Ticker weight loss in your signatures so inspiring

Wow Karen, your story is so inspirational!  You look amazing, and so happy to hear that you feel great.  That makes such a difference.

I want to feel good again, and am so looking forward to starting this journey. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

Take care,

Kathy

my surgeon's office never gave me a goal weight, just the averages (70% of excess weight or whatever).   I started at 373 but lost some on my own before starting the program (I think I was 330-340 when I first met with the team).  During the psych interview, I was asked how much I wanted to weigh, and I told him I'd be elated if I even got down to 200, but then said 199 just so I could be in the 100's again.  He said that was reasonable.

once I got down to the low 200's, the dietitian asked me what my weight goal was.  I was on a roll at the time, so I said 170.  She said that should be possible if I really kept at it.

once I got down to 170, I readjusted my goal to 150, which seemed like a pipe dream even to me.  It's in my normal BMI range.  The dietitian told me that was an unrealistic goal - that not many of their patients make it to a normal BMI, esp those who started out super morbidly obese, like I did.   Yet here I am...

I never did anything drastic to get that low.  I am just an extremely compliant patient.  I exercise, but I'm not a gym rat.  At 19 months out, I'm now eating 1200-1400 kcals a day (although this is recent - I was trying to keep it around 1200 for the past months.  If I didn't exercise, I'd probably need to stay at 1200).  I eat low carb, but not extremely low carb (I eat around 100 carbs a day).  You just have to find what works for you and most important, be really, really diligent about it.  I rarely go off plan.

Hi Catwoman,

Wow, you've done so well and lost so much, and kept it off. I'm so happy for you.  It must feel wonderful to set goals and meet them.  I'm so tired of constantly failing at weight loss.

I've never been a gym rat and never will be, but I do love riding my bike and swimming.  I used to love walking but not for the past 4 or 5 years. I'm hoping I'll love walking again when some of the weight comes off and it's less painful. We have some beautiful nature trails in the area  that I used to hike all the time, but I couldn't do them this past year  because I needed  to stop too often to rest and when I did, the mosquitoes swarmed me.  I'm really looking forward to being able to walk without stopping to rest, so I can go back on the trails again.

I do plan to be compliant and stay on plan.  I know it won't be easy.  I'll do my best, and come here when I need support.

Take care,

Kathy

I think you're right about diligence being the key,catwoman. I am a goody two shoes my husband says. I follow the rules even in maintenance 99.9 percent of the time. I think that and posting and being accountable here has kept my weight where it's at even when I had foot surgery and was unable to exercise. I still weigh and measure my foot and step on the scale myself firest thing every morning. When I couldn't be as active I adjusted food choices to make up the difference.

I'm like pretty much everyone else here - my surgeon wouldn't set a weight for me, he didn't think it was healthy to give a goal weight, it was more about getting healthy.

I used this site but I honestly have no idea if it's accurate so full disclosure on that one. I know I found it on here at some point. https://www.realize.com/do-i-qualify/potential-results

I started at 377 pounds and I picked 175 as my stretch goal just out of nowhere and when I hit that I chose to keep going since it didn't seem to be stopping and then I kept going. I blew my goal out of the water. I'm at 140 right now. 

I decided a while ago I could do whatever I wanted to and lose however much I wanted to. The key has been to seriously not let up and always stick to the food plan. I never have 'cheat days'. This isn't a diet - it's my life from now on. Lose ALL that you can the first year or two.

Thank you, Melinda (such a pretty name!),

I can't fathom how amazing you must feel now.  From 377 to 140; wow!!!

I won't do cheat days either; I would be too afraid it would be the start of a downward spiral for me.  I know I"m not perfect and if I do slip up, I hope I will be able to forgive myself and move on and not lose all momentum.

Thank you for the link;I'll check it out.

Take care,

Kathy

My surgeon's office didn't give me a goal- so I set it at the top of normal BMI.... I have surpassed that both in number and Body Fat percentage- as I had mine tested...

I echo JB - LOSE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN THE FIRST YEAR!!. Not that you can't continue to lose but it gets exponentially harder... Be a machine...as I heard someone here once say....I believe it was Grim...

I think most will agree on - low calorie, low carb, high protein lots of fluids. ....

My Doc's Mantra always was: Protein first, then veggies and then IF you have room fruit, then carbs. Never says 100% no to carbs but put it at the end of the list. Honestly in the beginning there is barely room for getting your protein in, let alone veggies.

Set mini-goals and as you hit them, set another...

I weigh myself daily, record once a week on Wednesday- my day of surgery and that helps keep me accountable..you just can't get crazy there will always be fluctuations...

I hadn't been below 300lbs in 20 years...I am now 165.... I thought the same thing before surgery...I'll just be happy if I reach ...????. My first appt. at the surgeon's office, surgeon's wife who is a Social worker said to me - "Why wouldn't you want to get to a normal BMI?" I was so afraid to dream it could happen....but why wouldn't I?

Make this your job, and keep pushing through. It is work, but well worth it...

Hi NYMom,

You've done so well;you must feel so good now.  You're right, I'm afraid to dream too big.

So veggies and fruits don't count as carbs with this?  When people on the forums say carbs, they mean to cut out processed carbs like bread and pasta, or starchy carbs like potatoes and yams, and not whole carbs from non starchy veggies and fruit? 

Thanks,

Kathy

Yes in general people are talking about all starches including bread, potatoes, rice.... most veggies are OK but realize you won't have much room for those in the beginning... always need to get your protein in first. Most people eat fruit sparingly while losing, as it is still higher carb even though they are natural sugars. Berries have the least sugars of fruits...  That is why I mentioned my Doc's mantra...it kinda does go in that order...protein and veggies and then IF you have any room... and in the beginning that is a big IF ....... I ate a carb while losing like a piece of a piece of toast usually, or if I was eating at someone else's house....I don't want to make like I never put a carb in my mouth, but it was not a regular occurrence.

Thank you for clarifying.  I can't wait to start this journey.  I start Optifast in 8 more days! 

Kathy