Swimmer

I found future tripping about food was rough. I travel all over the world and if I got in my head all the food I thought I'd be missing it gets rough. Now I make my plan just for today and I know I can stick to my food plan just these next 24 hours and it worked. Before I knew it days turned into weeks and weeks into years and I never focused beyond my plan just for today. Mentally the stresses went away and I enjoyed what I could eat. I have always had a lot of restriction and I still do though. I think I have a very small sleeve, but it works for me. Cheers. Enjoy the journey, it's worth it!

Refried beans, soups and string cheese. At seven years out string cheese is still my go to food and cheddar baby bells. Good luck.

I had that frustrated feeling on and off for the first year post op, it felt like I would never enjoy food again and I was mad. It passed and I was just saying to my husband the other day how amazing it feels to be satisfied and to learn to have enjoyment from just a bite or two. The head games for me took the longest to deal with. I promise it gets better, but man I feel you. Until it happens for you it sucks. Hang in there. Best wishes on your journey!

Hang in there, you are doing great. It's the head hunger and getting used to eating so differently that I struggled with the longest. I had a hard time with water and found the tropical punch protein waters and that was life changing as I didn't want shakes at that point. Get your rest and get ready for a wonderful year where everyday you will likely have a little nsv if you look for it. I'm excited for you! Cheers.

It will happen. Fluids mess you up. They give you lots in the hospital and hopefully you are drinking plenty. You will lose, don't stress. I felt like I would be the only one to fail after surgery. It's early, take care of yourself and relax. You have an amazing journey ahead cheers.

Nsv Buy jeans of the rack and they always fit Not being able to buy pants at Costco because I was too big and now because I'm too small Walk around a crowded room without stress Got scuba certified and was actually the smallest there, blew my mind as this is a dream come true. I'm going on a diving excursion by myself and not stressed, boom. I went zip lining in Costa Rica I actually will eat in front of others, huge for me I'm not worried about being judged for my grocery cart I no longer wish to be or feel invisible I tuck my shirts in I love getting dressed up and going to events I can talk with anybody and be present and not focused on negative thoughts I can enjoy social settings again I can swim for hours at a time again I am not afraid of failing anymore because of my weight I am more aware of others needs and am more able to help them. When somebody drops something I quickly pick it up for them. I saved ten bucks on flannel pj pants because instead of the adult xxl I used to wear I fit into a youth size I say yes to adventures now I have the courage to say no too without beating myself up The negative self talk is being replaced with thoughts of gratitude Food is finally just food again

I get seriously full on lettuce, I wonder why? I am now wondering if it's all in my head, lol. Certain things fill me super quickly and lettuce has been one of those foods. I literally can't eat bread or potatoes, thankfully. Dense protein fills me quickly but keeps me full a long time.

Change is so possible and this is super doable with a little determination. I could not be happier. Best wishes to you on your journey! To Chuck Congrats to you! I know it is daunting today and you are probably questioning what you just did to yourself, but please know you made a great change. You will feel like your failing some days and be on the top of the world others. Just enjoy the ride. It's as much about the changes in your head as the changes that will happen to your body. Hang in there and best wishes on your journey. You've got this!

I'm seven years out and couldn't agree with this more. Spot on and my experience too.

I used to hate clothes shopping and didn't wear jeans because they never looked good. I also feared nothing would fit or have a PTSD like experience in the fitting room. But I had to buy clothes on the way down and finally once my weight stabilized I began to enjoy the process. Today I have a Jean obsession because they fit. It's bad and I went too far the other way. I look forward to the seasons changing and getting new clothes. I never thought I'd like clothes, but like many things in this journey I know things change. Enjoy the process your head will catch up eventually. Good luck to you.

I also agree there is absolutely a way to still lose weight and it's certainly not too late. That's ridiculous. I had surgery almost seven years ago and lost a little over a hundred in a year. I would say my sleeve was a great teaching tool for about eighteen months. And I suggest using that time the best you can. That said I had a gain at about five years post op. I was 238 pre, 219 at surgery and got to 129 in about eighteen months. By year five I got back up to 160 and realized I was breaking rules, eating around my sleeve and not as dedicated as I was before. I got scared and refocused. I got serious again and I've now been under 120 for awhile 114 this morning but it bounces about four pounds easily for me based on fluid. I am 5'6 It's never too late to go back to basics and the good habits you had right after surgery. All that knowledge is power and you are in control of this journey. Remember why you did this and channel that energy. We all need to refocus at times and get serious again when we start gaining it's a clue you let something change. Change it back. Best of luck, you can do this don't be discouraged. Refocus and enjoy.

I will say you can eat way, way more than I can. I do wonder if I have a very small sleeve. You say you are struggling to finish a meal. You shouldn't even try, lol. I would never be close. I can eat one egg and a sausage. I avoid potatoes and bread because it makes me so uncomfortable. As for ordering, nobody really cares. I don't have to offer an explanation and they really don't comment. If I'm with family I will say I'm having a bite of theirs and they never even look at me weird. If I'm with people and expected to order I find soup a great option. I order off the sides a lot or just all for a chicken breast. I've noticed I was way more conscience about it than others. Once I relaxed it was fine. I never had to explain myself. Now I do notice people eat less around me, but not my circus, not my monkeys. Forget about every being able to finish a meal, they are way too much anyway. Good luck.

Like others have mentioned some never get an appetite back. I'm seven years out and do not get physically hungry. It's different I feel like I should eat, but never hungry like before. I did have head hunger the first year, I never do now. As for the shakes I did the protein waters for a long time and that worked for me. Plain water and shakes were tough at first. Good luck healing. You'll do great!

Screw the nay sayers, trust me they won't go away. I'm seven years out and the one piece of advice I'd give myself back then it's not to tell anybody. People have all kinds of opinions some educated and some not. Do your research and if this seems like a good option and you are committed to change and ready to do this, do it. Keep your mouth shut and show them with action. They will begin to see your positive results and quietly they can watch the transformation. Trust me the negativity will be replaced with wanting to know what you are doing to look and feel so much better. What they think had nothing to do with you it's all about them. Be committed and quietly do your thing. It's not the easy way out and it doesn't matter how you get healthy or what people think. Today I am living a life I only dreamed about. I'm thrilled I didn't give into other's stupid ideas about how I should manage my weight loss. I just quietly did it and the people who were the loudest complainers are the ones asking how I'm doing it. I wouldn't change my decision for anybody. Do it, change your habits and enjoy your life. Good luck to you.

I started losing tons of hair three months out and continued losing for another three months. I didn't realize this happened. I was petrified as my hair was one thing I was ok with about myself. But it stopped and I didn't go bald and it got thicker again. When I start eating very little even now almost seven years out I notice a lot of it falling out and I know I need to watch my nutrition again. It will stop, you won't go bald, it's normal. Hang in there.

It can and does work! Best wishes on your upcoming surgery. I was so excited to have this done and looking back it doesn't even seem real. I couldn't be happier. There are struggles and challenges for sure. I've had some health issues pop up, but dealt with them all as they occurred. My biggest issue hag probably been iron deficient anemia but this can be controlled if you can take the iron. I cannot and I have to be diligent with my diet, but doable. I think the best part is you can't give up. I had a weird pattern of weight loss where I'd lose for a week and stall for three. Very frustrating but in those the stalled weeks my clothes would become too big and my body changed. In a previous life I would get frustrated by the effort and lack of loss and I'd give up the effort since it didn't appear to be working. I'm so thankful for my sleeve today.

Hi. I was sleeved 01/28/2012 so coming up on seven years. I was 238 at my first appointment (5'6 female) and 219 the day of surgery. I was 39 and wanted to lose by my fortieth. I was down to 129 within a year. I am currently 114 but at year five I bounced back up to 160. I have been holding steady now under 120 for about six months. It was a huge adjustment the first year for sure. I was cooking for my family a lot and had two kids. We entertained almost weekly and had a very active social life. Everything was centered around food and alcohol which I now was trying to avoid. Eating out felt line a punishment watching everybody else eat. But I just kept ordering and eating the way I was supposed to because my life was getting so much better. I could do things I didn't want to do when I was heavier. Eventually I actually craved the proper foods. I couldn't believe the mental and physical changes. Now I am very content with all the changes I have made and no longer feel cheated when others eat. I swim everyday and love shopping for cute clothes. My relationships got so much better and I have been unbelievably happier. My compulsion to overeat disappeared and life became enjoyable instead of something to endure. Do I wish I had done it sooner? Sure, but I needed to hit my emotional bottom and figure out why I ate compulsively first. I don't think I had the determination to do it correctly before that time. It was the best decision I've personally made. I love my life, my stronger, fitter capable body and the freedom from my weight that was literally weighing me down and holding me hostage in my own body. Today I embrace and love my life. I eat to live and choose healthy options. This works and has been such a gift. It's not easy the first year, but it's so worth it in the end. I still have a lot of restriction and it reminds me not so gently when I overdo it. I rarely do because I know how to eat for my sleeve now. Good luck to the rest of the forty somethings. So far this has been the best decade of my life! Good luck.

I was low BMI just under 34 by surgery day. I have been between 20-21 BMI now for a year and a half. It seems like folks I know with lower BMI have all reached goal.

I'm over two years out and been at goal for a year. I now wear I size 2 or 4 and still think I look thick. I think it's just how it's always going to be with me. I even have Drs calling my thin and I simply can't see it. I never dreamed I'd be this size and still swear every time the pants won't fit and yet they do. It's a mind game.

I was sleeved 1/25 two years ago. I can tell you I still can't tolerate potatoes. Actually bread, pasta and rice still hurt so I don't eat it anymore. It will get better and you won't even remember this part. It's the best thing I have ever done.

It gets better, I promise. Just hang on and you will see it's worth it, and these days will be a distant memory.

I could have written every word of your post. It's so hard for non sleevers to understand, but I understand 1000% of what you wrote. I hope to relax and hopefully never regain, but it's constantly on my mind. Maybe it's a good thing?

At two years out I have a totally new wardrobe. I was a 16 and now anything bigger than a four is gone. It seemed like it took forever to get to 12 and 14 then it went very quickly. I have been pretty stable for the past six months and left no room for me to gain. I refuse to buy bigger clothes. The first batch was really hard, then it seemed I had a constant donate pile for a year. It feels good to buy clothes I can hopefully stay in forever. Even my feet are smaller.

I am just about two years out. I got down to 125 and I am 5'6 and 41. That was a very hard weight to maintain. I seem to easily stay around 132 with little effort. I'm now a 2-4 and small top. I could easily gain if I'm not careful, probably ten pounds quickly. If I stay reasonable I sit around 132 if I'm super good I can get under 130, but it seems nobody can see the difference so I am ok at 132. I don't work out, but I'm fairly active.