Where is everybody?

Hi gang! I'm just wondering.....where is everybody? We used to have LOTS of posters, especially for the weekly weigh-in. Now is the time that lots of surgery recipients start to get lax in their programs (I'm finding it especially hard right now myself) and start to fall "off the wagon" so to speak. If there is EVER a time we need each other and to be accountable for where our journey goes from here--IT'S NOW. It's easier to eat foods we shouldn't, snack more, slow down or stop on exercising--IT'S EASIER TO START GAINING WEIGHT BACK TOO. The reason I'm posting this is because I'm finding myself top on the list of people doing these things. IT'S SCARY!! I know I won't fail at this, but this is the point at which it becomes MUCH easier to start getting back into old bad habits. It's so inspirational to read others' stories and listen to their thoughts, feelings and fears. Talking to each other keeps us accountable! Sooooooo ...what do ya say we start communicating more and sharing things besides just our weight loss progress? Anyone have ideas or interests they'd like to share? I'll start...... Now that it's Spring and the weather is getting nice and the daylight hours are longer I plan to: Scout out new places to walk (my husband drives the route so we can map how far the distance is on the odometer of the car--then he walks it with me the next time) Make new and fun recipes that are more "summery"--hubby and I made a recipe last night for baked ravioli casserole--ALL HEALTHY--that was to DIE FOR. Anyone wanting that recipe let me know. Ride bikes as a family. We haven't ever done that because we've not all had bikes at the same time but we're getting a couple this week from the local police station's stash of lost and found bikes. They like to get rid of them after they've been there for quite awhile. There are sooooo many things we can do to improve and/or maintain our health. And they're easy things now! A year ago I'd have NEVER dreamed of riding a bike--ever again! Take a look back at where we were a year ago. Scary and depressing place wasn't it? Thank you, God for making this surgery possible for me and all my WLS brothers and sisters! I can't imagine where I'd be a year from now if I hadn't had this surgery. I want all of you to know how much I love and need you! When there are days that go by that I don't see my August brothers and sisters posting, it makes me worry and wonder if you're all ok. Stop by and drop a note just to say 'hello' ok? Brenda

Hi there Brenda. I am still here lol. I have noticed the posts falling off too. We all need to stick together and support eachother. You are very very right. I have been under a enormous amount of stress these past few weeks. This board helps me get through so much, and I am so grateful for it. I will always be around. It helps me be accountable to myself. You are an awesome person and I love you. I will always be here for you and all of my friends. GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!

Hi Brenda, I agree with you. I am finding it harder to stay on track these days. My old habit is eating out all the time. I need to plan for when I am out and I find myself getting lazier and lazier. I work shifts so I don't always check for the Monday weigh in until Wednesday. This week I plan to do some gardening. I live in an apartment so I am going to concentrate on my boyfriend's yard this year. I also have a bike now and have been doing some riding. Now that the weather is a little better I plan to ride back and forth to work. I have a hard time with riding just for the sake of riding....I like to have a place to go. My biggest fear after this surgery is falling back in to old habits and gaining back the weight. I DON'T want that to happen. I think I need this site to remind me that I did have to have surgery to lose weight. It is not an easy battle. Talk to you soon. Fran

Hi Brenda, I'm here and watching the posts. I just don't do weigh ins (and you know I never did). I have not lost any more in a while. I weigh 158.9 today (ok, thats a before BM weight lol) I am totally happy at this weight and work hard at staying here.Went from size 24 pants to size 12 and size xxxl shirts to L. From highest weight of 248 to 158.9. If I didnt lose the extra 18 lbs I'd be fine, but would not get insurance to pay thier measly amount for plastics, which are going to be roughly 28 grand. I work with mentally challenged folks and have had my father in law living with us (dementia), plus I have 4 kids, my daughter getting married soon - so all the wedding stuff - plus we are suing the previous owners of our home as the basement caved in soon after we bought our house. Today we had them and their lawyers go through and inspect our house (very very intrusive and hurtful let me tell you). But through all that I read of all of your struggles and happy wow moments and know I am not alone. That brings the sunshine to my days. Thanks as always for your support!!! Tara

I am very happy to have discovered this forum. I like the thought of having others in the same place and time as I am in my weight loss journey. I have laughed out loud as well as sympathized with many of the comments. I even told my doctor (PCP) yesterday that this site has been a blessing for me to not focus on just the scales but on the other aspects of this wild, wild ride we are all on. I really can't complain because I feel I am one of the blessed ones who had insurance that let me get the surgery. Unfortunately, I personally know of some others who were not so lucky. I played catch with my kids last night and actually chased the ball down. My son wore out before me!!!! Yeah! I struggle with the same problems and doubts as you all but coming here and baring your soul so to speak sure does help (or reading others' posts who beat you to it. )

Hi Brenda, I must admit, I purposely skipped the "weigh-in" thread this week because I had gained weight. Eight days in Vegas showed me just how easy it would be to regain this weight....very scary. I was with my mother and sister. We ate at a buffet every day we were there (comped by the casinos). It was like I couldn't help myself...I fell right back into my old eating habits. Now that I am home, I'm back on track and this morning I weighed 3lbs less than my previous lowest weight. Yeah!!! I did get lucky in Vegas though....won a $1,000 on my last day which pretty much covered the cost of my vacation (rooms and meals were comped by the casino). I've been to Vegas a number of times and this is the first time I have gotten a royal flush on a video poker machine....hope it is not the last! You are so right about this being a difficult time. I find it much harder to resist temptation these days. I have to keep all trigger foods out of the house and seem to add another food to that list weekly. Eating out is my biggest weakness (remember the gain in Las Vegas and it wasn't the first). I just can't seem to resist my old favorites and I can eat so much more at at one sitting now. I sometimes lose total control and eat until my stomach actually hurts......very, very bad and very, very scary. I just finished reading "The Beck Diet Solution" yesterday and I think it may really help me. It uses cognitive therapy techniques to help you start to think about eating the way a thin person does. I am going to give it an honest try as this surgery does not change the way you think about food....not totally anyway. I will attempt to post more often even though I still have a lot more to lose than the rest of you (I started at 365 and now weigh 229). While I am of course very happy for everyone's success, sometimes I feel a bit jealouse....terrible, I know. Good Luck to everyone and I hope to read more posts on this board too. Donna Kay

Hello everyone! Isn't it great to feel so loved and accepted that we can be open and honest here? I can't put into words how it feels to know that you'll all love me even when I mess up! I tend to believe that as heavy people we've always judged ourselves worse than most others judge us. But it's sooooooo hard to walk away from that mentality isn't it? It's not that we're not accepting ourselves in our new bodies, it's that our brain has to catch up to our bodies. When I look in the mirror I see a new person looking back at me, but my mind still thinks of me as a size 22W-24W in many instances. To Tara, Donna and all the rest of you who have slipped--WE ALL DO. And you know what? It's ok. We're STRONG STRONG people and have made it this far. The main things we all need to remember is that we're human, they operated on our tummies not our brains, and that we'll make it through all this TOGETHER. We just need to keep being each other's cheerleaders. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ALL NEED TO KEEP COMING HERE AND NOT AVOID IT WHEN WE SLIP. When we slip is when we need to come here the most. But it's the hardest time to do that very thing. I know when I mess up I just want to crawl in a hole and let life pass me by. But that's THE OLD WAY. The new way is to talk about it, walk through it with people who love us and understand, and to make a new commitment EVERYDAY to do our level best and be good to ourselves. I'm in! We're a group of losers.....BUT WE'RE BIGGER WINNERS!! I LOVE YOU ALL!! HUGSSSSSSSSSSS Brenda