Getting to goal

Hi Are there any people out there who have been obese all their lives and managed to reach a normal BMI weight (or less)? I see lots of people who became obese in teens/adulthood reaching low weights, but not many who have been obese since childhood (like me!) Thanks, Ruth

I was overweight starting in 7th grade and got heavier as time passed, I am currently a nromal BMI.  My friend is 6 years out and she is a normal BMI... she was large all her life... she started to gain weight at 2 years old... when she had surgery she was 380+lbs and is currently a size 6 around 130-135ish at 5'7"

Hi Jennifer thanks for your reply.  It's good to know that I can set my sights on reaching normal bmi.  I'm going to keep at it til I get there.

WOW! I started about that weight! It's awesome to know it IS possible to get down that low!! I want that!

Hi Ruth,

I was obese or overweight all my life and I have a normal BMI now.  I lost 100% of my excess weight (I still get a thrill when I think of that).

Thanks wow!100% of yoru excess weight - how great is that.  I can't wait til I join you.  How did you keep your weight loss going?  I've been stuck here for ages.  Any advice? By the way - you look fantastic in your pics!

I had stalls all along the way.  I would try changing things up - different foods, exercise, etc. , when I got stuck.  I had a 6 month stall where I was 11 pounds away from goal.  No matter what I did, that weight didn't come off.   Then I had plastic surgery and hit my goal weight.  I'm sure it was a combination of the amount of skin he took off and the fact that I couldn't eat much for a while. Best wishes!  Don't give up!  Coming here every day helped me, too.

I was always heavy. I managed to get skinny once in my 20's but I couldn't maintain it very long. I got heavier as I got older and pretty much stayed over 300 pounds my late 30's and 40's. I had RNY when I was 45 and after 16 months I was in the 120's. I'm in the middle of a normal BMI range, and so far I've managed to maintain fairly easily. Before RNY, I could lose a little weight, but I swear, no matter how hard I tried, it would start creeping back on. I couldn't lose below about 250 in the first place, and then I'd be 305, 310, 315 ... I had to go on a 1200 calorie diet and supervised exercise before my surgery, and I lost about 3 pounds in 3 months. I don't really understand what the surgery did for me, besides making it harder for me to gorge, but something else had to have happened. My sleep apnea went away the very first day, before I lost an ounce. I'm not sure why some people lose more than others. I'm sure sometimes it's more exercise, diet, dedication, etc., but that doesn't always seem to be the case.

Hi Wanda you sound just like I was - no matter what I did I couldn't lose weight.  I'm pleased to hear that you have reached your goal.  Do you have any advice to give on how I can get my weight loss moving again?  I know now that it is possible and attainable for me to get there, so I'm not going to give up til I get there.  Thank you.

I blew up at age 10yo when I weighed 125lbs and spent the next 40 years fighting the fat...all the way up to 270lbs or so. Had my RNY in January 2006 and about a year later I finally made it to below my surgeon's goal. I've stayed in the 125-135 zone for the past 6 months (I weighed 132lbs this morning), so I am living proof that a "Career Fattie" can do it!