thank you Terri, Barbara, and Patti!! I think I'm having what you had Patti, as I will be cut from hip to hip and they are going to pull down the excess skin on my gut along with my tummy to tighen everything down.. I also went for a breast lift. but, if that doesn't go through I will be oh so happy with what the insurance did cover. I did have a rash that was present the day of my consult so the insurance co. BCBS.. saw that it was a real issue and not just "cosmedic" though really how could they think that having all this hanging skin isn't a health issue??? I mean really.... HELLO!!!! good luck to everyone that's at this stage of the game. and heading for consuls for their p.s. Mary 268/260/151/????

I sent you an e-mail... we probably want to do this over e-mail? But I have some ideas. Do you use http://www.fitday.com? I actually bought the program because I didn't like having to keep logging into the website (due to the timeouts)... If you are not, may I recommend that you start? It is a very good tool to track calories, carbs, fat and PROTEIN intake each day. I love it. I know what you mean about being greedy... I'm wearing mostly size 12s, but have some 12s that still don't fit quite right, and already bought some size 10s. I always thought that my goal would be a size 12, but then I saw that a size 10 is not such a crazy idea... who would have thought? I had a goal of 135/140, but have since reassessed the situation and realized that 150 may be much more realistic for me. Not to say that I'll stop there... if I can go further, I certainly will. My main concern is to do it all in a healthy way. I had this surgery to IMPROVE my health, so I won't jeopardize that in any way (i.e., not eating properly). Maybe you can make your first goal a size 12, and when you get there, see how you look and feel and go from there...? What about this: Use your OH profile as a journal type thinguie... I never thought I would be doing that, but I find that it helps me with accountability, since I know some people actually read it... ack! As for the belly, there's only so much we can do about that... after that, we can either live with it, or go the PS route... which I admit, is an idea I toy with of late... I go back and forth on that. When I put my favorite jeans on, and I look down, I pull my belly up, and dang, that flat tummy looks great! Anyway... e-mail me! Let's do this together! Angie http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie

Angie, I started at 286#'s I am now 177#'s 109#s gone. But not forgotten. I am only 5' tall and would love to weigh 135#'s. That would mean 42more pounds. I do not know it it is possible. You asked about a goal. I really never had one. I always said that I really wanted to get my life back and feel good again and not be on medication for the diabetis and HB. Oh yea and get into a pair of jeans.. Well I have done all these things. But now I am feeling gready. I want to have less of a belly and like how I look in those jeans. Now I would like to get into a size 10 instead of 16. I would lvery much to a motivational buddie. Just let me know how we should keep in touch. With that said I am going to go to the rec center and work out. You get on out there tonight or tomorrow and move. Hope to talk soon, Barbara

Definitely! We are 100% responsible for what happens now, not our pouches Angie http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie

Well, I guess the question you have to ask or to which you already know the answer is if you've been a good girl and have been following all the rules . I have lost 105 pounds (was 110 - oh how I hated to update my profile!), but I know exactly what I've been doing wrong... I am very good at getting my protein in every day, but sometimes I eat more than I should... and sometimes I eat too many carbs... and I don't exercise nearly enough... still working on that one! So, I the answer is there. We just need to put it into practice, right? You don't say what your weight is, or how far you are from "goal"... but you sound like me... I know I want to lose at least 25 more pounds to be fully content, but I feel very good. If I don't lose any more I will still be happy. Angie http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie