Did you hear me shout?? ONDERLAND BABY!!!

Sounds like a sensible goal to reach.  Ever thought you'd be so close to that goal?!! 
I'm sure you have a lot of moments like this to reflect on.  It's called the "WOW FACTOR".  lol

Never FORGET where you WERE, to NEVER let your guard down! 

I thought about a lot lower number when I started but after getting the assessments at the gym they told me it would be unhealthy & unreasonable, so I'm a happy camper!  No, I never thought I would be this weight again - I weighed 195 in 1999 after losing 80ish lbs - and had always been heavier than that, so once I lose another 3 or 4 lbs I will weigh less than I have since high school!!  How 'bout that?? lol 

As for maintenance - I plan to keep going to support group meetings for the rest of my life to keep me on the straight & narrow (kind of like an alcoholic!!)  My plan is to continue to weigh every day after I reach goal - and to be ok with a 5lb fluctuation, but to keep it below that 5lb allowance (this allows for a little decadence during holidays, vacations, etc... we still have to live after all!!  :)  I also plan to keep up the exercise - the walking at the VERY least...  Finally, I have made so many great friends on here & at the support group meetings (plus hubby had the same surgery) that if I'm having a hard time I have people to talk to & help me through the rough times... 

I would love to hear any other suggestions you have though!  :)

I'm just learning from my mistakes without the proper education and support back then.  I've learned how to make it a lifestyle change now.  And I honestly love this new lifestyle!!!  I remember a couple years ago when I started to get back on track how I greived and moaned when I admitted that I will have to exercise the rest of my life.  I hated it back then, and would do anything to avoid sweating, now....I LOVE IT!!! Maybe it's a transfer addiction!  LMAO!!

Seriously though, if you look at the thin HEALTHY people, they do exercise all the time.  That's part of the lifestyle. 

Sounds like you have the right plan, keep it at the forefront and never forget, cause no matter what surgery it can come back if we're not careful.  Your 5lb fluctuation is a great allowance, keep it real and honest! 

All I can say is when we make it a lifestyle change, it's not that hard to stick to.  I honestly didn't know we could regain. Thought it was as simple as once we lose the weight, with our small pouch, we would never gain again (but the dr's never told us otherwise and most believe it back in 1990's)!  OH BOY!!  ~live n learn!!

That's part of starting the support group, to make sure newbies know the difference.

My goals are lower, but that's because I'm weight lifting and working towards a lower body fat %.  I know I will be happy with 175, I was there 3 yrs ago, but want to get into a lower BMI for less fat at my age.  I have lifestyle goals, and lean muscle mass is what I need to acheive this.  

Plus, remember I already had a tummy tuck, so I will already have that extra skin out of the way.  I'm working on toning as I go.  I do a lot of weight training and therefore I lose more in inches rather than pounds, I am getting a lot of muscle definition now.  I should be around 45-55 lbs lost at my size comparison.  (Down 6 inches in waistline & hips since August.).  I think the best way for me to tell my goal is by size, not pounds, and I will be EXTREMELY HAPPY AT A SIZE 7-8 AGAIN!!!!!!!.

Guess you could say I'm already in Maintenance mode.  LMAO

Enjoy your day at the gym, and make sure you get that heart rate pumping and get a good sweat on!!

I'd love to be a personal trainer some day, but I may turn out to be like a drill segeant at boot camp!  LMAO

Just my luck - I got to the gym and yoga was canceled due to power outage - as a matter of fact, the whole gym was closed!  I made it back after they opened but only had time for weights, so I did a 5k walk on the way home. 

Well aren't you a real go-getter!  Nothing is stopping you girl!!!   Way to go on the 5k, especially in that windy wild weather today. 

Yeah, I had to jog part of the way to keep me from FREEZING!!  lol 
I do 'interval walking' where you walk normally for a telephone pole length and then jog the next one - I am up to jogging 2 or 3 at a time now - slowly but surely I will be able to run farther & farther!!  :)) 

I also went to physio today for the first time (apparently I have arthritis in my back - I'm too young for that, thank you very much!!) anyway, she tells me I need to be careful with the yoga because I'm already TOO FLEXIBLE - how the heck does that happen???  lol  She said that once I bend so far that bone is almost hitting bone & causing inflamation...  Wow!!!