Ellie_Grace

Thanks everyone!!!

Congrats to you too!!! Feels awesome huh?

I am in the same place for the past couple weeks. I was down to 201.2 a couple weeks ago and today I'm at 202. Just keeping the faith it will start dropping again soon, but it is frustrating and annoying!' I want to be below 200!! You will start dropping soon too

Yes we all understand that weird feeling. The excitement fear anticipation nervousness butterflies etc all mixed up at the same time! Don't second guess yourself just stay focused on your goals and take this time to write down why you are doing this and what your goals are, trust me it will come in handy in those days after surgery when you start feeling why? And even later when you start to slip to help you from going back to old habits (that's what my psychologist told me anyway )

Family communications sounds great but the other two. Ugh. Lol. Good luck with the classes. How many semesters left?

I thought so, but was not sure. What classes are you taking this semester? If you need any help etc please ask! I am a great proof reader, I did that for many friends when I was in classes (just graduated in 2009).

That is Awesome!!! congrats on feeling better, Congrats on the weight loss and Congrats on the new job!

Oh that is my second grandbaby is due in March. I have 6 kids ages 11 - 23 and one grandson age 2. Can't believe I am old enough for that many LOL

What a cute grandbaby. My second one is due in March, can't wait. Welcome to this group and to the beginning of a new life, powered by your hard work and dedication, we are just here to have to your back when needed.

Congrats! When is your surgery date?

very NICE! Good job! what are you going to school for?

I so totally do this. I also weigh daily, which was a bad thing until I learned to accept flucuations were part of the process as were stalls. Neither bother me in general except when I get close to a goal, like being below 200 (almost there now) and my evil body just to spite me puts me into a stall or that gain and lose bouncing game. I get annoyed but it does not get me down, now I just joke about it and know that eventually the weight will come off and I just up my game. Without the daily weigh-ins I think I would go into shock LOL....Honestly since I am on the losing track way more often then the gaining track right now I find weighing daily is very helpful and keeps me motivated (even on the days I lose since it just makes me work harder). I am guessing soon there will be a time when the weight loss really slows down less then that average 3 pound a week weight loss I am currently experiencing and then I might join the once a week weigh-in club!

I am 3 months out and I can eat about 3/4 cup worth of food and depending on food sometimes more. My doctor said this is normal and expected and that everyone should begin to eat more as time goes on. Otherwise we would lose way too much weight for our health. I think the key is to eat correctly, which of course is the hard part especially if you don't dump to the bad stuff. I have not tried any of the bad stuff other than a few potato chips here and there and I refuse to feel guilty for having a few of them. Just allow yourself a cheat day here and there and follow the rules the rest of the time. We all need some fun days, I do not think it is about complete denial but more about moderation. If you do not dump it will take you more will power, but honestly I think we all stop dumping at some point, or at least most of us will, so we have to take this time to work on learning new habits. Which can include eating fun food items once in awhile, just don't make it the mainstay of your diet. Plus don't forget to exercise and get that Protein in. Stop beating yourself up, be patient with yourself and do the best you can. But do avoid those bad foods as often as possible

Nope I never had anything like that... I guess I was just lucky

I have had them a few times, since that is all I could keep down for awhile and I never noticed any carbonation at all and they were really good.

Let me count the ways! I have more joy in my life because I look forward to doing things! For example: I look forward to exercising, crazy and never thought I say that but I hate missing a day and I look forward to going around people and hearing the positive comments I get now. Next I have gained self-confidence in my body (sadly I swear I still feel skinnier than I am, but I am getting there) and more much more energy. I have gained pride in my ability to stick to this... I eat right, I exericise, I take my vitamins and try to maintain a positive attitude etc. I gained the ability to dream about my future and fulfilling many lifetime goals I never thought possible. Like running, hiking, riding a bike again, amusement park rides, wearing pretty lingerie again and many other silly, fun, crazy and wonderful things I now will get to experience. I got to say good bye to most of my aches and pains the possibility of diabetes is now gone, I was pre-diabetes Sex life has improved to say the least, which makes for a happier couple buying clothes and finding that most of them look good without even having to try them on, plus I can find many clothes my size to buy at thrift stores so my options are many, how fun is that. did I mention energy to spend time with my family and learning to go things and not just sit and watch tv every weekend? Well there is more but I will stop there for now... Needless to say this has changed so much and I am only 3 months out, can you imagine what it will be like when I am a year out? I have had no complications so YAY!

measure yourself with a tape measure, that is where you will see the difference in cold hard fact numbers. It is nice to see those change even when weight is not dropping and fun to see the difference in measurements. I have lost over 10 inches in my hips for example, that feels amazing and a hard fact I can not deny. And it is amazing the places that you lose. My wrists, my ankles, my neck (lost over an inch) and more places. Heck my rings barely stay on. All this and only lost 59 pounds, half way, Can not imagine what the measurements will be when it is all gone. Fun times!!

I did not have any bathroom issues like you are describing. I wonder what the difference was in our procedures. Bathrooom issues have plaqued me since surgery though, from diarehea to major constipation at various times, but nothing I could connect to the actual surgery. Colace twice a day is now helping, thank goodness for that.

Looking amazing!

Use a nice strong blender- many swear by the ninja- or food processor. I just have a food processor with grater blade. Put ice through that until its the texture you like. Then put on your sugar free syrup and eat. You can also freeze your fav drink and crush it the same way tjen no need for syrup. There are also slushie makers you can buy but I don't think it's necessary

3 weeks not months LOL

Be patient with yourself and the process. We all went through something like this. Your body just had surgery and has to take a break to heal and adjust to the losses experienced. Each of us do this stall at different times and for different lengths of time and for some of us it happens often. But guaranteed your weight will start dropping again soon and if you are following the rules (i.e. enough Protein, sleeping, eating right, exercising and drinking enough water) there is no way you will not lose this weight. Honestly at your stage it will not stop. I had a major stall in the second month for almost 3 months, that included gaining weight. Heck, I just gained back almost 2 pounds in the last couple days. Am I frustrated yes, but I now know it will start up again and to just keep on plugging away. I even raised my excercise level and still gained. It is what it is and your body is doing what it has to handle all the changes. We did not lose this overnight and it is unrealistic to expect it to happen that quickly (I remember being lectured with that same quote and boy did it annoy me at the time lol), so reevaluate your goals and expectations and stop worrying. You are doing awesome, you have lost a lot of weight already and it will come off and you will love the new you, we promise!! Three months out from surgery today and have lost halfway to my goal weight even with all the stalls and weight gains I keep experiencing. OH!! measure yourself everywhere and write it down, then every week check those measurements because those change even when you are not losing weight and it is nice to see that progress as well. best of luck and keep strong it is worth it!!

Ice chips or slushies were my go-to way to get in liquids when I could not tolerate anything room or barely cold. All my drinks if liquid had to be freezing cold (Dr said that this is normal btw) and when I found out about sugar free slushies and then how to make my own I was so excited and problem was solved for me. Also just plain ice chips works as well without any kind of sryup on it at all. I also froze flavored drinks and then crushed them up and that worked too. I got desperate enough to try to freeze a chocolate protein shake and eat it that way, but that did not work so well LOL. ICK had to toss that one failed attempt.

I have to wear professional clothes to work as well. But I can not wear dresses, well would prefer not to since I work with 1300 sex offenders in a locked setting. Anyway, I have had to purchase clothes the whole time as soon as I started to drop. I just hit goodwill and salvation army and other thrift stores. Here on Fridays and Saturdays the clothes are half off. I found a goodwill in the better part of town where the rich folks donate their clothes and I have found pretty much brand new (excellent condition at least) clothes and many brand name clothing. I don't really care about that but it was nice anyway. I bought a weeks worth of pants and a some shirts to go with them, one sweater because they freeze us in our offices and something to wear to church and on saturday. Cost was no more than 60$ and I also have bought a few things in lower sizes as well to have things to wear as I drop and to try on to see how my losing inches is going. Nothing trumps wearing a set of clothing in your correct new size that fits well for making you feel good about yourself and to grab the notice of co-workers LOL. I notice that as soon I got into smaller sizes I stopped wearing the bigger ones because they made me feel frumpy and that is the last thing I want to go back to feeling. If you do not mind thrift store clothes go find a good one in a decent neighborhood (because the thrift store in the other part of town the clothes are not in good condition and I would not buy those and were the same cost since they were both goodwill) and splurge on a new wardrobe for less than 100$ Good luck. send pictures when you get into your new clothes

Best wishes for a safe surgery and swift recovery. remember get up and walk as soon as you can and do it often, it is the key to less gas pain and faster recovery. Good luck, will be thinking about you.