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I have zero regrets, but of course I was nervous a little the week before my surgery. I am self pay and I went to Mexico so I was very sure about my decision. I was on my way to needing insulin to control my diabetes so this surgery was a lifesaver for me. I am just a month out and I already feel so much better. I think it is normal to have some nervousness, but if you are seriously questioning your decision maybe you should hit pause and make sure this is what you really want to do.

We are all 4 weeks out this week!! I feel like the time went by fast. I feel blessed that I have had a fairly easy time recovering and transitioning through the phases. I grilled a ribeye steak tonight and was able to eat 2.5 oz no problem at all. I even saved room for 3 cauliflower tater tots. I thought starting with a lower BMI that I would lose slower than average, but I am very happy with my 18.5 lbs lost thus far. Even better than the weight lost is the improvement with my diabetes and no medications except for my thyroid. I have zero regrets and I am looking forward to seeing where I will be in the next year. How are you all feeling about this first month?

I have already started saving for mine...lol.. I am a firm believer in saving up for major purchases. I hate debt unless it is an emergency and I can't avoid it. I am going to save $10,000 and then if I decide I don't need plastics I will use it to buy my next car. i have read that many people take a second job or work overtime to save. Like @Newme17 said, if you really want it you will find a way.

I real like the app Carb Manager. It will figure out the net carbs for you and it tracks all your macros, weight, exercise, water, etc. it is free but I think the premium features are worth it. It will let you scan barcodes, export data, it even has voice entry.

This information is very helpful for those of us early on in our journeys. I don't think I have read a post that describes these feelings/stages this well. 😊 thank you.

I want to participate. Thanks for doing this @Dashofpixiedust8.

This always happens to me after having general anesthesia. I have had the embarrassment of letting my doctor do this, and I can assure you he was not gentle at all nor did he look at any xrays or anything to know my anatomy before he did it. I would not put myself through that again without first trying myself. It has worked for me and I was just trying to help her out.

There you are! That is a great photo of a beautiful woman with an equally beautiful smile.

@mishyk I have been using my elliptical several days a week and walking. I am not a gym person so no weights yet. I may add them in a little further out to help tone my muscles. I think the exercise is definitely helping and I am beginning to miss it on the days I can't fit it in.

You look great!!

I plan on enjoying my summer as a smaller healthier version of me. I will still be in the loosing phase, but I am feeling so much better already. I have a week long camping trip planned in August with the youth group from my church. I am looking forward to being able to keep up with the kids and making sure they have an awesome time. I will plan ahead and bring the correct food items I need to stay on track instead of just going with the flow and eating whatever is available. This is a big motivation for me to lose as much as I can in the next two months I also want to spend some quality time with my grandchildren while they are on summer vacation. I see some pool and beach time in my future. My dh and I will celebrate our 30 wedding anniversary on Tuesday. He is away on a trip right now, but I would love to take a weekend and make it special for us in the near future. So I would say my family is my biggest motivation to stay on track and get healthier.

Do your research. Make sure you are ready to make the necessary lifestyle changes to be successful. If you need help with food addictions start therapy now. i second what was said above about tracking your food and fluid intake. Follow your doctors and or nutritionist eating plan. A positive attitude is helpful because there will be some tough days. Make a list of all the reasons you are having surgery and a list of NSV that you are looking forward too. This will be helpful when you are having a tough day. walk as soon as you can after surgery as it is the best way to get rid of the gas.

This is my first post. I will try not to write a book. If this is in the wrong forum I apologize. I have been researching the gastric sleeve surgery for a while now. At my last doctor appointment in December, with my endocrinologist, he suggested that it could be an option for me because I have uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. To be honest I dismissed it right away because I was embarrassed that I would even qualify for weight loss surgery. At that time I weighed 248 BMI 36.5 and my A!C was 11.2. Since then I have been doing my best to eat low carb and get my diabetes under control. I also have hashimotos thyroid and this makes losing weight even harder. I have managed to lose 22 pounds in the past 4 months and have hit a wall. I always hit a wall and I am tired of being frustrated. I have lost and gained the same 25-30 pounds for the past 6 years and added dealing with type 2 diabetes 3 years ago. I am already taking metformin and Victoza and my doctor said if I can't get my A1c down insulin is my nest step. My ideal weight is 145 and I feel like I will never get there on my own. Am I crazy to be thinking about going to Mexico to have gastric sleeve surgery? My current BMI is 32 with the 22 pounds I lost so my insurance won't cover the surgery. They said I have to have at least 35 BMI and then with my type 2 they would approve me. I am not going to gain weight just to qualify for surgery. I have made some progress on my own, but I really want the help that this surgery could give me as well as the likely-hood that my diabetes would improve greatly. I am looking for advice from anyone in a similar situation that chose surgery. Are you happy with your decision? Thank you.

I really think this is the key. We have to figure out what works for our body and medical status. For many people low carb wroks, but this is going to be different for everyone. What good is a plan if you don't lose weight and feel good? If you can't sustain the lifestyle indefinitely you will just gain weight as soon as you stop which isn't any different than a diet. I think another important aspect is the ability to be really honest with ourselves about what is working and what isn't. Sometimes we give up so fast and never give healthful changes a chance to take hold and slip back into the same habits we had before. I think this is what is so great about WLS. It gives our metabolism a reset which helps us loose weight and gain momentum, this gives us time to work on the changes we all need to make. I have gotten terrible advice from nuts in the past so I think it is important for everyone to do some research on their own along the way.

I agree and even though tomorrow is 4 weeks I am counting the 15th of every month.

Thank you. I am trying to come out of the closet so to speak. That is me about 10 years ago before I started gaining weight. This is how I see myself and where I want to be at goal. I can't wait to see your pics!!

You have taken the first step in being honest with yourself about your mistakes. I think we will all have slip ups along this journey and it is what we do afterwards that will define our success. Admitting we made a mistake and figuring out what to do differently or better the next time is how we learn. This is the approach I plan on taking with myself. I know I am not perfect, but I will not let a slip up define me or derail reaching my goal. Great job!!

Congrats on getting through your surgery!! Everyday will be better than the last and you will get stronger. Definitely focus on staying hydrated and getting your protein. At this point your shakes count towards your daily fluid intake so drinking them is great. Keep walking as much as you can because it really helps to get the gas out. Listen to your body and rest as you need it.

I discussed this with my nut before I left Mexico and I was cleared to use the elliptical or treadmill at 3 weeks post-op, before that walking was encouraged. I will be able to use weights at 6 weeks if I want to.

I am taking the diet mentality out of my life. I see the way I eat now as my new normal. Is it different then how I used to eat? Yes and that is a good thing, it is a lifestyle change. I understand what you meant though. We will always need to be mindful and vigilant about what and how much we are eating. I like you, will occasionally take a bite here and there of some of the foods I have decided not to eat. I think this is just healthy living and not a diet. To the op. It might be helpful for you to make a list of all the reasons you decided to have this surgery and look at them when you are feeling regret. Make a new list of the things you would like to do as you loose weight and check them off as you achieve them. I am a firm believer in having a positive attitude. Try to focus on what you are gaining and not what you have lost or perceive that you have lost.

That is great hear @mishyk. I love guacamole and have been eating it also. I am allowed any meat as long as it is chewed to a pureed consistency so I tried steak fajitas yesterday. My stomach handled it fine. I think my sleeve just likes whatever because each new food I have tried has been fine. The only taste that has changed is with scrambles eggs. They taste funny to me now. So happy your weight is moving down. It is carzy how we can loose a pound and a half in a day!!! That happened to me too.

Not tired at all. Your enthusiasm is inspirational. This is what we need to be doing "enjoying the experience of exercise ".

Breakfast- coffee with cream, Protein shake Lunch- fajitas, steak with peppers and onions and a dab of guacamole. Dinner- leftover fajitas from lunch snack- probably eat the rest of the fajitas I am still adjusting to how little I can eat at a meal. One regular sized restaurant meal is really 3-4 now.

Yes. She had destiny very young. My son-in- law is so awesome. He has been the best step dad to Isaiah and destiny. I am glad that Malaya will have a sibling close to her in age. i guess it is good that I decided to have surgery this year. I am gonna need to be able to keep up with theses little ones.

It may very well be the only tool that will succeed in helping her to not only lose the weight, but to keep it off. You see many of us have or developed damaged metabolism. No amount of dieting is going to fix them, believe me I tried. I think you are looking at this from the wrong perspective. For some reason you think surgery is the un-natural and wrong way to fix her problem. The reality is that even with surgery she will need a nutritionist, therapy, maybe a personal trainer, and definitely some support. I personally think you should get on board with her decision and help her to be successful with the surgery.