Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd EVER wear size 4 and 6 jeans. Tops that are mediums and some times even a small rather than 1X....a 2X felt even better! I knew I'd be thrilled with 12's but secretly hoped I'd sqeeze into 10's when it was all said and done. Then the weight started falling off and lickily split I was in 14's then 12's. I KNEW I'd wear be in 10's in no time.

My goal was, my realistic goal was not a weight, it was a size - I was certain I could lose enough to wear a size 8 pretty early on. I couldn't picture it because my wedding dress (at age 19) was a size 9, but an 8, that was my dream!!

Celebration took place when I got to a size 8, but alas, I wasn't through - HOW LOW COULD I GO??!!! I didn't look too thin, I felt good, this was easy as pie, I wasn't even to my surgeon's goal and here I was, in a size 8. Could I possibly EVER get into a size 6 EVER??!!!

I knew then and there that my expectations of what I could accomplish with this new tool was way too low. It was amazing what was happening to my body.....now if my mind could only catch up!!! It did, I finally started recognizing myself. To this day, when I go to try on clothes, I will take a 6 and 8 into the dressing room instead of a 4 and a 6. It is very hard to get use to and I still lean towards buying something that is a bit to big. I just bought capris and I almost got the size 6 instead of the 4's - i could stick my entire arm down the waist of the size 6, but I just could NOT believe the 4 was REALLY the correct size and "what if they shrink when I wash and dry them". This is just crazy thinking, but I think it happens to all of us to some extent. At least I hope so!! LoL

Anyway........I'm finally getting the hang of maintaining, it's been the most difficult part. I could continue to lose if I wanted to. I wish it were this easy for everyone. I hope it continues to be like this. I of course have this fear of waking up one day and I'll have put on ten or fifteen lbs., have that ravenous hunger and things will be like before. I am pretty sure that it is an irrational fear, and the further out I get, the less I think about stuff like that. I am learning to live like a naturally thin person. I hope I'll "think" like one.....all the time, one of these days!!

Good luck to all of you that are just starting out. What a great journey we are on!!!

WAY TO GO!!!! Congratulations on your fabulous success story.

Amazing! Congratulations!

I hope that will be me one day soon! Not so much the 4 or 6, but not so hungry and not have to think about food all of the time thing! I hate it and really hope that I am one of the lucky ones that it just goes away!

Happy dance for you! Congrats!

Kelly

Amazing success -- congratulations!!!

Congratulations on your amazing success and thanks for posting! I am having surgery tomorrow and this is JUST what I needed to read to help me to get over the nervous butterflies!

That is GREAT!

I loved reading your story, it's so inspiring!!!!! Very impressive, you should be proud. I'm so very happy for you.

Congrats!

Your story is very inspirational! I am looking forward to wearing a size 10, but if I can go smaller than that- hey I'll take it!

Beadingnurse!!! Good luck tomorrow!!! I know you'll do fine and be writing about YOUR success story before you know it! Enjoy the ride, it's a great journey!!!

Congratulations on your amazing success and thanks for posting! I am having surgery tomorrow and this is JUST what I needed to read to help me to get over the nervous butterflies!

Thank you! No doubt you can get to a 10....but don't underestimate yourself!!! That's what I did, we don't dare dream we can go lower....we have it in our minds we'll look like a scarecrow OR, we think we're "big boned" so there is no way we could ever be that small or 'thin' or OMG SKINNY!!!! Funny thing, I am NOT big boned, all these years I thought I was, my mom told me I was!!! LoL Wow, what a revelation to learn, at age 51, I am not!!!

It's just hard to picture ourselves 'small'. It is sooooo weird the first few times.....or first dozen times people refer to you as thin, small or skinny. You'll look around like 'who me, surely you jest'. I remember a couple of months ago I was at a cute little upscale boutique with over priced clothes....they were having a clearance and I tried on a pair of pants, I was already wearing a size 6, these were a size 8, but they were so dang cute and i STILL look at size 8's, I can't help myself!! These were Italian pants and they apparently run small.....they were really small, but oh-so-cute!!! Anyway, the sales woman said she was sure as tiny as I was that I'd be able to wear them!!! I couldn't believe it, ME??? She said so many had tried them on but they ran so small nobody could wear them. I suggested she move them to the 4's or 6's but she said they could not do that........I don't know why, but she said they couldn't. She lost me.....I was still basking in the "Tiny" comment!!! Of course she had nooooo idea what it meant to me for her to say that and had no idea how NEW it was......just wait, it will happen and it will make your day!!!

Congrats!

Your story is very inspirational! I am looking forward to wearing a size 10, but if I can go smaller than that- hey I'll take it!

Thanks y'all!!! It's been a great journey thus far! I am optimistic for continued success for all of us who are post-op and for all of you who are going to join us!!! I think this will be the "new gold standard" for WLS in coming years!!!

Forced portion control, what could be better???!!!! The sleeve has proved to be a great tool in my very humble opinion!!!

Congrats! I am so happy you are doing so well. I also always grab the bigger sizes at the store and I am learning to adjust. I think it is from years and years of everything being too tight. Way to go on the size 4's. Amazing!!!

I am sooooo proud of you. You go girl. I love my 4's!!!!!

Thanks Becca - I'm sure you are right, not to mention, it is still so foreign to be this size and to actually feel comfortable in something that "fits". I still seldom tuck anything in, just because.....maybe this summer I'll feel comfortable enough, but I've never ever been this size, so I have NEVER tucked anything in. Talkin' about teaching an old dog new tricks. This will take some getting use to!

I have a mixture of 4's and 6's, it all depends on the brand, you know how they differ. Finally I have a FULL new wardrobe since I'm at goal and my pants are 50/50 exactly on the two different sizes. Good luck to you!!!

Congrats! I am so happy you are doing so well. I also always grab the bigger sizes at the store and I am learning to adjust. I think it is from years and years of everything being too tight. Way to go on the size 4's. Amazing!!!

Me too Mini - Love the 4's - have you noticed that there is usually only ONE pair though, so you gotta get it when they put new inventory out it seems. Never any 2's, EVER, so I do not want to lose any more. My dietitian said I could easily go to 130 and still be fine, but all my pants would be too big, even the 4's - and I've spent to much $$ and it looks to me like 2's are near impossible to find unless you start looking in the junior dept. No thanks! I'm happy as a clam, and it feels like a job at this point to not lose any more. Let me state right now "I LOVE MY JOB" LoL

I know you're doing great.....yay for you!!!

I am sooooo proud of you. You go girl. I love my 4's!!!!!