January Check in .. come on May Babies .. Where are ya ..

Well Well Well .. Here we are most of us are approaching the 8 month mark . How are you ... How is the weight loss ... Who is thinking about plastic surgery .. ME ME ME .. Are you struggling with anything now ... How is your health .. Any moments you want to share ... For me .. I am great ... Still plugging away at the loss .. down 125 and counting . I joined a gym and love it . The weight loss seems like it is slowing down ..but each week I still loose .. I am probably a size 10 now .. Just to chicken to try it on .. Don't want to get depressed it if is tight .. I still do not eat a lot .. Red meat and me .. fight .. and I love cheese and FF crackers .. seems to be my staple .. I have upped my water and my protein .. hopping it will help me to get these last 17 off . My legs are horrible . I have so much loose skin .. I really want a tummy tuck and leg lift .. But who knows .. is something I really need to think about . My health is great .. better now than ever . I am going to be a Grandma again .. my daughter is Preggers for the 3rd time .. Funny .. My grandbabies will never remember me as Obese .. that is a good thing .. Overall .. I have had a great start to a new year .. and Glad to be here with all of you ... Take care and I hope to hear from all of you . Natalie

Hey Natalie I'm still doing fantastic. Some people are shocked when I say I've not had one bad day. I have had a rough few hours one day when I got bad stomach cramps from eating too much sugar and that is really it. As for the weight loss it has really kicked in again. I've lost about 5lbs since Christmas. I'm down from 244.5 to 162. I'm 5'6" and I'd like to lose another 24lbs, but hubby would rather I lose no more than half of that. He says that I am a full figured woman and will not look right below 150lbs. I'm wearing mostly 10's at the moment, but have some 8's and 12's I can wear. "Hi, my name is Christie and I'm an shopaholic." My poor husband thinks it's just fantastic. I think it's a sick addiction. Here you are afraid to try on the next size down and I do it almost daily. I told him I was going window shopping at Chico's the other night and he told me I didn't know what that was. Of course he was right. I left with 3 new items. I've been researching plastics and trying to find a doctor with expertise in ultrasonic lipo and leg lifts. There are two things I'm interested in working on and that's my legs and my breasts. I know I need some more(had some in 1996) lipo on my legs and a lift and possibly a breast lift. I really don't think I've ever struggled with anything. So, I suppose I'm one of those people who has had "the easy way out" as non obese like to call it. I've actually heard obese people say similar things. I get in my protein and water and, now that the holidays are over, I don't eat sweets and carbs much at all. I'm healthy as can be. I had labs done in November and they came back absolutely perfect. We also had a checkup at my school and the nurse said there wasn't a thing she could tell me to do because everything came back absolutely perfect. She was shocked to find out I'd had WLS in May. I've been having a great time for the past few months gathering with other WLS patients around my great state of Alabama. If you want to see some pictures from our gatherings they are on my WWW link here. I'm going for an entire weekend to the Atlanta Obesity Help convention this coming Friday. I can't wait; it's a girls weekend out for me too. The last letter I got from OH said we were looking at about 150 people. I can't wait to see all my Alabama friends and meet some new folks as well. I hope everyone is doing as wonderfully as I am. Christie

Christie , Sounds like the tool works for you too . OK .. Hi I am Natalie and I too and a shopaholic... Went to Gap last night .. Yes Gap and I could fit into the clothes .. Get out .. ! I am so glad to hear how well things went for you .. Life is amazing .. this surgery.. this past year has been amazing .. You are an inspiration .. Take care , Natalie

Natalie, You sure don't look like a grandmother! Sounds like your doing great wl wise. For me this is still new everyday. I have found out this month that I dump on fats. which I haven't done prior to this month. Fun fun! So now when I go out to eat I have to be extremely careful and ask what the food is cooked in. I really don't like doing that. Now I have no choice! I can live with that. I need to come out of my shell anyway! I am eating a lot of chicken and still love my salads ( I just add protein to it ) Cheese, chicken and milk are my main sources of protein. although it hasn't been good on my cholesterol. I am going to talk to the nutritionist to see if she can help me out on that end. It actually went up instead of down. Last I weighed I was 270. yeah me! Started a 423. I feel such a difference! I have another 95 pounds to loose before I look into plastics. I'm sure its lower considering they will probably whack off a good 25 pounds or more. As for struggling with anything I would have to say water!!! I still have a hard time getting in my fluids. I hate that. I know my weight loss would be much faster if I drink more. Not to mention I don't want kidney stones. Health wise I'm hurting. For the past month my joints have been killing me. insurance will not help on getting stronger pain pills so I am stuck with Tylenol arthritis. I am assuming this is from loosing all the weight and the bones readjusting!?! I don't get as winded now which I love. I am no longer on a c-pap. YEAH!!! And Sex is awesome! Had to throw that in! We are now thinking of having a baby next year after I am able and safe. Oh I what this year will hold for us! It is so exciting! Take it easy! Lisa

Lisa , Way to go on the WL .. I know you will reach your goal ! And you too sound like me .. chicken and salads .. But ya know .. It is a much better choice now then burgers and fries ... Here is a suggestion on the water .. switch up to decaf tea.. chrystal Lite .. SF Koolaid .. that is what has helped me . Sorry to hear about your pain . Just know the more weight that is going to come off the better you are going to feel .. And what is up with the bones hurting after the loss .. I went thru that too ..and still do sometimes .. I guess it is our bodies way of adjusting . Take care sweety and Best Wishes to you . Natalie

Hiya Queen Pixie Goddess Natalie- I'm doing pretty well after nearly 3 weeks in sunny AZ. Being back in MN is a chilling shocker. When we moved here, I was one of those people who was always sweating while others shivered. Now I can't get warm no matter how many layers I put on. I feel happy and content and I had a great holiday with my family around me. The weight loss surpises me. It continues despite my stupid bad eating. I always get enough protein and water, but sometimes I get a bit too much chocolate too. I'm down to 160, a mere 11 pounds from my doctor's goal of having me in the "ideal" range on the BMI chart. I have no doubt that I will make that goal before my May anniversary. What does that come to? about a pound each week? I am finally bold enough to set the goal for myself that I have wanted all along but was scared it was unrealistic: 135. When I started this journey and read the boards, I was a bit skeptical of all the plastic surgery there was. I read about the pain and expense and risk of it, and thought, "nope, not for me. I'll live with the skin." HAHAHAHAHAHA. I'll eat those words (although it might take me several meals to do it). I have always wanted my saggy girls hoisted up, and now I do more than ever (tube socks with rocks in the toes...how very sexy...ugh). My belly and thighs are as wrinkly as my 89 year old grandmother's, and let me tell you that seeing hers was traumatic enough for me. If I can get a tummy tuck approved, I will definitely do it, although I'd like to wait until I'm 18 months out or at 135 before I do, so that it will stay snug. I'm pretty sure the insurance won't cover the thighs and the boobs, so unless I hit the lottery, those will just have to wait. My arms are horrible, although they served as a great source of amusement to my 11 year old nephew over Xmas, where he begged me over and over to "wag my arms". Ugh. Nothing sleeveless for me, tyvm. I have had a miraculously easy time of things. NO complications, except for some brief nausea early out, which really just doesn't amount to mousefur compared to what so many go through. I chose this surgery as the ONLY way out, but it has indeed turned out to be the "easy way out" for me. The only thing I struggle with currently is CHOCOLATE, which I will struggle with for the rest of my life. My health is absolutely amazing. It amazes me how quickly my health "snapped back" after years of doing all the wrong things. My bp is normal (sometimes even lowish), my fitness level is very high, my blood sugar is perfect, cholesterol is low, etc etc. My mental health will be what it will be. I still see myself as the fattest person in the room, despite the fact that the numbers say otherwise (ME?? a size 12??? NEVER!!) (ME?? 11 lbs from goal??? NEVER!!). I am going to the local eating disorders clinic to work on the connections between my eating, my feelings, and my self-image. As problems go, I'd say that if ya gotta have one, this is one I can live with. As much as I say this is something I did for myself, I absolutely LOVE the things others say. My parents were full of adoration and kindness and compliments, and my nephew (wagging arms aside) said some really cool things. So far, the best compliment came from my daughter after a long day of Xmas shopping at the mall. We sat down on a bench at the mall and she tried to lie down in my lap and complained, "Mommy, I wish you weren't so HARD!" I felt of my jeans-clad thigh, which was indeed hard like bone from all the work at the gym and SMILED. I can't believe I have had this turnaround in just 7 months! Huge (bony) hugs to everyone, Susan

Hi you little Susan Beautiful Butterfly ! What the heck where you doing in AZ ! LOL .. and gosh is it not beautiful there . YA know I tried chocolate over the holidays and OMG it made me sicker than a dog .. I think it had to do with the sugar .. MY evil food is Cheese its ... damn I love those thangs .. But .. I only do 12 a day .. and they are FF so .. that is better HUh >> I too was one that said " no I will not do the PS ... never .. But I am really considering the ole tummy tuck next year ... who knows .. Bony .. ... My hip bones really stick out now and they hurt .. Welcome to my world ! You have done so well ... and you should be so very proud .. Just keep it up ... Huggles to you too .. Bony Huggles .. and have a great 05 . Natalie

I'm doing great too. I have lost 153lbs since my surgery on 5/3/04. I started at 405lbs. I've gone from a size 30/32 to an 18...I CAN BUY STUFF IN THE REGULAR SECTION NOW!!! No more lane bryant catalog for me! I feel amazing, so much energy, my hubby has to tell me all the time to sit down and relax because I am always buzzing around the house doing something. My labs are all perfect and I am no longer on BP meds and no CPAP. I can eat just about anything, just in small amounts, I do have to be careful of sugar...too much puts me in the dumps. Plastic surgery...yep, I'm thinking about it but I am afraid the money wont be there for a while to do anything about that, but if I win the lottery...haha...the arms and the tummy especially. I continue to be amazed everyday about how I fit into things and places...movie theatre seats, restaurant booths, my office chair, the seat in my car. I am so happy with my results and would do this again in a heartbeat!! Shanna

Shanna , your smile says it all .. Is it not remarkable how many things we now fit into .. You have done EXCELLENT ! Keep up the great work .. and yes the energy is amazing .. I love it .. sometimes I have to make myself slow down .. My Irish Hat is off to you sweetie .. Well done ! Natalie

How are you ... I am doing pretty good. I exercise 3-4 times a week. I have been doing less weight training in the last month or so, but have made up for it with Cardio. How is the weight loss ... At 8 months I have lost 153 pounds. I am at 285 down from 438 at surgery. The loss has slowed a bit, certainly not like those first magic weeks. But the exercise helps. I hope to lose 200 by my 1 year anniversary. Who is thinking about plastic surgery ... So far so good. I am a bit flabby still but the skin isn't too bad. I don't know if the super doses of biotin have worked, or I just lucky or what. I have met so many folks who had such bad skin issues I consider myself very lucky. Are you struggling with anything now ... Sure, balancing everything - work, play, exercise. Life changes after WLS but somethings remain. If anything, I find weekends more a challenge than during the week. Work helps add some structure that makes things easier. Snacking is too easy. How is your health ... My health is better than ever. Most if not all of my pre-op issues are gone or nearly so. I am off all my meds, except allergy stuff. I have to wait another few months to see if I am going to get rid of my CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Any moments you want to share ... God there have been so many. Running for the first time in years. Buy clothes at just about any store I please. Not worrying about getting clothes from the dryer because they shrink - in fact I try to shrink them more now. Simple things seem to happen almost every day. For my 1 year anniversary I am going to run a 5K race - or longer.