Hi, Everyone!

It's so good to see familiar faces that are still around. I apologize for my absence, my schedule just doesn't permit me to post regularly anymore. I see that our 2 year surgeriversary is coming up and I imagine we will all be posting soon. I also see that we are all having similar problems and I hear that its completely normal to be gaining weight and flexing back and forth at this stage in the game. It can be completely frustrating. I know that I just need to make some adjustments and keep moving forward in the right direction. I started at 300 and I got down to 179, which people thought I was entirely too skinny because I'm almost 6 feet tall. I still look great and I feel great physically. I'm currently back up to 190 and the thought of hitting 200 again is terrifying me. I know that this weight gain is nothing but my own fault. I had surgery in January and had to quit exercising for 6 weeks. Depression got the best of me and I haven't been back to my gym since. Last week my boyfriend and I started walking every night, once its cooled down. It's getting me pumped up to start exercising again. I have no doubt that once I get started, I'll start dropping again. I just want to be back in the 180's and I won't be myself up. I think my bigger concern is am I eating too much? Sometimes I can really eat a lot in quantity. My appetite has definitely gotten greater and I'm not nearly as full as I used to be all the time. I'm still on target with my supplements, I can thank being on crazy meds for the rest of my life for that. Routine, I suppose. I think that helps and drinking a lot of water still. So my advice if you're still struggling like me, go back to basics. Get 30 minutes of exercising every other day, up the water intake, up the protein, forget "the numbers", take your supplements, and use us as your support system. Maybe coming around and reporting in (being accountable) will get us back on track. Whose with me? Amber

Hi Amber, I'm with you. Good to see you! I actually am at goal, but am worried about gaining weight back. I am 7 weeks out from a lower body lift so I'm just getting back to the gym, but have been walking. I want to stay on track so I can maintain. This is kind of a scary place for me. Allison

Good to hear from you, Allison. I may have to start the Friday Five again, or at least everyone can check in every week and see what we've accomplished or what's helped us get through the week! I'm walking tonight with the boyfriend. A

Count me in Amber. I've never reached goal, but I'm kinda happy looking as to where I've been. I desire to be less than 200; my lowest weight has been 218 and currently 226. I've been trying to do better. Ree Ree

You'll get there Ree Ree, it just takes a whole lotta patiences thats for sure. I'm very pleased with the way that it happened for me. I see a lot of people that loose it so fast and they almost look sick. I'm glad its taken me longer than others to get there. I don't have a huge amount of sick problems either. One area, but that'll be taken care of in time as well. PATIENCE, hahaha! We'll get each other motivated and sticking to our guns soon enough! A

Hi Amber- So good to hear from you again! Boyfriend huh ... good for you! You know I'd be right there with the Friday Five, I loved it! I started this journey weighing 374 and on a good day I'm down 200 pounds, but most days it's between 194-197 lost. I weigh in usual around 177. Never in my life thought I'd fit into a size 12 pair of levi's but I do. Started off in a tight size 34 womans jeans. I'm getting ready to have a hysterectomy on July 1st and the one thing that scares the crap out of me is I've heard people tend to gain afterward. OK, well that and the thought of another IV ... damn it, I hate IV's! Happy 2 year surgiversary to all of you! It's been a rough road but one I'd travel again! Jan

Hey Jan!!! So good to hear from you. I think of you often. I'm thinking about you today and your surgery. I got my tubes tied (and one had to be removed) in January and I couldn't exercise for 6 weeks, it was just really bad timing because I went into a depression and I gained a bit of weight. Thankfully its summer and maybe that will keep you motivated! Please check in and let us know how you are doing! Here's to a speedy recovery! A

It's my surgery twin!!! How are you girlie?! I had a feeling we'd start to see some activity over here! So good to hear from you! I started at 361 and am down to 200-204....darn if I can't get below 200 yet! I know it's my lack of exercise (do they have a surgery for that?!....yes Dr., I'd like to have the exercise bug implanted please!). I'm trying to train for a 5K run this fall, so I'm using that as motivation to get my bum in gear. It's great to see others checking in...I'd certainly try to post to a weekly type accountability thing if it was going on.... Christina R (yep, R, not S....divorce was final May 29th).

Hey girlie, I thought about you the other day because I was going to make a trip to take my son to TN and we were going to drive by your area. I think we are going the other route through NC now though, otherwise I was going to stop and get a hotel in your area and see if you want to have dinner! If things change, I'll let you know. I can't believe you're divorced already! Wow. Mine isn't even final yet. That's my fault though, just haven't been able to really afford to file the papers. I need to get on it. I'm actually gonna see if he'll do it since he's not paying for anything anymore. Yeah, lets get motivated! Once you hit Onderland you'll start freakin' out, haha! It will work. Its just amazing. I gotta kick these 10 pounds now. I'm going walking tonight, A