I hope you are all ok with this but I thought it might be a little better if we have one thread to post little daily updates rather than doing a new thread for every day or even every week. I also know this is a day early. hahaha! What do you have going on for the month of August?

Just a quick update from me today. I over slept and didn't make it to the gym today. I did a workout DVD for about 15 minutes before wor****pt me calorie count a little low (not crazy low) to hopefully compensate. I'm setting a alarm tomorrow!

How's your week going so far? All is well out here in the east. Just keep busy at the gym and trying to enjoy summer before it slips away from us! Monday is my weigh in day. I'm down 3 pounds in the last week! Very excited to be back on track.

I like your monthly chat thread idea and hope that maybe it will help the group grow again. We once had a very dynamic, supportive group.

I haven't been on the site much lately because my DH and I were in a fender bender last week. Since then, we have been dealing with insurance adjusters, rental cars, doctors appointments, X-rays,etc...

I was able to host our normal local monthly support group meeting on Saturday. Since we'd just had the accident and I'm having some trouble focusing, I did not prepare a meeting topic as I usually do. That said, since it was a relatively small group of about 15 to 20 people, it was nice because everyone shared quite a bit in terms of their own journeies and resources of which they had become aware. I'll try to remember to share some of those resources here later when I have my notebook handy.

Im a little over 5 years post op. for they  most part, I'm maintaining my weight fairly well, even through life's little distrust ions. I honestly know that I wouldn't have gotten the excess weigh off without the surgery and don't think that I'd be able to keep it off without it either. 

I look forward to ch.ecking in to see what others might have to say about their own journey on this thread.  

Let's see. Saturday we had our mount.hly local support group meeting in Raleigh. We had about 16 to 20 people attend and had a nice cross-section of people that attended representing a variety of surgery types, as well as people at different points in their journeys. It's always interesting to hear the different people's experiences and perspectives.

Tonight we had a Grads group meeting which was held at a local restaurant that has really flavorful, healthy choices. We just had a small party of four this time and it was nice get to talk with others about how they are doing as they work to maintain their new, healthier weight. We were talking about how to manage food choices when you are no longer in the weight loss process.

On the home front, my husband and I were rear-ended last week. I've had some issues with head aches, a stiff neck and lower back aches,  but they really pale in regards to the issues my husband is struggling with. With all of this, he can't drive for a while and will be having a number of medical appointment weeks or so. Because of this, I may be somewhat hit and miss on the board. That said, I will try to come check in, as i can.

Wishinfpg everyone all the best, 

Well I have been power walking and increasing my distance...I've dropped a few pounds but I don't know how much cause I don't have a scale.  My daughter has it.  In any event I really blew it this weekend...LOL Certainly got my walking in but dressed like a Pirate wench Friday, Saturday but not Sunday.  We had a huge Pyrate Invasion in town.  Sat and Sunday I work 8 am till 3or 4pm in a resteraunt...so yes I ran my butt off there and in A CORSET!  I blew it by not having near enough protein and too much alchol which I know is not a fluid.  Guess I was to much of a pirate!  Any how I am paying for it today back at my Bank job.  I work 7 days a week and I am worn out...My Iron is back up but my hair is falling out still.  I believe I have not been getting enough protein.  No I don't track it anymore but I need to.  Wondering if I should start protein shots again though?

YES!  I am on my vitamins also...Do you think Biotein would really be of help?

hi, i'm new here and i'm just not sure where to have my surgery done! there's two doctors' offices that do it here in fayetteville, but i'm a pretty indecisive person :(

Hey there!  I had my surgery in Greenville NC.  Not many come to the NC Board at the moment but hopefully it will pick back up.  I have seen some on the Main board from NC.  I'm sure Barb will be able to help you out.  As with everything with this surgery, research, research!  Good Luck with it.  It is a life changing commitment.  Glad I did it!

TGIF everyone! What are you up to this weekend?

I met with a personal trainer yesterday and got some great info! I'm going to meet with them ever couple of months for a new workout plan. Today when I got up I was hurting all over! I was kinda of excited because I wasn't sure I really 'did' anything yesterday. haha! We are driving out to see our friends in Greensboro this weekend. Very excited about that!

Sad, all I do is work.  I work thru the week at a Bank and waitress 16hrs on the weekend.  I really need to stop this.  I have no life and it makes me a missrable person sometimes.  People quit and I feel guilty about wanting to quit also but my weekend job boss is also a customer at the Bank and I feel bad about leaving her stranded.  It was really hard this summer when my iron dropped to a 3 and I had to have tranfussions...I felt like crap but I worked anyways...  I need to get some gutts and just stop this. 

I also work two jobs and have those same feelings. My second job is becoming less and less fun. I feel so bad to leave my boss hanging and I don't want to lose the tiny amount of extra income I get from it. I have decided that I'm going to work there until I hit my 1 year mark and then give notice. I want to give them plenty of time to find someone. In fact I think I can help them find a replacement pretty quickly, but I still feel bad about it. My boss is super nice and very professional. I feel like if I give him a solid year of employment I can use him as a good reference when I find another job in a couple years. I still want to quit now.

We went to the beach last weekend and it was Amazing and fun! I can't believe we waited this long to head out there. Seems like every time we planned it, there was rain.

What plans do you have this week? I have small weight loss goals. I have only 1 pound to go for my Sept 1st goal. So very excited. Gotta drop the weight I gained earlier this year. Next goal after that is to get out of the 200's!!

Have to work at the Resteraunt this weekend!  Last Horrah....I do have Monday off from the bank thank goodness first time off since my birthday july 9th.  I did take tuesday and wednesday also so of course it is going to rain again!  So sick of rain at the beach...Least my days off at the bank are paid.  I hate to leave my weekend job but I am exhausted and I worked all spring and summer even with almost no Iron in me.  I think I will feel much better if I have some days off though I do need the money.  It's getting up the guts to tell her...I feel like Im letting her down.  I really think this attitude is a left over from my fat days of wanting to make people happy so they will like me.  Well I like the extra money also....

Lets see things I want to do this fall........Go to a Renisance fest or a good PowWow...Been awhile since the latter...wow actually 5 years since GON...A good pyrate festival is nice..we just had one to Beaufort this month....Nothing like wearing a tight lace up corset...My boobs actually saw daylight...LOL been along for them!

Sorry you have having issues quitting. Is there any way you could work only 2 weekends per month? I'm so thankful I only have 4 months left at my second job. I can do anything for 4 mouths, right?

I did reach that weight loss goal a few days early! I wanted to get down to 212 by 9/1. I was at last Tuesday. I'm on of the few nonsurgery members on here. I used to post in the nonsurgery support area, but understandably it got really slow in there. Since I live in NC I'm thankful to have all of your support as I continue to lose weight. Anyways, I was 210.8 this morning and in total shock! I'm getting so close to the 100's.

Have a good labor day weekend everyone! I think we are going shopping.

Your doing Great...Hey it was realatively easy to lose with this surgery the first year though it felt like forever but now getting a few pounds off is not.  When it is all said and done, "What goes in , must come out"  No matter what it is all about what we eat and how much we move!  Thats why they call the surgery a tool not a cure.  I applaud you for journey.  It will be the same life changes for all of us.  It is just hard to break bad habits or to slide back to them.  Some days are so much harder than others espically the hormal times!