Hi All...

It has been a while since I have been on here.... but tomorrow marks my One year & 6 Months from surgery. As I look back at my struggles and achievements; the highs & lows,– I still am so very THANKFUL for my sleeve & giving myself the best gift I could have ever given/received. I am thankful for all the support I have had from all of you!!!

I started out at 253lbs and currently 146lbs.

There are days were I look in the mirror and don’t see the current me. I see the original weight/old self… which I know is weird since I am a size 6/8 BUT sometimes still see the size 20w… I started really beating myself up. I was feeling like I was going crazy, but according to my doc there are others that go through this…

So I went to a support group meeting last week, and someone said “you have to be nice to yourself, stop beating yourself up over everything, learn to forgive and love yourself”. I give this advice so often; I don’t know why I haven’t given it to myself. IT was such an eye opener… We are with our self all day every day… We need to be nicer to ourselves… I NEED to be nicer to myself…. I am on day 8 of taking this advice, it’s a work in progress but I am trying.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful HUMP day!!!

Thanks for sharing your story! It helps me at 3 weeks out to read others stories and see where I could be in time. Great job!

Edited June 10, 201511 yr by ShrinkingPeach

@@skinnygirlwithin, congratulations on your milestone! Your support group friends gave you great advice! Easier said than done though, right? Many (most?) of us spent a lot of years not being very kind to our obese selves. There is no time like the present to change that, and it feels better day by day as you begin to appreciate and respect YOU.

About the body image thing--I attend support groups regularly, and many people talk about still seeing the "old me" in the mirror (me too!). Over time, it does improve but for many it takes a long time. Have you tried using comparison photos of yourself? Sometimes it's easier to see and/or adjust the brain when you see yourself in photos.

This is kind of silly--but do you ever do anything for yourself with an intentional label of "This is just for Me?" If you don't-- just a suggestion to maybe plan a once a week particular intention to do something for just you. It can be as small as buying some dumb little thing from the Dollar Store, or going to a movie (by yourself or with a friend if that makes you happy), visiting a park, making time to read a book, etc -- whatever gives you a lift-- as long as you specifically label it as something you are doing for JUST YOU. It's a start to acknowledging that you are WORTH being good to yourself.

Keep up your new routine of kindness to your "selfie."

Yes, thank you for sharing your story! It gives me hope! I am almost 11 months out. I have not reached goal and find myself being nasty to myself! I am down 90 pounds which I know is good! It's just slow! sw269 cw179. Thanks again!

Edited June 21, 201511 yr by LadyK44