Hey December babies... we need to get this board rolling!

Hey everyone! I have to admit this board is pretty slow in comparison to the Nov and Jan boards, we need to get ours rolling. So let me start by asking a few questions to ponder about... 1) How has this surgery changed your life? 2) What type of exercise do you? 3) Do others around you think you took the "easy way out"? 4) Do you have any pets? 5) Is the summer moving fast for you? (it is me!) 6) How far until your reach your goal weight? 7) Seems many of us are slowing down this month or on stalls. Anyone not? I finally got rid of the few pounds I gained (had to be water, did no cheating). We need to keep eachother motivated. 8) Anyone water loading? I tried it, it does work but takes a lot of thinking I think. Have a great rest of the week everyone!

1. I can now walk without breathing hard. I can get on the floor to play with my little ones (18 months and 3 years) and get back up without assitance. I can go into public places without feeling like the biggest persn and that everyone is staring at me. 2. Gazelle 25 minutes a day, 50 crunches on the ab loung 5 days a week. Walk 1-2 miles 3 times a week. 3. None have said that to my face and I feel like I have alot of support so I'll say no. 4. Golden retreiver, Tonka. Cat, Lord Langford also referred to as LL 5. Nah, Florida is tooooo hot in the summer can't wait for a little cooler weather. 6. 49 pounds 7. I finally broke through a 3 week up down stall, only a pound, but it counts. 8. I am trying it, but sometimes I forget to drink the water, but I have been successful for the last week in NOT drinking with my meals. Fun post!!

Hey! This is fun.... 1. Big question... how has this changed my life - well, I just feel like I have myself back - energetic, motivated, committed. I like being in control of everything in my life, especially the eating. Funny, when I was in Mexico on vacation I ate half of a dinner roll with real butter and felt so quilty, quilty, quilty about it - I was mad at myself and disappointed (probably a little too tough on myself). Anyway.. my point is that the guilt used to rule my life and I felt like that all the time and it was horrible, so devastating on my self esteem. I dont ever want to feel that way again! Exercise - I exercise 3 - 4 days a week at the gym - 40 minutes of cardio and full body weights. I think the exercise has really made a difference in my appearance, I still have saggy skin in the usual places but you can see muscle tone too! Water loading scares me..... just sounds too strange?? The cottage cheese test sounds interesting, anyone try that to see how big your pouch is????????? Hmmmmm.... maybe tonight (just kidding). I would love to post a string everyday - What did you eat today? What do you think? Rebecca

1) How has this surgery changed your life? I feel fantastic! Another good thing to come from this is since I can not stuff issues down with food I actually have to face them and that has made for some good marriage and family talks. 2) What type of exercise do you? I have an eliptical machine that I ride everyday. I use some weights and I have a big ball (what is the real name for that?) and a weighted hula hoop, that I love! I was going to the gym but it is just too difficult to get there and then I feel bad about not going, so I am going to concetrate on working out at home. 3) Do others around you think you took the "easy way out"? I was VERY selective about who I told, so every one who knows has been VERY supportive. 4) Do you have any pets? a black lab 5) Is the summer moving fast for you? YES!!!!! 6) How far until your reach your goal weight? 26#'s from Dr. goal 41#'s from my goal 7) Seems many of us are slowing down this month or on stalls. Anyone not? My loss has been slow all along, this month actually was a very good one for me. 8) Anyone water loading? What is Water Loading????? What in the world is the cottage cheese test?

1) How has this surgery changed your life? I just feel better and that translates into every aspect of my life 2) What type of exercise do you? I have a treadmill that i do 2 or 3 days a week 45 min and the other 2 days i like to dvr a kickboxing or aerobics show and do 3) Do others around you think you took the "easy way out"? Nope, I think that most think that i have a lot of courage (surprised me too) 4) Do you have any pets? Parker (cat) Wilson (cat) Maria (bird) 5) Is the summer moving fast for you? YES!!!!! 6) How far until your reach your goal weight? 38# until i will be satisfied, 54# ideally but i have never been given a goal or set one --as long as i am 82 lbs less than i was yesterday ---yaaay for me 7) Seems many of us are slowing down this month or on stalls. Anyone not? My loss has been slow all along as well but i got a stomach virus this past weekend (and Mon & Tues) so i have made some serious progress in the last 4 days 8) Anyone water loading? no****er loading per se--i ALWAYS drink a bunch before my meals cuz i know that i cannot do so for an hour

This is so fun! Thanks for playing you guys, keep the replies coming in! I should probably answer my own questions huh? Ok here goes.. 1) I cannot even begin to tell you how much freedom I have now. I was living life on the sidelines, in my own jail cell, it was a very sad life. I continued to do floor nursing somehow at 328 lbs, not sure how I managed. I got diagnosed with diabetes 6 months prior to surgery and changed my life right then and there as far as lifestyle and diet... I researched what I had to do post op and began eating that way (larger quantities of course) but I cut out all sugar and refined carbs. It was th best thing I have ever done for myself, I lost 48 lbs preop. Now down a total of 145, so amazing! This surgery has totally given me my life back, praise God and my surgeon, Dr. Glas**** and his PA Angie and the staff for everything they have given me. Life! 2) I run.. yes RUN 2 miles 5 days a week, I do ab crunches most days and alternate upper and lower body strengthening with 5# weights. 3)Honestly no.. I have never heard someone say I took the easy way out. Most remember being on liquids for 4 weeks and then pureeds for 4 weeks and this all happened over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New years and my 30th birthday.. they wouldn't dare I am lucky that I am a nurse and the nurses have asked many questions about my new lifestyle and they have learned probably more than they ever wanted to know. Most didn't realize how much goes into it (we don't do the surgery where I work). 4) I do have one minature dauschund, name is Cody. 10 lbs. I call him my teacup. 5) I can't believe how fast this summer is moving right along. Not looking forward to the winter again, they are brutal here in northern Iowa (we are 4 miles from the MN border!) 6) I want to lose 43 more pounds to get to 140. 7) I bounced back up to 188 this week after the weekend and now back down to 183.5. Upsetting b/c I have done nothing different. I think its hormonal changes. I had inserted my new Nuvaring right before the gain.. I think I was retaining, still frustrating. can't wait to be in the 170's and just "overweight", 3.1 pounds away! 8) Water loading is interesting.. you have to sip sip sip for hours and then start drinking as much waters as you possibly can to fill your intestines up till 15 mins prior to your meal. Supposed to help you eat less and curb your appetite between meals. It does work but takes some thinking. Then you are to wait for 1.5 hours until your next meal.. basically space your meals out 5 hours apart.

I meant to say you have to wait to drink for 1.5 hours then start sipping again. Hope this makes sense!

Melissa, what a fun posting idea! And you are so right we need to keep each other propped up with more frequent posting since supporting each other is what this is all about. 1) This surgery so changed my life!!! It feels like I am finally on track and heading in a good direction. It is a day-to-day struggle still but with this tool in place it is like I have an angel watching over me and helping. There just isn't that old feeling of total hopelessness and fear of the future. Not that I'm looking forward to aging more but at least now it looks like I'll be doing it with less disastrous results. 2) My primary exercise is still my job. It is very hard physical work, stocking shelves at our local BX on base. (that is just like a department store) I lift and carry microwaves, sets of dishes, vacumes, cases of laundry soaps...you get the idea. Very heavy stuff. I'm up and down ladders and stairs most of the day and in and out of the warehouse at a fast pace. I used to get home from work and promptly sit down and fall asleep. Now I usually stay on my feet for hours and then when I sit down I'm pooped. But it is so much easier to keep up with my family and wonderful to have the energy to hang out with them again. For additional exercise, I've switched from Pilates to using a Swiss Ball (that is what Sparkpeople calls it, btw) to work my core muscles. My stair stepper is buried in a pile of clothes and needs to get unearthed! It was always a chore to use but made me proud of myself when I was done. 3) I've never gotten any direct comments about this being an easy way out but...so many people who are also overweight and discussing my progress will say things like 'I just could never do that to myself (like I had myself mutilated or something)...I prefer to diet the hard way'. You know, that kind of slightly passive-agressive comment. It probably just stems from a poor sense of self-esteem, a feeling of helplessness at their situation or maybe just jealousy. I work with really nice people so I don't think it is really rudeness, maybe unwitting insensitivity? 4) We have only one pet now, a red Australian Cattle Dog named Dingo. World's dumbest dog. We lost our beloved 16-yr. old siamese cat, Sammy, in January after a lengthy illness. We still grieve the loss of him but can't bear to replace him. 5) Summer isn't moving too fast...our weather has been unseasonably cool and it hasn't really felt like summer yet. Supposed to be warming up into the weekend so maybe it will seem more like it soon. It is really strange to work in a warehouse where we are getting prepared for Christmas merchandise already. 6) As I blabbed already, I did make my doctor's goal and have already gone a half pound under it. For myself I'd like to lose another 4 1/2 pounds so that I'd have a 5 pound window for bouncing up and down safely. My own personal timeline for that is to have that amount off by my surgiversary on Dec. 4th this year. I'd begun losing weight when I became a patient of my current surgeon and with the pre and post-op totals I have lost 110.5 altogether. I am so proud of myself! 7) I was all prepared to survive stalls and plateaus and never had any past that first few months. Of course, the loss slowed down the closer I got to goal as is to be expected. 8) Yes, I've been water loading off and on. It is a bit tricky to get the timing just right but it really seems to help me. And I feel like I'm being a good 'dieter' when I use decaf green tea for it...there are all those nutritional benefits from that. To this day i still don't drink just plain water. There is always something to flavor it and that makes grouchy pouchy much happier. You have a great week, too! I got enough sleep last night and it was wonderful. Going to try to do that again tonight...boy, does it make a difference! Molly

1) How has this surgery changed your life? I look and feel way different. I don't fear sitting in a theatre chair. My seatbelt fits quite nice now. I back in skinny shorts and medium tops 2) What type of exercise do you? I struggle with this one. Every night I come home with good intentions but generally I am lucky if I work out 4x a week on my eliptical trainer. I have not been lifting wts. I have wanted my husband to show me how to use our bowflex but he hasn't yet. 3) Do others around you think you took the "easy way out"? Never, everyone is very supportive 4) Do you have any pets? Yes 3, my 10 yr old pitbull Kozmo, 6 yr old Jack Russell Chloe, and our 4 yr old Dachsund mix Lucky. 5) Is the summer moving fast for you? Well I live in AZ so I want them to move fast so I can enjoy 9 mo of beautiful weather. The monsoons are right around the corner 6) How far until your reach your goal weight? 28 lb to go until my dr goal and another 10-15 to my goal, but soooo slow now, I am really suprised at how slow. 7) Seems many of us are slowing down this month or on stalls. Anyone not? I wish I wasn't stalled but it seems like alot of us are. 8) Anyone water loading? Never did it, I don't like the feeling of being water logged so I don't think I would do it, besides I would not want to stretch the ole pouchy

1) It is so amazing what this surgery has done for me. I am having a great time!! With new clothes, going to a public pool, wearing shorts, riding carnival rides, bicycles, etc. Being able to just feel free to do what I want is just awesome!! I can shave my legs in place I haven't in a long time lol!!! And my dh is enjoying my new body too. He is just amazed at how much I have lost. My son loves that he can put his arms all the way around me when he hugs me. 2) I still can't get down daily regular exercise. I find my exercise through working on my house, chasing the kids, swimming and walking. 3) I haven't had anybody tell me to my face. I sure stick up for this surgery if they give me that look, like your crazy for doing that. I did have a lady say she wouldn't ever do that just to lose some weight. 4) One cat. Anybody need a cat?? 5) I am a preschool teacher and yes the summer is going by too fast. 6) I have another 40 pounds to go. 7) Last month I only lost 9.8 and that was the least I have lost in a month. I don't really pay attention to whether I stall or not since this surgery. I'm sure I will when I quit losing so much. 8) I probably won't try the waterloading too much. It does sound like a good idea though.