Been watching my weight for 17 month now. Now that i have lost what is next???

 Hello all. I am so so happy with my sleeve. i have lost 130 lbs and had my tummy tuck. I worked so hard to loose my weight exercise all the time. I though about my weight for over a year now tracking every thing I eat buying smaller cloths. 

I would get out of bed on to the scale to keep me on track. I ate slept weight loss. Now that I have had my tummy tuck I am lost. I do not feel the need to keep track of every little thing I eat or even go to the gym every day. I am not on line much any more with my weight loss groups but I do miss it so much. 

I do not know what to really do now with my life. I have changed so much and want more from life but do not have the money to do what I want like travel. It feels so strange not to keep my mind on my weight loss because I have no more weight loss to do. Am I crazy or what???. I will be back to work I hope in 2 weeks after I get released from my doc. From my tummy tuck I had. That might help me to live life better. 

Loosing weight took up so much of my day or my mind now that I do not need to do this I just feel strange. 

Oh, Sweetie, I hear you on this one!  I feel a bit like you do.  My weight has stabilized.  I'm at a comfortable weight/size.  I'm exercising and pushing my body in ways I never have.  I feel great but too am caught in that "what the heck do I do now?"  My husband is having lots of knee probelms so there is so much we can't do together.  I would like to be more active but no one wants to do things with me.  I would love to go hiking, skiing, snow shoeing and then in the summer, canoeing.  But the only one who might join me is my husband, who like I said is having major knee problems.  I only work part-time so I have lots of free time.  I still have two teenagers at home so I stay busy with all their activities but like you, I want more out of life.  I

I wish I had some magical words of wisdom but all I can do is commiserate with you.

Good luck!

 Thank you so much for your help. At least I do not feel alone with my feelings. My husband is not in good health and has not been for 3 years now. There are days he can hardly walk. I take care of him on the bad days. He can not go and do much with me. Like you I would love to go skiing, hunting, ice fishing but he cant and my friends think I am crazy for wanting to do sports like this. My kids are grown all most my younger one is 17 and off with his friends all the time my other 3 are older and on there own. 

I was thinking of going back to school but do 46 year olds really go to college??? I think I am to old for that. I am looking for a different job want a change. I have no answer aether. But thanks again. 

Good luck to you heathermc44.

 what's wrong with a 46 year old going back to school??

I believe it's all over the place but there is a website called www.meetup.com where you can search for like minded people to do activities with.  I'm SURE you can find a group for the sports you are looking to enjoy!!

Ms Shell

I'm 46 and I go to college! Went back to finish my bachelor's degree when I was 35, have been in and out ever since, and am now finishing a PhD. I think it ROCKS to be an older student - we are so much better at it than when we were younger.

Also, I teach at the university level these days and I almost always have students my age and older in my classrooms - they are some of the most committed,  insightful, and interesting folks in the room!

Time to sign up for something ... an AIDS walk, a 5k, dance classes, a bowling league... you get the idea: something you couldn't do when you were heavier (or didn't want to).

Then you have a reason to maintain your loss and also something new to focus on.

 Hi there - 

Are there other reasons you might feel adrift?  I feel it as well.  I've got an empty nest and too much time on my hands (I'm not working).  It's so, so easy to get caught up in our hollow feelings.  I am prone to depression so this kind of being stuck isn't good!

As for age and college, I'll never forget the graffiti I read in a women's room in college:

Person one had written "I want to go to law school but I'll be 45 when I'm done!"  Person 2 replied,
"You'll be 45 anyway!"

THAT I can relate to -- I'm trained as a therapist.  A year from now I can either be back in practice or wallowing around "feeling lost."  Choose action!  I will if you will.

Big hearts,  Lucy

 wow great answer Lucy. I will take your challenge. I will go to my college and ask what I need to do. I am sure I have to take testing to see if I will need math science English. But I will start. I work as a bus driver so I do not know how long this will take me to finish school and it will only give me an associate degree. 

I want to work in the health field I want to be apart of an office of a General surgeon who does weight loss surgery. I want to help others to get where I am at. I have no idea what to study for that. But I can go and ask. Thank for the challenge now you have to go and keep in touch with me.
Lucy your set for private so please friend me.

Thanks val

 Hi Val - I just friended you!  There are probably LOTS of 2 year programs that qualify you for the kind of work you want.  All of the medical assts in your doc's office have 2 year degrees and there's even a 2 year nursing degree.  Ask for a counseling session at your college's career office ... they should direct you.  I can see social work, sociology, psych., or nursing, medical assisting programs getting you right to where you need to be!

As "women of a certain age" we have a huge advantage in WLS offices, I think.  Who would you rather talk to - a 115 lb. 25 year old or someone who has seen some life!

Now *I* have to do my part to get licensed in my state (I trained elsewhere).  I'll check in with you when I've done that!