PATCHELTON

I like Worldwide Protein Shakes, available at Vitamin Shoppe and vitaminshoppe.com. Individually they are $2.79 each but if you buy a 12 pack for $27.99 they are about $2.33 each. They come in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana Cream, and Cookies n' Cream (my favorite--tastes like a minty chocolate Oreo) I have powders at home to make smoothies, but for grab and go I like the WW. 35g protein, low in fat/carbs/sugar.

You have years ahead of you to look your best. I may need a lottery win to do it but I would love a total body lift, or at least a tummy tuck. I plan to be a rockin hot mama (and just cuz I am almost 64 that doesn't mean a rocking chair). Wish I had done this years ago, but the band wasn't available when I was your age.

Anyhow, my crustless pizza recipe is as follows (I had trouble getting the crust down, so I realized the toppings were what I craved)

1) microwavable dish (meal portion size)

2) pour in about 1/3 to 1/2 jar of Ragu (I use the Homemade Style)

3) cover that with Hormel Turkey Pepperonis (70% less fat). If you like bacon Hormel makes bacon bits that are reduced fat (big bags available at Costco)

4) cover that with favorite low fat toppings (I use Birdseye Pepper Stir Fry--it consists of 3 colors of pepper chunks and onion chunks--I keep bags in the freezer and throw in various dishes).

5) Top with shredded Kraft Free fat free cheese (I use both Mozarella and Cheddar--just had some for lunch today) or you can use low fat shredded if you prefer

6) Nuke for 2 minutes on high.

Enjoy.

Congratulations on your success. It is a wonderful feeling to find that clothes fit you now that you wouldn't dream would ever fit. Keep up the good work.

I can cross my legs now comfortably (weird feeling first time you do it) and I was thrilled when I went from women's 22 to womens 16. I wore some pants I had gotten out with my sister and told her they were new. She said I needed to buy some more as they were too big! The waist band still fits so I keep them for exercising. I bought some misses 14s (women's only go to 16, at least in Blair's catalog) but soon they were looking roomy, so I bought some 12s and they fit! I couldn't believe it! I bought a new winter coat from L L Bean and ordered a large as their sizing is M 10-12, L 14-16, and I wanted room to layer. It was perfect. I ordered some jeans in 12 and then decided to live dangerously when I found a pair I liked in the SML breakdown; I ordered medium, which is the 10-12. They fit!

I wear scrubs at work (originally 2x) and had bought a bunch of large (there is an outlet near work, everything mostly around $10 each) and they were okay for a while, then started looking too big, so I went back and bought some medium tops and pants. I tried them on at home and the tops were ok but the pants still looked too big. I said to myself, I can't possibly be a small, no way! I took the pants back, and said I wanted to try on a small before exchanging them. Well, it fit! I don't think I have been small since I was 12! My coworkers are very supportive. Now they tell me I look like a stick and not to lose any more, but I am an avid walker, and the proof is in the pants! I am still in shock. My hospital has an annual reunion for bariatric post-ops and this is my first year as a post-op (my sister had RNY a couple years ago and took me as a guest; something must have rubbed off on me) which is this Sunday. They have door prizes and bariatric friendly food. Then they have like a class picture of the post-ops. I am so looking forward to it.

I hope you get to experience all the things you listed, and have that NSV of trying on a size you never thought would fit you. It is a very, very cool feeling.

BTW if you like pizza, I dreamed up a crustless pizza recipe that I would be happy to share with you, if you are interested. Let me know.

I am not sure if you are pre or post op, but if post op I would suggest a fill. I am happy your house survived Ike. I live in Maryland, and we have been extremely fortunate so far this hurricane season. In a previous season we got a downgraded hurricane (tropical storm), and one of my co-workers lost the contents of the first floor of her house, plus clothes and stuff. My electric was out for two days making life interesting in an all electric home, but I was lucky compared to my co-worker.

I hope you get your house back in order and you get back on track for your weight loss journey. Good luck.