It really does fly. Faced my first stall this month and was a true test on many fronts to not lose hope. Here's my summary:

Weight: 7.6 for month, 29.2 since surg, 46.2 since HW

Weekly breakdown: W1 (1.8), W2 (4), W3 (0), W4 (1.8)

Measurements:
Waist (-2 3/4)
Hips (-1 3/4)
Upper Arms: (-1) and (-2)
Upper thighs: (-1.5) and (-1)
Bust: (-1 1/4)
Wrists: (-1/2)

So even though the scale didn't move much, my measurements show the great progress I made that parallels month one with higher lbs lost showing on the scale.

And, would I love to lose and even 10 lbs a month, you betcha, but, I averaged 1.9 lbs per week which is where my nut wants me... 1 - 2 lbs per week.

Clothes: Started at 24; now I am 18/20 depending on item. That's 2 or 3 sizes.

Nutrition:

macros...I played with, and continue to play with macro ratios to find my sweet spot. Started the month at 40 % carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat where I was month one. Switched this last week to 35% carbs, 35% protein and 30% fat. I am signed up for an online nutrition/motivation course with sleek and sleeved and she asked me to try 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% fat for a week...I am working toward that trial.

what that means in grams...

for week 8, I averaged...
97 g carbs
82 g protein
34 g fat

Calories: W8 was 999, I dipped week 6 below 950 and also let myself eat only 4 times a few days...and stalled. So, I worked for two weeks to get that back up over 950, 5 - 6 eats a day and now am working on getting my average to be over 1,000.

The scale freeze...
Yeah, it sucks. It just does. It takes all your will to push thru the fear that comes rushing back that this is yet another failure. Most days I was fine and could handle it logically, but, around day 11, I just felt hopeless. I had to re read my notes about true stalls/platueas vs body's simply taking time to adjust some things. The advice is if no scale movement for 4 weeks, take measurements. If measurements have also not shifted, then it is a true platueau and needs diet and exercise changes to push thru. If not, just be patient.

So, I worked hard to get back to more eats/day and all my fluids as that was something I could control and couldn't hurt. Yesterday, I was literally the exact same weight as I was 2 weeks ago and last week on weigh in day. Then this morning on official weigh in day, the scale moved 1 point 8.

REAL FOOD
Oh yeah baby. I had had it by week 7 and started allowing some real food back in little by little. But, as of today, I am cleared to try everything except seeds, nuts and thick skins of veg - per my center.

Oh happy days!

Tried without issues this week were (from memory): 1 slice of spinach/tomato thin crust pizza, half a birthday cupcake, turkey pepperoni, non gmo/organic jerky, 70% cacao choc square, cherries, grapes, olives, kale chips, quinoa

Head - Doing well and think I did a pretty fair job of handling the scale freeze. Used to the sleeve life now and looking forward to finally getting in a food rhythm. I've lost enough weight now to notice how fat America is <-- if that makes sense. Went to a concert over the weekend and was stuck by it. I also did not feel like "the fattest person in the room" for the first time in a long while.

NSVs - Going to Old Navy to buy a reward clothing item for the future but finding you already fit in their clothing; I've arrived at the stage of people noticing and starting to ask.

Well, this one IS technically a scale victory, but, one site I work in as an interpreter has this big industrial scale for mail that goes up to 250 lbs. For the longest time now, I've been here for 10 years, I passed that daily and would think, "pbbfft, you can't even weigh yourself on that scale". Today when I walked by, I got on. It felt good to not max out that scale that served as such a symbol to me of how out of control my weight had become.

Take that, scale!

What's Next?
Next month will usher in the 220's (hopefully) and hitting a 50 lbs (total) loss. These are big milestones for me that are hard to wrap my head around.

In the deep dark places of former fatty dieters, I secretly hope for a bigger dip in the scale month 3, without another freeze. I really want to hit 40 lbs lost since surg at end of month 3. That would mean 11 lbs. The universe owes me

Sleeve life is good.
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Week 8 nutrition info

Average cals: 999 (high 1101; low 822)
Average carbs: 97 (high 127; low 83)
Average pro: 82 (high 96; low 58)
Average fat: 34 (high 47; low22)
Average fiber: 12.5 (high 23; low 7)

Eats: 3, 5 eats/day & 4, 6 eats/day