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Screamin Knees - 5k

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lose 100 pounds

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Surgeon Testimonial

Gary Belzberg, M.D.
Prior to meeting Dr. Belzberg (of Kaiser So Cal) I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to get my VSG. Much to my surprise, he was familiar and has performed the RnY, VSG, DS & LapBand! So after that everything was wonderful. Dr. Belzberg explained all the pros and cons of each surgery from his opinion. He is very matter of fact. I enjoyed my time and look forward to my surgery 11/26/07.
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by anewbecboo on 6/10/08 10:13 am
    Congratulations on being this weeks POTW!!! Wear your tiara proudly and have fun!!! Congrats on your WLS success so far, you are a inspiration to me and many!!! biggest hugs, Becky
  • Comment by catt2006 on 6/9/08 6:25 pm
    Congrats girl!!!! Rissy couldn't have made a better choice. Hugs to you and enjoy your reign.
  • Comment by Paula K. on 6/9/08 4:39 pm
    Congrats on being POTW!! Wear that tiara with pride, it looks good on you!
Click here for the surgery support page

I'm Ms Shell sassy 37 year old who had her Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy on 11/26/07.  I have Kaiser So Cal for my insurance carrier if you'd like to read how I got my VSG it's my 1st January 2008 blog.  Don't believe Kaiser Options when they tell you that your ONLY "option" is RnY it's NOT.  Everyone be blessed on their journey to better health!  HEIGHT 5'6 1/2  ~ SW 302.6
msladyshell's Blog



10 months and counting
     Well folks I am officially celebrating my 10 month surgiversary at 226.6 a 76lb weight loss.  I have 1.6lbs left to my next goal of 225 at which time my goal resets to 200.  
     A little background:  I have been over 300lbs at least 20 years of my life.  At my heaviest in the 90's I was 345.  I would "diet" and get to 300lbs and that's it.  Never in my ADULT life had I ever seen under 300 so I really thought it was my set point.  I decided on WLS after watching my mother die in the Fall of 1996.  I weighed 318lbs at my PCP and WW to begin this journey.  I weighed 302.6lbs at surgery.  Months after I was under 300lbs and couldn't believe it.  From the gate I have been a slow loser, averaging 1-2lbs a week BUT only loosing weight 2 out of 4 weeks a month.
     I have also been fortunate to NOT be hungry which is such a blessing cause even when I have those "off" moments, I can literally jump back on the wagon in a matter of HOURS and NOT days like before.  This by far has been the blessing for ME.  While others don't like to use the word easy...WLS has been easy for ME.  It would have been a struggle for me to lose weight without it.
     For those who are "slow" losers if you check the bottom of my profile you will see my weekly weighs, my monthly total and my grand total.  There are some weeks that I GAIN and boy at first I got upset until I saw it was a pattern.  These last couple months I haven't gained but instead I STAY the same.  Is it frustrating??  Yes and NO but I realize this is so MY journey and this is my body loosing weight truly for the first time EVER.  Based on my drill team skirt I am about 10-20lbs above my weight.  Mind you that means I probably weighed 200lbs at 14 and was wearing a 16...currently I am 226 and just getting into an 18.  
     I say this all to say that there are people who are scared they are loosing slow and have lost 25lbs in less then 2 months...that was ME and I am now 75lbs lighter.  Would I like to be at goal?  Yes cause I think I'm really good at maintaining, lol!!  But I know I will get there, and I'm enjoying the frustrating journey along the way and more importantly I'm learning so much about myself.
     This month I also accomplished MY climb to the top of the US Bank Building in downtown Los Angeles...check out the pictures http://msladyshell.shutterfly.com  What new adventures await for me?  My 2nd 5K on October 12 =)
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9 month update
     I am here to say that for my 9th month I am reporting a 70lb weight loss and a loss of way more of the negative attitude of the last few months.  It's been a few months of a lot of reflections of who I am and who I want to be.  Was I really ready to say goodbye to my 300lb self and hello to someone lighter and healthier?  The answer I FINALLY came up with was YES I AM indeed ready and it's thanks to my surgery of choice the VSG that I am having a more normal relationshp with food.  Which in case you were wondering is the WHOLE purpose of WLS at least it is for ME.
     Let's see in the last month I have begun to exercise.  I am undertaking the task of climbing 75 flights of stairs as part of a fundraiser for the YMCA and I have been in trying.  So far I have climbed 55 flights...yeah me.  Also I am doing the C25K program again and have the goal to do a 5K on October 12th.  All of this exercise has allowed me to almost reach my goal of 1,000 minutes.  I have NO doubt that I will complete 1000 next month.  
     Regarding my surgery and the effects it has on me.  Well I can't say that my life has changed much.  I do what I want when I want.  So far I am truly enjoying being a couch potato most weekends and well that's just fine with me.  I do go out occassionally but it's not what it used to be cracked up to be, lol.  I am eating much better then I was before.  Having more complete meals is what works for me.  My calories average about 1,000 calories a day.  My protein averages 80g, my carbs less then 100 and my fiber about 15.  
     So that's me in a nutshell and completes my month 9.  Everyone enjoy your road to better health and find what works for you!!  God bless everyone in their journey.

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8 month update...
on July 31, 2008 2:17 pm
     Hey everyone, checking in at 8 months and claiming my 63lb VICTORY.  It still amazes me that I am this weight, but here I am and there is just no turning back.  I have my moments and want to get some WRONG behavior under control, but all in all I'm doing well.
     Trying to get back on the exercise jones.  My goal for the last two months was 1000 minutes...I'm SO much closer in July then I was in June, so now I plan to post it every month to see how much better I get.  Until next time.
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Well d*mn
on July 16, 2008 10:37 am
     Ms Shell you just need to f*cking stop it already.  There is NOTHING wrong with being "normal" ok?  There is NOTHING wrong with weighing 220's...in fact the more you loose the HEALTHIER you will be and THAT my dear child is the ultimate goal.  So STOP it already!!  You got BACK to 239's after 3 weeks, you remember that wonderful week where you "mysteriously" gained 7lbs and you just finished getting them all back off.  Why did you decide that simple carbs were your friend?  Well I am here to tell you my dear child, simple carbs ARE NOT your friend.  You had your DAY yesterday and I'll be d*mned if I'm going to let you go BACK up!! 
     Now my darlin today is a new day and so far I am proud of you for making the better choices.  Just remember you are still unlearning and in that relearning a new identity.  I'm glad you have a before and current picture as your desktop so everyday you can see yourself and see WHY this journey is required, remember why you decided to do this.
     Maybe it was a bunch of different things going on yesterday but the bottom line to all of this is that you WILL NOT undo your hard work...no matter how hard the struggle internally can get sometimes.  You know in your soul that you are worth it.  You are God's child and your body is NOT a dump, but a temple to be nourished and loved...so get your sh*t together...
     Everyone be blessed on your journey.
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7 month update unlearning the curve...
     It's been 7 months since I had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and I currently weigh 245.0lbs...that's a total loss of 57.6lbs.  But alas again I'm not so thrilled about it.  It's sad but at the same time I'm thinking some therapy is in order because there isn't anything that I can pinpoint about my weight loss journey that I am thrilled about.  Am I in a funk? depression? I mean seriously what's going on?  I honestly don't know what I expected but I'm not getting it so hmmm.
     I titled this update "unlearning the curve" cause for me, I essentially have to unlearn loving and accepting myself at 300+lbs in order to love and accept myself as the pounds go away.  I turned a major milestone in my life at 13 years old when I accepted that I was fat and was h*ll bent on living my life and enjoying it no matter what "society" had to say about it.  At 13 I wanted to die and cease to exist and in a way (since I'm currently about the weight I was at 13) I am ceasing to exist.  That is so weird to me...to actually be under the weight I fought so hard to accept and now I have to learn to accept a new weight.
     I find myself looking at others and wondering where I should stop?  I found myself this weekend eating and thinking...hmmm maybe I'll stop here?  I mean for YEARS 250 was "MY" number and now I'm here and I feel lost and unsure of where to go next.  At one point my number was 225 (to give me a 25lb cushion when I got pregnant).  Now here I am single and 245, there is no "need" for the 25lb cushion cause I don't see pregnancy coming soon.  I find myself in tears now because I really don't know where to go and more importantly I don't have a reason "why".  I know intellectually that I have to keep going cause my ultimate thing is about "health" but at the same time I don't believe that weight loss makes me healthy....See intelligence can be over rated and confusing.
     I have come to the realization that I will stop sabotaging weight loss and resume eating a HEALTHY well balanced diet, consisting of protein, fruits, vegetables, grains (aka complex carbs) and refrain from simple carbs.  Removing my emotion from the equation, I stand stead fast in my belief that I want to be healthy more then anything.  I don't want to die like my mother did with high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney failure.
     It's like being 13 all over again and deciding to live, die or accept.  This time around I understand that accepting myself doesn't mean I can eat what I want and if I get fat to h*ll with the world.  This time around I will LOVE myself and accept this weight loss journey and understanding that eating healthy will mean I will loose weight and well I'll just have to live with loving a smaller me...God I hope she's as fun as her alter ego was =)
     Be blessed on your journey...it's truly a head trip
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My Story

If I had to write my story I would say it's always been one of living my dreams and making them a reality.  I've struggled with my weight in the sense that I always wanted to be "smaller" but after I wanted to kill myself at the tender age of 13 I woke up and realized God breathed life into me for a reason.  I could wallow in my own self pitty and let the people who talked down to me because of my size live my life for me.  Or I could live my life for myself INSPITE of them.  I choose to hold my head high and shoot for the moon.  If I missed I could always say I tried.  Since then I've rarely looked back.  I was always the biggest girl where ever!  The biggest on my high school drill team, the biggest among my friends, the biggest girl shaking my a$$ at the clubs.  Whatever I wanted to do I never let me weight dictate my happiness!

If I'm so happy why am I hear you ask?  I'm here because I'm happy but I'm NOT healthy!  I'm here because I buried my mother in December 2006 before her time because she was in LOVE with food and it didn't love her back.  Instead it killed her with it's Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Chlosterol, Heart Disease and underlying complications that took her from me.  Everyday I eat right and exercise I just wish I could have done that while she was alive and helped her end her love affair.  Everyday I eat right and exercise I know that I am truly happy and not just living in my 300lb body for spite to everyone who says I can't be happy!  I'm here because I'm in love with myself and it's up to me to bend the course of my destiny and live a healthy life worthy of God and the gift of life that he bestowed upon me.  I'm here to live a healthy, loving, life!

Monday June 25th, 2007 
Here I am at the 1/2 way mark of my Kaiser 24 week class and feeling pretty good about the course of my life!  Like I said above I'm here because I'm in love with myself and I want so much for ME.  I have decided that among ALL the choice out there the VSG might just be the one for me!  I am looking to have a purely restrictive surgery.  My choices as I see them are the LapBand and the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, both of which I have found people who have Kaiser and HAVE either surgeries.  So in that aspect the journey continues.

Wednesday October 24, 2007
Here are the accomplishments that WILL result from my WLS and journey to a better me!
1. To be healthy (low bad cholesterol, high good cholesterol, normal blood sugar)
2.  Get on any ride without worrying that I'm to fat and will fall out
3.  Keep my heels on comfortably longer then 2 hours
4.  Do a cart wheel and hand stand
5.  Cross my legs and have my top leg lay on my other leg
6.  Have a body fat measurement between 25-35%
7.  Go parasailing
8.  Ride the rides @ Knott's Berry Farm & Sea World


Monday November 26, 2007
My day is here.  I went to Kaiser So Cal @ 10:00 for a 12:00 surgery.  Everything went as smooth as a hot knife through butter.  I checked in got undressed, prepped, rolled into the OR next thing I know it's about 3:30 and someone keeps telling me to breath.  I of course kept saying I can't I'm in pain (barely audible).  I made it to the other side and I couldn't really wrap my brain around the fact that surgery was done and I was on the other side.  Me...the 300lb girl who made the world LOVE me for me a 300lb girl.  Here I was on the bed having just finished WLS.  It's an emotion I could never describe to anyone.  In the days leading up to my surgery I cried and grieved myself, because the Michelle I knew and loved was scheduled to die on 11/26.  Oh back to the surgery.  It's done and I currently have 5 stapled holes in my tummy to prove it.  Here's the beginning of my new chapter.  My new me.

Measurements 10/13/07
Weight 297.6
15 ~ Neck
49 ~ Breast 
44 ~ Chest
52 ~ Waist
59 ~ Hips/Butt
31 1/2 ~ Lt Thigh
18 1/2 ~ Lt Calf
18 ~ Lt Arm
7 ~ Lt Wrist
10 ~ Lt Ankle

Measurements 12/31/07
Weight 285.4
15 ~ Neck
47 1/4 ~ Breast -1 3/4
44 ~ Chest
50 ~ Waist -2
59 ~ Hips/Butt
30 - Lt Thigh -1 1/2
17 1/2 ~ Lt Calf -1
16 7/8 ~ Lt Arm -1 1/8
6 1/4 ~ Lt Wrist -3/4
9 7/8 ~ Lt Ankle -1/8

Measurements 5/26/08
Weight 249.0
14 1/2 ~ Neck  -1/2
44 ~ Breast  -5
40 ~ Chest  -4
45 ~ Waist  -7
55 1/2 ~ Hips/Butt  -3 1/2
27 1/2 ~ Lt Thigh  -4
18 ~ Lt Calf  -1/2
17 ~ Lt Arm  -1
6 1/4 ~ Lt Wrist  -3/4
9 1/2 ~ Lt Ankle  -1/2
Total Inches Lost 26.75

Measurements 9/02/08
Weight 232.6 -70lbs
13 3/4 ~ Neck  -1 1/4
44 ~ Breast  -5
39 1/2 ~ Chest  -4 1/2
45 ~ Waist  -7
53  ~ Hips/Butt  -6
27  ~ Lt Thigh  -4 1/2
17 ~ Lt Calf  -1 1/2
15 ~ Lt Arm  -3
6  ~ Lt Wrist  -1
9 1/2 ~ Lt Ankle  -1/2
Total Inches Lost  34 1/4

Surgery  11/26/07  302.6
Week 01  12/03/07  300.4  -2.2
Week 02  12/10/07  286.6  -13.8
Week 03  12/17/07  285.4  -1.2
Week 04  12/25/07  281.4   -4.0
Week 05  12/31/07  285.4  +4.0
MONTH 1 LOST  -17.2  (TOTAL -17.2)
Week 06  01/07/08  281.6  -3.8
Week 07  01/14/08  281.4  -0.4
Week 08  01/21/08  277.6  -3.6
Week 09  01/28/08  277.2  -.04
MONTH 2 LOST  -8.2  (TOTAL -25.4)
Week 10  02/04/08  274.2  -3.0
Week 11  02/11/08  271.8  -2.4
Week 12  02/18/08  275.2  +3.4
Week 13  02/25/08  268.8  -6.4
MONTH 3 LOST  -8.4  (TOTAL -33.8)
Week 14  03/03/08  265.6  -3.2
Week 15  03/10/08  265.6  -0.0
Week 16  03/17/08  268.6  +3.0
Week 17  03/24/08  264.0  -4.6
Week 18  03/31/08  259.4  -4.6
MONTH 4 LOST  -9.4  (TOTAL -43.2)
Week 19  04/07/08  259.4  -0.0
Week 20  04/14/08  259.2  -0.2
Week 21  04/21/08  258.2  -1.0
Week 22  04/28/08  252.6  -5.6
MONTH 5 LOST  -6.8  (TOTAL -50.0)
Week 23  05/05/08  255.4  +2.8
Week 24  05/12/08  255.4  -0.0
Week 25  05/19/08  249.6  -5.8
Week 26  05/26/08  249.0  -0.6
MONTH 6 LOST  -3.6  (TOTAL -53.6)
Week 27  06/03/08  246.4  -2.6
Week 28  06/09/08  243.6  -3.0
Week 29  06/16/08  246.8  +3.4
Week 30  06/23/08  239.6  -7.2
Week 31  06/30/08  245.0 +5.4
MONTH 7 LOST  -4.0  (TOTAL -57.6)
Week 32  07/07/08  241.6  -3.4
Week 33  07/14/08  239.2  -2.4
Week 34  07/21/08  239.0  -0.2
Week 35  07/28/08  239.6  +0.6
MONTH 8 LOST  -5.4 (TOTAL -63.0)
Week 36  08/04/08  239.6   0.0
Week 37  08/11/08  235.6  -4.0
Week 38  08/18/08  235.6   0.0
Week 39  08/25/08  232.6  -3.0
MONTH 9 LOST  -7.0 (TOTAL -70.0)
Week 40  09/01/08  232.6  0.0
Week 41  09/08/08  232.6  0.0
Week 42  09/15/08  229.0 -3.6
Week 43  09/22/08  229.0  0.0
Week 44  09/29/08  226.6 -2.4
MONTH 10 LOST  -6.0 (TOTAL -76.0)
Week 45  10/06/08  225.0 -1.6
Week 46  10/13/08
Week 47  10/20/08
Week 48  10/27/08
MONTH 11 LOST  -?.? (TOTAL -??.?)
Week 49  11/03/08
Week 50  11/10/08
Week 51  11/17/08
Week 52  11/24/08
MONTH 12 LOST  -?.?
ONE YEAR TOTAL -

 


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