Congratulations Shere! Going below 200 was somehow a magic point for me. It feeeellllssss soooo goood!!!!! And you're almost to goal...yayessss! Keep up the good work!!! Mary Beth 283/191/150

Hip Hip horray!!!! Congrats Carol Tanisha

I understand fully what you are saying. While I am no where near goal either...I still find myself thinking the way I thought before the WLS. I have to MAKE myself go to the Misses section instead of heading automatically to the Women's department. I bought a pair of Misses 18 baggy capris...and when I got home my daughter said I should have gotten the 16. I have everything from a 14 to an 18 in pants in my closet..and I think alot of it is psychological. I have always been smaller on top...so wearing a Misses L to M is not surprizing to me. It's my butt and thighs that I have always had issues with. I decided to try on this pair of 13/14 slacks this morning...and guess what...they fit...correctly. Part of my mind tho is saying....but they are STRETCH, you dont REALLY wear a 13/14. Well...they arent stretched when I am standing...they are snugger when I sit...but I felt confident enough to wear them today. And what's more...NO WHERE ON MY THIGHS DO THEY RUB!!!!!! Goodbye swiiiissssh swiiiissshh lady!!! I am having heavy friends calling me skinny and no butt...but then part of my mind goes...as compared to what...are you comparing me to your butt...how am I skinny and how can I have no butt weighing 191 lbs? It's not possible. I am amazed to find myself with my legs crossed...and I catch myself sitting crosslegged effortlessly. I think it just takes our heads some time to catch up with our bodies. It's amazing. Mary Beth 283/191/150

JulieAnn, I am so glad you got this out of your system...I know exactly how you feel. There are just as many of us slowies as there are these massive fast loss speedies...I just think we don't post and share our experiences as much. Which we need to do...so many need to know that this is not a race...we are all SO different in our body chemistry that it would be a miracle if we all lost in this one predictable speedy way. But we don't. And it's hard on us slowies...shoot...we are so good about beating ourselves up about failures...that this just seems like ANOTHER failure. But trust me dear lady it is not. There are alot of positives in your post...you just can't see the forest for the trees. It is OK that we are not at goal yet...dang it...we are GETTIN THERE GIRL!! We are just takin the scenic route! When I did this I thought this was my magic bullet. Magic bullsh*t! It's WORK...and it's hard work! Anyone that tells me I took the easy way out is in for a very serious lecture. I didn't drop no 100 lbs in 4 months...and I was very upset for some time over this...but then I have to applaud my body...coz it is only doing its job...and it's just doing it tooo well. It is trying it's best to keep this insurance against serious famine...that is it's job...to survive. On one of my later visits to my surgeon I was whining...coz I was doing everything I was supposed to (although I did not do the maximum I could do exercise wise) and he asked me...when have you ever lost this much weight before and kept it off? Do you feel better physically? Has your life improved? Are you able to do more? I had to say never, yes, yes and yes. And he just smiled and said, keep using your tool and it will only get better. He was glad I was loosing slow and giving my body time to adjust, it was obviously a more healthy path for my body. It might take me 18 months to 2 years to get at my goal. In March I lost 5 lbs, in April I lost 7...suddenly in May I dropped 17 out of the blue...without doing anything different...I didn't change a thing. What the??? This month I have lost 7 so far. If it was just 1...I would still be happy...as long as I wasn't gaining. God it could be SO much worse! What if I had not been able to even get this surgery! As I approach my 9th month anniversary I suddenly realized...I was 92 lbs down...holy cow! Now just two months ago I was in dispair...thinking that this was it...that's all I am going to lose. I mean I was making myself miserable with the guilt that I couldn't even be successful at freakin WLS! When I started doing the numbers it hit me...I AM going to make it...I might be coming up the dang rear...but I AM going to make it!!! And so will you!!!! Keep your head up...be kind to yourself and take care of yourself!! You are worth it!! Mary Beth 283/191/150

Ooo, great post and lots of great stories from everyone. OMG, I still see myself as very big. I'm still not a petite person, since I'm pretty tall, but someone actually referred to me as "tiny" the other day! When I do the laundry I get my clothes mixed up wtih my little boy's! I pull out underwear and pants and can't believe they are mine. It amazes me. Before I think I was in denial about my size too, LOL. I was always bumping into things and thinking I was smaller. It's been an interesting experience adjusting to my smaller size. This whole thing has been a HUGE mental journey for me - in many ways (size issues, food issues, other emotional issues) and I'm thinking about counseling too. There is almost more of a change with my head and mental health than my body. Hugs!