I have a couple recipes you might try: Egg Muffins 4 Whole Eggs ,or 8 Egg Whites ,or 1 Cup Egg Beaters 4 strips Turkey Bacon - cooked, drained & chopped 1 /2 cup Lowfat shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese ¼ cup finely chopped Onion 1/8 tsp. Garlic Powder Salt & Pepper Parsley or Chopped Chives Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into mini muffin tins. Bake 12 to 15 minutes - till set and beginning to brown. Makes about 18. When past stage 3 you can add chopped red /green pepper (apprx. ¼ to ½ cup) and a can of mushroom bits and pieces - chopped a bit. Then this will make apprx. 24 to 28 muffins. Without peppers or mushrooms the calories per muffin is 40 and 4 grams of carbs. These reheat and freeze well too. They are great for a bite on the go for adults or kids- You could use chopped Turkey Ham in this also. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tomato Tortellini Soup 2 cans Progresso Tomato Basil Soup 1-16 oz. can Diced Tomatoes 1-16 oz. can Veg-All Brand Cajun Vegetables -w/sauce 1-16 oz. can Cannellinni Beans, drained 1- 4 oz can drained sliced Mushrooms ½ cup chopped onions 1-8 oz pkg. Fresh or Frozen 3 cheese Tortellinis Assemble all in a heavy pan - simmer till pastas are tender. Serve hot with either fresh grated or shredded Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. ----------------------------------------------- Beef Pattie with Mushroom Gravy 1 pound lean ground beef 1/3 cup ketchup (I used the low sugar kind) 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs salt and pepper 1 jar fat free beef gravy 1 4 oz jar sliced mushrooms 1 tsp dried basil ( I added about a half of an onion sliced too) Green beans, drained (I don't care for green beans, so sliced up a carrot instead) Tear off 4 sheets of Foil. Mix the ground beef with the ketchup, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. form into 4 patties and place each in the middle of one sheet of foil. Mix the mushrooms, gravy and basil (and onions) and spoon on top of the patties. Lay the green beans on the side of the patties (or in my case the carrots). Bring up the sides and make into loose packets, but crimp the edges tightly. place on a baking sheet and bake 25 min at 450 degrees. This was soooooooo good!!! and no pan to clean up. Hope you let me know if you try them - and if you liked them. I have a few more if you or anyone is interested. Joyce Stewart

Renee, I had my surgery on 11/4/05 and have lost 76 pounds....had a slow time on the scales the last 2-3 weeks....but.....I tried on clothes again today and the things I had hung back in my closet that were too small are now too big and I am giving them away....so.....look at the inches instead of the pounds....I sometimes forget that.

Hi-My name is Martha Dunn. I am completing my doctoral degree at Antioch New England Graduate School. My dissertation research project explores post bariatric surgery behavior, struggles and needs. If you have 10-15 minutes to complete the survey, it would be a big help to me. Also, if you have friends who've also had the surgery and could forward this message to them, that would be great. More in-depth details are on the link that follows and thank you in advance. Martha http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=60661940436

Must the name thing again!

It makes me crazy. I only lose weight every 4 weeks. I plateau for a month, then in one week I'll drop 3-5 lbs..... Then back to the plateau. If I weigh myself more than once a week I notice I will gain and lose the same 5 lbs beofre it finally drops off. But my monthly weigh-ins and measurings are showing about a 1 lb per week average. Is this normal? It doesn't feel normal! Thanks! Janet 300/270/218/150