Crossing over...

Hi! :) I had my surgery April 16, 07 and am within 10 lbs of the healthy weight range, and 16 lbs. from my goal.   I figured I should start hanging out here and learn how to maintain. I wrote in my blog this morning about that fact that I have NEVER in my entire life been in a healthy weigh range and I"ve always told myself that I need to lose weight.  I went on my first diet in 7th grade and it never stopped.  So now I'm feeling a little panicked about maintenance.... How I should think and feel and what it will be like to not jump on the scale and see a loss, but instead the same number (give or take a few lbs) and how do I process that mentally after years of wanting the scale to go down?   I still feel HUGE most days and I still don't see myself as thin, although everywhere I go people tell me how little I am.  This is all so new.  At any rate, I guess I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself and letcha all know my fears at this stage in the game!

Hanging out here is not a bad idea. Another idea would be to find a local support group and attend meetings. I find both to be very supportive.  Body image is something that takes time to get over. You were in an "unhealthy range" for some time, and only in the healthy range for a short period of time. I maintain a weight range of 2-3 pounds. If it gets to the higher limit, I watch carefully what I eat or exercise more, which is walking for me.  Your fear is not an uncommon one. We've all failed at diets in past years, so that's one primary reason we've all had WLS. I tried to document my struggles on my profile page. You might want to consider documenting  your saga, as it I found it somewhat cathartic, and easier to let goes of the older unhealthy ways of the past.

Yup, were in the same boat. After years and years of wishing the scale to go down and having it go right back up, maintaining is our goal but not all have had much luck in doing that. You are certainly welcome here. We're in that boat or looking to re-gain control.

I would suggest a local support group. I go to two local groups where I can meet people who have the same issues as I did and do. Each of us has had an addiction to food and each of us had the surgery and each of us struggles on a daily basis to maintain. Whatever maintain means. I also suggest the daily accountability postings here on the WLS Grads board, if you are looking to lose or maintain. We each sail our own ship and count our own costs. Carla cheers us on and we all weigh in (if we're brave enough) on Fridays. You'll see the posts.

I have issues with control so I'm afraid to gain any weight. I got into this situation after surgery and now I'm afraid to lose control and gain too much. Some have that problem. Most are dealing with it. I sure am. I'm trying to gain weight and increased my calories accordingly so don't go by my calorie counts...Each of us is different.  In any case, welcome to our happy little group! 

Congratulations on a year well done! And welcome to the grads! You probably have a good chance of squeezing out the rest of your weight... I think I continued to lose well over the first year.  Not much...and much slower...But I was in a size 14 and thought that would be it....and went down to a 6...then up to an 8 where I stayed...I have clothes with tags on them or they are barely used because I had a weight loss spurt with no warning...Oh well!  LOL  Can't complain about that! It is a strange transition into being just a normal sized person without all the *oohs and ahhs* from family and friends...After a while EVERYONE sees you and has already told you how great you look an the compliments stop...and the novelty and attention and encouragement is gone. You miss it...but every now and then...you have a wonderful WOW moment and it's so nice. I still have them after 4 years...I feel so lucky to finally be the person I am inside and out. Not perfect...but perfectly content. I can raise my head and walk passed people without that insecurity of stares and double glances at the cane I used to help me walk my big ole 315 lbs... As long as you remind yourself now and then just how far you came...I think you appreciate being at any size smaller than you were! At least I do! Well...enough rambling...Welcome... And glad you made your way here!  Lot's of awesome people here! Lot's of info in and out of here too!  (weekends are slow...everyone living their lives!)  Hugs

Congratulations on your weight loss. I also felt some panic after the first year. I just knew I'd wake up the next morning and weigh 340 again. And I felt it again after 18 months. So far, maintenance hasn't been so hard. It just takes some work and watching the scale/measurements, not letting things get too out of hand. I bet you'll get to your goal or even below. I kept losing for about 16 months, maybe more. It slowed down a lot, but I expected to stop at size 12 (where I was at 12 months) and ended up at size 2 or 4. Just work up some sweat, challenge yourself with exercise, and try to eat healthy. Don't starve yourself. Am I preaching? I don't mean to, it's just that I feel like I've finally found the answers. As far as feeling huge, I look in the mirror and still see lots of fat, and I know it's not really there. The experts say it can take up to 2 years for our minds to catch up with our bodies.

Welcome Amber. I think you made a good choice to jump on board here. Lots of support here. I am 3 yrs out and maintaining and I give myself a 5 lb lean way but am very careful to weigh daily. I think you first have to accepted how great you did then move on to being true to yourself by accounting to yourself what you ate each day and make good decisions not fast ones. If you do that you will see how much you really love yourself to have all done this. If you don't love yourself and see yourself as a confident woman, no one else will. So congratulations you are doing awesome. ~Ginny