Hi everyone who is having surgery in October 2014. We can start a new topic for those of us who have had surgery already.

This is the spot were we will all end up, were we'll share our stories and recovery. It will be a new dawn for so many of us. Let's stay close as united we will conquer anything that comes our way!

BEST WISHES GLADIATORS

Hugs.

Good morning from wintery Colorado. I am happy to report that I lost 4 pounds. I am thrilled. I was so worried. I focused on protein yesterday was craving carbs so I ate about 5 Truscott but mostly sticking to salmon & sautéed veggies. Have a great day everyone

*triscuits

lunch yesterday was:

Turkey sandwich made with whole wheat bread, mustard, slice of cheese. (ate 1/2 of it, and was full)

1/4C Chex mix (ooops!) :-)

dinner was 3 little squares of spinach/mushroom flatbread pizza

Hot Tea

Breakfast: 1 egg/slice of cheese/ wheat toast

Snack planned: raw veggies/ skinny cow cheese

Not sure on lunch or dinner yet

Happy New Year Everyone

​Thank you so much for sharing all your struggles during the holidays. It has been difficult. As I lay in bed last night at 9Pm (missed New year's) drenched in sweat and shaking from a regular sized slide of Tres Leches cake, I felt like a complete fool. Did not do a thing to make myself feel better instead opted to suffer through it. But I fell asleep within minutes, so not enough suffering as far as I'm concerned. Yet this morning my first thought was could I have bite of that delicious cake? I don't think I can have any sweets in the house for a while. I have a dinning room table full of sweets. Cookies, chocolates, etc. Yes, family and friends have put a dent on it but there is still a lot. I need it gone. After this cake is eaten I cannot make dessert for like 3 months.

Top goals of 2016 (first week of 2016, really)

1. Go back to the gym

2. Stop eating like Mario Andretti (yes, Wildgoose)

3. Allow enough freaking time to eat a proper meal and not have Snacks rather then meals

4. Sugar gone. It's addicting and it's making me sluggish not to mention sick

​What I have done right so far:

1. Breakfast usually is good. I start my day right and plan my first meal. it's 11:00 AM an onwards that I need to work on.

2. Herbal tea has been my most wonderful discovery. I drink 3 to 4 cups everyday and it feels wonderful. Something about the warm drink is so yummy. I have a large mug each time with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and a packet of Truvia. It feels like a desert to me and that tiny amount of sugar doesn't matter to me. Mid morning, mid afternoon and evening always happen. I treasure these and I credit my adequate Fluid intake to keeping this trend going.

3. I stay active (not this past week) moving and accomplishing physical tasks has been a drug I feel addicted to. Because I can do so much more, I stay active. I do more on purpose and constantly invent stuff to do just to move more. It works for me. I am driven and goal oriented and if all I have is vacuum, I will do it. I would be in trouble if I had a sedentary existence. That's how I got in trouble in the first place.

Congrats Amy on you first semester at College. Well done girlfriend.

LisaCo, four pounds at this stage is awesome, how do you think you did it?

Shadow, hugs to you too

Pink, your struggles are my struggles too. We are all going through this at the same time. Conga line style!

Wildgoose. I am so glad you shared, and I am particularly grateful you mentioned the person who gained all the weight back eating a loaf of bread a day. That visual is so strongly imprinted in my mind. Thank you.

To everyone who posts, I may not always respond (I wish I could) but I do read every post and look forward to what everyone has to say. I am always happy to read about all your struggles and successes.

Hi Gladiators! So, I am prepared for my 3 days of liquids(ish). In the crock pot is the Weight Watchers zero point vegetable soup. (Google it. It is filling and healthy). I did add chicken so I have protein in it. I also have almond milk and protein mix yogart and frozen blueberries for morning shake. Herbal teas. Pure Protein shakes for work. Three days if liquid(ish) to jump start the New Year!

Amy - congrats on school. You rock!

Beni. You are the best. Your story is my story. I didn't have any cake or sweets. I had cheese. I weighed 179 - the highest I've weighed in a long time. Tomorrow I see my trainer at 9 am. I' haven't seen him in a while. So that is a good thing. I love herbal tea, too. I use liquid stevia. It is my favorite thing of the day. I become more and more happy with my tea. Breakfast has been set for me for a long time. I start each day with lemon water. Then I have yogurt with orange pieces and blue berries. I put cinnamon and nutmeg on them. Sometimes I have a few prunes. It would be so easy to get back to 290. Such a frightening thought. Happy New Year.

Status of my 3 day liquid (ish) diet... It has been fairly easy so far.... Protein shake for breakfast. The weight watcher veg soup w chicken and white beans for lunch and dinner. Snacks included yogurt, herbal teas and I needed a protein bar yesterday afternoon before a big meeting. But all in all, it has been a success and has helped with some of the bloating from holiday eating. Tomorrow I'll integrate other protein. But so far, doing good without carbs (ie bread).

good job!!! I have not been successful :-/

Status of my 3 day liquid (ish) diet... It has been fairly easy so far.... Protein shake for breakfast. The weight watcher veg soup w chicken and white beans for lunch and dinner. Snacks included yogurt, herbal teas and I needed a protein bar yesterday afternoon before a big meeting. But all in all, it has been a success and has helped with some of the bloating from holiday eating. Tomorrow I'll integrate other protein. But so far, doing good without carbs (ie bread).

Pink.... One day at a time. Pick one thing you will do better tomorrow.

I will have my lemon water within five minutes of waking up. I will eat slowly. Thank you for asking us to think about this.

I am on my third cup of tea today. No Snacks, Hurray for me.

Breakfast: Protein oatmeal with added Protein powder

Lunch: open faced roast beef sandwich. I did place lettuce and tomato on the slice of bread but I only ate two bites of the bread. It kind of acted as the holder, lol

Snack: cheese stick

I am a size 6 pants. No wonder my size 10 pants are falling off. Jeez, even though I have gained some weight this holiday season I am beginning to think that perhaps my face is too thin. Anybody noticed this happening to them. I want my weight gone from my tummy not face. Picky me, right?

I am on my third cup of tea today. No Snacks, Hurray for me.

Breakfast: Protein oatmeal with added protein powder

Lunch: open faced roast beef sandwich. I did place lettuce and tomato on the slice of bread but I only ate two bites of the bread. It kind of acted as the holder, lol

Snack: cheese stick

I am a size 6 pants. No wonder my size 10 pants are falling off. Jeez, even though I have gained some weight this holiday season I am beginning to think that perhaps my face is too thin. Anybody noticed this happening to them. I want my weight gone from my tummy not face. Picky me, right?

Nice job Beni!!

I had my Subway flatbread for breakfast

Was on the run for lunch time--so I grabbed Noodles & Company 420 calories, but I ate about 3/4 of it, so not quite the whole 420...

Raw carrots for snack

dinner will be on the run also...wrestling meet tonight.

People have told me my face is too thin, but I think it's alright. I do feel like the dark circles under my eyes are worse than they used to be. But I am prone to them anyway. :-(

My biggest "too skinny" issue is my dang armpits! It's SO flipping hard to shave them now! they're too deep or something. Does that make sense to anyone? LOL...so silly.

I need to do some major rear end lifting exercises too, wowzers.

I'm like you though....hate to be picky, but.....

Gladiators! We are back! Seems like we are slowly converting from "I did bad" to "look at me now".... Small steps. One day at a time.