"with the band"

Why do we overeat.....do we think we may not be getting our share - do we think we need it - do we just have un-ending emotional needs that need to be quieted with food. These are the demons we must face and we all realized that when we took on the Lap Band as our choice of weight loss assistance. I tend to drink juice when I shouldn't (thinking because I have a cold - I need it). Today I vowed to only drink 4 oz. at Breakfast and the rest of the day only drink Water and ice tea with no sugar. I know when I eat a cookie here and there through out the day that - I shouldn't be doing that. Sure I might have ate a dozen or more Cookies previously - but now in my attempt to lose - do I really need to waste my prescious time delaying my goals. We all struggle with this food thing....and knowing that we all do somehow comforts me....I know I am not alone. I know I can get up again and try again.....I have the band and I need to appreciate it and use it to the fullest of our combined abilities. The band is like an old type push mower - it will do the job - but only if you use it correctly. It's like the old ethic - 1 + 1 = 2. The band + your efforts = SUCCESS!!! Take care - talking about it strangely helps to encourage me to conquer this - Thanks. nancy

Good for you - now just start seeing yourself in that bikini and soon - someday you will be. Good for you!!!! Nancy

Whatever you take - make it soooo good that you will be satisfied with it. When I was on mushies - I liked a little Shrimp salad made with chopped up (minced up) shrimp with a little mayo and a dash of chili sauce. I would have it on mini Breton crackers. Other goodies I liked were Hummos, tabouli salad and Lobster Bisque Soup. Having great things tended to help the mushy stage go by easier. Good luck and have a great time.....I used to love Bunco...... Take care - nancy

Good for you seeking support and affirmation of your decision and a friend to have along the way as you go on the journey can only be positive for you. Good luck and take care - please let us know how you do. Nancy

No but it sounds very good to me. I think I will try this two days on and two days off - just to get my metabolism kick started a little. Let me know how you do.

I am so praying for you and your little girl and your whole family. My heart goes out to you and know that I will be thinking of you often. Take care - nancy

With Me The Fat Fairie tricked me she told me she'd be My friend My family My love so sweet.... The Fat Fairie she left me with all of her lies... Wear black, Wear heels, Wear no stripes to the side. The Fat Fairie she's sly... She's living rent free. She built an addition... She's living with me. nancy jean Thanks to my lap band the fat fairy has been served with an eviction notice.

My weirdest offering is Soft Mozzerella Balls and a rock hard wonton wrappers. hmmmmm...maybe I need to clean this fridge out.......

Ok - I'll do my weights and start practicing my yoga that I want to get into.

Today was a good Business Day.... 1st) I have secured a 6 week exhibit of my Art Work at the Maumee Library Art Exhibit Hall from April 16th - May 31st 2006. This is a really good deal for me as this Exhibit Hall has received a lot of attention lately and I will be the 4th artist featured since they started exhibiting art there back in Sept. 2005. And what a good time.....Spring....when everyone will be willing to come out and play........ 2nd) - This Big Deal is a response I finally got from the Cruise Line Talent Booking Agency that I have been trying to convince to give me a shot at doing Enrichment Seminars of the Cruise Circuit. Basically I would have to do two to three 45 minute seminars during a 7 day cruise and I would get paid and be on a cruise for free..... I sent the lady a reminder email yesterday and today she replied asking for 4 lecture titles ...... I think I am about to get the fish to bite...... 3rd) Today I received a letter from a Editor of a Magazine and they are going to publish one of my poems.....Recorded Errors. They want it for a special publication called Pyramid Poetry. It will be available in February. It is one of my favorite poems so I am glade to have it be published. I love good days at the office...... Too fun. I am so excited. Nancy

The museum is located in Maumee, Ohio which is a suburb of Toledo, Ohio. I will post info for anyone who might be from around here. Nancy

Geez Penni - I hate to hear that you are in this pain. I will be praying for you. I really understand wanting to do both things.....as an artist - I would go for the France thing...... I am going to be your little friend asking you how you are doing - you won't be without the band cause "with the band" is going to be with you cheering you on in your efforts. Take care and I hope you feel better. Nancy

Thanks everyone - it is a dream for me. I have literally been scheming this one for about two years. Sept. 04 - DH and I went to Wesern Carribean on a cruise and I met the comedian who performed the first night the next morning when Don & I got up to see the sunrise. Being me - I just had to go talk to him and then I went down to my cabin and got him some of my work and showed him and then proceeded to pump him for the "how do you do this" info I wanted. The same cruise I met a lady in the Hot Tub who happened to tell me that she was the enrichment speaker that day. Of course I asked her a bunch of questions but she really didn't give me anything concrete. I left that cruise and went home and sent out proposals and query letters to a Royal Carribean representative and after a couple of letters back and forth - that lead didn't go anywhere. Time went by and it is Sept. 2005 and DH and I are on an unplanned - impromptu cruise in the Western Carribean again and we are in the hot tub soaking up the bubbles on a particularly choppy day cause of Hurrican Katrina off in the distance. An older Gentleman joined us in the hot tub and just started to talk to DH and I about all kinds of stuff - one of which was that he was working for the cruise line and cruising literally (almost free) doing hardly nothing. I of course had to ask questions and he told me everything and then told me to call him when we all went back to our rooms to get ready for dinner so that he could give me the agency name, address, and owners name, etc. so that I could apply for the things I had in mind that I wanted to do as an enrichment speaker on a cruise. I came home and sent off my application and waited. Nothing. I sent off a little reminder email. Nothing. Then the first week of Jan. on Tuesday I was back in my studio office working and I decided to send the Agency a little tickler letter to see if I could get them to respond. I figured it was the first week of the month (particularly in business this week is notorius for doing absolutely nothing) so I figured it would be now or never to get a response. It worked - the fish took the bait and now I am planning cruises with DH and we are going to be in Hawaii next December for three weeks while I do my seminars. In August - 1st of September - I am planning a trip (working) with my dear friend and sister in law and we are going to go to New York and Bermuda for a week. (We are soooo excited) Then the agent told me next year (2007) I would have a better selection of dates and itineraries to choose from. We can't wait. So all I can say - is don't give up on your dreams. And by the way - this isn't my main dream - that dream is still out there and I feel that this doorway is going to be very responsible for me finding the doorway of the next step leading to my real dream. And that is to become a famous poetry artist and sell my commissioned poetry art all over the world. I envision doing this through cruise ships. That is my dream. And I think I am going to see it. I am very awed by that thought - but I think now - I am getting close. My seminars are varied and some of the titles are Goddess, Angel, Loving Soul.... Wouldn't you choose......Happy? Sketching for fun Soul Quests....Searching for Joy It would be great to do a lap band cruise sometime - maybe our resident arrangers could figure that out. And I would do a special seminar for the Ladies. As far as the poems - I will try to put up a thread and post some for you to review. I don't really put them on a web site as I am very gaurded with my work and usually only publish in magazines, books or do exclusive exhibits of my Poetry Art Walls. But I will share them with you on a seperate thread. If anyone wants to email me you can at visualpoetryart@aol.com for any info on my poetry - my artwork - etc. Thanks for the encouraging words and support. Best of all - Losing the weight will truly help my self esteem when I am taking charge of this endeavor. That's my NSV for the YEAR!!!!!!!

I say South of France......what an opportunity. How are you doing on the war front with the no band....

Don't have all the details yet - but I basicaly have been hired as talent (seminar speaker) for cruises. I get to choose different dates of where I might want to cruise and I earn the cruise for two for doing the speaking seminar. I do seminars on self esteem, learning to love yourself, appreciating the person you are. Uplifting stuff. The name of one of my seminars is Goddess, Angel, Loving Soul..... and another one is Wouldn't you choose...Happy. I and my hubby are very happy. I always said I wanted to retire and go on a world cruise and with this connection I can virtually go all over the world at our choosing for dirt cheap - air fare and spending money. That is too cool since we love cruising anyways.

mine was very easy - no problem other than I was in a room with what seemed like a learning convention..... Why me = when they aren't even paying me to be the star....hey - where was my chair? My stylist? Anything....

men always feel compelled to "fix things" and when they can't it hurts them terribly and me do not deal well with that. I went through alot of infertility stuff and it is not worth it. I will pray for you and hope that you find peace. take care - nancy

hundreds of times - being overweight has made me want to give up on this trip. I understand the feeling too well.

Good Luck to you Penni - I think that having gone through all of this - that you will be more than resolved to control this. I am soo sorry for all of your troubles. I really will pray for you and I wish you much luck and hope in the months ahead as you heal and your body adjusts to not having the band. Let us know how you are doing. Take care - nancy

It is great info that you are sharing and we all appreciate it and we are thinking about you and praying for you in your struggle. I feel bad these things have happened to you guys and I know the fear I would feel if I was facing this crazy fight alone - like before. You guys need to stick around so that we can be your sounding board - it must be a hard road to wander down. I really feel for you guys and I would like to know how you do. Take care - and thanks again for the valuable info. Nancy

I can't believe your doc would want you doing an elipitical machine 1 day post op..... it just doesn't make sense.... take it easy and give your body time to heal.

Thanks so much. I am very pschyed up and ready to go gonzo to get this exhibit off the ground and so excited to possibly get booked on a cruise as a lecturer. Too exciting.... thanks, nancy miramu - what type of art do yo do?

Protein is the key here. Do whatever you can to get it in and try to calm down. You will start to feel better. Please take it easy and don't get too excited with regrets. You will - I promise - you will start to feel better.

Took me about 3 or 4 days - then my first trip out was grocery shopping and I found pushing the cart really hard.....wow - I'll never forget that. I think the key is to accept the fact that the band is a tool and that you must be willing to use the tool properly. I think that success is better when I exercise. I know that I can't just expect to let the band do all the work....cause I will wait forever then. I do know that I have the edge now "with the band" that I never had without it. Take care and let us know how you do. Nancy

Awwwwww - Break my heart. My old boy - Prince Arthur - (our beloved long hair daschund) is dying from Cancer (he's 17 yrs. old) and I can literaly feel your pain. Take care. Nancy