MichiganChic

Yep, that's how we do it. Congratulations on your loss, and getting back on track. It's a life long battle, for sure!

I had the same experience with eggs. I'm 2 years out, and I can everything now with no problem - except eggs. Maybe it's because I remember them feeling like a rock in my stomach, but I don't eat them now. It was the first food I tried, and it scared me because I thought everything would do that, but it's only eggs.

I had a successful day yesterday, as my first fast day. I came in at right around 600 calories. Since it was my first day back to work and I went to my monthly bariatric support group meeting, I was gone all day, making it much easier to accomplish. I plan to fast again on Thursday. Not sure how many calories to aim for on non-fast days. Any advice, anyone? I'm thinking 900-1100, and I'll do some research, but just wondered what others have found to be effective. I know I'm going struggle on the weekend, so keeping it low through the week is probably in my best interest. I maintained for the last year or so by keeping calories low through the week to accommodate a little higher on weekends. However....I'm going to really make every effort to stay low on weekends, too, until I get down where I want to be. There - I just talked myself right into behaving

All beautiful dogs! So sorry for your loss.....it's never easy. I love my pets like that, too. They are family. I still miss my little Shih Tzu Rosie, who has been gone almost 8 years. I agree, we'll see them in heaven.

I'd get a third opinion. Also, look at some of the work they've done. I've had lots of plastics in the past 4 months, and I had the lower body lift, so no abdominal scars. I also had breast lift, brachioplasty, and thighplasty, so that's a LOT of scars. I'm happy with it, but I don't love all the scars. I'm glad to not have one up the center of my belly. However, it's a trade off I'd make for better results, if needed.

I am also ready to begin the 5:2, ladies. I am up about 15 pounds from my lowest. I had two plastic procedures in 2014 that resulted in full body contouring and the removal of 12 pounds of skin and fat, yet my weight never changed! Some of it's still swelling post plastics, some is extra water from stopping a diuretic I had been on, and some of it is from the extra calories I had over the holidays because I "needed" it for healing. Pretty sure I didn't need quite all of those calories. I'm hoping to finally get to goal this year! Here's to a our collective, continued success in 2015!

Looking good!

I had an abdominoplasty, and it was extremely painful - and totally worth it, to me. I was well medicated, had a pain pump, and still had a hard time moving for about 2 weeks. The sleeve surgery didn't compare to that. However, I also had a butt lift and brachioplasty at the same time, and I was miserable in general. I remember wishing I could escape my body. But that pain fades and you are left with much better skin! Again, totally worth it!

I didn't tell many people at all. Since it was a pretty rapid and huge transformation, everyone wanted to know how I was doing it. I always told them diet and exercise. I felt like they would watch every bite I put in my mouth for the rest of my life, though that may or may not have been true. I may not have given them enough credit, but I just don't want to be the topic of anyone's conversation. Now, at two years out, I know that some people just assume I had WLS, and they are not judging me. My point is, people think what they want and make assumptions no matter what we do.

Great job! You look great!

2 nights

I lost about 10.

I also found it more difficult to lose after the first 18 months. I do think it's possible, though. We just have to work even harder. You are reasonably close to goal, and that makes it harder. Measure and weigh your food, and track it. Monitor your weight. Protein first. Increase your activity.You know the rules. Ignore your boyfriends mother. That's none of her business if you are gaining or not. Never let another individual influence your weight in that way. Also, know you are not alone. I've been hanging on to the last few pounds quite a while myself.

It took me a little while to define my style, too. At 50, I was also concerned about not looking age appropriate or just inappropriate, in general. I've seen others who embraced their new bodies in a way that was less than flattering and not tasteful. I spend a lot of time on pinterest, and that gave me an idea of what I like. I pinned the same sort of things, over and over. As I began shopping, I made a list, and started with basics. Neutral colors as the basis for matching with a lot of different things. As a result, I did end up with an awful lot of black, white, and gray. Most of it is also not very trendy, so I can use it a long time. That is also new for me. I wasn't used to staying a consistent size, ever! I also only bought things on sale. I learned how to try things on in the stores, and then wait and watch for them to be on sale. I've gotten some surprisingly great deals that way. I also look at what other people my age wear. And I also check with my young adult daughters. They certainly know what's too young. I think it also pays to shop in places that cater to my age group. I particularly like White House Black Market. My kids think Chicos is a little old for me, but I like some of their things. I like JJill for some things, but a lot of their things are loose and flowy, and I need something more fitted or I look frumpy. I like Talbots, though they are too expensive most of the time. I also like Macy's and Dillards. But I can find things I like anywhere now that I know what to look for. In addition to Pinterest, check out Fifty not frumpy. She gives daily posts and fashion ideas. Don't you love having this problem?

I've not been so fortunate. I had about 12 pounds of skin and fat removed and I'm up about 8 pounds. I'm swollen and hungry. Good for you, though! I keep hoping the swelling will subscribe and I'll drop 20, but not counting on it....

I didn't have either in preparation for the sleeve. I did have a barium swallow, though, looking for a hernia. That's routine for my doc. But the colonoscopy or the upper GI endoscopy isn't bad, if you do have to have one.

That's a pretty normal feeling, even for those who were best prepared and really understood what they signed up for. It's just such a sense of permanence, and there is no escaping it. It's odd to not be able to eat what and when you want. Pretty soon, though, you'll start to love it. You'll love the weight loss, the way you look and feel, and it will SO be worth it. I used to love that I would be full from a couple of bite. At two years out, I still have restriction, but it takes way more than a couple of bites to feel it! I sometimes wish I could get that feeling back! So, I guess that answers your question, you'll be able to eat again, and you'll have to really work at not overeating.

Congratulations. You are in for an awesome journey.

Yep, it's normal. You don't say what you are doing, so now way to know if you are doing anything wrong. If you are following your docs advice, then you are doing all you can. I always found it almost strange that my body would just not turn loose of a pound sometimes even though I was doing everything right, and then it would drop a lot, even though nothing had changed. I learned that is just the way it works for me. But looking back at the big picture, even with a few stalls here and there, the loss was fairly steady over time, and it tapered off as I got closer to goal.

I weighed daily since day of surgery, but really track weekly. I took a picture monthly during weight loss, and now I take one every few months. I've continued to shrink even though I've been in maintenance for a while. I've had a couple of plastic procedures done, so I'm continuing to take pictures through that, too. Since I tracked my loss on a spread sheet, I love to look back over that and my pictures to see how far I've come. Funny, but it's still not old to me!

@@proudgrammy Just saw this! You guessed it, I'm from Michigan! Born and bred about 30 minutes south of the D, in Monroe.

It was painful for me, but only because I had so much swelling. I also had my abdominoplasty and butt lift with autologous fat flap at the same time. That was all pretty painful, too. But now my arms and belly look great, way better than I would have expected. The scars are still red and a little raised, but it's only been 4 months. If they don't lighten and flatten, I'll have them treated with a laser. I would absolutely do it all again!

I paid for mine, and it was worth every penny.

It's easy to get discouraged, easy to compare ourselves to others, and scary to fear this won't work! And it's all normal. You might lose slowly or you might speed up, but sounds like you are losing and that's what matters. Time marches on either way, and at the end of a year, you could lose a pound a week and be 50 pounds lighter (and I suspect it will be more), or you could have done nothing and weighed 20-30 pounds more next year. It's all perspective. As you continue to feel better, become more active and get more comfortable with the changes you are making, you start to gain some comfort that this will work for you, as long as you do your part! Good luck.

food = Love in our culture. I'm sure his rational mind knows better, but his gift giving mind obviously doesn't totally grasp it. His issue, not yours, and that's great that you aren't even irritated. Good for you for passing it on. Someone else will either enjoy it, or do the same. That sort of stuff is good in places where many people are. Then people can either have one, or skip them, but no one has to eat them all!