I am going on 17 months post-op, yet every single time a new diet commercial comes on the radio, a new weigth loss show starts on TV, I'm flipping around channels and come across an infomercial... my ears perk up and I get sucked in. Even just a new commercial for Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem and I have this couple of seconds where I focus intently. Will I ever get used to the fact that I don't need any of that nonsense anymore? I don't need to know the details of your new portion control container diet. I don't need to learn to swap this for that. I don't need to know what Oprah is doing this week to lose weight!

I've been at goal and maintaining for almost 5 months now, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I don't need to lose weight anymore and I certainly don't need the latest gimmick to do it.

I got a brochure in the mail for a university hospital-run rural county weight loss program (I live in a very rural, poor county which is the perfect environment to become morbidly obese. We are one of the fattest counties in the State) . It's free, offers weekly meetings and nutritional counseling. I was so excited. We've needed something like this for a long time! Then they had a chart inside for the minimum and maximum weights by height in order to be eligible to participate. The minimum weight for my height was 191 and I'm 162. I was actually sad because I wanted to go to the weekly meetings. My two coworkers are signing up. I keep forgetting I have very little left to lose. I'm still in "weight loss mode" too so I'm in the mindset of focus on eating and exercising to reach goal.

See if you can go anyway. I bet you have a lot you can share as well as learn.

I started taking a nutrition class through our county extension office. It has been interesting. I have learned a lot, been reminded about a lot, but also have been able to share my experience with several people. Just introducing folks to MyFitnessPal was much appreciated.