Getting to goal

Thanks Terri hehe, yes I've been a career fattie too - thanks for the encouragement.

Ruth, I started gaining weight around 5 years old and kept on going until I reached 425 lbs (395 day of WLS) almost 6 years ago.  I had RNY 8/22/2002 and lost 217lbs which put me within "normal" range (177 lbs I'm 5'10")...  Since then I've gained 30 lbs but now I'm back on track and have lost 6 in the past 3 weeks... I'll be glad to get back to "normal" but have to figure out a way to maintain that weight.   Take care!!!

Thanks Sheryl it's good to know that even as far out as you are, we can still get back into losing - 6lbs in the last 3 weeks - yay for you - well done.   I was probably about 5 years old too when I started gaining weight.  Then after countless diets ended up at 266lbs! You have done so well.  What plan are you following now to lose the weight?

There are probably more of us lifetime MO's out here that have normal BMI's than you realize. I was an over 50 over 50.  My BMI was over 58 and I was 50 years old.  I became obese around age 3, after a tonsillectomy.  The theory is my tonsils were so bad as a toddler that I couldn't eat.  Once the sore throats were gone, there was no stopping the food.  Even though I was fairly active growing up, I was always the fattest kid in the entire school.  The smallest dress size I ever wore was a 16.  I remember having a size 38 waist when I was 11, and my dad being appalled, because his was about a 32.  My weight was over 350 for at least the 15 years before my RNY. At two years postop, I reached my lowest weight of 131, and I stay around 132-134.  My original goal was to be below 150, which would give me  "normal" BMI.  My doctor never thought I would reach it, and now he is amazed at my success.  I have had two rounds of plastic surgery, where about 10 pounds of skin have been taken off. So, yes, it is very possible to be super-morbidly obese your entire life and still achieve a normal BMI. Debra M. 351/133

Hi Deb Thank you for showing me that there are lifer MO's that have been successful.  It is what I needed to hear to keep me struggling to reach that goal.   It is so encouraging to hear that you amazed your doctor.  It is also good to hear that more 'mature' women can make it too - not just the youngsters.

Yes that's been encouraging to read of all these people who have reached a normal BMI. I was born at 10 lbs and EVERY pic of me as a child I was chubby...and quickly that cute chubby became not so cute. In 5th Grade I weighed 180 lbs (I remember that day when they weighed everyone..everyone was like 70 lbs or something, if I remember right, and it was one of the worst days of my life to be weighed in front of everyone, so it really stuck). Before surgery I was 368 and got down to 190..I was ONE BMI number from being just "overweight" and not "obese" GRRRR GRRR GRRR.. then I gained 35 lbs. So I can empathize. This Obesityhelp.com has REALLY helped me get back on track. I became a heavy drinker and snacked ALL the time. Since I"ve been on this site I've cut out ALL alcohol, and 90 percent of snacking.. still wasn't losing weight, so apparently my meals were still too high calorie and I wasn't working out. So just these last few days I started tracking what I eat on the daily plate and it really does help. I've also set a goal to hike the second tallest mountain in utah in September, so I have three months to "train" for that, so I've been working hard the last few days and have already lost a few lbs. It gives me hope that if I simply "follow the rules" and not think I'm invincible and that they don't apply to me, i believe I can STILL reach goal. So I have my "before" picture, my "lowest" picture. Then i'm gonna take a current "before" pic (after the 35 lb gain) and then in a few months plan to have a final "AFTER" Picture. I also think I'll start meeting with my surgeons office every 6 months to keep me accountable to them.  I may not be the story of "oh I had gastric bypass and lost ALL my weight in 14 months!".. I missed that story about a year ago. But why not be the story they tell all the struggling patients "There was one of our patients that lost 80 percent of her weight then gained 35 back, and 2.5 years after surgery went on to lose 80 more lbs reaching her goal".. so that is an awesome story too! Don't give up! Leslee

Thanks Leslee I agree - to be a success our story doesn't have to be one of those that ends in 12-14 months out.  I've been a slow loser the whole way along - I have no idea why I've lost slower than others following the same path, but that's the way it goes.  I did wonder if it was because I've alwasy been obese, but this thread has shown me that others have gone before me and done  great job. I will keep at it til I get there.  You have set yourself a great goal of climbing that mountain - looking foward to hearing about it and seeing the pictures. Yes, you already have an awesome story and and even more awesome and amazing story when you go on to reach your goal.  And yes, OH is a huge suport isn't it.  I couldn't have go tthis far without the friendship and support I get on here. Thanks.

Hi Linda thanks for your reply and encouragement.  I'm sorry you've had difficulties, BUT I want to say that I think you have done a fantastic job - wow 160 and that's with workign hard at it too.  You have done really well - to get as far as you have is a huge acheivment, even if you havent' reached a normla bmi.  Something I keep seeing on OH is lots of people who are content aboe normal bmi - after all it's just a number and not very accurate at that - if you do lots fo exercise it's likely that yoru bmi is incorrect due to the amount fo muscle/fat ratio.  Wow - triathlon - hope it goes well - have you checked out the exercise forum?  It's great for support and inspiration.  I've started running recently and it has really helped me push myself further than I would have done otherwise. Ruth