Yeah Ben & Jerry those ba$tards!!! I was 90 pounds thinner when my DH first introduced me to his two very best friends, and it was all downhill after that.

I went through today without any flour products and no white sugar so far...let's try again tomorrow Carol!!

Hi all,

Been busy with the usual stuff this time of year....

Everyone else sounds the same way....

Weight is fluctuating and I'm back to the gym with some consistency. Trying to walk, also, but can't make it past that 1 mile point. Too much "American Idol", etc. I guess in the evenings....

I've really tried to watch the journalling this week and found I regularly eat about 4-5 pts. more than I should! I guess that is what is keeping me on this hill that I can't seem to climb! Wish there was a plan you didn't have to write everything down! At least one I haven't tried and works as well as WW for me....Ah well, there I go again....trying to take the easy way out!

Gotta go...been running this weekend and left all the laundry for today....need to get moving double time.

Take care all,

Bright

ATTENTION ALL BOOTY CAMP MEMBERS:

Just wanted to slip in and pat you all on the back. You guys rock!!!

I am ashamed to say, I have decided on Gastric Bypass. I simply can NOT do this on my own. I lie to myself and lie to everyone else about being able to do it all on my own. I need a jump start.

I am researching and making calls. And I am hoping that this will be what I need.

I know I don't belong here anymore, but I missed ya and wanted to tell you all hello and to say how happy I was to see all of you here. It was wonderful!!!

Love,
Tiffany (lurking now)

Tiffany, you are doing the right thing researching this. Be sure you have all the facts because you will still have to watch every bite you eat after they bypass or you will gain it all back - my friend lost over 200 pounds and is now bigger than when she started. She thought it was the magic eat all she wanted bullet. You need to find ways to resolve things in your life without food before the surgery. Reliable surgeons will have a program in place for this and a support group afterwards. Good luck and let us hear from you in the future.

Tiffany! Glad to hear from you! But don't ever say that you don't belong here. We never were all on the same plan, and we all need support in different ways... I know a few who have had surgery of one type or another. I know you'll make the right decision for you. I hope you'll come on in and continue to post here. Did you hear the news about Dyan, BTW? (pregnant)

Bright, I am SO with you. If only I didn't have to think, count, write down, and add up... and while we're at it - I'd like to not have to choose not to eat certain things, either. LOL! No, without the commitment it isn't going to happen.

Quilter - Nice to see your tabby face. How are things?

DNW - I have to tell you, when I was at my thinnest I ate SO much B&J's I wondered if I should buy stock. It wasn't until I got married and lived with an EATING MACHINE like my super-high-metabolism DH that I got fat. The amount & frequency of eating is what got skewed and I didn't realize it was happening. Over the years, I've cut out quite a few of the truly evil things I used to eat. The thing is, knowing when enough is enough.

OK, with all my distractions, I bet 4 more people have posted since I began typing, so anyone I missed - I'll catch up in a jiffy!

Tiffany: We care about you so you do belong here. You could check the thread "Weight Loss Surgery" too, if you haven't already. I read it from time to time because I have had thoughts in that direction but got enough information from that thread to know, for me, it isn't an option right now. However, it's is a great source of support and information for those who are going to have it and consider it, so peek over there too, but please don't leave us!!

Cafe: I hear you, DN lost 35 lbs. the first year we were together and I gained it.

Brighter: I know what you mean. Eating just that little bit more is keeping me from reaching my goals too. Got to knuckle down and take care of myself.

Semo: I am curious too..how did you make out with the 90 day plan. I am just starting to see the infomericals here in Jersey. Was it worth the money? You seemed very motivated.

Tiger: Broke my own rule this weekend but not again. Next time company gets fresh fruit, not chocolate cream pie from Costco....oh the guilt!!

Quilter: I need words of inspiration...what got you moving finally to lose the wieght. What was the last straw so to speak?

Hi Everybody!

My computer is still out and I'm at work so I gotta make this quick. I think about you all everyday and hopefully can get the darned thing fixed soon.

Tiffany - It's great to hear from you, I miss you something terrible! Good luck on whatever you choose to do. We are all here for you and this is where you belong whatever you choose.

Brighterdays - Please clean out your mailbox so you can receive my PM's.

Have a great day all.............

LJ

TIFFANY! I'm so happy to know you didn't fall of the face of the earth!

Quilter, I've been wondering the same as DNW. What was the "last straw" for you?
My big "wake up, I'm over weight" hit hard when I reached 200. I've managed to keep it under 200, but not by much. I have "tomorrow syndrome" lately. "I'll start over tomorrow".

So nice to see everyone back! Maybe I don't have cooties after all.

Oh you crazy girls almost made me cry. Thank you for your kind words, and your advice.

I do realize that this isn't a magic pill. There are so many complications food-wise that result from this, and I am still researching what I will have to do. I am attending a meeting later this week for people in all stages of the surgery, pre and post, so I will hopefully get some honest opinions.

Anyway, I am off to search the web again. So glad to come back again.

Funny, I am sitting here eating a salad. Seems like after I decided to look into this surgery, I have had a desire to eat healthier. How weird is that?

Love and hugs,
Tiff

Dyan,
Congrats girl!!!!!!! How wonderful for you!
What is new with the rest of you?

Hey all!

Huntress....sorry, I cleaned house, girl! There's plenty of room to talk now. I was wondering where you went!

Tiffany...so good to hear from you. Choosing the intelligent way, I see. Good for you! Make sure to talk to real people who have went thru the surgery, also. I know a few from my area but have never really asked them much about the post effects.

Cafe...I know, why can't this be a little easier....guess nothing worthwhile will be a simple journey.

DNW...knuckling down with you, sarge!

Tiger...who do you think will win? Clay or Ruben? I think Clay but I have went back and forth from week to week....they both have magical voices. Every notice how the group songs this year sound so harmonized?

Heading out for a walk now....I have eaten alot more points tonight than I should and I need to walk some off!

Take care all and Dyan, if you are reading, hope you are feeling well and taking care of yourself!

Brighter

Hi. My pc monitor is on the blink. It keeps going black. I have to turn it on/off to see anything for a few seconds. *panic*

Bright, I'm voting for Clay just because my six year old likes him. They have the same hair style.

For those of you who asked, my wake up call to lose weight came when I had to have surgery and the doctor told me at 356 pounds I had less than a 50% chance to survive and could have a heart attack or stroke due to the stress of the surgery. I was only 35 years old and thought I'd like to live longer. I had also reached a point where I was becoming a recluse because I was so overweight I felt like everyone was staring at me. Life was definitely not good and I wanted something better. Learning coping strategies that didn't involve food was hard and I can still fall off the wagon when it hits a rut so I'm holding on tight now.

After awhile, it did get easier and for the most part I know eat healthy---just too much occasionally.

I have one more week and 3 more pounds to the Memorial Day challenge...that would put me back at goal!

I've only had this one bad weight gain since reaching goal and that was caused by steroids, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and quitting smoking. But it's almost off again so I won't dwell on that.

How many are planning a picnic for this weekend? What are you having?

Good morning, ladies!

Nice to see this place jumpin'!

I'm in a rush today, spring seems to be a busy time around here (work). I have GOT to get caught up!

Quilter - I'm looking forward to the 3-day weekend, but have no big plans. One thing I love to do on the grill is the boneless, skinless chicken breasts that come frozen in a 3 lb bag. I thaw them in a ziplock with some ceasar dressing in the fridge - then when I grill them they taste WONDERFUL - and it's so easy.

Last summer I learned that hot dogs and hamburgers can be low point if you get the 97% lean gr. beef or healthy choice hot dogs - plus you can cut out 2 points just by buying the right kind of light buns. I forget what the actual points were, but it was low enough that I kept HC hot dogs and Lite buns on hand for nights I didn't want to cook.

See, now that you got me thinking about food - I remember that it's not so hard to do the right thing if I plan ahead! Thanks for telling your story - it's a good reminder to all of us that it's our future at stake here with obesity.

Hugs to all!

~Cafe

Tif, so glad to see you're little yellow butt back here!

Okay, I'm having a major stress attack! You all know that I like my boss and he's great and been very good to me, but the filth and smoke here just drives me crazy.... Well, out of the blue today an ex-co worker called and offered me a job. It pays $2,000 more per year BUT, no vacation until the 1st anniversary and only one week, 2 wks after 3 yrs, 3 sick days per year, insurance is $2,500 deductable, (but DH can get better ins thru his wk) and I would have a 20 min drive vs 9 minutes now. No OT, no weekends, and the work would be more even, no spikes like here, plus would have to wear clothes other than blue jeans. (which I have in the clothes anyway)

SO WHAT AM I TO DO??????????

If the benefits were the same I'm pretty sure I would go.

SEMO - 2 words: secondhand smoke.

Re: Vacation & Insurance... If it's the kind of place where you CAN do this: then call your friend and say, "Being that it's costing me X number vacation days/hours (multiply by your wage and write down the number for your eyes only before you make the call - so you know what you want), PLUS X dollars in insurance $ out of pocket compared to what I have now... I'm hesitating... BUT I would take it without hesitation if you could offer me $XXXX per year more (notice there's at least 4 digits)..." Worst they can say is no.

If it's non-negotiable - I'd still lean toward taking it anyway. Only because of the second hand smoke and the stress. I know it's spring but you haven't been feeling like a spring chicken lately.

BTW, do you get paid overtime?? If so, you'll have to calculate your real current wage more carefully, if the money is important. On the other hand, if your overtime is unpaid... it's a no brainer because the +22 min total commute per day is balanced out by your blood, sweat & tears.

JMHO, make the decision that is right for you, of course!