Good for you Lucy! I was going to respond to your post to me, but since I'm getting you here, I guess I got it covered LOL! I am so anxious to be rid of this skin on me too. It is a nuisance and sure makes healing up harder. My belly wouldn't hurt so bad right now if not for this skin swinging and swaying around pulling at me incisions! UGGHHH!!!! I am rooting for you. Keep up the positive out look on things, I am sure you will do great! Wendy

Dawn, I am feeling the same way too..I am almost 17 months out and feel like I am at a stand still with the weight loss. I have been trying to find the same info on what to eat and how much...it is hard though because eveyone says different things. Some doctors reccommend 800-1000 calories, while others reccommend 1200-1500. Some say 60 grams of protein...while others say 80-100. I am personally trying to write down what I eat and look at the amount of protein I am getting...plus I am trying to walk atleast 5 days a week...hoping to get off this nasty plateau. I don't know what it is about breaking into ONEDERLAND but it is something that many of us struggle with and seem to feel like failures because we haven't reached it yet. Please know that you are not alone and there are people here for you!!! Jamie

I just made this homemade apple pie (okay, so the crust is NOT homemade - but the rest is) and OMG itis sooooooooooo good! I found a similar recipe online and doctored it a little. I have no idea what the nutrition info is.... but I feel pretty good knowing it's made with splenda and it tastes so good - you just can't tell! Splenda Apple Cobbler Pie Filling Ingredients: ¼ cup butter or margarine ½ cup Splenda Granular for baking 1 egg 2 TBSP flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 cups peeled & sliced apples (about 5 medium) Crust: 1 fozen deep dish pie crust Topping Ingredients: ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup Splenda Granular for Baking ¼ cup Splenda brown sugar (loosely packed) 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ cup cold butter or margarine Topping: Cool Whip Vanilla Sprinkle of Cinnamon 1. Heat oven to 400°F. Place cookie sheet in oven to heat. In 1-quart saucepan, cook 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and lightly browned. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. 2. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup Splenda and the egg with wire whis****il light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in cooled butter. Gently stir in apples. Pour into crust-lined pan. 3. In medium bowl, stir together all streusel ingredients except butter. With pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/4 cup butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples. Place pie on cookie sheet in oven. 4. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cover edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 40 to 50 minutes longer or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cool 2 hours. 5. Top with a dollup of Vanilla Cool Whip and a sprinkle of Cinnamon. Serve & enjoy!

Good morning my fellow June bugs! I went to see my general surgeon on Thursday and had my percentage of body fat measured on the Tanita scale. OMG! My body fat percentage is 21%. I'm considered underfat now. Who would have thought that? My fat free mass has increased; probably added muscle mass! YAY!!! Now I'm in my final preparations for plastic surgery on November 29th. My pre-op testing is scheduled for this Wednesday. Only 10 more days and then I can kiss goodbye most of my excess skin. Goodbye to my sharpeii legs and hanging belly and drooping butt! Time to get My schedule for the next 10 days is so full, I'll need the extra rest. I feel like I've been on a speed train the last 2 months since I've been working every Sunday and holiday. Soon, no more working on Sundays! YAY!!!! Well, got to go! Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Lucy

Hey Lynn, My hubby doesn't want me to do ANY plastics. But i have to have the hernia repair anyway. Although if my appeal doesn't go through this week I may have to put it off til I have the money for it. A uterine suspension is just what it sounds like. I have ligaments that held up my uterus, but years of being so fat and having kids made them stretch out and so it fell down. They tightened them up so I could avoid chronic bladder infections. I also had my bladder lifted(called a cystocele). It is the part I really don't like cause I have stitches where the sun don't shine! We are watching the game with the kids too. I haven'****ched alot of sports since I was a kid, but my kids are really into them, so I watch games too. I hate baking, but I love baked stuff!! YUMMMY! Can't wait for the Christmas season to get a little closer and I'll do more with the kids. They love to decorate cookies and stuff, that is always fun. Wendy