Hello folks,

I can hardly believe that I am on the home stretch here. I started out at 433 pounds nearly three years ago and have lost 220, make that 215 as my weight has been creeping up a few pounds lately due to stress. Most of that I lost in the first two years, as I have been on a plateau for most of 2011. On the one hand, I am really, really pleased for the weight I have lost. I am literally HALF the woman I used to be! I have gone from being defined by my limitations (energy, size, fitting in chairs - everything) to having essentially no limitations in life. I used to have to buy all my clothes mail order because even Avenue didn't carry big enough clothes (size 36). Now I am right in between shopping in the Misses and Women's departments (size 14-16 on top, size 18 on bottom). Although one of my goals is to be out of Women's sizes completely.

My family and I went on a vacation to Mexico and I sunned myself on the beach and slid down the water slides with my kids. When we went to Washington DC I walked all around the Capitol Mall visiting the various Smithsonian museums without getting tired and without my feet or legs getting sore. I even got our friends to babysit so my husband and I could make a special trip out at night, walking from our hotel to the Washington monument, just to see it at night. That's a lot of walking and it was no big deal for me, whereas before I would have never considered walking so far just for the sake of seeing a monument at night.

We were travelling with some friends who are quite a bit heavier than I am currently, although not as heavy as I was before my lapband surgery, and they were not able to do the things I was able to do. It reminded me of how far I've come, and I'm really grateful for the progress I've made. (And I was able to be compassionate for their state of energy, since I have been there and worse)

On the other hand, I have been stuck at more or less this weight for most of 2011. It's like my body does not want to drop those last 25 pounds to my goal weight. Now I know that by most measures of "success" for bariatric surgery (losing 50-70% of your excess weight) I am already successful. But I want to get down to the one hundreds! Actually, 170 would be an even healthier weight for me, but I'll settle for 199 (I'm tall). So I am frustrated by this long plateau and my seeming inability to get all the way down to my goal weight.

Now I know that I have developed some bad habits (liquid calories sneaking back into my diet) and also that I have to get more serious about exercise in order to get to the next step. I am thinking of trying to hire a personal trainer to keep me on track and motivated. Just going out walking as exercise - which worked great when I was first getting going - is not going to be enough anymore.

So anyway that's my story. I'm really glad I did the lap band. I honestly never thought I would get my weight this far down ever again. So I am really grateful for that.

I just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss!!! I am in Awww of you. You are truly an inspiration. Stories like this make me very excited in the prospect of my own weight loss. Keep up the good work!!!!

Thank you for sharing your story And CONGRATS on your amazing loss.

You will get to goal, you already know how far you've made it on your journey. Just keep on keepin' on

When you are ready you will do it...you have proved that you have what it takes. I think this plateau is OK and even good for you. I highly recommend a personal trainer.....my 6 wk committment has turned into 2 and a half journey and I love my trainer. She keeps changing things and making exercise interesting. I train at home and don't have to feel self conscious in a public gym. 2 pounds a week is slower than you want but is healthy....since your wt is stable your intake and output mtch so modest increases in activity and calorie reduction will start your loss all over again.

Congratulations and best wishes.

Mimi