Calling All 8/3'ers! It's Our 10 Month Anniversary! Post An Update!!

Hello everyone! Today is a big day! It's been 10 months! Whoohoo! I hope everyone is doing well! Here's my update: To date, I have lost 136 of the 148 I want to lose. Just 12 more until goal! I went from wearing a size 30/32 top and 4x pants to now wearing a large top and size 12 pants! I had been going to the gym religiously 3 times a week up until the past 3 weeks or so. In this time, I have been getting overloaded with school work (but hey, I'm on the dean's list!), family stuff, and preparing for yet another surgery. On June 13th, I will finally be having a total hip replacement! I needed it done in high school, but they wouldn't do it because of my age. When I tried again a few years ago, they said my weight would just hinder my recovery and make the replacement not last as long as it could. That was the main reason for the WLS. I will be recovering for 10 weeks which is about 4 weeks longer than the average total hip replacement patient. My orthopedic surgeon wants the bone to start to grow to the metal in my thigh before I put any weight on it at all! Yeah, having 2 kids, a 40 lbs dog, and being on crutches for 4 weeks followed by a walker & cane for another 6 does sound like a crappy summer, but it's all for the best. After I get my degree (probably in another 2 years), I'll finally be able to get off of social security and get a job! I have been on it since I was 22 (8 years now) and I am SO READY to get out of this house, work, and just be around people again! I'm going to put 3 picture links in here. The first is the one taken before the WLS. The next two are from today. Before WLS http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/shellymoe/before_WLS.jpg Front View http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/shellymoe/60305shelly10mospostopf.jpg Side View http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/shellymoe/60305shelly10mospostops.jpg Again, I hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to summer as much as I am! ~Michelle

Wow Michelle! What an awesome transformation! Good luck with your hip replacement! I'm also a fellow 8/3'er. I guess I'm doing good. I started out at 254 and am down to 145-148 and am bouncing around. I've lost 106-109 lbs of the 114 that I need to loose. I've gone from a 26 to a 6/8. Unfortunately lately I've been wanting to eat constantly! I don't know why...but I just want to eat...and then eating like today definately won't help me to loose those last few lbs. I ate pretty much nothing but junk. ((sigh)) I feel like crap today and I know it's all my fault...so it looks like I'll be going back to the "basics" and try to get back on track. Thanks for posting. Kristy 254/148/140

Wow Michelle; I just LOVE your pics! It so amazing how beautiful our faces are when we change our weight levels...not that we don't have beauty at all weights ..its just that a kind of inner glow and strength of self and character really shows in your pictures. Thanks for sharing Take good care; Kristina H

Michelle, congratulations! You've done so well. I'm bouncing from 166/167 right now so I've lost 110-111 lb (down from 277 day of surgery). I went into surgery wearing a size 26/28 and am sitting here wearing size 12P pants and a Med top. I'm still 17 lb away from my surgeon's goal for me of 150. The weight is coming off VERY slowly now, but since I don't exercise and eat whatever I want (as long as what I want is protein-rich lol), I am definitely not complaining. Life is so very good. Best of luck on your upcoming surgery. -joanne s

Wow, great job Michelle! You're beautiful! I too am an 08/03'er! Since surgery, I have lost 105 pounds (257->152). I'm in the "NORMAL" BMI for my height (5'6"), I wear a size 8 and mediums now, I workout around 3 times a week (pilates, swimming, and walking), I just graduated from college AND found out I was preggo with my 2nd baby! YAY! Things have just been getting better and better for me lately, and I feel like a lot of it is due to my surgery! I will post new pics soon, bare with me! Lots of love, Dawn 257/152/140? (130 is my dream)

Congratulation on your baby! How exciting! Kristy

Hi Michelle... I cant believe its 10 months.. this has gone by so fast... with my revision on 8/3/04 or 8/4/04 cant remember I weighed 205 and today I go from 135 - 140 depending on whats going on and how I am eating.... Your pictures are amazing.. you look wonderful.... Day of surgery I was wearing a 18/20... today I am in a size 8.... never in my life have I been below a size 13.... NEVER... boy does it feel great... I just moved into a new house with a swimming pool so I am going to start doing water aerobics.. havent been to the gym since April... I really need to get back to it... My goal is 120 my doctor said I am at his goal.... and he will release me in July to start looking for plastic surgeons.... I already know I want a tummy tuck and boob job... the boobs are pretty much sagging... went from a 44DD to a 36 B.... I just want them to be perky....lol... and for the tummy.. I have had 2 c-sections and a hystorectomy so I know I have no muscle there... I want a flat stomach.... going to be 40 in July so I want to look my best for my 40's... I know I plan on having surgery in Dec. We are all doing such a wonderful job... Keep up the good work Debra 227/205/135/120 goal (almost there)

Hi all ~ I was so pleased to see this post from the August 3rd Gang! I've lost 90 pounds and am feeling great about it. My weight loss has slowed down considerably though, and I've only lost 15 pounds in the past 3 months. I'm not exercising regularly. I know rationally that this makes a big difference for me, but it's not helping me exercise. I'm also not getting my full protein in regularly. Any motivational thoughts or words of encouragement will be appreciated. In the meantime, being 90 pounds lighter is a great relief. I have 25 more to go to reach what I think is my goal. Never having been at that low a weight before, I'm not really sure what a realistic goal is for me. But right now, I'm thinking 25 more pounds. Congrats to us all! Janne

I'm an August 3rd baby as well. I'm down 108 lbs and losing veeerrrryyy ssslllooowwllyyy now. I've lost about 5 lbs in the past 2 months. Aargh! But my excuse is that my family has been in the process of a stressful relocation for weeks now and I've been off my exercise pattern, eating at strange times, and eating out a lot. Things will be settling down now that we're finally in the new house--I'm going to hit the regimen HARD to get back on track. But I feel great and am still very glad I had the surgery. No way could I have lost over 100 lbs without it! And this level of stress and upheaval would have caused me to gain 10-20 lbs in my pre-WLS days. I have about 40 lbs left to get to goal. Feels like I'll never get there at this rate, but I'm going to give it all I've got. Back to the gym and back to the rules! Looking forward to an active and fun summer with my kids. ---- Leslie -108

Hi to all 8/3's! I have not been online in weeks! So glad to see the update on 8/3's. I am down 120lbs. Started out as size 26/28, now 12 pants, med top. Seem to be stuck at 160 lbs. Could be no exercise. Many things going on in personal life and just don't take time. I feel 200% better, knee problems gone. Can walk and keep up with my 12 year old granddaughter. Love my new look and size. Due to stress, I have gone through a period of not being able to eat protein or drink protein drinks. About all I can keep down is cottage cheese and fruit. Had an upper GI last week, waiting on results. So glad I went through with my surgery. Congrats! to each of you. Marla