Raine

Fantabulous! I love it when clothes fit again after not being able to wear them for a while. I bet you look freaking great.

I tried Riesling for the first time about a month ago and really liked it. But I'm more of a ... make that used to be more of a beer gal so I don't know that much about wines in general.

I would love to run but everytime I try, I feel like I'm going to blow out my knee. It stinks. So I try other things. Hope you succeed your next go round!

that is awesome, it makes a huge difference when you have people that support you like that.

Where to start .... Well like everyone says, it has given me my life back My Comorbidities: Pre-sleeve 20 pills a day, post sleeve 3 High Blood Preasure - Controlled with 1 pill Diabeties - zero pills and is in complete remission Cholesterol/Triglycerides - 2 pills a day I am able to work out and enjoy it rather than hate me and the classes I am able to do more things with hubby inside and outs side the bedroom I am able to wear cute clothes I am able to walk miles before getting tired The list goes on and on and on lol Over all the most important thing is I am happy.

Hahahaha That is freaking awesome. You know, I know exactly what your wife does because I do the same thing. I involuntarily reach over to hubby's side and if he is not there, I wake right up.

Happy 1 year anniversary! Diva, you are amazing inside and out, congratulations on all the successes you have had and all the ones to come. Muuuahhh!!!

That post made my day. I am so happy for you all. Congratulations.

I am 4 1/2 months out and a slow loser as well. If its coming off then thats a good thing! I have come to the realization that not everyone is going to lose at the same rate or with the same methods. What I have found that works for me to be consistant and lose at least a pound to two pounds a week (I am at the last stretch so that for me is phenominal lol) is I trick my body. On the weekends I allow myself to have a little more carbs and not to watch every little thing I put in my mouth. During the week I am strict and have a shake or bar for breakfast, a salad with protein for lunch, what ever protein and veg my hubby makes for dinner and then in the evening an Atkins snack of some sort. This seems to be working for me. I read somewhere that the body gets "used" to using up x amount of energy with what you have stored. So on the weekends it thinks that this would be the norm, and then during the week because I am limiting it again it keeps using that same energy on less calories. By the time it "knows" whats going on its the weekend again and am having more calories etc. Like I said this works for me and even though I endulge on the weekends, its still not so much that it would hinder me. Hope this helps.

Job well done! Congratulations!

Never be ashamed of self reflection and realization. You are human and as such make mistakes. Better yet, it is not a mistake, you did this and now you know! I believe that things happen for reasons ... most of the time. In the past when EVER I dieted and lost tons of weight, the minute I started getting compliments, I would sabatage my efforts and gain everything back again. I did it this time too. I tried to quit smoking, knowing that I would snack myself crazy and I did and in the that process gained back 8 lbs before I took a step back and realized what I was doing yet again. Thank goodness for my sleeve because that 8lbs could have easily been 18 or 28 in a blink of an eye. Get back on track and try to stay focused. You can do this! Oh and btw, on youtube SDMOM did the pouch test and lost something like 9lbs.

I have told my immediate group of co-workers about the surgery, and others that notice my weight loss, I tell them that I am on a high protein/low carb diet and exercising. Is it a lie by omition? Really don't care lol. Do they tell me the details of their lifes journeys? Well, yes some do and others I've no idea what goes on. Those that know me know, and those that don't and are curious, will ask how I lost the weight and that is the answer that I give. If they ask me if I had WLS, then chances are they are looking into themselves and I would tell them. But seriously, how many people would come up to you and straight out ask if you had WLS? LOL not one person in 4 1/2 months so far. As far as the going back and forth and up and down on the subject, I think if everyone just "words" their replies a little less agressive keeping with the same honesty that they intend it won't be taken too harshly. Everyone has opinions but sometimes when they are in written form, it tends to sound more like accusations etc. Alot of times the best way to reply to something like this is to state how you are dealing with it. Just my opinion, all.

Congratulations! I do it every chance I get now LOL, just cause I can!

My friend, you are looking so wonderful!! I am happy that you are recovering nicely. Even though you can't do upper body, work those legs girl LOL. Squat, lunge, squat, lunge . You will be fine, I have never met a single individual as determined as you. So happy for you!

I have to say that I am very proud of my doctor. I hear all these things where horrible complications and mishaps happened with the band and how many people were not informed that these things could possibly happen. My doctor is who did the seminar when I had to go. He went over every single complication that could possibly happen with every procedure. With the band he talked about the erosion, slippage, the fills and unfills, all of it. He did not candy coat anything with any of the procedures at all.

I too had internal bleeding and had to have two bags of blood put back in the old veins. I was in the hospital for 5 days instead of a day and 1/2. I was low on oxygen and had the beginings of pnemonia and had to be on a nebulizer for three days. All that being said, like most, I have lost the same 70-100 lbs too many times to count in my life time. I know how to eat healthy, and can do it, but this much ((())) is a healthy portion and this ((((((((((((((())))))))))))))) is not. So doesn't matter how healthy your food is if you can't help but eat way too much of it. I have not lost a lot of weight since the surgery and actually gained when I tried to quit smoking ... yet again. But what I did lose and this is the biggest reason for me doing this is 20 pills to 3 pills a day for all my different co-morbidities. My blood pressue is controlled, my diabeties is in remission, my cholesterol is almost normal and my triglycerides are under control. Would I do it again? Yes. Simply, yes. I hope I didn't scare you but the reality is that there are possibilities for complications, but do those complications out weigh the benefits in the end is what you have to ask your self and make that oh so very personal decision. Do all of your homework, all of your research, and not just about the sleeve, but of other possible solutions. You stated you have no health issues right now (thank goodness) but look at your family tree, are the issues there? Will you be another branch that contracts those issues later on in life? I am 44 and was hunky dory till I was 30, and that is when everything for me surfaced. Good luck on your decision. I wish you all the best.

That had to have you smiling ALL night long!

You can't see it but I am doing my happy dance for you!!! Ok, maybe its better that you don't see it LOL. Congratulations on GOAL!

NSV, non scale victory. Yes, these are the things that make us smile and jump and laugh and say hooorahhh! But I think they should also be reflections as well. This evening I was feeling a little antsy. So close to 9/11. As many of you know, I am from NYC. I basically grew up on Wall St. from the time I was 19 years old. Needless to say I lost a lot of people that day. I had just moved to Chicago a few months prior. When I was working in NY I worked in 1WTC92nd floor, I worked with these people that many I considered family, for 15 years. No one made it out that was in the office that morning. So, feeling antsy, I decided to take a walk, get out some nervous energy etc. I'm sure many of you have seen this before in the evening how the sun elongates your shadow, ha, even elongated, pre sleeve you could still see yourself as obese. Well, this evening I was walking and I saw my shadow and I looked normal. That in itself to me is amazing but right next to my shadow was the shadow of the two buildings behind me. It was so sureal, I tell you. I just stood there and stared and then silently cried. So where as the shadow itself is a NSV, but the overall experience was an NSV because where I would normally be jumping up and down, I was reminded of the people that accepted me just the way I was and only wanted me to be happy and healthy. So my reflection is that this journey is dedicated to them. On Sunday, @8:00 am the Fire Fighters of Charlotte are going to climb the stairs of the Duke building 2x to represent the 110 flights in the WTC. Each one will be wearing a picture of a fallen first responder. I am going to walk there to show my support to them and then walk home. About 5.5-6 miles total.

Super NSV, congratulations. hahahah I bet that must have felt good.

My doc gave me the go ahead at 4 weeks to start kickboxing. I waited until 6 weeks just to make sure because I was still a little sore here and there. Don't start to hard too fast. Modify the class to suit your needs. ENJOY!

Thank you all. I went this morning and my son walked with me. I was there to support the climbers and there to pay tribute to my friends that were lost. I was so happy my son was there to hold my hand through it all. He doesn't remember but he was 4 when this happened and he went to get his Dad and told him the TV was broken because they were even telivising it on Cartoon Network. When he saw how upset his father was he rubbed his Dads back and said "Don't worry Daddy, its ok, the Power Puff Girls will come and save the day." Out of the mouths of babes.

Coops, you know I don't have to say how much you have helped me personally in my journey so far. I am on that boat of slow losers and sometimes I get down about it and you have inspired me on many an occasion to keep going and to stay positive. So that is what I have done and will continue to do. I am 20lbs from my surgeons goal and 30 from my personal *quit smoking* goal. I don't care how long it takes for the rest to come off just as long as it does and in the mean time I'm going to stay fit and work hard. Oh and btw, girlie, I WANT TO SEE PICS OF THE DRESS!!!! Ooops did I say that too loud? Oh well, had to make sure you heard that across the pond! Congratulations on all your success!

I waited 3 weeks to the day because that is what my doc said LOL and not a day more damnit!