Any SSMO's reach goal?

I started out at 425 on surgery day and here it is almost 16 months later im down minus 202 pounds. I can't help but see many many people on the main board getting to their goals within one year of surgery or less. Now I know that I was 275-300 pounds overweight...I realise I was Super super morbidly obese, but that does not change the fact that I STILL find myself very frustrated at the fact that I am NOT at goal. I feel like a 4 year old who got Cinderella Barbie insted of Ballerina Barbie for christmas. (stomp, whine complain lol) I swear I NEVER thought I would be able to say how great I feel. How many things I can do and how I have a boyfriend and how emotionally much more secure I feel....but....there is always a but involved eh? hahaha I deal with SO many emotions now than I did prior to surgery. What do I wear?? OMG I have no good clothes etc. Could it be I'm having NORMAL sized emotions?? GASP!!! My goal is 150, granted for my height, I should be lower at maybe 133 or so, I feel my bone structure could only handle 150-ish. Anyone here super SMO get to goal or know anyone who did? I need some encouragement! Love and super sized hugs Donna

Many SMOs have reached goal, Tooter, Amy Williams, Glenn Blind, Leilanni, Stacey, and people from this board. Let's crunch your numbers. There are about 4 weeks in a month. To have reached your goal of 300 pounds lost, you would have to have lost 6.25 pounds a week or 18.75 pounds a month. Is that realistic? The reality is you have lost >4.20 pounds a week or 12.6 pounds a month. Outstanding!! That is why so many of us hang out here. Because we get discourage hearing about people reaching goal at nine months. That will never be our reality! You mention all the good things that are happening on your journey. Have you heard the expression, Life is a journey, not a destination? Please, please, pretty please enjoy the journey. Focus on the positive, not the negative. You will reach your goal. With extra skin, 150 will probably be a good number for you. You are over 4/5 or 80% of the way there. Medium sized hugs back at you. Loris 344/189/140 @5'2"

Dear Loris, Thank you for breaking it down for me! Yes, I am loosing approx 11-13 pounds a month and I am VERY greatful for that. I find myself happy and way more content than I have ever been. I often find myself on the main board looking at people who are at goal at one year or less...again they are/were MUCH smaller starting out than I was. I am excited, overjoyed and ecstatic about my weight loss but find myself longing to be the one to say "I'm at goal"! I know in my head I had alot of weight to loose, I know this but I still feel a twinge of jealousy every time I see this..a stubborn hard headed person I am. Don't get me wrong, I am greatful for this weightloss, I am completly in awe of how much life has improved just recently. I still long for the time when I can get to goal. Do you ever feel like you have some scared feelings about getting to your goal? Sometimes I think that when this process of loosing weight is over, that I will find myself thinking "what now"? Kind of like omigosh I have done what I need to do physically and now what do I do? I have ALWAYS had things I've had to improve and I sometimes think I find myself fearful of getting to a final place where I no longer have to be consumed by weight issues. I have no idea if I am explaining this correctly lol. I do appreciate your feedback, I often look for your posts just because I enjoy reading what you write. Take care!! Donna

Donna - I have not had my surgery yet. I am scheduled for Dec 20. I am 5'4" and weigh about 370. First of all, you need to be highly commended for your weight loss accomplishments to date. You are truly awesome! I know you would like to see a "goal" but while you continue to reach for you goal of becoming an EMT if you keep yourself focused on becoming more healthy to be in the best condition you can be to be an effective EMT, and begin to focus on your new training, the rest will come. You asked if people are scared of getting to goal? I know I am. Scared to death. I have hidden behind this body image for a long time. I will have a lot of issues to deal with in my life that caused me to allow myself to gain this weight to begin with. I am currently seeing a therapist to help me sort through some of these things now. You said that you have always worked on improving something in your life and you are concerned that you will feel lost when you do not have that weight to focus on. Like I said, I have not had surgery yet, but I think this weight loss will be a work in progress. I don't think I will wake up one morning, be at goal weight after a long journey and will never have to look back. Maintaining that weight loss, working with this new healthier body, learning how to make good choices to give my body what it needs to be healthy not what it wants or think it wants to be happy. You are reaching now toward the next goal in your life, that of becoming an EMT. You are an encouragement to someone out there who has a huge amount to loose and feels they can't do it because it is not possible to do it. You have shown them that it is possible to reach such a goal. Keep posting. Florida needs more EMT's. God Bless! Karen

Karen, You are so right! I have hid behind my fat for so long, I honestly don't know how I feel about being "normal". It is definently a defense against life. Thank you for encouragement on my becoming a EMT. I want to work hard at this and eventually become a paramedic. I know you will do great in your weight loss! hugs, Donna

Dear Donna, I've not reached goal yet and my 1 year is Nov. 15th. My goal is to reach 168 (I'm 5'5") which puts me at 30 pounds over the "chart" weight. I've been heavy most of my life and started this process at 398. Things have slowed down drastically in the last couple of months, but I also find myself not being as diligent as I should be about the munching. I do want to get down to a size 12, but I also know it will take more effort on my part now and less reliance on the surgery. I get tired of eating protein sometimes--why are carbs so much more interesting! Whereas before I would feel hopeless, at least now I feel like I have the same kind of struggle most people who need to lose weight have. I am using the 18 month mark as my timeframe. Good luck and keep up the positive attitude, Sally

Sally you are doing great! Keep up the wonderful work. hugs, Donna

Hi, I do not expect to get to a number a chart says I should be. My goal is to get to 240 - anything less than that will be icing on the cake. I am 5'8 and I feel like since I will be almost half of my starting weight - 453- that I will be happy as long as I am healthy. I can tell such a big difference in the 80 lbs that I have lost...I cannot imagine the difference I will feel in another 130 lbs. It will be great to be able to shop in walmart and get clothes that fit. But then again, ,I weighed 300lbs when I was 13, so I do not know what it is like to be thin. Shellie

Shellie, I myself was content to reach the goal I am now, before... You will find the more that you loose, the more you want! I have no doubts I will get to my goal of 150 or below, thats in 73 pounds. I believe you will get beyond your goal. hugs, Donna

I started out with a BMI of 51 and now am currently at a BMI of 28!!! Yipee... I am 2 years out... and really happy where I am.... but guess what, every now and then I get on the scale and discover that I have lost some more. My advice... for SMOs to lose all their excess weight in less than 12 months is a little unrealistic... focus on something other than numbers... otherwise you will find yourself in the same trap as a SMO person... having your self-esteem and happiness held hostage by a number! Can you do things you didn't do before? Do you have new goals other than a weight? Ask yourself these questions and realize that success from this surgery is a journey and not a destination. I'm sure you didn't get to 425 in a year, neither should you expect to reverse that situation in a year or less. There is much to learn, and many challenges along the way.... and most of them do not involve a number. I find it sad that for many, even after having the surgery, continue to obsess over their weight.... just in a diferent way.... and be careful not to trade one addiction for another... Good luck and God bless B