I was a really skinny kid, then starting gaining weight around 4th grade. I was 157 at the start of 8th grade and a size 12. By adding exercise to my life, I got down to 115 lbs and a size 6 by the start of Freshman year. I was 125 lbs by graduation in 2000, then experienced depression and anxiety and starting gaining weight with my meds. I married at 19 in 2002 and was around 150 lbs and back to a size 12. A year and a half later, I started having erratic cycles and gaining weight again. I was diagnosed with PCOS. My highest non-pregnant weight was 208. I lost 20 lbs through watching what I ate, but it took 6 months. It took me 5 years from the day we started trying to conceive until the day I gave birth to my first child. I started that pregnancy at 190.5 lbs. I went up to 232 till the day I gave birth in 2008. I had been working out 3 times a week since 2004 and it never helped me to lose a thing. I breastfed my daughter for a year and my weight stayed at 195-200. I tried dieting on my own for about 3 months and didn't lose a thing, so on December 31, 2009, I joined weightwatchers on the original points plan. I didn't think it would be easy to get pregnant again after all we had gone through to have the first, so we didn't do anything to prevent. In just over 6 months I lost nearly 60 lbs. My cycles got shorter and shorter. The first cycle that was less than 40 days, I got pregnant. I started that pregancy at 144. I was up to 190 the day I gave birth to my son in March 2011. For 6 months I was around 170 lbs. Then I rejoined WW on the new points plus plan and it took me another 6 months to lose 25 lbs I was up from the pregnancy and another 10 to be at my goal weight. I have now been at my goal for a month and holding strong. Since I had only done WW online, I could not become a lifetime member. I cancelled my membership and I have been just watching what I eat in lieu of counting points. So far so good. Although I was not part of this group during my weight loss, I joined because I'm torn about what to do next. I'm unhappy with certain areas of my body, but not sure if I want to take the next step to plastic surgery. I have an apron, no belly button, upper arm flaps, and skin on my inner thighs that I wish I didn't have, but need to come to terms with keeping it or getting rid of it.

First, congratulations on reaching goal!

I have read that when it comes to issues like yours, giving your skin time (at least a year maintaining your goal weight. Maybe not 100% but better. You are what, 29? You are still young so that will help too.

If it is possible, try to get into weight lifting of some sort. It may help with that. I plan to try to incorporate heavy lifting or strength training to try to help with my loose skin issue. I also plan to wait a year at least after reaching goal before considering plastic surgery from what I've read here and online.

P.S. You may want to check out the maintenance forum for more tips/ideas and support too since some if not many are in the same boat as you! WW Forum too. Welcome and good luck.

wow congrats...

I believe once you hit your goal it must become a lifestyle..

Thanks Ladies! I have been so busy, haven't had a chance to post in the maintenance forums. I did see my PCP today and she offered to give me a referral to a plastic surgeon. I am going to wait until I get sterilized and no chance of more kids before i go.

I don't care how much I work out, I know i'm not going to get rid of this skin. It's far too much. My arms are super skinny, but have drooping skin. I know that's not going anywhere as well as my inner thighs and abdomen.

Congrats on reaching your goal. I'm sure the loose skin thing is a bummer, but seeing the skinniness under all that must feel really good!