11 months

It is almost 11 months and I have lost 288 pounds. I am now down to 212 and I have surpassed my own personal goal. I originally wnated to get to 260 or so, being 500 lbs to start i thought 260 would be un obtainable and awesome if I could reach it. Well I know my surgeon I know wants me to just about stop my weight loss, since if I have plastic surgery I would probably drop another 20 or so pounds and that would take me below 200 lbs. It has been hard to stop the loss, I have had 4 strictures, and endoscopies to fix them, I just had one this past firday and have to go back in this friday. It gets to be old when not able to really eat food normally and have to rely mostly on soups and protein drinks each day. Maybe that is what has helped me lose so much. For all the people who are struggling with food issues at this point, what I do is I have old pictures of myself when I was 500 pounds and jsut basically embarrased at the way I had become, and I look at them. I think about the life I had at that weight, or basically the struggle of a ife I had at that weight, and think to myself how much better the qualioty of my life is. Not just the physical appearance, but the health issues, the psychological struggles are not there anymore, being able to do so much more than I was when I was 500 pounds. I think about that and reflect back and it reminds me of how I do not want to become like my old self again. This journey that we all have undertaken is definately going to be tough, there will be bad days that everyone has. But think about your goal of becoming a new and different person and it may help when we all want to rech for those bad foods. Try maybe substituting out sugar free hard candies instead of regular, although I would not recommend to many cause of the sugar alcohols, lol. MAke sure you follow the rules that were set, Take small bites and chew food very well, sometimes we can get tot point where we sometimes forget that we had gastric bypass surgery,and start eating fast and big bites like we were normal again. Let it take 20 minutes to eat your meal at least, dont drink 30 mins before during and after eating. If getting hungry drink more water. Drink an extra proteing drink in the middle of the day. I personally drinkthe atkins shakes, I like them and they only have 1 gram of sugar. This is going to be a struggle for the rest of our lives. If not we would have never neede to have this surgery. Bu I know that all of us got this far and made it, there is no need to turn back and not continue to succeed over our weight issues. Everyone keep up the good work, I know it is rough for everyone but we will overcome. Chuck

Hi Chuck; Wow, you have done an impressive job!!!! I'm sorry that you have had all of these troubles with the strictures and hope that they are now behind you. I also want to thank you for your encouragement and support. The logic and common sense of your advice is undeniable. This is going to be a life-long struggle for all of us so we really need to hang together. In addition to the pictures of the "Old Me", I keep a pair of my largest sized jeans in my closet and put them on regularly to remind myself of just how grim I had gotten. Please stay in touch....your input is very welcome. Mike

Congratulations Chuck. Sure wish you would share a before and now picture with us on your profile.

Chuck, thank you so much for your very genuine and thoughtful post. You have done remarkably well and you seem to be very in tune with what your body needs, and how your head is handling it all! Talk about stepping up to the plate (and I don't mean the table-setting kind...) I'm sure everyone feels what I'm feeling for you right now and that is extreme pride in your accomplishments and your level-headed approach to continued good health. Thanks again! Maureen

Chuck, Thats an amazing accomplishment in ll months. How wonderful you must feel. Also sorry to hear about your problems, but, all in all we all feel so much better than when we were heavier, I think we would all do it again in a heart beat. Keep up the great work you have done & thanks for the great upbeat post. I think we all needed to be reminded how hard things were 11 months ago. I know I did. I have only lost 135 lbs, but Am so happy with that figure & sure wasn't 500 lbs when I started. \don't give up yet your body will slow down when it thinks its time too. Marilyn, the Bearlady Bullhead City AZ (3-15-04 Dr. Fisher) RNY 335 now 200. still 50 to goal