poll - for those at least a year out

Would you say you are very happy with your results, somewhat happy with your results, or unhappy with your results? I realize that if you're only a year out, you may still be losing. I am very happy with my results, I am 15 months out and I have lost over half of my body weight and I am way below goal.

Would you say that you have been "following the rules" most of the time, some of the time or hardly ever? And you can define "the rules" however you want, I'm not going to try to define that for you. I followed the rules very strictly and then got below goal and probably underweight and all my doctors got mad at me, so I started eating lots of bad stuff and gained 4 pounds in 3 months. My doctors wanted me to gain but I feel bad eating lots of crap, so I am back to basics this week and have quickly lost 2 of those pounds.

For those more than a year out, have you had any regain? And if so, are you OK with it or do you weigh more than you'd like to now? I'm a pound or two bigger than I would like to be, but I am wearing a size 1 or 2 and I have lost more than half my body weight but I am so afraid of gaining back everything! I ate so much sugar and junk over Christmas and I hate that I let myself do that. I need to be better with my vitamins and calcium also.

Oh, and how far out are you? 15 months out

I am 18 months out. I am down almost 190 lbs. I never thought about where i wanted to be. I can't remember the last time I wore a size 14/16. For many of you that may seem large but I started out a size 5x 32/34,

I am satisfied completely with what the surgery did for me. I can walk and run and move and LIVE. I was in pain 24-7 prior to surgery.

Now I could beat myself up over what I am not doing to make the weight loss increase. I have not exercised throughout this process like most of you do. I wish I did. I have not made that committment to myself. I have the saggin skin and creping on my arms to show that. Hope it isn't too late to maybe get rid of some of that.

I take my vitamins every day. I drink almost 100 oz of water. However, I have not written down my food for months and have no real idea of the grms of protein.

I am 18 months out, today.  I would say I am pretty surprised at my results.  I never thought I would lose this much or be under my goal.  I don't think I have ever weighed this in my life except maybe when I was a child gaining weight.  I am not really happy or unhappy about it.  I wouldn't want to stay here forever but it is a stopping place until I have some bounce back.  I am hoping that with some bounce back I will be at a happy place.
I followed the rules to the letter while I was losing and then I came up with rules that I could live with while learning to maintain.  My rules work for me.  They change as needed.  My basic rules are protein first, at least 100 grams a day.  Lots of fluids, at least 100 oz a day.  No sugar and no gluten.  I am pretty close to 100% with that unless it is very small amounts that I am unaware of.  I try not to snack or eat spontaneously but I do adapt my plan when it's called for.  For instance, the other day I didn't think I would get a chance to eat lunch so I got some pintos and cheese at Taco Bell.  When I got to the place I was going it turned out they had a cheese and meat platter so I had some of that, too.  It wasn't really planned but it worked out well with my lunch.  I do the same thing at social settings.  I can't really plan what I am going to eat but if it fits into my guidelines I don't have a problem with it.  But I try not to eat just to eat.  I would say I follow my rules about 90% of the time, or more.  I'm not perfect and I don't expect myself to be and I don't beat myself up if I don't stick to my rules, I just more on and try to learn and do better the next time.
As I said, I haven't had any regain yet but I am always changing the way I eat so I expect it and it will be fine.  I have weighed up to 150 lbs and been comfortable so I am open to what I end up at.  My main goal is to find a weight I can live with and stay there.  I will feel successful if I am able to stay at a normal weight consistently.  The people I look up to and try to emulate are the ones who have managed to maintain a healthy (for them) weight for a long time and the people who have gained some weight and gotten a hold of it before they had major regain.  I will consider myself a success if I am a healthy weight at 5, 10 years out.

I am 4.5 years out and am MOSTLY happy (that would be somewhere between "somewhat" and "very") with my results.  Although I met my goal, my goal was conservative (just barely into a "normal" BMI range) in order to make allowances for my very muscular thighs (and leg bones) and my inherited large bustline (I am still a DD or DDD cup).  I had really hoped I might be able to squeeze into a size 8 (I ended up as a 10 or 12), but ti was not to be, even with excess skin rmoved from my tummy... I just don't have a single-digit-size body type.

I am up only 5-7 pounds from my lowest weight, which was a couple of pounds below my goal, and I am able to maintain it without sacrificing occasional treats, having to track every morsel I eat, or having to exercise much (which is good, since I can't with my bad knee) so I AM pleased with that. 

I almost always follow the "rules" if those are only defined as protein first, limited carbs, vitamins daily, and no drinking with meals (well, o****asionally I sip once or twice).  MY rules don't include a ban on sugar (or anything else... except onion rings which make me physically ill within minutes).

Lora

1. I am very happy with my results.
2. I follow all the rules (except little to no exercise due to Rheumatoid Arthritis & Osteoarthritis). I have never cheated.
3. I never had a stall and have never experienced regain. I could still lose weight but I am already under my goal weight by 12 pounds.
4. I am 22 months post-op.

I'm just over a year out. I'm still losing, although very very slowly. I still have about 70 pounds to lose. If I don't get all the way there, that's even OK, but sure as hell I want to get under 200.

I have followed the rules most of the time. I have been struggling for the last month or so. I did fine over the holidays, but since I have been home I find myself kind of grazy a lot of the time. So I'm back to journalling, eating mindfully, and need to get back to my meditation practice soon. I have a treadmill now, so that should help keep me active through the bitter, bitter cold ahead.

I am happy with the results. I have my life back. I am able and healthy and excited about life in new ways. I feel "normalized" and comfortable in my (extra) skin. I still want to lose more, but I'm already happy. :)

No regain, but my weight fluxes back and forth a lot from day to day.

Would you say you are very happy with your results, somewhat happy with your results, or unhappy with your results?  I realize that if you're only a year out, you may still be losing.  I'm happy. I'm 17 months out and started losing again with a change in career. The stall was difficult. I stil forget many times that I don't need the 2XL or XXXL size. I'm sometimes afraid to try on smaller sized clothes, even in silly things like scrubs for work. Though my aunt (who I think is a smaller size than me) went to try on a sweatshirt and could barely get it over her head. When she left I asked my mom if I could try it on and....it fit.

Would you say that you have been "following the rules" most of the time, some of the time or hardly ever?  And you can define "the rules" however you want, I'm not going to try to define that for you. Most of the time. I need more protein. Sometimes I eat whatever I feel like or whatever is available. Sometimes I get distracted and forget my vitamins (or where I put them)

For those more than a year out, have you had any regain?  And if so, are you OK with it or do you weigh more than you'd like to now? Stalls yes, regain no. I stalled in the 230's from April to October. As of this morning I'm down to 212.

Oh, and how far out are you? Just over 17 months. It feels good to keep losing, especially since I was told multiple times that if I don't hit goal by 9-12 months out I'll likely not lose any more weight.  Very happy to prove that theory wrong. 

Would you say you are very happy with your results, somewhat happy with your results, or unhappy with your results? I realize that if you're only a year out, you may still be losing.

I am happy

Would you say that you have been "following the rules" most of the time, some of the time or hardly ever? And you can define "the rules" however you want, I'm not going to try to define that for you.

I don;t follow the rules as well as I should

For those more than a year out, have you had any regain? And if so, are you OK with it or do you weigh more than you'd like to now?
I have been maintaining my weight loss for 4 months, no gain but I would like to loose more.


Oh, and how far out are you?

One year as of the 17th of this month.