New Nic

Hi all - checking in! Surgery was a year ago on 1/19 and I am at GOAL!!!! Had my annual appointment with the surgeon's office - PA & Nut were both very pleased and said they would see me next year. I'm super happy... on to maintenance. I track my food EVERY DAY and stick to a certain amount of calories/ protein/ carbs but other than that I don't stress too much. My nut has been very helpful and I think I'm in a really good place to maintain. I don't post much but have followed this group all year and everyone's input has been so valuable. Looking forward to hearing about how everyone is doing! Nicole

I am not a big breakfast person, I usually have an ounce of cheddar cheese and a latte (not the kind that's pumped full of syrup! Just plain with one packet of sugar.) On the weekends I'll have eggs. For lunch I either have leftovers or go out. I like Soup or turkey chili from Panera, or I'll get a bowl from chipotle (no rice! Beans, veggies, chicken, salsa, and guacamole on the side). I get 3 lunches from that! I don't do well with salad. dinner, I cook for my family and I focus on eating the Protein. Meatballs, chicken breast, salmon, pot roast, shrimp. Most nights we have broccoli for side dish. Night time snack, usually one or two Cookies. I cannot give those up but honestly I am satisfied with just one. Snacks during the day or on the go - this is rare for me but if I really need one I'll have some roasted cashews, string cheese, or a small latte.

I like the Lose It app. Tons of supermarket and restaurant foods, plus you can add your own foods, scan foods, and create recipes. It also tracks weight and nutrients. I have it on my iPhone, iPad and desktop at work so I never have an excuse not to log. It's free... There's an upgrade which I purchased but honestly did nothing to add to my experience.

Hi all! Surgery was 01/19/15. 54 pounds down, 26 to go... SW 205 CW 151 This was a big week for me. Every July we go to the Jersey shore with extended family. Last year's vacation was the most miserable of my life. I actually called the hospital during vacation to start the process to qualify for surgery. What a difference this year. I could swim and walk and keep up with my kids, without getting painful chub rub between my thighs! My fingers and toes weren't swelled up and my thoughts were not ruled by food! You all continue to inspire me! Looking forward to sharing our progress and experiences on this journey!

Amazing & inspiring! Thanks for sharing!

I totally understand the feeling, thinking of the past attempts and disappointments. But yes, it will come off and it's not a race. I haven't lost any weight this week but I tried on about 15 pairs of pants today that are way too big, it felt great to put those in a pile to get rid of! As long as you stick to your plan it will happen. Happy thoughts!!

You look amazing! Inspiring pic! Congrats!

I started drinking coffee again after about a month. I have about 4-6 oz, with milk, and if I don't take my omeprezole at least 30 min before I drink it, I will get heartburn.

Hello January buddies! I had my 3 month follow up at my surgeon's office today. Met with the Physician's Assistant and my Nut who both said I was doing great! I have lost 35 pounds which is 40% of the total I want to lose. My blood work was good, except calcium is too high which is weird... I eat very little dairy and always forget my calcium supplements. So I don't have to take them anymore. Check up and blood work again in 3 months. I'm still struggling a bit with my water and am working to get more exercise in. Overall I am really happy. I don't post much, but I read tons of posts, and this site has helped me so much!

I did not like the Crystal Sky flavor at all! I drink Fuzzy Navel almost every morning for breakfast and actually like it. And I am not a fan of artificial sweetener or protein powder!

Get another doctor! I am not knocking the band, but my surgeon does not even do them anymore. I am 42, had sleeve surgery 12 weeks ago and have NO regrets. I started the process as soon as I realized my weight put me at the minimum BMI that my insurance would qualify me for surgery. I was beyond miserable and cannot imagine putting it off until I was older, heavier, diabetic, etc! You say you are self pay, I would find another doctor. Best of luck to you!!!

I am 12 weeks out and use hot sauce and siracha all the time, also jalapeños, no problems!

I have Anthem BCBS and did not have to provide previous years of information. Almost all the requirements were handled within a 3 month time frame (blood tests, GI clearance, psych clearance, weigh ins and nutrition visits at my surgeons office, etc). So hopefully the lack of history will not be an issue for you. Best of luck!

You look fabulous and happy! Love the before and after pics, very inspiring to me!

I'm sure once the swelling goes down your new booty will be amazing! We will need pictures

I am 5 feet tall as well. A little goes a long way! 14 pounds on a small frame, when was the last time you would have lost that much in one month? For me, I lost 20 the first month then stalled for 2 weeks. We all have different points when our bodies need to take a break from the weight loss. The scale will move again, don't get discouraged!!!

Awesome progress, you look great! I love seeing pics like this, thank you for sharing!

I had a blood test a few weeks after taking a few drags off of my husband's e-cig, and my test results were totally clean. If you quit a few months back, you should be fine. If the secondhand smoke is enough to affect the levels in your blood, it will still be very low. Best of luck to you!

You aren't a liar or a monster. Surgery is private and you don't owe anyone an explanation! If she was a true friend she would have been supportive. You deserve better and don't let anyone get you down. Congrats on your weight loss and best of luck to you on your journey! Nicole

I have an 11 year old son and 8 year old daughter. I waited until the day before my surgery to tell them I was going to the hospital, so that they didn't have too much time to worry. I was very vague, told them there was something wrong with my tummy and the doctor was going to fix it. They noticed the liquid diet afterwards and seemed to understand it had to do with my tummy getting fixed. I didn't share any pictures or explanations with them. My son asked for more details and I told him when he gets older we can discuss, and he let it go. Our eating habits as a family were fairly good pre surgery and they are even better now, which is great for everyone. My son and I track all of our food together on the Lose It app and I'm trying to make it a lifestyle rather than set an example of dieting. Hope this helps and best of luck! Nicole

Red meat always backed me up before surgery, so it's definitely a concern post surgery. 8 weeks out and I only have it about once a week, and ground beef only, no steak. I had constipation issues as well and now I take a capful of miralax mixed with iced tea almost every afternoon. Hopefully when I have more capacity for veggies I can cut that down to a few days a week.

You look amazing. I'm a shortie too and your pics are so inspiring!

Awesome! I hope to have that problem one day

@@arigold I did not have a pre op liquid diet either (except for the day before surgery). I tried not to go crazy eating all my favorites before surgery, focused on cutting down my coffee consumption, getting lots of Water in, and eating smaller portions. I also had Protein shakes every day for Breakfast so I could find ones that I liked. Best of luck to you!!! To the OP, I did not have that problem pre op, but post op I hid in my bedroom upstairs every night for 2 weeks while my family ate dinner! I haven't allowed real pizza in the house yet!

Congratulations! You are just glowing with happiness!