VJSlim

When I started pureed food, I used to make veg soup and then blend the mushed veggies and mixed it with the soup for flavor.

Awesome! Congrats on your weight loss and all the best to reach goal soon!

That is awesome! I have not flown yet after surgery and cant wait to use seat belts without an extender!!

Wow! You look great! Amazing transformation!

You look great! Wow what a transformation! Congrats and all the best to reach your goals soon!

Welcome to the forums!! I hate it when people just think I've decided to have the sleeve overnight. I'm surprised that people would think that I have not exhausted EVERY available option before going under a knife! 'Try harder' is a very relative term. Small portions on my normal sized pouch is a death-trap for me! Like many here, I was a yo-yo dieter and whenever I had a really strict diet my blood sugar also yo-yo'd and my physician was very concerned that I'm walking a dangeorus path with the way I handled my body. But after researching sleeve I was very happy to know that I would not be so hungry anymore. Like Lissa said, it was my only fighting chance to stay on track. Being a life long yo-yo dieter, it is easy for me to get back on track even if I slip and eat something I shouldn't. I have learned to make better food choices and staying focused on the goal. And this forum has been my cheerleading squad! I'm so glad you are doing your research well ahead of your appointment. I'm sure you'll be ready with so many questions to your surgeon and NUT after you've read through the pre-op and post-op forums here! Keep in touch and let us know about your progress!

That is a huge NSV! I'm so glad you've become healthier! I love hearing NSVs - some make you smile but some make you tear up for the incredible impact this procedure has had on our health and well being. This one made me shed some happy tears

Hi Kathy -- dont miss this! Go to the reunion and have a blast! Let them all see how great you look! PS: And let us know how it went (with pics!!!)

My family - mom, dad and lil sis - know about the surgery coz they were the ones who suggested it for me! LOL. They literally did half the research for me, helped me choose the surgeon and were there in the hospital with me (I had to stay for 4 nights). I cant imagine doing it any other way. I would have run screaming if I didnt have them by my side the entire time. My mom is retired and she was with me in the hospital for 3 whole days and on the last day my sis came over from the office to take care of me. I have never had ANY kind of surgery before and I'm one of those people who are always fussy about going to hospitals for a check-up. So I needed them with me the entire time. We and our extended family are a tight knit group. My family lives nearly 300 miles away from the rest, but we travel like thrice or 4 times a year for family gatherings and the cousins come over for summer and christmas holidays. They have been very concerned about my health coz the only other morbidly obese person in my family is my aunt and she has a myriad health issues and they dont want me to go through all that at the age of 30. So I told them I was going to have the surgery and they were all very supportive!!! Nothing stays a secret in my office LOL... I work in a software company. My team has 50 employees and almost all know that I have had the surgery. I was shocked when a guy from another team, whom I've talked to like once or twice in office functions, came up and asked me about the surgery. I didnt know how he knew. He asked a hell lot of questions about the procedure coz his wife was contemplating having RNY. He thought I had RNY too, but I let him know about VSG. They didnt even know about VSG. He was grateful that he came to know of VSG before she had RNY. People even come and ask how much I've lost. Weight loss procedures are not very common/popular where I live and everyone is simply curious

Awesome! Congrats on your success! July 11 was my 6 month surgiversary. I've lost 70lbs till now and have 20+ pounds to lose to make my surgeons goal of 165. I think I can do it before my 1 year mark. My dream goal of 130 seems very far at this moment LOL! What is your current weight?

Be glad that you are different in this case!! TOM seems to be my worst enemy right now. I was sleeved on 11th of Jan. My TOM is mostly around 25th. I will lose fabulosly during 1st two weeks of the month, then it will slow gradually and then come to a stand still close to atleast 10 - 15 days around TOM. It is so frustrating.

I saw your pic too! Stunning transformation! You look FAB!

That is AWESOME!!! Congrats on your success! I've not been in a 'normal' weight range my entire adult life!! I hope I manage to lose enough to reach and maintain a 'normal' weight!

Butterthebean is right. Surgeons goal weights are mostly based on their patients' averages. I'm sure you will succeed his expectation and break his averages!! I did not get a goal weight from my surgeon before surgery. He watched my progress and on my 2 month post-op told that my realistic goal weight for end of 1st year would be 160 - 165lbs. I'm only 5 feet 1. So that would still mean, I have a BMI of over 32 (obese). But that does seem to be my realistic goal, coz my weight loss has slowed down quite a bit. And to reach 165, I need to lose 26 more pounds. But, at the rate that I'm losing now, I'm sure I can reach 165 by my surgiversary. When I set my ticker, I dreamt of being 130lbs - which will be the highest weight in the 'normal' range for me. So I'm hoping that, atleast by my 18th month post-op, I make 130.

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This procedure is sooo NOT the easy way out! There is no going back! Like Marie said, you need to be 100% committed to changing and maintaining this new life style. But it is your right and choice to decide if or what you want to tell others. I'm pretty open about it. I work with a large 50 member team and everyone knows I'm too lazy to do a hard workout or stick to a diet for more than a month. Now I barely eat anything and I was tired of coming up with explanations. So I just let them know and now they are my support group! BUT - you should decide what you are comfortable with. It is nobody's business but yours. All the best!

Welcome! Very excited for you! Wish you a safe surgery, speedy recovery and great weight loss!!

Awesome, friend!!! You've done a great job! You look fabulos and I love hearing about NSVs! Congrats on your success! All the best to reach goal soon!!

Me too!!! Cant imagine handling post-op madness without my cheerleading squad! LOL! But seriously, this community is a tremendous source for VSG related info and also a great source of motivation and inspiration! :wub:

Ouch! That sounds painful! Hope you feel better soon!

Looks delicious! thanks for sharing!

I agree with Tina - try some fluids with flavor, it will help. I used to sip on lemon+mint juice or iced tea the whole day during the first couple of months, coz I couldnt get enough Water in me during summer (It is always HOT AS HELL where I live!!) Also, I learned just a couple of days ago from a discussion in this forum, that coffee will dehydrate you faster. So - if you consume more caffine, try to avoid it for a while.

Awesome! Congrats!! 75 pounds in less than 4 months is an amazing achievement!

Being nervous about surgery of any kind is absolutely normal. Heck, I freak out each time the nurse brings an injection near me, so you can understand how terrified I would have been on the day of surgery. But we all know that we take this decision after so much of research and self analysis. I live in India and we dont even have a psych evaluation done separately before surgery. But I've read that most insurances in US approve only after psych analysis -- so if you have already went through that, then I know you are ready for the surgery deep down. Dont worry - you'll do great! We all will pray for your safe surgery and speedy recovery! So do you have a date yet?

You should check out the photos section of this site. I think you'll like what you see - that section is my motivation factor !