x-post: So HOW do you decide...?

...once you hit your "goal" how much lower you wanna go?? I assumed that after a year, it would be a bit more of a struggle to keep the momentum going, but I'm 2# from goal and going steady...
now, the only answer I've been given by my docs is "your body will know when to stop"...which is cool...but now I'm planning to push losing in ten pound intervals after that. (yea, I totally  pulled that number out of the air, I feel optimistic today!)
I honestly have no intention of changing anything I'm doing...I hate the gym and love being able to eat normal (I walk my dogs and mind my quantities)...but I guess I figure that eating more calories to "maintain" because I hit some random number my surgeon decided on is silly, especially if I CAN lose more...am I right??
At 6' tall, I doubt that there's any way I'll ever be "skinny"...but I feel wonderful, and with each pound down, it's only getting better...and I'm assuming that as long as I keep my BMI in "normal" range that I'll be ok...
...any thoughts veterans?
xxxBecca

I'm not a veteran by any means nor do I know what I am doing yet but let me just say that you look amazing!!! and If it were me I would push for what I wanted.... I hate to go to the gym myself but I have trade addiction for addiction....  Getting this surgery means the world to me and I want it more than anything so I am gonna keep truckin till I get there.....  Good luck and U look beautiful!

Thank you Jessica!
This surgery, this TOOL really IS a miracle...and I wouldn't trade the decision to do it for anything in the world...I would do it again in a heartbeat and I've never ever been embarassed to sing it's praises to anyone who asks about it...I've never ever felt better in my entire life and I wish EVERYONE could feel this way too!!! Thank you so so much and good luck to you on your journey...it really is an amazing ride!
xxxBecca

hi, girl.
i`m 9 monht out. and my weigh loss have already stoped. so i`m pushing my self to get in goal.
i`m excersicing and dieting. to get there.
i`m 5,3 " tall. soooo.
my star weigh was:  244 lb. (surgery day)
now I weight: 156 lb
and my dr. say that i should be  in: 125 lb.
so i`m  31 lb away of my goal.  but we can make it.

congratulations for your weigh loss you loock amazing you don´t need to lose more. bu****ch out wha tyou eat. and try to walk every day to mantain yourself, `cuz yuo look amazing.
hugs.

I think at the 9 month point I stalled for several weeks...I freaked out thinking my weight loss had stopped...it picked up again at my tenth month...and has been dropping in "waves" now...lol
Thank you so so much!

and good luck to you too!

xxxBecca

I'm still a newbie to this whole thing, but also wanted to say how amazing you look! I saw your pics on your profile and they were a huge inspiration for me. I guess the tattoos did something for me too since I saw you had them and I think I saw somewhere on here you said they didn't really change after the weight loss. I have quite a few myself.

Anyway...I say go with what your body wants and listen to your docs. I say if you're in the "normal" range that's a good place to be. As long as you're not having a distorted body image where you think you're bigger than you are or you've developed an eating disorder you should be fine. Sorry I'm not a WLS vet, but just wanted to add my two cents. Keep up the good work!

lol...funny you should mention body issues...I know I have them (this is L.A. afterall...) But I've started talking to a therapist that specializes in helping people with their drastic body changes and recognizing ourselves in our new bodies...so I'm trying.
But it's a funny thing when you see that number that officially puts you in the "normal" range...In my case, it took so little effort to get there that all I could ask myself was "so why not more??"
As much of a charting and graphing and calculating nerd that I am, I actually got "there" and then had to loosen up on the reigns and just see what my body has planned...lol...
It always sounds neurotic after you type it and look back at it...
oh well...lol
xxxBecca

it sounds like you're doing all the right things though...I think the therapist will really help. just remember you can get sick because you are overweight, but you can also get sick because you are underweight. just try to stay within a healthy range and you'll be good.

I am not as close to goal as you are, but I have the same sort of plan.  My surgeon's goal is for me to lose 170#'s....I am going to try for another 20 after that.   It would still keep me in the "normal" range.    I think as long as we can maintain our new weights without killing ourselves to do it, and it is a healthy weight that it is okay.   This is my personal opinion of course.   Best of luck to you Becca!!!  

I also know that after I get to my surgeon's goal I would be happy stopping there if my body just stops.   Time will tell :) ~ Leslie

Thanks Leslie...did you fel like your doc was setting your goal high for you too?...
I honestly thought losing 140 pounds could never happen...but at about "half way there" it occured to me that if I actually put more effort into it (like going to an actual gym...lol) I may be able to go waaaaay past....but then it would be like before...MAINTAIN or GAIN....so I just figured I would only do my walking and not do anything I wont keep up on in the long run...

maybe I'm over thinking the whole thing...lol...I just wanna stop feeling like I'm "almost" there and just BE THERE!
xxxBecca