Nik's "After and After" pic

Every year I have a time honored tradition. I like to embarrass the hell out of my kids with crass St. Patrick's Day t-shirts that are tight fitted. :) (I don't get out much)

This year I bought a shirt that was the direct opposite of one I wore in 2010 when I was 2 years post-op, so I decided to do a side-by-side. One thing became very apparent in looking at the two pictures together.

I may not be the slimmest long-term post op in the crowd but... I AM MAINTAINING!!! Lookit:

And this without depriving or starving myself and without working out a million hours a day. I suppose if I wanted to try to be smaller I should do those things but I actually like my figure. I'm curvy. I'd like my figure MORE if there wasn't so much loose skin attached to it but we all know how that goes. Sigh.

You inspire me in many ways....this is just another way....You look great!

You look slimmer in the new pic than the old!~!   Regardless, you look hot in both

Y'know about five different people lately told me I look like I am losing weight. None of them know I had WLS. I wonder.

So toxic is the scale though that I very rarely go near it. That may or may not be a wise decision but I generally stay away from it, it stays away from me and all the world's children are happy.

I think you look even better in this year's picture.  Healthier overall and slimmer.

I, too, am very proud of maintaining my weight without starving or depriving myself, or having to work out like a fiend.  I think it is a huge accomplishment (and answers the biggest pre-op question/fear of "will I really be able to keep my weight under control?") I confess that I am actually looking forward to going back to using the elliptical machine and some of the other equipment that I have not been able to use the last couple of years because of my knee... but I am never going to be a "gym rat" or someone *****ally LIKES to exercise.  

Happy upcoming St Patrick's Day!

Lora

Do you do anything special to celebrate? I found a super easy crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe on the Food Network website so we'll have that and some Irish soda bread with Irish butter. And I'll wear green on Sunday although methinks I'd do well NOT to wear this shirt to church...

I'm approaching maintenance and I'm wondering how to maintain without working out like a fiend. I've lost best when I've really worked out and I'm wondering if that will hold true in maintenance. I work out about 4-6 days a week for 1-2 hours at a time and I assume I will have to keep that up for the rest of my life in order to not regain. I don't want to starve or deprive myself either! 

Just wondering Nik, what does the hand signal mean?? 

Uhhhh...."what's up"?

I didn't know it had to mean anything. I was just posing. :)