7.5 Months Out...A Dude who has lost 110lbs!!

I started at 382 on my surgery day on September 29th 2011.  I am 7 1/2 months into this.  I am 272 as of this morning.  I still have a lot to go.  Want to lose at least another 50 lbs, but this sleeve has a mind of its own.  But it is slow.  You stall, go down...stall and then go down.  I don't weigh but once a week now.  Being scale obsessed is the killer because it took me a while to get it through my head that its no longer a race.  It used to be you counted the days or weeks when doing Atkins and this or that.  I would be good for 5-6 weeks, and then drop off.  With this there is no dropping off.  Its a forced path as you will.  I find that my portions size has really stayed the same or gone down since starting solid foods back in December.  I don't measure anymore because I know the line and have learned what my body allows me to eat. 
But things have sure changed.  I still have that strange guilty feeling that I am leaving so much on my plate.  Or if I go out I spend money on a whole meal and only eat 1/8th of it.  Nice thing is though it saves money and lasts.  When my wife and i go out to eat we always split meals because its a joke when I get my own.  Example yesterday I got a chicken bowl from Chipolte.  I ate to my line, or where I know I start getting full, and stop.  Put it away.  The bowl lasted me the whole day meals.  I usually eat every couple of hours.  My hunger did come back.  Some people it does, some it doesn't.  But it is very different now.  My stomach does not growl, but I feel empty and know it is time to eat.  So I usually eat something small every 3-4 hours or so.  But its not alot for sure.  And again everyone is different, so don't take this as gospel.  Its not.  There is no bible here for this.
For me in the beginning my problem was always portion control.  And this sleeve has fixed that for sure.  I only threw up one time, and that was at an airport having arbys roast beef.  Ate too fast and that meat is so dry it came up.  After that I am careful and never push things.  But I have not been perfect.  I have frapachino's sometimes from Starbucks, sometimes other treats.  But I am still losing weight.  I thought how strange.  But when you look at it overall I still am eating under 1500 calories a day I bet.  But I need to be better.  My dad is coming to see me in a month for the first time in a while or at least since my surgery and I want to lose more for that.  So I am bucking down and getting strict.

But for those of you who have just started, it gets better.  I promise.  I was there and thought the same things, will I ever be able to enjoy this or that.  Will I be able to do this or that.  Yes and Yes.  But its about choices.  Your choices.  Can you re-gain weight?  Sure.  Do you have to change things?  Yes.  But its not a food jail.  Again I cheat, but I still lose.  You maybe different.  But there is reality.  The reality that you had a bad habit for many many years.  You didn't become obese overnight.  It took years I bet.  So will this.  It is no longer a race.  There is no finish line anymore and that was the hardest thing for me to grasp.

Well I wish you all luck in your journey.  No preaching here, just saying thanks for the community, as I lurk here a lot.  It has helped a lot.

Here is to 50+ more to go....

What a story! Amazing. You are an inspiration to me. I am 13 days out for VSG and can't wait. I have two friends who have had the same procedure and are also doing amazing,

Keep up the good work! I think it is perfectly okay to let the reigns loosen once in a while, just tighten them up when you think your getting out of hand. I think you have a great handle on what you are doing and I think your father will be so proud of all you have accomplished since your surgery. 

We didn't become overweight overnight and it won't go away overnight.

You've done a great job with your weight loss so far. And yes, I believe everyone's journey is different. It is harder for some than others when it comes to eating sugar & carbs. It's always been hard for me to indudge with the sleeve for many reasons. Mainly because all the bad stuff are triggers for me or make me feel icky. Good to hear you wanna buckle down in the next month before your dad comes for a visit. I'm sure he will be pleasantly surprised when he sees you!
Good luck to you, keep up the great progress!

You are doing great! Thanks for sharing your journey! I bet your father will be surprised!

It may feel slow to you but from the outside looking in, that is an amazing weight loss in a short period of time. 

You're rockin, dude!

You are doing amazing. God bless you! Your dad is going to be so proud. Sharon

Thanks so much for the amazing story and motivation. I will be getting sleeved June 11th. This is truly encouraging!!!

Thanks so much for sharing your story!  I LOVE what you said about there not being a "finish line" that it's just how it is now!!  Never really thought about it that way as there always seemed for me at least, to be an end to the loss and then a spiral back up the scale.

I guess the 'END' of the weightloss will be once we get to goal and then maintenance becomes a NEW LIFESTYLE!!  It's quite an adventure!

Maria=)

HW- 315
SW- 288
CW- 214
GW- 160

 Good job and keep it up!  Its better and better every day!

You're doing awesome and thanks so much for sharing your story. For all of us who are still preop it sounds like a long journey but in reality it's only a snapshot compared to what it's taken for us to get to this point. CONGRATULATIONS!!!