Has it really been two years? In some ways it seems to have flown by, but in other ways it seems so much longer than that!

On this day two years ago, I weighed 236 pounds. Down from my starting weight of 260. I met with the nutritionist at OCC and she told me my goal weight should be 165 based on my answers to about a million questions, my starting weight, how much I'd been able to lose in the past, etc. Not only did I reach that goal right around the one year mark, but I have now been maintaining at or below it for a full year!

When I decided to have WLS, I thought of it as "weight maintenance surgery" rather than "weight loss surgery", because I really didn't need help losing weight. I'd lost weight many many times in the past. Having lost the largest amount (90 pounds) back in 2010/2011. My struggle was always keeping it off. So when I found myself back at 260 pounds (within 10 pounds of my highest weight ever) in the summer of 2014, I knew I had to do something different this time. While I had no doubt I could lose the weight again, I also figured I would eventually regain it, like every other time. I decided to have VSG and I am so so happy to have been right in that decision!

I've maintained my weight loss for a full year! I have never been able to do anything like that in the past. Whenever I was "done" with a diet before, I started regaining weight immediately, because I went back to the exact same habits that had gotten me there in the first place. But not this time! I'm never going to be "done" with my sleeve. It works with me and I work with it every single day of my life.

And how different that life is now! I am running a full marathon on September 18. I have been training for it since May, after having run a half marathon in April, which I had been training for since January. This summer I think I've spent more time being active outside than I have in the past 10 summers combined! I go out. I meet new people. I participate in activities I never would have thought to in the past. I don't binge to cope with my emotions. I enjoy food, but in healthy quantities. All my social activities don't center around food anymore, but when they do, I'm not consumed with guilt and self consciousness. I wear fun clothes. I actually enjoy clothes shopping now, instead of dreading it. I don't feel ashamed walking into a "normal" clothing store anymore. I can ride all the rides at amusement parks and fairs. I can spend a whole day on my feet. I feel strong and confident and comfortable in my own skin!

To any of you who are just getting started or are struggling and questioning whether it's all worth it, I can assure you that it absolutely is! It's hard work. It's sacrifice. It's change. But if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded.

I am so happy for you, congratulations on your two year anniversary...you have done amazing!

Congrats!

What a great accomplishment! You've done it! I would be very proud of yourself besides living healthy you're definitely an inspiration to all of us!

Good luck and thanks!

Teena

Surgery date 08/15/16

Start 267/ Surgery 248/ Now 221

Loss 46 / 27

Thanks for sharing, I agree about the weight maintenance. I have always been able to lose weight, it is keeping it off that is the challenge. I am a band to sleeve revision. I did good w the Lap Band for the first year, then I started having problems with it. I just got revised to the sleeve, and I feel that I made the right choice. I think I will have much better results this time around. Your story gives me hope!!

Thanks for sharing. I love to hear how people are doing at a few years out. You are an inspiration!

You sound just like me pre op. Hopefully I'll be like you post op! I had surgery 10 weeks ago and losing steadily.

Thanks for sharing, I always enjoy your posts.

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@@fluffy22 Glad to hear you are progressing well. As long as you stay focused and determined, there is no reason you can't be successful.

Thank you for posting! I was wondering how well VSG works for those who had previously lost and regained large amounts of weight.

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Congrats!!! I'm right there with you about "weight maintenance surgery" that's the way I look at it too, and you are rocking maintenance! Good luck with the marathon this weekend!

"Weight Maintenance Surgery" What a great concept! I'm scheduled to go in for the sleeve surgery in two days. I've done pretty well with the pre-surgical diet (never hungry, feeling pretty content) and have gone from 345 to 322 in three weeks. A close friend asked why I don't just stay on the pre-surgical diet and my response was that losing the weight wasn't the obstacle (not easy, but doable) but keeping it off is where I fail.

I'm going to integrate Weight Maintenance Surgery into my vocabulary! Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations on two successful years! Here's to many more.

@@Sam S. Sounds like you have a great attitude. Attitude is a big piece of the puzzle, so I think you will do great!