aubrie

No it's not bad. If you're genuinely hungry, it will keep you from over eating later. My doc recommended the handful of almonds as a good snack. He recommends I eat them before exercising too. If I don't I'm ravenous when I get home and that starts the trouble.....

Have you had your band checked to see if it has slipped? If it's in the wrong place, it will not trigger the full feeling. Some people have a slipped band and don't even know it. It causes them no discomfort. What you are describing could be a possible slip. It's worth a peek.

Yeah. She's proud of them too. It's 30 freaking degrees outside in DC and she walks around sleeveless 24/7. I've only seen her in sleeves once or twice...... Blah...... The younger you are the better your chance of your arms returning to normal. It has a lot to do with the elasticity of your skin. But you'll also have to be patient. It could take a year to a year and a half past your goal. I'm a few months shy of 50, so I don't have a snowballs chance in hell of ever having pretty arms again. At 27, you should do very well.

Pedicures, new outfit, new bra from Victoria's Secret (got my first one last weekend.... Woo hoo!!!) a movie with hubby. We sit in the back and smooch like teenagers........ A drive to the beach to collect shells. A bubble bath by candlelight. AAaaaaahhhhhhhh........... There's lots of little rewards you can give yourself. the bra was a big one for me. I dreamed of one like it for YEARS. I'll be 50 in June, and felt like it. This little incentive tooks years off my psyche.

gingerbug. The banana is hilarious!!! Perfect. Too cute. Sorry Ksill18..... No pics. I may have on Victoria's Secret, but I'm still 49. Not sure it would really "do it for you".....I can't compete with the youngsters.

I agree with many of you here. I was a BIG beer drinker. I have not had one in 16 months now. I do miss it in the summer, and even dreamed about drinking it just two nights ago..... But I drink wine, martinis, vodka and cranberry, and I too like bloody marys. I was good about doing it ocasionally, but have been under tremendous stress at work (could lose my job the end of next month) and my adult sons are wearing me thin, so I've been drinking a glass of wine almost every day when I get home. My doctor is concerned with the increase and I guess I am too, but it really hasn't caused any weight gain. I'm to stressed to eat!!! So be careful. I know I'm going to have to put the breaks on sooner or later. I just need the relaxation at the moment.

Be patient. I was stuck at 65 pounds for 6 months!!!! Granted I had to have a complete unfill for TWO gallbladder surgies, but still....... It was so frustrating to slowly get those fills again. But suddenly it happened!! I have lost 8.5 pounds in 3 weeks just recently. Everything kicked back in and away we go!!! No telling what ends the plateaus sometimes. But I'm at my sweet spot, and I've cut back on a few things. I upped my exercise by just one day. Made a HUGE difference.

This subject came up today matter of fact. I saw my mother in law about 5 weeks after I had my surgery. I had lost about 20 pounds at that point. She didn't even notice or care. She had her own things to deal with. I didn't tell her. She's a funny one, and I don't much care for her attitude about things, so I kept it to myself. My husband respected my wishes. So now I'm 16 months out. I still hadn't told her. She emailed me a couple weeks ago and wanted to know if I wanted some clothes and was I still wearing the same size. I told her I had lost about 74 pounds and was no longer wearing plus size clothes. I left it at that. She wrote back asking what I did. I told her diet and exercise. Well she writes me AGAIN today, saying how she had told all her friends that I lost over 70 pounds. They all want to know how, which diet I followed and several of them had told her the only way I could have done it is if I had done bypass or got my stomach "stapled". LOL LOL LOL..... She demanded to know if I had had that done. It's still none of her business, (and certainly not her friends' business) so I have no intention of answering her. It was rude to ask, rude to make the comment and I'm going to return the thought by being rude and choosing not to answer her. Belive me. If I did it would be all over the internet in 5 minutes, and all of the relatives would be emailing me about it. I would be the topic of sick gossip for weeks. I despise poor manners, drama and nosey people. Nuff said.

I too had a hyster, but I got to keep my ovaries. I guess that's why it didn't affect my sex drive. I was just the opposite. for me it was a totally liberating experience, and the freedom from worry and mess and discomfort and bloating was like heaven. I never had to tell my hubby no anymore. I'm sorry it's just the opposite for you. Be very honest with your OB/GYN about this. That is what they are there for. Don't be shy. Maybe have your hubby go with you, so your Doc can explain it to him that it doesn't have anything to do with him. Maybe he'll feel a little better, and be more patient while you get it all worked out. good luck!

Same thing is happening to me. I'm PBing way more than I ever have, having trouble with foods I never had trouble with before, sliming almost every day, although not PBing every day. I have lost a few pounds though, it's just a miserable way to do it. I feel like I'm eating to fast and not chewing enough. BUT I am VERY stressed out right now. More than I have been in years. I'm having spasms in my colon, headaches, and can't sleep more than 4 hours a night. It definately makes things different. My occasional glass of wine to relax is becoming more than "occasional" and that scares me.

It does work rather well. I've done it once to quick start a lull in my loss. I lost about 3 pounds that week. I did get very bad breath thought. Ketosis...... It's a stinker! LOL

Dear Scale, DAMN you took a long vacation this year. You haven't budged for 6 months!! thank God you're back and on the way down once more. Hope you had a wonderful time in stucksville. No offense but I hope you don't go there again for a while. I need you working WITH me not AGAINST me. Hope your seeiing me naked on a daily basis wasn't your reason for leaving me. For that I apologize, but it's necessary. Now that we're speaking again. Welcome Back!!

this breaks my heart. I saw on CNN here in the states, that they have found cars with numerous people crammed inside who were trying to escape and couldn't make it. I was so overcome with shock I couldn't speak. How very, very sad. We had excellent fire teams on duty last summer when California was burning. I wonder if the US has sent some of them over to help. Any news of that?

that's heavy. while my two sons are stateside and both in college, I have two close friends who have children in Afgahnistan and Iraq. It weighs so heavy on them. I'm so sorry that you have to have that worry. You and your daughter will be in my thoughts. As for the emotional eating, that's a tough one. Especially since your eating is so emotionally charged. You will have to dig deep within and find things that can take it's place. For example. When you start to fret and know the voice from the fridge is going to start calling you, turn on the stereo to your favorite happy music and dance around the living room. I've done this a few times and it really seems to help. Find LOW CALORIE snacks, like sugar free popsicles. Leave the house if possible and go do something else. Shop? Exercise? visit a friend? go for a walk? Take your dog for a walk? OR find a project and work on it for a while. Something you enjoy doing. Write your daughter a long letter. Make something for her that you can send over. Get on line and talk to us... Just come up with a list of substitutions. I know it's hard. It's hard for all of us. Hang in there.

Jachut, On this diet, I couldn't determine....... Is fruit considered a "sweet" or a veggie? I eat a lot of berries, and am not sure where to count it. Also, when they say bite, do they mean a normal person bite or a microscopic bandster bite?

Straw that broke the camel's back??? Watching my husband finally break down in tears and cry because he was so worried about my health, and said it broke his heart to think he would have to wheel me around in a wheelchair someday.

I had a hyster about 4 years ago. I was banded a year ago. I've lost just fine, although I've hit a plateau the last few months, but at least I'm not gaining!!! I'll be 50 this year, so my metabolism has slowed as well, AND I have a thyroid problem. I didn't think I would lose and I did.

I went to Greece. I was on the island of Crete. Hopefully, things have modernized a bit, and the country folk are better informed!

My DH???? Are you kidding??? He's a wierdo. He takes other men looking or staring as a compliment. He almost visibly thumbs his nose at them, like.... "Forget it Buster!! She's with me". He's like a peacock. I was thin when we married, so for him, he's getting his wife back. The one he married. He's thrilled. He's very proud of me and tells me often. He's my biggest supporter. We're doing a lot of things together now. Hiking. kayaking. Riding ATVs. Fishing. Not to mention chasing me around the house like a teenager.......Idiot..... But I'm loving every minute of it.

I used to love baked chicken. I can't eat it very well any more. 3 tiny bites and I'm done. BUT if I make like BBQ chicken with the sauce, it seems to moisten it a bit and helps a LOT. Same with steak. If I dunk the bit in some teriyaki or something, I do much better. Shrimp with cocktail sauce. Fish with tartar or bernaise sauce. Not a lot, but just enough so it's not a dry wad of yuck when I swallow it. It works for me.

They are marvelous. My French grandma had one in her house. I wish they were more common in the states. I've stayed in a few hotels that had them, but that's about it. why the aversion to them here? I never have figured that out. I had to laugh.... I went to Greece as a foreign exchange student back in high school (1976). I was familiar with a bidet due to grandma. The family I stayed with had one in their bathroom next to the tub. Upon arriving, they handed me a towel and tried to explain the use of the bidet. I knew what it was for, so I used it. It wasn't until several weeks later that I realized what THEY used it for. Before bedtime, I noticed that they all lined up for turns in the single bathroom. No worry, until one evening the two younger children were arguing in the bathroom. Mom went to the rescue and both children were sitting on the side of the tub dutifully washing their feet in the bidet before bed. After further inquiry, I realized the entire family did this every night. It had NEVER been used for it's original intent. I was dumbfounded. Needless to say, if I had any desire to use it after that, it was sanitized first..... LOL As a side note, this same family had a huge "hukah" or brass hash pipe in their living room. Imagine my shock? when I inquired about this, the response was that it was an antique that the Turks used for making "tea". They also confiscated all my tampons. They were considered sinful, and according to the local pharmacist also a slow method of "sterilization" for females..... I now knew the meaning of culture shock.

Recognition of the problem is more than half the battle!!

I LOVE salmon croquettes!!! I use whole rolled oats in my fish mixture instead of white flour bread crumbs, and add a touch of curry powder for a bit of a zip! They are also perfect to take to work for lunch the next day. Just the right size.

Bear in mind that the first month is a huge losing time. You will shed a large percentage of weight that first month. People WILL notice when you return, especially if they haven't seen you. Then the rumors will start..... Just a thought.

I've heard the medical community claim that pressure and altitude changes don't affect the band, but me, and numerous other people on this board have had experiences with flying. Taking a puddle jumper flight, or a low altitude flight for short duration doesn't do a thing to my band, but a long, 40,000ft.+ type trip does. I actually felt the band getting uncomfortable during the flight, so I just drank liquids. I wasn't able to eat solid food for a day or two upon arrival. Then it slowly went back to normal. As for actually staying in a high altitude place, I can't say. I'm thinking it may be a very individual and personal thing.