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Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed response, I really appreciate that. I am less than a few days away from surgery and am trying to learn as much as I can! Congratulations on maintaining your weight loss for so long and thank you sticking around this forum to be an inspiration to others.
Hi Tee,
Check your settings here -
You can add your before and after in your profile, let me know if you need help. LOL I so understand about the before photo. I could not for the life of me find one of me as I ran when someone pulled the camera out. I finally found one and it's been copied and pasted so many times it's of very poor quality LOL
I have sent you a PM (private message) 
HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125
RW:190 - CW:130
Hi Kathy - thank you! and I hope to be here too! Re my before pix. I haven't located to post it yet, and from what I can see, my profile is public. Is there another setting to make photos public? Let me know what I need to do. Thank you!
A couple of things. I DECIDED. There was no plan B. I burned the boats and said I'm truly going to give this all I have and that meant I did the mental work too - everything. Mind, body and spirit. I changed my thinking, not just my body. I think for most of us, a lot of our weight began with emotional eating (maybe it still IS). I went to a therapist and worked on my past. I made peace with things that I couldn't change. I found other behaviors that were unhealthy that I also addressed. Weight is just the one that is the most visible, in most cases. So that I think made the difference. I took the process seriously because it was such a big step and was going to be a permanent CHANGE to my body's insides. I followed the eating plan meticulously in the beginning. To the LETTER! Now I kind of know what works for me and so that's what I do. Protein is still a daily priority in my eating and I take plenty of supplements too to ensure I get all the nutrients I need even though I eat like a bird.
There were two people in my life that had the surgery and I was really inspired by them.... sadly both have gained weight back. One, MORE, the other a good chunk, but it's due to other health issues. And that was my other motivations. I did not have any health issues besides being overweight. I faced the grim truth that would probably not remain the case for too much longer given the way I was going. I was a single mom and wanted to be there for my child till I was an old woman, if I could help it - she only had ME, so I needed to be my best me. My workout fit in with that part of it. I had a pretty good idea that my skin was not going to pop back - my mother wasn't obese, but her stomach, after two children was REALLY REALLY bad. After my daughter, so was mine. I literally had horizontal and VERTICAL stretch marks... all the way up to under my bust! Very thin and fairly dry skin. I greased up like a holiday turkey during my pregnancy hoping to NOT get them, but to no avail. So since I was fairly resigned that my skin was going to be pretty bad, I decided to get my body as good as I could through exercise. I engaged a personal trainer and went to the gym 5 days a week, seeing him 3 of those days. It wasn't easy but it was easier with a trainer. Having that accountability partner made the difference. I did that all the way down. Now, as I mentioned in my profile, I need more consistency. I have back problems with sciatica (great! always something lol) and so sometimes, the last thing in the world i want to do is exercise - my body HURTS! But I try to do something. I wear a fitbit and 10K steps is my minimum goal. When i'm out and doing as I should be, I easily get over 20K. I move around a lot just in my ordinary life. I hope that helps a little bit.
I am still figuring out what workout is my best plan because I just don't like the gym that much. I do love yoga though, and I love zumba and other dance. I think the main key is finding something that you enjoy doing and doing it consistently.
Many of us women do not make ourselves a priority - we must. I always think about what they tell you in the airplane. Put on your air mask, then your child's. You can't take care of someone else, if you aren't taking care of yourself. That stuck with me. Am I perfect - heck no, but my goal is to continuously make progress towards my goals. and if i have a bad day, I'm allowed to begin again the next day with a clean slate - there's no beating up allowed. Just start again.
Hi Tee,
I went to your profile to check out the before photo and it was set to private. I hope to see it soon!
HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125
RW:190 - CW:130
Hi Tee,
You look AMAZING! Kathy here from 2004! We hope to see you here often
HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125
RW:190 - CW:130
Hi ThirdTry,
Try to focus on the basics it really helps. Here is a list I created maybe it will help
Planning/Preparing
Remember when we were preparing for surgery? How many meetings, classes and such did we attend? We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success. And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods. Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every bad carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies, grains and fruits.
Journaling
Get back to journaling. This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life. Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating. It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband. It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food. Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL
Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker. Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.
Goals/Rewards
Make a list of goals for yourself. Make them realistic and small. Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein.
Food
In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat?, calories, and sugar. Important, vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan).
Water
Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea? I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass. So I was either pushing to be diabetic or get cancer. I found once I started carrying a bottle of water around 24/7 (yes had one at my bedside) I lost the cravings for the sugar and I KNOW those artificial sweeteners are not good for me. Look I am old and if you add up all the artificial sweeteners I have consumed I am sure I am at the rat in the lab getting cancer threshold.
MOVE!
I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what, I kept moving. If I could not go to the gym I would walk. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lifting weights. When I stopped, the weight started coming back. So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV. Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.
Support
If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group.
Keep me posted on how you are doing.
HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125
RW:190 - CW:130
I'm an old-timer, too. More than 15 years. I get the weekly email but rarely log on. I did great for a
long time, but have put back 40 pounds from my low and don't seem to be able to knock off poor habits that I don't think I'm supposed to do able to have.
Still, my RNY changed my life. No regrets!
Hi kimber,
You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track. I maintained 118-125 for over 10 years after losing 200 pounds. Due to a personal tragedy I gained and hit the 190 mark a year ago. After several starts it finally clicked and I am back to goal losing 60 pounds of regain. Here are some steps that helped me and I hope they will help you too! You may have several starts and stops but don't give up, don't beat yourself up. IT WILL CLICK!!! Our tool works if we work the tool and get back to the basics we stopped doing.
Planning/Preparing
Remember when we were preparing for surgery? How many meetings, classes and such did we attend? We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success. And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods. Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every bad carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies, grains and fruits.
Journaling
Get back to journaling. This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life. Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating. It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband. It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food. Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL
Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker. Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.
Goals/Rewards
Make a list of goals for yourself. Make them realistic and small. Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein.
Food
In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat?, calories, and sugar. Important, vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan).
Water
Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea? I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass. So I was either pushing to be diabetic or get cancer. I found once I started carrying a bottle of water around 24/7 (yes had one at my bedside) I lost the cravings for the sugar and I KNOW those artificial sweeteners are not good for me. Look I am old and if you add up all the artificial sweeteners I have consumed I am sure I am at the rat in the lab getting cancer threshold.
MOVE!
I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what, I kept moving. If I could not go to the gym I would walk. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lifting weights. When I stopped, the weight started coming back. So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV. Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.
Support
If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group.
Keep me posted on how you are doing.
HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125
RW:190 - CW:130
