It's been just about six months. Just over 80 lbs, about 6 sizes. I've begun to see a change though. The weight seems to be coming off a bit slower, I can eat more without getting sick, which I guess means my pouch is a little bit bigger. I hate this! Granted, I still can't eat a whole lot, but... what can I do? My appetite has also increased a little. This must be the beginning of the end of the Honeymoon phase :-(  I had sime fairly serious oral surgery last week & couldn't do the treadmill for a few days. So easy to get out of the habit, yet so hard to get back in... Before I started researching bariatric surgery, I, like most of society, had the misconception that having surgery was the "easy way out". Have surgery & boom, you're skinny. LMAO, not even close. It's getting harder to tolerate protein shakes, yogurt & sugar free Popsicles some/many days. My point is? I don't think I have one. As I think I may have mentioned before...since I'm pretty sure I'm probably the only one who reads this anyway, it's cheap therapy. LOL 

Happy Birthday to me! Not sure exactly why I'm writing these blog entries, since I don't know anyone at this site & I doubt they will be read LOL. I think maybe it's a cheap form of therapy. Besides, if someone does happen upon any of them & something I may say helps them...well, that would make me very happy. I changed things up a bit yesterday. I upped my protein from around 70 grams to around 95. Unfortunately, that may mean more calories some days. Yesterday, I managed to keep it down to 830. But all I ate besides 3 protein drinks (420Calories/78Protein)  was 1.5 cups skim milk with the protein mix (135C/13.5P), 1 yogurt (100C/7P), a bunch of sugar free Popsicles & vitamins/supplements (don't forget those calories in your journals, chewable vitamins & chewable calcium often have calories EACH). Anyway, I'm hoping this speeds things up a bit! I'm loving getting into smaller size after smaller size, but now I'm anxious to get out of the plus size department. I'm terrible about drinking water. Always have been. I'm just not crazy about it. So..that's another thing I tried to change. I made sure I had cold bottled water in the fridge. Left one on the counter as well as a checklist with 8 blanks, so I could check off each water as I drank. I spent 1/2 the day peeing!! It's a good thing I'm not working,  I would have spent more time in the restroom than in my office. I would probably get fired & I own the business LMAO. By the evening I had four down. I was thinking FOUR more??! No way. Then it dawned on me that the bottles were 16.9 oz, not 8 oz. Imagine my relief!! LOL Anyway, with these changes I'm hoping to lose my remaining 69ish lbs by next week. *wink* Have a wonderful day; I'm off to pick something to watch while I  briskly walk to no where on my friend the treadmill.  xoxo, Tammie 

Part 2 Finally, the Drs found a medication that made a dent in the severe depression & I started to become human again. I began to realize that I could never be happy at this weight & I could never take this much off by myself. So I began to research weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, I found out fairly early on that it was an exclusion to my health insurance policy. So, I figured I had to beg, borrow &/or steal the money. I can't see myself in jail. You know those horizontal stripes just make you look fatter, they don't allow makeup or men (that would be he'll on my marriage) & although I can be a real bitch, I'm not really a "fighter". I just can't see myself sharpening my toothbrush & stabbing some chick because she looked at me wrong LOL. Therefore, I begged my Mom for an early inheritance. She knew I was desperate. I went to the seminar in November. Took my Mom in January (it was cancelled & no one called so we sat there with another girl for an hour, waiting :-( I ruled out the Lap Band since the fills were $100 each & mostly because they told me 25% of people have complications. I discussed Vertical Sleeve & Gastric Bypass with both the Dr & the bank (Mom). Dr Jawad suggested the Gastric Bypass & Mom said if I was going to do it, I might as well do it right (bless her heart it was $6,000 more). I decided on the GB because I wanted the added "safety net" of sugar & high fat foods making me sick (dumping). I have yet to experience this but I'm sure that's because I've yet to eat high fat or sugar foods. I'd rather be afraid of dumping so I'll hopefully alwYs stay away from those foods. I had Laporoscip Gastric Bypass surgery on April 25, 2011 @ 283 lbs. I've had virtually no complications. It's 9/17/11 & I weigh 214 lbs. Size 18/20. I eat around 700-800 calories  a day & walk 2 miles on the treadmill at least 5 days a week. Sometimes on the weekends I only walk 1 mile. I'm bad about water, I don't drink enough. On a typical day, I eat: 2 protein drinks w/ 4 oz of Skim milk each :  370 cal/58 protein 3 sugar free Popsicles: 90 cal 1-2 yogurts: 1-200 cal/7-14 prot Sometimes I'll also eat a slice of bacon or some Boar'sHead turkey & a little cheese or a few bites of something else (if I go out to dinner it to someone's house, but I try to eat at home). The Nutritionist at support meetings mentioned getting our protein from food now vs protein drinks. If I tried to get in 70+ grams of protein from chicken, etc (food), I would probably go over calories & I would definitely throw up from eating too much food. The last thing I want to do is stretch my pouch anymore than necessary. I'm going to ask about this at my appt on 10/6. Any thoughts?? Anyway, that's my story... 

Although I've always had a weight problem, up until a few years ago, the biggest I've ever been was a size 16. In high school & when I 1st got married I was an 11 & during the good dieting months (my wedding, etc) a size 9. About 5 years after I got married & 1 year after I had my son, I went to a diet Dr, took diet pills & got down to a loose size 7. 126 lbs. The skinniest I've ever been. I could actually wear a bikini, my stomach was flat!! Of course, 2 years later, I was back to my former size. Skip ahead 15 or so years & I had slowly gained up to a size 16. Almost 200 lbs. Then a some health problems & a bout with major (drug resistant) depression. The Drs were trying new medications every 2-3 months. Unfortunately, one of the main side effects was weight gain. Between that, inactivity, thyroid issues & too many carbs, suddenly a couple of horrid (long) years had passed & I was in a tight size 28. At my largest I weighed 314!!! I went on a family trip to New York at that time. It was a Christmas gift from my parents, as I said, a family trip. I didn't want to go. I was sooo miserable. I had to buy warm clothes. We went in January & I live in FL. I didn't even have a coat. I needed an extender for the seat belt on the plane. And the stewardess was nice enough to offer to move my husband & I to a spot with only 2 seats rather than 3. How embarrassing!! I had 0 energy to walk around the streets of New York City. I swore I'd never travel again fat. I finally lost some weight. They put me on a drug with the side effect of weight loss (yeah!!) Anyway, I got to 283 & was there for a while. But between the depression & the weight, I was miserable!! I barely ever left the house. Infact, during those couple of years, other than a few Dr appts & a few REQUIRED (you'd have to meet my Mom lol) family dinners, I didn't go any place!! See Part 2 for Surgery

Silly facts about me: •I love talking on the phone •I have never been on the Jerry Springer show; nor has any of my family (Thank you, Jesus!) •I am a smartass •I love to read •I always put the cap back on the toothpaste •I love the rain (& the cold) •I was nicknamed Scarlett because I can be spoiled, flirtatious, charming (manipulative), demanding & yes, at times a tad bitchy •I am very pro choice •I know that whipped cream goes on more than ice cream sundaes •I'm so sweet I'll give you a toothache •I'm drug & alcohol free •So far, I've managed to "charm" my way out of jury duty, but my day is coming very soon. •I share all my food with my dog •I wish I could remember my dreams •I secretly think I love my son more than other Moms love their kids •Judgmental Christians infuriate me  •I love people who make me laugh