April, I just wanted to wish you a wonderful day and a wonderful lifetime of love and happiness! You look fabulous girl!! Love, Sunny

I have been so busy crying about not getting into onederland I lost focus on the pounds I have lost. Not just from the WLS but from the point I started to take control of my own life again. As all of you know 315 was the last time I would get on the scale. I am sure I went above that. I don't know how far above because I would not weigh. Now I can't stay off the scale. Ok I have held your attention long enough. D R U M R O L L LLLLLLLLL I have lost 120lbs. YEAAAaaaaaa ME So when I whine about the slow down I will just remind my self 120lbs gone with the wind. Or where ever it went as long as it doesn't come back

My nutritionist told me to average about 1200 - 1500 calories a day (I'm a 5'11" woman) at this point. Its not dropping off like it was early on, but about 2 lbs a week. I've lost almost 120 lbs and my surgery was Dec. 7. (about 50 more to go) Anyway, your 1100 is in line with what she told me. She said we need energy to burn more energy. We don't wnat to be in a diet mode or it defeats the whole purpose. You're doing great!!!

Some things that I never dreamed would sag have surprised me. If it gets too bad, I am planning on stapling the excess skin up behind my ears and letting my hair grow a little longer to hide the staples. I am hoping that will work on my underarms also.

1. Pre-op wt was 287, current wt is 177.5 and my goal wt is 140. 2. Daily food intake is: Protein shake with 1/4 cup of strawberries for breakfast. 2 oz of cheese and 1oz of low fat ham for lunch. Dinner is 3 oz of either steak, shrimp, scallops, pork or chicken with small salad or 1/4 cup of veggies. For snack I will have a protein bar or 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese. Try to drink water/fluids in between meals and after dinner. 3.The only problem I have had is nausea. If I eat too fast or too much, I will get nauseous, dizzy with abdominal pain and will have to lay down until it passes. 4. My kids have been very supportive during my weightloss. My parents were against me having WLS and are slowly realizing that it has been the best choice for me. As I have lost weight, my health has greatly improved. My sister, who I thought was supportive, has actually surprised me with her behavior. She is overweight herself and with the more weight I have lost, she has become more distant. I think this has to do with her own issues regarding her own weight, addiction to food and emotional eating. 5. I think in some ways it is both easier and harder the further out of surgery I am. It is easier because I can eat a bigger variety of foods without getting sick. I feel better and have more energy. It is getting harder because my appetite is coming back and I feel I can eat more. That is terrifying to me. It is harder for me because I have to make a conscious decision everytime I feel hungry, not to revert back to my old eating habits and bad food choices. 6. I would advise anyone who is considering WLS to do their homework and research the different types of surgeries, recovery, diet after surgery and long term outcomes. This is a tool for weightloss and that isn't the "easy way out". I still have to work at loosing weight and changing my lifestyle. This is not the "lazy" way out either. I also think exercise is a big part of this journey as well.