Need encouragement!

Holy moly! Please share your diet/exercise plan! Your stats are mind blowing!! Congrats!

....and in 13 months?! How old are you? Wow!

Do you mind sharing why bypass is not a option?

Sure. I am cash pay. I cannot risk doing a surgery that is more invasive...higher risk of complications that insurance will not cover. My insurance doean't have a bariatric rider. 

I will be most happy to encourage you.  You can lose as much weight as you choose.  The surgery will make it possible, but not automatic or easy.  You will have to do the work, but if you follow the rules, you can get to a normal healthy weight.

I was 385 pounds when I started the weight loss process.  My bmi was 60.  I am now 162 pounds with a BMI of 24. 

You can get to any weight you want but you have to follow the rules.  In my thinking, weight loss surgery is a treatment for obesity, but it is not a cure.  We need to be aware and be managing our obesity for the rest of our lives.  But the weight loss surgery makes it possible -- not easy, but possible.

I think most people stop losing because they get complacent, and start cheating, and don't keep the commitment long term.  I view maintenance as just another plan with a few more calories and a little more flexibility.  I will never be done - even after reaching my goal weight, I'm still on my plan every day.

Some things that really helped me are:

• I always eat dense protein first - then when I have a little treat, I have limited room and it keeps me from overdoing.
• I cook interesting, healthy foods to help me resist the pizza and lasagna and chocolate cake, etc.
• I keep my diet low carb because carbs cause cravings for me.  So I'm really careful about my carb consumption.
• During weight loss, I weighed and measured everything I ate.  Now in maintenance, I find I can manage my weight without weighing and measuring.

So don't be discouraged by the averages.  The average is only an average.  Many do better, many do worse.  But the choice is yours.

Carol

Amazing job! May I ask your height and how long it took to hit 160? Exercise? I am encouraged!!

I am 41, 5'6" and started at 288.  I am now hovering at around 175lbs, so that is about a 113lb loss so far.  I would like to get to 160, but I am having trouble losing more.  I have been stalled for quite some time, but I admit that I am probably eating enough for maintenance, which is why I haven't lost more.  If you put your mind to it, you can certainly do it with the sleeve.  Good luck to you. 

You arendoung great!! How far out are you? Do you eat carbs? Exercise? Great loss!

That's a number he feels safe telling you.  If he said you'd loose 150 and you only lost 100 you'd be sad.  Reverse that and your ecstatic.  It's an average.  If you eat whole untruly occurring foods, limit the carbs to as low as you can, and drink the heck out of your water you very well may beat his number.  Also don't scoff at 100lbs lost thats a HUGE amount off you and think of all the things you will be able to do with that amount off you.  If you don't have a good concept of what 100lbs looks like find old pictures of yourself, head to the store and stack 100lbs of meat in your cart and then pu**** around.  You'll see 100lbs is a lot, but you can always loose more. 

I'm 5'3.5" and was 282 lbs.  I've lost 111 lbs so far.  And I say SO FAR, because I'll continue to lose if I stick to my plan.  It's the best thing I've EVER done for myself.  You got this.  Just stick to your plan.