Queen of Crop

THanks Swampdoggie! If you get back to Amsterdam, let me know. I love this city! And thanks for buying my book....happy reading!!!!

If you ever want to reinvent yourself, move to Holland! I live here (and it's magical) but you would fit right in....the Dutch are the tallest people in the world! So I wear a lot of high heels....(thank you sleeve for allowing me to wear them again!!!).

WOW!!! 35 lbs in 5 weeks....so exciting for you....I am 3.5 years out, have been (and stayed at goal) for 2.5 years. I am living a dream life....and you will too! BTW, do you have your settings set so you can see signatures? If not, change them, other wise you will miss some good information. Cheers and keep coming back here, it is a wonderful forum. And enjoy my book...since we were about the same age you can see how your progress is compared to mine....but sadly I am only 5'3!

Hi bestisyettocom8....My book is called Queen of Crop and you can find it by going to my site www.queenofcrop.com Wow, did you just have surgery? I was 58 when I had mine! Keep us posted on your progress!

@@Queen of Crop, I just finished your book and loved it. I would definitely recommend it to folks who are considering surgery. May I ask you a big favor? If you have time, would you be so kind to post a review on Amazon for me? I would so appreciate that! And thank you for buying my book.

Thank you Inner Surfer Girl! That really means so much to me!

LainieG; YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION!!! She (and you!) will have many more celebrations to share....and they will be more fulfilling because you will feel so much better and be so much healthier....and the memories you make and the photos you take will be so much more fun to look back on....good decision!

Hi Mooseknuckle....this is very normal....happens to all of us. Just keep doing all the things you are doing and the weight will come off. And once you heal from your knee operation, it will just get better. And 33 lbs in 3 weeks is awesome! When was the last time that happened? That means you have lost 34 lbs in a month! The weight of a small child.....your body is going through a lot of changes, it just needs to time to adjust!

Good luck laguerr13! Very excited for you and yes, your life will improve so much....I too was hobbling around on bad knees, feet, hip. Now at 3.5 years out and 61 years old I feel like I am 35...in fact, just walked in the door from a 30 mile bike ride...easy!

WOW, thanks for sharing the photos...I am now back on board! Maybe this winter....very happy for you....YAY to all of us!

You will look different! You will feel different! But you will still be the same person, just healthier, happier and you will be free from diets and how food controls your life so you can concentrate on living! A friend of mine just picked up my book yesterday at my house and said she could barely see that I was the same person...I take that as a compliment because I know I had let myself go. I had surgery at 58, almost 4 years ago and have NEVER looked back! Good luck to wascott and Lisciasjourney...you are in for a very fun year!

OK ladies...so the FIRST step is what you are doing RIGHT here! You are not in denial any more (and let's face it, we were all there pre-surgery). You are owning up to the fact that you are not perfect...none of us are! But you are also facing the hard fact that you are going down a rabbit hole and came here to find some inspiration. I am 3 years + post op and I have gained back as much as 7 lbs (am now back at goal) but like you, FREAKED out! When I was 223 lbs, the thought of weighing 160 something was thrilling....now, if I get in the 140's I feel completely out of control. SO, this is a good thing for us! If you have recognized that you are self-medicating with food, then of course you need to address all those issues, comfort, boredom, depression. Everyone is different so you need to find the right answer for you: support groups, therapy, reading books or blogs from others, forcing yourself to meet other people socially (meetup.com is my all time favorite....this is where you FIND YOUR PEOPLE!!!). Once you start living a more full life you will be more motivated to get and keep the weight off. And I will say the 5 Day Pouch Test does help you get back on track. Hey, try it for 2 or 3 days if you don't think you can do 5. Or do the 5:2. I have said it before, I will say it again. Even normal weight people (and we are one of them now) gain weight and pull it together before it's too late.....YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! It's summer....get out and move!

Many thanks for the overwhelming support to have this done...in any case, if I do, it will be winter so I won't feel I am missing any outdoor fun. I used to remodel and redecorate homes, which as you know is a nightmare when it is happening, but the after is so great...now we are remodeling our bodies and it's the same story!!!

So so so happy for all of you and to read such a great positive post....I was worried as I was reading it that you were going to cry because it was bad! So I was THRILLED to read they were tears of joy!!!! I actually cancelled my plastics that I was going to have in April because of some posts from people who were having so many problems with it and because the recovery time was so long and I didn't want to waste my spring and summer recovering and wearing a garment for 6 months. My pouch isn't horrible but it's there! I am 61 and wondering how important it is (although my sex life is pretty active so it's not like I'm not ever naked....just trying to decide if I can live with dark candle lit rooms the rest of my life...). Anyway, so happy to hear all these positive posts...maybe I'll reconsider for the winter ( I did have a boob life and cannot imagine my life with my old yucky boobs)....then there are my bat wing arms, sagging butt and upper legs....where will it ever end???? But like all of you, I'm a lot more happy with my body now that I was a few years ago!

Hi ladies...still thinking about this...but I'm wondering two things....at 61, am I too old to reap the benefits (my saggy skin isn't horrible but I still hate it) and how long did you have to wear the compression garments?

WOW!!!!! HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!! ALMOST A YEAR AFTER YOU STARTED THIS THREAD.....AND BOY DID IT TAKE OFF! SO HAPPY FOR YOU. Very very excited you will soon be joining the "CLUB"!!!!! :) :) :)

I agree it is a lifetime project, but I would also like to point out that for many normal weight people it is also a life time project....people who have NEVER had weight problems also gain weight, they notice it, they cut back, they get to the gym, they pay attention to how their clothes fit, they take care of that 2 or 3 or 5 lb weight gain that happens when you live your life! They may not have had to lose 50-100 or more lbs like we all did, but the fact is, WE DID and we are right there with them now because this surgery gave us that opportunity. So now, with the support of everyone here, we can say, OK then....I'm up a few lbs and I have lots of choices of how to get rid of those (5:2, th3 5 Day Pouch Test, more exercise, cutting out eating at night for a week or so, fill in the blank for the right choice for YOU. And remind yourself that what ever you decide to do, it isn't for a full month, or a full year, that finally this is NOT overwhelming and at least for me, before this surgery, whatever the diet choice of the month was, I just knew I would fail....now I know I won't!!!! I also have old habits creep in, so you know what? I indulge them, but in small amounts and I also do the 5:2. And when I'm not perfect on the 5:2, I at least always have two days a week that are NO WINE/NO COOKIE days...(because those are my two downfalls). And at 3.5 years post of and 61 years old, I am at goal and I feel great. Just say NO to pity parties because we have all come way too far and we are closer to our healthier selves than we are to our old selves....

As I go into my 4th year of the sleeve I have recognized an evolution of my sleeve. Year One is weird, surreal, tiring, I didn't like food much, wondered if I would ever be able to drink coffee and wine again, as well as rice, Pasta, bread, etc. But it was also SO exciting....like WOOHOO!!!!!! Look at me!!!!! I'm losing so much weight. And the compliments were fast and furious. So it was these two ends of a continuum; one not so great the other thrilling! Shopping and sex was so much fun again! It was a true honeymoon! Year 2 was also great and although I was at the top end of my goal, I thought for sure I would drop 5-10 more lbs that year because I was moving so much more! I had a whole new wardrobe and I never felt deprived or that I was on a diet. But I never lost any more weight. Year 3 has been humbling. Still at the top end of my goal but nothing is coming off. In all fairness I won't say I am struggling to stay here, I eat what I want including wine and Cookies almost every day, but I am still around the 1000-1200 calorie mark each day. And when I have tried to cut back and lose, the scale is not budging. I am writing my blog again and coming back here daily for inspiration and support. And, I feel fat at 139 lbs!!! So what's up with that???? How are the rest of you veterans doing?

Welcome to the club Navymom1!!! I was self-pay too....and I turned 58 3 days before my surgery, 3.5 years ago....you are in for a fabulous year!!!! Good for you!

LAINIEG!!!!!! SO SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!! Finally, it's starting to happen for you.

HAH!!! The biggest myth of all....that we could do this with a diet....in my world, not a chance! And the second myth....that we are too old....I am 61, sleeved at 58 and am in the happiest years of my life that would never have happened without this.....Rock on ladies!

Hi Mary Jane! I was 58 when I had mine done....I am 61 now and I am living the happiest years of my life! No need to have regrets, just look forward! You will do fine!

BEAUTIFULLY SAID VSGANN.....THIS SHOULD BE FRAMED. IT'S PERFECT.

Hi Bethel....at the risk of sounding like I doing a self promotion, please consider reading my book. I was 58 when I had it done and it changed my life. I am now 61 and happier than I have ever been in my life ever. I am also 5'3". You can do this. And in my humble opinion, you should!

Hi Lisa....you are here! That is a great first step! You can get so much support and inspiration and encouragement here, so good for you for coming back in. I am three plus years out and I come back here almost every day (although I don't post as much) but it keeps me humble and helps me remember where I was and where I don't want to be again! I think you have been through so much that it is time to stop beating yourself up and be proud of the strength you have shown to put one foot in front of the other. I recently did the 5 day pouch test and yes it was hard because like you, I feel I have ZERO willpower, and although I wasn't squeaky clean about it, at the end of the 5 days, I felt so fabulous, emotionally and with a weight loss AND with restriction again. I think the idea of therapy or joining a meetup group to help you get out is a great idea and focus on your new future. Let us know what we can do to help. But as I said, just coming back here is a good first step.