Well meaning downers? Small rant...

First off, let me say, my whole family has been VERY supportive thru this whole process.  I've had 2 family members who had it done.  That being said, yesterday at the family Thanksgiving, I was shocked to get several 'well meaning' statements that I considered downers. Basically I kept hearing, that I shouldn't set my goals to high so I wouldn't be disapointed... whether weightloss, future job plans, health plans, etc...  that I need to remember I might not lose as much as the doctor predicted, my back might not release 100%, I need to to set such high future job and life experience plans... I know they meant well, but it was very depressing... Man, I'm expecting nothing less than the best... I wanna be a poster child for bypass.. LOL. "Man reach should exceed his grasp, or what's Heaven for?" "Shoot for the stars, you may reach the sky.. shoot for the ground.. you'll make it every time..." Dale

“A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” – Walter Gagelot F@ck em. Earl

LOL... I guess I better not tell them that.. LOL.   I think it was just the shock of hearing negativity, from people that have been very supportive.  I mean, I had one sister (who had surgery herself) who's been cautioning me not to over shoot.. but I heard it from more now..   Like I said, I"m gonna be a poster child.. LOL. Dale

Poeple love to step on other poeples dreams

Hey Dale, There are guys and gals out there that could barely walk, that are now out there running marathons. You can do just about anything you really want to do. It's all up to you, nobody else.  Good luck. Earl

Dale, simply put, if you feel any better than you do now, thats progress.  Shoot for the stars, you may only get to the moon, but damn, thats a long distance in the scheme of things.  Be well.

John

Thanks guys..  after talking to my wife, and thinking it over.. I think my wife is right...they didn't mean it to be mean to me... I think after all this time, they really think they're protecting 'little bro'.. they don't want me to set my sights too high, and then be disapointed... dang it.. LOL.. 41 years old, 6 foot 4, bigger than any 2 of them combined, and I'm still the baby brother.. LOL. Oh well...     Dale

Dale,  I am so with you.  I will be two weeks behind you, so I will be tracking your progress.  I figure when we both lose what we plan on losing, they can put us both on the same poster. I weigh 355, according to all the "charts", my goal should be 245.  My goal is 221 - my weight when I got out of the military in 1991.  And with the help of God, and the support here, I plan to make it. I will be back in a week or so.... going to Vegas in 12 hours.

Don't even think about the downers, Dale...

Get the surgery and then just diet and exercise as if you had to lose without the surgery!

You'll knock 'em Dead,

Dave

I think it's a real risk for people who don't reach their goals to say "screw it" and kinda give up.  We've all been there a bit; you're losing weight fine on a diet and then you gain weight consecutive weeks despite doing everything you can.  So you order a pizza and pretty soon you're 50 pounds heavier. So I have two somewhat contradictory rules. 1.  I will reach my goal of 19% body fat or less, and I won't make excuses. 2. If I begin to stabilize above my goal or even gain, I won't be discouraged because I didn't get there.  I will fight like crazy to maintain the progress I've made. These goals have been reinforced as I close in on the obese/overweight threshold, and withing 5% of my body fat goal (and therefore, no longer even overweight in the eyes of my full-figured Southern brethren).  I still want to be healthier and improve a bit more cosmetically.  But I won't allow any discouragement if I don't get their soon prevent me from realizing what I have and keeping it.  Life is easier, funner, cleaner, and healthier now, and I refuse to give up an ounce of it. As long as you keep sight of the progress you've made, enjoy it, and refuse to let it go, I think you can set your goal wherever you like.