I was just wondering how long have you been doing the Zone? How much weight have you lost and have you gained any of it back? I see at the bottom of your posts it says 100lb's That is awesome.. I can't wait tell I get to me goal... You have a wonderful day and you will be in my thoughts during your time off the board for your surgery....

[quote:1dbc103b89="moonglow"]I was just wondering how long have you been doing the Zone? How much weight have you lost and have you gained any of it back? I see at the bottom of your posts it says 100lb's That is awesome.. I can't wait tell I get to me goal... You have a wonderful day and you will be in my thoughts during your time off the board for your surgery....[/quote:1dbc103b89] Hi, Thanks for your kind words. I've been eating this way for about 9 years, at first eyeballing things (which is how I lost all the wt), and then actually counting blocks for the past 4 yrs. As my signature says, I lost around 100 lbs. I say "around " because it's either a couple lb over or under 100. I bought a new scale during the initial weight loss. My old one weighed different every time you stepped on it. I did gain some back (about 15 lb) 3 yrs ago when I had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. It involved a lot of scary stuff and a long recovery. Also the drugs involved in the short term (steroids) made it difficult to stay in the Zone. Then in July 2002 (about 1 yr later) I had a mastectomy for an early stage breast cancer (I'm cancer free now with very low risk of recurrence!), and have had 3 surgeries related to breast reconstruction in the 1 1/2 yrs since then (two of them in the past two mos.). My surgery this Monday is a major breast reconstructive surgery involving muscle and tissue being moved from my back to my chest. :( :D My weight goes up and down again with each surgery, due to the drugs involved, my desire for some comfort foods during the scarier moments, and the inactivity involved in the recovery period. I'm used to being very physically active on a daily basis (step aerobics, Pilates, TaeBo and hiking) so it's tough for me to sit still during recoveries! At the present time I'm wearing one size larger than at my lowest weight. You have a wonderful day too! :D Sue

Wow you have really been through alot... I had Thyroid cancer back in 02 and have had my first clean scan last year.. I have my second scan this May. I have been over weight for about 15 years,about 80 pounds.. I know I will feel better when I get this weight off.. Do you ever have those days you feel like your the biggest thing alive..lol I had one of those days yesterday,then I have to just look in the mirror and see that I have lost and then tell myself I will get to where I want to be.. :) I will keep you in my thought and prayers.. Please post and let me know how you are doing when you feel up to it... WHen do you go in ?? Thanks so much for a quick response...

[quote:a0cb5fb9a3="moonglow"]Wow you have really been through alot... I had Thyroid cancer back in 02 and have had my first clean scan last year.. I have my second scan this May. I have been over weight for about 15 years,about 80 pounds.. I know I will feel better when I get this weight off.. Do you ever have those days you feel like your the biggest thing alive..lol I had one of those days yesterday,then I have to just look in the mirror and see that I have lost and then tell myself I will get to where I want to be.. <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'> I will keep you in my thought and prayers.. Please post and let me know how you are doing when you feel up to it... WHen do you go in ?? Thanks so much for a quick response...[/quote:a0cb5fb9a3]

Hi moonglow,

Congrats on one clean scan, and lets hope for the same next month.

"biggest thing alive"....well not anymore, but once upon a time I probably did! I keep my "fat jeans" on a kitchen closet shelf and pull them out once in a while when people are in disbelief that I could have weighed 100 lb more than I do now. Those jeans are a size 22, and I'm now a 10. Yes, you'll feel a lot differrent when you lose it. I remember for a couple yrs after I would keep noticing my legs when I was seated. They looked so much smaller they didn't seem like they were mine! At first when I lost it, which took 2 yrs BTW, people began telling me I looked too thin (at about 150 lb, 116 LBM and 5'7+"...definitely not too thin!). Then there were the peolple who asked me if I was sick!!! At first I would see people I knew, who I hadn't seen in 6 mos or so, and they wouldn't even know it was me. They would walk right past without even noticing me!

Feels great in so many ways to be at a normal weight. One of the biggest things is how much more comfortable everything seems, physically, I guess you could say logistically....from restaurant seating to clothing. And as for clothing, now I can easily just go buy a pair of jeans or pants without the hassle of having to try on numerous pairs. I'm no longer self conscious, don't feel like I have to suck in the stomach, etc. In general clothes even feel better because no more tight waists, no tugging at the seams, etc.

As for Monday, I have to be there at 8:30 AM for the surgery at noon (3 1/2 hr surgery, UGH!).

Sue

Hi Sue and Moonglow, I am sorry, I feel like I am "hitch-hiking" on your conversation, but I wanted to wish Sue an easy surgery and a speedy recovery. I, too, will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. You are truly an inspiration, not only with your weight loss and health accomplishments, but with your openness and honesty regarding your journey. I always appreciate your advice and sharing. I need to lose about another 80 lbs, for an approximate 100 lb total, too. I was wondering, after losing 100 lbs, did you have any problem with that skin-overhang-thing (I've heard it called an "apron") that people are needing to remove with cosmetic surgery? A lot of gastric bypass patients at the hospital where I work and a lot of people who lost their weight fast (ie: Atkins, high protein/really low carb diets) seem to be having quite extensive cosmetic surgery to remove that excess, left-over skin afterwards. I am hoping that losing a large amount of weight slowly over time with good Zone nutrition and exercise that I won't have that problem, but I don't know. Either way, I feel certain that this is the healthiest way to lose weight and regain health, but I was just wondering about your experience with it. It must feel incredible to lose 100 lbs... almost like losing another you! I can't wait! Moonglow, I will stay posted anticipating your clean scan results next month. :) Carrie

Hi Carrie, Thanks so much for the compliments! Good question about the skin. No I didn't have a problem on my stomach. I only lost 100, not 300 or 400! I lost it slowly, about a pound a week, and I exercised 6 days a week. I don't know if that makes a difference. For all I know the skin thing might depend upon your genetics, too. I did have slightly wrinkly skin on my inside upper arms and inside upper thighs for the first yr or so after the wt loss, but it has long since disappeared. Sue

Sue, I wanted to add my good wishes for your convalescence. Do take care and hope to see you back here soon. I haven't been on this forum long but you are already the name I most recognize and look for!

[quote:f4cfb816ec="baZillionaire"] I haven't been on this forum long but you are already the name I most recognize and look for![/quote:f4cfb816ec] Oh, wow. Thanks, and I hope to be up and around ASAP. Should only have to spend one nighth in the hospital. It's a lengthy recovery because I will be reconstructed using a latissimus dorsi (muscle) flap from my back. (OUCH!) Sue

Best wishes Sue. Charlie

[quote:459f81028d="cduane"]Best wishes Sue. Charlie[/quote:459f81028d] Thanks Charlie. I should regain total strength and use of my back after the 6 wk recovery period, even though a large part of the lat in my left back will be gone. Sue

Hello Sue; Was just thinking of you and praying all is well.... You are in my prayers....

Sue.you are in my prayers as well. The best to you.

Thanks everyone! My surgery went very well, and I'm at home now recovering. I'm still in the Zone because I froze a bunch of Zone meals in the past month. It was even fairly easy to remain in the Zone during my hospital stay, once I was able to eat again. (Pain meds were, and still are, causing quite a bit of nausea :( ) For now I'll just be lurking , but hope to be back to posting soon. Sue 8)

Sue, glad all is well! and WOW, staying in the Zone during this, lots of kudos for that! Hope you're up and about soon!

Congratulations, Sue! -C.

Sue -- My thoughts are with you...hope your recovery goes well. You are an inspiration to so many of us!!!

[quote:7227ed67dc="jpkrueger"]Sue -- My thoughts are with you...hope your recovery goes well. You are an inspiration to so many of us!!![/quote:7227ed67dc] Hi, thanks! I'm still havng a fair amount of pain which is not fun, but to be expected. Other than that things went great! Sue 8)

Hi, Had my 4 1/2 week post op check today, and my dr said I'm doing fantastic for the 4 week mark. Some people are still on the heavy duty pain meds at this point, and I've been off med for a couple weeks already. As of today, I have no restrictions on exercise and activity, and don't need any PT this time around. It's still kind of slow going for now as I get all my strength and range of motion back in my back and arm. I managed to do about half of the 3 miles I walked today at a very brisk pace. I think being in the the Zone has a lot to do with my ability to bounce back so well. Have a great weekend! Sue 8)

Thats wonderful Sue. Keep up the good work.

Awesome news Sue... Keep up the good work... I am so glad things are going so well for you.