For the record, I do not have enough pink gingham panties. Unfortunately I was not able to address this at lunch.

Also, but unrelatedly, I should not have had the BBQ chicken on an upset stomach. Ah, well.

eta: CNN on geek vs. nerd. It's pretty clear there will never be clarity.

I can give you basic information, but if you want more info before buying, you can go to a meeting for free and learn more about it before you sign up. Which is helpful if there is a meeting close by.

There is a location near me, right beside the library in fact. Hm. I'm not much of a "joiner"; that's the other reason I never did WW. All this "camaraderie" and "companionship" and "support", ick.

Maybe I will.

I'm curious if anyone has taken off a significant amount of weight and kept it off for five years or more.

Zen, when my sister and I did the meetings we frequently came in, did the weigh in, and booked it out of there. (To the bar, as often as not. But we counted the points!) Also, some meetings are more rah rah than others.

There seem to be multiple leaders at this location' perhaps I can hunt down one who's fairly laid-back.

Zen, when my sister and I did the meetings we frequently came in, did the weigh in, and booked it out of there

I do WW with a friend and that's what she usually does. For me, I need the meeting. I need that kind of support.

Also, some meetings are more rah rah than others.

Absolutely. I like my leader a lot. She's got energy and sass, but she doesn't and won't blow sunshine up your ass.

she doesn't and won't blow sunshine up your ass.

Which is good, 'cuz that's where the sun don't shine.

It's the White Mountains. The nearest town is still small: Show Low. It's maybe three and a half hours northeast of Phoenix. It's about three and a half hours from everywhere, frankly, Tucson, Flagstaff, you name it, we're three and a half hours from it.

But not from me! Wah!

I think fears of hyponatremia are overblown for the vast majority of people. According to Grace's GI and dietician, hyponatremia is "common" only in infants or athelets who are sweating a lot and at risk for a salt imbalance. When pressed, the GI told us that adult kidneys can process 15 liters of water a day safely but it's 15 liters spaced out over the entire day. He said adults should consume about 3 liters a day of water, but most of the water comes from foods.

Water is super useful because water by itself is not digested in the same way as food and other liquids. However, water can increase the volume tolerance of a stomach so if you want to feel full faster, it's best NOT to have water an hour before you eat (conversely we give Grace the same amount of water an hour or 30 min before a feed as a prep to get her stomach primed to accept 8 ounces of liquid).

Water will also help with moving the poop along so it can help with reflux relating from volume intolerance. Water with food or after food, however, doesn't produce the same results.

So I guess, Liese, I'm saying if it works for your DH, it makes sense,

I work with someone who lost about 30 lbs 7 years ago and has kept it off. And another guy who lost about 45 lbs maybe a decade ago. Both of them really upped their exercise after they lost the weight and that seems to be key. In NYC, I worked with someone who lost 90 lbs and had kept it off for 7 years when I met her. She brought in pictures to show us once and it was kind of amazing. I haven't seen her in a decade, though, so I don't know if that's still true.

My cousin had gastric bypass surgery several (Maybe 6, can't remember) years ago and lost almost 200lbs and has kept it off, but I don't know if surgery counts.

I'm curious if anyone has taken off a significant amount of weight and kept it off for five years or more.

I took off 15-20 lbs four years ago. It's still off. I didn't do WW but I did track my calories using online applications (Fitday or livestrong). The maintenance has been based on changing my eating habits (much less pasta, more whole grains, fewer snacks), making sure I exercise regularly, and weighing myself every morning.

The key for maintenance for me is remembering how difficult/annoying it was to lose the weight in the first place. Well, and I have other, family-related incentives.