Shinyhappymommy

Ezma, I have a few years until my girls are old enough to date. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that just yet. I told my girls they're not allowed to kiss anyone until they're 30. We'll see how well that one works. :smile: You asked if girls are still trying to get pregnant on purpose. I'm guessing that as many as ever were, probably are. I'm also guessing that for every girl that intentionally gets pregnant, there are others who are careless about birth control and safe sex. If you think he's having sex, or about to be having sex, you should definitely be having some serious discussions with him. As far as weight loss, I'm doing okay. Haven't lost anything in the last couple of weeks. I just can't keep my mitts out of the chocolate and occasional sweets. I think this next week I need to completely purge the house so that there isn't anything in here that I shouldn't be eating. Maybe then I'll be able to lose these last few pounds. I've done great on my exercise. Haven't missed a workout in a couple of weeks. It's the darn eating. Our housing situation is still up in the air. We found out we're not able to buy a home right now because of our credit score and student debt. But, we have found an amazing home to rent. It's not finished being renovated, but the landlord said he would try to get things lined up so that he could be finished with the house in time for us to move in there. We don't have an official closing date on this house we're renting yet, but we are hopeful it will be long enough for that house to be finished. Also waiting to hear if my hubby gets this long-awaited promotion in his current office. This coming week should yield a lot of info about our near future! The uncertainty is what's hard.

Irene, I hope you are able to get a resolution to your band problems. We had surgery to make life better, not worse! The sleeve seems to be a great alternative. Tskelli, Hang in there. Family stuff can be so emotionally draining and food sabotaging! Jul, You hang in there too. Sounds like you are making some great realizations. Keep up the good work. I'm doing pretty well. Making good choices and my band is still doing what it's supposed to without being too tight. I'm feeling grateful for that. I wonder how long that will last. As I read the complications, I have to face the fact that it may not be as permanent a fixture in my body as I initially thought. I'm so curious to watch cjjktWallace's journey without the band. If I were to lose the band, I wonder if I could maintain my loss without it. I like to think I could, but who knows? I'm at the point right now that if I'm not very careful about my eating and exercise my weight will creep back up, so how is that different band or no band? Just found out our house sold. The one we're renting and have only been in since June. So we're moving again, by November 15th. Sigh. There are some good things in the works, though and we may be in a position to actually buy a house this time.

I'm here! I'm doing really well. I'm enjoying this fall weather and keeping crazy busy. I made a really awesome cake this week. I'll attach a picture of it. Ckktwallace, the situation you are in would really scare me. Do you have a specific plan for your eating and fitness in order to help you make good choices? Won't that be amazing when you are able to keep at your goal weight by your efforts? You can do it! Tap, Awesome NSV with the size 8 pants! Woo hoo! STLGal, that would drive me crazy to have my port at my beltline. Maybe you can just wear high-waisted pants? Anyway, I can imagine you just being grateful for your band at all at this point. Since starting the Body for Life stuff at the beginning of September I'm down 7-9 pounds. That is the most weight I have lost in a very long time. I need to be more careful on the eating part of the program. I wast stricter at first which is when most of that weight came off. Hope you have a great weekend.

Hoping all goes well for you ladies. Please keep us updated.

Here's hoping everyone has a great weekend! I'm thrilled with how this week has gone as I've done the Body for Life program. I have lost 8 pounds somehow. I think there's definitely been some retained water that I've lost. My husband has stuck with it really well, too. He didn't actually weigh to start with, so I'm not sure what his weight has done. We have entered a new world of weight lifting! Part of this program has you do weights, three times a week. We did two upper body and one lower body work out. We're like a couple of goofs in the gym trying to figure out which machines do what, looking at the pictures in our Body For Life book, and then trying to figure out what weights are best. I'm glad we live in a small town and have a really low-key gym because I don't really feel conspicuous here. It's really nice. I really like the aerobics part of this program. You do three days a week of 20 minute aerobic workouts. You workout according to intensity level, scale of 1-10. Whatever fitness level you are at and whatever activity you're doing, you can do this. You start with two minutes of level 5. Then you do a minute each of levels 6-9. You repeat that three times, the last time you get to 9 and then the next minute you go all out and go to 10 for one minute. Then one minute of 5 cool down and you're done. I feel like I'm getting so much more done in a 20 minute workout than I was in 45-60 minutes at a slower pace. We took before pictures, but didn't take measurements. I think we will probably do those this weekend so we have some way to gauge our progress besides the scale and looks.

SLG, I'm glad you've gotten good news about your insurance. Keep us posted on your progress. I'm doing really well! I am down to 193 (192, actually after exercising and bathrooming) again. That's a 5-6 pound drop from where I was at the beginning of the week. I had just had a couple of really bad eating days, so I don't know how permanent the weight gain would have been. I do know, though, that it would have stayed high and continued to go up if I hadn't made some big changes. Now to just continue on down the scale! I'm ready to change my ticker back, even though I don't think it will stay long. Have a great day, Ladies.

I think we all live with the fear that we'll be the next one posting about a band problem. There but for the grace of God go I and my band! So sorry, SLG. I love that you're making it a matter or prayer and careful consideration. That's what I would do as well. Hopefully it will resolve itself and all will be well with your innards. :thumbup: Angie, congrats on your half! I was training for one with my sister and I quit because of my hip. She continued on and did it. I was a little jealous that it wasn't me doing it as well. I don't know if I'll ever work on long-distance running again. We'll have to see. I've done really well on my two days on the Body For Life program. Today's workout was a 20 minute aerobics workout. That was blissfully short, although very intense. Must get to bed. So glad to know all of you!

Good luck tomorrow!

Hi all. Tap, so glad to see you back! Nicole, congrats on that huge milestone of 100 lbs lost! You know what struck me as we are all posting about our trials? That in seeking out support, we are more likely to succeed. So I think even though we are (most of us) struggling, we are still hanging onto the support that will help us make it through. I had a couple of great days, a couple of mediocre days and then a pretty crappy day. All in all I'm back up about 10 pounds from my lowest. I'm at 198--within two pounds of seeing that dreaded 200 again. So angry with myself. Definitely not going to weight at the end of the day! Eeek! So, today I began the Body For Life program. (That's why I had such an out of control day yesterday. Last supper mentality.) My sister and I are doing it together. I've even got my hubby doing it with me. The eating program has you eating a portion of Protein and carbs 6 times a day. Of course my portions are pretty small compared to others, but it helped me today. I didn't find myself snacking and snacking. I still need to get my workout done. It's weight lifting which I haven't ever done before. This should be pretty interesting! For Breakfast today I had Cream of Wheat with a scoop of Protein powder in my one serving. Added a few chopped toasted almonds and some Splenda and milk. It was pretty good. It's starting to feel like fall around here. I love fall. I just hope it sticks around for a while. Keep on Keeping on, Guys!

Had a rough day today. Ate too many yummy Cookies I made "for the kids." I need to balance making yummies for my family with not wanting to eat them myself. I may just have to say no goodies in the house for a while. I don't know. My weight isn't coming back down. Duh, I know, it seems obvious why. But really I have eaten a lot better this week than I have in the last month. I want to see it coming back down. I'm back up to 195. :frown: I did go for a walk today. I walked about an hour and 2.5 miles. My back usually bothers me when I walk, but it didn't today, so I just kept going and going. It felt good, but I was a little nauseous toward the end. Hope I can do better tomorrow. I'm feeling really fat and kindof scared. :w00t:

I actually hadn't blogged yet, but went ahead and did it. Here's my post from there: I have been avoiding my blog the last while because I haven't been eating great and I didn't want to post about it. Vacation was fun and I had a vacation from worrying about what I'm eating. It's been hard to get back on track. The other day was a particularly bad day. By the end of the day I felt like I had been so out of control it really scared me. I determined the next day would be better. By 1:00 p.m the next day. I still hadn't allowed myself to eat anything because I didn't trust myself to make good choices. I decided that was stupid and had a protein shake to start my day of eating off. I actually did really well. The next day was also much better. One of the things I did to help myself get back on track was to go back and re-read my entire blog from the beginning. I was reminded of my mindset from all those months ago. I really needed a readjustment back to focusing on making choices because they are healthy instead of making choices because they fit a certain plan or program. (I'm referring to the Health and Wellness Challenge I did for 12 weeks that ended just prior to my last vacation.) During the challenge, I found myself working around the rules and eating things that weren't necessarily healthy, but still qualified for the rules of the program. For example: No Sugar Added ice cream fit the bill of No Sugar, but it was certainly not a healthy food to be consuming because it still had a lot of fat and calories. So I began seeking out treats that would qualify within the guidelines of the challenge. Well, once the challenge ended, I was free to seek out treats that were no longer forbidden. Add that freedom to vacation and it quickly became a problem. It just became a constant mindset of "What treat can I have next? " I was always seeking out what there was yummy to eat next. Totally pre-band mentality. I cannot go there again and continue or even maintain losing weight. So the scale reflected all of this struggle. The morning after my particularly bad day my weight was up several pounds. I didn't even want to know, but not knowing was scarier to me. So after 2 days of better eating, I'm back down a few of those, but still not back to my lowest, or even my lower numbers. I'm going to give myself a week and then I'll readjust my ticker to where I really am. I really tend to avoid posting when I am struggling, but I don't want to give a false impression that things are always easy and that there aren't still obstacles and struggles. There are. I just need to remember that I'm in this battle for life. Early on in my blogging, I said "In this weight loss marathon, I still need to keep jogging, not slow down for a walk, or even sit to rest." I found those words very profound the other day when I read them. What I've done recently is slow down to a walk and even sat down to rest for a while--even taking a few steps backwards. I need to move forward and that is what I am doing and plan on continuing to do.

Thank you. I just finished reading my blog from the beginning again. What an amazing journey this has been. I think I forget sometimes where I used to be and too often I take for granted where I am now. I've been eating as if I'm a person who doesn't have to worry about their weight. That attitude is going to get me back in the 200s and even the 300s if left unchecked. Yesterday was so much better. I probably had less than half the calories I'd had the day before. I feel more in control. I think I'm going to have to buck up and post about how I'm doing on my blog. It's gotten to the point that I only want to post positive things because I'm seen as a "success story" and "so inspirational." But I need to keep things real. It's not all sunshine and lollipops! Well, it shouldn't be lollipops anyway. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Hi Ladies. I really don't want to post this but I need to. I am really struggling. I have been eating very out-of-control for the last few days. My weight is up a several pounds and I am so ashamed of myself. I did pretty good while on that health challenge I did, but since it has ended (August 1st) I haven't given myself any restrictions on what foods I'm eating. It hasn't been good. It's 1 p.m. and I have not eaten one thing yet today because I don't trust myself to eat! It's ridiculous, I know, but yesterday I ate so terrible that I scared myself. I haven't felt this out of control since before my surgery. I need to take a deep breath and get some healthy food to eat. I may start with a protein shake. I really need to refocus and regroup and remember what I'm doing here. I think it will help me to go back and re-read my blog. I need to remember where I was in the beginning stages of this and get some of that back. I just had to get that out.

Ezma, Hugs to you. I had lots of dreams after my mom died. It always felt like I'd seen her, so that part was nice, but made me sad too. Once my dad got remarried, dreaming that she was back was much more complicated! My plans for this weekend include going bowling. Haven't been in years, but think this should be fun.

Just checking in. Not much happening. Getting ready for school to start. I'm looking into being a substitute teacher. I still have a toddler at home and don't want to put him in daycare full time, so I think that could work very well for me. I went on vacation, ate like crap and have been avoiding the scale since. I did check once and it doesn't look like I gained too much. I need to get back to eating better. Not eating like total crap, but not eating great either. My goal weight seems so far away! I remember seeing people's tickers who only had 20-30 pounds to go and thinking that they were practically there. It doesn't feel like that from this end. It's hard work. I'm glad so many are posting. It's great to keep in touch.

Back from a week of vacation. I'll have to catch up on the past posts. C, so sorry about your complications. I worry about those possibilities happening to me. What started your trouble? I'd better get something to eat. It's 2 p.m. and I haven't eaten anything yet. Eek!

I'm traveling to Utah for a family reunion. We'll be gone about a week. I'm going with my sister and her 6 boys. She will come pick me up and we'll travel together. It should be really fun. Hubby has to work, so he can't come. I'm also taking both of our families to the county fair which starts on Saturday. It's fun to be able to ride the rides if I want to without worrying about whether I will fit or not.

Lori, I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost a dear cat when I was 14. I think He was hit by a car Halloween night. I cried for a week. It can be very devastating to lose a loved pet. I have not really attached myself to any animals since then. Maybe someday I'll learn to love an animal again. Right now life is all about the kids. I ate very poorly today. I ate like a fat person. I can't do that and stay thin. Tomorrow will be a better day. It has to be! It seems like a lot of us are struggling with not losing or gaining at this point. I've said before that this is probably going to be a life long battle. I think we can win, though. I really do. And now I have to drag my sorry butt to bed! My hubby is working overnight shift this week and it's so hard to make myself go to bed when he's not home. (Saying that makes me painfully aware of what you must be going through, Ezma. I'm so sorry. I hope things are getting a little easier.) Talk to you all soon.

Ezma, Your post made me smile. So much insight. And I'm glad to hear you're pampering yourself. Tap, I made 5.5 dozen rolls, and didn't come close to selling them all. I went to the pool with the family today. I had a peaceful moment of floating on my back and looking at the clouds and being so grateful to have lost weight. Sometimes I almost want to cry I am so happy to not be obese anymore. Has it really been almost a year and a half? Wow. I am a new person and I love it!

Lori, I would check the paper and see what the general start time is for garage sales in your area and start then. As far as the free sale, most of the people who came to that were people who had already come and purchased items and then just came back. I wondered if people would wait and not buy things until after 11, but I think it may have had the opposite effect in that they knew the stuff was going to go, so they came and bought things that they really wanted before someone else took them for free. We don't have a respectable thrift store here, so I wasn't excited about donating to them. It also saved us the hassle of packing things back up and transporting them there. It really was a good experience. I also made cinnamon rolls and let my girls sell them for $1 each at a snack table. One guy bought ten of them. They sold chocolate milk for 75 cents a cup too. We made about 25-30 dollars on that table. Not bad and it gave them something to do.

For our garage sale (a couple of months ago) we had a lot of success. It was well advertised. It was well organized with everything out on tables or shelves. We had the clothes on hangers as well. I hate looking through boxes of clothes at garage sales. We priced things very low and it paid off in the end because we made more than when we've tried pricing things higher. If your main goal is to declutter, you could do what we did and advertise that everything must go, so after 11 a.m. (or whenever) any items remaining will be free. That worked really well for us. I didn't want to have to deal with the items that were left over. When all was said and done we had a few 5-7 medium boxes left for the thrift store. We also live in a fairly poor area, so I was more than happy to let anyone who could use my things have them. We did take a few items back into the house right before 11 a.m. that I wasn't willing to give away for free. You can also join up with a freecycle group if you have on in your area (The Freecycle Network) and you can advertise a free sale with them for after the garage sale. That's actually where I got the idea. Garage sales generally start pretty early. We opened our door at 7:00 a.m. and there had been people waiting for about 15 minutes already. I know you didn't ask for any advice, but there it is anyway. :tongue2: I saw 188 on the scale this morning! :biggrin: That makes my loss so far 115 pounds. Now if I can just keep it down here and not end up back in the 190s.

I'm here. Doing fine. Not much to report. My weight keeps going up and down. Sigh. It's a lot harder losing these last 30 pounds than the first 100.

I have enjoyed turkey pepperoni with mozzarella cheese chunks. It's high Protein and not too crazy high fat. I also like fresh fruit. I've been having dark, sweet cherries this week. Yummy. Unfortunately I'm pretty picky about my produce, so I don't always enjoy fruit unless it's in season and just about perfectly ripe. I eat a lot of cantaloupe with lowfat cottage cheese. I love the Land o' Lakes brand of cottage cheese. I have done the sugar free puddings as well. The cook-n-serve ones are so much better than instant imo, but they only have chocolate and vanilla. I add a little orange or mint flavor to the chocolate one sometimes. For the vanilla one, sometimes I'll add some canned pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice. I also do that with my cream of wheat in the morning, add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, then I pour a little fat free half-n-half on it. Soo yummy.

Irene, I couldn't agree with you more! The band can be used in such a variety of ways, but I don't think it was intended to force a liquid diet on us so we can lose weight. You can just have your jaw wired shut if that's what you wanted to do! I believe that we need to be able to eat real food in order to nourish our bodies as well as our physical need to eat and enjoy our food. Fruits and veggies, meats, all of these things should be part of a healthy diet (unless you're a vegetarian, of course) and I think the optimum restriction level is one that allows you to consume these things, in smaller portions and then feel full from that. As I'm writing this, I have to admit that I am probably in that spot. There are times when I eat what amounts to basically a full-sized meal and immediately I worry and think that I need a fill. But for the most part, my band helps me keep to small portions and eat slowly. Honestly I would rather be not quite tight enough and have to exercise some willpower than to be overfilled and not able to eat a salad, or fruit. I think you're on the right track and I can understand why you are so over it--rightly so. You'll have to let us know how the unfill goes. Hopefully your surgeon won't give you any problems about it.

I guess I should post an update since I'm back from my trip and getting back into the swing of things. NSV- I had my wedding resized for a second time and it's now size 5 1/2. That's definitely smaller than it was when I got married. I think it was a 6. I know my ring size was at least an 8 before I had my surgery. So glad I have a warranty on the ring that gives me free resizing for life. I had a very nice visit with Jaime and StLouisGal. We met at a restaurant and had dinner and chatted. It's great to see others going through the same milestones and talk about our individual battles. Thanks, Ladies, for meeting up with me. You're both looking great! My weight is at a standstill. It doesn't look like I gained or lost much on my trip. It's good that I didn't gain. I behaved in a manner consistent with maintenance, I suppose. I've ordered a couple of books that I'm hoping will be here today. They are the Body for Life book and the Eating for Life cookbook. The recipes are what caught my attention. They are very similar to how I have been trying to eat. I think I will read through the books and see if I'm up to completing a 12 week challenge. Heaven knows I could use some toning and shaping. I hope everyone is having a good summer. I'm loving the evening thunderstorms and rainbows we've been seeing.