ElyQuint

Hi All:

I am a 36 year old woman weighing in at 281.5. I have lost four pounds since reaching my highest weight on the day of my first visit at tri-state bariatrics on the 4th day of February, 2013. I made the decision to move forward with the sleeve surgery after accepting medical help with a mood disorder, which included depression. Once the cloud lifted it was impossible to avoid the reality of what i had done to myself by refusing medical assistance out of some rediculous sense of pride.

I had lost nearly 100 pounds on Atkins several years ago but gained back every pound with interest after losing a loved one. This is also the moment when depression took hold and did not lift for nearly four years and only then, with the help of medication and therapy.

I am ready to move forward with improving my mental and physical health by nourishing my mind and fueling my body.

Unfortunately, my insurance company requires a 6 month medically supervised diet period which I feel is excessive and which the medical community finds arbitrary. In an effort to have this waived, I am making every effort to complete the balance of the pre-surgical requirements with reasonable haste so that I may request a waiver. Fingers crossed!

I have begun drinking a protien shake daily as breakfast or dinner and have created a yogurt, fruit, flax, fiber and berry parfait which serves as lunch. A piece of cheese or some nuts serve as snack and my one big meal varies depending on my daily happenings. This seems to be working as I am losing some weight. I am restricted to low impact excersize as my knees cause me a great deal of pain so I have been practicing yoga and tai chi recently. I have glued pennies to magnets to represent the pounds I need to lose. Nothing deters you more than 154 reasons not to open the refrigerator being represented right there on the door!

I am attempting to focus on changing my lifestyle to conform with the lifestyle I can expect post surgery so that I have an easier time adjusting. Any suggestions for making the 6 month weight more endurable are welcome!