How badly do you want it?

Oh yeah, I never expected this to be easy.

It's interesting that you say maintenance is easier in the long run. So many people say losing is easy and maintenance is hard. When does maintenance become easier?

Good question.  Maintenance is really much harder than weight loss in the beginning when you are trying to set new goals and adjust your eating to your new reality.  Eventually, it becomes second nature.  You still have to keep your eye on everything, but it becomes more about doing what you have already done and following good habits that you have already grown into.  I still eat protien first. I still weigh myself every day and so on, but it takes less of my time and effort now, it is more on outo pilot. However, I stay within a weight range, and if I ever go over it, I go right back to doing everything that I did during weight loss.  I think of of maintenance as being one track and weight loss as being another track.  My weight determins which track I take on a daily basis. 

I'm grateful I've been able to concentrate on this process for the past 8 months. I set myself up to have few distractions, if any, and am succeeding just as you describe. I agree: This is a full-time job for me for now, and I'm good with that.

It works if you work it; it sorta works if you sorta work it, and it doesn't work if you don't work it.

That last line is fantasitc and so true. 

Last line is perfect! 100% TRUE for 100% success.

Thanks again for dose of reality.  I'm moving into month 7 at about 70% of EWL -- older and fraught with injuries, but working with a PT and trainer who understand that I must be able to exercise in order to get to 100% -- which is very hard because I have absolutely no concept of that means, since I have always been overweight.

My husband lets practically nothing stand in the way of his gym time.  I admit, I am struggling with exercise, but I know that diet alone cannot get me to goal.  For those of us with injuries and other chronic conditions that limit our abilities -- there are ways to up your activity levels -- it's just slow going sometimes and very frustrating (LOL, not to mention painful!). 

I was at the sporting goods store a couple of weeks ago and picked up a couple of new Nike  Just Do It shirts for working out.  Anything that works!  Though I must confess that in doing squats this week, the PT told me to squat far enough that my butt just touches the chair, then come up -- so running through my mind is "Kiss my a**"" every time my butt hits the chair!   I don't have to like it, I just have to do it!

Amen!  Thanks for sharing your perspective...sharing a surgeon I pretty much have the same mentality as you.  It's hard work, but it's worth it!

At the support group last night, I told him that he was going soft in his old age.  :)  A new sleever, (less than a week out) wanted to eat clam showder for a special occasion and he did not have a fit.  I had one for him.  :)   I think Gabriella has made his soft(er).  It's a good thing the rest of us VETS are there to guide the newbies.  I remember when I first had the VSG, he would fly off the handle if I so much as mentioned blueberries.  :)  I hope he knows how much I appreciate him and his "toughness" and I hope he never ever goes PC and all rainbows and unicorns or I might just deck him.  :)

I appreciate Dr. C's toughness (one reason why I chose him) and the resolve of his patients - especially you! What a wonderful example of success you are. No Clam Chowder for me! The funny thing is that I never eat it and don't like it much - I just figured that I would be on soft foods (the shower is June 29th) and that an ounce or two of that would be my only option. Good to know it's not, and looking at the 'mini menu' now, I can make a better choice, like a small slice of Ahi tuna. Thank you for looking out!

 

Well said....
I being a newbie am stricking to my Drs orders to the "T"
I will continue to goal and beyond because I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired..
Old habits are hard to break, I know for myself that I am a passive/ aggressive, emotional eater but more than that I a happy. Sad, frustrated and bored eater...
This surgery saved my life, it was a hard, heart wrenching decision to make cause nasty, evil voices in my head never see the positive for me...
I am changing...6 weeks out, I see it, more importantly my hubby sees it,( he's 3 days out) he told me so today, he said I see the change in attitude you wanna be out, your happy, positive( even as I type I get choked up) I feel it to my very core...
I wish us all success, let go of the past, what's done is done, embrace that you are worthy, that you deserve to be healthy and happy, dont let old habits sneak in, cause there gonna try and try, again and again...