JeffA70

It truly is, brother. My big things were to take up running. Did my first 5K 10 months after my operation. Last year, I did a 365-miles-in-365-days challenge and nailed it, and among those miles were three timed runs. Exercise has become therapy. The best, though, was doing one of those mud obstacle runs. Didn't skip any obstacle and ran the whole thing (OK, plodded along at the end ). I was at the top of one of the big rope-ladder obstacles and realized that I literally wouldn't have been able to do this at 362. It was a great moment. Rock it, dudes.

Waitresses always seemed like the most awkward to me at first. They often act (understandably so) like you thought something was wrong with the meal.

I've found maintenance is about 300% harder than the honeymoon stage. But nothing good ever came easy. The only easy day was yesterday, and the monkey is always on our backs.

I think it'd be more unusual to go through everything we do and NOT have some non-physical changes like you described. I'm not psychologist, but this is how I see it....food was (and is) part of what defined us to ourselves and others. It gave us comfort, was part of our identity, etc. Whether you were the big guy who smoked racks and racks of ribs for, like four people (my hand up for that one), or the guy who cooks huge meals for others (ditto) or who uses treats as rewards (ditt....oh, crap ), your old relationship with food is part of your relationship with yourself. So, that's one part of it. The second part, at least for me, was that suddenly, I was wearing clothes I couldn't have fit in in high school, twenty years ago. You can't go through that kind of change without wondering whether down is up, up is down, or what's normal anymore. People treat you differently. There's praise, there's watchful eyes, there's snide comments. I lost one of my best friends because of the surgery. He just went full d-bag on me. Why? Dunno. His problem. But it all contributed to a lot of mental work I had to get through myself. Therapy is great. Self-therapy in healthy ways, like running, lifting, or even for me long hikes can help. I took up running, and it's a good way to refocus and get your mood swings and emotions out there. No harm in talking to someone about any of it. TOTALLY. NORMAL.

Congrats to all. You're going to rock it.

I am fine with a 'normal' celebration that involves food. Just can't overdo it.

Your relationship is going to change. If it was good before, hopefully it'll stay good, but it might have been good because of a shared love of what food does for you both. If it was bad before, well, it's not likely to improve. If your dynamic was based on a kind of detente that you were both fat, that will change when she's suddenly 'the fat one.' Mine's always had a weight issue and likely always will. I loved her then, and I love her now. I think there's a consistent, likely subconscious degree of sabotage going on. She's taken up baking more, for example. To me, this is a normal but unhealthy response. She can see people talking to me all the time about the weight I've lost, how great I look 'skinny,' etc. The solid sex advantages of the weight loss aside, this procedure can truly strain relationships.

Moobs are my biggest hangup physically. I'll have to focus on weights.

Oh, it's still a win. No regrets about having it done.

Amen. I was actually thinking this AM that since I popped back on here, I've been much more focused.

Thank you. Really appreciate that!

I can't tell you how much this post means to me. Right now, I'm up 30 from my all time post-surgery low, and about 20 from where I should be. I'm also about five above what my goal was going into the whole thing. Since January, I've had six straight months of average weight gain, and don't truly understand why. I'm exercising more than ever. My eating is poorer, but not to the level that I would think would cause that. I simply don't understand what's happening, and it's heartening to hear you had and beat that same type of situation.

I had my first stomach bug post-op a few weeks ago and was so scared. My old self had diarrhea constantly and my new self is almost always constipated, so it was shocking to have both ends going on. The amount I vomited was amazing... My stomach can't possibly hold this much!!! I did call my surgeon to see if there was anything I needed to be aware of in regards to my stomach and the vomiting. He said basically let it move its way through. I did, and all was well after a day.

Thanks all. Didn't mean to post and disappear. Been busy. Appreciate the tips and support. The fact that my skinny clothes still fit is perplexing, as I feel I've gained so much from my low. No one's commented on the gain. Part of wonders if this is just where I should be. I just dunno.

Definitely get buzzed faster here, but I also find it passes faster. I rarely drink...maybe a sip of my wife's here and there. Have had two beers since surgery. One Guinness and one Blue Moon. Nursed both over an hour and I was fine in terms of the carbonation.