Dianechef

I read Mikey's thread. HILARIOUS!! If you haven't read it yet, GO READ IT NOW!! It's a great laugh. (Okay, so why are you still reading this?!?!?!) Jonathan, I hear ya. I can't have the junk in the house either. The problem is - my kids & husband were here when the Girl Scouts delivered them. They screamed in EXCITEMENT when they saw them. After my terrible binge yesterday, the Cookies are in my husbands work truck. But, I know they're there & CRAP, I can hear them calling out my name. :decision:

Mikey!!! TOOO FUNNY!!! I am so with you on those Girl Scout Cookies!! Did you see the poll I took to vote on what to do with all of them?!? :confused: I am seriously HIDING from the cookies. They have some crazy power over me & scare me to death. My kids won't let me throw them away!!! Good luck Dude!! Thanks for the great laugh!!!!!!! :dance:

I have always worked like clockwork. My period came every 28 days. After surgery I had my period, but it lasted longer. The next month it came 2 days late & it's been a little wacky since. If you are doing Natural Family Planning, I would be VERY careful. Your cycle could be all messed up & you could get pregnant on accident. I've heard the band be called the fertility band because so many get pregnant after being banded.

Well, I voted that it just sort of snuck up on me. I was thin when I got married. After each child I continuously gained until one day I REALIZED that I was very fat. I never saw myself at fat, but when the insurance wouldn't cover me because of my weight I realized I must be pretty darn FAT!! It felt like it snuck up on me, but it was a good 10 years of eating that did it to me.

Hey Everyone!! My name is Diane & I am originally from a small town in AZ. I moved to the city & met my husband 12 years ago. (We ACTUALLY met in person...ha!) We have 3 children 10, 8 & 2 yr. old. I graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a degree in Music & have been a piano teacher for over 20 yrs. I recently retired from the Pampered Chef where I was a Senior Sales Director for over 9 yrs. (In case you're wondering why I still have a website address below, it's because I ONLY sell over the web!) So, back to the story... I weighed 170 on my wedding day & truly THOUGHT I was fat!! After my first child, I gained 50 lbs. I gained more with each one & at my highest was 258 lbs. I was tired all the time. I was wearing a size 24 jeans & was a terrible mother. We ate fast food & I was becoming a major couch potato. My breaking point was when when my husband started his own business & we were looking for individual Health Insurance. I was devastated when I was denied insurance because "my build exceeded the limitations." We searched around & NO INSURANCE company would take me until I weighed below 208. I was very emberassed & humilitated that I had let myself get that fat!! So, I scheduled to have Lapband surgery & haven't looked back since. My surgery was July '05 & to date I have lost 50 lbs. (yeah me!!!) I am thrilled to be a part of this group & to be held accountable each week. By the way, I have a confession. :rolleyes Girl Scout Cookies came out yesterday & I ate.....um......ALOT!! (Too many to count!) Somebody needs to really kick my butt over this one. The cookies are now LOCKED away & I am giving them to the skinny neighbors next door. It's great to get to know everyone!! Good luck to everyone!! May we all be BIG LOSERS!!!! :clap2:

GO HEATHER!! GO HEATHER!! GO HEATHER!!! Doesn't 50 feel so good?!?! I mean, just yesterday you're at 49 & then you wake up & the scale says 50 pounds gone. It's like you're a whole new person over night just because of one little pound!! There's something about seeing those numbers!! So, what's your reward?!?!?! Any pictures?!?! CELEBRATE!!! :biggrin1:

Yah Nykee!!! I'm so proud of you!! Isn't it nice to have lost weight & not even know it!! Now that's my kind of weight loss!! WAY TO GO!!!!

Hi Kellie! You said you were a little worried about the doctor not doing any pre-op tests. I would be worried too!! I had also heard the same thing that Funnyduddie said - most plastic surgeons suggest you NOT have PS until you're at goal weight for awhile. Hmm... Maybe this surgeon knows something we don't!!! Keep us updated!! Good luck Kellie!

ROFL!! StrawartS, where did you come from? You definately need to hang around here more, because you are wonderful entertainment!! Your description of a EPGSHFLYADV was so right on. No PB's anymore. I have been banded 7 months & have only had 1 experience like the one you described. If it makes anyone feel better, I think these experiences are very far & few inbetween. Am I right?!?! But, the EPGSHFLYADV will definately remind you that you don't want that to happen again. AND...hopefully you will avoid anything that will cause it to happen. I cannot do the fried stuff that you described. It is CERTAIN that I will be in pain. I'm happy I had the gross episodes I had to keep me eating right!!! I look forward to more posts from you StrawartS!!!!!! You have won a prize in my book for the most entertaining post!!! :first:

Bermy - A person who actually HAS a bottle of Hoodia will have to help you on this one. I have no clue. I know that Penni posted a thread once that told us the ingredients in her bottle of Hoodia. You might want to try a search & see if that helps you. Good luck. La Madam - I am so happy for you!! I see your pictures & am so inspired by your success. Keep up the great work & I'm so glad it's working for you. I'll keep that info. tucked in the back of my mind just incase I have some bad luck with my band.

Okay, here's one... My husband & I went on a trip to Cancun 2 yrs ago. We signed up to go snorkeling. Being in a swimming suit was emberassment enough. I had prepared for this trip 3-months in advance because I didn't want to be emerassed in my suit. I got a tan, found a suit that fit comfortably & I thought I would just get over it!! As we got on the boat, they were handing out life jackets. I was one of the last on the boat & everyone was pretty much seated. They handed me a life jacket that was a size SMALL & it just would NOT fit. I handed it back & told him I needed a larger one. He YELLED to the guy on top of the boat to get a bigger one. "GRANDE!! GRANDE!!!" (I can still hear it ringing in my ears!) All eyes were on me as I stood there in my swimming suit, the fattest one on the boat!!!!! When they got me the bigger life jacket, it still didn't fit. Once again, the man YELLED to get a larger one. This happened 4 different times!!!! I was so humiliated & could hardly keep from crying. They got me the largest life jacket they had & it was still tight. They man said - 'Sorry, you wear it or don't swim!" As we were in the Water, I couldn't keep up with the group because they were all swimming so fast. In spanish, I heard the man saying to everyone - "Hold on. We have to wait for the fat lady." I'm sure he didn't know I could understand him. Needless to say, I have never gone snorkeling since & have had nightmares about that day.

What a great thread. Thanks for sharing with us Kellie. We all feel your pain & have been there. Even though I don't smoke, I can only imagine what it must be like. Being addicted to food is bad enough. You can do it & we all are supporting you 100%!!!! I have read all the wonderful posts here & just have to add my few words... I always told myself that if I could ever permanetly lose weight, I could do ANYTHING in this world. Losing weight has been the biggest struggle of my life. When I read Nykee's post that said she had eaten 4900 plus calories today I CRIED for her. I have eaten that much in one day several times. You feel sick that you did it & vow to NEVER do it again, & then you do it! When Photonut said that she used to cough so hard from smoking that it would make her throw up - I CRIED! After reading Chameleon's post about her Father who died of cancer & then she herself was diagnosed & survived - I CRIED!! Our addictions rule our lives. We do things we know aren't good for us & could possibly KILL us & we continue to do them. Next day is always going to be a better day & then.......we do it again!! It's good to have people out there in the world who can understand what we go through each day. People we can cry with. People who have been there & KNOW!! My husband always wonders why I hang out here so much. THIS POST IS WHY!! We can all give each other a big cyber HUG & we really do go away feeling better & resolving to DO BETTER!! Whether that day is tomorrow or next week, we know that we WILL do better. Here's to a good cry today!! I'm inspired by your stories.

BUMP so La Madam can respond!

I don't know how you eat just one peice!!! If there's a bag of chocolate around, I EAT & EAT until it's gone. The entire time I'm shoveling it in my mouth I'm saying to myself - "You shouldn't be doing this!" - and then I eat another peice. A few weeks ago I found a bag of the new Hershey's kisses in colors. (My husband is a snack vendor & gets all the new stuff to test.) There was nobody home & I said to myself - I'll just taste one. 1 hr. later, the entire bag is gone. CHOCOLATE IS DANGEROUS!!! I HATE IT!! I HATE IT!!! :tape:

Hi Penni! Besides, making you jittery, do you feel like it has curbed your appetite? How bad were the jitters? I was on phentermine & it was TERRIBLE!! I read your I WILL post & am so proud of you. I don't know how I would survive without my band & you are making the best out of a bad situation. Keep up the great attitude!!!

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing everyone!!! Inspiring.

I am not currently taking any pills or supplements, but if somewhere down the road my weight loss slows down & I have the proper restriction, I would be open to trying something. No weird stuff though!!! Maybe Hoodia if it really works!!

Go Penni & Susan! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

WOW!! Awesome feeling to see those numbers on your scale isn't it?!? WAY TO GO!!! Got any pictures to share of the new you?!?!?!? :confused:

Vines said it all!!! Listen to her. She knows what she's talking about!!! :biggrin1:

Beautiful!! I am so thrilled for you. Thanks for sharing your pictures & inspiring us all.

I have been working out regularly for 3 1/2 months & I can tell you from experience that your scale will trick you. You won't lose any weight at first. (I am assuming you're still eating the same as BEFORE you started exercising!) You WANT to gain muscle & it does indeed weigh more then fat. Our body takes a while to figure out what's going on & to regulate itself. For me, I never exerised & then WHAM, I start exercising 5x a week. I think my body was saying - "Is this for real?" After a few weeks it figured out that it indeed was for real & that I was going to continue exercising. The weight started dropping at about 4 weeks. And when it dropped, it was 5 lbs!! I also dropped a whole pant size as well. Good things happen when you exercise. Keep it up!!!

I know who you "think" this supposive hijacker is & I really don't see why you think they're hi-jacking!?!?!? :welldone2: I thought that perhaps I had missed a few posts, but NOPE!! I just went back & read every post & thread this person has started & replied to. There was one thread where there was A LOT of disagreeing with this persons opinion. However, there were also several people on that thread who thanked this person for thier opinions & help. This supposive hi-jacker has a right to their opinions just like the rest of us. To attack this person just doesn't seem right. :cry I don't know this person, but what I have read, this person has a personality that is straight forward & to the point. Everyone has their own personality. We all just need to not take offense & calm down. Nobody can hijack LBT. :scared: Big Paul, I like you & think you are absolutely HILARIOUS!! I love reading your posts. I am not trying to point any fingers at you personally. I know that you are trying to help out & hope that things can get back to being happy around here. Singling someone out just doesn't seem like it's the right thing to do. I am sure that the intentions of this person were not bad & that they meant well. It was just coming off a little harsh to a lot of people. If this supposive hijacker really & truly is causing damage to the board, the best place to handle something like that is privately. We all have feelings & it's important we respect them!!

I have been with the Pampered Chef for over 9 years & love to cook. My first name is Diane. So, not very original, but there you have it!! Dianechef. :mad:

I weighed myself at the doctor this morning & was so THRILLED!!!! It said I weighed 208 which means I have hit my first goal of 50 lbs!! (My home scale said 211, but I am definately going to take the doctors scale over mine!!!) Yesterday I went shopping & could hardly believe that I could fit into a size 16 pants. I've worn 22/24 for so long! Here's what I've learned so far: 1) You will hit LOTS of plateaus. I stayed at the same weight for 2-3 weeks many, many times & then all of a sudden I'd drop 4 or 5 lbs. Don't get frustrated at the scale. 2) Exercise really does work. I joined a gym only because I knew it was the right thing to do. I hated going & was emberassed to be seen among all the muscle men. I could barely walk on the treadmill for 5 min. without feeling like I was going to pass out. BUT....I made myself go & it's been very, very worth it. I'm now a regular & 2 days ago one of the buff women came up to me & said - "I've been watching you the past few months & you've really inspired me. Keep up the great work." Wow! I inspired HER!! That was a big NSV to me. 3) You really do need to follow the bandster rules. THEY WORK!! I had moments of just wanting to do my own thing. But, whenever I went back to taking small bites, chewing my food A LOT, & not drinking after meals I lost more weight!! 4) Patience is important. It took me a while to get this weight on & it's going to take me a while to get it off. I'm not only losing weight, I'm changing a life time of bad behaviors & that doesn't change overnight. 5) DRINK YOUR WATER!! I have never been a good consistent Water drinker until recently. But, I can tell a difference!! I realized that sometimes when I THOUGHT I was hungry, I was really just thirsty. 6) It's okay to eat junk once in awhile. You can't deprive yourself forever!! Friday evening is my free night & I let myself choose something fattening & sugary to eat. ONLY ONE ITEM. I eat it & it's gone. I've never gained any weight from doing this & I am satisfied. If I am tempted to eat junk during the week, I tell myself - "You can have that on Friday! I don't like to be told NO. If I know it's something I can't have, I want it more. Knowing I can have it on Friday makes it so much easier. Which reminds me, today is Friday!! WAHOO!!!! Thank you to everyone on here for all the great support & good information. I learn a lot from you all & consider you my friends! I can't wait to reach my next goal!!