Left Behind...

Ok Vera you're in my heart and mind today. Ever since I read your post I can't stop thinking about you. I just read your profile, ahha I read that you are a diabetic, how are your bloodsugar levels now, post-op. In my support group meeting there is a woman who is diabetic, but blood sugar levels are good, but she still has to fight a little harder for those pounds. She said when someone is diabetic your body doesn't want to give up those pounds as easy. But your weight loss of 54 sounds good and steady, so I dont know I just want to lift you up with encouragement! I hope you have a most wonderful day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kelly

Vera, I am right there with ya girl! 52 pounds gone... sometimes I look at other people's numbers and get angry it isn't me. BUT then I look at the 52 pounds and say --- GOSH GIRL! Why are you upset????? You are doing fabulous! When in your life have you ever lost this much?? Kept it off?? Felt this good?? - When was the last time you where in size 12/14??? UHHHH 1st grade maybe? lol It just makes me feel better when I put it all in MY perspective for myself. lol Vera, you are doing awesome! Just keep it up and don't compare yourself to others. We are all such individuals. Love ya girl, email me anytime. Kathy 242/190/120

Ms. Vera, we are in this battle together!!!! I am down 65 pounds, but I have been working my ass off (literally). I do 5 hours on the Nordic Trac and 2 hours in the weight room a week (3 nights a week for 45 minutes a night). I add another hour of something aerobic on the weekend because I hate the Nordic Track. I give myself one day off each week. It really sucked at first getting up at 0530 each AM, but it was what I knew I had to do to get this off. Start slowly, but keep pushing yourself. My hubby is a Federal Agent has to stay fit to keep his job. I'm 7 years older than he is. What keeps me getting up in the AM and going to the gym at night is wanting to be around for us through retirement and fending off any bimbettes (2nd wives). I want to be around to reap all of the retirement savings we are chucking away now. I have not been able to tolerate fish or eggs, so the bulk of my protein comes from nitro bars (GNC--35G protein and 300 cals), cheese, and turkey. I eat a lot of Kraft low fat cheese and whole grain crackers (18G protein and 280 cals). I have also mixed it up a little with roasted pepper and tomato soup and cheese. California Pizza Kitchen has a white spinach cheese pizza that you can have 1/3 of and get in almost 20G of protein for under 300 cals. I give myself one "cheat" meal once a week where the calories are not counted. It makes me feel more normal if we have a meal out with friends. We are in this journey together!!!! We will make it together!!!! -Angie 302/237

Vera, Honey you are doing a great job, and we are all going through what you are. I am also at 52 pounds since surgery and it is driving me crazy also. Sometimes you need to give your body a little extra food to get over a plateau, that's what I did this last time. I just did a reply on Ron's post for you so you should go and read it, I put a recipe on there for you. Don't be so hard on yourself and believe me it's easier for me to tell you that then to do it for myself. You doing amazing, heck we all are!!! We are an amazing group of people, and I love you all. I think that we all worry that it won't work for us and that we went through this for nothing but it will work and we will get to our goals and we will be here for each other through the long haul. I'm here for you Vera whenever you need me. If you would like my phone number just let me know and I would be more than happy to talk to you whenever you need someone to talk to. Love you Girl Loni

OOOH Missy Vera, stop it and listen! We are all different thank God. We all have various problems that we live with. I am down 69 lbs and I had my surgery 14 days ahead of you. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, bad arthritic knees, I have fat that has been stored for YEARS on this body women. I am 57 years old. I have hit plateaus and wondered what the H*ll is going on with me. But then the scale moved or the clothes fit different and better. We all are melting from the top on down. So we are all melting at different rates. To KEEP COMPARING YOUR SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IS SO WRONG. You are a wonderfully alive fun women. You are the Encourager and it is OK to ask us all for encouragement and motivation. But again you got to LISTEN to the advice you are getting. As I said the other day, Up that protein, eat more than 2 meals a day. Find a great protein powder and put it in everything and eat it or drink i****er is your friend. You must sip all day and all evening. Water in fat out. I go no where without my nalgene bottle of water. I se****er goals for myself each day and reach or achieve more than my goals. I surround myself with good food choices at work and at home. I have so many different good foods around me. I do not GRAZE, but I structure my eating times to allow myself foods at various times during the day. I am honest that I have not been as dedicated and disciplined in exercise. I know that the only way I can give myself the best possible weight loss is to do more exercise. I am weak, I work hard, and my knees hurt, the thought of going to the gym after work is hard to spark. I should get up at 5:30 and go. I actually set my alarm clock for that time on Wednesday morning. But again I was weak and reset the alarm so I could get another hour of sleep. Boy that hour felt so good. But my mind knew I gooffed up and did not the right thing for the new improved Monica. 80% of our struggles are mental and emotional. To conquer our inner demons we must reconfirm our intentions daily, pledge again to fight this battle, and WIN like we never did before. You had a prolonged grace period for recovery and fun before you had to return to the real world of work and juggle work, weight loss, exercise, good nutrition, protein, vitamims, water intake, and life. But Missy Vera you are an awesome women and I, we, all know that you can be the success you want to be. Plateau's are just red lights in the road of life and this journey. Turn up the music, open the window, check out the locations and enjoy the ride. Soon the red light will turn green and you will be back in the fast lane of weight loss, loving the new you and happy happy with the process. Pushing but loving you and wanting you to be happy each day. Monica 12/06/04 330/269/??? Happy women!

Vera, We are in the exact same boat, but don't worry, it will happen. I am down 58 pounds after a six week stall. I had surgery a week before you. My stall just broke last weekend with a three pound loss. In other words, I have only lost a total of 6 pounds in 8 weeks. I've been worried that my honeymoon is already over. Hang in there - don't stress - that will just make it all the harder. Keep doing what you are supposed to. Email me if you need to talk. Candy 266/208/130

- I'm on the "Left Behind" boat right beside you, hip to hip. I've only lost five pounds in the last five weeks. Talk about scared out of my wits. I've had some serious conversations with the Big Guy upstairs. Somehow I know next month things will get better. I'm down 51 pounds, had my surgery on the 23rd of December. I've upped my protein. I use 100% Mega Whey from GNC (3 scoops=60 grams protein) or ISOPURE (powder) from GNC. (50 grams of protein has more multi-vitamins) I've increased my exercise and water intake still, no weight loss... yet Something has to happen... and hopefully soon. I can't wait to report that I've hit that 100 mark! I think it's interesting that so many of us have had such a long stall... Thanks to all of you who write in. I'd worry much more if I thought I was the only person this was happening to. Vera, hang in there, girl. We're gonna make it this time. Renee' 334/283/smaller

I HEARD A GOOD THING IN SUPPORT GROUP LAST NIGHT.... BY THE WAY DO YOU GO TO A SUPPORT GROUP? IF NOT MAYBE YOU COULD START... IT MIGHT HELP THE MENTAL PART... ANYWAY THE THE ADVISE IS THIS... EVERY MORNING I HAVE A NEW GOAL TO MEET FOR THAT DAY... AND EVERY MORNING THE GOAL IS TO STAY ON TARGET FOR ONE DAY... THAT MEANS FOR JUST TODAY TO MEET GOAL... I HAVE TO DRINK THE WATER, EAT ENOUGH FOOD, GET ENOUGH PROTEIN... AND YES GET SOME FORM OF EXCERCISE... NOW THIS IS THE GOAL FOR TODAY... BUT LIKE I SAID... TOMORROW MORNING YOUR NEW GOAL IS TO MEET YOUR GOAL FOR THE DAY... AND THE GOAL IS TO STAY ON TARGET FOR ONE DAY...... SMILE MAKE SCENCE? HOPE I EXPLAINED IT RIGHT... IT SURE HELPED ME!! YOUR DOING FINE... STOP COMPARING YOURSELF... BECAUSE VERA... IS VERA.... SHE IS NOT SUE,PEGGY,DAN,MARY,JOE, OR ANYONE ELSE.. SHE IS VERA... AND ONLY VERA CAN DO WHAT VERA CAN DO.... LOVE YOU BONBON

*IN TONY ROMERO's VOICE* GO BACK TO BASICS. DO A TWO DAY CLEAR LIQUID DIET, THEN DO TWO FULL LIQUID DIET..TO "KICK START YOUR LOSS AGAIN." OF COURSE, THAT'S ONLY IF YOU AREN'T LOSING ANYTHING..U KNOW HOW LISA HAS US WEIGH OURSELVES EVERY DAY!!!!! BUT I WEIGH MYSELF EVERY WEEK. DOING THAT EVERDAY WOULD BE TORTURE. SO.. PICK A DAY TO WEIGH URSELF. DO A WEIGHT CHART NEAR UR SCALE, THEN WEIGH YOURSELF IF YOU DO IT NAKED OR WHATEVER MAKE SURE YOU DO IT THE SAME WAY...EVERYTIME. THIS IS WHAT I DO. MORNING.. CHEW VITAMIN AND TAKE B-1. B12 ONCE A WEEK. DRINK 8OZ CRYSTAL LIGHT SUNRISE ORANGE. EXERCISE-8OZ SUNRISE OR PROPEL. AFTER EXERCISE, I DRINK MY 10OZ PROTEIN SHAKE 44GRAMS OF PROTEIN. TAKE SHOWER. DRINK 10OZ DE-CAFF COFFEE OR SF FRENCH VANILLA WITH EQUAL SWEETNER ON MY WAY TO WORK DRINK 8OZ. LUNCH EAT MY TUNA SALAD OR BOILED EGG DRINK 16OZ CRYSTAL LIGHT COME HOME... DRINK ANOTHER 8OZ CRYSTAL LIGHT DINNER EAT CHICKEN OR WHATEVER DRINK ANOTHER 8OZ .... GO OUTSIDE TO WALK A BIT COME HOME DRINK ANOTHER 8OZ BEFORE BED. I THINK WHEN I STARTED DRINKING MORE LIQUIDS...IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT I REALLY STARTED LOSING AT A FASTER RATE. EITHER WAY... WE'LL GET THERE SO DON'T GET DISCOURAGED.... REMEMBER EVEN IF YOU ARE WORKING...SOMEHOW MANAGE TO WORKOUT...NO IF, AND, OR BUTS ABOUT IT. I TAKE THE STAIRS... MAYBE YOU CAN DO THAT TOO. TAKE CARE GRACIE

Hi Vera, That is why we are here to get you through this just like you get us through things! I have started to slow down, but I am losing inches, so measure yourself and see the difference there. Also, I find that if I don't eat enough I stall, so up the calories for a few days. I also find that if I drink more water and eat snacks such as nuts and protein bars, I jumpstart my loss again. Look at the board because Ron also posted for you and we gave you other food ideas. Please don't lose faith because I know plateaus will come and go on this journey, but we will get there. I am praying for you to not get discouraged. You need to go to the store and buy something new in that smaller size you wear now and feel better! Love ya! Fran