SleevedJune62013

I'll be 36 shortly after your surgery. Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any ?s.

I started at 230 on 6/6/2013 & currently weigh 187. Down 43 lbs. I'm 5' 3.5". I'm 35

Nickelback - Burn It To The Ground! This is my motivation anthem at the gym! Growllllll!

I just snorted & laughed out loud in my very quiet office at work! I was wondering the EXACT same thing....

I'd say you're just about to turn that corner into happiness. I'd hope to see you loving your sleeve in another 4 weeks. Hang in there. Are you PMSing right now? I get really hungry & irritable at that time of month.

OUCH! No wonder you feel better! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

So yesterday I get stopped by a coworker who tells me I'm getting "sooooo skinny". I politely thank her & begin to tell her I feel like I'm losing the weight from my outer extremities in because I'm carrying most of my weight in my stomach but my husband thinks my legs look GREAT. Figured we'd laugh at my expense and part ways. NOPE! She proceeds to advise me how to work my core. When I tell her I am doing repetitive sit ups with 90 lbs of resistance on this cool machine at the gym after my cardio every night she actually screams "NO, don't do THAT!" All the while shaking her head vehemently. She goes on to explain that I have to do lots of running while sucking my belly button into my spine and start planking. The whole time I'm trying to lift my chin off the floor I'm thinking, " I'm supposed to take my fitness advice from a 280 lb chain smoker?" As a recovering fat chic who smoked I realize that's harsh but OMG. Am I wrong to be offended? Am I really doing the wrong thing for myself? She thinks I'm power lifting and I need to lose all my fat first then try to bulk up with lean muscle later. I'm seriously thinking I need to take the opportunity to turn all this stored fat into muscle now. I don't see how I'd be able to possibly eat enough calories to be able to bulk up later. I don't even know why I'm calling it bulk. I just want to be tone & hopefully avoid as much sagging skin as possible.

I once saw someone post on here that they buy the soda stream diet coke syrup & mix it with water & ice. No carbonation issues. I haven't tried it but she seemed thrilled.....

Here's what I was given. Hope it helps somewhat.

http://www.fitsugar.com/Reasons-Women-Lose-Hair-31534546 Found this article interesting today.

Be careful. I started to feel a tickle in my throat & some sinus yuck the day before my surgery. Then after the surgery I almost ended up with pneumonia. Use that breathing thing they give you as often as possible & good luck. It's no fun coughing with a sore tummy. Antibiotics are a WONDERFUL thing!

Sugar free Popsicles, fudgesicles, SF jello, SF snoballs (if you have these where you live). So much liquid you feel bloated. Drink ALL day.

Hang in there. Try to stay busy to keep your mind off of it. Having this surgery was the best gift I ever gave myself.

We sound very similar in our weight struggles. I'm also very all or nothing. How much you trying to lose? Curious if our stats are close. SW: 230 CW: 190 GW: 120 5' 3.5" Age: 35 When I was in the mushy food stage I lived off Popeye's mashed potato w/ extra gravy & red beans NO rice. So get your retried beans on girl! I order the same thing at Taco Bell. They're a great source of protein. So is the cheese on top! When The family goes to Subway I get the meatball sub no bread. They basically give you a bowl with 4 meatballs in it & I ask for mozzarella cheese & Parmesan cheese on top. I usually can only eat two or two & a half meatballs. If we go for protein first we can't fit enough in to be too worried about fat content, carbs. I may get yelled at by others for that..... When I'm craving something crunchy & salty I eat a few pork rinds. Also fatty but a good source of protein & you can only fit like 5 in your tummy. It's not like before when we would demolish the whole bag. Don't be so hard on yourself. We're all intelligent grown adults & know good from bad. If I'm not losing my 7 lbs minimum a month I'll reassess my plan. For now, if I deprive myself cheese or beans or pork rinds I may reach for the bread and butter. Lol.

I was sleeved 6/6/13 & I'm down 40 lbs today from surgery weight (230). I may not be far enough out for what you're trying to gather but I figured I'd share. I eat cheese. I LOVE cheese & can't live without it. I eat Beans because they're a good source of Protein & I like them more than eggs. I put sour cream on my lettuce wrapped taco meat because its a good source of Calcium & we're only talking a tablespoon. I eat full on cream Soups & the real deal salad dressings & mayo but I DO NOT eat potato chips, Pasta, rice or crackers. I've had a couple pieces of low carb wheat bread, a tortilla to hold my wrap together (I tore off as much tortilla as I could get away with) a couple of times & protein enriched crisps. I've had no sugar added frozen yogurts, fudgsicles & ice creams. Never the real full on blue bell or Ben & Jerry's. I've also had 3 sugar free Cookies. I average 80 carbs a day. I go over & under often but the reason I stay away from full sugar cookies, cakes, Icecreams & stuff like potato chips & crackers & bread is because they are triggers for me. I used to eat a whole loaf of French bread smeared in butter. YUM-O! Now I aim for 800 calories, 80 grams of protein & try to exercise at least 5 days a week. I do a minimum of 30 mins cardio & 15 mins of strength training. My husband has told me my legs are getting very tone. I want to include exercise to tone my body. I have a friend that lost 130 lbs at her 1 year mark but she never exercised & has LOTS of loose skin. I lost 25 lbs my first month & only 7.5lbs each additional month after that. I imagine I will lose approx 7 lbs a month which will land me at a healthy BMI weight of approx 130 for 5'3.5" & hopefully I'll be nice & tone too. Fingers crossed. Good luck!

How old are you and did you have any plastics, if you don't mind me asking.... Your tummy & arms look GREAT! I'm hoping there's hope for me. I'm 35 & don't have funding for plastics. Did you have a workout regimen to help get that toned look to your body? If so, dish the dirt. I wanna be tone too. Lol

Looking good fellow Saints fan! Edit: This just looks weird without the "quote" from ebonisekim in her Saint shirt. App issue or I-D-10-T error?

My first period after my surgery was at least 2 weeks late & I am VERY regular. Don't stress. The b***h is coming eventually....LOL

I always had very regular periods & the surgery threw my period way off too. Only I had the opposite problem as you. I was really late starting. I'm a little worried that you're having such a heavy period for so long. Have you mentioned it to your surgeon or primary care? Maybe you need to go see your gynecologist?

You didn't mention any exercise. Are you exercising? Also, its VERY common to have a stall during weeks 3-6. It was explained to me that your body is wondering if this is another fad diet or if this is the long haul. As far as the 3 lb gain, are you close to your period? I'm guessing water weight. You're in starvation mode & your body is trying to hold onto all its recourses because it doesn't trust you're gonna give it what it wants right now. It'll get on board eventually. I really don't think your diet needs to be as strict as it is. If you're hungry eat something. Protein first.

No, just clear liquid diet 24 hours prior to the surgery.

Awww. I live a Tim too! LOL

It's nice to have "help" but I felt rude because I could only stay awake for 2 to 3 hours. I'd wake up, take my medicine & try to drink as much as possible or eat a SF Popsicle & be ready for bed again. If your helper isn't real close to you it may be awkward & annoying.

Yes, I remember my first bite of puréed food was mashed potatoes with extra gravy. It was divine! I lived off Popeyes mashed potatoes with extra gravy & their red beans (no rice) for almost two weeks.

He will most definitely keep you over night. I was a little annoyed that my surgery wasn't scheduled until 1:00 with them knowing I was on a clear liquid diet the whole day prior but regardless of the fact that i was STARVING when i got there & a bit cranky the surgery, stay & staff were super wonderful. They were quick to bring pain meds every time I requested them. Unfortunately they will inject you with blood thinners throughout your stay & they sting but that's the only bad thing I could think of. You'll do great!