Welcome to the life of your dreams, mama friend! Our goal is to make your life magical through sharing our journeys together, providing support, and sprinkling a little pixie dust!
I'm Chelsea, a native Cape Codder, mama, weight loss surgery patient & Bariatric coach, Disney-lover, and champagne connoisseur. Here, you'll get a mix of our family Disney planning, tips, and trips as well as what it's been like to lose 100 pounds in the past FIVE years!
Best video I've watched on this process. I can so relate...and I too hope I will get rid of that 80% of time spent with self-loathing, food obsession, over compensating, etc. Thank you for sharing and being super real and vulnerable; it really helps me moving forward.
Thanks for sharing! The “safe foods” idea is a great idea even though I’m not a teacher!! My surgery is August 20th so I’m binge watching your videos again. I’m so nervous, but they are helping me calm my nerves a little bit!
You asked a great question of Mallory regarding the teacher going back to school. I've not had the surgery but I know for sure I can benefit from it. I'm thinking about it.
I'm not sure if I saw it on Instagram or not, but I saw you and your sister have another episode coming up. I have a question for both of you. I have seen how you have gotten into movement through, hot yoga, walking, formally running, and exercise videos. What does your sister do for movement? Finally, once cleared, how the heck do you start? I have gone to a gym before, had a personal trainer, gone on a treadmill, etc.. and I would love to be able to find something I enjoy that I can be consistent with. I desperately need to get toned and build muscle, but honestly, I am having a hard time even thinking about getting motivated. Going to the gym a couple of times a week just to strength train seems like a waste of money when there are videos and such out there, but getting myself out of my chair seems to be a bit of a motivation challenge. I want to be one of those people who enjoy it and I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this. I have about one more week before I am cleared to do anything but walking, but don't know how to kick-start myself. Any advice and understanding of how you both started would be appreciated.
I would love to see and hear about your skincare routine throughout the other seasons!!!! Thank you for always being so brave and sharing your journey!!!!!❤
For my “never done before” adventure next month I am going to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party :). Hoping that the weather holds - so iffy in Sept with hurricane season. I’ve never done any of the special ticketed events before so I’m super excited. I am channeling Minnie Mouse and I would have never been comfortable wearing a skirt at the park all day pre-surgery (the chaffing was real!).
I’m 56 years young😬 so I’ll tweak my challenge to ‘40 before 60 😂💜🇬🇧 I’m currently only 17 days post op from my gastric sleeve so not feeling very energetic yet😬
Before i had my surgery 14 years ago i would go to olive garden and eat a salad, the tour of Italy and 5+ breadsticks dipped in alfredo sauce!!! Now i do no bread, a tiny salad and half of an entree. Like you, I worked hard to find new ways of happiness and feeling good. It took time.
Aw, you're such good mom. Callie is a lucky little girl. My 8-year-old niece had a T Swift birthday party at our pool this summer. She created the funniest video ahead of time inviting Taylor Swift to come and she said it was ok if she wanted to bring Travis Kelsey as well. Unfortunately she couldn't make it, ha, ha.
I am currently in the market for a good vitamin. I am someone who likes to take them 2 times a day to maximize the absorption. I am on my last week of the bariatric one they had me take home with my preop diet food but it is a chewy vitamin and I am more of a pill vitamin person. I was thinking about trying the ritual brand but idk if those would cause any issues in getting me enough.
My problem with products are that all the ones people recommend are highly toxic. I have chemical sensitivities and the non or low toxic stuff I’ve tried aren’t great. Maybe it’s just my methodology cuz I’m still new at all this.
Although 2 3/4 months post op (50 pounds down), I not only have been able to cut back on one of my heart medications, I crossed my legs without thinking about it and … wait for it, slept FOUR hours in a row! The energy is kicking in and I’m walking 5 to 6 miles in a day. 🙌
I understand the increased energy for sure. I love to walk! Definitely my favorite type of movement. I work full time from home and I NEED to get outside daily and get some sunshine.
A little over 2 years PO VSG...and I sooo remember theb1st time I could cross my legs! It was so unexpected...one of those things you don't think of. I squealed, my hubby thought something was wrong. It was so exciting! I have repeatedly said that, for me, the only down-side to losing the weight has been that it's so much more fun and EASIER to shop! 😂 Thanks Chels, for your videos & transparency...for sharing all the good & bad...not holding anything back. 😘
I am almost 8 months out and down 70 lbs. Painting my own toe nails or sitting cross legged are definitely NSV's for me. I recently started Pilates classes, I would have NEVER done that at a heavier weight.
Steph, congratulations! I TOTALLY forgot about when I had to paint my own toes during COVID and actually could without getting out of breath from the bending angle. GOOD ADDITION!
I'm 2 years out, -118lb. The NSVs are THE BEST! Crossing legs, clipping and painting my toenails, not worrying about fitting into plane seats or amusement park rides, participating in hiking and walks with my family, coming off my cpap and BP meds, fitting into my wedding rings again, shopping in normal sizes! I could go on and on!
Hey Marcy! I think that the farther out we get from surgery, we can forget how important the NSVs are. GOOD FOR YOU for being so grateful for them! I feel the same :)
I am a month post op and honestly needed this today. I just had a conversation with a friend of mine who is 4 years post op about how I feel like I will never figure out the whole hydration, movement, protein thing. I want so badly to be in a place in life that I can love the person I am baggage and all and not allow it to determine my worth in this life.
You absolutely will figure it out! I know this is going to come across as "salesy" even though it's meant to help, but I do have ONE last masterclass tomorrow morning at 10:00am EST about this type of mindset balance. I'd love to see you there! The link is in the description box of this video!
Some of my non scale victories have been being able to wear my wedding ring again and shopping in my own closet, fitting into clothes that I didn't even know I had.
Hey Emily! I did have an evening option last week (Thursday I think?), but I'd also be happy to send you the page with the information! Let me know, ok?
The first one becomes easier and easier. Also, receiving rude comments is a sign of success 😉. It means your videos are getting out there. Keep going 🤗
At the end of November, i will be 2 years out. Down right at 100lbs also. Definitely done losing. I work out with my hubs 4 days a week. Usually walking and weight training. I cook a large meal on the weekend and we eat on that meal all week for dinner. Usually leftovers for lunch, and i premake the innards of bfast burrittos, so they are quick and easy to throw together in the am. I also do a snack around 4 since we go to the gym after work at 5. So basically, I eat the same thing every day for a week at a time. I have found after surgery. I dont seem to care what i eat. I do stay hungry most of the day. I think im still struggling with some mental stuff that may be a part of that. But i can just eat whatever i find and be happy. I appreciate that part so much. My husband being on board with eating the same thing over and over makes it nice also. We're just boring people lol
I am sorry this person had to experience that. Whenever I feel like someone is giving me “that look” or a face about something I am wearing, I think to myself “they don’t know me or the journey I have been on. I know how far I have come, and that is all that matters!” I have been very lucky that my circle has been very supportive. My parents didn’t understand my decision for VSG at first, but I think it is because they were nervous about what it could mean for me healthwise. As they have seen my progress and my confidence has exploded, they have become very supportive. My mother used to be a food pusher, but as she has seen me lose the weight she has made diet changes and has lost weight herself by following a diet similar to what I eat. I remind myself every day how far I have come - it is part of my daily affirmation routine. I am 6 months post op and have lost 72 pounds, but more importantly my BMI has dropped 14 points! Even when I look at the skin that is starting to sag, I remind myself it used to be filled with fat - so I will take the sagging skin because the alternative wasn’t healthy. On a different note, you look great either way and can you leave me a link for that dress? I am big chested and haven’t been able to wear a dress without a bra in YEARS, so if there is one that allows that, I’d love to try it out! Thank you for always being real and putting yourself out there for us. You have helped me tremendously through my journey thus far and I really appreciate all of your insight.
Have you tried the inspire protein powder from Bariatric eating. I’m really liking the coffee ice cream one. It’s really easy to mix and they all taste really good
I enjoyed this so much! Added items to various carts. I’m roughly 10 weeks to surgery. Excited and nervous at the same time. I find these videos incredibly helpful
