TheCurvyJones

\o/

I'm looking a pics of my best friend who had the surgery about nine months ago. I never knew her thin so I didn't know what to expect. She is a beautiful woman and the weight loss has made that even more apparent. I haven't been thin since high school so I have NO IDEA what I will look like once the weight comes off. I have a very curvy "Coke Bottle" shape that I don't think is going to go anywhere, it'll just be smaller. I'm concerned about how my facial features will change, etc. Do you look anything like you thought you'd look? Better? Worse? Aside from loose skin, did you ever imagine?

Good to know!

Thank you!!!

MyFitnessPal rocks. and Weightbot but I don't think it is free.

For a few days. Had to cut that off. Not buying anymore clothes and I need to fit on the plane.

46 Days. Yes I have a countdown timer on my phone and my iPad. I need to know exactly how many days I have to procrastinate getting anything done in time for surgery. I can think of NOTHING else right now. Everything revolves around Dec 21st. I've given myself a couple of projects to keep me occupied so I am not sitting at home staring at 4 walls, willing time to move forward. Lots of boards to read and things I need to get and lists to make. I am practicing the liquid diet right now. I need to ease into these things so yesterday and today I am liquid. Next week I will do three days and the following four days etc. I start the liquid diet on Dec 101, I believe. Plenty of time to ramp down. I would actually like to hit the table in the 230's. I am not required to lose any weight but I would just feel more comfy on the plane if I dropped a little bit.

I'm scared of those genie bras... I don't know if my G's are gonna fit in them.... but I'd like to get a couple. I can't be going around bra-less. It's just not recommended for anyone, plus I am supersensitive and that's just annoying unless it's grown up time!

Your husband rocks! Your surgery will go great!

single digit size bottom, M or L top. NO Xl, XXL, 1X... no X's ever agan. 6/5 shoe, not 7. Boots that are not wide calf. 36 or smaller bust size. My cup size is a G right now, hoping the girls shrink some.

Countdown to Surgery: 47 days! I can think of nothing but having surgery. I really need time to just speed forward. I've been trying to start some projects so I have something to keep me busy. I am doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and I need to go through my summer clothes and bag them, and I have been researching some issues I am having with my skin. I also have a ton of books I'm reading, so I should be pretty well occupied. I think I will set a reading goal to hit X books before I leave for surgery. That'll keep me really busy! I have been eating like boo boo for about a week. It stops today. I don't even know what I weigh, but my knees tell me I am over 250. I've tossed out what crap I didn't eat. Last night's dinner of meatball parm and garlic rolls was the last decadent meal I will have until Thanksgiving probably. I am practicing being on a liquid diet today. I have water, Atkins shakes, chicken and beef broth and that drink and eat chicken soup.I forgot jello. DANG! Tomorrow. I should be good go to go today. I'll probably continue it to tomorrow and weigh in on Tuesday. if I could head to Mexico in the 230's, that would be great. My knees would thank me and I would be more comfy on the plane. Another tip that my bestie gave me: Get a coffee cup warmer! Especially if you plan to eat a lot of Unjury chicken soup, you'll have to sip so slowly that it won't stay warm long. You can't warm it up in the microwave because it will clump and curdle. I plan to get a hotpot and a warmer to keep upstairs because I spend a ton of time up in my room. I am almost never downstairs. And yes, I brought my extra microwave up here, LOL. I also need to make a list of things I need to pick up to take with me. It takes me forever to get things together so starting now would be a good idea. Today I picked up some long sleeved shirts. I will go get more pairs of leggings and some socks and that is going to be my fashion for those days I am in surgery. I also need some sports bras, because I am not going to wrestle into a Lane Bryant bra after surgery.

Today hasn't been bad. Thinking of rolling it into tomorrow too and doing a weigh in Tuesday am. Congrats on your 11 lb loss ans good luck on surgery!!!

\o/ yay!

Thank you! I need to ease into it and get used to it and realize that all that food I want to eat will be there when I can eat it. Good luck with your liquid diet... D-Day must be near for you!

Can't stop thinking about it.. planning... dreaming. Started a couple of projects to distract myself. Trying not to get ahead of the process. Today I thought about tossing all my big fat clothes, then laughed... uh... what am I supposed to wear for the next 48 days?!

12/21 Dr Alvarez

I went to unjury and bought the starter kit, which is basically a sample pack of their protein powders but I will probably make heavy use of the unflavored and just it it in everything that I can. I've seen so many people go through this surgery and as soon as they can, jump right into white flour and sugar despite the fact that we need protein first, then they struggle to get out of that cycle because it goes down so easily. I plan to get as much of the daily recommended amount as possible. I am not much for shakes but my friend who had the surgery said muscle milk makes okay protein drinks. They are really sweet, though, which means they'll only taste good if they're ice cold. For vitamins, I don't like pills so I got Celebrate ENS Multivitamin & Calcium Drink Mix in wild cherry. There are 14 packs so I have a good two weeks to decide if I like it. You just mix it in with water or Crystal light or whatever and you have your vitamins. I also bought a bottle of Biotin, which I am iffy about actually taking before I need it. The last time I took Biotin I broke out in pimples everywhere, from the impurities coming out through my skin. Not sure I can go through that again but maybe I will take a low dose. I got the wild growth hair oil, not for WLS reasons but because I wear my hair in a pony tail everyday and I am losing the hair at my edges. Though it is known to make the hair very soft, and I am all for soft hair. I am grateful and blessed to have someone close to me that just went through the procedure so I will pass along any tips she gives me-- like making sure to start getting your water in and practice sipping, not gulping.

Countdown Clock 48 days to surgery. Went on a bit of a shopping spree yesterday, so a few packages are going to be coming to me in the next week or so. My Clarisonic Mia has shipped and should arrive in about 5 days. I also ordered some wild growth hair oil, which was recommended by a friend that I call my hair guru. She's really just a product junkie that keeps her finger on the pulse of black hair care. She recommended this stuff for my edges. I'm also hoping to get some thickness back in my hair. Once I have the surgery, I am guaranteed to lose hair so I want to thicken it up a little bit before then. I used to have a lot of hair, but it has really thinned out in recent years. I ordered a new coat from Target. It'll be the last plus sized coat I buy. It's tight in the arms but I am keeping it because soon I hope to be swimming in it. It'll be a nice gauge to me for weight loss. When that coat is too big I will rejoice. I also have some vitamins and biotin on the way. Going to start getting in the habit of taking them now. I went to the gas station yesterday and because I was hungry I let myself buy some junk, so that's all I had for dinner last night. And I have more of it today. What I SHOULD do is throw it away and go to the store and get some protein, some sugar free jello and some water. Maybe later on...... I DO want to start ramping down the junk, because I have 38 days before I will be on a liquid diet before surgery. Yesterday I went to lunch with a coworker and ended up telling her about the surgery. She and I work closely together so there is no way she won't notice. I will also tell my boss, but I believe that's about it, from work. Eventually everyone will know but I want to keep my plans to have the procedure under wraps right now. Anyway, we were talking about how great the new year is going to be with a whole new me. "Can you imagine," I said. "I could be down by 50 pounds by my birthday at the end of March. That would put me under 200 pounds. I haven't been under 200 pounds since college. That's CRAZY!" I'm ready for some crazy.

:waves: Hello all. I'm new to this site and this group. I live in Atlanta Georgia and I will be sleeved on December 21 in Mexico. I'm really excited and nervous and counting down the days already. 49 days and counting!

They don't need to know the numbers. People don't look at a person and say 'oh she's lost 5lbs!' What they see is the inches... the smaller clothes, the collar bones, the shape that comes from the loss of fat. I'd feel comfy saying I went down X sizes, but other than that, it's none of their business. Just say quite a bit and still working at it... then nod and smile until they feel uncomfortable.

It was definitely hard choosing. I looked at a number of things like reviews on each doctor from real people and following their losses and/or complicatinos, their specialty and how many procedures they'd done, etc. I also looked here and didn't research anyone that was below a 7. I also liked that Dr Alvarez has a presence on twitter and youtube... feels like a more robust program aimed at educating people about the procedure and making sure they get great care. He just seemed to go the extra mile and not be about 'come here, it's really cheap." Location was also important and since the friend that is going with me lives in Texas, it was just much simpler for me to choose Dr Alvarez and then return to Houston, rest up for a few days and then fly home. When it looked like I might not have enough money, I considered going elsewhere but I just couldn't make myself do that.

I am having surgery with Dr A in December. I feel really confident in my decision. He is highly skilled and comes with glowing recommends. You will be in good hands. As far as the folks around you-- everyone will have an opinion. They have a right to theirs, I suppose. What is YOUR opinion? DO you need the surgery? COULD you do with just diet and exercise? if you COULD, why HAVEN'T you? People have the idea that you just go and get surgery and then lay around and wait for the lbs to come off. Nah uh. We stil get to WERK. it's just that when we work, it won't be eating nothing good or tasty for weeks or months on end and exercising your tail off for a measly 6 lbs in 6 months and trying to feel good and motivated about that. When we work, the tool works with us.

I have to complete a 10 day liquid diet. That's all I know for now but I haven't received the big pack o' info from Dr A's office. I'm not planning on being too crazy with anything until then.

One thing my friend suggested was to get used to taking small sips of water instead of gulping. It will take a long time to get used to not being able to guzzle a whole can of soda or water. And to also test out or get some samples of protein drinks but not get attached to anything because your taste buds will change after surgery.