Tess415

Wow Halloween you are really beating yourself up.:thumbup: STOP IT!!! You do need to go and buy yourself some new clothes that fit, so you can appreciate how good you look half way to goal!!! They don't need to be high end pieces, but certainly you can shop clearance and sales racks. You should be living your life now and each day!!! Be honest with yourself, and find out what is truly making you frustrated, and change it. Make a list of things that are better with half of your weight off, and marvel at it!!!! I can't wait til I can say I am halfway there!!! Don't wait another minute to start living your life!!! You are worthy of a fantastic life no matter what you weigh.... so get going!!!!!:drool:

Let me also say that I am so sorry to hear that you are going through all of this, just when you are finally going to do something for yourself and your health. I see most posts say go for it, I would like to offer another option to consider.... Check with your insurance company, most give 6 months from approval date to have it done and still approved. I say this as an emotional eater, give yourself some space and coping time. You could end up feeling very deprived and depressed all at once. Consider keeping on track, keep exercising set another date maybe in a month and go for it. I don't think you can go wrong giving yourself some time to adjust and get some perspective on the end of your marriage. One day at a time!!!! Take care of yourself so that you can take care of your kids!!!!!!:huggie:HUGS!!!

I eat the light and fit by dannon, its artificially sweetened, but I re-read the label and it does contain fructose... Sorry for any confusion.

Hi Amanda, I have pain sometimes when I eat too much... it can be between my shoulder blades in my back or my left breast. Not a terrible pain, just uncomfortable!!

Kathy and Christine hope you guys get some relief soon, that has to be tough to put up with. I haven't had anything stick longer than 10 minutes, and it was my own fault too big of a bite or not chewing well, but it eventually went down.

I had one wild weekend... I had my 25th class reunion this weekend. Fri and Sat. lots of old friends , drinking, and food and drinking!!!! It was fun, but now back to the straight and narrow path!!!! I actually got to wear a new outfit from Kohls right off of the rack!!!! Haven't been able to buy things off of the rack in a long time!!!!

Busy - Even if you don't quite make your goal before your vacation, have a wonderful time!! I am envious!!! I love Disney World, it is one of my favorite places to go. We were last there June of 2007 and we bought the dining package... we will never do that again, we walked around so bloated from eating it was ridiculous. Didn't want to lose money on our package, so we ate, ate and ate!!! Now, it is so different with the band, limiting the amount of pressure to eat and not focusing so much on the food when on vacation. I just think back and can't believe how I ate to get my money's worth and how it isn't about getting your money's worth anymore!!!! Fenton - I too would like to hear more about Paris! Annie - I had a date with a girl once and didn't even know it!!!! I didn't find out until years later she was gay!!! I thought she just liked to hang out!!!!! LOL!!!!

Lorinda you are doing great! That was really good that you went right back for some removal, too tight is just no fun! I stepped on my home scale and it loks like it is dipping on the other side of 300!!! But I am not going to officially weigh in until next week. It just has to happen soon!!!!

How fantastic for you specialk. I think that is an awesome way to mark your milestone. It has made me think about something I could donate!!!! Keep going, you look terrific!!!!

How about getting the DVD and do some pilates? There are lots of exercises that you don't stand to do, you could even lay on your bed and do them so you wouldn't have to get off of the floor with only one foot.

I look at the before and after thread for inspiration! I love seeing everyones progress. Are you taking pictures and documenting your journey? Post some before and current progress pictures! Set small goals and reward yourself kindly for when you make it happen!!!! Congratulations on your progress so far!!!!

Ask around and find yourself a good family doctor or an internist. Get a good workup including labwork. You may have issues you don't know about... borderline diabetes, thyroid problems, high blood pressure. Anything like this would be important to document for your insurance to prove medical necessity. My surgeon's office does so many of these that they know their way through the hoops, and that helped me to focus on my part to get done to get approved!! Good luck!!! It can be done, be patient and persistent, take lots of notes of who tells you what, and keep a folder with all of the information you get to keep yourself organized.:confused:

After my 3rd month of being banded it finally sunk in that it is me that is doing all of the work to lose the weight!!! It is me exercising my ass off and eating healthy and smaller portions!!!!! I don't feel guilty!!! It is not the easy way out! I can't say that enough!!! In order to be a successful lapband patient, you will be working your ass off, and your chin, and your arms etc. Do not allow yourself to listen to others who have no understanding how the band works to think that you are cheating and taking the easy way out!!! It is hard work, and it takes determination and sticking to the rules to get the weight off!!!! Do what you decide is good for you!!!!! As for me, I wouldn't be doing this any other way!!!!!

I have a PPO and have a family doctor that I have seen yearly, and for illnesses... Are you saying you don't have a medical doctor that you see? If you don't have a family doctor or an internist I think you should get one and get a physical. Next, you need to find a surgeon on your plan that does the surgery at a facility that is on your list. They should be of value in helping you through the red tape of insurance...my surgeon's office knew what was required and its just a matter of hoping thru the hoops. If they have a free seminar go to it and get information from them. The good news is you have coverage, now you just need to follow the steps!

Eat your solid Proteins first ( Tunafish salad on wasa bread, chicken salad on romaine lettuce rolled up, get a roasted chicken breast warm from the deli and pick it off of the bone while its hot and use it over a few days on a nice big salad.) Supplement all meals with alot of vegetables (salads, sliced cucumbers, frozen vegetable servings.) I have treats of rice krispy bars, sugar free puddings, skinny cows no more than 1 aday. Drink your water!!!! And don't forget exercise,exercise, exercise!!!!! So get your fill and get busy!!!!! Log your food and exercise on Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate. You can do this!!!!

Cerrin - You have done a fantastic job!!! I am sure you will be posting your accomplishment before you know it!!! Keep it going!!!

Morning All! Well, I have my 25th class reunion this weekend... the good news is I am thinner than I was at my 20th!!!! So I guess I can go in and hold my head up high!!!! I already have an outfit to wear, and I am not even freaking out about that. Hmmmm... it must get less and less traumatic as the years go by! LOL :wink: I have the day off, and after I take the kids to school ( 2 hr delay today), I am going to the gym, and keep to the routine of things.:drool: It was nice to hear from Annie and Chica... haven't seen a post for awhile!!! We all seem to be going through the "Honeymoon is over" and trying to find our motivation to keep it going!!!! We all can do this!!!! One day at a time, one bite at a time!!!:rolleyes2: I struggle with halloween, would you believe there isn't one kind of candy bar that I don't like!!!! I will probably have my husband buy the candy and keep it in the trunk of his car until the actual day so I will only have temptation on that night. My kids don't trick or treat anymore... so there won't be any coming back in the house!!!! YEAH!!!

I drink crystal light energy... the strawberry flavored one it has caffeine in it, I have one every morning!!!:redface:

I swear by my Birkenstock shoes!!! I am a nurse, and I love them for my 12 hour shift!!!! They have fantastic arch support. I also wear newbalance tennis shoes, but when my feet act up I go back to only wearing my Birkenstocks!!

Binkini- WOW, that sounds rough!!! I wouldn't blame you one bit for avoiding that whole drama!!!! What is your relationship like with your dad? It sounds like you really love him... is he supportive of you? I think he should tell his mother to BACK OFF!!! If you are doing this for him to keep things open with his side, he needs to let them know not to treat you like this or I wouldn't be apart of this freak show!!! If you do go, I would be prepared to steer the conversation about your accomplishments and your goals for the future and give them something else to know about you other than to worry about your weight. If they treat you less than politely and less than common courtesy that they would show to a perfect stranger... I would not do it again!!! For heaven's sake, they wouldn't talk that way to a perfect stranger about their weight or ask what they would like to eat that way!!!! How RUDE!!!!:thumbup:

I had progresso soups, they were good. I blended up the chicken and rotini and it was good!! Tomato basil was good too. Potato soup Bob Evans was good too, get carry out!!!

On my mushie phase I was told to have anything that was on liquids list, then anything that was blenderized and strained through a wire strainer. I made roast beef and gravy for my family, and I blended up the meat with gravy and pushed it though the strainer to make sure that it was all pureed. I even bought baby food... the strained meats and used my regular gravies and broth. Mashed potatoes were ok to have... just make them on the thinner side so they slide down easily. Poached eggs were also delicious by the time I could get off of liquids. Progresso Soups with chicken in the blender were good too. You'll become very inventive on your own!! I am a cruncher and I like crunchy food, my DH bought me an ice crusher and I put crystal light or juices over the ice and crunched away!!!

I too use the daily plate web site to log what I eat, I also use it before I go out to eat, or when I am trying to figure out where I want to go eat... they opened a Sonics not to far from us, and the kids wanted to go, so I went on daily plate and couldn't find anything under 400 calories!!!!! That was for popcorn chicken... needless to say we haven't gone and I told DH he might have to take the kids and go without me, I just am not finding it worth it!!!! Went to the gym today and worked out, felt good to get it done for the day, I was the only one there!! I like it when its quiet.

Definitely call and make sure they scheduled it right from the office!!! How scary for you!!!! I would make sure (and they should do this anyway) on your surgery day they verbalize why you are there and for what procedure. Absolutely clear the air.... you do not need to be having this kind of worry hanging over your head!!!!! Good luck!!!

Hey, I had a NSV to share with everyone... We are the proud parents of a kitten that we rescued from being under a car in the parking lot where I work. Yesterday, I was down on the floor playing with her, and crawling around and when I got up I didn't even have to think about how I was going to do it... I haven't crawled around on the floor like that in a long time, and being able to get right up without any difficulty!!!!!! 63 pounds makes a difference!!!!!:thumbup: