Screwballski

I’m so thankful you posted here. Your comment shot this thread back into MY world! I’ve had some major, I mean MAJOR life events in the last couple months and I have struggled. Weight maintenance hasn’t been a huge issue (I’m at the upper end of the fluctuation window I allow myself) but outlook and positivity wavers. Your comment allowed me to revisit my everyday outlook on this issue and life, in general. It snapped me out of my negative head space. I was supposed to read YOUR post TODAY!

Once I was very heavy (260). My skin looked young and firm stretched around my fat. Now I am very thin. My skin flows down my body like heavy drapes. I am healthy. I am happy. I am loved. I look fantastic in clothes! I’m not willing to undergo all of the procedures it would take to correct all of the areas that could use intervention. Life is a series of compromises.🤷🏼‍♀️🙂

I’m a little over 1 year and 3 months out. I weigh/measure everything. I track everything. I don’t believe my way is the only way, but I do KNOW it is the only way I CAN continue to maintain this lifestyle. (I’ve stayed within a 3 pound window for several months that included a cruise, a multi-day family reunion, an out of town graduation gathering and other family trips and events. Without weighing, measuring and, most importantly, tracking on LoseIt, it would be impossible for me.)

I’ve been buying clothing all the way down at the same places I’ve been making money selling my “way too bigs”; Poshmark and Mercari! I can’t post my links but you can do the same and find a great wardrobe while making money off your too big clothing. I also find nice pieces at Clothes Mentor and Plato’s Closet.

If you’ve stopped tracking your food, load an app (I use LoseIt) and start tracking again. Don’t stop tracking! That personal accountability habit is key. There is Step One. 🙂

It's okay! We go through burnout in all phases of our lives. Unfortunately, if you sit too long in this spot, you will really get bogged down so do not linger here! Get back to work!!! You already know what to do. It was the third sentence of your original comment. You just need to get motivated to do it. Remind yourself that: FOOD IS FUEL! It is not comfort, love, entertainment, recreation or purpose! All of that comes from you and what you make of your life! Food is what you feed your body to give you the strength to generate the rest. Make sure you fuel it properly so YOU CAN FEED YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE! I wish you the very best!

Honey, you're still swollen!

I'm 15 months out and frankly I get my fruits/veggies from Juice Plus capsules that I empty in my daily plant based protein shake. Note: I don't sell the products and this isn't a product endorsement...just what works for me. My only other fruit source is one banana per day in my shake and an occasional 2-4 ounce glass of OJ. Although I very much miss a nice salad and veggie sides, it doesn't usually end well. On the other hand, I can do celery sticks with peanut butter or one or two cooked or raw baby carrots every once in a while. Before there is any blow back about the fruit/veggie sitch, my bloodwork (every 2-3 months...forever...) is phenomenal...even the trace minerals.

I'm a huge fan of LoseIt. I made my husband load it last Summer. He lost 45 pounds along side me!

Are you kidding?! You are KILLING IT!!!! Great job!

I have almost no body fat left. At my heaviest, 10 years ago, I was 260. I'm at 115 now. As you can imagine (even with very little fat left) I have a lot -- they tell mw 12 lbs -- loose skin in all the areas you would expect. At nearly 55 years old, my skin has done better than I expected but its still a mess especially in my bottom, breasts and thighs and arms. Occasionally, I do pull-ups to tighten my arms and core. At this size, with this much extra skin, there is no firm to be had in the loose areas. It's not in the cards. I knew this going in. I consulted with a plastic surgeon long before my sleeve and he was very frank with me. He said that there was no getting around what was going to happen and that the smaller I got the worse the hanging curtain appearance of my rump and thigh skin would be. He correctly predicted that my DD's would completely deflate...that my breasts would be awful. Because my breasts would disappear, my back and side skin would begin to drape , too. He also predicted that my belly skin skirt would not be a tremendous factor and likely absorb (it mostly did) but that my abdomen would be wrinkled and soft. He told me that my arms would not fair well but that they would do far better than my thighs. He did tell me that if I was diligent in eating high protein, my body would maintain muscle well. He based all of this on the general make up of my body, the condition/elasticity/density of my skin, and my general muscle tone. None of it had anything to do with predicted exercise. I had a neck lift last year. I couldn't live with that extra skin.

My very best to you. You look wonderful!

You are very kind.

I’ve read this entire thread and it’s been so helpful to know we have each other. For now, I’m going with this plan... First, I was able to get back to 118 but I found that I liked 115 better so I just float between the two now. It’s my three pound window. Second, I can have a cookie or a bite of pizza crust every now and then but I’ve found there is no room in my world for that type of carb on a regular basis. I haven’t touched a slice of bread in a couple years...no buns, no sandwiches, no biscuits...I simply can’t. You might as well ask an alcoholic to taste your drink. I’m fine with the carbs I get from proteins and natural fats and veggies. Finally, I’m frequently monitored for for vitamin/blood/mineral levels. My health is incredible, especially for a woman in her mid-50’s. When someone comments that I appear to be too thin (and I’m amazed that people, strangers even, feel free to do so) I just smile. I no longer wonder if I need to do something. I feel fantastic. After 27 years of retirement, I’m a working actress and model again. My husband is loving, supportive and my family is thriving. I just continue to track everything on LoseIt and adjust my intake accordingly. It’s almost effortless. I'm no longer overthinking this. I’m just using the habits that got me here to keep me stable. I'm living life and enjoying the freedom this weight loss has given me back. I wish all of you the peace and happiness you’ve helped me find.

I’m a big fan of the Oh Yeah ONE bars. I find most protein bars are too sweet now but the OYO Almond Bliss are less so and give an Almond Joy-ish kind of flavor when I’m too lazy to put together my own high protein meal.