LipstickLady

I'd go visit a friend or relative for a week or two and leave him on his own, personally. If I didn't have that option, I'd go to a hotel at the beach and take a vacation. People will only treat you like poo if you let them. Don't let him. You are worth more than that.

I've not had a single moment of regret.

Glad you found the answer you wanted. We usually will if we ask enough people.

I'm Agnostic but raised Catholic. I learned that "God helps those who help themselves" and that's what you did. Good for you! It will get better.

I am just a few days over a year out and my sleeve has it's finicky days. I agree with PDX above, you can't tell true restriction on soups or sliders, you have to test it with Protein. Some days I can eat 2-3 ounces in a sitting, some days, only 1-2. I never know until my nose starts up the faucet routine and I feel as if a burp is stuck. I have learned that if I don't eat ssssslllllllloooooooowwwwww, I will find myself too full the hard way and that's not fun.

I found that walking stairs worked best. Two meatballs at less than a month out? Girl! I can't do that at a year out!

I don't miss shopping in the tiny plus sized section of the store that was mostly old lady clothes. I don't miss my thighs chaffing together. I don't miss the boob sweat or underboob rash. I don't miss huffing and puffing on family walks. I don't miss being the fat mom at every event. I don't miss the dread of running into someone I've not seen in years cuz I'd gained so much weight. I don't miss having to have every hair in place and makeup done every time I left the house because I didn't want to be the sloppy fat lady. I don't miss sweating uncontrollably doing every day tasks. I don't miss feeling cramped in a bathroom stall, turning sideways going down an aisle or squeezing past people and still bumping them. I don't miss having to request a table over a booth or if one was not available, squeezing in, belly and boobs resting against the table. I don't miss being unable to paint my own toenails and breathing at the same time. I don't miss wearing all black all the time cuz no one would be able to tell that I was fat if I did that. (Eye roll) I don't miss making excuses to get out of doing stuff because being so fat made me so tired... I could go on forever. Nope. I don't miss a thing.

Bananas don't have latex in them, btw. . The Proteins in bananas and several other fruits are used to manufacture latex. I am allergic to cantaloupe, walnuts, pecans, peaches, pears, and several other things when uncooked and very ripe because they contain a chemical that mimics hay fever. It suuuucks.

Sure you can! Cheese sticks, 100 cal packs of almonds, beef Jerky, thin sliced deli meat, all beef lower fat hot dogs, Protein Bars, grab and go hummus cups with pretzel thins, yogurt... You'll get to the point where it's second nature and it's OH SO worth it. I can run, I can jump, I can do more with my kids than ever before. I can shop in any store, I can buy any outfit off the rack, I look cute in clothes now and I don't mind getting my picture taken. (What the what!?!?!) You need to find your happiness in something other than food. Zumba? Walking a dog? Knitting? Reading a great book? A new set of friends at a meet-up group? Food is fuel and a necessity for your body, but not a necessity for your happiness. Go find something you love to replace eating. You will be SO glad you did.

My first thought is that you are a grown woman and you are going to do what you want. My second thought is that doing what you want is what got you (and me!) to the point of needing WLS in the first place. I think that eventually having a banana every day is going to be fine, but during your pre-op, not so much. This is the time to listen to the NUT and surgeon you are paying so much money to to get you to a healthy weight. You don't NEED a banana and it's not "CRAZY" to give them up pre-op. This is your chance to prove to yourself that you can take control of your eating and what goes in your mouth. It concerns me that you say you "just can't" give up your banana. There are so many options out there that will not compromise the diet plan your doc is laying out for you. Banana flavored protein powder is one, SF flavored syrup is another, or check the spice aisle for banana extract. No, you don't need a banana. That said, it's up to you whether or not you are going to be compliant with your doctor. No approval from anyone else neccessary.

It's not even 24 hours. It sucks but it's worth it. I would bet you a nurse will give you ice chips or a mouth swab but trust me, even if they do not, you WILL live and while you will be miserable, you *CAN* do it.

Ahhh, thanks! I exercise almost daily, usually martial arts, kickboxing or zumba. My skin looks great wrapped in clothes, naked, not so much. I'm healthy, that's what matters.

I am 5.3 and started at 264. I am now just a few days past my one year mark and am 153. I still have 10-15 to go! This is start/6 month mark/1 year.

I have found that I need to relearn ALL my martial arts kicks and stances. I used to do all my spinning and jumping kicks with a lot of compensation for 100+ more pounds and now I when I do them with those same compensations, I am finding myself falling flat on my ass, missing my target all together and way over jumping/spinning. It's really quite funny now that I've figured out WHY I'm so clumsy. I would highly recommend Pilates @@Fiddleman, if you aren't already doing it. It's all core exercise and focuses on posture, strengthening your lower back and abs, and balance. I think that I was in pretty good shape at 264 pounds because I always did pilates and yoga and those forms of exercise always kept my posture and flexibility good. It's fun and relaxing, too!

I love love love my restriction, but I had VSG, not just to get lose weight, but to get HEALTHY. We all know thin people who never exercise, have horrible high blood pressure and cholesterol because of of their eating habits, always have indigestion and heartburn, etc. They are doing horrible damage to their bodies that they can't see because they "look good" on the outside. My goal is to be healthy and to look healthy, so I choose not to test out my restriction but to make great choices to feed my body by giving it great nutrition. I spent 20+ years abusing my body with bad food choices, excessive portions, carb loading, etc. I was very fortunate to be as healthy as I was when I finally had surgery, despite my morbid obesity. My choice to have surgery was my commitment to myself to finally start taking care of ME from the inside out. Do I have treats here and there? ABSOLUTELY! Do I ever feel guilty anymore about what I eat? No way in hell. I am making great choices 95% of the time and when I choose to eat something "naughty", I do it with intent, I enjoy it, and if it wasn't planned, I add a few more steps in my day or an extra Zumba class to make up for it. I guess it all boils down to WHY you had surgery. Did you have it to look thin or did you have it to be healthy? The answer to that question will answer your topic, IMHO.

Starting, 6 months out, one year on 5/16/14! Ten pounds to go...

You, sir, are TRUE inpration.

My grocery does riceless sushi. They wrap the fillings in very thin cucumber slices and it is delicious. Yummmmo!

One day at a time. If that doesn't work, one hour at a time. If that doesn't work, one minute at a time. Take your PPI, get creative with your shakes by adding SF syrups, find some awesome cream Soups, and enjoy the weight loss. It's worth it. Soooooo worth it.

Yup.

You want a pop tart? Eat a freaking pop tart! I prefer the low fat blueberry or apple cinnamon, myself. I eat Reese's eggs, M&Ms, Thin Mints, brownies, ice cream... Difference between a year ago and now? I eat just a little. You know, like a naturally thin person. I can now eat a few bites, slowly, enjoying it and move on. I no longer cram it in my face so fast I barely taste it. I track it, I stay below my daily goals 95% of the time, and I don't feel even a little bit bad about it. I love this sleeve thing I "mutilated" my body with. I not only eat like a thin person, I almost AM a thin person. Hope you enjoyed that pop tart and I hope you enjoy another one sometime soon. Nothing wrong with it.

You'd shoot me?

Someone asked what I do? Low carb, high Protein, and I followed my doc's orders as far as food stages. I have occasional treats so I never feel deprived and I eat until I'm comfortable which does not mean full. I am usually around 1100 calories a day and I rarely use Protein drinks or bars. I eat a lot of Jerky, cheese, roast beef from the deli, seafood or chicken salad and shrimp. It's truly the best "diet" I've ever been on because I don't feel like I'm dieting, I'm simply making the right choices for my body. Exercise is kickboxing, martial arts and zumba. Looooooove zumba. I now do mud runs and 5k obstacle courses (what the what?!?!?), teach kickboxing and regularly get in my 10k steps. I wear my fitbit everyday and I love to move. Did I already say that this was the best decision ever?

Y'all are too kind! Believe me when I say I have shopped. And shopped. And shopped. And shopped and shopped and shopped and shopped... It's my new favorite thing. My husband is kind of wondering if I am ever going to stop. HA!

Yup. Alllllll the time. I've had a Mirena IUD for almost 10 years and I was period-less for the entire time pre-op. Now I am almost always spotting. It's ridiculous. It's finally slowing down as I am a year out (today!), but the doc said it's normal. Estrogen is stored in your fat and as you lose fat, the E is released causing a period. Lovely! I should have bought stock in Tampax.