Jachut

I dont think so. Skin is not muscle, no amount of exercise is going to tone up your skin, although if your body is firm underneath it will look better. Its dependent on factors like your age, where you carried your excess weight, and how much you had to lose, as well as how fast you lose it, those that have lost fast may find their skin does recover a bit over the following years. It also depends a LOT on what you desire in terms of a "perfect" body too - what one person calls a bit of minor flabiness others consider something that requires surgery.

Well it doesnt have to be the 9th - if only two of us are available lets make it another date. We'll never make everyone happy but at least if more than two of us can make it that's a start, lol.

Its on the telly right now, they're already discrediting this guy. Who knows? YOu cant believe what you see or read these days. What a tragedy.

Totally normal only about 1000 times more energetic. I just go and go and go these days. Every aspect of my life is now in control again thanks to this. Prior to banding I simply didnt have the energy to keep up with the house, my kids, my studies and all the everyday stuff, let alone exercise.

My first thought was that that poor woman died thinking the world considered her a murderer. But on the news here it was reported that this has been in the works for a while, its not like he just confessed yesterday. Before Patsy died six weeks ago, she had been informed of this man and what he was saying and that he was going to be arrested. So she didnt die without any closure. If its true of course, you never know with the media these days. And surely, you cant work as a substitute teacher without a police check ? That cant be right. Although it doesnt help much if someone like him never had a police record. I had to have a full police check just to do my teaching rounds and also to volunteer as a literacy assistant at my kids' school.

The way its worked for me it's like something was broken in my head. I never realised till I got my band that I'd never felt full before. Oh sure I stopped when I "thought" I'd had enough but I've never ever known this regular and dependable feeling of satiety. I was either utterly stuffed or hungry. So for me its worked well. I didnt have huge emotional eating issues other than the fact that I just liked eating. So yep, I still get the head hunger that everyone suffers from and I still give into it sometimes too. But when you've lost a lot of weight, the joy you feel in beating your problem begins to outweigh the desire to do things that are bad for your body. I still eat when I'm bored, I still sometimes buy chocolate to eat when watching a movie, I like to go out and eat, but I've learned to fit that into a healthy lifestyle. It doesnt have to be black and white, you dont ahve to live on a program for the rest of your life, its all a matter of balance and the band has helped me enormously to achieve that. And I think introducing a lot of exercise only helps that picture, it really stabilises your appetite and changes the way you see yourself. I'm more interested in eating to boost my running performance now than anything else.

Not at all but then I have been extraordinarily lucky I think in that I just dont have a "sensitive" band. And a glass or two of wine loosens me up so that although I tend to be tight at night, I have no problem eating in a social situation. I dont view it as anything other than food, I dont mourn food, I dont build up a big thing around it. I just order what I feel like from the menu, I enjoy a glass of wine, I eat how much it takes to feel comfortable and I leave the rest. If I really want dessert, I'll often share it with someone becuase I cant eat it all, or I just dont have it. I also couldnt give a stuff about leaving food I've paid for, I'm happy to pay the price of a meal to catch up with my friends and enjoy an evening out, how much of it I eat is irrelevant. And lastly, I dont care much about sticking with calorie allowances or programs. I dont avoid carbs etc. If I eat a few too many calories today, well so what? I'll just lose a bit less this week or I can make up for it by cutting down the next few days. Eating socially is an important part of our culture, it signifies celebrations and important social and cultural events, I have no wish to withdraw myself from that. I just wouldnt order a big fat steak, lol. And I dont eat the bread either generally.

HA! Very funny, lol.

Another type of thread I just gloss over, have nothing to say (I dont "hate" this, but just dont "get" it). So and so keeps bringing junk food to work, how unfair, I have to sit next to her and I just want some too. Or my DH keeps eating burgers, its not fair, or the one where someone was at a dinner party and was offended because the host served dessert and offered her some. I just dont understand that. When I decide to diet or when I decide to eat it comes from within me, what someone else is eating has no bearing at all on my decisions. Like I said, I dont "hate" that or think people are weak for suffering from it, but I dont ever answer those threads because I just dont really understand the problem therefore have nothing constructive to say.

Thank you lovelies!

Yes, its got a playground. Its a bistro, there's a TAB and gaming room one side and the bistro on the other, huge playground. I can see if I can rope in a few more bandsters too, there's quite a few around the outer SE suburbs that I know of. 9th suits me.

I think I probably take rather large bites for a bandster - I eat way slower and take smaller bites than I used to but I enjoy the sensation of food in my mouth, it kind of takes all the pleasure out of it to nibble. My first few bites are nibbles just to make sure I"m not going to sieze up - especially at night when I'm tighter - and then I take bigger ones but I dont actually swallow it all at once. I take a bite, chew well, swallow a bit, chew some more, swallow a bit more kind of thing Ergh, sounds revolting, lol. But that way I can actually taste what I'm eating.

Same here Desiree - half a pound per week sure adds up over the months. I'd love to be dropping pounds per week now but like Jack says I"m also enjoying many of the benefits before I've gotten to my goal weight anyway. I may not be the weight I want to be permanently but I"m now a "normal" sized person who can shop anywhere and if that was all I'd get out of this, I'd take it happily.

I've got a no PB policy too, ick, I dont want to hear about them thanks.

I didnt do anything yesterday or today either, I still have a really sore back. Its hard to go for a swim becuase most days I still have a 3 year old hanging out with me, so that's why I like to run on my treadmill. But I think by tomorrow surely my back will be better enough to run. It was weird, started with sore ankles, then my knees got sore, then my lower back got bad, with sciatic pain and now I have an unbelievably tender mid back. Its like it's moved up my body. I'll probably have a sore neck tomorrow and then be better, lol.

I have the swelling after restriction thing too - I've had 5 fills now for 2.5cc in a 4cc and every single fill I've thought was "the one". Um, lets see today Breakfast - a piece of heavy grain toast with Peanut Butter lunch - lentil and vegetable Soup and a wholemeal crumpet dinner - marinated chicken breast (lime and chilli), steamed vegies about to have a low fat hot chocolate.

Oh well, coz I was sulking I didnt have to have the mandatory birthday sex, lol. I reckon coz its my birthday I should have a night off!

Oh, goodness, I feel sick. What a terrible thing for his poor family. That's very sad. I didnt even know he was ill.

I must admit, I"m a bit of the why bother camp - it will take a good year or two for my port scar to fade reasonably, all my little ones have gone colourless now but the port scar is still purple. So if I have a big ugly purple scar on my tummy, I dont really care if the port is a little bump anyhow because I'm not going to be showing my stomach. And if I get to the point where the scar has faded, then I'll have to go an open it up again and start from scratch. Its an either or thing for me, one option has as many complications as the other. Although if you're young and might wear a bikini again even 10 years from now, then fair enough, because you'll have the low profile port AND the scar will fade. For me at almost 40, I'm pretty darn sure I wont wear a bikini again, lol. Unless my saggy boobs cover the scar, tee hee.

Oh thanks!! Sniff sniff. Doug went out Friday night and got himself completely trollied (not that its a regular occurrence) and spent Saturday sleeping it off as he got home at 7 am. So he didnt take the kids out and get me anything small or even a card as we were busy all day Sunday. I got a really nice coat for my birthday back in July that I needed THEN so I knew I wasnt getting a big pressie. So no cards from the kids, boy did I have the sulks! And mum and dad are gallivanting around the Northern Territory on a 4WD holiday, and I went out with my sisters a week or two back and they gave me their pressies then, as did my SIL and MIL and FIL on Sunday when we saw them so the actual day was a bit of a let down, lol. But I got lots of money so I took myself shopping which more than made up for it! But 39, OMG, next one is 40. Eeeeeek.

Hehe, I think you have to get the mediterranean diet "right" before it works, otherwise its just another name for carbo loading. Much of the secret of a traditional mediterranean diet is in the fresh veges and the amount of Omega 3's they consume. Not in humungous platefuls of Pasta. But I can promise developing a taste for wine is very rewarding! Hic.

Oh yes, a pub with a playroom! Yes yes yes, I'll be in that. The last meetup we organised fell through, but I must admit, I'm lazy these days and dont want to travel to the other side of the city and just plain dont have the time most days. I must say though, food at the Village Green is shite although its a great central location, but I guess we'd be more concerned with coffees anyway. Costellos in Berwick is great too. Lets do it for sure - although I'm away 12th to 23rd September (school holidays). So if its during that time I'll catch you on the next one. Wheeler - third time lucky! Good luck!

"Franken-thread" I love it! tee hee.

I had a few people think the port would be outside and visible too - like a colostomy bag or something.

Im ecstatically happy with my band. I'm eight months down the track and I have NEVER had a single problem. I've never pb'd, had only one or two instances of something being stuck. I've learned to eat slowly and to eat less and I choose better foods. I exercise daily. The weight loss is slow now, but that's fine. My skin has kept up with my loss, I havent lost my hair, none of that. I can eat any food I please, which is nice, so I still eat out and enjoy eating in the company of others. I've just learned how to moderate that so it doesnt disrupt my weight loss. Its all good.