Well, I am going to an indoor water park resort in Wisconsin for a week and will be in my swim suit the whole time... I may even sport a bikini!! Pam

Gina, I am so glad you asked this question? I have thought about it alot with my re-birthday coming soon. I am still not sure how I will celebrate but I know there is 2 things I really want to do that day. 1 is I am buying a candle to be burned on my rebirthday every year . 2, I am going to ride that bike with my grandkids. I don't care if I have to ride in the rain I will be riding that day. I also thought about just getting pampered with a new hair cut, manicure and pedicure. Maybe a new outfit, since I have worn so many hand me downs all winter. Might even go to Walmart and get my picture taken. What ever we do we deserve it. We have all done so well in the last year and have alot to celebrate. I know I will walk with my head up high and be proud. See all lighter. Joanne Hammond OBESITY HELP CHAPTER LEADER

Alice: There is good news here. You dont need to go to weigh****chers ever again. You have the tool there and will for life. You are not on nor will you ever be on a diet again in your life. Sometimes things will slow down but we need to be in charge of our new pouchies. To get back to the basics is easy. Just concentrate on eating Protein and veggies only. We rarely require much more then that any way. If you do as Tom says and cut all carbs from your regimine, you will put your body into what is called Ketosis. That is fat burning mode. When we first had surgery, we all went into ketosis stage of weight loss. Here is what you do to put yourself back on track hun, Eat Protein for 3 meals a day plus 2 to 5 servings of green veggies. 2 high protein snacks a day, and that is it. concentrate on fluid, eat S/F jello, pudding and such through the day, water water water,....you will with in 5 days get back to the basics of weight loss and as long as you do that, you will see the pounds drop off you like flies again. I am 11 months out and have lost 170 pounds doing this. I am very healthy. I take my vitamins as directed and am fine with it. i have been in fat burning or ketosis since the day of surgery. I just had my abdominoplasty on Monday and could not be happier. To think of paying money for a tool you already have should not even be a consideration. The tool is there, just retrain it and you will be on the weight loss section again... I would love to help you and keep you encouraged in this....email me if you need any help or suggestions to get you started...meal ideas and such...it can be a pain in the a** but you can do it... Good luck Rae Ann

Thanks Amber. I just keep staring at my feet because I can't believe they are mine and that I can see and feel bones. Pam

Hello Alice, I have notice that my weight loss has come to a creeping along too... But I have found is that I have had to go back to the basics and concentrate on getting in at least 80 ozs of water a day and to have at least 3 protein shakes per day. With the three micro meals. Which are mostly protein and no fat at all.. I have found out that I am very senseative to fat and it will make me dump. So I concentrate on getting in lean cuts of pork or fish with very little mayo or Ranch dressing. I still can not do much beef unless its jerky. I can eat roasted chicken breast. I make alot f Lentils too and bean soups. Also I have been upping my excerise to 5 times per week for the past month too and that has helped... I just lost another 10 lbs in the last 2 weeks, since I have went back to the basics and cut out just about all carbs and fats. It really is showing now.. I am still building muscle mass though too. I feel One Hundred times better then I did a year ago... I just know I am going to have to be supplementing my diet for the rest of my life with a protein shake... I have found out that the protein bars are full of too much sugar and that is not helping me lose either so I am just using the shakes for my suppplementing protein and lot lots of water. Wishing you the best, We are in this to together.... If you need someone to talk with email me and I will be glad too chat or talk. Take care, Tom 536/348/250 -190 lbs