Why didnt anyone tell me..& an update

Before surgery I read everything that I could get my hands on! I researched WLS for 3 years.. I seen both success and failures.. I read the horror stories of WLS gone bad.. I read memorials... I thought I was prepared for whatever came my way... Well there was something that NOT ONE PERSON ever talked about.. I thought it was just me until I told a friend about it. My belly is SAD... Not sad as in disgusting, or pity kind of sad.. I mean its SAD!! It has a frown now.. The crease between the top roll and the bottom roll.. ya know, the one along the belly button area.. Well its now FROWNING!! Yeah, my belly frowns.. I know its from the sagging skin, but I never thought my belly would be so sad... Since I have slacked off on the exercise the past month or so I decided that its time to jump back on the wagon!! I have my treadmill here at home that I used to use faithfully every morning but I havent touched it in so long!! Well its time!! Im back on the treadmill!! And I also went out this morning and bought an "ab lounger" at the suggestion from my surgeons office. I have horrible back pain since surgery and they keep saying that my "core" muscles are strained from the shift in weight.. So they suggested I work more on "core" muscles. They said that the ab lounger is a great workout without damaging the back.. So I have one now.. For anyone who thought of buying one, I LOVE MINE!! Its so comfy! It does work - my tummy is feeling it already!! But it isnt as hard on my back as trying to do sit-ups and crunches.. Plus I can adjust myself and work the sides too.. I promised myself that I would use it 4 days a week... ( now if I can just keep that promise Ill be doing good!!) Ive also broken the longest stall Ive had yet.. It lasted over a month!! Im finally under 225lbs!! Yippeee!!! Hope everyone is having a good day.. And for those of you who are pre-op.... Dont be shocked when you look in the mirror and your belly is FROWNING!!! Amber

Amber I'm so glad you posted this. We saw one at the NEX yesterday and I tried to talk hubby into buying it and he said no, not another clothes hanger.. Is it difficult to use? It wasn't as pricey as some of the other workout equipment so I thought why not?! I've had a treadmill, stationary bike and free weights all at different times and think my favs were the free weights and the treadmill. When I was going to the gym my favs. were the strength tranining machines and for cardio I liked their stationary bike it was more like a recumbent(hope I spelled that right) bike. I think this would be a neat topic to post...workout equipment and ratings. What do you think? Jamie I'll let you know how the shakes go....

Jamie, Honestly.. Ive had this all day today.. and I cant even count the number of times Ive gone into the room just to get on it.. Its not at all what I expected!! My husband has been bugging me for a long time to buy him one but I just didnt see how they would be worth it. But now... I wish we would have gotten one sooner.. Im amazed at how comfortable it is.. the first time sitting in it I was scared!! I dont like anything that moves when I go to sit down.. I have the fear of things breaking under me!! But once I got in and relaxed its great!! It definately works more then just your abs too.. You use your back muscles too.. and you end up using some leg muscles as well.. So far today Ive done about a total of 45 minutes on the ab lounger. Im sure tomorrow Ill be paying the price but it feels so good.. Give me a week with this torture device and Ill post another review.. Im also going to take a couple pics of my stomache tonight so that in a few weeks I can take a couple more and see if there is any difference.. Ill do the same thing by the month.. Ill let ya know how I do.. Doing the reviews on exercise equipment would be a great topic to have here.. I know that I hate going to the gym so I do most of my exercise at home.. But I live on base and our gym is full of YOUNG MALE sailors.. Not exactly the kind of crowd Im comfortable wiggling, jiggling, and bouncing in front of!! Do you know anything about the gazelle?? Ive heard mixed reviews on it and Im trying to decide if its worth buying or not.. Amber

I can't say I've used the gazelle by name brand but there was something like it at Cory Everson's. It made me a little nervous at first but if your willing to do it you can get some awesome leg muscles! I only did about 10-15 minutes on it, it's pretty tough going. I can totally understand about the gyms on post. OH NO WAY am I going to!! My husband keeps trying to talk me into it and I just flat refuse! It's bad enough I have to deal with all the soldiers walking around here I sure as heck don't want to be exercising in front of them!! I'm going to wait and see how the week goes with you and then I think we might be getting the ab lounger as well. In this apartment I don't have room to move so I won't be able to get much more. I think I might get some free weights too. Keep me updated about the ab lounger... Jamie

Amber......... It's time to snap out of it. Me & You Friend. We MUST work out. Carmella Struggling to get off the couch.

Hey Girlie!! Hmmmmmmmmmm......when my tummy starts to frown or look sad........I just rub a donut on it and it cheers up right away!! (ok,ok, enough with the donut jokes....I know!!!!) Is there a weight limit on the Ab Lounger? You know thats the first thing I look for. I'm not going to the hospital with a piece of exercise equipment sticking out of my body!! Bad enough last year I had to get 7 stitches in my chin because I fell out of bed! I might just get one of those ab things. My back kills me in the morning. Maybe it will help. (but if i manage to kill myself on it...........I'm coming back to haunt you!) Thanks for the info, amber! willby

Willy, You can rub a donut on your belly all you want.. If it makes you feel better then do it!! Just dont put the donut IN YOUR BELLY!!! putting it in your belly may stop the frowning but then you would defeat the whole purpose of the surgery!! As for the ab lounger.. yeah there is a weight limit.. mine is 250.. but I think there is 1 with a higher limit.. I didnt think about that aspect for once in my life!! I can totally relate to the fear of going to the hospital with some exercise equiptment attached to you butt.. that was my first thought when I went to use it the first time.. I had visions of having to walk to the hospital 2 blocks away with this contraption stuck on my butt.. Thankfully that wasnt what happened.. And this morning my poor sad and frowning stomache is killing me.. Playing with the ab lounger was so much fun yesterday I just couldnt help myself. I kept going in and doing more.. Well today Im paying the price.. If something falls to the floor it will have to stay there unless I can train my puppies to pick it up!! There is no bending over today!! I over did it way too much!!! But- my back doesnt hurt at all!!! So thats a nice a change.. Amber

Hi there!! Well i have lots to say today.. (no change from usual... im always long winded) Gazelle... my friend who has had surgery has one.. its her only piece of equipment other than leslie sansone DVD's.. she loves it and highly reccomends it to people. I am going to look online at the ab lounger and see if maybe they have one at my gym to try.. they have tons of stuff! As far as our favorite piece of exercise equipment.. it would have to be the eliptical at the gym.. I had knee surgery november 18th and b4 i had it my orthopedist told me to stop going to the gym becuase he didnt want me to mess my knee up more.. anyway.. so at that time I could only do 5 minutes without feeling like i was gonna pop a lung! I would be talking to god begging him not to let me fall out! So I have been going to physical therapy three days a week for 1.5-3 hours.. and its wonderful I go in the 92 degree therapy pool..and work my butt off literally.. jogging in waist high water.. swimming laps with weights on my legs.. all sorts of rigorous resistance exercises and endurance exercises. I love it so much.. but I also goto my gym as well.. and started back on the eliptical.. on the 9th of january I did 5 minutes... on the 16th I did 16 minutes... and yesterday I did 25 minutes in the morning and 28 at night.. it feels sooo good. Now I do goto a gym called WOMENS WORLD... so there are NO men there except for the manager but hes really awesome and doesnt bother me one bit.. I love the fact that there is sooo much room there and that there are tons of classes (once my knee is stronger again) and people always availale to help us with questions etc... Nice place.. most enjoyable.. Im working on making exercise my new addiction.. we will see how that goes but im sure hoping its going to stick.. I am really keen on getting to 233 by february 24th.. that would mean 15 more pounds.. I know I can do it.. and im trying to spread my conviction to other people to helps remotivate them after the holidays and stuff.. I have lots of WLS friends here in the real world and I goto the gym with one of them.. I got her on the eliptical yesterday for her first time for 10 minutes.. I was encouragining her the whole time..talkin her through the pain and burn and fatigue! SHE MADE IT!!What a great feeling to see a friend succeed in her goal and to see her sooo proud of herself! Today shes going to do ten more minutes and more if she can... gotta work that lactic acid out of your muscles and then it gets soo much easier.. I still walk with a limp and only able to press 30 pounds with my surgery leg.. so im not in wonderful shape.. but its NO IMPACT and thats just what I need for my poor knee.. ok I warned ya'll that im long winded... but come on people.. lets keep our bodies movin.. I cant BELIEVE how much better i feel since im exercising ATLEAST 4 days a week.. DISCLAIMER!!! My knee being injured is in no way related to being morbidly obese it had to do with my physical structure... aka the way god made me.. everything will be fine once the muscle that was cut heals (6 months to a year) Heather 389/248/179 or size 12

heather!! OHMYGOODNESS!! You have to update that old photo you have on here!! You dont know who I am here do ya?? Well we have talked a couple times on Jawads site and also on the yahoo group!! Your the one who got me back into exercising again!! Oooppss.. You didnt know that did ya??? Yeah I lurk on the yahoo site but dont post.. You have made it so far!! Your part of the reason Im breaking out of this slump and back into exercising!! Thank you!! Amber

AMBER!!!! come on girl.. stop lurking and START POSTING!! I am soo glad that i got you back exercising.. It truly warms my heart when I know I helped someone else... Ill update my profile picture here later on I guess... I cant believe I helped you get motivated.. Dont u really feel a lot better? for me Ive found that It really helps me to talk about what ive done.. I dont know why but I look forward to being able to post my daily challenges... as a matter of fact i have an 11am appt with my therapist (mental today.. not physical) and i think im gonna go get on the eliptical for a bit b4 i go.. im kinda achy today.. its a hormonal time of the month thing.. but I dont know if I can do two times on that today.. but even if I go and do some its better than nothing... I am going with Jayne Linda tonight so I know ill get my weight lifting in.. but im kinda stuck here at 248.. i want to move move move to 242 by the 27th of this month.. (9 month anniversary) thats what i weighed when I was 14 and 15 years old.. hahah omg.. can u imagine (remember im 6'2"). Heather 389/248/179