new pics

Yesterday was my 11 month surgeanniversary. Take a look at the new pics in my profile and let me what you think. I have not lost anything in the last month, and now I am starting to have doubts about whether I want to loose more or not. What do you all think? I have lost 130 lbs, weigh in at 190, I am 5 11.5 feet tall. Should I loose more? If so, what do I do to break the Plateau? Thanks, Beatriz

Hi Beatriz. You look fantastic. I think you look great just where you are. You have the height to carry yourself. Any more weight loss would be too much in my opinion. Congratulations on all your good work. Kathi

Kathi, most people tell that loosing more weight is going to be too much but as you might know, we will always feel overweight not matter what we weight. I am pretty happy at this weight, but there is that little bug in the back of my head telling me that I need to loose more. I never thought that at 11 months after WLS I would be saying this but I am pretty happy with loosing 130 lbs because after I get plastics done I will probably loose another 5 to 10 lbs and that is definately enough for me. Thanks for your very encouraging words, Beatriz

Beatriz, you look amazing! You have such a nice NORMAL figure...nobody would ever guess that you ever had a weight problem. Congratulations on your 11 month surgiversary. You have worked so hard to get where you are and can be very proud of yourself. I don't know if I could give any advice on losing more weight or not...in photos you look absolutely perfect. What does your health feel like? I'd only pursue it if you think it would benefit your blood pressure or cancer risk because it might make you look too thin. Hard to say... You have to let your body tell you what it wants to do. Because to my eyes you look great! Molly

Molly, you really think I look "normal"? It's soooooooo hard to see us as normal but I have to get used to it and it does feel great to be called "normal"---THANKS!. Health wise I feel perfect, as a matter of fact, I think I have NEVER EVER felt better. My blood work is fine, my blood pressure is fine too, no risk of cancer(as far as I know) so what else can I ask for? Not much, just thank God everyday for a new opportunity. I am going to let my body do as it wants to and take it one day at the time. LIFE IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!----(my new motto) Beatriz

Hi Beatriz! Well let me start by saying that you look sooooo beautiful and I am WAY WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY jealous of those arms with no skin on them! I can fly with my wings, no kidding! I think you look perfect honestly and if I saw u on the street, I'd never know you had a weight problem. Not kidding. As for whether u should lose more or not.. well I hear constantly I shouldn't yet I still want to lose a few more in case of "bounceback" which my PA at the office insures me happens to most.. b/c that colon gets smart and starts taking on every calorie around 18 mos to 2 years out where it doesn't now. So we can expect 10 percent she says. My husband did this.. 10 percent exactly at 2 years out. Sooooo i guess u need to decide.. if u are happy where you are you may want to strive for a bit more for that reason if you are ok with 15ish pounds back then stick where u are.. you look good regardless of what you decide. I am very inspired by you... you are beautiful!!!!!!

Melissa, It's very hard for me to believe that I am beautiful after so many years of being ashamed of my body but I am making a great effort to accept it and also to believe it. It's a shame what we put our minds thru everyday, it's time to accept ourselves as normal and move on. I am trying very hard but it's so diffucult. Gaining back about 10% of my weight will to just be too much for me b/c I do not wish to be over 200 lbs ever again in my life so I am going to go back to basics with the hope of getting rid of the bad habits I have now so they do not come back and hunt me later on. Take care, Beatriz

Wow, this was just addressed last night at support group! It really is very common and you make an excellent point about getting down a little lower to have that extra room to play with as a bounce back zone. My surgeon's bariatric coordinator, who leads the group, says that we should pick a red flag number and always recognize that when we hit it, we go back to the basics and get it under control. Otherwise that ten turns into twenty, etc. She says that you shouldn't consider yourself a failure if you do gain that twenty because you are still way ahead of where you were when you had surgery. BUT...none of us had surgery just so that we could have mediocre results and sort of regain our health. I just love listening to her, she is nearly five years out and has such amazing wisdom about this whole process. So, in taking your advice for Beatriz...I'm going to set my personal goal at 130 and not be apologetic about it. 136 seems to be my own red flag number for some odd reason and so far it really helps scare me back on the right path. The other big scare looming ahead for all of us is the return of the Killer Sweet Tooth at 18months to two years out. She said that hits really hard and even for people who never had much of a sweet tooth. Now THAT is going to have to be a serious issue for me! I've already marked my calendar with reminders to watch out for this upcoming danger zone so it doesn't sneak up on me by surprise. Molly

Beatriz I love the new pictures. I looked back at your old one- from the day of surgery- and -YOU LOOK LIKE A DIFFERENT PERSON. I would not have been able to recognize you based on old photo. You look very much like the one from 18 years ago in your fancy dress...... I think you look wonderful- weightloss goals are subjective- if your dr hasnt given you a goal --you should choose one where you are comfortable. Hang in there plateaus are made to be broken--i should know i have been on a 4-6 week plateau- i changed up the exercise and i am finally losing again....... dawn

Dawn, when I look at myself in the mirror I do not recognize myself either. It's incredible that I was able to have this surgery and loose 130 lbs in 10 months. The hard part begins now--maintaining. My Doc told me that anything below 200 will be fine, I am pretty comfortable at 190 but I am scared of the 10% regaining down the road which I have read so much about so I am going back to basics and take it one day at the time. Life is good!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beatriz