Way to go Jaimee!!! We share a surgery date and what a great one it is!!! It's been an awesome year and you've done marvelous!!! CONGRATULATIONS you've come a long way baby!!! (((hugs))) Debi

Sphinxy One 1. How much weight have you lost total from your highest weight??? -141 lbs 2. How did you do during the holidays?? compare to your previous holidays and not some 'ideal' that has never been you. I did ok during the holidays could of done better 3. That window of opportunity is rapidly closing - What are your new goals for the next four months? a)to get serious about exercising-47lbs to go til goal! b)attend more support meetings 4. Did you get a lot of compliments from those who hadn't seen you since last year??? YES! And lots of doubletakes! 5. What is the one best piece of advice you could offer to pre-ops considering surgery??? a) Do your research-no matter which procedure you decide to go with-know all the risks involved. b)Definitlely get support after surgery (support group meetings, counseling, therapy) because this surgery only helps us to battle our obesity not whatever issues we have that caused us to be obese in the first place. MsLadyBug~Arecia 358/217/170

Hi Kristi, We had our surgery at about the same time! I have lost 114 pounds & have about 20 more to go. I have been struggling with being hungry all of the time & snacking way too much. The thing that has helped me the most is to eat mostly protein. I stay full longer & I am more satiesfied. I do exercise. I just this week changed up my work out. I am now walking 3 miles at least 4X per week. It takes me about 50 min. E-mail me if you want to chat! Lisa Gotro

Hi Everybody...I passed my 1 year anniversary Nov. 15th, with a 135 lb weight loss. I am really having a hard time now with "emotional eating". It was so much easier when I couldn't eat certin foods and really only ate out of necessity. But...as time marched on...everything seems to agree with me now and I am always picking. I ran into an "old flame" New Year's night...and have been in a tailspin ever since. I cannot believe the old habits that have surfaced again and I am sooo mad at myself for giving in. I have gained 3 lbs back and need to get myself "in check"....it is soooo easy to "graze the day away". I was working out 3-4x a wee****il the place folded and have not made any attempt to start up again but, I do have a 2 week pass for CURVES so, I will go THIS WEEK. I personally, think they are very expensive and do not like the monthly fee taken out of my checking account or put on a credit card so, I got some $ for Christmas and may just pay in advance for a few months anyway. I am interested in having an "email buddy" to check in with everyday to keep both of us on tract. Losing was easy.....THIS IS THE HARD PART. So...anybody interested in becoming my "email pal"?? I would appreciate feedback from anybody. All-in-all...I am so glad that I had this surgery....I feel great and it was sooooo exciting to get clothes for Christmas in sizes that I haven't been into since high school....my daughter picked out some outfits for me that I didn't know about and everything fit......I WAS DANCING all thru the holidays..The only downside that I have discovered with having the surgery and losing soo much is that my closet isn't big enough now and I don't have enough dresser drawers...LOL ..Now, if I can get the rest of my life in order....it is going to be a year of change for me.....out with some of the "old things"...in with NEW. Thank you for listening and I hope to get lots of input. Happy New Year to All!!! Soon...I will finally get a pic on my profile.... Kristi Hanson Elgin, IL

1. 170 pounds lost and at goal. 2. I had chocolate cake and pound cake . I do not dump. Life's a ***** I'm okay with it, and the scale stays between 154-158, my warning signal will be 160. Generally this kind of food is not around me, it's just at my part time job, so if I splurge every other weekend, so be it. I exercise and eat good foods otherwise. (Yes it took me a few weeks to realize the world was not ending and that I was not going to spontaneously combust to 300lbs.) 3. I am upping my protein, I found that the unjury is not bad if you mix it correctly. I was always 60+ grams but as I prepare for PS I want to help my body heal as fast as possible. (I have had 2 consults, and waiting on insurance verdict before I apply for a loan.) I'm sure with PS I will be down atleast 10lbs...so my goal after PS is 145. 4. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas all my cousins have finally seen me since last year. The compliments felt good. 5. EVERYONE is different, body type, surgery type, losing speed, food tolerances. Read everyones profiles, and posts, and create your own course, do not dwell on comparing yourself to others or you will go crazy. Use a 2-week/5 lb rule for the scale...if it goes up or down with in the day or day to day its most likely water weight. If it climbs steadily then re-evaluate your "course". Exercise. (I guess that was more than one peice eh?) 324/155/155 Michelle