Hi Everyone: It's Friday so you know what time it is. Yes, another entry of Jesse's Journal. Tomorrow will be 9 months to the day I has my surgery and I'm still holding at 195 pounds but it has been an interesting week. I saw both my PCP and Cardiologist this week and they continue to be amazed. Of course my PCP could not find anything wrong with me and suggested that I stop losing weight. This is from someone who's been after me for years to lose weight then did not support my decision to have surgery. My cardiologist was a very happy man. He told me that I should do advertisements for the surgery because of my results. He marvels that I have done so well. Now he wants me to do a stress test next week since my weight prevented him from doing one in the past. I agreed just to get it over with and I figured that since I'm in such shape, the test should be a breeze. So that was the week that was. Till next time, Jesse 373/195/-178

since 9/17/03 I have went from a tight 32 to a 20/22 and I still argue with everyone that those sizes wont fit me...they look too damn small. As a matter of fact I orderd a bunch of clothes from ebay that were supposedly a 1x or 22/24 and when they came I was so disappointed because they were so small they would fit my 15 yr old who wears juniors 5....well anyway after her telling me I was nuts for thinking they were her size she bet me to try them on...I said " if i can get one leg in them Ill do your chores for a week " well I am sitting here in those pants and doing dishes for a week. Its so funny how our self perception hasnt changed...I look at pics which I take every 2 weeks and sometimes I cant see a cahnge and the other times I hardly recognize myself. Whats really starting to freak me out is I set myself goal at a size not a weight and I am almost in those 18's and still have about 60 pounds left to loss to reach my 180 pound mark....now I have no idea what to set for a goal...it was hard enough imagining a size 18 let alone anything else... maybe we are all just a bunch of mixed nuts

Tanisha, Congratulations on your success so far. YES!!! Even tho I am no where near goal weight as of yet, I understand what you are saying. I still see myself as a size 30/32 even tho I am now in a 14/16. I am still always amazed when I sit down in a movie theater or get in a car and a seat belt fits, or I can sit on a love seat and have someone sit next to me with out infringing on their space. When I do go shopping for clothes, I still find myself looking at the 30/32 or 26/28's...I guess we have to learn to be comfortable in the skin that we are in...But I would have to say that what you are feeling is normal. At least to me it is. Best wishes for your continued success!!! Carolyn Sue

Here I am Jesse, I workout 3x a week cardio and lifting weight. I was wondering how much is too much for lifting weights? I want to keep losing I am on plateau right now I haven't lost any weight since the last week of May. My weight is flutucate a few pounds, it wont go under 173. I'm starting to feel like I'm done I would like to get down to 160 or less before I try to conceive my 1 year out. Sharon -104.5 Lap RNY 9/3/03 278/268.6/173.5/160

I read a few posts from a post in late may showed what some of your daily meal plans, boy was I surprised, I have never been able to lose weight easily even before surgery. when I was told not to have sugar I used a substitute. the carb thing has always had me confused and I avoided cereals and things like that. I eat beef and chicken for the most part I'm not to big on fish but i like tuna w/mayo and shrimp too, so I eat that from time to time and then early this month responses to d osorio adviced eating more calories, this is what I eat on an average day Breakfast: I share a breakfast platter from mcD's w/ my hubby- 1/2 egg, 1/4 sausage, 1/2 biscuit w/butter, coffee. snack: 3oz can peaches in water lunch: 1/2 chicken breast, 1/4c green beans, 2tomato slice snack: 1oz string cheese, 3-4 crackers, fruit dinner:2-3oz steak,1/4c saladw/dressing, 1/4 baked potatow/butter snack: 2 grahm crackers or slice of bread w/ p-butter, slice melon, or canned fruit. I tend to eat more in the evenings so I try to eat more fruit and fiber type stuff at this time to try to be more regular. I drink a 2-1/2 liter jug of water or herb tea daily. my exercise is the pits, I walk the stairs at my office a few extra times, walk at the park but not often and thats about it. is this too much, too little or what? can somebody please advise me where I can make adjustments on my food intake. I know the exercise needs major improvement, thinking about joining a gym, I like to swim more than anything else.