make you feel bad about yourself when they "fit" again?  They were too big for the longest time, and well...this weekend, I organized my closet a bit, and came across them..and what do you know?? They fit. 

I'm not going to let it upset me though!!  I'm re-doing my ticker today, and re-committing myself to lose this 30lbs!!

So far, last week, I eat pretty well all week, tracked most days on Spark people, and went to the gym twice.  

This week...I'm tracking pretty well, and went to the gym and did cardio for 40 minutes, and today I'll do the group training workout with our trainer. 

Wow, 3 years have really gone by fast!  I thought I'd write a little bit for the newbies and the pre-ops. I think I'd still be a success story, and I'm a pretty real picture of what a VSG can be.

Here's the GOOD:  

I started out at 285, lowest weight 168.

I've run 3 1/2 marathons

Cholesterol and triglycerides are well below normal

I wear mostly 14's now, some 12's., depends on the day

Bra size was a 46DDD pre-op, now it's a 36D.

There are days when I'm annoyed with myself for gaining a little back, but overall, I feel great about my accomplishments.

Here's the BAD:

I currently weigh between 188-190, but it's truly from not exercising consistently.  I eat pretty well, but I was diagnosed with mono in January and it's been a very difficult year for me.  I really struggle with fatigue.  I recently started with a new doctor, and have been diagnosed with severe Vitamin D deficiency, along with a pretty low B12, so I'm starting on a new supplement regimin this week and hopefully I'll start to feel better.

It was EASY to gain the 20lbs back when I stopped exercising.  I have no doubt that I'll be able to lose it when I get these levels under control. 

I know that there are those of you that are thinking, well, I won't regain, because I'll do it right.  And I know, I was one of you, and it happened to me!   

I also will admit that I was not good about taking vitamins, which for me, since I also have 1/2 a colon from a prior surgery, was really stupid.  Believe me, from the symptoms I have from the B12 and Vitamin D, I have set up my old lady pill box with everything lined up, and won't miss them again.

I think, my biggest advice would be...exercise, even if you are losing without it, because if you find yourself unable to exercise, it will bite you back- hard. 

ALSO, take your vitamins, especially your B12!! 

Insurance paid mine in October of 2007 (Healthnet Federal)

BCBS paid for my husbands in May of 2009

larry g here...this is my wifes username...im a "guest author" as i cant figure out how to re-activate my old account or create a new one...dopey me...i was an active member one year ago but got tired of the same old rehash on these boards and went into hiding...some of youse guys may remember me...

i thought it was important to get back on here if for only a brief moment to share whats been going on with me since i left...im gonna try not to be all doom and gloom and try not to scare anybody...and im gonna try to not p*ss anybody off, as i have been known to do that in the past...but i have some things that may be informative...and may help somebody in the future...

anyway, julie and i are a married couple who both had wls...her in oct 07, me in may 09...and we both did well...AT FIRST...julie lost 110 lbs in 11 months after surgery...and she did everything right...

ok, so lets talk about me...i lost 107 lbs (23 pre-op) in 5 months...it was crazy...and i loved it...every inch of the way...from 318 lbs in april to 211 lbs in september...frickin' insane...easy as pie...pun INTENDED...well, is wasnt ALL that easy...the first 2 weeks were rough...some may scoff that i still weigh over 200, but im vertically blessed (6'4")...so thats a good weight for me...

things leveled out for a few months and i stopped losing...and started feeling GREAT...you know that movie "despicable me"?  well, i was "invincible me"...started cheating...started eating anything i wanted...granted, it was smaller portions, but it was still crap...please remember that when peeps say "they do the surgery on your gut, NOT your head" it is SOOOOO true...

so heres the part where my narrative takes a turn for the worse...small children and animals please leave the room...so there i was...and there was food...white bread?  just a slice...no problem...pasta?  SURE!  i mean, after all, im ONLY eating about one third of what i USED to eat...your stomach doesnt know the difference between good and bad food...it will take whatever you give it...whatever you scoop into that little spoon or twirl your d*mn spaghetti on your fork...yup...gimme some more...tastes SOOOO good again...invincible me...

false justification...excuses...confidence...****iness...the whole attitude and mind set of "IM ENJOYIN' THE NEW ME AND I LOST THE WEIGHT REALLY FAST AND IM ON TOP OF THE WORLD AND EVEN THOUGH IVE PUT A FEW LBS BACK ON ITS NO BIG DEAL AND NOW MY SLEEVE WILL LET ME EAT MORE OF WHATEVER I WANT CUZ IT DOESNT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND ONLY I KNOW THAT IM CHEATING BUT ITS NO BIG DEAL CUZ MY CO-MORBS HAVENT COME BACK (YET) AND D*MN I MISSED YOU OLD FRIEND YOU TASTE SO GOOD AND IM THIN NOW AND I REALIZE THAT IM HEADING DOWN THE WRONG PATH BUT I WILL STOP AND GET BACK ON TRACK...TOMORROW...YEAH, TOMORROW I WILL START AGAIN TOMORROW"...

you know...THAT attitude and mindset...well, guess what?  tomorrows here buddy...

this whole thing has been the most challenging thing ive ever done...everything in my life has been fairly easy...things come easy to me and for me...guess im lucky (?) that way...i cant really relate to those people who battled a weight problem their whole life...i was in military through my twenties...you cant be fat in the military...well, you can but they ride you like a mule and you either lose it or youre out...i  got fat in my early 40s...10 lbs a year for 5 or 6 years...and my health went to sh*t...so heres my quick fix...cut me doc...right there...hmmm...cheap too...insurance paid due to co-morbs...see what i mean?  easy for me...good for larry, no challenge or inconvenience...invincible me...

so im ranting on and on now...lemme climb down from my soapbox...i didnt post this to discourage anyone on the fence...or scare someone 2 weeks out who feels like crap...i did too...most of us did...

regrets?  for me?  nahhhh...im the same as most everone else on these boards...would do it again in a heartbeat...no question about it...as a matter of fact, i just MAY have to do it again if im not careful...

i guess my intent for posting was to let people know that its not a miracle...and should not be treated as such...and when old medic offers advice and you think "well, that old guy thinks he knows it all"...well, he does...well, maybe not IT ALL, but he knows alot...and when he talks, you should listen...

and when they say "work your sleeve", it doesnt mean go back to all the old crap your used to eat and only eat 1/3 of it...then pat yourself on the back for doing THAT...yup, ive done my part, i only ate 1/3 of it...here, sleevie, do the rest...nope, doesnt work that way...work your sleeve...work your head too!

btw, if youre wondering how much i put back on, its 17 lbs...from september @ my lowest post op weight of 211...two weeks ago i weighed 228...today its 226...down 2...

invincible me...



(and if you caint be...with the one you love, hunny, love the one youre with) 



 

I just updated the post to replace his picture with the one of the 2 of us......he informed he doesn't like the way he looks without his shirt on......sheesh....

He is just over 1 year out from VSG...doing great! 

We were in Mexico this weekend...doesn't he look awesome???  And I've been bugging him to start a blog...so maybe soon I'll post the address....
   

   

thank you, your kind of words were exactly what I needed, finally got a chance to sit down and read the thread.  

aw thanks....we've just been really busy. 

I like Livestrong.com, (it's what Daily Plate is now) because it has an app for the Blackberry, and now for the Android phone.  I've never been good at writing things down, so this has been the best way for me to keep track.  I ALWAYS have my phone with me, and it syncs to the online site.

After 2+ years out...I've just now (in the past 3 months) started tracking.....

  hi char!  (larry_g)

I wish I knew whatever it was that is getting her denied.  My husband was approved by BCBS Federal with a BMI of 40 in about a week.  I know there are quite a few on this board that have been approved.  I wonder if she were to give them documentation of the approved/completed surgeries if they would lighten up?

    from both of us...actually larry_g wanted to find a tongue kiss smiley but no dice...so youre gonna hafta settle for a hug...

be strong...life awaits...

How exciting for you!!  Good luck, and THANK YOU!! 

the REAL Julie G. talking.....