The Long Haul

[Neen]

Hi Tinky and thanks for your reply, I think it will be an ongoing battle with my old habits really. It's a great idea to keep a diary, it's something I've always done , mainly they are full of me moaning about failed diets lol, I think I'm going to shred those!! My current journal has me at my heaviest of 25 stone 4 I believe and now and then I re-read it and I do feel very grateful that I am on the way down. My next mini goal is to get under 18 stone and I'm almost there.

Thank you Julie! Sounds like your friend has the resolve to do it, It must be such a huge task for them but if they are already experiencing an improvement then how fantastic! I should remember to be encouraged by what has happened so far, things like being able to use the treadmill and wii and get into smaller clothes already. I think you're right that I mustn't dismiss any of these things. The last party we had at our house was back in August and the relatives all noticed I'd lost weight, even ones who normally don't mention these things, It made me feel really eager to keep going.

Hi Jenni, I'm sorry to hear about your dog, I hope all will be better soon
I spent a lot of time today eating silly things, just still feeling ill and a bit lonely with the kids back at school and Dean working at the office today ... I also spent a lot of time bringing everything I ate back up again shortly afterwards. Bit of a surreal day :S
I know how you feel with the old eating habits though, sometimes I get a self destruct mood on and deliberately eat something stupid, not that I can fit much of it down, but it's the principle of the thing and the fact I let it happen at all when losing the weight means so much to me. I suppose thats the addiction part still hanging around. I'm an all or nothing type I think, and when I go on a bender, my goodness do I bend royally. Its very annoying!!! I think sometimes I read how others are getting on and feel like I am very crap at coping with my food addictions in comparison but perhaps I let them get to me more where others pick up and get back on track more readily. I would love a diet buddy, especially someone to talk to in the evenings when my little inner demons are trying to force me face first into the goodie cupboard!!! I just got msn if anyone wants to yarn on with me...I expect I will try and persuade you to join me on warcraft or some other nerdy pursuit! Anything to keep me away from the kitchen

 

[Dawn36]

Dawn thanks lovey, I must sound very silly to you in that I am moaning after surgery, I'm sorry to come across like that when you and others are still waiting to hear about your surgery. Thankyou for what you said , that is totally the right way to view things and I hope that you get your opportunity for surgery very soon, you certainly have the right mindset to succeed.

Serenity thanks hun, You and me have similar start weights etc and the difference is really your positive attitude, I keep forgetting that I have come a long way and although not as fast as some, it's still staying off and I'm losing about 2lbs most weeks which I guess is better in the long run anyway.
I'm sorry to whinge! I think the main problem is not trusting myself to keep going, as I mentioned before, I have not been lighter than my current weight for over 12 years and it's the fear of the unknown almost, plus the fact that in previous years, this would be as thin as I could get before I stopped and gained everything back again. It's a fear of history repeating itself and I guess only plodding onwards is going to cure me of that.
Big hugs to all of you for your support, sometimes it really helps to just get it out there in words, I don't make many threads but I'm grateful for the advice that comes out when I do, I just wish I had real friends like you guys xxx

Neen, thank you so much for your kind words, see even when you're whinging you are still lovely! It sounds almost like you are fighting against yourself which must be incredibly hard. I think it must be quite scarey stepping into the unknown, but you so deserve to be there, to be in a new happy slimmer place. I believe you can do it, and I will raise a glass of Baileys to you.

 

[Neen]

Dawn, it has to be said I am my own worst enemy , you're spot on there. I always find it a lot easier to encourage other people and never find it easy at all to apply my advice to myself, if that makes sense. I have a wicked greedy little streak that won't go away in spite of how much I need to shift the weight. I have phases of being totally on the wagon and sickeningly full of resolve to being a right little lazy porker and trying to justify cramming a doughnut. I tried that today and was immediately throwing it back up into the loo so there is some justice eh?
I do get very easily sidetracked and the one thing that has dragged me back on track time and again is being on here reading how others are doing...usually being shamed enough into behaving myself again for a couple weeks So just by posting amongst people like you Dawn, you are off to a good solid start. Just stick around and share any wobbly moments because that can make the difference between a little blip and an all out bender. (as I know from frequent experience) I wonder if baileys would stay down today ? hmmmm

 

[swizzlestick]

Neen I'm a long termer too, not even 3 weeks post bypass. Were all gonna have pits and troughs both bypassers and banders. It is very important to recognise how fantastically well each and eveyone of us has done and thankfully we are all here to support each other regardless of our starting point.

You have done so well...Keep it up, your an inspiration to us all Xx

 

[Gail-michelle]

Hi Neen unfortunatly Ime in the same boat as sal here, Ime also a bypasser like sal my weight drives me crazy each and every week, sometimes I only lose 1Lb but like they say 1Lb off is better than 1Lb on, so hey ho I dont mind the long haul like sal says. But a very big well done to you on your 6 stone loss. Kind regards Gail.x

Neen i'm a bypasser and am in it for the long haul too hunI am not even half way yet, and only lose 2-3 lbs a week most weeks.Am hoping swimming will help budge the weight a bit too though
You are doing so well, so stay positive hun x

 

[32bme]

Neen,losing nearly 100 1bs is a marvelous achievement, when you get to 100 ib mark make sure you do something special for yourself as you deserve it.

Look at something that weights 100 ib you have got rid of it not lost it (you dont want it back) then as phat girls says pat yourself on your back.

Every one of us on here has had to work hard losing weight takes hard work ,planning, now its time to visualise the path in front of you.

What will it feel like to be 100ibs less?

Pleas dont be dis- heartened you enourage us all let us encourage you. Thank you .

Mia

 

[Neen]

Hi Phoebe Gail and Mia! Thanks for your encouragement, when I speak about long haul I'm talking over 2 years to lose the weight, and losing what I've lost over the past year or more unfortunately does not make me too hopeful in some ways as I still have 9 stone left to get rid of, I'm fairly sure it's not going to happen before another year is over,(although I can but hope!!!) Sometimes I feel a bit annoyed that I the band by itself is not enough for me to lose weight, I am still having to calorie count and I have maximum restriction as far as I know. I feel quite worried that if I don't calorie count the weight will come back. In my darker moments it doesn't feel as though the band is doing anything to help. However, I also know that if I didn't have the band I would still be over 25stone now.
It's bittersweet, I don't have a whole lot of faith in myself but at the same time I cannot just give up. I hope one day soon I can really believe that I am capable of losing all 17 stone after all and keeping it off. I think once I get past the half way point I might have a bit less doubt in my abilities and two or three years of losing weight is not so bad if it stays off I guess.

 

[buglady]

hi neen i can relate to you so much im def a long hauler i had my op on the 11 of june this year and i think if the truth be told i would of liked to lost 1 or 2 stone more by now! However the way i see it hopefully there wont be as much excess skin!! Everybody i speek to is in agreeance that you should loose weight gradually cause if you loose it too quick you get hair loss malnutrition and sometimes gall stones! i feel happy i have not put on any weight even if i havnt lost weight some weeks if i diddnt have the band i would of still been putting on weight now i know i would of!! I see it as it too me 36 years to put on my weight if it takes 2 or 3 years to get it off its good going! you are doing so well if i have lost like you nearly 100 lbs in just over a year i will be so happy!! take each day as it comes!! xxx

 

[Neen]

Hi Alison, I think you're doing pretty great to be honest! You're right about the limiting loose skin part also , though there are other factors to having more or less of it. I am expecting to have a flappy tummy for definite as I have looked pregnant for a decade! I feel quite keen to step it all up again now, I think I was just feeling low due to being so ill and not being able to get on and do my exercise for about 2 weeks. I only lost a pound this week but I haven't done my calorie counting and have been laying about coughing myself stupid so it's not a suprise. Hopefully will crack that 100lbs for next week which in turn will hopefully give me a little confidence boost.
Keep up the great work because you're doing fab