Learning acceptance when you're a slow loser

One of the biggest issues for me has been that I never got down to that desired goal weight. I'm not tiny. I remember my doctor saying at the first official weigh-in that I was going to be a slow loser, and that he estimated I would lose about 97 lbs. Now, 97 lbs sounds great, but when you're 328 on a 5'3" frame, you start to think crap, that's not enough! I did lose 140-150, but put back on about 30 of it. I saw myself slipping back into old reaction patterns like emotional eating. The 3.5 years following my surgery were probably some of the most stressful & difficult in my life. I took myself in hand about a year ago, went back to the gym, and went back to healthier eating. I got back down below 200 and stayed around 197. I was wearing a 16 in jeans, 14 in tops, just like I was in HS. My PCP said that my body was tired of losing and that I it looked like I'd stabilized there. I didn't believe it and tried things like nutri-system without success. All I got out of that was gas. So I went on with exercising and watching my intake, and I scheduled my first round of PS. I got rid of the hernia, had my lbl, and wow, what a difference! I may not be small but I am no longer fat. I can wear a 12 dress and now I can't wait to get the crazy batwings off of my arms. Best of all, taking off the excess also spurred on a little bit of weight loss, so I've lost a few lbs. more than the skin that was removed. I still have twinges, though. I still think "what if" and I wonder what life would be like in single digit sizes. I know I have roadblocks to more weight loss since I have PCOS, but I'm healthy now! My labs come back looking great and I can do things a lot of my thinner friends wouldn't even consider. I know I will always have to be extremely careful monitoring what I eat. WLS wasn't a fix for that at all - like everyone says, it's a tool and its one we have to use wisely. I know that I am better when I'm following a structured program, so I joined Weigh****chers just to stay on track. When I'm good I tailor it to my additional protein needs and when I'm naughty it's forgiving. ;)  I may not lose much more (if any) but at least I know I won't gain, and that's winning the battle right there. If you're read all of this, thank you kindly, and I hope you have a wonderful day. Hugs to everyone for all the support you've shown others. Everyone here deserves a huge pat on the back.

What a great post!  Thank you for sharing!!!   Angie

Excellent post, BaileyMouse!  My starting weight was 396 and my surgeon was pretty frank that he expected I would only lose about 140-150 pounds and maintain that loss.  I was determined to prove him wrong, determined to beat the statistics, and so far I'm winning.  Like you, I'm staying focused on what I'm eating, regular exercise, and I also weigh myself every day, so I can make quick adjustments if the scale starts to go up.   Kudos to you for continuing to work on your issues, and to stay focused on being healthy.  Like you, I will never be tiny (currently 185 on a 5'7" frame), but I'm healthy!   Good luck on your continuing journey -  Kellie

You did sooooooo good!  I cannot get over your before and after photos!  You look amazing!   How bad is it recovering from the lbl?  Do the scars heal well?  I can't bring myself over to the plastics yet ...Then I will want it all...and once I start I'm afraid I won't want to stop...and I am soooo afraid of doctors, latex gloves and bandaides, sulpha drugs, bees<----just thought I'd throw that in cause that is about the only thing that will make me strip in front of my neighbors and friends if it lands on me! And I have done that more than twice! :::blushing:::: :)  Thank you for posting your photos and sharing your story! You are an inspiration... WOW!  Looking really good too!  You don't have to be teeny to look amazing...you already proved that by leaps and bounds! Plus you are honest to yourself and that alone is success in my book!  You are a total success story!  Big bear hugs Anita

Thanks, Anita, I found the LBL recovery to be easy. I had some thigh lipo at the same time, and that was much, much more painful. The LBL looks good, the scars are starting to fade. I should just take another picture of the scars to show everyone. I am not big on medical stuff, either, but this was worth it. I knew I needed it because the hernia was huge! Funny you should mention the bees - I had my LBL in Mexico, and about 4 days after I went to the marketplace. The outdoor candy stalls sell these huge blocks of honey candy, and there were bees everywhere! I beat a hasty retreat from that stand! But really, thank you, and thanks to everyone else. Just coming here and having people who understand is awesome.

Glad to hear the positive thoughts....Im trying ro buy a ticket for that train :-) keep glowing!!! Diana

You've done a wonderful job and it sounds like you have the right outlook on life to me!! Its hard to be accepting of ourselves no matter what the scale says~this is a daily struggle for me. I wish I could just pu**** out of my mind and just not care, but it gets the best of me most days (no matter what my weight). Thanks for posting some positive thoughts!!!!!!!!!!

Great post, thanks for sharing!