Micha, I love your food plan!! but what is your latte?? Sounds interesting. love donna

Hi Michelle, I don't know if this will hel*****t, but I've heard it in other places -- go back to basics. Do your eating like you did the first few months - protein, protein protein, water, -- see if that helps. Also, maybe track what you are eating and see if there is anything there that is 'hidden'. good luck -- love donna

I am not sure if I am putting to much pressure on myself or not. I want to give up trying so hard I am only gaining so I don't know what I am doing wrong. I get frustrated because everytime Ijump on the scale I am gaining, I am up to 183 now I was down to 172. Somebody help if you can!!! I am driving myself nuts!!!

Dear friends, I love you all. You all are my support, my inspiration, my role models. I know our journey is hard. No one told us it wouldn't be. But we can do it. We are strong and we want this new lifestyle that we finally have. Cookies, candy, nachos, -- none of those things are better than our new life. Let's not forget that. And so, of course I just happen to have a lilttle article that I hope will be helpful to you. Please don't think I am 'holier than thou' -- I struggle every day as you do. Anyway, please take the time to read this. It is a good blueprint for our success!! love donna Traits of WLS Winners by Katie Jay While nearly everyone who has WLS achieves some measure of success, some people do much better than others -- and not just in the measure of their weight. Winning at WLS is not a size, it's a whole state of being. Winning at WLS means achieving a weight that creates the opportunity for you to live a full, healthy, and satisfying life -- and then getting out there and living it. So what do WLS winners do? Winners Manage Their Focus WLS winners tend to have a structure to their lives so that they almost always know what they are really supposed to be doing. They don't leave things to chance. They stay focused on their goal to be healthy and let that shape their lives. They learn time management and schedule in their WLS needs. They focus on what is important (buying vitamins if they have run out) rather than on what the world thinks is important (baking cup cakes for a party). Winners Design a Plan that Fits Their Life Winners learn how to shape a life that works for them. They figure out where they are likely to struggle and build in strategies to minimize their troubles in those areas. They use timers, always keep protein supplements in their car, keep food out of sight so they don't snack, or keep a case of water in their trunk -- whatever will work for them. Winners Use Resources to Help Them Winners are information seekers. They don't assume that what they were taught about WLS at one point in time is sufficient information. They continue to learn, seek help, and find tools that will keep them on track. They understand that they may need help to go from being at goal weight to being happy and comfortable with their new life. Are You Reluctant to Win? Some people are very uncomfortable with winning. So, they resist it. They struggle with the last 20 pounds to avoid being at goal. Of course, they don't necessarily know they're doing this. Not doing your best is a form of self defense. If you don't try hard, you protect your ego from the experience of trying hard and failing -- a scary proposition. Value the Pain of Losing Anyone who struggles with weight will fail from time to time. But that doesn't mean you will fail in the long run. By trying your best, even if you experience some failure from time to time, you will ultimately have a more meaningful life. By getting comfortable with failing, and then trying again, you will eventually win. Accept that Winning Can Be Confusing and Uncomfortable Winning brings on a whole new set of uncomfortable feelings. Maybe you don't want to cause others to feel like losers as they compare themselves to you. Maybe you don't like the attention winning brings. Whatever the discomfort, win anyway. You will learn to tolerate success. Just give it time. In 12-step programs there is a saying. There are only two times to go to a 12-step meeting: when you want to go and when you don't want to go. How can you apply this philosophy to your WLS lifestyle? Do you think it is a good idea to base what you do (with exercise and food choices) on how you feel? If you only do the right thing when you feel like it, how likely are you to lose your excess weight and keep it off for life? Action for the day: Today, do what you have planned to do that supports your WLS success. For example, don't base your decision to exercise on whether or not you feel like it. Do it because you have planned to do it. No excuses. Want to Reprint this Newsletter? If you'd like to reprint any part of this newsletter, do so with the following credit: From Small Bites, the email newsletter for the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery. Subscribe today at www.NAWLS.com. (c) 2006 National Association for Weight Loss Surgery, Inc. All rights reserved. National Association for Weight Loss Surgery, 325 S. Sterling Blvd., #121, Sterling, va 20164, USA

You've come to the right place honey, and I speak sort of English!! Just keep sharing and I'll share with you. You might want to start journaling if you don't already. sometimes just the writing puts it more in focus. But good job on the running!! love donna