LouiseC

I can't even imagine it being that cold! It only gets down to the low forties (between 5 and 10 Celsius) here in winter but even then I have really felt the winters since I lost the excess insulation!

Yay! Lots of Scottish peoples! I am also from Scotland but we emigrated to New Zealand. I consider myself a Scottish Kiwi. Wish I had been there for Hogmanay.....all this sunshine and beach BBQ is getting boring.... Happy Hogmanay to you!

There isn't doubt that I have changed since my surgery. Some people may tell you I have changed for the worse. Others, myself included, will say I have changed for the better. I am certainly more confident, and I have become less tolerant of being treated poorly. I have had to readjust some friendships and relationships along they way as I realised how some were not that good for me. Those people may well say that my WLS changed me for the worse. I know that I am now more authentic, honest and true to myself. It is hard to measure our own behaviour by other people's expectations. All we can do is be honest with ourselves. As for the alcohol, we are all different. I drink alcohol, I regularly have a glass of wine with dinner. I occasionally over indulge (the last two weeks have been particularly over indulgent!) but I do not see any difference with tolerating alcohol post sleeve. Certainly this was the case when I first had a drink about eight weeks after surgery but over time this normalised and it is no different for me now. I just factor it in like any other calorie that I have to burn. I know there are all sorts of stories about cross addiction with food to alcohol post WLS. Certainly there is some evidence to indicate a risk for individuals with addictive type personality ,family history of addiction and so on. Remember of course that the plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'. There are definitely stories, trends, and indications but little in the way of double blind randomized controlled trials on addiction transfer post bariatric surgery. I do not consider I had a food addiction prior to WLS. If you consider you do, then it may well be wise to avoid alcohol post surgery. Only you will know what is right for you here as only you will truly be able identify whether you have addiction.

We were the same starting weight :-) how tall are you? I am about 5'8". I have lost 132 pounds. My surgery was in May 2012. As this New Year dawns, I am currently focussing on learning to maintain and not really focussing on losing much more. At this stage, I am happy with where I am and know that when I have plastics for skin I will lose a bit more. I am still losing, but it is only about a pound a month. I lost the bulk of the weight in the four months after surgery and then for the remainder of year one my weight loss was steady and constant though no where near the numbers in the first four months. Year two has seen much slower losses but that is to be expected.

We eat out a lot. We tend to go for places that do tapas style dining with small sharing plates so it is rarely a problem for me. So we for Spanish tapas, Japanese Izakaya, Chinese Yum Cha and so on. If we go out for Indian,Thai, Korean etc is usually always family style so only ordering one main is never an issue there. Italian is a bit harder, as while family dining may be normal, eating small isn't! In these situations I just explain I have a very small appetite. We have a couple of local cafe places where the staff and owners know I have had the surgery. One in particular that we often weekend brunch at is very accommodating and they will make me a half portion of anything on the menu. If we are going out for a special occasion then we do chose fine dining places which, of course,are known for small portions. I have done a degustation five course meal with matched wines in the past month! I did not finish every plate but my husband and friends were happy to help! Otherwise, in fine dining places I will go for an amuse bouche as an appetiser, an appetiser for my main (entree), and have gone for dessert too! Petit fours work well. For more 'regular' restaurants I order what I want. Usually from the soup or appetiser menu. I find the kids menus to be revolting and unappetising so rarely even look at them. If I order off the main menu then I will eat what I can and if my hubby doesn't scoff the leftovers, and it is something that will survive going home with me then I take it home. However as I travel a lot for work this isn't always an option so I have learnt to be okay with waking away from an unfinished meal. Something else I have found is that the more local the business, the better the individual service for special needs diners. If you chose a restaurant that is a chain style restaurant, then the menus are set by some corporate office somewhere and the staff are limited in their ability to change these. I avoid all chain style restaurants.

It's a beautiful summers day here today!

I wouldn't add the OJ because of the sugars, I would figure I was getting enough empty calories from the bubbles! But you need to do what works for you. Incidentally, I still can't tolerate anything carbonated other than sparkling water or wine. I have not had soda at all in over twenty months, the closest I get to soda is an occasional vodka or gin and tonic. I have tried beer and cider but both are too bubbly for me, filling me up with gas after a few mouthfuls. But I never have that problem with champagne, methode traditionelle, tonic water or sparkling mineral water. I think the difference is whether the carbonation is added or occurs naturally as part of the fermentation process. Where it is added, it is too much for me.

This is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I just read it out to my husband even. I am now going to stop reassuring people that I have saggy ugly stretched out skin. F*@k 'em!

I drink bubbles occasionally with no issues. I do agree though that it can be quite acidic so I recommend going for top quality and dry. Think champagne rather than methode traditionelle. Of course,t his is dependant on how far out you are. I am twenty months post OP and had the all clear for alcohol at 6 weeks post OP. It was six months post OP before I had champagne. So your own plan needs to be taken into account here.

That was such a lovely post! I am glad you enjoyed your time here and agree on the speed limit, though our roads are not the best and our road toll is shockingly high. I have been to Texas (Houston) and absolutely loved my time there though it is so very different to home. I love the lush products, though I discovered them in London!

This is going to sound strange, but is think I had 'phantom fat' post pregnancy 23 years ago. I thought I was super obese, when I. Look back at photos now I am stunned at how small I was as that is not how I remember myself. I then think I grew to become the image I had of myself in my head. I remain very cautious about this phenomenon occurring again and not seeing myself as I really am now. I think that could explain my obsession with selfies! I use them to keep an idea of how I look accurate and relevant. I don't want that phantom fat back! I did say it was going to be strange.......

Thanks for explaining, I was scratching my head. It is pretty much all we get here as most (almost all) beef here are grass fed, as are sheep. I have always considered it (NZ beef and lamb) to be a superior product as a consequence and certainly notice the difference when I eat beef in other countries where grass fed isn't the norm. We only buy free range chicken, pork, fish and eggs though caged or barn raised or intensively farmed equivalents are available and cheaper. My family wouldn't eat anything that wasn't free range!

I found this challenging to read because I have recently realised how I am turning into the food police with my husband. He hasn't had WLS and doesn't need to though he is overweight. I criticise his choices, I tell him he is eating too fast, I find myself looking at his belly and imagining what he would look like with it gone. I have talked him into diets and the gym though I failed at attempts to get him logging on MFP. For all long time after surgery I was worried about him gaining weight because he would eat my left overs, now I actively police so he doesn't touch them most of the time and I am left feeling quite selfish as a consequence. I am not proud of this and I have to say that even as I am typing I am wanting to delete. But your post has made me realise I need to cut it out! I don't want to be to him what you are describing you husband is being to you. I don't want to project my own issues with food onto the person I love so very much. I do say that it is about my concern for his health but actually I don't know if that is being completely honest once I reflect on it. I think it is more about my own issues with food. That, and wanting him to join me on the journey I am on. But I don't really have a right to do that, do I? After all, this is the man who loved me when I was morbidly obese. This is the man who told me just yesterday, when I was complaining about my saggy skin, that he loves me regardless of what package I come in. This is the man who still saw me as beautiful at a time in my life when the mirror repulsed me. I don't know why I am sharing all this here, your post just prompted it! I hope that what your husband is doing here is similar to what I am doing and more about his own issues with food than yours. I have to go reflect now!

I hadn't heard the term either but it could definitely describe my relationship with food now. Clean, fresh and good quality. If I am going to have treats, and I do have treats, then they are going to be good quality! I am confused though, what's wrong with grass fed beef? I only get grass fed and have not ever been aware of issues or concerns.........

I am not hungry. Every so often I get signs that I am hungry but it is infrequent. I am one of the lucky ones post sleeve as my hunger has not returned.

Sometimes the people who love you simply don't see it. They see you, not your weight. This is not to say everyone who loves you doesn't see it, just that some special people just don't. I am happy your grandma is one of them. I read this as she sees you, her grandchild, for all your positives and strengths.

The blogger is clearly one screwed up and hate filled individual. How ever this thread has delivered some great links to studies I was unaware of on the long term impacts of the sleeve. So thanks! In other news, I am twenty months post OP and recently started regular BM again. Out of the blue and totally welcomed. Every day. After Breakfast. Seriously. EVERY DAY. I have to stop myself taking photos. So happy.

This was me also. I am now very focused on looking after myself inside and out! A few months ago I started IPL treatment for problem facial hair and the boost in confidence this has given me has been incredible. I don't know why I didn't do that years ago! I also take better care of clothes. If something gets a pull, a tear, or a stubborn mark then it is gone. Not that I was a slob before, I just didn't pay that much attention.

I have always loved people watching. Now I have to be careful because if I am not can go all judgemental when I look at what others are eating or buying. I am not proud of this and I think it is a reflection of having to be so strict on myself to change my own habits and choices that I spot poor choices in others so quickly. Of course I keep my mouth shut, and I try not to look, but it is really an eye opener into how easy it is to make really poor choices. Sometimes it is like looking at my old self. I used to get a lot of encouragement and support from other obese and overweight people and they would want to ask a lot of questions about the surgery until I got smaller than them and now they don't mention it and neither do I. I figure that if they want to make the choice they will come and talk to me about it but until then I don't want to be the regular sized woman telling the big ones what to do. Funny how life changes. I remember all too well what it was like having slim people make comments they thought were helpful (and indeed I am certain their intention was to be helpful) but I used to feel like shit as a consequence. I don't want to be that person.

If there is something that gives you great pleasure, feels like a reward, and is good for you then I say do that thing as much as your pocketbook allows! There is so much that is not good for us that we could be spending our money on.

I know my husband is bored with my weight loss and sleeve! I have certainly had times over the past twenty months where I have bored myself with it, or where someone has wanted to talk about it and I just couldn't care less in that moment. But overall I have now incorporated it into who I am. I can talk about my kids, my hubby, my work, my yoga, our garden, our wine collection, my gym, our boat, and my sleeve with equal enthusiasm. It is a part of me and a part of how I live my life. That said, the focus is no longer on weight loss for me. I am not expecting to lose much more weight until I have plastics for the excess skin. So for me, the focus is now very much on living my life. Thinking back, at the times when I got bored with it all, all I t took was a big drop on the scales to get me all excited again! So maybe when you get a big drop it will all kick off for you again? I have really enjoyed reading your posts here. You don't ever strike me as someone who is going to be boring :-)

I started at 135.5 kgs and I am 174cm. I also have had no issues and her follow up care is fantastic. I have also realise a female bariatric surgeon is a rarity, for me it was a bonus.

I was also sleeved by Stephanie Ulmer (isn't she amazing!) in May 2012. I have lost just shy of 60 kilos and am now less than3 kilos from goal. Life is good :-)

Looking in the mirror :-D It is crazy and almost embarrassing at how obsessed I have become with checking myself out. Mirrors can't be walked past, shop windows evoke a quick glance, even the iPhone provides an instant 'selfie' so I can keep in check. Oh the shame! Lol. Not really, I think it is a healthy part of the journey for me.

Congratulations, on both your weightless and your graduation! You look so beautiful, happy, and confident.