Perfect quote for all here on the OH site!!!!

I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in other people that have started the WLS journey at the same time we have and they may be losing more than us or be in a smaller size than we are that we lose site of the overall picture.  This is about our health and a lifestyle change.   For those that may not see the picture reads " Never compare your journey with someone else's. YOUR journey is YOUR journey not a competition"

That is so unrealistic, of course people are going to compare themselves to others, they want to know how they are doing.  The problem is when they do no compare apples to apples, same surgery, same starting weight or same bmi and then get discouraged.  As long as you understand you are comparing the percentage of weight lost that is fine and relevent and actually a good indictator of how you are progressing.  But to say you lost 40lbs in one month and you expected more, well I guess that would depend on your sex, starting weight and surgery to know if you should have expected more or you are doing spectacular.  And for that matter, no one should expect to lose more then 1lb a day for extended periods of time, no matter where you started, your body just cannot possibly do this.  There need to be reality to the stats you are comparing.

Heidi....

True as that may be I think you are looking way to deep into this.   My thing is every ones body reacts differently.   I understand comparing one self to others as I have done that many times.  What I am saying is just because it went a certain way for one doesn't mean the same will happen to you.  So me and Jane Smith have had WLS on the same day we weigh the same and are the same height and we eat the same...but Holy **** what am I doing wrong she has lost 20 pounds more than me. That is what I mean as my journey is different than hers.  We all have a different chemical make up and thankfully we are all created differently otherwise we would be carbon copies of each other.  Seriously how fun could that be?! 

Overall the point is you will drive yourself ape**** if you worry about other peoples journey and not your own.

I am an analyst, I compared myself to statistics not other individuals.  But before I started this journey I looked at every picture I could trying to see my body size and shape to get some idea how I might look after.  I thinkt the scale is a bigger problem them comparing yourself, if you don't lose weight for a week and you freak out, what really is the point.  I never had a scale because I never wanted to know.  And honestly to this day will only step on a scale when I know the number will be favorable.  If I ever see a higher number then I am expecting it upsets me and I eat crap.  Stupid but true.

i like how OA says it too: "compare and despair".

Deborah, thank you! While Heidi is correct that it is in our nature to compare, we HAVE to understand that our journey is ours alone or we risk losing it all in frustration!

 I'm with Deborah on this one.  No one's journey is the same.  Heck I stalled at 220 lbs and a size sixteen for over a year before I started losing again.  Everyone's body/chemistry/genetic makeup is totally different.  While its nice for new people to look at other's before/after pictures, it should only be an indication of that persons own journey.  Yes, with RNY as a TOOL I have had success but my success has come from my hard work and liftestyle changes as well.  I know many people in my own life that have had the same exact surgery as me and failed while I had success.  It can only be attributed to oneself and not the TOOL.  I had success losing weight before I had surgery, as I'm sure many of us have.  But my problem has always been re-gain, I never changed my life just went on another 'diet'.  This is NOT a diet, it's forever.  

Mallisa