Apples2

Janet...yep, I'm a calorie counter. Learned a long time ago that when keeping things in check...count calories. I don't do it daily because I am so used to estimating with what I eat now and have been more concerned about nutritional value since I got the band. When I cook or bake I usually know what the cal count is per 3-4oz serving. Sounds like you have a busy weekend. I cannot wait to have grandchildren to spoil and to spend time with. I just borrow the neighbor's children for the time being. Your sf pie sounds wonderful. I make one similar but do it in cake pan and cut in squares. Have a great weekend!

Allie...you will get back on track. Just think about how your sister will react the NEXT time she sees you when you have all your weight off. Keep that in the back of your mind to keep you focused. Happy Thanksgiving you and all the Daily News girls. Sending love your way:wub:

Evening Girls.... Nope, Janet, I do not eat sweets but when I do baking and cooking, I try to do low fat and and bake as much as I can with splenda and whole wheat. You would not believe what fat free sour cream can do for whole wheat muffins and bars...makes them so moist you cannot tell there is whole wheat in them. My DH and the other guys don't even notice I am not baking with sugar. Hope everyone had a good day. If I forgot to congrat you on your last scale victory, Long, sorry. You are doing so well. Just hope everyone gets through Thanksgiving without getting down on themselves. A treat once in awhile is a good thing. But, what's even better is the power to get right back on track. I know we all have things to be thankful for this season. The one thing that I am most thankful for is getting my health back to where it should be. I was truly scared a year ago. I think what keeps me on track is thinking back to that time now and then. It reminds me to never go back.

I was like Lulac....avoided the mirrors at all cost. I did the LB mostly because I felt like CRAP ALL THE TIME. The first thing that would go through my mind in the morning and the last thing at night was how awful I felt and looked. 15 years ago I was 130lbs...felt wonderful and looked wonderful. Today I am 130lbs....feel wonderful and look wonderful. Anything I went through in the last year was sooooooooooooo worth it! I have always had the ideal life with my DH and two sons. But, because of my weight I felt everything was out of control because I could not control my hunger. I was born hungry. Now I only think of food for nourishment. I do not miss: The disgusting sweat under my boobs and lower stomach. Even if I had just showered, I felt unclean. Taking ten minutes just to roll over in bed. Having a huge stomach between me and my DH (who has always been in shape) while making love. A persistent cough while laying down because my upper body weight was choking me. Not being able to walk more than 50 feet without getting winded. Aching EVERYWHERE...sore knees, sore joints, aching muscle. All the aches and pains left with the first 40lbs. Having to buy horribly ugly clothes because that's all I could fit into. Tshirts and elastic waist pants. 20 years ago was voted best dressed by our Chamber of Commerce. It sucks the big one to wear a tent for 15 yrs. when I knew what it was like to pride yourself in how you looked. Looking good is just a perk in this whole deal. Always being on the run cuz I feel so great is the biggest benefit. Not avoiding people that knew me b/4 the "tent stage of life". Having people come up to me and say "The old you is back" just about makes me cry.

OH OH:unsure: Am I going to get a lecture from Janet for posting the noon menu????????????? I'm scared. Don't make me wait Janet...

JoAnne...so sad about the news of Abbie's test results. Just cuddle her up and be the mom you always have to her. I am sure she knows she is loved. Our baby is a 100# black lab that sits on my DH's lap in the recliner every night. They snore in unison. He is EVERYTHING to us. We got him when we became empty nesters and he filled a huge gap. I hope Abbie is comfortable and has many happy days in her future. "Hugs"

Janet...thanks for the reminder of Phyll's bday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAL PHYLL HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi gang...have not posted much the last couple of weeks. Something needs to give with my volunteer jobs. I am busy full time four days a week plus still have all my farm and business bookwork to catch up on. I am ready for a break. It's so difficult to give up any of it because I love it. I am going to give up the scheduling part of it though. I schedule all of the volunteers at the hospital and it is a thankless job. I get waaaaaaaaay too many calls at home from little old ladies that panic because they are not in the same spot they were last month. Can only put so many in the 10am-12pm slot when there are only 5 days a week!. I figure when I wake up during the night worrying about it and I have calls at 6:30am over this scheduling....it's time to give it back to a PAID person at the hospital to do it. Whew!!!!!!!!!!! Having a good week. Been doing some baking (special little cookies, candies) to take to our friends for Thanksgiving. Going to dear friends, staying over and shopping the next day. Have NEVER ventured out on the biggest shopping day of the year. Will give it a try. My friend does not cook or bake so I will be doing some cooking also. And....I literally need to take all the serving dishes I have cuz she does not own any. She never entertains. I talked her into at least looking for some the day we shop. It's still difficult for me to get in all the calories I need for the day. I am trying really hard and most days get what my body needs. I know I am not too tight but pretty difficult to get quality calories in a half a cup. I'm doing OK but it seems like more work than figuring out what to eat when I was losing. It will all work itself out with time. I just really want to maintain and realize this will be a lifetime job. Hope everyone is doing well. Thinking of you JoAnne and Sooverit and your upcoming surgeries. Anyone else??????? Hope I didn't leave anyone out. Have not taken the time to catch up on my threads. First time ever. Well, better get ready for the guys coming in for dinner. I think I only have six today. Menu is: Taco/rice hotdish made with Italian sausage, homemade faccocia bread, banana pineapple bundt cake. OOOPS...hope I didn't make anyone hungry...actually it was kind of a tease!!!!!! Nasty me!!!!!

Hey Allie...try not to get disgusted with yourself but don't wait until AFTER Thanksgiving to get your ass in gear. Turn it around today and it will be easier for you to make good choices and avoid the goodies on Thanksgiving. If baking is something that triggers eating things you should not....QUIT BAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck getting back on track. Do it today!!!! "Hugs"

A tiny little girl at birth...just 5lbs but came out screaming for nourishment. My mother said that I was ALWAYS hungry. And, for as far back as I can remember, I never really seemed to have that "satisfied" feeling. Was put on a diet by my mother at 4 yrs old and dieted most of my pre-teen, teen years and adulthood until I got sooooooooooooo tired of dieting and just gave up. At the age of 38 is when I ballooned and continued to year after year until I felt totally out of control. After being banded and getting two fills, my hunger finally stopped. I am so thankful for my family, my friends, my accomplishments in life. But, this Thanksgiving season I am also going to reflect on my new life and be thankful that my hunger is no longer with me. The lapband has given me a chance to live a "normal" life starting at the age of 53!

Thanks, kgl. I am just so amazed at what the band has done for me as far as hunger goes. I get hungry at the appropriate times (every 3-4 hours) but it is manageable. I am so happy to now want food 24/7!

Good afternoon girls. I wanna put my feet up, too, Long!!! Take care of yourself and hope that this injection works for you. I had tremendous trouble with my right knee especially. Completely healed now. Yahoo!!!!!!!! Just checking in. Gotta go unload a semi at the grain dump. My job this afternoon. Extremely windy and 15 degrees this afternoon. I have two pair of long underwear on today! Talk to you all later.

Good morning, Alli and all the rest of the June people...cold here in MN. I'm off to my volunteer job at the hospital this morning. I am wearing a wool turtle neck under my boiled wool cardigan. A year ago I would have died...been too warm. This thread has been pretty quite lately. Hope everyone is doing well. We need to find a way to revive it a little bit and get it out there as a reminder. It would be fun if everyone would post to say how they are doing. Please?

Becky...congrats on you 50# loss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Denise...you sharing your experience with the rest of us can only make us more aware to watch for certain symptoms. It makes me wonder how many people have problems like yours but never get checked. Thank goodness your doc found what was troubling you and I hope that you can heal quickly and get back to getting your fills and back to a restriction that is comfortable for you. Take care and try to be patient.

Congrats on your bandiversary, Aubrie and also congrats on your weight loss and newfound lease on life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So strange...did not ever order steak or even eat it at home b/4 banding. The thought of steak made me gag even though we always buy a half of beef from our farmer neighbor and my DH cannot live without this farmers steak. Well, went out for a friend's bday for lunch. Tired of chicken, salads are always such a waste so thought I would try their butterflied sirloin (5oz). Best damned meal I ever had. I savored every bite......ate about 3/4 of it. I just don't get my taste buds. I swear they have changed since being banded. So many things I eat now that I never would have b/4. Hope everyone had a good day and wishing you a GREAT day tomorrow.

Gypsy...your message is so inspiring. Thank you for sharing. It is amazing that a few words and life experience can change lives. So happy that you and your DH lived through your experience and that you came through it with such a positive attitude towards life. My moment of realization was one day not being able to walk 50 yards without my heart fluttering and thinking I would drop right there. I, too, made an immediate call to the LB surgeons office to start the ball rolling. I wanted to be around to live these years with my DH and sons. I wish great success on this journey and many years of happiness with your newly banded stomach!

Hey Phyll, in case you can't see me I am doing a pre-birthday dance around my kitchen table for you!!!!!!!! Let us know what you end up doing to celebrate. Oh gosh...I hope I don't come off as making you guys think that my farm life is soooooooooooooooooo tough. It's not. I actually appreciate my job and how flexible it is most of the time. The point I was making is that everything is such a breeze now with the weight gone. It really was a huge chore when I was heavy.

JoAnne...you are going to do so great at this. If the one and only reason I feel it is that you are soooooo informed about what you are in for. As far as I'm concerned, I think you really have your sh__ together on all of this!!!!! You are such a positive and encouraging person. Those traits will come through and help you in the first months after banding. I have had far too many surgeries to keep count anymore. The one and only time I cried b/4 surgery was with my band. I was fine until they came to get me and I walked down the hall to OR. No, not sad tears or tears because I was afraid. I think that day was the first time I ever felt like I was getting things under control and I was crying "happy tears". A couple of the surgical nurses came running to try and calm me down. But, after explaining that I was happy to say goodbye to the old me, they smiled. I have felt that control every day since surgery. There will be days, JoAnne, which I am sure you are aware. But if you go into this with a positive attitude and tell yourself you can make this work, you will sail through after surgery. :smile2:

The way I felt a year ago, I didn't think I would make it to my 55th. I can honestly say that I have as much energy as I did when I was is college. I am constantly on the run. My job here on the farm requires ALOT of physical work (not like my DH but always in the truck running for parts, moving the guys from field to field, running to the grain dryer to catch a batch and unloading trucks when I need to). The last 14-15 years of harvest have been hell for me to keep up with. This is why I invited my good friends with me for the weekend to celebrate a new life and a new me!

Finally caught up on posts from the weekend on this thread. How inspirational. Congrats to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Janet. Bday is on the 23rd. Birthdays at my age are just kind of another day...but this year I am going to celebrate my new life and the fact that all my medical woes have cleared up and that I feel so YOUNG!

Janet....isn't it a great feeling to walk in a store (that would've had nothing that fit you months ago) and things are too big? Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!! And a doughnut treat besides. I have heard so many people say that they get stuck when they try doughnuts. If you used to be like the rest of us pre-band.....we wouldn't have stopped at one doughnut. I, too, went shopping today. Found two Woolrich boiled wool vests and two Jones New York turtle necks to go under my wool sweaters. I have lost my insulation. I have slept naked for as long as I can remember. I am now wearing my cold weather Under Armour to bed. My DH actually thinks they are "cute". Hope everyone had a good weekend. Ours was good even though we worked most of it. (Harvest). Can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. We should be done by Wed. or Thurs. Always a good feeling to be done. Noticing that it is getting much easier for me to be out and about socially and eat. It took me quite awhile to feel comfortable and not feel like everyone was staring at me. I always carry something in my purse just in case but usually there are things wherever I have go. My friends are pretty considerate when I am with them at meal time. Last time I did a "girls weekend" I was stressing for a week. I head out for another "girls weekend" this next. I qualified for a 3 card poker tournament at a casino a couple of hours away. Also, my 53rd bday and the girls are coming along to help Celebrate. I have a lot to celebrate. This have been quite a year. The lap band is one of the best things I have done for myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!