If you have over 200 lbs to lose, I'm looking for you!

My highest weight was 450. started the WLS journey at 434 and had VSG on 11/2/10 at 410 and now at 350.  But.... the old habits are coming back so strong.  I guess it is what is called head hunger.  I eat so much more than others here state they eat.  So I amy starting back on the protein shakes, got out the WLS book from my program and am, re reading it.  Amazing the new information that is contained in those pages that I seemed to have missed before.  Maybe all of it being so new and overwhelming , or maybe it was the drug induced brain "fart" that I missef so much after surgery.  Just could not comprehend it all so fast.  Oh well this is a journey and I am still trucking along.  Thanks to OH family for support.  Maja

I've found myself going back to the drawing board lately myself. I think it's because we were so focused on some many other things in the beginning. Now, we know what's important and we're trying to do it. That's all that matters.

We're all in this together!

I just want to say my hat's off to all of you with the achievements you've already made and the ambitious goals you have set for yourselves. Gosh, I am in awe! Well done all of you!!!!

Thanks so much!

My highest was 360, I'm down to 347 now as I was doing a pre-op to prep for lapband surgery but have since changed my mind and am going to get the VSG instead (hopefully within the next month or so).

All of you who're on the 200+ lbs to lose path are truly an inspiration to me, it is absolutely daunting to think of the time it'll take and the commitment to make these permanent behavioral changes, but I know we can do it!

I've been heavy my whole life (you can read about it in my profile), but I did have one brief glimmer of the thin life when I got down to 190 about 11 years ago.  During that time, I was doing pretty well with developing some really healthy habits.  Here's a brief list of what I was doing and wish I had continued to do:

1.) Put a bottle of water on your nightstand when you go to bed at night so it's there staring you in the face when you wake up... that bottle of water symbolizes your commitment for today (when you wake up) to be a good day.

2.)  Set your alarm for early enough to get up and complete your chosen exercise, whether it be a walk around the block or getting to the gym.  As soon as the alarm goes off, drink tha****er on your nightstand so you're hydrated and ready for your work out.

3.) Constantly push yourself when it comes to exercise... if you're not sweating and having to breathe rhythmically to keep from getting out of breath (breathe in over the course of a step with each foot, breathe out over the course of a step with each foot), you're not doing enough.

If you're looking for a way to make your workouts a bit more fun and love music,in this thread I gave a detailed breakdown on how I put my playlists together so the music will align with my cadence/intensity.  If you're in a work out slump, try it out... it might be just the project to get you back on track.

Good luck to everyone and I look forward to keeping up with you all (expect friend requests from me)!

I LOVE this...and the approach is so much like the way I'm attacking things. I started out dancing, and even though I'm walking a lot now and lifting weights, I need music to make it through. I play games with myself to get my water in. I take my vitamins with 32 oz of water each morning. I have so many to take that it make it easier to get it all down.

I am learning, just like you have, that building habits and routines is key to being successful in this journey.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and your response!

I'm not on twitter but I am on facebook.  Also friended you on here.  I'm so close to my 100 lbs total loss right now I can almost "taste" it - pardon the pun.  But these next 2 lbs are being really stubborn.  I'd love to chat with you....  

I know what you mean about that last couple of pounds...but we'll get there. I'd to stay connected to see how things are going for you.

Just checked out your blog...  Nice job.

For me I don't question whether or not I will lose the 200+ pounds I have to lose, because I know if I change my behaviors and my head I will. BUT I struggle with my head every day and surgery had NOT changed that so I DO worry all the time I won't get there, and get frustrated by the continued urge to eat.

I am a compulsive over eater. I can do well sticking to low carb after years of practice, but I still want to eat (low carb foods) all the time or eat until I'm STUFFED daily. That point is a lot sooner now with VSG, but the behavior and the urges are still there, and still making me feel terrible and worried that I won't make it.

If something tastes good, regardless of whether it's low carb, low fat, low calorie or all of the above, I WILL want to over eat it. I also want to eat all the time, and monthly I get a bottomless pit feeling that feels like it can't be filled. When I'm not on my cycle it's still bad, just not AS bad.

I know it's mostly head hunger, but I have no idea what to do about it. So in the mean time I manage it by cooking up very low calorie/carb high protein foods in bulk and have them around at all times.

So that even if I stuff my face all day long, with eating something totally dense like my chicken salad (135 calories per cup) that I can only actually FIT half a cup in and I'm full for at least an hour, but I'm only eating 70 calories per meal, then if I eat 10 times in the day it's not as much damage. But I am still feeling bad at having eaten 10 times in a day!

That's my story..