I wish I would have found this forum earlier! I no longer have triple digits to lose, but am looking for some comraderie from others who have been in my shoes (more than 100 lbs to lose).

I am nearly 6 months post gastric bypass surgery and have been living the LC life since then. I'm 5'2 1/2 and started out 235 lbs and a size 22. I also sufferred from high blood pressure, GERD (was on meds for both) as well as severe sleep apnea (used a c-pap machine). Currently I am down to 155 lbs and a size 12, and all my health issues have been resolved - no more meds or machines! I still would like to lose another 20-30 lbs.

I'm currently doing a modifed Atkins-type plan. I do fairly low carbs, moderate fat, and high protein. Becasue of the gastric bypass, I have to watch the fats, too, because I can become physically ill if I eat too many at once. Typically, I try to stay under 50 grams of carbs per day and find that I remain in ketosis when I do.

Although I have the benefit of being physically restricted in the amount I can eat, I face the same challenges as most of you. I thought I would die from starvation the first few days of LC'ing! But once I kind of 'detoxed' from carbs, it got easier and easier. I find that if I slip and eat too many carbs, I feel sooo hungry the next day and they only way to get the hunger under control is to jump back on the protein train.

I've turned into somewhat of a gym junkie! I do weight training 3 days per week for 30 minutes. I do cardio 4-5 days per week for 30-45 minutes (mostly on the elliptical machine), plus I run for 30 minutes 3-4 days per week. I guess I traded my addiction for food for an addition to exercise!

Best wishes to all in your continued quest for a healthier you!

Barb in Seattle

Welcome to the TDC Barb. And congratulations on your weight loss. I bet it feels good to have lost so much. It's great that you no longer have to take any meds! This is such a great way of life. Good luck in your continued weight loss.

Welcome Barb. I'm glad for you and your newfound success. My mother had the surgery a few years ago and she is a new person. She loves it. She is active now where before it was a chore for her to walk. Now she goes line dancing everyday as well as swimming.

A funny thing happened the other week. My mom called for my birthday. She asked how my WOE was going. I told her all of the positive aspects I was experiencing. I also told her this was a long term change for my eating. Then she says to me, I'm on Atkins too. I think to myself, wait a minute! You had surgery, why would you need to be on the Atkins WOL. But I realized that even after the surgery she still needed to address her food issues.

Good luck and welcome!

Congratulations on the weight loss so far. And I'm really impressed with the exercise - I bet you feel great.

Welcome to the TDC Barb, from another relative newbie. Congratualtions on your successful surgery and weight loss as well. And wow, I am so impressed with your exercise efforts! Talk about turning your life around - you're a great inspiration there. If that's an addiction, it's definitely a much healthier one for you.

Welcome to the TDC Barb. It's nice to see someone have weight loss surgery and have a positive outcome. While I hope I have solved my weight problems with Atkins and will never need the surgery, in the back of my mind it is always a threat.

Even if the surgery makes you eat less, I know that it doesn't make you do all that exercise and the exercise has certainly made you healthier. I admire your dedication to keeping up that routine.

Oh yea, now I remember why my mom said she was on Atkins. She started gaining weight back so had to find a WOE she could live with!