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Well, I am sitting at work, just finished my tuna fish stuffed tomato for lunch and waiting the agreed upon 30+ minutes before I can drink some water to wash the tuna out of my teeth! Yummy, snack! It has been a rainy day here in North Florida and that means I have been tempted to munch on junk, lucky for me that I removed the bad stuff from my office so I have nothing to munch on! I reflect back that it has been almost 3 years since I joined the bandwagon. 124 pounds, countless miles walking, some NSVs and some disappointments...all in all..I would do this again in a minute. There are entire GROWN people who weigh 124 pounds and I lost that much weight. I can't pick up 124 pounds but my poor legs and feet were carrying that. Being 3 years out, you don't loose weight fast any more..Shoot, in the beginning if I didn't loose 4-5 pounds in a week, something was really wrong, then 4-5 pounds a month - still not bad...now 4-5 pounds a quarter would be acceptable but hey, I am not gaining..oh sure, I have put on a few pounds here and there, but it came back off. You know I have lost the same 10 pounds far too many times. I get within spittin' distance of my goal and then the "snack devil" inside me comes out to play and poof...10-15 pounds from goal again...One thing I have learned is that even if the weight loss stops right where I am, that is going to OK with me. I am not the 6 I wanted to be - ok - I am an 8..big deal. At least I am not a 22W anymore. I like me, I like what I have accomplished and I feel good about myself. I hope you have a wonderful week and will sit down, reflect and feel good about yourself today too. Melinda in Florida

Three months ago today I had my band removed & revised to the gastric sleeve. In my opinion, the best decision I ever made! I kinda wish I had gone with the sleeve back in 2012, but... live & learn... While I had experience with nutrition from my band days, I'm finding the sleeve a whole new experience. A good one at that. I'm much more mindful about what I eat these days, although, I won't lie, I will munch on chips or something "unhealthy" from time to time. Why? Just because it's there, quick & easy. Old habits die hard people. I've learned what my body can handle & not handle. For example, I don't seem to tolerate starches very well, nor should I really. I've pretty much left bread, pasta & rice in my past. I might have a nibble here or there, but it'll be a rare occurrence. The crazy part is that those were probably my biggest weakness back when I was over weight. I was definitely a major carboholic! I'm happy to say that, thankfully, I really don't crave them. I do eat La Tortilla low carb tortillas sometimes as they have 12g of fiber, 80 calories, 8 g of protein and 18 carbs. For the most part, I try to look for foods that are lower in sugar & higher in protein. Not always successful, but I feel this is a work in progress. I'm learning a lot about myself, my cravings, what makes me tick, etc... I enjoy cooking so looking for healthier alternatives is actually fun for me. I know, I know. I actually plan our family menu about a month in advance. Yup, a month in advance. And no, we don't follow it to a tee, because let's face it. life happens. But, it helps keeps us somewhat organized & we all know that pre-planning is vital to our WLS success. My advice to the newbies out there (come on, you know you want to hear it, LOL): Remember that, regardless of which WLS you had (by-pass, sleeve, band...), it's only a tool. YOU are in control. YOU have the power to be successful, or not successful Be sure to follow your surgeons orders. They know what they're doing. I know we may not always agree with them, because we're impatient & just want the weight to come off, but they do have our best interest in mind. Don't just "hear" what they're saying to you, but take the time to really "listen" and understand why they're saying it. NOTE: We are all different. What works for one person may not work for another. This is a great forum to get suggestions from, but most of us are not licensed in the medical / bariatric field, so know that we're only offering suggestions & that only your Dr can give you the best advice for your situation. Plan your food ahead of time. OK, maybe not a month in advance, but definitely a day in advance. This will help you avoid bad choices. Always keep a snack handy when you're out. Something as simple as a protein bar, cheese stick...etc... Be sure to drink your fluids. I've personally struggled with getting all my fluids in on a daily basis, but it makes a difference. Find what works for you. I find that if I don't drink enough, I get light-headed & dizzy, AND run into issues with not having BM's. It's important we drink enough. Exercise: Most of us don't really enjoy this a lot. But, it's really vital to helping you with your weight loss. Oh, I'm sure you'll still lose weight if you don't do any exercise. But, um, have you seen what 50, 75, 100+ pounds of FLAB looks like? It's not pretty people. Besides, it's the healthy way to go. It'll keep your heart pumping, your muscles working nicely, keep your brain happy, and that flab not so flabby. Some people will opt to have tummy tucks & lifts, and that's OK. Now that I'm on maintenance, my next personal goal will be to...you guessed it, exercise! It's time to tone & firm up my legs & arms. Think I'll go on my recumbent bike every day again. I'll start out slowly & try to just work my way up. Looking healthy is great, but feeling it is even better! Wishing everyone continued success! PS - I've got a friend scheduled to have the sleeve on the 29th & I am soooo excited for her. I know where she's at emotionally & physically, and I look forward to helping her with the best moral support I can offer