pizzicato66

This OT, but I thought I'd let you know how the phone interview went today. I think it went well, but of course we'll only know when I hear from them. I asked about next steps and he said he'd chat with the hiring manager (I was talking with the VP) and then they'd "let the HR wheels turn" - not sure if that means mailing me a rejection letter or scheduling a visit. Only time will tell! Oh, and the fill is going well. I'm gassy as all get out, and constipated at the same time, so I think I'll try a little firmer food and see if that settles things down. I've been getting hungry, so I know the liquids aren't holding me as well as good solid food! I'm sure the split pea soup for lunch didn't help either! LOL

Go Judi! You look amazing! By the way, what's the story on that stars and stripes outfit in the pic? Is that a belly dance costume??

Thanks for the tip, Candle! As for the Morningstar farms, I love their Breakfast bites. They're little nuggets of egg and veggie goodness and really good for you! Great for warming up at the office for a quick breakfast.

I lost about 12 lbs on that preop fast. I just had straight slimfast optima, without the added Protein though. Other than the shakes I just had broth or sugar-free popsicles. Tip for sanity - find something to do with your hands! Busy hands can't grab food! :-) Hang in there - you'll be in bandsterland soon!

hey gang, Just thought I'd post that I've actually bought a few pieces of clothing in the regular section for the first time in years! They're a tad snug, but wearable in public, so I'm in em! I actually bought a bathing suit last night for my new gym membership. They didn't have any 18's so I thought what the heck - give it a try. Lo and behold, it fit! It's TIGHT, but it fits and it's kinda nice to have that belly sucked in a bit. I celebrated by a nice long spa soak after my workout last night. I don't think I'll be done shopping at Lame Giant just yet, but it won't be long!! It will feel like a real victory when I hit a size 14 (will be the first time in about 11 years). Meanwhile, I'm down from a 24 to a 16/18 on the bottom and a 14/16 on top. :whoo:

It's Starbuck's branding at it's finest. Just a skim latte with sugar-free syrup. They just found a great way to market it with a cute name. I've been ordering them as "tall, nonfat, sugarfree" for a long time and love em! The Vanilla reminds me of eating marshmallows :-)

Morning, everyone! Still feeling good and filling up fast with the new fill (that cream of wheat is just so yummy). I'll probably stick with the liquids for at least all of today and see how things feel tomorrow. 1/2 a cup or a little more is filling me right up! What a relief!!! I got the second phone interview in LA scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I'll impress the heck out of that VP! I'll post an update after. I do have some new more fitted pants that I can wear for the interview and will go through my blazers to see if any fit (I only wear them when I'm interviewing anyway and don't want to waste the money if I don't have to). I have one that should work, and then I'll just need a top to wear with the set. Kathy, hang in there! I agree, you do need to check your protein level and see if it helps with the hair loss. Are you getting about 75% of your food intake from protein? Val, hang in there with the slower loss. Hopefully that fill will kick things back in gear! I know for myself I'm hoping to get back to my old pace, and I'm in a bit of denial that I can't just burn through the second half of my loss as fast as the first half. I'll do my best to get more reasonable expectations, but it's tough! Candle, great work on the video! Maybe it's time to reward yourself with a little pampering like a massage for those sore muscles. Being sore is a good feeling though, isn't it? Keep up the great work, everyone!

I'm home with a nice fill! I went from 3.2cc to 4.4cc. My PA tried 4.6 first but thought it might be a bit much because i had to burp after my water sip test (even though I ALWAYS burp after drinking). In any case, I got home, had some pureed clam chowder with a little lowfat cheese in it, and filled up on about half a cup. Wow, what a difference! Totally comfy with it too. Before the appt I would have put in 3 or 4 times that much. Ain't restriction great?! PHEW! Bring on the plateau bustin!! Salsa, so glad to hear your unfill went well! I'm sure you'll be much comfier now. Great work on the loss! Daddy, you look great! I used to live in Shawano, so I know the hospital - very cool! I'm sure it helped you feel better after the loss yesterday (SUCH a close game -argh!!). Bridget, welcome aboard! This is a nice close-knit group, so I'm sure you'll be feeling at home here soon! I can't speak to the port flip, and I'm not sure if others have here, but I know it comes up on some of the other boards, so you're not alone! I didn't make it to the gym tonight because it took over an hour to get home in the snow, and my dance teacher didn't show up. The rest of us threw some music on and danced on our own for a little while. Fun! Tomorrow night, I'll DEFINITELY make it to the gym! Gotta make good use of the new restriction! On another note, I got a note and I'll be doing a second phone interview Wednesday with the company in LA, with the VP of the company this time (eek!), so if this one goes as well as the last, they'll be flying me out there for a final interview. It sounds pretty great with the weather this week!! Wish me luck!

Snow in Atlanta - I'll swap you for -15 and sunny?! We're not supposed to break above 5 degrees for most of the week. This sucks! Meanwhile, I'm still stalled. I checked my logs and I've lost about 4 lbs in a month, most of which happened in 1 week (compared to 12 per month before the holidays). This SUCKS! So, for the first time since surgery, I won't make a loss goal. Time to readjust, I guess. I know more carbs and fat have snuck into my diet, and my portions have gotten bigger. I also noticed that I can almost chug water now as well, so I know it's fill-time! I'm going to use my post-fill liquids etc. as a good reason to get back on the prescribed diet and hopefully kick this back into gear. Knowing myself as well as I do after 41 years, I'm starting to get complacent and need to recharge my motivation. Suggestions are welcome!!

Wow - you're all doing great! I did get in to the gym twice over the weekend but was inside the rest of the time except trips to the dog park. Saturday we did manage two laps of the dog park trail, but with the cold, I was cutting things short for myself and the pup. Would you believe it was -16 Saturday morning?!?!?! Sunday was -5 and felt amazingly warm in comparison. 5 above this morning was a heat wave (after all, it's a 20 degree difference). PLEASE let me get a job offer in California SOON! Frangi, I'm stalled too (about 3 weeks now) - maybe our bodies have been talking and posing a protest! I'm scheduled for a fill today so I'll probably take it easy at the gym and belly dance class tonight (definitely no abs tonight). I did do a big set of crunches and other ab moves last night though. Keep up the great work everyone! You're inspiring me!

Rock on, Candle! You look amazing! I'll ponder some pics next month for the 6 month postop. In the meantime, the stall continues. ARGH!

Nice work guys! Val - kudos for you for taking the time you need to destress right now. You're doing all the right stuff! I didn't make it to the gym last night but will go tonight for sure! I had a phone interview for a job in San Francisco and it sounds perfect but I don't think they can pay me an affordable salary (they're talking only $5k more than I'm getting now and it's about 25% more expensive there than in MN). No move package either, so it would all be out of my pocket. I do have a second interview with them tomorrow night (along with another opportunity in LA), so I figure we'll make a decision if/when an offer comes in.

Amen, Becky! I haven't been as strict lately and I'm paying the price! The plan DOES work if you play by the rules! Then again, that goes for most things in life, doesn't it?!

Okay, how have I missed this thread for so long?? I JUST found it today and now I have faces to go with the posts. What an amazing bunch! It's fun to see you all shrinking! I promise to come up with something soon.

Thanks for the inspiration, gang - you guys are really rockin' it! I had a great night at dance class. Last night, for some reason, everything was clicking for me and I FINALLY got a step I'd been working on for over a year! I don't know what did it - maybe I just dove in and blew away a mental block, but my hips can now do a 3/4 shimmy. YAY!!!!! It's one of those steps that take forever to get but are used all the time in belly dance. I feel SO much more encouraged about it all. I also got brave and hiked up my t-shirt so my belly was out, scars, flab and all. It's still VERY jiggly, but it really helps to see if I'm getting the moves right. I'm also able to feel the muscle and bone under the flab, as well as my port. That's progress!! Now, if I could just get that skin to start tightening up. I have a feeling the thighs and lower abs are going to be pretty loose after all this (being 41 does not help on this one). If things tighten up, I'm getting my surgical scars tattooed with some kind of cool design that will show when I dance, and I want to pierce my navel and stick something fun and sparkly in there. If not, we'll see about that tummy tuck, first, I guess!

Great post, Becky! Can you sit on my shoulder and tell me that all day? Still, I hope my fill next week gets me back up and running!

thought I'd write a quick note in honor of my wonderful cat Marcel, who left us early yesterday morning. He and my pup Bungee woke me in the wee hours and I found him at the bottom of the stairs unable to use his back legs or tail. I rushed him to the emergency vet, and it turned out he had a blood clot in his spine, and by the time we got there, his feet were already getting cold. The doctor said his prognosis was very slim, and since he was in a great deal of pain, we decided to help him on to his next journey. I held him as he left this world and found peace. I adopted Marcel 14 years ago when my now ex-husband moved into the guest room and my other cat Pizzi started sleeping in there with him. I went to the local shelter and saw a sweet white spotted kitty snuggled up and "nursing" on a female in the cat area. He took to me right away, and ride home on my shoulder, chewing my hair and snuggling the whole way. Marcel was the most open-hearted and patient cat I've ever known. He'd tolerate the stream of visiting dog cousins, my cranky old lady-cat's temper, and was at the door any time someone visited. His playfulness and silliness as a young cat lightened my life as I went through hard times, and as an aging cat, his ready purr, patient soul and snuggling abilities warmed everyone's heart (even those that didn't like cats). We'll miss him, but I'll forever be grateful that he shared my life!

Hi Anna - looks like you're coming up on your fast soon as well - excellent! Dr. W is a great surgeon. Once you're through your surgery, you won't have much contact with him at all (he pretty much just handles the surgery itself). His PA Amy and nurse Carol are WONDERFUL though, and will take great care of you! I always look forward to my checkup appointments. Thanks for the compliments! I've slowed down a bit and have had a little more trouble sticking to the eating plan, but I'm hoping my upcoming fill will help reinspire and limit me a bit more.

Crystal, I just saw that your date is moved up - yay!!! So, if my calculations are correct, you'll be in the Land of Liquids starting Friday, right? Gentlemen, start your blenders...... :-)

Thanks guys, It's been a LOT slower the past month, but I know it's all my choices causing it (fat, carbs and portions are sneaking in), so I'm going for a fill next week to get back on track. Nothing like a few days of liquids and mushies to kick it back into gear! How are you two doing with your surgery prep? I imagine you're a couple weeks from fasting at this point, right?

Meg, did you have your surgery? How are you doing?

Thanks everyone! I probably will get a new little furbaby at some point, but want to see where I wind up in the next few months. I'm job-hunting in California right now, but even if I don't move out there, I'll be finding a new place by summer (I'm getting out of home ownership and going back to renting). I can't see getting a new cat or kitten and then hauling them in the car for 4 days! Besides, I hear they have cats in California too

Great thread! Always good to see what everyone's doing, and it's definitely helped me put things in perspective today, since I seem to be a bit stalled the past few weeks. If I'm really being strict, here's the plan from my clinic: - 3 meals a day, 3-4 oz lean dense Protein per meal plus whatever else fits as veg or fruit - 1 c skim milk 3 times a day I realized that my fat, carbs and protein have been creeping up, and I've been nibbling sunflower seeds during the day, so it's probably what's causing my stall. When I log my food, it comes out somewhere around 1300 calories a day, but I'm guessing it might be higher since estimating usually comes out lower than reality. I've decided to go in for a fill next week, and hopefully the liquids, mushies etc. will help me get my habits back on track too. I'm relatively sure it's my eating habits and not just a regular stall right now, so I'm going to use my tool and get things under control. I don't want to lose the momentum I've had the first 4 months! My goal is to be under 200 by March, so I need to get crack-a-lackin!

Hey all, I didn't get to the gym Thurs through Saturday, but I did get good walks in at the dog park Sat and Sun and did 30 minutes of additional cardio and upper body resistance training yesterday. Today I've got work, followed by a chiropractor's appointment, dog walking for my pooch and my sister's little old doggie, then belly dance tonight, so I won't make the gym, but at least I'll get my shimmies in! My ultimate goal is to do workouts at the gym Mon-Fri, then the dog park on the weekends. I find it easier to get to the gym on the way home from work and then can relax on the weekends a bit more. My bargain with myself is that I have to go once on the weekend for any day missed during the week.

Urgh. I broke even (barely) today and looked over my numbers and noticed I'd only lost 6 lbs in the past 4 weeks. Granted, part of that was Xmas week, but still, very frustrating! My doc left it up to me whether I come in for an appt and fill next week, so I'm going to keep it and see about a fill. I can chug down water for the first time since surgery and food's getting down too quickly. Time for a refresher course on eating habits and a little more fluid in the band!