**Tuesday Weigh-in and question**

Hello all, hope everyone had a good Tuesday, I stayed home today, son was sick. I am doing day 2 of the 5 day pouch test. I was doing good up until about 2 hours ago, I broke down and had some popcorn and a rice crisy treat I made for my kids. Dinner is going to be either soup or protien shake. Yesterday was harder than today, much less hungrier today. Day 3 tommorrow..... HW:280 SW:276 LW:174 CW:173 loss of 1lb been drinking alot...I think I will drop in the next couple of days due to only eating protien... T-giving well it's at my sisters house I will cook a few things. I am going to make a sugar free- crustless pumpkin pie for me. I plan on indulging in stuffing w/gravy and cranberry sauce. It's only one day. I will survive it......

Hi Erin, Glad to see someone else trying the 5 day pouch test. I have it stuffed in my bag of tricks, will pull it out if necessary. Good luck to you! Holidays are always better at someone else's house, especially when you are trying to mind your eating. The pumpkin pie sounds good. Thats what I need, a healthy alternative to dessert. I will have to pray on that one because I can eat sweets without dumping too bad. I have been good thusfar, but the holidays is a whole 'nother talk show. Enjoy your week and hope your son feels better! Angela

Hi, Angela & Dec. Hotties! HW: 332 SW: 274 LW: 171.5 on 9/18 CW: 163.5 Question: Since we were all pre-op at Thanksgiving last year, what will your day look like? Do you anticipate any problems? Do you have any suggestions for the rest of us? "Thanksgiving Day" at my home is a moveable feast. If we go out, I still make a full dinner later or earlier for our family to enjoy at home. This practice got started about 16 years ago, when DH & I celebrated our 1st T-Day together. The shifting dates started because we have a blended family; his 3 sons (29, 26, and 25) and my 1 son (23), so we dealt with a "visitation schedule" a lot. Now, we just love having the time together and the goodies, of course. I always prepare 2 meats on Thanksgiving. It actually works better this way, as I have food prepared for the next few days with little work. The healthiest part of the meal this year for me will be the salad, mashed yams with SF Caramel DaVinci syrup, roasted veggies, and turkey. As for dessert, I will probably have a Fudgsicle and 1 forkful of pumpkin pie w/ Rediwhip. I make all of the favorites for the guys, but just don't eat them. Remember my mantra: "It tastes like dogfood!" LOL ~~~ Ro My suggestions about the day: 1) Ask for helpers! It makes them appreciate the day as a family. 2) Let them fumble! Be light-hearted, even if something is done "wrong". So What! 3) Wear something that shows-off your figure! Bet it will help curb the urge to over-indulge.

Hi Ro, I love your suggestions!! Especially the one about the clothes--if I wear something tight fitting and that tucks with no room, maybe I wont feel like walking around with my pants undone like in the past. You sound like you really have a well-laid plan, I'm proud of you! We are gonna be on the ball for holiday. Your weight loss looks real good too. Im gonna definitely depend on you ladies to get me through this first holiday, I tend to be a little weak around the desserts. Gotta pray,,,,"it taste like dogfood, it taste like dogfood", if I start practicing now, maybe I'll have it memorized by then. Or, maybe I will just wear this uLTRA tight binder to dinner as my reminder. Have a good week!! Angela

Hi there Angela! Checking in from KC, as you know or you may know, I did not bring my scale with me this time. I felt I needed to not do this and get overly obsessive. I am making good choices and keeping running totals in my head. So i feel good about it plus I am keeping up with the exercise! For your question: I plan on being at my families here in KC for the first time in THREE years.. i have had to work at the hospital every year and have had 3 very lonely thanksgivings but ya know what, I "gave thanks" by helpings those so sick that couldn't be with their loved ones and it was a great feeling but I am excited to be spending it with family for the first time in a while. I was on a liquid diet last year this time and at the hospital, didn't even get the free "icky" hospital turkey dinner! Haha.. Mom and I actually discussed this today! I am going to have turkey (which I love!) with a sweet potato that I will bake for myself with spray butter, cinnamon/nutmeg/splenda. We also make our own version of 7 layer salad.. its lettuce, cauliflower chopped fine, mayo, red onion, bacon, sugar and cheese tossed together, its heaven. I am gonna make it with FF mayo and splenda this year so I don't miss out and it is also my favorite part. Then I am gonna make the protein pumpkin muffins of PK's (from the RNY board) and have that as my dessert.. its not about "missing out" its about alternatives and still getting the same tastes in a healthier way. I am super excited about my choices! I may have a bite of green bean cassarole too, I have had that since surgery a few times and did fine with it! Good questions, I enjoyed reading the responses! Have a great rest of the week guys! *hugs*

Hi little lady, You sound like you have a very good plan. I think the key is going in prepared, especially if there are some triggers that are available. I am asking that others hold me accountable too, in the off chance that I goof up and go off the deep end. I had a wake-up call 2 days ago when I was doing my son's scrapbooks, I saw pics of myself a year ago and 2 years ago and I was HUGE! I made a vow that I will NEVER get that way again, no matter what. I have posted those pics all over my house to remind me of what I cannot allow to happen. I'm sure you really brightened the days of those in the hospital during the holidays, thats got to be tough. But you get your chance now, to spend with your family so I hope that you will enjoy!! You have a good week too, its almost over! Angela

Hey guys, this week has been kinda rough for me because I have been down in my back and haven't been able to exercise as much. I'm not sure but I believe I hurt it on the tread climber (well it started hurting pretty bad after I got off of it anyway) but who knows. On to the question: yea thanksgiving last year was a glutten day for me too the last holiday for me. Ha ha. I truly plan to do better this year I just hope I can handle the temptation. Hw: 340 sw: 330 lw: 215 cw: 214 have a wonderful week all mini me

Hey there, That treadclimber can be possessed sometimes! I am very careful about even "walking" around it, its just menacing to me. But such a good workout. I feel sure that we can overcome the temptations this year for Thanksgiving. Did you imagine that you would be over 100 pounds lighter this year??? Keep that in mind as I will and that should be enough motivation to do the right things! If that fails, well we will just pick ourselves up again the next day and start anew. Good luck to you and hope your back is better. Angela

HW: 295 SW: 281 LW: 193 CW:194 I am not all that concerned about the weight gain ---in fact the reason why this post is a day late is cuz when i stepped on the scale yesterday it read 199! are you kidding me ?! I WOULD mind a 6lb gain........but this morning was 194.....so my scale just fluctuates all over the place...i have my 10 month visit tomorrow......i will use her scale as the truth....... I was talking Monday about a dinner party that i had on Sunday where i ate really well until i had to do the dishes and i was licking the serving bowls clean......i think that knowing how i am ---I am either NOT going to do the dishes at T-giving OR have someone dunk them in water BEFORE i start . I have NOT had even one instance where i have given in to the desserts or sweets since surgery-not even a taste not even a thought----I am PETRIFIED to dump.......so i just say NO...the mashed taters and stuffing are the only obstacles i see and i may just have to measure out a serving and count it like i normally would .........so i feel like a "normal" person and i dont feel guilty.....

So the scale is playing games huh?? I hate when that happens. You have done an awesome job , so that should be part of your motivation to keep doing well, for that 1 day. What I have to do is whatever happens, DO NOT LEAVE WITH ANY LEFTOVERS! That way, I can truly leave that stuff at someone else's house. We have only been "allowed' to have Thanksgiving dinner at our house once- and that was when I was pregnant, my mom and mother in law rule those holidays! Its good though, we are blessed that they are still with us, I know a lot of people do not have their parents and both my husb and I have both parents. I like the "dunking" in water thing myself, that guarantees you will not graze over the leftovers. I am happy that you have control of the sweets. Its probably best to not think about them, that will really help you long-term. Although I have been good, I am still fearful when I think about being able to consume sweets. I have to pray that I don't give in. Really have to talk with myself and convince myself that its not worth getting back into bad habits and certainly not worth any weight gain. Have yourself a good week and we will talk again soon! Angela