not really new, just kinda shy

Hi I'm not really new to OH, just new to the surgery month and kinda down when I read how much everyone has lost, seems like everyone is doing great at 80+ lost for you all having surgerys in may, and I've only lost 60 lbs so far and feel like I'm not doing that great of a job in losing like everyone else is,, I try to walk, but living in Phoenix, its way to hot to walk when I do have the time, which is in the late morning, and in the evenings, I'm to tired to do much of anything at all, I'm a school bus driver and am waiting for it to cool down enough to be able to go back to walking, I was doing great before school started, but since august, its been tough, with the temperature being in the 105's and above, I cant wait till it cools off abit Bonnie 285/226/135ish

Hey Bonnie, you are doing great. You should not compare yourself with others. Everyone looses differently. I am down 70 pounds but I work out like a fein with a personal trainer. Maybe you can join something like curves. It is inside and is for a half an hour. I know about the heat in Florida and know any kind of outdoor activity is herendous. Hope this helps and keep up the good work! Christine 307/237/140ish

Hi Bonnie Welcome to the May board! No need to be shy here; we're all family. Losing 60 lbs is great! I've lost about that much since surgery on May 28, and it's a HUGE difference! As long as you keep an eye on what you're eating, measuring at least once a week to keep your portions true-to-size, and follow the doctor's plan for you, there's no reason to worry. My parents are in Gold Canyon (outside Apache Junkyard), and my Dad gets up at the crack of dawn to do his bike rides because of the heat. I work out indoors because there's no sense in getting hooked on something outside when we'll have snow in a couple of weeks. Hang in there, the weather will change soon enough. Hugs, Susan

Bonnie, 60 lbs is nothing to sneeze about. Your doing super duper I understand about the heat. I don't excersize much at all, but mine is due to lazyness, and I just got through planning and having my daughters wedding last Sunday. SOOOOO now I need to concentrate on the gym. You might try getting a video by Leslie....(sorry can't rememeber her last name) but it is a walking tape, and everyone seems to love them. You do it in your own home. It atleast gets you moving. I am sure someone on this bourd can provide you her last name. Keep up the good work! And remember don't compare yourself to others. I no it is hard, but for myself I simply can't eat alot and that explains my weightloss. TaTa Brenda

Hi Bonnie!! Welcome to the May surgery board! You are doing wonderful! Don't fall into the comparison trap. I used to do that too and it just made me depressed. We all start out at different weights, we all have different body shapes, we all have a different metabolism. 60 pounds is something to be proud of!! I started out at 324 and I am now at 244.50. That's 79.5 pounds gone forever!! I started out exercising and then I just lost every bit of energy I had. The tapes that Brenda mentioned are by Leslie Sansone and she's right, they're great. You walk in front of your tv and you can go 1 mile, 2 miles or 3 miles. Her one mile tape only takes about 18 minutes to do! She has tons of different tapes, and that way you could walk inside when the weather is so hot and go back to the outside when it cools off. I haven't been exercising but I have been doing a LOT more around my house. Like cleaning that I've been putting off forEVER!! So, don't discount all the extra moving around you do-if it's more than you used to do, count it as exercise. You take care and keep up the good work-you're doing awesome!!

Hi Bonnie! I know what you mean about feeling behind everyone else. I am forever making comparisons with people "ahead of me" in all kinds of ways -- thinner, better dressed, farther up the career ladder, with smarter or better-behaved kids -- and putting myself down as a result. I'm starting to wonder if that kind of insecurity and self-doubt isn't part of what made me overweight in the first place? you know, feeling bad all the time and resorting to food for comfort? The great thing about WLS -- and especially the followup support with groups like OH -- is that you can finally start to believe that obesity had a cause (as opposed to being all your fault), and there was a cure. And that when you have some setbacks in life, you can work on trying to come up with remedies and less on beating yourself up for not doing that great of a job. So look in the mirror, girl, and tell yourself: 60 lbs in 4 months -- woo hoo!!! fantastic job!! Want to lose it a little faster? You know you have to move more -- and you can find ways to do that without waiting for the weather to change. Feeling too tired to move? Count how many grams of protein you're getting in every day, and find ways to take in more -- go to health food stores and hunt for the lowest-calorie, highest-protein bars and make them part of your diet. And most important: reach out for help! Having WLS was the best thing you ever did for yourself, and participating in this site is the second-best thing. Everybody understands you here, and your contribution is important to everyone else. Just posting this reply to you made me feel a lot stronger about these issues myself -- so, thanks for sharing! Keep up the good work! Donna PS: I just hit the 60-lb mark myself, just today!