Better late than never.... Starting weight: 308 Surgery weight: 308 Current weight: 145 Goal weight: 140 Starting sizes: Tight 28s Current sizes: 4/6 depending on the designer Loss in inches? Tons! Your biggest WOW moment? Buying an article of clothing in a size small Goals you haven't reached yet, BUT WILL!?!?!?!? Getting the last five pounds off and participating in a triathlon Things that you can do now that you couldn't a year ago? Tons...the usual stuff like painting my toenails, crossing my legs, not sweating with everything I do regardless of the temperature Reward when you reach your goal weight? Having my size 20 wedding dress altered to have bridal portraits re-taken Do you have any regrets since your surgery? Absolutely none. What has been the easiest and hardest thing since surgery? Easiest - portion control and banishing sugar. Hardest - head hunger and dealing with when the hunger returns, as well as reactive hypoglycemia Any complications you've had? I had a repeat lap for adhesions that caused bowel torsion at exactly a year out. No biggie! Medical issues that have resolved since surgery? Sleep apnea, prehypertension and prediabetes. My blood pressure stays around 100/55. Bad habit you've reverted back to since surgery? Boredom eating Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? Not really...I did everything "by the book" because I wanted to maximize my weight loss. How has your weight loss affected your relationships with friends, family, spouse or significant other? It has made them tremendously better because I am not spending emotional dollars dealing with my weight issues and I can participate more fully in activities. If you could only recommend 3 things, products, foods, etc. That you have found since starting your "Journey," What would they be? 1) Crystal Lite 2) The Vitamin Shoppe 3) going to support groups If you could pass along advice "been there, done that" to pre-ops, what advice would it be? Take advantage of support groups and cultivate relationships with other postops. Exercise, exercise, exercise!!!! Don't be afraid to ask for what you need and want in order to stay on track.

I am coming to the March 07 board to see if anyone else has had a stall like I am in. I had surgery 03/06/07 and have lost approximately 130#. But I lost 19 of that in the 2 mos pre op, and lost the rest through October of 07. Since November I have been yo-yoing the same 2 - 4 #'s - up and down, up and down, but no significant loss in 6 months. I still have about 30# to get to goal. I started at 311 (pre op diet start) and as of today I am at 183.8, my goal is 150. I have been trying to be logical and look at basal metobolic rate, what I am eating, the activity I am doing etc, and it doesn't add up, so logic does not hold here. So I am seeking out the "it's not just me" method of justification. Am I the only one who has gotten stuck for THIS long???

Change in numbers... Starting weight 412 surgery weight 386 current weight: 265 1 YEAR ANNIVERSAY 03/26/08 goal weight 190 starting sizes 30/32 current sizes 16 loss in inches: NOT SURE Your biggest WOW moment? When I seen an old classmate she just started crying because she said I looked so beautiful. Everyone telling how far I have come, and I can see it myself. Goals you haven't reached yet, BUT WILL!?!?!?!? To start jogging for my work outs vs walking. Going to try this week {wish me luck}! Also I'm going to stop eating meat so I have started buying tofu. This is going to take true will power, and strength. Things that you can do now that you couldn't a year ago? Of course crossing my legs, walking up & down the Las Vegas strip last weekend in 3 inch wedge hills. The elliptical for 60 min straight {yes}!!!! Reward when you reach your goal weight? Book a trip to Aruba. Do you have any regrets since your surgery? No not one What has been the easiest? Adjusting to the new me Hardest thing since surgery? Trying to eat healthier, and keeping my proportions UNDER control. Any complications you've had? I had to have an EGD Dilation {stoma stretched} two months out of surgery. I couldn't get anything down even water that is 100% better now. Medical issues that have resolved since surgery? I was just diagnosed as diabetic, and then I had the surgery it was clear by my one month check up! I also had knee, and feet pain from carrying around 400 lbs. now that's all gone Bad habit you've reverted back to since surgery? I was eating sweets but I am one month clean from that. So now it's just the fried foods, and chip, and stuffing myself full. Any thing you wish you would have done differently during your post-op journey? Exercised with a personal trainer from the jump, and stayed away from the sweets, and not push that envelope so much. I use to dump all the time not it's on occasions. How has your weight loss affected your relationships with friends, family, spouse or significant other? My boyfriend of 5 years became so insecure that we broke up plus he cheated. He said he just did it before I would have done it to him {go figure}. I have lost a few friends along the way also. I am still the same on the inside they just didn't like all the attention that I was getting and said I changed because I was dating more. My mom thinks I'm obsessed with the whole weight loss thing, and think's I shouldn't loose anymore weight. LOL Favorite post op recipe (please share with us): Ground Turkey Spaggatti If you could only recommend 3 things, products, foods, etc. That you have found since starting your "Journey," What would they be? Unjury protein, Great Value powder drink mixes, Lactaid fat free milk purple box. Flintstone gummie vitamins. If you could pass along advice "been there, done that" to pre-ops, what advice would it be? Prepare yourself mentally. This journey success depends more on you that your pouch. It can only do so much before you can fail it. I wish I had stuck to my doctors after surgery diet more that I did. Now I'm a year out with a good deal of weight I still want to loose. Don't get stuck in this position. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!!!!

Congrats! That's awesome... I love being 161 lighter too!!

You can't change the past, but you can the future... Sounds like you've moved away from a bad situation, and are managing your own life. One universal constant is there will always be losers who pray on nice people. Sounds like he's better off with a dog, as it won't care too much if he insults it, and doesn't mind if he's livin with his mama. Don't regret your 20's as it sounds like you've learned alot about yourself, and as a result are now moving life in a different direction. Take care- Dave