I've been the same weight give or take for 2 months now, maybe longer. I exercise a ton. I eat fairly healthy. I'm what health professionals would consider overweight but friends would consider ideal. Is there some point where your body just says, "look, this is it". This is the best your gonna get and you look great, you’re the healthiest and skinniest that you have ever been. Your big boned and not meant to be any skinnier.

Am I just making excuses or is there truly an ideal weight for each of us that may or may not conform with the BMI chart? I'm damn focused on the number but maybe I'm setting myself up here.

I keep a head shot of my obese self in my office. I look at my full body before pic at least once a week. I don't know why, but making peace with that image has been important to me - I guess a reminder of how far I have come rather than focusing on how imperfect I still am.

Fluff this statement is spot on with me " I feel mostly the same way about my body now as I did 65 pounds ago". I can't bring myself to even view my before pictures. I still buy clothes that are to big because I haven't found that comfort with my body. With reference to the running, I started out slow just walking and now run 5-6 miles a day. You can do it. Just start out slow and stick with it. You will feel so much better. I"ve had knee surgery and once the weight is off, its amazing what you can do.

I joked recently that of my 65 pounds, most of it seems to have left my face.

I feel this way also....it seems like I'm constantly stalling now. I. Need to lose at least 25 more pounds to feel successful. My year is in two months....I hope to be at least 10 more by then but the scale hasn't budged in almost month. Hit another stall

That was exactly my experience "now what" - I am a very goal oriented and driven person so I can completely relate.

I love the movie "The Princess Bride" - when the swordman finally killed the six fingered man who murdered his father he was suddenly lost. He had spent his whole life obsessed with that pursuit of revenge... and once the evil doer was dead his life lacked purpose. Luckily, the position of being the pirate had recently opened up... but no such obvious opportunity fell in my lap!

Crap, i have been battling obesity since grade school. It has been the single most defining nemisis and arch enemy of my life. i have a successful career, great kids, a house, good friends... lots of things... The WLS journey was intense and I really really focused on it. As I got toward goal I started having that same feeling of being truly lost. I did not anticipate how deeply that impacted me. It was like I finally won a major battle but didn't have anywhere to hang up the sword and just live life. I often felt like people were looking at me, i felt at times like I dressed to frumpy, other times like I dressed too young... I felt as awkward as a pimply faced teenager sometimes.

Well, I have been working hard on that for more than a year. I am starting to feel much more grounded in life outside of fighting obesity. I don't mean to say I didn't have hobbies and interests before - I did - but I guess what i mean is finding sort of peace with my body, my looks, my clothes, my self confidence, my athletic abilities - all that. I like me, flaws and all.

Now, for any of you that want to break a true stall. Here is what worked for me... go low carb, eliminate Protein bars and other processed foods (even if they seem like healthy food) change up workout routine. I went to high intensity interval training. Those two things - low carb and HIIT got me from about the 180-190 range to my initial goal of 158. I had a small regain, and doing 5:2 got me from the low 160s to 150. Don't ask how I got from 150 to 140, that wasn't intentional and doesn't count.

I am good now and maintaining in the 140-143 range.

I think you have already achieved amazing success. How much better will your life be if you get to some elusive number?

Jane;

Thanks regarding the success. I think one of the things that has helped me to be successful is setting and reaching goals. I have this mental checklist in my head and the thought of putting a goal down on the list and not achieving it is maddening. Maybe its the perfectionist in me. This question was really about is it time to reevaluate some of those goals. I'm not unhappy with where I'm at and don't want to imply that I am. I've been striving for something so long that its almost scary to think that I'm there. Now what do I do?

Cowgirl...you are awesome!

I'm there too. I've been watching the same 3 lbs for 2 months. I'm not worried about it though. I'm tickled pink with my progress and if I don't lose the last few, I'm good. My only real issue is I'm sorta between sizes for most things. I'm a tight 8 loose 10. I wouldn't mind another 5 lbs to fix that.

I can relate to this. I'm also a tight 8 and loose 10. Frustrating.

I'm there too. I've been watching the same 3 lbs for 2 months. I'm not worried about it though. I'm tickled pink with my progress and if I don't lose the last few, I'm good. My only real issue is I'm sorta between sizes for most things. I'm a tight 8 loose 10. I wouldn't mind another 5 lbs to fix that.

Bookworm, thanks. Actually, physically I am doing great. I do CrossFit and just recently added running back into the picture. 3 miles is pretty easy; I'm looking to get to 5-6 on my weekend runs and I should have that covered within a month or so. I actually have to hold myself back from going too much too soon on that…I'm making myself only do every other day on purpose. But I do think the more I lose the more my knees will like me. :-)

Thanks, Jane.

How do you like crossfit? Going on Saturday to my first class. I've heard great things. Just looking to change my workout routine and someone recommended crossfit.

Here is a question ? If you achieve close to goal weight and stall would it stand to reason it might be hanging skin I am sure there is some kind of weight the skin weighs ?

Once you are close to goal the extra skin doesn't weigh that much. I had extensive plastics and it was only 5.5# of skin. I didn't need lipo as I didn't have extra fat.

How do you like crossfit? Going on Saturday to my first class. I've heard great things. Just looking to change my workout routine and someone recommended crossfit.

I am so sorry I missed this..I have been traveling a lot. I love CrossFit. Started it before surgery, and this group of people is like another family. I only make it 2-3 times a week because of work and other commitments but we have a tight bond. Which, for me, is what keeps me honest. Really, when people will NOTICE if you're not there it is much harder to skip.

I also feel that I am arguably the most fit I've been in my adult life, in a more well-rounded way. The whole point of CF is functional fitness: being able to use your body in all sorts of ways. So while as a young adult I ran a marathon, I am much more healthy overall now. I'm lifting heavier things than I ever thought I would. It's pretty common that I walk in, look at a posted workout and think "Oh, I can't do that" and then surprise myself. So, I love it and would go on about it for days.

A friend of mine has done the vsg and they removed 20 pounds of skin and fat she said . I was like wow that's a lot I think every one is different

Remember that muscle weighs more than fat so if you're exercising you're putting muscle whether there was fat. Some of us may not get to that "perfect weight" but your body knows what it needs. And check out this picture, if you've lost several of these then you're doing great!. Think about how your not huffing and puffing just walking a block isn't feeling good the point of all of this?