Stacey Halprin

Dallas

2009-07-01T23:01:00.000-04:00

My trip to Dallas for the Our Resolution campaign was so exciting that I am writing this blog on the plane ride home! I stayed at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center on Lake Grapevine, and I felt like I was in Texan Disneyland.

While I was there, I spoke in front of a large group of people in the medical community. At the end of my talk, the event’s emcee, a Covidien executive, asked the audience if they had any questions. In this large ballroom (complete with multiple chandeliers!) there was complete silence; imagine, the medical community was processing what I said! Then the Covidien emcee started the ball rolling by asking me a question about my experience. After that, the flood gates were opened and the hands for questions started going up. Each question was more important than the next. It was hard for me to believe that this audience, with all their medical degrees and expertise, was looking to me, “a patient,” for answers. It was a very powerful night!

I actually think a lot of good will come of nights like this. I told the medical community that we just want them to “get us.” We want to walk into a doctor’s office and feel we are in a safe haven free from the prejudice that is out in the world against overweight people. And we need their help.

Keep checking my site to see when I will be in your neck of the woods. I think you will find one of these events very inspiring. They are usually free, and Covidien even gives out goodies (no, not food goodies – inspiring goodies!).

For all my NY friends I am finally going to be speaking here in the fall! Please blog any questions or thoughts you may have to help me prepare. I look forward to hearing from you…

With love and respect,

Stacey

Emotions du jour

2009-06-17T20:12:00.003-04:00

It is so important that we recognize which emotions come up for us that might be a trigger to our overeating. There are so many emotions, and we must become very familiar with the ones that push our buttons. Those emotions are red flags; warning signs that we must take action now or we will find ourselves head first in the food.

My emotion du jour for this week has been PRESSURE! I felt it from all angles: friends, family, business, personal — you name it, I found myself looking in the fridge and chewing more than necessary. This is a trigger for me; I start to feel pressure because I want so badly to please everybody, which is an impossible task. This is called "people pleasing": I want everybody to be happy and in the process, I forget about myself and my own happiness. Can you relate?

Today I am going to take very good care of myself, I am going to take a deep breath and a long walk with my dog and realize I am doing the best I can. Remember, lots of us use food as a coping mechanism to deal with life and all its emotions. So when we get well, the world is really like a new place to us and we learn almost like a baby how to handle all these emotions for the first time, all the emotions we used to eat over so we didn't have to face problems. Nothing in life, no PERSON, PLACE, or THING, is worth throwing it all away for. Nothing is more important than your own health and recovery.

On a different and exciting note, I'm heading to Dallas on Saturday to speak in front of some very important people about the [Our Resolution] campaign. I will be addressing bariatric nurses, diabetes educators, mental health professionals, you name it! Once again I will get a chance to speak on behalf of Covidien's campaign. I’ll get to tell the medical community all the things that are important to us patients and help spread the word about how my diabetes was resolved after bariatric surgery. I'll let you know how it goes.

Until then, make sure you start recognizing you emotions du jour!

With love and respect,

Stacey

Did you listen to your mom when she told you not to pick?

2009-06-01T21:13:00.000-04:00

No, I do not mean your nose! I am referring to your chicken pocks. I remember being very young and coming down with the chick pocks – my face was covered with calamine lotion and I was so itchy I could hardly stand myself. I would hear my mom say over and over “Stop picking! Stop itching!”

Looking back now I realize I did a great job, if you take into consideration my very addictive personality. All I have is one pock mark at the tip of my forehead – not bad, huh!

You would think I would have learned my lesson as a kid, but here is the adult version of that same story, which did not turn out as well or as disciplined. As most of you know, after losing over 300 lbs, I needed at least 12 plastic surgeries (so far!) to deal with all the damage of being obese for so many years. I always knew I would need surgery on my body, but never dreamed I would need a facelift as a result of weight loss. Yes, it was my choice, but after losing so much weight in such a short time span, my face (particularly my chin) looked like a pelican who is storing fish in its gullet so it has something to eat when the food is scarce!

Losing weight made my face look ten years older. My surgeon explained he could do half a facelift and pull back all the hanging skin from my chin and cut behind my ears and sew it back. Wow! Three weeks later I looked so much younger (or, perhaps more accurately, more like my real age). The problem was that, while I was healing, I picked at the stitches and the staples all the time – I could not stop and as a result, I was badly scarred around my ears. In the heat of the summer I had to wear my hair down to cover all the scars.

So now, four years later, I decided I had enough of being hot in the summer and wearing my hair down even in the pool and last week I went into surgery again to remove my scars. I was supposed to go under a light sedation but, as I tell people all the time, plastic surgery is not a perfect science. When I was under, my breathing was not good so they had to give me general anesthesia and what seemed to me like a simple scar revision included putting a pipe down my throat. I knew immediately when I woke up, without them telling, me because I did not feel well. Surgery is a serious decision, and no matter what you are doing you must always be aware of the risks.

Once again, I made my doctor laugh because I said to him as I always do: While I am under, “please put my ass in my face!”

Today, doctors can take fat from other places in your body and shoot it into the lines and folds of your face. As I told him, my “behind” is something I always hated, so it might as well do some good – we both laughed at that.

Anyway its four days later and I had to go out and get garden gloves to sleep with because I found myself picking at the scabs and stitches in my sleep. Once an addict, always an addict. But I am doing well. I looked under the bandages and my surgeon did a fabulous job – so if you see me this summer, I just might have my hair pulled back!

Hope you are all well and happy and taking good care of yourselves. Wishing you a continued life of “winning after losing!”

With Love,
Stacey

Back in NYC

2009-05-08T20:02:00.001-04:00

Well, here I am back in NYC after being in Baltimore for the launch of the Our Resolution campaign. It was truly exciting!

On Tuesday, May 5th, I spoke to an audience of 50 potential patients considering bariatric surgery, their friends and family, area hospitals and some members of the medical community. I got the chance to stand in front of them and tell my story, and what a surprise it was to me that, after the surgery, my Type 2 Diabetes was completely resolved. It happened so fast that I was very shocked and happy.

I spoke with them about the issues I have faced over the years being obese, and from the stage I could see their heads bobbing up and down as I was talking – they reminded me of those bobble heads that you see in cars! Later they told me it was like I was telling their own personal stories.

I was also lucky enough to get a very unusual opportunity: the next morning I spoke to a room filled with representatives from the medical community. At first I felt very nervous; I mean, after all, these were the doctors we usually see in white coats! I had the chance to tell the story from the patient’s point of view and share with them what the medical community could do to make an obese patient’s life easier. I told them how important they were to me and how much I appreciated their work, but also told them about the prejudice I have experienced over the years in hospitals, clinics and emergency rooms.

The medical community seemed very eager to hear my story, and I hope after this whole event, everyone from PCPs to diabetes experts and surgeons, and even insurance providers realize that bariatric surgery is an option for resolving Type 2 Diabetes. Finding this out is groundbreaking!

I also got to do lunch with the girls while in Baltimore, which is known for its delicious crabs. Let me tell you, I had quite an epiphany – something I should have always known, but eating out for me is very different now. It used to be solely about the food, and now it’s about the socializing. One woman asked me where I wanted to eat, and I said, “I don’t care” – and I truly meant it. We all know that anywhere you eat, you can have a healthy meal if you want it. So I had the crab – just not in mounds of melted better – atop a fantastic salad and was very satisfied.

I look forward to blogging about future events with Our Resolution and hey, maybe even meeting you in person one day!

Stayed tuned for my future adventures,
Stacey

PLEASE JOIN ME FOR AN INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR

2009-05-02T14:43:00.001-04:00

Learn about Bariatric Surgery & Resolving Type 2 Diabetes
Stacey will share her experiences and answer your questions about bariatric surgery, life without diabetes and her book, "Winning After Losing."

WHEN
May 5, 2009
TIME
7:00pm
WHERE
Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, Loch Raven Room
Baltimore, MD
WHAT
Information Seminar
Q & A Session
Book Signing

RSVP
www.OurResolution.com or 1-800-680-6190

Presented in partnership with Covidien

Click here to download the flyer

2009-04-28T22:46:00.001-04:00

A big welcome to my new arrival "TUSHY" who I adopted on April 23, 2009... He's my new baby Maltese that was born on January 1, 2009. I named him Tushy because he's as cute a baby's butt! Take a look and see for yourself!! I know you will all agree!

My friends... As you all know on March 16, 2009 my toy Pomeranian Gertie had passed on. Gertie played a major role in my recovery and regaining my life. Her absence has left a great void in my heart and she will never be forgotten. Tushy will never replace Gertie and the importance she played in my life, but he sure has greatly lifted my spirits, helped subside the pain and brought a twinkle back into my eyes. I welcome Tushy into my world and look forward to many years of a fun-filled and full life with my new dog companion.

Thank you all for sharing in my life...

An Open Thank You Note to Gertie

2009-03-19T20:58:00.002-04:00

On Monday - March 16, 2009 my toy Pomeranian Gertie had died in my arms. Most of my life I had wanted a dog, but having escalated over the years to 550 lbs. I could not walk myself let alone a dog.

After receiving gastric bypass surgery and losing a tremendous amount of weight, I had gone to visit a childhood friend I had shut out of my life for many years due to the embarrassment I felt over my weight. That night at her house the most beautiful creature on the face of the earth walked out from another room, it was Gertie. My friend and her husband looked at me and the dog with a weird expression on their faces. Guess what? I went home with Gertie that night! They had seen I was fully mobile and knew I was ready for a dog. It turned out that they had to find a home for their dog. They had been recently married and the condo they lived in did not allow dogs, as well as her husband being allergic. Gertie was seven years old and became depressed leaving her home. I had taken her from a house with a backyard and ducks to a 12th floor apartment in Manhattan.

My friend had given her to me on a Friday and said if it did not work out she would come into the city and pick her up the following Monday. Saturday night I called to tell her to come Monday because the dog was not happy and I couldn’t bear to see a dog that way. But then something happened on Sunday night. Gertie was on my bed and nearly fell off. I had caught her just in time. From that moment on we started an unbreakable bond. By Monday morning we were a team.

I had started this brand new life with mobility. I took Gertie everywhere with me. We went to all the places I never got to see due to my past obesity. I was now seeing everything for the first time with Gertie. I even sold jewelry at the flea markets on weekends and Gertie was in the booth drawing people to my table. Gertie was not only stunning to the eye, but had a heart of gold. I needed to keep walking as I recovered from all the surgeries after weight loss. Gertie made sure I did just that. She sat on my bed through all my recoveries of eleven surgeries and made sure that even on my most depressed days I knew I had to deal with her and take her out.

Some people feel Manhattan is this large city where you can get lost and become anonymous. Gertie introduced me to everyone on my street and suddenly they all knew us by name. I went on dates with men who felt free to approach me because Gertie was an icebreaker. I would joke with people and say Gertie will find me my husband. Gertie even came to Chicago to be on the Oprah set with me. She loved the hotel and would sneak out into the hall to take food off the trays left in front of people’s doors. I remember her having a whole loaf of French bread in that little mouth. The six years I spent with Gertie will always be remembered as the happiest times of my life. She showed me how to let people into my life and how to appreciate the little things. There has not been a day in six years she has not made me laugh.

Gertie got very sick and was in pain. Making the decision to let her go nearly killed me. I held her in my arms until she took her last breath. While she was still alive I thanked her over and over as I kissed her little nose that looked like a Spanish olive. “Thank you Gertie, thank you! You are for sure the best thing that ever happened to me and your paw prints will be forever embedded deep within my heart!”

Thank you Indiana

2008-09-18T15:15:00.003-04:00

You welcomed me with open arms and i thank you so much for that. I was very impressed with the scottish rite cathedral. It was elegant and larger than life. What a pleasure to speak for such a loving and accepting audience. I loved my visit to Indiana It was unforgettable. I got to meet a lot of you briefly and i feel your pain more than you know. Always remember what i said " you are a during" not a before and not an after. "their are no finish lines" This is a tough battle but it is a battle you can win if you get the right support. I got to visit some friends i grew up in new york with who now live in Indiana and i had a ball. Please keep in touch and let me now how you are doing! wishing you all winning after losing!!!!!!
with love stacey

New Year, New Promises, New Lie…

2008-01-03T23:08:00.000-05:00

Are we going to lie to ourselves yet one more year by telling ourselves that this is the year we’ll lose our weight? Each year at the stroke of midnight I’d tell myself that my new life would begin. The ball would drop and then I’d say, “Well tomorrow morning could be the start of my new day.” Morning would come, and before you knew it (as I’m picking at the leftovers), I’m telling myself I’ll begin on the 5th… then the 10th… and so the lie begins. Let’s be truthful this year and set realistic goals. If you have a single thought telling you that you can do it on your own… well that’s the biggest lie of all!

The next lie I told myself was that going to a shrink or eating healthy foods was too expensive (at the time I was on SSI). If you’re real honest with yourself about what kind of money you spend on your binge foods, then you’ll come to realize you’ve also found your pot of gold! Just for the record, for those of you who have written to me over and over about how expensive it is to make diet meals, I say it’s time to look at the truth! When you add it all up at the end, protein foods like chicken and turkey, your vegetables and fruits do not cost as much as what is spent on your other groceries and binge foods. Finding a support team is the most important thing you can do. It might be a friend or friends that you can share what you’re going through with, a therapist to deal with the issues that make you eat in the first place, or going to online support groups. For those of you who don’t know, many of these groups do take insurances, even Medicaid!

I also want to recommend something that helps keep me motivated. I faithfully watch the show “The Biggest Loser”. The season premier began Jan. 1st, so if you missed it, please tune in next Tuesday night on NBC. Watching people change their lives is very motivating to me; in fact, I have a ritual that I do for health reasons. I’m supposed to drink 100 oz. of water a day which I have so much trouble getting down, so every Tuesday I drink huge amounts of water while watching The Biggest Loser. I do not agree 100% with everything on the show, for instance: how much they focus on the numbers on the scale. But man! Seeing them lose that weight and all the exercise they do makes me motivated! For you it may not be water, so how about you agree to exercise during all the commercials? Watching that show is free, try it!

I wish you all the happiest New Year ever and for this to be your year of stopping the lies. “To my vow I hold true, I will not go back!”

With Love and faith of losing to win!
Stacey

Don't hide in your winter coat!

2007-11-10T20:03:00.000-05:00

Uh oh guess what's coming? Winter, the season we are tempted not to exercise any more cause its too cold out and you don't want to get out and walk or go to the gym.The season we are most tempted to stay inside. Get out the stretch pants and vegitate on the couch like the potatoes we really are. Mmmmmm hot cocoa sounds perfect and don't forget the mini marshmellows. We eat all winter and gain the weight that we are going to have to lose come spring for the summer season. Hey, in that winter coat no one can really tell i'm gaining weight! Lets not do it this yr and lets not wait for new years to make that resloution that we never keep anyway.By the time new yrs comes we have already packed on the pounds from thanksgiving,christmas,channukkah and kwanza. When it comes to eating on the holidays i take on everyones religion! Lets get it right this time. The first two yrs after my gastric bypass surgery i did not do the holidays because i was not confident i could handle it. It took a few years in recovery to go back to the tables(sounds like i'm going to vegas) lol! Break the cycle you can do it! Don't tell me you can't do away with the holidays one year to get a lifetime of happiness! If you must do the holidays prepare ahead of time or i'm telling you now you are doomed. In my upcoming blogs i will be talking about healthy subsitutions and new behaviors. TO MY VOW I HOLD TRUE I WILL NOT GO BACK! happy holidays to one and all.... stacey

"The Dating Game"

2007-10-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

It has been a month since last time I blogged,I felt it was time.Have any of you losers(and i mean weight)lost most or all of your weight and started back dating?HOLY COW!!! My real age and dating age are two different numbers. When it comes to knowing how to do this thing called "dating" pardon my french but I suck at it! I may look mature and act sophisticated on the outside but when it comes to dating my age is about 17 and its getting older all the time which is a good thing. The big issue for me is the body image problem, some of you may have more or less of it depending from where you came physically and emotionally but coming from a three hundred pound weight loss it has been a big issue.First of all they already think something must be a little wrong with me as i have never been married yet. In a lot of cases they may have cause to be worried, I don't feel i want to blurt out my whole history to every man i meet or date because if the truth be known i was married, to my food addiction that is ,which came in the form of a large monkey on my back and unless i feel safe to share these thoughts or think that this man may have potential for me why else would i share this info? The first yr dating I blurted out all my imperfections on the first or second date.I wanted to warn them all ahead of time and I had this idea if i showed them my body right away if i was rejected at least i had not fallen for them yet which would mean less hurt. The problem with that was I have never been nor ever will be a promiscuous women, so that behavior did not last long. Now it is five and a half yrs later since my gastric bypass surgery and even with eleven plastic surgeries it will never be right. However the lucky part is that with my clothes on nobody would ever have believed i had once weighed 500 pounds! I'm doing a lot better at not chasing men off so fast but I still have a ways to go, In my heart I want to believe that I will fall in love someday with a man who can in fact look past all the imperfections and love me the way I deserve to be loved the way everybody deserves to be loved .Inside of me is a very sensual women just waiting to come out of her shell but waiting for someone I am sure I can trust. My vow holds strong I will not go back!!! xo stacey

living in the gray

2007-09-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you but when my life isn't totally exciting or on the opposite spectrum really low and sometimes dramatic,i find it hard to know how to live. We as addicts are used to black and white thinking but i have found on my journey towards recovery that life has a lot of gray in between Moments in life which i call gray days.Those days when it seems you have nothing to look forward to and their is nothing dramatic going on. Regular old days are the hardest for me. I sometimes don't know how to function without excitement or drama whether it be bad or good. I know it is important for me to learn to live in the gray because in most people's lives that makes up most the majority of their time.I feel particularly lonely without excitement. When i was 550 lbs there was always something dramatic going on and as i lost weight there was a tremendous amount of excitement but now i am in the gray again and trying to be ok with it. I know there is always excitement around the corner but i must learn to function when life is quiet. I would love to hear if anyone out there can relate to this gray day syndrome? with love..... stacey

The day that changed my life …

2007-09-11T17:10:00.000-04:00

Hi my friends
I could not miss blogging today, this being such an important day in history and in my life personally. I watched the memorial on television today and still can not believe the tragedy of the whole thing. All those innocent lives lost and the poor people left behind to carry on. My heart and prayers are with them all. I sit here and think how six years ago today was a changing point in my life. Living so close to “ground zero” I remember the horror I felt not only for those people but also for myself. I was over 500 pounds and stuck in my elevator apartment building. I didn’t know if my building was next, how would I get out? If I did get out, where was I going? People were running around like crazy, I couldn’t run, I could barely walk. Something clicked that day and I new if I lived through this I had to make a big change in my life, the rest is history and an ongoing one at that.

I wanted to share two important things with you today on this important anniversary for me. The first is “let the shopper beware”. Wow, I mean wow! I know when it comes to food I am an addict. I also know that I am not cured and right now I have the “tiger by the tail” but I have to watch those addictive patterns. I mean with the shopping. In the past whatever money I had went for two things; one being food (that is obvious) and the other being my beauty. My make-up and personal things like that. Oh, right once in awhile I paid a bill or two. Very little went for shopping. Who could shop? They didn’t have drive thru shopping, (emmm an idea). I had a dress maker who once or twice a year I picked out material and she made me outfits. That was shopping. Now that I don’t spend as much time and money on eating I spend a lot of time walking and “window shopping” and sometimes that is exactly what I do… I buy the window!! I have to stop, it is like I am trying to make up for all the lost years. It is great to go into a store and buy something off the rack and on sale. Whew! What a concept. Then living in Manhattan doesn’t help… the shopping capital of world. Okay breathe deeply, I’ll be all right! Seriously I have to, we have to watch out for these substitutions of one addiction for another some can be expensive, and some can be dangerous all can be costly. Let’s keep in touch about this and talk about it.

The other thing I wanted to share with all of you especially those of you in the Tri-state area. On September 29th I will be at the NY City "Walk from Obesity" event at Riverside Park in Manhattan at 97th Street signing books starting at 9:30am for this all day event. If you are interested in walking go to www.walkfromobesity.com. You can also make donations. I have to admit at first I thought it was kind of funny (I always use my sense of humor, it has gotten me through my worst of times) a walk-a-thon for obese people. We can’t walk, where are we going? Now an eat-a-thon, now there we would raise some serious money. Seriously, it is a great cause and many participants walk on behalf of those unable to do so, because obesity has stolen their mobility, dignity, hope or life. So many people have loved ones in their family who suffer from this disease. Things have to change. More medical research, insurance attitudes and laws have to change too. This can all start with your help and participation. So if you can please help!
If possible come on down and see me, we can chat a bit, I would love to meet you!

So on this memorable day I hope that you all have a peaceful day and it too can be a pivotal day in your life too!

With love
Stacey

no stone un turned!

2007-08-30T18:31:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone

Once again I learn not to speak so fast. I wrote to all of you on August 17th that I would be going in for a surgery. A procedure, I was not to be worried about. Yes, it was for kidney stones, very painful kidney stones that needed to be removed but it was going to be done “laparoscopicly”. Basically a couple of little holes, a TV. camera, a probe, clip here, clip there, stitch there, all done! Considering what I have been through in the past, this was going to be a piece of cake, (one I did not have to worry about the calories for). Did I learn a lesson, “there is no such thing as a simple surgery”! The operation was a success except “the patient nearly died”. I am still in horrible pain; my ribs feel like a steam roller has gone over them. I am blogging from my bedroom. My hospital stay was miserable; I had blood transfusions, who would believe it, a simple surgery. Yet I sit here and think to myself if this was 6 years ago, I would have died. Who would have operated on me at over 500 pounds and would have I pulled through such an operation.
When things seem to be there gloomiest is when I have to look at that glass as half full. My glass is spilling over with joy, happiness, luck (a little pain) and plenty thankfulness! I have come a long way baby and have such a far way to go yet.
My friends I hope you keep blogging I will try to blog more often and I will be getting to your personal emails as soon as I can. There are a lot of those and I am not the fastest typist. Let’s all keep in touch and let’s remember “to count our chickens when they are fried” also not take things for granted, like a simple surgery.
Have a winning day!

Stacey

oprah mail

2007-08-17T20:51:00.000-04:00

DEAR FRIENDS,
SINCE THE MAY SHOW OF MY OPRAH APPEARANCE WAS REBROADCAST ON AUGUST TENTH I HAVE GOTTEN SO MUCH E MAIL. I AM GETTING READY TO GO IN FOR YET ANOTHER SURGERY NEXT WEEK AND IT HAS KEPT ME FROM BEING ABLE TO GET TO ALL THE MAIL. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME I WILL GET TO ALL YOUR LETTERS AND QUESTIONS WHEN I AM OUT OF SURGERY AS I WILL HAVE SOME DOWN TIME. YOUR LETTERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT MEAN SO MUCH TO ME AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS TIME I AM NOT GOING IN FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY. I HAVE A BIG CALCIUM KIDNEY STONE WHICH HAS BEEN CAUSING ME A LOT OF PAIN FOR TWO YEARS. I AM THANKFUL TO FINALLY HAVE IT REMOVED AND I AM GREATFUL THAT SINCE I AM NO LONGER MORBIDLEY OBESE I DO NOT HAVE TO BE CUT OPEN, I CAN HAVE LAPROSOPIC SURGERY ! YAY! THIS ALONE WAS A REASON TO LOSE WEIGHT. WHEN YOU ARE MORBIDLEY OBESE AND YOU NEED ANY KIND OF SURGERY EVERYTHING FROM GETTING ON A GURNEY TO FITTING ON A HOSPITAL BED IS ALL MORE DIFFICULT. LETS ALL KEEP GOING SO LIFE CAN BE EASIER!!

oprah show

2007-08-09T16:38:00.000-04:00

hey friends, i just wanted you to know i will be on oprah tomorrow. friday august tenth, it airs three times that day.

channel 7- 4pm
channel 55- 7pm
channel 7- 1am

it's a repeat of the show i was on this past may.

Welcome to My World

2007-07-30T14:32:00.000-04:00

Hi Everbody,
I'm so happy I don't have to keep my thoughts in my head alone anymore. We can share our thoughts together. When I meet people on the street who recognize me from the Oprah Show, they always tell me how much I have done for their lives. What you don't know is how much you have all done for my life. This will be a two way conversation, because I need you too.

Let's have fun!
Stacey

GLASS HALF EMPTY PEOPLE

2007-07-29T22:29:00.001-04:00

run like mad when you see them! i don't even get out of my apartment building and they try to attack! It starts with how bad the weather is and from there it graduates to how bad the service is in our building. the only way to handle these people that we all know is to kill them with positiveness. positive thoughts send these people running its much how superman will always try and run from cryptonite as he knows it destyoys him. people who are trying to eat healthy for the day do not need negative energy. It will forever drag us down! we need to surround ourselves with the folks who always see the glass as half full.They are out their seek them out.