This has never been an easy journey for me.

Maybe you should get your resting Metobolic rate checked to see if you are eating enough. Mine was 1250 and I was only eating 900, so had to increase it to lose weight. And my active is only 1570, so if I eat more than that, without exercise, I will gain. Also, you might want to get your active checked to see if you are exercising to hard. If you exercise to hard you will burn gulcose instead of fat. I think they do those tests at alot of facilites. Check with your doctor or look up on the web. Just a thought. Sara

This may not be the answer you are looking for, but I will pass along something my surgeon told me as a pre-op. We discussed my eating habits, exercise prior to surgery (very little due to pain). He told me I'd never fit the insurance tables for ideal weight. He said you could not weigh 410 pounds without a metabolic problem. However he said you will be healthier and look better when you stop losing weight. I was a totally compliant patient, exercising as much as I could in the beginning, and expanding my time/speed weekly. I lost 24 lbs the first month while other heavy weights were losing 40-50 lbs or more. I was totally disappointed, but knew this was my only chance so I stuck to the program religiously, no sweets, under 20 grams of carbs, exercise, etc. Eventually I was working out at least twice a day for 45 minutes and some days three times a day. I changed my exercise routines periodically (biking, weights, cross country, walking, aerobic dancing, Curves, trainer in the gym, etc) because I'd read the body could grow use to a program. I stopped losing at 210 pounds, eating less than 1,000 calories a day and working out 2-3 times a day. I stayed at the same weight no matter what I did. I stopped exercising, I increased the exercise, did protein drinks only, fasted, etc. The weight stayed at 210. Totally frustrated I made appointments with my surgeon and PCP. They both told me my body was simply not going to allow any further loss. Both indicated it would be dangerous for me to continue to lose weight because I had almost no fat left, only muscle. As they explained if I continued to lose I would be losing muscle which would be dangerous for my health. I agreed bones were sticking out all over, but I'll feel like a failure if I stop now. Do I need to say I wasn't a happy person? I started seeing plastic surgeons to get rid of the HUGE panni hanging. I had plastic surgery which took off 22 pounds leaving me at 5'6", 188 pounds. It took some time to mentally adjust that I'd always be overweight after working so hard, but accept it I did in time. Today 90% of my pants are size 10 and most of my tops are 14/16 due to a large bust line. I'll never be skinny as the surgeon told me up front. I'm not sure why it took me so long to accept & believe it. Some of us have to accept that our metabolisms are shot and learn to love ourselves as we are today. I started my wls journey to be healthy. I was on 5 prescriptions a day with horrible blood work. I couldn't stand more than 3 minutes. Today I take no prescriptions, my blood work is fantastic and I can walk or work in my yards doing manual labor for hours on end without taking a break. I don't know when it became all about a # on the scale, but that happened somewhere along the line and almost made me lose site of the importance of my original goal to be healthy. I'd rather have some curves and feel great than continue to lose weight at the expense of my health. I am not suggesting that you give up on losing more, but suggesting that you put into your memory bank that you may never see the # you want to see on the scale. That doesn't mean we failed, it just means our bodies are programmed to be heavier. At 3 years we are once more absorbing the calories and the pouch has stretched to it's max again. All we have working for us is that dense protein will still fill our pouch. I wish you only the best. As I said in the beginning this may not be something you want to hear, but it's reality for some of us. If you stick to your program you may eventually lose some more weight, but only time will tell. It's not going to be easy at 3 years out, but I hope you reach a # on the scale where you can be happy.

if you wear size 10 pants you are skinny!

I'd recommend metabolic testing to see what your body needs for fuel, how much your burn a day and at which heart rate your body burns fat. Have you checked body fat percentage? Any improvement? The body is a weird thing. Years back when I was diagnosed with diabetes, I was put on insulin. I worked really hard to get my sugars under control. I ate the diabetic diet every day. Worked out 4 days a week at Curves. Ate 1600 cals a day. In 9 months, I had lost 1 lb. That's it. I stared at my endocrinologist. I said "What gives". She explained that insulin makes the body very "efficient"... fuel taken in is stored. I swear many of us with weight problems have natural insulin problems. Just keep working it! You are doing great. It is bound to pay off. It has to. Take care, Kathy

congrats on the 160 pound loss, that is amazing! what size are you down to? where did you start again? I went back and read your profile and you have come a long way. I only have one suggestion - keep up the good work on exercising you are healthier than ever! and give up the sugar. it may be slowing you down. ( I understand, I am an addict and cookies are my drug of choice, I am about 20 minutes sober.... but if I need to drop a couple pounds quitting sugar will do it.) HUGS!!!!!

Willow, Loved the 20 minutes sober line I take my sugar addiction hour by hour. I thank everyone else for their responses. There was alot of information that I am taking to heart. I know we have all struggled and its good to actually have people understand how crazy I still feel about my body. I am in a size 12 weighing 205 pounds but I feel just as fat & at times more fat that I ever did at 360. I dont think I will ever be anything smaller than a 10 (even with plastics) because bones are sticking out evrywhere except for my hips thighs & butt. That area still is huge in comparison. I am still hitting the gym...trying not to give up !! Thanks Again Diana