Finz-
Welcome home and I hope the scale isn't too bad when you step on it but congrats for getting right back on the program. I think that is awesome and a step in the right direction!

COmom-
Have fun at the stabilization class. I have to wait and do mine in April but had the one on one meeting Monday night. Isn't it awesome when your husband tells you that! Mine always jokes around that some days he feels like he got a new wife without any of the work! (Just the support)

Keep us posted on how it goes!

Thank you ladies. I hesitated on posting because it was so long and I felt you've all heard this from me in one form or the other. It would have been really easy to write a candy coated version, but I decided to be real in the struggle. I did get a little teary eyed towards the middle. I was ok reading it to my husband until I got to the last paragraph and I got a little choked up. I love that we still have a group of people left who have been by my side through this journey. It sure has been a long one, and I have seen many "groups" come and go. I feel as close to you ladies as any friends I can see face to face. In fact, we go much deeper than I would dare with the people in my physical life. Thank you!! :hug:

Gina - thanks so much for sharing your story. It was just what I needed to read!!! Thanks!

Gina - Thank you for posting your letter. I can relate to so much of it!! All the success stories on this maintainers thread are helping keep me motivated even though my weightloss has slowed to a real crawl and I'm constantly struggling with the BLTs and cravings. So thank you all for sharing!!

I got on my home scale this morning and I'm up 4 lbs. I won't be going in the center for WI until next Thursday so it gives me a week longer to work on getting back to where I was. Honestly, I missed drinking as much water as I usually do while I was gone and it feels good get back to my normal eating & drinking routine again.

You are AMAZING! :hug:

Welcome back friend! I'm so glad you had so much fun!!!! :hug:

Gina,

That "essay" is inspiring. Thanks for posting it.

Thanks for posting about my story on the main thread Judy. After reading through some of the recent strugles, I went ahead and posted it there too.

Had a great wi this morning - down another pound! I was really happy with this since I had a few slips this weekend at a friends birthday.

And my NSV for the day - I ran 3.3 miles with another MRCer - KeepingOnandOn!! I had never run without anyone before and I was a little nervous about keeping our pace together, but it was very natural and easy. And boy did the time go by fast! Talking and running helped keep my breathing in check, which I thought would slow my time, but I had a personal best time today - beat my average mile run time by 12 seconds! Fun, fun, fun!

[B]Shineon: [B]Love your new picture! Sounds like you are living life to the fullest.

Thanks Judy. I'm so critical, I had my head tilted down which makes my face look bigger. Just figured I would post a current one since the hair is ever changing :D

Love the new pic & the testimonial letter, and your reaction to running yesterday. I think the spring weather here is pulling me out of the February funk (finally :carrot:). My knee's acting up again, but I called today & made an appointment to go back to the orthopedist next week. Hopefully another injection will take care of it. And I'm finally back down to within a lb of being able to go back in & start on week 4 of stabilization. Feel like I've been stuck here forever - the most non-compliant MRCer in history! :dizzy:

Congrats on the milestone! I use the Lender's bagels - not the tastiest bagels ever, then again that's kinda the point ;) And they aren't big enough to be a trigger for me. (I know I have an issue with starches & sugars, so too much is NOT a good thing for me!)

Glad you had fun - I was SO jealous! :p Hope you ate all the yummy Dutch treats I dream of when I remember our time over there! (Good thing I didn't know you were going in time to give you an "eating list" - you would've gained more than 4 lbs!)

Thanks for the bagel ideas! There are some Western Bagels that are very high protein and low sugar etc... for WW they were like 1 point so they may be some that I grab to have on hand for that starch at lunch. I had pretzles today and felt soooo full after lunch! Truly I'm having a hard time getting my dinner down tonight, just not hungry!