Managing Expectations

My sleeve is scheduled for 2/22 and I am ready.  Have spent the past year+ researching the procedure, surgeons, doing the insurance company diet etc.  What I am faced with now as I am finding my family has much different short term expectations then I do, I know the beginning can be slow, this is a marathon not a sprint.  I don't want to let anyone down and I have tried to explain to them what to expect the first couple of months, my husband has even gone to my doctors and the therapists with me.  Any advice what to do/tell them?

Arm them with stats. The first few months sometimes it "feels" like you lose at a rate you were able to accomplish without surgery. It is the cumulative total that gets us to goal. Most importantly, you are doing this for yourself so if others expectations are not in sync, prepare yourself to complete the journey that you need to make it to goal.

The Postop planner will give you a good estimate of what to expect each month.

Firstly congratulations on your surgery you're so close! Secondly it's really hard to explain to family sometimes, a lot of my cousins especially were really worried and thought it sounded too drastic even though they've seen me struggle my whole life with food and weight and I have always been the fat cousin though certainly not the only overweight person in my family. I would find statistics online and sit down maybe have a family gathering and just explain what your weight loss and eating will be like, explain that this is a tool to help you but you still have to put in a lot of effort and while it may not seem like a lot of weight is coming off at first it will help you reach your long term goal. Remember your weight loss journey is for you alone and you have no one to impress or prove anything too. Yes it feels great when your family compliments your efforts (I love the feeling and would be lying if I said I didn't) but this is for you first and foremost. Good luck!