vinesqueen

I will be spending at least one night overnight because of my asthma.

oh, I forgot to mention, one year I gave up chocolate for lent and I GAINED 15 POUNDS!!!! All the Gods and Goddesses in Heaven want me to eat chocolate, just as long as I am sensible about it.

My dear Trish, I am joining this thread late, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm glad you joined the Extraordinary bandsters. My husband has been a member since before he was banded. I want you to know that you are NOT too big to be banded. My husband weighed 600 pounds when he got his band. Let me say that again: SIX HUNDRED POUNDS. If he could be successfully banded, then you certianly can. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience on that othe board. But I think, on some level, that it was good for you to do it, since it gave you a chance to question your decision whether to have this procedure. When you question your decisions, I mean really and honestly question your decisions, you give yourself an opportunity to gain clarity of purpose.

I know other people have spoken about a transendece experience with food; I was always skeptical when I heard this. That is, until I had some sushi with this amazing smoked salmon..... The thought of that sustains me until I can get back to Seatle...

I heard AC/DC done as elevator music!!!!!!! Highway to Hell! I thought my eye would never stop twitching!

yeah, but we all know that fat != ugly... The pix on the before and after can attest to that!

I line dry mine. I have found that if I dry them in the dryer it messes with the wire. I have several scars because the underwire snapped and stabbed me. (yeah, blood and all...) I find they last longer when line dried (or just hung on a coat hanger...) and at $40 a pop... well... Oh, and I would say wash your pants in REALLY hot Water then dry then at a hight temp. Just watch out for the flames... Since Patty hasn't had any complaints, just keep on doing what you're doing! My dad's main hobby was doing the laundry, and I don't remember my mom EVER doing a load of laundry before my dad died! Perhaps you could ask Patty's friend for advice just to placate her?

Woot! Don't forget to change your sig!

I find that really good, really dark chocolate does the trick for me. Just one or two of the dark dove treasures... Of course, I have a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's in the fridge that I've had for 6 weeks.... So, I guess don't listen to me... Wow, you have done a great job with your weight loss work! No pitty from me!

This is my only support group. As far as I know, there aren't any other bandsters in ID. My husband is very supportive, since he's been banded too, but he lives in another state.

/e does the happy dance! Sashimi! My husband isn't much a a sushi person, but he takes me out for it because he knows how I adore it. He hasn't been able to tell me if he can still eat it, because well, he didn't really eat it before, and wasn't willing to try after. (He pb's a lot)

Excellent work Cindy! How long have you been going to the gym? Are you doing strength training? It is possible that you aren't actually at a plateau, but you are busy building muscle. Muscle weighs much more than fat. This fall I gained around 15 pounds. Yeah, I know, YIKES!!! However, the even with gaining that weight, my SIZE didn't change, which means that I put on 15 pounds of muscle. From what I have learned here on these boards, some plateaus last a month, some last several months while your body is getting used to it's new size and shape. It is possible that your body and mind need this time to readjust to NOW... 87 lbs in 6 1/2 months! Holy Cow! That is great! you have done much better than the 8-10 pounds per month average! That's just over what, 13 pounds a month! How long has it been since you were at this size??? You have done some really tremendous work, and you should be proud of where you are!

Okay, I think I'm going to have to request a warning lable from now on with all your future postings... Something along the lines of "Caution! May cause Crystal to laugh until she cannot breathe!" Okay, I've got my caftan ready... How long does the jammie stage last? How long does the "no bra" stage last? (I only have bras that are marvles of engineering...)

ah, good point. That's why I suggested running through the stick... And creamed corn in this would be good... I'll edit the recipe. Thanks Lisa!

This is Soooo good. ISU has an African Night every year, and this was one of the foods served at dinner. I think this qualifies as mushy and can be run through the stick blender as well to make sure it is. Irio: 8 servings Drain 1 16-oz. can PEAS and measure the liquid. Put the peas through a vegetable mill or sieve to make a puree. Drain 1 16-oz. can KERNEL CORN and add the liquid to that of the peas. In a 2-quart saucepan: To make sure this is a "mushy" food, please use creamed corn, or run the corn throgh a blender. Prepare 4 cups INSTANT MASHED POTATOES following package directions and using the vegetable liquors as part of the required liquid. Add: 3 Tbs. BUTTER 1 tsp. SALT 1/4 tsp. PEPPER. Blend the puree of peas into the mashed potatoes until a smooth green color results. Fold in the drained kernel corn. The consistency should be that of firm mashed potatoes. I haven't tried this, since I just now found it. When I make it, I will use frozen pettit peas and probably will use frozen corn. Frozen veg don't have the problem of added salt that canned veg does. Also, by using frozen veg you will be able to adjust the ammount you make easier. Plus I will probably add a whole bunch of stuff like onion or garlic or both. .... mmmm garlic I edited this on Delarla's advice, not having ever actually been on a mushy diet...

Trish, have your tried water aerobics? My husband was in the pool until he hit about 500 pounds (going the wrong way), but he had to stop going because he developed an sore on his calf that just would not heal. ANYWAY he felt much better being in the water than on dry land. You might find the water is a good place for you too.

Ah, but who says they don't count? The same people and mechanisms that say we dont' count? I say they do! I say that anything that gets us up and grooving, up off the sofa or our chair counts! Every single one of those activities burns calories, does it not? Then by golly, it does count. And the simple fact is the more we do those types of things, the more we can do other types of "move around 'thingies'" Unless you are in a power chair when you go grorcery shopping, (or are lucky enough to get cart rides) you are walking. Walking, walking, walking. I say they count, and I say we count!

Alex, I just wanted to let you know that my son thinks you are lieing... That there is no way these are pictures of the same person! We both say that you look so much younger in the second one. WAY TO GO GURL!!!

He’s been at a plateau of 420 for the last couple of months. Part of it is psychological; he hasn’t been in the 300 range for 20 years. Fear, anger, body armor. All issues that are keeping him from where he could be. Probably issues that are keeping most of us from where we could be too. He’s been eating way too much sugar, but he knows it. On the plus side, two weeks ago he and our son started working with a personal trainer. I figure that after a while working with the trainer will kick start his weight loss. He has also come to an understanding that if he doesn’t let go of some of his cherished anger at his father, he will never lose the weight he needs to lose. (Body armor…)

Hey Trish, I've had my surgery date since the first week in January. I've had that date set before some of the other test. I met with the dietician, and the surgeon on the same day, and the psych eval was taken care of a week later. It is possible that it is easier for them to schedule the operation first, and the smaller test, like ekg and other "stuff" in smaller time slots. Don't worry, it will be alright. Sure, it is easy for me to say this, since I still have over a month to go before my band installation....

HAH HA HA HA HA Oh my gawd! that was too funny! And so appropate given the subject!!!! My husband has some interesting stories about certian gay men chasing him and asking him out. Even when he weighted 600 pounds. He was flattered, but of course turned them down.

Thanks Darcy, this has been on my mind lately. A need to "be here now." I find that I don't think about what I am currently doing, but focus on what else needs to be done, or wants to be done. If I cannot focus on what I am currently doing, how can I be happy there? Since I discovered that the scales lie, I haven't really paid much attention to what they tell me, consequently, I have not listened to the scales when they told me the truth either. *sigh* I have discovered during this journey of discovery that I am currently on that I have been guilty of gulping my food in hurry to get to the next... what ever. Since I have started to seriously masticate, I find I am more focused on my food, as opposed to what was on my computer screen, or TV screen or book. I think if I concentrate more on what I am eating, if I actually pay attention to what I am eating, my head hunger hunger might be satisfied sooner.

I can relate to your post Ladiebird. I've been with a few feeders, all thin men too... odd that. My sister-in-law is currently in a realationship with a man who adors fat women. (She and I are roughly the same size). My dad also adored fat women. One of his favorite sayings was "a full barn and a plump wife never did any man harm." I know that he sabotaged every diet my mother was on. Oh sure, he would feed her, but we were a different story all together...

It is my understanding that most barfing flus (what the heck is the plural of "flu?") are actually outbreaks of food poisoning. Of course, you can get the actual flu and cought so hard that you vomit. This is one of my concerns...

how do crunches affect the port?