Hi Everyone: HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!!! As you can see by the title of my post I had to find a new gym. My old gym went belly up so I was off to find a new gym. I checked out a couple of places and found a gym that fills my needs. The staff at the new gym is great and are very helpful. I showed them by before picture and the Obesity Help article and it was all the trainers wanted to talk about. Most of them have never worked with a WLS patient. They were amazed at my transformation and when I arrive to workout, it seems that they are fighting each other to work me out. The difference at my new gym is that trainers are always there to help and push you. My workouts have been tremendous and for the first time in a long time I'm sore but it's a "good" soreness. They want to make sure that I'm getting the max benefit from each workout. I a way my old gym going under has created a new opportunity for me to re-energize and re-focus my workout goals. The Summer Body will be ready in no time. Till next time, Jesse 373/190/-183

It's been a very long time since I have lost even an ounce. I think the last time I lost anything was back in August. Is this normal???? I still excercise, I dont overeat or eat things im not supposed to. My day consists of : (on a good normal day) Breakfast 3 slices bacon, 2 cups of coffee Lunch 1/2 c. salad sm. grilled chicken breast Snack 1 pack peanut butter crackers or couple cubes of cheddar cheese Supper 1/2 c. salad 1/2 pc. of grilled meat, normally chicken or pork or sometimes a small baked potatoe All during the day I drink water, propel, unsweet tea or coffee. I take my vitamins regularly. I take 2 b-12 tablets, 1 Centrum multi vitamin and 2 tums with calcium. I walk normally 3 miles daily. I feel wonderfully, physically. Mentally I'm bombing out because I haven't lost as much as I wanted or as much as I thought I would. I feel like my body has simply stopped. I am seeing my surgeon on the 30th for my last visit with him before seeing the plastic surgeon and I am so scared he is going to say I havent lost enough to go yet. I have lost down from a size 28/30 to a size 10 pants and Medium shirt. My weight is hanging in at 155 and thats down from 260. I am 5'1 and a large frame. I know I have a lot of loose skin and that is partly why I feel so badly emotionally. Its so disheartening to look in the mirror and see all that and know that youve worked so hard to look like that. I know this is a whiny post but I simply needed ya'lls input on this. The one thing I am not doing is drinking my protien still. could this make the difference and if so, how much should I be drinking this far out? Thanks for all of your support in advance. If anyone else is in this boat with me, please let me hear your comments!!! Hugs to you all! Carol

At 18 months out it seems we all know what we can and cannot eat by now! I usually have the same type of thing for breakfast and lunch everyday Breakfast 1 Bacon, Egg & Cheese Lean Pocket Breakfast Pastry 1 Glass of watered down orange juice Lunch: Frozen Lean Cuisine Meal (I love the turkey with cinnamon apples, meatloaf & mashed potatoes, and chicken alfredo!) Normal Dinner: 1/2 baked chicken breast or porkchop sometimes turkey 1/2 cup noodles, rice or mashed potatoes 1/3 cup canned veggies sometimes with 1 roll or biscuit (no butter) or 2 pieces of frozen pizza sometimes I will have about 1-1 1/2 cups of a skillet sensation or hamburger helper type meal. I usually have a few snacks throughout the day, a handful of roasted peanuts or a granola bar, and usually a hostess cupcake or a handful of chips, or 3-4 cookies after lunch. I know if I layed off the snacking I would probably loose a few more pounds, but I'm holding steady and that's good! I'm trying to add more excercise in to help make up for my sweet tooth! I am 5'8" and am at 160, I've been holding at this weight for over 6 months now, I've managed to loose 2 sizes in that time, but have held at the same weight. Don't beat yourself up too much! It just stresses you out. If you're really worried about your intake, just try to keep journals, and try to keep lists of sample meals and snacks that you should be eating, try to get some excercise in, and remember not to shop when you're hungry!! (I'm SO guilty of doing that!) I hope that helps a little! - Rebekah 280/160/-120lbs

Happy belated birthday (only 1 month late!) It's more fun to drag it out anyways! Did you get to do anything really fun to celebrate?? Hope it was awesome! - Rebekah

I can't believe it's been a year and a half!! I am so excited to be on the other side and to finally be feeling healthy and NORMAL again!! I have the very rare dumping or getting something stuck, but those are few and far between, I am eating healthier than ever and feel so encouraged to know that I have made the changes I needed to make to get on the right path to be a healthy adult... I have a major weakness for Junk Food though! I have been fighting with myself about this for a long time, I have a stash at work and at home - I don't binge on it by any means, but I have a couple graham crackers in the morning, a handful of Pringles after lunch and a hostess cupcake before I go home! That isn't every day, but I would say at least 2-3 times a week I have a day like that. Plus when I get home I will probably have a handful of honey roasted peanuts or a chewy granola bar (sometimes I try to be good and have a banana or apple), I feel like I am depriving myself of possible additional weight loss. I haven't gained anything in forever, I'm holding steady at 160 (I'm 5' 8", that puts me in a size 8/10), but I'm not really completely happy with my body now either. I know it would be so much better if I could just give up my habit, but I can't figure out how to! Any thoughts, suggestions?? I don't want to beat myself up about this, but I don't want to be a slave to the junk food either, which is how I feel sometimes. It has always been my weakness, I've just scaled back A LOT from what I used to eat. Pre-op I would go buy a whole cheesecake, bag of chips, several candy bars and licorice and eat most of it alone before the night was over, I did the Fast-Food binges too... I can't even remember that me, it's not like I eat a mass quantity of the stuff, but I can't figure out how to kick the habit! I sound like a junkie, I guess I sort of am! That is so depressing!!