playlikeworldchamps

Yes I am kenmj11 on MFP

wow! awesome progress !!!!

people have started to ask me how much more do I want to lose. I usually respond that I want to get under 200. they are shocked that I am still over 200. I think it's just that we are so dramatically smaller that they associate a healthy size for us with emancipated! when I get under 200, I'll probably reply with "under 190" and so forth. when they hear the huge number that usually shuts them up (as long as I still weigh more than they do! LOL!)

my surgeon only uses size 40. He is on conservative side. I can't complain as it's small enough for me - I've lost over 100 in about 10 months. I think 32 to 40 is the usual range.

Wow you look wonderful! yeah you!

You're almost there!

I have been fortunate not to experience any real stalls but I hear it is common at 3 weeks out and other times. I have had a couple no loss, 0.2 loss, and 0.4 gain weeks but body usually makes up for those once I make sure to reduce sugar intake and make sure protein at least 65-70g I am still losing but it is about 6 pounds a month and it usually goes very slow for 3-4 weeks then drops. At your stage, it is normal to slow down as you start to add in food again. Just be patient and stick to protein first, avoid sugar, and drink water/tea. It will come off - trust me! I was not a fast loser as others in the first few months but it has been consistent. And remember it is not a race. This is time well spent in relearning how to eat.

Thank you. I know that when I was viewing this thread/site a year ago I found the before/during/after photos very helpful. I wanted to pay it forward. Thanks for all the inspiration and helping me find the courage to go thru this life changing surgery.

The first 2 months can be very difficult. I had a fast recovery and no complications but I was tired and sore. I remember being so frustrated that I could not drink Water or I would burp uncontrollably. I missed being able to take a big swig. I switched to diet iced tea and that was much easier. I also remember that eating solid meat was so hard no matter how much I chewed it. Just an ounce would hurt! It would hurt to eat any solids but i knew I had to in order to make use of the sleeve restriction. I stayed on chili and Soups to get me thru those times. How would I ever get enough Protein? I did not want to do shakes all the time! But even though those were tough times and the first couple days I wondered "what did I do" when I could not even drink water!!! - I just knew it would get better with time. Now 9 months and 100lbs down I am happy to report those problems are a distant memory. In fact I forgot about the constant burping in the early days until my 14 year old reminded me of it the other day. So it may take time and adjustment and work - but there also can be great joy and accomplishment and satisfaction!

No backlash from me! I decided this time to track everything - no exceptions - all the bad choices in MFP too. I decided that if I tracked it I would feel no guilt about any of it. So even though I track I don't think of this life as a diet. I also hated tracking and obsessing over food prior to the sleeve. It was just so stressful and depressing and yes - so boring! I just wanted to be normal - and not think about it like my husband who eats anything and never has to think about it. But for some reason this time I don't feel like I am obsessing and I don't mind the tracking. Maybe because I am still losing (slowly). Maybe because I am not super strict/clean/locarb? I don't know. So I am using same attitude as you but I do track. I have a lot of nice sleever friends on MFP that are very supportive. I also do not exercise! I walk 2-3 times a week a couple miles. I fit it into my commute to work or shopping or maybe if I feel like it on a Saturday morning. I decided this time not to start something I knew I would not like and never stick to and then feel guilty for quitting. I do not want any guilt for some silly reason!!! Some people love exercise and training. I am not one of those people! I am thinking I will start some exercise this year to ensure flexibility and maybe some toning but nothing major - no big goals. Maybe take up tennis 1X a week again. I took a break from this forum when it switched over as I needed my ID reset. It was a good idea. Now I enjoy it more. I guess what I am saying is that there are many ways to take this journey. Everyone needs to find theirs and make it fit their life. -Eileen (kenmj11 on MFP)

Before 44.8 BMI Current 29.7 BMI Surgery March 2013 - 43 BMI

Wow. You look great and such a great loss in 9 months!

How are you doing now? I am down about 85 since surgery on 3-13-13 and 104 overall.

I am 9 months out and can eat anything. More than a couple teaspoons of ice cream will make me sick to my stomach as will anything too sweet. But I have 1 or 2 cookies or chocolates and stomach handles that. Pizza and Mexican are fine though only 1 slice pizza. Chili is my goto food. I could not eat more than ounce of solid meat until about 2-3 months but now 3-4 ounces can do. I still work on eating slowly. That's my biggest challenge. I never drink and eat together which I have gotten used to. I can eat anything I choose but I choose not to. I focus on protein for all meals and snacks. I try to keep sugar grams very low. If I have sugar it's got to be worth it like for a Lindt chocolate or homemade chocolate chip cookie. You can see my food diary on MFP. I track religiously. My ID is kenmj11 if you want to send me a friend request to see my diary.

There are Other Phorums???? (that's my Siri impression "Siri what's the best phone? Ans: There are Other Phones?") Seriously, I love my friends on MyFitnessPal and now that I'm not a newbie anymore I find the info and encouragement from them the most helpful - more so than even on VST. my ID there is kenmj11 if you want to friend me.

I am 7.5 months from surgery and have lost 87 lbs. My recovery was easy. I walked in the hospital as much as possible, followed the diet stages to a T and after having surgery on a Wednesday went back to work the following Monday. Was there pain - yes of course, but not anything some Tylenol couldn't handle. My doctor also allows Motrin.

369 Ninja Stars = 79 lbs

Beautiful!

I am 25 weeks post op and down 60 since surgery and 79 since highest. HW: 315 SW: 296 CW: 236 I am 5-10 and that helps. From 22 to size 16 though pants in after photo are 18. 16s not as loose.

for me before surgery only my husband knew. until we told kids 2 days before. reasons 1) medical privacy. none of anyone's business 2) I did all my research and I did not need some uninformed persons opinion especially if it was negative. it's not my job to educate people. 3) did not want to worry close relatives and friend about surgery. I told my sister 3 days post op so she didn't have to worry needlessly. 4) As a couple weeks went on and I could not eat "normally" and I lost weight I told more relatives and then close friends. 5) As the worry over it "working" passes, (I failed so many times traditionally) if other relatives or friends comment I tell them how I did it if it seems appropriate to the conversation. I don't shout out to the world or just to acquaintances. when we took my teenage daughters friend with us on vacation she asked me if it was okay to tell her friend since I ate so little at every restaurant. I told her it was fine to tell. I was so proud that she was so mature and asked my permission first. 6) I am happy I used a gradual way over time telling people who are close to me and then expanding that circle. as I said it's still a privacy issue and for the most part no one but my immediate family "needed to know"

saw some great advice on the march sleevers FB page about this. if people say this just say you have stopped and are working on maintenance now. why do they need to know about the last 5-10-15 or even 20 pounds. no matter how much you will just be hitting your head against a brick wall since you can't convince them. if they try to sabotage your maintenance with "live a little" or " just this once you're so skinny" flash before picture and say that is why you are so careful. you gained it one cookie at a time and can gain it back 1 cookie at a time.

that's overall. surgery was 5 months ago and down 55 since then. scale slowing down so decided to post new before after shot to help motivation. got to look at the old pictures once in a while when the scale slows. this way can see how far have come. if you are pre op take plenty of before shots!

every day things are easier. whether picking up thing off the floor. getting up off the floor or even out of the couch. less foot and knee pain. getting up out of bed and not being all stiff and sore. taking stairs without stopping halfway up. Mobility, optimism, hope, positive energy

Thanks for the update! It helps us to know that it is possible to maintain without too much struggle. I don't have a goal weight yet. Just going to see how it goes. I have lost 67 and am 67 more from normal BMI. But I am 5-10 so may shoot for about 15 more than that. Who knows. Even a 29.9 BMI may be best I can hope for (32 more lbs). Thanks for sharing your experience.

Kenmj11