Lila21

Coops, I'm sorry to hear life is beating you up! Sometimes when things are tough, I just try to maintain and do no more than that. Things are really crazy for me right now, too. I've been under a ton of stress and trying to make some really important decisions, so I'm just trying to hold on right now :-) !!! When things are like that, I think it's good to step back and not beat ourselves up for how close we are to meeting all our goals. Having said that, I think this article might make you feel like your glass is half full. This lady doesn't weigh too much less than we do (well, especially not much less than you!), and she's really tiny. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/ It really motivated me to continue to work on fitness and worry less about the scale. Maybe you can do the same? You have made such great strides, and in truth, your glass is 99% full with less than 10 lbs to lose. Just worry about maintaining right now (keep exercising a bit, and keep eating healthy even if you aren't tracking your food). That's what I am doing and seems to keep the scale on an even keel, even if it's not going down. I hope that helps! You deserve to feel great, and I hope you can just step back and Celebrate all that you've accomplished!

Dorrie, you *do* look great! I just noticed your pic! Sooo slender! WAY TO GOOOOO!!!! Meg, congrats on losing while at sea! How awesome! Love it that you are focusing more on veggies--it feels so good to know you are getting in all your nutrients the way nature intended :-)

A lot of people retain water after surgery. Be patient, work your sleeve, and you will do great!!! Don't worry :-))

Awww, thanks for the encouragment, Coops! Down 1 lb, 24 to go!!! Sorry, you can't workout, but I think it's good to take a break from working out sometimes, and especially if you are injured. You'll get back to it, I know!!!

GT: Sending you big hugs!!! I am sorry everything is piling up like that! I hate it when things get overwhelming. Try not to make yourself feel guilty about eating some bread --really, it's no big deal in the grand scheme of things! As to your friend, try not to assume what she is thinking. Every time I assume that I know what someone is thinking, I turn out to be wrong. Reach out to her and tell her you miss her. She might surprise you! Sending you good thoughts!!! Remember that you are awesome, and this too, shall pass!

My tip is protein first! At about the 6 month mark, you'll be able to eat more carbs than you think, and at that point the "protein first" rule becomes very important. Also, expect that you may have stalls or plateaus, and be prepared for things to slow down the closer you get to your goal weight. Finally, my tip is to really enjoy and appreciate the weight you have lost. I am not to my goal yet (with 25 lbs to go), but I fully appreciate how much better I feel, and I take advantage of my far greater health. I think that if I focused on the "25 lbs to go" rather than the 125 lbs lost, I'd feel discouraged right now. As it is, I feel pretty great and I just ran my first half-marathon!

I hear you! I read the posts where people have lost all their weight in what seems like a miracle month, and I still struggle along. I think there are a few people who are so lucky, but I'd say it's still a lot of work for must of us. Honestly, if you just looked at my stats, it looks like I've been pretty successful. I've lost 125 lbs, but I *still* have 25 lbs to go, and the number doesn't show how much work I've put in or the amount of exercise, counting and careful work it has taken to get here. I think it's better not to compare ourselves to others because there's always someone who is losing faster or slower than us. You can do this, the important thing is just not to give up!

Coops, I'm glad you are feeling better! As GT says, it's a journey! I, too, am really trying to focus right now, and I'm really watching my diet more closely. It's surprising how many calories you can still get in via slider foods if you aren't counting your calories. I am trying to plan my meals on the weekends so I don't get too sidetracked during the week. Otherwise, I end up "grabbing" things that aren't nearly healthy enough. Last night I made a lovely piece of salmon and sauteed a little spinach with a tsp of olive oil and a few tsps. of goat cheese--a perfect sleeve meal! Anyhoo.... has anyone heard of stikK.com? I am going to try it, I think. You stake some money on whether you meet a goal or not, and if you don't make that goal, you lose the money (goes to a charity). It's an interesting premise, founded on research that people do much better if they have some "skin in the game." I'll give it a shot and let you know how it turns out! I am now 25 lbs away from my original goal, i'd really like to close that gap by the end of the summer! It seems like a lot to lose over a short time, but I think I can do it if I really focus. Mostly, what I've found over the last 6 months is that work stress seems to take precedence over everything else, and once I get stressed I tend to lose focus on my weight-loss goals. That seems a little off-kilter, so I'm going to try to find a better balance!

awesome! thank you for sharing!!!

Foxbins, do you mind sharing who you went to? I would love those results! Was reading this thread after looking at a picture of my turkey neck!!!

I agree with the other folks who say you guys are looking great! I know your frustration because I am 17 months out and still have about 25 lbs to lose. I continue to lose, just very slowly, and I suggest that as your goal. Don't be discouraged, but do continue with your healthy habits so that you lose a few lbs a month. It will add up eventually!

I think it really depends heavily on genetics, sorry to say! I will probably want some kind of lift or tummy tuck, but I have skin that just doesn't stretch back that well. However, if you have more resilient skin, you might be fine. It might also have to do with how sensitive you are to the extra skin. I think some people wear spanx and get on with their lives, while others feel that it really bothers them. For me, I feel like it might be worth it to get surgery, but I am still on the fence!

Oh, also, Coops: I want to PUNCH that nurse! There is nothing more infuriating than someone in the medical field who doesn't get how complex weight and metabolism are. Really, someday, when we understand it better, we are going to look back on this arcane "calories in, calories out" B.S. with the same kind of disdain that we do the concept that the world is flat. I mean.... really.... sheesh!

Hey guys, I didn't realize I hadn't checked in for soooo long! So much going on at work and at home. Everything keeps changing around me (work restructuring), and I've been training for this half marathon for a while, and ended up with a minor injury to work out before the half.... so things were a bit hectic. I am sorry to hear that you are struggling, Coops! I send you the biggest hug across the pond. I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make it better because no one deserves it more than you! I hope that doing some writing helps you feel better. One REALLY important part about that kind of journalling is to find a really private place to do it and to keep the notebook. You have to feel absolutely safe or you won't be able to let go and let things out. I used to keep my journal where my boyfriend could read it, and I found that once I moved it to a secret hidden location ( :-)) I was a lot more free with my words! FYE, I know what you mean about that fine balance. It's amazing how delicate it is.... for me, I find that stress really throws me off, and I've had it in spades these last couple of months. However, the good news is that I've still lost a few pounds in the last month. Not a lot, but something! Also, I finished my half marathon. I ran it pretty slowly, but I did it!!! I almost cried when I looked at the photos and realized that I could not have ever done this a year and a half ago. It made me feel so proud to know that my hard work was paying off in allowing me to fulfill one of my dreams. I know I have a ways to go, but this was a big motivator. I highly recommend taking on a physical challenge for those of you who are feeling down about not reaching your goal weight yet. This was such a boost! When you take on a physical challenge (that you know you could never ever have done at 300 lbs), it really makes you realize how far you have come!

Hey Coops, sorry to hear you are experiencing the end of semester CRUD! Ugh! I say get as much rest as you can! When I'm feeling super crappy and I don't really feel like eating healthy, I will usually also get one of those Odwalla super juices just so I get some good healing Vitamins in my system. I don't know if they have those over there, but I bet you have something comparable. Don't worry about eating the sweets, it's no biggie! Just make sure you get in a good amount of Water to help flush your system out. I hope you feel better soon!!! GT: any more updates on the crossfit? Loving hearing about this!

GT!!!! That's sooooooooooo awesome! I am impressed. I really hope to be that allover fit someday. I am a good runner, but I have no upper body strength, and I can't even do much by way of sit-ups! You rock! Keep us posted on the changes you go through!

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! I do believe we will all get there eventually. Perseverance is the key! You guys really help to keep me going! I agree with Coops, I'd be batty without this fine group of incredibly supportive folks!

Mystery solved!!! Thank you, GT! You will ROCK that WOD :-)

GT, what is a WOD? I really want to know! I keep seeing this term in cross-fit blogs, and it's driving me crazy.

Oh, and Coops, congrats on the running! For me, just being able to run has been such a big goal for so long! Seeing all the lithe runners effortlessly jogging through the park used to always make me feel really sad, and now I get to do it! It is an incredibly freeing feeling!!! Go you!

Hey gals, I haven't checked in for a while. I keep reading on my iPad and not having the mental energy to get out my laptop and post an update (I hate the keypad on the iPad)! SouthernSleever, that's wonderful news, congratulations!!! You must feel great! Coops, you really need to retire that scale--it sounds way off kilter and likely to drive you batty if you keep it! GT: I cannot wait to hear about your crossfit experience (if you do it, that is...). I have to say, i've read some crossfit blogs and those are the fittest ladies out there! The guns on those ladies are astonishing, and I'm so jealous! Meg, you are doing so amazingly well! Keep up the great work! As for me, I'm chugging along. I lost about 4 lbs in the last month, which has been great! But now, we are back to the standstill. It's so hard when there is still 30 lbs to go. To be honest, I think my running might be interfering with my weight loss, and I looked it up on the internet, and guess what?! Lots of of people training for marathons or half marathons GAIN weight! Isn't that insane? I wish someone had told me before I started putting in all this work so that I can GAIN some weight, sheesh! I guess the intense stress of training tends to really ramp up your hunger (true), and because you will feel terrible if you don't fuel enough before and after training, it's not recommended to try to lose weight before a marathon. So, I'm just going to focus on training for now, and once the marathon is over, I'll focus more on diet. On the upside, I can tell I have really built a lot of muscle, and I feel like it's making up for the muscle I may have lost during my heavy losing phase. Anyhoo, it's disappointing, but I'm OK with just focusing on training right now. I signed up for the marathon because I really wanted to feel fit, and like I had made a change in what I can do in my healthier body, so if it means I can't lose for a while, I'd say it's worth it. Anyhoo, hope everyone is well! GT: I also want to hear more of your dating sagas! Pointy lips, ick!!!

I definitely recommend you DO NOT do P90X. I injured my knee doing it, and it took months to heal. It's really a great program for those without knee issues, but I think the plyometrics (which are core to the program) are too much for those with knee problems.

Hi all, GT, I'm glad things are looking a little brighter for you! I have the same sugar addiction problem. If you want to learn more about it, a great book to read is "Change Your Mind, Change Your Body" and also, another good book is "Potatoes, Not Prozac" which explains how sugar affects our bodies. Both these books have taught me a lot about how our bodies are affected negatively by sugar. It doesn't fix the problem, but it makes it easier to tackle. Guess what, guys? I lost 2 lbs this week! This seems like a minor miracle after months of the scale not moving! Yay :-)

And just one suggestion. Right now, I'm not losing, either (and believe me, i am frustrated as heck, too!), but the one thing that really keeps my spirit up is that I'm training for an athletic event. Seeing my training numbers change, seeing how much faster I can run, and how many more miles is soooo gratifying, and even if the number on the scale isn't changing, I *know* my body composition is. I can see that my face is thinner, and I can see that jeans are looser. I can feel how much more muscular my legs are. More importantly, every time I sprint, I am going faster. I know the scale isn't being your friend right now, but focusing on other numbers are also important, and it may help you to keep your spirit up during this stall. And I'll point out that the scale is a reflection of your weight, but not your body composition. I just watched the "Biggest Loser" where one of the contestants weighs about 170 lbs and she looked honestly like a model, I couldn't see where she could lose any more weight, and she was wearing a size 6 dress! A size 6! And if you are "overweight" but wearing a size 6, I'd say you succeeded, and screw the scale!!!

Hey guys, I just wanted to chime in GT's discussion. I know how awful that must feel. I know for me, on some level, it feels better knowing that I can pinpoint the excess sugar as my problem; it must be sooooo frustrating to feel like you are doing everything right and not getting results. I just want you to know that I feel for you, and I feel your frustration. It's no help, I know, but I just want you to know you can share your frustrations with us and we really, really HEAR you. I think Coops and FYE are right that you may need to accept this plateau for the time being or whatever the heck is going on, and give yourself a break! Please do not beat up on yourself! You are doing and have done something so amazing!