the best me

Thank God she sat in your chair, or you wouldn't have found out you fit in the other ones! Next meeting, announce that you no longer want dibs on the armless chair. You now fit just fine an any of them! WTG!!!! (Oh, and then kick her ass. LOL that was funny BPM!)

I'm in the shower....see you all in a bit!!!!!

Yay Sherri and Amy! We are so proud of you!!!! congratulations!!!!!! Sugar...try Dress Barn Woman? I've had some good success there. You'll adjust to your new body shape and size. And you'll find something to wear, too. Just don't give up! Post a pic when you find that special outfit. Maybe look for a suit instead? Just some ideas...good luck. I'm rootin' for ya!!!!

Yes, eating too fast, too much, too quickly, PBing, getting stuck, being overfilled, will all cause swelling which makes the stomach around the band irritated and swollen and cause that "hole" to close up. This can lead to slippage. I'm a little confused because, the pouch is dilated? Because the opening through the band is too tight? Is this right? Dilated means "open" and it seems as though the problem here is being NOT open...help me understand! Wait, there's a medical term "dilitation" (sp?) but it's not in my dictionary...Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

leener, I'm pretty sure the Panadol is Tylenol. Is this right desertmom? You can et Tylenol in liquid form and that should go past the band better, plus you can wash it through. You don't want meds sitting on the band. You may also consider switching form antacids to an acid reducer. I think you are on Nexium? Am I remembering? If so, that's good. the Nexium and Prilosec and Zantac and Prevacid are acid reducers. Tums is an antacid. You want your stomach to not produce so much acid...the Tums just neutralizes acid that's already there. Know what I mean? Anyway, hope that helps.

Hehe. My sister loves Hostas. I don't even know what they look like. She says "you know the ones out by the ends of the driveway next to the Pompas grass?" Okay, so I think I know what pompas grass looks like but unless I'm looking at it, I don't remember the hostas!!!!! WHO are you talking to?!!!!! LOL Good luck! Go get 'em j.s.!

YES! That's me, too. That said... Wavy, eat your soup. Till you are stuffed with the stuff. Add in another protien drink if you have to, but really, try and stick with veggies all day. You can do this! Just think to yourself, it's only for today...I'll live, and if I do this today, I can move on to Day 3 and I'll be fine! It's only for today! desertmom, would you do better with canned fruits? They are softer...maybe that would help? Maybe you should also bump up your calories. Lots of folks say that gives them a boost on weight loss. Add in another 2-300 calories for 4-5 days then cut back again, see what happens. Heck, if it were me, I'd even just add a nice bowl of ice cream. :biggrin1: But, I'm stuck on weight loss, too, so read around before you go and eat junk, okay? Wait...you are on Day 1. No ice cream, then! Good luck!

See ya'll tonight! Well...some of you. Okay, pool party the 5th of August...going now to mark it.

Good Heavens, John. I'm so glad you took the pics. They are dramatic for sure. I can't believe the way some people are...shame on him. Take care and keep us posted. (((HUGS))))

Diane, have you found a surgeon yet? I'm pretty sure there's one in Ashville. Someone on here somewhere in the MV Forum was banded in Ashville. Lyn, just another month! It will fly by, you'll see, and you'll be on your way! I'm having a good banded day today, I guess, so I'm looking forward to it for you! LOL Hey Katie B! Welcome to LBT! We may not be very close to you, but thank God for the internet! Pop in if you have questions and pass along some inspiration, okay?! Your weight loss is great! Welcome everyone!

Yup, normal. See?! You are NORMAL! How's that for a great start to a great day?! LOL (sometimes it's the little things)

Wavy, do what works best for you...that's the beauty of it! I'd say a morning shake is a good substitution! No, it isn't skim milk. Oh well. And hot tea for coffee. fine in my book. Good job! You'll do fine on this. Yay you! Desertmom, I hope the fruits and veggies are good for you and your band. It's yummy soup, eat up! I made my soup today!

T, check out the food Forum. There's a Sticky there (uhhh...used to be...I hope it's still there!) called Food Stages. Look for great ideas under the Mushies Stage. Just keep it super soft. Guacamole is a fave of mine. Good luck! You'll do fine! OH! Aloe Vera juice is very healing. You might consider drinking 2-3 ounces of that at bedtime, and even 2-3 times a day. It's good for the stomach tissues around the band area. That might help you, too.

Nancy, let me know how you like the Flip Fold. I keep thinking about hubby's side of the closet. I think I could keep it nice if I simply spent 15 min. on it once a week. Maybe I don't need a contraption...maybe I just need to put it "on my list"? It's sure not on his list. He lives outta that closet just fine! Boy-o it's a mess, though!

If you are looking for excellent Vitamins with high absorbancy, shoot for either Shaklee or Melaleuca. Best quality, but I'm sure the Melaleuca isn't available in a liquid. They have packs with about 5 tablets twice a day. I have enough trouble getting my vitamins in, I go for the liquid. As for the pyramid marketing...she might have lost plenty of weight, but I can guarantee you it wasn't with the vitamins alone. She ate better, exercised more, just like the rest of us. You can't blame success or lack of it on Herbalife. I'm sure the products are fine. I never did any type of home-business selling of anything. It bothers me to think that every acquaintence I meet is a potential customer. I just don't want to think that way about people. :shrug:

Just in case someone is looking...Sat the 15th is cancelled. New date is Tuesday July 11th at 7:15pm at Ruby Tuesdays on Arrowood.

Hear ye! Hear ye! The Jade plant has been mailed to Jenna! I give up! I'm hoping Jenna can make something of the poor thing. I'll be looking for pics. Thanks for adopting my plant, Jenna. Don't you wish you had done this a year ago?!!!! LOL sorry. it's in terrible shape, I know. Post when you get it in the mail!!!!

Nana you look adorable and I love your hair color. Third place is GREAT! But, most of all, you had fun! Keep us updated on what you are up to next! Pics from Ozzfest? Does that have something to do with Ozzy Osborne? Forgive me...I live the wild life vicariously through you...LOL

Hello! Welcome to LBT and soon, bandland! Here's my take on maintaining, and I think I got this downpat, seeing as I am the queen of plateaus, right? LOL A normal person eats 1800 or so calories a day...you know, a person who just eats, exercises, is a healthy weight, doesn't gain, isn't underweight, has good days and bad days, etc. Someone I am NOT! Till now. I'm pretty loose, in other words, not a ton of restriction, so it's possible for me to eat 1800 calories a day of reasonable foods. Yep, sometimes it's the ice cream that gets me up there in calories, but I don't have an unreasonable diet. I eat. I live. It's all good! I'd say I'm maintaining. And my band makes it possible. I can't shovel food like I used to, and so now I'm able to live a happy banded life and maintain my weight loss. True, I have more to lose. In order to do that I need to cut my calories by several hundred a day, at the least! So, I can either do it "on my own" or get a small fill to help. The choice is mine. Maintaining is the easy part if you aren't too restricted. You can do this! A year form now, you'll just be banded and doing your thang. Here's to meeting your weight loss goals! Good luck!

Well done! Yes, be careful on your fill and avoid the cycle of swelling and irritation. Will you continue the Nexium? Keep us posted Seppi! Here we are a year later and doin' this banded thing! Yay us! Your weight loss is FAB!

Go back to liquids. sounds like your band isn't ready for pureed foods yet. Do full liquids, not just clear, but sip small and slow. You have to listen to your body and let it call the shots, not the meal plan. There is no harm in NOT progressing to the next food stage if your body isn't tolerating it well. After a few days of full liquids and slowing down, you should no longer be in pain. Is it a "sore" pain, or something more "sharp?" If in doubt, call your doc, but definately stick to liquids and slow down.

This concerned me, when I made my pot, so I chopped up the celery in super small chunks. I sliced the whole stalk, then turned a few of the slices at a time on their side and cut each of those slices into 3rds. (did I write that so you could picture it?) like I do for potato salad. So I had no trouble with the celery in the soup. I routinely spit out wads of ANY food that doesn't chew well! It's time for me to make another pot. Last time I used baby carrots and just dumped the bag. This time, I'm getting the shavings...what are those? Julienne? just so they cook nice and tender. A bit easier to eat, too. And more green Beans than before. I used white onions, too. Loved them. So, here we go again. I logged my food intake yesterday and today and I at NO fruit today. None. Nada. How pitiful is that? gggrrrrr. Soups ON! :hungry:

Happy Birthday Darcey! Thanks for being such a great inspiration for me. You ROCK!!!! Hope your day is FAB!

YES! Yours are much more fun for me than my own. Why is that? I'll help with the girls...come on!!!

Here's the link www.flylady.net As for clutter piles? I decided to let it go. Clutter piles. Flylady calls them hotspots. I can't live without my hotspots! BUT! What I have learned from her is to deal with the hotspots every day. The dealio for me is to allow a guilt-free hotspot or two, but deal with them. The one in the kitchen gets dealt with daily. The one in the office gets dealt with weekly. I refuse to whine or complain. I decided to embrace my hotspots and take care of them, for they must be precious, indeed, right? As for your daughter, maybe make the clothes pile part of her evening routine? Have her make a list of the things she needs to do every evening. She can toss clothes all day, but she HAS to put them ALL up before bed. Would that work? My daughter is only 6, so she's only as good about this as I am. :omg: I try to FLY every day. I jump in every day. I do what I can and don't beat myself up when it isn't perfect. Noone is. Don'tcha hear me preachin' to myself?!!! :amen: