Good Morning Everyone!! Hope all is well with each of you. I am a little blue this morning......I broke up with my boyfriend of 10 months. And even though it was not a bad break up, it is still sad. We just realized that we have too many differences and are not really compatiable and our ways of thinking are soooo different. And if that was not enough, my weight is up ALOT and I have got to get things back on track. I did finally have my cycle start after not having one since January so I guess that is a good sign. I go and get my echocardigram in the morning and will let you guys know how that goes. Talk to you soon! Stephanie HW 327 SW 322 LW 169.4 CW 176

Snacking and grazing will rip your diet apart...the scale will stop moving and you'll feel just like I felt when I stood on the scale today and in read 175lbs. You could have knocked me over with one finger. How could it read so much? When I weighed myself at home it was nowhere's close to this scale. I was devastated, I just wanted to run away and hide. I was even more upset when the Dr. told me he had hoped that I would have lost another 30lbs. just kill me now. So at 18 months post-op will I lose anymore? Am I done? Should I just crawl in my hole now and die? I have decided to go back to the basics...nothing goes in my mouth that I don't weigh or write down in my food journal. I plan to get back into my exercise regiment in the morning...instead of 3 - 4x's a week it will not be 7 days a week. Overkill! Maybe, I've got to get myself together and be successful. I've come to far to stop now. Any suggestions and comments are welcome.

I'm still around. I don't check in as often as I use to. I do check in once every week or two.

I really don't keep track of what I eat and the amount of protein that I'm getting in. I probably should, I've really been bad about getting enough water and protein in. It's like when I got to goal and then had my PS I am not so focused on what I'm eating. I need to though, that's how I gained weight in the first place. I do weigh daily and that's a good indicator for me on how I'm eating. But there are times when I'll gain overnight and freak out. Well, I started keeping track of it and turns out about 10-14 days before I start my period, I'll gain about 3 lbs. Ovulating?) I get so scared when I see the scale go up, even though that's usual for me during that time period. I just feel like if I let a few lbs slip in and then a few more then it's hard to lose it and before you know it I'm 200 lbs. So to answer your question, I really don't keep track, but I'm going to start too. the weight back.

Funny you should post this thread today. Just last night I decided to log my food for the day to see if I really was on track or just kidding myself. The idea was spurred because I had a 5 pound gain OVERNIGHT!!!! I am sure that most if not all is water weight from swelling (it's 110 degrees here today)...but it freaked me out! Anyway, I was shocked to see that everything is on track, except carbs...they were a bit too high for my liking but easily fixed. I don't know what everyone's limits are of cals, carbs, fats, etc...I only do what works for me and those numbers would likely shock most people. I generally eat between 1400 (very low) up to 2000 calories a day to maintain. If I eat a high percentage of carbs in that 2000, I will gain though. I am currently trying to move back toward protein and away from the carbs....and it's hard 'cuz they're just so good! However, I know for a certainty that those carbs are the cause of all of my cravings and grazing. I get a little nervous about gaining, but I think that as long as I always focus on staying within that 5 pound window, no excuses, I will be successful at keeping the weight off. Also, I refuse to have any clothing in the house that isn't my current size...I don't want any leeway where that is concerned. I will not buy clothes to sooth my conscience should I gain...I will just have to feel uncomfortable enough to lose it. This used to work for me back in the "olden days" when I was naturally thin. I never allowed myself to accommodate a gain. Of course, pregnancies sort of shot that in the foot three times over! lol. But, so far my "rules" seem to be working. Crap...this turned into a thesis on weight maintenance. Sorry for the long-windedness. ~Suz