St Mike's is the best for transplants!  They are in excellent hands, and that is so important.  I will send those vibes straight down the street (I'm north of the hospital)!  Best wishes and strength for you and them.

Claire

My story too at 2 years 3 months.  I'm up about 5 lbs from where I want to be, but boy it's a battle.  My experiences is exactly the same - O****il about 4:00 then trouble.  I'm even snacking at night, which I NEVER did when I was fat (the only food vice I avoided, haha)!

Excellent strategy suggestions.  Thank you!  copies have been printed and posted where I need reminding.

Claire

HW 350  CW 148  LW 128 (too thin)  Current Goal 142

Hi Melissa

Food:  Katie gave me recommended calorie intake and protein / carb / fat ratios to go by for maintenance  As it was not much different from where I was at in weight loss mode (300+ more calories, ratio pretty much the same), I decided to approach maintenance not as a new phase, but as an expansion of the same eating pattern - just a little bit more.  I would figure out each morning what I would be adding that day to make up the 300 calories, and when I'd eat it - and then continued the remainder of my eating like before.  I stopped using FitDay for tracking - to try and ease off the pressure a little - and started weighing myself everyday instead.  [As post-menopausal, I don't have the monthly"swings" to contend with.]  As long as I stayed within three pounds up or below my target weight, I said - OK, no change to eating / exercise required.

This has remained my pattern, although I am not adhering as strictly to the "ratios" as I used to - but, too many carbs, and the pounds start coming back pretty fast.  Then back to basics.  I gained 5 pounds from December to March, and have just taken them back off without too much trouble by cutting the carbs back.  My body seems to respond much better now than when I was really fat.

So maintenance for me is really nothing new - just "more" of the same.

Mentality:  Terrified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But after about 3 months I began to realize I was in control still.  For me, stopping the food tracking (which I felt was OK, because I was still basically eating the same things that I was already familiar with) was very freeing.  I just keep track of calorie ranges in my head now.

Body Image:  This was tough.  Finally accepting that I'm not fat anymore has really helped me ease back and become more comfortable with life, and not make food so important in my daily living.  To do that, I asked my family to help me understand what I REALLY looked like by picking out random people on the street and asking if I was that size.  Neither my husband or my daughter liked doing this to be frank, but it really helped me. Not surprisingly, I always picked people who were apparently larger than me as my comparables, and they consistently picked people who were much smaller than I thought appropriate.  Gradually I began to accept that I am now normal sized - and perhaps on the smaller end of the "average".  This has been a major head trip, and still is to be frank; but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that not worrying about being the fat lady is wonderful.  I get mad still about the size-isms that I encounter, but now within the context of member ship in the thin people club, but I try not to focus unduly on it.  I feel incredibly compassionate toward those who still struggle with obesity, and have to be careful that I don't come across too forward with those who are themselves still big but see me as small.  It's definitely a balancing act.

Good luck.  YOU CAN DO IT!  And ..................... Congratulations on your success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the best

Claire

Lactose intolerant here too.  We use lactose free milk, more $ but same taste and cooking quality; and carry lactaid pills always.  My daughter has got to the point where she has to read prepared food labels now too.  It's now very manageable, and saves a whole lot of discomfort and unhappiness.

Interestingly enough, the "whey" products - which are are great source of protein - are based on milk of course, but by the time the processing is completed to create the whey - the lactose is generally gone.  So we use a lot of whey without any trouble.

Claire

HW 350

CW 141

Surgery - Feb 2011

Well done!

At 2 years out, it's encouraging to hear that all continues to go well, and of course it's no surprise to me that the food struggle goes on.  As you say - the key is to stay vigilant with the food choices and for me the quantities.   

And how awesome about the fitness - I think THAT is tremendous.   I love the idea of someone, who faced the challenges of being 316, now leading a fitness class.  A wonderful achievement and in my view a dream come true - literally. 

May continued success be on the path in front of you.

Claire

HW 350   CW 141   Surgery Feb 2011

Definitely having the same issues.  I'm down 210 lbs, and during the last 40 lbs went into old lady land.  I look worse at 60 than my mom did in her 90's - but, to be fair, SHE was never fat. 

Do anything about it?  Too scared quite frankly.  I looked into injections / treatments, etc., but they are quite painful apparently, rather expensive !!!, and only temporary.  I'm very leery of a face lift because stretched skin like ours is supposed to be hard to work with. 

So, I'm accepting my new face along with my new body.  I figure I have come out on an even keel, or maybe even on the ++ side - my face may look older, but my body is so much better, doesn't hurt as much, clothes fit, and can be active now. 

But yes, I'm sad too.  everyone used to think I looked young for my age.  Those days are gone.  But I still wouldn't trade in any of it!

Claire

HW 350   CW 141   Surgery Feb 2011

At one point I was down 225 lbs, or back to what I weighed in grade 8 - only now I`m  61! 

I`m beginning to realize that now I`m not just `normal`- I`m actually seen by many as small, and OMG it`s a real head trip. 

To cope, I asked my family to point out people I looked like or were the same size as me to help me adjust my internal image, and I also asked took the initiative to ask them if I was the same as people I myself noticed.  They always pointed out people I thought were too small, and I consistently chose people that were too big.  That visualization process probably helped me more than anything to adjust to the change, but they got pretty sick of it (it took about 6 months).

I`m very comfortable with the new me now, saggy skin and all.  My expectation going into the surgery were to loose 100 lbs (to a weight of 250), so anything beyond that was a HUGE bonus.  I never expected to come out looking like a young model (haha) - which I think some people seem to expect - so no serious disappointments for me.

WOW - what a ride.  I love my RNY!!!

Claire

HW 350  CW 141  Surgery Feb 2011

I wear body suits (like a bathing suit) which is a miracle life-saver for me.  They are cut higher under the arm than many bras so they help contain the rolls, and having them in 1 piece means that the bra back doesn't ride up so  the girls don't head south.  I also like what they do for my panni roll in trousers - no wobble. 

The trick is to try on many manufacturers to find a style that fits.  If you can, try to get to a specialty bra store.  They will know what make to recommend once they see you in the first one and determine what the issues are fit wise.  I find them VERY comfortable, even in the summer.  Well worth the cost from my standpoint.

Claire

HW 350  CW 141  Surgery Feb 2011 

For whatever it's worth - you might try to keep the allocation of your total calories within these ranges : 40% protein, 30% fat, 30% carbs.   

Once I started adhering to this carefully, the weight just came off steadily.  The guidelines come from TWH.  I used the FitDay program (online - free) which does all these calculations for you.  The key for me was keeping the carbs at 30% - over this and I stalled no matter the total calories I ate for the day - big OR small. 

This is different from counting the grams because the # of grams can vary depending on how much you are eating that day.  It's all about the mix.

Worked wonders for me!  Good luck.

Claire

HW 350  CW 141   Surgery Feb 2011

Hicups are my signal to stop - pouch is full.  If I keep going, it will come back up.  I'm still this way at 2 years out.

Claire

HW 350  CW 141  Surgery Feb '11

OMG - so unbelievably pleased for you.  Revel in your accomplishment.  You deserve every bit of it!

Claire

I am so sorry you're having to go through this.  It will be worth it in the end. 

I had some trouble too at first.  I used the 2 tbsp medicine cup they give you for your pills, filled it with water, and had to drink the 2 tbsp in 15 minutes.  I used a timer, and at the end of the 15 minutes I had to refill the cup and start over.  Slow and steady won the race for me eventually.  It's amazing how 2 tbsp adds up - yet the little cup is small enough not to be too daunting when it's really hard to do this.

Good luck Bonnie

Claire