I am scheduled for February 18th. I will be first in. Wow, this process takes forever.

Maybe we can get a group discount for our gobblers ?

I am amazed at how good the posted pictures look. I do not quite have the nerve to post a full body picture yet but I am getting there. @Sherribear you do not have a saggy wrinkly neck. @Everythinganna you look awesome and so much younger than your posted picture. Great job everyone.

I went a little early for my six month check in and my doctor is telling me I need to eat around 1,200 to 1,400 calories. It makes me nervous, I feel like I will not lose anything. Right now, I am usually between 600 to 800 calories a day and I try to get 16,000 steps a day. How many calories is the group averaging a day?

I average 700-800 cal/day. However....... I have had great results from alternate day calorie restriction. This can be done every other day or just 2 days a week or even 1 day a week. It helps boost weight loss and has many health benefits. On low calorie days I eat 500/day and then try to get 1100 or so on the alternate days. My total caloric intake averages the same, but it tricks the metabolism and there is no metabolic slow down.

Regarding saggy skin: I have it everywhere. I have the neck wattle and jowls, which make me look older than I did before. I've also got loose skin on my upper arms, thighs and butt--and of course around the waist. I look pretty good in clothes, but I'm still a bit shocked when I see my body in the mirror. Maybe I'll post some close-up pictures one of these days.

Regarding caloric intake: I'm not counting as scrupulously as I used to, because I haven't had any issues with re-gaining weight (so far). I was doing 500-600 in the first few months, and I'm guessing that I'm up to about 800-1,000 now. I'm seeing my surgeon again in two weeks and will be eager to hear what she has to say.

Oh I do also, but when clothes cover it, I LOOK pretty fine, and you take triumph where You Can.

If bra/panties pics aren’t allowed I will gladly remove. Here is a before and current. Pic 1 is 268 and pic 2 is 198. Notice in the side view that I’ve lost so much fat in my arms and chest that my arms now hang closer to my body so my fingertips hit a lot lower on my legs. I want to lose 60 more pounds, but it’s so far away it seems impossible. Adding my measurements also. I’m now wearing the lowest plus size they make. Almost in normal sizes!!

1 hour ago, ldawn said:

If bra/panties pics aren’t allowed I will gladly remove. Here is a before and current. Pic 1 is 268 and pic 2 is 198. Notice in the side view that I’ve lost so much fat in my arms and chest that my arms now hang closer to my body so my fingertips hit a lot lower on my legs. I want to lose 60 more pounds, but it’s so far away it seems impossible. Adding my measurements also. I’m now wearing the lowest plus size they make. Almost in normal sizes!!

Amazing transformation! Thanks to all who are sharing photos. It's so great to see such progress.

On 08/18/2019 at 20:58, ldawn said:

If bra/panties pics aren’t allowed I will gladly remove. Here is a before and current. Pic 1 is 268 and pic 2 is 198. Notice in the side view that I’ve lost so much fat in my arms and chest that my arms now hang closer to my body so my fingertips hit a lot lower on my legs. I want to lose 60 more pounds, but it’s so far away it seems impossible. Adding my measurements also. I’m now wearing the lowest plus size they make. Almost in normal sizes!!

Awesome that you’re also keeping track of measurements! Great progress and don’t doubt yourself. This thing ain’t over at 6 months, 12 months, or 12 years.
We’re gonna keep on eating healthy, shaking our booties, and whatever else we need to do to get to goal.

On 08/18/2019 at 18:34, AZhiker said:

I average 700-800 cal/day. However....... I have had great results from alternate day calorie restriction. This can be done every other day or just 2 days a week or even 1 day a week. It helps boost weight loss and has many health benefits. On low calorie days I eat 500/day and then try to get 1100 or so on the alternate days. My total caloric intake averages the same, but it tricks the metabolism and there is no metabolic slow down.

Very very soon I’m doing this!
ATM, I’m mostly playing around with different eating intervals, and not quite pulling the trigger on alternate day fasting.

2 main reasons:
1. I’m still >20 pounds from goal and would like to wait til I’m within 10 pounds to start more aggressive IF
2. Even though I’ve had a slight bounce this week, I’m going to wait this out and see if I’m truly stalled, or everything is just resettling for a couple of weeks.

Today and the next 2 days I’m fluctuating my eating window.
Today was 20:4, tomorrow will be 16:8, Tuesday will be another 20:4.

Plan is to eat >65gm protein daily and I’ve not yet figured the calories, but I know what I’ve got planned to eat.
I’ve got a rotisserie chicken, high protein soup, cottage cheese, Brie, a bariatric hot chocolate, some almonds and plain ole fairlife milk.

Today my calories were around 550, tomorrow I’m gonna bump to 900-ish. Mostly I’ll be eating cheese, popping an extra handful of almonds and drinking extra milk to help get me there.
I’m hoping to get out of my every day “rut” of eating about 700-800 calories every single day and doing 16:8 almost every single day.

If bra/panties pics aren’t allowed I will gladly remove. Here is a before and current. Pic 1 is 268 and pic 2 is 198. Notice in the side view that I’ve lost so much fat in my arms and chest that my arms now hang closer to my body so my fingertips hit a lot lower on my legs. I want to lose 60 more pounds, but it’s so far away it seems impossible. Adding my measurements also. I’m now wearing the lowest plus size they make. Almost in normal sizes!!

WOW!! Amazing progress. Well done hun. Your inspiring us all. Xxx

About calories thanks @azhiker and @sherribear I think I will try alternating the calorie intake

You all look amazing!

Still struggling over here. I don't know what the heck is going on with me, but I'm bouncing around the same few pounds again.

16 hours ago, Goody222 said:

I am amazed at how good the posted pictures look. I do not quite have the nerve to post a full body picture yet but I am getting there. @Sherribear you do not have a saggy wrinkly neck. @Everythinganna you look awesome and so much younger than your posted picture. Great job everyone.

I went a little early for my six month check in and my doctor is telling me I need to eat around 1,200 to 1,400 calories. It makes me nervous, I feel like I will not lose anything. Right now, I am usually between 600 to 800 calories a day and I try to get 16,000 steps a day. How many calories is the group averaging a day?

There's no way I could get that many calories in. I was beginning to worry about losing too much too quickly. Weird to think right? My goal was 140, I am now floating around 133/134 but for the past 3 weeks I increased from 700-1000 calories since I have been steadily losing 2-3 pounds per week. It feels like a push to try and get 1000 calories in. People are saying comments about being too thin etc and I am saggy everywhere so I want to maintain here or if I drop another 5-10 slowly I would be ok but I felt like I needed a stall to let my body catch up. I have not been going to the gym much and wanted to get my calories up and weight steady before I push building up muscle so that's what I am concentrating on now. Maybe try to increase slowly towards 1000 calories and see if you can continue weight loss.

13 hours ago, ldawn said:

If bra/panties pics aren’t allowed I will gladly remove

Oh my gosh when I first read this I thought you meant you would remove your bra and panties take naked photos! Ha ha

Clearly a huge difference here and congratulations on your successes!

I have put on 5 lbs in a week and I don't understand how it is possible.