kmwheel

Oh my goodness, what an amazing loss! You look incredible.

Woo hoo, that is awesome! You look so happy.

I was really trying to hit a 50 lb. goal by my 3 month mark, but I made it 4 days later! It's been an awesome experience for me, and I will never regret taking charge of my health. I was on a pretty heavy dose of medication for my blood pressure (80/25 Micardis HCT), and now I'm just taking one 25 mg HCTZ (Water pill) a day and keeping my blood pressure well under control. I have started water aerobics 3 times a week (fun, fun, fun!!), and I really find myself getting out there more and more...making new friends and enjoying life.

I had one guy's dad (who came with him for "support") tell me that I didn't belong there and that I could just lose the weight myself. Don't worry about it, you have to do for you. I was most definitely qualified to be there, and it was the best decision I could have made for myself. I know it's easy to say something like...I know I'm overweight, but he/she is REALLY overweight, but the truth is, we're all there for a reason. Some of us have just had our epiphany and are coming to it a little sooner than others. I knew I wasn't losing...I knew I didn't want to end up on a scooter, or diabetic, or having knees and hips replaced. I looked at my parents and looked at myself and made the decision to save my life.

You are definitely not alone. It's just in the past couple of days that I realized I'm really going to have to work for the next goal. Oh gosh, don't worry about the swimsuit. We have all sizes and ages at our group. Our instructor is a retiree (I swear she was a drill sergeant). Any water activity is so good for you because there's zero impact but you really can get a workout. I have abs now...something I never thought possible. I can do pull ups in the pool and put my arms on the side and bring my legs up together right in front of me (like a dead lift). I couldn't do it when I started, but I feel like I'm getting stronger all the time. When I first started, I wore my regular swimsuit, which was a 20w skirted old-lady number (it was bad). That thing started falling off, and now I'm wearing regular misses 14 fitness suits (they have conservative cuts and higher necks so all of your bits and pieces don't fall out while you're rolling around hee hee). I will say, though, that I'm a substitute teacher now, so I have the ability to schedule around my exercise, and I'm so lucky in that. I know how it feels to come home after work and just want to relax a little. I really appreciate the people who get up very early to exercise, but I'm just not one who can. I don't usually get to bed until after 11, mostly midnight, so 6:00 am is the earliest I'll get up to get myself and the kids ready to go to school. Oh...one of the other things I did was get one of those little pedal bike things that goes on the floor, and I use that whenever I'm watching tv or a movie with my husband. Anything you can do to keep moving...

I am three months out and came to the same realization as you in the past couple of days. My intake volume is still lower, but I can eat ANYTHING, and I realized that I still have to make those better choices for myself. I do Water aerobics 3 times a week, and I go every single time (even if I don't feel like it), because I know if I skip just one time, I'll be back on the couch forever. I've realized I need to keep good Protein at the ready, because it's so easy to just grab anything out of the fridge when you know it's time to eat. I also know that if I do my water the way I'm supposed to, I don't feel hungry. I have to admit, the first three months were pretty easy on me, but I know this is my job now, and I'm not stopping here. Now that the water aerobics is routine and easy for me, I know I need to add in more. I'm starting with handweights (got some cool adjustable ones for cheap at Big Lots) on my off days, and I do have an elliptical and a treadmill (although I hate them passionately lol). My scale finally moved again this morning, and that has been the biggest motivation of all for me. I know this isn't over yet!

I grabbed a sample at the mall food court the other day and my walking companion asked, "What's that?" I said, "Lunch!" I love Sam's Club, too, and my husband thinks I'm a pretty cheap date. I even had one of the sample servers try to give me seconds and I had to tell her I couldn't eat that much!

Very exciting!! Congratulations.

My surgery date was 9/14 and I'm at 48 lost, so I don't think you're slow. The bigger question is...how do you feel? I feel like I've lost almost my entire 9-year-old daughter (I think she weighs 55 or something). Then I think about how I'd feel if I had to pick her up and carry her around all day...no way, man!! Sometimes I look at myself and say...meh, I don't see the difference. But then I'll put on something that I haven't worn in a while (I had a cute beaded suit dress) and it was tight before and now I'm swimming in it. I think it just takes our heads a while to wrap around the whole thing. Remember, everybody loses differently. Some people have stalls...I haven't really had one yet, but I've had slow and steady loss. Enjoy how far you've come and look forward to the next milestone!

Wow! The thing I notice most is that I can really see your eyes now, and you are so pretty! I am getting a new camera for Christmas and can't wait to post my before/after. Congratulations on the loss!

Woah, no I won't be going...I'm still paying off my surgery trip. We just did our first cosplay event in Michigan last summer and it was so fun. My kids were Chell and a companion cube!

I am very pear-y, or as my husband lovingly calls me, his "Coke bottle" wife. I have lost a little bit in the bust...and I kind of figured that would happen, but I've also lost in the arms, butt, thighs, and legs. I can see a big difference in the legs now. I really attribute that to Water aerobics three times a week. Exercise can really help tighten things up. I think I look more proportioned overall now. I know that after three kids, my stretched out belly is going to be the last to go. One thing that happened to me after I lost about 40 lbs...I was finally able to fit into Victoria's Secret bras. They have an Angels one that's push up and gives you two cup sizes. Wow, does that ever make me confident. It makes me feel like I'm standing taller and prouder when I wear it. In my case, I wasn't so much worried about what my body would look like post WLS as how things would be medically. I have been on high doses of blood pressure medication since I was 20, and now the only thing I'm still taking is a water pill. I'll continue looking like an Easter egg on stilts for that!

It will come back...I promise. I'm sure a lot of other people will tell you the same thing. I am a little past two months out and I love to eat, I love food...I just am finally able to listen to my body and know when to stop. I don't really have an "appetite" per se, but food doesn't feel like a chore anymore. I had about 2 oz. of turkey, a tablespoon of mashed potatoes with gravy, and a little sweet potato at Thanksgiving (that is my favorite meal ever), and I think I enjoyed myself WAY MORE than I ever did when I ate until it hurt. You might find that you like different things now. I used to be really into sweets, not so much now...but a handful of almonds puts me in heaven. Give yourself some time. I know this sounds cliche, but it really is baby steps...and those milestones will come faster than you think.

Started my first project post-op. It's just a little scarf with some Paton's sequin lace for my mom's friend. It's a crochet stitch called angel stitch, and it's pretty fun so far. I'm glad to be back doing something with my hands.

Cute cute cute!

I am 5' 4", highest weight was 232. Surgery weight was 221, and I weighed 223 after the leak test (swelling). I wore 18/20 before, XXL at old navy and target...and now I realize how tight things were. I'm 2 months out now and 189. Just fit into non-stretch levis size 14, size 14 Target jeans (stretch), and a large Old Navy top. The Levis are tight, but wearable. I wear a large or xl top, depending on the top. I also just bought my first Victoria's Secret bra...so amazing. I always wore the Lane Bryant bras, and these are very comparable quality-wise, so if anyone is needing to move down from Lane Bryant...check them out. They only had up to 38D in the store and it actually fit WELL!! YAY!! I still have a muffin top and belly, but legs and butt are slimming down considerably. I have a very short torso and long legs (31 or 32" inseam...basically look like a head with legs), so I think clothes look weird on me. The thing I like the most right now is the Bally's yoga pants from Sam's Club. They tend to fit me for longer than anything else. I am doing Water aerobics, and I've gone from a 20w skirted swimsuit (old lady lookin' thing) to size 14 regular ol' athletic swimsuits.

Beautiful!!

16 to 10 is huge! Wow!! I totally agree on the indulgences. If it works for you, don't worry about it. Are you going to visit your family in Germany? I would miss them so much, but what a great experience for the kids. My husband is Army, but he's full-time for the National Guard, so we don't really have to move like that. Sometimes I think I would like to...I'd love the chance to live overseas for a while. My mom's got rheumatoid, so we are going to their house so I can cook Thanksgiving dinner. I can't wait to eat my tiny bit of turkey and mashed taters and gravy. I love that I'm not hungry now, but it is hard to get all of those calories in!

I love Lynda's schedule. Try taking half of what you think will work, wait a little bit, and then try a little more. I know exactly that feeling, though...when you go one bite too far. I'm 2 months out and I can do about 1/2 cup of food, but it might take me the better part of an hour...or sometimes I split it up into two meals. Don't feel bad if you're not getting your cues yet...it took me quite a while. For instance, about 6 weeks out, I made a turkey burger (no bun or anything, just the patty)...boy was it great. About halfway through, I was like...woah, nelly!! So I put it away and ate the other half later. Now I just start from 1/2 and go from there. Another thing....some days I can do what I think of as a "full portion", other days there will be no way. Our sleeves can be a little finicky!

Congratulations to everyone!!

Don't what-if yourself too much about the whole thing. I did that, too, and gave myself a lot of anxiety. Whenever I do that, things always turn out better than expected. If this doctor won't support you, definitely seek out another one who'll be willing to handle your follow-up care. I didn't even tell my PCM because she was moving anyway, so I never saw her. I didn't bother seeing the new one before I went for surgery. I had already had all of my labs and psych eval done here (by the surgeon) in the states when my insurance denied me, so I knew that I qualified. I just went in for a 6 week follow-up with my new PCM and she couldn't have been nicer about the whole thing. There was no guilt or judgement handed out, the entire office was thrilled for me and told me what a good job I was doing. She said she's seen people after RNY who would lose weight too fast and get really sick. She did some labs and told me she'd let me know if there was anything wrong or if I needed to supplement Iron, etc. I did take in my entire bag of meds that I take (prescription and non-prescription) so they could make sure I was on the right track. I go back in a month for a blood pressure check to see if I can lower my meds again.

I definitely think so, I always wake up thirsty. Do you keep something by your bed to drink? It's so hard to get all of your water in early on.

So excited and happy for you. You are so right that it's a tool and we have to work it! So glad to hear that some of your family and friends are coming around now that they see how successful you've been. One of my goals is to come off my blood pressure meds, and my dr. wants to do it slowly, but she said I should be ALL DONE by 6 months out. She's been very supportive, and I really appreciate my cheering section at their office! It really is an adventure, isn't it? Keep up that positive attitude.

I haven't done anything post-surgery. It takes me so long to get all of my protein in, etc. But...I have to start something soon. I have a giant pile of yarn glaring at me. I finished and blocked a pretty shawl out of sock yarn right before surgery.