LilMamaMM

I DID IT !
I hit MY weight goal. NOT my surgeon's goal 10 years ago when I started this advent....that was to weigh145 pounds. Then he agreed that having started at 320, (and then 5'3" ) that a more logical goal would be in the area of 160 to 170. The lowest I ever got was 175. And I did not maintain that for even a moment. The the next 8 years of losing my only sibling to the Flu at the age of 49 (please get your flu shot) and then my surviving parent a few years later... personal illness and drama.... and creeping weight gain....
14 months ago at 220 pounds and 63 years old I got my act back together.
I went back to eating Protein - first and foremost - protein, healthy vegetables and fruit, and a smattering of healthy whole grain carbs and healthy fats.
I ate mindfully - and intentionally to fuel my mind and body.
I ate a treat daily
I slowly changed HOW I eat, what I eat, and when I eat it.
I did not announce it, I did not talk about it. I just did it.
I lost 45 pounds in the past 14 months. Not fast weight loss, but steady
And I may decide to lose a bit more. Or not.
Thank you for being my sounding board. Thank you for being here for support.
Today I am thankful for my sleeve, for saggy baggy hanging skin and not caring. And for being healthy !

I have lost (re)15# since Halloween - and doing it without being hungry! It seems so slow, but you know, I am still 15# less than I was before the holiday season so that is something !
I know it is very hard, but at some point I think it is helpful to get past the obesity induced shame, and focus more on living life, paying attention to healthy habits without being so hard on ourselves. Regain happens to many after about 3-5 years out, it's what you do about it that matters.

It seems pretty common for people as far out as you to just get kind of complacent and have bad habits creep back in. So you are not alone! At least you are taking stock and trying to turn things around. A 25 pound gain is a lot to overcome, but if you are anything like me, pre-op it would have been a 75 pound gain before I did anything about it! You can do it! You know what you need to do and you can make it happen!

Because of orthopedic issues that limit my activity, the weight X 100 would pack on pounds very quickly.
Much to my dismay, maintenance for me settled at 1,000 calories. There are many days where it just feels like I am not eating enough, and I go to bed hungry. I keep sugar-free Jello on hand, but it's not a filler.
My nut told me to spread my food out so that I can have a little something at bedtime, but then I don't have enough energy to sustain any exercise or household activity. Bummer.
So, this week I have experimented with drinking 4 ounces of milk at bedtime and am not doing too badly with that.
This is so subjective, though. I have some spinal reconstruction coming up at the end of the month and expect to be in a turtle shell brace for six months. If my activity drops any further, I will have to cut back to 800 calories to maintain without gaining.
One bad habit that I started up again is going through all kinds of books and articles reading things like 32 Ways to Help Lose Weight Quickly or Five Foods You Should Never Eat if You Want to Lose Weight, or The 21 Day Diet - Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days.
Geeze, it seems like this will never end. I am delighted with my sleeve and weight loss, but it's no lie - the mental battle is forever. Finding that perfect balance between food, energy, and maintenance is a crazy-maker.