Great Job Mike. I'm just getting back to the gym. I quit going because of alergies; and work schedule. Man, I can't believe how hard it was to ride a bike for 25 minutes after not doing it for a month. But, now to get back there and lose the next few pounds. mark g.

I eat a lot of beef jerky. I buy this really soft jerky from www.tcsjerky.com. It is Tillamook Jerky from Oregon. I could not survive without it. Ten grams of protein per stick of 1 oz. It tastes delicious! I tend to run in spurts on other foods. Right now I am all into omeletes as I have just learned how to make a super one. That is for dinner tonight & breakfast tomorrow as one is too much to eat. I have been eating a bit more fruit, bananas & cucumbers. I eat basically all regular food, no protein drinks or anything like that. I eat grilled pork chops, chicken & burgers. Now that it is warming up, I prefer to grill my food. Last night we had chicken fajitas, I just tear off a lot of the wheat tortilla so I don't get so full from just that. I hope this helps a little! Priscilla -63lbs 198/135/120

margie, for dry skin I use grape seed cream for my face. you get it at a beauty supply store. it is about 6bucks. also it come in a oil for about the same price. but you have to get that one from the health food store. it is really great for your skin and for your scar..my scar is actually not bad at all because of the grapeseed oil and cream. good luck lisa

I haven't posted here, but thought I should. I lost 55 lbs before surgery. Since surgery on 11/25/04 I've lost almost 90 lbs. I feel great, am riding a bicycle (outside, on the road). I've gone down 14 sizes in pants from a 66 to 52 and from a 6X to a 3X in shirts. I feel great, energy is up, and I don't get those stares from people like I used to. I can now sit in pretty much any type of booth at a restaurant, which I couldn't fit in any before. I eat 3 meals a day plus my shake. Usually I have lunch which most of the time is about a cup of high protein/low carb pasta. Around 330 or 4 I have a couple of WASA crackerbread with seafood spread or chicken salad, or I'll just have some soy crisps (yummy). Dinner is usually a small peice of fish or chicken something. I find that protein bars help (especially Powerbar Carb Select). And I prefer the Atkins shake mix with 1% milk. I've had some minor problems, right after surgery I had an abcess which opened the suture, and took over 6 weeks to heal. Then last month I had cellulitis in a smilar spot, but that has healed up now. Other than that, no real difficulties. At first I had to learn what my limit was on eating, and I threw up a couple times when I had too much, but I can judge pretty well now. I don't eat sugarry foods, and try to watch the carb intake. I ride my bicycle 2-3 times a week, and use my home gym when I can. I attend support meetings once a month and find that really helpful, and i like helpinbg those just getting started in the process. Ultimately, this has helped to save my life. I was on a road to death faster than I should, and now I feel like I have my life back. Hope this helps, thanks for reading.

OK. My husband has announced that from now on he will be putting our scale in the trunk of the car and taking it to work with him when he leaves every day. I guess I have become obsessed. Ok, more than obsessed. I have started the habit of weighing every day and I have even weighed more than once a day and will get upset enough to not want to eat the rest of the day if I see even an ounce increase. I started that habit once before and have slowly gotten back into it. I know that I have lost a great deal and I know that without this surgery that I wouldnt have been able to accomplish such a great feat but I wish I could make my eyes see what my head already knows. some days are better than others. When I get compliments Im on top of the world but I dont get out much because Im a stay at home mom and I dont see the changes as much as others. Some days I feel downright depressed feeling like I havent lost as much as I should and that I might fail this surgery. Has anyone else felt like this?? I cant stop weighing!!!! Jennifer