Holly5.3

Thanks Dallas! Was told I was being mean in another post, because I was truthful! I try to be encouraging yet I'm honest. Honesty with ourselves is part of the key to success and positive thinking! Good luck to you too!

I apologize! I truly never would intentionally hurt anyone's feelings. I was trying to emphasize that our thoughts affect our weight as much as what we eat. I am 54 and I am a lifetime dieter and now a sleever. Only wanted to be helpful in a 'snap out if it!" Cher in Moonstruck aortic-way!

Everyone is different! My md recon. no alcohol for 6 months! I didn't listen, had a little sip of alcohol at week 4 - was so sick! Left the party-sweating, chills, feeling like I could vomit, but couldn't! Was disoriented...I felt like someone drugged me! Not fun or attractive! Hold out as long as possible! Now at 9 months, I can drink vodka and tonic or crystal light and lime. One drink is great, a second...I'm ok, any more than that is too much and I'll get the same suck feeling as in the beginning. So now, like my food , I can drink in moderation.

You need to stop obsessing over the weight and losing it- a positive attitude is more than a state if mind, it's part if self-fulfilling profacy! If you truly believe that having 75% of your stomach removed will not help you become a healthier being, then you are probably going to prove yourself right. Change your thoughts -- change your words -- change your life, I feel sorry for you.

Don't fret, the excessive restriction is typical for a lot of us. Only now at 9 months postoperative can I finish a whole yogurt, eat an egg, etc. its not fun, but it beats obesity any day. My advice is to listen to your body. If you can't eat something now, try in a couple of weeks. Know that every bite of food we consume after WLS must count. Eat too fast, too much, things your tummy isn't ready for, and you will not feel well. push your plate aside, eat more later if you have to. Take it slow! One day or even one meal at a time. Some days I can only live I've bite at a time, seriously, but in the long run doing fantastic now. Be kind to yourself it is a journey not a quick fix

Yaaaaa! Doing a happy dance for you! Keep up the great work, sweetie! You are doing it!

Sexy! Wow, you're a good looking dude! how come men become 'cut' and women need tummy tucks and/or shape wear? No fair! Keep up the great work!

Alright girlfriend! My hero! I'm working on hitting the 100 pound mark too, 6 pounds to go. What a fantastic accomplishment, sweetie! Keep up the great work!

I track protein and watch calories. When my loss stopped for 2 months I realized I was allowing zero protein empty calories to fill me a lot if the time. It doesn't take much food of any type to fill me so I need to pay attention and be more mindful. Old habits die hard and eating whatever and whenever is what got me to almost 300 pounds! Also, dehydration will slow weight loss too so keep sipping sipping sipping!

Also an Ocober 2012 sleever, my loss plateaued and is finally picking up again but I'm only losing 3 pounds a month. Look at content of food. Empty calories are the killer! If I don't eat enough (no appetite plus it's too hot out) I actually gain weight! I went back on 2 protein meals a day (a bar and a shake) light dinner and started the loss again. you must have enough protein, water and calcium supplements each day. Change your thoughts to positive affirmations, "I may have stalled but its temporary as my body adjusts but success in permanent weight loss is mine. I claim it. I'm living it and doing it!" You had the surgery- you can't give up, girlfriend! You CAN and WILL do it!!!

At 7 months post op I'm finally exercising. My weight loss is now verrrrry slow, but I'm still losing but now I'm toning. I've gotten more compliments with my last 3 pound loss (a month) due to the firming and toning. Plus emotionally, it's the bomb! Feel so much happier and excited about life when I'm active!

Dont worry! Once your natural fiber intake increases with whole foods, you'll be less likely to get backed up. I suffered horribly during the Holidays (surgery in Oct. / constipation started at 2-1/2 months). If I feel like I need to go but can't, I'll take Colace stool softeners for 1-2 days then I'm fine. Salad def. helps, but I still can only eat 4-5 nice bites.

How's my fellow Octo-sleever's doing at the 9 month mark? Weight loss, for me, is still almost painfully slow...but any loss is a positive at this point in the game since my usual MO was to lose about 60-70 pounds, feel great (start looking better), then fall off the wagon-go back to my old eating (gorging, I should say!) habbits to slowly but surely gain it all back, and then some!! I have some "bad" days, but most days are terrific! Walking, swiming, just plain ole moving -- it's the best! Almost at my presurgery anniversay (8/10/12) and hope to have lost a total of 100 by then (from 278 to 178) but if I don't, it's cool. The weight IS coming off and at some point I will make it to 178! (A year ago, I would never have dreamed I'ld weigh under 200 pounds in a year-love it!)

You're doing it....going, going, gone....where are you? (LOL!) Keep up the fabulastic great work! Every day I question, "should I have, or shouldn't I have", until I put on my regular Ladies size Large bathing suite (from a 22-24 last summer!) and I'm like, "Thank you God, for my surgery!" A new you and me, and countless others! It is NOT easy (in fact I have to chuckle when I read newbies at 2 months saying, "I know how you feel about eating that extra bite".....really, at 2 months, you still have no idea...I hate to say it, but it's true. It's when you are smaller, livin' life, then you just plain forget...not chew enough, eat too fast...then dun, dun, dunnnnn......the pain! Oh yeah, I forgot I had surgery! That's when it's tough, you look "normal" but still aren't. Good luck!