Okay, I am awake again. Good morning!

Last year,I paid attention to my stress eating. It seemed like every afternoon on the way home from work I was ravingly hungry. I wanted to eat the steering wheel as I drove! I would swing into the nearest fast food with a drive-thru and tell my sins at the confessional ( place my order.) If I made it home without doing this, I would come in and shake the contents of the fridge into my face. Then, either way, I would cook supper, "tasting" as I cooked and then sitting down to yet another meal when I was done with the cooking.

I started bringing an apple to school every day. I would eat it on my drive home and it helped. I wonder what I will do this year? I am going to have to see about that. Thanks for the heads up!

Don't beat yourself up from your eating yesterday. Learn from it and think back, too. Last year, how many slices of that 105 calorie bacon would you have eaten?

Three days 'till surgery now. I am running around like a crazy person to get the final approvals completed. Did I tell you that somehow i was never sent to a cardiologist or pulmonologist? I am so glad that I went over to my surgeon's office and had some face time with the office ladies. Otherwise, my surgery would have to have been cancelled! i have done some major hustling to wrangle appointments. I had two separate visits with the cardiologist yesterday for two tests. They worked me in. I

Other than that, I'm looking forward to hitting it hard for the next few weeks and want to lose 10 lbs before the party for my inlaws the end of Aug. I'll need lots of encouragement! I'm so glad to share the journey with you too! God bless and hugs! Melissa

Missed u too! Found the cat - apparently he was hiding -so weird because he's never done that before...I actually reported him missing on the humane society website! lol
I'm sure your daughter was so happy to see how much weight you've lost! You must really miss her being that she's in CT - long way away from you. I've never heard of the Nespresso you mentioned - although it sounds heavenly! I totally gave up coffee since my surgery but had a cup on the trip - tons of energy after that! lol Clothing size - well, I can still wear nearly all of my clothes but some, mainly the pants which are all stretchy, are really droopy. I'm not going to buy any more until they fall off! lol Then I will feel justified!
I just noticed today was your first day back to school!! Hope you enjoyed all of the compliments you surely had!!! Yeah, those meetings can be a drag - then I have to schedule my 40 kids in all the different schools... uggg...
The treadmill is going fine - it doesn't bother my joints too much, thank goodness because I can't imagine doing any other kind of exercise. Sometimes it bothers my achilles tendons but that happened on a daily basis before I had the sleeve. I would love to swim every day like you do though. Tomorrow I've got to get my groove back on! lol

Darn. Wrote you a great reply and then I fell asleep and erased it all. RATS. Muy Ratons. Will write tomorrow.

I am so happy to hear that you recieved positive reactions from people today! That's always a fun little boost. Just wait... they ain't seen nothin' yet! Hmm. Wondering if there is a similar phrase in Spanish.

Ugh. All those awful meetings. Time suckers, for sure. I hope you can get into your room to work soon.

Stress eating. It seems to come with the territory, doesn't it? I aways swore that you could put a pair of workboots on a table in the teacher's "lounge" and label them "Edible Boots." They would be gone by the end of the day! I worked really hard to get a handle on it last year. I'd leave school ready to start munching on my steering wheel. I would beeline to a nearby fast food joint. I worked to make me very aware of what I was doing. I also brought a medium apple with me to eat in the car. I felt better and better about myself.

You had a foodfest today.You have been craving some of the things you mentioned. Maybe you needed the nutrientsts. Wow. That bacon had a pile of calories! We live and learn, don't we? At least you are very aware of what you ate. How many times in the past did you graze through a day and totally not recall a thing you ate?

Hi There!! Just got back to civilization!! So glad to be home but can't find our cat...=( The internet service was terrible up there - and I forgot my computer so just had my iphone and it's too hard to type on that crazy thing! I'm scared to go get on the scale - ate lots of bad stuff but only a little at a time. Be back later to chat!

How'd your day go, Gayle?

Every night now I make my Nespresso decafinato intenso extra lungo with half and half and a sprinkle of cocoa powder -- totally heaven and my dessert! YUM!
I am sorry that you are in the same boat that I am with weight loss --- guess it'll just suck until it doesn't anymore.
Has your clothing size changed at all? I find that some of my size 22's are falling off and some are just perfect after being unwearable for years.
Saw my daughter up in CT and when she saw me she said "You are so tiny!" -- God Bless the child! When she hugged me she was surprised by the lack of extreme back fat. My brother said that he could tell by my legs -- said "Your legs are looking good" Small victories, a step at a time.
School..... ugh! Teacher work days start next Monday, the 6th. Endless meetings with no salient points. Shoot me now!
Kids come the following Monday, the 13th. Teaching all pre - AP Spanish IV's this semester with 4th block (last one) off. I don't think I have ever had 4th block off before, but it will be great for making it to doctor's appts without missing the kids.
How is the treadmill coming? Do your feet and joints feel comfortable? I wish my feet could handle it -- it would be so convenient.
Anyways -- I am thinking about you and thanking God for a fellow passenger/friend on this journey.
Hugs to you, Melissa!

Awww Melissa!! Thank you for welcoming me home. How lovely of you
Yes, this weight thing is driving me whack. BUT, after 2 - 3 days of no exercise -- just driving and sleeping to re coup -- I did manage to lose about 2 pounds. WooHoo! Biggest drop since 10 days after surgery. Now it will probably go back up and down for awhile -- sigh. This morning I weighed 179.4 -- only 9.4 pounds until I am no longer "obese." I keep hoping.
Soft shells lobsters ran $3.50 per pound, $5.50 for hard shell. $35.00 worth of soft shells yielded a teeny bit over 3 pounds of meat while picked. Not bad at all.
My brother is big into fresh fish and we had a great grilled fresh swordfish steak. But I have been craving lobster for several months and ate it until satiated for the next year or so.
I did indulge in a coule of ice cream cones (full fat) and white bread hot dog rolls (for the lobster and crab rolls) -- ah well -- it was vacay.
Even tried a coffee with Godiva chocolate liquer in it -- it is creamy and wonderful!! A must try for a bit of heaven.

Welcome home Ms Gayle!! I hope you had a great time- we did that trip last year and Maine is one of my all-time favorite vacations!! I'm jealous of the lobster you had! lol I hope it was cheaper than it was last year. Couldn't believe how much it had gone up since we were there about 5 years ago. Things are going fine here - getting ready to go on vaca ourselves - just headed to Macinaw Island which we also do about every year - we have a camper so that's the way we usually travel. Anyway, I'm back and forth between 249 and 251 with the hormonal challenges. I'm hoping to be down to 240 by the end of August. I figure that should be realistic. I've been walking pretty regularly but tend to miss days just because I"m so busy. Thankfully school doesn't start until after labor day in MI. We have to go back a few days before for training. Also, the school where my office was is closed now so I have to find all of my equipment and boxes and which school my office will be at when we get back. I was hoping they would be able to tell me so I could go ahead and start unpacking but I called this morning and they still don't know...sigh... Anyway, so glad you had a good time and I hear you about the slow weight loss. It will probably speed up when you are back in your routine at home. I know I won't be getting any cardio in at Mackinaw, but will swim when I can. Take care! Melissa

Im ok hun. I can't wait to go swimming. I should call & ask my Dr. when I can go. I'm doing good on the loss. 25lbs so far. Haven't hit the infamous stall yet! I'm glad ur doing so well & keep up the awesome work!

Hey my friend! How have you been?

Hi Gayle I see your weight loss is good see we had surgery on the same day I'm only down 15lbs help don't know what I'm doing wrong

Hi there! So glad you posted- it gave me a better attitude and that's part of my problem. I hope I didn't discourage you! I'm doing ok - I just need to get more busy - I've been really tired and so haven't been doing much. The mall is a good idea! The YMCA is way too expensive here and not very close - we don't have one in Ypsi - would have to go to Ann Arbor. I looked at treadmills and ellipticals yesterday and will get one tomorrow. I will walk as I used to all the time. Anyway, I'm sorry if I discouraged you! I will do better - I actually have been upping my calories so we'll see how that goes. Take care my friend - love and appreciate you too! =)

We had surgery about the same time.. How are you doing??? Loved your tips for puree foods.. I am doing okay but don't get enough protein in, drinking the fluids is a full time job.. LOL!!! We are both teachers I teach nursing at a local community college... Best of luck to you and nice to have support from this website