Twilight

Phyll, I love the kashi! I like the go lean crunch best but the stuff that looks like sticks has more Protein and fewer cals so if I add fruit I eat the other. I put a packet of splenda and a bit of milk. It's the best. I hope you enjoy it. When I get stuck on everything else I can get kashi down. It makes me stay full too because of the Fiber in it. Well...off to church. Talk to you all later.

My big frustration is that the kids menu isn't ever anything good. All the good stuff is on the adult menu so there really is no choice but to order a big portion. I wish there were more salad bars around my area but the ones there are have lettuce, potato salad, macaroni salad, and Jello. Not really friendly either. grrrrr I'm not big on left overs but my ds has started liking them more and more.

Good evening ladies. It's late and I'm sure you are all in bed. I'm just settling in for the evening. Kari, I love the term "God smack" and so appropriate. Too funny. I wish he'd smack me a little more often. Awesome NSV though. You've got to be tickled with that one. Phyl, what an absolute darling. My MIL is anti-crew cuts. I think they are the most adorable things you can do to a little boy but she pleads with me every summer not to buzz their hair. I can't do it to her. Aggravates me though because I think she's being completely irrational. He's cute though....you are surely very proud. SSankofa that sounds like a pretty good exercise log. I like the idea of walking right after you finish eating. It's a good way to keep yourself from taking those last few bits. I'll maybe have to try that. There is no way I can eat after I walk. Drink Water maybe but no way am I putting food in for at least an hour. I'm not sure about the food...a lot depends on your portion of stuff but there is no way I could eat a hot dog, 3/4 of a burger, some pork, and then add mac & cheese. Today I couldn't even get 3/4 of a grilled snack wrap at McD's in. My NUT says to consider a cup all you can eat. ... and a cup is about the size of an average person's fist. I know everyone's guidelines are different, just thought I'd share mine. I like the fist analogy because when I dish my plate I can compare it to my fist and decide whether I'm over doing it. I did horrible on the veggies and fruits today though. I really need to get it in gear. I need to get back to tracking on dailyplate.com because I do a lot better when I track. Have you tried that? I'm a little addicted to technology so I think it's kind of fun. Okay....I'd better get to bed. I can't sleep in tomorrow because I'm reading at church. I'd hate to be all bleary eyed for that. I'd be so embarrassed. Oh...forgot to give my stats for the day. liquid 75 oz. Food, grilled snack wrap, 1/2 taco salad wrap, two tootsie roll midgies. Going to get some kashi with blueberries in before bed. Exercise, walked the 5k route....from home it works out to be about 4 miles (I have to drive it to make sure) and ran about 1/2 mile of it total. Wii weigh in was great but official weigh in isn't until Monday so I'm not going to jinx myself by adding it. Still don't know if I'm going to make it to size 8 before MofA trip but I'm going to fight for it. Okay.....goodnight ladies. Have a great Sunday.

Morning all. Good to hear you all had a nice day yesterday. Phyll, that sounds like a full day for you. Would you like to come here and cut my little quack's hair. They are so difficult. Take them to the barber and then almost pay double in tip because they are so bad. I haven't tried to eat yet today but dd got up last night in the middle of the night and was starving....I think she really had a bad dream from all the banging and then didn't know what to do... anyways, gave her a banana but she didn't really want it. I ate about a quarter of it, but was still feeling tight. I think I'll have some coffee this morning. Maybe the warmth will loosen me a bit. Going to go on that long bike ride today. Going to do some geocaching while we're out. So probably won't be around for quite awhile. Have a great day all. Love you.

Hope you all had a great day. Heading to bed. We went out for the local band tonight and then sat out back for a bit for fireworks....but it's too hot out there. I'm tired so I hope I can sleep. DD didn't want me to nap earlier when I was dying to. Oh well....I should sleep tonight I guess. Karri, do you get tight after a run? I was really tight all day today. Had pulled pork tonight and was stuck for probably an hour or more and only after a can of pineapple juice and an awful fit of slime. It sucked. I guess I should have not tried it since I knew I was tight, but I was hungry. At lunch I had an elk burger and that went down fine so I thought I had loosened up. I don't know but I think pork balls up on me. I can't eat steak or pork anymore it seems. I really have to stop trying to eat things I know can't. Why I don't learn is beyond me. Okay...now I'm rambling. I'll talk to you all in the morning.

Alright, I'm back for awhile. It is 100 degrees out there. It was super hot riding bike. I couldn't even convince myself to leather up it was so hot. So we didn't go for long. Maybe it'll be cooler tomorrow. I want to go ride for a few hours, not a few miles. I'm dying to really get out there and really ride. Now for more info on the walk. It was a scholarship walk for a teacher here who died of cancer this year. There was a great turnout. The first half was all uphill which really made it tough. About a mile in I was really regretting the decision to drink the v8 this morning. I should have known what it would do to my system. I don't know what I was thinking. And then there wasn't a bathroom stop anywhere. It was pretty embarrassing to have to dash to the bushes. But at least there were bushes. I had a great time and am so proud of me. I think I will start walking that hill all the time. The distance to the top and back to the house is just at 4 miles and with the 1 1/2 mile hill it's great for the legs. My goal is to run it next year. There were about a dozen people who ran it and it did look like fun. So, that will be what I strive for next year. Sorry I worried you all with my shame on me earlier. I was so high on life that I had walked it that I didn't think about explaining myself. It all made sense in MY head. Oh well....live and learn. Karri, I hope you are doing as great today as you were yesterday. I'm guessing you're a little soarer today. Don't try to be a tough guy. Take the pain meds. Take it easy. Janet, hope you find some good veggies. I'm dying for some REALLY fresh stuff but that's not going to happen here in the boonies and since I was going to be gone for so long earlier this summer I didn't plant anything. Now I'm dying for garden peas, cukes, and tomatoes. I think I'm going to take a little siesta. The heat and the walk this morning have gotten the best of me I guess. Everyone enjoy your evening and the fireworks. I don't know if I'll be back on tonight or not. If not, happy 4th to you all and love to any of you with family and friends out defending our freedom on this day. Tell them I say thank you. They may not know me but they are important to me. Super kudos to them. Night all.

Sorry guys/....just a quick check in....gotta run again.... The shame on me was for drinking v8fusion before the race because half way through I had such a stomach ache and TMI!!!! diarhea and had to make an emergency stop in the bushes..... I'm super proud of the race and the time....just not of the stupidity of what I did before and the aftermath. Going for a bike ride. I'll check in this evening with more details. I am super excited, really. Sorry you are all worried about me. I'm great!!!

I'm back!!! With a time of 50:40 I didn't feel so great for about half of it. Shouldn't have had v8 fusion for breakfast. Shame on me. Just thought I'd check back in.

Holy CATS!!! Karri's back already!! Wow Wow and Wow again. I'm not staying long....just thought I'd see if I missed anything yesterday. while I was fighting with my website. A lot of my stuff still doesn't work but it is getting there. Okay....are you guys ready for my HUGE news???? It's HUGE!!!! Okay...maybe not HUGE HUGE for most normal people but HUGE for me. Is the suspense killing you yet???? Hmmmm....maybe I won't tell you because then I'll jinx myself..... Okay....I'm on my way to my first 5k!!!! I have to register at 7:30. I can't believe I'm signing up for a 5k!!! How cool is that? I know, for normal people they wouldn't understand but I would never have walked 5 blocks last summer. It would have killed me. Okay...maybe not killed me but the idea of it would have. Anyways. I'm not running like our super woman, but I'm going to walk it and there is no way I'm not going to relish EVERY SINGLE MINUTE!!! Okay. I need to brush my teeth and head out. I'll check in after that. Talk to you ladies later. Karri!!!! You are a super woman. I'm so excited for you, happy to hear you're doing okay, frantic to see your progress, and astonished that you were on the puter yesterday!!! I'm humming the super woman theme in my head just thinking about it. Glad you're home and doing great. Okay...gotta run.

Good Morning Ladies!!!! Hope you all had a great night sleep. I'm tired this morning but it's probably nothing a nice brisk walk wouldn't cure. Going to wait until little quack is finished with breakfast and then head out for a bit. Peaches, I'm so sorry about your mom. I know all the stuff about her having a long life and all doesn't help the frustration and the worry. I'm thinking of you and wishing you all the best. I may have missed it, but what is the prognosis? I know she is having a hard time getting around because of the blockages but that's all I remember you telling us. Karri, I'm thinking of you. I'll keep you in my thoughts all day. Can't wait until Janet tells us you're out of surgery and doing fine. Kari, I am still working on the site so there may be times when it's crazy and the pics aren't there. I'm getting ready to do a lapband page and we'll see what I decide to put on there. Who knows how adventurous I'll get. I hope you enjoyed the grandbabies, even though they can be snippy sometimes they will remember these times forever. I can't imagine anyone not noticing your weight loss so after the parade you will be flying high! I'm glad you are feeling great enough to get out and go this year. What an amazing nsv. Feel great about that! Okay....gotta run. Busy day planned. I'll talk to you all later.

Had a great day all. Karri, I'm thinking of you. If the past is any indication I would be in the shower about now quivering and praying. I hope you are doing really well right now. I'm wishing you all the best and you will be in my prayers all day tomorrow. I'm sure it will all be awesome. Thanks everyone for the nice comments on my new pic and those of you who checked out my website. Jeff has told me he thinks I should add a before/during page with all my pics but I just don't know if I can put it out there for everyone to see. I don't know. Showing you guys is one thing but showing everyone is another....you guys are family. I'm going to spend some time tomorrow adding new pages to my site. I'm learning. I'm still not doing things right, but we'll see. I walked first thing this morning. Had a great food day. Breakfast was dry kashi. Lunch was 1/2 of a taco salad wrap. Dinner, wasn't really hungry, had 1/2 an Aidells' pineapple bacon sausage, 1/2 cup of salad. A couple of coctails with Jeff tonight. Plenty of liquid no matter what else happened. I say it's been great. On my walk this morning....about 4 miles....I ran about 5 or 6 times. None were long runs...maybe 100 yards tops each time, but I ran. I was pretty excited about that. Didn't nap this afternoon either so that's a step too. Today I got a phone call from another teacher friend of mine who is thinking about getting banded. She tells me that our insurance company has started covering banding now. Frizzle Frazzle!!! So mine was on borrowed money and now I've quit work so will be dropped in a month from insurance so Jeff's won't be covered either if I convince him to do it. How crazy is that??? Frizzle Frazzle fluffernooger!!!!! Okay....tired and the coctails have gotten to me. I'll see you ladies in the morning.

Wow Phyl, My brother used to be at Moffett. Michael and I went out when I was getting my degree to do my multicultural experience. I spent two weeks there with them. It was really a nice area but wouldn't want to live there. Too many people for this Montana girl. Nice base though.

I'm loving life with over 60 pounds gone. I sometimes think I'm getting complacent. Today while I was walking I was pep talking myself....or drill sergeant talking myself. I have a little more than 25 pounds left to lose and dagnabit I'm going to do it!!!!

How funny. I thought I was funny when I rubbed my port. I'm always doing it. I never thought of it as the same as when my babies feet were poking me but now that you say that, that's exactly how it feels. How funny! At least you know your not the only one walking around rubbing your port. I think of it sort of like my lucky rabbits foot. I seem to rub it when I am thinking or when I'm stressed....who knows.

Okay, just finished with my website tweeking. At least for tonight. I will probably think all night about how to make it better and play with it tomorrow. Good night ladies. I'll see you all tomorrow.

You're right, you should have! And if you're in an area with a Sam's club, those Aidell's chicken sausages are divine! I'm completely in love with the Pineapple Bacon and they are really low cal for sausages....I cut it into about 20 pieces and have a wonderful time with the taste. Oh they are awesome. The sun dried tomato are good too....and sam's brand asiago and spinach are good too...those are the three I've tried. But LOVE LOVE LOVE the pineapple bacon.

Hi ladies. A good day today. I haven't done any exercise yet but in about an hour it will have cooled down enough for me to go walking. We will still have an hour of daylight left so I'm not worried. I've had a good food day. No stuck episodes today. That's really nice. I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since I didn't have a stuck feeling at least once a day. Breakfast was kashi and a half a banana. Lunch was a chicken sausage. Dinner was a bit of steak and some berries. I snacked on some kashi this afternoon. I'll get some more veggies tonight for a snack. But al in all, a great day for food. Need another bottle of water before bed but again, not worried there. I spent the day trying to build a webpage. I got some done. If anyone is interested the NON final product is at Steph's website It is pretty rudimentary but not bad for a few hours work. I've never done it before so maybe before another day is over I'll have something I'm happy with. I'm still learning and I haven't been thinking about what I want on it, so I'm not sure what all I want to do. I'm sure there will be more I can't wait to add. I was asked to build the webpage for my workshop that I was at the last couple of weeks but I hadn't done that before so I said they had to give me a few weeks to learn a little before I try on that. They will pay me $1k for it so I'm really wanting to do a great job. Any hints would be appreciated. They have some definite ideas but that doesn't mean I have to listen to it all :thumbup: Janet, I've been on and off all day, just busy with the other so I didn't know what to say. My mind can only really concentrate on one thing at a time when one of them is really trying me. Phyl, I'm trying to think of imaginative things to help you pack. Shipping some is always an option. I'm not sure. I'll keep thinking. Karri, I am glad to hear that your leg is feeling better. I'm still thinking those good thoughts about your surgery. I'm so excited for you. Those results of your run are amazing too. I can't believe how awesome your run went even though you were hurt. So very awesome. And I really hope you enjoy the little bit of your birthday that is left. It sounds like you had a heck of a day so far. I think it's amazing how your body reacts to "bad" food. I wonder how much better I would be doing if my body did the same thing. Happy Birthday anyways. I was thinking of you today. Linda, I hope everything was much better for you. I know we get hard on ourselves and then we just want to eat more. Tired, wanting to eat stuff we shouldn't, feeling crappy about ourselves, and all that leads to us wanting to soothe ourselves with food. You made it through it though. It is tough. Pat yourself on the back for the effort, fortify your defenses, hang on for the next round. We're pulling for you. We can all do this. I know. I'll be on and off tonight all. Have a great night.

Phyl, That is an absolutely phenomenal transformation. You have done such amazing things in the last year. You have so much to be proud of. You really do look so much healthier. Beautiful! That's all I can say about that!

I forgot what I wanted to tell you all about my size. I'm really not doing anything great but when I bought my swimsuit a few months ago I bought a 16...it was tight but it was alright. Tonight I couldn't find that suit and went hunting for another. Found a pair of bottoms from some other suit and looked and it said size 12. I giggled and put them on thinking I wouldn't even be able to pull them up. God knows when I put those on last....had to have been at least 10 year ago. Anyways, I figured I'd see if I could get anywhere near "in" it. Up it went and fit very comfortably. I found the top and could squeeze into that but it wasn't going to the pool. .... but a 12!!!! Holy CATS!!! Okay....so I bought some size 12's when I was leaving for this trip a month ago. My goal is to get into 8's by our MofA trip. I want to buy some single digit clothes. I haven't bought single digit clothes since high school. I graduated HS wearing size 10's and 12's...so this is HUGE for me. I've got a goal...I've got almost a month....and I WILL do this. If I have to work out 3 times a day....I WILL do this! The size 12's are getting looser. I think I could be getting into sosme 10's but I don't want to push it. one month. ... size 8 here I come. Then watch out MofA....I'm going NUTS!!!! I may have to shsip sosme stuff home. I'm going to only bring a little with so I can buy a TON! So ladies. Keep me accountable. If I don't tell you about my water ask. If I haven't spilled about my exercise....drill me. If I'm complaining about being bad, don't even be kind. I need to do this. It means so much to me. I really don't think it's out of line, but it is going to take some serious work. Keep me going. I have an appointment for a fill in a couple of weeks but I don't know...it will depend on if I get back on eating track and stop getting stuck or I may cancel it. We'll see. It might just be that TOM is visiting. I sure hope so. Okay....I'm going to bed! Good night ladies!!!

Okay, let's see if I can remember what I wanted to say to everyone. Janet, sounds like you had a great time. I'm so excited that you got some awesome compliments with the beautiful dress. I'm sure it was wonderful to feel. How was the convention though? What happened? I may have missed it but I didn't see how the meetings went. And congrats on the win. More QVC money!!! Karri, super duper awesome for you!!! How is your leg? I want to be excited for you but I'm so worried that you hurt yourself. I haven't checked your blog yet so hopefully when I do I'll be heartened. How are your nerves coming up to your big day? I'm so excited for you. I can't wait to hear more about your journey! Ssankofa, I'm sorry you were hurt. I know it wasn't intentional but usually after the fact that doesn't mean much. Honestly this is the most supportive place I've found on this site. I know it wasn't what you were needing at the time but I really hope that you allow us to support you through this tough time. What can we do to help you be successful? We really want you to feel great about this. Nothing makes any of us happier than to cheer when one of the others has a breakthrough. Okay...there was more but I can't remember it all. I'm back now though and I'll be around to read and respond regularly now. No more excuses. I think I'm going to try to finish the night with some kashi and fruit since I haven't had much not get stuck and I'm feeling weaker than I want. Have a great night ladies!!

Janet, You are so right. I was really good most of the time at the lake in what I had to choose from. No desserts, a few (maybe 3) mini snickers the whole time. I even drove back to town the second day to buy fruit and kashi to eat for breakfast and to snack on so that I could say no to all the other stuff. My biggest problem wasn't the choices I made it was HOW I ate. I am really having sticking issues. I'm doing well. I'm proud of the choices I'm making. The chips were 3 chips I put on my ds's plate at lunch. only 3 and the bag is in the cupboard not calling my name. I would much rather eat good stuff. And now onto my soapbox for this rant!!!! Why the freak is good stuff so expensive? I bought 3 dozen monster muffins at Sams for my MIL for the family reunion. Each dozen were less than $6. And they were FREAKING HUGE!!! So I went today to buy some fruit for dinner and I bought some grapes, some canteloup, a few slices of watermelon, a small bit of brocolli, a bag of carrots and a bunch of bananas and a small thing of raspberries....and it was more than $30! Almost $40! How insane is that? And it's just not fruit and veggies. Cereal that has all kinds of junk can be bought in the BIG bags for $4. My kashi that is probably 5 or 6 bowls is almost $5. Skim milk is almost $1 more a gallon. Whole grain bread is almost twice the price of white junk bread. Canned junk veggies are cheap but try to buy the frozen or fresh and you're going to have to mortgage the house. Bottled water is more expensive than a bottle of pop! What is wrong with this world? It is definitely driving me nuts. Okay...off that rant. It just gravels my butt that I have to pay so much more to feed my family healthy food. I'm going to get middle quack off to bed and then I'll be back to address those I've put off for too long.

AMEN!!! I don't know if it helps but I'm with you! I've been off track more than on track. In fact, sometime I think my train has just completely derailed. I seem to only be able to eat and keep down bad for me things. Anything fairly healthy is stuck! Tonight hamburger patty, watermelon, and cantelope....all stuck. Now I'm sitting here miserable. I ate slow. I chewed everything....and now...stuck tighter than tight. Yet when I snuck some of my son's chips this afternoon....no problem! grrrrr Well...we are going to the pool for a couple of hours. I think I'm going to count it as exercise even if it isn't tough exercise. We'll see. But Linda. I'm right there with you!

Holy Cats!!! It was a crazy few days trying to get caught up with you all. I sure did miss you guys the last 3 weeks. I didn't gain during my 10 days at the lake. I couldn't believe it. I was pretty sure I was in for a gain of at least 5 pounds. I didn't eat right, I didn't drink my fluids, and I didn't get in any exercise. It was just horrible on the weight front. Impressed that I managed to stay at the same weight though. I don't deserve it for sure though. I guess it says something about the fact that I have learned a few things in the last months about eating. What I think of as bad now isn't nearly as horrible as my habits were last fall. I had a goal that after I lost 50 pounds I would go geocaching and get this really tough cache. I knew that last year it was completely undoable. Well, I went for it while I was at my mom's. It was about 3/4 a mile up a mountain side. Now that is 3/4 a mile horizontal distance but that doesn't account for the mountain climb. I took my brother and my mom insisted on coming. Long story but they turned back while we were still .6 miles from the cache. I got to within 1/2 mile, but decided I didn't want to find it alone. I wanted to share that triumph. So I turned back and hiked back down by an easier route. It's a huge accomplishment that I got as far as I did, but a downer that I didn't get to it. I'll try again another time. The trip up took about an hour and a half and the trip down about 45 minutes. I was sweating up a storm by the end. Yesterday I took a long walk....added a bit of running but nothing sustained. I can't really even call it running but I know I did it. I walked for about 1.25 hours. That and a bit of geocaching in short spurts while I was gone was pretty close to it while I was gone. I'm adding 5 sessions, but wish I could add more. I'm definitely not going to make my goal this month. Oh well....more incentive for next month. Since I've been home I've been better about eating and drinking. I've had plenty of liquid the last few days and I'm feeling better than I have for awhile. My eating has been a bit better but I'm concentrating on the rules again. Eating, just eating, nothing else. Making sure it's the right order. Taking my time. No drinking with food. All that stuff that I wasn't paying attention to. Hopefully my weight loss will jump start again now that I'm following the rules. I want to say a ton of things but kids are up again so I'd better let this go and write more tonight. So many exciting things happened while I was gone. I can't wait to talk about it! See you all tonight

Things are crazy. I'm doing classes with other math teachers. I'm on day 9 of 10 and can't wait to finish tomorrow. I've been a horrible bandster while I've been at "camp" and I'm hating it. The only up side is there is no scale to wag it's nasty little needle at me saying, "You're a pig!!" I'll face that needle soon though. I may need some cheering up then. Right now...I'm just trying to survive without going postal on someone. How have you been Chris? I've been thinking about you. And I haven't moved on.....I'm just not here. PM me if you need to talk....and I check back here almost daily to see what is going on. Once I feel better about the last 10 days mentally I'll share the hell I've been feeling while I've been here. Proabably a week or so. I go home on the 28th. It will be awfully good to take a deep breath and sleep in my own bed. Tell me about all the wonderful summer stuff you've been able to do as a thinner person.....wait. I'll start a thread here for that.....then we can all share. Maybe we can generate a little bit of interest.

Hi ladies! What a crazy 9 days it has been. I have been a horrible bandster and have probably gained 10 pounds. No scale so I have no idea. I go back to my mother's tomorrow and I'll wii fit it so I can see what damage I have done. I can still fit into my clothes but I have been horrible watching my intake. Water has been non-existant. I've been so freaking busy.....and my mind going a million miles a minute. Tomorrow is the last day and then back to mom's house thank goodness. I'm exhausted and brain dead and getting crankier by the hour. There has been absolutely no time for me to just be alone and think or decompress and I'm really losing my mind. I'm a bit addicted to my alone time. I did get to see my kids a couple of days ago which was wonderful. Im going crazy without them. My youngest son cried when he saw me. It was amazing. I can't describe the experience...it was too magical. I'm tired and that is leading me to not concentrate on the rules or the eating habits. I've been stuck more in the last 9 days than I have been in the 6 months I've been banded. It's been miserable. I now do understand the concept of sliming. I didn't before. Now I get it. Well...the participants will be wondering where I got off to so I had better get. I'll be better about checking in after tomorrow. And I am still going to MofA.