The New Kel

Breakfast: Coffee with cream, peach greek yogurt "triple zero" with a handful of walnuts Lunch: One slice each of deli roast beef and salami, iceberg lettuce, mayo & tomato Snack: a few snap peas with cream cheese Dinner: 2 oz of steak & 1 oz shrimp & part of an artichoke Snack: sliced fresh peaches, about 1/3 cup with a splash of milk.

@jupiterinvirgo, Congratulations on your success! I love hearing stories like yours long after surgery. It shows that this is a lifestyle and a way of life. You look so great! I have a question. I'm 9 months post op and have steadily lost 95 lbs. I'm 10 lbs away from goal. suddenly over the past week I have gained 3 lbs. I've never gained at all post surgery till now. Did this ever happen to you during your journey towards goal? I'm trying g not to stress it but just wanted to ask a successful veteran if you ever experienced times of small gain?

You've lost quote a bit- I can tell. Sometime we are too critical of ourselves and can't see the changes that are happening. Youre doing great!

@Redo2017 I traveled about 6 weeks post op last year for Thanksgiving. I was nervous about not having my soft proteins with me and readily available. I got a hotel with a mini fridge. When I arrived, I went to a nearby grocery store and bought yogurt, cheese and a few protein shakes. I find when traveling it's best to have these things available to you. Remember to eat regularly since you will be moderately active! Im sure there will be munchies around as there always is with vacations and kids: chips, drinks etc. Just be good to yourself and try your best to stick to your plan. At Thanksgiving the hosts I was with had bowls of Chex mix lying around, my weakness! I ate a small handful but didn't beat myself up over it. 95 percent of the time I was on track. Have fun and be prepared with your soft proteins. And definitely skip the alcohol, you're still healing and it would wreak havoc on your tummy. Good luck!

Depends on your stage. I'm on all foods, 8 months out. My go-to's: Greek Yogurt, with walnuts or pecans. Eggs over easy or poached with bacon Egg "muffins" Quest protein bar Bacon, tomato & cheese in lettuce wrap

I'm 8 months post op, and I still kinda miss volume but not nearly as much as before. I realize now that the volume I was missing was just a bad habit that was unnecessary and led to over eating. It felt really good at the the time but always led to regret. I now appreciate the restriction. On rare occasions I do miss that big ol whopping burger, but that feeling passes quickly!

Wow! What a transformation! Girl, you got a smokin' figure!! You look terrific. Your post is appreciated, as we have all felt so much shame and embarrassment of our bodies- I know I did. I can truly relate to still "seeing the fat girl in the mirror." I struggled with this daily, despite dropping 7 sizes. Looks like you are well on your way to your goal and true success. Congrats!

Wow, you look amazing! Great job!!

Amazing! You look terrific!!

congrats!! you look GREAT!

Before: October 2016, highest weight 240. 224 on day of surgery. Size 20, 2xl Now (8 month post gastric sleeve) 145, size 6/8, small. Living life and life is good!!

I did the same thing when I was on the pre-op liquids. Blended with ice is sooooo much better!!!

I just have to say, you are freaking adorable! Congrats to you! You link amazing.

I think I posted on this thread months back but it's worth a revisit. So many reasons, but in a nutshell I was tired of hiding from life and not living. Living in shame and making excuses to not participate in life due to weight shame. Life is way too short and we only get one shot. I didn't want to waste this precious gift of life!!

Yes! And the admitting you have a problem part I think is key. It is Step One. Not unlike any other addiction!

I enjoy life 1000x more. Losing weight allows me to engage in real life! I am sure you will feel the same!

@EmSkaDem, Congratulations on the beginning of your new journey and new life! I love your skinny list. I had a similar list and as the months go by I am nailing each one! (Except I won't ever skydive or hot-air balloon no matter how thin I am- fear of dying, lol!) My list also had/has: shopping in normal size clothing shops (I have been doing this now a bit TOO much, lol!), not hiding from cameras and photos, and traveling. Lots of traveling! It's sad that a year ago I was so ashamed to travel. The break up with bad food is real. I had to say good bye as well. But the great thing is that surgery alters your mind/body and allows you to finally choose the right stuff to fuel yourself. I struggled the first few weeks with addiction but HAPPILY the addiction faded and I love eating healthy now. Best of luck to you!! You'll be amazed at how you will be checking off all those items soon. Kel

^ What Blizair09 said. ^ If you went through a permanent life and body altering operation to get healthy, why not listen to good advice (when delivered non-offensively)? It really does no justice to anyone to be coddled. Surgery was the easy part. Looking at yourself and your habits is where the hard work has to start to be successful.

Congrats!! You look amazing. :-)

Congratulations! Keep up the amazing work! I too had my surgery last October. Isn't life grand? Cheers!

Been waiting for this day. My BMI is now calculated as " Healthy" on the charts!! I have been in the Morbidly Obese, Obese, and Overweight categories consistently for 20 years. Very excited and feel that I have achieved a great milestone! Here's me playing golf for the first time in my life. I suck at it but it was fun feeling good out there.

Thanks, all!! It it quite an accomplishment for me.

It's been a while so I thought I'd post an update. I'm 7.5 months post sleeve, and feeling great! I just got back from 2 weeks vacation in Ireland! It was so amazing. I was worried about the meals, and how to NOT gain weight. I love me some good beer, bread and potatoes so how do you go to Ireland without indulging? Well, I gave myself a break and I did eat some of the delicious Irish soda bread, a bit of potatoes and I gotta admit, quite a bit of Guinness! BUT, to equal it out, we walked a ton, like several miles a day exploring. One day in particular, my husband and I hiked 10 miles. It was up a mountain, then across the ridge and back down the other side. Incredible! I could have only DREAMED of doing this before surgery!! That accomplishment was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to lose weight- to hike and explore. Well, upon returning home (4 days ago), I got on the scale and it had not moved. Which is good. I wasn't expecting to lose anything, but kind of expected to gain a little. But I didn't and that was good. Here's the thing about Carbs and me- I get hooked really fast. So, while eating a bit of bread and potatoes and beer over two weeks, my body started to get hooked again. My first day back in the States at the grocery store, I craved bread and chips. I battled that craving for about 3 days and finally I feel good again, cravings gone. Carbs can be a monster with me, highly addictive. But I'm back on track, and actually lost 2 pounds in the past few days. Could be water weight but none the less I'm happy to be back on the protein, low carb track. Another difficult thing about traveling is that I didn't have the high protein snacks every few hours like I do here at home. Regarding basic stats, my highest weight was 240, size 20, 8 months ago. Surgery weight 7 months ago was 219. Today I am 149, size 8 and size medium in shirts. (sometimes a small). I'm 10 pounds away from gooooaaaaaaal!!!! Yippee!!! Here a re few pics. The first few are from Ireland, the mountain hike. The last one is my before pic. I've come along way, never looking back!! Loving life and living to the fullest now!!

Congrats on your success!! You look great.

Congratulations on your new beginning!!! I hope you are feeling well and dog good post op! Wow, Finland?? That sounds amazing!! You are going to be completely amazed at how good you feel and look by then, and you will be able to fully enjoy the experience of travel. I know I did!!