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Austin was great. We lived there from 2000-2003 and again 2008-2019. I had my youngest while there the first time (while in grad school at UT) and you know what they say about Texans having to get back to Texas!! Our kids were raised there (and of course they're in a band--still), and the culture was laid back and just groovy. Most of that has changed with Big Tech moving in and of course COVID. I hope that the live music recovers because we have many many friends who are musicians and/or in the music industry in some way. My dearest friends are there and as soon as it's safe to get back down there for a visit, I'll be there. On the other hand, I simply LOVE Philadelphia and Jersey. I'm originally from central Jersey (yes, it is a thing) and it's still beautiful with wide-open spaces, seasonal changes that are spectacular, beaches, orchards, and trains to NYC and DC. I'm not really familiar with the Jersey cities in the north & south though. That said, I went to college in Phila, and my goodness I love being back. I'm sure it has everything to do with my neighborhood--as that's always been the case in this city. Sorry for the bio but I rarely give up the chance to boast about "my" cities!

Excuse the chaos of my home office. Size 10 jeans! Woohoo!

yup 10 years!! cant believe it. and no not my gf. very close friend of mine but she does enjoy the skinnier jake lolol

I weighed in at 377 lbs on June of 2019 Had the sleeve done June 18 - OK forgot one thing I am a alpha Male so i had a goal to weigh in in Cuba On December 27 2019 That was my goal So I was not addicted to the scale So i can not tell you the stages percentage but I lost 155 pound when i weighed in on Dec 27 i was 208

Our state's COVID positivity rate is just under 10% and getting worse daily. Our governor just shut down bars and restaurants again placed strict limitations on social gatherings, gyms, churches, etc.

Glad to see I'm not the only one... after being morbidly obese for 4+ decades and ALWAYS running hot (to the extent that frequently in the winter I wouldn't need to wear a coat due to sufficient internal padding), these first 4 months following surgery have been very different when it comes to temperature. No more constant sweating. In fact, I think I've felt cold/chilled more times in the last 4 months than in the last 10 years... and I *STILL* have another 60+ pounds I want to lose. At this rate, I'll be wearing a parka and mittens in July!

I'm almost 13 years out and have faced my fair share of regains (including 2 pregnancies along the way) but have managed to nip them in the bud in the 10-15 lb range. I honestly think regains are just part of the process and we all face them to some extent and i'm sure i'll face them again in the future, so this post is a good reminder for me as well! So here are my go to moves to get rid of regain: My go-to moves are: Eat Meals (don't graze) - don't skip breakfast, even if it's small Eat Real Food, not processed slider foods like chips and sweets Stop eating after Dinner - get away from the kitchen after dinner. Evenings have always been my toughest time and so i make myself a cup of decaf coffee, take it upstairs with me, and don't go back to the kitchen under any circumstances. Focus on the food, not exercise - 80%+ of weight loss comes down to food Move for Mental Health - aiming for 10K steps works for me and calms my urge to stress eat Talk to someone about mental health - overeating for me is a sure sign that's i'm heading on a downward spiral and the weigh gain and guilt and shame associated just makes it worse...see a doctor, find a medication that works for you, find your way back to a good mental health state Things i that haven't worked for me: Liquids / Protein Shakes - it's not sustainable (and really hard for even a few days...how did we do it pre- and post-op?), it makes me unbearably grouchy, and the minute i stop the weight comes back on Counting Calories - that is a trigger for me after a LIFETIME of dieting and i don't want to go there! Excessive exercise - it's too hard to outrun a bad diet with exercise and getting hurt would be a sure way to halt my progress. One more change that has truly been life altering for me is something i did after my last regain in 2018. My weight creeped up to 161lbs. That was 20lbs over my usual set point of 140lbs, which i had maintained for 10 years post-op (i'm 5'2" and started my journey at 200 lbs). It was starting to scare me and i knew i needed to do something. I went back to all the things I listed above but i also did something i never had done before, i started eating plants for protein. I cut out the meat first and then the dairy (which seemed overwhelming until i found all my own plant based substitutions), and i started focusing on vegetables! I didn't think about portions (after all, i'm a WLS patient, how much could i really eat) and i found myself shedding weight effortlessly! Not only did i lose the 20 lbs i had gained, but for the first time in 12+ years post-op, i hit a new set point of about 122lbs which i've been maintaining with ease for the past year! I didn't start a diet, i didn't ever go off a diet. I just focus on plants and i feel great and have never been lighter! And i know what you're thinking...where do you get your protein??? But there is more than enough protein in plants for anyone who's at least 6 months post op! The funny thing is, i eat more than i have in years, but i finally feel like i'm living the healthy life i wanted and it's easier than i ever though it would be. Anyway, sorry for the long post, i'm just so happy with how this has been working and i know it can work for others too! Feel free to message me if you have questions. Keep fighting the good fight!!

Hi everyone! I'm strongly considering gastric bypass and have done consultations with 3 surgeons. One told me I qualified for the surgery and approved me and suggested the bypass. Another said surgery was an option and recommended the sleeve. The third said that medically I could qualify but he didn't recommend surgery for me as other than obesity I have no other co-morbidities. I'm 36, female, 6'1, 410 pounds. My BMI is 54 and has been around this high for at least a decade. I'm one of those "lucky" fat people who don't store fat close to internal organs and so I haven't developed significant health issues. My BP is normal, no diabetes, heart disease high cholesterol, etc. I've managed to have a pretty active lifestyle despite my weight and have been a competitive powerlifter for years. I want to get the surgery because I'm aware that just because I'm "healthy" now that doesn't mean I will be 5 or 10 years from now. I would also like to do things like fit into airplane seats with ease and not worry about whether I will fit into a chair or break a bed frame. I want to be able to go skydiving and bungee jumping and things I've never been able to do as a big person. I've tried to lose weight before and always gained back whatever I lose. Has anyone been in a similar position? I was honestly quite surprised by the reaction I got as doctors have been telling me to lose weight for years. Now when I say I do want to do that it's like well maybe don't lose weight this way. My gut feeling is to go forward with the surgery anyway as I want to lose weight for my own reasons but I would love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

Lol! Yeah, I read wrist is not super accurate, so I did my elbow too. By both measures, I am “large frame.” Disclaimer: I have not measured in 80 pounds or so; I will have to measure again to check in. 😬 I do have broad shoulders, with huge hands and feet, so it might be for realsies. 😂 I noticed a lot of people lost a shoe size or two post-WLS. I am still a 9.5-10 (40-41 Euro). The good news is my shoes still fit. The bad news is my feet are still big. 🤣🤣 As an adult, the least I have ever weighed is 135. I was very fit (and young) at the time, so I did not look overly thin, but I still had these shoulders, hands, and feet. Not so sure about pulling that weight off 20-25 years older, but I am pretty flexible on my goal weight depending on how I look and feel. 💕

10 years? well you look very handsome... Being noise.... is this the GF? she's a hottie...

My weight loss surgery story actually started back in early 2019, but I chickened out before my first appointment because I was worried that I would have postop complications and the cost would go beyond the base rate. I gave up on the idea of weight loss surgery at that time, and decided that I would do it on my own. I think everybody here knows how well that went. At the end of the year I found out my husband‘s job would be ending, and we took that as an opportunity to try to find a job where he would have insurance that I could go on that would cover weight loss surgery. He got a job that covered it, and I joined his insurance plan, and within the month I was set up with my first appointment. my first appointment ended up being converted to telemedicine because of Covid, but that actually worked out great for me because my doctors office is two hours away. We had a six month waiting period, and for the first two months I will be honest I was working from home in quarantine, and I made absolutely no effort to lose weight and I did not make any progress. My third appointment was going to an in person appointment and the Bariatric class, and I was terrified that I would be up in weight and be disqualified. So for 2 weeks prior to that I went on a low carb low calorie diet. And I don’t know if it was me telling myself it was temporary or the realization that the surgery was coming helped, but I just kept extending and extending the date on my low carb diet. I ended up losing 48 lbs before the liquid diet which was greatly needed because I started at 339, and my surgery weight was 282. I’m 5’10 and my goal weight is 165. The liquid diet was no big deal, maybe because my diet was already very low calorie. I think I ended up losing about 8 pounds or so on it. It was a full liquid diet, and I did not vary from the diet at all. I want this to be the part of my life where I’m not constantly having a “little extra” or “just this bite” and I figured it would be a good test of willpower. surgery was a bit rough. I was in a fair amount of pain when I woke up, and I felt very nauseous. I could definitely feel my stomach, and it did not feel good. I wasn’t able to keep any water down, and the pain meds made me very sick. I ended up throwing up the small amount of water I’d drank snd the pain meds up all over myself the first night. But the next day was a tiny bit better, and it got better every day until day 4 I felt great. I ended up being able to drink water totally fine, no problem with protein or anything. I think my surgeon is a bit old school because I have a 4 week post op liquid diet too. No mush or purée stage here. I’m currently finishing up week 2 of the post op liquid diet, and like the preop diet I’m not going to cheat or go off plan. It was a long road to get here and I am going to do everything in my power to make this work. So far I am down about 10 lbs post surgery, so I don’t think I’m going to get the dramatic 30 lbs weight loss in the first month or anything but that’s fine. I’m down close to 70 lbs from my high weight, and it feels great. I’ll try to follow up every month or so with progress. HW:339 SW: 282 CW:271 GW: 165

My stats are different, but I had type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. I have lost over 80 pounds since I started my pre-op diet, two weeks before surgery. I have been pretty insane about working out during my post-op, but I have been couched for the last two weeks with COVID and continue to have steady weight loss. I do not think I am the norm, as my weight loss has consistently been about 15 pounds per month post-op plus the 15 pounds I lost on the two week pre-op diet. It looks like most people lose more the first month and then weight loss is a bit less on subsequent months. 🤷‍♀️ I am extremely happy with my weight loss thus far and hope to hit goal January-ish. I do want to get 10-15 pounds below goal, as it seems normal to have a bit of bounce back going into maintenance. I have gone from plus size 20-22 jeans down to a regular 10. I am off all meds except one blood pressure med, which I have been on for 17 years back when I was 175 pounds. For reference, I am 47 years old, 5’8”, and have a “large frame” based on wrist and elbow measurements. Welcome to the loser’s bench!

Just had gastric sleeve to gastric bypass surgery on 10/29/20 for surgical treatment of Chronic GERD/Gastritis/Esophagitis. The good news is I haven't had reflux since surgery. Of course, I've had to deal with the diet restrictions of surgery, but it will be so worth it when I've healed, lost weight and no longer have to sleep in a recliner due to GERD!

I started out with surgery on Aug. 19 at 241 lbs. I have had, so far,7 plateaus where I have not lost weight for at LEAST a week up to 5 weeks. I now at 3 months today weigh 204 so hang in there. It will come just not as fast as we want. Every one says these playeaus are normal.

I am exactly here... Surgery date 10/15 Dropped to 204 then this Monday I went up to 205 then Tuesday 207 today back to 205. first time I hear of starvation mode! Makes sense I’m having a hard time making it to 500 calories. I can watch chicken, tuna, ground turkey. But all of I want to eat it with something not by itself. I have been having either a cracker or mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes, grilled pepper. So I notice my carbs are a little hire than I would like. What do you do to accompany your protein? Or do you have it by itself?

I can totally relate. I'm 2 years post sleeve and gained 10 lbs back with COVID and am working now on getting it back off. It's working! I can tell you that it's possible. I am eating like I did at the beginning with focus on protein of 60 g or more per day, getting in my 8-10 glasses of water a day, limiting carbs to fewer than 10 g per day. I haven't exercised yet. I've been back on the "reboot" for 2 weeks and lost 4 lbs so that's encouraging. My stomach hasn't stretched because I can still eat very little during a meal, so that's good news. My downfall was eating sweets all the time. I'm not doing that now. I think you can do it if you just remember why you had WLS in the first place and focus on the basics. Good luck!

I didn't have bypass, I had sleeve, but I'll share my experience. I lost 65 pounds within 4-6 months and have kept it off until COVID when I've gained 10 back but it's coming back off again now. I've basically maintained for 1 1/2 years.

Had my 10 year high school reunion this weekend. Finally a picture not in my work bathroom. lol

I’m Nov 2019. One year yesterday. It’s amazing and you will feel awesome In one year. I’ve lost 147 lbs and that’s almost half my weight. Hang in there this month and next. It will get better! Good luck! :-)

I am with you!!! I had surgery on 10/13 and lost quite a bit in the first 2-3 weeks. Then got stuck for 8 days, dropped 4 lbs seemingly overnight and now I am stalled again for the past week and a half. It is so frustrating!!! I follow my plan and just feel like it’s not working. 😫

I was on a call with my nutritionist tonight and someone else on my call asked about it and she said that anyone in this situation should do a 10 day liquid diet re-boot. I've seen several on this site, but since my nutritionist recommended it, it's what I would try.

You don't have to exercise EVERY day, especially not at the beginning right after surgery. Take it slow and do a little at a time. Even 10 minutes of stretching at home counts as exercise. Don't rush it.

Hey @Skip111178 Not many of us from "lapbandtalk" still around... (all others, that's what this site was called back then) ..... as a fellow bandmember and now "sleever". I can only answer from my POV; My questions are: - Has anyone had a similar experiences and what did you decide to do and was it the right decision? ****I never had the reflux, i of course had the bouts with vomiting like most LB patients. I did at one point back years ago gained 15-20ish pounds. I was glad i realized what i was doing. I told myself, you didn't do what you did, go through what you went through, given up what you did to go back to the "old" person you were. Grab my small plate and went back to what i knew worked, portions, chewing, better choices, exercising... Lost and got back to my steady 143lbs and size 6. Revising to the sleeve was good for me. I knew where i was headed without the aid of WLS. My band was ER removed 2017 at 143lbs. 16 months ago i revised to the sleeve at 173lbs (30lb gain over the 2.5 years of no WLS). 5'2" and now at 120lbs. - It worries me if I have the sleeve or a bypass, will I be in the same situation in 10 years time?**** I worry about that also, but in 10 years i'll be 62 and i'll cross that bridge when i get too it. Personally, had i had more options, i would have done the MGB (mini). But i would have had to go to Mexico for that and i felt better doing the sleeve 10 minutes from my home. The LB removal was pretty easy, removed on Thurs, back at work on Monday. Hunger really came back at about 2 weeks. The sleeve was the easiest SX i ever had. Done on Wednesday and back at work on Monday. I told my co workers i was having Hernia SX. Which i did end up having a Hiatal hernia repaired. Not telling was a great choice for me. - Would anyone recommend a particular company or surgeon?***** I do not, i live in the US - Has anyone had the band deflated and maybe had the balloon? I don't know if this is even possible? I thought this would mean surgery wouldn't be needed?****** STAY AWAY FROM THE BALLOON!!!! With the sleeve i don't get food "stuck" anymore. I do get the full feeling after about 3-4 bites, but i do feel like i'm hungrier faster than with the band. The band i was never hungry. I have only had 3 vomiting episodes since sleeve and it was my own fault. I learned to listen to my body and depend on portion control more now. With the band, it would get stuck and i would throw up. I find it's more important than ever to wait to drink after eating. I find that within minutes of drinking, i'm hungry again. I do worry about regain.. EVERYDAY..... i have had a lot of friends that did the sleeve and GB that regained. I'm hopeful that if i keep diligent with what i'm doing i can maintain the 53lbs loss

I had the ESG procedure on 6/19/2920 so 5 months ago.