Jennie1976

Sorry, just saw your last post...and let me reiterate: I am not saying that people who leave their babies in car seats constantly are going to kill their babies. That's just stupid. Failure to thrive is obviously an extreme. But, to me, leaving a child in a car seat for so long contributes to many of the same issues (to a lesser degree...obviously) That's like saying hitting someone is the same as stabbing them. While both leave injuries, they are not the same.

Heartfire, That's a lot of anger! I definitely judge how people raise their children (including my own family). I base my opinions on quite a few years of teaching. I also base my opinions on what I see. I sincerely doubt I have seen you personally, so my opinion is not based on you or what you did. What I DO see are babies in car seats in grocery stores, at friends' homes, at the child's home, etc. There IS a growing trend of babies spending more and more time in car seats. To me, this is sad. Simply looking at it mathematically, that time is coming from somewhere. In the past, that child would have been in someone's arms or on the floor. When the child is in a store, I'm pretty sure he/she wouldn't have been put on the floor :-) (just a little joke to lighten the mood). I did NOT read all of the threads (but I'm not sure how that matters as I was answering the first one), but I read quite a few of them (just in case it DOES matter). I discarded many of the SAHM threads because, to me, it was a very different discussion than the car seat issue (but I have very strong opinions on that one too..can you guess? :-) --Again...just a joke!) To ME, there are many other (and less expensive) ways of carrying your child AND doing the things that need to be done than a car seat. I will not back down on that opinion. To ME, what's best for the child is to be held. Science actually proves this (see "failure to thrive" again). I'm sorry you disagree, or feel that I was attacking you personally, but, quite honestly, I do not retract anything I said. I do (and will continue to) feel sorry for children who spend so much of their lives in car seats...time, that in the past, was not.

I didn't tell very many people about my band (just a couple of family members) so I definitely understand this issue. Usually, I tell people I'm just not hungry, I ate earlier, I'm not feeling well, or, if it's a BBQ type setting, I take just a little, make it look like more by spreading it out over my plate, eat about half of that, and then throw my plate away early. If I'm out in a restaurant, I get a to go box early and put 95% of my meal in it so that it looks like I ate more than I did. I know it shouldn't matter what other people think, but to me it does. Just being honest. I also usually have my husband with me and he is usually happy to eat some of my remains. :-)

I can see both sides of this issue, but here are my thoughts. 1. Airlines are a business. They can (and should) make money. Living in a capitalist society, that's why we have competition. If someone can make more money offering fewer, but larger seats, then they can/should do it. 2. There are 2 to 3 people in question here. The POS and the 1 or 2 people sitting next to him/her. The needs of the POS to NOT outweigh the needs of the people next to him/her. They have just as much right to their entire seat space as the person next to them. 3. Flying is NOT a government business. While discrimination rules apply towards the sale of tickets, this is not a discrimination issue. My DH is a special education teacher. He is an advocate for rights of handicapped people. However, that does NOT mean making hiking half-dome wheelchair accessible. It does not mean providing an elevator on Half-Dome so that POS can see the view. There are some things some people can't do. It's not fair, but it's life. I will never be a supermodel. I'll never climb Mt. Kilomanjaro (sp?). Some people do not fit in rollercoaster rides. Should they shut down the ride? Bottom line? I don't believe in changing all of society for a much smaller segment of the population (even if that minority includes me). MOST people fit in airplane seats. As long as they have a tactful way of dealing with this (and companies have universal ways of dealing with this) they I don't have a problem with it--even when it affected me.

THANK YOU!!!!! That's been a pet peeve of mine for a long time now. I don't know if they still do, but I remember a new thing called "failure to thrive" at hospitals. They were begging for volunteers to hold the newborns. When they didn't get enough attention, they didn't make it. I think it's horrible that babies spend more time in what is essentially a big plastic box than in their mother's or father's (or whomever's) arms! Car seats and stollers have their time and place. But it is not ALWAYS the time and place!

EVERYONE thinks that (I know now :-) ) I was SURE this wouldn't work for me because it seemed that everything else worked for all others EXCEPT me. But, surprise of all surprises, it worked for me. I have the added complication of having to keep my carbs and calories up because of a very rare disease I have. Guess what...still works! It's amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I was losing about 2-3 pounds a week. Then came March's time of the month. I GAINED about 5 pounds--up to 228 from 223! And now I'm down to 220. So, I guess technically it's down 8 pounds, but wow! It seems to have taken forever (relatively speaking). I know this is not a competition. I know that no one's weight loss will be like mine. I know that if I continue to eat this way, I WILL continue to lose weight. But, when you are used to the scale doing one thing and it does another, it REALLY ticks you off! Just yesterday I started really losing again. I'm one of those obsessive people who has to weigh CONSTANTLY. But, it's nice to see the scale move down. This morning, my official weigh-in was 220.2. When I weighed about 1/2 hour later, I was 219. That is amazing. I am only 19 pounds from 200?!?!? I just can't believe it. I started this journey with several goals in mind. 1. I wanted to get to 260 because that was what I told people my weight was, even though it had crept up to 290. 2. I wanted to get to 240 because it was the lowest I had ever been. 3. I want to get to 200 because...well, isn't it obvious?!?! 4. I want to get to 180 because I can't even imagine life at that size. Goals 1 and 2 are met...goal 3 is 19 pounds away! Wow! Then I had mini goals: 1. I want to get to 200 pounds by June because I hope to be pregnant then. I'm also going to Washington DC and I think it would be great to be 200. 2. I want to be a size 14 before I get pregnant so that I can look pregnant instead of just fat. Aren't goals great? I know I'm a bit neurotic, but it works for me. I feel like I"m at a crossroads right now. I think my metabolism has slowed so much that I won't lose weight as quickly. I'm still losing inches (I think), but my weight loss has stalled. I was hoping to get to at least 200 before that happened. As of this morning, the scale is moving again, so I'm hoping I'm not stalled. But, we'll see. Right now, my goal is to be 215 by May 1st. VERY attainable. I am a little over seven months out and I have lost seventy pounds. There's no complaining about that!

I was losing about 2-3 pounds a week. Then came March's time of the month. I GAINED about 5 pounds--up to 228 from 223! And now I'm down to 220. So, I guess technically it's down 8 pounds, but wow! It seems to have taken forever (relatively speaking). I know this is not a competition. I know that no one's weight loss will be like mine. I know that if I continue to eat this way, I WILL continue to lose weight. But, when you are used to the scale doing one thing and it does another, it REALLY ticks you off! Just yesterday I started really losing again. I'm one of those obsessive people who has to weigh CONSTANTLY. But, it's nice to see the scale move down. This morning, my official weigh-in was 220.2. When I weighed about 1/2 hour later, I was 219. That is amazing. I am only 19 pounds from 200?!?!? I just can't believe it. I started this journey with several goals in mind. 1. I wanted to get to 260 because that was what I told people my weight was, even though it had crept up to 290. 2. I wanted to get to 240 because it was the lowest I had ever been. 3. I want to get to 200 because...well, isn't it obvious?!?! 4. I want to get to 180 because I can't even imagine life at that size. Goals 1 and 2 are met...goal 3 is 19 pounds away! Wow! Then I had mini goals: 1. I want to get to 200 pounds by June because I hope to be pregnant then. I'm also going to Washington DC and I think it would be great to be 200. 2. I want to be a size 14 before I get pregnant so that I can look pregnant instead of just fat. Aren't goals great? I know I'm a bit neurotic, but it works for me. I feel like I"m at a crossroads right now. I think my metabolism has slowed so much that I won't lose weight as quickly. I'm still losing inches (I think), but my weight loss has stalled. I was hoping to get to at least 200 before that happened. As of this morning, the scale is moving again, so I'm hoping I'm not stalled. But, we'll see. Right now, my goal is to be 215 by May 1st. VERY attainable. I am a little over seven months out and I have lost seventy pounds. There's no complaining about that!

I don't know about other people, but for about three weeks after a fill, I PB a lot. Then, it hurts like heck if I eat too much as the food slips through the band (which I can feel when it happens). I had my last fill on March 5th. About two weeks ago, I noticed that I had all but stopped PBing. Yay! Hope that answers your questions!

Hi! My first two months, I didn't lose much (because I had no restriction). However, if I average my weight loss since September when I had the surgery, I lose about ten pounds per month. It comes out to 2-3 pounds per week. Sometimes it's less (that TOM I usually gain!) and sometimes it's more. I've lost 4 pounds in a week and I've GAINED 4 pounds in a week (TOM sucks!) I started at 290 though and I'm 5'6". I know that where you begin makes a difference. You can look at my ticker below to see where I am now :-) How tall are you and what do you weight right now?

I was a size 24 and I fit on everything. But I think it depends on body shape. Right now, I weigh 220 and am a loose size 18. I know I would have no problem fitting on anything at Disneyland or Six Flags. Hope that helps!

Hi! I go out to eat often and have a couple of strategies. If someone else is ordering something that sounds good to me, I ask if they want to split it. I only eat 3-4 bites anyway, so it usually works for me. My husband and I do this constantly. If we go to a fast food place, I just order off the kids menu. I'm a picky eater anyway. If we go to a nice restaurant, and no one is ordering anything I like, I just order my own, but I ask for a doggy bag very quickly...not to stop me from eating (the band does that for me), but so I don't look so weird if I stop after 3 bites :-) I've been to one buffet and spent a lot of money on my 4 bites. Oh well...to me, the company was worth it. Hope that helps!

I only ride for fun (not for shows or anything). We live in the woods and do a lot of trail riding around our property. I have noticed that mounting is a LOT easier. And, if I fall, I won't make such a big dent in the earth! Just kidding, but I AM less worried about falling while jumping over a creek or something. I feel more in control of my body. Hope that helps!

Hi! I was just there, and I ate kids meals or the kabobs (Adventureland). Hope that helps!

I can't believe I only have 43 pounds left to get to my goal of 180. 43!!!!!! I know it seems like a lot to some, but after losing almost 70, forty-three seems like nothing! A walk in the park! I expect my weight loss to slow as I get closer to goal. I'm hoping it doesn't slow until I'm at least under 200. My BMI has gone down 10 points. This is too amazing. That time of the month is the only time my weight loss slows. It sucks, but I know it will continue after about a week or a week and a half. It just fun to see the scale consistently going down. I'll update at 7 months out!

I can't believe I only have 43 pounds left to get to my goal of 180. 43!!!!!! I know it seems like a lot to some, but after losing almost 70, forty-three seems like nothing! A walk in the park! I expect my weight loss to slow as I get closer to goal. I'm hoping it doesn't slow until I'm at least under 200. My BMI has gone down 10 points. This is too amazing. That time of the month is the only time my weight loss slows. It sucks, but I know it will continue after about a week or a week and a half. It just fun to see the scale consistently going down. I'll update at 7 months out!

Hi! I am about 7 months out and have lost almost 70 pounds. I didn't really lose anything for the first three months. Then I finally got good restriction and have now been losing about ten pounds a month. I only lost 7 pounds in February, got another fill, and am back up to 10 for the month of March. My weight loss doesn't show any signs of slowing down yet (except for that TOM), so I'm hoping to continue losing until I get close to goal. Hope this helps!

I had to pay my deductible. It sucked, but was totally worth it. My doctor also had a $1,000 fee for his program, so I had to pay that too. Still, WAY better than self-pay! I really admire those people who paid for it all out of pocket.

I know what you mean. I am nowhere close to what you weigh yet, but I have lost almost 70 pounds. However, when I look in the mirror (especially with no clothes on), I don't see a difference. Sometimes, with clothes on, I notice that my boobs stick out WAY more than my stomach (haven't lost much of THEM), but, other than that, I can't see a difference. But, when I look at pictures, I can see a difference. I guess it's all perspective! Congrats on your weight loss! I can't wait to catch up with you!

I posted this on my blog, but I had to post it here because I am so happy. Today I am down to 230. I went in yesterday to get a fill. He have me .3ml so I am now up to 2.4ml total. I'm hoping that he didn't overfill me. I can drink liquids, but only a couple of bites of actual food. Not that I'm complaining. I really don't care how much I can eat. As long as I'm eating a bit and am losing weight, all is good! I am officially down 60 pounds today. I have 50 to go to get to my goal weight. I am firmly in size 20s, and in a few 18s as well. MOST of my closet is now worthless. While my eating addiction is now under control, my spending addiction is not! I find that I am now more excited about non-scale victories than I am about the scale itself. In the next couple of days, I will be in the 220s...a place I haven't been since high school. But I am WAY more excited about shopping at Old Navy and in the regular sections of Walmart and Target (for one or two items). Things are more enjoyable for me. I never let my weight stop me from anything...I still went horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, etc. But now, it's SO much easier. I don't have to worry about looking stupid...or, more specifically, fat. I looked fat in the saddle. I looked fat going down the river. I was the fat girl struggling to keep up (but I DID keep up). Now, I look so much better...and it's all EASIER! I have moments where I feel bad about this being so easy...guilty even. It's not all easy, but it's a LOT easier than my previous diets. The hardships are such that I don't mind them. So WHAT if I can't eat more than three or four bites! So WHAT if it hurts when I eat too much! I had 32 YEARS of eating too much! So WHAT for ALL of it! The benefits are SO worth it! I'm not even talking about the health benefits. I KNOW there are so many of those. I didn't really have health problems beforehand. I wasn't depressed or anything like that. I know they would have some soon enough, but I was blessed. I'm totally talking about superficial benefits. I look better. I get attention from men. Even better than that, I get more attention from my HUSBAND. I feel better. I can DO more. It's just amazing. Better than I ever thought. I know I have been so blessed for this to work out so well. I hope and pray that it continues to work out so well. This was one of the best things I have ever done. It's not easy...I have to do quite a bit different...but it's SO worth it. Here's to the next 6

That sounds almost exactly where I am. I can't drink very quickly or I get that "ball in the throat" thing. I can only eat between 3-5 bites of anything before I have to walk away (and in the morning it's only 1-2 bites). I know I'm on the edge of being too full, but I personally like it that way. I can't eat anything, but then, to me, that was kind of the point :-) But, I know that many people would not like it. I know that this fill is exactly where I want to be. I'm not going to die of hunger, I can drink what I need to, and I'm losing weight. It's not always fun, but very effective. I would suggest you decide what the maximum is that you can live with and try to find that balance. If you can't live with this fill, then get a slight unfill. But, if you can, then do it an enjoy the ride, however bumpy it may be :-)

Hi! I have good restriction right now. While I CAN eat anything, with bread or other things like that, I can only eat two or three bites before PBing. With everything else, I can only eat about five to seven bites (depending on the time of day). I hope that helps!

To me, people who want to get rid of homeschooling are just giving the government another way to take control of your child. It used to be that kids started school in Kinder (which, even today, is NOT mandatory). Now we have the "First 5" television ads telling us to get our kids in preschool. Why don't we just hand our kids over to the government as soon as they are born (said sarcastically). Academics are important. Testing is important. Yes, it IS important to see how well you child is doing compared to other children. It lets you know, as a parent, what you need to work on with your child (whether you are homeschooling or not). However, to me, values are MORE important. My values are not the same as the school system's values (and I'm a teacher!). Even though I teach in the CA public school system, I will NEVER put my child in the public school system. I have had several students who were homeschooled before coming to my school. They were WAY below grade level. But, they had hard work ethics, good values (in my opinion), and generally caught up quickly (most, but honestly, not all). What do I value most in a student? Not grades or even morals. I value a hard work ethic. ANY student with a hard work ethic will succeed...regardless of their grades. And having a teaching credential means nothing. When you are an adult, either you ARE a good teacher, or you are not. Having a teaching credential doesn't mean anything. I learned absolutely NOTHING when I got my credential. And all the B.A. classes were extensions of high school. While people without a B.A. may not remember everything from high school and, therefore, have trouble with the material, the credential itself added nothing to my career except another piece of paper. My two cents worth anyway :-)

I have to admit that I didn't read all the posts, but I'm sure somewhere someone said that "it's a fine line between spanking and beating". To me, that is ridiculous! There is a HUGE line between spanking and beating! Spanking is a tool...not something to be administered often, or in anger, or for minor offenses. Beatings are administered in anger, for any offense, and/or inappropriately hard. Spankings should be hard enough to hurt (or what's the point?), but beatings, to me, are HUGELY different. A parent who can't tell the difference was not ready to be a parent in the first place.

To me, being underweight is NOT the same as being overweight. An underweight child is in danger of dying in the somewhat immediate future. An overweight child, while is not healthy, is not necessarily in danger of dying (yes, I know that there are VERY rare exceptions). So to me, the underweight child MIGHT require intervention...even though the idea of the government taking someone's child sickens me (but I have personally seen cases where it was necessary). However, the overweight child, to me, is not in mortal peril and, therefore, should stay with the family. We can then only hope that he or she begins to make good choices as they grow older.