Hi Rachel! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We've got a couple more hours before our bird comes out of the oven, but the smell sure is getting to us all! So far there is no food category that makes me dump (and believe me I have checked them all!). I go between wishing I dumped to help me keep from eating things - to being happy that I can eat pretty normally. In the long run I suspect that there are more powerful strategies for losing and keeping the weight off than the fear of dumping. Last Thanksgiving I was seven months out (you were too) and had lost a whole bunch of weight. I was feeling incredibily happy and my health had improved dramatically. I remember Thanksgiving being especially wonderful. We went to the dog park and took a long walk (not something I would have done the year before) and I was able to eat everything on the menu (the traditional turkey with all the trimmings) including a small slice of pie (the real deal). It was small servings with no seconds. What I have found true for me is that eating good or bad is no longer an all or nothing thing. I feel I can allow myself to eat what I want on holidays or special events, because can and should be days, and weeks and months of good behavior to balance it out. I used to see eating "freely" on Thanksgiving (or any old weekend) as license to eat bad until New Years day (or the next Monday). Now I expect myself to get right back on track. I also tell myself that I can eat the holiday meal so long as I drink all of my water, exercise and take my supplements that day. By not letting myself go to hell in a handbasket so to speak, it seems to keep me closer to my committment to good health. I am less concerned with enjoying the food at a special event than what I do with MOST of my days. I too have encountered more of a struggle further out with grazing and eating a bite here and a bit there. I know they add up! I know I eating emotionally. I have tried to be really aggressive about managing my stress and anxiety. Once the exhilaration of the rapid weight loss and all of the great things that come with that slows down, all of that every day stuff (money stresses, relatives, your kids struggles, etc.) is still there in your life and can bring those emotions to a place where they effect how you are eating. None of us really believed that losing all of the weight would solve all of our problems, but for a while it sure makes them be in the background. When I noticed myself revisiting some of my old eating patterns (I made popcorn late at night - for the first time since surgery) I reminded myself of some of the changes in the area of taking care of myself I had adapted since my surgery and gave myself a big dose of them. I got a manicure, I did a lot of talking to my husband about things going on in our life, saw my shrink (who adjusted my wellburtin dose), did some major reorganizing of my kitchen, took some long walks, etc. It became so much easier to not snack and eat "comfort" foods when I relieved some of what I must have been feeling, but wasn't aware I was feeling. I'm a work in progress and am plenty worried about gaining weight, but so far so good. Have a great holiday with your family. Patty (down 170 since surgery)

I am not really adventuresome and somewhat of a sneaky eater, so really the only things I will eat are turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegitables. Since it is only me and my daughter, I bought a 1.6 lbs turkey breast, that way there will not be a lot of left overs for me to get tempted later on. I also only bought mini pies, the kind that look like one serving and we will share that. I of course will eat off my baby plate. I thinks this works out well and then we do not get tired of Turkey by Christmas. Blessing and thanks to you all for going through this journey with me. Lori

Just in case any of my April buddies are out and about, thought I'd wish ya'll a great day tomorrow! And if ya wanna...have a great day today too...and while your at it, make friday a good one, etc... I have to admit. I'm a little worried about my eating lately. I'm doing a lot of late night eating...ughhh. So thanksgiving has me a bit concerned. Grazing will be tough to avoid and left overs...uggghhh again. So what is your strategic plan for success over the holidays? Take care, Rachel

Sue, You don't have me beat by much, I'm now down to 130. at 5'7" that's scary. I look sick. I want to weigh 150. I'm bringing two power crunch bars to work tomorrow. Dianne 320/131

OMG! Ruth...You look fantastic! Just wanted to pop in and say "Hi"