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Don't tell me I failed!

You know I don't know if I realized I had it so good in regards to the amount of support I have received in having lap band. I was shocked to read other people's posts about not telling people because of them not being supportive (whether actual or perceived). I have had nothing but support from every aspect of my life - family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, church members, etc. UNTIL this random experience I had the other day. A person, who will remain nameless that I know (don't even know that well but they know I had the surgery) made a comment that just set me off. A group of us were discussing the People issue where they show people who have lost 1/2 their size - I love reading that every year - I find it inspirational. This person simply made the comment "yeah - they were able to do it on their own, not take the easy way out" and then looked in my direction. Now I am a God-fearing/loving woman - but my thoughts became nasty at that moment. Now I bit my tongue - but didn't want to. SO instead I'm releasing the steam here! Don't ever tell me I took the easy way out! This is a fight! I realized that I was no longer at a place where I could do it on my own. I graciously took the help that was made available to me to make my life healthier - I took back control! I don't care if you lose the weight by doing weight watchers, slim for life, surgical intervention, south beach, diet of the month, jenny craig or dammit - just eating less and exercising more - congratulations on however you do it and the positive influence it will have on your health and I pray you keep up the success and the weight stays off - GOOD for YOU! Don't tell me I failed or took the easy way out - I'm glad someone else had success without surgery - I did not feel that was the best decision for me since it hadn't worked so far. Ok I feel better - Thank you!
kcmagu

kcmagu

6
 

Enjoying Lower Calorie Summer Cocktails

Found this great eArticle regarding ways to enjoy some of everyone's favorite alcoholic beverages in a reduced calorie manor. Just thought I would share - also remember that Bacardi makes a lite rum (almost 50% calorie reduction) Here are the drinks:   Thanks to the dozens of different diet crazes, we are all abundantly aware of carbs, protein, and fat, and we all have different opinions on which is the most evil. But we forget that alcohol has calories too, specifically 7 calories per gram—more than carbs or protein and almost as much as fat. What does this mean for you? It means that it's a challenge to burn off alcohol, especially when it's mixed with yummy sugary ingredients. The most obvious solution is abstinence, but what fun would that be? Since we cannot remove the alcohol from the recipe, let's remove the excess calories from some popular summer drinks. Here are six summer cocktails and recipes to make them waist friendly. Margarita. The enemy in the margarita is the margarita mix. There are "light" versions out there, but the taste is less than extraordinary. Here is another option that will cut your calories in half without sacrificing flavor. Ingredients:
3 oz. light limeade (either the Minute Maid® version or your own, made with limes, water, and a sugar substitute)
Lime juice (one lime)
2 oz. tequila
1.5 oz. triple sec
Ice
Either pour over ice or blend with ice. Add salt to taste. Sip while pretending you are on a beach in Mexico, and you look amazing in your swimsuit. Calories before: 435
Calories now: 180
Cosmopolitan. The sneaky trickster here is regular cranberry juice, which should be called sugar with cranberry flavoring. This light version uses only one type of alcohol, which drastically cuts your calorie count. Ingredients: 3 oz. light cranberry juice drink
1 oz. raspberry vodka
Squeeze of lime
Lime twist, as garnish
Shake together with ice. Strain ice cubes and pour into fancy fluted glass. Look incredibly trendy and thin at the same time. Calories before: 413
Calories now: 98
Tipsy Arnold Palmer. Sweetened bottled versions of lemonade and iced tea can be pretty loaded with sugar. However, if we brew our own iced tea and squeeze our own lemons, with a bit of sugar substitute and 2 ounces of vodka, we can make a really tasty cocktail that doesn't have so many calories. Or, the light Minute Maid version and some diet iced tea will work for the domestically challenged. Ingredients: 3 oz. light lemonade (or juice of one lemon plus 3 oz. water and sugar substitute)
3 oz. diet iced tea (or 2 teabags steeped in 3 oz. water)
2 oz. vodka
Sprig of mint (optional)
Ice
Pour over ice. Stir. Enjoy. Just don't try to play golf after two of these. Calories before: 156
Calories now: 71
Strawberry daiquiri. Nothing says vacation like a drink that a little umbrella will stand up in. Sugar, yet again, is the culprit. Try this version for a vacation flashback that will be reminiscent of the good times, and not of how you ordered seconds of dessert. Ingredients: 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1.5 oz. light rum
Sweetener to taste (depends on how sweet the strawberries are)
Ice
Throw it all in a blender, and let the good times begin. Please don't consume so many that you try to drink the umbrella. Calories before: 299
Calories now: 118
Piña colada. Done correctly, it is the taste of summer. If not made well, a piña colada will taste like someone served you suntan lotion in a glass. This recipe uses actual fruit and skim milk to replace the sugar and cream. Ingredients: 7 oz. canned chunk pineapple, including juice
2 packets artificial sweetener
1 tsp. imitation coconut extract
1 cup skim milk
1 cup ice cubes
Blend well, garnish with a small plastic monkey, and mentally escape to the Caribbean. Calories before: 297
Calories now: 146
[*]White wine/light beer/champagne. These all seem fairly obvious and don't require recipes, but they're worth mentioning. White wine has about 100 calories in a 4-ounce serving. And it's rather refreshing on a summer day, especially if you add a blast of club soda to make it into a spritzer. Beer comes in very light versions now, and some contain fewer than 70 calories. Champagne is not only fantastic with brunch, it also is around 100 calories per serving. With all of these, just be sure to measure your amounts so you don't end up with a splitting headache the next morning. And there you have it. A handle on your summer cocktails, without adding to your love handles. Now get out that swimsuit and let summer be the party it was meant to be!
kcmagu

kcmagu

5
 

1 Year Out - A lifetime Gained!

So Good Friday was my 1 yr anniversary - how fitting. 91 lbs lost! So let's review a couple points:   If I could go back in time would I choose to not have the surgery? - Not on your life!!!!!!!! best decision I might have ever made (only thing that comes close was following my parents advise to buy my house when I was 23)   Have I had any Complications? - No - I wouldn't say any complications. I had to have 1/2 an un-fill a week after I got a fill a couple months ago b/c I was too tight - No big deal. - I have had a problem with recurrent fungal infections under my stomach - not pretty, smells worse - but not totally unexpected and just part of the process.   Do I have ANY regrets? - Not in regards to having the surgery - but I do wish I had started exercising earlier on and still did it with more regularity. I also wish I had not gotten a fill every month (it's what the Dr's office said was ok - and I'm sure it's fine in practice) I just think if I had gotten a fill less regularly I might have had to force myself to work more on self control/discipline.   What happened that I wasn't expecting? - I don't think I have ever spent so much money on clothes in 1 years time between work and play - it's crazy (and this was with having had some clothes in some of those smaller sizes from a previous wt. loss attempt a couple years ago) My next drop in size will put me into a size I have never been in adulthood - have never bought it (SO EXCITING but OMG! I'm broke!!!!)   What do I need to work on here on out? - EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE!!!!!! - I still need to watch what I eat - I'm good about getting protein in and keeping my meals small - I just know that I snack way too much and on very unhealthy food at times - ok to do I'm just doing it too often! (for example there is way too much easter candy in my kitchen! - Find a clothes delivery truck stocked w/ 14/16 clothes and turn on the charm! :w00t:
kcmagu

kcmagu

3
 

I must be crazy!

I have been contemplating walking the KC marathon in October! Here are my thoughts: Several years ago I walked the St. Louis 1/2 marathon - I was a similar weight (5-10 lbs more than I am now) so that hasn't changed much. I'll have trained for about a month longer. The distance oddly doesn't scare me - I'm trying to do a long walk once a week now and just this week walked 12.2 miles for my long walk. I'm worried about not being able to get to a and keep up a 14-15 minute pace - if you don;t then they kick you onto the 1/2 marathon course - part of me would be really bummed if this happened - since I really want to complete a marathon especially since I've already done a 1/2. My other concern is realizing the huge time commitment for the next several months with all the training. Oh well - regardless I guess worse case scenario - I've done another 1/2 marathon - but I'm still going to train hard for the marathon.
kcmagu

kcmagu

3
 

Losing Weight by Becoming a Pack Leader

I have had my dog Sadie for about 4.5 years. She is 25 lb mutt (terrier/boxer/beagle) she is very sweet but acts tough, barks constantly at everything and historically has not been great on a leash. This week I have adopted another dog - Mia. Mia is the love of my sister's family - but they have had to separate due to a dog allergy developed by one of my nephews. Mia is a 40 lb shepherd/terrier mix. Dogs will be dogs and they are feeling each other out - taking turns exerting dominance but I will be pack leader. We have started walking 2-4 miles a day together (which they are doing very well) in order to: 1. Wear them out 2. teach them to view me as the leader 3. Let them have time together where they're not vying for my attention 4. Help me lose weight   We all win - except the cats - they still hate us all!
kcmagu

kcmagu

2
 

Comparison Danger

So - don't get me wrong - I know that I have had amazing success - I have worked hard and reaped some great rewards. (Now let's be honest - I will admit that I could be doing even better if I kept my snacking to more of a minimum and chose healthier options and if I hadn't waited so long to get a good exercise pattern down.   But back to my point this afternoon - it cracks me up knowing how much time and effort I have put into this process so far, how much weight I have amazingly lost forever and yet there are people who are or have started their lap-band journey at the weight I am now at. :redface: Although this is great for them - it makes me a little sad when i have that moment that reinforces just how far I have yet to and want to go! - OH WELL - ALL THE MORE REASON TO GET OFF MY CABOOSE AND KEEP WORKING!
kcmagu

kcmagu

2
 

Last vacation as obese?

I consider myself truly blessed right now - sitting on a lanai watching the moon rise over the ocean, hearing the waves crash on the shore. I am in Hawaii - on my favorite island Kauai. I was last here 5 years ago. At that time I was probably about 30 lbs heavier than I am now - (this was of course before I packed on another 50+ lbs). It has me thinking about the next time I might get to come (hopefully only 1-2 years away) I have learned there are many levels of being obese and overweight for that matter. Maybe, just maybe this will be my last trip to Hawaii as being obese (of any kind) and maybe this trip or the next would be the last where I'm even overweight. Wouldn't that be something! This last summer (about 3.5 months after being banded) I went on a trip and laughed at the joy I found that I didn't need a seatbelt extender on the flight (something new to my world the last 2-3 years) Well this trip I was overjoyed that not only did I not need an extender - but my thighs did not just barely fit in the seat - there was plenty of room! It's these small joys, not realizing they're coming, that sometimes give me the biggest kicks!
kcmagu

kcmagu

2
 

Have no idea what I'll look like

Although I would be kidding myself if I said I wasn't excited about looking better as the weight comes off, my motivation has truly been to be healthier. I've never said I wanted to get to a specific weight or be a certain size. My goal weight (for ticker purposes -145 lbs) was picked simply because it was the 'high' for what the powers that be say my weight should be for my height. I often hear/read how people are excited about getting back into their 'skinny jeans', go back to a size they were pre-baby or in college, etc. This is a totally foreign concept for me. I have never been anything but obese in adulthood and my teenage years. I have no idea what my body should/will look like, how my face will change or what size I want to be, etc. Although I am 34 I have not been an 'appropriate or healthy weight' in probably over 22-24 years. Physically, I have always looked like my dad (or so people say) but he is also overweight (although not as much as I have been) whereas my mom and sister are size 2-4's Part of me is very excited by this but I also wonder then how will I know when to stop - I don't want to be 'greedy' but I also want to reach the full potential that this tool will allow. My mind is also troubled by this because considering the amount of weight I have and will lose, the length of time I have been obese and the obvious saggage I am experiencing - I fully expect to have plastic surgery. So I wonder when will it be appropriate for me? Not that this is my focus but I just can't keep from thinking about it. I guess only time will tell
kcmagu

kcmagu

2
 

Water Water Everywhere

So I had a hysterical experience in Target - I found they had my favorite bottled water on sale for $1 a bottle usually 1.39-1.79/ bottle. I went in and asked if I could purchase 4-5 cases which they agreed to but said they did not have any more in back - only what was on the shelf. SOOO I took my cart over and proceeded to place every bottle in my cart (63 in all - interestingly enough about 5 cases). Now I really don't think that had I 5 actual cases (boxes) in the cart of the water or 5 cases of a candy bar would I have received such stares as I did with those loose bottles. By the stares of fellow shoppers and store personnel I believe they thought I had some sort of mental disorder. (or as my mom laughed at later that I had prior knowledge of some impending natural disaster no one had heard of coming) What everyone wasn't aware of is that I just love getting a deal and don't mind buying in bulk and if it helps me drink my 2-3 liters water a day - then I will laugh myself through a store with a cart full of loose bottles.   I get a kick out of myself - sometimes!   *For those of you who are green-minded - I do recycle the bottles (refill a couple times before they go in the recycling bin) but this is a choice I have made for myself.
kcmagu

kcmagu

1
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