Declaring Maintenance

Since joining this sight I longed for the day I could ecstatically post that I reached 'goal'. Being part of this site taught me goal is different for everyone, some use BMI, some have a specific #, some use clothes size etc. despite knowing goal can have different meanings for everyone, I easily fell into the trap of comparing myself to others on here. I.e.- 'XX weighed as much or more than me and has surpassed my loss. I should be able to do what XX did.' Comparing yourself to others never yields anything good. What it did for me is leave me in a state of doubt for over a year that I should/need to lose more. Never mind that I reached the two min goals I had-- onderland and wearing a size 12. But that wasn't enough because I 'should' be able to do what XX did, right?!

So this past month and a half I've had a lot going on. My weight went up to 205 fast, for reasons not totally of my own doing. Man if that's not a sobering reality to appreciate what you have accomplished. I'm back to 197 as of today, 195 is my happy 'goal' place.

So I'm quitting my keeping up with the Jones' attitude. I'm embracing my success and focusing on maintaining this lifestyle I've establised for myself. I'm proud of what I've done and am doing.

Surgery was 4/2015. My high weight was 337# wearing a size 26, with no routine physical activity in my life. I'm now 197#, size 12 and actively exercise doing things I totally enjoy 4x's a week. I create and rotate mini goals based on nutrition/exercise to keep things interesting. This is my post-op maintenance life. And even being in 'maintenance' I learn new things about me and this process everyday.

You can do it! And you always have such good advice! I have always compared myself to others I would ask my husband "do I look that big" while pointing to someone else. Since surgery, I have not done this, I have been more focused on me. Well yesterday we were at a restaurant and had that do I look as big as her and I stopped myself half way through and got mad because I thought I was done with comparing myself to others

In person I more often find myself wondering, 'am I really as small as her?' So it never goes away totally.

If I could get away with sneaking peaks the the size tags of people's clothes- I'd probably live my days looking and comparing :-)

People might find that weird if you just walk up and start looking at their tags. Although, that image does make me laugh in my head.

Same and same! I'm always wondering what size people are wearing. I find it helpful at helping my brain catch up with my body. At least that's how I justify it hahha

It's a ***** isn't it. I was chatting with a coworker, and she was talking about her fathers health conditions. The conversation moved on to her health, and then she mentioned something about not being able to get a tiny as I am. I asked her how much she thought I actually weighed, and it was 30 pounds less than I do weigh.

I'm glad you admit that because I would do the same. I see people and think "I wonder if people say I'm smaller or bigger than her". It has nothing to do with what I think of that person's weight, just that I need to have a constant data point for myself!

my original goal was to weigh under 200 - I would have been ecstatic with that. I figured that's where I would end up, given the statistics, and I would have been fine with that. Not sure how/why I kept going - lucky I guess. I actually think I looked best when I was 160-170, even though I was "overweight". My face looked great then - it looks drawn and wrinkled now. But I'm trying to stay in the 140s, mostly because I'm afraid of losing control and getting up over 200 again. But I would be OK in the 160-170 range. I just don't want to let myself drift up there - again, mainly because of my fear of losing control. But I think your goal of staying under 200 is fine. Way better than weighing 300+ lbs, and you look great!

Thanks!

Peach you have done amazing and consistency is key. You know I am in awe of your running.... you are a beast.

When we have been MO I think we have no idea what is a good weight. I picked a random weight but wasn't sure whether it was realistic or not. I too had a goal 'under 200' and from their said I'd take it 5 lbs at a time.

Good for you for claiming it.