Hi everyone

Hello, I joined OH a couple of weeks ago, and was told there was a non-surgical weight loss message board, but couldnt find it (i'm so bad at navigating new websights!).  Finally, I signed into my account today for the first time in over a week and saw that I had messages from nice people who had seen me on the main board and had given me the address to this board.  I still don't know how to update my profile pictures to actually show when I leave a post, but there are pictures in my profile... okay, so anyway.  im 26 years old and have lost a little over 100 pounds since november of 2005.  I did so by having a total life-style change that included exercise and smarter diet and food choices.  I'm about 15 pounds from my goal at this point and have been having problems dropping the last of it.   I wanted mostly to just stop by and say hello to everyone and to see how you all have managed or are managing to lose the weight...One thing i'm afraid of is "relapsing"  I put it like that because in a lot of ways i really do feel that i have an addiction to food...I don't want to gain all of that back...EVER. Okay thats all for now.  so, hi!!

Hi Julie,  I just read your "story" on your profile and really enjoyed it.  No, it was not to long.  Thank you so much for stopping by to say hello.  You have done what so many of us on this board hope to do -- lose a significant amount of weight without weight loss surgery.  I think it's wonderful that someone so young managed to get themselves in check and take control of an out of control situation.  Now you just have to lose your last 15 pounds, and I understand that the last 15-20 pounds are the hardest to lose for some reason.  I hope to one day in the not too distant future have that problem to contend with. About being concerned about regaining the weight because you feel you have an addiction to food.  Well, if that's true, getting involved with the people on this board may be just what you need.  Or, you may need to seek professional help or join an organization such as Overeaters Annoymous.  I'm not saying that's what you should do just letting you know that there are several options available.  You should be so proud of yourself for what you have accomplished.  Bravo!!

hi there -  i thought i'd reply because we in sort of similar positions. i am 28 and have been maintaining 110 lb loss for 4 years. in many ways, this phase is much harder than the weight loss phase for me because you do live in constant fear. eventually you just have to calm down and start to trust yourself and your body and find something that is realistic. i used to work out at least 1 hour every day while i was in grad school and i had all that extra time. now that i'm getting more into the real world, i just cannot do that anymore and its not realistic. and most importantly, you don't NEED to do that in order to maintain your weight. in the same way that being obese can rule your life, so can weight maintenance, which in many ways is just as bad. eventually you just have to get back to life. its a daily struggle for me dealing with negative thinking and cognitive distortions etc but i just try to take it 1 day at a time. weight WILL fluctuate, but i cannot imagine going back to the way i was. and i know that i will not let that happen.  i am 10 lbs higher now than my lowest but i am trying to accept that my body just seems happier here. will i ever have a "normal" BMI? doubtful. i know i will never be 130 and i'm okay with that. i'm not going to obsess over getting a certain goal weight. i'm going to aim for what is reasonable, realistic and sustainable. and i'm a helluva lot healthier than i was at 280.  it sucks that i now have to say 110 lb loss rather than 120 lb but whatever. and once you start gettng into plastic surgery....that's a whole other ball game! i would suggest doing LOTS of research and checking out the plastic surgery board on this website.  anyway welcome to the forum. support is a HUGE part of long term success, so please feel free to write in when you are struggling. or when you are not. if you do feel you have issues with addiction like behaviors around food (or any othe activity/substance) it might be helpful in the long run to seek out some professional support as well to help you deal with that. i've gone through those phases and they are no fun.

There's my buddy!

As has been said today...just being here or somewhere for support points to success in the long run! Good for you to be on this...and now the goal is to stay on it. Addiction to food can be managed.  For me, i went to Overeaters Anonymous due to binging/purging.  Clearly, that was insane behavior and required intervention. Not everyone who goes to OA is a binger, though. There are all levels of food compulsion. I think OA addresses the more spiritual side to why we gain, why we eat. It is actually NOT all about weight reduction, it is more into managing the addiction by removing character flaws that contribute to bad choices.  What is hard with groups like OA is a person is dependant on the local group and its capabilities/leadership. If there is just not a good dedicated group, it can fall apart and not be of much help to anyone. It's also a lot of work, and not many of us are willing to walk the talk. If you can join a group like TOPS or Weigh****chers, that may give you enough personal accountability with the weekly weigh -ins and perhaps journaling. hey, we do that much right here!  many of us use or have used Fitday.com and its sister site dietfacts.com that has lost of store items and restaurant items that can be dropped into fitday.  hang around we'll teach you some moves to help you get started! So glad you stoppe din.  What a wonderful success story you are.

I am a member of Overeaters Anonymous, and I am losing weight slowly, but surely, while my Higher Power keeps my food addiction in check.  I just couldn't do it any other way.  It's a very viable option, and you won't feel so alone in fighting your food addiction. Denise Phares

Julie, your profile is a huge inspiration. You also look GREAT! I'd love to be where you are some day. I can't offer any firsthand insight into maintaining such a huge weight loss at this point, but I'm sure you'll find a lot of support here. I am 22 and also have very early memories of my mom pointing out my weight. I remember her telling me: "Keep this up, and you'll weight 80 POUNDS soon." I don't remember how old I was, but I couldn't have been that old...to have 80 pounds be the pinnacle of heinous obesity.

Hey everyone, Thank you so much for all of the responses.  I will find out if there is an OA group in my area and if they are active, etc.  I was seeing a therapist for awhile, but she moved away and I've been reluctant to try to find another.  I grew up in this family where talking about your problems was just sooo taboo.  I hate that!!  I went with it for awhile, but the repression of my thoughts and feelings all came out in my eating. My addiction to food comes in many levels.  Mostly, it is the feeling of "fullness" that I crave... I am going to have plastic surgery eventually, but not for awhile.  I want to maintain my weight loss (well first I need to finish my weight loss!!) and be able to be comfortable with it and myself for awhile first. 

You looked great before but, wow what a hottie you are now!   You're doing great!  Those 15 lbs WILL come off. 

Hello JA. As some suggested here, you should seek a support group that focuses on the same issues you have with food. You'll find alot of consolation and advice there. Also you should always keep in mind the value you have now that you didn't have before your lifestyle change. It's ok to enjoy the foods you love, but you also have to know when you go overboard. Taking to account you are just 2 years out of your lifestyle change, this just the beginning for you. It will be a life long process for you, so for now continue to maintain your weight or lose slowly. We always focus on losing weight, however maintaining is just as good. This is the piece that is the most  pivotal to your long-term success. You look great and welcome to the board!

-Bud