Hi Donna... OHHHHH, I am SO there with you!!!! I have turned into the Pringles/Wheat Thins/Carb queen!!!! I can't seem to stay on the "program" and it's making me crazy!!! It is so much easier to eat these days... I don't seem to want to eat the right things... and I don't seem to care... YET, I freak the minute I get on the scale and gain a pound... I gained quite a bit (about 15 lbs.) in December... and have lost about 5 of those lbs... and am now working on that other 10, PLUS the 20 more that I had to reach my first goal... Now, I started at 391 lbs... and I've lost 180 lbs. so far... so it is nothing to sneeze at... but my goal was to get BELOW 200 on the scale... and at this point, it's looking quite far away... I work in a tax office, so I haven't been eating too goo the past couple of months and my exercise schedule was NOTHING during tax season... but I did start back at the gym last night... was amazed at how GOOD it felt to be back on the treadmill and I was able to run right away too... Did 200 crunches (which I haven't done in MONTHS) and it all feels good today!!! I think we ALL need to remember that this is a TOOL that can easily back fire on us... well, when we sabotage ourselves... I was at Kaiser yesterday talking to the new people... who are about to get into the program... it really helps me to realize where I was... and how easily it could be to be right back there... I see where I am eating the wrong things... I mean I went to Jack in the Box on the way there and got myself some chicken fingers... OK, yes, it's protein... but it's FRIED protein... I mean, does that even count?????? I think that because it's so easy to eat things now (and I NEVER dump) that it's a dangerous place for us all to be... I mean, we have ALL dieted and lost weight and gained it back our whole lives... that's what made us do this surgery in the first place... BUT... I REFUSE to do it again... I am NOT going to gain this weight back... I was wearing a size 32 jeans... THAT'S SIZE 32 not 32" waist, people... and I am now wearing a 14, which is still HUGE compared to most of you guys... BUT for me... it's a miracle... and I agree... Nothing tastes as good as those size 14's feel... So, as I sit here in my office, sipping on my crystal light, getting ready to have a chicken caesar salad... and reading all the inspirations on this site... I say to us all... KEEP THE FAITH... and "Every great opportunity is brilliantly disguised as an impossible situation"... WE can do this... WE can win the battle... Anyway... that's all for now... Love & hugs, Loree PS... I've been off the board for a long time too... and hate that I have been... but I am still playing that damned comparison game... I still sit here and say how much fatter I am than all you guys... even though I've lost 180 lbs... I'm still over 200 lbs... and still in a size 14... and anyway... I can't do that anymore... I have to remember that we are all different, we all started out at different sizes and we all end at different sizes!! THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Are you still loosing Christie? How is it going?

Why do I do this to myself?? I packed a decent lunch with healthy snacks for the day and while on my way to work, I stopped at the gas station (I did not need gas) and bought 2 doughnuts and a Mountain Dew. What was I thinking and why couldn't I push through the craving?! I honestly think I need to take out all money and credit cards from my wallet so I can't buy anything once I leave the house. It sounds extreme but I honestly don't know what else to do. I clearly don't have any will power or else I would exercise it once in a while. At least I would hope I would. Anyone have any suggestions for snapping out of a rut like this? Thanks, Jessica 301/170/135

You and I sound so alike and I could have written that post almost to the 't'. I think one of the big problems we are having with the snacking is that it is way TOO easy to do it. I started thinking about making up some healthy snacks and leaving them around so that I will munch on them instead. I just need to get off my butt and do it. If I have sweets in my house I WILL eat them. I too have issues with soda...again because it is too easy to pop one open. A while back I gave it up and actually lost a few lbs. They say the artifial sweeteners make you crave more sweets and carbs. I am so glad that we are coming back here for support...we are all in this together and I am so grateful that even though we may all slack off coming around....we always seem to be here when we need each other. Lets try and take a few baby steps together and turn in the right direction. I just now realized that you wrote this 14 days ago....how have you been doing since then??? HUGS, Julie

I am right there with you...I have buying any type of candy at all. I am the one who will eat a little here and there until it is ALL gone. I feel like I have a sickness..lol Julie