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That is, today I am not obese. At least according to the BMI charts. Two years post LapBand. My ultimate goal is to achieve a normal BMI. I don't know if I'll ever get there, but I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. I think the last time I was at this weight was 1992.
JustWatchMe

Over time, as we gain weight, we adapt without even realizing and we're not even aware until we don't fit somewhere or it becomes hard to maneuver, or clothes are too small..or we see a picture of ourselves and it becomes clear how large we have become.
So it doesn't surprise me that the opposite can occur both as we lose weight, or even when we have been at goal for a time. I am maintaining for about two years now. I know that's a short time in some ways, but at least I've been this size for a couple of years now and I thought I was pretty much used to being considerably smaller. Yet only yesterday as I was waiting for the light to change so I could continue walking to the train station, I was suddenly aware that I was standing still and not trying to 'fix' my top. What I mean is that for so many years, I was always trying to smooth down my clothing as it would bunch and twist as I'd walk or because my pocketbook was in the way...or whatever. I just know that I was so large that anything that made me look 'sloppy' was something I wanted to avoid.
These days, my tops are not long as I don't feel the need to cover the belly. The clothes are not loose on me as I'm not trying to hide my size anymore. It just popped into my head at that moment standing patiently at the curb, that I'm not fussing like I used to. If the shirt is riding up a bit, so what?
Anyway...like the title says, this was just a random observation I had. Most of the time I've gotten used to the new size I am but even now, once in a while, I'm reminded how much lighter I am, and I feel. I can't even imagine these days how hard it is and used to be to carry around an extra 140 lbs. on my body.

Best decision of my life! Yesterday was my 9 month post op check in with the surgeons office. Everything is looking great and I have lost 132 pounds since surgery! My bmi is almost to being out of the obese range and I am about 45 pounds from my personal goal weight.
My heaviest weight in 2011 was 376
My surgery weight in September 2015 was 319
My current weight is 187!!!!
First picture is almost at my heaviest, then purple shirt is 11 days before surgery and black & white top is last week.

Best moment was when my 9 year old daughter hugged me and noticed she could finally touch her fingers when wrapping her arms around my waist!!

My BMI was close to 40- surgeon told me not to gain or lose too much weight before surgery - I am 3 months post op and all is great with diet/weight loss

My BMI was close to 40- surgeon told me not to gain or lose too much weight before surgery - I am 3 months post op and all is great with diet/weight loss

My BMI was close to 40- surgeon told me not to gain or lose too much weight before surgery - I am 3 months post op and all is great with diet/weight loss

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

Brave to tell your story and inspire others to follow the diet! Good luck on the rest of your journey

They didn't use my machine during surgery itself. I did have it for nighttime but it's not like I slept much in the hospital anyway.

They didn't use my machine during surgery itself. I did have it for nighttime but it's not like I slept much in the hospital anyway.

Do you get FMLA? Then they can't stop you and job is protected. Make up another reason why you need surgery (emergency gallbladder is a good one or something gynecology no one will ask more questions) Work does not need to know your business.

They didn't use my machine during surgery itself. I did have it for nighttime but it's not like I slept much in the hospital anyway.

String cheese, hummus and carrots, Protein Shake or bar. Starting to get bored too so following this topic.

Just wanted to hear from my fellow december sleevers and see how you were doing. I want to make sure im on the right track! I had my surgery on dec 14th. I weighed 312 and i am now down to 250...62 lbs! I am having a hard time finding things to snack on, what are your go to Snacks? ?

Love these posts! I am 2.5 months out and 55 pounds down - I am good at losing weight and I feel great! I am trying to understand why in the past I couldn't keep it off- what is the difference this time? Why do I love crap food so much. Why do I get lazy and sabatoge all my hard work. Hope I can figure it out before I do it again.

I think everyone is very different. For me post surgery my relationship with food has changed. It also has gone through several stages.
In the immediate post op I was "obsessed" with food in the sense that I had to learn to eat again. I had to figure out what worked for me, learn to eat slower and chew my food more throughly. I also was very focused on trying to stay hydrated. However, the hunger was completely gone for me so food did not hold any appeal. I never felt anxious about food even when eating out, I just learned to adapt what worked for me to my current situation. I also never expected my family to eat as I did. I am the one who had surgery not them.
As I began to progress and the weight came off, I still stayed focused on my food because I was very diligent about getting my Protein in for each day. For me about month six my hunger returned but it was not the insatiable monster it was pre op. My hunger for the first time felt normal. I was hungry and my body needed fuel.
I am in maintenance now and have been for about 10 months. I can eat more now and sometimes I am even tempted (enjoy those first few months). However, my relationship with food is what I consider fairly normal. I even indulge in my cravings and treat myself occasionally. I still watch my food closely in order to make sure I am getting the calories, carbs, protein and nutrients to maintain my weight.
One thing I have realized is that this is a tool and even though my obesity is in "remission", I will never be cured. It will be a lifestyle change forever in order to maintain. I will always be a bariatric patient who needs to be careful of hydration status and nutritional status. I have learned if I fill up with junk, then I can't give my body what it needs to be healthy.... So I guess my answer is that I still obsess, but to me it's in a good way and I am super happy!!
One thing that I feel helped me was I did track faithfully during my losing stage and for about the first five months during my maintenance stage. The tracking was so valuable in that it allowed me to see trends and what calorie and carb intake worked best for me. Therefore I knew exactly what my targets were for losing and what they are for maintaining. At 20 months post op I usually just track a few times a week to make sure my protein counts are working target.
Good luck to you!!

Love these posts! I am 2.5 months out and 55 pounds down - I am good at losing weight and I feel great! I am trying to understand why in the past I couldn't keep it off- what is the difference this time? Why do I love crap food so much. Why do I get lazy and sabatoge all my hard work. Hope I can figure it out before I do it again.

sure ill share this one caveat i discovered about myself- Its easy. Everything easy is good. don't fight things, you life goes easier. its easier to eat crap to not plan to eat easy things, to eat a lot, to sit on my ass and just eat. So what do i do , i take things easy. i look for the easy way out. a magic pill? sure , itll happen . fen phen? loved it, cemical fix. if i wait long enough ill get a new drug thatll work.
Unfortunately thats just denial. When you learn that, its the first step to getting better. Unfortunately there are a lot of steps in the stairway to weight loss.

I did week 1 - walk 3.2 Andy run4.2 and I was ok - tried week 2 and I couldn't do it - I went back to walking 3.5 for now - I think I need to lose some more weight first and then I will try again. In

I am only 4 and a half months out but I eat the same things over and over for the most part. I do go out onfe a week, twice at the most and then I try to make good choices as well. As of right now the repetitive eating is working in that I am seeing it as fuel and nothing else. At least fo rme, I want to try and stop looking at food as entertainment or reward etc.
As far as how someone "normal" eats, who the hell knows. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a mental fattie and I will just have to deal with that for life. I will always want to eat stuff I shouldn't so right now I am not giving myself permission to do that too often.