I have been on here for my entire journey. And one thing I want to stress to newcomers, whether you have just had your surgery, are thinking about it, are newly post op, or 6 months out is this....
LISTEN to those who have gone before you (the veterans). One thing I have noticed is that nearly ALL newbies, pre-ops, newly post ops have the SAME exact questions.
1) Why am I stalling?
2) I can eat to much, did I break my surgery?
3) I can't eat enough, now what?
4) Am I gonna lose my hair?
5) I hit a stall, is this normal? Did I break my surgery?
6) When can I eat...(X,Y,Z)
7) I drank some soda...Did I break my surgery?
8) What is the exact weights everyone loses week by week
9)I'm stalling again...Did I break my surgery?
I learned so much from just taking a deep breath and listening, truly listening to those who have went before me...(Perfessor, Dixie, MsVickie, NQBarbie, Bree, Karlos, Doc Sanae and so many others whom I consider dear friends that I would be here all night listing them!)
If someone says "The JOURNEY is what is truly the learning experience and not the DESTINATION" than please listen to that person. So many WLS Veterans simply leave here when they have hit their goal. But many have stayed here and have given their time and effort to help EVERYONE, new, pre-op and fellow veteran!
Granted, yes...Each of our journeys is unique. Some of us have complications, some don't. Some have dumping, some don't. But we all have had the basic surgery and JOURNEY in common.
We ALL need our vitamins. We ALL have some questions...We ALL STALL. (Yes, you...You Laddie and Lass. All of the WLS people who have gone before you have STALLED, have lost their hair, have gained a pound or two, we're "scared" before surgery, have loose skin, etc. You're not the first, you won't be the last.)
WLS is NOT the "easy way out". It takes changing your entire MIND SET. Part of that is learning that nothing is static, and that you will gain a pound or two. That you will stall...That MOST of this journey is MENTAL and only a 90% of it is physical.
You WILL be able (at around 1 year out) to eat nearly everything you could PRE-OP...But going BACK to the McDonalds, and fried foods and soda is where we use our mental abilities to go...:That isn't such a smart idea".
Going to the gym or exercising 3 times a week, when after a year we'd rather sit on our behind is where we have to use our COURAGE and discipline....Yes I said the "D" word...Discipline. Work. You didn't really think that you just had the surgery, did nothing and lost tons of weight and ended up looking like...(insert name of your favorite anorexic celebrity) did you?
After a few years out...When you can eat everything you did pre-op, yes you CAN out eat the surgery. Yes, your logical mind tells you that drinking alcohol and sugary soda post op is not good, so don't expect people to coddle you and say.."Ah, it's OK, have another!"
If you don't take your vitamins and supplements religiously and have your lab-work checked yearly, (or as your doctor orders) you CAN get into some serious problems and some of it can be life threatening.
If you eat an entire Snickers bar 2 months post op, don't be surprised if you are doing this...
and then don't ask "Is it something I did?"
If you are depressed and sad PRE-SURGERY, chances are you will be when you are post op, and thin. Therapy is a good thing! Being "thin" is not a magic bullet and not a cure all.
I LOVE my WLS. It did for me what I wanted it to do. It made me HEALTHY! I never really obsessed about a number on a scale, because that was NOT why I had the surgery. (And if the only reason you are having the surgery is to be a certain weight or size...Well you are setting yourself, your MIND up for failure.)
Yes, I am pleased as punch that I went from nearly 300 lbs to now 150. I am pleased indeed, that I went from a size 30/ 3XXX to a 8/10. But that is NOT how I judge the success of my surgery. I judge it by how I FEEL, what I can DO (I can now walk, weightlift, run circles around my thin and fit husband and son, resume working at Dog Rescue, etc...) basically...I can LIVE again.
Our WLS veterans often take the time to support, answer questions and share their experiences. Their experiences are GOLD. Treasure them. When they say it is the journey that counts and not the destination...they mean it.
3 years from now, ALL the "Wow, you look so terrific" compliments will be over. People will not REMEMBER you overweight or obese. You will have to enjoy life for the sake of enjoying life. Your friends will have heard all the WLS stories and will be tired by them. At the end of the day, you will have only.....YOU.
So love yourself, learn to LOVE life, and best of all, get your mind into the mindset of being...Normal.
On that note...I want to thank EACH and EVERY WLS veteran who has been there before me, who has held our hands, paitiently put up with the same questions over and over, and shared their stories and love and support with us.
Please know that you DO make a HUGE difference. Each and every one of you are teachers, Angels, friends and family.
God Bless and thank you.
Warmly,
Jackie
I want to thank... 
So long as you are putting your best foot forward, then, 
Sam
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