At 4.5 months I had a huge stall that lasted for weeks. I thought that I was "done." Then I dropped another 10 lbs. Now I've been the same weight +- 5 lbs for many weeks now. I had my 6 month check up last week and blood work done. I was afraid that my surgeon would be displeased with my progress since I have not been as diligent with my food and exercise as before. He didn't seem to be concerned and appeared to be satisfied at where I was. He scheduled my next appointment for 2 months from now and said we would take my "after" photo at that time.

My exercise is sporadic and I haven't tracked food or calories or measured anything in months. I really have no idea what my caloric average is at this time. I try to make good choices most of the time, which are far superior than they have ever been before. I do enjoy random and very small servings of not so healthy things. One cookie with my hot tea at night, 1-2 bites of my SO's food, a few pretzels or pita chips, a glass of wine or two, etc.

I have been wondering why I am so complacent right now. I have around 25-35 more lbs to go to get in the place I think I would like to be with my weight. My blood work shows anemia, which explains why I'm not bouncing around with energetic motivation. My hair loss is beginning to slow. I'm starting to wonder if the lack of sunny days over the winter has had an impact.

I don't really feel defeated as in an overwhelming sadness. My progress has been fantastic with 70 lbs lost in 6 months. At 5'3" will my "set point" be between 148-151 lbs? I hope not. That is heavier than I want to be, though I certainly look and feel significantly healthier than before.

I'm doing some reflecting right now. Thinking about doing the pouch test or going back to Protein shakes for a few meals. I'm just in a spot of stasis that feels comfortable lifestyle wise, but not result wise. I'm not feeling incredibly motivated right now so I wonder if I have subconsciously taken a break. I envy those who say that they have been extremely and strictly complaint for extended time periods. I still love food but I eat cucumbers, tuna, and carrots with fat free dressing for lunch, yogurt for Breakfast, have a few coffees with skim milk, and salads. I also enjoy hummus with crackers, an occasional piece of chocolate, steak, a tiny bit of butter on 1/4 of a potato maybe once every few weeks, fruit, and nuts.

Is this it? Am I done at 6 months? My surgeon said 8 -18 months. I guess I'm just feeling a bit moody about it today.

I was thinking about this earlier today... I wonder if part of it is just some kind of complacency?

We've lost a big amount if weigh in a short time and feeling so much better than we did just a short time ago.

I like some of my new clothes and will be sad to see them go (weird huh) everyone praises me,

I'm comfortable, but I know I'm still VERY fat.

so I need to start getting in uncomfortable again.

And push through and get some more off!

I relate to your comment about feeling comfortable. I am feeling very comfortable with my current new normal. I can do what I am doing now forever. Will I continue to lose, just much more slowly? Will it stop? Do I need to do an ass kicking intervention now when I've come so far and have done so well? Am I just slightly depressed from a very dreary, long winter with no sun?

And if I kick my own ass (and I certainly can) and drop 25-40 lbs (I've done it SO many times before only to gain it back) will I be able to maintain that with any semblance of normalcy? Or my new normal.

Although I haven't been sleeved yet this is actually one of my biggest concerns. Always in the past I would get to 10-20 lbs of my goal. I felt so good and comfortable that I would just let it slide and never make those last few pounds. I worry the same will be true with the sleeve - as much as I don't want it to be!

I'm also pre-op and think about this a lot.

IMO this is where setting realistic goals comes in, rather than just getting surgery and floating along to see how much I'll lose. OP herself has goals listed above her ticker. At some point these goals were important, that's why she typed them in.

So when we get to a point that we're comfortable/complacent, it's time to re-eavluate the goals. If the goal is still important and seems realistically attainable, then the hard work should be done to push to achieve it. If the goal, now that it's closer, seems less important or is unrealistic, then perhaps the goal should be changed.

The important things though are that:

1) it is not good for your soul to always believe you have this goal out there that you had set but never achieved and

2) it IS good to have realistic, attainable goals, otherwise we live on "autopilot" ...and I dont know about you guys but that's kinda how I got to this point in the first place

I'm also pre-op and think about this a lot.

IMO this is where setting realistic goals comes in, rather than just getting surgery and floating along to see how much I'll lose. OP herself has goals listed above her ticker. At some point these goals were important, that's why she typed them in.

So when we get to a point that we're comfortable/complacent, it's time to re-eavluate the goals. If the goal is still important and seems realistically attainable, then the hard work should be done to push to achieve it. If the goal, now that it's closer, seems less important or is unrealistic, then perhaps the goal should be changed.

The important things though are that:

1) it is not good for your soul to always believe you have this goal out there that you had set but never achieved and

2) it IS good to have realistic, attainable goals, otherwise we live on "autopilot" ...and I dont know about you guys but that's kinda how I got to this point in the first place

My original goal was 115 lbs. I modified it about 2 weeks ago to 125 since I'm 45 years old and really don't "have" to be 115 lbs, it was just an attractive idea. My surgeon's nurse gave me a general target of 128 lbs. I'm still a good bit away from that at 149 lbs of today.

You're not THAT far away from 125 in the grand scheme of things. Don't work on the ultimate goal right now, work on the next goal. Which you could choose to be not even scale related. Maybe make your goal to be to weigh, measure, and track your food for a week or two. I think you'll find a lot of satisfaction in setting and achieving a goal, regardless. Try to keep your thoughts positive It's not "You are what you eat" it is "YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK"

gloomy winter is over, yay!

I like your thinking.