Ok - I had my surgery in 1996 - weighed in at 317. I didn't do anything to lose the weight besides the surgery (i.e. no exercise, etc.). Yes, I am lazy! Anyway - I sort of just stabalized at 173-175 and was happy there. I went down to 168 for a little bit and people asked me if I was ok - I have a really big bone structure and looked gaunt. So I was pretty happy at 175. Now, after 2 miscarriages and one successful pregnancy I am up to 192 - yikes! I'm starting to panic and have started Weight Watchers this weekend. Has this happened to anyone else?

sf - sympathies on the miscarriages - that must have been hard to deal with. but it seems as if you've hung in there.

as for the weight gain. well. here it is. i've officially gained 17 pounds [just like you!!!!]from my lowest point, half of it over the past year. i know what i've been doing to get to this. and really, it's not the end of the world <choke!>. and i can take my time with this.

as for the WW, i know several people who have gone that route after surgery, and most of them have done well, especially with the higher protein option [i think that's what it's called]. WW teaches skills, and let's face it, girlfriend, if we'd had the skills, would we really have managed to get so heavy?

and don't get me wrong - i'm not talking about 'eat this, don't eat that; exercise exercise exercise.' it's the really hard stuff: recognizing when we're really hungry, or eating out of emotion; figuring out how to take care of ourselves, living a balanced life, recognizing the signs of stress, the ones that lead to munchies/binges.

sooooo. hold your head high, darlin. you're 9 YEARS OUT and you've survived difficult times, and had a baby, and gained relatively little. the important thing is that this maintenance is HARD WORK. the hardest thing we have to do, and it lasts FOREVER.

so glad you've joined us. we'll get through this. maybe we'll have to start a tracking thread just for us? those of us who have gained a wee bit and said NO MORE!!!

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I'm hoping WW will give me the structure I need. I remember looking at the ladies in the gyms that wanted to lose 10-30 lbs. when I had to lose 100+ wishing I was them - now that I am.... I guess we all have our own cross to bear! I keep telling myself if I can stop the gain and get the weight off I can look at getting plastic surgery for the skin on my arms and legs. Hopefully it'll be incentive enough!

Good luck to you too!