Lost my first BMI point!

So, I'm new here and only JUST started my weight loss journey with a scary doctor's appointment on December 29th, the day before my 38th birthday. I was on vacation until January 10th, so I decided that I would start my 1,200 calorie diet the day I got back to my regular life, on the 11th. It's been 5 days of gentle starvation now (lol, I jest, I jest) and I've lost 2 lbs and 1 BMI point! The latter is actually because I must have been right at the borderline between two points already, since I don't think that 2 lbs would change it that quickly, but still! This is the first step on what's going to be a very long journey, and I'm stoked. :)

Yay! Congratulations and welcome to the boards!

keep posting and reading. Being on OH is so helpful!

while losing weight pre-op is awesome, I suggest you put the bulk of your energy into working on the behaviours that will benefit you in the long term. And bonus, losing some weight is a welcome side effect of implementing those changes. Maybe you already are, but here are some suggestions of what I focused on, based on my clinics plan. Things like:

• de-prioritize simple carbs and junk food
• journaling what you eat in something like my fitness pal
• no drinking with meals
• cutting out alcohol
• increase water/liquid intake
• eliminating carbonated beverages
• switching to decaf

other things I believe that help, especially those of us at higher starting weights:

• make a list of the reasons you want to lose weight. Refer to it daily.
• make a list of small milestones and mini goals. For example, mine included things like: losing 10% of body weight, weight when I got married, weight when I met my husband, lowest adult weight, etc. the more mini goals you set the better. This is important for a few reasons.

1. It's awesome to reach a goal, it motivates you to keep going.
2. when, in my case, you're trying to lose over 200 pounds, eating off plan one day Might not seem to have much of an effect, since your final goal is so far off. But, if your next goal is only 5 pounds away, that off plan day can have a huge impact.

• working with a therapist/behaviourist etc, on the head stuff. I had access to a behaviourist at my clinic. If that's not an option, spend time reading up on behaviour change. You will see people constantly refer to their surgery as a tool. This is true. You need to work on the mental stuff too, why and how you reached your high weight.

the more work you do pre op, the smoother the transition to post op life will be. Going through surgery is overwhelming enough, I'm so glad I didn't also have to deal with caffeine withdrawal and decarbing and having an egg sized stomach all at the same time.

These boards are awesome. I can't emphasize enough the importance of the advice from the vets on here. You might not like what you hear sometimes, but know it comes from a genuine wish to see you succeed. Keep reading and posting!

Hey, thanks for the welcome and for your response. :)

Thanks for the advice, too. I've literally already made every change on your first list: no junk food or simple carbs, I'm on my fitness pal, I don't drink with meals anymore, no alcohol, more water (and green tea), no pop, and actually no coffee, either. I'd meant to cut it out before, anyway, so - boom.

As for your other suggestions, thanks! I know it's only been a week, but I'm actually sort of surprised that I'm not finding it more difficult. I think I probably will more like three weeks in, but in the past when I've made other big decisions or changes (leaving a boyfriend, quitting smoking, etc), I've always gone cold turkey and been able to stick to it. I'm extremely stubborn and I'm not afraid of my willpower giving out on me. I think I always knew in my heart that I would find a rock bottom, a day when I would look at myself in the mirror and say, okay, this is the limit. I refuse to get any bigger than this. Having someone else (my doctor) suggest WLS brought that day on. Somehow, in my twisted perception of things, I always thought that WLS was only for those people who need cranes to get off the couch or something and that I was nowhere near that point. I mean, I walk about 5 km per day, swim for an hour 1-2x per week, play on occasional sports teams, etc. I had no idea that people with BMIs under 40 ever got this sort of surgery. Then again, I also had no idea that I weighed as much as I did, so - I'm ruefully coming to terms with the notion that my self-perception was off, much as I hate to admit it. But I'm here now, and doing the thing, and committing to doing it more or less forever, so... there it is. I'm getting my head on straight now.

I have to do this on my own for the first six months. I can't afford a therapist and I live in a place that doesn't speak my language, and I just don't want to do this in a second language. If I can get down 4 more BMI points in the next six months, I'll be moving back to my home province and will hopefully then qualify for the surgery at a hospital there (they require your BMI to be between 40-55), and that whole deal comes with counselling and groups and information sessions, etc. I just have to get myself there, and with this community's support, I think I can do it! So thanks again for answering! :)

That's awesome. And I hear you on the "not as difficult part" it's like once I made the decision, the switch was flipped and there was no looking back.

Welcome! It sounds like you're off to an amazing start. :)

I read the whole thread. It sounds like there are a whole bunch of mitigating factors at play. Are you planning on moving post surgery anyway? Because if so, you may want to consider, depending on which is your home province, moving pre-surgery. Some provinces really have better surgical programs and after care, shorter wait times, etc... and the after care does not follow you from province to province, so the onus will be on you to find a doctor who understands your specific needs, and make sure you get the follow up you need. Just a thought.

Welcome! I'm excited to follow your journey. :)