Would love to see the before Pic you mentioned posting!! Thanks for the reply to my question. 

Always fun to see you here, Heidi, and thank you for coming back to inspire newbies.  I'm sure it's much appreciated.  Good to see you so happy and busy in your new life.

Thanks, I always remember where I came from and what helped me achieve success.  I like to show it can be done with dedication and conviction.

These are the updates I could read all day!!!!  Good for you !! We all need to believe it is maintainable with hard work.

Just learn to eat healthy and adopt it as your new lifestyle.  It's probably easier that fried, greasy, fatty, meats and rich cheese all make me queasy.  I have a limited diet but it's a healthy one that keeps me on track and at goal.

Thanks for the support.

I know it is a daily struggle but you sure are a great example of what succeeding looks like.  I hope I am as successful as you at 11 years out.

I seriously made it my new life to eat well and treat my body better than the 20 years I spent morbidly obese.  I refuse to go back to the misery of living in a fat suit with every ounce of my body screaming to be released.  I am not perfect, I still love chocolate, and have treats, but not everyday.  So I temper the bad with the good.  When I want comfort food it's steel cut oatmeal and not a box of cookies.  I just tried to replace what got me fat with better options.  I don't eat any salty snacks except nuts, no chips etc.  I don't eat cookies or cakes unless they are off the chart worth getting sick over.  If it's healthy I eat it, if it's not, is it worth it to be sick, if yes I eat it.  I can honestly say Ben & Jerry singleheadedly got me to the point of needing wls, and it has never touched my lips since, nor has most other ice cream.  If I have it, it's a bite with some sickly sweet dessert.  I always look at the dessert but 98% of the time never order it.  I try hard to make everything I eat count.

Good Luck with your journey.

You are a great inspiration! Thank you for sharing your success with us. I am 5 years out the 31st and have had one small gain in that time, but with a lot of support I've lost that and am maintaining. It's all possible.

Thank you.

Just never go into denial or get complacent, it is what keeps you honest.  Don't hide the skinny jeans, if they get tight it's diet day.  It has worked for me to this day.  I still have 9 year old jeans that I got at goal that still fit.

Keep up the good work.

Heidi!  I love seeing posts like this!  I think it is SO IMPORTANT for those of us that have successfully lost to a "normal" weight and KEPT IT OFF for years to show others (and maybe even the general public). 

Why? Because SO MANY of us, when we disclose our decision to have surgery to friends/family/colleagues, hear "I know someone who had weightloss surgery, they lost the weight but gained it all back ..."

I, myself, have watched 3 cousins successfully lose weight and keep it off for about 4 years and then regain "some" when a desire to eat the way they used to returns. I had honest conversations with them, and they felt that they would have not regained had they stuck to their surgeons/NUT's plan but the fried/junk foods tasted "too damn good".

Being able to have honest conversations about maintainance AND regained helped me make a informed decision. Since I have PCOS I know I can pack on those pounds and regain even FASTER than a "normal" human if I get into the cheetos and bread per HONEST, HARD, and HARSH discussions with my endocrinologist and nutritionist.

I admire how you fully disclose that you have other issues, and that your diet is a bit different from other RNY'ers.  It helps people with a similar condition to yours.

I ENCOURAGE YOU to keep putting your success out there for others to see. It really is a beacon.

Much love and admiration being sent your way,

SkinnyScientist