LOL!
I am not going to yell at you.

I also listen to the people, who give me advice.
Then I incorporate that, or not.
Meaning, I'll try their advice out for a while and then decide whether or not I will use it.
What is good for one person, is not necessarily good for another.
What may work for you, may not work for me, and vice versa.

You are doing great.
This is your journey and yours alone.
You find out what works best for you.
Just stay curious, not rigid.
Go with the flow.
What may work today, may not work tomorrow.
Be flexibel and do not be afraid to try new things.
The worst that can happen, is that is doesn't work the way you want it to.
Well, that's simple, isn't it?

Keep up the good work!

No yelling, but oh so smart not to weigh yourself daily during the losing phase! It messes with your brain. Sounds like you are doing really well with 34's being big, as I seem to remember you are tall. That would make you SKINNY. Proud of you!

HAHAHA I am just sitting in Australia sticking my tongue out at you LOL :-)
What a great week :-)

How very insightful! I've gone to not weighing as often as well -- and I am continuing to lose, although I am not sure I need to be as low as I am. That said, who knew size 4 jeans were a thing?

Your pithy honesty always tickles me and brightens my day!

Hi DutchSleeve!

I know you aren't literally going to yell at me. I said it in a matter of speaking because I have lost count of just how many people within the community have said to stop weighing myself on a daily basis.

I agree with you 100%! What works for one person, may not work for another. Conversely, what works one day may not work the next. Ah...such is the life of VSG WLS.

Thank you for the vote of confidence. There are some days wherein I feel I am doing superbly. Then there are others where I find I am questioning everything I have learned. Again...such is the life of VSG WLS. LOL!

Hi there sraebaer!

I agree with you when you say "...oh so smart not to weigh yourself daily during the losing phase! It messes with your brain." As you well know from reading my blog postings, it has done just that, and at times it has become maddening. Hence the reason behind my decision to switch things up.

You are correct. I am 6'1", broad, with a 34 waist (sometimes a 36 depending on the brand of denim, color, or make of shorts.)

What is REALLY messing with me is this pouch that was formed after extensive hernia surgery. Despite my weight loss success, I have this pouch that reminds me of part of my stomach when I was bigger. I'll think about it, but maybe I will post a picture or two so you folks can truly see what it is I am talking about.

I'll get back to you on that one.

Hi there Edie!

Go on! Chuckle up. LOL! I deserve every single laugh you can gather from this latest blog posting. As for "...sitting in Australia sticking my tongue out..." Yeah, I deserve that as well. LOL!

Did I ever mention that I can be a bit thick in the skull at times? LOL!

This would be one of those times.

Hi AnnieG!

Thank you for the kind words. They are greatly appreciated and do not go unnoticed.

I completely understand when you say "...I am continuing to lose, although I am not sure I need to be as low as I am." I feel much the same way - although I have concluded that 185 pounds for a goal weight might have been a bit pie in the sky rather than realistic. I am liking Edie's (Stacey03) idea of changing my ticker to reflect a more realistic weight loss goal. As such I have moved it back to 200 pounds, and she was right...it looks oh so much better than 185 pounds.

I can tell you that our weight is so weird with the sleeve. I am heavier than I was in HS but sometimes I look at myself and think I look much skinnier. Actually, I am quite sure I am. So that is why I have always told people how important it is to take pictures and measurements. I am so proud of you for letting that wisdom sink in. I already knew you were thin just by your pants measurements. At the end of the day...the number on the scale is just that. There is no real validation except in our heads. No one goes around and says how much do you weigh. Because it is irrelevant. It does not make us, break us, or define us. We define ourselves by the content of our character. Cliché? Maybe but it is truth.

This is a very positive post from you Shannon and I love it!
So glad that you are in a place where you can be happy with where you are and where you are heading.
Clothing is indeed a great measure of our success. Yeehaa on the 34's being too big now! (Really glad that you have a belt ;-))
Keep smiling :-)

Hi Christie!

Yeah, sadly I admit that it took a little more time than I would care to mention, but it did finally sink in that the scale is just a number and not the barometer by which I should gauge my successes and failures. That should rest solely on the notion of the sizes I am able to successfully fit into. And at this point, I am ecstatic to state that I am a 34 waist an a XL/L shirt.

I couldn't ask for more than that.

Originally Posted by KiwiGal

This is a very positive post from you Shannon and I love it!
So glad that you are in a place where you can be happy with where you are and where you are heading.
Clothing is indeed a great measure of our success. Yeehaa on the 34's being too big now! (Really glad that you have a belt ;-))
Keep smiling :-)

Thank you Lisa!

I am extremely happy right now. And I couln't think of much more I would want to ask for (except for the best grades possible while in school - G.P.A. is everything.)