What do you do when you reach your goal??

Ok, I know that everyone is at different places in their journey but nobody ever tells you what to do when you reach your goal..... why don't we talk about it??

I am not to mine yet, I am 7lbs away from my goal and wonder what do I do when I get there.. I am so close to where I want to be (other than I want some more skin removed and the girls replaced) but I don't know what to do next. I will also say that I am terrified of gaining the weight again, I have started running and I bought a bike so I can start entering mini triathlon(my first is a aqua bike in April, 200m swim and a 10.3 mile bike ride) but what is next?? Anyone have that answer??

Thanks,
Stella

Stella,

 

I am right behind you – somewhat. I am close to my original ULTIMATE goal (about 5 pounds away), but I have at least one or two more weight goals. One would put me at exactly half the weight I began this journey on (around 8 pounds away), and then second is about a few pounds lower then that – which will give me about 10 pounds to “play" with.

 

As for being terrified about gaining weight, I have that fear too. That’s why I am going a little below my ultimate goal. I know I will need that wiggle room. During the entire journey I’ve had this feared, and it’s kept me focused. I hope I never lose that fear.

 

All I know is that there will be good days, and not so good days. That’s how life is. I need to constantly remember where I came from, and how I feel today.

 

CONGRATS on the Triathlon training. I am very impressed. If you can do the mini-triathlon then focus on doing a regular triathlon. That’s what I am doing with my running. My ultimate goal is to run a marathon. But like weight los****ting the ultimate goal isn’t what’s important. Just having the goal, and working towards it IS. And if it take you YEARS to obtain it, who cares. Like that tortoise, Slow and steady wins the race.

 

As for getting skin removed, and having the GUYS replaced, I may look into that myself (when I am stable for at least a year).

My friend, you've always been an inspiration. I can't tell you how proud I am of you, and your success!!

Thank you Tom, you are one of the people that I truly look up to. I have always been so impressed with your determination and drive. I guess I just feel like we don't talk enough about how to maintain and how we move on and take the next step.. it is always about how to get there not what to do when we get there. I guess I want people and myself to really think about it.... I too don't want to lose my fear of regain I just want to have a healthier way of thinking about it, I don't want it to rule me and make me freak out at every fluctuation in the scale and freak if I eat one bad thing.. I guess sometimes the mental junk gets the best of me..

I am so excited about doing some races this summer, I am doing them for me! I have even been making my daughter run on the weekends... it is funny to hear her complain about running a mile, she is a kid for goodness sake, she is only 5 so I know it is far but it is good for her to start out with a healthy habits. I am going to do the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon and the Avon Walk this year so I have so much to train for.. I sometimes feel like that is my new addiction, but it is a healthy one ??? 

As always, thank you Tom for your words of encouragement, you are great!

Stella

oops and LOL about getting the boys fixed.. cute!

everyone is different, but I've worked at learning how to maintain my weightloss----unfortunately, it is true for most of us that the further out from wls we get the more we do have to work at it---, I've worked at having a healthier relationship with food --- I believe I was not able to work on this until I began to expeience real hunger again --- and I have also used this "at goal" time to get used to experiencing the fun and joy of life that comes with being healthy and comfortable in my body for the first time in my life!  I had plastics a few years after my Rny, after I'd maintained my goal weight for a while, but after 8 years, this is still a journey....

For me I am still not comfortable in my new body, it kinda freaks me out when I get called skinny since I do not see myself that way.. I wonder how long it takes for you to see yourself as others see you?

I will be honest I do get hungry and I do have cravings but I try to make things that will satisfy my cravings that are healthier for me, I do fall off the wagon some days.. but I try to get right back on the next day and realize that naturally skinny people eat like crap some days and the world does not come to an end. It is hard to wrap my head around it sometimes but I am getting better at it. I guess the addiction is never gone...

Thank you for your feedback, I hope and pray that 8 years out I am at goal still !

Thanks,

Stella

I am trying to figure this out too! I am below my original goal (170) and 2nd goal (154 normal BMI) but am still hoping for another 10 to give me wiggle room for the regain my surgeon said will come further out. (I'm 13 months post op). I just started seeing a weight management therapist since my goal right now is to establish a healthy relationship with food since I have NEVER had that.

If you don't mind me asking, who are you using?? If you would rather send me an e-mail that is fine...

[email protected]

I would be interested in hearing how you found a weight management therapist and if insurance covers it..

Thanks,

Stella

Stella I had been looking for a psyhcologist who specialized in weight related issues and asked my surgeon when I saw him for my 1 yr follow up.  He had just recently started a relationship with this clinical psychologist- her name is Dr Erika January- her office is in the medical arts building at Overlook Hospital in Summit.  It is covered by insurance- and she takes all insurances- she is in a new practice so they were still waiting for all the paperwork to go through with Cigna but said that was the only insurance she was still working on. Her phone number is 908-522-5794

Thank you very much for sharing, I think I might give her a call. I feel like the mental part is what can end up making or breaking things in the end.

Thanks!
Stella