How is everyone doing?......

I still wonder if I'm doing this right. Sometimes when I eat I feel like I might be eating too much, or the wrong things, but then I want to feel like a normal person. It took me 7 months to loose a 100lbs.....and I can't help but wonder am I on track or am I messing this whole thing up. Is there anybody else out there that feels this way? SW-325 CW-222 GW-175

Good afternoon Eternity!!! I wonder the same things and just broke 190! Weight that is, not pounds lost. I've lost 84 pounds and am now weighing 188. The doc's scale yesterday said 185 but mine at home, the one I normally use said 188 so that's what I'll stick with. Anyway, some days I feel the same as you but then other days, the weight loss kicks back up and I know I'm doing alright. Congratulations on 103 pounds!!!! That's superbly fantastic!!!!! Tina M R 272/188/136 RNY 04/09/04

Hi there Eternity! Your and My CW are the same! I recently broke a 9day stall and now I way 222. I keep a food plan that includes foods that aren't the best choices because I like variety, and I don't do well when I feel deprived. If I screw up and eat something with too much fat, I pay the consequences. I don't touch refined sugar. It is just not worth it. I find that when I get too ****y about this I screw up. When I think I've got it all figured out is usually when I get my come-uppance. As long as I keep my focus on remembering the fact that I am a food addict who doesn't get to be "normal" but instead needs to take certain steps to ensure success then I am fine. I don't measure out my food, but I definately eyeball it before I start consuming. I just can't be trusted to eat out of a bag, or from a heaping mound. Especially from a bag - chips, nuts, etc. Unless it is a contained amount I tend to go into automatic mode and end up overfilling my little pouchie. So, I give myself little snack sized baggies of food and eat my fill that way. You've lost 103 lbs, in 7 months - girl you're doing it right. . . That is some serious success. I'll bet that you're doing just fine! However, I don't know what you're eating or how. I don't know if you're drinking with your meals or not. I don't know if you're living off of candybars and vodka (I have actually heard of someone doing this. . .scared the bejesus outta me!). My point is that it is possible to have lost weight during these first 7 months not doing the right thing - but the chickens are coming home to roost now - and the habits you have built will start heavily coming into play now. I know I can eat a lot more now than I could 4 months ago. For peace of mind track yourself in fitday.com for a week - that'll tell you how many calories/protein grams/fat grams etc you're getting in. Take those numbers to your dr/surgeon/nutritionist and get their spin on it. I'm glad you posted this. It made me think. I'm doing well, the head stuff is the hard part at this point. I hear myself saying things like "I've only lost 174 lbs. . ." and know that I am crazy. It is very strange to be 10 lbs away from my current GW. I truly believe I will go below it. Even though I am currently at a lower weight then I would have dreamed possible a year ago. I love my therapist, and I love my girlfriend. I am grateful for my support groups, and grateful for the people who post on OH. One of the things I am doing to keep myself on track is I am angeling for pre-ops/new-ops. Seeing them in their journey reminds me why I did this. It reaffirms my committment to running a clean race - i.e. following my dr's foodplan. I wish you the best, ~Lara 400+/355/222 (although scale said 220 this am!)/212

Eternity, Hi Nice to see you posting! Our tool works if we want it to, and are willing to do what it takes to make it work. This is what I've come to discover. Every time I get on a plateau I automatically think I've messed up, and to tell the truth, I probably have in *some* way. I've got no excuses now, I've got the tool, I've gotta use it. You've GOT to be doing something right, you've lost 103 lbs! Beth HW- 313 SW- 298 CW- 167 GW- 130

Thank you guys for replying so quickly, ok I'm sitting here at work with tears in my eyes. This has been such a hard Journey for me. I don't think that people understand how hard it can be at times. Beth you are absolutely right, this is a tool....and it is up to me to use it. I swore to myself that I was not having this surgery in vain, and that I would follow all the rules and make this work for me. Lara, I was doing good with planning my day as far as eating and excercise...I don't eat and drink, I still do excercise at least 3 times wkly, but I have noticed that I'm doing a lot more late night eating....and I do have chocolate every now and then. I know in my mind and heart that it's not worth it and that I have come so far, but my body just craves it so badly sometimes....and I'm starting to hear that little voice in the back of my head saying well just this once won't hurt. Some days I win...and some days I give in to the little voice. I don't know maybe I do need to get help. I know I need to get refocused. I would like to loose another 50 pounds....as a matter a fact I'm going to loose another 50lbs. I did not have my stomach cut open and spend 4 days in the hospital to fail. Thank you so much for just listening....or should I say reading this. It's so much easier to vent to people who are going down the same road. My husband, best friend or sister can't understand when I say anything about this. They figure I had the surgery and the weight just magically comes off. I will keep you guys posted. Eternity.

Eternity- It's definitely *not* magic! And, we're here... keep posting... we do understand.. we've all been and still ARE there. Beth 313/298/167/130

We're here for each other! This month in particular, it just seems harder. I don't know what it is. . .time of year, or what I'm working on in therapy. . . .but the head work is just getting SO difficult! I am very grateful to have so many wonderful people here and in my home life who are such a godsent support. You're not going to fail - you know what you need to do, and you're going to do it. Just like me - I'm committing to you and myself that we can do this! We've come SO far, and worked so DAMN hard. In fact - I truly think it is because we've come so far that we're having such a rough time. We don't know how to be thin. We don't understand how to be healthy. These are our old habits - they MISS us, even if we don't miss them. They want to come back, and we have to keep fighting the good fight to change who we are. And it is - it is changing everthing about who I am. I will no longer be someone who runs to food every time life gets rough. I will no longer put myself through discomfort in my body (morbid obesity) just to fill an emotional void. Get whatever help you need - I need my therapist and I have NO SHAME about admitting it. (And this is coming from someone who is trying to get into gradschool to BECOME a therapist someday!) Use your resources to the max. If there's local support groups start going, if you know somebody who knows someone who had the surgery - look them up. Try and find someone who can be there for you in life. And keep us posted on how you're doing - your admission that you're having questions and doubts helped me immencely because I could tell you what I knew I needed to hear just as bad. Someone you don't really know is thinking about you tonight and wishing you well, ~Lara

Thank you sooooo much Lara. You just don't know how happy I am to know that some real people out there can relate. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks for being a very well needed source of support. Luv Ya! Eternity