Congratulations Jamie! It sounds like your life has changed so much, all for the better,and you sound SO happy!!!!!!!! That's wonderful!!!!!!! Tracy B 328/150 5'9"

questions tonite. What is a hernia and where is it located at. I get a slight bulge and stomach ache when i lean over or crouch. I can do that now, LOL. Anyway, who do i see about it. Thanks you, stacy

I am very much at the same place you are. I have even mistake my shar-pei skin for fat. I felt so heavy the other day when I went clothes shopping, that when I looked in the mirror, I startled myself. I am very serious when I say that because my mind plays tricks on me so that I go to look in the mirror, I expect to see the old me. So I was startled and I also was pleased. Its very strange though. I think that we just need to go back to watching what we put in our mouth. I was very much careful for the first year. I kind of let my guard down. Lots of people say that you cant put the weight back on but I still believe you can. I am still researching that. Anyway, I am sure you look great and I am not sure what a revision is or what you may benefit from it but I wish you the best. Keep taking your supplements. I have a friend who doesnt eat much or take her supplements at all and she looks very bad. You dont want to be too thin or not have a healthy body. Well hugs, take care your friend, Stacy

I know, I know... it has been a long time since I have updated. But I have a really good reason, or rather several! LOL! Let's see since my last update I graduated from college with honors (cum laude) and then I rolled right into another bachelors program, this time in Criminal Justice & Homeland Security! Yeah, who would have thought it?! Then in July we moved from Fort Campbell, KY to Fort Lewis, WA! So now I am trying to get settled into a whole new lifestyle, get used to my new body, and try to achieve my dreams of becoming a police officer! Two years ago I would have never imagined that I could have a chance at achieving that goal! Of course meeting that goal has not been an easy feat. I am turning 30 in a few short months and after having such a radical transformation done to my body, it just doesn't seem to want to perform to the standards required to get into most police academies. I mean heck... I am fit, I run (which is something I never did even as a young athlete), I swim, I do weights, I road march, I hike, I play paintball, I do karate, I can do more that my hubby some days. However the muscular strength I once had being overweight is now gone and I have to train constantly, east a perfect diet, and work 10 times harder than the next person just to meet the standards they are asking for. And then when you drive around town and you see cops out there who can barely buckle their belt around their waist; it makes one feel extremely frustrated! So I am taking it day by day trying to get myself ready to apply to the police academy. I'd rather become a state trooper, but I'd have to get eye surgery first because the WA state troopers require no worse than 20/100 uncorrected and mine is 20/150. *sigh* Anyways, as far as weight goes... in the last year I have seen the low 140s and hated myself, put weight back on and was happy in the low to mid 150s, then after all the hoopla getting us moved I crept back up to 160s and was NOT HAPPY again. So now that I am in a new training program I am dropping back down into the high 140s and I think I will be alright there as long as a stay toned, fit, and eating a balanced diet. A milestone: Climbing the rock-faces and cliffs of Badlands National Park, getting to the top of the highest plateau, looking around at all the beauty in front of me and then breaking into tears upon the realization that I have climbed several hundreds of feet and I was not even slightly winded! It was a beautiful day, one I will always cherish. So anyways, I am still Live Journaling but it is no longer a "public journal," because of my efforts to get started in my career I have chosen to "friends lock" most of my entries. (I was advised to do so when I started looking into joining the military or trying to get a commissioned law enforcement position.) So if you are still interested in reading about my daily life then just get yourself an account at LiveJournal dot com (its free and you don't have to do any blogging yourself) and then comment on my top entry telling me who you are, where I know you from, and that you want to be added to my friends list. Give me a few days and I will add you when I have a chance! Oh and for those who are curious, if you stop by my OH profile you can see a current picture of me (well it is a tiny avatar but I am having new pictures taken of me next week)... yes that is a real tattoo I am sporting in it! It was my gift to myself when I made goal weight. It is a Phoenix, it spans from my spine to my shoulder blade and it's tail wraps over my shoulder and to my chest (sternum). It took three seperate sessions, 2 artists, and over 12 hours of work, but I LOVE IT! You can see much better pictures of it on my LiveJournal! Later Taters~ Jamie Weight- 257/149/146 BMI- 44.1/25.6/25 Height- 5'4" Total Weight Loss: -108 lbs. Surgery Date- 1/19/05, Dr. Sanborn, BACH, Fort Campbell Now living the skinny life in Puyallup, Washington!

Ok I had my surgery 1/13/05 I am still dumping...I'm eating "normal foods" in all categories. I just ordered some protein...haven't been faithful to the supplements. I take my vitamins everyday. However I am not faithful with the calcium...just can't swallow the horse pills. I just had a tooth pulled because it broke, and two others are cracking, guess I'm learning a hard lesson with the calcium. I just have to find something to take that won't make me vomit... Anyways, I'm still losing, slowly. I'm happy with my weight loss. I would love to have plastic surgery done on my tummy and arms, and thighs. I have loose skin that makes me feel like a Shar-Pei puppy lol Also I'm stil dealing with hair loss. I've chopped my hair off to my chin, its not coming out as often, but still thin in areas.... Has anyone thought of a revision? I know I don't need one, but just wondering if anyone felt that way. I'm not thinking of one anymore since I'm still losing. I know I'm a success, just still having trouble making wise food choices and I dump with EVERY meal (see post on main messageboard) and have the crummy reactions... Well Just want updates from fellow Januarians... Congrats on everyone's success!