All my life I have wanted to be fit, healthy and relatively good looking. 36 years on wanting it and not knowing how to get it or achieve it.

Then I made it...I lost about 170 pounds, I wear a size 10-12 (my happy curvy size).

So whats next?

I have had this goal for so long, and then it became a reality. I spent last year working every inch of the sleeve and my body to get here and I did it!!!

But now I dont know what is next?

The world really is my oyster, but I am having a hard time figuring out what I want...does anyone else wonder where to now?

What's next? Living life without the prohibition that our weight made us give up. My weight no longer consumes me as I once consumed food...in large quantities.

Everyone has different dreams: Travel, shop, walk around and be invisible, fine dining, travel, a tap dance class, horseriding lessons again, wearing a bathing suit in public, ride a rollercoaster, shopping, and insert you "I wish I could". What hitting goal did for me was take my weight out of the equation of excuses.

What is next? Everything. Watch out people, I have a second chance and no excuses anchoring me down.

Thank you all for your responses.

Good to know on the most part I am not alone.

While I am still planning for anything and enjoying most parts of being "skinny", theere is this underlying feeling of listlessness (great work desertmom)...like I need to be driving to a goal.

I have also been goal oriented and am happy in my career and where I am and now happy with my body (enough, sure the excess skin could go but ya know...whatever). The only part of my life that is not complete is my love life and that is not something that I can make happen through, yes I can and am doiing the online dating and meeting new people but you cant make a connection happen.

Anyway til then I will and do enjoy the good parts.

As aussie girl could probably attest to- there's nuffink wurs than a friggin penriff axsent- western Sydney blows you all away

I think after getting thin ill try and get on tosh.0 as a hot chick saying gross things, or on lettermans stupid pet tricks!

I've been afraid of fifteen minutes of fame but maybe ill make my fortune once I break free of this flubbery prison!

Mind the language- but a funny representation of my native tongue- all my friends sound exactly like frankie!!!

http://youtu.be/kL9ROvQYWM4

I still haven't reached my magic number, but I am getting closer everyday. I chose my name for this site "livinglifeout" because I felt I wasn't living the life style I wanted due to all the weight. As I am losing, I am starting to do things that I haven't done in years. I always said...when I lose weight....and put things off, as life was passing me by. I'm a lot older than you Aussie girl, and wished I had done this years ago. Go out there and live life everyday. Go to all the events, not staying away because your fat and don't want people to see what you have done to yourself. I have traveled through the years of my fatness, but couldn't do all the activities I wanted to do. But I never went to a class reunion since I was ashamed to be the popular pretty girl turned fat. This year I will be going to my reunion, thirty five years later:) this September I have booked a trip to Machu Picchu, because I can finally hike up there. So what's next??? LIVING LIFE OUT!

Mind the language- but a funny representation of my native tongue- all my friends sound exactly like frankie!!!

http://youtu.be/kL9ROvQYWM4

That guy with the stopwatch....was he Ironbar from Beyond Thunderdome?

You Aussie girls are a hoot

Being that I'm older, actually I'll be 58 this July - this next chapter of my life includes being able to enjoy so many of the things I avoided when I was really huge. As I move toward retirement, I look forward to those long walks on the beach, heading to the YMCA for morning aqua-aerobics, traveling abroad (without the seat belt extension) riding all the rides at theme parks with my grandson and enjoying many tasty but tiny meals along the way....oh and there WILL be shopping

Cookieez I love it!! Such a good mock up of the accents. I agree the westie accents are the worst, and I am originally from the west.

Butterthebean, I may be wrong but I think that is Angry Anderson (someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong), given he was quite famous back in the 80's, it is not inconcievable that he would have been in Mad Max.

Love the philosopy, livinglifeout.

That is definitely the way I am living now, spent 10 weeks travelling doing all the thiungs I was physically limited to do, ziplining, rafting, horse riding, tubing, riding rollercoasters....

Katie, whats next for you sounds awesome

I will be doing the things Aussiegirl did, zip lining, riding roller coasters, skydiving. It feels great to have lost weight and feel better about myself. I have realized I am so much stronger than I thought and the world is my oyster. I am truly looking forward to a wonderful year filled with great memories! I feel so confident:)

Cookieez I love it!! Such a good mock up of the accents. I agree the westie accents are the worst' date=' and I am originally from the west.

Butterthebean, I may be wrong but I think that is Angry Anderson (someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong), given he was quite famous back in the 80's, it is not inconcievable that he would have been in Mad Max.

Love the philosopy, livinglifeout.

That is definitely the way I am living now, spent 10 weeks travelling doing all the thiungs I was physically limited to do, ziplining, rafting, horse riding, tubing, riding rollercoasters....

Katie, whats next for you sounds awesome [/quote']

Well....yep, according to IMDB Angry Anderson was Ironbar. I didn't realize he was also a rock star. Neat. Thanks.

Wow sometimes I do know things

Yea he was a rock icon for Australia in the 80's, he also lost alot of weight at one time, not sure how *shrug*

Sleeve down under?

Probably not, it was quite a few years ago..cant remember if it was due to an illness or what, but definitely pre-sleeve

Hey guys. I haven't been here in a while. I post over on OH a lot but there seems to be a shifting of things over there. I like the idea of a veterans forum. Anyway, what is next? Hmm, it's weird for me to think of what to do. One thing that I have noticed since losing the weight is that I'm actually going out SHOPPING now. I actually bought clothes in small sizes and didn't worry about them fitting. Before the sleeve, I'd been living in athletic pants and anything stretchy. I am still a cheapskate, but I actually wear nice jeans now. I actually try to look nice when I go in public and look presentable. Before surgery, I didn't walk confidently when I went anywhere. I also didn't try that hard to look nice because I wanted to avoid any looks from others--whether good or bad. Just no attention period. I'm not like that now. It is really surprising. I am still shy and private but much more open than I used to be. I smile more, I laugh more, and I don't mind going places and someone looking at me. I'm no longer wondering "Are they staring at me cuz I'm fat?"

I have a strong Southern accent too, and I don't care who likes it or not :-)

Hmh - What's next? I'm coming up on one year at goal and then in a couple of months, two years post-op. What's next for me is learning something new this year. Haven't decided what yet, but maybe a language (I only speak english now and I would love to learn spanish) or a musical instrument (I had a brief, bad stint with a clarinet in 4th grade),

I usually have goal every spring, but getting to goal weight and feeling like I could stay there took me three years: nine months to try losing weight AGAIN and then finally talk to the Dr. about the surgery, six months pre-op, nine months to goal weight post-op, and another year to realize that I can stay at goal weight.

I'm still filling my closet with clothes (I really do hate shopping even now that I am at a healthy weight) and I occasionally toy with the idea of plastics.

Lynda