Froufy, I would definitely look into TOPS. Even if you decide instead to go back to WW, don't think of it as "cheating". As far as I'm concerned, no matter what methods you use to lose weight, we could all use the emotional support that you get in a place like TOPS or WW. I liked WW, but I really didn't need someone to tell me what to eat. After so many years of "dieting", I think we all know what we need to eat!
I needed emotional support (other than what I get at home) from people who are THERE struggling too and that's what I get at TOPS. I look at it as the "AA" for overweight people.
A lot of people have come to accept that being overweight should be treated like any other disease. So why not include medication, is my theory? I lost 90 lbs on my own, but I hit a point where I wasn't losing anymore and for my health, I really need to keep going, so I too am looking at the Xenical as a means to "get me going" again.
Even TOPS used to frown upon people using what they considered to be "artificial means" to losing weight and in January 2000, they changed their rules and acknowleged that "artificial means" (whether it be pills or surgery) are sometimes needed to treat obesity.
And no, I still haven't gotten any materials, but I only joined the program this week. I hope they move as fast for me as they did for you in sending the stuff!
Wasitme, I haven't had that fear of eating too much fat, but I think it's because I haven't been eating that much fat for a long time now. Or at least I think I haven't! I could be wrong though, because I am definitely dealing with the side effects! It's not "terrible" but I do hope it subsides or *I* might start lowering my fat intake too!
Can I ask what kind of plan the rest of you are following? Are you using some kind of pre-packaged foods that tell you exatly how many grams of fat you're consuming? I'm not really understanding why it's so hard to get in all your calories and all your fat grams. I eat pretty much anything, but I try to stick with lower fat versions of whatever I buy. My husband does all the cooking and he is Italian, loves to use his olive oil! He has cut back a little for me, but for the most part, my dinners are home made and pretty flavorful!
Even in the beginning, when I was losing a lot quicker, I never deprived myself, just tried to make better choices, use smaller portions and make small changes that I could live with for the rest of my life!
Are you keeping a food diary? There is a great one at
www.dietwatch.com -- it calculates all the fat, calories, carbs, vitamins, etc., in the foods you eat. You'd be amazed sometimes at how much more you might be eating than you think! I thought I wasn't eating anything
until I saw it all "laid out" for me! Now I know better!