Gastric Sleeve Journey – Nine Month Update
Hey Loves, I hope you are all doing well. I am excited to finally be sharing my 9 month post op update. I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (weight loss surgery) April 28th, 2022 and I am so grateful that I did. If you missed my first few updates, you can catch up HERE.
- Starting Weight: 309.3 lbs
- Current Weight: 218.9 lbs
- Total Lost: 90.4 lbs
I normally share my measurements but I don’t have another follow up with my surgeon until my 12 month post op visit and they take them for me. I will share those in my 12 month blog update.
The picture above was a big moment for me. Weight loss surgery has always been about so much more than a number on the scale for me. I wanted my life back. I wanted to be able to play with my kids again, to be present and healthy. I have that now and I don’t ever want to go back. I am so proud of the woman in that first picture – she fought for herself and look at her now!
How I’m Doing:
I can’t believe that I finally hit over 90 lbs lost. That was a hard milestone to hit! My weight loss has slowed down significantly and I even went though a small stall, but I stayed consistent and it is still coming off slowly. My next goal is to hit 100 lbs down before my 1 year surgiversary. I think my ultimate goal is to get to 180 lbs but I am taking it one step at a time.
This health journey still continues to be very much a combination of both physical and mental health. It is difficult to explain the mental struggles that come along with weight loss surgery, but it can be very draining. Weight loss surgery doesn’t take away the need to think about what food you eat, how much, when, etc. It is hard work. It is so so worth it but I still struggle with body dysmorphia, comparison, self-doubt and fear of failure.
I have experienced significant hair loss over the past few months and it affected me more than I thought it would if I’m being completely honest. I would still choose to have the weight loss surgery every time but I always want to share the ups and downs with you. I know it will grow back eventually but for right now, I cut most of it off and am learning how to style it in a way that makes me feel confident.
It has been so fun to buy clothes lately, something I never thought I would say! I feel so much more confident in my skin. Speaking of, I get asked a lot about loose skin. I do have some – my arms, thighs and breasts mostly. It isn’t bad yet, but I still have weight to lose. People also ask me if I plan on having skin removal surgery or a breast augmentation and to be honest, I’m not sure! Maybe someday if I feel it’s needed, but I am taking it one step at a time and I would want to have maintained my weight loss for a while before I would move forward with any other surgeries.
I share all my outfit links on LTK if you are interested.
My Favorite Meals/Snacks:
I make this Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice almost every week. It is a staple in my home, so easy and so delicious!
I make my Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Steak all the time too. I pair both proteins with an easy veggie, like asparagus, green beans or even a salad kit. We also love to make a big batch of chili weekly, the whole family loves it and it makes great leftovers.
Snack Ideas:
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Simple Mills crackers with cottage cheese
- Apples with almond butter
- Cheese sticks
- Veggies and hummus
- Meat & cheese roll ups
- PaleoValley Meat Sticks perfect low carb/high protein snack – for the month of February, you can get 20% off site wide
That is all I have for this update, but I share a lot on Instagram daily if you don’t already follow me there. I love you all so much, you are the biggest cheerleaders a girl could ask for.