EarthyGoalie

I'm not sure how many calories we SHOULD be having around 6 weeks out, but I was averaging at about 500. And now I'm averaging at about 600.
I heard that if u drink too soon after eating, you will be hungry much faster. So if u are drinking soon after, wait a little longer.
Also, I totally understand you, because I too am always hungry. If anything, I get hungry much more than before the surgery. I'm glad that at least I get full quickly without being able to pig out on something. I do take the but it's not acidity. It's definitely hunger for me.

I know how you feel. I struggle with this everyday. I shop for clothes and won't dare look at smalls, when in fact I realize I am a small.
But from what I see in this picture, you don't even look like a size 10. I'm a size 10. I would have thought you were a size 6. Honest. And overweight? That is simply nonsense! If you exercise, who cares about a BMI?
I know, I care about a BMI, but only because I'm such a specific person who likes to get the numbers and facts right. Ugh. I exhaust myself sometimes. But even then, I always laugh at myself for caring about it. If you are healthy, then you are good! Because you sure look good! :-)

Ashley, it's a huge thing to be able to admit that you are not on track. I have been facing many demons myself the past year. I am now a little more than 3 yrs out and I go in phases where I kind of don't care. I say, "kind of" because deep down, I really do care but sometimes so much gets dumped on us whether it's work/ family/ whatever that something has to give and unfortunately most of us have found food as a way to help ease the stress in our day to day lives so it makes sense in a way for this to happen. Not saying it should be an excuse but I continue to try to recognize the things in my life that are causing me to get off track. Carbs are my drug of choice- always have been/ always will be.... I still have really good restriction WHEN I eat how I'm supposed to eat--- meaning dense Protein first, plenty of Water or something equally good.
My lowest was 120# and have been fighting to get back there for the past year. I keep bouncing between 135 and 145#. Do I look fat? Hmmm, no, but I know how I felt when I weighed 120# (see my avatar picture). I felt on top of the world. I want to get back there and I will. I recognize some of the things going on in my life that are making this more difficult and I'm working on changing those things. For me, it's a miserable / horrible job w/mandatory OT every single week and I'm a salaried professional in my field. Anyways, allow yourself to be upset, but try to do your best to not dwell on it. They say that the measure of a person's success is how they handle failure. By no means is an 8# gain a failure, but try to keep it from being a 10# gain or more. Think about the things happenign in your life right now that are creating the road blocks or challenges. Maybe you can change them, maybe you can't. I'm pretty certain you know how to fix this, and coming here for support is an excellent thing to do. I still read posts, but don't come on the board nearly as much as I did the first year or so. I think its important to keep in touch with people that remind me that I'm not alone with my struggles. It's not an excuse for me to not stay accountable, but it reminds me that I'm human and that I can dust off my boots, and try again the next day.
Stay true to yourself and just keep moving forward in the direction that is best for Ashley.

Just wanted to add in an update, I have finally started not just maintaining but actually very slowly gaining some weight back which I am very happy about. I HAVE to continually keep a food journal and have to have at least 2 smoothies a or Protien shakes a day to keep my calories high enough to maintain and 3-4 a day to gain. I've learned how May calories my body has to have to maintain and gain. I would like to address the few negative comments and messages I recieved mostly about working out. When I lost weight it was not to feel better about myself it was to regain an active lifestyle that I was so badly missing overweight and so for me working out is a very important thing it's one of the main reason I had this surgery. I understand that everyone does this for there own reasons but that was an important one for me. For those of you who told me I just needed to stop working out and argued that I was continuing to do it for "control" issues you are incorrect, working out for me is a tremendous stress relief and I did have to modify my cardio and add in more strength training. I want to enjoy my new healthier body by getting out and using it, working out, going hiking, mountain climbing, riding bikes, running at the beach. I did have to learn how to have this lifestyle manage stress and figure out exactly how much calories/Protien my body needs. For the naysayers this does not mean I need counseling or have a problem and for those of you that have the opposite problem and messaged me because you where angry that I was "complaining" about losing weight I was not complaining I was reaching out for advice. I am sorry that some of you are not having the results you wanted and I hope that you are able to get the support you need and figure out what will work for YOUR specific body and lifestyle.
Good luck to everyone on this journey and thank you so much to everyone who offered support and positive advice and encouraging words I so appricate you.

133 today. Wow! I surpassed my goal! So happy!

Forgot to weigh in! 136.5 :-)

Reached goal weight this morning!!! 229!!

Yay comgrstd

137. Reached goal :-)

137. Reached goal :-)

137. Reached goal :-)

137. Reached goal :-)

137. Reached goal :-)

Current weight: 141. Uh oh. Going back up. I was on vacation this week.

June 2013 vs June 2014....best year ever

Today: 141
Goal: 138

Although my losses have slowed to a crawl (and I'm still not in the "Normal" BMI range yet) I'm pleased to report that I DID make my goal. Woo Hoo! Moving on to the July 4 Challenge now!

I'm in! Goal weight 140.

144 today. Didn't meet my goal :-(
I'm no longer losing 2 lbs a week. I'm now losing 1 lbs a week.

At the risk of sounding a bit brash...f**k your "friend". She sounds as if she's dealing with her own "fat acceptance" issues. You don't need those kind of people in your life. She's selfish. She created a whole blog post about YOUR surgery and made it about HER feelings. She doesn't care about you. She was never a friend. Cut that dead weight loose now. You'll feel much lighter when you do.

I remember when I thought to myself "I don't need weight loss surgery, I'm going to try this special diet one more time, and I'll make it!"
I remember when I was worried that I would be the exception, the one who would get weight loss surgery and not lose weight.
I remember when I lost my first 30 pounds and thought "I still feel the same, I still think I look the same, and my clothes still fit. This isn't working!"
I remember when i felt that each pound I lost was going to be my last one, and I'd lose no more.
I remember when I wrote down my goal weight and thought "wow, as if! Oh well, good motivation at least..."
I remember when I would look at other people's post in Bea's challenges who were in the 150s, 140s, 130s, and feeling so behind.
Now, I still can't believe, I'm 5 lbs away from my impossible goal, I really did lose the weight, each pound I lost was not my last one, and I'm no longer doubtful of weight loss surgery not working for me (duhh lol)
Although I'm not yet at goal, I'm very happy, and I wanted to let all of you who currently feel the way I did, that you're going to make it, and you're not going to be the exception to weight loss surgery!
:-)

I miss my diet coke. Oh so bad.

I remember when I thought to myself "I don't need weight loss surgery, I'm going to try this special diet one more time, and I'll make it!"
I remember when I was worried that I would be the exception, the one who would get weight loss surgery and not lose weight.
I remember when I lost my first 30 pounds and thought "I still feel the same, I still think I look the same, and my clothes still fit. This isn't working!"
I remember when i felt that each pound I lost was going to be my last one, and I'd lose no more.
I remember when I wrote down my goal weight and thought "wow, as if! Oh well, good motivation at least..."
I remember when I would look at other people's post in Bea's challenges who were in the 150s, 140s, 130s, and feeling so behind.
Now, I still can't believe, I'm 5 lbs away from my impossible goal, I really did lose the weight, each pound I lost was not my last one, and I'm no longer doubtful of weight loss surgery not working for me (duhh lol)
Although I'm not yet at goal, I'm very happy, and I wanted to let all of you who currently feel the way I did, that you're going to make it, and you're not going to be the exception to weight loss surgery!
:-)

I remember when I thought to myself "I don't need weight loss surgery, I'm going to try this special diet one more time, and I'll make it!"
I remember when I was worried that I would be the exception, the one who would get weight loss surgery and not lose weight.
I remember when I lost my first 30 pounds and thought "I still feel the same, I still think I look the same, and my clothes still fit. This isn't working!"
I remember when i felt that each pound I lost was going to be my last one, and I'd lose no more.
I remember when I wrote down my goal weight and thought "wow, as if! Oh well, good motivation at least..."
I remember when I would look at other people's post in Bea's challenges who were in the 150s, 140s, 130s, and feeling so behind.
Now, I still can't believe, I'm 5 lbs away from my impossible goal, I really did lose the weight, each pound I lost was not my last one, and I'm no longer doubtful of weight loss surgery not working for me (duhh lol)
Although I'm not yet at goal, I'm very happy, and I wanted to let all of you who currently feel the way I did, that you're going to make it, and you're not going to be the exception to weight loss surgery!
:-)

I remember when I thought to myself "I don't need weight loss surgery, I'm going to try this special diet one more time, and I'll make it!"
I remember when I was worried that I would be the exception, the one who would get weight loss surgery and not lose weight.
I remember when I lost my first 30 pounds and thought "I still feel the same, I still think I look the same, and my clothes still fit. This isn't working!"
I remember when i felt that each pound I lost was going to be my last one, and I'd lose no more.
I remember when I wrote down my goal weight and thought "wow, as if! Oh well, good motivation at least..."
I remember when I would look at other people's post in Bea's challenges who were in the 150s, 140s, 130s, and feeling so behind.
Now, I still can't believe, I'm 5 lbs away from my impossible goal, I really did lose the weight, each pound I lost was not my last one, and I'm no longer doubtful of weight loss surgery not working for me (duhh lol)
Although I'm not yet at goal, I'm very happy, and I wanted to let all of you who currently feel the way I did, that you're going to make it, and you're not going to be the exception to weight loss surgery!
:-)