One year surgiversary pics and celebration

[Learningtolovemyself]

Hi all,

I am not one who wants to show my face but I wanted to post my success for numerous reasons. 1) To help others stay motivated. 2) To keep myself stay motivated 3) to CELEBRATE!!

I have lost a total of 147 pounds so far! 28 pre-op, 122 post op! My one year Anniversary was at the end of August but I didn't celebrate it. I have struggled lately with the slowed down weight loss, the desire to eat more and the ability to eat more. However, I realized that I really need to take a step back and focus on my victory. I am so close to goal and I want to keep moving forward on a more positive note and that means remembering to celebrate achievements too. I am sometimes stunned when I see myself. I can't BELIEVE that either one of those pics is me! I am going to keep swimming and I am never going to stop reaching for my health and my goals! 

[tracyringo]

Congrats on your weight loss and continued success to your goal !!

[Learningtolovemyself]

Thank you Tracy, you are rocking it as well! Great job, you look awesome! 

[TammyP]

Big congratz on a job well done!!!  You look great :)

 

[Jen581791]

You look stunning!! Really comfortable with yourself and in great shape. Keep up your hard work - isn't it so worth it??   

[Aussie Bear]

Great job so far. I totally get the not relating to either photo. I see my pre-op diet photo and can't believe it's me. Plus how absolutely miserable I looked. Then I see myself as I am now and don't believe that's me either. At least this far out I can generally reach for the right sized clothes from a rack.....believe me, that took a long time to do.

[Anita62]

You look amazing!!!  Get back on track!! Protein first at each meal. You can do it!!!

[Learningtolovemyself]

8 hours ago, Jen581791 said:

You look stunning!! Really comfortable with yourself and in great shape. Keep up your hard work - isn't it so worth it??   

Thank you and YES!! It's been worth it every step of the way even through all the challenges. I wouldn't take it back for anything! 

[Learningtolovemyself]

6 hours ago, Aussie Bear said:

Great job so far. I totally get the not relating to either photo. I see my pre-op diet photo and can't believe it's me. Plus how absolutely miserable I looked. Then I see myself as I am now and don't believe that's me either. At least this far out I can generally reach for the right sized clothes from a rack.....believe me, that took a long time to do.

Thank you! I relate completely to just barely being able to pick out the right size for myself. I was going through a phase where everything I brought into the dressing room was huge! 

[CheeringCJ]

@Learningtolovemyself, you look great!  You’re so close to goal now...keep pushing through, you’ll get there!

I totally can relate to not believing EITHER picture is yourself....I do the same thing.  I denied I was as fat as I was (but. I see the pics and still can’t believe that was ME) and then I see me thinner and really can’t believe that is ME!!!  Guess I never had a honest image of myself!

[Learningtolovemyself]

Thanks so much! I never had an honest pic of myself either. 

[BurgundyBoy]

@Learningtolovemyself

Great work and great photos. You have a collarbone and skinny ankles. Those are sure signs of success. Every time I am dressing and look in the mirror, or am putting on my socks and I can actually see the bones and ligaments in my (strong) feet, it reinforces what an amazing journey this has been. Great to hear you are swimming too; exercise helps prevent weight regain, it is a major positive health factor, and your eventual low weight is (statistically) 2 BMI points lower than if you did not exercise. 

[Madhouse Heidi]

My head can’t really figure out what I truly look like either. Sometimes I look at myself and feel trim and good. The next day I look in the mirror and feel lumpy and big. It’s so frustrating! 

Shopping in the regular sizes has been a challenge. I struggle with feeling like a fraud. Like people are looking at me and thinking I should be in the plus size section. It’s getting a little easier the longer that I am in those sizes, but I still feel a little out of place. Probably because I’ve been shopping plus size my entire life. 

I also relate to the slow down  I have basically been at the same weight since May. Finally in the last two weeks the scale is moving down a small bit. Keep celebrating! Keep working! Keep sharing!

Congratulations on your fantastic success! 

[msmarymac]

21 minutes ago, Madhouse Heidi said:

Shopping in the regular sizes has been a challenge. I struggle with feeling like a fraud. Like people are looking at me and thinking I should be in the plus size section. It’s getting a little easier the longer that I am in those sizes, but I still feel a little out of place.

I've been in maintenance for quite awhile and I just had this unexpectedly happen to me the other day!  I was standing in line at JCPenney to pick up an online order (to cheap to pay the shipping for home delivery lol) and right behind me was the Plus size section.  Some idiot was going on about how "OMG look at the size of these clothes, how in the world did I end up in the big girl section!?!"  I was mortified, thinking this twiggy loud mouth was aiming her comments at me (you know how people talk louder when they are trying to get someone to hear them).  Then I realized...duh that's not your section anymore.  Don't know who she was throwing verbal darts at but it shocked me that after this amount of time my first reaction was to assume it was me.  Dang it, I thought I was past that  

We all just have to keep reminding ourselves wherever we are in the process...we are worthy, our clothing size does not define our value no matter what society tells us. 

[Madhouse Heidi]

1 hour ago, msmarymac said:

 

We all just have to keep reminding ourselves wherever we are in the process...we are worthy, our clothing size does not define our value no matter what society tells us. 

This. So much this!

[BurgundyBoy]

4 hours ago, Madhouse Heidi said:

My head can’t really figure out what I truly look like either. Sometimes I look at myself and feel trim and good. The next day I look in the mirror and feel lumpy and big. It’s so frustrating! 

Shopping in the regular sizes has been a challenge. I struggle with feeling like a fraud. Like people are looking at me and thinking I should be in the plus size section. It’s getting a little easier the longer that I am in those sizes, but I still feel a little out of place. Probably because I’ve been shopping plus size my entire life. 

I also relate to the slow down  I have basically been at the same weight since May. Finally in the last two weeks the scale is moving down a small bit. Keep celebrating! Keep working! Keep sharing!

Congratulations on your fantastic success! 

Madhouse, just throwing a little encouragement your way - just keep plugging away and the pounds will go, it just may take time. I shocked myself by losing 10 pounds in the last 3 months having been at the same weight for quite some time. I got a bit more serious about my exercise, shifted the balance of my diet to fewer carbs and more protein, and what do you know! Maybe all it would take is a small nudge or shift ... 

But you are a SUCCESS being 90 lbs down. Pat yourself on the back!

[Madhouse Heidi]

2 hours ago, BurgundyBoy said:

Madhouse, just throwing a little encouragement your way - just keep plugging away and the pounds will go, it just may take time. I shocked myself by losing 10 pounds in the last 3 months having been at the same weight for quite some time. I got a bit more serious about my exercise, shifted the balance of my diet to fewer carbs and more protein, and what do you know! Maybe all it would take is a small nudge or shift ... 

But you are a SUCCESS being 90 lbs down. Pat yourself on the back!

@BurgundyBoy, thanks for the encouragement! Now that school is back in session, my eating is back to a better pattern. I’ve increased my activity a bit and I’m definitely doing better with the protein to carb ratio. I’m down 3 pounds in the last week, and it’s the first time in months! It’s so great to know that others out there are on this same journey! You rock!! 

[Madhouse Heidi]

@Learningtolovemyself

PS. Your legs are knockout!!

[Learningtolovemyself]

 

6 hours ago, Madhouse Heidi said:

@Learningtolovemyself

PS. Your legs are knockout!!

Thank you so much! I still think people are looking at me in shorts and are wondering why that chubby girl is wearing them. I totally understand the weirdness of shopping for the correct size. I also am SO encouraged that you and @BurgundyBoy are still able to lose after a few months stall! I have been jumping up and down the same 2 pounds for a while now and I am so motivaed to keep going knowing others understand and are still finding success.  

[Res Ipsa]

Wow.  Just wow.  You've done a great job losing weight. Your success is an inspiration to us all.