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Well the scale is now my friend again LOL I'm down to 182 and losing steadily. As long as I keep my CARBS down and my protein high (go figure every one of the Vets were right) the scale goes down. I think I am losing about three lbs a week which I think is awesome weight loss...especially considering I haven't started working out yet! Well we are moving into a house on May 15th and that is the week I am beginning my workout :) I decided that I am going to do Zumba two nights a week (work permitting) Maybe even get up and go at 6am on the days that I work nights....I don't know...small steps!

 Well here I am two days shy of my two month Surgiversary! While the LBS have come off slower than I would like (and I am most likely to blame for that...read further down) my sizes are DEF shrinking. I started at 220lbs size 16 in pants and XL in tops and I am now in a 12-14 pant and Medium in tops. This makes me feel super awesome! I am now the size I was when I met my husband three yrs ago. Goal #1 reached! 

My second goal was to weigh less than my husband and I DO! He is 5'11 and weighs 188lbs and as of today I weigh 185lbs (at 5'8")! This feels good but I almost feel like I am struggling for every pound. I posted before that the physical hunger is gone but the head hunger is LOUDER than ever and its true. I Haven made the best choices in food (potatoes or bread for toast or sandwiches) but I am trying. My water intake isn't up to par either. I probably get in 45-55oz and I have NO idea what my protein is. I try to eat high protein foods but I don't count them. I have never been good at keeping a diary of any sort let alone a food diary. I also haven't began working out yet. I am waiting until we move on the 15Th as the gym is in that town (25 miles north of me now). 

I started to try and make a difference though. I bought pre-natal vites, b-12, and ant-acids and have been taking them every morning for the last 5 days, I have also tried to drink more water AND I start every morning with half a protein bar (30 grams of protein) and I try and eat the other half before bed. It has 25 grams of carbs in it so I have been trying to limit my carbs to make up for it (no toast in the morning). My Dr said the only carbs I should get are from milk, cheese, veggies, and fruit. My NUT said that any other carbs are OK as long as they are from whole grains (like the bread for my sandwiches---which I take one piece of bread, cut it in half, and put mustard, turkey, cheese, and tom)...anyways I've felt better emotionally since I've done all this. 

Ive been at a "stall" or whatever it is for the last three weeks...bouncing around 3-4lb gain/loss...its been hard. Today though I weight (about an hr ago) and it finally said 185. This is the first time its hit that low :) I feel guilty though, like I'm not losing as fast as I should be :( what a hard thing to feel sometimes (just a note also today was the last day of my period which was four days late so maybe that what part of the weight flux was)???

Anyways this seems like a downer post I'm sure but I don't mean it to be. I am so happy with my Sleeve and I am determined to keep reminding myself that this is a marathon and to each his own. If anyone has any tips Id love to hear them. Maybe something I'm not thinking of? I can give you a typical menu for me also if it helps :)

Breakfast- Coffee and half a protein bar

Lunch- Sandwich as mentioned above

Dinner- Chicken or Fish with green beans or rice or something (rice and pasta-like foods tend to hurt so I really only get one bite in if i have em)

Snacks- maybe some yogurt or FF ice cream bar (about half) cup of whole milk tends to fill me up so I try and drink two or so a day

And I am finally getting the hang of this thing! LOL it took a while and I had to learn the hard way with puking and pain and nausea and whatnot but I got it! Of course I'm sure this means that soon something will happen to turn this all on my head again. OK here is what Ive learned and this is what works for me

1) While I did lose my hunger my head hunger is louder than ever
2) I prefer to feel satisfied over full. Feeling full makes me feel sick
3) Puking is easier now and I do not avoid it. Meaning I take it as my body telling me "too much" so I get rid of the food and make sure I learn for next time.
4) Chips do NOT make me feel full :(((
5) I am a fast eater. I can only eat about 3-6 bites (1/4 of a cup) of anything and to try and make that last 25min is VERY HARD!
6) Body shapers make you feel SO GOOD about yourself!

There are more but these ones I hope will help someone else. So I feel like I'm not losing as fast as someone else and while I know not to compare or that this is not a marathon and whatnot It is hard to see someones awesome progress (especially when they are roughly the same starting weight as me) and not compare. I also know that I have become brave with my food choices and have introduced chips :( major sad face. They have like 25g of carbs per (little) bag and if i want to stay under 50g then that means I have to do a lot of work. However one of the reasons I picked this surgery is because I don't want to be that girl that counts calories and carbs and stuff. Maybe I need to count now and then once I get to maintenance I can relax a bit and trust my body. Hmmmm good thoughts! I also used to be so much better about my water intake. Like 75oz or so and now it feels like a struggle to even get 25oz in. I drink ice water and tea/crystal lite all day. I definitely need to do better about that!

Well I haven't been having anything too strange happen. I went on vacation with my family for three days and that threw my eating and drinking off a bunch so I gotta get back on track. I also haven't started working out yet but am confident that when I do the weight will come off easier. Maybe less stalls or something. Although I have only had one "stall" and even tho for two weeks I didn't lose weight I lost inches. So far I am down from size 18Long pants to a 14Long and XL top to M :) SUPER!!!!! Im still a 40D in bras and am hoping that goes down. Its sad but my boobs are saggy at 25 (3 kiddos under the age of 5 and still nursing slightly) and they dont fit into a C cup but a D is a little too big :( I want to get a tummy tuck and boob job but I am afraid of the boob job. Maybe one will pop!

Well thats about it for today :) anyone have any questions, thought, or comment please dont hesitate.

Mel

Hey OH! So as you know I have had some awesome moments with my Sleeve :) i lost 25lbs in 2.5 weeks! WOOHOO! I feel better about myself and as a result my sex life with the Hubby has ROCKED!

There have also been some struggles; eating too fast/too much, wrong choices in foods....just the general learning process stuff. Well last night I went to pick up my gym membership from my older sis and her and I had a nice long talk about weight, nutrition, and the emotions that come with it.

She is 6'0 tall and about 165lbs. She looks AMAZING! I say this as three yrs ago she was 350+lbs. She began cutting out processed foods, then sodas, the sugars, then carbs....and so on. Over the course of a yr she worked on what she ate. Then she added in exercise. After that, portion sizes. I have always been so in awe of her! Then here I come and have surgery (because I have ZERO self control) and tho I feel a little sad that I couldn't do it the "normal" way I am proud to be on the way to a healthier me. Well talking to her last night I learn that she is struggling with mild bulimia and food obsession!! I was super shocked. Here I was thinking I was the abnormal one and the one who has no control and she confides this bombshell.

As someone who also suffers from food obsession myself I can understand that. The obsessive thoughts about food, watching Food Network all day thinking about food, wondering if I will ever be able to eat like a normal person again....The list goes on for me. I have very little if no hunger so its really all in my head. That's the hardest thing for me; that Head Hunger. I hate it! I have this "Clean Plate Syndrome" where I want to clean my plate. I get the most satisfaction when its full and then its clean. My therapist thinks it might stem from some neglect as a child and then once adopted by my Grandparents and sign of safety and comfort. So very true.

Anyways given all her struggles she has a wealth of knowledge about food and exercise! I really find however that I have to pick through it to find what works for me. Example; she does not eat dairy, sugar, processed foods, carbs, red meat...and the list goes on. She does not eat avocado because its a fat even though i thought it was a good fat??? Anyhow some of the stuff are too extreme for me but she does have some good stuff too.

Bottom line its a struggle for anyone no matter the process you use. I'm looking forward to hearing what she has to say and learning what I can from her. I love her and am glad that she confided in me.

Hey OH! I am on mushy stage with added soft proteins and now I find that I am puking after almost EVERY MEAL! Its not much maybe a couple bites worth but I certainly don't think its normal. What am I doing wrong? Eating too fast? Waiting too long in between meals? I try and eat Breakfast-Lunch-Snack-Dinner-Small glass of milk before bed. Hmmmm I just feel like I'm back in Math class and no matter how many times I'm told or how many times I read it I just DON'T GET IT! Please help, friends!

Also dis or do any of you have a fear of food??? Now that I am allowed to eat more I am feeling afraid that food=fat :( I find that periodically throughout the day I think "OMG if I start eating normal food its going to make the weight loss slow down/stop!" Is this conditioning?? Ugh so many questions going through my head (Therapy this week is going to be WELCOME)

Thanks So Much for being here...I see a therapist once a week and sometimes I need someone in between :) On a positive note I am still in Onederland! I thought for sure once I hit 199 I'd jump back to 255 LOL!

So a couple days ago I hopped on the scale and BAM! 199.6 :) wow its been three yrs since Ive seen anything other than 200+ lbs and man OH man am I happy! I knew that it most likely would go up some by the end of the day but I don't care. I touched it and it was great! Today its at 199.2 and that is great for me. I'm starting to see some difference but not as much as ppl do lol Everyone says they really see it but I don't too much.

I can do mushies now for the next 3weeks with added meats so YAHOOOOO! I'm hoping for some salmon or something. Anyone have an idea for a side dish at this stage?

Well thanks so much OH friends :) this site is awesome and so helpfull!

Hey everyone, I am almost two weeks out and I'm finding myself not making the best choices with food...I have been so scared to post this for fear of being yelled at or put down or looked down upon. I'm terribly embarrassed and ashamed.

When I wake up I have my coffee, then I usually don't eat until around one or so. At that time I eat maybe a SF pudding or mashed pots or Greek yogurt. I eat too much EVERY time. I get sick, sometimes puke. I usually have to get up and walk around to feel better. It happens all the time. I KNOW better but when I'm eating it tastes so good I have a hard time stopping.  

I feel like the biggest failure. Am I the only one on this site that is failing? Especially so early out? Lol I thought I would be one that would be able to fly through this (because I wasn't 350lbs) Its a terrible thing to say but I need to get this all out, I need help! I have been in therapy for my eating for over eight months and I'm still having a hard time.

Can anyone give me some good examples of a daily menu for two weeks out? Anyone have advice or words of kindness and encouragements for someone who is struggling and wants to change? I want to be better, and I think maybe I need a routine or a step by step list of what to do...maybe....I need something. Thanks so much for helping :)

Post Date: 2/26/11 11:46 am
What a crazy 3 days its been! Okay so my surgery was on Feb 23rd at 7a.m which meant I needed to be at the hospital by 5. I live like four hours away so my husband, his best friend, Josh, and I packed our stuff and headed out the door at midnight (and no we did not nap before or anything) Earlier that day we dropped the kids (ages 5, 3, ad 1) off at Grandmas and did a ton of laundry as I read it feels really nice to come home to clean soft sheets and clothes. Anyways we arrived at four thirty and my Hubby and Josh got the blankets and pillows and immediately passed out in the car (no hotel because they are "men" lol) 

So I went into the Admin. area and got my weight (220) and my temp (norm) and blood pressure (128/82 norm) and all that jazz and got changed into my gown. It was awesome actually :) like three times as thick and expected, nice pale purple and connected to it were these two long tubes that once I laid down were inflated like a blow dryer! WOW it was filling my gown with hot air that was so nice. I got my IV started in the bend of the elbow and put some soft warm (but ugly) socks on. 

The anesthesiologist (sp?) came in then to let me know what was gonna happen,  he said that we would knock me out, insert a catheter, preform surgery, take catheter out, and hopefully there woont be much if any nausea (HA!), he shook my hand and said he looked forward to seeing me later and left. Then the Bariatric Department lady (a bypass patient herself 7 yrs ago) came in to go over post-op diet and lifestyle with me. We had talked serveral times before that so we mostly just giggled over the "sip, sip, walk, walk, rest, repeat" stuff (Oh BTW this site is on my recommended support group/reading material list from the hospital) While we were giggling the Surgeon came in and was going over my chart. He said he was happy about the weight loss from Nov/Dec ( I was 250lbs then) so he was going to "try something for me" turns out he was going to try the SINGLE INCISION! Oh man I was so excited! I had read it was rare and I certainly didnt expect it myself. Well with that he also said he was going to use a 32Fr bougie which I wasnt expecting since im on the smaller side but maybe it doesnt matter??? Anyhoo he left and I donned a funny hat and walked into surgery.

The table was so small I felt like i would surely fall off but the machines and lights and ppl in the masks were just like it is in the movies. I laid down and had the mask put over my face and that was it lol I had a catheter put in after i was out and it was removed before i woke up so no discomfort there. Waking up felt like waking up from a DEEP sleep. As soon as my eyes opened, however, BAM! puked up blood :( not pleasent at all. It took them three tries but we finally got a medicine that worked on the nausea. I woke up again for the second time in my room (private) with my hubby sitting there. I was so out of it and for some reason I could hardly talk. Im assuming that was from the endoscope. I also had lots of phlem to cough up (which HURT) 

I slept a lot that first day but around nine p.m I was able to get up to go pee and then stayed up and visited with my Hubby. I was on a patient controlled morphine pump and was pushing that button as often as allowed (not from pain but more like i wanted to get it before it got me) By the next day though i was only using it before i went on walks. I was to try and walk at least four times a day. The second day was when we started the liquids test. Before releasing you they want to know that you can handle your liquids and stuff. It HURT! Every time I tried to drink anything I had pain/pressure in my chest. Everytime I drank i regretted it. I finally got two oz every hr for three hrs test down. Then the Dr came in and asked if I wanted to go home. I said yep yep and in twenty min I was in my car. It was late (around 7pm) so there was no way I could fill my pain meds untill the next day which was daunting. The ride home I laid back and slept, got out every hr and half to walk but it was painfull. Buyers remorse so BAD! I never expressed that to my Hubby or family for fear of guilt/embarassment but it was there. When we got home I went straight to the shower (so nice and I can shower and bathe like normal) and then to bed. The next morning I had my first dose of pain meds and YA! SO MUCH BETTER!! 

Now Im on day three and LOVING it. It still gets sore if work too hard but the pain is only a six or so, with my meds its only a three. Hardly noticeable. I find that I still cant believe I had surgery. So weird to think that it actually happened. Lol anyways I am able to eat a whole popsicle now (takes about thirty min) and my meds and tea and warm water go down with minimal discomfort. If anyone has any questions please dont hesitate :)

Okay here is an update :) So Im not sure if this is sabotage or just normal when you are forced to sit back and look at your situation but i have been TERRIFIED that Lap Band is the wrong choice for me! im scare of the long-term results so I have been obsessivly reading this site for long-term Lap-Banders :) Last night I read this article here about all in all being happy or sad about the choice to get it and almost EVERYONE is happy. Reading the success stories (and even the struggles) is so inspiring to me I know this is the right choice.

Well after the run-around from the Drs office (its been over a week since the no-go on my wrong surgery) I finally got some sort of answer; the Dr needs me to come back in for a sit down before he will re-send the proper paperwork :*( I am sad and a little shocked that this is falling on me when HIS office filed the wrong paperwork...but he is the only one who accept my type of INS (Medi-Cal) in my area so I feel like I have no choice. The receptionist seems to hate that ive been calling almost everyday to find answers and getting her to give me a straight answer is like pulling teeth. I am very dissapointed with that office...some have even suggested Malpractice and such...all i want is my surgery that I have been working towards. So I finally got a date to go back in and its the 14th so I will keep you all posted! Wish me luch, pray, or simply keep sharing your sucess stories :) it all helps me get through this rough time.

Post Date: 12/3/10 9:47 pm
So after months and months of working toward my goal i got approved!!! Lap Band surgery here i come!! My surgery was for Dec 1st 2010 (a few days ago....) and when i went there to begin pre-op i found out he had sent in papers to my insurance to be approved for Gastric Bypass! Upon calling his office to figure out what happened i was told that my file said Lap Band and someone made the decision to file for gastric bypass without my knowlege. Now im back home without surgery and waiting to speak with the dr, who now has said he wants me to come in to his office (4hrs away!) for a sit down!!! Not sure what to do and was wondering if this has happened to anyone else???