Any Sleevers out there from San Fernando/Santa Clarita CA?

[init4me 45]

Hi just wanted to see who is out there that lives next to me. I'm 7 months out and down 101 lbs...I have 23 more to go and feeling great. It would be great to hear from ya!

[Katie713 423]

Almost 10 months out - went thru Kaiser Panorama City - but had surgery at Kaiser West L.A. really happy with the bariatric program and how it all panned out. I would never have imagined that this dream came true for me. I have been a slow loser and I am at a standstill right now, but slow and sure has worked for me. I have to really push now to try and get alot closer to goal.

How about you? Have you reached your goal yet?

[init4me 45]

Hi Katie,

I had Kaiser West LA too! I had Dr. Zelada. My surgery was June 25 2012 and I'm down 101 lbs with 22-23 more to go. Do you go to a support group with Panorama?

[Katie713 423]

Dr. Zelada also did my surgery and he did a great job, I healed up nicely and had no complications whatsoever!!!

I don't go to the support groups. I feel that I have managed fairly well, but I do come here for support and to answer questions, etc.

The weight is coming off really slow now and I have to shake things up to get my body back into the losing mode. I have not gained any weight, well actually I gained 2 pounds over the holidays but took it off in January. I know what I have to do...less carbs more exercise!!

How about you, how are you doing??

[init4me 45]

Well we are twins practically! Well I'm 7 months out...and 23lbs from goal. I havn't been excersizing hardly at all. I know that if I did that AND ate a little more clean I'll get there. I'm 5' 11". My main goal is to get moving and continue to just eat small and as clean as I can. I do go to a support group once a month, but that's about it. I also attend Weight Watchers just cause I've gone since I was practically born, but not every week. My weight loss has slowed, but I'm o.k. with it since it dropped so fast to begin with, but I do ( and will) want to lose the other 23lbs and work on keeping it off. They say we'll never cross the finnish line with this ....it's kinda sad...but we'll be dealing with this the rest of our days. I thank God that I had the surgery though....

[init4me 45]

Katie....Let me know if your on FACEBOOK....

[Katie713 423]

I do have a personal Facebook account but I prefer not to blend my weight loss life onto that forum. I will be more than glad to dialogue with you here or on private message. I am a shorty...just 4'11" so our body types are different....but we do have our similarities coming from the same area and having the same surgeon!!

You are doing fantastic!!

[init4me 45]

I totally get the FB thing. Everyone knows that I've lost weight, but I don't discuss "what" I've done. I have a seperate page on FB for my support group that I'm in for that. I don't feel that it's everyone business, but mine. If I choose to share I do privately. I'am on FB more then this, but that's fine we can "share" here too. Well yup we are at the opposite sides of the spectrum on height ( and I'm sure shoes too...size 12... and they didn't shrink any since the weight loss... ). Have you noticed that your eating more?? Into any more "types" of foods? When was the last time the scale moved for you...mines been about a month.

[sandygo 30]

Hi ladies I too am from the area I had my surgery on Nov. 13th in west LA w/ With Dr. Casillas. He was wonderful! My surgery went great! I did all my pre op. in panorama. I have yet to try there support meetings I think I would be interested. Anyway, I'm a very slow slow.. Loser :-( I've lost 19 pounds but I'm only 5 feet tall so it has made a world of a difference. Congratulations to both of you on your surgery! And on your major weight loss

[Katie713 423]

Hi Sandy! I'm a shorty too, good luck you are going to feel awesome and you'll be a skinny mini !! When I was young I always considered myself petite, but lost that feeling when I was up around 280 pounds. I was as wide as I am tall, and I felt like a wide load because I was. I can honestly say that these days if someone were to describe me they would say petite again. I still have about 40 pounds to lose in my book. I have revised my earlier goal of 150 down to maybe 135 if I can get there. At one time I wore a 3X-4X and now wearing a 14...all my old clothes are out the door! That feels so good!!

[Katie713 423]

init4me...I love weight watchers. That was my go-to for years, and what I started on before I did Options so I was already working earnestly on my weight loss.

For Breakfast I usually have cottage cheese with canned fruit like pears or pineapples or peaches, or I might have a Protein bar (Atkins daybreak - cranberry almond). Once in awhile I have Special K Protein cold Cereal and on the weekend I might have a one-egg omelette with a slice of wheat toast, maybe one link of sausage. coffee YES, I love me a cuppa coffee!!

Lunches, alot of the time I bring leftovers from dinner, or I have Soup or a salad, sometimes lunchmeat rollups and string cheese or tuna salad on some reduced fat wheat thins or triscuits. Once in awhile I have a Lean Cuisine, but I try to get low carb ones and there aren't many (sadly). I have been looking for the new Atkins frozen meals to see if they are any good.

Dinners...lots of BBQ'd lean protein, like shrimp skewers or teriyaki chicken. I make stir frys too with chicken and bean sprouts/carrots/onion/garlic/cabbage (one skillet) I have a turkey burger with cheese and sliced cucumbers, salads, or sometimes fajitas.

I rarely eat white bread, sweets, rice, potatoes or heavily fried foods. I keep it simple and don't try too many weird things. When I do go out to eat I allow myself one cocktail, and I usually order an appetizer or a small salad or Soup, sometime seafood.

I do buy weight watchers frozen Desserts if I have to have a snack at night, or I have some popcorn or a sugar free mousse by Jello (60 calories)...

Snacks might be black olives, string cheese, handful of nuts or an apple.

For beverages I drink alot of MIO sweet tea and Water, coffee. No fruit juices, no soda, sometimes wine or a cocktail like a bloody mary or a martini.

I have to do a cleaned up version of eating since it is much more challenging to lose now. My body likes where it is at but I am not done yet !!

Tell me what your eating is like...a normal day...

[init4me 45]

Goodmorning!

My menu usually is:

Breakfest: 1/2 cup of Bob's RedMill thick cut oatmeal ( it has 7 grams of protein) with splenda and I can't believe it's butter spray then I'll add 1/2 cup of strawberries or rasberries.

Snack: I'll do either Premire Protein Shake ( from Costco) with 30 grams of Protein or I'll do 1/2 apple with string cheese

Lunch: 2-3 oz of chicken breast cut up in 1/2 cup of organic tomatoe Soup with 1/4 cup of raw broccoli then I microwave the whole thing.

snack: Fage 0% yogurt with the acai berry mix in

Dinner: 2-3 oz of chicken or fish and maybe a 1/2 steamed artichoke or we go out to Souplantation and I get the kids portion of salad...1/2 baked potatoe and chicken out of their chicken soup (shhh...don't tell them I do this...LOL...it's the only way I can get protein when I go there!) and maybe a cookie.

When we go out I tipically get the kids portion- if it healthy enouph. I have nooo problem with cheese or chocolate or sweets whatsoever! They go down just fine unfortunetly! Fried foods, beef, pork stuff do not go down that well, lettuce kinda is like that too. I'm sure it might change as I go along. I'm noticing that I'm craving more and more refined carbs so I need to limit that more. I know that I'm in the honeymoon phase and the hard part is ahead of me. I haven't really been working out until recently. I need to walk on my treadmill every morning and I have a great weight machine that will be used 2-3 times a week.

[init4me 45]

Hi Sandy!

BTW to you and Katie...my name is Heather....I go to Woodland Hills Kaiser for the support group, but I only go once a month because I live in Santa Clarita and work in Toluca Lake ( too far to drive every week). 19 lbs is HUGE on a shorter person, so keep up the work sista. You'll find you'll have stalls and stuff along the way, just do what they taught us in class. Make sure you are eating enouph cause you won't lose if your not and get your Water in. I drink tea a lot during the day, it helps me get it in.

[init4me 45]

Oh! Forgot to tell you ladies...I am wearing my first pair of size 10 jeans today!!!! I started with size 24-26.

[Katie713 423]

How awesome!! I am about 5 lbs away from a size 12 and can't wait. You have inspired me to push thru !!