Mariah- Congrats on your progress! I'm convinced that I'm doing ok, but that in order to do better I do need to eat MORE of the better things. I think my body goes into starvation mode because I forget to eat or eat something that comes back up. Also, I *just* started to exercise consistently (5-6 days a week for 30+mins). One tip re: vitamins that my nut. just told/reminded me is that calcium blocks the absorbtion of alot of the other vitamins we take. It should be taken alone. SO...I take all my "other" vitamins in the morning and then space out my calcium. It's made a world of difference in my energy levels (I was taking iron with my cacium..doh!). It could also be the execising, but I think it's a combo. I've heard it said on here often that EXERCISE + WATER + PROTEIN = WEIGHT LOSS! Without all three working together the body struggles.

1. What types of food did you eat this week? Yogurt, Toast, Poached Eggs, Turkey Sausage, Smoothies, Grilled Turkey Burger (1st time!), Mashed potatos, green beans, grilled chicken, chili, etc. 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? Worked my butt off at Volleyball Practice and walked. 3. How much weight did you lose? Total loss? -2 pounds again. 46 total. I didn't weigh this morning. Could be more?!!?! 4. What was your biggest challenge? It's been a mental battle this week. Lots of stress and old eating habits set in (not eating much) 5. Have you made/eaten a dessert with Splenda? Can you share the receipe? http://splenda.allrecipes.com/Recipe/Print.aspx?nprid=105459&scale=8&format=full *Fun bonus question: What are you plans for Halloween? I've got my son's costume paid for and I plan to take him around and get some candy, then I'm going to dress up and go to my friends party. Nothing too out of the ordinary, except maybe that it is a Non-drinking party, hehe! Have a great weekend, Amber

Im just wondering if u all are eating enough and if u are exercising enough. I know everyone thinks I am loosing pretty fast. I just think its that I had alot more to loose. I found when I went thru a few weeks where I had a big stall. When it broke was when I ramped up my protein and started eating more. I read where u have to have the caloric energy to break down all this fat and excrete it from your body. U have to eat enough to have the caloric energy to exercise and move...and to increase that ever important metabolism....and u cant do it on eating the wrong things. I drink 3 protein drinks per day. Usually one Atkins before breakfast and 2 profects the rest of the day. I suggest not eating any sugar or sugar subsitutes to start with or at least not on a daily basis. I dont drink anything bu****er and proteins. I do eat meat, cheeses and lots of them. I do have soups. I try to limit my salt intake...I never use table salt but I do use pepper and spices to jazz things up. Dont forget to get in all your vitamins and split them up over the day so u get better absorption. So eat away girls and just eat heathier choices. Hopefully this will help. Walking alot is great too. Use a treadmil or just go outside. On rainy days my husband and I will even go to a mall or walmart and walk walk walk. Theres always a way to get walking in. I even have Leslie Sanson's walk away the pounds and u can do that right in front of your tv no matter what the weather. Good luck ladies Mariah

WOW, fourty lbs since you surgery that is fantastic. I am jealous. I have only lost about 30 lbs since my surgery 7/27 but I still think that is wonderful also.

Aloha Linda....Gee, I'm so glad I found this forum. I've been going into others, but just saw the "July, 2006 forum." Also, I am glad to hear that others are feeling disappointed with their weight loss. My surgery was July 26th and I have only lost 33 lbs. That seems like not nearly enough especially when I read that some have lost 60 lbs in two months. Sigh. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in feeling this way. Hopefully the tortoise will finish alongside the hare, just in our own plodding way. Thanks for the question. KarenS