jackie506

Lindaa- CONGRATULATIONS GRANDMA!!! You are gonna be one HOT GRANDMA.

I FINALLY GOT MY ELLIPTICAL!!!!! I sold my treadmill to a friend because it was just to big for my house and I wanted something more challenging so I thought well I will get an elliptical. Found one today so we bought it. Brought it home and got it all set up and I figured ok I will go for 30 minutes before going to get my son from wrestling practice. I mean I can do an hour easily on the treadmill at 3.6 so I should be able to do this no problem right? WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!! :biggrin: LOL This is very challenging! I am coordinated enough but it is really a work out. I am happy though because that is exactly what I need. I have been in this rut. I moved the treadmill out of my house months ago into the garage because I wasn't using it. I was going to the gym and walking outside. Now it is FREAAZING in Iowa and no way was I going out lately. I have wanted an elliptical for a while and honestly I saved the money from the treadmill so I could buy one with that money so I had no reason not too. I went 4 minutes and thought I was going to die. Got off for a while and then got back on. Did do 20 minutes but it took me about 60 to get those in. LOL Don't know how long it will take to be able to increase but that is ok. I will just work at it each day. So I am very happy and very tired tonight. Chim so great to have you back. We miss you. Hopefully more of our # 7's will return with our 6 months. Mine is tomorrow. Can't believe it!!! I have lost 78 lbs!! Just can't believe it!!

Phyl- You look GREAT!!! What a difference ALL OVER. You can definately see that the last 6 months have treated you right. You are doing wonderful!!! Happy Bandiversary!!! Mine is in 2 days!!

Hey everyone!! How was your weekend. Mine is ok. Nothing really exciting. LOL We went out for a while Saturday night. I drank a few Rasberry sours so I am not getting on the scale today because I am afraid it will be up. UUUGGHHHH Before going out though I was at 197. Hoping I don't go back over 200 because of a little night out. I wore a new pair of pants. SIZE 12 JEANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! Then get this. When I put my contacts away Friday I caught one of them in the lid when I was twisting it and I found it ripped yesterday. Called the optomestrist office because I had ordered more but hadn't gotten them yet. THEY WERE CLOSED!!!! So I had to wear my glasses (something I NEVER do when I go out) and I week ago I got my hair done and I done shadowing on it. It is really dark under neither and high-lighted on top. So we go out last night to just a little town bar that we go to if we go any place where locals from this little hick area go. You would not believe how many of them said gosh you look so different. You look great I love your glasses. Then one of our friends that we have not seen for quite a while (about may a year) comes in and he didn't even recognize me at first. LOL He said hello to the 2 people I was setting with (hubby was playing cards) and then I kept looking at him and then he goes 'shit Jackie!!! I didn't even know who you were. Are you letting your hair grow?" lol Then the guy we were setting with (my cousin) says 'she looks hot don't she?! Jackie stand up. Look at her she looks great if she weren't my cousin and her hubby were setting over there playing cards while she sat here I would be hitting on her and whisk her away to another bar to dance.' LOL The other friend said 'damn girl you have lost a lot of weight, your hair is longer and different, and you are wearing glasses. Talk about a major make over!! Not that you were bad looking before but you look really different and HOT!!' It was nice to hear the compliments but also very uncomfortable a bit. I am very self conscious and as I said before I want to mold into the furniture so people don't notice me. Part of me that someday I hope will start to fall away with the weight. Hubby quit playing cards when these guys that we didnt' know came in and my girlfriend and I played pool with them and they were getting flirty. LOL He came over and introduced himself and made sure they knew he was my HUSBAND. LOL On the way home I was laughing at him and told him he was almost to the point of beating on his chest like a cave man staking his ground. LOL He said that one guy was really flirty and I wanted him to know you can look but not touch. LOL We were laughing. I actually felt a little 'normal' and didn't feel like I STUCK out because of my abundance of weight. I have been thinking this morning about last night and how good I felt and I still have 62 pounds to lose. I can not imagine how wonderful I will feel then and I wonder if I will still be self conscious. I admit I have been awful about exercising!!! I have done it here and there but haven't been regularly doing it. I really need to work on toning now. I do not have the folds of skin yet, knock on wood!!! I am hoping if I start toning maybe I won't have to do surgery but I don't know. They say we shouldn't have any plastics for a year after we reach goal because our skin will take some time to catch up. I watched Big Medicine the other night and there was a woman that had lapband and was at goal at 18 months but she had plastics right away. I don't think I want to do that. Scared the hell out of me though because she started at the same weight that I did and she was at 165 I think and she had lots of sag. I am hoping that is because she didn't exercise alot. I really don't have really saggy excess skin yet. I am crossing my fingers. I mean I know that I may have some but I just don't want it like folds ya know. I really need to work on my arms. They need lots of toning. They are smaller than they were but mushy. They need some major workout. I will never wear sleeveless shirts or anything though. Never did before even when I was small. Everyone seems to be doing so well. Welcome to Stephanie and I will check back later. Going to catch up now.

Thank you all for the congrats and words of encouragement. I am so happy to be a part of this group!! Scale was down another pound today. I am now 197. OMG if I am dreaming DON'TWAKE ME UP!! "Have you been large (big, well, oh heck, all right...fat) pretty much all your life or did something happen later as an adult to cause you to start putting on the pounds?" I was not always big. I was very thin and curvy up until my first baby at 18. After she was born I came home weighing 155 lbs. I thought I was FAT!! Then I worked at it and lost 20lbs of that and then got pregnant with my second child at 19. (Yes I was young I know. I was married when I was 18 to my childrens father.) During pregnancy I went up to 201 lbs. After my son I lost a little weight but then I went up to 212 and stayed there for about 6 years. Then I went through this whole thing with my husband being terribly sick and having infection in his feet from diabetic ulcers and he couldn't work, I was working 3 jobs and going to school, and trying to take care of 2 kids. (I do not blame him in anyway because let me tell you he suffered terribly feeling inadequate as a man) All these things going on in my life at once and I just quit taking care of myself and didn't eat much. I lost 82 lbs. Felt great but honestly hadn't done it the right way. I was taking these pills I had bought at GNC called Thin Agains. They were great for keeping me on the go and they took my appetite away. Then the kids dad passed in 2003 and I started to eat. AND EAT AND EAT!!! I ballooned up to 275 lbs. That is when I decided on the band. "Do you see yourself as large in your mind's eye, no mater how much you are loosing? or Do you see yourself as slender?" I never really seen myself as fat. When I looked at pictures I would be so ashamed so I would avoid pictures to avoid the truth. When we would go out then I would notice my weight because I would compare myself to the other women. Then we just stopped going out and it wasn't really 'in my face' so much. I started to 'hide' and jsut didn't want to do much with other people anymore because I was so ashamed on one side but in denile of just how big I was. I still find myself comparing myself to other women when we go out now. I still try to just 'fade into the furniture' if there are alot of thin women in our crowd. I love to hear a compliment here and there but not someone to just go overboard and really compliment and make a big deal out of it. It is a big deal for me but it is also a VERY personal journey that I am on. My victories are kept to myself and then shared here because I know you all understand how I feel or what the vicories mean to us. I say again, I am so glad to have all of you to take this journey with. You all mean so much to me. Ok off my soap box now. I am so freakin weepy this week. LOL

Wow is it just my computer or is everyone elses look totally different. I like it!!! Hope it stays this way! I MADE IT TO ONEDERLAND THIS MORNING!!!! 198.7. I just couldn't believe it. I got watery eyes came in and sat down at my computer and then went back in to weigh again. Done this 3 times and then I wanted to tell the world but as I posted yesterday I don't tell anyone what I weigh or weighed before surgery or how much I have lost so I just kinda felt all alone. In a good way though. I had a wonderful secret that I am not sharing with anyone except you guys here but I tell you I felt so many emotions running through me all at once. Ok enough of that. Tears are coming again. :crying: Tonight the scale says 200.1 though.:ohmy: :frown2::banghead: I am not going by tonights reading. Aunt flo arrived yesterday and I always retain throughout the day. (I know I know I know olderst excuse in the book but damn it I want this victory. LOL) I hope tomorrow morning is as good as this one was. It is freezing here in Iowa. Supposed to be about 30 below tomorrow night and Sat a high of 2!!!! Don't think we will be venturing far from home. Janet congrats to you. Your in the 180's. Phyl-you crack me up with yours and DH spats. I love it!!!! salsa- How is the fill doing? Hope things are working better for you. Take care. Peaches- How much was in your band the last time that they put some in? Couldn't they tell today whether it had leaked any out or not? Keep us posted. Everyone else that I didn't mention above, I didn't forget you just can't remember who posted what. :huh2: We are all doing so great!!! I am so proud of each and everyone of us.

Ruby- thank you so much for understanding. I knew this was the one place that I could come that everyone would understand my thinking. I told NOBODY EXCEPT MY DAUGHTER what my highest or surgery weight was. I was/am soooo ashamed of that. I do not honestly think that even after I get to goal and hopefully stay there that I will EVER tell anyone else. It is something that is SOOOOO painful and private for me. I am very very proud of myself for the weight that I lost and love the compliments but I just can not bring myself to tell anyone how much I have lost. My only response is always 'quite a bit but not enough yet.' Congrats on looking in the mirror and liking the women looking back. Isn't it a wonderful feeling? Sometimes I find myself looking in the mirror and I am just like amazed at the difference. I take pictures every month and a couple times I skipped and waited 2 months. Damn it I have worked for my success and I want to be able to look back and say remember when and to show off my accomplishment. Hell I even printed a 'right before surgery' (8 days before) and 1 day before my last doctor appointment picture just so I could show my doctor my 'visual' accomplishment. LOL Brandy- thank you so much for the cheering. I really need it!!! You will be in the 140's soon also. My gosh that seems like a life time away for me. I am so happy for you!!!! The people magazine thing. They said for 2-3 years that Star Jones never had surgery either and she finally outted herself this year. They are human just like us. You are right. Our band has helped but we did the work. We deserve the credit and that is why I have only told 4 people about my band. For me this has been such a personal struggle with my weight and I don't share a lot of personal things with many people. I have my VERY SELECT few that I told but I knew they would not judge and take credit away from me and credit it all to the band. Phyl- Congrats on the robe and socks. You will be able to totally fit that 1X before long. You are doing wonderful!!! About the hubby retiring. Mine is no where near that yet but I tell you a funny. The week of Christmas I had this brainy idea that him and I should take the whole week off for vacation and the kids (2 teenagers!! :ohmy:) would be home from school and we would have this great bonding time. LOL So we both got off the Friday before Christmas and none of us went back to work/school until January 2nd. OMG!!!!!!!!!! The first couple of days were ok and then of course it was Christmas Eve and we were all being very nice because it was Christmas and we were really happy to have each other and yada yada yada. Ok so then Christmas Day comes and we have no where to go and we had our gifts and etc on Christmas Eve so we had a meal and everyone was just kinda quiet and went our own ways in the house. The day after Christmas we were snipping at one another and getting REALLY irritated and each day it got a little worse. LOL The kids, teenagers mind you, were making comments that they couldn't wait to go back to school. DH kept telling me I should just go back to work there is nothing to do. It was a week of hell. LOL We love one another with all our hearts but too much time is just UNHEALTHY for us. LOL I told hubby that week that when he is old enough to retire he needs to be volunteering his time somewhere because we will have to get seperate living quarters other wise. Living in the RV. 3 years ago when we moved in together I gave up my house and he had a small tralier house that we were having moved out and a bigger place moved into the spot. WHAT HELL!!!!! Ended up I gave up my house, his got moved out and the guy moving the new one in had something come up and he couldn't move the new house in for 2 1/2 weeks so we had to live in my in laws house (my in-laws live right next door:eek:. Wonderful people and we rarely see them but again it was too much time together.) It was the beginning of the school year for the kids. We had just moved back to this district because they wanted to go back to this school and I moved back for them even though I really wanted to stay where I was. Anyway, here we are no home, living in the in-laws (at the time we were not married yet so they were my BF's parents) RV right out front of their house in their drive way. NOT GOOD!!!! LOL All I can tell you is thank God we all lived through it. Kids and Hubby swore off of camping after that time. LOL Me I wanted to go camping but BY MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :smash:

trying to resubscribe for email notifications.

OMGGGGGGG!!!! I FINALLY got back into the thread. I have been lost trying for 2 days to get in. I missed you all and felt like I was going through withdrawl. I don't post everyday but I do read posts everyday and 2 days with nothing about killed me. LOL AAAAHHHH now I can relax and reply. Lindaa- that is reflux. I have had that every since I was 16-17 years old. When I got my second fill it tightened up the 2nd day and then when I would bend over if I had drank anything within the hour or hour and a half before it would come pouring out of my mouth like pouring tea from a tea pot. LOL Be careful with the reflux though because if it persists you may need some of the fill removed. My doc told me reflux can cause esophagus (sp?) dilation or scar tissue in the esophagus and we could lose our bands because of that. I am sooooo close to onederland!!! 200.4 but I started an flow today (sorry for TMI) I am thinking that I will drop now that the time of month has arrived and will be moving along in a few days. Belive me you will all hear it once I hit onederland!!! This will be the first (and honestly only) place that will know!!! I don't talk about my weight much with anyone else. Many people ask how much I have lost and I just tell them not enough. I have this thing that if I tell them how much I have really lost they will look at me and think "OMG she was huge!!! She still has to lose even after losing that amount!" I know that sounds nuts. I know that I was fat (fatter than now) but I just don't want others to know just how fat I was. Sound crazy?

I have quit being notified when there are new posts via email. Anyone have any suggestions on how to fix that? It worked fine and now the past month or so I get no emails to tell me someone has posted to this thread. Help!!

Ruby I am sorry to hear about you lack of restriction. I am worried also that it will be harder to schedule fills with my docs PA. She has started doing them on Wednesdays only because she said she is just swamped with running back and forth between the halls of the hospital and the office. I totally understand her reasoning though. I am like Janet. I schedule a fill for every month when I leave. If I don't need it I just tell them when I get to the office that I don't need it. For the first year after surgery my doc requires all band patients to be seen once a month to make sure we are doing ok and keep us on track. I have to say I really like that. It really makes me even more accountable because I know that I will be seeing them. How are you healing from your infection? Hope you are doing well now. I don't know if you mentioned this before and I apologize in advance if you will have to repeat yourself but when will you be having surgery on your breast again to replace the implant if you don't mind my asking.

No you are right. I should have explained that they did give me all the numbers. My LDL went up 6 points my trigylcerides? went down I think (I don't know which is better up or down with those but I think it was down and either way she said that the way they went was good). My My LDL's (bad cholesterol) went from 134 too 195 so my bad cholesterol went up. UUUUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!! Thanks for trying to explain it too me though. Lets hope for better results next month!!

Salsa- I am so sorry for your troubles. You really are having a rough go of it. The liquids are terrible. I don't think there was anyone else on here that had as long of a liquid diet as I did before and after surgery. I had to do 2 weeks prior to surgery and 4 weeks after surgery of clear liquids. That was terrible!!! I was a very fat women who liked my food and had to cook for my family and watch them eat it while I made a cup of broth. :angry Let me tell ya it was pretty trying so I TOTALLY sympathize with you. I used Beneprotein in my broth. I could taste a little bit if I used a full scoop and I didn't like the taste so I just put have a scoop to 1 cup of broth and it was fine. It really helped some. Hope you are feeling a bit better. You can do this!!! You were wide open last month and still lost weight so hang in there girl. Ok so I bought myself the Red Exerciser. Supposed to help with the midsection bulges. My girlfriend bought hers about 2 months ago and she has had EXCELLENT results. She's had 4 kids and honestly ya just wouldn't believe it because she is getting a flat belly. Now I know I won't have the flat but if I would be good with any toning. My skin has been pretty good so far comming back some. I do have the bat wings and some of the melting wax look to my belly so I am thinking that all the walking is WONDERFUL but now I have to really ramp up on the toning as well. Besides the PA told me yesterday that I should really work on the aerobics because that is really good for the cholesterol. I will keep you posted!!!

Phil no kidding about the fill charges. Get this! Today when I was there I was telling the PA (she did a VERY SLIGHT 'tweek. .2) Anyway I was telling her that I didn't want to be to tight but I also want each fill to definately count. I explained to her about the insurance. She goes fills are like $400 and some dollars. I said no there not. I get a statement from my insurance everytime they have paid for a fill and they were charged $1515.?? She couldn't believe it!! She goes that is not how much it is if you are paying out of pocket. I said ' they charge different for insurance patients than they do self pay?!?!' She goes I wouldn't think so and she went right to the phone and called down to the office from Xray. They told her that they do charge differently and she just couldn't believe it. She goes 'why is that?' They told her because Blue Cross of Iowa has a contract with them and an agreed upon price. They bill my insurance $1515 and my insurance pays them $800 and some. I told her I would be checking with my insurance to see which way would be cheaper for me and she told me she would be checking with billing to because she doesn't understand why they can charge self pay alot less (NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE SELF PAYING!!! I THINK IT IS GREAT THAT THEY WILL DO IT CHEAPER.) I just want to get to the bottom of it and see which way would be cheaper for me. Well I am down to 201 now. FINALLY moving a bit. Hoping this little fill today will give me a jump. Dare I say that I will maybe get to onederland?!?! Hope I didn't jinx myself by saying that out loud!!!! :speechles

OK I am feeling better today after the scarey reading of other threads. I am taking Janets advice and not venturing from you all here. So if anyone reads anything interesting on another thread (not something that will send my worry antena's (sp?) haywire) please come back and share your knowledge. LOL Got my blood work back today. The only thing they don't have back yet is my Iron level. Don't understand that since it has been a week but I will get it in a couple more days I am sure. Everything was ok EXCEPT MY FREAKIN CHOLESTEROL!!!! Now listen to this because I was just baffold and really confused. Before surgery when they did my blood work my cholesterol was 243 (in July). In October my doc ran it again because it had been 3 months. It was 222. They told me before surgery they didn't want to start me on meds because with weight lose it may go down and if not then it was prob due to genetics. So in October I was really happy thinking that things were going in the right direction and doc said he was not worried. So I go in last week, (I know this sounds nuts) but I was excited because I wanted to see 'how much it has gone down not because I have lost 31 lbs since the last draw. I get my results today and my cholesterol is now 285!!! I honestly thought that it had to be wrong and still think that. I was so upset. Doc told me he thinks mine is genetic. I said are you serious that it can go up that much in 2 1/2 months? I said I haven't done anything different than what I have since being banded, I'm eating ALOT healthier than I was pre band and it was going now and now it is higher than before surgery. He assured me that the machine the hospital uses is very accurate but I am just floored by this. He is going to recheck it in a month and if it is still high like that I will prob be on cholesterol pills. I am so frustrated!!!! I look at labels and cholesterol, calories and etc. I am hoping that next month it is lower and I won't have to take pills but I will do what I must. I called the surgeons office to talk about it with them also. (My family doc did my labs and I have to take result to surgeon for my 6 month check). The nurse was very nice and listened to me talk because I was upset. She asked if I wanted to come in for an appointment to talk with the PA and I said I already have an appointment set for tomorrow so I will just talk to her then. About fill cost. My surgeons office only does them under fluro also. I got a statement from my insurance and was looking at what they charge insurance for fill. Ready for this?!?!?! $1,515.00. I didn't have to pay before January 1st because I had met my out of pocket max of $2,000 last year but now they will cost me $285 for each fill. UUGGHHHH Better get. It is 12:45 AM here and hubby is tossing and turning because my 'pecking' as he calls it on the keyboard. Good night all. Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!!

OMYGISH!!!!!!!!!!! I have not ventured from the lucky # 7's thread for MANY MANY MANY months. I think the last time was 5 months ago. Anyway, I was just looking around on here, bored, and not a whole lot of posting on our thread this morning and I was looking at the thread about complications and the band removal. IT FREAKED ME OUT!!! So many of them are 'so happy to have it out' 'had complications after 6months' and etc. I KNOW those things happen but I am a worry wart so I just don't go reading about them. I love my band but I do have to say I am scared. That is why I quit reading the other posts before. They FREAK me out!!! I guess what I am saying is I need someone to tell me it is all going to be ok. LOL I researched and researched before having the band and I am CONFIDENT in what I have done. I just have that little guy setting on my shoulder right now with the shadow of doubt. I am going to go fold laundry now and try to 'flick' him off. LOL

Ruby-OMYGOSH!!! Thank heavens they caught the infection. Take it easy and heal now. The scales will move again. My hat is off to you!! You have stayed within 4 lbs through the holidays and this whole infection business. Think of yourself pre band. Would you have been able to stay in that range or would you have tried eating your frustrations away. Good luck and keep us posted. Janet- For me I think the fills are both physical and psychological. I struggle with that alot. I am actually dealing with a lot of that right now. For me, right after I get a fill I am in the mindset that I am just got a fill and my band is tighter so I can't eat much. I have the whole mind thing going as well as the physical. After a few weeks I have found that I am eating more. I have mentally been challenging myself. When I want to eat or am eating I ask myself 'are you really hungry or just eating because you are having head hunger.' Am I really eating the amount that I do because I am hungry or because I can physically do it. I have to admit that I have caught yself eating more than I should because I can. I mean don't get me wrong I do not eat more than 2 times a day and most days only 2 because I am just not really hungry. My problem is as you have talked about several times. I want food at night. I have always been one that sets up late at night and the rest of my family is in bed sleeping. I set up and watch television and then I find myself wanting to eat. I have never been one for sweets or things like that but it is still calories to late aat night. Now if I ABSOLUTELY HAVE to have something because my mind just will NOT give up I might have a 1/2 cup FF cottage cheese or something like that. Something that still has some calories but FEW and that is good for me. I have changed many things since being banded but that night hunger I don't think will ever change. After each fill it goes away for a while and then after 3-4 weeks it returns again. Peaches thanks for the recipe for Salmon. I bought some the other day and had no idea how I was going to cook it. I have only had salmon one way and that is how my grandma used to make it. Salmon patties. Canned salmon, crushed crackers with egg, salt and pepper. Make them into patties and fry them in a bit of butter. Well that is out. I do not eat ANYTHING fried and have never in the 4 years that we lived here fried anything in my house because I don't like the smell of fried food so I needed a recipe to try. This will be so much healthier. Thanks!! Phyl I too take my shoes off right inside the door or my house and any one elses that we may go to. I always have. I am a little OCD when it comes to my house being spotless and having everything in its place at all times and when we go somewhere I take my shoes off out of respect because I would expect people to do the same at my house. LOL Even my teenage children do it because that is how they have been raised. Well I have no gotten the results to my blood work back yet. Janet to answer your question about being depressed no I haven't been. Nothing has happened that has upset me lately and things actually seem do be going fine. I did start taking my B-12 complex again this week and my doc told me to increase my multi-vitamins by 1 more gummi 2 times a day and the past few days have been better. I am at least back among the living and functioning again. I will let you all know how things turn out. I have an appointment on Wednesday so I will find out then how the blood work turned out.

OK Gang I weighed in again today for the holiday challenge. I am at 203 again. I just can not seem to get below 200. I will though. Holidays are over and Indio is right NO MORE EXCUSES!!! I am so happy that life will get back to normal now. So tired of all the hoopla and running here and there. I am having my 6 month blood work done today. My doctor and I are worried a little about my iron. I take my gummi vites every day but this past 2 weeks I do nothing but sleep. I had all of last week except 3 hours off from work and I mostly slept. I had a cold and sinus stuff but I just can not sleep enough. I have NO energy!!! I would literally sleep 16-17 hours a day. NO KIDDING!!! I would go to bed early at night and then get up at 10-11 am and then back to bed for a 'nap' between 1-3 and back up at 6-7pm and back to bed at 11. That is NOT like me at all. I am usually up about 8-9am and then not in bed sleeping until midnight 1am. I have to get back in the game but really want to just take a nap. UUGGHHHH

HAPPY NEW YEAR LUCKY #7'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went today and bought myself a new outfit for the evening with jewelry and all. I am really excited to dress up tonight and go out. We do not usually go out on New Years Eve but a friend is having a small gathering at their house and we are going. We have a Designated driver so we will have a few drinks. I am so looking forward to 2008 and being lighter and healthier. I have so much to celebrate as do all of us here. I am 72 lbs lighter than last New Year and I am ready to show it off. LOL I hope you all have a Very Happy New Year. Thank goodness the holidays will be over after tonight so things will slow down again. WHHHEEWWWW

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!! My gosh I have been MIA for so long! I posted pics the other night and was trying to hurry and do those as we were on our way out. I figured I should post mine since I had asked everyone to post theirs for Chirstmas. LOL I hope everyones Christmas was great. We got a WII for Christmas and I have to tell you I LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH AS THE KIDS!!! LOL I got them Guitar Hero for it and I just love it!!! The past 3 days we have played and played. Something that we all are enjoying and we are doing it together. scale is again not moving. I have to say though I believe it is mostly because I haven't been exercising like I need to be. I have been sick with cold and then all the holiday hoopla. I will start again. I am redetermined now. The holidays are about over and then it is back to real life again. I don't think I did terribly bad with eating. My MIL sent some fudge home right before Christmas knowing that I am the only one who really LOVES fudge. My son and husband ate 2 pieces and I had about 4 and then I told them I don't want this in the house so if you guys don't want it I want to throw it. They told me to throw it so I did. I had told my MIL I didn't want it in the house and she told me 'no you have to let yourself have some of this. It won't kill you." You have to know her though. I really felt like she was trying to sabatoge me. She has been pushing all sorts of no no's at me. I have done fine and stood my ground. So long story short fudge went to the garbage and I have no more temptations in my house. My restriction is pretty good right now. THANK GOD!!! I can not imagine going through this time a year without good restriction. You all are doing so great. Unruley I love my bodybugg. I feel lost when I take it off for my shower. I really like being able to see how much I have burnt in calories each day. Well I better get. Oh yeah!! Thank you all for the compliments on my pictures. You all really build self esteem. Thank you so much!!!

This is yesterday. This is my new size Large Leather coat. IMG]http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc97/jackie506/100_3878.jpg[/img]

MY BMI HAS GONE DOWN 12.7 NUMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT BELIEVE IT. I REALLY AM ON MY WAY TO BEING HEALTHIER!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2::bounce::faint:

Janet- I am so sorry to hear of your furry friend not feeling well. I am an absolute pushover for animals. I have 2 yorky's and they are my world. My DD is actually 'jealous' of them sometimes. LOL She always looks at me when I am 'talking' to my girls and tells me 'mom they are dogs. They had no idea what you are saying.' LOL I think the secret santa thing would be alot of fun so count me in definately. Congrats!!! I see your number went down again. Your doing wonderful!!! Would you mind posting that cabbage soup recipe? I love cabbage and haven't had cabbage soup in years since my mom made it. I would love it. I eat soup at least 1 time EVERYDAY. LOL I am a soup person. Phyl- Congrats on the 5 lbs!! I am like you. I go along losing nothing and then 10-12 lbs in 2 weeks then back to nothing. Hope you are feeling better. Sounds like your doing great with your portions!! Wasn't it you that hubby was trying to 'skimp' on your portions before and now you are having to remind him. LOL Keep it up Phyl!!! Peaches-my tummy also makes those LOUD obnoxious noises!! LOL It is funny because once it happened in the doctors office in the waiting room. I was setting there and it was dead silent. Could of heard a pindrop and there was 3-4 other people in there. My tummy goes off like a bomb and I just sat there. The others all looked up and looked around. LOL I have an idea. It has been quite awhile since we all did update pics so I was wondering if everyone wants to do them before Christmas. I need to take some so I will put mine on as soon as I get them. My scale is starting to creep along a bit again. Hope it keeps going. Shout out to all the other Lucky #7's that I didn't mention. Keep up the great work!!! We are all doing awsome!!!

Salsa- the fills does not help you lose weight. The fills restricts the amount you can eat. I envy you because of the will power you have right now. My gosh I would be a mess I think. Especially this time of year. When do you get refilled? I forget. Sorry. You are doing great.