WELCOME ANNETTE!!!!! I just came back a couple weeks ago after a two year absence. I have the same struggles. I tried the five day pouch test last Monday, the 28th, and it worked very well. That day was my four year anniversary and also the day my brother in law went in for surgery. Today was a hungry day for me. But, I stuck to my plan (which I forgot to post, but will). I am trying to ease out the junk food. I posted a bit ago about my struggle, go back and read it. I am going back into this with the attitude I should have had when I first had the surgery. I have to work for the surgery instead of the surgery working for me. I had the attitude of "oh well, I can eat cause I'll just get full and throw it up". I drank Diet Coke, I drank with meals, I ate sweets. I started at 360, went down to 282. I got as high as 312 after surgery, and am now down to 290.8 as of this morning. My BMI never went to low not to have the surgery!!!! But that's the past. I have to focus on the now. I feel the pouch test gave me a fresh start. My attitude has changed. Im definately not saying that I will never eat something I shouldnt or have a diet coke again. But I am definately living with the attitude that this is law and I am not going to break it. On another Note!!!! .... Last night I was getting ready to mop my floors after supper. I dropped our new wooden bar chair on the top of my foot!!!!! Well, of course it hurt, but I kinda walked it off. So I go about the mopping, and about 1/2 after the chair fell, all of the sudden my foot started REALLY throbbing and aching. I look down at it, and it was as if a golf ball grew on it!!! Now the whole top of my right foot is black and blue with a bump, although more like the size of a big marble than a golf ball. I went to work today, but had to come home. I hate doing that because I exhausted all of my sick time this year because I had Lyme Disease in May and my older daughter had an emergent appendectomy on April 5th followed by my little girl having one on June 2nd. ITS BEEN CRAZY. Oh, not to mention, we lost our home to a fire on November 9th last Fall. We just moved into the house again on April 30th. We had a trailer on our property the whole time. We lost most everything, they had to gut the whole house and start again. But all is well now, and no one got hurt. My cats used the cat door and ran in the cellar, but one of my pugs almost died. She was hospitalized overnight at Tufts for severe smoke inhilation. Even she is doing great now. Dont know how I got into this long story...but now I'll post my food plan, lol! B: 1c. Special K, with a handful of blueberries and 1/2 c 1% milk and 1 sweet n low L: LC flatbread sandwich S: Chicken thigh with Ranch and herb Shake n bake, steamed mixed vegs, leftover salad w Lite Honey Mustard dressing. I had a 1/2 of a second chicken thigh, more vegs and more salad. I am very satisfied now. I will have a snack later. Anyone else want to post now??? LOL... Love, Lisa

I'm too proud of you! You are sooooo consistent. . . . . . . . . . . . Hugs! ME

Hi Annette, There are a lot of people that have problems losing the desired amount of weight and keeping it off. You are certainly welcome here - a large part of the support group we once had has moved on, but there are still some people here who check in and in fact, there are some of us who are using this board for support while trying to lose. Please look at the posts below to see what some of us are eating. We plan our daily meals and post them here - I think it helps to have a plan for the day rather than just winging it. At this point in time, I am following the South Beach diet, which is mostly protein and good carbs (veggies, fruits, whole grains). I was 192 lbs. the end of May and I'm down 14 lbs to 178 (I was 175, but fell in love with a bag of popcorn and a jar of peanut butter.... ) I'm back on track and continuing along. Have you tried the 5 day pouch test? I've done it a couple of times. I thought for sure I had broken my pouch and could eat anything, but I did the pouch test, and realized that if I eat what I am supposed to and the way I am supposed to, my pouch works very well. Here's the link: http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html The most important thing you will need is a real desire not only to lose the weight, but to be healthy. I think it's important to you or you wouldn't have posted here. Please feel free to join us for our daily menu and support posts. And remember, you are the only one who can control what goes into your mouth. I think it's a head game for a lot of us, and we have to come to know ourselves, our triggers and come up with solutions. Hang in there, and hope to see you around here!! Hugs, Nancy

Hi Michelle! I'm still here. Thought the train had come to a stand still again. Glad you're still onboard. I've dropped 6 lbs, hoping to drop another 19 to put me back where I was this time last year. CHOO CHOO let's stay on the train! Hugs! ME

Wow, Lisa - you're doing great!!! Nearly eight pounds down in a week!! You must be thrilled!!! It's really motivating, isn't it?? There's a fine line between cravings and real hunger. On the South Beach diet, you're supposed to eat every three hours or so to keep your blood sugar up. I swear I never feel REAL hunger - I just occasionally want to snack on the sugar and the salty crunchy stuff. I get the SF sweet gherkins and they really help. I did very well yesterday sticking to plan except when I was making my evening snack. I put the yogurt into a bowl and added a TBS of natural peanut butter. Then I proceeded to leave the bowl on the counter and take the jar of PB to the couch and eat a couple of spoonfuls!!!! Darn me and my impulses!! Still in all, I lost a pound, so I'm now at 178.8 and happliy on my way down again. Here's the plan for today: B: Mock Cinnabon (LF cottage cheese with 1 pkt Splenda and cinnamon) and a couple of bites of leftover salmon; 6 oz. low sodium V-8, coffee with skim milk S: yellow squash 'chips' with hummus L: lettuce wraps with tuna salad, tomato, mushroom, roasted red pepper and a splash of salad dressing (these are so yummy I could eat them every day!!) S: lite Jarlesberg cheese with some sliced almonds D: grilled chicken breast, grilled asparagus and side salad S: yogurt with SF jello (I think I'll leave the PB alone for awhile!!) I did my morning walk with the doggies, I will do another after dinner. I'm trying to increase my water, but have to do it at a little slower pace. I think I spent more time in the bathroom yesterday than at my desk!!! Hope eveyone has a great day!! Hugs, Nancy