sarahcc

And trust me when I say that if I can do it, you definitely can too!!

I started exercising about 9-10 months post op on a regular basis. I would say the bulk of the weight had come off by then, meaning about 100 pounds. I've lost 117 pounds total as of today, so yeah, the vast majority of it was already gone. That being said, muscle weighs more than fat so if you start exercising earlier you can probably expect to lost weight slower. BUT -- muscle also burns fat, and keeps you healthy and strong, so it's much better in the long run for you. I'm not saying my way was right or wrong, but it is what worked for me and I wouldn't go back and do it any differently

Thank you! If I can do it, anyone can

Thank you! And I started exercising after the bulk of the weight had come off. I just wanted to get a lot of the excess off first and take it easy, and use my energy as effectively as possible. Now that I'm in maintenance, I usually cycle between running and toning exercises like squats to try and tighten up and finish leaning out my body.

I love the accountability but don't beat yourself up over it please!! Dieting never worked for me and if I ever had to go back to counting calories like the old days I would have a really hard time. What I really like most about the sleeve is that it really does help by force -- obviously you can't eat as much by far -- but it also promotes lifestyle changes too. I can honestly say that because I get so many fewer calories and nutrients on a daily basis, my body CRAVES healthy food. For example, I eat salad ALL the time now, and I was never a huge fan before -- it wasn't filling enough and always left me wanting more... a waste of time, if you will. Now it's perfect. And I get my fat from healthier sources like cheese, nuts and avocados. Fish is my preferred meat because it feels so soft and good digesting in my stomach. I've learned that the closer I can get to a raw and/or natural diet, the easier it is on my stomach and in the process I'm SO much healthier. That being said, I also eat plenty of ice cream, or a super greasy burger (well, half of one) when I'm hung over, LOL. I also indulge in french fries from time to time, and during my period just TRY to take a piece of chocolate away from me! Anyway, Please feel free to follow up with me if there's anything I can help with along the way for you!!

Great question! I can say I lost pretty consistently. The only time I can recall stalling for a short period of time was around 9 weeks out and I don't think I lost much of anything for about about 2-3 weeks. Other than that I lost really really consistently... about 20-25lbs the first couple months, then I dropped to about 10lbs per month after and maintained that until about month 8-9 out, when I dropped down to about 5lbs per month. All totalled, I've lost about 117 pounds and about 105/110 came in the first 10 months

You absolutely can and will Good Luck!

There is so much hope for you!! I can't speak for anyone else, especially anyone that has a different system in place than I did. But I will say that it feels so much like the strict diets and routines are, more than anything, driven by fear of gaining the weight back. We've been given such a great opportunity and to screw it up would be devastating. That being said, I just wanted to take it a day at a time and use this opportunity to really get to know my own body a lot better than I ever did before. There WAS trial and error, I won't lie. I'm sure there are some really rigid folks who will tell you they never threw up, or only one time in years, or whatever. I'll tell you the truth of myself, I've thrown up from taking one bite too many. I haven't thrown up in probably 6 months, but that first half of the year was a lot of trial and error. But I HAD to learn, because I wanted to get as close to "normal" as possible. I wanted to understand what was going to work and what wasn't. And I wanted a solution that I was positive was going to work forever, that I wouldn't burn out on or learn to resent over time. I couldn't be happier

Thank you so much

Yeah I always wondered that myself in the beginning-- but I think there's really something to be said about the progress you make when you don't stress or worry. From my perspective, I just really felt like if I would be willing to count calories, count Protein, and cut out foods that I loved even though they were bad for me... I probably could have accomplished the same weight loss without the surgery. Does that make sense? I just felt like if I was going to go through the process, and all the side effects, etc... that I wanted to live life like a normal person. And now I do. I eat what I want, but I make better choices. And I can get back on track if I gain a couple pounds. I just seized the opportunity to start over, and now I can prevent myself from making the same mistakes over again

I'm about 2 weeks late for my surgiversary post, but I'll make it up to everyone by being short and sweet!! Started: 25 years old 5' 1" tall 241 pounds Size 20 pants Size XXL tops 40DD bra size Size 8 shoe Currently: 26 years old 5' 1" tall 125 pounds Size 4 pants Size Small tops 34C bra size Size 6.5 shoe Key surgery/post-op points: I had no pre-op or post-op fasting or liquid diet. I started on pureed Protein such as eggs and tuna while I was still in the hospital on day 2 post-op. I ate regular meals up until 24 hours before surgery. This was at my surgeon's discretion. I've never counted calories, carbs, fat or any of that stuff. I eat and drink as I feel comfortable doing so. If I had to guess, I would say I take in about 900-1200 calories a day on average. There is no food I can't eat or drink, but I don't eat many rice/pasta/bread products because I tend to feel uncomfortable afterward. I do take bites here and there and I do eat dry carbs such as chips. I also eat potatoes. I love dairy such as cheese and yogurt. I love fruits and vegetables of all kinds. I love fish and seafood as they settle easiest in my stomach. But I also eat steak, hamburger, chicken, etc... and I love it I eat all day long. Tiny amounts, but constantly. I still enjoy half a cheeseburger or handful of french fries from time to time. I have cut NOTHING completely out of my life food wise. I did not go through all this to be on a lifelong diet. I change my lifestyle and my eating habits, but not a diet. Now that I'm thin, I have so much more energy to run around and exercise. I have a gym membership and I use it primarily for cardio, but this summer I'm going to focus on strength training to rebuild my muscle that was lost in the rapid weight loss. I want to be strong I do have loose skin, but it's getting better. My stomach is pretty flat, and my arms are tightening up. I have a little sag in my butt and a small pouch of skin/fat left in my pelvic area, but I'm comfortable with it at this point. I would never consider having surgery. I think with toning and time it will firm on it's own (I've also had two kids, for what it's worth) I was the healthiest fat person I know. That's something important to take into consideration when looking at my results. I had no other underlying issues that would prevent the weight from just melting off, which it did. I've been within 5 pounds of my current weight since 10 months post op. Nowadays I'm just trying to get my shape back and build my strength and tone back up. Pictures: If I can do it - anyone can Hope this motivates someone who was in the same place I was in a year ago - scared and overwhelmed. It's all gonna be ok :) (by the way, that's the same grey sweatshirt in the before pic and the one where I have the hood on)

Thank you everyone!!!! I actually posted a more recent update to my journey here: http://www.verticals...o-128-pictures/ Here is an updated before/after pic: I'm down about 10lbs more than the lowest ones in the pictures from when I started this original post! Never, ever thought I would get that low (128lbs) and I seem to be hanging there for the last month or so, so I may be close to done losing and into maintaining. As I head into Summer and spend more time outside I am hoping to get down about 5 more pounds so that I can gain and lose that without worrying about it. I appreciate the support and can't tell you how much it has helped me along the way. So much love

Thank you!! I am about 3 pounds away and I suppose I should stop watching food network while eating chicken wings if I want to get those gone