If someone had asked me one year ago if I ever thought I would be at a "normal" weight again, I probably would've laughed. Yet here I am, at my doctor's and my goal weight and with a normal BMI. When I started this process, weighing 244 pounds, my realistic hopes were to just be under 200 pounds again. That came fairly quickly, and the rest was just bonus. It has been just under ten months and I am here to let everyone know that it is possible, you can do it too! I realize that I am very fortunate that I have not had any issues or complications and am very thankful for that. When I lost my mother a few months ago, I was devastated and used that as an excuse to overeat. I had been averaging a loss of ten pounds per month, so when I gained two pounds the month following her passing, I had to remember why I had the surgery and how proud my mom was of me for losing weight. She has always been my rock and my inspiration, so thinking of her has been my motivation. If you get discouraged or down during your journey (and I'm sure everyone does at one time or another) just go back to square one and remember why you went down the road you chose. Whatever that reason was, whether it be health, body image, love or anything else, I hope it will motivate you as mine motivated me. Good luck to everyone on your journeys and I wish the best for all of you!

If someone had asked me one year ago if I ever thought I would be at a "normal" weight again, I probably would've laughed. Yet here I am, at my doctor's and my goal weight and with a normal BMI. When I started this process, weighing 244 pounds, my realistic hopes were to just be under 200 pounds again. That came fairly quickly, and the rest was just bonus. It has been just under ten months and I am here to let everyone know that it is possible, you can do it too! I realize that I am very fortunate that I have not had any issues or complications and am very thankful for that. When I lost my mother a few months ago, I was devastated and used that as an excuse to overeat. I had been averaging a loss of ten pounds per month, so when I gained two pounds the month following her passing, I had to remember why I had the surgery and how proud my mom was of me for losing weight. She has always been my rock and my inspiration, so thinking of her has been my motivation. If you get discouraged or down during your journey (and I'm sure everyone does at one time or another) just go back to square one and remember why you went down the road you chose. Whatever that reason was, whether it be health, body image, love or anything else, I hope it will motivate you as mine motivated me. Good luck to everyone on your journeys and I wish the best for all of you!

Congratulations and best wishes for continued success. Your story about your mom really just hit home. I lost my mom two and a half years ago and it has really been hard on me. My dad had died four years earlier to the date.

Both were very concerned about my weight when they passed. You just made me realize that they are cheering me on and I can trust God to tell them my progress. I am doing this for myself but in their memory as both struggled with their weight all their life. You don't know how much your post meant to me. I wish you well.

Melinda

Very nice posts!

I'm so sorry for your losses. Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad that my post was meaningful to you. I think it is great that you are doing this for yourself as well as your parents memories, I can relate Good luck to you as well!

Kristi

Congratulations and best wishes for continued success. Your story about your mom really just hit home. I lost my mom two and a half years ago and it has really been hard on me. My dad had died four years earlier to the date.

Both were very concerned about my weight when they passed. You just made me realize that they are cheering me on and I can trust God to tell them my progress. I am doing this for myself but in their memory as both struggled with their weight all their life. You don't know how much your post meant to me. I wish you well.

Melinda

I never thought I would be here either. I have been obese for 20 years. I lost weight many times and always gained it back and more. This has been a crazy ride but relatively easy and I can now be sure I will never gain it back. I still see myself in a mirror or shop window or in a picture and dont think its me!

If someone had asked me one year ago if I ever thought I would be at a "normal" weight again, I probably would've laughed. Yet here I am, at my doctor's and my goal weight and with a normal BMI. When I started this process, weighing 244 pounds, my realistic hopes were to just be under 200 pounds again. That came fairly quickly, and the rest was just bonus. It has been just under ten months and I am here to let everyone know that it is possible, you can do it too! I realize that I am very fortunate that I have not had any issues or complications and am very thankful for that. When I lost my mother a few months ago, I was devastated and used that as an excuse to overeat. I had been averaging a loss of ten pounds per month, so when I gained two pounds the month following her passing, I had to remember why I had the surgery and how proud my mom was of me for losing weight. She has always been my rock and my inspiration, so thinking of her has been my motivation. If you get discouraged or down during your journey (and I'm sure everyone does at one time or another) just go back to square one and remember why you went down the road you chose. Whatever that reason was, whether it be health, body image, love or anything else, I hope it will motivate you as mine motivated me. Good luck to everyone on your journeys and I wish the best for all of you!

Wow you rock. Awesome job!

Thank you!!!

Wow you rock. Awesome job!

Muelle, That is so great. I wish you lots of luck and I hope that one day I can tell everyone how good I did. Thanks so much for the great story.

Thank you so much for sharing your stories. My parents are still with me but I know they have always been concerned about my weight. It's seems that every time they see me they are "sharing" that they had a friend who did another diet that I should try... Again. I know they all mean well but I want them to be proud of me and my accomplisment to lose my weight they way I have chosen. I will be banded soon and will be delighted to know I did this. Maybe I'll be the "sharing" story. It will be a lot of work but each day I am reminded that it will be soooo worth it all. *smile* to be under 200 is a wooooooow for me. Congrats to you!!! And I'm sure your parents are so very proud of you. I know it.