Excellent work everyone! I've lost 76 pounds since 10/20/04. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a wonderful size 14 in misses clothing. However, I can wear a size 16 in some outfits depending on how they are made. Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good these days even though the weight loss is slow. I just thank God for blessing me with a wonderful weight loss thus far. I'm hoping to lose at least 10 pounds this month. Take care and God bless. Cherry RNY 10/31/03; 276/200 long-term goal 145

Ha! You all are a hoot! Uh... I don't have any kids not to kill, so I'll have to focus on trying not to injure myself or anyone else with my flapping skin while I exercise! Despite this serious safety risk, I plan to do some type of exercise 5 days this week. Oh, and I plan to do strength training at the YMCA 3 times this week as well. I feel motivated, so look out world! I will reward myself with a trip to the bike shop to check out bikes.

Hi Stacy! Yes, yes, yes! It's as though you and I are speaking from the same "heart of fear". I had my surgery October 13, 2003. I weighed 332 lbs. on the morning of my surgery. I'm 5' 6" tall. I've lost 98 lbs. so far... and I'm sticking right there. I'm eating pretty much just like you are. Protein, very little rice, pasta, bread. Just like you, I do eat too many chips when I go out for mexican a couple of times a month! My goal is 150 lbs., too! That means I have 82 lbs. to go, and I'm scared to death my weight loss will just stop, or I'll stretch my pouch, (I never eat more than 3/4 c. - l c. which my doc says is normal) or something. I was losing 5-6 lbs. per week, and now it's 1-2 lbs. I just started walking and taking exercise seriously, on April 1st. So far, I like it! It's not so bad now that I can move without starting myself on fire due to the friction between my thighs... I hope I'm doing everything right. I do drink diet soda. I want to get away from that, or just have a can every other day. That's my biggest vice. I've been having some cravings lately, and dealing with the emotional/psychological issues around how I used to use food as my drug of choice. I am not usually hungry-- it's "head hunger" that I battle. I won't give in to bad choices. I don't want to be that woman anymore. I won't go back. We have to be confident we'll make it! I know we're not done losing yet. We can't be! Our current caloric consumption cannot possibly support our current weight. We *will* lose weight, it's a scientific fact! Hang in there... I'm hanging right with ya!

This week I will try and get to curves 4X's in stead of my regular 3X's.

Hi Karen, I read this message and had to laugh!! I just slipped mine back on today too!!! and get this ...those rings were given to to me 10 years ago as well!!!I understand your excitement. Tracey.