My internet connection has issues today and keeps kicking me off every few minutes. Quite frustrating. I’m just going to save this draft a zillion times while I write.
Many thanks for all of your enthusiastic congratulations on my first year surgiversary. I have to say that it feels terrific! I can’t rest on my laurels, such as they are, but need to gear up and keep moving forward in year two. My surgeon and I finally talked about my eventual goal weight. Honestly, I had in my head that if I could get to 185 pounds, that would be great. I figured that by then there will probably be 20 pounds of extra skin that need to come off and then I’d be at 165. I’m only partially kidding with my math.
The doctor told me he wants me to lose another 80 pounds. I swear on my heart as a mature woman that I did not whine out loud but, oh, I whined in my head while I asked him why I needed to still lose so much more. He got out his iPhone so he could use the calculator and figured out what my BMI (Body Mass Index) would be at 185 and 165. It’s all about the numbers.
Here are some basic BMI guidelines: Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 / Overweight = 25-29.9 / Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater.
So, at 5′ 5″, at 165 pounds I’ll be at a merely overweight BMI. At 185, my BMI would still be a titch over 30 which would mean I was still obese.
I hate numbers and math. To be perfectly honest, he really wants me to lose more than 80 pounds, operating on the experience that when I get to goal and transition to a maintenance food plan, I’m probably going to gain back a few pounds so he wants me to have some leeway.
Sitting on the exam table listening to this, my rational mature brain absolutely saw the good sense in the plan. At the same time, my inner child whined, “80 more pounds? A-a-a-aaa-teeeee more pounds? I cannnn’t do it. I don’t wannnnaaa. Wahhhh. Wahhhh.”
Then Mature Mary told my inner child to suck it up. 80 pounds are not insurmountable. I’ve lost almost twice that already and I’ve dropped 20 pounds in the last two months. Okay, I absolutely know that the weight loss rate is not going to be as rapid as it was the first year. I need to be completely realistic so that I don’t build unreasonable expectations and drive myself into complete frustration. That said, for at least the next four months, I bet I can lose 8 to 10 pounds a month. If I do that, I’ll be practically half way there, right?
One thing that my doctor said echoed something I’ve reminded myself of for weeks. He counseled me to not get complacent. In his words, I am right on track (Coming from him that’s high praise.) but I need to keep going.
I said a few weeks ago that complacency is the enemy of progress. I need to print that out on a little card and carry it around with me. Okay, maybe not. I’ll just keep remembering it in my head. Complacency is the enemy of progress.
I’m not going to be complacent. Not in the least. I’d like to knock off these last 80 pounds as fast as possible, within practical reason.
I’m totally geared up for year two!
Weighty Matters 
A pound at a time, you can totally do it!
WOOHOO! There was a teeshirt sold at Bally’s Fitness for years that said something like, if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. Or some such. On the one hand, it was a very ’80s sentiment, but on the other hand, it’s a useful reminder that settling for anything is rarely satisfying. You can totally knock another 80 lbs outta the ballpark, no problem! After all, the entire point of this process is to get healthy, right? So it wouldn’t make sense to settle for kinda-healthy… you haven’t gone through everything you’ve gone through because you’re the kind of person who settles.
Yes, we’ll be here to cheer and witness your progress and read about your insights and philosophy and activities along the way.
Yay for year two! You can do it, all 80 pounds (or more) of it! You’ve rocked the socks off the first year, so you are going to kick year two through the goal posts (yeah, I’m mixing my metaphors, who cares?). And we will cheer you on the whole way. (Not that you need it, but it can’t hurt.)
I’m so pleased for you.