Hi to everyone, lots of new people on the forum, and I know I'm one of the oldies who has fallen away a bit, but I try and come on from time to time and would be happy to be contacted by anyone who wants to chat to someone a bit further out.

Last Saturday was 18 months from my surgery date. My weight has stabilised and stays between 131-135 for several months now; this morning back at 131. This is below my goal weight (which I set at the weight I was as a young adult before putting on weight and was at the top of the healthy BMI range for my height); my BMI now sits at around 23 which as a not-slim build (I've got shoulders and hips) feels/looks good. These last two years are the first in a long time where I didn't put on weight over Christmas and winter in general which is excellent, and all due to the sleeve.

Health - I have had blood work and check ups both by my surgeon at the 1 year anniversary, and more recently by my GP as part of routine review. No deficiencies or problems with nutritional indicators, blood sugars etc - and good results for cholesterol, blood pressure etc. My resting pulse rate dropped by nearly 20 beats per minute since before the surgery (now sits around 55-60 per minute) - partly weight loss, and partly increased exercise, but that's just an amazing indicator of how much better my heart health is.

I was running regularly, but had to stop in December due to developing runner's knee and take a bit of a break and do some rehab on it, but now I'm back to tentatively training again and so far so good. I was recently on a short trip to Paris (I live in the UK), and I went for a run from my hotel to the Eiffel Tower and then onto the Arc de Triomphe before my knee decided it was time to stop. This would have been unimaginable to go for a run to do sight seeing a couple of years ago. I am signed up for a very short-course triathlon in about 7 weeks.

Loose skin - still firming up by degrees I think. I have a small tummy, I still can't decide whether or not to bother with a tummy tuck - I certainly don't need it physically, as no major overhang or anything. If I was single I think I would be more inclined to get it done. My arms have improved over time and I don't feel self-conscious about them at all any more. My thighs will always be flabby and have some wrinkles/puckers as I had stretch marks on them. The world in general does not see my thighs so that's ok! The one thing I am giving consideration to PS for (but not to the extent of having done anything about it yet), is my neck, which I think ages my face. But I'm worried about it not being done well, and then you're stuck with a funny face! In reality my face looks fine, just a little saggy in the neck.

Hair wise - hair loss stopped a while back, and is growing back gradually - I'm still not convinced it's got back to where it was prior to surgery, and maybe it never will. It's something that only I notice, and is a small price to pay for excellent health.

Eating wise - between having a teeny tiny stomach and my husband working shifts, I have found it difficult to establish a good routine around cooking/food preparation. I often tend to just buy something small and have that - based on prioritising protein. I don't eat as much vegetables as I probably should, so I'm very careful to keep taking my supplements. I do eat snacks on a regular basis - chocolate, crisps, occasional fast food. I'm not promoting that, just being honest. I try and keep an eye on it, and balance it out with regular good eating.

I don't attribute my good success to working harder than other people here. I have seen others who more religiously track their food, and who do more exercise than me. I figure that some of this is definitely luck that the restriction worked well for me and has continued to do so. I also wonder if my base physiology was somehow perhaps more favourable than others' might have been given that I didn't have a weight problem until my late 20s. I say this because I see people putting themselves down for not 'working' their sleeve, feeling ashamed of not making it to their goal weight, and comparing themselves unfavourably to those of us who have had ideal outcomes. Please don't feel ashamed - I'm humbled by the good fortune I've had in how well this has worked, but realise that some of it is just me having good luck in the outcome. If you've only had partial success in relation to a particular weight goal - please notice it as a positive and feel great about the moves toward your own good health. If you end up 30lb overweight for the rest of your life, that is still so so much better than 130!

Final point - yes it's nice to look healthier and slimmer, but it's not what it's about for me. Most of the day I don't see myself, but I can *feel* myself moving differently, easier, more lightly and flexibly through the world, and that is wonderful and amazing. I can run without getting out of breath, I can walk around without getting sore feet, knees, hips. I can lie down without feeling the weight on my neck. I feel like I am friends with my body in a way I hadn't been for years. Last week I went on a skiing holiday and loved it - it was bloody hard work when I was overweight to try and ski and I had given it up, so it's wonderful to be able to do it again! So, forget the particular number on the scale, and the dress/shirt size, and focus on how much better you feel in your own skin.

Good luck to everyone. Hope you are all journeying well.