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About this blog

THE SWEET SPOT My journal on my expedition to Bandlandia and my adventures there. I plan to stay forever (been to Onederland many times, but I never stayed long). Join me!:see

Entries in this blog

 

5/8/10 Blog Updates and I need input for the Book

Here are some blog updates. Remember, anyone can read these and you can comment under the 'anonymous' choice if you don't have a Google account (just keep pushing the button after you post and it will give you a word verification.   As you know, I'm now working on trying to write a LB book (after a year of messages from all of you suggesting it LOL). I would really appreciate it if you could send me some information (you can do this here, or with a PM, comment on the blog, or via my email) as I go along...I routinely ask questions so I can gather input for the book as I want this to represent all our journies as much as possible. The two blogs marked with * below, are where I need some input currently. THANK YOU! -BG Blog here: THE SWEET SPOT   5/7/10 Lock Me Up...I'm a Smuggler! (Patio projects) *5/5/10 Pre-Op Process *5/4/10 Pre-Op Process   5/3/10 Of Mice and Men (and Brother, Sisters...and Parents) (Helping Parents get ready to sell their home 4/27/10 Happy Birthday! 4/24/10 Don't Have any Wild Parties...(going home)
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5/8/10 Blog Updates and I need input for the Book

Here are some blog updates. Remember, anyone can read these and you can comment under the 'anonymous' choice if you don't have a Google account (just keep pushing the button after you post and it will give you a word verification.   As you know, I'm now working on trying to write a LB book (after a year of messages from all of you suggesting it LOL). I would really appreciate it if you could send me some information (you can do this here, or with a PM, comment on the blog, or via my email) as I go along...I routinely ask questions so I can gather input for the book as I want this to represent all our journies as much as possible. The two blogs marked with * below, are where I need some input currently. THANK YOU! -BG Blog here: THE SWEET SPOT   5/7/10 Lock Me Up...I'm a Smuggler! (Patio projects) *5/5/10 Pre-Op Process (Dr. Clearance & Testing) *5/4/10 Pre-Op Process (Self-Pay or Covered) 5/3/10 Of Mice and Men (and Brother, Sisters...and Parents) (Helping Parents get ready to sell their home 4/27/10 Happy Birthday! 4/24/10 Don't Have any Wild Parties...(going home)
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1/6/09 The Biggest Loser Winner

I’m watching ‘The Biggest Loser’ right now (along with most of you I’m sure) and I just got another “Little Nudge”…Ever since I’ve decided this past summer to pursue WLS I’ve been noticing these more. Over the years, when I’ve been on my multitude of diets, all I ever noticed was the food; commercials, cooking shows, diet plans…FOOD, FOOD, FOOD! But since my decision I’ve noticed other things…those little nudges that say ‘Yeah, you’ve made the right decision, keep going toward your goal!’. Some were obvious ‘you don’t have to hit me over the head’ things like suddenly having almost no clothes to wear, and the day of my first weigh-in where I got my hypertension diagnosis…yes, the comorbidity I needed to get accepted, but scary at the same time. Some were small lightbulbs like my Mom buying me a kitchen scale that I need for weighing mail…yes, I just realized I’ll actually be using it now for food. I haven’t told anyone but DH about my decision, yet I keep getting these little nudges.   Tonight’s was a biggie though…my youngest DS/13 was watching the show with me. He started off the show saying ‘You’re not as big as any of them Mom’…Bless his heart…Denial is a thing I’ve obviously taught my child well. Minutes into the show though the oldest man collapsed and passed out…my son freaked; of course the show was talking all about health problems and that obesity causes them and early death. DS who didn’t want to say anything for fear of making me mad was obviously dying to talk about it (we NEVER talk about ‘IT’, my weight). So, I gave him permission…I told him I wanted to know how he was feeling and I promised not to get mad. He said plenty…he was scared…and he had it all figured out…exactly how old I would be when he graduates college (like his sister is getting ready to) and how I might not be alive by then if I didn’t get thinner…WOW…I hate to admit it, but I’ve been so internally focused on this journey and improving my health that I’d never considered that my kids might be just as worried about my health. He made me promise that I’d be on the treadmill tomorrow morning…fighting back the tears I promised.   He’s in bed now, so I’m glad he missed the part of the show when they go to the Drs. for all the testing. I was glad he missed my tears as I watched the Dr. explain what a fatty liver is (wouldn’t have know that one before researching LB)…and I certainly dropped a few more tears when the guy who had RnY explained how he’d put ON weight since the surgery…I feel for these people. In past seasons you could have found me on the couch watching this show and saying ‘yeah if I had a trainer 24/7 maybe I could get those results’…and boy have I noticed those reunion shows and how so many of those that lost major weight on this show gained a lot back…all the negatives. This year I’m hopeful…and I’m feeling like I’m being nudged in the right direction…I will be The Biggest Loser Winner!
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1/28/09 Snowed In

Good lord:rolleyes:…a school holiday Monday, another snow day today and they’ve already called a 2 hr. delay for tomorrow (good thing I had a day to myself yesterday…yeah, remember that naked running thing?). It sleeted on top of all the snow and the trees are all bending with ½” or more of ice coating. It’s rather pretty actually…DS2 said our Dawn Redwood tree looks like a giant crystal (no needles this time of year). You know,:cheatfree: it does!   I called DH because he was so late getting home that I was getting worried. He was stuck at the bottom of our street (long street with two steep hills and we’re at the top) and was on his third attempt to try and get up it…let’s just say there was a few choice curse words at this point.:cheatfree: It had taken him 2 hours to get this far and it’s normally about a 20 min. ride. He decided to give up and park at the local grocery store for the night…that’ll never do…he’s got an early flight out tomorrow morning and has to be up at 3am…what if the car gets towed, or is covered in ice, or won’t start?...:glare:hmmm…not sure what he was planning to do, walk the mile back to our house through the sleet and ice?:Banane37: I suggested we put some weight or people in his car and try again, so I grabbed my 18 year old and a couple of snow shovels and took my minivan carefully down the hills, sliding every now and then. We met at the grocery store and after transferring DS1 to his car we inched back to our street. Voila! They were at a crawl near the top, sliding sideways:eek: and with the tires spinning wildly, but they made it up…barely (my van fared a little better, but not much). Now I’m left wondering how he’s going to make it to the airport so early (usually a 45 min. drive…what will that be…4 hours? Here's wishing the flight is cancelled). I’m making him take my van…we really do need at least one four-wheel drive car now that we’re living in hilly, snowy Pittsburgh...ya think?! I need a vacation somewhere warm!:Banane37:
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2/11/11 A Valentine Letter and Love Poem

Dearest Cell Phone,   I gave DD my new phone upgrade and rescued you from her butterfinger hands which gave you all those awful scars...I adopted you, and THIS is the thanks I get?! Didn't I buy you a sleek, new, leather case to keep you warm this winter so you could heal? Didn't I hang it on the OUTSIDE of my 'Mary Poppins' purse so you wouldn't suffocate with everything-and-the-kitchen-sink I keep in there. Haven't I carefully tended to your every need whenever you ring me? EVEN when you embarrass me (who can forget that incident in the movie theater...I had to send you to the cell phone manners class after that!)?!!   OK, so I did loan you to DD that night she stayed over to use as an alarm clock...but her cell phone was dead (see, that would have been your fate had I not adopted you!) and there was no alarm clock in her now stripped down room here. She swears to me she left you on the floor (once again, I have NEVER left you on the floor!) outside my room when she left for work that morning.   OK, so I didn't come upstairs to find you myself as I should...instead I asked DS2 (who was already up there) to bring you down (he now says I'm the one who made him an accessory to the crime), but in my defense, I thought he was a responsible cell phone user now (after all, he's the only one of my kids that even uses a case!). He swears he brought you to me 'somewhere in the family room', but I'll swear in court that you weren't there when said incident allegedly happened (I don't think I was even there...but I can't swear to that...HOW CAN I if he never gave you to me...there was NO such incident!).   While under interrogation, DD confessed that the night of the incident she had muted you, except the alarm, thus making you unable to cry out for me. We later brought DS2 in for interrogation and he confessed to calling you a million times under the guise of trying to find you...thus speeding up your silent death.   You'll be glad to know I've filed kidnapping charges against both offenders...they're obviously in cahoots and had planned this very carefully. My plea's to said alleged (yeah, right!) kidnappers to bring you home to me fell on deaf ears.   We've sent out search parties daily to no avail. It's now been TWO weeks and you haven't shown up. There hasn't even been a ransom note (although DS2 just asked me last night if there would be a reward if he finds it...isn't that called extortion?)!   I refuse to believe that you're dead and not coming home to me.   Cell phone, please come back to me! I miss you so! *sniff, sniff*   ♥ -Ode To My Cell Phone, By BG-   Cell Phone, I love you with all my heart I'd give you an app to make you fart   Cell Phone, Although there have been others you were my favorite, your flip top covers   Cell Phone, you were older than my friend's phones But they were just jealous, because my cell owns   Cell Phone, When I was bored you gave me games And who can forget, all those numbers and names   Cell Phone, We used to text all day And during the night, you brightened my way   Cell Phone, I love you more than fills I never minded, paying your bills   Cell Phone, we were such a team They tore us apart, and made me scream   Cell Phone, it was only a loan And I don't know how, I'll go on alone   Cell Phone, I need candy because I'm so sad But food is out, or I'll yak bad   Cell Phone, "Come Back" is my plea Cell Phone, Oh Cell Phone, You complete me ♥   LOVE, BG XXXOOOOO   P.S. Doesn't our Verizon plan have some new fangled techy phone in their shop now?     ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (Yes, I'll be sending my Band one too!)
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2/19/10 Nutrition

On request, I started a series on my nutrition. First one is on my breakfast and second on vitamins/supplements/and meds.   Here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/
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1/7/09 Tracking and Measuring-Yikes!

As per my PCP's request I've started my food and exercise log today. I do see the benefit in this short term. In the past keeping logs has helped me with accountablity and you also learn a lot along the way. I plan to keep this up until I'm on the other side of the band and feel comfortable with what I'm allowed to eat.   My goal is not to have to do this long term though. As I've said before I find tracking every calorie, for me, becomes just trading one kind of food obsession for another. There's no way for me to not feel like I'm on a diet and being deprived some how while I'm doing this time consuming task of measuring every bite, writing it down, and entering it in. My food goal is to be on a new lifestyle change NOT ANOTHER DIET, to eat mainly what my family is eating with a few tweaks, minus the bad carbs and sweets, and obviously a whole lot less. I'm hoping that with my previous experiences with calorie counting that the learning curve post band will be easier (I'm talking just calorie counting and categories of foods not all those other things I'll need to learn). I know I'll need to go back to tracking anytime I'm not getting the results I want...it's always helpful then.   So today I signed up for My Fitness Pal; nice site very easy to navigate and people answered my questions within minutes (thanks V-Queen from LBT). It was even easy to add extra things (beyond the default) I want to track like fiber, sugar and some additional body measurements.   OK, stop right there. Sure, I know I'm a 'scale whore', yep even when I'm fat I look, but who the heck tracks their measurements as they're gaining weight? NOT ME! I think I was in college fitness class the last time I took my measurements...and I was pencil thin and teaching aerobics classes at the time...Let me just say standing there in my underwear with the measuring tape trying to figure out where to measure my waist was a humbling experience. I'm not one who carries the majority of my weight out front (now the rear is another story), but there is no longer a waist...Do you measure right under the boob line where I'm smallest, the belly button line, just above where I still have a little indent of what little remains of my waist on the sides? In the spirit of getting this over with as soon as possible I picked the largest spot and moved on. I'm pretty sure my current thigh measurement is about the same as my waist measurment in college...great.   My new computer cord came and it doesn't work...so no access to my computer still. I've been waiting for this to load my new pedometer software. Oh well. Tomorrow I'll look at the exercise tracker on Fitness Pal. Wonder what I'll have to measure for that one? Stride? Yes, I can handle that.
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1/30/09 Steelers: Pittsburghese 101

It’s officially Steeler Fever here in Pittsburgh (although it’s a year round fanfest here), but more about that tomorrow. Today I’m going to give yunz a little lesson on Pittsburghese 101. This might come in handy if you’re watching TV on Sunday night (Have you heard yet? There’s a big game!). Who knows, they might interview one of those many Pittsburgh natives and after yunz lesson here you’ll actually know what they’re saying. I’m not poking fun, as I’m officially a Pittsburgher now. Their very friendly and inclusive here…after a mere 8 years living here, I’m now an official Pittsburgher. Yeah, each city I’ve lived in has their own slang, but it’s very pronounced here and this is not a very transient town, it’s mostly natives, so you hear it a lot. Pittsburghese is mostly VERY fast talking and they just smash all the words together.   My very first week here, I kid you not, we were talking to a carpenter who works for our builder and then I told him we needed to get somewhere, and as fast as you can say it he asks us “Da-boat-a-yunzes-g’n-dahntahn?” Now say THAT three times fast (if you can, you’re a Pittsburgher). We had no clue what he said, so DH-Mr.SA politely asks him “Please?” Dear Lord! This is the Cincinnati word for (DH grew up there and we lived there for a year) “HUH? or “What?” (very polite people, those Cincinnatians…Please?...they use it for EVERYTHING. Just sayin’….you might need to know this if the Bengals ever make it back to the Super Bowl.) So I’m standing there in the long pause between these two dialects, with neither one knowing what the other one just said. So I politely as our carpenter “What did you ask?” He repeats at a more normal pace, which must have seemed like super-slow-mo to him “Da…boat..a..yunzes…g’n…dahntahn?”….pause…we smiled and without a response we waved goodbye as “The both of us (you) were going downtown.”   I won’t bore you with the million or so slang abbreviations they have for locations in Pittsburgh, as you probably don’t know them (the Mon *wink*), but you need to know they (oops we) call our city The Burgh. Here’s the ones I’ve personally heard. Study up…you only have a few days left…   *Anat-A combination of two words that means and that. *Anymore-A rather confusing construction which doesn't mean any, or more, or even anymore. Instead, it means nowadays, or currently, or these days. It almost always occurs as the first word of a sentence, as in this example: "Anymore, the traffic on Liberty Avenue moves so slow, it's quicker to walk." *Crick-The way a Pittsburgher says creek. *Comere-A Pittsburgh "quickie". Come here, said quickly, is comere. See also: Gahed. *D-Pittsburghers have a lot of strange likes and dislikes. One dislike is the letter D, especially when it is in the middle of a word, next to another consonant. Being non-violent, for the most part, Pittsburghers do not rely on force to eliminate those offensive D's; instead they simply invoke one of the laws of English pronunciation and make the D's silent. Hence, couldn't becomes cooun't, wouldn't becomes wooun't, and everyone's all time favorite, didn't becomes din't. *Da-boat-a- The both of. As in “Da-boat-a-yunz g’n dahntahn.” (my personal fav now) *Dahntahn-The way a Pittsburgher says downtown. *Djeatyet? Nodju?-Polish? Ukrainian? No, it's those Pittsburghers again, spitting out syllables as fast as they can and losing half of them in the process. It really means "Did you eat yet" "No. Did you?" *Drug-It's not something we should "just say no" too. It's simply the past tense of the word drag *Gahed-Say it quick in Pittsburgh and it's not go ahead, but rather gahed. See also: Comere *Gumban-A word which, if said slowly, would be heard as gum band, which is what everyone else in the world calls a rubber band. *Hafta- Have to. I haftago to the baffroom! *Ink pen-Although there's really no reason to announce what's inside a pen, Pittsburghers do anyway. Instead of asking for just a pen, they ask for an ink pen. *Ketch-What the Steelers offense should be doing. *You might need to know this one! *Redd up-To clean up, or tidy up. *Tubes-Pittsburgh slang for tunnels. *Worsh-As a noun, it's the stuff that goes into the washing machine when it gets dirty. As a verb, it's what you do to the stuff once it gets into the washing machine. *Yunz-The word that sets Pittsburghers apart from everyone else in the world. It means the same as all of you and is sort of a northern y'all. Yunz is singular, with yunzes usually reserved for the plural.
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8/18-21/09 Nesting and the Big College Move

I've lost 2.5 pounds of the 4 lb. I gained in the two weeks gone. My stomach is pretty much back to normal (had a few burning issues yesterday, but I'm staying on the Nexium until I see the doc next week). We're off to Columbus again for a nephew's college graduation party (from OSU). Yay, college football starts again! Mom's cooking all weekend...help me! Have a great loooong weekend all! OK, here's my journal from the week before last when I was swamped with getting ready for the college move and then vacation the next day.   8/18 I just got a call from my sister-in law. My niece/goddaughter is off to PSU tomorrow for her senior year and they're packing the car. She's so excited our DS1 is starting at PSU this year and she's meeting us Friday to help with his move in. I'm 'nesting'. I've been spending days buying and returning items (when I find something better) to stores, checking things off lists and organizing it all. He'll be almost 4 hours from home and it helps me to know he'll have everything he needs.   I'm a self-admittedly almost OCD organizer. I've got plastic bins all organized and labeled…I've written our last name in sharpie on most of his more expensive things…tiny, where no one will notice, but this totally irks DS1…it's not like I'm labeling his underwear or anything (although that isn't a bad idea LOL). I bought some more bins yesterday and I'm disappointed he doesn't seem to have anything to put in them…boys just need less than girls. We took the car and the van to move DD in her freshman year. I'm thinking we're going to get everything in the van…and probably without the roof-rack and car-top carrier.   I spent half a day trying to find pics of his dorm room setup online (finally found a few on Flicker). PSU missed the boat on this one…no pics, just a drawing of the layout with mislabeled room sizes (one dimension says 12'15"…took me finding other sites to realize it's 12'5" and it was a typo, like I suspected). The furniture isn't even to scale on their drawings (yeah, I plugged the room info. into my architect computer program to see how his things would fit). These freshman dorm rooms are TINY and the furniture is all bolted down, so correct dimensions are important when you're trying to figure out if the rug you bought will fit in the room (I think I have an inch leeway on one side as long as the radiator isn't deeper than 12"…no dimensions given). Luckily, I also got a 'heads-up' on a few things from my niece…like you can request a Twin XL bed instead of the Twin given (big deal if you're over 6' like DS1 is) and that the beds have 6 legs and not 4 (important if you're buying bed riser feet in packs of 4 so you can put big bins of things under the bed).   We've got 'extras' of several items…no way will we be standing in the 2 hour lines at Wal-Mart for more extension cords. I'm such a visual organizer that it helps me to feel that he's settled before we get there. I know where most things go and then when we're done placing it all I feel like the Momma bird who has feathered the nest and made it all cozy for her baby. Leaving your child at school for the first time is hard enough without feeling like you've left them without something they'll need. Do I get that he's a big-boy now and can certainly get to the store and buy things if he needs them…yep, of course I do, but it makes me feel better…and so I'm nesting… ---- 8/19 Side note; we finished the art projects for his room (I may have told you about these already, so sorry if I'm repeating?). DH and DS1 made a batik for the big wall over his bed. DD and I did a decoupage tissue paper triptych for her first dorm room with all her room colors, so I was trying to find something that DH could do with DS1…DH can't draw a straight line to save his life, but I remembered seeing some batiks that he had made in HS. I helped DS1 draw out the Nittany Lion paw print logo on the white fabric we bought and then they painted the wax and dyed it the PSU blue. I ironed it out and hemmed the edges (It was my sneaky way of getting a little color in the room with all the black, black, gray, and black…and now blue! hee-hee). I also surprised DS1 with taking some indoor/outdoor lights (just round white bulbs) and painting some little paw prints on those too with some glass paint…yes, you can bake light-bulbs in the oven. ---- 8/21 The move into college went well. We got permission to move in with the locals on Friday since we leave for vacation on Saturday morning. It was a super Looooong day....up and out by 5am, 4 hours there, unpack and lunch, 4 hours home, then repack the whole car for vacation. Everything for his move went really smoothly though. We arrived there 15 min. before the start of check-in time and thankfully they were already ready and unloading cars. PSU was very organized…we were sent right onto the grass parking for his dorm and students were there with dollies to take loads up to his room (we'd borrowed one from a neighbor also). Lucky for us I'm a little OCD about things as I'd looked and knew there was a good chance of rain in the morning and insisted we put everything not in plastic bins into plastic bags. It was drizzling when we arrived and then we had a hard shower while DH and DS1 were taking loads up as I unpacked the van. When they came back, they were happy that his giant pile of stuff on the sidewalk was protected from the rain as everyone around us was trying to hold umbrellas over their stuff.   My niece/god-daughter (also at PSU) came to the room to help and she was great. After struggling to get the rug down and under both beds, the rest of the move went smoothly. We got his batik up on the wall and my niece put up the lights I made him up on the ceiling. The two body pillows fit well along the wall and made the bed into a nice 'couch' of sorts. My son had insisted that he didn't want a bed-skirt as anything with the word 'skirt' in it had to be bad and he feared getting made fun of…I tried 'dust-ruffle', but that was even worse LOL. I whispered for my niece to come over while he was busy and we took the 2 curtain panels I'd bought (for the 'bed-skirt'), folded them and hung them from the bed frame/springs to the floor and overlapped them in the middle. Looks much nicer than seeing the bed risers and the big bins of food and stuff that are under the bed. He was really pleased with how everything turned out…and I don't think he even noticed the bedSKIRT!   *Pic 1 Attached: DS1 in the bed portion; note you can see part of the paw-print batik on the wall and the string of lights hanging (and see how you don't notice the bedskirt with all the other black?). *Pic 2 Attached: DS1 and I in the desk/closet portion; note I also got some more color (blue) in with some wrapping paper on the bulletin board. *Pic 3 Attached: Here's the lights up close with the little logos I painted, it's a 24 set (I made another set to send to my god-daughter as a surprise since she liked his so much).
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5/30/09 On the Ice

It's the start of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals tonight and this town is rockin'. It's a rematch...with a new ending! Go Pens!  
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1/13/12 Friday The 13Th...blog Update

Hey peeps! I can't believe I've been away so long! The holidays were just SO busy this year and I was off enjoying every minute with my family (gained a couple of pounds, but still under goal, no worries, it's 'NORMAL' LOL). Hope you're all having a wonderful new year! Things are back to normal now, and I'm back to writing and finding ways to 'paying it forward' (like here). Here's the last few blogs (come visit me at my site and keep in touch!) -BG, (Lap) BAND GROUPIE http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/   Headline News!   Did you watch the Today Show today?   No, I'm going to gloss right over the fact that Hostess has filed for bankruptcy.   OK, Yes, I know what just flashed in your mind…How quickly can I get to my local grocery store before the run on the Hostess section leaves the shelves completely bare? Quickly followed by…What did they say the shelf-life of a Twinkie is? OK, My third thought was...I haven't even experience the Deep Fried Twinkie yet!!!   Personally, in my early obesity years, I had a decade of addiction to these:   Followed by these:   Which one is your fav?   OK, I know…Enough of the food porn! There are hungry people out here!   All right, let me fix this…   I'm not even sure Hostess makes food, do they? It doesn't look like food, does it? Would your great-grandma think so?   Does a Twinkie even have a real food products in the ingredients?   I once saw a science museum experiment where they placed a piece of homemade cake under a sealed glass dome, and under a second dome was a Twinkie. You could barely see the slimy remains of the cake through the mold covering the inside of the first glass dome. The Twinkie? Looked as good as the day it was born. Hey, I wonder if all those preservatives I ate will keep me 'well preserved'.   Don't believe it? Here's an NPR story about a teacher who has a 30 year old Twinkie: "The Shelf Life of a Vintage Twinkie"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4780900   And if you still don't believe that calorie restriction is the best way to control your weight, have you heard of the Twinkie Diet? A (not obese) nutrition professor lost 27 pounds in two months by eating a Hostess treat every three hours instead of meals and restricting his caloric intake from 2,600 to 1,800. He (and I) are not recommending this (you know how I feel about diets)! http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html   *shhh…and I didn't tell you this…Hostess promises that no matter who acquires the company, the Twinkie will live on*   Now, back to the REAL headline segment.   Today Show; Today's Consumer Segment, Elizabeth Mayhew, Editor-In-Chief, "Woman's Day Magazine"   My overview:   Due to consumer confidence last year was at an all time low, many items are coming down in price this year. 3D TV's, Tablet Computers, E-Readers, GPS Units, Sports Tickets, Cameras, Furniture, and one more item…   Wine experts are calling this 'The year of the buyer.' People were not spending money on the $30+ last year bottles, so those prices are coming down. You'll see sales at merchants everywhere here. Look for Rhone wines/France, Tuscan wines/Italy, and Rioja wines/Spain. The only exception is Bordeaux (because there haven't been good vintages lately). In general, European wines (because of the Euro), and S. American wines as well.   You can watch the segment here: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/45970790#null Reminder...Everything in moderation.     Stock up peeps (no, not on Twinkies!)!   Unless they're these...   You're welcome.   ------------------------------------------------ It's All How You Look At It  I was updating my WL/Maintenance spreadsheet/chart and not for the first time noticed that it looks like the Himalayas…it might scare more than a few people about maintenance, not to mention unfills. I was thinking about how regular slow and steady beginners ski jump my WL phase chart looks compared to it (well, not the 6 mo. Pre-op, but the post-surgery). Then I got curious as to how many weeks both of these spanned? How many weeks has it been since the first time I reached goal (my Maintenance Chart starts there)? I was surprised to see that my WL Chart covered 81 weeks, and My Maintenance Chart covered 83...interesting! I wonder what the Maintenance Chart would look like if I gave it the same horizontal/vertical axis range as my WL Chart?     So, to compare them equally, I chopped the last two weeks off my Maintenance Chart and both horizontal axis are now 81 weeks. I then expanded the Maintenance vertical axis to cover a 105 pounds range, with gridline intervals every 5 pounds (the same as my WL Chart). Wow…now Maintenance isn't anything to fear!   You can clearly see that I had a partial unfill just a few weeks after reaching goal…but after the long awaited refill and making my way back down…well, things are pretty darn steady! Maintenance is nothing to be afraid of!   Losing the Band…yep, we can all be afraid of that, because it means not having the help we all desperately need to finally get/keep the weight off (just look at my instant march upward and then white knuckling the wait)…but another thing this shows me is that unfills are nothing to be totally afraid of either. Yeah, gaining and losing it again isn't any fun, but as long as a refill is coming and I'll have the help of the Band again, I'll now know I'll be fine (remind me I said that at the next unfill)!   I wish that I'd expected to have unfills along the way…maybe it wouldn't have seemed so traumatic. I think the Doc's should actually tell us to expect them! Unfills are a result of our personal learning process with the Band/operator error (dry meat and not enough chewing in my case), the complicated process of getting to just the right level of restriction at the same time we're losing internal fat, our Doc's approach to fill levels, and let’s face it…a little luck, and a dose of 'fickle' factor thrown in.   Maintenance, unfills,…it's all how you look at it!  
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5/20/09 First Car

I was moving cars into the garage this morning to make room for the mountain of mulch (8 cubic yards...my back hurts just thinking about it) that will be arriving any minute and was reminded I keep forgetting to tell you that DD bought her first car. She could have had this: Or this lovely ‘green’ car:   But Instead she bought a Toyota Corolla. It’s used, but is in pristine, mint condition, has very low mileage and gets over 40 mpg. It was honestly owned by a ‘little old lady” (my brother is in the Automotive industry). Before she saw it she was a little disappointed in the color (same as the one in the pic), but then it was love at first sight. I was reminded of my first car…my hatchback Plymouth Arrow…When I found the ad in the paper my first question on the phone was “What color is it?”. It was red and I thought I had the sexiest car around…I had to keep jumper cables next to me on the front seat at all times, but I loved that car. DH bought his first car in HS. It was a Mustang and he still talks about that car. First cars are like other important 'firsts' in your life; you never forget them. First cars are a rite of passage into the adult world. They give you the independence and freedom to go where you want, when you want, and they signal to the world that you’re now old enough...to have your own debt!
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Ketchup

...or should I say Catsup...no, make that Catch Up...   So much going on here that I didn't get a moment to even post my already completed posts...my Bandiversary, my scheduled visit to my Surgeon, my new projects...   ...but those will come this week...   ...let's catch up on the other important other stuff...life!   It's the last day of Spring Break here for DS2, and DH took off a few days last week, so thus the busy week. He's got a crazy schedule the next two weeks, so we (OK, my 'honey-do list') needed to get lots of things done...he's got a late dinner today, off to Italy tomorrow with three guys from China, gets home late Saturday night and then has to catch a flight about 4 hours later out west for the week...ugh...I don't miss work travel. He's going to miss my Birthday and his this week *sigh*.   DD spent the weekend with us, but DS1 had some big projects due and finals coming up, so unfortunately he couldn't get home from college.   Saturday was our 29th Anniversary...we were supposed to go out Friday, but I had a stomach bug...and since DD was home Saturday night, we spent it with the kids and made a pact to do something big next year for our 30th.   We had fun dying eggs...DS2's eggs...can you tell he loved the 'tie dye' kit best. We had a great time watching movies together and playing games...DD peed her pants laughing (she must have gotten my incontinence genes) when we played 'Just Dance 2' on the Wii and DH and I did a duet dance (DH has two left feet, but he beat me anyway because I was laughing so hard).   DD and I did some girly things...painted our toenails...we dyed our hair in honor of Easter...mine turned purple...well a gray purple (I swear, wish I'd thought to take a pic), and not on purpose...and then we fixed it...and I let DD trim my hair for the first time for fun (it kept getting shorter and shorter...and I had to get out the scissors to even a few things up this morning). I gave DH's hair a trim for his trips (I started trimming people's hair in college, so you know I'm a professional LOL...besides, as he would say, there's not much left to trim LOL).   Here are the kids...DS2 hamming it up after finding his hidden basket... DD opening her 81 eggs after the big hunt. Yes, we still hide an obnoxious amount of eggs for each kid (the older they got, the more we hid) in different rooms in the house...and yes, they still love the hunt...I'm sure we'll still be doing this until they have kids of their own. I made a great Easter brunch (OK, pick your chin up off the floor...yes...I cooked)...with a new recipe for a toasted crusty bread and savory egg casserole...YUM. We had the traditional Easter ham dinner, with some new appetizers (the Pittsburgh potatoe perogies were a little bland...I need to look up a sauce for next time).     *Portion of Post Deleted For Lap Band Book Folllow me here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/
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4/27/11 Happy

*Post Deleted For Lap Band Book     Follow me here: http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/
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12/3/10 WTH happened to LBT?...and a blog...maybe...if I figured this out right...which is doubtful...

IT'S NOT JUST A TOOL!   In the Thanksgiving hub-bub, I forgot to post this one here...and WTHeck happened to LBT while I was off cooking and stuffing myself (and the turkey)?!!   You know I love change...I'm always shaking things up, but com'on! I'm already tech-challenged and now I have to relearn this...yikes. OK, problem already...can't find the 'cut' feature (as in cut and paste...come out come out wherever you are...I give up.   Anywhoooo...Hope you all had a great turkey-day and enjoyed your families as much as I did! Enjoy...   -------------------------------------------------------------- WARNING- A thesis paper follows (if you thought the last one was long LOL), as I pulled some things from the book, and I probably won't leave this up long because of that. I'd appreciate your thoughts/questions,     *Post Deleted For Lap Band Book
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2/8/11 1st Surgeon Appointment

Today's the big day! I've finally got a new Doc and I'm going in for my first 'visit'! Yes, I'm having deja vu too...almost exactly two years ago today I went in for my first visit with my surgeon and now I'm right back there again!   Catching you up: first one Doc left my practice for another in town, then the second Doc (last one in a two Doc practice) left the state for another practice, then my hospital announced they had two Docs from a practice in town that would be coming, then they cancelled my fill appointment (for the second time) and announced that two other Docs from another hospital were coming soon...and then I waited...for them to call with the new appointment...like they promised...   A month later (last week) I called. Since only one of the new Doc's is covering the 'LB Patients' and since he's still got his old practice at the other hospital, their first opening at my hospital was April 4...yes, that's right...I've been waiting for a fill since the beginning of October and they couldn't get me in until April 4.     *Portion of post deleted for Lap Band Book   P.S. DD made the Pittsburgh newspaper today...at an art opening this weekend with a date:   P.S. DD made the Pittsburgh newspaper today...at an art opening this weekend with a date:
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6/13/09 The Cup

We had a raucous good time partying with our neighbors last night in Pittsburgh. Captain Sidney Crosby hoists the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin hoists the Conn Smythe Trophy after defeating the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey series in Detroit, Michigan, June 12, 2009. REUTERS/Shaun Best
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4/8/11 Friday Facts (Food Pusher, Land of Oz)

It's in the 40's now and we had hail and snow this week, but we're supposed to see 80 degrees on Sunday for the first time this year...com'on spring! -Had a great visit with my middle sis, her DH, and her youngest (of four boys). Here are some pics from downtown one day; visited DD's apartment, ate, and took a trip up one of the inclines (steel mill workers used to ride these down the hills to work at the mills on the rivers).
[/url]           'Martha Moment' of the week: helped my Sis sew four new pillows for her Living Room (and she helped me pick fabrics for DD's old room).
 
*Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book Weight: 154, down 2. Even though I was in line with meals, no, I don't deserve a good weight loss this week...did I mention that I bought the Costco 'big chocolate cake' and the 'cheesecake medley/variety pack' (and had a slice of both)? I sent the rest of the giant cake out the door with DD's BF and my nephew (chocolate = trigger food...and I don't even like cake).   I'm going to send my daily meal list/amounts (OK, not this past week) in to Dr. Oz (*Note: Sent the show an email with specifics that they got wrong.). If you didn't see his show on LB (mainly regarding the new ruling for lower BMIers), videos are on his site HERE ...the LBers they had on were either lying or malnourished; 5 teaspoons of yogurt OR a cup of broth is a meal?!...and aren't both those sliders (this gal is a full 6 months out from surgery)? I was mostly angry with the bariatric Doc who didn't point out that their meals shown are NOT what is recommended and that none of them had enough protein. Thank G*d I didn't see this before my LB or that would have scared me off.
Off to find my meds...head thumping, shaky, nauseous...I feel a migraine coming on...or maybe it's a sugar detox?
Happy Weekend All!
 
Come visit my blog and help me with the Lap Band book you talked me into writing
 
http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/
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