I hate comparing myself to others and I get frustrated too. I have one friend who had surgery 2 weeks ahead of me and is down 20 more pounds and a coworker that had hers a month after me and is already at my current loss. I know they have had problems so I guess I would rather lose it slowly then to have problems. Congrats on the 40lbs.

Well you know this is a personal decision but I was totally opposite.....EVERYONE around me knows....I dont mind even telling people I run into. Im so thankful for this gift that I want people to know and understand what its REALLY like, not what they think they know about it. I am an HR Manager and ALL of my 284 employees know...they are all supportive and cheer me on daily....I only ran across a few who didnt agree that I needed this so I quickly stopped their comments and gave them my handbook I created , so that they could educate themselves. One close friend was dead set against it...said I wasnt heavy enough..easy way out...yada yada yada....well after she got educated she changed her mind quick! People laugh about one grape will fill her up...etc...but I laugh and enjoy it... Im thankful and dont care who knows my business...mind you Im not a really private person anyway.... But all of my family told all of their friends and so on...so they all are watching me like a lab rat as you said...but a supportive team surrounding you is awesome. My sister had a party this past weekend in Atlanta and all of her friends were there...well my other sister kept making me model for them and sayin look at her butt, its almost gone! I was embarressed but excited to have people to share it with. My family emails calls and checks constantly on if I have had my protein or not...they are like hall monitors...but I wouldnt take anything in the world for being able to share this journey with them. When I see someone I havent seen these past 9 weeks they KNOW I have to have done something, so I immediately tell them and follow it with Im down to one blood pressure pill a day and no longer on any meds....THAT was my goal! But....with everyone knowing I do feel Im on display...not in a bad way...but they watch what I wear every day and I actually dont have anything to wear right now so that gets old...but I do feel like I need to be presentable at all times in case someone runs into me...lol...oh well I needed to care more about my appearance anyway! Good Luck to you...and speak up only in YOUR time.

I've been hooked on wheat thins. They are really small and I'm sure the serving size is around 15 crackers. But at 140 calories and 21 carbs, I just can't afford to keep eating them. I have 6-7 for a snack and then later on, I'll have the other serving. Those are the only things that I eat that I probably shouldn't. I haven't even been tempted with sweets.

I'm too afraid to try also. I'm tempted, but the thought of dumping is keeping me on the straight and narrow. I just took out a little candy for the kids from their trick or treat bags. All the pretzels and chips they got have gone in the bucket of school lunch snacks. Everything else is going to school tomorrow, as they are collecting candy for the soup kitchen. It's gotta get outta here!

Hi Pam, I am Diana I had my RNY 8/28/06 and I too having problems with pain the padding I had is going, and it is paniful when I get up in the morning, I have lost 60lbs total and 43lbs since surgey, I weighed today and I am 340lbs, I started before surgery 400lbs, I know that is lot but, I do not see it people see it, I do not yet, I started excersing several days a week, but have stop!!! shame on me!!, I am starting to learn how to swim, 11/04 and joining the"Y" they have Aqua classes I am looking forward to. Congrats to you for the weight lost, Keep up the great work. Diana