marfar7

I weigh everyday. Occasionally I'll forget but I usually weigh everyday to dial in what I need to do that day. If I'm toward the top of my acceptable range, I really watch it that day and a few days. If I'm on the lower end, I relax a little. I'm pretty happy at 150 (would luv to be 140) but I'm easily maintaining and having a blast shopping for my 6/8 jeans! Do whatever works for u. Doesn't drive me crazy to weigh everyday, like it does som epeople. Keeps me accountable for that day. Like this morning, I weighed .5 lb from my top acceptable range. Instead of my 1/2 bagel with cream cheese or bacon and egg for bfast, I had 1/2 serving of plain oatmeal. I will have a salad with grilled chicken for lunch and I haven't figured out dinner yet. No wine tonite (as per my usual) till I've lost a few lbs. Can't afford the extra 110 calories in a glass of wine.

I have Medicare. The only requirements r the nutrition class, 1 visit to the nut, and a psych eval. Since I lived 3 hrs away, the dr set all 3 up for the same day for me. 2 weeks later, I was in surgery. Took 3 weeks from start to finish. Do I wish I had a little more time to research? Absolutely. Would I have wanted to be on a "diet" for 6-12 mths to "prove" I could do it? Hell no. I'd already proven over 42 yrs that I couldn't do it. Why would I want another chance to fail? Had I done more research, I might not have chosen the band, however. The sleeve was never offered to me and the bypass seemed drastic. Wish the sleeve had been offered to me in 2009.

I also didn't worry about the sugars on the full liquid diet, since thats where most of my suagrs came from. At the time (I've since changed) I didn't care for Greek yogurt. So I ate Yoplait Lite (100 calories). Not even sure of the sugar content. I ate about 1 carton a day, broken into 3 meals. Now a yr out, I can finish a 6 oz servings. I've since gotten hooked on Greek yogurt. My fav is Trader Joes NF Honey Greek yogurt.

I did the same thing in 2009 with the lapband. I'd read a few things on the internet, made an appt with a dr and within 2 weeks I had completed my nutritionist and psych appts and was in surgery. Had no idea what I was getting myself into. Not sure why my insurance didn't require at least a time of consideration, but they moved quickly. While I loved my band - until I didn't and I lost most of my excess weight with it, it finally ahd enuf of my destruction to it. I couldn't figure out how to eat slowly, making me vomit frequently. Causing a slip. When I was facing a revision, I did alot of research on the RNY and the sleeve. I had gained 30 lbs in the year my band was unfilled after the slip so all I had to lose was 40 lbs (bmi was 28 at 174 lbs). I felt the RNY was a bit drastic for my purposes. But I knew if I just had the band removed without a revision, I would be back up to 250 soon. So while I did virtually NO research on my first wls, I did tons of research for my sleeve. WHile I'm 13 months out I still have 15 lbs to goal. It's going very slowly now, very slowly. The first 100 lbs is easy peasy compared with the last 15. But do I regret surgery? Never. Not the lapband or the sleeve. Comparing the 2 would be another whole post so I won't bore anyone with those details. Do ur research tho. U can't back pedal afterwards... Good luck!

I can only dream of a size 2! I'm happy with my 8's (might be a little happier with 6's but 8's are cool too). I feel the same. These jeans can't possibly fit. But they do. With room to spare. I used to have red marks across my tummy from my too-tight 22's. Now there's no marks anywhere! Yeah for us! Congrats!

I'm a year out and when I try to stop my Rx Protonix, I wake up with reflux. Plan on taking it forever. I had it before my sleeve (had a slipped band) but my dr assumed that when he took my band out, my reflux would go away. No such luck. Had I known this, I might've chosen bypass. But it's a small pill just once a day. No biggie! Good luck!

Just a hint: I get bashed for saying this exact thing. I got wls cuz I was tired of dieting. I don't count anything. My labs r good and I only have a few lbs to goal. I plan on continuing with my way forever. While the loss was much slower than those who got to goal within 6 mths (I'm a yr out), I'm happy with the way things are going. Not many people here believe this theory. Prepare to get some comments... Congrats on ur refusal to continue dieting. If I wanted to count everything, I coulda done that wihtout removing 85% of my stomach...

Never heard the actual name of it. Last year, my dr described what he was gunna do this exact way. Didn't know it helped prevent stretching. Thats good cuz thats my worst fear. Especially now that I'm a year out and can eat more. Wow. It actually has a name?

I will confess also: About 2x a month, when out to eat, I will have a couple sips off my husbands diet soda. A couple sips is all I need. No pain or side effects. I would never dream of ordering my own soda. Just not worth the $2 to take 2 sips. And I burp like a sailor afterwards...

Example: Zulily's size chart has me at a 1x (plus sizes). The bust on regular xl misses size is 36? Wow. Thats awfully small for an xl. In the real world, I wear an 8 on the bottom and an xl on top (cept Eddie Bauer. I wear a 6 and a large). The only place I order from online is J Jill. They're the same, every single time. They run a little big also so I can wear a large on top. But in the real world, I usually wear an xl. And order anything from China? I guess people in Asia are small. Cuz a 3x is a 38 bust. Wow. I must be a 4x cuz my bust is 40D. Lost over 100 lbs and only went from 44DD to a 40D. Went from a 22 pants to an 8. Doesn't make sense to me. Understand ur frustration. I guess I'm just rambling now...

It was nice meeting everyone! I felt very comfortable and learned alot. It's nice to get together with people who are going thru and having the same struggles. C u next month! This time I won't be late! Marci

I'm impressed u could get down a whole 1.I 'm 12 mths post op and I can comfortably eat 1 drumstick and a few bites of a side. Yes, ull be happy with what ur able to live on. I'm still surprised on how little we actually need to survive. You'll be very happy u did this!

I belonged to an all woman gym after my lapband surgery in 2009 (I'm now a a sleeve revision). I paid $60 a week for a personal trainer. Loved her. She kicked my butt every week. We spent 90 mins (30 on nutrition choices and 60 on weight training/cardio intervals). I told her I didn't like the elliptical cuz it was hard and made my legs feel like noodles. Guess what she chose for my 3 mins cardio intervals? Yep, the damn elliptical. By the time I left, I felt like Jello. Had a hard time walking to the car. After about 2 mths, I cut back to every 2 weeks (just cound't afford the $240 every month). I would weigh, we'd discuss my food intake and then she'd work me out. Everytime I got on the scale, I saw a loss. Even after not making the wisest choices at times. After a couple more months, I cut her back to once a month. Still saw losses every month. Then I met my now-husband. He had a membership at the Y, so I started going with him. He couldn't go to the all female gym with me and we didn't want to work out alone. So I gave up my trainer. Something she told me early on that I still remember: "You don't have to give up ur favorite foods. Just take a few bites and throw the rest away. U still have the taste but also have the control over what ur eating". She got me off my almost daily Tamale Pie (Found at Vons and Safeway on the West Coast). I cut back to once a week. Not giving it up but cutting back on it. I rarely eat them now.

So, I'm the last likely person to use anything not prescribed to me.. When in WA last week, my stepson took us to a medical marijuana store that his friend owns. After much discussion, it was determined that weed would help my chronic back pain. So he gave me 2 chocloate bars. I'm extremely lightweight when it comes to stuff like this so I ate 1 small square last nite. After an hour, I felt nothing. So I ate another 1/2. Bam, hit me. All of a sudden I was brought back to age 20 and realized why I don't like pot. I ate 1 1/2 pkgs of Lean Cuisine pizzas and 2 Trader Joes taquitos till I thought I might bust. So, hint: make sure if u get the munchies u have cut up veggies on hand. NOT pizza and taquitos. There's ur words of wisdom for the day. Now that everyone thinks I'm a drug addict, I guess Ill call it a day...

Yeah! I was unable to make it on July 19th (was visiting our first grandbaby in WA) but I WILL be there on Sat! ALready RSVP'd to ur email addy. C u all soon! Marci

Did u say 20 yrs with the band? Had no clue the band was even around 20 yrs ago. I thought it was fairly new also (at least 12 yrs). I'm a band revision also. Only 1 yr out so there's nothing much I can add to the conversation. Good luck to u!

My doctor is also one that says no snacking. However, if I ate just 3 meals of the amount I can eat, I'd be eating less than 800 calories a day, which at 1 yr out, is not enuf. I eat 5-6x a day. Thats one of the rules I've broken. Eating 6 bites 3x a day isn't enuf for me. I get really hungry about 90 mins after I've eaten. If I eat about 10 almonds, I'm good for another 90 mins. I "graze" all day with a bite here and a bite there. I don't usually exceed 1200 calories a day however. Good luck to u!

I eat a little bit of whatever I'm craving and call it a day. If I try to eat around something (say a cookie), I will eat a 1/2 an apple (40 cals). When that didn't work, I'll eat a cup of sf choc pudding (60 cals). When that doesn't work, I'll eat a Protein bar( 120 cals). By the time I'm done trying to quench my craving with stuff I DON"T want, I coulda eaten 3-4 Cookies. So I'll eat one and avoid the extra food and calories. Works for me.

I started at 25, a 3x on top, size 22 jeans and a 44DD. I've now lost 100 lbs and in an 8 jean. Still an xl and a 40D. Didn't lose ,uch on top, compared with the bottom. My top half looks photoshopped onto my lower body. I look like a marshmallow held up with 2 toothpicks. If I lose anymore on my legs/butt, not sure ill be able to hold the top half up Unsure about what to do about it, besides cosmetic surgery. And seeing as I never play the lottery, that's not gunna happen anytime soon...

1 yr (4 yrs post op lapband and 1 yr with sleeve revision). I'm about 10 lbs from goal but been easily maintaining for about 6 mths. I eat whatever I want. Literally. I don't count anything - I go by what my tummy tells me (if I'm hungry, I eat. If I'm full, I stop). It's been reliable so far. That might change, I know, but it's working for now. Thinking about counting calories just to get to goal. I can smell 140 around the corner. I feel like I'm failing at this wls thing cuz I'm not to goal. Todays menu was: 8 am: 1 smcrabled egg, 1 pc of bacon, 1/2 pc of toast with real butter 12 noon: chicken salad (canned chicken, mayo and diced celery) with 6 wheat thins, about 4-6 pineapple chunks (which I couldn't eat when banded, so tickled I can now have my fav fruit) 3pm: 1/2 carton of Greek honey yogurt, about 12 almonds 6pm: Going out to a Japanese restuarant for my step daughters bday. Plan on getting my usual: Grilled chicken with veggies, grilled shrimp appetizer, steamed rice, and Soup. I usually have enuf left for 4 more meals 9pm: Usually have 1/2 n apple with almond butter before bed. Since I can only eat a small amt, I usually eat 5-6 x a day. I do eat burgers, tacos, pizza, wine, and coffee. I don't eat these very often and I don't eat very much. Cept coffee. I drink 2-3 cups a day with sf creamer or sf coffee syrup with 1/2 and 1/2. Good luck to u. I know I'm in the minority here with eating whatever I want. I'm not saying thats the way to go. I've been fairly successful and plan on continuing with what works for me. When it stops working (or when I plan on taking off the final 10) I will reevaluate.

Yeah, on the grassy area outside Pikes Place last week, the smell was all over. Nobody even has to hide it anymore. I heard that out of 2600 applications for growers, only 100 were accepted for stores opening soon. The government is really strict with it I guess. My stepson grows for medical use. His friends med store was closer (were in Tacoma) than the only store open now in WA (Seattle) so thats why we got them there. People encourage me to get a card (14 yrs of chronic back pain after an injury in the Army and 4 back surgeries) but I get my medical treatment thru the VA and since I receive narcotics thru them, they occasionally drug test me.... Sooooo.... Hafta be good

In 2007, my 46 yr old husband of 19 yr passed away suddenly (a perforated colon). I was devastated. Thought I'd never again be happy. It's now 7 yrs later, I've been remarried for almost 3 yrs. It took a good 3 yrs before I was even ready to start dating again. Losing 70 lbs definitely helped with my self esteem. I can't believe how happy I am right now. I was so depressed that I spent 2 weeks in the psych hospital while they worked out my meds, fearing that I would harm myself... Everyone has a sad story I guess. I can't believe all the stories I've read here today. Sad ((HUGS))

OMG. ((HUGS)). I'm so, so sorry...

I go there every week for their dark roast Joes coffee Beans (whole beans). They're the best for the $ ($4.99 for 12 oz). We go thru about 3 cans a week. I also like their spicy guacamole, yogurt cheese (jalapeno flavor), almond butter and natural Peanut Butter. They have some yummy frozen stuffed mushrooms too I also luv their dark chocolate anything (caramels, pretzels, espresso beans, almonds). One thing I dont like there is the "$2 buck Chuck" which has increased to $2.49. It's their cheap wine and even the sweet versions (like white zin) are puckering. Haven't found a flavor I like. Not sure about the rest of their wines, just their cheap versions. I also like their non fat honey yogurt (make sure u get the non fat otherwise ull be consuming 8oz and 290 calories for the full fat version. Live and learn. The nf one has 140 cals and is just as good). I don't usually buy nf items (or even low fat) but yogurt and milk are exceptions. Have fun shopping...

My dr said the same thing. The only weightloss component that the sleeve has is restrictive only, not malabsorbtion - which is what dumping is caused by. I believed him. At about 4 mths post op, I ate ice cream. I was in the bathroom cramping with disarrhea and I was sweaty for a couple hrs. I thought maybe it was a coincidence. So a month later, I tried ice cream again. I can eat, cheese, milk, yogurts - but not ice cream. I think it's the fat mixed with the sugar. It happened again. I'm now 12 mths post op and able to eat maybe 2 bites of my hubbys ice cream. I would never even think about getting my own. Good luck with ur decision and ur surgery! It's a whole new world out there!