Need Your Opinion

Can I even do this? Am I thinking reasonable? Ok, here it goes. I really want your opinion. In 22 days I will hit my 4 year anniversary (GBP).

This is a little of my history:
Started out: 284 lbs
Nineteen months after my surgery: 133lbs
My goal:130   .... 5'2" tall
Today's Weight is:164
One year ago follow-up Surgery Appt (3 years): 151lbs

Is it possible for me to lose 13 lbs in these next 22 days (3 weeks)? I'd love to weight no more than my last years weight (151) for this appt. That's 13 lbs loss in three weeks. Can I do it? What do you think? How would you go about it? Four years ago I thought I was doing something to take care of this weight problem once and for all. I WAS told this was only a tool. But somehow I choose to believe this was a permanent fix. I spent hours looking at everyones before and after pictures, dreaming, dreaming of FINALLY getting skinny and staying skinny. SO the truth of the matter, 4 years later, has been a rude awaking. Struggling to eat right, lose weight and try to keep it off. At 5'2" I'm chunky, again, at 163 lbs As you can see, I've not exactly won this war. I can boldly say, you all are my biggest support, hands-down.
Kathy

Kathy - Possible-yes   Likely-no.  Remember scales can ONLY measure weight, there's no way they can measure worth.

This isn't a war - this is a life.  We will NEVER be able to mystically magically be "normal"  We will have to use our tool every day for the rest of our life.  There are only 3 ways to lose weight - ****at fewer calories, (2) burn more calories with exercise and (3) a combination of 1 and 2.  For us it will be a combination of 1 and 2 for the rest of our life.  I have found (1) maintenance is possible for me FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE and (2) maintenance takes as much, if not more, attention to compliance than losing.  Before surgery no one ever told us maintenance is FOREVER.  We were fat, we lost our weight, we went right back to eating and regained our weight.  It is easy to get trapped in that old way of thinking.

I still plan, and write my plan, at least one day ahead - better if it's two or threee days ahead - I still count calories - I still ignore when my head says, "You're hungry, you need to eat"  We know little or nothing about "tummy hunger" but a WHOLE LOT about "head hunger"   So.....whether or not we think we need to eat is the poorest indicator possible for whether or not we really need to eat.  What I need to do is stay within my calorie limit and follow my plan. I still exercise too.

Am I perfect - c'mon now - I'm human and humans aren't perfect.  Humans make mistakes.  But the good news (since we are more or less stuck with being humans) is that humans can correct their mistakes and humans can learn from their mistakes and you are doing just that.  Celebrate

If you are comfortable, please post often and allow us to share your journey.  We've all been where you are or we wouldn't be here.  WELCOME

WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER - YES WE CAN

Kathy,
Welcome
I am not one to say that you can or can't lose 13lbs in 22 days but, I can tell you that this is a great group and you will greatly benefit from it. The encouragement is great and it takes you back to the right way of using our tool. I am trying to lose 25lbs that I regained. It is not easy but since joining this group and watching my intake and exercise more I am down a total of 8.8lbs.
It is a very rude awakening when you gain. It is like being a newbie and relearning everything. I can honestly say that it is when I do not weigh daily or atleast weekly that I seem to gain. I think we have to keep a check on our weight often to keep us in line. I probably went over a six month period without weighing before I bought my new scales and that was my mistake!!
Keep our chin up, keep a food journal and exercise. You will do great!!
Keep us posted
Jenn

Hi Kathy:

That would be a pretty big goal - I have regained 20 pounds in a year and just set a goal to lose that 20 pounds by the end of January. Losing now is slower than it used to be and I don't really want to start the roller coaster ride so slow and steady healthy lifestyle seems the best thing to get our heads around.

Start with good/healthy choices today with lots of movement and if you are like me, make a plan for tonight because I tend to be a before bed snacker (ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM?)

I am trying this one day at a time right now. Let us know how it goes...

Thank you all for you response. Such encouraging and wise counsel.
You're just where I'm at and exactly what I need.
Thank you again
Kathy