Dianechef

Your pictures are very inspiring. You look so much happier!! :cool: I love threads like these!

Hey Koala, You're too funny!! I actually had to read this over 3 times before I understood what you were talking about. I thinking that this might possibly be the reason why some people haven't responded. ?!?!?! I originally thought your post was about doing crazy acrobatic things 11 days after banding. Now, I understand you're doing these crazy things to get to the bathroom in time. Am I understanding this correctly?!?!?!?!?! I'm just picturing this in my mind & it makes me laugh!!

When I was 15 yrs. I saw an ad in the paper for a local church that was looking for an organist. They interviewed me over the phone & never even thought to ask my age. I started working that Sunday & they were all quite suprised when I walked in & realized that I was a kid. They paid me $100 a service. I ended up working for 3 different churches every Sunday. I made $1200/month & never really worked!! I enjoyed every minute of it. I also learned a lot about different religions too. When I went to college I found more churches in that town that needed organists & it paid for everything I needed in college. I had the best job in the world!!

When my kids were 5 & 7 it was the hardest day of my life sending them both off to school & being home alone. My 5 yr. old went to an all day kindergarten so that made it even worse!! I can feel those feelings all over again as I type this!!! :cry But, lo & behold I found myself pregnant again & she is now a 2 yr. old. I am already dreading the day when I drop her off to kindergarten.

Hi Susan! I live in AZ & wouldn't have a clue about who you could get fills from in CT, but I just wanted you to know that I had my surgery my Dr. Ortiz & it was wonderful!!!! Do a search on fillcentersusa.com & you might find a place near you. Good luck!

Here's one I couldn't believe: "So, I heard the band is made so you wouldn't digest all your food & it makes you throw up. Isn't it easier to just be a bulimic?" "Didn't you have weight loss surgery 3 months ago? I thought you would have lost more weight by now!!" I have a hard time controlling myself when I hear these things. I just want to tell them all to shut up!!

My husband owns his own Vending company - Snack-tyme Vending. He is the man who puts all the vending & pop machines in the schools. 3 years ago, he was asked to put in some healthy alternatives in the vending machines. He was happy to do it. He added in apples, oranges, crackers & cheese, celery & carrots with dip, Water, juice.....etc. After 2 weeks, the food went bad. He took it as a loss & put in more. He even asked for requests from the students & teachers. After a full 2 months, he pulled out the healthy stuff because nobody was buying it. I agree that vending machines can be bad news at schools. However, the machines are requested by the adults! Education is the key!!!!!

Okay Buffie, I just may have you beat in the popcorn area.. I went to the movies a few days ago. I ordered a LARGE bucket of popcorn & asked the lady to layer it with butter 3 times. (yes, 3 times) I then, proceeded to go to the butter station & add more butter to the top. I fully intended on sharing that bucket with my kids & husband. However, I ate the entire thing. ALL OF IT!! I don't even want to know how much carbs, calories, fat & crap I ate. Popcorn has always gone down very easy for me. I wish it didn't. I go through the same things you do. It makes me sick of myself. I can go a whole week with eating wonderful & staying in control & then WHAM....I go to do some crazy thing like eat a whole bucket of butter with a smidgen of popcorn. Not sure I'm helping except to let you know that I AM SO WITH YOU!! I wish food didn't control my life.

Hi Paula!! BIG HUGS TO YOU!!! I know people like this. I think we all do. My friend's husband went to a therapist who told him that his diet was causing it. HIS DIET!! He was eating too many refined foods with lots of chemicals, sugar, caffeine & it was causing toxins in his body. He started eating whole foods & cut out all white sugar, white flour & started exercising. She says he is a new man. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Not sure if it would help.

Yes, gallstones can break down or just pass if they are small. My dad has had this happen to him.

Oh my gosh!! My husband ordered those cookie dough bars 2 weeks ago. As soon as I saw them I rounded up all my kids, the neighborhood kids, cousins, strangers.....any one I could find....& instructed them to eat them until they were gone. I never had one tiny bite. And, I am very happy!!! I would have seriousily eaten the whole box. Those bars are definately evil!!! I just may have to cancel the Schwan's man. He always seems to talk me into ordering the pizza, chicken wings, ice cream & all the crap by saying - "Oh come on Diane, you look great. Go ahead & reward yourself with a few treats!" He's such a sweet talker. He's evil. But, I like him & don't want to offend him by canceling the service. I love having food brought to my door!! HA!

I was at Sam's Club getting gas. I had just come back from the gym & had on some nice fitting sweat pants. As I was outside standing next to the car, a guy came up to me & said - "Did you just get back from the gym?" I looked down & said - "YEP!" Then he said, looks like all that hard work is paying off! :huggie: I said thank you & then I stood there feeling very awkward. Just then, my 2 yr. old woke up from her car seat & called out for me. He took off as fast as he came. I am going to have to get used to this! I have never been hit on in my life.

Hey P'Nut!! I am so sorry you're going through this. Being too tight is definately no fun. I would absolutely NOT eat any cheeseburgers or go wild on crap. Just like NJChick said, once you start it's downhill from there. BEEN THERE!! DONE THAT!! And, I'm still recovering from the crap I ate. :tea: :bowl: You've done so well P'nut. Keep it up.

I have a degree in music & have sung in lots of choirs, quartets, & singing groups in my life. I am an alto. However, because I am a better piano player then I am a singer, I am more often the accompanist for the singing group. I've been involved in music since I was 3 yrs. old. I've been teaching piano lessons since I was 15 yrs. old. I love it!! I have sisters who sing beautifully & one of them won the Miss Benson pageant & competed in the Miss AZ pageant. I was her official accompanist & traveled around with her. I still sing every day to my kids. (Does that count?!?!) I noticed that it is definately harder to breathe with the band. It does something to the diaphram. I can't quite figure out what it is.

Hey guys! THANK YOU!! I went out of town for the birthday & just returned today. I spent my birthday in the cool weather of Sedona. (Beautiful little town!) I came home to find out that Phoenix hit 118 degrees while I was gone!!! I picked a great weekend to get away. I was going through LBT withdrawals. But, I actually got in a swimsuit & went swimming! I never do that & it felt great.

I had my gallbladder out 10 years ago & have not had any problems with anything at all. I have never been able to even tell my gallbladder was out except that I no longer had pains in my stomach area!! :eek:

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just stand there."

I spent 10 years working for The Pampered Chef. During those 10 yrs. I was at my highest weight. I use to sweat like a dog when I was heavy!! For those who have been to a Pampered Chef show, you know that the consultant cooks the food in front of you. Here I was, sweating like a pig, & cooking the food they were going to eat. I kept a cloth next to me & wiped my face off every 30 seconds. I was so emberassed!!! :cry I noticed many times that people were making remarks behind my back. I once overheard a lady say - "Gee, this lady is good, but I ain't gonna touch that food because I'm sure there's some drops of sweat in it." I went home & cried. One of the best things about losing weight is that I no longer drip sweat from my face. It's a whole new world for me!!!!! By the way, I no longer sell Pampered Chef so you don't have to worry about me trying to swindle you into buying some kitchen tools! ROFL!!!!!!!!!!

My WOW moment was when I went to a family get-together with my family whom I hadn't seen in a long time. All of their jaws dropped when I walked in the room. I was so uncomfortable, but was so happy!!! Everyone kept telling me how beautiful I looked. The best part was overhearing a brother-in-law tell his wife that I was totally HOT & that he couldn't believe that person was me. I just grinned. :eek:

I second the counselor idea. My opinion? Search for one who KNOWS about eating disorders or has been overweight or IS overweight themselves. I spoke with our regular counselor (family counselor) about some issues & it didn't seem as if he quite understood. #1 He has never been overweight. #1 He didn't seem to understand that when you LOSE weight you have to deal with lots of emotions. He just figured my life was so much better since losing weight & I felt like he thought I shouldn't have any complaints. When I hit a 50 lb loss & others were starting to comment on me, I was not sure how I felt. I have said this in other posts - but, I'll tell it here too. I have always been the funny, fat girl. It was my whole identity & now that I had lost the weight, I was so lost as to where I fit in. People were calling me HOT & SEXY. I wanted to hide sometimes!! There really are a lot of issues you deal with when you lose weight! I'm getting better & am used to all the great comments. I love the new me. :mad:

I finally got the scale to move!! Wahoo! I lost 3 lbs this week!!! H260/J208/G170/C196(-64) Gotta share something I've been doing. Besides getting my head back in gear, I've been drinking some really good protein shakes for breakfast & I sware they taste like a real ice cream shake! Even my husband couldn't believe how good they were. I bought some Spiru-tein shakes at our local Health Food Store. (I shop at Sprouts, Henry's or Sunflower here in AZ.) The shakes come in over 30 flavors. My favorite is chocolate-peanut butter, caramel, cookies & cream & pina colada. They have 14 g. of protein & are full of all kinds of vitamins & healthy stuff. I started adding in Vanilla Flavored Soy Slender Milk. It's Soy Milk that has no sugar in it. I have never had Soy milk in my life, so this was a first for me. The Soy milk adds in 6 more grams of protein! And, it makes the shake very creamy! I then add in a banana & ice. I mix it in my blender & WOW!! It is a real treat. Here's the full recipe: Diane's Yummy breakfast shake 1/2 cup crushed ice 1 cup Vanilla flavored Soy Slender Soymilk 1/2 banana (don't add if your watching carbs) 1 scoop of any flavor Spiru-tein 235 calories 21 g protein 180 calories 20 g. protein (without banana)

My doctor said nothing about no alchohol. I would count it into your calories & just make sure you don't have carbonation & keep the alchohol to a small amount. But, I am NOT your doctor.

Never had burning & I go on liquids for one day after a fill. Wow!! I don't know how you're doing it!

Hey Vines! You are sooo right. This IS an NSV. It gives me a lot of confidence to know that when I do reach my goal, I am very capable of keeping it off. I have lost LOTS of weight in my life but never successfully kept it off. Maybe this time it will STAY OFF!! By the way, I am down 3 more lbs today! My Spa incentive is working!! When ever I think of eating junk, I just picture that Day Spa in my mind & I am so motivated that the junk just isn't worth it!! I AM GOING TO DO THIS!!!!!!!!

It sounds like everyone has lost about the same weight! My band anniversary is on July 14th. I hope to be down a total of 70 lbs. by then!!! Wahoo!! I am thrilled with that. I wear a comfortable size 16 & a tight size 14. I haven't worn that size since I was married 13 years ago. I love shopping again!! My life is so much better!! I love my band! How's everyone else doing?!?!