Webchickadee

Wow! You look AMAZING! We're just 1 week apart on surgery dates, so we've been walking the same journey and you've been a great inspiration Lisa. Congratulations on your fantastic success. Your before/after pics are going to inspire a whole new "generation" of people to make this brave choice and discover the amazing life that is waiting for them!

According to the OP's profile, it looks like it's way past decision time. OP had their surgery on May 16! I would have thought the time to ask people their opinions about the Fobi would have been BEFORE surgery, not a couple of days after it's a done deal! I agree with you completely lizv123 that having a foreign body, slippage, etc. did not appeal to me at all. I researched a lot about the lapband before choosing VSG (and also about RNY). I decided no foreign bodies, no rerouting of intestines. I wanted to decrease my appetite and my capacity but leave everything else intact. Yes, I'm seeing an increase in my appetite now (1 yr post-op), and my weight loss has slowed down considerably (3-5 lbs per month now). But I've already achieved the shedding of 75% of my excess weight, (down 138 lbs) and I know with continued vigilance, and effort that I will achieve 100% of my goal and maintain. I've increased my exercise from 0 days activity/week to 5-6 days of activity/week and I'm loving it. Walking, softball, cycling, swimming and in the near future, running! Any day when I don't exercise in some form, I don't feel nearly as energetic, physically and emotionally relaxed, or have such a sense of accomplishment. And I can eat more (without a band) because I'm working it off. I feel healthier than I ever have in my life. I'm 100% natural. All me. No artificial additives, preservatives or devices. Life is good!

I'm in the same (but much shorter) boat! I'm 5'4", 182 lbs and 43 years old and I've never done a pull-up or chin-up either. And have always wanted to! I'm still 46 lbs from goal, so realistically, I may get to goal around the same time I get to a pull-up (could be 10 months from now.....). I'm willing to put in the time/sweat/tears to do it. I completely lack upper body strength. That really has come home to roost since I started playing softball in May. Wow, I cannot throw very far or even slightly hard without it hurting and showing up big-time the next day! If I can't throw a ball, what makes me think I can ever pull up 180+ lbs in a pull-up? I DO! Hard work. I'm ready. Some advice on where to start and how to build it up without tearing myself down too much at first please..........

The past year has FLOWN by very quickly, and here I am, ready to post some surgiversary pics and stats. It seems amazing how quickly the time (and pounds) have flown by. I won't say it hasn't had some moments of difficulty, frustration and struggle. They have been FAR outweighed (HA!) by fun, excitement, joy, a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that THIS is my new, healthy life. Getting the VSG was the best decision of my life. I would do it again 1000x. I've attached some pictures of me pre-op (with my surgeon, Dr. Ramos Kelly!) and a few days post-op (in Mexico). And some more pictures of me now (loving life, sports and still a work in progress). And finally, a shot of my measurement changes to date (-86.25 inches!) in a year. Just another 47 lbs to goal......... And........I'm completely off my asthma meds (used to be 3 puffers and 2 oral meds), even when I'm exercising HARD. A miracle.....since I've been using asthma meds continuously since age 12 (now 43). I can't tell you what a difference it is to be able to breath, all the time!

Cycling with the extra leg skin seems to be okay, if, as you say, I wear compression clothing. My legs are still quite big and cycling shorts don't come down far enough on my thighs (they cut in about 3 inches above the knee and it looks like hell and hurts!). So I wear "knickers" that are kind of like cycling capri pants, or sometimes even cycling leggings (full length to the ankle). Of course that gets pretty hot now that the weather is warmer. I find having the tight fit on my legs keeps things "in place" and prevents rubbing/chafing. Of course having a chamois in the seat is still super important and so if I had to wear just the shorts I would put up with the "looks" to prevent injury and pain. Mostly I'm just out there flying by people and not worrying how I look. It's about keep up my speed, my cadence and making my cardio and legs "work 'til it hurts"!

Congratulations on making the decision to take back your life! If you're as lucky as I have been, you will feel blessed beyond belief that this choice was available to you and that you had the courage to take the plunge! I was Dr. Kelly's patient almost exactly a year ago (May 14, 2012). I just emailed him today with my before/current pics and to thank him for his skill, his support and for helping me be such a success. I am LOVING my life now! He emailed me back within an hour with his congratulations! I'm still 46 lbs from goal, but I already know that I can do it, no matter how long it takes. I'm doing all the activities I'd given up for the past 25 years (softball, cycling, walking, training for 1/2 marathan walk this fall on my 44th birthday). I am going to start running (never done that in my life!), and I am not afraid of anything now! No more asthma meds (3 puffers and 2 oral meds before surgery). I shop in regular clothing stores now (size 14, used to be a 28!). I expect I will get down to a 10 and possibly lower. I do play with my 5 nieces and 1 nephew anytime they want, at any game they want. I can zipline (done, this past January), I'll be rollerblading this summer, horseback riding, ice skating this winter, rock wall climbing, playing volleyball, doing an "amazing race" type event in August here in Toronto, walking in a 5K event next weekend. The list just goes on and on. This is my 1 year post-op post on VST (from last Monday): http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/79794-1-year-post-op-with-pics/ You can do this! Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

I posted this a few weeks ago. It was well received and might give you a new way to look at the "pre-op diet". http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/78443-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/#entry801691 Keep up the good works guys. You've got this!

I definitely want to try this. I find I have a BM roughly every 4 days (and my weight gradually climbs during those 4 days). Sometimes if I don't get a BM naturally, I "help it along" with a Dulcolax tablet, but that tends to be pretty harsh and causes a major "release". Not much to my liking. Though my weight always drops back down to what I consider my "true" weight. I'd love to get rid of the Dulcolax requirement. This shake just might do it. Thanks for sharing!

And he is married to superwoman! Way to go! Keep up the fantastic work. I'm sure he's really proud of you (and you should be too!)

So many questions before I can really answer........ Are you pre-op, post-op or still researching and not on any specific diet yet? Why do you have those near you / in the house? Is it for someone else, or do you buy them for yourself (as a "treat")? Where is the guilt coming from? If you are post-op, the carbs and/or bread-like consistency may cause discomfort, so it's more of a safety/healing issue. Try to avoid bread/pasta/rice carbs while you are early on in your healing as they tend to swell up in your tiny, raw little stomach! Having food/snacks that are temping "at hand" can be dangerous. In a moment of weakness (and we all have them, believe me!), your best defence against straying from your food plan is to make it hard to get the "illicit" items into your mouth. Don't have them anywhere nearby! Not in your house, your car, your office. If you are really craving something, you will have to get up, leave the house and go buy it. By the time you are starting to do that, you've given yourself enough "cushion" to rethink the whole thing and hopefully stop! Of course this gets much more difficult if you have other family or household members who eat those items on a regular basis. Then you must ask them to try to keep those things "out of sight" while you develop your good habits and learn to "say no", especially in your mind, where we can all find justifications why it's okay to have "just one". Now about the guilt. Are you feeling bad because you're seeing a doctor/surgeon/nutritionist who has told you what items are NOT ALLOWED? Are you feeling guilty because you know that by sneaking in "just one or two" you're still breaking the diet and really just cheating YOURSELF (not the doc, not the NUT, just you)? Do you feel guilty because it feels like you just don't have the self-control you wish you had? I say you DO have the self-control! That's why you're on here asking for feedback. We're going to give you TOUGH LOVE if you want it. Don't snack! You can't afford it! Your healthy self needs good quality foods that are not "sliders", that are nutritious and give you energy and help your metabolism be optimal. Breads, chips, Cookies and other such Snacks TASTE GREAT. But good health, a reasonable weight for your height, good cardiovascular conditioning and muscle mass are all SO MUCH BETTER! You can do this. Stop setting yourself for failure and set yourself up for success instead! We're here to help motivate, gently chastise and get you on track. If you want snacks for those cravings, get snack bags premade and put them in the fridge, or in the cupboards or take them to work/school, etc. with you. Then you can eat healthy, within your diet and still satisfy the cravings when they hit. Be prepared and you will succeed. And if you do fall off the wagon, OWN IT. You messed up. It happens. Then get right back on the wagon and build those good habits until they come naturally to you. I know it was just 1-2 pieces of pretzel. I don't' want you to think I'm over-reacting here. It's not about how much. It's about why you're doing it and how you can give yourself the tools to do better and feel better about yourself and your journey!

Posted this a few days ago on my 1 yr surgiversary.......... _________________________________________________________ The past year has FLOWN by very quickly, and here I am, ready to post some surgiversary pics and stats. It seems amazing how quickly the time (and pounds) have flown by. I won't say it hasn't had some moments of difficulty, frustration and struggle. They have been FAR outweighed (HA!) by fun, excitement, joy, a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that THIS is my new, healthy life. Getting the VSG was the best decision of my life. I would do it again 1000x. I've attached some pictures of me pre-op (with my surgeon, Dr. Ramos Kelly!) and a few days post-op (in Mexico). And some more pictures of me now (loving life, sports and still a work in progress). And finally, a shot of my measurement changes to date (-86.25 inches!) in a year. Just another 47 lbs to goal......... And........I'm completely off my asthma meds (used to be 3 puffers and 2 oral meds), even when I'm exercising HARD. A miracle.....since I've been using asthma meds continuously since age 12 (now 43). I can't tell you what a difference it is to be able to breath, all the time!

Wow. Really? Wow. I am utterly speechless (very rare, believe me). Firstly, who do they think they are? What gives them the right to even SPEAK to the gentleman about this weight? Secondly, that man is SETTING an example for his kids. He's shown them that the responsible thing to do is take control of your own health. He's showing them that as an adult, you must contribute to your own positive future and make informed adult decisions about how to adjust a lifestyle to increase your longevity, enjoyment and be less of a burden on society (with less future health-care drain, disability and dependency on your family and relatives due to poor health, etc.). He should be commended for his brave choice (as should YOU, msslechix) in meeting this challenge head-on and using all available resources to succeed. Do smokers who want to quit get berated for using nicotine gum or the patch when they try to quit? Do alcoholics get berated for joining AA or another 12-step program? Do drug addicts get belittled and denigrated for going in to detox and rehab? For some reason I still don't understand, it is still socially acceptable for overweight people to be everyone's punching bag. If we gain weight we're considered lazy, gluttonous and stupid. If we lose weight, some people are just waiting to pounce on us the minute we gain an ounce. back, and silently rubbing their hands in glee (see, I knew they couldn't keep it off). And heaven help us if we use weight loss surgery such as the VSG to lose weight (and are brave enough to admit it). Now we've "cheated". We've taken the "easy" way out and don't deserve to be happy; to be healthy; to feel normal and accepted. Never mind the fact that many VSG patients spend countless hours exercising, counting Protein and carbs and calories (all the things a "regular" dieter does). Somehow, the surgery did ALL THE WORK. Msslechix, you are having this surgery for you. People will make comments. Don't let it get to you. Some will support you (stay close to them, you need the support!). Those that are belittling you and making you feel bad could be doing it for many reasons, not the least of which may be jealousy. Whatever the reason, just remember. This surgery and this journey are YOURS. Don't let anyone take that away from you. I am just a few days away from 1 year post-op. I have been fortunate to have had a lot of support. There have been a few people along the way who were judgmental, and I've withheld the "truth" from some because I didn't think they would appreciate just how hard this decision and this process have been. It is CERTAINLY not "the easy way out". But I could not be happier. I'm down 136 lbs and I have another 48 lbs to go until goal weight. I am playing sports I gave up 25 years ago. I can breathe without asthma meds (even when exercising hard) whereas before surgery I had 3 puffers and 2 oral meds. I have significantly reduced my risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, joint replacement, and arthritis. I'm 43 years old and I feel like a teenager again. Life is exciting and a world of possibilities have opened up to me that I thought were gone forever. I would do this again 1000x. Msslechix. This is YOUR journey. Enjoy it, and let the others be damned.

It depends on how thorough the testing is. Generally you are sitting in a chair with a tube in front of your mouth that has a mouthpiece on it. They give you some noseplugs (that clip onto your nose from above, like a clothes pin). Then you place your mouth on the mouthpiece (kind of like a snorkel) and breath in and out. Then make you take a deep breath in (as much as you can), then blow out as hard and fast as you can until you're empty, then breathe all the way in again. You repeat this a number of times (at least 3). They may also do a few other tests, one of which puts you in a clear "box" (just big enough for you to fit sitting upright) and you do some similar breathing into a mouthpiece while you're in the box. They could also ask you to "pant" into the snorkel while in this box, where they put a "shutter" down in the snorkel so you can't move air in or out. It's only for a few seconds (and feels strange), but it's quick and you usually only do that 1 or 2 times very briefly). They will ask you your weight (they may weight you to be exact and accurate), because expected results are based on height/weight age and sex. They then compare your results against the "expected" results to determine what your lung function is. They also use this to determine if you have any lung disease (genetic, or environmental), if you have asthma (there is additional testing if they think you have asthma), etc.

I've heard about 6 weeks as an average number in other online discussions. My surgeon didn't say much on this subject (though I didn't actually ask him, so not his fault!). I did shower the day after surgery, so clearly getting Water into the wound was not an issue for me. That being said, it's not nearly the same as getting into a public pool with chlorine and other chemicals! I guess it also depends on how quickly you heal; whether you have drains post-op (which can take a bit longer to fully close), etc. I'm going to guess that 6-8 weeks is a reasonable time frame, with the possibility of it being sooner!

Hmmmm, I wish I could say no, but for me, the hunger pangs are back with a vengeance! I am 1 yr post-op though (in a few days!). I found I started eating more and having more hunger between meals about 2-3 months ago. I have significantly increased my exercise, so I know that is also playing a role

If you need to do a pre-op liquid diet, it will be VERY real to you then.........believe me! Just in case you are required to do so (many people are....), you may want to read this post I put up last week. It seemed to help some newbies/pre-op patients. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/78443-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/

Have you been tracking what you're eating? And I mean every bite, every sip? You may be eating more calories than you think. Until you know what you are consuming, you can't say you've tried everything and followed the plan to a "t". Try logging a few typical days of your food/drink intake on MyFitnessPal and then complete an honest assessment of how closely that follows your post-op plan. Pita chips and fruit are all carb so I see why you are vomiting it back up (guilt and punishment for going off-track?). VOMITING is what you should call it. Purging makes it sound nice and sanitary, and something possibly beneficial, even! NOT!!! You are on the road to a possibly fatal self-inflicted illness that can be treated and controlled if you address it now. Don't let it take over your life. You did this surgery to GAIN control of your eating and health. I know you can do it! There must be support available to you through community resources, social support networks or other avenues where you are not on the hook for hundreds of $/hr for counselling. You have to FIND those resources. Enable yourself. You obviously want to, or you would not have gone to the trouble of creating a new account to post this cry for help. YOU have the power to help yourself, you're just looking for "a hand up". We can give you the motivation to change and seek that help, but only YOU can follow through with the steps. Use the web to research where you can find the help in your area. There is support out there to help you succeed.

Hi guys. I see a lot of you are struggling and worried pre-op about the pre-op diet. It is a HUGE challenge, but for me, it was an important one. I was on a 2 week liquid pre-op diet because my BMI was 55+ and I was self-pay in Mexico. Traveling from Canada meant that a reschedule would be A LOT of extra expense if my surgeon had to stop due to an enlarged liver mid-surgery. I had NO CHOICE but to follow the diet. It also meant that cheating would increase the chance of complications and a longer recovery (or worse), all because I could not follow a 2 WEEK diet. Really? Here I was, about to take a seriously radical, life-changing step and get 85% of my stomach cut out permanently. But I can't follow a 2 week diet? That's crazy. Post-op was going to be difficult for MONTHS, not days. So if I couldn't get my head in the game for the pre-op diet, then maybe I wasn't ready for what was going to follow post-op. I was terrified! So I started the liquid diet. And I was STARVING. I was dreaming of all the foods I thought were leaving my life forever. Suddenly I didn't care that I had spent my life morbidly obese, I wanted my comfort back. I wanted to fill myself to bursting at every meal, like it was my last meal forever. But I didn't break my diet. Because for once, I wasn't going to cheat myself. It was time to grow up (I'm 43....) and take responsibility for my health, my future and my choices. A lifetime of justification, gluttony and excuses brought me to that operating room. Now it was time to face the music and get on with owing my future. The first 3 days were HELL. That is when your body is detoxing from the carbs. You are using up the glycogen in your liver (to help "shrink" it) and it's screaming for replacement carbs to fill it back up. You can get through it. After 3 days it gets MUCH better. After a week you start to feel normal and more healthy than you have felt in years. You may be hungry, but you don't have the carb cravings anymore. Most importantly, you feel IN CONTROL; and mentally and emotionally strong for battling your demons and winning. This is the first tangible proof in an unsure future that you CAN get through the post-op recovery and that you CAN succeed in losing the weight this time, FOR LIFE. Whatever weight you lose during your pre-op diet is really inconsequential. What is important is what you gain: - Confidence - Emotional and physical self-control - The desire to succeed and overcome "impossible" obstacles - The knowledge that you are a WINNER as long as you do your best Please don't look at the pre-op diet as a "condition" that your surgeon imposes on you (and some surgeons don't require it!). It is an OPPORTUNITY for you to test yourself, to help build your will, character and emotional toughness BEFORE you have the surgery. It's like training for a marathon.....you put the blood sweat and tears in before the race to help you finish the race on game day. Without training and preparation, you will likely fail and you can get hurt really badly along the way! Use your pre-op diet to work through your demons, build up your confidence and prove to yourself you can do it. If you "fall of the wagon" one day, the next day is a fresh start. Aim for excellence. You owe it to yourself.

Great! Enjoy this phase as it will be more challenging as you expand your "allowed" foods and your intake increases. You will be craving more variety in the future and the carbs will entice you! But they can be "good" complex carbs that help your energy levels (sounds like you're feeling pretty fine now though!) once you're doing more active workouts, etc. All the good habits you're developing now around choices, timing and avoidance of non-nutritious or carb-dense foods will serve you well in the long run and especially when you start facing some of the stalls and "slow" periods that are yet to come. Keep up the great attitude........can you DO this!

I booked with him directly through his assistant at the time, Omar (1 yr ago in May 2012). I believe he has a new person working for him now, thought I don't know their name. The last contact info I have for Dr. Kelly is: Dr. Jaime Ramos Kelly Work: 619-793-4869 Cell: 619-395-5347 Home: 619-955-6771 Work email: info@wlsclinic.com (Assistant's name was Omar, but he has someone new now) Personal email: drramoskelly@wlsclinic.com I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Kelly. He was extremely professional, careful to find out everything about my past history and health concerns, explained the full procedure and was very supportive post-op (both while I was in hospital in Tijuana; later in the hotel; and finally when I was back home). His price was reasonable at $5000 US (I paid an extra $500 US due to have a very high BMI of 55+, for a total of $5500 US) and I did not have to pay a deposit. I simply brought a certified cheque (make sure you spell his name accurately!) and gave it to his assistant when I was checked into the hospital. This included being picked up at San Diego airport, transportation to the hospital, surgery, post-surgery stay in hospital (2 days), leak test (in another hospital), 2 nights stay in a great hotel, post-op meds and care (dressing changes, etc.). I got a copy of my medical reports (to show my primary care physican back home), a copy of my swallow test film (and probably could have got a copy of the surgical video, if I had asked, which I did not, but wish I had!). If you want more firsthand info about my experience, Private Message (PM) me, and I'd be happy to tell you more.

Fantastic suggestions! There are no "wrong" answers, btw. Everyone has a technique and idea that works for them. I'm just trying to find new ideas! More fluids is definitely something I have to do.......I never was that good at getting in the min. 64 oz daily. I dont' know why, because I used to LOVE drinking water. Now I find I don't like it plain, but both my husband and I are super-stocked with about 15 different varieties of Mio (and Mio-like products). So why don't I drink more? I guess I don't think about it enough during the day. Then I try to get it all in at night, which makes me get up multiple times during the night to pee. Fail! So I must resolve to drink more earlier in the day and make an active goal of getting AT LEAST 64 oz in (which is probably 40% more than I'm drinking now). You are absolutely right about losing more water (especially since it's starting to warm up) with exercise. I will heed your wise words. As to protein, I was really trying to get off the Protein drinks and get my protein in from source foods. But as you mention, that is probably upping my calories and I'm probably mixing in carbs with that technique, whereas with a protein drink (not Protein Bars, which I've been doing alot of lately (even though they are low carb)....), I'm getting protein and fluids in. I think I'm going to finally try the Syntrax nectar. It's very costly and rare up here in Canada, but I found a place that sells the big containers ($55!), so I'll take the plunge and try one. Who knows, maybe it is exactly what I need right now! Thanks OneWritersSoul! Every tip/technique I add to my arsenal is one step forward! I'll be sure to check back in and let you know how I'm doing!

Thanks for the tips Lynda! Yes, I weigh my food at home (not easy to do when you're out of the house!"). In terms of restaurants, I do my best to look up nutrition information before I visit, so I make good informed choices and I can refer to the nutrition info when I log. I'm using MyFitnessPal for food logging and I log everything (the good, the bad and the ugly!). I probably have a pretty good handle on the calories and other actuals in terms of what's going into my mouth. But no one's perfect and there is always room for improvement! I think you're right, I'm going to consider reducing my calories. I thought my extra exercise would offset and keep me at about the same intake level (~1000 calories "net") as I was eating during my earlier post-op days (around 6-8 months post-op) and still lose weight (at about 10-12 lbs/ month). No such luck! I'll wait to see what other ideas my fellow VSTers have and I'll incorporate "the best of everything" into my plan going forward! Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Sigh. I have been really struggling with this for the last 2 months. Coincidently, I have been somewhat stalled for those past 2 months as well. Since early March I've lost a total of 7 lbs, mostly in a "jump" of 3-4 lbs in a week. Then stalled and up/down like a roller-coaster, even when keeping my intake is fairly steady. In March I was stalled 23 of 31 days, and in April I've been stalled 26 of 30 days. I would be TOTALLY fine with this if I wasn't still 50 lbs from my goal weight (I've lost about 135 lbs in 11.5 months). Now I'm concerned that with increasing hunger, I may not be able to make it to goal weight! I've really amped up my exercise (bought a road bike and now riding 3x per week, walk 5K daily, joined a softball team that plays 2x per week), so I was conscious of that contributing to my hunger and increased calorie requirements. But even though I "eat" my calories (as so many learned VST members advise), I am still stalled and concerned that I will not be able to drop the last "50". And the HUNGER makes it hard for me to keep up the exercise without eating! I'm watching carbs and trying to choose wisely (with occasional slips, just like any human being). I aim for less than 70 g carbs a day, but lately I'm probably closer to 90. I'm 5"4" (185 lbs right now, with a goal of 135 lbs) and eating about 1350 calories a day (that's including my exercise calories, of about 300-400 per day, so my "net" intake is around 1000 calories daily). Am I just being too impatient? Should I keep up the same routine and see if the stalls ease up in a month or two? Should I do a "boot camp" reset on carbs? Do I need to drop my calories? I am psychologically blocked regarding increasing calories! I hope no one suggests it! But if the science makes sense, I will do it. ;~ Or do I just "reset my thinking" and realize that as you said, CowgirlJane, I'm going to have to be hungry to get (and stay) skinny (or at least reach and stay at my goal weight, which is NOT skinny, but healthy).

Hi Selene, Those of us who have been on VST for a while (I'm about a 1 yr veteran) see this type of post a lot! I'm going to repost a mix of many different responses I've given to this type of question. Hopefully you'll find some of it useful! Here goes........... This is a VERY common time for your body to stop and take stock of what's happening. You've had major surgery and are in active healing mode (and will be for several months more to come!). Generally speaking, the body is constantly adjusting to it's environment and reevaluating what it needs to do biochemically to adapt. So if you're losing weight in "patches" (as most of us do), it's because your body is reacting to fewer calories, changing food amount/type intake, hormonal shifts, exercise (or lack of), etc. You are not a static human being that is identical all the time, so your body needs time to "catch up" to the current situation. By the time it does, you've moved on and are introducing whole new set of variables. If you look at my signature line below, you'll see my weight loss record and how many pounds I lost each month (and still losing). It starts out quick and then slows down. Many stalls along the way (had my worst one yet last month......about 4 weeks stalled!). In March I lost 3.7 lbs over the entire month and I was happy because it did actually move down! As long as you stick to your plan consistency will get you to your goals. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Use this time to build up your new good habits, work through frustrations with a balanced approach and try not to be reactive to the scale. I know it's exciting to finally see the weight drop off, and you want to be at goal NOW! But we didn't get up there fast, and we're not going to lose it overnight either. I'm more than 11 months post-op. I have about 50 lbs left to lose and I suspect it will take at least another 6-8 months to lose those last 50 lbs. I'm okay with that! After about 6 months you will be adapting to major lifestyle modifications regarding your food intake type and of course quantities (and probably have incorporated significant exercise into your lifestyle as well). Your physiology and metabolism needs time to adjust. Measure your progress in other ways (fitness level, clothing fit, body measurements, stamina, quality of sleep or energy levels, etc.). The scale can be deceptive and demotivating at the best of times. So keep your eyes on the prize, stick to your plan and don't let stalls stop you. You just keep on "keeping on". The stall does break (believe me). You just have to not give up! Your overall trend will be down and if you can find a way to measure body fat, it is a much more accurate picture of what is happening. I recently purchased a body fat analyzer which will help me know better what is going on with my weight loss (I want my muscle % to stay or increase!). It's not a sprint..........though it's hard not to be excited for this major change and want it NOW! It's a marathon and we'll get there as long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, stay informed and actively aware of what we're putting into our bodies, how we're burning off calories and what we need to do to achieve our weight loss and fitness goals. You can do this! Take body measurements, and if you MUST weigh yourself daily (I get it....), then remember to take the ups and downs with grace and stay on your eating and exercise plan, regardless of what the stupid scale says (good or bad!).

Absolutely gorgeous! You must be LOVING your new skinny self! You're an inspiration........and so darn close to your goal. You can do it! Now that you're rockin' your new body, remember the past year and how far you've come. That amazing 11 months of transformation is something you can continue to draw on for support if those last 20 lbs are being difficult. And the feelings of success, control over your own life and health and self-confidence are something you get to draw on for the rest of your life! Congratulations! You are a BIG loser. Which makes you a BIG winner in my eyes.