Poodles

Well, day two down. I can feel it in my bones, but hope that will go away soon. Hope to see day three...

Mine is the same as Jacks #1. I should have gotten an unfill before my life turned miserable and I started to hate my band. And, I should have gone low carb from day one. Sugar is the devil!!!!

My Daddy said (this was 5 years ago before he died) that the first black man and the first woman that became president would be shot. That the stupid white folks in the world would not have it, and some redneck hick would get them. Now, you know, he was a stupid redneck hick so he might know what he was talking about. So, if a woman runs, or a black person runs, they better be bullet proof. Not saying it is morally right, but there are alot of stupid people in the world. I do believe Hillary had more influence in Bills presidency than people give her credit for, so she does have some "experience". I am not saying I would vote for HER, but that does say something. I just hope the Dems do get the presidency back, because we are going on the down hill slide with Bush. As for my opinion on women running. Hell, 200+ years with men in charge just got us in debt, in wars, and more trouble than we need. Let a woman come in a fix the mess the men got us into. That is OUR job anyway, right? As for a black person running, I think that person would win (especially Colin Powell). If history shows us anything, we will have a minority president before we have a female president. Just look at when they gave women the right to vote. They held minorities in low esteem back then, and still gave the minority men the right to vote before white/minority women. I think if Hillary would settle as VP she might have a chance. But, I don't think she would settle for that. Oh well, guess we all have our opinions!!!

Ok, I did it. My 8 year old made me. He says, "lets dance before we go to school." So I go, ok. I set my alarm early, woke up and half asleep went to his room and asked him if he wanted to dance or wanted to sleep. He popped out of bed and said "lets dance!" So we did a Richard Simmons tape before school. It was actually easier than I remember (30+ lbs ago). He made me promise to do it every day... so we will see how it goes. Day one down, and my baby made me do it!!!!

I know a lot of people are tight in the morning, and are drinking shakes, but thought I would share these ideas for Breakfast. Since my unfill, I have been on Atkins, and have found cream cheese (the perfect fat/protein ratio atkins food) to be a great way to get in breakfast. I can usually eat 2 ounces of these receipes and it holds me over until lunch. I usually make it with 1 1/2 pack of cream cheese, so that is why I say 12 ounces below. Salmon Roll: 12 ounce cream cheese. Chopped Black Olives Drained (small can or chop as much as you like) 1 small can Salmon Drained 1/4 cup diced green onion Beef Roll: 12 ounce cream cheese. 1 package Budding meat Diced 1 bunch of green onions chopped up. (This is a Christmas favorite of my family. We fight over this stuff.) Bell Pepper Roll: 12 ounce Cream Cheese 1 Bell pepper diced 1 cup shredded cheese (if you want it a little sweeter add crushed pineapple.) Once you mix it all together you can "roll" it in plastic wrap and cut off the amount you want, or just leave it in the tub and portion it how you want to. Most of the things above are from cheeseball receipes, without the nuts (can not do those in the am.) If nothing else, just eat the cream cheese. Atkins says to use smoked salmon and cream cheese for breakfast if you don't like eggs, so there is an option too. Hope this helps!

I just eat it straight, but I am low carbing it. Glad it helped you! It sure makes me full within a few bites and holds me over for hours. I have been trying to think of new things to add to the mix that won't hurt. So, if you think of anything let me know!!! :love:

Well, it seems minor compared to a 14 (WOW), but I just got my fat butt into a size 2x. Started at a tight 3x, wearing 28/30 and some 32's. I feel skinny!!! My hubby even made a comment. He is so cute, it started out "Uh, I want to tell you something, but I don't want to hurt you or trigger you or anything." I went, "oh, just tell me" and he goes, "you are looking thinner. Especially in those black pants." I just had to hug him!!!! I think not stepping on the scale is helping me. I wonder about it, but figure if I step on it and have not lost as much as I think I should have it might send me off the deep end into carbland. So, I think I will just go by sizes. I have not been a loose 2x in years.

Mine usually keeps for the week. Depends on how fresh your onions are though... it can get slimy before then. I usually eat about 2 ounces in the morning at the most.

Oh, good point Jack. I did not think of the non grocery items that go down. I eat the kids meals or just Soup when we go out to eat (Bennigans has a wonderful kids salad) and I don't spend as much on drive-thru ice cream. I am however spending more on clothes. But that could be saved if I would go thrift, or exchange with other "losers". Thanks for that point.

I have found that my bill has gone up, because I eat differently now. I am off of Protein drinks and on to solids, but my Vitamins cost, and I can only eat the good cuts of meat. My frozen dinners are not cheap either. I get the South Beach ones, that way I stay low carb. I am sure you can do it any way you want to, but the first 6 months will not be dirt cheap... as you will be on the learning curve. As for DH cooking... he might have to cook for one for a while.

Oh... could it be baby stress too? I wanted to kill my hubby when my son was not sleeping thru the night. He thought it was a great idea for me to breast feed, so I had to be the one to get up. I would feed my son and think horrible thoughts about how to wake DH up so he could suffer too. The first year is terribly stressful. IMO, the first birthday is huge because you are happy everyone made it out of the first year alive. You may want to put the band on the back burner for a while if insurance will not cover it. Babies are expensive. And you can bet YOUR surgery will effect everyone emotionally, physically, as well as in the pocket book.

I think he is scared. I worked at a bariatric clinic one summer, answering calls, and filing and sending bills. One day a man called and said that his wife no longer lived at the address. Saying, "that surgery was the worst thing that ever happened to our marraige. She got skinny and left me." Now, I know that there must have been something else going on there, but I truly believe men are afraid of that happening to them. You may want to test the waters or just come out and ask him what he is thinking. He may like you fat to keep you, he may find fat sexy, he may think you have no options... but honey, No woman needs a man. Baby or no... Tell him you want to get healthy for him, to stay with him forever, to be there to see your baby(ies) grow up. See what he says to that. If he comes back with a smart ass remark tell him that skinny or fat you can recognize he has some issues that need to be addressed, and that you may need to work on your marraige. If that does not work, roll him up in the bed sheets and beat him with the broom handle. That will set him straight!!! (That's what Texas women do.) Good luck! Be true to you!

Well holy heck people... all that thread did was confuse me. Now I just don't know if I am doing anything right. How much can you eat at a time? Let me be specific about the question. At night, when you eat dinner, how much can you eat? Can you eat a whole frozen dinner (10 ounces)? Can you eat 1 cup of something? For example: I had 1 cup of low carb pasta with diced chicken and alfredo sauce tonight. I measured it... but was that too much? I can eat 1 cup of cauliflower/leek puree. I can eat a 10 ounce South Beach dinner for lunch or dinner. I can eat a South Beach pizza (6.8 oz) late at night. 1 cup chicken salad... no problem. Sad thing is, that I still get hungry. If I am eating too much and still getting hungry, I am sunk...

:faint: I am so confused. I thought I had been doing well since my pouch dilation diagnosis on 12/26, but now I don't know. I can eat a 10 ounce South Beach Frozen dinner at one time (only the ones with meat/green beans) and other meals I can eat a cup of other stuff at a time. I don't get hiccups, I don't feel pain, and this is less than what I was eating before my unfill (because I was eating mushies all the time). Is this too much??? I really just feel like throwing my hands up and saying I quit. I want my dilation to go away... but I need to eat something!!!

I have been "hunkered down" with a whiney hubby, crazy kid, and sick dog. I am ready to go back to work with 200+ teenagers. I have eaten way too much today. I need to stop, because my pouch is already dilated. Guess I will go find that new thread... Stay warm ladies...

Regina, just remember that every one is different with fills. My .8 does me just fine. But I know what you mean about feeling like you got almost nothing. I felt like I lost money when they did an unfill. Going backswards was not fun, but now I am eating solids and staying low carb!!! Man... I really need to find that stupid scale to see if I have lost. I FEEL like I have.

Oh, I don't think bread or rice will work. With or without a spoon. I think you missed the word "not". They want me to eat solids, liquids that must be eaten with a spoon go straight thru unless you are majorly restricted. I ate nothing but mushies for month and stretched out my pouch, so I guess it just depends on how restricted you are.

My doctors office told me not to eat anything with a spoon, that it would go straight thru the band. So my guess is the soup is too... soupy. Try to eat just the veggies/meat out of it without the liquid and see if that helps.

I decided that I want to wear the items of clothes that I feel comfortable in. I honestly look good in that early 90's style of vests over white big shirts and black pants. I look nice in Rayon dresses and feel comfortable in them. When looking for items on the internet, they are kind of hard to find. The pretty "Boho" look items on ebay, are totally my style, but my sister says that they are not "in style". Does it really matter? Everyone wears what they want to now a-days, seems to me. From leather clad people, to lacey dressy people. What do you think?

Well I went thru my closet and pulled out everything that was more than 3 years old, that I bought on sale, that had some issues with, or never wore. That left me with 3 bags full of stuff, and 6 outfits left. Then I hit the clearance on lanebryant.com for pants. I am going to make vests, wear white shirts, and different solid color pants. That is me... I don't care if that is in style or not.

Pro War?? Anti War?? I believe in War, when it is needed. I would pick up a gun and kill anyone trying to hurt my family and friends in the good ol USA. I would not however force my belief system on someone else, go after the wrong man, line my pockets with the blood of your children, and then send more kids to die for people that don't want/need our help. gailannr: I believe the reference to the Twins going to Iraq was mine. I don't care if you are republican/democrat/liberal, if you are in the White House and find the war so important to talk about the draft again (which I heard on the news) then you better be ready to send your kids in too once they are of age (18). My rant: "We the people... led by Bush." "We" are so high and mighty standing on "moral grounds", saying the word "God" 27 times in a speech, but showing no more moral character than the biggest mass murderer in the world. "We" have shown the ethics of Hitler, with propoganda spilling out of our mouths, and the masses believing the stupidity. "We" will send our young, poor, uneducated men to the front lines to die for someone elses country, while "we" keep our children safe in boarding school/college. "We" as a nation, led by Bush, are doomed by his stupidity.

Uhh... Honey... have you talked to your doctor about this? One sure sign of an eating disorder... any disorder... is not seeing things as a problem. And you need to understand that "flawless girls" do not exist. They are a figment of the mass media. Even supermodels have issues (like drugs) and you don't want to get into that. I remember once upon a time, when I was in the eating disorder rhelm, when I wanted to be "flawless" too. Perfect hair, perfect makeup, throwing up 11 times a day, making all A's in school. Seemed ok to me, but you know what... it wasn't. I made it to a size 10, with my hip bones hanging out, and I asked my mother if I could have surgery to take off some of my hip bones so I could get into a size 9. My goal was to shop at the 5-7-9 store like my friends, but even with skin and bones, I was a 10. That question landed me in the hospital for 4 weeks for an eating disorder. I know we are all trying to lose weight on this board. That is the reason we have the band, but the only reason I got the band was because of my health issues that showed up after I came to grips with myself, and learned to love myself fat and all. Now I have a man that loves the imperfect me. The one with Rosecea, a overlapping belly, stubble on my legs, and my big fat behind. Most of all, I am alright with me too. But he does not "take care of me". I take care of myself. You can not depend on anyone else, until you can depend on yourself. Think about the serenity prayer; "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference." I know this is often associated with AA groups, but has real power when you think about it. I had an older friend tell me one time when I was on the brink of self destruction... remember "it came to pass" it did not "come to stay". That is a religious reference, so take it how you can use it. I wish you peace in your journey thru life. You are not alone, there is nothing wrong with you RIGHT NOW, and believe me this too shall pass.

Well if you believe in other sources, the world will come to an end one generation after there is peace in the middle east. Guess we don't have to worry about that soon. (think that was Nostradamus) My nephew was over there, driving a truck. He literally saw the truck in front of him blown off the road into a river (they were on a bridge). He jumped out of his truck and tried to save his buddies... he saved one. He has a metal now... and scars that will last forever... all for people that won't fight for themselves, don't want us over there, and bomb the people trying to help them. BTW: 8 of his friends died that day. Bush is the anti-christ. He has done more harm than good, just because he has no "weenie to wag." Did not see him go off to war, nor do you see him sending his daughters...

On the Atkins fat fast it says that cream cheese is the perfect food, along with macadamia nuts. They have the perfect fat/protein ratio for doing low carb. I have also found it helps you feel fuller longer than a protein drink.

I have recently discovered the South Beach Frozen Dinners. I can eat the ones with Pasta, green Beans, and even the pizza late in the day. I can NOT eat the ones with broccoli or rice, and have to remove the pepperoni from the pizza. They have a really good pork dinner with green beans, and one with chicken and green beans. I can eat these by lunch time (11:30 am). Hope this helps.