Shanny

I went for my (a little bit early) 6 month post op visit today. My surgeon said he's proud of me! I'm down 30 pounds since my 3 month post op visit - that's 10 pounds a month. Plus, I've lost 57% of my body weight in under 6 months. He said, typically at 1 year post op, his patients have just lost 60% so I'm well ahead of the curve. He agreed that 145 is a good weight for me, if I want to lose more he'll support that but he doesn't recommend that I try for much more than that. He also told me to get these last 20 pounds off that I want to lose to switch up my exercise regimine, keep my portions to 1/2 cup, and cut out the carbs. I know this, but damn. I'm going to win this battle over my head hunger; I just have to try harder. And he documented this rash I have under my stomach. Tummy tuck, here I come! Then I went to visit my primary doctor because I was at the hospital, and she had said she wanted to see me when I lost my first 20 pounds. Well, I haven't seen her since before my surgery. The ENTIRE office staff came out in the lobby and then my doctor, who has been on my butt for years about losing weight, cried. She actually cried, and told me that she was so proud of me and she kept hugging me. The nurses all said that they would have walked right past me because I don't look the same. Normally I don't like the attention and I blow off people's compliments, but it meant the world coming from my doctor. So, here I am, 20 pounds to go. I can do this! I love my sleeve!

No, I walk 3 times a week, for about 8-10 miles each time. I LOVE walking. It's the one exercise that I truly enjoy. I got some extra comfy running shoes, and this arm band thing for my blackberry...I put on my music and I'm off. It takes about 2.5 hours, but it's so worth it. I feel like I have all the energy in the world afterward. 10 miles takes about 3 hours, and I'm usually wiped out afterward.

Typically I eat chicken because I can't digest pork or beef. Breakfast is either Special K High Protein, with lactose free fat free milk. Snack, I LOVE apple dippers from McDonalds. lunch, 3 oz of tuna and 5 Keebler reduced fat Townhouse crackers. dinner, some sort of chicken - about 4 oz. I've been on this chicken Soulvaki kick lately. I usually try to make some sort of new chicken dish every week. Lately, I've been snacking on Weight Watchers mini fudge pops. God they're good and only 45 calories. Sometimes I eat almonds. I've been eating more stuff that I shouldn't have because I've been going out lately, and there have been cookouts. It's easier for me when I'm home and I know what I can and can't have, but when faced with a bunch of food, I have a hard time controlling myself. But, when I go out to eat I have my girlfriend take my plate away from me when I'm full, otherwise I'll keep picking at it, and that makes me sick. For exercise, I walk 8-10 miles 3 times a week. It's been hot out lately, so I haven't this week, and my body aches because I need to exercise. I do Zumba for an hour 1 day a week. Water aerobics for 1 hour one day a week. I'll be starting Body Pump next week, so we'll see how that'll work. Sometimes I use my gazelle or stepper or aerobics (Jillian Micheals) but it depends on the day. Hope that helps!

I'm 5 months post op and when I got to McDonalds I get a 4 piece McNugget, (I can only eat 3 of them) and about 10 fries (my son eats the rest), 3 apples from the apple dippers and 1/4 of the frozen lemonade. YUMMO!!! Doesn't sound like much but I'm full as a tick! I only do that when I'm splurging or like last week when we were out shopping all day. It sucks because I can't eat salad, lunch meat, fried foods, greasy food, beef or pork so most other options for eating while out are out for me (wait a minute - that's what a paid for! That's a GREAT thing and the reason I've lost 82 pounds!) I haven't tried Burger King or Wendy's. The McDonald's works. And it's cheap. I spend about $4.00 on my meal, and I don't eat 1/2 of it. Not bad at all!

I do water aerobics for an hour a week. It's a good work out, but I do it in addition to walking, weight lifting, Zumba and other things. It's good on a "cool down" day.

I exercise about 4-5 times a week (it's about 6 hours a week). I walk about 8-10 miles, Zumba, and do Water aerobics. I decided to quit all the other exercises that I don't enjoy and do what I like and what is fun, so it doesn't feel like a choir.

SN...................Starting wt................current wt.............goal...................lbs to goal Shanny..............168.6.......................165.2...................145........................20.2

about 2.5 to 3 hours. It usually depends on how fast I walk. I discovered, though, walking is the one exercise that I really enjoy. It clears my mind. Plus when I don't walk my hips hurt really bad, I normally walk to open them up. After I have a long walk, then I can do other exercises. I love it.

I'm the opposite. I notice I lose the most when I'm walking. I walk about 8-10 miles at least 3 times a week. The weight melts off, and I feel amazing. I think I get that "walker's high". When I Zumba and go dancing, I have fun, but it's only ounces I lose.

I know my numbers now. If I make this one I'll be at my final goal! SN......................Starting............................Current......................Goal............................Lbs to Goal Shanny...............168.6............................168.6........................145....................................23.6

I didn't make this challenge either. Damn 3.6 pounds...oh well, I'm still closer this time than I was last time. Ready to start the next challenge tomorrow. I'm off of vacation tomorrow so no more eating crap. Being at work puts me on a nice schedule. Still losing inches though, so it's not so bad, plus I've upped my exercise routine. Walking 8-10 miles has become a regular habit now! I still lost 22 pounds this challenge so I'm uber stoked! SN.......................Starting...................Current........................Goal........................Lbs to Goal Shanny..................191.........................168.6...........................165...........................3.6

I've tried everything. Squats, walking uphill, stepper, eliptical, butt exercises, swimming.... Everything I try just makes my butt smaller. The fat wants out - I'm trying to keep it in!

Hi everyone! I'm so glad this forum is here because I think we have some issues that other sleevers won't understand. I want to formally introduce myself. I'm Shanny, 35 from Baltimore. I started at 5'2" and 247 pounds. Now, I'm 169.4 pounds, and my goal is 145. I'm less than 30 pounds from my goal and boy is it getting harder to stay on track! Between all the cookouts and now I have 2 family reunions this summer...how long am I supposed to resist homemade barbeque? This is so hard! Most of my people don't know that I had surgery. They just think I started dieting and exercising. I told them a year ago that I had to get in shape, so to them I've been on track for a year and they can see the results. On the same token, my peoples get offended if you don't eat. The last cookout I went to I didn't eat anything. My girl's aunt was like, "What's wrong with you? You can't eat our food now?" I didn't mean to offend anyone, it's just that there was NOTHING there I could eat. I can only digest chicken , and the only kind they had was fried. I can't eat fried foods. Grease makes me throw up and breading gives me horrible indigestion. So, to make everyone happy, I got a small plate and picked off of it. I felt like crap afterward because it didn't agree with me. I dont' want to hurt anyone's feelings but I'm trying to do the right thing. Another thing that's bothering me is the fact that I'm losing my shape. My butt is GONE! It's still there, but it's so much lower. It's only round at the bottom. My hips are so much smaller, too. I have great waist definition and my boobs are still there (although I went down a cup size). I'm not liking my lower half anymore. ONe of my white friends who I hadn't seen in awhile said to me, "OMG, my butt is bigger than yours. You look great!" I had to remind her that I'm black and that's in insult. If anyone has some suggestions to get my butt back besides eating grits and mashed potatoes, I"m game. I've been doing butt exercises and I walk constantly but everything I do is just making it smaller. Of course my people, most of which are big boned, keep telling me I'm getting too skinny. Lord, it's not easy. I'm just trying to make myself happy and healthy. I wish I could tell my body where to take the fat from, but it doesn't work that way. Okay, I've talked enough. Just wanted to get that out.

I'm in! I don't know if I can lose the 3 more pounds to make my July 4th challenge. But, if I make this one, I'm at my final GOAL!!!! SN..................Starting wt.......................Current wt..........................Goal.......................lbs to Goal Shanny.............????..............................????....................................145..........................???

SN.........................start.....................current....................goal......................lbs to goal Shanny................191........................168.6......................165.....................3.6