got some great news this morning!
 

Remember I'd said that i was FINALLY losing weight, and I didn't care if it was 1/2 a pound a week??

well - it's been more like TWO pounds a week since I stopped the caffeine - I'VE LOST 30 POUNDS!!! and THIS is the reason I'd had surgery. I knew that it would be a struggle, but the surgery offered me the best chance to lose the weight, and if i gained any, i'd be able to lose it if i followed the rules.

AND IT WORKS!!!!

so, I've lost almost half of my re-gain, and i have more hope that i'll be able to lose the rest - no matter how slowly!!!

whew!!!!

You're progress has been phenomenal!!! Congratulations. Keep that fire and motivation. It does work when you follow the rules (as tough as they may be sometimes ;)). Keep up the great work!

Congrats! I do not know if I can give up my coffee in the morning though. I am so impressed you have done it.

CONGRATULATIONS! :celebrate:

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

Good on ya, Jiff!! xoxoxoxoxo

Congrats! Caffeine, huh? I don't drink soda anymore but I don't know if I could give up my coffee!

Disney and Jazz join me in congratulating you. I sure hope we can still be friends after your giving up coffee!!!

awww shucks folks. thank you!!!! and i didn't give up coffee - because i've never been a coffee drinker!!! nope - i'm a tea drinker. as in that's pretty much the only source of liquid i have during the day. all caffeine, all the time.

i stopped drinking tea BY ACCIDENT. I NEVER intended to stop, but when it got so blasted hot around here, i started drinking SF lemonade and stuff like that. Never thought for a SECOND that it would have affected my atrial fibrillation.

but after a couple of days, i noticed that my heart rate didn't increase QUITE as much when i walked, and that i could walk a few steps farther. and so i continued with the NO CAFFEINE tea [trust me, NOT my first choice!]

and here I am!!! 30 pounds lighter because i can move more!!!!! :shrug: who knew??? go know!!!! oy vey!!!!

and Ruth - you, Disney, and Jazz will ALWAYS be my friends!!!

Congratulations, Jiffy! You're an amazing woman!

And I know that with or without caffeine, you are just as sweet as ever. :hug:

Oh wow, Jiffy. I never would have made the connection with tea and weight loss. I'll definitely keep that in mind, as tea is my drug of choice.

Jen - I'm not sure that it's the tea per se - as i lost the 280 pounds as a tea drinker. But the sad fact is that i was getting a larger load of caffeine than my heart could handle - and the heart wasn't beating right [still isn't, but that's another story - and a specialty cardiologist to deal with it].

And when my heart rhythm isn't right, i retain lots of water [apparently] or it affects my metabolism. I guess that makes sense, but I don't know the mechanism or anything like that.

all i know is that i'm grateful!!! oh so grateful!!!!

Try green tea after every meal . That will control hunger.