Way to go!
I wanted just to add my two cents ... and encouragement... for all those who have to lose (or are in-progress of losing) 100 lbs or more. I'm in the same boat.
First off -- I never gave up. Sometimes I'd lose like gangbusters, sometimes I'd stall, sometimes I'd cheat and gain... but throughout, I felt I was having some sort of forward momentum.
Exercise (just plain ol' walking) helps take the edge off my hunger... and it took me a LONG time to feel energetic enough to move. When I was +350#, my feet hurt, my knees creaked, I'd be winded walking up a flight of stairs in my own house. If I had to carry something while going up or down, that would definitely be my undoing for the moment. Huff puff!!
Still, I got comfortable shoes... and even if it meant trying to walk 2 blocks with the dogs, I knew I had to do a little something just to start. It made a big difference (to me), once weight started coming off and I was able to move more.
I was fortunate -- for someone who was morbidly obese. I did not have any real co-morbidities. My blood pressure was normal, I did not have diabetes, I did not suffer with sleep apnea, I did not have cardiovascular problems. My back would hurt like hell, however. I felt tired all the time. Sometimes I would suffer from stress incontinence when coughing or sneezing ... but these problems disappeared as the pounds (grudgingly) came off.
I fret almost daily. It always feels like I am NOT losing...
I have extended plateaus, and wrestle with my patience and resolve. Sometimes I have cravings that are so strong, it is painful... other times, I'm free as a bird, and feel light in heart and spirit. I keep a chart of my weight. I weigh myself once a week, at most, and record it on a calendar. When I feel down, I flip through the pages of that calendar, and feel buoyed when I can see my progress. When I am on a plateau, I weigh myself less often.
Before I start babbling, I want to get to the point ... which is giving each of you a cyber hug and warm thoughts for your success.
Bryana
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