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Raine, You look hot in that vest! Lucky you to have such a wonderful friend. I hope you spent lots of time admiring yourself in the mirror-you've worked hard to get here and you deserve to wallow in your success!

Congrats on exceeding your goal and getting the the Century Club! You look so much healthier at your new weight. Thank you for sharing your success with us- it is great to see it is possible. Our weights are pretty similar and I hope I can join your success during my eighth month post-surgery. I know my sleeve is working for me, but I still have a nagging fear in the back of my mind that I will never get to goad and seeing your success story soothes my fears. Lynda

Hey Kristy, Congrats on 6 months and a great weight loss!! I'm just a few weeks behind you and I know what you mean about struggling! I generally have a snack midmorning (soy milk latte) and sometimes a little something before I go to bed if I am hungry. I am keeping calories at around 800 a day. I am working out 5-6 days per week. I use a scratch pad to track my fluids and try to have in 4 cups by lunch and 6 cups by dinner time. If I don't hit it early in the day, it's too much to catch up with at night. Lynda

Congrats on joining the Century Club! Just try picking up something that weighs 100 lbs! Lynda

Tiffykins - Tatum is beautiful! Smell her head for me. I love that baby-head smell! Thanks for sharing your happy story with us. I am smiling now and filled with joy for you and yours. Best wishes to you and your family. Lynda

I strongly recommend measuring and tracking your food and Fluid. Aim for more than 60 grams of Protein and 64 ounces of fluid per day. I keep a scale and a couple of measuring cups on the counter and use a magnetic whiteboard on the refrigerator to log calories, grams of protein, and fluid intake. Also agree with Norman about more exercise, but maybe not with your heart rate that high. There are online calculators to determine an ideal heart rate for exercise. It varies depending on your age and some other factors. Lynda

Raine, You look great! What a difference in just six months! And just 16 lbs. to go to goal is a great victory in six months. It always amazes me how unique everyone's journey is. Congrats on hanging in there and losing the pills and health problems. Lynda

Congrats Raine! It looks cute on you. Lynda

Hi all, Just another .4 down, but I'll take it! Onward and downward towards my Christmas Goal! I won't be updating my ticker till this Friday, when I have my first weigh in for the Christmas challenge. Lynda Halloween Goal: SW-177.............CW-157.9...............Halloween Goal-159 Sept 2: 175 Sept. 9: 173.1 Sept 16: 169.6 Sept 23: 168.8 Sept 30: 166 Oct 7: 164.4 Oct 14: 163.6 Oct 21: 159.2 Oct 28: 157.9 - GOAL! Halloween: 157.5

Cludgie, Congrats on becoming Normal and thanks for a thoughtful post and what is enough. I'm closing in on normal BMI with just 3 lbs. to go. I know it won't be enough for me. I have some fat pads I'm hoping to melt away by losing another 20 lbs. after I get to normal BMI. I think goal is different for everyone. Lynda

Congrats! Slow and steady wins the race. Lynda

I think they are OK with it. I found a Community Group for WW who have had bariatric surgery: http://community.weightwatchers.com/Groups/GroupPage.aspx?sid=4511475 I haven't read any of the posts, so no opinion yet. Lynbda

Sleeve of Steel, Did you tell them you had WLS? I was a member of WW for many years. I'm sure it's the only reason I wasn't heavier. I really like it and would love to have a lifetime membership. I am 23 lbs. from goal so I could join now and quickly get to lifetime. Lynda

Congrats! I can just imagine your face as you gazed at the scale. I haven't seen a 4 lb. loss in a single week since probably the first month after surgery! Way to rock that sleeve more than one year out! Lynda

Hi all, My goal for Christmas is based on losing another about 1.75 lbs. per week. I lost at the rate I expected over the Halloween Challenge, but I expect my weight loss to slow in the next two months. I will update my weight every Friday. I weight every day but I only log my weight on Fridays (except for the final challenge date) to keep myself sane. I haven't created a Christmas ticker yet. I will as soon as Halloween is over. My Christmas Goal also includes reaching the following goals: 155 lbs.: I'm a NORMAL BMI!!!! and I have 20 lbs. to goal 154: I've lost 100 lbs total - 32 pre-op and 68 post-op. I'm in the Century Club! 152: I've lost 70 lbs. post-op 149: My number starts with 15. I haven't weighed this since the mid-90s. 146: I've lost 10% of my total body weight for the fourth time since the operation. I have less than 10% of my body weight to go to goal, so it will be my last 10% loss. 145: 10 lbs. to go to my final goal! 144: My Christmas goal and I've lost 110 lbs. (32 pre-op and 78 post op). 9 lbs. to my final goal!!! Christmas Goal: SW-157.9.............CW-157.9...............Christmas Goal-144 Oct 28: 157.9 Nov. 4: Nov. 11: Nov. 18: Nov. 25: Dec. 2: Dec. 9: Dec. 16: Dec. 23: Christmas:

Congrats! You look fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing your story complete with your issues and triumphs. It really helps me to read other's stories. Lynda

GOAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!! Hopped on the scale to see 157.9 today! I missed a couple of days exercise and ate a bit more than usual this week because we were on vacation, so I'm doubly grateful for the loss! Over the course of this challenge my weight loss has averaged 2.1 lbs per week. Fr the Christmas challenge, I will be aiming for 1.75 lbs. per week because I expect weight loss to slow as I get closer to my final goal weight- 135. I have 22.9 lbs to go. Lynda Halloween Goal: SW-177.............CW-157.9...............Halloween Goal-159 Sept 2: 175 Sept. 9: 173.1 Sept 16: 169.6 Sept 23: 168.8 Sept 30: 166 Oct 7: 164.4 Oct 14: 163.6 Oct 21: 159.2 Oct 28: 157.9 - GOAL! Halloween:

Fluids first, Protein next. My go to foods early out included greek yogurt, Protein powder and soymilk, lunchmeat, and turkey chili. Will your hotel room have a fridge and microwave? If so, you can buy soy or regular milk, greek yogurt, and lunchmeat and keep it in your room fridge. You could bring a couple of cans of turkey chili too if you have a microwave. Use these to have a little meal by the pool or at night if you didn't get enough protein during the day. One Protein Drink I like is 1/2 cup decaf or regular coffee, 1/2 cup soy milk, and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Tastes like a chilled vanilla latte. I find it's easier to travel with the powder and a shaker than with pre-mixed Protein drinks. When eating out, I had crab and shrimp cocktail the first few times. It's small and yummy. I drank still Water (no bubbles) with a splash of fruit juice. The fruit juice adds a little color and flavor so I didn't feel deprived. For fruit, I tolerated melon the best early out. Less acid and it squishes down to almost nothing so you can have a little before you run out of room. Have a great time in Hawaii! Lynda

I agree with Tiffykins on the eating plan. Although I do eat a few carbs, if I feel hungry between meals, I eat Protein. I eat low fat version of things like cheese sticks, lunchmeat, and salami and no-fat greek yogurt to get more in with less calories. Also I use Splenda instead of sugar. If you are still losing well even though you get a few more calories in, maybe you are just so active at work that you need a few more calories? i haven't had the hunger issue, but I have seen others saying that upping or changing their PPI helped. Lynda

Thank you for sharing your pics and journey. One year out - it seems so far away now. It is so good to read your story and know I will get there! Your pics are fabulous. So nice to have the side by side comparisons to see how far you've come! And you look so beautiful, radiant, happy, and healthy! Lynda

I'm really open and told all my family and friends that I see on a regular basis. I didn't post it on Facebook so more distant family and friends don't know. Lynda

Hi all, Yahoo! Big loss this week to make up for a slow week last week and I've only got .2 to go to my Halloween goal and less than 5 lb.s to a normal BMI!!! Also I have a new second number: I'm in the 150s!! My Mom was here this week and I did a lot more running around. I ate more too though. I'm eating more at each meal. The change in my capacity seems kinda sudden, but whatever it is, I'm OK with it. I can eat a small normal meal now. Last night for dinner I had 1/2 piece well-toasted whole wheat bread, about 1/8 C. cooked spinach, and 21/2 ounces sea bass. Lynda Halloween Goal: SW-177.............CW-159.2...............Halloween Goal-159 Sept 2: 175 Sept. 9: 173.1 Sept 16: 169.6 Sept 23: 168.8 Sept 30: 166 Oct 7: 164.4 Oct 14: 163.6 Oct 21: 159.2 Oct 28: Halloween:

I agree with the heated throw and seat pad. Also, I get up and move around to get warm. If I sit still for an extended period, I get cold and then the longer I sit, the colder I get. Also, if you are near goal, invest in cashmere or wool. It is warmer. Could also use silk long johns under your pants and a thermal cami under your shirt. Lynda

My poo was dark green and is still a little greener than it used to be. I do eat faster than we are supposed to and I don't chew as many times so it's probably a sign that I'm not getting all the nutrients from my food. I haven't consumed any highly colored food or drinks. No blood though. And by week three, I was pooping just once a day. I don't poop much at a time, but that's not surprising because I don't eat much either. Lynda

Congrats! Normal - it still seems like a dream. I can't wait to join you there! I bet you look fabulous in those 6s and 8s!!! Lynda