Hi everyone it has been a while since I have posted. I need some encouragement. I am 18 months out now, I have lost 150 lbs. I have maintained my loss even though I have not eaten like I should have and I have been slacking bad on my exercising. I fear though that I will not continue to be this lucky. I want to get back to the basics and lose this last 20 lbs I want to lose. I am getting married in June and want to look fabulous and after that when I can start saving my money again I am hoping to start researching plastic surgery. Tomorrow I have my 18 month post op visit with my surgeon and I know she will help me to feel encouraged!

Hey Lady, So, how's the exercise going? I did the normal hour long walk on the 2nd & 9th and then a 45 min. walk yesterday (Sat.) and an hour at the gym on the treadmill today. I joined the YMCA with my sister and so will hopefully get into the routine again. Plans for tomorrow include the gym, pet store for snake food, and off to work to work on the school yearbook. I hope you've found some time for yourself with a 3 day weekend. Dawn

Wow! A late Happy Birthday! Did you do all you planned? I hope so. 40 for me wasn't a big deal... my negative was 25 of all ages. I didn't want to be still at home, etc. at 25 so joined the Navy, met a guy, and got married a month before. Almost as drastic as WLS. Happy Birthday Again! Dawn

Everyone!! How y'all doing? Yesterday was my 18mo anniversary( Happy Anniversary Tammy!) AND believe it or not- I am not into Onderland yet!! Does that suck or WHAT?? LOL I know Tammy has been posting about the gym- But I didnt have time to post- been busy with work and my son getting settled in his job- then spraining his ankle- on an EMT call and coming home with crutches from the hospital.. ( I swear life is challenging me with stress) LOL!! Feb 1, I joined a new local gym- its fitnessincentive.com - its a real gym and they offer 140 classes a week- in everything from spinning classes to multiple types of yoga- to Kickboxing, Stability training, & my favorite Pump & Jump. Its jumping in step on a Mini Trampoline!! WHO would have thought I'd be doing that - at 50 no less!! I am having FUN and doing this my way. I feel so liberated again!! I decided I wanted to be in the best physical shape this year- so I rededicated myself- and from some of the postings here- I think several of you should join me. While I have not gained any of my weight back- Unlike many of you- I still have not hit my original goal of 150. ( I know) but I never made it into Onderland either!! LOL.. SO since Feb 6- when I met with a trainer- he took my vitals- blood pressure 112/60, resting heart rate is 67- BMI is 42% YUCK!! I am just TOO short for my weight!! To bad I cant have PS to make my legs longer.LOL So everyday I DO CARDIO for 60-90 minutes- + weights . I am proud to day I have lost 6lbs ( as of this morning) and am now 203..FOUR pounds to Onderland!!! I know once my metabolism gets past this SET POINT, I will succeed. I think our bodies have settled at some point that we have not been in our lives or very long time ago. I was this weight- 26yrs ago- So while Im happy with that- I really want to slim my legs & tummy. I also ordered some new DVDs from BodiesInMotion.com - Gilad is a great trainer & motivator and he came out with new DVDS. I recently saw another post op- just a year out- she had a lot of weight to lose- and in the time I havent been able to get past size 14- she went from size 24 to 8. She did a lot of cardio- sometimes twice a day & she did it all in a year!! She looks fabulous & her name is Donna too- and we are both Dr Garber's patients- so we call ourselves the Garber Girls- LOL. I am acknowledging a few things here: Let me know if you agree ~ we all get busy day to day- but we gotta take the time for ourselves~ ~ we lose sight and become complacent- I know I did- and we may have to drag our own butts to the gym to do it. ~ ~ it doesn't have to be a chore- it HAS to be FUN~ That is what keeps me going. ~ You need to set goals- JUST LIKE we first did~ Only its a little harder~ ~ WE ARE WORTH IT~ YES we are more than a NUMBER on a scale. I always said that. We are MORE than our weight- but we also need to be healthy~ ~ If you don't wanna complain- Then don't let yourself REGAIN~ I for one~ am very proud that I have kept off 127lbs- not even gained it back during the holidays.I admit I sometimes make bad choices & prob should eat less carbs & discovered I can tolerate some sugar.. I am actually increasing my protein- very conscientously- like we did at first. Remember how hard we tried to be accurate & follow the rules? You just need to look at your motivation. If your old choice isn't working- MAKE A NEW ONE! I have had to do that~ and now that my scale has jumped 6lbs~ I AM THRILLED! AND for everyone who has stalled and wants to lose again- join me- let**** the next 6mos invigorated. I'm moving ahead ~ how about you?? Hugs Happy Belated Valentine's Day Everybody ~ DONNA ~

Happy Happy Birthday! Get that sexy outfit and have a great time. Forty is not so bad... though my family gave me a real hard time when I turned forty. I had black balloons, black crepe paper all over the house, and black/dark flower bouquets (including one that was spray painted black, yuck!) I'm on the far side of forty and won't see it again (51) and fifty was the last birthday that I celebrated as a 'fat-girl'. I too was worried about seeing too many more birthdays before I had this God-send of a surgery. My health was getting worse every year even though I tried to deny it. It is definitely more fun when you are thinner and healthier! Again, have a wonderful Birthday and Celebrate! Eileen