newmetwenty15

So, I jumped on here tonight trying to catch up with those of you I have been chatting with and wanted to see updates on everyones status!! I am once again suprised at MY TICKER!! I logged my current weight on my ticker and noticed my weight loss and goal weight are getting close to the same numbers! WHAT??? How exciting is that? I am down two pants sizes and starting to feel lighter now. I just thought I was feeling lighter before... now I am starting to see that I really do have bones under all this meat. I have had my ups and downs and I get so frustrated still that I can not drink while I eat, but I am noticing that I am not even ordering a drink until it is time to go! I am down 50 lbs in two and a half months. WHOA!! That was fast. I am so glad I did what I did. I will never hate the fact that I am healthier every day! Hope all is well with everyone!!!
 
newmetwenty15

I feel that I need to share a statement that was written by someone who is a friend of my coworker. I wish I knew who it was so I can give proper credits. But this statement will really explain how it is to people who dare to say that "surgery is the way out". There is absolutely NOTHING easy about weight loss surgery. Enjoy.
 
Why surgery is the "easy way out" for weight loss!
 
Yep, you heard that right. I've decided that I agree with the myriad non-surgical, gym-loving, overwhelming weight loss successes that feel strongly (and vocally) that surgery is the easy way out. They really are correct. We all should be ashamed of ourselves for taking the shortcut approach and racking up an "un-earned win".
 
Just think about it. To successfully lose weight without surgery, all you have to do is two things:


eat less

exercise often

 
With surgery, you only have to do one thing:


pay a surgeon to make you lose weight

 
Well, perhaps that's a minor oversimplification. There are a few other steps, but they are tiny and insignificant. Not everyone has to do them either! But, just for the sake of objectivity I’ll list most of them that I can think of. (I might miss a couple, but since surgery is the easy way out who cares really.) Let’s see, there is:


Convince yourself that you want to do this. This is much more complicated than it seems, so take your time. Don’t get sick before you make a decision.

Convince your doctor that this is medically necessary. Convince him/her that you really do want this and you aren’t just someone unwilling to sweat a little. Convince them that you won’t die on the table. Convince them that you aren’t doing this so you can keep eating cake for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. Because that’s the only reason big people are big people.

Spend anywhere between 3 months and a year working with your PCP to make a preliminary run at losing weight. This should include:


A special diet

Exercise

Constant office visits to measure progress

Significant expense to participate in the diet (Nutrisystem, Medifast, and Jenny Craig, I’m looking at you!)

Lots of documentation

Likely (if not anticipated) painful, humiliating failure (PS, this is a requirement!)
 
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Spend hours to days or more working with your insurance company website, phone reps, and via letter to determine if weight loss surgery is covered at all, assuming they will admit to it.
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Once you find out it is covered, find out what exactly is covered. Type of surgery, location, type of doctors required, pre-op programs necessary, pre-op medical requirements, pre-op diet requirements, and documentation. Make sure you understand it all clearly because…
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Meet with your PCP to go over all of the above. Explain to them what most of it means, because they don’t understand. Make sure your work so far will meet the needs of the insurance company. Convince him/her to do the work to get the approval. If not, return to step 1 and try again. (Note: make sure you do all of this quickly- most of these rules are subject to change on January 1, even if you have a 12 month diet requirement. You’ll need to find a way to violate the laws of space and time on your own.)
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Get a psych evaluation. People who want this surgery are invariably crazy, so we need to confirm that. Don’t use a doc you know. Go somewhere you’ve never been so that they can get that first-blush, cover of the book impression of your particular brand of crazy in the 45 minutes you get with them. Let them write their report confirming your “crazy flavor” to your docs and insurance. They will approve you anyway.
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Take an online class that confirms the crazy diagnosis.
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Take another online class that basically tells you if you have the surgery you will likely die horribly on the table, if you’re lucky. You might just become a vegetable and be a possibly fabulous looking skinny burden on everyone you know and love!
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Find a surgeon that can both perform the surgery (practically, legally, and allowable by the insurance) as well as doing so without causing


Errors

Infections

Hernias

Leaks

Death
 
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Make sure that doc can take your insurance. Not just yoru insurance, but your exact insurance. This may require them to check at least a dozen contracts.
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Do the same for the hospital.
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Make sure that hospital you’ll have the surgery in isn’t a festering wound itself. The surgeon can only do so much if when you get to the floor you’re placed in the same bed last used by an Ebola patient with a cold and cleaned by “Blind Larry”. Fortunately there are many websites sponsored by government agencies to help you with this. They will all disagree with each other.
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Get insurance authorization to have the surgery. Fortunately this process starts the weight loss, as one arm and one leg weigh a surprising amount when removed and given to them. This should take no more than a day or two, tops.
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Have a discussion with your employer. Let them know that you’ll need a full week off from work in the near future. You know, when you aren’t busy and won’t be missed. Again, if you’re lucky you’ll have vacation and can use that. If not, think of how much extra weight you’ll lose when you can’t afford to eat for lack of a paycheck! OH, you may need more than a week. If you come out healthy. If not, it’ll be more. A lot more.
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Have a discussion with your family, if you haven’t yet. If you haven’t yet, shame on you for your discretion, personal space, and recognition of the gravity of this decision. Make sure that you convince them that you won’t die, runaway with David Beckham or Eva Longoria (or both if you’re flexible), or otherwise ruin the home.
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Get answers to all of the questions you have. Fortunately ObesityHelp is a great place for that. You will get no less than 10 answers to every question. Some may actually agree. ☺
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Make sure that this is really what you want. This isn’t like buying a car or getting married. This is permanent and there is no going back. Still confident this is the right choice? Now you know your flavor of crazy from item 7.
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Go on a liquid diet. You may not have anything that you cannot “read a newspaper through”, is solid, has calories, has carbs, has protein, has flavor, or is made of a natural substance. This will last anywhere from two days to a month. Your surgeon will tell you how long.
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While on the clear liquid diet, please try not to cheat on the diet. More importantly, please try not to defecate on yourself. Here’s a mantra for you: “Never trust a fart!”
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Have the surgery. This will include:


Large, but not quite large enough gowns with special butt exposing panels

Freezing rooms

Needle fears

Vein scavenger hunts

Panic attacks

Several other fun moments no one will spoil for you to discover
 
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Recover from the surgery. This will include:


Amazing drugs that will make you fear for the poor 110lb nurse that will help you walk at first. Please don’t fall during this time or you will crush her. You’ll fear this, but only briefly (great drugs remember). Just don’t fall.

Walking. Yes, you’ve just had your entire insides rearranged and have more stitching in you than a rented tuxedo, but hey, let’s go for a walk. Every hour.

Eating. This is really a game. You have a 3ish ounce container that replaces your stomach. It is swollen, but you don’t really know how much. If you over fill it, you will be in serious pain, and may hurt yourself severely. Here’s the fun part- you’ll be given a selection of hald a dozen clear liquids to choose from. Some will make you retch. Some will taste like heaven. All are more than 3 oz. You- the person who’s complained that Mickey D’s quarter pounders have never once been a quarter pound – now get to determine what 3 oz looks like. Don’t forget two very important things.
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Going to a bathroom. The author of this article is a male, so with that perspective in mind, consider the male stereotype of urinating. Now imagine that sharpshooter in the hands of someone who cannot see straight, or single vision, is falling asleep on their feet, whose prostate is not yet awake from surgery but whose bladder most definitely is, and who is currently on their 4th IV bag of saline with lactated ringers running wide open. Don’t forget to measure your output!
 

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Go home! This is the easy part. Stuff your swollen and now anesthesia free self into a car and try to avoid potholes, cough, sneeze, or breathe too hard.
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Continue the clear liquid diet for a few more days
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Progress to protein drinks. These are a joy. There are few if any samples, so make sure you get the 5lb bottle to be sure you love it.
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Progress to pureed or baby food
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Progress to cat food or tuna
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Progress to gourmet cat food or flavored tuna / canned chicken
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Progress to dog food or chunky soups / heavily cooked soft and unflavored chicken
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Progress to human food. During this time you will need to learn a few things. These will include:


How to eat. Remember you’ve been doing it wrong all your life so this should be easy.

You may only have dense protein.

You must take in no more than 3-4 oz.

You must take an entire 30 minutes in which to do so.

You may not drink before, during, or after the meal.

You may not have anything spicy.

You may not have anything with carbs.

No alcohol for at least 6 months, or maybe forever.

Nothing liquid.

Carbonated anything is permanently off the menu for the rest of your life.

Nothing with caffeine.

Nothing with less than a 10:1 ratio of protein to carbs

Keep calories as low as possible.

Learn to keep something that meets all of your dietary needs handy. If you need to eat, not every place can meet your “special needs”.

Make sure that you understand that you need to do this for the rest of your life. You can’t change this. Non Surgical people can indulge once and awhile. They can cheat. We rupture.
 
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Please remember to keep your intake to levels that would make Ethiopians send you food. This is generally 800 calories, less than 40 carbs, and more than 80 grams of protein per day. You must do all of this in 3 meals with no snacks.
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Take your supplements:


Calcium. Note that it isn’t the same calcium that you can get for a dime on any gas station shelf (Calcium Carbonate). This is a highly refined form of easily absorbable calcium (Calcium Citrate). It will come in three forms: A disgusting snot textured liquid found at Wal-Mart for $11 per week, a myriad of chewable pills that all taste like flavored drywall and cost about $20 per month, and delicious chewable candies that cost $40 per month.

Multivitamin. You’ll be doing double doses. Get the adult gummy ones. Find the ones with no carbs.

Fiber. Get the adult gummy ones. Find the ones with no carbs.

Iron. Some people will take iron. Get chewables.

B12. You can do pills under your tongue that taste like yesterday’s fish for $10/month, injections at the doc’s office every 3 weeks, or a nasal spray that costs $350/month.

Do all of the above for the rest of your life. Don’t stop or you’ll die.
 
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Start to exercise! What, you thought that you didn’t have to exercise? Yep, here’s the trick. You are going to lose weight even if you don’t. Here’s the other trick. It’s easier to take that weight from your bones and muscles if you don’t exercise, so if you don’t work out, all that’s left will be fat!
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No really, you have to exercise.
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Yes, that means sweating.
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Make sure that while you’re going through this easy time in which every hormone you have is at full tilt, every part of your body looks and feels funny, nothing fits, and you generally are proud that you’re losing while also being weirded out by how different everything feels you also take into account everyone else. Remember, this is about them and how they perceive you. You can’t be the popular kid. The healthy person without diabetes, hypertension, edema, or apnea. The more confident employee. The more confident lover. The physically stronger person. The person who wants attention. The person with self-esteem. You need to apologize frequently for these failures and must work hard to gently help these people along to where they can think of you as a lesser person for altogether different reasons than they did before, to preserve their psyche. Stop making your weight loss about you.


 
See? Even with these minor things, it’s obvious. Surgery is the easy way out. Don’t be a sucker. Be strong, and just eat less, and exercise more. It’s that simple!


You are stoned on anesthesia. Your judgment aint what it should be.

So is your stomach. It’s not going to help you by saying “I’m full” for about 2 weeks to a month.
 

So I was down to 191.4 and so excited about that! I was looking so forward to being under 190 I could almost taste it... But this past weekend (2/7/15) my sister had a baby shower for my oldest daughter in NC. This is my first grandchild and I just can't wait. Everyone was saying how skinny I was and I guess it went to my head. I was eating like a pig, I had so many M&M's it wasn't funny. and cake and dips and chips and everything I have stayed away from for 3 months... I came home and weighed myself Monday morning and I was up 4 pounds! OMG 4 POUNDS!! I feel like a failure... so pathetic I am to eat like that... I did get sick a couple times but just kept eating! I am home now and back to eating the way I have been and today I was down almost 2 pounds. I need to get back on track, I need to get back to working out and not pigging out on food. any help would be appreciated.. and words of advice, recipes anything to help me get back on track! I want that 189!!! it is my next goal!

So it has been 2 months since my surgery. I took an extended break from this blog and the site because I was getting crazy. I was crazy obsessed with every ounce that didn't come off when I thought it should, with every bite that went into my mouth (or didn't). For me, I couldn't read about the great weight loss that others were experiencing because it caused the same bad feelings I used to get when looking at fashion websites....and I knew for me that wasn't a good sign.
 
Today is the first day in a very long time that I've logged back into the site. Here is what I think I've learned in the 2 months since my surgery:
1. It's more complicated than I thought it would be. I did really well on the two week pre-diet and I thought post op would be like that...I would religiously follow a strict plan and success would happen! For some reason that was much harder to do starting about 20 days post-op. Perhaps it was because I had been on liquids, squishy things for MONTHS at that point, perhaps it was Christmas and all the holiday habits...but I found myself eating things I knew I shouldn't....albeit very small quantities. So when I went back to the nutritionist at about 6 weeks post-op, she was supportive but also blunt. Eating bread, rice, pasta are not good post op because they swell in the stomach....hearing that made me really take notice....did I go through all this to sabotage it 6 weeks out with some bread? NO I DID NOT!
 
2. I have to be more patient with myself. I've settled into about 700-800 calories a day...which for me is allowing around 2 pounds loss per week...and I've become accepting of that. For some reason I thought it would be 6 or 7 pounds a week...but not for me. I have stopped weighing every day and weigh just once a week again. I've dropped so many clothes sizes that I recently had to give away some pants I wore for 3 weeks....3 weeks! I mention that because it is another way when the scale doesn't move to know that I'm doing right things.
 
3. If you share your journey with folks, they will ask you questions afterwards as well....especially "so how much have you lost" which is really annoying when you haven't lost anything in a couple of weeks. It can also be awkward when you go out to eat with them...like I sometimes have to do for work events. The first one I went to was at a freakin Pizza Parlor. I ordered the meat sub, minus the bread...and ate 1/4 of it...lol. The folks at the table kept asking me if I wanted a wing...which I didn't...and saying things like "I should really be eating like you". I think I made them feel guilty...which made me feel guilty.
 
4 I still like chocolate. There I said it. I have given up bread, rice and pasta....but I still crave chocolate and so when I enjoy a piece, I really enjoy it, log the calories and move on. I've also found some good diabetic dessert recipes that I'm working with.
 
5. I still like cooking....a lot! I cook different things (cauliflower "rice" anyone?) and I grill a lot. I'm also eating more fish. I'm glad this part of my life didn't go away...
 
6. I haven't figured out a consistent exercise plan yet. Most days I get 30 minutes of walking, but that is usually at work and is to and from meetings...while I'm glad to be able to do that, I know that I have to get some more intense cardio going to improve my heart health and stamina.
 
So, one question I get a lot is ....was it worth it...and I would say absolutely YES! While not as fast or easy as I thought it would be, I have never in my adult life lost 57 pounds before...and I know in my core that those are 57 pounds I will not regain...so yes it was worth it! Till next time...Beth

I think things are starting to move again! I have learned so much in the past few days about how I eat and drink. I have learned about the foods my body isn't ready for and things I possibly can do better to stay on track! OLD HABITS have been creeping in and trying to surface.. YES, that thing called my eating addiction .... I was trying to eat more than I could possibly hold in my tummy and I was reminded quickly when I accidentally drank a sip of tea with my meal. DAMN, that hurts. I am learning to eat slower and enjoy what I can eat .... and don't even bother putting a drink near me when it is meal time. OLD HABITS are hard to break but thank you tummy for painfully reminding me that drinking with the meal is a NO NO. I have learned to just order a drink and set it aside and at the end of my meal get it to go. I do not drink while eating because: IT HURTS. =) And I have learned to chew chew chew and swallow small bites. I have also added an app to my phone that will snap a picture of the barcode I have eaten and plug in everything so calorie counting has now become my friend. That was something else I wasn't doing in the beginning because I thought ... DANG I can only eat an ounce or two! Well, I was shocked when we sat and checked calories on a bunch of items in the grocery store and dining out! I am still learning and will probably share again my silly mistakes, but they are worth every minute of my new healthy life!
 
I started a little ZUMBA today! That was a little embarrassing... and I was in my own work out room at home... but still felt embarrassed when my husband or boys walked in the gym. FAT GIRL attempting SALSA!! BUT .... mark my words.... a year from now I will be teaching that dadgum ZUMBA glass! It was a fun change and I will do it more and more and more... OH OH OH ... I was excited about my new purchases yesterday!! I finally found a 2X Sauna Suit and a plus size weight loss belt for when I exercise! I found them locally and inexpensive so I was exstatic!! Put the sauna suit on yesterday afternoon (a little tight in the belly) and went to walking on the treadmill .... After 15 minutes, I was sweating like a ... I dunno what to say here .... plus size woman in a sauna suit?? lol So, tomorrow morning, me and the sauna suit are going for a long test walk as I do normally, but with my new suit I hope to find that I am sweating off the inches and pounds!!
 
Well, that's it for today.. Super bowl Sunday and I found some fabulous recipes the family and I are going to try out instead of the usual fattening finger (oh so easy) foods we are accustomed too!
 
Have a great SUNDAY!!
 
twenty15

Hmmm.... I don't know if I am happy or disappointed about my office visit today! I will have to admit ... I have been a scale junkie since my surgery but I guess my scale has been lying to me . I started this journey at 266.5 and as of today I am 249. That is according to the Dr.'s scale. So, I am actually only 17lbs down since my surgery. I liked my scales number better, but let's be honest .... IT LIES! I will go and recalibrate it as soon as I get home today ... or get rid of it and get a new one that will tell me the truth! Other than the numbers, I am happy to report that my tummy they took away had no traces of cancer, etc. Good ole' pathology is going to make sure they get the breakdown.... just thankful there wasn't bad news about that! Now, all my vitals were good, color was good, got off my Lasix the day of surgery and I still have NO swelling as well as getting off my Metformin, no traces of diabetes Type II either! I will say that was worth every penny and hour spent preparing and having this surgery! I did have to get another B-12 injection today because my energy level has been really low, but I kind of got a slap on the hand because I went back to work the Monday following my surgery. I put in at least 9 hours a day with a few minutes for a lil sip of soup and then home to mother four children, putting my recovery last on the list. I guess I thought since it didn't fall over dying, I was fully recovered. YES ... I love my job and I honestly couldn't wait to get back to work!! Well, with all that being said, I have not allowed myself enough "DOWN" time so my body is still worn down from my surgery! It has only been three weeks, but I didn't want to stay in the house, alone, and waiting for my body to heal when I knew I felt great! I still feel great, but, I do get tired (mentally and physically) by 2:00pm and push myself through until bedtime. (Which has turned into 7:00, opposed to 11:00) In my defense, I am up at 5:30 walking through the neighborhood getting some exercise and nature to start my day!
 
I did ask for feedback about losing 17lbs today and my sweet nurse said I was right on target. They mentioned most patients lose anywhere from 15 - 20 pounds by their three week check up. NOW ... by my four month check up she said the patients usually lose up to 50lbs. I will be happy to make that post!!! I guess I feel a little down becuase I thought it was more than 17, but I will take losing that 17lbs anyday over gaining 17lbs. Lots of questions from the nurse and a B12 shot and I was out the door!
 
I had to share and get my weight loss straight with anyone who reads my blog because I am an honest person and I wouldn't feel right lying about it ... that gets me NOWHERE!!! I did that pre-surgery! I will hope to have lost a few more by the end of this week!
 
Loving life and losing!!
 
twenty15

I am feeling great! I know it's still early in the post-op phase, but I still haven't found a reason to be anything but grateful for my VSG. I am healing well and wearing jeans again. I have been a little crazy with the scale hoping for a huge weight loss number. I think 22.5 pounds is a pretty good start! I am thinking I am about to hit the dreadful three week stall and not looking forward to it, but I think I have made my mind up to stay away from the scale and maybe do a little measuring. I don't have to be ONE with the scale all the time!!! RIGHT? Actually, I am now down 23.4 pounds since my surgery date and that is working with me! I have started my work out schedule and actually have enjoyed getting up and working out (mildly). I am still a little slow on the walking, no brisk, fast paced, hard core walking yet, but I know that will come in time! I think I am most happiest about finally being able to eat again (chew, chew, chew) and not having to sip my meals! That sure was hard, but looking back, it seemed time went so fast!
 
I wish anyone thinking about one of the surgeries, doing one of the surgeries, or has already done one of the surgeries the best of luck in every aspect of this great life!
 
twenty15

I know I have a long way to go in this process, but for the first time in a long time I feel good because I feel like I am doing something good for myself. It is not that pass fail feeling, but more like I’m investing in myself feeling. This first month I met with my surgeon again, (first time was 2012 see my story) and got tons of information and my check list for moving forward. I have had my pre op lab work done for a baseline and discovered I am low on Vitamin D which was addressed with prescript supplement. I was also instructed to start Centrum Adult multivitamin daily. I met with my PCP for my 1 of 6 pre op diet check in with a BMI 41.8 which means during this pre op phase if I fall below BMI of 40 I will not qualify under my insurance coverage specs. Don’t even get me started on this. Sigh.. I have spent countless hours on this site learning from your experiences, taking notes, celebrating your victories, and just drinking it in. One of the tidbits of advice was start preparing for your new lifestyle today. To me that equated to - start the behavior modifications required after surgery before surgery. This first month I gave up carbonated drinks of all kinds. It has been a real struggle doing just that single thing, but I am feeling a big sense of accomplishment knowing that I can actually do what I have set my mind to. I have also started counting my chews. I thought this was total garbage, but after 4 weeks, I am just amazed that, I guess, I have never actually chewed my food. It takes a lot longer to eat doing this…. Go figure?
I know I have not written anything new or done anything bold but for me writing this profile feed was a step in accountability. I hope as the days and months move along I can look back and see how much I have invested in myself and not give up. For me as I look back, and anyone who is reading, a heart felt good luck to you on your journey!

I am six days post op and what a journey it has been! It seems like yesterday I was counting down the hours until my surgery! I had an excellent surgery and a overall quick recovery in the hospital. I'm not going to say it was all fun and games, but I do know if I had to see one more Bariatric tray of popsicles, diet cranberry juice, and broth, I think I would finally have to let out a BIG NO MORE liquid TRAYS!! I am over exaggerating a little, but I find it comical that the hospital brings so much to offer but you can only sip enough to get your lips wet and then you feel full!! It seemed as soon as I finished one popsicle it was time for my next big liquid meal!! I couldn't sip fast enough before the next meal was being served! With all that being said, I am extremely grateful for making the decision to start a new healthier life and even though this is the beginning and I know everything comes with ups and downs, I am going to make the best of this decision. I have dreamed of the day I don't have to feel as though everyone is talking about me, the fatest mom, or my kids won't have to look embarrassed when I would have to turn sideways to get through the security area at a local concert or amusment park. I can think of so many times my weight has altered things I could have been doing and chose not to simply because I was too overweight and did not want to be looked at or talked about once again. I now have visions of being challenged with this new life, but I have outweighed the challenges with positive reasonings. I want cake... eat half a sugar free pudding and be full and still loose weight. I have noticed that the thought is less impactful when there is NO choice... I no longer have the choice to fall of the DIET and gorge myself until I was sick. It is now a thought, a solution, and with great reward.. I will still have remained loyal to my new eating habits and that thought is gone in just a few seconds, whereas, before, I would turn into a three year old hissy fit until I got my own PINT of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie and ate the whole entire pint alone. I guess the moral to this Blog today is most of my FOOD issues were in my HEAD and now that I can not allow my HEAD to make such crazy decisions... I now listen to my little tummy and when I am full I QUIT. Now, let me remind you, this is just the beginning and I am sure soon enough there will be a fit to throw and I will make sure I let you in on those too!
 
Good luck with your daily decisions and Blog soon!
 
Christie

I am six days post op and what a journey it has been! It seems like yesterday I was counting down the hours until my surgery! I had an excellent surgery and a overall quick recovery in the hospital. I'm not going to say it was all fun and games, but I do know if I had to see one more Bariatric tray of popsicles, diet cranberry juice, and broth, I think I would finally have to let out a BIG NO MORE liquid TRAYS!! I am over exaggerating a little, but I find it comical that the hospital brings so much to offer but you can only sip enough to get your lips wet and then you feel full!! It seemed as soon as I finished one popsicle it was time for my next big liquid meal!! I couldn't sip fast enough before the next meal was being served! With all that being said, I am extremely grateful for making the decision to start a new healthier life and even though this is the beginning and I know everything comes with ups and downs, I am going to make the best of this decision. I have dreamed of the day I don't have to feel as though everyone is talking about me, the fatest mom, or my kids won't have to look embarrassed when I would have to turn sideways to get through the security area at a local concert or amusment park. I can think of so many times my weight has altered things I could have been doing and chose not to simply because I was too overweight and did not want to be looked at or talked about once again. I now have visions of being challenged with this new life, but I have outweighed the challenges with positive reasonings. I want cake... eat half a sugar free pudding and be full and still loose weight. I have noticed that the thought is less impactful when there is NO choice... I no longer have the choice to fall of the DIET and gorge myself until I was sick. It is now a thought, a solution, and with great reward.. I will still have remained loyal to my new eating habits and that thought is gone in just a few seconds, whereas, before, I would turn into a three year old hissy fit until I got my own PINT of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie and ate the whole entire pint alone. I guess the moral to this Blog today is most of my FOOD issues were in my HEAD and now that I can not allow my HEAD to make such crazy decisions... I now listen to my little tummy and when I am full I QUIT. Now, let me remind you, this is just the beginning and I am sure soon enough there will be a fit to throw and I will make sure I let you in on those too!
 
Good luck with your daily decisions and Blog soon!
 
Christie