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So gorgeous! Congratulations!

If you are 2 weeks late and still not positive, the chances are you are not pregnant (not saying it isn't possible, my friend never got a positive test until she was 3 or 4 months!). I struggled with very irregular cycles when I went off the pill and started trying to get pregnant. I would have a month or 2 of normal cycles, and then I would have a cycle that lasted 50 days. I even went over 70 days one time. So just because you had a few regular cycles in a row doesn't make it so (sorry). Are you actively trying to get pregnant? They do usually suggest a year before trying, but I have seen women get pregnant and have healthy pregnancies earlier out. I do not know if you are interested in herbal remedies, but one thing that I found that help regulate my cycles is chasteberry or also called vitex. It is well known for helping PMS and irregular cycles. I used and it worked great and had no problems conceiving my second child. Good Luck!

Not gonna lie, it will be tough, but keep your eye on the prize. You have done so well, you are so close. Think to yourself, is it really worth it this time. You will be able to go out again, and even have a drink, but you can get through it this one time. Especially alcohol so close to surgery. Alcohol thins the blood. I remember when I got my tattoo, they would not work on me if I had been drinking because you will bleed way too much! Keep that in mind. The best thing to do is leave if it is getting too hard. If your friends know, they will understand, especially if you leave before everyone else has had a little too much! If not, use not feeling good or something like that. You can do it. You obviously have a lot of will power and determination!

Every NSV counts! And if I am reading your ticker right, you have lost 103lbs in 5.5 months! That is incredible!! Congratulations!

I agree with Happy. It has not been easy losing my boobage! It is part of what makes some of us fell womanly. I thought I was going to get away lucky because I still had a fair sized chest until the last 15 lbs...then it felt like every pound I was losing was coming off my chest and rib cage. I have also nursed 2 babies, so they are just a hopeless cause now. I now wear a 32/34 D or DD depending on the bra, but it is kinda of roll them up and tuck them in. I am saving to have work done, but if I had to choose between a breast lift/augmentation and a tummy tuck, I would pick the TT. That being said, I wouldn't trade being thin and healthy for having bigger boobs. I wear good bras that having some padding, so no one can tell, and my husband has no complaints!

You said it yourself, and I will reiterate, please, please, please do not compare yourself to others. It will only end up making you frustrated and depressed if you are not losing as fast. Just to shine some light on the subject, a lot of people do not lose anything the first week, or even gain. Why? From all the Fluid they pump into you during surgery and all the swelling. It takes time for your body to get rid of all that. I didn't lose anything after my first week, in fact, I had gained 10lbs right after surgery, and when I got home 6 days later, I was still a pound heavier. I didn't start losing until into my second week. I was also a slow loser. It took me 18 months to reach my goal. But I got there and have been maintaining for the last 3 or so months. Everyone is different and everyone's weight lose is different. If you do what you need to do, which it sounds like you are, it will come.

This looks good!

I had posted before in a separate topic, but will post here too! I love seeing other pictures and find them inspirational, so I will post mine too!

First of all, let me say that I know that popcorn is a slider food and has carbs. I know that you should not be eating it early out because the hulls could get stuck in your suture. I am almost 2 years post op and I love popcorn and eat it in moderation. I have found a way (with some research and experimenting) to make a sweet and salty popcorn with no added fat or sugar. It is the paper bag in the microwave method. It is not glazed like kettle corn, but it still tastes yummy! Warning though, lots of the popcorn seeds do not pop, so I put a little extra in. 1/4 cup popcorn kernels (I use white popcorn) 1 tsp of Torani Syrup (I use vanilla, and I have tried brown sugar cinnamon as well...you could try anything!) 1-2 tsp splenda (experiment to find your sweetness likes) salt to taste (I like more salty than sweet, so I use a bit. I ground up my salt to make it super fine more like popcorn salt from a suggestion on another website...sticks to the popcorn a little better, but it is up to you) cinnamon or other spices optional Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Dump into brown paper bag. Fold the top over a couple of times and crease it well so the bag doesn't open. Lie the bag on its side in the microwave. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes and watch carefully, it burns quickly. Once the popping has slowed, turn it off. Mine take just over 2 minutes, you will have to experiment to find what works with your microwave. Dump in a bowl and enjoy!

OK, so I have seen commercials lately for mayo and it is all about a BLT. I love BLT's, but rarely eat them. I eat a lot of lettuce wraps, and decided, hey, wouldn't that make a great BLT. So I got a piece of iceberg lettuce, diced some tomatoes, spread a little low cal miracle whip on the lettuce and added 4 slices of bacon, and, TA-DA a BLT. All the taste without the bread. I cook my bacon in the oven on racks so the fat drips off and then drain on paper towel. One slice of bacon has 42 calories, 3 g of fat and 3 g a Protein. PS, I am 20 months post op, not for the newly sleeved and not something to eat everyday, but boy oh boy, did it hit the spot!

Stalls are normal. Just revisit what you are eating, is there anything you would change?? Also realize that after 6 months, weight loss also tends to slow down, but it is not the end! I didn't reach my goal until 18 months out, so you will still continue to lose!

I only know one person that had lots of problems, not quite the same, but maybe a similar situation. She couldn't keep anything down and got full really fast. She ended up going for an endoscopy and her sleeve had been made too tight at the bottom. They used the scope to actually stretch it out a bit, and she didn't have anymore problems. Maybe yours is too tight at the top and food is having trouble getting through?? I am no expert, so just a thought.

Technically, you are not eating a lot, most of it is liquids. It does seem like more than a lot of people can get in at only 7 days post op, but I would not be too worried. I think some people swell a lot more than others. Wait until you are eating more solid foods and see what your restriction is then. You should really not be able to be able to eat more than about 2 oz of dense protein in the beginning (of course this is a little more the further out you get, I can probably eat about 4 oz). The only concern I have that someone else said is eating soft foods already. I know my plan was not soft foods until week 3. But I do know that everyone's guidelines are different.

Thank you for posting this. Many people do not talk about some of the struggles you can have after losing weight. Me, for example, I have really struggled to realize that I am not big anymore. So many times, if I see someone looking at me, I feel that they are judging me still, looking at my flabby arms or thinking that "she shouldn't be wearing that". I am not as shy as I used to be either, but I too find it difficult. I still feel sometimes like the biggest one in the group, or that people won't want to be friends with me. Our bodies might lose the weight, but our brains don't lose the baggage. I really don't have great advice. The only thing is to say that congratulations on embracing your new life and making an effort to put yourself out of your comfort zone. It takes a lot of courage to try new things! Like the old saying goes, "fake it until you make it". Just keep going and it will get easier! And congratulations on your weight loss too!

Very normal. It takes months for the swelling to completely go down. My facilitator said usually the amount you can eat at 6 months post op is about what you will be able to eat normally. For me, I would say a little further out, but not much. I am almost 2 years post op and still have pretty good restriction in the amount I can eat.

My mom has MS, so I can partially understand your situation with that. She also cannot be in the heat and gets tired very easily. I have never exercised regularly since I have been sleeved. I am active with my 2 young children, housework, and yard work, but I have never went to the gym and I have never made a point of doing regular aerobic exercise. It may have taken me a little longer to reach my goal (18 months), but I reached it, and dropped below it. I have been very careful with what I eat and have made significant changes to my eating habits. So to answer your question, yes, it can be done without exercise. If you can be active in some way, I encourage you to do that as it does help you feel better not just physically, but emotionally as well. Best of luck with your surgery!

I didn't start losing until into my second week after surgery and I gained around 10lbs from the fluid. Don't let it get you down, it is normal and the weight will start coming off.

I think most of us have strayed of course, I know I have...and I still do! I love my sleeve because it is so easy to get back on track.

I don't believe that certain foods should be off limits either, but the key is moderation. So if you love creamy pasta, only have it if you go out, and only once in a while (if you eat out often). And my trick (well, not really a trick, just common sense)...do not keep it in the house. Like I said earlier, I love chips and would probably take a spoon to the bag (I don't care about the grease and chemicals!). And you never know, you might not like it or it might not agree with you. For almost a year after my surgery, pasta made me feel like I was going to throw up, even just a bite or 2. Now I can eat it, but in very small quantities.

I know it can be disappointing, but be proud of yourself for getting back on track. I do find it much easier to get back on track with the sleeve, and imagine before, that 14lbs may have easily been 30lbs. Sometimes it helps people to go back to the pre-op diet or follow the 5-day pouch diet to get back in the mode (just google the 5-day pouch test and you will find information). In my eyes, the biggest hurdle so many of us have to overcome is the shame and the guilt around food and mistakes. OK, you went off plan, but now you are back at it. When we continue to shame and guilt ourselves it just begins a vicious cycle of binging, guilt, eating more, more guilt. Good luck with your plan, you can do it!

I am not sure how far out you are, but after surgery, it is really difficult to get them down. I remember it taking me all morning to get one down, and that was usually just 8oz. It will come, so try not to worry too much right now, you can work on getting all your Protein in when you have healed a little more. In the beginning it is just as if not more important just to get your fluids in and stay hydrated. Are you mixing your shakes with milk?? It is common to become lactose intolerant after surgery which might be the reason for the gas and bloating feeling. Try mixing with Water or another type of "milk" (almond, soy) and see if that helps. Also, are you drinking with a straw?? Apparently drinking with a straw you can swallow more air. I never had problems, but I did read in my post-op guideline not to.

Well, I am not really sure about grapes. I am assuming raisins because they are really high in sugars. That's the best I got! I am almost 2 years post op and eat grapes no problem. I have never checked the nutritional info on them, but I don't care if they have carbs or not.

The people that say "I eat whatever I want, just in smaller portions" are going to be the people that struggle to maintain. Yes, the sleeve limits proportions, but you have to adopt healthy eating habits to make it stick. Like the first response, you can't expect to eat all the same junk and lose the weight and keep it off. As for eating anything, I am almost 2 years post op, and I can eat anything. Do I?? Nope. Not saying that I NEVER have ice cream, chocolate, or [insert treat/unhealthy for here], but I eat it occasionally and in moderation. And I know my trigger foods and I do not keep them in my house. I have never counted anything, have never went low carb, and have never followed a restrictive diet. I changed my eating habits, eat a lot more veggies, stick to high protein meals, cut out the white stuff, and still basically follow post-op guidelines. So far I have been maintaining fairly easily on a diet that I can live with for a lifetime. Like others have said, the sleeve is not a magic cure, just like a bypass is not a magic cure. It is a chance to do better with lives, a second chance at a healthy, normal existence.

I am almost 2 years post op... Water - I still don't drink with my meals, or afterward. 2 reasons, it can make you sick and throw up early out. Also, like someone else mentioned, it liquifies your food, helping it pass through your stomach quicker (Like a clog in a sink...yucky bug good visual!). It has become a habit for me. I will have the occasional sip during or after, but I do not keep a glass of water beside my plate. I will just sip my husbands. So a sip is not so bad, but don't make a habit out of drinking a lot. Alcohol - being only 6 weeks out, I am not sure I would suggest it. Your tummy is still healing. But you are probably going to do what you want anyway, so my advice. Drink very slowly, no drinks that use pop, and remember, we process alcohol A LOT faster than before. You will feel it way faster and be more intoxicated on fewer drinks, so be careful. salad - Raw veggies are difficult to digest like someone else said. Right now you need to focus on your new tummy healing the best that it can. With veggies, your stomach will have to work harder, and you don't want to risk something happening. It does not mean never. I eat salad and raw veggies all the time. Good luck on your journey.

Wow, you are my new hero! If that was me, I would probably take a spoon and start digging in! That or just start licking them out of the bag...really, I am not biased, I don't care if they are mixed up. And that is why, my friends, chips are never in my house!