Glad to hear you are doing so well!! Yesterday I fit into a size 8!!!!!!!!!! needless to say I'm a little happy!! I am down 74lbs and I am 13lbs from doc's goal and 20 lbs from my goal! I feel great, keep active, and I'm enjoying life!! I'm so happy to see all my Nov buddies are doing so well!! ~Summer 240/166/153

I was working as a kitchen lead for 10 hours at a retreat yesterday and unfortunately didn't find too much time for actually eating but here is what I had: 12 oz decaf coffee w nondairy creamer L 3 oz meatloaf w 2 T ketchup 20 oz Isopure liquid protien minute maid lite 16 oz 1/2 chicken breast half 2 T steamed veggies 1T rice pilaf 48 oz crystal lite 3 cups of 94%fat free popcorn 320/280/176 (now) /150(goal)

I had surgery 11/22 and I still weight 207 at 5'6" I wear a 16 jeans, 6-8 stretch pants, but bought a size 12 zip up pants yesterday! i like my shirts a little longer also (stupid belly) So I buy 16-18 button down and an XL shirt. I mentioned plastics to my PCP and he laughed and said not yet. I have more wt to loose yet anyways.. but my goodness the girls are bad. hugs,

Good for you DJ....way to go. Dr. Terry Simpson MD has a new book out. He is a weight loss surgeon in Az with a very big practice. The book is named, "Losing the Last 30 lbs". He talks at the obesityhelp.com conferences all over the U.S. His web site is obesitydr.com just add www. first. ok Actually he has 4-5 wonderful weight loss books out he has written. He is not my Dr. since my insurance pd only for another Dr. in Phx...Dr. Fang....I love Dr. Fang, too, but Dr. Simpson is alot more involved with his practice in that he speaks to obesity conferences and writes book. I have not seen his new book, but I am buying 8 of them for my weight loss group in Tucson, as a group order. Sandy in Tucson 340/222/150 P>S> Also, my new goal is to walk in a 13 mile 1/2 marathon in Jan. in Phx, called the PF Chang marathon. I can not run so they let people walk the 1/2 marathon but you got to do it in 4 hrs or less. I feel that is exciting . Moving from near disabled to walking a 1/2 marathon in 4 hrs or less in 14 months time. I will be 14 months post op when the marathon happens.

Hiya Sandra, I know exactly what you mean. Some people seem to think its a quick fix and then thats it, what you end up with is what you get. I knew from early on though, even before surgery, after reading so many profiles and messages on here that I was going to have to work very hard and make some extreme lifestyle changes - and not just what I put in my mouth. I got an elliptical machine and I started using that in December 2004 - just 10 minutes the first day. Then, doing it 3-4 times per week I added a minute each day I did it until I got to 20 minutes. I hovered there for a few weeks and then I added 5 more minutes and a few weeks after that I added another 5 to get me up to 30 minutes. Then in March 2005 I started jogging. I was very very slow (my hubby could walk next to me as I jogged) I jogged for 30 minutes and got about 2 miles. As I continued I got to where I could do about 3 miles on the track in 34 minutes. I entered my first 5K in May and I finished in 34:33 which was 11:07 per mile. I ran my second 5K on 7/9 and finished in 29:33 which I think was 9:39 per mile. I now run 4 miles per day 4 days a week. When the weather is bad I have my elliptical. So yeah.... I know where you are coming from when you talk about exercise. It has definitely kept me losing, although slowly now. I am now 4 lbs from my personal goal (I am 3 lbs under what my surgeon thought I could get to) and I am feeling SOO great. I am healthy!!! I never really thought it would happen, but thanks to my Lord, it has. He has used this surgery to motivate me and get me healthy. God bless you and keep you, ~Andrea 223/127/123