purple tulip

I am happy with how far I've come and obviously am glad I am here instead of obese. However, I am constantly struggling to feel proud of accomplishing large weight loss because in my head I should have never been that large to begin with. So the shame of it often continues to overshadow my joy. Like when someone compliments me...I have a hard time just accepting it graciously. Like, why should I be complimented on "looking like a weight I should have already been?" It causes me anxiety to the point that I need to keep setting larger fitness goals (races, half marathons), so that I can feel proud of myself on this journey in some way, not just because I lost weight that I never should have been there in the first place. It's such a head game.

The other night my husband was waiting in the car for me outside a store and as I walked up to the car I noticed a puzzled look on his face. When I opened the door I asked what was wrong and he said, "Oh My God. I didn't know that was you walking up to the car!"

Thanks! I do follow eggface, but not skinnytaste, so I will check her out. Yesterday, I already had one of my family member sabbotagers (who also had a WLS, who is not doing as well with it) telling me all of the foodie plans she has for Thanksgiving and she was attempting to get me on board....This of course right after I had told her I went down another pant size... Ugh. It's so much easier to fight the fight with other people on the same page.

SleeveStalker- I started running in races a couple of months ago, so Thanksgiving morning I am going to run in a Turkey Trot so hopefully that will help with any additional calories that particular day. We will also be traveling for that week, so I'm going to pack a cooler just for myself filled with good things (if I have to haul diaper bags, sippy cups and Nintendo Ds's and all the other stuff that comes with kiddos, it's the least I can do to be prepared for myself too Then I think I'll find a few healthy festive recipes to make, so I can indulge a bit and not feel deprived either. And luckily, I have a couple family members that are health nuts and I'm thinking I need to stick closer to them and try to somewhat avoid the trap of those family members who tend to be my old "eating buddies" and sabotagers.....So that's my Thanksgiving plan...Christmas is a whole different story because the family I will be with then is less health conscious and they are food pusher...so I'll have to regroup and be very prepared to hold my own for that one What are you doing to prepare? Any other ideas?

I only told my closest people. However, I eventually went ahead and told an extended family member, who I thought would benefit. Should have kept it to myself because that person has now broken my confidence and the whole extended fam knows. It's just not necessary for everyone to know personal/medical information. I'm a rather private person so I am quite disappointed.

68lbs in 7 months with some serious stalls mixed in there. I'm happy with the progress.

tntransplant06 and notsolittlemermaid-----I beleive you may be my new best friends on VST I'm going to the store right now and getting some to try it out! In all of my years of obsessing, working so hard, researching, brainstorming with other friends with the same issues, this is one thing I never thought of since I had none of the other symptoms. Thanks so much! I'll let you know how it goes

Is Prevacid over the counter or prescription? And do you take it everyday and is it healthy to use long term? I don't really feel heartburn, acid reflux type symptoms, just the hunger. Is that how you felt?m ...Well, periodically I guess I have felt reflux, since surgery...just not real regularly. Humm....

Actually, Old Navy has a descent line of compression gear at really inexpensive prices. Just stocked up.

I have thought about that and have played around with caloric intake, carb intake, Proteins, etc. and I do know that I don't loose when I eat to the point of satiety...(and I mean satiety, not that overfull feeling) I also know that I have to stay away from all refined carbs and sugs if I want to decrease my cravings. I'm almost 7 months out and I'd say since about 2 months out I've had to really work hard for every lb lost and I tend to loose slowly. I really should probably go see a dietitian too, but unfortunately our program's dietitian relocated and we've been w/out for a couple of months...I should probably check back into that. Thanks for the thought!

I completely understand what you are saying as I too have unfortunately not lost as much of the insatiable hunger as I was hoping for....It's definitely better than before, but not great. I think everyone is so uniquely different with varying body systems. I've worked really hard to differentiate between head hunger and true hunger. I can say that I am clearly physically still hungry most of the time when I eat within the caloric range that is recommended. I exercise very intensely and very regularly and adjust my caloric needs accordingly to the recommendations and follow all of the rules. I just don't think it works "as well" for some people. I don't know what else I could possibly do at this point. If you gain any new info or insight please share!

I have almost the exact same stats as you. I am about the same time frame out from surg and loose the exact same way.....I also am stalled and frustrated. Though I haven't considered filleting myself yet I have been trying to reflect on if there is anything else I could do differently. I was stalled for quite awhile and I sort of became discouraged to the point where I started to let myself slide a bit....almost that old self- sabotage behavior (though not nearly has bad) This of course has really made be me stall even longer and thrown me off track for the past month and a half. It is time to regroup and go more hardcore towards this goal. It's ok...We can do this. Just stay focused (try not to derail like I sort of did for a bit) and the weight will eventually come off.

So happy for you. I have never been below my hubby and I was making my way toward his number when he randomly decided to loose at little too. He's that man that barely changes anything and can still eat junk and drop 30 lbs w/ no problem....So he did. He beat me back to onederland. I'm happy for him because I of course want him to be his healthiest too, but gosh darnit...I was so close...Oh, well in 2-3 month I'll hopefully pass him for good

Just wondering how everyone is doing? Is anyone feeling real physical hunger?...I am not nearly as satisfied with the small amounts of food anymore. I REALLY have to watch what I am eating and even then still feel hungry. I hate feeling hungry and I'm scared that I will completely stop loosing or worse gain back. I'm exercising a lot, but the scale is not moving much now.I think my body got use to a certain # of calories and now having to adjust down again is hard because again I'm hungry!

That is interesting because I have been on a prescribed water pill for 4+ months because I had some crazy water retention after surgery..Like 20lbs worth. I just went back to the surgeon for follow up and told him I had been getting cramps in my calves and asked if I could be deficient in potassium and he said he highly doubted it....Hummmm?...He did run blood work to make sure everything looked good and I guess it was normal because I didn't get a call. He did tell me at that appt that he'd like me to start weaning of of it. Can you tell me your dosage or how long you took it?