How has your day to day life changed?

I'd love to hear the good, the bad the ugly!

It's actually pretty much all good! Almost 9 mos out, and I can eat anything I want, but I am still losing so I keep carb count low. I have come to the conclusion that I will have to always stay low carb as that is what led to my repeated weight gains after weight loss. I still don't eat a large amount at any one time, but I can eat out w/out feeling deprived. Normal amount of pain after surgery and took me about 6 weeks to really get my energy back but I was 54 when I had it done. Was back to work 1 week later. Early days can be hard so get your head ready for it. Head hunger during liquids is really hard. Make sure you sip constantly. Other than some bad gas at times, I am loving it!

Thanks MimiKay!

I actually have to plan and cook meals.  I was very much a "what will we go out and have for lunch today" kind of person.  Then a "what restaurant/fast food joint will I drive through tonight for dinner."  But it's been a much easier transition than I thought it would be.  And I still eat out, but now I insist on going places where I can get really good food versus just any old place.  Figure if I can only eat a little, it better be darned good!

I exercise most days, which I really couldn't do before the surgery without a lot of pain.  Can't say I love it, but I love the way it makes me feel.

Oh, and the vitamins.  My vitamins have their own plan as far as what I take and when.  But I rather deal with that than sticking myself with diabetes meds and pills for high blood pressure.  Easy trade off.

thanks fellow, Texan, emelar!

Well, when I woke up PREop the first thing I would think about is what to eat. While I was eating I was thinking what I was going to eat next. I would scarf my food down. OR I would think about what I shouldn't eat, beat myself up over what I did eat. I HATED shopping. I HATED pictures of myself infact I destroyed most of the ones with me in them preop. Now I wake up and weigh myself as soon as I get up. I update my weight, if it changed, on here and my ticker. I drink my coffee and have my breakfast and then I think about my day. What I'm going to eat doesn't cross my mind unless I'm going to cook. I eat several times a day now instead of 1 or 2 huge meals. I love to shop, I only wish I had money! I love to take pics of myself. I love to workout! I love to see people. I wear makeup a lot where as i didn't before. The biggest change? My thinking about myself. I used to wish, like a child wishes, if I could only be thin. I don't wish for things anymore. I'm happy and content. I have constant hope. :)

Aww Southernsleeve, you made me tear up. :)

 I wake up EXCITED about the day.  I had a good life before.  Honestly.  I did things, but I had this cloud follow me around.  I worried about chairs, about clothes, I was more self conscious.  Now everything is shiny and new.  weight plays absolutely no role in my decision making!  I do what I want to do.  I am kinder to myself.

And I never have to worry about food to the extent I did before.  I still try to be mindful, but I find it hard to eat much in the way of sweets, and most other things I have some restriction with.  Food used to be a super sensitive topic.  It caused me anxiety.  I was always trying to diet, always failing. So it's nice not to play that game all the time.

"I am kinder to myself."

WOW!

I can walk so far now! 
When I first started losing last year, I could not walk more than 10 feet without getting winded.  Now I can walk a mile and while I get a little winded, it is nothing like before.  It is so freeing!

I can drive!
I was so obese, I could not fit behind the steering wheel.  Talk about being restricted!  Horrible way to live.

My medications!
I was on 19 different meds!!!  Two months out, I am only on 6!!!  Doctor says, by the end of the year, I can probably say goodbye to most of those, too!