mommyradd

You look great Sexy girl! Congratulations

Mastiff: This whole process is difficult, and there are many bumps in the road along the way. I am 14 weeks out and my mind is still focused on food all day long! I'm not sure why I haven't had the "struggles" of wanting sweets, or junk food, but I have still struggled with food being on my mind all the time. I wish I could have larger portions of the foods I can have, and I struggle to find a variety of foods that I can eat that are good for me. On top of that, I am a stay-at-home mom of 3 kiddos ages 4, 2, and 1, so I am cooking and feeding all day long, LOL. I long for the day when food is not an obsession, or a habit to kick. I know I will get there. This is the beginning of a long road, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I get through each day one day at a time. I think about what led me to where I am, how much I went through just to get this surgery, and all the lives that depend on me to stick around. Those things keep me goingI I know that I will succeed in my journey, and I am already so much happier than I have ever been. I can do things now that I haven't done in years, and there is no food that is worth more than that to me. Hang in there friend. It will get easier as time goes by. You will see your efforts pay off, and it will motivate you to be strong and make the best choices you can. We are all in this for the long haul!

At eight weeks out, we went on vacation to Hawaii for ten days with our 1,2, and 4 year old children. Came home and two weeks later went to Lake Tahoe. I swam in the ocean and snorkeled in Hawaii and slid down the hills on a sled in Tahoe. Being 40 pounds lighter, I enjoyed every minute of it! Also, came back 10 pounds lighter from Hawaii, just ate lots of chicken over there. You will have fun, enjoy!

I had a similar experience with my hubby the first week after my surgery. I don't know if it was me, or him. Happy to say that within a couple of weeks we were back on track. So far we have survived WLS, LOL. Hang in there!

I was sleeved November 27th. I needed to lose 80 pounds. I am halfway there. I also had a long stall. Once it broke, the pounds have come off again. I don't know how many I'm losing a week because I tend to go a couple of weeks at the same weight, and then go down 3-5 pounds.

I didn't want to do something as drastic as the GB, nor did I want to rely on "dumping" to control my diet choices. Lap Band users in my support group have a lot of complaints with minimal weight loss, but the sleeve keeps my insides intact, just a smaller stomach. That's why I chose it, and love love love my decision!

Thanks for the great information! Hopefully, more people will learn about the sleeve, and what a great alternative it is to GB.

I only lost 5 and a half pounds. Once you have your sleeve, the restriction, along with the protein, water, and exercise- will work for you. I wouldn't stress about it. Good luck.

Congratulations! It does feel great to be home. You may experience some soreness still, it's to be expected. However; once you get through the first couple of weeks, it will subside, and you can focus on your new life. I'm 13 weeks out and loving my sleeve, and the new life it's given me.

It does vary from person to person, body type to body type. I have huge hips, so even though my top size has gone down, my pants are still at a loose 18 or snug 16. My BFF had GB and weighs about 12 pounds less than me (exact same height), but she wears a size 10! That being said, I want to say congratulations on your great weight loss so far, and before you know it, your clothes size will reflect it. Like everything else in this journey, patience is key.

I have no experience running, whatsoever. I started about 2 months ago. My hubby is a runner and recommends an incline of at least 2, but at 3. helps prepare you better for running outside and uphill. At first, it was so hard. I have arthritis in my knees, but since losing some weight, the pain has all but subsided. Now I do walk runs (walk for 3 minutes, run for 2 until I reach the desired distance). I always run at a 3 incline, regardless of the speed. I have no problems with the incline, but it did take a few weeks to be able to do it without feeling exhausted! Eventually, I want to be able to run for 30 minutes without walking in between. That's where I am

Joy: Thanks for sharing your pictures. For people that are early out, it inspires us to know that others are successful and that we will get there, too! You look remarkable, congratulations!

I'm a stay-at-home mom that cannot afford to pay that much for my drinks. The most affordable choice with the best amount of protein, sugar and low carb are the Premier shakes from Costco. I lived off of those the first weeks. Now I have switched to low-fat Muscle Milk. It's also affordable and comparable to Premier. It has 20 grams of protein, but I add a cup of nonfat milk because I don't like the thickness of most shakes, plus I need the calories right now. Also, it adds 8 ounces to my fluid intake (adding the milk) and goes up to 31 grams instead of 20. I agree with the post about not buying too much of anything until you find one that works for you. Sorry for the long answer!

I love how Muscle Milk tastes, and it has NO MILK, according to the label. They sell it everywhere, in a single bottle. Maybe try that?

A month out, I tried Starbucks skinny latte and couldn't drink it. It gave me a pain in my chest. I had the iced sugar free vanilla coffee from Mc Donalds with no problems. Everyone's different. Good luck!

I'm out 3 months tomorrow, down 40 pounds. Congratulations on your success, and you look great. Thanks for sharing!

Jacee: I'm glad you are feeling at ease about your choice to have WLS. I am only 13 weeks out, and down about forty pounds, but already I am reaping the benefits. There is so much that has changed for the better for me (and my family) in such a short time. I didn't grasp all I was missing out on until I started to really live! The only thing I would change? I would have done it years ago! Good luck.

Mine is Diet Pepsi, and a good old fashioned sandwich:) Both of which I have resisted.

Thanks for sharing your tip, and especially the pics.

I had sex the same week with no problems. It's all about finding a position that is comfortable for you, and easy on your incisions. I would just say refrain from overly aggressive sex, LOL.

Yes! Just noticed that on my last cycle. Seems like I was hungry all day long! I ate a string cheese when I felt like I had to eat something. Sucks!

Been there. For now, do your best to get in all your fluids, and as much protein as you can. I dilute my protein drinks with a cup of milk in the blender. This might help you get it down easier. Before you know it, you will get hungry and have cravings for food. Hopefully they will be good foods that you can eat. My problem now is being sad that I can eat, and do like food again, but get full super quick! Many told me it would pass, (which it did) and it will for you, too. Hang in there.

I'm too early out to help, but I wanted to say congratulations on your weight loss.You have lost a lot of weight, and should be proud of yourself. I hope you found the other posts helpful. and thanks for sharing your story.I wish you well!

Congratulations. Running a 5K is on my bucket list. Hope to do it this year!

Whether or not this is true, it's still unfair, and what about quality of life??? I'm only 13 weeks out and already my life is better than it was before surgery. It's sad that people are being denied this tool because of their age.