Funny realization.

200 pounds was overwhelming to me, too!! It honestly took about 3-4 years for my brain to catch up with that reality. This is my new normal now. I am determined NOT to screw this up!! I now know I am worth this fight.

Keep up the good work!!

Omg 200 pounds was so hard for me to wrap my brain around. It still blows my mind. I did the same thing and concentrated on short term goals because if I thought about 200 pounds I would tell myself there was no way I could accompli**** I spend the first 3 months telling myself that I couldn't do it. The next 3 months I spent trying to convince myself I could lol.

I do think those of us with a higher BMI go through a period of omg this is not going to work period as well as a OMG I'm the only person that the surgery just didn't stick to right!?!? It's just hard to adjust our mindsets. 

But you can totally do it!!

yes!  I was convinced I was the only person this surgery wouldn't work for!

I set my goal weight randomly, I picked a number that I thought would have me in a certain size (12). I would need to lose 160# to do it. I never even considered losing down to a 'normal' bmi- partly because the idea of needing to lose ~200# seemed overwhelming, more so because, with my knowledge of surgery/success rates, it seemed slightly unrealistic. I know that's it's possible- but it just didn't align with my goal. 

The 160# was daunting enough. These few I told about surgery would ask how much I was looking to lose-- and when I'd tell them 160, they'd say no way- you dont need to lose that much. That made me a bit more ashamed since in reality I knew I should be losing even more than that. 

Like you mini goals were my saving grace, when I broke it down to little parts it seemed much more attainable. Under 300, 250, 237, 199, were my mini goals. Since I'm moving at snails pace I set another mini goal of 189. I'm happy with myself if I stay where I am, it would like to lose more (despite the cries of all around me not to).

I love the idea of mini-goals.  During my psych eval last week we talked about what my goal weight is - when I said 160 she asked me why I picked that number.  I had to stop and think about it....truth is that's the number where I'm not considered 'overweight' for my height of 5'8"...other than that it's really an arbitrary number

  
With my initial banding, I got down to 232, and truth be told I felt great, I had energy...I could move without pain in my joints.  She asked me how I would feel if I got down to that size again, and I told her I'd be thrilled.   I think that the bariatric team probably doesn't want people to set the bar super high, just to end up disappointed that they don't attain it and I also think that she is right when she says that BMI is only part of the story....it doesn't take into account muscle mass and frame (my incredibly fit brother-in-law is considered Obese because he's short and is all muscle!).  

So, for me, I'll be doing mini-goals....on my journey downward with the ultimate goal of feeling HEALTHY!   

my dietitian also told me that a normal BMI was unrealistic for someone who started out super morbidly obese, and I read somewhere that only about 10% manage to make it there, but there are a lot of us on OH who have made it.  I can't speak for the others, but getting down to around 200 (give or take) wasn't that hard, and I probably could maintain that fairly easily, but getting down to a normal weight took a lot of work (and will probably take a lot of work to stay here!) - but it IS possible!

I knew you guys would get it! 

There's a funny duality to this journey. On one hand I need to ignore the weight I've lost so far and how much I need to lose still, and focus on the next milestone only. While at the same time, reminding myself of what I've already done, to convince myself I can go the distance.

Hey guys!  

It is Christmas Eve! Everyone just opened presents.

I am finding solice here with my OH friends...  

I enjoy reading everyone's posts and the banter back and fourth.

I love reading everyone's mini goals!

While I am not at the RNY stage. 

I have been told repeatedly that the Opti fast is not about weight loss.  How it is more about shrinking our livers. 

My weight loss is minimal so far but I look at my getting out of (decades). Started at 283, went down to 276 at beginning of Opti fast.  Now at 265... Just want to pop into the 250s by RNY.

I seem to look at where I was @ 265. Oh yes... that was my weight  when my husband died.  Just want to get to 240 (the weight I maintained for 15 years).

I am 5 8 in I have a very large bone structure. My weight loss team wants my goal weight @ 190. I am hoping for 175 which may not be realistic. That was my weight at 25. Smoking hot in a bikini.  Will I ever be smoking hot like that again? Never!

Age and gravity has taken their toll.  

My goal right now is to become healthier and increase mobility.

Day 11 of Optifast....

RNY 11 days 

Mahalo

Keep up the great work 

I like the idea of mini goals too. I've been able to get down to 225 twice in the last 6 years. So my first milestone will be to be under 220. Then one-derland. Then every 10 lbs less.  I am not sure what to set as a goal weight. I think I want to be in the 120s. I'm 5'3" and fairly small boned. I can fit a small Fitbit band and my ring size is a 6.5. My centre said 170 was realistic. But they clearly don't realize how much of a help this site is. All of you that have exceeded the expectations of your centre and reached a normal BMI make me feel like this is more than possible. 

I recently posted something similar in another thread, but feel it fits here too: you can do whatever you set your mind too. There are averages, but why do we have to be average?

I went through all the same thoughts. I started out at a BMI of just over 50. I was 333 lbs. My surgeon thought I could get down to around 200. I decided I wanted to weigh less than 200, so I set my goal at 185. Deep down I wanted to get to 164 as that put me at a normal BMI, but just didn't believe it was possible. 

Well, I am now 10 months post-op and I weigh about 147lbs. I am almost 20lbs below my threshold for "normal" BMI. And I feel great. 

Set your goals for what you want to achieve and just go for it!!