Hiya! Apples are so good for you! I like to bake them with a little brown sugar splenda and some raisins. They are a yummy dessert without too much of the bad stuff. Hugs, Stephanie

Jannine, I'm sorry you are having this problem. My BP seems to have stabalized on the lower end. It used to be fairly high, but it is much better now. Don't feel too bad if you have to take medication. It is so much better then letting this go untreated. We may not like it but if we can lead a better life through pharmacuticals then so be it. I hope it is lower the next time you check. Take care, Rick

Good morning! I've been having lots of financial thoughts lately. For example, what will our tax return look like? What is happening to the economy and how will that affect us long term? How can we save more each year and spend less? That caused me to begin examining whether or not losing 145 pounds costs me more money each week or saves me money. Many people would say that since I eat less, my weekly grocery bill should be significantly less. That hasn't proven to be true. I now spend less in quantity but more in quality. I buy fresh vegetables more often than canned. I eat more salad which requires fresh purchases each week. Deli meat is expensive as is other lean meat. I stay away from processed foods which tend to be cheaper than whole foods. So, in reality, I'd say that my grocery bill has stayed the same or even increased some. Also, I take seven different vitamins/herbs each day. That certainly is an expense I didn't have prior to surgery. And, I've had to replace my wardrobe...several times! That has definitely slowed down in the last six months but I am finding myself facing spring with very few things to wear, especially to work. I also spend more on myself in other ways (i.e. hair appointments, make-up, etc.) I think I care more about my appearance and that incurs expense. I enjoy doing things now so I spend money on things like concerts or summer vacations that I didn't before surgery. So, did losing 145 pounds create a more expensive lifestyle for me? At first glance, the answer might be yes. It's the long term picture that tells the true story. I can honestly say that I have not been ill nearly as often as I was before losing the weight. I've missed far fewer days of work in the last two years. That translates to fewer doctor's visits and fewer co-pays. I don't eat fast food anymore. I was a fast food eater for lunch at least three out of five days each week. It's far less expensive for me to bring my healthy lunch than it is to eat at McDonalds. Now, a "normal" meal from McDonalds might not be that much. But I was never content with a "normal" meal. It was more like two meals. A definite savings in that category! The clothes that I buy will be worn for a longer time period. As I continued to gain weight, I had to buy larger and larger sizes. I also had to shop at specialty stores and couldn't take advantage of sales in regular stores. Larger sizes are larger prices. So maybe I'm breaking even these days. What I do know for a fact is that the cost of my obesity was rising each day. Shortly, I would have been on medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, and probably a host of other maladies. Of course, a dollar amount cannot be assigned to all of the other benefits I've received. Increased confidence, feeling more secure in a room full of people, flying without a seat belt extender, and enjoying life through increased activity are all priceless in my book. Below is a short list of some of the costs of obesity. It's staggering and the figures only continue to grow. I'm glad, whether I'm spending more or less on life since surgery, that I'm no longer contributing to these costs! Hugs, Stephanie ************************************************************** Cost of Obesity Obesity adds 20 days of lost productivity per year per obese employee, a cost of $5,350. (Source: Hughes Electronics Study on presenteeism) Taxpayers foot the doctor's bill for more than half of obesity-related medical costs, which reached a total of $75 billion in 2003, according to a new study. The public pays about $39 billion a year -- or about $175 per person -- for obesity through Medicare and Medicaid programs, which cover sicknesses caused by obesity including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer and gallbladder disease. What is the cost of overweight and obesity? Total cost: $117 billion , Direct cost: $61 billion,* Indirect cost: $56 billion (comparable to the economic costs of cigarette smoking) What is the cost of heart disease related to overweight and obesity? Direct cost: $8.8 billion (17 percent of the total direct cost of heart disease, independent of stroke) What is the cost of type 2 diabetes related to overweight and obesity? Total cost: $98 billion (in 2001) What is the cost of osteoarthritis related to overweight and obesity? Total cost: $21.2 billion, Direct cost: $5.3 billion, Indirect cost: $15.9 billion What is the cost of hypertension (high blood pressure) related to overweight and obesity? Direct cost: $4.1 billion (17 percent of the total cost of hypertension) What is the cost of gallbladder disease related to overweight and obesity? Total cost: $3.4 billion, Direct cost: $3.2 billion, Indirect cost: $187 million What is the cost of cancer related to overweight and obesity? Breast cancer: Total cost: $2.9 billion, Direct cost: $1.1 billion, Indirect cost: $1.8 billion Endometrial cancer: Total cost: $933 million, Direct cost: $310 million, Indirect cost: $623 million Colon cancer: Total cost: $3.5 billion, Direct cost: $1.3 billion, Indirect cost: $2.2 billion What is the cost of lost productivity related to obesity? The cost of lost productivity related to obesity (BMI > 30) among Americans ages 17-64 is $3.9 billion. This value considers the following annual numbers (for 1994): Workdays lost related to obesity: 39.3 million Physician office visits related to obesity: 62.7 million Restricted activity days related to obesity: 239.0 million Bed-days related to obesity: 89.5 million

hope everyone had a great weekend and happy Monday! Let's hear what you're eating: B: fiber cake muffin later: protein coffee L: 3oz chicken 1/2 cup bulgar S: 3oz cheese on crackers 1/2 protein bar D: 4oz steak smothered in onions and mushrooms! yum! 1/2 bundle asparagus water 80oz exer: 30 min yoga vits done

Stephanie, Great information. The first 6 months of this journey I did pretty much what I was instructed as far as food goes. I was told to avoid most white foods; bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, flour etc. It served me well. I still eat a lot less of these foods then I ever did in the past. The hardest one for me is bread. I do like my bread. Thanks for the information on the good carbs. Like everyone else I sometimes get overwhelmed with all of the information out there and try to pick out the important parts. Have a great day, Rick