Let's talk about skewed or unrealistic expectations. Vets of all stages, help newbies please.

I have purposely removed the contents of this and other posts in this thread.

I thought after I lost weight I would automatically look like a supermodel - LOL! Well, I'm not gorgeous - I still look like me - just thinner. And all this loose skin just makes my body look even worse than before. Thank God my quality of life has improved so much or I would be bitterly disappointed.

I had realistic expectations about my final weight but you really have not a whole lot of control of what the scale says. I've gained 10 lbs in recent months and tried to reduce carb, exercise, etc. and just realized its hormone problem. I never thought about that. I can't control my hormones! So some of it is uncontrollable.

I think the biggest misconception people have is that WLS will cure all the ills in their lives. There are some things in your life that aren't weight-related!  Life will not suddenly become a bowl full of cherries, the HS quarterback won't suddenly realize you're the girl or guy of his dreams, and you won't cure any other addictions in your life.

....If I weigh ____ much... I will be ____  size....

1) i will never eat a (insert: cookie, candy, cake, piece of bread, cracker, chip, big mac, etc...) ever again.

2) my skin will bounce back.

3) the surgeon and nutritionist are infallible.

Not a vet by any stretch.. and this may be unneeded.. but I never had any of those thoughts running in my head. Maybe because I was on both sides once already fat/normal? I know what changes and what stays the same.. I also know what the damage looks like..

#1. I get hungry from time to time now, no biggie, it's normal. #2. a few hundred cals (easy now), not for life, 1500ish +/- a couple hundred, yes.. totally doable. #3. hahah! Whatever. It's coming off on it's own damn schedule.. #4. floors me too. #5. the scale goes up and down constantly on me.. doesn't change my outlook or my plan.. #6. I don't rigidly exercise now, and don't plan to diet rigidly either later, just eat healthy (low carb, yes.. and I prefer it as does my husband, I love meat) but thankfully I won't have the bottomless pit I had pre-op.. #7. Nope, any probs I had before are still alive and kicking, that's on me. #8. I had a social life & friends, still do. Can I do more with them now, yes- that's a plus. #9. Marriage was great pre-op, is fantastic post-op. I got a good one in life on that.. #10. Hahah! Ok, no. Again, all on me.

The big thought I did have going in was I want to even the odds of me getting to and staying within a healthier weight range so my mobility would not get worse and would very likely get better.. at that last one, I'm already a success.. I never thought the surgery I had would guarantee me lbs lost forever (I HATE when ppl post that, it is the worst kind of self-delusion in my mind..) I just needed something to give me a little extra help.. I know me, and I knew what I needed. I got exactly what I expected out of this surgery.. the rest (majority) is on me long term.

I picked 155lbs as a goal for ****s & giggles, and since I saw that weight for a week or so once a long time ago.. it's on the high end of the normal "BMI".. but I spent a long time in the 170's and am fine there, despite being "overweight" in that range.. I will keep going till my body says no more, and see where I land. I already feel leaps and bounds better, that's what I was aiming for.That to me is my realistic goal, to improve my ability to live within my body with relative comfort.

"I will lose XXX lbs forever."

Bull****

You cannot EVER claim it until you see forever.

"I will never eat _______."
"I will never drink ________."
"I will exercise every day."

It doesn't happen like that.

Life happens -- and usually faster than you'd expect.

"If I could just get to my goal, I could __________________."

Not true.

We still suck as people if we SUCK.

It is what it is.

Fat cells are not your personality.