i will have Whine w/ my cheese....

so i will be 18 months on feb 9th and it has me thinking...Did i really do my best with wls... Could i had done better??? i mean i know i have not exercised daily like i should and i have tried really hard to do 60 or grams of protein or more a day and i do 100 oz of water daily or more...but still i look back and want to kick myself... i see many people that have started at 350 lbs like me and they are 150 or less by now and i am tetering from 180 to 185lbs... i know that i look good but i still have what ifs goin thru my head... Am i just bein whinny or does everyone go thru this at one time??? i guess i am just thinking how i could had done if i had just done more... But i did and i lost all that i cold and i have changed my ways with food and i have really tried to make everything better with what i have... i dont feel deprived of food anymore and i can hold my head up high for what i have accomplished.... so y am i whinnin... Oh yeah now i remember.... Could i had done better IF i had exercized more.... Man this is drivin me nuts ... i really wish these commercials would put Roseanne back on.....

look how much you have lost..over 180 pounds thats nothing to sneeze at.. you did your best and you still can loose more .. let me ask you something how do you feel mentally n physically since loosing that weight? thing s are differnt from your old life aint it? its the nature of the beast we are never happy wioth ourselves./. i want baby blue eyes i got hazel ones..i want straight hair i have curly..ect ect ect.. best of luck joann

I have some of the same thoughts. I've been successful and feel great but..I KNOW I could have done better with more exercise. I believe there is still opportunity to lose more and I'm working at that now. I do believe that maintaining the weight loss will be easier with a regular exercise program so I am working at that now. This may sound like a lecture--but I just want to warn you that I have noticed a lot of people struggling with re-gain around the two year out period. So don't let up or give up. Congrats on your success--as you have been a success--even if you are not perfect.

I think it's human nature to nitpick ourselves to pieces - unfortunately, I also think that WOMEN tend to be harder on themselves then men. My sister, who's never been overweight a day in her life - cute lil tiny itty bitty petite thang' - maxing out at 115 to 120 lbs, give or take, complains about her SELF perceived flaws. We were on the phone with each other last week and I was amazed at how DOWN she was on herself - a new wrinkle that showed up overnight, a nose she thinks is way to large, feet that substitute for ski's - etc. Now this is the SAME sister that was a MODEL in her younger years. It's amazing, the rest of the world always saw her beauty but she never could. If you think losing another 30 lbs would help you with your energy levels, health and/or all around self confidence - then do it. At 18 months postop, you may feel that your 'window of opportunity' is over - but that's [probably] purely based on the immediate gratification of early postop and the caloric and food restrictions. People lose weight ALL the time, without the surgery, as Im sure you (and I know I have) many times before. The honeymoon period, or window of opportunity slamming shut does NOT mean you can't still lose. It just takes extra effort, more determination and mixing it up some, like adding exercise to your routine. We all finally reach a point where it's back to the old adage calories in vs calories out - lol, I know I reached that stage about a year and a half ago, and it sucks! I guess what Im saying in my long drawn out way, is if you FEEL that you should still lose a few more pounds, you still CAN, and yes it'll most likely include the "E" word (exercise). I gained 15 lbs over the last 12 months after reaching my goal. There is NO doubt in my mind that I WILL take it off - I have all the knowledge and tool(s) in place to make it happen. Bottomline, it will come off, failure is not an option for me. I made a few minor changes to my routine - including ADDING breakfast to my day. Never was a breakfast person, but Ive read enough on the pro's to it lately - that I figured what the heck, give it a try. I've upped my water back to 120 oz (pure H20) and have made a DILIGENT effort to get back to basics. Dense protien first - no exceptions, a few bites of the other stuff, if there's room - oh and I also DECARBED our house. We could ALL stand to lose a coupla' pounds in our household. Thankfully, Ive already ditched FIVE of those pounds - 10 more to go. Good luck to you - you've made some impressive changes with your life and your health, don't forget to ENJOY those moments. Be proud of yourself, you've earned!!! If you still decide you would like to lose more? Don't sell the power of YOU, short. You can do it. - Lei

You have done a GREAT Job!!!!!! If you feel good and you look good what more can you ask for!!!!! Congratulations on all of your success! Tracy B 328/162/150

Are you done? Did you get a diploma? How do you know when it's over? Why are you questioning whether or not you did things right or could have done them better? Everyday affords you an opportunity to learn from the day before and make changes to help you get the things you want. Who cares how you did things vs. other people? Is somebody going to give the other person a shiny gold cadillac because they lost faster or differently than you? I am not offering any cheese with your whine! I am only saying that you are evolving, and in that learning what works for you. This thing is not about ever being done. There is never a day when you can let your guard down. Yeah, you can choose to sit on your ass, or eat a whole frickin' cheesecake...or both, but if you make that choice every day then you have just plain given up. You are never done. There is no time for regrets. There is no time for excuses. For today you have whined, regretted and questioned... Anticipating a far more productive tomorrow. Karen

Karen, I concur with your response; you said it ever so eloquently. We are only done when we give up! I am almost 19 months post up and continually forging ahead with my game plan to get to my personal goal. As Toots as said a million times on various posts the tool is there for a lifetime, WLS puts on the same playing field as everyone else. If we want to loose more weight we just need to stick to the food plan and get moving. It is never too late to start exercising more and eating less. Mary 415/169/147 22 lbs to personal goal 11 lbs below doctor's goal

I will be be 3 years out in May and feel the same way.....I know that I could have lost more IF I exercised, but the what IF'S can't get the best of us. Look at some of the people replying to you(Joanna and Lei), we all know how great they look!!!!!!! Good LUCK!!!!!! Tammy