A few questions for all of you who have crossed over into Onderland. Really, these questions could also be answered by people who have reached goal or any other major weight loss goal (ultimate goal or short term goal).

What did you do to celebrate arriving on the Onderland Express?

Did you see any marked changes in speed or ease of weight loss after entering Onderland?

Did you change anything about your weight loss plan or lifestyle?

Did your outlook, beliefs, or thoughts about weight loss change. Did you have a shift in perspective?

How do you deal with people who did not know you when you weighted over 200lbs?

I have not been less than two hundred pounds in at least 10 years. And when I left the hundreds, I didn't pay attention to how my mentality changed on the way up. Now that I am on the way down, I am just wondering how one's mentality shifts. I know that there was probably not a change at the second that you reached 199, but I generally think that 199 is a major landmark or turning point.

From my personal experience, when a person is 190 lbs people are ok. Yes, you are still obese but, there is not so much of a stigma attached. But, as soon as one makes it to 200+ it is an issue. Do you think this is because this involves actually saying the number? Or, do you think that this is based on looks?

Just want to know about your experience.

I can't help with experience as I believe it's been a good 7-8 years since I was last under 200 lbs (5-6 at the most).
But wanted to give you a HUGE congrats!

HeaterAS,
Thanks for the congrats. I am not there, - but my crazy scale has made me pace myself into onderland. This morning, I got 8 readings: 200.2, 199, 198, 201, 197.8, 200.5, 199, and 200.9. Well, usually I don't have such a hard time with the Random Number Generator. I can usually get on and weigh three times and it will give the same reading. But, on the one day when I wanted to have a definite answer . . . nothing! I will give myself another week and it will be a sure thing next week.

You keep up the good work! I will see you in onederland.

Hey, I'd say you're there already! Own it!!

199 was a huge, extremely big deal to me because it was the dividing line in my mind between obese and "overweight but normal". I realize that wasn't the case according to BMI, but to me, 200 pounds was the big red line that separated me fitting in with "normal people". It sounds like you feel that way too, but I don't know why we put so much import on that number.

When I crossed over into the 100s for the first time in 20 years, it was like a huge burden being lifted off me. And I was more determined than ever to get to my goal weight because I had a taste of how good I could feel about myself.

Nothing changed about my eating plan or exercise at that wonderful 199 point, aside from my determination exponentially increasing. I think I was down to 1200 - 1300 calories at that point and didn't want to go any lower, so that stayed the same. I could do more kinds of exercise -- for example, I couldn't do real squats or lunges when I was over 200 pounds -- but I was already doing about two hours a day of cardio and weights, so that didn't change either. So I just kept on doing what worked!

And I celebrated Onederland the same way I celebrated getting to goal: got up the next morning and went to the gym.

Alls I can say is, everything in my life, EVERYTHING, is shockingly different than it was when I was almost 400 lbs. I'm the same person, but I'm not.

You know, I remember being pretty psyched about getting under 200, but I don't really remember anything changing much. I got stuck again at 180, which is what I remember, of course!

I will say that I still forget sometimes that I'm not 'obese' anymore. Being in the 'overweight' category was also a big deal very quietly celebrated, but there are times I have to remind myself I weigh 150-something instead 180-something, or that when people look at me they see someone who's normal sized, as opposed to a 'fat girl'. My brain is still catching up after all this time.

My life is vastly different now then when I weighed well over 300 lbs. I have to say I'm scared of Onderland. I've gone down to 200 lbs a few times and every time I freak out and start eating. I am scared of the unknown but my lowest adult weight was 300 lbs before I lost weight so it is a big deal for me.