wantshealth

OK I am now caught up on 7 pages of posts! A big big big THANK YOU to Donna! You were so sweet to reach out and call me last night after not hearing from me. I love you sister! Yes, we seem to have so many of the same struggles. At our 'mature' age (as I refuse to call us old) we share similiar challenges as well as goals that have changed over the year. It was so helpful to talk to you. Riley Jane! I know you are in love, but we need to connect. I know you have been struggling but we need each other. Email me, Call me girl! We need to walk! Mo - you are rockin' it - so proud of you. Tina - things sound a little better. My therapist has talked to me alot about research that says the body sensation for hunger are almost the same for anxiety. Really interesting insight. Ali, Ash, April, Cole, Laurel - hi - great to catch up and see where everyone is. You are doing great! John - avitar pic is great - finally - and you are a techie - OK your next challenge is to add a ticker! Reading your post and signature it looks like you have lost 125lbs so far - that is so incredible. Please don't complain about 1 -2 lbs a week as those of us that are stuck would kill for that - you guys make us jealous! Seriously, you are such an inspiration - I bet Nikki is so proud of you - you have added years to your life! Reggie, Jess and Candra - really miss you. Hope you are doing OK - even if you aren't let us know what's up. Sending a long distance hug. Anyone else I missed - so sorry - hope you are well. I am working really hard on the head part of the journey. I will share some things in the hope it may help anyone feeling in a similiar place. One of my biggest challenges is when I get home from work; I am usually very tired and often stressed. Neither of those things are going to go away. I use food to comfort myself. So in therapy I am working with my therapist on how to find other ways to comfort myself. One thing I discovered is that repetative motion and softness seem to sooth me. (I find myself rubbing my foot back and forth on a soft blanket or the sheets when I am in bed and having trouble getting to sleep.) We also talked about the repetative motion of eating, the movement of the spoon/fork back and forth or eating lots of small things like M&Ms, and for me lately, raisins! So I am looking for replacements to try. The pull to food when I am feeling like this is amazingly strong. So it isn't just about exercising resistance - which is very very important, but also about finding other coping mechanisms. I am trying a rocking chair - I have one in my bedroom and am thinking of moving it in the living room, since I tend to flop in front of the TV when I am tired and stressed. I know that I shouldn't watch as much TV when I am in that tired stressed mode, but I also believe you can't change everyone at once! So I will keep you posted on how this goes. I believe with all my heart this isn't about food or about WLS - it is about getting at the real issues of why I over eat/ eat things that aren't good for me. If I can address this my weight loss journey will be successful; if I can't the band or any WLS isn't going to help since you can eat around any WLS. That being said - it isn't easy - losing 100+ lbs and dealing with lifelong head issues is hard hard work - WLS or not! Love you all!

Sherri - so glad you are doing better. It gets better everyday. Also in a few weeks and then a month you will feel like a new woman. The ladies and John on here are a great source of info and help. Lost of difference experiences and lots of encouragement and ideas to help when things are hard.

Ashley -WOO HOO! Wonderland feels so goooooood! Congrats - you are doing so well.

Stacey - we live really close to each other. I work in Novato and live in Petaluma. Riley on here lives in Santa Rosa. There is a Sonoma County Weight Loss support group that meets the 2nd saturday of the month (7/10 is next one). Also at Kaiser Santa Rosa there is a support group the third Thursday night of the month. I will look see if I added you as a friend and will add you if I didn't so I can PM you info and my phone number. Maybe we can get togther to walk - there are some great trails in Petaluma. Riley is my hero on here - she is such a great role model and so honest about the successes and struggles.

Tam - I am here. Just been really busy with work and home. As you know I work in computers so sometimes the last thing I want to do at the end of a long day is to go online again. I finally caught up on 7 pages of post! I am really proud of you for working to get down for your fill. I think Pam gave good advise. We do the best when we stick to the protein and veggies. And your body does react to being severly calorie restricted. How is school going? Sorry to hear about the unemployment hassles - isn't there something for job training support? How is your little one? She is such a cutie! Miss you sista - we need another walk date!

Pam - You are awesome. I am so happy to hear about your success. 17lbs is amazing and especially after you were so frustrated for no losing after so long. I can really tell you are working hard to incorporate exercise. And most of all the head stuff - that is the real work in all of this. Congrats I am really happy for you. Miss you - can't wait for another walk date.

Hi Cole I haven't been on in a while, but wanted to tell you that if you look at my numbers below I started at 256 and am at 192 now - with 37 pre-op loss and 27 post surgery. My doctor, Dr. Park, told me I was a likely candidate to lose all my weight by starting with a BMI in the low 40's. She said there were good success statistics with people in that BMI range - she said people that start with much higher BMIs - like in the high 50's and 60's she thinks the other surgeries are better options for them. I trust her; she is one of the founders of the program at Kaiser Richmond. Even though I have been struggling, my issues are my old habits - not the band. I believe it is a good tool. Also even with my struggles, I have not gained, which shows that once I am able to lose all my weight it will be a good tool to help me maintain.

CoCo - so good to hear from you. Life sounds really good. so happy for you. If you talk to Chrissy tell I am thinking about her and wishing her a quick recovery. Ali - WOO HOO! 60 lbs is awesome. Great job! Sherri, Becca - welcome! Great group here with lots of info to share - and they will make you laugh, especially if we get Candra, Riley and Jess going! Chris - so glad you are back and starting back on your journey. You will live a long life with it for your kids. The liquids is the last time I lost weight after my fill - I don't think I have the right restriction, but am also not always making good choices. Wishing you the best. Tina - 5 lbs sounds great right now to me! (I haven't lost in a month.) Hope the stress is a little better. Tamra - how are you? where are you? Pam - I like your new picture - you look great and your ticker shows you are losing again. So happy for you! John - thanks - good to hear from you. So am eating better, although portions are not what the book says. (For lunch I am eating 1/2 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of stir fry chicken and veggies - a good choice but lots more than I should be able to eat.) Need to stop snacking at night. Exercise is better - walked on Monday morning for an hour, went to Yoga last night for 1 hour 15 mins, Tonight I plan to walk after work, since I didn't walk this morning, which means I won't be going to the Richmond support group tonight. Everyone else, hope you are well and having a good week. I am loving the weather we are having.

Hey everyone - I added an album with pre and post surgery pics. It was fun - since I've been having a hard time it really helps to see the change - sometimes I think I haven't lost that much or think about still needing to lose 50 more pounds - so it is fun to see the changes over time.

Tina - I have a several Yoga DVDs. AM/PM Yoga for Beginners from bodywisdom media. The instructor is Benagh and it has lots of time choices (for 15 min to a full hour) plus a talk about finding peace with the Dalai Lama. I've used it alot. Also All Day Yoga for Beginners from Giam with Rody Yee - he is amazing. Also have Beginner and Beyond Yoga for Wedight Loss and Yoga for Every Body both from bodywisdom media. I love the yoga studio I got to - it has a really good feeling - very peaceful, positive energy. Hope you have a great day. I just did an hour and half walk on a new path near my house - felt great. Also have done a major clean out of my closet yesterday and putting back in most of my size 14s - most fit great - some a still a little tight is the waist. Got some new organizers and am finishing it up today. Feels good to have 'new' clothes that I feel good in and to have everything in order. My therapist and I talked about eating and food as a control mechanism - something you can really focus on - when many things in your life feel out of control. It is a really interesting thing to think about. Happy beautiful Sunday to everyone.

Cole83 - (not sure your name) your pre-surgery weight loss goal is calculated from the start of orientation. Whatever weight you lose between then and when you meet your surgeon counts toward the weight he/she will want you to lose before surgery. The amount depends on your health and stating weight - it varies alot. Once you reach the pre-surgery weight loss then you can schedule your case manager appt. who will then schedule you for surgery. I highly recommend Kaiser Richmond. They are one of a small number of bariatric surgery centers that have an accrediation by the Amercian College of Surgeons. It has a very high rating - one of the nurses in my support group says they are ranked 3rd in the nation. The program is not easy - lots of hoops but it is there to make you successful and also help you make a good thoughful decision for yourself. I wish you the best of luck. I really have a huge amount of confidence in my surgeon, Dr. Park.

Hi All Riley - Yes I am game for 6/26 - even if we can't get a gang for Vallejo - how about a Petaluma Wetlands walk (you didn't do the whole thing last time! and if we are up for it we can walk both Schollenberger and the wetlands for a good workout!) BTW - you left a sweater at my house and I need to get it back to you. Also - have you ever done Yoga? Where I go on Saturdays your first class is free - we could do yoga and a walk! Tam - you should come over too! I am into Friday eating at home too - it is my work at home day and I find myself snacking too! Sorry you are feeling poorly. Donna - so glad you are doing OK. When aren't you busy, busy! Tina - so sorry life is so tough now. Hope you can do something nice for yourself. I am off to Yoga this morning - it is really good for stress. Chrissy - so happy for you! Hang in, everthing will be fine. Mo - congrats - saw your post about size 8 shorts - OMG - so cool! You are amazing. Lee - I wish I could fit in your suitcase - always wanted to visit France! I will see you at support group in July. All the other people I don't know - welcome - this is a wonderful group. The weight loss journey is a wild ride and this group helps so much (and make it fun too!) Anyone know how Candra and Jess are doing? Have a great weekend - the weather is heaven here in petaluma!

Hi All -stopping by for a quick Hi. I did not fall off the face of the earth, just been struggling alot and also very busy. Read the first page here, but can't read all that I missed so catch me up on any big news from my Sistas of Surgery! Really struggling with the eating for the wrong reasons - you name one and I've probably done it recently. Trying hard to get back to following all the rules, but it is hard. I'm still playing with the same 2 - 3 lbs. I don't think my restriction is right yet, but it is definately better than before I had my first fill. I have had episodes of getting stuck, PBing and sliming - all such lovely experiences!! Mostly happens if I don't chew well enough or eat too fast and don't let everything catch up or do one of my emotional eating binges. I want to force myself to get back to following the program consistently before I contact Dr. Park about another fill. Still struggling to get a regular exercise routine during the week. So far I walked after work on Monday and went to Yoga Tuesday night. Was going to walk tonight but since I haven't left work yet that is not going to happen. I promise to come on again more often, as I know I need your support. Also have set a goal for myself to lose 27 lbs by 9/13 which will be my 1 year anniversary of starting on this journey with my pre-op diet. I think someone mentioned a walk and lunch in Vallejo - I am definately up for that - would love some hugs from my sistas! When?

Lee - Congratulations - it must feel so great. I know the 50% point was a big deal for me. You are an inspiration as you keep at it no matter what! Ali - this is when you really start learning the program. It is so much better eating "real" food. Tell us what your first meal is. Annalyn - the case manager appt is a breeze. Don't forget your binder! I brought Liz some questions and we talked about those. She asks what you are doing for exercise and what you are eating - that kind of stuff. Congrats - you are on your way! Heather - Wow - thats alot of paint!! Post pics. Take care of yourself too. Nicole - I agree sugar is crack! I have to really avoid if I want to lose and not get into the carb binge thing. Tina - glad things are going well. Yeah I don't want to PB anymore either! I have some heavy head stuff going on at night because I know I'm full or almost full, but I have continued to eat because I don't feel like I am 'done' eating. I know it is mental thing - I think it has to do with food as relaxation and comfort. Need to work on my replacement. Mo - you are so great with your pedometer! I need to wear mine more often. Sherri - John and Lee on here have had the sleeve and can offer lots of good info. There is also a sleeve site that Lee belongs to, as well as ObesityHelp.com. Ash - have you tried the relaxation tapes that you got at the last class? They really helped me - I even listened to them after surgery. And like Tina said, all the veterans on here also helped to reassure me. I went through my doubts about a month before surgery - after a Kaiser support meeting where some people were down on the band. This group helped me clarify my reasons again and then I was OK. I was actually pretty calm before - I think because mine was scheduled so far in advance and I was ready to move on with things - I can only think / analyze for so long and then I am ready to take action.

Happy Mom's Day 1 day late - I had a really nice day and got a couple of really sweet, encouraging cards from my boys. Ok - so I am not a virgin anymore! I had my first pb / vomiting episode. Had one of those bbq chickens from the grocery store and it was dry. It had been not feeling good on Thur & Fri when I had it but nothing too bad. But Sat I think I took too big a bite and didn't chew well enough ... and you all know the rest of the story. Boy does it feel bad! Needless to say it also immediately makes you not want to eat! So now I am back to counting my chews! and little bites! Ali - woo hoo - 10lbs! Congrats Ash - it is normal to be nervous - we are here for you. How the test goes OK. Heather - you are amazing - I wish I had half your energy! Please take house pics and put in an album so we can see. CoCo - miss you - glad things are going well. Tine and Nicole - welcome back! Tina, glad your weight loss has started again. You are right - it is a lot of work, especially the mental part - this is so not about food. Jes - cute pic - what are their names? glad you had a good mom's day. way to go on the 5K! John - you're almost home! Can't wait to hear how many lbs you are up to. Pam - happy Mom's day! Good job on staying away from the carbs - it is so hard sometimes. Tam - you can do this thing! How is school? Can you get in any walks? We need to plan another walk soon. Riley - hope things are going better. Please check in. Donna, Maria, Chrissy, Mo - hope you are all well and hanging in. Candra - miss you girl - we need to plan a walk! Yeah I really like Poisin Ivy too - and I guess you are right - she is too sexy for a band - but she is my idol! So Cruella is working! I definately feel full after I eat most of the time. doesn't always mean I stop, but that is where all the work is - getting a handle on all the reasons for eating that aren't about food hunger. I hope to see the weight start to come off now - but do need to do more exercise too. Hope everyone has a good week (and that the sun comes back!)

Hi Everyone. I saw Lee and Beatrice at the Kaiser Rich Support Grp Wednesday night. WOW - they look fantastic. Lee, I saw such a change since seeing you last year! You look amazing - love your hair! We did a clothing exchange in the back of my car, so if when people are ready for Size 16 - call Lee - she has a ton of my stuff! Analynn - congrats! You are almost there - so happy for you. Just keep on the program - the more you lose before surgery the better - it also means one less thing to stress about day of surgery - you don't want to be too close with the numbers. Ali - you are doing fine. John is right, as you get a few more calories it helps the metabolism kick. It will come off. Tam - sounds like you still don't have the right restriction. Mine is kicking in big time! I am eating chicken for lunch and I have gotten stuck a little for not chewing enough. What is scary to me is that even with it hurting a little I have kept on eating since I am hungry - or at least I think I am hungry. Candra - where are you? Now that I have found my band, we need to name her. Notice I said her - I don't think mine is a boy like yours and John's. So in the superhero /fantasy world I really like Poisin Ivy, Elvira, and Cruella. What do you think? Any ideas? Riley - so good to hear you checking back in. Life sounds crazy as usual. Gotta find some time to connect again. John - good to hear from you and that you miss us and CA! I bet you are still losing - I think it can be easier sometimes traveling, because you have limited access to food - which isn't the case when you are home. Maria - glad you are back too. I am really trying to work on the mental side of this food/weight issue. Thoughts for the week from my therapist: How to change / break my relationship with food and put food in its proper place - what it is for, as opposed to what I use it for. Eventually need to make peace with saying good bye to it as something more than just a way to nourish myself, since it will be different for me for the rest of my life. On the practical side, am trying to work on eating slower (i.e. put dow the fork between bites) and more mindfully - need to enlist family to help me. I am usually fine during the day, but when I get home, my pattern is alway to relax with food; it is my comfort. I really have to find ways to still relax, get comfort at the end of my day without using food. OK - Hugs to everyone. Wishing all the Mom's a Happy Mother's day this weekend!

A quick hi to everyone. What a beautiful weekend. We got the grass put in our backyard - so it is finally finished. It has been beautiful to sit out in our gazebo and have Sunday morning breakfast. The spring flowers are so pretty. And walking at the Wetlands is so much fun now with all the little babies - today say lots of teeny tiny baby ducks - sooo cute. I am finishing my 3rd day of liquids after my fill. I am looking forward to something other than soup and protein shakes! I also think Bandster Hell may be over - thank goodness. It was a really hard 7 weeks! Laurel - it sounds like that is where you are. Weight has finally broken lose again - down 4 lbs since last week. And I did more exercise - 3 days during the work week last week and both days this weekend - so much better than what I had been doing. Lee and I are meeting at my car after the Kaiser Rich Support meeting wed for clothing exchange if anyone else needs stuff. I am giving whatever size 16s Lee wants, but have a few 18s etc. Love and hugs to everyone. Have a good Monday.

Ali - this may not work for you, but it did for me. I started to find I was really hungry with the cream Soups and if you read them they don't have much Protein. I got progresso's black bean with bacon flavor and I pureed it so it was smooth and added a little Water to make it thinner. I found the extra protein worked better for me. Robin was worried about the bean hulls, but it pureed smooth for me. CoCo tried it and it gave her alot of gas. Yes, I did yogurt too.

Candra - I do like the Kessler book. It isn't just a 'how to' book like the Successful Strategies book is. He use to be the Commissioner in the food & Drug Administration and was instrumental in food labeling and in dealing with the tabacco industry. So the book is about bigger issues around what is happening in American with obesity and why. It does have chapters on what to do but it trys to explain how endemic it is our culture and why many people are affected by it because of the food industry. So some of the things we can do has to do with the foods and restaurants we frequent and how we vote, etc. Some really unbelievable stuff about the 'right' amount of fat, sugar and salt in foods to make them really palatable and 'hooking' people and how the food industry researches and experiments on this stuff. I like this type of book - I really like psychology and understanding the bigger reasons behind things. Yeah on the eating / chewing / how it feels inside is a tricky thing. I haven't been chewing differently or more with not having restriction and not having trouble - I think because everything no matter what was going through. But now I am going to proceed cautiously. Like you, I have to try to find the right balance where the food stays in the pouch and I feel something.

Chrissy - way to go on getting to goal - you are FAST! Ok so on the Psych - you need to practice counting how many people are in the room with you. Candra warned me about the president's question so I was all focused on that (and of course messed it up because I'm older than Candra and have CRS diseace (Can't Remember ----) and couldn't remember Bush's first name - so I said President Bush), but she never told me about how many people are in the room and with all the voices in my head sometimes it is hard to count them all! :smile:

OMG! - Did I get a Fill for my first Fill!! I now have 6.5cc's in my band! Had a great appt with Robin. I was totally honest about where I have been doing well and where I am struggling big time. I brought in all my food logs - way back to when Riley started me on using the DietMinder booklets in December. We talked about some of the good foods I am eating that are acting like sliders - going through too fast and not keeping me full (cottage cheese and applesauce). Also talked about the emotional eating and the emotions you go through during this journey. Tam, just like you, she did not come down on me at all. We had a good talk and she had some good suggestions to try. She was glad that even though I could eat alot more, I was still trying to stay on track. She said a lot of people use that as license to go back and eat the way they use to - with all bad foods. So it was a good session. Dr. Park was great - I love her! Given how much I've lost she said I was definately due for a fill. She extracted 4 cc's that she had put in at surgery, and then put that back plus 3 more and then backed it off to 6.5! She said I might be done! I was sweating getting a fill since I am only down 3 lbs by their scale in 7 weeks. I was hoping that maybe I would get 1 add'l cc., so 2.5 more just blew me away. And I know I need to be really careful - she said it might be too much and to let her know. She also said that I don't need to see her again for 6 months, but if I think I need a fill in the mean time to just contact her. She is great - I find her so easy to work with. So Tam - I am on liquids - boy I forgot how unexciting the cream of chicken soup is when you are hungry!!! But I am so grateful! I really feel like this is just what I need and I am recommitted to working this thing! I truly am thankful for Kaiser and their program. I know some folks have had struggles with them, but in the big scheme of life, I never would have lost 61 lbs in 7 months without this program. Ok so enough about me... Tam - way to go on your tests. I knew you were a smart girl! And don't be so hard on yourself - it isn't easy to go back to school. Just ask Heather. I am really happy for you. Life seems to be going in the right direction for you. I know you can conquer the weight. I relate to the snacking and reading. I love to read while I eat so I have to be careful too. Ali - go slow on the soft stuff. I know that John and Lee both had some challenges moving off of the liquids. But it has gotten better for both of them, so just take it one day at a time. The pain will get better. Sherri - welcome. Great group of ladies and one inspiring gent here. If you read some of the older posts you will find a wealth of info. I read this site a lot as I was getting prepared. Yes, do your 'last suppers' now before Orientation so you are at your highest. I actually didn't start the 1200 per op diet until a week after orientation because I wanted to get ready (have all the right foods in the house, etc.). I also went on Kaiser Richmond's Bariatric website and downloaded the orientation binder in advance so I could start reading it and understanding what this was all about. Like Ali said, the required weight loss varies a lot. In addition to your age and how much overweight you are, they also assess your risk factors for surgery and those things can play a part in determining how much they think you need to lose. When I started I was 53 years old and weighed 256 and was given a goal of 20 lbs - I lost 37 by surgery, but that was because I did not want to have it during the Christmas holidays so I put off my date until January and just kept on the program. I wish you the best and I think this is a really good program - I felt really well prepared for what to expect, what the realities were and the approach that they use to try and reinforce the behaviors for success. I recommend the "Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients" by Colleen Cook - its is easy to read and has great tips. I am also reading David Kessler's book "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite" and it is very interesting. Love and hugs to all my sistas of surgery (and bro John) - miss you all - everyone needs to come back on and post!!!

Hugs to everyone. Sorry I've been out of touch. Heather - congrats - I knew the exercise would pay off. Ash - so happy for you - you've worked hard to get there. Ali - hang in - it will get better each day. So glad that you came through OK. We both lost the same amount pre-surgery - yeah for 37 lbs!!! Wait until you see how fast it is going to come off this first month! Laurel - how are you doing - life sounds really busy! Donna - miss you!!! Chrissy - congrats on getting to surgery goal weight - you really did it fast! Awesome! CoCo - miss you - so sorry I couldn't come Sat. Can you PM me your new address - I want to send you something I have for you. Tam - how is school? Do you like it? Love the pic of CoCo and Mo - BTW - you both look great - I can see the weight loss! Pretty ladies! Candra - glad you are back - how are you doin? Where is Jes? We need to do a bay area walk - maybe back in Vallejo again. (Although you still need to head over here one of these days!) Pam - what new diet are you doing? Lee - You sound like things are still doing well for you. Glad the PBing / throwing up is much better. See below about me and my slow weight loss too. I will be at the support meeting next week. I have a ton of size 16 clothes - are you interested? PM me and I can tell you the kind of stuff I have - lots of work things. I am seeing Robin tomorrow and have really been struggling as you know. I hope it isn't all a rag session - I'd really like some concrete suggestions on what to try to do to get my hunger under control. My stomach growls so loud and I am so hungry in the morning I can't concentrate - same thing 3 hours after I eat. I am suppose to get my first fill - hope I will. I am eating too much quantity. I am down, just not as much as the first few months - 7 lbs in the last 2 months - this past month it has been the slowest - 3 lbs. I have also gone back to the therapist I was seeing a few years ago who specializes in weight loss - she use to work with Bariatrics in Kaiser. We are going to work on the emotional eating stuff and things like what is the pay off for eating the wrong stuff / not exercising / eating when I'm not hungry. Even though I am struggling I am determined to break through this!!

Hi All - Just a quick check in. CoCo - i can't come Saturday. Please PM me your new address etc. I love you triplet sista! Great job on size 16! Ali, Ash and Annalyn and Chrissy - you are making great progress. So happy for you. Tam - hang in - I know how hard it is. I am still struggling a lot. Very stressed and not managing it well. John - hear you on the need to follow the work. Eating out will be OK - don't be afraid to order what you need and just box what you can't eat. You will do great as always. To everyone else - Happy Earth Day - enjoy the sunshine.

Hi All - I think I finally broke my plateau - I am down to 195 - over 7 weeks 1 lost 4 pounds - several of them more than once Really hoping by being more active it will help keep it moving in the right direction. Walked for an hour both Sat. and Sun at the wet lands. For the ladies who came here in March, the babies are hatching! I saw about 10 baby swans on Sat - little round fluff balls- some white, some gray and with black beaks -soooo cute! Today I saw baby ducks. And the male geese are hissing when you walk by so the geese must be next. We got some veggie plants for our garden this morning and planted them, plus some other plants. So all in all I had a pretty active day and weekend. Good thing since we celebrated my birthday last night by going out to dinner. I did pretty well (salad, tiger prawns, veggies) until I ordered dessert - a chocolate mouse with a chocolate gnache top and whipped cream!! It was great - I ate about 2/3 of it. Also went to see Date Night - it was funny - I love Tina Fey and Steve Carell. Anyway - since I have been struggling for almost 2 months, I thought I would pose a question to the group. Since most of us don't have a normal relationship with food, this journey isn't just about how much / what we eat and how much we exercise. It is also about learning to deal differently with stuff so we don't use food the wrong way. Is anyone interested in sharing their thoughts and what they have done to deal with the emotional side of eating? These are some of the questions I have been thinking about: What is lacking in my life that I use the food to fill? What do I stuff down with the food? How else can I comfort myself besides with food? OK - hope everyone had a good weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather. What are the plans next Sat for CoCo's good-bye send off?