loseforlife

Thank you to all of you for the responses to my post. I am glad that I could share some thoughts on my journey and provide some words of encouragement to others for a change. It occurred to me before posting that I get so much encouragement from others posts what if everyone were like me and just took it all in without putting anything out there. I wanted to give back some of what if have received here. We all need to be there for each other. When i first started this journey and was scared, confused and overwhelmed I turned to the board with questions, concerns and an occasional "whine" session and like a true friend this board was always there for me. When those initial fears were calmed and life began to settle down to the new normal I stopped posting. I realized that was very selfish of me and wanted to take the time to give back a little. Thank you to the frequent posters and the very dependable cheerleaders...you all know who you are, We can always count on each of you to be there to pick us up, cheer us on and share yourself with all of us! I hope that I can be at least a fraction of the inspiration that all of you are. Good luck to all of you as you continue on this lifelong journey and congratulations to all on your success so far! As the old carpenters song said, "We have only just begun!"
Vickie

I have not posted in quite a long while, but I check the site and read other's posts on a daily basis. My journey thus far has been interesting, at least to me. I have never once regretted my decision to have this procedure. I say interesting because my rate of loss has been much slower than I anticipated and much slower than most others on this site. Slow rates of loss is a new experience for me. In my long yo yo dieting history I have always lost at a fairly quick pace. Now, it never came off nearly as fast as I could put in on, mind you! (Funny how that happens, right?). I have never questioned whether this procedure was the right one for me but I must admit I fell victim to comparing my loss to others posting on the board. It at times did a number on my intellectual understanding and truthfully had me perplexed! But I am proud to say that I am enticingly close to a NORMAL BMI!!! And less than 20 pounds to goal! There was a time or two where I actually questioned whether I was nearing the point where I would not lose any more though I knew I still had a long way to go before I was finished! I am posting tonight especially for other slow losers like myself. Hang tough, keep doing what you know you should be doing and try not to get too caught up in the negative thoughts that can invade your thoughts when comparing your loss pace with others. While slow and steady may not win the race it most assuredly will finish the race! Also, remember the race is not just to get to the finish line but enjoy the journey...to a happier, healthier and longer life. We must keep our heads up and our eyes on te prize...the life we want to live. Healthier, happier and more abundant!
Enjoy the journey and encourage others along the way! I have noticed of myself in past weight loss success that I can become almost self righteous and I have noticed that other former fatties sometimes become that way too. Remember where we started, how we got there and how easily we could be again were it not for this amazing tool. Not much about this process has been easy but imagine how much harder it would be without the tool.
Thank you to all of you who have encouraged me without even knowing that you had. Taking the time and energy to respond to others posts encourages even those like me who don't post that often,
Vickie

I have not posted in quite a long while, but I check the site and read other's posts on a daily basis. My journey thus far has been interesting, at least to me. I have never once regretted my decision to have this procedure. I say interesting because my rate of loss has been much slower than I anticipated and much slower than most others on this site. Slow rates of loss is a new experience for me. In my long yo yo dieting history I have always lost at a fairly quick pace. Now, it never came off nearly as fast as I could put in on, mind you! (Funny how that happens, right?). I have never questioned whether this procedure was the right one for me but I must admit I fell victim to comparing my loss to others posting on the board. It at times did a number on my intellectual understanding and truthfully had me perplexed! But I am proud to say that I am enticingly close to a NORMAL BMI!!! And less than 20 pounds to goal! There was a time or two where I actually questioned whether I was nearing the point where I would not lose any more though I knew I still had a long way to go before I was finished! I am posting tonight especially for other slow losers like myself. Hang tough, keep doing what you know you should be doing and try not to get too caught up in the negative thoughts that can invade your thoughts when comparing your loss pace with others. While slow and steady may not win the race it most assuredly will finish the race! Also, remember the race is not just to get to the finish line but enjoy the journey...to a happier, healthier and longer life. We must keep our heads up and our eyes on te prize...the life we want to live. Healthier, happier and more abundant!
Enjoy the journey and encourage others along the way! I have noticed of myself in past weight loss success that I can become almost self righteous and I have noticed that other former fatties sometimes become that way too. Remember where we started, how we got there and how easily we could be again were it not for this amazing tool. Not much about this process has been easy but imagine how much harder it would be without the tool.
Thank you to all of you who have encouraged me without even knowing that you had. Taking the time and energy to respond to others posts encourages even those like me who don't post that often,
Vickie

So I had my 3 month check up and surprisingly my labs looked pretty good! I totally expected them to look funky, I am the queen of forgetting to take my Vitamins. My Vit D was low but I am getting a prescription for someone I need to take once a week for 12 weeks to deal with that. My good cholesterol was a little low and my bad cholesterol a little high but I was assured it would look better as I get more energy to start exercising more. Also they did a parathyroid intact and it was high but he said everything else looked good so he is not worried.
The decision was made to go ahead with one more scope, I am still getting that stuck feeling daily and usually once a day I get the intense pain feeling that landed me in the hospital last time *sigh* Hopefully it is just a stricture that can be easily ballooned open.
All in all he said I was doing really good and the weight is still coming off pretty good to so that is exciting Nothing fits anymore, Im down from a very tight size 20 to 12/14 and a 1X to a Large, sometimes a medium I am almost all the way through my "skinny" clothes that have not even fit me in who knows how many years so off to the thrift stores I shall go this week to find some to get me through