cutiecake

Awesome job! Great pics.

Sorry to steal this but I would also love to hear the answers to these questions.

Sorry for the crosspost in the success stories board also, but I wanted to post this here to encourage anyone just starting this journey. It's totally do-able, and if I can do it, believe me when I say, anyone can do it!!!
So yesterday I reached my goal weight, losing 134 pounds in 10.5 months. I made a flipogram with all of my monthly progress pics to illustrate my journey to this point. It was pretty awesome to see and actually made both my husband and myself cry. It's been a LOT of work and I've grown tremendously in strength both inside and out on this journey.


Ok, so I can't figure out how to embed it, so here is the link to the flipogram!

I hit 199 today! I'm getting there, slow but sure

Been on vacation for ten days. Today's weight 197.3

My doctor fixed it free of charge. I may have been able to put it through insurance, but he didn't charge any extra for the fix.

I did self pay in Florida. It was $10,500. But worth every penny. I'm happy with my choice and my doctor and hospital were great. I also had a hernia repaired. I, too, knew my insurance didn't cover bariatric surgery.

Everyone's circumstances are different. For me, I'm just altogether a private person. I work with all women, and some are very catty, I don't want to be center of any gossip/ negativity. My work also deals with not only fellow employees, but many clients, and I don't feel like discussing my surgery with every person that sits at my desk. I've told my close friends and family, and if it feels right, I will open up and tell others , and I have ...for me it's really at work where I do not wish to tell people my business. We are all different, and all entitled to tell or not to tell. I don't think anyone has the same reasons as anyone else. It's hard to generalize as to why we tell or don't tell.

We live in a world with an appetite to look good. We revolve ourselves around it. It's probably the most acceptable stereotype, FAT. so, yes, without a doubt I did this to be more attractive, more accepted, and yes, more healthy as well. But damn, I want to look fabulous , you almost have to , to feel fabulous, just speaking the truth. Don't get me wrong, I've always felt good about myself, just not very confident, always worried about my weight. Still on my journey , but it's a fun one so far!

Ok, I'm glad I found this thread. I was at a party today, I had a glass of wine half a hamburger, yes some of the bun too. And a half a piece of birthday cake. I have excuses as to why. I was with people who don't know about my surgery, and truthfully I wanted to Celebrate a special birthday with family and friends. I feel guilty , but I also feel entitled. I haven't eaten anything that bad, yet, it's been about 7 weeks since my surgery. I just hope my sleeve won't be effected. :/

Yes, 4 weeks after surgery I was given the green light to return to crossfit, and any excercise.

I paid 10500 in south florida, three days in hospital. Bariatric hospital. Of excellence . Everything went smoothly.

food was like the bad boyfriend...he drew you in, but really did not make life better. He lied and chested and made you feel like crap. Click on my profile to see my transformation ... excess food never made me feel this good.

I agree with all of you, specially the cutting out air supply while bending over... This is one of my biggest challenges right now. I look forward to:
- not have to wear darker makeup on my double chin to try and hide it
- be comfortable in flats too!! My feet end up all marked up at the end of the day.
- being able to pop out of my car, rather than wobble out
- being able to put my hair in a ponytail without worrying about my neck rolls being exposed

Fortunately I haven't suffered too much from cravings. I've been in my favorite ice cream place with friends and haven't had a single scoop. I drive by my favorite restaurants and go home to eat some healthy food I have there. But I've also been to parties and picnics where there is yummy "no no food". I guess in these situations it isn't so much of a craving as an "impulse buy". In either case, I eat a couple bites and then I'm over it....strawberry shortcake, Mexican crazy corn, potato salad, blackened chicken Alfredo, potato chips, Doritos with taco dip, tiramisu, cheesecake, birthday cake..... And I do this all without guilt. I chose to have a normal happy life after surgery, not to be on a restrictive diet the rest of my life.

Thank you for sharing your story. I hope it helps others (not letting Constipation get the best of you). As I write this my hair is so thin I have to wear a wig when I leave home. My skin is sagging, my face is more wrinkled, but I love it anyway! Yummymummy32, most of us have experienced at least part of what you are going through. Make sure you seek medical help for the problems you are having. My husband and I were sleeved, and we can go out to dinner and pretty much do everything we want to except stuff our faces with french fries and other garbage. I sincerely hope things get better for you, and I believe it will. Here's a hug, Linda

I love your post and yes, why can't somebody take the easy way out? Seriously, if I suffer through my weightloss, then it's acceptable?
And this has been easy peasy for me as well. I love that after a few bites of dinner I am as satisfied as I was before surgery after thanksgiving dinner. Couldn't be happier with my decision, I'm only 7 weeks out, I have a ways to go, but this journey has been a happy one. I feel great! There's nothing wrong with that

I too have not-told many people.. My spouse ( who is against it because, after all it is SURGERY ) and 1 friend who had bypass 10 years ago. I have no desire to hear anyone's opinion.. Cause EVERYBODY's got one...no parents, siblings, co workers.. Nothing. I told work i am having surgery for some female plumbing issues..that usually stops the guys from asking more questions..anyone who asks further, i will say i'm having a fibroid removed.. I will cross the post op questions when i get to it. Just my 2 cents...

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to post an update on my progress.
SW: 267
CW: 177
Feeling wonderful!

I love your post and yes, why can't somebody take the easy way out? Seriously, if I suffer through my weightloss, then it's acceptable?
And this has been easy peasy for me as well. I love that after a few bites of dinner I am as satisfied as I was before surgery after thanksgiving dinner. Couldn't be happier with my decision, I'm only 7 weeks out, I have a ways to go, but this journey has been a happy one. I feel great! There's nothing wrong with that

One of the things we hear people who don't understand obesity of weight loss surgery say (or we are afraid to hear them say) is that it's "the easy way out." Pre-op I could list a whole bunch of reasons why this isn't the easy way out. Why it's actually really, really hard - just as hard, if not harder, than losing weight the traditional way. But now, admittedly only two months out, I'm not so sure. And that's a good thing!
Now, I should preface this by saying that I realize many people have had complications and for many people every day or some days post-op are a struggle - I don't want to try and negate their lived experiences. But I do want to talk for a minute about my experience, which I suspect is more common than we admit.
I have been obese or morbidly obese pretty much my whole life. I dieted and exercised, yada, yada, yada, but the weight always came back. We all know the drill or we wouldn't be here. But I am nothing if not pragmatic, so when I started doing research about WLS and about weight loss in general, and read the statistics for long-term success in people who hadn't had surgery (Spoiler Alert! They're low!), getting sleeved just seemed like a no-brainer. Two years of hoop-jumping later, I went into surgery. I was very well read on the subject, knew all the worst case scenarios to expect, knew what the recovery would look like, etc.
But my surgery and recovery were super easy. I was on to purees almost right away. Soft solids by week two. Anything but raw veggies at week 4. Anything and everything at week 6. I have yet to be made sick by any food. I get in all my Water, Vitamins and 90g of Protein (on a vegetarian (almost vegan) diet!) every day without trouble. I was lifting heavy in the gym at week 5. My recovery has been stupendous!
...And easy.
Now, I know I came into this with some one major advantage:
I love, and always have loved, healthy food. Even before surgery, if given the choice between pizza Hut or a black bean and quinoa salad with avocado dressing, I'd say bring on the quinoa (all six servings of it). And now I have become one of those people who doesn't cheat. Ever. Not a single piece of chocolate or a taste of potatoes. But this hasn't been hard for me, because I didn't have to give up every food I love. In fact, I got to keep about 80% of them. My problem pre-sleeve was really volume, which now is no problem at all.
But even so, I gotta say, looking back at the last two and half months (if we include the pre-op diet), this has been easy-peasy. Way easier than starving myself and being so effing hungry all the time. Easier than hating myself for not being motivated to get to the gym. Easier than staying fat.
But why should that be a bad thing? So what if it's been (relatively) easy? The only reason we think weight loss should be a struggle, is because we look at obesity as a moral failing, instead of a biological one, and thus as weight loss as the penance one must serve before one is rewarded with thinness. Well, I'm calling BS on that. Obesity is a medical problem; WLS is a medical solution. It should be easier than the alternative. That's the point. Maybe it hasn't been as easy for everyone else as it has been for me (like I said, I know I've been very, very lucky in some respects), but it's gotta be easier (barring major complications) than all the alternatives or we wouldn't have chosen it.
So, let's stop apologizing and making excuses. Yes, this is the easy (or at least easier) way out. And that's a good thing.

I was sleeved June 9th. So I'm in my 7th week. I've lost 40lbs. I had a 2 1/2 week stall that was so discouraging. It finally passed. I have had no trouble getting things down. Some days I struggle to want to eat ( just not hungry) other days I'm at top of my range. I was weighing myself a lot at first. Now I only weigh once a week. I didn't put this all on overnight. It's not gonna come off overnight. STAY THE COURSE!!!!! Have faith in yourself. Most importantly don't compare yourself to anyone else. This is your journey not theirs. Everyone will be different. I look forward to seeing all of our success stories and pictures! I'm documenting pics of pre op, 6 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, and 1year.

Exactly 199.0 wahoo! Onederland!

On the other hand, I had this surgery to regain control of my eating. Denying myself during diet after diet was a vicious cycle of denial followed by binge eating. I refuse to ever do that again. My restriction is a wonderful tool that has helped me get back on top of my weight and I refuse to live the rest of my life on a "diet".
I will always log. I will always exercise. I will always eat my protein first. I will *not* deny myself a bite or two of foods I love like I've done for the last few decades. That was my biggest downfall.