juliarh

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh.........211.2..................187.6...........186.2........1.4 I am soooooo close!!

HOORAY!!!! Congratulations my dear friend!! I am soooooo happy for you!! Onderland dancing commences::dance:

that's awesome!!! it is a GREAT NSV and you look great too!

you look fabulous -- congratulations and big hugs!

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Juliarh............???.................???..............165............??? This is the top end of my goal (my ultimate goal, not the 4th of July goal) -- so I don't know if I'm being overly ambitious or not -- We'll see!

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh.........211.2..................188.8...........186.2........2.6 slowly, slowly inching my way down. come on, I wanna lose it!!!!

Hey all -- well after a 2 lb gain and then a stall for a week (not a real stall, but heck I wasn't losing) -- I'm down into the 180s!! I haven't seen the 180s in 20 years!! No kidding! Super happy about that. Now if I could only get rid of the remaining 3.2 lbs for the Easter challenge!

No pills -- just pound the water -- I drank 6 bottles a day (still am!)

SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh.........211.2..................189.4.........186.2........3.2 Don't know if I'll make it but I'm sooooo excited that I'm out of the 190s -- I've been there FOREVER!! And I haven't been this low since 1992!!! Woot! Oh, and July 4th is fine with me even in Paraguay (but I am an American . . . ) Keep your fingers crossed for me on these last 3.2 lbs!

Totally agree with Irene -- in fact 2 weeks ago, I gained 4.5 lbs for no discernible reason. The only thing is that I had was nuts (filled with salt!!) -- and I started pounding the water this past week -- lost it all plus a couple!

Don't want to be left out -- at my highest I was a 42DD -- now at almost 115 lbs. down, I'm a 36D -- and that's mostly skin, sorry to say. I too will be have implants, when I've lost all my weight, so I'm hoping I can stay around a D cup.

Hey everyone!! I'm all smiles because today I have lost 100.2 pounds!! I had wanted to "give" myself a birthday present of losing 100 pounds by my birthday but the present came 10 days early -- not that I'm complaining! Here's a link to my YouTube celebration: (Dance with me) I hadn't posted my "Tell Your Story" up until today because I felt it was much like everyone else's -- but here goes a hopefully short, but sweet version: I was always a thin kid -- I was active, but loved reading more (still do). I went off to college weighing 135 lbs at 5'9" -- soon gained the freshman 15, but that wasn't a big deal -- lost 10, then gained 20, then lost 25, then gained and graduated from college at 185. I married my husband at age 23 at 175 pounds, and proceeded to continue to gain. We moved from Wisconsin to Washington, DC where I had no family and friends except for food (mainly ice cream and pie) -- by the time we moved to Venezuela, I weighed 220 lbs. and I was 25 years old. Fast forward to 28 years old, I lost a bunch of weight, weighing about 170 and promptly got pregnant with my oldest son. (I had PCOS but didn't know it -- drs. thought it was a miracle I was pregnant at all). Gained 70 pounds with my pregnancy. Daniel weighed in at 10 1/2 pounds when he was born. I started law school when he was 5 months old -- and ate my way through it -- I was a size 24 when I graduated. Because of PCOS and my weight, I was unable to have any more pregnancies. But, we moved to Guatemala in 1997, and we adopted a little girl (Susana) -- and then in 1998, we adopted a little boy (John). When John was about 2, I lost a bunch of weight, getting down to about 190 lbs. Then my oldest was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome (on the Autism spectrum) -- he had been previously diagnosed with ADHD too. So that kind of sent our family into a tailspin. (In other words, I ate through it). We came back to the States in 2002, and I worked as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill -- ate my way through the stress. We moved to Nicaragua and I started to lose weight again, but not much -- I think I got down to about 240. Then we moved back to the States in 2007. I began taking graduate courses for my teaching certificate and my husband was sent to Iraq. I ate again. Then my husband came home, he was immediately posted to Paraguay, but I had a job, my oldest was a senior in HS, and so we decided to live in the States for one more year. It was then I ballooned up to past 300 (I really don't know how much, just that I was 304 when I went to the dr.'s office for my pre-op visit). So in Sept. of 2010 about 2 months after moving down to Paraguay, I decided to get surgery -- as many of you have experienced, I tried everything: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Slimfast, even the cookie diet! The only thing I didn't try was pills. This was my last chance to be healthy and I'm almost there -- this is probably the greatest gift I have ever given to myself -- I have ME back again -- I haven't seen this Julie since I was 18 or 19 years old -- I am sooo thankful and I can't stress enough how having the surgery has changed my life!! And if you haven't had it yet, don't even hesitate -- it will change yours too! Happy, beautiful day!

Hi guys -- lost 1.6 lbs. this week, not huge, but heck down is better than up or at the same, right? All is well -- exercise, food, etc. Not much more to report other than hubby and I are awaiting word on whether the govt. will shutdown (we won't have any salary coming in if it does) -- so say some prayers that those in power get their heads twisted on right!

I was never able to stick to a diet longer than 5 or 6 months -- today is my 7th month post-op and I'm still going strong -- I just don't CARE about food anymore. I don't know how to describe it other than that. So my eating is more out of necessity than out of want. Could I have done this 7 months ago? NEVER. I weighed 304 at the time of my operation and probably weighed even more than that at some point. I've NEVER been able to do what I can do now. A lot of people say they have no hunger anymore. I don't either. But there are some that do still experience hunger. I think it's a roll of the dice. As for sugar, you won't be eating a lot of carbs the first couple of weeks out -- that will reduce your desire for them. If you continue with reduced carbs, you'll see that you don't really want sugar as much. However, I know that if I do eat carbs, I will immediately want A LOT of carbs. But everyone is different. I just happen to be super sensitive to carbs. So I decided that I was not going to make them a big part of my diet. That's a decision you will have to come to. If you are intent on becoming healthy, you will use this surgery as a tool to help you lose weight. It's not magic -- there are plenty of people who struggle with losing because they believe the surgery will do it all. But we know that watching what we eat and exercising are the best way of becoming healthier -- and if you want to do that, the surgery will help you do that. Hope that helps!

Irene, that is soo awesome! I can't imagine having your mom being unable to pick you out of a crowd! Makes me shake my head and smile -- who knew that having this surgery would have such an impact on us?? I NEVER anticipated it myself! amazing.

That is nice to hear someone say it -- gave me a smile -- thanks for sharing!

Hi all - another positive week -- getting down there! I can see light at the end of the tunnel SN...........Starting Wt........Current........Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh......211.2.................191.6.............186.2..........5.4

Hi! I eat low carbs too because 1) I have A LOT to lose and I don't want to take forever getting there; 2) I have PCOS; 3) I can't control myself around carbs (takes over my brain). But there are many who eat carbs and lose. I think you have to figure it out for yourself -- I KNEW I had issues with food and all of the food I had issues with were carbs -- soooo, because I wanted a life that was not ruled by food and my weight, I knew that it was something I had to give up -- it's kind of a small thing in the grand scheme of things -- much rather give up carbs than be obese . . . . Anyhoo, that's why I do low carbs -- but everyone's journey is their own -- you should do what works for you!

Congrats!! Isn't it fun when you see the scale move for the first time in like almost forever?? Bet you're thrilled

I was a 42 DD when I started out -- and when I was a 38 DD, I ordered bras. I couldn't let them swim around my waist anymore -- Well, now I'm a 36 D and I had to order again because I'm again swimming. ugh. My advise is to buy inexpensive bras that you don't care if you have to buy again in a couple of month. Kohl's, Target, Walmart, Sears -- those kind of stores usually have inexpensive bras that can last a month or two until you get to the next size. And the next issue is when you should order given that you have to wait -- I waited for 4 sizes before ordering -- big mistake -- I'm not doing it this time. When I ordered last time, my bras were a little snug, but now I'm puddling in them again, so before I get to the point where they're hanging around my waist, I ordered again. Hopefully () they won't get too small! sigh.

Sophia -- you look absolutely amazing!! And it is SUCH a transformation!! WOW! Big hug congratulations and BIG HUGS!!!

Very awesome -- love it!