F_it

Thats exactly how i would describe how i feel when i eat bread. I dont get stuck but it feels like its "sitting there" uncomfortably and takes a while for the pressure to ease off. A few sips of something might help but thats probably not something you want to turn into a habit..

Hey @@JustWatchMe hope you feel better soon, the fake popcorn wouldve been yucky anyway so awesome job avoiding that temptation! I love the apple test idea.. When im trying to bust a head hunger myth i make myself drink water and do something for half an hour and them asking myself if its still hunger ir something else :-)

@@JustWatchMe ouch so sorry you're suffering! i think it might be the bodyshaper, ive worn them and felt the same kind of pain if they pull too much on my shoulders. and ive experienced the same thing with a few vicious bra straps too. But it might be cold exposure too? I sometimes get flares of pain if a cars air conditioner is aimed at me. After all that pain.. Did you at ever get the halloween accessory?! Because maybe, just maybe..its a haunted item..and now theres an invisible ghoul carrying someones severed head taking a ride on your shoulder.......

This has got to be one of the most adorable NSVs out there if its true lol. Ive been squishing my face reading the thread and wondering if part of it might have to do with how chubbier cheeks would stretch or push against nostrils depending on the facial features... But those nostrils are funny little things lol, and i can imagine when we were heavier they had to do a little more work huffing and puffing and flaring to catch us some breath! Poor little noses lol

I used to NEED to go to a gym for a workout because at home, with kids (and hubby) hovering and needing my attention there was no way for me to get motivated enough to actually do anything with all the distractions. Plus i yearned to jump into a pool, and wasnt yearning anything at home lol. So the gym became my escape and because i had to invest the money, and time (and prep to leave without kids and hubby feeling like lost newborn turtles) to drive there i made sure to make it worthwhile. But last year i had a third turtle i mean kid :-p and things can get so hectic sometimes and the gym was seeming like more and more of a mirage.. I didnt want that to be an excuse anymore so lately ive invested in a firmer attitude towards "mommy's alone workout time" AKA "dont you dare call me for anything in the next 90 minutes unless theres blood involved" AND an awesome gym quality elliptical machine, some weights, yoga ball, and that awesome album from DISCLOSURE. I dont miss the gym anymore (except maybe that pool) because im now working out harder and longer than I ever have at the gym, and dont have a drive home to deal with afterwards! Sounds like you have plenty to workout with at home, and you just need to see if you can create an alone-zone that is motivating enough for you. Good luck :-)

It is your life and body, thats for sure. But i think the issue is that you would want/expect/appreciate/respect your husbands opinion and support, for him to be by your side as you do whats best for your life and your body. Its not a surprise that he is so concerned after what happened to his father. But if his negative position on the wls is coming from a fear of losing you, i would imagine the best angle to tackle could be to emphasize how staying overweight make the odds worse for him.. And that a wls, while not risk-free, is worth the risk if it means it could be saving your life, prolonging your life, making you feel more alive while you are actually living. Those odds are much better.. But in the meantime, if your current diet is working that is great! Dont let the conflicting emotions get to you. When you say your husband thinks you could lose the weight just with dieting, its almost like you need to NOT lose weight on the diet just to prove you need the wls. But losing weight now is a positive sign that you are in control and aware if what you need, and ready to put in the commitment towards the next step you have chosen for yourself. Good luck :-)

I rarely chew gum because my teeth are sensitive, so ive gotten into the habit of drinking aromatic herbal teas instead, peppermint, cinammon, chamomile or berry teas are so refreshing. Anise seeds, parsley, and probiotic yoghurt are naturally refreshing too :-)

I usually have cranberry juice around for that job, it masks bitterness pretty well, or pomegranate or guava juice. Assertive fruits :-) The other idea would be to mush the pills into a tablespoon or two of water so its like a powdery paste, gulp that down and immediately follow with a spoon of honey, a piece of licorice, or a shot of cinnamon/mint tea. Im banded though, so dont know if these are suitable options for you. Good luck :-)

@@lisacaron I agree! Its fun to experiment with looks and if they dont turn out great hey its just temporary :-) ive never seriously thought of shaving my head.. Not because im against the idea, but because i have no idea what my head would look like naked! Lol @@JustWatchMe same here, i think the last time i had long hair and a normal weight was when i was 13, never as an adult. So the concept of "sexy" long waves of hair down my (slim) back is one ive never experienced :-)

I love all your sassy trendy haircuts ladies! hair is such an intimate thing that reveals so much about our personalities and moods. I remember watching an old episode of CSI where they unravelled the medical history of someone by examining a strand of hair. Dont know if that can actually be done in real life hehe but it was a fascinating concept, that our hair literally holds our life stories in each strand. Since I was a kid Ive always felt the need to chop some hair off whenever ive gone through some sort of milestone (good or bad). I remember locking myself in the bathroom with a pair of scissors and coming back out feeling refreshed and a few inches of hair lighter hehe. Obviously in my adult years Ive resisted the scissors in the bathroom (and the potential style disasters lol) and go to a pro instead. Funnily enough Ive enjoyed keeping my hair fairly short when I was heavier, but once i started losing cut it much shorter (think ginnifer goodwin pixie), only now that the scale is moving down again im craving the thought of long locks of hair. But yes the hairloss is an issue that is worse (or more noticeable) with longer hair, so who knows.. A complete shave might be just as awesome lol!

@@lisacaron that is sooo adorable!! You look so cute and happy together, especially that pic with you swinging the bat haha! Happy anniversary! :-)

I always avoid meds when possible, the last thing you need when you're healing post surgery and feeling bloated/constipated is more drug induced side effects. Plums, pears, kiwis, and prunes are great and if you are on a liquid diet you could easily juice them up together with an apple to balance out the taste. One thing i have really found helpful is black licorice candy. Especially if you find the real natural stuff. But only a little bit to chew (or suck if on liquids) should be enough, apparently too much licorice root can be harmful but it really does the job. And of course the more Water you can get down the better. Personally i think when you're in that much pain and discomfort, you're better off skipping the meds and going straight for the enema or suppository. Not pleasant but should put you out of your misery fast.

@@JustWatchMe Thats an amazing accomplishment congrats to you!! A moment that is totally deserving of a little joyful weepiness :-D

Im 5'7 and figured 175 would get me in a size 10-12 looking healthy. So really my point of reference is the size i want to get to, and the weight ill be when im at my goal is just an estimate :-)

That is totally Woooohoo!! :-D

I used to love oatmeal but when Ive tried it after the band its been uncomfortable, i think because the grains continue to swell? Anyway, instead ive been making healthy granola which is great, and i also add a little oats to soup for a little texture sometimes. As far as i know oats are high in protein for a grain so worth experimenting with!

I have an egg almost daily now and enjoy them done differently etc. cant remember actually wanting to eat egg before (unless maybe it was french toast lol, but bread is something I avoid more than anything now). Soups. The only soup i really liked before was sweet corn chicken chinese take out style, which I rarely have anymore because I prefer healthier lighter alternatives. Tomato soup became my best friend in the liquid stage after the band and I still have it at least once a week 3 years later. Most days I experiment with different soup recipes with veggie or chicken broth bases, something i wouldnt have gone for before. Sometimes I miss eating crunchy veggies, i used to like snacking on baby carrots and celery sticks (when i wasnt snacking on chips and Cookies that is! Lol) without worrying if id chewed enough to avoid them getting stuck, i still have them now but finely chopped/grated/steamed.

You might want to ask your doc if they have smaller/crushable/squishable versions of your meds, but hey, who knows.. Once the weight starts coming off you might part ways with a few of those pills. Happens all the time :-) good luck!

Hey welcome aboard, I lurked this site for ages before and after getting banded, its even better when you come out from behind the cyber-bushes and Im sure youll find valuable support here :-) Good luck!

Thanks for sharing your inspiring story, its empowering to have the closest people supporting your goals.. But sometimes, it turns out even more empowering when you truly become your own greatest supporter. That takes a lot of determination and courage to sift through all the self doubt and realize you deserve to have it all! Go you!! :-)

Hope you got to the bottom of this issue by now, personally when I first started working out and crunching I would feel a tugging feeling around the port but Im guessing it was just the muscles that it is on stretching and adjusting and dragging the port around a bit. It was never sore enough to be red or painful though, and isnt ever uncomfortable anymore even when ive done lots of ab work.

Ive never participated but I love watching/reading people in the middle of their creative processes. So inspiring! I remember watching a talk by John Cleese years ago that was a huge eye opener for me that changed my approach towards my own writing (which has been mostly academic, but still). If you're interested, heres a link to the video and commentary: http://www.attendly.com/john-cleese-on-creativity-and-how-to-unleash-your-tortoise-brain/ Best of luck with nanowrimo! :-)

That activetrax sounds awesome, way to go! Yea im gonna stop rubbing my bumps too, we gotta stop poking ourselves black n blue hehee

Hi, ive been working out regularly, main workout is on a cross training elliptical machine 3-4 times a week, doing 7-10 miles in 45mins to an hour with interval intensity. I warm up and cool down, stay hydrated during and after.. Take daily vitamins.. So Im really confused and not sure what Im doing wrong but lately the morning after my (mostly evenings) workout sessions I have found bumpy bruises on my arms, hands and legs/thighs. Some of them have been a couple inches wide but also smaller ones with tiny pebble-like bumps underneath.. Is that common for people who workout regularly? Is it just broken capillaries (sp?) or burst blood vessels or something more serious to look into? Thanks so much for any input, reassurance or freak-outs welcome!

Hi @@Bandista! So relieved that your self-guinea-pigging-mission with cymbalta ended safely, I hope you find something better than the Tylenol and cocktails to help your arthritis! but as you said its probably not as dangerous as half the stuff thats prescribed out there. Funny you mentioned prednisone, thats two yucky meds we have in common! Fortunately I only had to take prednisone for a critical month or so, but it still puffed me up like a blowfish and took months for the swelling/retention/blahness to go down! Since I am obviously so sensitive to drugs Ive avoided them when possible and have looked for drugless alternatives to relieve my fibromyalgia and wacky immune system. Ive already noticed a huge difference since I was banded and started losing weight and Im only half way through. But since you mentioned ice packs, Ill also say that one thing I have found incredibly (and yes very unexpectedly) helpful is "contrast hydrotherapy" where you switch between hot and chilly Water for specific amounts of time. I wonder if that would be something that works for you (and any other readers).