LilMissDiva Irene

Let me clarify: when I said "skinny" I didn't mean boney, gaunt looking - I simply meant smaller than your goal. No, there's really nothing wrong with striving for more of a goal than just being healthy, in my opinion. We've all had some kind of obesity related issue, so it's okay to want to look in the mirror and say "Wow! I look great!" Stay true, always.

@RJ'S/beginning ohhh I'm so looking forward to when I can get my skin taken off. I might have to stalk you for a little while, hope that doesn't bother you. I'm scared too, so I feel you on that - but I'm more scared of not doing it!

@@☠carolinagirl☠ well sexy is even better so CHEERS!

@@B-52 good point! My body fat with my pics I just posted was 18%. I still could have lost a little more weight but for my age and sex I was well within healthy limits, but I was still overweight on the BMI scale. I don't tell everyone not to use the BMI scale though because it can easily become an excuse not to reach your full potential.

@@Trever I never made it to a "normal" BMI. I still could have lost more weight and been well within healthy weight limits. I think, speaking for myself that it's almost like I couldn't imagine myself being so small, like it wasn't possible... but it very much IS.

Being skinny =/= not curvy. I was skinny and still curvy too. Don't automatically think that simply because you are a tiny size that it means you won't have femininity! It's one of those lies I always told myself as an excuse to not try. This is my heaviest before photo (the only one I have!) and I was a size 28W and shirt size 4X: This is my smallest which was an XS and those are the Size 0 jeans. I was still very curvy! Never count yourself out if you don't even know how you will turn out!

liquid diet post op? Did your surgeon supply you with a post op plan? Follow it exactly! It works for both healing and losing weight. Usually the first few days to a week are Clear liquids. You can do broths, Isopure (dilute it, your tastebuds might be sensitive) Water, ice chips, sugar free Jello... things like that. When you hit the full liquid stage you can start using Protein shakes. Do them thinned out a bit until you're used to them. Yes any flavor is fine, particularly choose bariatric Protein Shakes. They are specially formulated for our needs post op. I suggest keeping your sugars to no more than 3-5g per serving. I do no more than 8g but I am years out from surgery. Your stomach will be extremely sensitive post op, and you may experience some dumping on anything too high in sugar. It's a pretty miserable experience, so try to avoid it at all costs! From here on for life you will always want to check the Nutrition Facts on anything you eat. Good luck to you! You will do great, and the butterflies are normal and fantastic.

Hi @@ssbills as long as you follow the post op rules, you WILL lose the weight. They really do work. Keeping your sugar in check will also help keep the cravings away. Don't do it, and you will be fine. Also, check out my do's and don't in my signature line. Good luck to you!

Holy tiny Moly! Great success and may you continue down your road of health and happiness! Cheers!!

ha at the time my older daughter took that picture i was just about to Yell at them for driving me insane.. she caught me just as i turned around to scream,, i mean share loving supportive words.. Haha!!! That's so funny!

@@Sboulie just as @@nerms suggested it's okay to have a tattoo before surgery, just make sure it's at least several weeks prior. I'm having a revision surgery on July 9th and I just had one done. I wanted to make sure it was completely healed and no risk of post infection so I wouldn't affect my surgery date. I do suggest that considering placement a factor. Get it in a place that as your body shrinks or any possible skin removal surgeries in the very long future (don't automatically say you will never do it, but MANY change their minds as the years go by) won't be affected by your new art piece. Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your post!

I want to purchase one, but I'm not sure which one I should get! Lap band, sleeve or bypass! Haha!!

@@intelirish I knew I seen a lot of "understanding" in your face picture!

@@proudgrammy you are a fun, hip and very slender proud grammy. And gracias mi amiga - you're very awesome.

One more thing to remember - save ONE pair of your largest clothing. But, toss everything else. It will be a blessed day that you can fit 2 legs in one pant leg. Enjoy the ride and know that this painful moment will be wrapped around a thousand happy, joyful ones when you compare yourself from then to now.

And no argument from me on that one! I used to sip pineapple juice for that.

I'm sure there are many more surgeons who are for it or against it, but the mainstay has always been majority are against this. I've had a lap band and drinking and eating at the same time never worked for me then either. It is always an individual choice however, just as long as everyone realizes doing this practice can hurt you either physically or hurt weight loss efforts and/or maintenance when that comes about.

Have fun for all of us!

Since you can't Celebrate with big meals anymore... have you decided what you will do when you hit your final and major goal? Or if you already have had your big goal celebration, what was it? I didn't have anything in mind for a long time, and now that I have 2 surgeries to get through (My revision then a total body lift and arm lift) I really have thought about what I want to do for myself to celebrate making it. I have been fighting through some bumpy roads with my weight loss journey going on 10 years now. Since I am within several years of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I am feeling that excitement! *finally* and thank you GOD! Anyhow I have 2 things in the works. An Old Hollywood style photo-shoot and a tattoo. This outfit will be me dressed up as Marilyn Monroe. This dress will be me dressed up as Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. And this tattoo came to be out of the blue in the last few months. An amazing WLS Sister made this for me. It is a patchwork design! Just one day she tagged me in a post and said she was making me a patch and this is what she sent me. I was brought to tears to be honest, it's probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me for no other reason except to be nice. I told her in return I would use the pattern to do my Final Goal Tattoo. I never knew what I wanted to do, but this absolutely took the cake, because she made it out of what she thought about me and my journey. And of course when this happens I will be sharing it here. It will be fun!

@@2muchfun all WLS have this rule. Band, sleeve and bypass. The pouch procedures is because the water flushes the food out of the pouch much faster. The sleeve because it will liquefy the food inside the sleeve and of course water passes much faster than solid food. It's a lot like slider foods.

I caution sampling drinking while eating personally. It make me very physically sick to do it, so not everyone can sip and drink while eating without consequence. If you find that you can drink and eat at the same time then just use your better judgments and not do it all the time. It is something that can become a bad habit and will work against you once the years go by.

@@jlt6187 your whole life is going to change, forever. This journey is in no way temporary. Spicy food even causes some people acid reflux and discomfort, you may never be able to eat that ever again (you'd just have to sample it). What I'm trying to say is, you have to make the ultimate choice. What's more important? Getting your health and life back, or eating Thai foods and drinking Water with your meals. No way am I trying to sound harsh, but it's just the facts when it comes to WLS. Nothing you read about your procedure should be taken as temporary. It's for life.

@@intelirish Family therapist