Thanks, Janice. I don't want to hijack Hope's post as she has a real issue that I think some folks can relate to, but I'm doign ok. Turns out I was exercising too much and not eating enough and it stopped my losing almost totally. I'm back losing a pound or two a week, which is just fine by me. Having a 4 month long plateau that started when I was just 2 months out and eating 800 calories a day and in the gym for an hour a day at least, 6 days a week, was really rough on me mentally,b ut it seems to be resolving with my eating more (1200 calories a day, more if I can get them in) and exercising less. I know it's not common and everybody just assumes I'm not compliant, but I know better and I finally seem to have found an answer. Thanks for your concern. Now if we can only get some weight on Hope before she melts away completely! Keeping you in my thoughts, Hope. Mary Ellen

Well I wouldn't call it a bad month. Not a great month but not a bad month either. My philosphy is that if I lose anything I'm happy. I about did cartwheels this morning to see I still lost a pound this week even though I know I didn't eat like I should have. The one thing I noticed is the inches I'm losing. Since thanksgiving I went from a size 20 pants, to an 18, which are now becoming a little loose and I have lost about 8 pounds..Usually I have to lose closer to 20 before I drop a size so I was pretty surprised. Another thing, I never really cut out all the carbs. I eat bread now and then and I'll eat sugar free cookies or whatever. Usually if I feel like eating something, I eat it. It seems to have worked for me. With the exception of one week in September, I've yet to go a week without losing any weight. I mostly watch my calorie intake more than anything else and I try my darndest not to snack. I've also never even tried to eat anything with more than 8grams of sugar and haven't touched soda since before my surgery. But that's just works for me..each of us are different. Of course the new year is right around the corner so cross our fingers for all of us to keep up with our weight loss. Good luck to you all. Kerri 341/212/160

Greg! How great for you and your wife!!! I hope you had a wonderfule holiday and a very blessed New year!!! Hugs, Michelle

Hey Chris, Let her nominate you for 'Member of the Month'. Haven't you been going to the gym? Haven't you been working your butt off to get to where you are? There are people who get gastric by-pass and don't get to where they'd like to be because they don't follow the rules and they don't exercise. Enjoy the recognition. You truely deserve it. Missy K 290/167/147

Hope everyone had a great holiday. I have a WOW moment to share and a question for everyone. The other night when I went to the healthclub to workout, one of the gals that works there (not bad looking!) said that she had noticed that I had lost a ton of weight and was really looking good. She thought it was impressive and wanted to nominate me for "Member of the Month". Me???? Member of the Month???? At a HEALTH CLUB???!!!! It was very flattering, but then I had a feeling that ****** me off, but I have it anyway: If they knew that I had Gastric Bypass, they wouldn't be as impressed or will think that I took the "easy way out". Do you guys have issues with this? We all know that it is anything but easy, and the hard work I have put in with the exercise and weight-training is probably more intense than 95% of the public (if not more). So why should I feel uncomfortable sharing this at the healthclub? Why should I feel like the surgery cheapens the results I have had? I've lost 210 lbs, which isn't easy with or without a stomach, so why the mental baggage that comes along with it! I should be shouting it from the rooftops, not being embarrassed to share it with people. Like Buckeye, I would like to be the poster boy for this surgery, starting out at 478lbs and ending up at 220 (or so!) and looking fantastic. I'm afraid that if anyone makes a comment about this being easy, I would likely knock their block off! What are your thoughts? Chris S. 478/268/220