lindata

Oh my GAWD Sadies, I can't believe that! Good luck on your surgery. Once you have it on the right way you'll be up and away. Hollyberries - you were sooo a cheerleader in your past life, weren't you? :smile:

Hi Grammie. Where are you from in Arkansas? I'm from the Little Rock area and used Dr. Gibbs.

Kendra, I'm so glad to have heard from you. It's been so long! Girl, you got to get some sassy wigs. Have you seen Desperate Housewives where (can't remember her name) lost her hair, got some wigs, and her husband was majorly turned on by the red one? I don't know how to say this via the web since the web does not give emotion very well but I'm very sorry for what you're going through and I think about you often, my good vibes are going your way. Every time I'm on here I'm looking for a post from you, so you ARE in my thoughts. You've got a great attitude and that will get you far! Keep posting and let us know what's going on in your life.

Okay everyone, let's throw some book titles out there and how about in a week we'll all vote on it, read it, and talk about it a month from now. Sound like a plan? Let's also post books we're reading right now - the good, the bad, the ugly - the good, so I can read them, and the bad and ugly so I won't read them. :thumbup: I'm reading a really good one right now - another young adult - called The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I guess that could be my month's vote. It's about a boy in this current age, and all about Greek Gods who have never actually gone away but are living with us right now. It's pretty cool. It's actually teaching me a bit about Greek mythology. I love books that will teach you a bit while you're reading them - that's why I LOVE LOVE LOVE historical fiction so much. You get history the easy way.

I've gotten into young adult fiction lately. It's surprisingly good - just as good as adult stuff. So I read all the Spiderwick Chronicles which were really good, now I can't wait to see the movie. If you get them though, get all of them since every book only takes about an hour to read. The one I'm reading right now is Interred with Their Bones by Jenniffer Carrell. It's kind of like the Da Vinci Code (which I LOVED!) except instead of art, it's based on Shakespeare.

Hollyberries - don't forget me from Canada! (although I live in the States now) Huskerette - I read on another post you're full-time student and worker so don't you even try to read all the posts here with all the work you're doing! You take care of yourself and just join right in. I totally agree this is the "best friggin support group in the world!!" (In case you haven't noticed Hollyberries is everyone's all-round cheerleader and supporter!)

Hmmm, I guess I'm not supposed to snack! I tend to graze all day long - very small amounts which probably add up to what I'm supposed to eat in a day (if not more!) You know, I keep forgetting to look at my list of food rules and whenever I stop losing I'm always very perplexed. Then I look at my rules and realize oh, yeah, no snacking - oh, yeah, protein first, small amounts, yada yada. I guess the rules really do work, eh?

My friend let me in on something fantastic that I've been using to help lose weight. It's a shake that you can have for either one or two days. All you drink is the shake - and if you're still hungry you can have carrots - and of course all the Water you can drink. I have an extremely hard time losing weight, but every time I do this, the weight comes off. And I also feel full. So I thought I'd let you in on my secret weapon. 1 cup orange juice 1 cup cranberry juice 1 cup soy milk (I just use regular milk) 1 cup yogurt (I use French vanilla) 2 tablespoons wheat germ 1 teaspoon flax seed oil. Blend it up and portion it throughout the day. It doesn't look like much but, trust me, you will feel pretty full - you're not going to starve - I think it's the wheat germ that does it. This is if you want to do it for two days. I always just do it for one, so I half all the ingredients. Just keep sipping it throughout the day, remixing it as you go because the ingredients tend to separate. Now, I know you got the band because you didn't want to go on another diet, but this seriously works. It works for my friend, me, and my mom - all of whom are very resistant to weight loss. I'm planning on doing this once a week.

Hey Huskerette! If it makes you feel better I was a size 16 at 185 pounds too! You're the second person I know who got broken up with on Valentine's Day. My husband's brother did that to his WIFE if you can believe it! He's a much nicer person now though. It sounds like you've got a great attitude and a lot of new things happening along with your new skinny bod! Good for you for going to school and working full-time. I know how tough that is. Linda

Oh, I'm glad to hear a few of you are interested! Well, how should we start?

I'm so sorry that happened Sades. You'd think the doctor would have figured this out earlier since you have so much fill and nothing has been happening!! I've heard other people go on liquids for a few weeks and that has fixed a slip if you want to start doing that. Has your doctor given you any directions?

I checked on TWO bmi calculators and today is the day ..... I am JUST OVERWEIGHT!!!! WHOOOHOOOO!!!! :tt1::tt1::tt1::Dancing_biggrin::redface::Dancing_biggrin::sad::Dancing_biggrin::biggrin::Dancing_biggrin::Dancing_biggrin::Dancing_biggrin:

Name............Lbs Lost........% of wgt lost.......BMI QatarPhil...........55......................19%...............32.2 (39.6) Foofy...............43....................15.5%..................37.2 Sades...............35....................15.2%...............35.6 Shalee04...........66.....................26.6................30.3 Bandpal.............77.66..................27%................34.1(47) Skinny_Jill..........50.....................22.5%..............32.7 Stephanie..........60.....................26%.................27.1 Hollyberries........106.....................30%.................36.6 linda.................52......................23%.................29.95 Abbisgood..........53.....................23%.................?? want2lose..........76.4...................26%................33.5 kandiceb............63.....................26%................27.6 Momto1plus1......67.2...................24.9%..............31.7 MollyBrown.........36.....................12.5%..............36.5 TxArcher............101...................25.25%.........52.8 to 39.4 Cindyg...............50.....................20%.................36.5 Close.................50.....................20%.................33.1 Tmusicmaker123..73.....................19%.................60.1 to 48.7 plump_princess....57.....................22%.................36 Mariegabrieleee....73.....................24%.................51.3 to 39.1 gabeekeeper.......101.....................30% ..................40.2 stranger138........41......................17.8%.................33.5 shortgal..............40......................18.5%..............33.8 Robin_Bird............88.....................28.8%................33 Staysee..............70.....................20%................48.4 Hajohnson1..........49.8....................18.2%..............39.8 lindseyann2u........63......................?%.................? Cherlita...............44.......................20%...............65 to 57.5 BandChick64..........90.....................30%.............33.9 tyman311..............61.....................31%...............41 to 28 (so far) BarbBee................69......................23%...............39.4 1961.06 to date!!!!

that must have felt so good! I can always tell if I've lost or gained weight according to my mom. She's usually around the same weight. When I look at her and think she looks thin, then I've gained. If I look at her and think she's, hmm how do I put this, not as thin, then I know I've lost weight.

Cindy - I'm too late to congratulate you on your 50 pounds down! You're 51 now! It feels good, eh? Foofy - do you think you lost because you were eating mainly low-carb? I just noticed from what you posted it seemed to be mainly meat dishes. Hollyberries - tell me more about your Atkins plan. Have you lost much since you started? Atkins always worked well for me in the past. I have a theory about all of us who have such a hard time losing weight, that we are all allergic to sugar, and that's why it's so hard unless we follow a low-carb diet.

Sades - I'm not sure if it's the drink or just liquids in general. The past few weeks (when I had my weightloss) I had to be very careful what I was eating and more or less went on liquids every few days. I think I was a bit sick and things were inflamed, so food was not going down as well as before. Anyway, the liquids and mushy food was what really did it - and keeping the portions down too. I was also doing major landscaping work in my garden - like hauling gravel, large rocks, that kind of thing, so the exercise definitely helped. Once you get better restriction, Sades, the weight will start coming off. I KNOW how you feel right now - I didn't have any until just recently. It's very frustrating getting the band and having months where nothing is happening, and if anything is happening it's all willpower. But your time will come and then watch out! :thumbup: Hollyberries - I find Atkins has really helped me in the past too, especially with cravings. I know what you're talking about when you can make desert for your family and not eat it. What usually happens to me is one spoonful of something with sugar and that's it, I'm done for. As long as I can keep sugar out of my body I have no cravings, my face clears right up (I get lots of zits), and I lose weight. My mind still says I want it though and I end up eating it sooner or later. :thumbup:

My NSV that I've been noticing lately is that all the people I met last year when I moved, and I thought were so skinny and tiny, aren't really all that skinny and tiny after all. I feel like I'm finally fitting in a bit and that's all I ever wanted.

Exactly! Thanks everyone!

Are you cold now too? I used to always be so hot - even in Canada in the winter. I used to sleep neked! :thumbs_up: Now I live in Arkansas and sometimes I get chilly in the summer! Can you believe it? :w00t:

Only a BMI of .13 left before I'm only "overweight"!!!!

Dang, stranger, I want to be just like you! I'm just getting to size 14 and I'm definitely not comfortable in a tankini, so you're actually further ahead than I am. Hmm, how do I pronounce it? In my head it's lin - data ... But my name is Linda and Ta is part of my last name, if that helps.

No, I don't think I am. There was just such a long period of time where I could eat large quantities, and now I've finally reached a point where the band is actually working so I have to reign my quantities in, and I also have to admit that I really can't eat certain foods without them getting stuck. So I end up aggravating my stomach with barfing up the wrong choices, then spend a few days in liquid recovery. I've just got to get my head around it again. I'm learning but I'm very stubborn! :tt1:

I've spent the past three weeks alternatingly barfing up good food, going on a liquid diet to quiet the stomach, then barfing up good food again. I've barfed up watermelon twice, so I guess I'm going to have to start blending it. But then I can eat a whole load of cheetos! arghh

Name..........Start........Current.........Goal........ To Go CindyG.........204...........204...........184...........20 TxArcher.......299...........299...........280...........19 Hollyberries...253...........253...........238...........15 Momto1plus1....203...........203...........185...........18 Lindata........176.5.........176.5.........160...........16.5 I am sooooo happy. I made my goal (176.5) only one day late on the last challenge. That makes a total of 50 pounds down!!!! Yeehaw!!! :ohmy:

Bandpal - a few pounds for all the stress is no biggie! I know it's hard to go from no exercise and being stressed to getting on track again. The first day is the hardest - but then you get into your exercise/diet routine and life is suddenly not that hard again. Take care of yourself!