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I did! When my waist started re-appearing early on, I wasn't interested in ANYTHING that didn't fit! I did a lot of laundry since I didn't have the volume of clothes to pick from. It was kind of like going from "frump girl" to quite the opposite in what seemed like overnight! By the time I returned to work after surgery, with the pre-op weight loss beginning to show and post op weight loss underway, I needed new clothes already! These did not last! I learned to go for knit skirts\dresses\leggings with tall boots for work with a tunic top because they looked fashionable AND I could get a little more mileage out of stretchy stuff. Belts and scarves can be tied on to help cinch up a waist or make your outfits go farther. It's a FANTASTIC problem to have! Congratulations! Funny, how when I was fat I gravitated toward stretch for comfort, but as I was losing weight, I used it to get more mileage out of my clothes!

I think this can be soooo dependent on the guy you're with. The last guy I dated was a TOTAL flirt, always touching, always complimenting, I think he taught me how to flirt with HIM! Because honestly, I don't have a clue, LOL, Having been overweight all my life, I learned to be kind of "aloof" to avoid any potential rejection. Now, with newfound confidence, I get to learn how to flirt too! Unfortunately, I think he considers me an "option" while I was looking at him as more of a priority, (because he made me feel so damn GOOD)! So I think that's kind of chilling for now. Could change up in the future, who knows. Until then, I get to practice flirting with a few others! What I learned from him: Make eye contact! Smile! Ask questions and listen to his answers. Touch him occasionally. Best of luck and enjoy the ride!

I'd been divorced for 3.5 years before I even THOUGHT about putting myself out there. When I finally did, (about 1/4 of the way into my weight lost post-op)... It was much easier than I imagined. The closer I got to goal, the bigger the boost! I probably shouldn't be so shallow, but I feel like I've been able to discover what I REALLY WANT in another person because there are enough of them interested and I'm getting enough volume in dates now that I can actually figure it out! Thoroughly enjoying my newfound social life!

Caffeine leeches the Calcium out of your system. We already have issues absorbing what we need, (hence most of us have been prescribed to take multiple extra supplements). A calcium deficit will catch up with us in broken bones as we age, so go easy on the stuff IF you do it at all! That said, I have a single kcup of regular in the morning. If I want more, it's decalf. It's the only caffeine I get during the day, (won't even touch iced tea unless it's decalf and of course, no soda). Labs have been good so far.

I've always been bigger on top than on the bottom. Now that I'm at goal, it's only by about one size difference. I can wear a 4 pant\jeans and still sometimes a medium top. I'm grateful to have the shape I do as "the girls" fared pretty well through all of this, (at least with the help of a Vickies foundation)! The sag without is... it is what it is. We live with the scars we choose!

Feeling "Crazy" comes with the territory in the beginning. You're releasing hormones and toxins stored up in your fat cells at a rapid rate. Good news is it gets better. For me, much better after the first month and completely better after about month 3. Hang in there!

I thought I was "large framed" turns out I was just FAT. I thought my high blood pressure was genetic. Turns out I was just FAT.

I tend to agree. Started out on Egg Beaters, now I eat an egg with a slice of cheese on top several times per week. I also found P28 Protein bread. Now I can have toast without sacrificing my protein goals. I do protein supplements, a scoop of chocolate Protein powder in my coffee tastes like Starbucks and Power Crunch makes a Protein Bar with 15g that tastes like a cookie. It is important that as you make changes to your diet, you record what you are doing so you understand your intake\output and meet your protein goals. I've found I can literally eat what I like now as long as I keep it within reason and work it into my day nutritionally and with a good exercise plan in place. I choose to give up exactly NOTHING! At goal, in a size 4, off all meds and HEALTHY! What sweet freedom!

My doc originally told me I should lose 100 pounds, from 235 to 135. I'm 5'6". At my 6 month post op, I was at 160 (still clinically overweight) and he told me I could stop if I wanted! I told him if it was all the same to him, I'd continue down until I was in the middle of my healthy BMI range. He agreed that was fine too. A month or 2 after that when I hit a size 4, I adjusted my goal range up by 10 pounds. I just go there and am trying to figure out this maintenance thing now. It's really about calories in vs calories burned so I too my BMR and set my daily calories there and try to eat back my exercise calories now as well. Today, MFP says I should be eating 1800 calories. That. Is. A. Lot! And I probably won't get there, (unless I eat 1000 calories for dinner, which is NOT happening, LOL). I'm making a concerted effort to eat more and have dialed back the exercise a bit, trading some of the cardio for strength training. We'll see what happens, I guess. This is actually harder than losing. It's easier to just stay somewhat "under" and drop weight. It's another thing entirely to hit a specific target WITHOUT going over! Feels like the price is right to me!

Are you kidding? I feel like a KID again! It was a little slow going for the first couple of months after surgery, but by the time I took off 30-40 pounds and was in condition to eat real food and move more... WOW! I can spend all day working in the yard now if I want. (Not that I want to do yard work all day, LOL). No way I could do that last year! Now that I've reached my goal range and all pre-op comorbidities are gone, (med-free), I actually have the energy to live the life I want!

I'm officially in my goal range and "the girls" haven't really officially budged size wise, (which I am grateful for). I've lost about 90 pounds and have gone down 8 inches around my ribcage but cupsize is the same. Keep in mind I switched from plus size bras to Vickie's and you typically go UP a size in Vickies, so I guess it all evened out in the end.

When you get home from the hospital, set a timer on your phone if you have to so you can have a reminder to sip. For the first few nights, I woke up in the night to drink as well. It gets much easier after the first few weeks after the swelling goes down.

I use supplements for several reasons, not the least of which is I can keep my calories in check and get a large boost to my protein count for the day. They allow me the flexibility in my diet to allow the occasional piece of bread or other non-protein food and I LIKE eating like a "normal" person who occasionally eats carbs. Tossing a shot of chocolate whey in my morning coffee costs me only 100 calories and gains me 23g of protein, plus, I think it makes it taste like Starbucks. COULD I get 75+g from food alone? Yes, but I don't want to live like that as I'd be eating pretty much nothing but chicken!

I found Omeprazole pellets went down okay in applesauce. Some of the ones that had to be crushed, not so much. For the ones that tasted really bad, I learned to cut them in small pieces if they were big and swallow the pieces one at a time on an emptyish stomach if possible, (more room in there).

Yup. Detoxing is yukky. Acne, hormones and toxins stored in your fat cells leaving your body at a high rate of speed, probably some dehydration due to the fact you can't hold much right now. It gets better! I get compliments on my skin now which is kind of a new thing.

LOL, yes! I call my sleeve "Shock Collar"! Good news is eventually the dog learns to live within the boundaries. So have I.

I have to focus more to stay hydrated. It's super easy to forget to eat AND drink and I've had a couple instances this summer where I know I've been dehydrated. Plus a weird one for me since I ride a motorcycle... my balance is not what it used to be. It's a big touring bike and the only way to manage it in parking lost is to use your weight to counterbalance. I've been clumsy and dropped it twice this season! Guess I need to go back to riding school! All in all, the sleeve has been the BEST gift I've ever given myself!

I hadn't even thought about kidney stones. I had an incident at the amusement park a few weeks ago in the evening. It wasn't even that hot out, but it was humid and I got dehydrated. Nausea, fatigue, cold sweats even after 2 bottles of G2 when I got home. NOT fun. Scared the crap out of me actually. I'm much more mindful about hydration now!

I went in with a BMI of 37 in September with about 90-100 pounds to lose. I was sleeved in October with a BMI of 35.6. Since then I've lost 87 pounds, (I count from September to get count the pre-op weight loss which was about 13 pounds). So I'm 3 pounds from my first goal in under a year. I wear a size 4 at 5'6", so I'm told I look "tiny", though I tend to see a size 8ish-10ish staring back in the mirror. Body image is a funny thing. I'll admit, I eat a bit more than many others, (about 1200 calories per day). I subscribe to the "nothing is forbidden", "I am not on a diet", diet. I work out hard 5 days per week and work the things I like into my day to make it work. So for me, at 10 months out, I'm going to get there. I'll probably go past my goal at the rate I'm going which is fine to a point. I think it is a very individual thing, how fast, how much you lose. I've been intentional in the higher calories as I believe I've had the opportunity to reset my metabolism and I want it to reset as high as possible while I still have adequate weight loss results. This is what worked for me when I had about 100 pounds to lose. Others, especially those with a greater percentage of weight to lose may have a different experience.

I only needed chewables for the first few months. I used Centrum chewables. They taste like skittles. Now I use a smaller version of a "regular" Centrum Vitamin capsule and it goes down fine.

I get them at the grocery store in the health food section or at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. Trigger food... Not for me, but they're a nice alternative to a shake or good for a meal on the run. Be careful though, they are VERY high in Fiber as well as protein! That alone is motivation for me to enjoy no more than 1 per day!

I was only in the hospital overnight and never took narcotic pain meds. I went back to my desk job after 10 days and felt great!