New Year Check In!!!

Soooo November babies.... here I am checking in... it has been 14 months now... and the scale has started to move again?! I don't get it but I love it! I am 4 lbs away from going down another BMI point - which when I do will officially put me as overweight!!!! I can hardly wait!!! and I do believe it will happen now!!!! I am joining the fitness program at work - imagine me getting on a scale willingly in front of people I work with!!!! I am astounded at myself even!!! I am trying out for a national award program - will update you as that takes form. I find myself doing, saying, venturing where I never would have before! New doors are opening for me everyday!!!! 1. How much weight have you lost total from your highest weight??? I have lost 127 lbs..... amazing!!! BMI of 30 - can't even fathom it... lost 74% of my excess weight.... I am now considered a weight loss success!!!! Just have to keep it off!!! 2. How did you do during the holidays?? compare to your previous holidays and not some 'ideal' that has never been you. I did much better in my own environment where I could control what I ate much better! Compared to other holidays... it was great.... I actually got to sit around and socialize... I think before I just ate myself into a carb coma and found the nearest bed or couch to pass out on. I was exhausted but happy. 3. That window of opportunity is rapidly closing - What are your new goals for the next four months? I would like to be able to call myself overweight - that is my new goal... 4 lbs away!!! I would like to get more fitness oriented - looking to add a little more physical activity just for me - if I can stand it that is - the pain from lupus and fibromyalgia is kicking my butt these days. But you know, I think that window of opportunity might be open for longer than I think - I am losing more per month now than for the last 8 months... go figure?? and it seems like I am eating all the time! 4. Did you get a lot of compliments from those who hadn't seen you since last year??? What is really interesting is when I run across someone I haven't seen in a while - who knew me before - sometimes they walk right by me - ignore me, don't even recognize me - that is so crazy to me - and I don't think I have changed that much ... but I guess I have! 5. What is the one best piece of advice you could offer to pre-ops considering surgery??? You guys have all given great advice. My two cents: 1. Don't compare yourself with others - some lose a lot out front and slow down to a crawl - some seem to lose little by little consistently - and me personally I am all over the place - I lost 8 lbs during the holiday month -- go figure???!!!!! 2. Keep in touch with your docs - get your follow ups done - if i hadn't, I'm not so sure I would be walking this earth ... and if you don't feel good - follow up. Keep those appts - get those labs 3. Listen to your doc and your own body - my doc told me that I would probably have to eat more often and like a teenage football player at some point to maintain my weight - I thought that was ridiculous at first, but after following his advice and grazing (what he recommended) I have started losing again - not everything works the same way for everybody. 4. Keep feeling -- for some of us the insulation and avoidance of feeling by eating is what got us to this place, and it is distinctly uncomfortable to hurt again - but sometimes you gotta to be able to move beyond... and great things wait beyond! So glad to have shared this journey with you... At 48 I have finally begun to free myself of a prison that kept me from truly entering the world... oh how I wish sometimes I had done this sooner....(my iron must finallly be working eh?) I haven't been this free since I was fourteen years old... and i intend to get freer!!! Hang in there guys.... this was one of my better nights... thought I had better update quick before the picture changed!!! Good Luck B