Amanda, you are worth making the changes you need too. Low self esteem has you doing things that you know can only sabotage your weight loss and healthy living. I find when I start having the same issues going on as you (and i do!) I try to stop and think about why?? I also find talking about it with the A team or some other support group also helps because I no longer feel alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!. Now for the reality, soda IS slowing down your weight loss. The caffeine, carbonation and sodium really are self defeating. I can remember what it was like to give up soda-I was a serious Pepsi One junky. Going thru the withdrawls was not easy-I thought I could bite the head off or kill anyone who crossed me but I made it thru. That alone was something that showed me I did not want to give that much control to anything (food, alcohol, whatever) again. Also, carbs are not bad, it is the type of carbs. When you eat refined carbs like the chips or pretzels they cause your blood sugar to spike and just make you crave them that much more. I had a serious bout of stress eating and of course wanted to eat that crap. I found when I forced myself to reach for protein that the cravings went away.The key is not to limit how much of soda and refined carbs (cause it is impossible to those of us who have weight issues) but to not reach for them at all. If you find yourself doing it, try to start the next day completely away from them. I also know you are not seeing things clearly because there is nothing wrong with how you look. We are so busy feeling shame for the choices we made and beating ourselves up for it that we just do not see things clearly anymore. You ARE beautiful, you ARE worth it. Please value yourself as much as the rest of us value you.

Congradulations on a long journey, and reaching GOAL , Big day for both of us!!!! We did it. Lisa

The turtle has made made it to ONDERLAND Has been a LONG weary journey Big Thanks Shar and Inky for polishing the bench for me ty for all my A team members for being here for me , special thanks to crystal for beleiveing in me I am 199.8 this am and it does not seem real to me ... I was 199 when my daughter alisha was born and she is now 25 and expecting her first child at 174 lbs I told her she could not have her baby tell I reached 199 well now she can have the baby!!! Her baby is due july 4 th. I had thought I would have I reached this goal a long time ago so here my stats Highest weight was 295 LBS lost 32 lbs fronmedically supervised starvation diet 263 when I went in for WLS Consult 250 day of surgery april 18,2007 Last week 203 Today 199.8 -4 lbs this week 96 lbs gone forever!!!!!!!!!!! on with the next goal!!! not even sure what that is yet LOL Hmmmmmmmmmm I did it!!!!!! Lisa

Hey everyone I have to pubically admitt that I havent been successful in giving up soda. I love it. I drink it all the time. I have convinced myself that I need it. I drink Coke Zero with a passion. I dont think its stalling my weight loss but I feel like crap about it because its one of those things that I said I would give up if it met that I could have a normal life. I havent. I should also admit that I dont take vitamins or worry about protein. I am going to kill myself if I dont get with the program. I basically will just eat protein first and eat high protein food when offered the choice. However I have yet to give up carbs. I know that if I dont break my cycle I will regain. I just am under the mentality right now that if I dont eat when I'm full then I will be okay. I love chicken, cottage cheese and 96% lean ground beef. I can say that I"m not addicted to bread, I'm content to not eat sandwiches just the meat. However I love potato chips, and rold gold cheddar pretzels are my weigh of numbing feelings. I quit therapy. I hate my body. I am not pretty, I knew that I wouldnt be one of those people who suffer from the swan syndrome. I've never been pretty and so loosing weight wouldnt change that. Although let me just stop right here and tell you all that you each look amazing. I can only wish that I looked as well as you. That being said I'm finding myself craving attention from the opposite sex. That doesnt mean that I will ever cheat on or leave my husband. I am just sick of being un-noticed. This leads me to become more flirtatious which in itself is hilarious. I have no idea how to flirt. So I'm sure I do things that are over the top LOL. I'm finding myself wanting to hit the alchohal more then I ever have. I seem to like who I am when I'm a little tipsy. The last office party I went to everyone in the office told me at one point how nice it was to see the other side of me, the nice , social butterfly side. So I've confessed my battles. If you have any advice for me please dont hesitate to let me know. I apologize for the length of the post but I had to confess. I dont feel like I deserve my success and if anyone in the whole world can understand what I"m going through its you all. I think thats why I havent been around much. I just sit and torture myself. I'm still in that big hole that I was in for so long, only now I'm smaller and feel more sufficated. Hugs Amanda

It seems like the weeks start to blur together. I think I lost a pound from what I posted last week. I know I had been working towards a new goal of 160lbs-which I achieved!! I wanted a little buffer against the rebound we hear about. It's hot and smokey still around here. SW-282lbs CW-160lbs Total loss: 122lbs. Hang in there gang, the tool still works, even if things take longer to come off than they used to. Keep on keeping on.....