Kessa,
With respect, a perspective.
Two things: first, comparing your experience to someone else’s body is not only completely unfair both to you and the other person it’s like comparing apples to a donkey’s butt. With the same results. Which is why, as someone who used to weigh at least 80 pounds more some 33 years ago, I wouldn’t think of asking anyone to do what I did, or to try to keep up with my routine. Your body, metabolism and everything else are as unique to you as a fingerprint. Comparisons are odious for that reason. This isn’t a slam. It’s a statement of fact. You can’t compare yourself to Sharon any more than I can.
Second, please see this:
It’s one of the few really thoughtful articles that go into the reality of obesity.
Once there, and one any of us has lost a great deal of weight, especially several times over, our bodies change fundamentally. It’s ever so much easier for anyone (and note I am not saying you here, this is a general statement) to say that you just need to put the fork down. Yah. I did that too. Not that simple. Sharon, and I am only speaking for what I’ve seen her write, has been dealing with a multitude of disorders all her life. They have an unfortunate habit of intertwining and making any kind of program very difficult. There is no simplistic answer, nor is there any sense in how or why we got here. But we’re here. For my part, as a previously obese person, I can speak to how hard it is to maintain. I’m a very serious athlete, very active, and my weight skyrockets if I take in more than perhaps 900 calories a day. There’s now too much research that shows that the body wants its fat back. While again, each of us is different, the general trends and understandings are that once it’s gone, the body searches for it the rest of your life. I can attest. It’s been 33 years for me and there is no way I can rest on my laurels or be sloppy. Being in quarantine showed me that in a heartbeat, now that I can’t ride, swim, hit the gym or much else in my repertoire, It. Comes. Back. I would simply offer that this is an extremely complex topic, and one’s own personal experience is relevant to one person. You. Or me. Or Shannon. That experience is sacred to you but meaningless to anyone else. Which is why any kind of body shaming Shannon receives or advice, well-meaning or not, is pretty much useless. These are intensely private, difficult journeys pockmarked with deeply ignorant and prejudiced doctors who themselves are largely unhealthy. Again, this is just offered as perspective, so please take it that way.