You guys have inspired me!

It's been a long time since I've logged on here and, unfortunately, it's been a long time since I've eaten the way I'm supposed to. I've gained 10 lbs. over the past year, and I am ashamed of my behavior, but hopeful that I can get back on track. I am amazed at how successful you all have been. Your profile pictures are awesome and show that overall you have lost and kept off a lot of weight! I want to come back and join your club My turning point was last night after I had my fifth "sliver" of the orange cake I had made for my family. I have been unbelievably out of control, but I started back today with sugar-free creamer in my coffee, a protein shake, sf lemonade and water this morning. For lunch, I had a rib and salad, and I feel great! I'm not dosing off from the carb ups and downs and am looking forward to decreasing the size of my big ol' belly. I'll check back in later hopefully with some good results. Carla

Welcome to the marchers! we have one day between us for surgery. I had mine march 30, 2004. I've lost a total of 120 pounds. I amd 5' 7" . The day I had surgery I was 277 and wore a size 26 that was getting might tight. AT my largest I was over 300. I now weigh 157. I have 2 to 4 pounds that i fight with regularly. The beginning of January my daughter took me to Disney for a week for christmas. She is an awesome daughter! We had a blast but a week of not eating my regualr schedule made me gain 5 pounds. I've been trying so hard to lose them and now have only 2 more to go but gee****s taken all month long to lose 3 pounds! I should complain??? hahaha I had a wonderful vacation and enjoyed myself. I find now that I am a "skinny" person that even when I am on my program if I diviate from it I gain. If I don't drink my water I gain. If I don't excersize I gain and lose my firmness too!!!!! So now I do what my size 2 daughter does. Excerisze and eat right. I still don't crave the bad stuff. For me a cheat would be to have 3 of the sugar free cookies all in one day. If there is birthday cake at work or home I'm satisfied with just a sliver the size of my pinky. Fortuanately I've never had a major probrolem with dumping. But it is rare when I have something that isn't right. Its just luck and that now I don't really wnat the wrong things. If anyone had told me that my diet would change this drastically I would have wet my pants laughing at them. I use to survive on sugar things. All day everyday. A treat for me was to stop eating that dozen donuts for lunch. At my heaviest I would could and did eat whole boxes at a sitting as dessert of cookies. if they were girl scout ones I'd eat two boxes. At holloween I'd buy 6 bags of candy when the sales would start eat those and have to go buy more. Usually several times I'd do that. Last year I bought 1/2 the boxes of girl scout cookies that I normally use to buy. And gave them all away. This year I didn't even buy any. Whats the point? I'm not going to eat them! I gave the little girl a cash donation instead. Let her family buy a few boxes and eat them for me! Ben & Jerrys 2 pints of Ice cream use to be a meal. Now once a week I'll have a sugar free healthy choice fudgie bar on a stick. Back a few weeks ago I had a hormonal experience and ate two of them! Now my mouth waters when I see those fresh baby carrots in a baggie! OH no isn't that a riot??? I still look in the mirror and see the old me. Soemtimes is such a schock when I'm not paying attention at a store and glance over and happen to see a skinny someone who is wearing an outfit exactly like mine that looks so much better on her becasue she is so skinny...when all of a sudden I realize HEY THATS ME!!!!! Now the crazy part is once I realize that it is me I notice just how heavy I am!!!!! hahaha Takes some getting use to even after almost 2 years. If I had to make this decision for surgery again..in a heart beat. Wouldn't even stop to think about it. Just jump up on that table and lay down. No way do I want to ever wear those tight size 26 again. I'll keep my size 8's & 10's and my one size 6 that I adore! I want to wear the tags on the outside! WE all have different stories to tell. I've been so lucky and blessed to have gotten to the point that I'm at. I also know that it could change in a minute. good luck and god bless

Thanks for telling your story, Pamela. You've done fantastic and look great. The lowest size for me was a 12 pants and medium top when I had lost 85 lbs. a year ago and weighed 165. My dream size would be an 8 (single digit!) and weighing in the 140's. I now weigh 175 and my size 14 jeans are getting snug, so I have to get my eating under control. The first year after surgery I couldn't tolerate most meats, bread or pasta and I vomited a lot. But last January I had my stoma stretched, and now I tolerate almost all foods which is good and bad. I'm glad I can get more protein in now, but the sky's the limit with foods I can eat. Now I need to exert some willpower and eat properly. Thanks for the encouragement. Carla

Hi Carla, I hope this note finds you well and healthy. The March 2004 board needs your help! Please visit the board and click on the post, "AND THE SURVEY SAYS" - we will all benefit from your response. Thanks so much. Maureen

Hi Carla; I'm glad that you've come back. It's when you are struggling that you really need to be here. You are not alone. There are a lot of us who are in the same boat as you.....myself included. I've put on a few pounds since the start of this winter and I'm fighting to try to get them back off. I have my good days and my bad days and I figure that it will probably be this way forever. Just keep fighting and keep posting.....we're all in this thing together. Mike