New here

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Hi my name is Kristina I am from

Boston Massachusetts, I have been reading a lot of stories on here but never posted! Here goes nothing, I am 30 years old and have battled with obesity since I was a young girl (it runs in the family) I don’t have any other health issues besides PCOS! I have a one year old daughter who now since having her I realize how much I can hardly move to keep up with her and get up and down from the floor etc.. I started the weight loss program in February and now have a surgery date for May 30th! Excited is an understatement then comes the nerves. I have seen so many of your success stories on here and I am beyond proud of each and everyone of you. We are all in this together. As I read on and on then got my final surgery date I thought why not put my two sense on this forum and get whatever advice or even cheering on that I need from everyone going through the same thing!! I want to finally be healthier and be able to chase after my one year old and live a longer life for her and myself. Thanks for listening. I will post again soon!

HW: 360

CW: 350

GW: 150-160ish

[browneyez42 280]

Hi my name is Kristina I am from
Boston Massachusetts, I have been reading a lot of stories on here but never posted! Here goes nothing, I am 30 years old and have battled with obesity since I was a young girl (it runs in the family) I don’t have any other health issues besides PCOS! I have a one year old daughter who now since having her I realize how much I can hardly move to keep up with her and get up and down from the floor etc.. I started the weight loss program in February and now have a surgery date for May 30th! Excited is an understatement then comes the nerves. I have seen so many of your success stories on here and I am beyond proud of each and everyone of you. We are all in this together. As I read on and on then got my final surgery date I thought why not put my two sense on this forum and get whatever advice or even cheering on that I need from everyone going through the same thing!! I want to finally be healthier and be able to chase after my one year old and live a longer life for her and myself. Thanks for listening. I will post again soon!
HW: 360
CW: 350
GW: 150-160ish

Welcome! All of us have a story and you'll find a lot of inspiration, encouragement and motivation here. Don't be afraid to post here, because you'll never know unless you ask!

[cammarays 57]

36 minutes ago, fluffyandiknowit said:

Hi my name is Kristina I am from

Boston Massachusetts, I have been reading a lot of stories on here but never posted! Here goes nothing, I am 30 years old and have battled with obesity since I was a young girl (it runs in the family) I don’t have any other health issues besides PCOS! I have a one year old daughter who now since having her I realize how much I can hardly move to keep up with her and get up and down from the floor etc.. I started the weight loss program in February and now have a surgery date for May 30th! Excited is an understatement then comes the nerves. I have seen so many of your success stories on here and I am beyond proud of each and everyone of you. We are all in this together. As I read on and on then got my final surgery date I thought why not put my two sense on this forum and get whatever advice or even cheering on that I need from everyone going through the same thing!! I want to finally be healthier and be able to chase after my one year old and live a longer life for her and myself. Thanks for listening. I will post again soon!

HW: 360

CW: 350

GW: 150-160ish

Welcome! I'm new as well and it looks like our journeys will coincide as I started my weight loss program at around the same time. I find out my surgery date on May 8th so I might very well have a surgery date close to yours! I have the exact same feelings as you are having right now. This is a good place to be, a lot of folks going through the same thing. So let loose, we are here for it!

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Welcome! I'm new as well and it looks like our journeys will coincide as I started my weight loss program at around the same time. I find out my surgery date on May 8th so I might very well have a surgery date close to yours! I have the exact same feelings as you are having right now. This is a good place to be, a lot of folks going through the same thing. So let loose, we are here for it!

Hi
That would be nice to have a surgery buddy we can keep in touch!! Let me know when u find out your date.

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Welcome! All of us have a story and you'll find a lot of inspiration, encouragement and motivation here. Don't be afraid to post here, because you'll never know unless you ask!

Thank you! And thanks for taking the time to read my small novel lol good luck with everything

[cammarays 57]

Will do! I followed you so you'll be easy to find.

[James Marusek 5,244]

Welcome.

Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things.

1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.

2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.

3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Welcome.
Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things.
1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.
2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.
3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

Hey thank you for the advice I did give up soda a month ago and have been doing fine without it no withdrawals thank god!!! I will do all that you said thanks again I appreciate when people can give me pointers

[TakingABreak 2,733]

2 hours ago, fluffyandiknowit said:

Hi my name is Kristina I am from

Boston Massachusetts, I have been reading a lot of stories on here but never posted! Here goes nothing, I am 30 years old and have battled with obesity since I was a young girl (it runs in the family) I don’t have any other health issues besides PCOS! I have a one year old daughter who now since having her I realize how much I can hardly move to keep up with her and get up and down from the floor etc.. I started the weight loss program in February and now have a surgery date for May 30th! Excited is an understatement then comes the nerves. I have seen so many of your success stories on here and I am beyond proud of each and everyone of you. We are all in this together. As I read on and on then got my final surgery date I thought why not put my two sense on this forum and get whatever advice or even cheering on that I need from everyone going through the same thing!! I want to finally be healthier and be able to chase after my one year old and live a longer life for her and myself. Thanks for listening. I will post again soon!

HW: 360

CW: 350

GW: 150-160ish

Congrats on your decision! You won't regret it, in fact, you will wish you would have done it years ago. I don't have children, which I hope my weight loss will positively affect my fertility after the 12 month waiting period, but I do have 11 month old twin nieces who I see a lot. It's amazing how much I am able to play with them now. I enjoy watching them more now because I'm able to get up and down easier. I also have a lot more stamina. So, I know this will make a difference with your own little one!

Everyone's experience is so different, and it seems like everyone's program is very different as well. My pieces of advice:

1. Build yourself a good support system. Kick anyone to the curb who isn't. At the same time, you and you alone are doing this surgery. You are responsible for the outcome. It takes extreme perseverance to succeed. This is just a tool. Surgery doesn't retrain your brain or unlearn bad habits.

2. Put everything you have into doing it the right way. I make time for ME now. I make time to shop healthy, meal prep, cook healthy, to exercise, and to reward myself for my victories. After you get so far out, you will almost forget you had surgery. I don't think about it daily and I don't have to think.... "You can't have that--- you had WLS". It just comes natural to me now. I just remember that I don't eat those things. But we have to remind ourselves that we are important and this journey takes dedicated time!

3. There can be a real emotional side to this journey that they don't prepare you for. They make sure you are psychologically fit to do the surgery, but I've seen rarely where post op therapy is required. I can't tell you how much things change for the good and bad. This morning, I put on a shirt that hasn't fit in 3 years. It fit.... but I've been wearing baggy clothes for 2 months. Wearing a shirt that fit made me feel bad about myself. It made me feel large. I was so used to seeing myself in clothes that in "my mind" represented my weight loss, because they were big. Its the little things like that. Its emotional. So, prepare yourself for the little nuances that may make you sad.

Good luck dear! I know you be so glad you did this.

Xo- AshAsh

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

Welcome, Kristina!

We're all happy to encourage you and help in any way we can! Sounds like you're already making great strides. Blessings!

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

1 hour ago, AshAsh1 said:

3. There can be a real emotional side to this journey that they don't prepare you for. They make sure you are psychologically fit to do the surgery, but I've seen rarely where post op therapy is required. I can't tell you how much things change for the good and bad. This morning, I put on a shirt that hasn't fit in 3 years. It fit.... but I've been wearing baggy clothes for 2 months. Wearing a shirt that fit made me feel bad about myself. It made me feel large. I was so used to seeing myself in clothes that in "my mind" represented my weight loss, because they were big. Its the little things like that. Its emotional. So, prepare yourself for the little nuances that may make you sad.

Is that why I'm still wearing all my baggy-a$$ clothes? I hadn't really thought about it. (I'm quite a shallow person ) I'll have to ponder that.

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Congrats on your decision! You won't regret it, in fact, you will wish you would have done it years ago. I don't have children, which I hope my weight loss will positively affect my fertility after the 12 month waiting period, but I do have 11 month old twin nieces who I see a lot. It's amazing how much I am able to play with them now. I enjoy watching them more now because I'm able to get up and down easier. I also have a lot more stamina. So, I know this will make a difference with your own little one!
Everyone's experience is so different, and it seems like everyone's program is very different as well. My pieces of advice:
1. Build yourself a good support system. Kick anyone to the curb who isn't. At the same time, you and you alone are doing this surgery. You are responsible for the outcome. It takes extreme perseverance to succeed. This is just a tool. Surgery doesn't retrain your brain or unlearn bad habits.
2. Put everything you have into doing it the right way. I make time for ME now. I make time to shop healthy, meal prep, cook healthy, to exercise, and to reward myself for my victories. After you get so far out, you will almost forget you had surgery. I don't think about it daily and I don't have to think.... "You can't have that--- you had WLS". It just comes natural to me now. I just remember that I don't eat those things. But we have to remind ourselves that we are important and this journey takes dedicated time!
3. There can be a real emotional side to this journey that they don't prepare you for. They make sure you are psychologically fit to do the surgery, but I've seen rarely where post op therapy is required. I can't tell you how much things change for the good and bad. This morning, I put on a shirt that hasn't fit in 3 years. It fit.... but I've been wearing baggy clothes for 2 months. Wearing a shirt that fit made me feel bad about myself. It made me feel large. I was so used to seeing myself in clothes that in "my mind" represented my weight loss, because they were big. Its the little things like that. Its emotional. So, prepare yourself for the little nuances that may make you sad.
Good luck dear! I know you be so glad you did this.
Xo- AshAsh

Hey Ash
It took me 6 years and multiple fertility treatments to have the miracle I have now so hopefully after surgery im able to have another without any of that! Thanks so much for reaching it and giving me advice! 8 years ago I did this whole program and the day before my surgery I backed out I was scared now I’m ready more than anything I want a life and I want to be able to love without suffering or out of breath I want to do different things that I always say “ no u can’t do that your too fat people will see” I just want to live a normal healthy life! Thanks again keep in touch and congrats on your journey I wish u the best

[fluffyandiknowit 16]

Welcome, Kristina!
We're all happy to encourage you and help in any way we can! Sounds like you're already making great strides. Blessings!

Thanks love good luck to you

[Iwanttoseemytoes 36]

Welcome! I can't wait to see how i feel when all is said and done. I have four small children and look forward to having a lot more energy than I currently do.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

Is that why I'm still wearing all my baggy-a$$ clothes? I hadn't really thought about it. (I'm quite a shallow person [emoji6]) I'll have to ponder that.

It’s becoming something serious for me. I don’t like the feeling of a shirt hugging my mid section. I hope I overcome this soon!