Before surgery: 335 pounds Today: 220 pounds For a total loss of: 115 pounds and only in 6 months

DOS - 312.8 Current - 240.2 Total loss since surgery: 72.8 I'm still losing pretty steady, I know my workouts have really benefitted me because my clothing sizes and inches lost have had such a great decrease. All I want is to make it to one-derland!!!

Thanks for the encouragement Heidi! I will definitely go to support group tonight and will go back to basics as you so eloquently detailed in your previous posting .... eat protein first drink water keep track of my food intake & move my "muffin-top booty"! Thanks again. Hope the weather cooperates so you can come to support group tonight. See you then! Charity

Sorry all that I haven't been on lately. Since working 2 jobs, I don't have internet at home. No reason to pay for it if I'm not using it. I hope everyone had a great holiday! Mine was pretty good. Thinner and good. I love shopping for new clothes. Haven't bought much, but I have bought a few new things. The Salvation Army has great clothes at a great price. I'm not ashamed to get my clothes from there. I look nice at a nice price. I love working out. Though I did slack off during the holidays. Too many parties to go to or people to see. I have gotten back into it hard core since the first of the year. Nothing new to tell. I'm down 98 pounds. Here is a current picture of me. http://www.axcessmypics.com/dolphinluvr525/album1/_entry/c885520e173cc893011741193cee33f0/ jsps/entry?foneblog=1199733434214 Take care all and I will be in touch. Laura 374/276/175 (highest/current/goal) RNY 7/17/07 Dr. Lane

Well, here is goes....my weight loss is still slow and steady. Pre-liquid diet 245 DOS 236 Today 175 Total loss 70 lbs. I am in a size 10 0r 12 pant and a lg/xl top. I am right there with all of you fellow muffin top club members. Some days it seems worse than others, even in the same clothes and with no weight gain. I am struggling to get my H2O in, but am doing pretty well with protein and calories. I have added a few more carbs in and really feel so much better since I have. I will be honest about the carbs, most are in the form of whole grains, fruits and vegies BUT I have had a few bites of white potato, rice and regular pasta. And I am comfortable with that. I felt guilty at first, but I know these are not trigger foods for me and that it is bad for me to deprive myself of something like that when I want a bite. Not allowing myself that bite would put me in the dangerous area of obsessing about it. If I take the bite, enjoy it and move on I am much better off than if I fight it. My brain and pouch are doing a pretty good job of being my internal food police. I have NO desire to eat anything that I have gotten sick on in the past, or know I have the potential of getting sick on now. I am now to the point where I am learning to make wise food choices based on what I have learned on this journey and according to what my body is telling me because my body is getting smarter too. It is amazing to me how my tastes have changed. I went to a party the other night and took vegies and dip so I knew there would be something there that was "safe". I ended up bringing alot of home with me because people were eating meatballs by the dozed and fried chicken wings and chips and so much other stuff that was soooo not good for them. And the quantities they were eating was also amazing.....but 7 months ago, I probably could have outdone most of them. But back to the vegies I had brought home.... I had planned a piece of chocolate into my meal plan for the day, but when it came time to have my coveted piece of chocolate I didn't even want it, I wanted those vegies....so my KIDS and I sat on the couch and noshed on celery, grape tomatos, snow peas, broccoli and baby carrots and enjoyed them far more than candy, chips or cookies. I am learning that the flavor and texture of these healthy foods are so much more enjoyable than the crap I thought were treats before. This is a long post, thanks for reading it, but putting into words some of these reflections has helped me realize how far I have truely come, not just on the scale but in my mind as well! Amy