higher

I'm 31 but chiming in to say that several of the doctors I've met throughout the process have praised me for getting this done "at a young age" so good on all of you for taking this on in your 20s! I feel great regret about spending my 20s as an obese woman...missed out on a lot.

I'm done with all my pre-reqs but don't have a surgery date yet and I haven't told a soul. Just you guys on here. I still haven't decided if I am going to tell my mother and siblings. In an older thread on the same topic a poster gave me this advice: "Wait until you have a surgery date and are on the pre-surgery diet before you decide whether or not to tell anyone." So that's my plan for now. I will say I am leaning towards flat out lying too!

Were we supposed to check in this Monday and I missed it? I met my goal, just barely! And weighed in at 211.

My favorite way to make smoked salmon - buying it at barney greengrass!

Great job on the pre-op diet! Best of luck with your surgery and keep us fellow shorties updated!!

Wait until you are approved.When all is confirmed and you are ready for your 2 week surgery.Its scheduled and a definite then key in a few select members of your family. Great advice. I will do that. Thank you.

Following this thread closely because I'm still in the pre-op approval period and haven't told anyone yet (except you guys!) with 3 months to go. I WANT to tell my family because I want their support and I want to be honest with them, but there are a host of things I have to deal with by telling them. I guess that's called growing up. Someone here mentioned talking about this with their therapist- that's what I plan to do.

You're talking about the placebo effect. It's well documented when it comes to pills and other treatments but in the USA they've never done studies with sham surgeries. They have in some European countries - exactly the way you described it.

I'm using MFP now. I used it a few years ago religiously and lost 30 lbs and once I committed to changing my lifestyle again I picked it back up. I had some iTunes gift cards so just sprang for the premium version. I find it very helpful for food and nutrient tracking!

Honestly yes! I haven't even shared my intention to have surgery with anyone in my life yet so it's been this secret well of optimism inside I go to when times are tough or stressful lately. I love reading your posts btw. Thank you for all the positivity! Happiest of New Years.

How's your journey, llsp? It's really just starting, I'm not even sure I feel like I'm on a journey yet. I will tell you though for the first time in a long time I am really optimistic about the future and looking forward to something. It sounds so weird to be 'excited' for surgery but I read so many uplifting posts here with different peoples successes and I'm excited for all of us! I had my third of 6 monthly check-ins in December so I am getting closer. I actually gained weight from my first weigh-in to my second so my goal right now is to work to shave off those 6 lbs for my next visit.

I love wrapping salmon fillet up in parchment paper or banana leaf if I can find it and baking it at 400 for 12-15 minutes depending on thickness. My favorite way to do it is place ginger, lime, and keffir leaves in the parchment with the salmon and it absorbs the flavor during cooking. Or sometimes I just do lemon. You can put anything in the parchment paper- veggies will steam right along with the fish inside the pouch.

Hello fellow shorties! I'm 5'0" and currently 214 lbs. I'm about halfway through my 6 month requirements per my insurance and hoping to have a surgery date in March. My lowest weight I can remember being was 120 about 10 years ago. My surgeon didn't set a goal with me, but I'm thinking 130s. But I really just want to get to a place where I feel HEALTHY and energetic again.

I have about 3 months until surgery and simply have to start working exercise back into my life! Excited to join this challenge. My goal is to exercise 3 hours a week. My starting weight is 214 and my goal weight is 208. I walked for 30 min on the beach today...would love to work my way up to a beach jog. That's a side goal.

I'm not sure either but hopefully your doctors office will be familiar with UHC and their requirements!

Hi there- I'm new to posting here as well! I also have UHC insurance. I had to contact Optum Health through UHC and a registered nurse walked me through the requirements over the phone. My BMI is 40 but they did explain that you need a comorbidity if it was under. You may want to check if you have sleep apnea or something like that. My PCP says that most overweight people have apnea at some level.

These are the best pictures on this website so far.

well, congrats on the Master's that is certainly worth celebrating!

Congratulations. I am about 3 months into a 6 month approval process so perhaps we will both have surgery dates in March!

Had my first (and only?) nutritionist consult today. She said wait at least two months but she really discourages it in general especially for women. She said, and I found this a little rude, "you'll lose weight, socialize more, but get really drunk off less because your stomach won't be used to it, and end up pregnant!" Kind of a dark train of thought, no? I am a bit of an oenophile so I will probably be pretty eager to have a beautiful glass of wine around that 2 month mark.

@@OutsideMatchInside preach!

Great post!

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I haven't had surgery yet, but when I first started rapidly gaining weight a few years back I had some rough hair loss. I had great success tackling it with this product, phytocane, that they sell at sephora. Plus it smells great. After one cycle of use my hair stylist and I started to see all the baby hairs popping up and filling in. I did two full cycles and one maintenance cycle. You rub it onto your scalp after showering and before styling. http://www.sephora.com/phytocyane-revitalizing-serum-P2883

So...what does LSD stand for???? If not acid! Haha.