INT125922

I hit goal weight a few weeks ago: Surgery Date: Nov 28, 2012 Goal Weight Date: Aug 28, 2014 Height: 5'9 Starting Weight: 390 lbs Current Weight: 160 lbs Weight Lost: 230 lbs Current BMI: 23.6 Guidelines I followed once allowed regular food after surgery: Minimum per day intake: 1 carbohydrate 1 vegetable 1 fruit 2 Calcium 5 Protein Tips: Water (Alkaline) Protein 80g per day Fat is your friend (Avo, coconut oil, seeds, nuts, lean meat) Sugar is your enemy (Maximum 2 fruit per day) Exercise will get easier

57 – 72 pounds to go

Old post but ..... I put on 30 lbs in the 4 months waiting for surgery .... then lost 30 lbs in the 2 weeks prior to surgery (3 shakes a day).

Thanks David. I have not had surgery to remove skin no. Yes I work out LOL. I posted information here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/316464-flappy-skin/?p=3621086 about what I did to assist with skin, have a look if you feel.

Thanks guys. RE: the cake, I know right, that's $40 ingredients alone !! Mmmmmm, so good (black forest). RE: pictures, yes I have now reached goal, there's another pic or too here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/320725-goal-weight-achieved-230-pounds-shed/ and I'm sure I can scratch up another few newer ones for you

Yes, I remember when I first got it. They warned not to do it more than 10 minutes at first or you would get bruising. I too spent the first 5 or so "10 minute workouts" bending over picking it up off my feet - it really was a workout still though LOL. I eventually got frustrated enough that I looked on utube for a tutorial and was able to do it after just a few tries then. The reason I bought it in the first place was because the company had indicated that you could burn up to 800 cal an hour and said that it burned the same calories as boot camp. Sounded good to me, hoola hoop or boot camp ?? Pretty easy choice.

I lost 230 pound and went from a definite pear shape to a classic hour glass - expect the best.

There are weight loss specific threads available on this website. There's one available for people with 200 + pounds to lose. http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/420-200-pounds/ I suspect you will be able to find many a person who started over 400 pounds in there while you wait for other replies. I myself started at 390.

I googled like mad and even saw my Dr. to try to stop my hair loss. I tried brushing with a special scalp stimulating brush and used a hair skin and nails supplement (containing biotin) and was also on a contraceptive pill for it too. I even used an anti-dandruff shampoo with ingredients to combat dandruff caused by fungal infection in case it was a fungal thing (thanks for making me paranoid Dr. Google). Still, my hands were full of hair in the shower from month 3. Thankfully, I had my hair loss stop entirely just 3 days after commencing treatment with 2 products taken daily (combined). How I heard about it: I read a book about gut health that described how many studies are linking the majority of illnesses in humans in western society back to malnutrition caused by compromised gut flora resulting in mal-absorption of the nutrients that we do actually intake. This is then compounded by our poor diet (take away/processed food) and mineral deficiencies that are common in western society . The information presented led me to suspect that my hair loss could be attributed to the same; due to undergoing stomach gastrectomy – it just made a lot of sense that my good bacteria would have taken a beating during that type of surgery. The writer of the book recommended a product called Nuferm Organic 2012 mixed with organic green barley grass. What is Nuferm Organic 2012 / organic green barley grass ? : Nuferm Organic 2012 is an extremely high quality non-dairy, non refrigerated pro-biotic power containing 20 organic living wholefoods that are broken down (fermented) with 12 strains of Lactobacilli bacteria to enhance the foods goodness. The (Certified) Organic green barley grass is sourced in New Zealand and is described as the most complete food for humans on the planet – full of natural state Vitamins, minerals, enzymes & amino acids in a form that is easy for your body to recognize and use. The website that I bought the green barley grass product through quoted: After 10 years of research Japans foremost nutritional researcher said, "My research has shown that the green leaves of the embryonic barley plant contain the most prolific balanced supply of nutrients that exist on earth in a single source." Yoshihide Hagiwara, MD Why are they to be used together ? : The writer essentially describes that the 2012 gives you the relevant bacteria that allow nutrient absorption and the barley then supplies the nutrients we are lacking. I took the two together until the containers were empty. If you are eating well and are not on antibiotics the bacteria will prosper – this meat that I did not need to buy another set of the 2 products once they were gone because the bacteria had multiplied/colonised inside of me. What it cost: Price Australian: $54.95 (2012 product) + Price: $29.95 (Barley Grass) = $84.90 total How I used it: ½ - 1 teaspoon 2012 + 1 heaped teaspoon of the green barley in one glass of Water (I used alkalized water). I tried to do this first thing in the morning, empty stomach but often didn’t get to it so I did it late at night sometimes instead. One other thing: I feel it important to add that I had also added Himalayan pink salt to my diet 2 weeks prior to commencing the 2012 and barley grass regime. I was using it daily as I had read that it is a complete mineral supplement as it supplies the 84 minerals that the human body needs. I find it is most economical to buy the salt from the cooking section at the grocery store it only costs a few dollars in a grinder.

Thank you and uou are welcome Jawaiian, also thank you to Jelmore. As you make better and better choices every day you will be at goal weight in no time flat. I was thinking, there are 2 more things that I did and have not listed above, they are: -Home made seaweed and dead sea salt body wraps: Method – I closed up the lounge room with a portable heater cranking I bought the dead sea salt powder from the health food shop and mixed it with filtered Water (as much water as the packet said) and I crumbled seaweed sheets that you normally use for sushi rolls into the mixture and put in organic coconut oil too. I wanted to buy bandages but they were going to cost $100 for enough (couldn’t believe how expensive they were) so I bought a cheap single bed flat sheet with stretch in it and ripped it into strips and rolled them up. I then stood in the bathtub covered myself in the mixture and wrapped the “bandages” on. I then wrapped tight with cling film and put down a cheap tarpaulin (blue plastic sheet) from the $2 shop on the floor in the heated lounge room and laid there for an hour. -Weighted hula hoop – I use a weighted hula hoop (fithoop) that has “notches” on the inside, I am convinced that it has carved my waist and assisted with the skin in the area also. I have used it 3 – 4 times a week for 20 – 30 minutes at a time for about the last 8 months – I love it and so do my friends - it cost about $50 Au and I bought it online.

I am unfamiliar with that brand of Protein powder. I use Vanilla flavour Body on the go shaping protein (ready to drink bottles) when I choose a shake. I put 2 tblsp chia seeds in, shake and wait 10 minutes and I call it my bubble tea. I prefer to use Quest bars to achieve my protein usually though. Once you feel you could stomach Protein Bars I encourage you to try them if you have not before. Per bar: 20g high quality protein 17 g fibre Between 160 and 200 calories I currently eat 1 – 2 per day most days (max. 2 per day approved by my dietician). Early out from surgery I could eat half a bar at a time. They come in many wonderful flavours such as: Peanut Butter and jelly peanut butter supreme double chock chunk chocolate chip cookie dough apple pie white chocolate raspberry Cookies and cream chocolate brownie vanilla almond crunch mixed berry bliss If you are cautious with your sweeteners the following are sweetened with Stevia and Erythritol (commonly considered to be 2 of the safe sugar alternatives): cinnamon roll chocolate peanut butter coconut cashew banana nut muffin (gluten free) lemon cream pie strawberry cheesecake The most economical way I know of to buy them is from their official site however I am in Australia.

I Lol'd when I read your title because I thought yes indeed I have broken a set of scales or two in my time too (after all we are in the 200 pound + to lose section). But it appears you did not mean that you literally broke them under your weight. In addition to the scales that met their demise when I stood on them I have been given and then killed 3 mini stepper machines. I had to stop using my treadmill because once I exceeded 300 pounds because it started to rock from side to side ! PS My Dr's scale weighs me 4kg heavier without fail but he swears blind they are correct. Don't let me get started on the scales at the gym ...

I'm the same as you (eat way less and better and think about food all the time) but I like it (? ) I enjoy finding the most nutritious food instead now. I can't do fly by seat of pants like him either, I find I put on when I eat reactively.

Glimpse of collar bone woot

As they say a leak is very painful - you ask when the pain happens, the pain happens when the trouble starts with infection and fever and such. However, leaks are very uncommon and are only really a risk if you don't follow the rules in the first 6 weeks after surery. Just follow the rules. You ate pot roast over 3 and a half hours. As long as it is inline with the recommendations you received to eat the pot roast then that's OK (if it's not then don't do it again haha). It didn't hurt you said, that means you ate ate a good speed for the volume you ended up getting in which is great at 4 weeks. Early on I often found myself in pain after eating maybe half a pot of yoghurt sized portion of food (pain that I described was like an elephant siting on my chest), it was because I was eating too fast. Don't worry about it, just follow the rules and once you are on normal food again you are home free

As you know when you google loose skin remedies the professionals all say the only "real" solution is plastic surgery. However - the only people I know who’ve had the sleeve are “real” everyday Joes who were flat out finding the funds for the sleeve – never mind plastic surgery costs on top ! I knew upfront that I was not going to have the skin surgery ($$$) so I just had to do what I could instead. That being, I decided that I was going to do well for skin based on the power of positive thinking. All the while I understood that some realism was required if I wanted my subconscious to accept my affirmations as true. Weighing in at 390 pounds I did not set out with an expectation to look like Barbie but I knew I would certainly look a whole lot of % better than I did. I am now at goal having lost 230 pounds. I have minimal loose skin (just in the usual areas a lady might have jiggle anyway ie. lower belly, under arms and thighs). I did not exercise for the first 6 months (it took 20 months). Here’s what I did: I researched methods, decided what sounded legitimate and affordable and went about applying the methods I believed showed value. Throughout however, I also applied positive thinking, affirmations and visualization techniques because I understand that the placebo effect is real. I encourage you to use the placebo effect to your advantage if you already know its power or to look into it if you don’t know much about it yet. Skin Supplements: -hair, skin and nails supplement (I take a bottle and then take a rest for a few months and then take another bottle as per the advice the chick at the pharmacy gave me). -Sarsaparilla root supplements from the health food shop (I read about them online and thought hey, why not). Methods: -Dry skin body brushing (3 - 4 times a week for the last 8 months). -Exfoliating body wash (further info: 2-3 times a week for the last 2 months. Type is apricot kernel exfoliating Body wash at the moment; I also use the left over face exfoliator scrub on my chest). Products (Australian): -Homemade mineral salt scrub once a week (organic coconut oil and ground Himalayan pink salt) and -Used 1 or 2 at a time of the following 6 moisturizing methods (aimed for 5 times a week minimum but actuals were more like 3 times a week minimum): 1 -Bio-oil (I was going through it so started using the copy from Aldi only 7 dollars for the big bottle.) 2 -Organic coconut oil. 3 - Palmers cocoa butter formula all over body firming lotion with Q10 (recommended by chick at chemist - she said that all the pregnant women are raving about it, smells like chocolate). 4 -Home made skin firming moisturizer concoction: - 3 Tblsp. pure organic lanolin melted in saucepan (11 dollars for round short chinese container from the health food shop - too sticky by itself). Once cooled I stirred in: -70 ml Bio-oil (Aldi) -1/3 cup of the Palmers all over body firming lotion with Q10 mentioned earlier -1/3 cup organic coconut oil -35ml Organic Avocado oil (Mum gave it to me for Christmas and I had about 35 ml left so in it went) 5 - Nivea in-shower moisturizer for very dry skin - blue (new product – have been using 4-5 days a week for near 3 months, I don’t have dry skin I just wanted the richest one available, I stock up when it goes on special and use heaps and heaps everywhere. It rrps for about 7 dollars but you can get it on special at Big W for about 3.50 and coles for about 5 and woolies for 4.50). 6 -Palmers cocoa butter Rapid Moisture coconut rich spray lotion about 8 bucks (new product ... awesome – non staining with rapid absorption so you can get dressed after about a minute – I also spray this in my hair sometimes lol). Behaviours: -Increased fat in diet (avocado 5 days a week, nuts and seeds 7 days a week and coconut oil for cooking, salads and stirred into quinoa porridge) -80 g minimum per day Protein goal to maintain muscle mass for tone to fill skin -Water, water, water (alkalised water for the last year) -Toning/Strength training at gym (last 8 months only - cardio only between months 7 and 12 as I had received advice from the gym staff to just do cardio to get the weight down some more first – no exercise for the first 6 months) Being realistic: I have a friend who was recently sleeved who was an apple shape and she was telling me that she was worrying she would have a saggy belly at goal. I was pretty much just big all over but with a pear shape with trouble spots on my body at my belly, arms and thighs. I told her about those trouble spots and said that honestly I suspected that I may have a little loose skin in these 3 areas due to this and I was OK with that as I wasn’t expecting to be getting around in a bikini anyway haha. She confirmed that her belly already hangs at her current weight. This suggested to me that she will likely have some at her belly however she will have great legs, arms, shoulders, neck and face and can wear spanx undies up to her bra and google how to dress to hide a tummy. Being that you are a man I suspect you may have good legs and trouble spots at the chest and belly or maybe just big all over. Applying the above theory this would make me suspect that you could do really well for skin with perhaps a little on the chest and belly or maybe none at all . All the best Jawaiian Kind Regards INT Footnote: RE: Second sentence comments about “real” every day people. I mean no offense to people who do achieve plastic surgery after sleeve. I’m sure they are of course very “real” too. The reason I said that is because I find it disappointing that the internet can give the impression that we who are not in a position to fund further surgery have no hope of having good skin after significant weight loss.

Since losing over 200 pounds (size 26 US) nearly everything in my whole life is different. I can: sit on the ground cross legged sit with 3 other people comfortably in a “4 seater” on a train put my shoes on easily (even standing balancing on one foot) attend a full bikram yoga session/spin class sit on plastic lawn chairs/regular chairs without a fear of breaking them walk up many flights of stairs run I can wear: size 8-12 tops and size 12 pants (US size 4 – 8 tops and size 8 pants) high heels strapless bras stockings/skirts/dresses without chafing ankle socks (before they would not come up high enough to stop blisters on ankle) ordinary socks (before I would get an allergy line around my ankle when I took off he socks) fitted clothes just about anything my clothes more than once because they still smell clean I can buy: push up bras (only available to a certain size) proper sports bras (also only available to a certain size) dresses (dresses are kind of “half the price” of a shirt/pants/skirt because you don’t have to buy anything else as it is the full outfit) I can shop: at lingerie stores at discount outlets off the discount racks at charity shops/markets (I got $1 fill a bag last weekend – great stuff)

And thank you

157.8

This was my cravings board the day before soft foods came on the menu - I got onto soft foods on Christmas Day LOL.

Obviously we'll all be different but here's how it went for me: Clear liquid for 3 days after surgery and Optifast shakes from day 4 to 14. Just sipping all day, tiny bits all the time (thirsty a lot too). Puree week 2-4 - ate 3tsp to start a meal and ate another 3tsp over the next 20 minutes (had to pause about 5 minutes between bites after the first 3). Soft food week 4-6 whole 200ml tub yoghurt over 30 minutes (normal individual pot of yoghurt). An egg - which would make me feel full like I'd been to the buffet and had 5 plates. Normal food week 6 not much different volume to week 4-6 but able to gradually add a little more each week week 12 - could eat small tub fruit salad with a 90 ml valia probiotic and half an optifast bar all at once (not that I was combining liquids with food or anything though LOL) 6mths out 75g steak and 1 tbls vege. for dinner. still only 1 egg (something about eggs). Average size prawn x 5 (hard to eat many of these for me but steak is fine ?? haha) note. Different sleevers tolerate different things - some can't do steak, some can eat heaps of prawns, some steer clear of eggs and many don't like rice anymore) 11mths out 150g steak alone. 2 scrambled eggs or 1.5 boiled (can never finish the second half of the yolk - dog likes me for it). 20 almonds. A 200ml yoghurt with 30g Can eat a lot of popcorn and vege chips - like 2 normal individual size packs. Keeping in mind it is only the first 6 weeks that you even have to go through all this. It is a drop in the ocean. I've been on restrictive diets for longer than 6 weeks previously and been OK, this time round though I wasn't hungry or able to eat much so it was easier than I had imagined.

I was a BMI 57.9 so Super morbidly obese and have just crossed the threahold this week from morbidly obese to obese with new BMI 34.6.

You poor thing to be losing with nice long hair. If money is not an issue argan oil will help with texture. Biotin (Hair, skin and nails capsules) can be taken to feel like you are doing something about it and those scalp massaging brushes have worked for ladies with thin hair to increase thickness overall (sounds scary to brush more when you say it’s coming out that much I know). I was losing it before the op even and they put me on the pill for it. I lost more once I had the surgery. I am off the pill now and am not losing hair anymore either. I have cut my hair really short anyway now though and it looks great luckily but now cause it’s fixed I could grow it back lovely if I wanted. I have curly hair so before I just got mine chopped to get the weight out and it would spring up and you really couldn’t tell I was losing it but same as you, it was only me that knew it anyway cause my hair is so thick in the first place. So, what stopped the hair loss for me in my opinion ? High quality Probiotics. I think that a major contributor to hair loss is a lack of good bacteria. I had my hairloss stop abruptly when I started taking a high quality probiotic with 12 strains of good bacteria, which I mix with barley leaf powder. I read about it in a book that I borrowed from my bowen therapists library. It was called do you have the guts to be really healthy. The name of the product that the book recommends (and so the one I bought) is Nuferm organic 2012. I was doing all the other things I said above too and it could have been coincidence I guess but the time frame of the hairloss ceasing definitely correlated with me starting the probiotic. It could have even been a placebo effect I guess because I had been reading all this stuff about how the right bacteria will cure just about anything that ails you because they are saying that it’s not what you eat it’s what you absorb. When I think about the sleeve operation I can picture that we would lose the majority of our beneficial gut flora due to nature of the surgery in itself. This makes a lot of sense to me with hindsight that if we do not replace the beneficial bacteria then it is compromised. It makes sense that our bodies will suffer in one way or another (ie: hairloss) if we are now eating very modest portions and are not able to absorb it properly. The one I bought was premium I know ($ ) but the book describes why it needs to be – I considered just going to the health food shop instead and just buying something mainstream but the features and benefits and comparisons and logic behind it made me take the plunge and fork out the dollars because I believed in it so much and then – it worked. Nice.

I'm in Australia which means so much of the regularly recommended products aren’t available eg. unjury, crystal lite, Syntrax nectar, isopure, PB2 – and trust me I want that PB2. (I could buy online but would probably pay $54 postage). They're right though, you’ll probably have a whole lotta stuff you won’t use. I did. I had a one track mind once I knew I was on for surgery and got a bit shop happy obsessing about all the things I would need. You walk out of surgery and boom - wow, you are just ..... different. it's like you walk out a skinny girl because food, it just does not mean the world to you anymore – you just don't look it yet so it’s weird. I still have nearly all the crap I bought beforehand cause I never used it. I just used Optifast shakes because its the brand that the hospitals in Australia use for Bariatric patients who need rapid weight loss so surgery can be performed. I figured if it’s good enough for the hospitals it’s good enough for me. A good guide to the quality of your Meal Replacement choice is if it says that it can be used as a total diet replacement (such as optifast). If instead it says to replace only 2 meals a day with the product then quite likely the product is of lesser quality than the complete product.

LOL - With twin 3 year olds, an 8 year old, logging, 4 days a week 45 mins you probably already 5:2 by accident ! Hahaha, you're doing well to do that much exercise (I don't have kid yet and I have nooooo time LOL, I don't know how you Mums do it but I guess you just find a way casue you gotta). Keep it up, you'll be there in no time.