From 319 lbs to 165 lbs in 16 months

catmama256

tiptoethruthetulips

That is fabulous, well done!

Mithridites

That's incredible! You did amazing!

jamesha100

Wonderful and inspiring - well done

rhenry2424_

Amazing!!!

msapplek

Day-amn! Amazing!

@faithkelderhouse - I love to hear people's stories about their weight loss journeys, and would love to hear yours!

Would you share what was the catalyst that got you started 16mo. ago? Were you overweight as a child? or gained the weight as an adult? What tips would you share that helped you the most? What do you enjoy most about your current weight? What is your plan for maintenance?

imgwendolyn2015

WOW! You did an awesome job! You give me the spark to keep going! Thank you for sharing your success!

Betterdaily

Wow- You look fantastic, well done. Very interesting in hearing how you lost your weight!

happimess01

Amazing! Congratulations. You must feel excellent.

ebonyroche

Amazing!!

allurajewel

Amazing! Congratulations. What did you do to lose it?

springlering62

Wow! That’s a happy face there!

Helen7751

If you feel even half as good as you look, you must be on top of the world. CONGRATS!

stevepuckett9

Really, really good for a woman person !!!

dianntaylortoo

Congratulations!!!!! You're an inspiration to me.

catmama256

I think my catalyst was I went over the 300 lb mark. I felt that it was just a matter of time b4 it went over the 400 lb mark and so on and ended up on my 600 lb life. lol. I was not heavy all my life. I gained weight with each pregnancy and couldn't get rid of it. I had "thought" about gastric bypass surgery in 2007 but it was just out of my price range and insurance didn't cover it. But in December of 2018 just before Christmas I was browseing the internet and came across our local bariatric center and decided to submit an online application to see if I even qualified. I had an insurance now that covered bariatric surgery. A lot has changed in the past ten years. It's no longer considered a "cosmetic" surgery. It's now "medically necessary" if your bmi is over 40. I had just hit a bmi of 50 which is the beginning number for super morbidly obese. AFter much testing, a psych evaluation, counseling, etc. etc. I was told I was a GO. My insurance approved and surgery date was set. I had gastric bypass on April 19, 2019. It was horrifically painful, and just a really hard road to go down. Not to mention all the judgement I got. Many people thought I took the easy way out. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's HARD WORK. I track and measure every single bite that goes in my mouth, monitor my macros, take my vitamins daily (life long requirement), exercise like an athlete. Cardio, weight training, flexibility. I see a nutritionist, and an exercise therapist regularly. There is no room for a cheat day ever. My diet is near perfect every single day. I will have to do these things for the rest of my life. You don't just have surgery and lay back in your recliner and watch the weight fall off. You have to work hard for it and make a life long comittment to working hard at it every single day for the rest of your life. I'm off ALL medication. My blood sugar is perfect. My blood pressure is perfect. I no longer have high cholesterol. I am just do darn healthy now. I'm not just lighter....I'm healthier and that is PRICELESS.

Annie42019

catmama256 wrote: »

I think my catalyst was I went over the 300 lb mark. I felt that it was just a matter of time b4 it went over the 400 lb mark and so on and ended up on my 600 lb life. lol. I was not heavy all my life. I gained weight with each pregnancy and couldn't get rid of it. I had "thought" about gastric bypass surgery in 2007 but it was just out of my price range and insurance didn't cover it. But in December of 2018 just before Christmas I was browseing the internet and came across our local bariatric center and decided to submit an online application to see if I even qualified. I had an insurance now that covered bariatric surgery. A lot has changed in the past ten years. It's no longer considered a "cosmetic" surgery. It's now "medically necessary" if your bmi is over 40. I had just hit a bmi of 50 which is the beginning number for super morbidly obese. AFter much testing, a psych evaluation, counseling, etc. etc. I was told I was a GO. My insurance approved and surgery date was set. I had gastric bypass on April 19, 2019. It was horrifically painful, and just a really hard road to go down. Not to mention all the judgement I got. Many people thought I took the easy way out. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's HARD WORK. I track and measure every single bite that goes in my mouth, monitor my macros, take my vitamins daily (life long requirement), exercise like an athlete. Cardio, weight training, flexibility. I see a nutritionist, and an exercise therapist regularly. There is no room for a cheat day ever. My diet is near perfect every single day. I will have to do these things for the rest of my life. You don't just have surgery and lay back in your recliner and watch the weight fall off. You have to work hard for it and make a life long comittment to working hard at it every single day for the rest of your life. I'm off ALL medication. My blood sugar is perfect. My blood pressure is perfect. I no longer have high cholesterol. I am just do darn healthy now. I'm not just lighter....I'm healthier and that is PRICELESS.

Sounds like you absolutely had to work very hard. So what do you think the surgery gave you that you wouldn’t have had without it?

karengreenenc

Congratulations! You look great!

kjratliff55

WAY To GO!!!!

I did 316-168 but it took me 4 years.

catmama256

Annie42019 wrote: »

catmama256 wrote: »

I think my catalyst was I went over the 300 lb mark. I felt that it was just a matter of time b4 it went over the 400 lb mark and so on and ended up on my 600 lb life. lol. I was not heavy all my life. I gained weight with each pregnancy and couldn't get rid of it. I had "thought" about gastric bypass surgery in 2007 but it was just out of my price range and insurance didn't cover it. But in December of 2018 just before Christmas I was browseing the internet and came across our local bariatric center and decided to submit an online application to see if I even qualified. I had an insurance now that covered bariatric surgery. A lot has changed in the past ten years. It's no longer considered a "cosmetic" surgery. It's now "medically necessary" if your bmi is over 40. I had just hit a bmi of 50 which is the beginning number for super morbidly obese. AFter much testing, a psych evaluation, counseling, etc. etc. I was told I was a GO. My insurance approved and surgery date was set. I had gastric bypass on April 19, 2019. It was horrifically painful, and just a really hard road to go down. Not to mention all the judgement I got. Many people thought I took the easy way out. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's HARD WORK. I track and measure every single bite that goes in my mouth, monitor my macros, take my vitamins daily (life long requirement), exercise like an athlete. Cardio, weight training, flexibility. I see a nutritionist, and an exercise therapist regularly. There is no room for a cheat day ever. My diet is near perfect every single day. I will have to do these things for the rest of my life. You don't just have surgery and lay back in your recliner and watch the weight fall off. You have to work hard for it and make a life long comittment to working hard at it every single day for the rest of your life. I'm off ALL medication. My blood sugar is perfect. My blood pressure is perfect. I no longer have high cholesterol. I am just do darn healthy now. I'm not just lighter....I'm healthier and that is PRICELESS.

Sounds like you absolutely had to work very hard. So what do you think the surgery gave you that you wouldn’t have had without it?

Well first of all I was hungry ALL the time pre surgery. My appetite had no end and it took a lot to fill me up. So first off the bat I no longer have an appetite. So I"m able to eat to live rather than live to eat. I can eat a smaller portion and be totally fine with it until my next scheduled meal. Next...once the weight began to just fall off it spurred me on motivationally to keep going, make healthy choices, exercise and just in general make better life choices. Now those choices are a good habit. Next it got me off all medications and it literally cured my diabetes, gerd and high cholesterol. Those things are history. I take no meds what so ever now. I guess in the end...it gave me my life back which I wouldn't have had without it. My only regret....and I mean my ONLY regret....is I didn't do it sooner.

rontuueyeslikeafox

Brilliant work!

supercpa999

Great job, inspiring!

caseydimples

I'm so happy for you! That sounds like a ton of work and you did awesome. Thanks for sharing.

cugogirl2017

Good for you, you look happy and you feel healthy and that alone is a win. You are working hard. I wish you continued success on your journey.

annielavender321

Amazing, well done!

stahndebs

You are a perfect inspiration. Well done .

wayne_da_teck

Excellent work....you must be so happy and proud...cogratulations

wayne_da_teck

I was 200 lbs in November and hit 135 lbs this morning. blood pressure is excellent now ,taken 3 times a day ,last 3 month ave of 116/65 from 135/85 in Nov.. Also Cholesterol went from 6 to 2.8. Exercise and eating right beats medicine and drugs anyday.

tuckerrj

It's difficult for some people to not be judgmental about bariatric surgery, ESPECIALLY those of us that have had significant losses without it. Many people fail to realize that we are NOT all the same. While I was able to lose 75 lbs. in a year without surgery, my older brother had a gastric ring surgically input. He did little to change his lifestyle, exercise or do practically anything he was supposed to. In the end he weighs more now that before surgery. So obviously, there IS much work required of those that have surgery, and it is not CHEATING, especially if your work resolves your obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other medical problems. CONGRATULATIONS!

msapplek

@catmama256 - Thank you for sharing your story! Your hard work is so inspiring!!

dawnlmidge89

Wonderful