Holly5.3

Sorry girl! Sending positive energy your way. Take it slow, sweetie. Can you have ice chips yet? Try to sleep and hopefully the nasea will subside. GasX helped me with chicken broth and other liquids that caused me to feel more gas. Are you getting the shot in the belly that reduces nasea? I had to keep requesting it-even when I wasn't that nauseous just in case. Good luck. Keep us posted!

I'm just like you Deltagirl! Some days I could eat all day, others a few bites of this and yogurt and I'm good! Carbs are the devil, tho! I'm struggling because meats and veggies must be chewed til vaporized, yet a cookie or something else made of sugar and flour goes down just fine! that's why I got to be close to 300 pounds-I love cake and cookies! I try to only purchase low fat/high fiber treats (like Fiber 1 brownies) so I get my fix without over doing it. But like you said, one day the brownie hits the spot, the next day I want to eat 3 (but don't!). Every day is a new challenge but as long as the results, however slow they may be, do happen-it's all good! 

Melissa, girlfriend, your surgeon is right! I just made it to 'onederland' (slang for going under 200 lbs.) the past month. My surgery was Oct 11th-started pre-op diet Aug 11 weighing 278. Today, almost 5 months post-op and I weigh 197! I haven't weighed under 200 lbs in 20 years-since b4 my 2 daughters were born and they are 18&19! I never thought I'ld see the day-like you I've dieted only to stall and regain. I look and feel better than I have in many years. Is it easy? He-- no! I stll have hard days, but with my diabetes reversed and sleep apnea gone, I now have the energy and drive to live my life to the fullest. Not just being worried about having a full tummy. Good luck-we're here for you!

My stats are similar to yours, so maybe this would help. DOS weight 255, size 22/24 dress. By 2/11, my 4 month anniversary, I was down to 199 (-56 lbs.) and wearing a size 14/16 dress. I am not too busty, so I would def. take that into consideration, as far as ordering the 16/18 goes. I guess you should be safer with the 16/18, then have it altered. It will depend on how much you take off. I would think you have a terrific incentive to really lose during the "honeymoon"! Good luck! Post a photo so we can see how gorgeous you looked!

The way I see it, for me, my health was my main concern - prediabetic, back and feet problems and sleep apnea. My health was going down-hill faster with each pound I regained (I recently lost weight on Jenny Craig, but tired of the food after a year, and foot surgery halted my exercise regime). By my 53rd b'day last July I had had enough (broke a beach chair and almost drowned in the surf because I couldn't get up!) The next day I went to a WLS open house. I made my appt. with my surgeon on Aug. 11th and have not looked back since (OK, so I lied, I do have a pity party every now and again when I miss certain foods) I was 278, my highest in August, and on my day of surgery, Oct. 11th, I was 255. Today I am 198. I would never have dreamed I would be this size when I started my journey 6 months ago! I haven't been under 200 pounds since I had children, and my daughter just turned 19! Exercise is important, but for me, right now, the calorie restriction and my increased activity levels for my normal day-to-day life have been enough for me to enjoy a pretty consistant weight loss. I imagine that once I start walking "for real", I'll start losing again. But the fact that I'm not going to the gym hasn't stopped me from doing awesome. The gym was never my "life style" so why should it be now? Good luck!

Wow, you're doing fantastic! We started at around the same surgery weight (255) but you've got me beat by doing what took me 8 weeks to do in only 4! I'm currently at my first stall (I think carbs are slowly creeping my calories up too high), but I made it to onederland, for 2 weeks straight I've stayed under 200 (yo-yo'd for a couple weeks going over 200 then back down again). Stayed at 198 since last Wednesday, so I'm happy with that. Keep up the good work, girl. You are doing it!

Isn't onederland beautiful? It beats Disneyland any day! I too, just arrived for the first time in many, many years and can't believe the improvement of my energy level from just 6 months ago! Keep up the good work. It looks like you must be near goal -- good for you! Happy sleeving!

Hey there! Me too, stalled over the past 2-3 weeks. Was 200.5 then 199 then 201, then 198. Today, 199!!! My average loss since Oct. has been 10-13 lbs./mo. From 1/11 to 2/11 only 5 lbs. lost. But I have lost inches, my clothes are getting way too big all of a sudden! Kicked up my activity level and made sure to get all my protein in today. Hopefully this is temporary!

You are absolutely correct about the carbs! I too have been a bit too liberal with my carb choices! They go down fine, yet meat is another story still! Back on track today. I've finally stayed under 200 for almost a week (198), so at least I haven't gone past 200 again! That see-saw ride was killing me! (prob. why I over-ate carbs-I still go to food! Even if it's a tiny amount! I have a lot of growing/changing to do!)

Hey 10/11/12ers! How is everyone now in month four? I finally broke my stall-onederland wouldn't accept my ticket-kept sending me to over 200-ville for a couple weeks! Today I made it to 198 - I started my journey last August at my highest weight of 278. Total loss of 80 pounds. I can't believe it! It's like a cheesy lifetime movie, I love my sleeve, I hate it...break the stall and I'm in love again!

I still rely on at least one shake for breakfast and I have a Greek yogurt with fruit daily. I can eat so little solid foods still so I have soup or chicken chili for lunch and dinner is whatever I make my family but a tiny amount (1/4-1/3 cup-protein then veggies then a bite of carb-pasta or potato). If I dont have an appetite or care to eat what family is having, I'll just have cottage cheese with fruit. I bought snack crackers and a caramel chocolate bar that have protein for snacks, on line. I also add unflavored protein powder to my crystal light (only 1/2 scoop-10 gs. Protein) when I feel my protein is too low for a couple of days. I have a sugar free chocolate jello or applesauce and a 100 cal. Pkg. of Graham crackers as my last snack. (I have dinner early, 4:30-ish, it helps stop the 3 am rumbling my tummy likes to wake me up with!) as of today I'm in one-derland finally! Total loss since Aug. 80 pounds (56 since surgery)! I'm hoping to lose 100 by this August! I would have never dreamed I could do this!

Anyone stalling for first time since Oct. surgery? I was doing great until the past few weeks. I'm teetering between 199.5 and 200.5 since Feb. 1st. My carbs. have been a little high so I reduced them by half today, drank a ton of water, had my shake for breakfast and got more activity in...hopefully my stall will break soon. (Although my jeans got very baggy this week--so there, Mr. Scale!!) DOS - 255, today - 199.5.

Well, I never had a stall, until now. I've been teetering between 199 and 201 pounds for 2 weeks now! I was so excited to go under 200 for the first time in 19 years, only to see the scale go back up past 200 again! I added more protein powder to my diet and have been drinking my water. I walked a lot this week and shoveled snow! Why, for the love of God, why? The only difference in my diet is I bought the wrong calcium supplements so I haven't had calcium citrate in about 3 weeks-could that affect loss? I'm eating 600-650 cals. a day. Could the no loss be muscle weight? I'm hoping, praying, and staying tight on plan today and we'll see what this week brings. I won't weigh myself again until next Sat. Anyone else experience the 'milestone' back 'n forth dance? Not fun!

Hi there! I'm a young 53, sleeved Oct 11, 2012, and have gone from size 24 (278 lbs. Last August) and I am now 200 lbs, size 16. People say I look 20 years younger! Mind you they can't see under my clothes, the flabbedity, sagetty skin, but with my Spanx on and a good bra, the image looks pretty good. Naked is a whole different thing-but my husband's not complaining, believe me! I've hit my first stall, other than that and a little constipation early on, it's been great! Looking forward to life instead of just looking forward to food! Good luck!

Try to get at least 600 calories for the above reason; you may have enough body "fat" to function, but you still need calories as well. I found in the beginning of I was running to short, I'ld just sip on a glass of skim milk at the end of the day or make another shake if I could stand the thought of it! It is important to get the minimum of calories in so that you have some energy to get through your day- you'll still lose! Just be sure to get vitamins, protein and fluids in each day to avoid any complications. On Feb. 11th I had my 4 month surger-versary and can tell you that some days I can eat more than 600 calories and on others, if I'm busy and not focusing on my meals, I'll eat a lot less. The hunger isn't there (at least not half as strong as it was pre-op) so the preoccupation with food lessons more and more. Feeling healthy, for me, is just as important as the scale moving lower and my clothes getting looser! So be sure to give your body all the fuel it needs to do what it needs to do; lose the extra weight and make you a healthier you! Good luck!

You're doing fabulous! I didn't take my measurements -I only have by belly string! Keep up the great work!

In my limited experience (almost 4months post op), veggies give me trouble unless they are cooked to death! I can just eat a bite or two of raw veggies, like in a salad. I even prefer mushy food still over feeling like I'm going to be sick or there's an elephant sitting on my chest! it's a slow process adding new foods and different consistencies day by day. I feel more in control when my food is softer - firm foods-I'll tend to over-eat that one more bite ...too late-I feel sick! Softer foods I know I'm safe for 1/4-1/3 cup serving.

Thanks so much! I'm ordering some tonight! We're snowed-in so...Internet shopping I go!

Are these brands over the counter or specialty shop? Im sick to death of chewable calcium citrate tablets so I ordered what I thought was calcium citrate but wasn't - Bariatric advantage Chocolate caramel chews. Delish but not what I was supposed to have -figures! So now I just want tablets to swallow! I have no problem with pills, but I'll miss having the chews as little 'snacks' throughout the day. (I tricked my family asking if they would like a piece of candy...they loved them-I said great, they're good for you too-eat 2 a day. They were like, 'no problem!' -if they knew they were calcium supplements they would have said they tasted bad! Reverse psychology! Love it!) but I still need my calcium!

Chubarella - I think you need to change your moniker! You sure don't look chubby any more - you look wonderful! I could only hope to make the 100 lb. mark in 6 months- fantastic! Rock it out, girl! HW: 278 SW: 255 CW: 199 GW: 138 Height: 5'5" (DOS 10/11/12)

Golden girl you rock! Love, love, love your story and advice! You certainly are a poster girl for the sleeve's success after only one year! you look fantastic! I'm going to try a zumba DVD - I like the way it is making you feel sexy-walking is good-but I hardly feel sexy or limber after a walk! 

Hey there! I'm a 10/11/12 sleever and down a total of 79 pounds since highest (56 post-op) and made it to "one-derland" today! Soooo happy! Time to go down a jean size (finally! From size 18 to 16 took a huge weight loss to do it! Strange how some sizes go fast and others take a larger loss to get to. I guess that's why loss of inches is sometimes more important than the numbers on the scale.)

Thanks for the tips! At 4 months I'm still struggling with eating dinner too fast. Breakfast and lunch I'm fine, but when I eat dinner, even using baby spoon/forks, if it's not mushy, I feel the food get stuck, start belching up a storm, and try hard not to be sick. A timer app sounds like the perfect solution!

That is an amazing loss for the first 10 days! Some people actually gain weight after surgery (water gain, swelling, etc.) so consider yourself one of the few lucky ones to have such excellent results so far. I am almost 4 months (Feb. 11th) and can say when I think I've lost a lot (say 2 lbs. in a week) - I don't and when I don't think I've lost much - the scale says I have! It's a trip! Don't get hung up on the numbers. I only weigh myself on Friday mornings (the day I came home from surgery was a Friday so I use that day's weight as my "since surgery" weight when calculating my loss). My weight loss is pretty steady at an average of 12 pounds per month since October but I try not to obsess over this or any other number. It's how I feel, my clothes getting bigger every day and the energy to do what I couldn't do before surgery -- too tired (and or busy eating, planning to eat, thinking about what I just ate or watching cooking shows to dream about what I will eat one day..... LOL

I love the marbles/rocks ideas! I did something quick and not fancy but it helps to inspire me. Day of surgery I took string and measured around my stomach. I check out how much smaller I am with my 'belly string' every month. I plan on making a beaded necklace the same length when I'm near goal (it's long so it's going to take a lot of beads-expensive!) I'll probably wear it wrapped around my neck twice. Then I'll slip it around my waist to show anyone who asks how big I was-"out to here!" excited!!