am eating.)

I definitely had trouble! I am lucky, I am 4 weeks out and have a very forgiving sleeve, but I really really wanted to cheat. Some things that kept me sane, but were still mostly ok: Greek yogurt the 2% kind (tastes like it has fat and is delicious, especially the Peach Fage flavor) Saltines with creamcheese mashed potatos tomato Soup, the creamy kind. Don't worry too much about calories right now. Just don't hurt yourself! That is most important.

This happened to me and I got SO upset, I thought I was doing everything wrong. Don't stress, try to walk, and enjoy the foods you can eat--as long as you follow all the reccomendations, you're doing everything right and it WILL come off. I was stalled for almost two weeks and then I lost another three pounds quickly and easily. It will happen!