WOW! I can't believe it's been 3 years since my Gastric Sleeve surgery! It feels like I had it yesterday.

I started out at 470 and I've pretty much maintained at 215 pounds for the bulk of this year. If anyone is on the fence about having this surgery, let me tell you, it's life changing.

I am so happy I did it. Not only is my health great, I've gotten very fit and am more active now than I have been in years.

18 hours ago, JRT Mom said:

The guy on the left looks like someone's crazy uncle that everyone loves but no one takes seriously.

OOOOOOooookkkkkkkkk....

13 hours ago, Krestel said:

You look wonderful! But my question to you on the other side of the journey, when did you transition to maintanence and is it difficult to keep?

I just keep eating right and try to get about 30 minutes of exercise in 5 days a week. There wasn't a moment where I stopped losing and started maintaining. It's all about a new way to eat and live my life.

3 hours ago, Danny Paul said:

Love these success stories. Unfortunately, Congratulations.

"Unfortunately, Congratulations" ? Please explain.....

On 11/16/2019 at 7:25 PM, RussT said:

I just keep eating right and try to get about 30 minutes of exercise in 5 days a week. There wasn't a moment where I stopped losing and started maintaining. It's all about a new way to eat and live my life.

Aha..that is so interesting. Good to hear that it's a natural process when it works. Ive heard all these horror stories about weight gain afterwards. Im still working on my new eating style and trying to get rid of falling back to my old ways.

Glad to see. i am always worried about sliding back but happy people are reaping positive results!

looking good!

On 11/16/2019 at 00:51, JRT Mom said:

You don't look like the same person at all!

Your before and after pics are a great example of how we stereotype people. The guy on the left looks like someone's crazy uncle that everyone loves but no one takes seriously. The guy on the right looks super smart and who everyone asks advice from. And yet you are the same person.

Congrats for your hard work!

I know this is meant well but I found this painful to read. I’m 11 mo out from my surgery and have lost noticeably a lot of weight (~115 lbs) and people have no problem disparaging my looks from the recent past. I even remember my GP saying before my surgery “let’s hope I won’t recognize you next time I see you!” I just don’t find this a nice sentiment because I loved and accepted myself the way I looked when I was bigger and think that everyone should be taken seriously even when they are very overweight. The idea that you look crazy and shouldn’t be taken seriously as an overweight person, and that you look smarter when you’re thin, goes to show how much society pressures us to intertwine feelings of self-worth that are not related to our weight.

Anyway with that said, congrats on your journey @RussT ! It’s really great to have someone so successful with lifestyle changes check in at the 3-year mark as I’m often hearing that restriction and maintenance are more difficult after 2 years.

57 minutes ago, bodycando said:

The idea that you look crazy and shouldn’t be taken seriously as an overweight person, and that you look smarter when you’re thin, goes to show how much society pressures us to intertwine feelings of self-worth that are not related to our weight.

This. I always hated when people commented on my weight loss in a way that made me feel like I was somehow less worth as a fat person.

I certainly wasn't saying I feel this way. I meant that society, as a rule, unfairly judges us by our outside appearances. Many studys support this--overweight people are definitely discriminated against, especially in the work place. You give that before and after picture of RussT to a manager and ask him which person he would rather hire? The manager is going to pick the thin one, every time.

again, my post wasn't saying I felt any different about either picture--it was just a comment on the sad truth of how overweight people get stereotyped.

7 hours ago, bodycando said:

I know this is meant well but I found this painful to read.

I'm sorry this stung.

I recently showed a side-by-side "Before & After" picture of myself to a good friend of mine. We were both the fat ones in our circle of friends up until I got my surgery and lost the weight. I know she is happy for me for my weight loss, but I also know that seeing me makes her feel bad for being left behind, of sorts. So when I proudly showed my B&A pic to our group of friends over dinner one night, she started to cry. I felt horrible.

Our never-fat friends very low-key chastised her in a joking way for making my story about her and taking away from my "moment". A couple of them told me later (separately) that my friend shouldn't have done that and that I should not feel bad about or feel the need to hide my successes.

But I get it (a little too late, but at least it was got eventually). Seeing that picture was a reminder that she is the "Before" picture, something that we strive to NOT be. That must of made her feel pretty sh*tty.

Now, I won't minimize myself to make others feel better, but going forward, I hope to be more mindful and speak/behave with a little more sensitivity. She is still my pal after all.

❤️

You look great!! Good job! Congrats!!

On 11/16/2019 at 1:26 PM, RussT said:

Unfortunately, Congratulations" ? Please explain.....

Was going to write Unfortunately I still struggle. I didn't finish the thought. Sorry about that.

congrats you look awesome keep up the great work enjoy the journey looks like the rainbow s pot of gold has been found cheers !!!!