I'm 5'4" and 285#. Looking through the stories on this forum makes me feel sad. I should have taken charge of this years ago.

I know I will be successful. Failure isn't an option. Gosh, when you're 150 pounds overweight you can't afford the luxury of failing.

Of the people that had a very high BMI, how many people made it to goal? I'm asking because I want to be 130. That is a normal, healthy weight for my frame and I don't want to do this half-assed.

So, hit me with some encouraging stories!

I'm 5'3" and started at 263.8, so I wasn't far off from you. I was a snug size 20 pants and a 2x top with 44DDD boobs.

I am still 5'3" and down to 184.2 as of this morming. I am now a tight 12 or a loose 14 with a loose L top and 38DD boobs (the reason why I can't wear M tops).

I am almost 5 months out and only 24 pounds away from my original goal before I decided to push myself to 150. That makes me 34 pounds away which feels oh so obtainable. I went through the three week "stall" which lasted almost two weeks and then the three month stall that lasted a month and I am now losing again. When I get to 150, I will see what I look like and reevaluate. I am an hourglass shape and I've not been that small since my sophomore year in college so who knows, twenty two years and two kids later.

I teach kickboxing now, I can log in 20 miles over a weekend and feel great on Monday, I WANT to exercise every day and get frustrated when I can't. I never forget my pedometer when I used to on "accident". I do martial arts and when I do a jumping kick, I can actually get off the ground and my balance is so much better.

Best of all? I FEEL GREAT ABOUT ME!! I've always had a healthy sense of self and I've always been very confident (in my opinion), but I am just now realizing how much of myself I actually lost now that I am getting ME back. If I didn't lose another pound, I'd be OK. I've gained so much more already.

Best journey of my life so far and it's only going to get better.

Hi crystal,

I'm 5'4 I didn't start out at 285.

But at the moment I'm 152 and wearing a size 8 skinny jean.. my goal is 135 but honestly if I stopped now I look pretty "normal" so I guess what I'm saying BMI is just an number.

Oh yes, I felt like the biggest one whenever we went out with friends. I'm 5'4" as well and at 163 I'm in a size 10 skinny/curvy jeans and a M/L top. My goal is 135 too (cuz I copy Laura whenever possible). It had been 125 but after talking a lot to my surgeon about body shape/bone structure I decided to revise up.

Much as 125 sounds like a magic number to me too, I'd rather have muscles than be skinny minnie. If I get to have a choice.

I am 5'-5" and I started at 264.Iin 8 months I have gotten to 170. I wear a size 8 pants and a M top.

I don't have a goal in mind but 130 would be ideal for me. Once I hit 150 I will have plastics done and see how much skin I am carrying around ( likely 10-15 lbs) then evaluate if I need to work on losing or maintaining

You will be successful if you put in the work. Make correct eating choices, drink your fluids , stay active etc...

It's almost impossible not to be successful unless you are hell bent on self abusing.

Your going to do great and will not be the biggest one on the room any more. I judge myself against everyone and I find myself asking am I still the fattest one here?

Yes, I frequently either feel like fattest person in the room except for when I go to bariatric meetings then I'm the skinny B who doesn't belong. I was told by a bbw that I am her after & why was I perusing wls.

Yea...

Still got 100# to lose. I'd be you in 5 years w/ 150 to lose if I hadn't done this now.

I decided it was someone elses turn to be the fattest person in the room/ in the family etc.

I'm tured of being the fat friend/fat cousin/ fat school mate etc.

allons-y

Thanks for the stories! Sometimes I even feel like I'm the heaviest one on this forum for height.

Surgery is November 1 and I feel ready. In the last 30 days I have quit smoking, given up caffeine, stopped drinking pop and have stopped drinking with meals. My next goal is to become vigilant about drinking between meals and hopefully that will keep snack cravings away. My husband is doing the diet with me. We are going to be 80% paleo with a few select carbs and gluten free

We owe it to our kids (almost 3 and 18 months) to grow up knowing what normal portion sizes are.

We owe it to ourselves to have the best life we could have dreamed of.

I owe it to myself because I am worth being healthy for.

I am taller, 5'7" but I started with a BMI > 40 at 274 lbs. I was sleeved in early February 2013 and as of this morning I weigh 143 lbs., which is 13 lbs. away from my goal of 130 lbs. You CAN do it. Follow your program, do the work, make the right choices, exercise as much as you can (within reason) and you will be fine. It is a complete lifestyle change but stay enthusiastic about the journey and you will be very happy along the way.

I am taller, 5'7" but I started with a BMI > 40 at 274 lbs. I was sleeved in early February 2013 and as of this morning I weigh 143 lbs., which is 13 lbs. away from my goal of 130 lbs. You CAN do it. Follow your program, do the work, make the right choices, exercise as much as you can (within reason) and you will be fine. It is a complete lifestyle change but stay enthusiastic about the journey and you will be very happy along the way.

Do you mind saying what sizes you now wear? I am 5'8" and my goal is 145 so right about where you are now.

TIA

I always feel like the fattest person in the room. Every once in a while I see someone and wonder, "Is she bigger than me?" but, normally, I'm the biggest person. I'll be so glad to get to a relatively normal weight and not be the biggest person anymore. I don't know if my goal weight is realistic. At this point, I think I'd be happy just to get to onederland.

Do you mind saying what sizes you now wear? I am 5'8" and my goal is 145 so right about where you are now.

TIA

I wear a small to x-small in tops and a 4 in pants. I am a 2 to 4 in dresses and skirts. Hope that helps.

I wear a small to x-small in tops and a 4 in pants. I am a 2 to 4 in dresses and skirts. Hope that helps.

Wow! I can;t even imagine being those sizes. Thanks

I wear a small to x-small in tops and a 4 in pants. I am a 2 to 4 in dresses and skirts. Hope that helps.

That is amazing! Do u have any before and after pics?

All the time I did feel like the biggest one... That's what encouraged me to do this surgery...

Surgery date I was 280 at 5'7 but to everyone else looked smaller. I guess I'm more heavy boned lol!

Now I'm 248 and I still feel big... better but big still... You are not alone. Can't wait to get to 8 months out and look back on the transformation

I'm 5'3" and started at 263.8, so I wasn't far off from you. I was a snug size 20 pants and a 2x top with 44DDD boobs.

I am still 5'3" and down to 184.2 as of this morming. I am now a tight 12 or a loose 14 with a loose L top and 38DD boobs (the reason why I can't wear M tops).

I am almost 5 months out and only 24 pounds away from my original goal before I decided to push myself to 150. That makes me 34 pounds away which feels oh so obtainable. I went through the three week "stall" which lasted almost two weeks and then the three month stall that lasted a month and I am now losing again. When I get to 150, I will see what I look like and reevaluate. I am an hourglass shape and I've not been that small since my sophomore year in college so who knows, twenty two years and two kids later.

I teach kickboxing now, I can log in 20 miles over a weekend and feel great on Monday, I WANT to exercise every day and get frustrated when I can't. I never forget my pedometer when I used to on "accident". I do martial arts and when I do a jumping kick, I can actually get off the ground and my balance is so much better.

Best of all? I FEEL GREAT ABOUT ME!! I've always had a healthy sense of self and I've always been very confident (in my opinion), but I am just now realizing how much of myself I actually lost now that I am getting ME back. If I didn't lose another pound, I'd be OK. I've gained so much more already.

Best journey of my life so far and it's only going to get better.

Thank you lipstick lady, your story was very inspiring to me. when i read it, it was almost like you were describing my body frame so now i feel i really have all this to look forward to.

I too am 5'3 started at 253 lbs my pants also are a very snug 20 (sometimes i can even take a size 22) and ive got the 42DDD going in the ehh top area lol. and i also have two children and i an hourglass shaped.

thank you for sharing

Edited October 10, 201312 yr by hopeliveshere

I am taller' date=' 5'7" but I started with a BMI > 40 at 274 lbs. I was sleeved in early February 2013 and as of this morning I weigh 143 lbs., which is 13 lbs. away from my goal of 130 lbs. You CAN do it. Follow your program, do the work, make the right choices, exercise as much as you can (within reason) and you will be fine. It is a complete lifestyle change but stay enthusiastic about the journey and you will be very happy along the way.[/quote']

Wow! My stats are similar to yours, I'm nearly 5'7 and 257 starting, surgery scheduled for November 12th. I hope I have as good of results as you! Thank you for this post, the numbers and inspirational to me.