Hi you guyssssssss!!  I'm out of school for a month now.....PHEW what a semester!  That's the good school news, the bad part is, I lost my 4.0 grade point average (straight A's) to a stupid B in my Business Math class . I'm so disappointed, but this too shall pass. 

I have other news....i'm a grandma!  My son's fiance gave birth to a BEAUTIFUL baby boy on December 11th at 6:38pm.  Steven Kade weighed in at 7 lbs 6.3 oz and is 19 1/4 inches long.  He has a headful of dark blonde hair and is THE MOST GORGEOUS baby boy in the world!  I'll post a couple pictures of him on my profile page.  I can't believe the feelings I have for this tiny, beautiful bundle of joy!

Now for the weigh in---I'm still losing...slow but steady.  I started out at 260+ at my heaviest and now I'm weighing between 135 and 137. 

The Holidays are the roughest to get through as far as choices go.  I eat little bits of  "special" stuff here and there but I work really hard at not making a habit of it.  I make a conscious choice to eat a treat and make it feel special.  Then I don't feel deprived or cheated, but I also don't feel like I'm stepping back into old habits.  One thing I do notice now, as I did in the beginning is that if I don't get my fluids in, I tend to gain a bit.  And it's the same with protein.  If I'm not getting enough protein in I gain or stall.  I would still recommend trying the 5 day pouch test. www.5daypouchtest.com  It's a WONDERFUL reminder where we came from in the beginning and it makes that tiny little (and YES it's still tiny ) pouch work like it used to.  The tool is ALWAYS still there and we can make it work for us again.  We just need to get the tummy and the brain engaged again.  By that I mean, when we take in too many carbs there is a chemical reaction that makes us want MORE carbs.  My nurse educator explained that to me awhile back and MAN did that make me feel better.  Carbs make us produce more of a chemical that in turn makes us want more carbs.  It's a vicious circle.  That's where the appetite suppressants helped me.  I cleaned out the carbs (the bad ones) and have been MUCH better since.

We are all at a crucial time right now.  A year + out from surgery is when old habits start to slip back in because we're able to eat more of what we used to eat without serious repercussions.  Now is when we need more than ever to remember back to when we were dropping weight left and right and how we were AFRAID to eat something that would make us sick.  Well those same things still make us sick, just in different ways.  They make us think badly of ourselves, they make us beat ourselves up because we think we're weak...etc etc etc.  WE AREN'T!!  We have a tool FOREVER that can, does and WILL work if we remember how to use it. 

One thing I highly recommend is if you aren't already going, start going to a support group for bariatrics.  It makes ALL the difference just having that in-person, friendly-face, know-what-you're-going-through support.  It takes a bit of your time once or twice a month, yes, but it's soooooo worth it!  And studies show that those who attend a support group (not just online) have much greater success at keeping the weight off than those who don't attend.  SO GET OUT THERE TO THOSE MEETINGS!  WE'RE LOSERS NOT RE-GAINERS!

You know I love you all and I've missed being able to post as often.  Just know I'm still here and I love you all sooooooo much!

I wish you all nothing but beautiful, healthy, and happy holidays and everyday!

God bless you-----JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Brenda

Hi Everyone,  Kathleen,  I took your advice from last week.  I lost 2 lbs!  I have still had my times of eating cookies etc but I made more good choises than bad this week.

surgery wt:  290
Last week wt:  148
Today's wt:  146


I hope everyone has a great Christmas.  I am having a Christmas Brunch at my place with my children and grandchildren then I am going to a friends place for dinner this year. 

Christmas can be a very fun time of year but it can also remind you of the people that are missing in your life.  I will be thinking of my sister who passed away 2 years ago at Christmas time and  a friend who passed away last year....both from cancer.  We had many good times together. 

Merry Christmas
Fran

I can eat Sugar Free Choc.  All of a sudden I can tolerate it.  So, I eat some SF Candy, some SF cookies...gained two pounds.  Period is coming next week, but I think it could be too much SF Choc too.  This is NOT a good thing.    Ugh...any words of wisdom for me?  Merry Christmas all you beautiful ladies...and wish these choc. demons away from my doorstep lol.

Hello, my wonderful friend!  TAKE CONTROL!  YOU CAN DO IT!  Starting right this minute, be accountable for yourself and what you put in your mouth.  NO MORE excuses, no more anything but going back to the basics.  You can do this, I know you can!  Get a piece of paper, write down every single thing you put in your mouth.  Go back to protein first, get some gum, and when u feel like eating chew chew chew!  That is what I do and it works.    Walk around your block every morning, find a stair and go up and down it 50 times, little things add up in a big way.  YOU are inCONTROL now!  I love you, I support you, and I believe in you.  BELIEVE in yourself!    Will be checking with you...much love to you my dear dear friend!

Hi Fran!  Happy Holidays to you!  Been crazy busy here, and getting ready for the holidays.  I went and saw my Dr. last week.  He told me to keep my weight no lower than 127 no higher than 135.  I am sitting around 128 right now.   I feel better with the few extra pounds and everyone says I look more alive lol.  So I am going to just try to maintain now.    I was staying around 122 but I looked a lil sickly, so I am trying to get used to accepting the few extra pounds.  I laugh at how obsessed I have become.  I am trying hard to back off and be thankful for what I have recieved.  Much love to u!!