I am jealous!!

Dennis asked me to explain that the heavier you are to start with the faster you lose. That is true!! However, it will take the heavy weights longer to get to goal. Apparently some of us (mostly the light weights) are jealous of the heavy weights the large numbers in lost weight. Well I am jealous right back at you. Do you realize how close most of the light weights are to goal? Some of you only have 20-50lb left to lose! I am jealous of the size ya'll are wearing. Some of you are in 10's - 16's, to me that is unreal. I just got into a 24 W. I do not feel like I will ever get there. Yes I have lost over 100 lb but it is only the last couple of weeks I had to give up my big cloths. Be thankful for what you have lost, do not look at the numbers so much as how you are feeling. What you have accomplished. And keep your Eye on the big goal, a stronger healthier you. Deb 392/284/180

More power to you girl! You are 100% correct on all counts! And from personal experience, I can say it's hard not to compare but it's something we all have to learn to do because we're all in different places, we all lose differently, but if we continue, we will all eventually get to where we need to be. Years ago when I joined TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), I worked like a dog to lose weight because I was scared to death that I was going to leave my precious babies without a mother. I quit drinking soda, I drank a ton of water, stopped eating late at night and pretty much starved myself and I dropped 60 lbs in six months and while most of the women there tried to be supportive of me, there were so many who weren't. Behind my back they started rumors about how I must be taking diet pills or doing something "under handed" to lose that weight. I'll never forget how much that hurt. None of them had ever weighed 422 lbs so they couldn't possibly know what it was like to live in my body or to be deathly afraid at age 35 that I was headed for a wheel chair and would have to figure out how to take care of my little boys (who were just 1 and 4 at the time). All they knew was how jealous they were of my 60 lbs. I lost another 20 after that and soon became afraid of letting them know I was doing well. I used to downplay my successes and feel guilty about them! (How foolish!) When I finally got "stuck" and stopped losing weight, I became "one of the girls" and no one had anything to say. It took me a long time to realize that I had to break away from that horribly unsupportive group, but I did it and I had my surgery and I'm so happy! I can imagine what they are all saying now, but I don't care anymore!! Anyway, I digress... your post inspired me to vent! My point was that we are all in different places and 80 lbs to someone like you or me could be like 20 lbs to a lighter weight. And if we persevere, we can all get there eventually!! BIG HUGS! Vi P.S. I just started wearing size 18. (I still remember size 34/36 and 6X that I had to order from catalogs!) And I even own ONE pair of 14/16 that was really stretchie and I swear if I never lost anymore weight, I'd still be happy, but I know I will get down eventually! (Even though I haven't lost anything all month!)

Since the day of surgery I am finally down 70 as of this am I have 60 more to lose.... feels like I will never get there and yes I to at times get jealous but then i remind myself of how I am not able to move like others have been able to because of my back and I look at how big I was and that really makes me see that this surgery truly was a blessing Kim

, Deb...you are a "doll" for posting this, and also very brave...you are a true blue friend to all of us...what you said was so true...we all have our demons to fight...and I am not going to look at the numbers...I am going to relax and enjoy the success that I have done and I bow to all of you for taking this step to improve your health...go October Peeps go.... Dennis...again thanks Deb for posting this...

Deb, you are right on. We all have our "demons" associated with weight problems, weight loss. Losing fast, or slow, losing more, or less; whatever brings us here, we all benefit from the atmosphere of non-judgemental support on this board. I am proud of all of us, for taking this drastic surgical step to improve our own health! Reaching a size 24, that is a huge accomplishment, because now you can shop in ordinary department stores! That is fabulous. I can remember when I got too big, into the 26s and 28s, and had to shop catalogs and specialty stores. Congratulations to you for making it to a 24! Sheryl

Hey, I'm jealous, too! Most of you are RNY'rs but here it is more than 6 months out (Oct. 5th) and I'm only down 30 pounds (I've actually gained and lost over the past few months and most of my weight loss was the month immediately after surgery). I started at 426 pounds. So, I don't think all heavyweights lose more weight more quickly. We all just lose at our own rate in our own time (as long as we abide by the rules)... So, in the meantime, I to those of you who are actually losing. Can you pass me some of your luck?!? Lori

Good luck!!!!! Are you drinking your protien??? What does the doc say about your lack of progress?? I will keep you in my prayers, Deb PS i love rocks as well.

Banders aren't supposed to drink protien. We get plenty by eating low-fat protiens (like chicken and fish). The doctor isn't disappointed and doesn't consider my slow losing as a lack of progress. He's not worried (yet). I have to keep going back to get fills. Eventually my stoma will "shrink" which will hold more food in my pouch thus allowing me to get full quicker. I do have another problem, though, that is a factor. I can't move very well and can only walk short distances or stand for less than 5 minutes at a time. I am working with a physical therapist. I would love to do water aerobics again but I simply don't have the energy necessary to get myself to the pool, showered, exercise, shower and get back to my car. As it is I use a wheelchair if I go anywhere. That being said, I'm on par with quite a few other lap banders (some of whom weighed about the same as I did when I started but that doesn't mean I can't be envious of those of you who've lost 2x or more as much). Thanks for your prayers. I can't wait to be able and go out rockhounding again! Lori