OKCPirate

@ - sounds like things are going the way they are supposed to Hope you are doing well

Congrats, great job

Dang you ladies are hard on each other, you look great. You look like a completely different person. Great work.

When you get a chance watch this: http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/watch/bonus-shorts/the-quest-to-understand-the-biology-of-weight-loss It is a very difficult to understand all the mechanisms for weight loss, but talk to your NUT about increasing your calories, 300 seems really low IMHO.

One of my favorite threads on this site is here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/219760-sex-oh-my-god-sex/ Read if you dare, but it may be one of those underused selling points of finally having the surgery IMHO. @@mallen1895 - Tell the bf to start eating right and exercising because its only going to get better

@@Babbs - I like the "I'll only go to gym for 20 minutes" trick. Also I found putting on my running clothes kind of tricks me into getting it done when I don't "want to." I also get good audio books and only allow myself to listen to them while exercising.

I was scared that I would be intolerant of my favorite flavors and would be condemned to the land of the bland forever. However as I experimented adding spices to my Soups I was overjoyed to realize that everything still tasted good and the sleeve didn't care. I have even been able to add pizza back into the mix, albeit very little and chewed 40 times before swallowing.

I only share with people who ask and who could use the surgery themselves.

30 days before light weights. Start slow, go up no more than 10% per week, and increase your Protein as you go. I noticed hair loss as I started getting into heavier weights two months post opp. So I started shooting for 100g daily and 180 on days with big workouts.

Slip on shoes you feel good in walking in, elastic waist shorts (keeps bum shots away), ear phones, music or movies and gas x strips (vital in my opinion) BTW, good list over here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/350510-what-will-i-need/

@@laguerr13 - Congrats on hitting triple digit losses

@@Babbs - I agree, these are not easy conversations for society nor couples, but for far too long the conversation has been dominated by Victorian Prudes and Irresponsible/Idealistic Libertines as the two extremes. I don't think either view is realistic. Two very interesting books worthy of consideration in the conversation: Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What it Means for Modern Relationships Why Women Have Sex The Pill has allowed us to talk about sex outside of "you will get pregnant" though shall not, and women are getting tired of "sl*t shaming" so maybe it's possible to actually start talking about how this makes people feel.

One of these days we are going to have a frank conversation about the idea of monogamy. It is a universal failure. What percentage of people do you know have only had 1 partner for life? Nearly everyone is a serial polygamous when you think about it. The idea that one person will always be sexually, intellectually compatible with you your entire life is mathematically improbable. The only options are: 1) Get divorced and give up half your stuff and break up all your relationships 2) Quietly cheat, hope you don't get caught and live a double life. 3) Live in quiet desperation, deprivation and misery. I think there is another option, which requires a serious change in people's views of sex and relationships. We need to really start to ask ourselves where this idea came from. How much of it was designed to control women. Who are the sex experts we have been listening to anyway? (Most, like Dr. Kellogg [who was a closeted homosexual, but his ideas still out there] were really screwed up people). Its a serious conversation that needs to be had.

Most dangerous part of the surgery was the drive home statistically. There is risk in everything, but look at the risk of 41.1 BMI over time, vs this. 80% chance of losing 80% of your excess weight and keeping it off. So figure your odds.

@@Inner Surfer Girl - "I am still way too buoyant to swim under Water but maybe that is in my future, too!" NSV for me was sinking like a rock in the water, muscle doesn't float so well. Downside is I do have to really kick to stay up Congrats on getting back in the pool. That's great.

You took a month off before doing core work, so it will come back. You did take a month off right? You got 5 incisions, and while they were small they still cut through muscle and connective tissue, it takes some time for that to heal.

Used them on my mountain climb. Not a huge fan, I prefer beef Jerky as an emergency food.

Just had someone who was rude to me when I was on Match.com a couple of years ago ping me Match yesterday, and wanted to know if I was interested in meeting. She didn't realize we had already met, but this time she said said she liked "fit guys who took care of their bodies." I still think she was a b*tch, but I'll take the compliment as an NSV.

@ - forgot to mention shrinking fat cells can secrete a whole bunch of hormones rather rapidly and it can knock you for a loop...happens to men and women: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/343777-guys-room-is-everyone-else-overly-emotional-or-am-i-just-an-ae/ So warn close loved ones this "might" happen. It's temporary. But I didn't know why I got so weepy watching chick flicks until I found that post.

@@Emily_35 - OK, don't poke around the whole guys room, just go here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/343777-guys-room-is-everyone-else-overly-emotional-or-am-i-just-an-ae/ Very good summary of all the extra hormones that get suddenly dumped into the blood stream. Can make even tough guys get weepy.

@@Emily_35, Elode may be right, enter at your own risk

You ought to see some of the weepy guy comments from the hormone surges (you have my permission to peak in the guys room). I couldn't watch chick flicks for 4 months post surgery because I'd actually get into them

I commend GNC for fighting hard for quality Protein powder: http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexmorrell/2015/03/12/lawsuits-say-protein-powders-lack-protein-ripping-off-athletes/ One of the problems with Walmarts is they amount of protein claimed is not absorb-able.

Not having a conversation with yourself "how important are tied shoes at this moment?"

Not pooping for nearly a week freaked me out, but it all came out all right in the end. I was surprised I gained weight in the hospital, but it was all the IV fluids they gave me. I prepared my family and staff for me to be irritable for the first few weeks, but once I discovered clear Isopure Protein drinks, I was able to keep my protein up and that made mood ok.