Didn't Think It Was Possible

11 months ago, I never thought it was possible that I could ever wear a size 36" waist, but I am.  The surgery was painful, the recovery even more so, and the diet excrutiatingly so, but I survived and want to lose my last 15 pounds and get to a slim 34.  I can actually wear some of my 14 year old son's t-shirts now. After suffering from a doctor-imposed starvation diet (although he strongly denies this and anything else in which you and he find disagreement), a long recovery period while I try rebuilding the muscle tissue my body consumed for energy, a short hospitalization, I found that the VA dieticians were right.  It is unhealthy to rapidly lose weight over say five months because it traumatizes your whole body.  I suffered vertigo, dizzyness and fatigue. So I started on an 1800 cal/day diet and learned that I could lose weight nonetheless.  I didn't even try dieting -- I ingested between 120 and 150 gms protein daily, but ate protein to carb on a one-to-one ratio and still lost weight, albeit it was slower and more sane.  My body healed and I continued to lose weight.  I still am. I expect to be wearing size 34" waist a couple or few weeks from now.   I started at a 52" waist and I'm wearing size 36".  I have never felt so good in my life and I am slimmer today than I was in junior high school almost 40 years ago.  I tried on my old Navy uniform and it hangs on me.  

Congratulations on persevering and making it through to success!  You'll get to that size 34 and be so thrilled.  Glad to read that you are feeling so good too...there isn't anything more precious than good health.  Keep up all your great work! Molly

This is the coolest kind of post!!  Well, not the part about wrong eating path your Dr. lead  you down, but the part about your 14-yr-old's T-shirts, being slimmer than in jr. high, and having  your old uniform be too big!  Hope you didn't buy too many size 36 pants cause it won't be long til you're in the 34's!! Congrats on taking charge of your eating and finally getting on a  healthy track and feeling so good!

Congratulations ! You've come a long way...health & happiness well earned ! 15 more pds is awesome...reward yourself with a new outfit. Enjoy your new bod !  Take Care

How wonderful, congratulaions!!

Congratulations...You are almost a year out and you are almost at the weight you want to be at...all of that... and healthier again too!  Ain't life grand?  Good for you.