Queen of Crop

I'm great! Had my 50th BD yesterday and had a fabulous hammam massage....I wrote all about it on my blog today...check it out and so glad you're doing so great! www.queenofcrop.com

But I made the decision and this week is exactly a year since my surgery. Read my post this week at www.queenofcrop.com and maybe that might convince YOU to sign on the dotted line and get on with a healthier, happier new life! Queen of Crop www.queenofcrop.com www.queenofcrop.com/about

HOPE ALL GOES WELL DEB!!! AND I'M WITH YOU; THIS FORUM HAS BEEN GREAT. WE'RE THINKING OF YOU....HAVE A GREAT TRIP!

Hi Holly.....feeling better today??? QofC

Hi ladies!!! What you are going through is perfectly normal....I was sleeved exactly a year ago and the first 4-5 months the weight came off at a steady rate...I was INVINCIBLE!!! Then just when I thought I had a good system down of eating more or less the right things (I've never been really good at getting my Protein or Water in and I have a cookie every day, cream in my coffee and a glass of wine a few times a week), but I was consistently exercising and then it all stopped. I think I lost 2-4 lbs in 2 months....but I was so happy to have lost 50+ lbs I was in a good space, didn't indulge any more than the stuff above, kept exercising and enjoying it more, and then I started losing again. I reached my goal weight a couple of weeks ago and am now 139 lbs, 2 lbs below goal weight. So don't freak out, enjoy the ride and remember how far you have come. If you start to gain a lb or 2, you need to really think about how to counter act that one; do the usual things, up the protein, cut the carbs and exercise more...time goes by so fast and if you just hang in there, before you know it you will be the weight you were meant to be! BTW, just in THIS THREAD ALONE, between the 6 of us WE HAVE LOST OVER 400 LBS!!!!!!!!

Thanks!! We do have an American store here....just down the street from us; I bought Sunmaid raisins and Grape Nuts just yesterday, so will go get the hot sauce there...I've never heard of Franks so it will be new to me! Thanks Di! BTW, check out that soup blog....good stuff there. http://www.soup-a-woman.blogspot.com

I posted the TOP TEN things that were the biggest parts of my journey on today's blog; plus two passport photos taken a year apart...even if you don't read the blog, these photos say it all! I wanted to thank Alex and all the people on the VST forum who have followed my year long journey on www.queenofcrop.com; you have been an inspiration to me every step of the way! Mahalo, thank you, Dankuwel, etc....

Finding ANY hot sauce here will be a miracle! I'll put it on my wish list and hope I will find something that might work as an alternative until I get some sent over!

Calling all sleevers or potential sleevers who were sleeved or who live in Europe. I just started a group called European Sleevers. Please join in and let's talk about kilos and metric measure and any special challenges or opportunities that we have here verses the US. (We don't have to worry about costco sized packages here!). But I also think there are fewer people with weight problems here too. And, then there's the little privately owned restaurants that look at you funny if you want to split a dish and look hurt when you eat so little! Please join in if you have a European connection. Tell us where you were sleeved and where you live and little about your story. I just relocated to Amsterdam from Hawaii so I am currently in the immigration process. Happy to be here! Please do a search on the European Sleevers and join in!

I know...especially when we were in Italy (the land of the 7 course meal...). I would eat just a small portion of one course and be done and they would say "You no-a like-a?? I-a fix-a you-a somethin' else....." with a very hurt look on their face...then when we didn't order more wine, or after dinner coffee or desert they would look at us like we were from another planet.....*sigh*. So in Amsterdam, we tend to go to Chinese, or Thai or Indonesian, where you don't have to order individual plates. Switzerland is a whole other story as you know! I hate going out to eat there....

Wow to Soup-a-woman!!!! Thank you for reading my blog, but mostly thank you for YOUR Soup blog!!!! I love soup!!! And here I am in Amsterdam (via Hawaii) where it's cold and now I can have soup all winter.....I can't wait to try out your recipes, starting with Buffalo chicken Chowder....just hope I can find some of the ingredients here... Great site.....I will go back often. YUM!!! And congratulations on reaching your goal weight yesterday; 158 lbs, that is just incredible. Q of C

Hi Deb! Hope you had a wonderful BD....only a few more days until you are sleeved. Just wanted to let you know I am thinking of you and know it will all go really well....be sure to keep us all posted. Queen of Crop

Thanks everyone for the good wishes! And for those pre-surgery....good for you for coming on to this and learning as much as you can! Jillb...today is YOUR surgery!!!! So excited for you; just remember the next few weeks is going to be a very weird time...but it gets better and better every day! Let us know how you are doing..... We're just getting settled into cold, windy, rainy Amsterdam....(people think we were crazy to come here from Hawaii!! and maybe they were right!). But I hit 139 lbs today; haven't seen the 130's since high school! So I have nothing to complain about!

I have been in 7 countries in the past year and have lost 83 lbs and reached my goal weight. I posted the TOP TEN things that were the biggest parts of my journey on today's blog; plus two passport photos taken a year apart...even if you don't read the blog, these photos say it all! I wanted to thank Alex and all the people on the VST forum who have followed my year long journey on www.queenofcrop.com; you have been an inspiration to me every step of the way! Mahalo, thank you, Dankuwel, etc....

Hi Elizabeth and welcome to the forum! October 25 is the exact date I had my surgery last year so I think that's a great sign for you! Keep coming to the forum for lots of good information and if you have any questions...thank you so much for reading my blog. I think we should have a European group....I'm not sure how many of us there are. Good luck and keep us posted on when you get a date.

Same thing happens to me at night with my jammies....gotta go buy some new ones...! BTW, kylfalcon....you look fantastic! Isn't being 59 and feeling 45 the greatest??? AND OTR Sleever, congrats on getting below your son's weight...I felt the same way when I finally weighed less than my husband! Today, I hit a milestone of 139 lbs....first time since high school that I have seen that number! Life is good. It's cold outside, but I'll bundle up anyway and go out for my walk!

Hi Sannah.....not sure why it won't work....you can click on my signature below, or on my blog link under my photo, or try clicking on this QUEEN OF CROP That will take you to my About page which will then give you the option on whether or not you want to read the blog from the beginning or start recently. Thanks for asking!

Hi Sannah.....not sure why it won't work....you can click on my signature below, or on my blog link under my photo, or try clicking on this QUEEN OF CROP That will take you to my About page which will then give you the option on whether or not you want to read the blog from the beginning or start recently. Thanks for asking!

Just remember the first few weeks can be a bit surreal...I agree, the protein options are not great, but every day your options expand and things get better. I opted for yogurt drinks and stirred in some unflavored protein; that seemed to help. Then I just started putting it in oatmeal, malt-o-meal, creamy soups, anything to help me get it in; but I never got over 35 grams. Some people will tell you that you MUST; but all I'm saying is that I never made it and things have worked out just fine. Try making some Jello or jello pudding too. And be sure to walk to help the gas. Remember, you just had major surgery. Soon you will start seeing the rewards...honest!

Great post TJMom! It's been wonderful following your progress...for me, today is exactly one year that I started writing my Sunday blog on my journey which started in Amsterdam, took me to 7 countries and had me ending up back here two weeks ago! Today I posted the TOP TEN things that were the most important to me in the last year...maybe a different prospective from someone who can only belong to this thread one more year...I turn 59 next week! It's been a great group for sure....I think 50 something is the new 30 something because of our sleeves!

I have been in 7 countries in the past year and have lost 83 lbs and reached my goal weight. I posted the TOP TEN things that were the biggest parts of my journey on today's blog; plus two passport photos taken a year apart...even if you don't read the blog, these photos say it all! I wanted to thank Alex and all the people on the VST forum who have followed my year long journey on www.queenofcrop.com; you have been an inspiration to me every step of the way! Mahalo, thank you, Dankuwel, etc....

Congratulations on your weight loss! I am almost one year out and was definitely on the 3-5 day poop plan for a while and there were times that I felt nothing would come out! I started eating one small box of raisins every day and now I am fairly regular (at least every other day) and things come out text book perfect. Try that and see if it helps!

Great news buplee! Keep us posted and hope the approval process isn't too painful; I am so grateful I didn't have to go through that; I understand the need for it, but it sounds so bureaucratic and painful and long. So hang in there! QofC

AND IT HAPPENS THAT I SIGNED UP FOR THIS FORUM EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO TODAY! Thank you to everyone here for helping me through the past year......it has been the most exciting and wonderful year of my life.....I posted what was happening with me a year ago this week on my Sunday Blog.....an interesting story that I'm sure most can relate to. Mahalo nui loa to all the readers of my blog and for all the members here for your continued support and inspiration!

Mine is Oct 20; I'll be 59 but I feel 39! But hey the 60's are the new 40's; right? qofc