Goal REACHED today!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

HEY.... goal in five months... how good is that... congratulations, you have done a fantastic job!

Stories like this always cheer me up, especially when I am struggling along, as I am at the moment, so this was timed perfectly!!

Tell me... what is the best thing about being at goal... give me something to aim for and to dream about xx

Wearing a size 8 is the best part!!! What a trip to actually pick up a size 8 pair of jeans and slip into them. I still can't believe it!! It is fun for the first time in my life to go shopping!! Just wait, it will be YOU before you know it!!! Hang in there!

[twoboysandagirl 109]

You did such a great job.

What a success story.

Thank you for sharing it with all of us. Continue to keep us posted on your NEW LIFE.

I can wait to be able to post things like this!

[iegal 460]

Great news - so happy for you. I know this has been a journey, so Celebrate. Thank you for sharing your success.

[MINI-Me 196]

Wearing a size 8 is the best part!!! What a trip to actually pick up a size 8 pair of jeans and slip into them. I still can't believe it!! It is fun for the first time in my life to go shopping!! Just wait, it will be YOU before you know it!!! Hang in there!

Do you ever take them out of the closet & your brain automatically says "no way will I fit into these" ... but you do?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I love that feeling!

[pcos_chick 23]

You go girl!!!

Can you describe all the changes you made before your surgery?

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Do you ever take them out of the closet & your brain automatically says "no way will I fit into these" ... but you do?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I love that feeling!

Actually just this morning I took a pair out of the dryer and when I look at them right before I put them on, I think that very thing...NO WAY will these little things fit me!!! Seriously.....they look like they'd fit my thirteen year old niece!! It still doesn't feel real....but I am starting to look in the mirror and I do see a thinner person, that is pretty new to me!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

You go girl!!!

Can you describe all the changes you made before your surgery?

I lost 23 lbs before surgery and it sure wasn't from exercise! I did exercise a little, but it was very little, I rode a stationary bike a couple times a week for a couple of miles. I wanted to make sure I could make 'food' changes and I knew that the carbs and snacking were the biggest changes I could make and they'd have to be life changes. I learned from friends who'd had WLS and from a couple who just lost weight a few years ago that cutting a few things out could make a big difference, so that's what I did. I cut bread totally from of my diet at home. I would only eat bread when we went out to eat. I treated it as a 'treat'. When we'd go to OutBack or some place like that, I'd have a slice, maybe two. So I cut my bread consumption waaaay back. Now, since I've had surgery, I might have a half slice of whole wheat toast occasionally with an egg here at the house, but otherwise, same thing applies, except, I'll only have a sliver of bread at a restaurant because I need to leave room for Protein and a few bites of a veggie or something, NOT bread!! I do not miss bread, once I got USE to it, I don't miss it.

I also cut out chips, we ate baked anyway, and I didn't even really like them, so why bother, right??!! LOL The big chip deal was when we went out to eat Mexican food, I switched to what my husband eats, he orders corn tortillas and we don't eat even ONE fried chip. Once you get into the habit, it's no big deal. It's the salsa that is so good!! The only time I have a chip now is if I have a little guacamole and then I'll have the baked "scoops" if we're at home, if I'm at a restaurant, I dip with a corn tortilla. Once you get all those simple carbs out of your system, you don't miss them, I heard it takes a couple of weeks!

Another big change I made was cold Cereal. I don't eat it any more. I use to have a bowl in the middle of the afternoon and a bowl at night....cereal was my snack - no more. I cut out snacking. It was a habit, 2 bowls of Cereal, not including having a bowl or two in the morning. None in the morning either during the 2 months pre-op. I had a Protein shake or a couple of eggs or oatmeal.

That's it, those are THE things, the big changes I made, not really such a big deal, but that is how I lost 23 lbs in 2 months before surgery!! They are life changes that haven't really made an impact on my life, but have made a big difference in my life! I now keep sugar free Jell-O and sugar free cool whip around and I'll have a little almost daily. It's good, it's sweet. I'm not a real sweets eater, but I do enjoy it. I love that I have control over all this. I don't feel that I am sacrificing anything, I have not suffered at all. The changes I made, I should have made YEARS ago before surgery was even considered!! There isn't anything good that can come from bread or chips!! LOL

I knew that exercise was NOT going to be a "life change" that I would stick with forever, a little yes. I can and DO park as far out as I can in parking lots. I ride a stationary bike once in a while. There are a few things I do that I enjoy and will do, but as far as being a maniac....that isn't me and that isn't how I lost weight. I'm not going to get up and walk every day or join Curves and really go. I KNEW there would have to be life changes that I needed to do that I could live with. I didn't want to lose by exercising, then a year later, stop exercising and start gaining! I hope this is clear - I hope this helps in some way!!!

[hopeandfaith 6]

WOW WAY TO GO GIRL!!! I don't know you but I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!! ha ha THANKS for sharing your before changes! I'm trying to do the same thing now that I quit eating everything in site. In fact, today I had a Protein shake for lunch(I'm trying different flavors to see which ones I like) I will see how I do for supper now. My weakness is chips and bread too so you have really opened my eyes to what I NEED to do before my SLEEVE in December! I went out to eat with my daughter last night for Mexican food and choose not to eat the chips with salsa but put the salsa on my meal and that really satisfied my craving and I wasn't STUFFED from too many chips!

Reading stories like yours REALLY INSPIRE me! THANK YOU AGAIN for SHARING with us!!!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

WOW WAY TO GO GIRL!!! I don't know you but I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!! ha ha THANKS for sharing your before changes! I'm trying to do the same thing now that I quit eating everything in site. In fact, today I had a Protein shake for lunch(I'm trying different flavors to see which ones I like) I will see how I do for supper now. My weakness is chips and bread too so you have really opened my eyes to what I NEED to do before my SLEEVE in December! I went out to eat with my daughter last night for Mexican food and choose not to eat the chips with salsa but put the salsa on my meal and that really satisfied my craving and I wasn't STUFFED from too many chips!

Reading stories like yours REALLY INSPIRE me! THANK YOU AGAIN for SHARING with us!!!

You are soooo welcome! Bread and chips, they're a weakness for a lot of us, but if you can get them out of your system, it gets easier. You can do like I do and not feel cheated, when you go eat Mexican food, get an order of corn tortillas, usually they come three, maybe four to an order. I would usually pick at one maybe two, and since surgery, i tear a small piece of one off, maybe an eighth of one, but I dip that in the salsa....that is what chips start out as, right? Before they DEEP FRY them!!! I think a lot of what we do is habit, so we just have to break those habits and start new ones. I feel like that is what I've done! Now I tear off a small piece of bread or slice off a sliver and pick at it at a restaurant and that is what I do. Like cats, we are creatures of habit!! LOL

[MINI-Me 196]

Actually just this morning I took a pair out of the dryer and when I look at them right before I put them on, I think that very thing...NO WAY will these little things fit me!!! Seriously.....they look like they'd fit my thirteen year old niece!! It still doesn't feel real....but I am starting to look in the mirror and I do see a thinner person, that is pretty new to me!!

I also look at OH some days. A few months ago, I read about a girl who was sobbing that her new clothes had shrunk in the wash. Turns out, they were just fine - she just didn't have a mental picture of how much her body had changed.

I am just starting to get used to my reflection as well. One day, I was walking up to a windowed door. In my head, I was wondering who the thin woman was - I hadn't seen her around work before. Duh! It was me reflecting in the window. LOL!

[Fleur de lis 2]

Congratulations!! That is so amazing!

[SkinnyHereICome 7]

Hi Lauren!! I weighed 228 and I'm 5'6". I really had an 'easy' time, not much pain. I took pain meds for a week after I left the hospital, but only at night. I was basically pain free. It was uncomfortable to turn over at night and it hurt to cough!! I have a nice flat pillow that I kept under my tummy for about a month. (I slept on my side from day one) It made it possible. Like you, I was so ready, and in good health, I think that made the surgery easy for me. I followed the doctor's orders and it got easier and easier every day. I was up and walking down the hall within about four hours after I got back to my room. My biggest challenge was getting in enough fluids and finding a Protein something or other that I could tolerate before I could get it all in with food!! You'll love the sleeve!!! Good luck!!

[SkinnyHereICome 7]

Thanks so much for the reply. I am so ready! Did you have to have a catheter, dont know why but that freaks me out

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I also look at OH some days. A few months ago, I read about a girl who was sobbing that her new clothes had shrunk in the wash. Turns out, they were just fine - she just didn't have a mental picture of how much her body had changed.

I am just starting to get used to my reflection as well. One day, I was walking up to a windowed door. In my head, I was wondering who the thin woman was - I hadn't seen her around work before. Duh! It was me reflecting in the window. LOL!

That is so funny - I do the same thing. Walking up to a store that has a windowed door is crazy....seeing my reflection still blows my mind. It doesn't look like "ME" to me!! I recognize me in the mirror now, but when I catch a reflection of myself out like that, it catches me off guard and I have to do a double take!

[coops 1,790]

Wearing a size 8 is the best part!!! What a trip to actually pick up a size 8 pair of jeans and slip into them. I still can't believe it!! It is fun for the first time in my life to go shopping!! Just wait, it will be YOU before you know it!!! Hang in there!

I bet it is... that is, well, I can't find the words to describe that... basically 'cos I have never been in a size 8!!!! I'd be happy, very happy, in a UK 12...lol

Do you exercise?

Well done again!