. Please see my website's November 17th & Nov 21 updates . www.geocities.com/thedawnofanewdayna . Now that I have conquered the 509 steps of the Cologne Cathedral, I want to do more! A friend mentioned that you used to be able to climb the Washington Memorial (897 steps) but they stopped allowing people to climb it because of vandalism and heart attacks. I can imagine! Another friend mentioned climbing the Sears Tower (2,109 steps!) but I don't believe you can do that on your own at any time. However they just had a charity climb on November 12th, and I found out it is a yearly event. Guess I will plan on participating next year, and will have a year to train! Here is the website for the charity climb: http://www.goverticalchicago.org/ Wow, while Googling this website, I just found out there are Stair Races all over the world! I certainly wouldn't want to "race" but I'd be happy to further my climb past 509 steps! In looking at this Stair Race website, there are two climbs coming up in Chicago in early 2007! One at the AON Center on January 28, 2007 (1,643 steps) and one at the John Han**** Center February 25, 2007 (1,632 steps). http://www.towerrunning.com/english/races.htm Well, I think I will definitely do the AON Center climb. It is called "Step Up For Kids" and benefits Children's Memorial Hospital. Considering I spent 18 days in Children's Memorial as an infant, I think this would be an extremely good cause. I just registered for this charity event, and here is a link to my donation page. If you are interested in donating to Children's Memorial Hospital via my race page, please do. https://secure.childrensmemorial.org/stepup/sponsors/sponsor.asp?registrationID=6335 Here is the main page for "Step Up For Kids" with more information: https://www.childrensmemorial.org/stepup/ The event is sponsored by Kohl's. One of my nieces works part time for Kohl's so I guess I have a double connection to this charity event. Maybe I can get more people involved in the event and they can climb with me! Anyone up for the challenge? C'mon, it's only 1,643 steps....

Don't be sad...we all go through different trials. I was eating JUNK...JUNK...and more JUNK!!! I thought i couldn't live without having candy, cookies, and everything else i shouldn't be eating. I am not even at goal yet!!! So pick yourself up and start fresh everyday. I went cold turkey...i stopped eating JUNK as of Sept 11th. I don't bring it into the house...I skip the aisle when i go grocery shooping. I am not the type that can eat just one cookie...I was having to eat 3-5 at a time. I feel so much better but still losing slowly. Now my JUNK is exercising!!!! So find something to enjoy other than Junk....I know we can do it!!! ~Dee

Alice, Stop being so hard on yourself we all slip up. atleast you are aware that your doing it and thats the first step into making it right. Hang in there you'll make it... i have to beleive that i have been at 170 since january....... Grrrr but i am trying to stay optimistic

Well, I never thought I'd be saying this, but I believe to need to gain some weight!! I met with my surgeon last thursday and boy was he NOT happy! I weighed in at 119 pounds and he about flipped! I showed him my food journal and we discussed it at length. I am eating within the ranges he has set up, but I keep losing. He told me to increase my calories to 2000 a day for 2 weeks to see if I gain anything. The problem is...I have about 15-20 pounds of skin so he said that I actually weigh closer to 100 pounds and that is very UNHEALTHY! My Labs are great, my eating is fine, so what is going on? My size 4's are getting big and everyone tells me that I'm taking this weight loss to the extreme. I just don't know how to stop the weight loss. I've tried getting in 2000 calories, but I just can't eat that much, so what's a girl to do??? Any help or suggestions?

In my opinion you are taking in too much protein. You should try bringing it back down to 60-80 grams daily at the most. If excess protein is taken in, the body changes it to fat and stores it as fat. This is a fact. Unless you are a marathon runner you wouldn't need 100 plus grams of protein daily. This is merely my opionion based on this fact and you should always consult with your doctor and/or nutritionist. Keep up with the water exercises. Maybe add in a day or two of weights or strength training and take those days off from the water aerobics. Bring your protein way down and boost your water. Surely that will get your loss started again. Try to keep in mind that yes it's 30 pounds, but it's not 60 right? Your goal is still attainable. Just because you've approached your 18 month window doesn't mean it's over for your weight loss. You will always have your tool you just need to work it in the way that works for you. Be proud of yourself for keeping up with your exercise even with your peripheral neuropathy, and to be still weighing and measuring your food? Kudos to you Karen! Another thought, how about your vitamins? Are you keeping up with them? I started taking a B-1 with a Super B-Complex AND my B-12 daily and I really believe that has managed to help in keeping my weight down and stable. The B vitamins are supposed to promote the proper metabolism of carbohydrates. Although that statement isn't approved by the FDA, I believe it to be true in my case.