DeLarla

I think the drama queen in me just comes here to cry every day. Michelle, my friends are getting tired of hearing about you. All I do is talk about how Michelle lost over a hundred pounds, how Michelle lost her band due to erosion, how Michelle continues to lose weight by eating Protein for Breakfast and no carbs till dinner, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle. Well girl, you're the fire in my belly cause so far I've stayed on track with the same, "Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels" soundtrack burning through my head. These pictures really do help. I'm not doing just ONE thing to lose weight, I'm trying to incorporate every little idea, thought, motivating factor, friend... anything and everything at this point. It's still very discouraging to look at the scale that doesn't budge for a week. How come we can eat a barrel of crap and gain 4 pounds overnight, but we can't eat a healhty salad and see 4 pounds gone in the morning? My coworker was pissed the other day about unfairness and opened the front door and yelled to the world, "IS IT FAIR OUT HERE?" She came back in and said, "They said no." So here's the most current pic of me at work... is anyone talented enough to do a side-by-side for me to post on the before & after thread? Off to my tea with one measured teaspoon of honey. Oh, and that foxy husband of mine better be cute for all he puts me through! He's a sweetheart... with horns and a tail!

It's great to be among the living. Things were so serious that we need a Fun Thread. What is the weirdest thing in your fridge right now? I have a really old pitcher of homemade pickled eggs with foil barely around the top. The whole thing truly disgusts me, but my husband likes them and made them a few months ago. Had I known the man would one day make pickled eggs and leave them uncovered for months in the fridge, I may have reconsidered marrying this farm boy.

Sigh... the more days go, the more I start missing that tight feeling around my belly. Weird - I hated that weird feeling and was petrified of the foreign object when I was newly banded but I got addicted to it. I'm starting to get a little jealous of all you banded people. I can't believe I said that, but it's somewhat true.

Wow Megan, thanks for that tidbit of encouragement that we'll never gain the weight back that we lost. I'm pretending I have a band and would rather be 6 feet under than 100 pounds overweight again.

Yeah, I swore off all diets & weird tricks, but I'll do ANYTHING to help my hubby quit smoking. He's feeling just a tad better right now, but he's scared to death of leaving the house. He's been holed up ever since Saturday.

Monica, typical band stats say that most of us will lose 1/2 of the weight we needed to lose with the band, then the rest of it is all us, baby. Before losing my band, I was typical and lost 1/2 of my excess weight. Now I'm counting calories, which seems unfair after going through all the pain and money of weight loss surgery. But willpower is the key. You've come this far, fight it. If I can do it, anyone can. Log into fitday.com and enter your daily intake. You'll be surprised how fast calories add up.

I guess that means I gotta workout again tonight, huh? I didn't get through the entire CD though. How long is it? My walk was about 45 minutes, so I'll listen again. And no, my legwarmers aren't next to the shirt with the torn out sleeves and neck cause I still wear that shirt all the time. Why, is it out of fashion? I just gotta laugh because I remember how bad my dad hated that 80s look with my shirt sleeve hanging off one shoulder from being torn. Sexy!

Thanks everyone! I wish everyone would post more pics. ShelliJ's pictures inspire me and keep me away from goodies. Maybe I'll make a whole wallboard of all my before & after bandster friends. I'm inspired by all you people. Life was so lonely before LBT, so I have all you to thank!

Who are you kidding? Like you'll let John go to France without you? Besides, Betty is right. How are you going to exercise for Biggest Loser with your injuries. Plus, probably hundreds of thousands of people are applying for that show. Biggest Loser is a huge gamble. France is for real. Go to France and buy me stuff.

Finding holiday clothes sucked. Last year I actually had choices! Choices rock my world!

And here's me a few months ago. I'm struggling to maintain what I've lost and lose more, but JUST FOR TODAY I'm so thrilled happy that I'll burst if I don't share. Sometimes we need to give ourselves a well deserved hand, so here's mine!

I was a very functioning 315 pounder. This was me at work.

Is this gonna be one of them "leave them hanging threads?" Nancy, did you already get famous and forget about all us little people?

I never heard of a vitamin water, but not that I'm de-banded I'm never buying chewables again cause they cost me 20 calories each! Are there calories in vitamin water? I wonder if there's calories in vitamin pills... I better go check.

The more I look at that dancing banana, the more I think he's self-pleasuring himself watching all us fatties melt into hotties. Heather, your smile brightens up this board, so don't you hold back posting the good stuff. The "big O" is very healthy - more people should get their Vitamin O! It releases endorpines and promotes a healthy immune system. What rule is gonna prevent you from posting that? WOO HOO, you hot Mamma!

This thread got lost till now. Thanks for all the great info, especially the pictures. As for the odor, I've heard and read about severe anal odor. Dr. Billy does bypass surgeries, so I've talked to some of his patients and his staff. The odor is associated with one version of the bypass, and it's so severe that Billy's staff can tell when a bypass patient walks in the door. Some are so severe that they wear carbon filters in their underwear to mask the smell. However, I think the one that causes the odor is an old procedure, which is why I'm asking about the different types of bypass. Seems there's more than just 2 kinds, right? Since losing my band, I'm obsessed with bypass surgery just in case I start to gain my weight back. I'll have to post updated before & after pics to show you how scary I used to be.

Chris called me at work today stunned that the laser center called to check on him. He's a simple guy, so that really impressed him. They asked how he's doing, and he said, "F-ING AWFUL, I'M LOSING MY MIND." So they encouraged him to go for a booster treatment. He went all on his own (that's like a kid making a dentist appointment on his own.) Tonight Chris was much better. Whether or not it's the lasers, he felt pretty special in the lobby as the guy who hadn't smoked since Saturday. That's huge for him - HUGE. As for me, I can't say if it's the laser treatment or not, but I've been able to avoid a table of goodies at work all week. My favorites - fudge, choco covered pretzles and more. I haven't snacked since de-banding. I've stuck to 1200-1400 calories, and my belly actually hurts - not from band removal but the sweet burn of too many sit ups. So far, so good. Who cares if lasers work, I'll try anything at this point!

Okay, I can finally read this thread. I used my CD tonight, and my song just has to be SHE'S A MANIAC. (pounding around doing the Flashback pouncing march.) Now where'd I put my leg warmers?

This thread still makes me laugh. I just gotta bump it. Besides, I still have our half-foil-covered pitcher of purple pickled eggs. I'm gonna have to nag Chris about them tomorrow. He'll likely say, "Shut up olt woman." Truthfully, I don't even know if he ate all the eggs. Maybe it's just a pitcher of purple pickle Water with floaties. I guess someone might find the fridge an odd place for eyedrops. If you don't keep your eyedrops in the fridge, you don't know what you're missing... feels good!

Congrads to you. Some people fly through the surgery like a dentist visit, and it sounds like you might be one of them. Take it easy, be good to your band, and keep us updated on your progress.

Craig from Inamed returned my e-mail today and said they haven't received my band, nor can they force surgeons to send it to them. He asked for permission to contact my surgeon. I told him that Inamed was more than willing to inspect it as long as they returned it to me when they're done. Let's see where the ball bounces.

Erosion sucks. I'm all for it. Though I will cry like a baby if I ever have to face another surgery. Vera, aren't you surgeried out yet? You're too tough for me!

Once I healed from the original surgery I was always able to gulp water pretty well. Liquids slide right through. I was careful not to gulp too much, but I could drink a lot.

Ha Ha, I broke away from the non-smoking old ogre! I did an awesome power walk to the park with the mutts, Kare's exercise CD pushing me harder, then home for 100 situps, a few pushups and some weights, then water & a movie! Rock n' roll, people! Oh, and I got that huge package off to Switzerland. Not a bad day's work.

No exercise here because I'm too busy contemplating running away from home. My 3-day-no-cigarette husband is driving me to insanity, honestly. He's poking at every last button of mine. He had a fit about me going to the gym and threatened to go smoke if I leave his side. I asked him to come to the gym, he said no. Now I gotta go get in another fight to walk the dogs, whichs is gonna freak him out. I understand how hard it is to quit, but I don't know if I can take much more of him. He's completely freaking out.