Hi all!

I wanted to share a couple of awesome foods I'm eating at the moment, staring down my last 48 lbs.

I'm one of those people who feels ridiculously deprived if I can only eat one food at a sitting. I need variety or else, I've noticed over the last 3 years of band life, I will go right out and eat something bad.

Anyway I decided to eat teensy portions of a lot of things to help keep my brain interested in healthy food (other than chick fil a nuggets).

This week I went to Trader Joe's and got the following:

- Gardenburger Tomato/Basil (10g protein/patty)

- Savory Thin Mini Crackers - THESE are AWESOME. Rice and sesame Protein, no whey, flour, wheat...which make me bloat...You would have to eat 36 of them (36 quarters) to get to 130 calories and 2g of fat!!

- Red pepper hummus

- Butternut Squash Soup (low fat)

- Applesauce

- Walnut halves

So given my desire for variety and not wasting money and food, I'm using the above foods in various combinations depending on what I feel like at lunch time. I can barely finish the gardenburger...my fill is ridiculously tight...but I am determined to keep my protein up, as when I dropped 100 lbs last year I also lost hair because of my poor eating habits. Not so much that you'd notice, but I was freaked out seeing hair on my clothes.

I also drink chocolate soy shakes at night. FINALLY found a recipe that I love....Chocolate Soy protein power, light soy milk or Water to thin it out, 1/2 banana, if I'm low on protein for the day I'll throw organic Peanut Butter in there. Considering I'm barely eating 200 calories at lunch, I need the calories at dinner, which is where I tend to be hungriest.

I've dropped 9 lbs in 1.5 weeks. So far these are keeping my hunger at bay!

Buffets are my favorite! A teaspoon of EVERYTHING and then just eat til I'm satisfied.

Except Vegas, I don't sit down to eat anymore...I get the takeout buffet. I've found at pizza Hut it's cheaper than dining in and they boxes they give for pizza and container for salad...well, that's enough to feed my entire family!

Kate! You are my kindred spirit! HAHA. We were banded close to each other. I was in Sept 2004 and I am hoping to get off the rest of my weight this year, too, and get PS in 2009 when my weight stabilizes. I eat like you and am also "taking my time" at this venture...but I am confident it's FOREVER!!!

Kate! You are my kindred spirit! HAHA. We were banded close to each other. I was in Sept 2004 and I am hoping to get off the rest of my weight this year, too, and get PS in 2009 when my weight stabilizes. I eat like you and am also "taking my time" at this venture...but I am confident it's FOREVER!!!

rharriet - LOL. YAY!! It's nice to meet another tortoise. Who, I might add, DOES win the race at the end. What's your trigger? Lately, I seem to be doing AWESOME during the day but at night I'm not paying attention while I'm eating and eating WAY too much. I'm also picking bad food. I totally meant to get a chicken salad from Boston Market and I ended up with a chicken pot pie. UGH. ANd to top it off, despite my band being tight, I ate the entire thing. Yeah, it took an hour, I was watching Steve Audubato on TV.

Tonight I am going to go to the gym and come home with a Protein shake - period. Ugh I feel so bloated and disappointed in myself. Ah well. We can try again today!

I never eat like this with other people - only alone. I need a boyfriend!!!!