Chelenka

40 mins on the stationary bike.

25 mins weight training and 40 mins on the elliptical.

I think it happens to most of us who have always been obese to some degree. I understand your feelings but I don't have the problem of not seeing my new self to the same degree as you. I too was in denial about how fat I really was and also the extent to which I used food as a source of emotional sustenance. I find now that I'm in the nitty gritty fighting to get to my goal weight that I feel normal. NORMAL! ME! I've NEVER. been or felt like I was NORMAL!!! Yes I'm 6'1" so that is outside of a "normal" height for women but I'm shopping for L and XL instead of 3X. I just try on everything that appeals to me to see if it fits or not. I look at it as informational. Clothing sizes are so arbitrary depending on the manufacturer. My advice, for what it's worth, is to try to relax and spend some time getting to know your new body in a safe and self-loving way. (Minds out of the gutter please). Get a massage, look at yourself in the mirror both clothed and unclothed. Try to still the negative voices that are still nattering away at you. You have come a long way in a very short period of time. Your brain is still reeling with the rapidity of change. Keep giving yourself new information about your new body shape and size so that your self-image can adapt.

My hubby went home but we only live 5 mins from the hospital. I think it's what makes you feel comfortable that is important.

Congrats on your great progress so far! I don't use MyFitnessPal, sorry, but if I did I would friend you. There is a fitness challenge thread here on the forum which you could join into for the month of December. It runs one month at a time and is not at all judgmental of anyone's fitness level. It was originally started in September by Butterthebean and is just about challenging yourself to move more. There are some VSG vets who are now extremely fit and some pre-ops and relative newbies like myself who participate. It has really helped motivate me to exercise more.

You look great!

You look great!

35 min walk yesterday and another this morning in the frigid air! Brrrrrrr!

The pre-op liquid diet is the hardest part of the whole process. Just keep telling yourself "it's temporary". Hang in there.

Fiddleman: so sorry you got hurt but glad it isn't too serious. My orthopedist told me pretty much anyone over 30 has a lot of arthritis in their spine but maybe he was just trying to make me feel better. LOL! Anyway I've had a lot of PT for my lumbar spine and neck and it helps as long as you are diligent and patient. I think yoga is also very helpful. Staying strong, active and flexible is your best bet and you are doing all of that. Icing helps me too after working out to keep inflammation down. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Way to go Butter! I hope I can do that too some day!

So I weighed myself again this morning and I'm back down where I was two week ago!!?? I'm going to start weighing myself every morning to see it helps ne stay on track better. I'm also going to put a new battery in my scale so that I know it's accurate.

Congrats on reaching and surpassing your goal! My surgery was on 2/28 also. I have lost 85 lbs so far and have 20 more lbs to go to reach my goal. This month my weight loss has stopped. Guess I'm in a stall. Bummer.

Sorry for the double post. This stupid app sucks! I thought the first one didn't go through! Aaarrrrrggghh!

Hi Brenda: I assume you mean your EKG wasn't good. That sucks! It's such important information though. You want to come safely thru your surgery without any undue risk or complications. I hope your surgeon feels you are OK to go forward as planned.

I guess you mean your EKG wasn't good. So sorry to hear that but it is very important information. You don't want the risk of your surgery to be greater than neccessary. Hopefully your surgeon will clear you and everything will be fine. Sending positive vibes your way!

35 mins strength training and 40 mins on the bike. One more hip stretch to add, a variation of the pigeon yoga position. Lie on your back with your knees up. Place the outside of your right foot on your left knee. Pull your left leg forward while keeping the right knee rotated out. Repeat on the other side. This gets the glutes and helps open the SI joint. Also be sure to strengthen and stretch your inner thigh as well as the hip abductors. Icing after workouts helps me a great deal with all that creaky antique-y stuff!

I'm so glad I saw this thread. I've gained almost 4 lbs in the past two weeks. I wasn't surprised when I gained a 2 lbs last week because I knew I hadn't been behaving myself and was not tracking my food or getting any exercise. However this week I made a better effort but I gained again! Strangely I have gone down a size in pants and my waist measurement was down an inch yesterday. WTF?! I'm confused. I know regain happens to some extent to most of us. Is this just payback for my losing despite myself during the previous month when I stopped working out and was barely tracking? I can definitely eat more now too and feel hungry a lot more than I did just a few months ago. I hope I can get it together! I was sooooo close to losing 90 lbs and now I'm back at 85lbs down. I feel so dispirited and fearful.

Ok so I am freakishly tall, 6'1" and now people constantly ask me how tall I am or comment on my height. I don't mind. It amuses me because I don't think I'm any taller or shorter than before but it's what people notice , which is a lot nicer than the muffled comments I used to overhear about how huge I was. I do think my posture is better and I'm still working on improving it.

Butter-man! Looking awesome! Would you like a new Flyers jersey? I bet the one your wearing in your before pic is a tad too large now.

Hi all: congrats to every one on all your impressive fitness achievements! I haven't checked in since last week. I've managed to get in a few walks and two trips to the gym but I was being really unrealistic with my goal of 3 days in the gym and an hour walk or bike ride the other days. So I'm just doing as best I can. I always struggle with minor depression this time of year and getting exercise, especially outdoors when possible really helps. It also helps me to read how great every one is doing! Fiddleman, I want to be like you when I grow up!

Welcome MtAirygirl! I had my surgery in February at Einstein Montgomery. I hear that Abington has a great program too!

You are doing great! I am also a "slow" loser if I look at it that way. Everyone's body is different.

Got in 25 mins of strength training and 35 mins. on the ellyptical. Felt good.

Hi all: I missed you all too much to stay away! Don't like the change to Bariatric Pal and was unsure about continuing my participation in the forums. But I've realized that I need the support and encouragement and the sense of community. So I know we're halfway thru november but I'd like to join in the challenge. I've been sitting on my lazy ass for the past three weeks so I am going to challenge myself to get into the gym three days a week and go for a 1hour walk or bike ride on my non-gym days til the end of the month.