DevilMayKare

At this point (off liquids) I make deals with myself. When I really want to eat something (and this is naturally limited to what I have in the house so there's no question of eating cake or ice cream--or cheese) I tell myself that if I still want it I can eat if AFTER I walk around the block or run on the elliptical for 8+ minutes. Often after exercising I don't even want whatever it is; but if I still DO--then I go ahead and eat it without guilt. It's surprising how quickly many cravings pass if you just ride them out.

That's funny, someone was just telling me that when they drank soy milk for breakfast they weren't hungry all day. I'll have to check it out. BTW DeLarla, I LOVED the story about your mother getting you to write out D-E-N-I-A-L!! I keep it in mind when my mother is driving me batty ("When did you start wearing your hair like THAT?"). . . things could be worse.

Welding caps??? Are those little hats you wear on your head? Yes Bubbame, real worms. You can't see them when you're sitting on the swing tho because they are directly underneath with a piece of carpet on top to keep them moist. (For those of you unfamiliar w/ organic gardening worm castings [ie: worm poo] are an incredible fertilizer and natural pestacide. Can anyone guess how I got the little raised fake fountain area so perfectly round? So here's the frontyard last...March, I think it was. It actually was far from it's peak but I took this pic to send to a friend who had moved to Boston just to remind her what she was missing back in CA. I know...mean. .

Well, for the last few years my garden has been my pallet. Here's a pic of my backyard last spring... (P.S. I built the arbor swing out of leftover lumber and there is a 3x5 wormbed underneath it.) Many of the plants are either butterfly host or nectar plants so I get a TON of butterflies this time of year. Living art!

You'll get there Trish! I remember well when I was 312# I never thought I'd see under 200 again in my life. BTW, I lost over 100 of that while UNBANDED which has helped me tremendously to think of this band as extra help in my weightloss journey. It makes it easier--but it still doesn't do the job if I'm not working REALLY hard at it. I could lose weight without the band--what I can NOT lose it without is exercise--AND the emotional support of other people. THe sharing on this forum is priceless.

YIP-YIP-YIPEEEE!!!! FOUR pounds down this weeK!!! AND I'm in onedeland at 199!! What a good way to start a Monday, but now I just have to not get bummed when I lose little to nothin next week. Last week I was super sad since I was working REALLY hard and only lost 1 pound. Funny how the body works, uh?

TOUCHE Jodie!

Just got this from a friend and had to share as I know you'll all relate! A couple had been debating the purchase of a new auto for weeks. He wanted a new truck. She wanted a fast little sports-like car so she could zip through traffic around town. He would probably have settled on any beat up old truck, but everything she seemed to like was way out of their price range. "Look!" she said. "I want something that goes from 0 to 180 in 4 seconds or less. And my birthday is coming up. You could surprise me." For her birthday, he bought her a brand new bathroom scale. Services will be at Downing funeral home on Monday the 12th, due to the condition of the body, this will be a closed casket service. Please send your donations to the 'Think before you say things to your wife foundation', Dallas, Texas.

Yeah, I've always gotten the "pretty face" one a lot too. I finally started responding with, "So then I guess if I were ugly it'd be okay for me to be fat?" But how about when you LOSE weight and people go on and on about how AWFUL you looked before you lost? After the last time I yo-yoed I thought of getting a T-shirt imprinted, "Don't forget I'll remember everything you said when I gain it all back." (Fingers crossed that with the band this time I WON'T!)

Well, sometimes discretion is over-rated. I mean we can't see each other to observe the "Glow." But Gypj... about that HORSE?????

Oh TOOOO Funny! Perhaps we should start a Carnal Congratulations section?

I remember when I was 312, about 5 years ago, I was trying to lose weight and started walking with a girlfriend. She's pretty and thin and about the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet. Well, one evening we were walking down a busy block and as some guys in a truck drove by one of them leaned out and yelled, "WALK FASTER, YA F**N FAT ASS!!" This was hardly the first time something like that had happened to me and I just shrugged it off, but my girlfriend was TOTALLY INCENSED. She just could not believe the cruelty of people. I mean it, she got so upset I thought she was going to start crying! She had NO idea people act like that. She really went on for quite some time. As I thought about her and her life I realized she had never actually experienced any discrimination of any kind in her life. (Imagine that!) And she was totally unprepared to deal with it. She was flabbergasted by my equanimity in the situation and I had to work at calming her down. So anyway, she FINALLY got over it, but from then on I would feel myself clinch in anticipation when I was walking with her and I could hear a car coming. It wasn't long after that that I made an excuse to stop walking with her and bought an elliptical trainer to workout in privacy. chicken shit, uh? Yeah. I did eventually end up losing a lot of weight and actually got down to 155 (before I crept back up to 228 & got this band). I could feel proud in public then and took up swing dancing. So often guys would flirt and come on to me and with those "truck types" I would have to hold myself back from snarling at them. You can tell who they are. And you can tell who the people are who are REALLY good people that love others for who they are no matter the size of their thighs. I honestly think we have a tremendous advantage in life because we know in an intimate way what people are capable of. And I'm sure most of us can't help but have the empathy that so many lack. There is no doubt in my mind that I am a better person because of my weight struggles--and I bet YOU are TOO! Would I rather be a skinny bitch? Not for a second (....well, okay, maybe for JUST a second!! But really, what is being a better person worth? A LOT. Is the struggle worth it? I choose to believe it is--so it IS. Now I just have to get to--as Kathy says--The Best ME!

So this subject heading... Sex???? Only in my dreams. WHen the ticker's traveled to the right... MAAAAYBE in my future... I do wonder at some future lover's reaction to this constellation on my tummy. I guess that's what light switches are for!

One measly pound down for me too...I know, I know, it's better than nuttin'--and much better than gaining, but STILL!!!!!! Y O Y O Y does it go ON so much faster than it goes OFF?????!!!!!!!!!!!!

yEAH, Me too. I started having really intolerable hot flashes and night sweats about 6 mos ago & went to a Doc who specializes in women & hormones. Oh man, I never had so much bloodwork done in my life! The upshot is she put me on a natural estrogen/progesterone program (along w/ a vite regimen including Indole-3 to protect from breast cancer). I haven't had a hot flash since but she told me it's very possible I might start having them again as I lose more weight. Evidently FAT contains Estrogen so the loss of fat can contribute to a temporary reduction of estrogen levels. I didn't know that before. Interesting, uh? Nothing helps my bad/boring moods like EXERCISE--except, well...as I recall sex is a real uplifter, but unfortunately that's just a distant memory for me. Something for motivation...

It's rather an amazing experience, isn't it? (That's amazing in a Dante's 5th Level of Hell sort of way.) I was glad I had read descriptions of it here so I knew what was happening my first time--but describing and experiencing are two veeery different things!

Hey ladies--THANKS for the music recommendations! I especially like the Smash Mouth and Devo. That Devo "Here to Go" song (Go! go! Go! GO!!) is my new mantra! Really, the only thing that got me to get my butt out the door for a walk tonight was the anticipation of listening to some new tunes.... well, that and the dog staring at me.

Well, I know some people do not feel any restriction until after a fill, but some of us DO, so it's possible you might not need one right away. I had every intention of getting a fill by this time (6 wks) but the truth is I am already restricted enough to have had 3 PBs. A piece of bread will just do me in. So do allow for the possibility that you might lose okay for awhile w/o the first fill. I plan to be far away from the PB experience before I get a fill. On the up side of being so distressingly uncomfortable--after a PB I don't even FEEL like eating for at least a day! And isn't it AMAZING how different we all are in the area of restriction and fills?

Oh yeah--the FLAB FLAP!! It's a great cal burner! Down 2 for me!

Thank you Jonathan!

Hi Barb, I'll sit down and compile a list this weekend and post it under a new thread. I think it would be great to share our faves! Look for "Music to Move By" coming to this forum soon!

It has been my experience that--after the initial 2-3 wks of my body's protest--I have more energy to deal with EVERYTHING when I exercise. Any time spent exercising will ultimately give you more energy, therefore more time to get all the things you need to do done. I get up every morning and do 12-25 minutes on my elliptical trainer and then just after dark at night I walk my dog for an hour. I often do not feel like doing either of these things. I have a deal with myself that I only have to get to 12 minutes on the elliptical and then I can stop and a deal with the dog that I only have to walk her around the block once. If I FEEL like going farther after meeting those minimums then I do--but if I don't I stop and still feel like I SUCCEEDED in keeping my goal. Guess how often I feel like going farther? I'd say about 90% of the time. It seems with almost any exercise the hardest part is gettin one's ass past 1st gear! Also, I highly recommend an IPOD. I loooooooove my IPOD. Music is a MUST for me and exercise. Now I can make all these cool playlists for different activity levels and anytime I hear a song I want to walk to I can come home and download if for .99. IPODs are expensive but nothing compared to what we've spent on this surgery. A VERY worthwhile investment. If anyone's interested in songs to workout to I've got some great suggestions.

Well, I was feeling a lot thinner BEFORE I saw this photo taken today. Hopefully, I'll feel AND LOOK a lot thinner with the AFTER one on Labor Day!

Oh MAN! COOOL PICS! I am so jealous now! Wish I had pics like that--especially the first one. Thanks for sharing!