Forsythia

Awesomesauce.

My gym has so many spin classes. It's insane. It's gotta work since it's super popular, right? It also has a crap ton of zumba as well.

I hate going without a bra. Some people are cool with the girls hanging free. I am not so I brought a convertible bra so I could unhook the strap and get it on over my IV lines. I wore a pair of leggings and and oversized sweater home.

I was diabetic pre sleeve. Full on type two diabetes. I am no longer. The sleeve works well on reversing diabetes too. Well, type two. Can't help with type one. All the other reasons why I chose the sleeve were covered by everyone else. But I wanted to let you know it worked on my diabetes just as well as a bypass would have without the intestinal reroute.

Soy milk?

A 1x is a 14/16W, so a 0x would be a 12W on the standard plus size scale. Torrid carries a 12W. Land's End also carries a 0x. In women's sizes I'm a 1x. But in misses sizes I'm an XL, which is a 16/18. I'd rather wear the 16/18 misses than the 14/16W.

I can't believe I've never posted a picture of my Sheba Marie. She is the best kitty ever. Also, the second picture is a bonus picture of Chewie, my parent's dog. I love that beast. LOL

The dudebros in the weight area are no more intimidating that those super fit joggers on the treadmills. You just need to change your mindset and realize that they are not focused on you at all. Having said that, if freeweights are intimidating, start off with the machines. The hardcore dudebros generally do not use the life fitness or matrix machines. You can start with them. You'll get a better workout with freeweights, but we all need to start off slowly. As for a trainer. Was the trainer you hired just a bad trainer or was it just a freak occurrence that you got injured? You need to lay out your desires clearly with a personal trainer. Let them know your goals, your limitations (so if you have bad knees and lunges cause pain, you need to tell them that). Remember that this trainer works for you - you are paying them. So if you cannot do explosive plyometric moves because of a bum ankle, tell him.

You can't control their reactions. You can only control your reaction to them. You know they are not particularly supportive, so don't expect any from them. Focus on the support you are getting from your dad, finance and other friends. And if your brother comes over to your house with a bag of candy you are fully able to tell hem to GTFO and to not eat it in front of you. Your house. Your rules. He can eat that crap in the car if it is triggering to you.

In the words of Taylor Swift: Haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate . I'm just gonna shake shake shake shake shake, shake it off, shake it off. The fact is, that if everyone in your family is overweight, your sister has no idea.. none.. what 150 lbs actually looks like on your body or her body. The fact is that 150 lbs is right on the cusp of healthy/overweight for a woman who is 5'5" (like myself). That is my goal. If I could get down to 135, that would be even better for my frame. You can take what she says into consideration, but you know your body and what will work for it.

I gained 12 lbs in the hospital. That's a bowling ball of Water weight, yo. Also, calibration. Your scale is not calibrated to the same specifics as the one you weigh on in the hospital. Mine weighs me 4lbs less than the one at my surgeon's office consistently. So I know when I make my appointments with them, I'm going to have to mentally add on 4lbs.

I was not disallowed, but I was hooked up to an IV and a catheter and it was kind of a pain in the ass. Once the catheter was removed things were a lot easier. Can I also say if you bring a bra (because the girls need support, right?!), bring one with convertible straps. If you are hooked up to an IV, you can unhook the strap to get it on over your IV lines.

I had my sleeve in May too (on the 5th, so I'm almost 6 months out). I think after a few months you get complacent and bad habits creep back in. At first you are all gung ho about making sure you are eating correctly and drinking correctly and the weight loss is on auto-pilot so you start getting a little relaxed. At least I did. Now it is a lot harder. I have to focus and make sure I am drinking all my Water and not eating all the Snacks that have snuck back in the house. I have to go to the gym to burn the calories off if I am going to have the cookie. After awhile, vigilance is the challenge.

I am an odd duck in my reaction to caffeine. I do not get withdrawal from it. I do not get a boost from it. I can literally stop any time with no headaches, shakes, or foul mood. I can drink a cup of coffee before I go to sleep if I wanted. Having said that, I drink a coffee every morning. I put a scoop of Protein powder in it. It's the only way I can tolerate the Protein Powder anymore. The pre-made shakes are a bit too pricey for what you get, so I've opted for powder. I'm not prone to acid reflux and in my program coffee is not a banned substance. I think my program is realistic in that it is hard for people to stop drinking their coffee. And for a lot of people decaf is a why even bother proposition.

A lot of people get reflux and it presents as hunger, when in fact its acid. Are you on an acid blocker? If not, you might try one to see if that helps. Also, you may be thirsty. The thirst mechanism is weak in most people. We confuse it with hunger. Are you getting in all your fluids? Try to drink a glass of Water before you resolve yourself to eat. I am one of those people who is thirsty and thinks it is hunger - it feels like hunger. But it is not.

You will be fine. I had BCBS (of IL, but they all generally go by the same rules). BMI of 35 or higher with co-morbidities. High blood pressure and Type II diabetes will get approval.

Yes, if I drink a premier or EAS premade, it counts toward my 64 ozs. If I put a scoop of Protein powder in my morning coffee, it does not count toward my 64 ozs. These are the guidelines set forth by my program. Most days I put a scoop in my morning coffee and try my best to get in an additional 64 oz. I will say it will get easier. I'm almost 6 months out, I can basically drink normally.

Sadly, everything I have tried basically agrees with my sleeve. It's all willpower now. But personally if I am going to go for a salty pork product it's gonna be proscuitto every time.

I am from Chicago (the NW side). Sadly I have no tips about the liquid diet because Northwestern Memorial's program does not have you do a liquid diet. Just a high Protein diet that can be best described as Atkins phase one. Don't beat yourself up or stress yourself out over it though. Just try your best and fill up between meals with Water so you don't focus on hunger.

Well, that's a bummer. Bacon is meat's fruit (not my quote.. but funny, right?). Sorry it got stuck

You do not need to go to a gym. I go to a gym. I like taking classes, using the pool and getting out of my house. I like that it is my time that will not be interrupted by my husband or cat. I also know if I don't pay someone I won't work out at home. I just cannot work up the mental wherewithal to do it. I am also not one of those people who likes doing things outside in nature. So do I need a gym? Yes? Do you? Maybe. Are you going to work out at home? Are you outdoorsy? Does spending money each month work as motivation to work out? Is the drive/time commitment worth it to you? Answer those questions honestly and you will have your answer.

I started my program over 300 lbs. Highest weight ever: 335 Start weight: 312 Weight on the day of the surgery: 294 Sleeved on 5/5/14 Current weight: 226 I'm dealing with the monthly 3 to 5 lb weight gain from my period right now. Bloating can suck it. But I hope to be below 200 by the end of the year.

I can't imagine your pain. I'm one of the few people whose program did not include a 2 week liquid diet pre-op or weeks of liquid post op. I was on liquids for the two days I was in the hospital, and that was it. Went home and was immediately on purees. I still had to supplement with Protein shakes though. Shakes that were fine pre-op tasted so gross post-op. They were sickeningly sweet. It was all I could do to choke down a shake to get my protein in. And for me, purees were so gross. The texture was gross. I wasn't very hungry and didn't really want to eat until I was cleared for soft solids. At the time, I was not a member of this forum, so I only had my husband to mope to, and he really couldn't understand what I was going through. So rant away!

I had conscious sedation. I remember nothing. I remember getting on the table. Talking to the doctor who was way chipper, and turning on my side when they asked me to. Then I remember being in the recovery room humming a song. Easy peasy mac and cheesy.

When I first went back to the gym, I walked on the treadmill so slow. 2.8 mph. For maybe 25 minutes. However long it took me to walk a mile. 5 and a half months post surgery, I walk at 3.5mph as my slow speed. I can do an hour.. I've just started jogging interspersed with my walking - it's a slow jog - 4.2mph, but just a few months ago walking for 30 minutes was exhausting. So don't fret, you will make the gains you want to make if you keep with it. You might feel like you are gonna die first off, but you won't. Just try to do a little bit more every day.