Hi Kathleen! Hi everyone!  It's been quite awhile since I've posted.  Been tooooo pushed this semester time-wise. It's funny to think two years ago at this time I'd have NEVER dreamed of doing what I'm doing now! I'm loving my new life!

I'm keeping steady and paying attention to what I eat and when I eat it.  I do eat sweets or crackers, but I pay close attention to how much and make a conscious choice to eat what I'm eating and not let it become an automated (so to speak) reaction or habit.  My nurse told me, "it's not logical or healthy to think you're never going to let yourself enjoy a favorite treat or meal again  your whole life. Just do it with much more caution and awareness than you did before." She's such a wise woman, and she knows exactly what we're all going through, she had gastric bypass also. 

Are you attending support group meetings? It's soooooo important to keep up some sort of support besides family.  People who KNOW what we're going through, who know what we face, who CARE because they've been there.  I can't say enough how important these meetings are to me. 

I have gained the occasional pound here and there, but I pay close attention to what it was I did differently and I step back to the basics and do the 5 day pouch test occasionally as a reminder and as a carb cleaner.  It's amazing how that works! I am at my lowest weight since I can't remember when.  I'm weighing between 134 and 136 all the time now. 

I don't get enough exercise, and I miss it. I just flat do NOT have time between schooling fulltime and working fulltime, homework, tests, sleep, etc to get exercise in like I should.  I do still do all the little things that add up to more physical activity--parking in the farthest parking spot away from the entrance, making one job into three or four (up and down the hallway at my job, not taking the telephone with me all over the house, etc). I also do more stairs (not too many in our small town--not too many two story buildings, LOL) whenever I get the chance. It's not all the exercise I need, but it's better than I used to do. I do know that I'm more committed to my health than I've ever been and that alone feels wonderful.

There is no reason we can't all be successful in our new lives!  To those struggling with snacking, carbs, etc....talk to your doctor about appetite suppressants.  It's NOT a sign of failure, it's asking for that added boost to get you through some tough times and to help get you back off of carbs.  This is your health! If you had a horrible disease and felt bad, would you struggle with it or would you ask for help?  This is the SAME thing in asking for help in your weight loss journey. Do NOT be afraid to ask for help. It's there if you need it.

I'm so proud of all of us! We've come a longggg way, baby! The worst worst worst thing we can do to ourselves now is to step back into our old, nasty worn out stinky shoes of beating ourselves up for our past weight management failure!!! We are NOT those people anymore--we have to rein our thoughts back in and remember the journey--it's lifelong.

Here is the 5 day pouch test link...give it a try..it's awesome!  http://www.5daypouchtest.com/

God bless you ALL! I love you with my whole heart!

Brenda