TommyO

I don't think I said you did, I made a statement thats all.

Here's an issue, I don't like posts that tell people what they should and shouldn't post but by stating that I am, in essence breaking my own rule. Oh well I guess I must be a hypocrite

As I was walking from the train to my office this morning two thoughts struck me like a shovel in the back of the head. My first thought was that I have lost 90 pounds and I haven’t really noticed. There have been times when I have lost weight before but on those occasions I was highly motivated. As soon as the motivation waned I put the weight back on. This time I would say that my motivation level is, at best moderate and I have managed to lose 90 lbs. For the last 2 months I have lost weight at a slow rate, this is also abnormal for me and one of the things I am most excited about. In the past if I was not losing big I was gaining big. That sort of weight loss and gain, as you all know, is bad. I measure weight loss in increments of five (old habits die hard) only because I could lose 5 pounds a week easily. Now it takes at least 2 and often 3 weeks for me to lose 5 pounds. The amazing part is that I keep losing, it has been an adjustment, but even when I feel discouraged I am unable to put on any significant weight. I feel strongly that my band has made it possible to moderate weight loss and gain and by doing so it has also had a moderating affect on my motivation and moods. I no longer seem to get all depressed and eat 6000 calories because I am unhappy due to a loss of control or a sudden 3 pound gain due to salt intake. The second thought that struck me was that I needed to tell everyone at Lap Band Talk that the band works. I feel strongly that I made the right decision and that the future is bright. When I initially decided to get banded I did so because I thought that the band would be a weapon in my battle with obesity and it has. It is one weapon and a good one at that. No longer do I feel like I have brought a knife (and fork, just to add a little humour) to a gunfight. I have learned a lot from the good folks I have met hear at LBT and I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your advice, guidance, fairness and most of all your differences. I believe that each of you have made my band a more affective weapon by ensuring that I understand that I needed to learn how to use the weapon and that I knew that it was not going to end the war only better prepare me for battle. Finally I wanted to say that I know that everyone’s experience is different and success varies by individual. I don’t want to infer that the lap band is the answer and that it should work for everyone and if it doesn’t you have failed. We are all fighting our own personal wars and different wars require different weapons. Last but not least I need to make this statement, if anyone wants to know what I think about the effectiveness of Gastric banding I say loudly <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p> IT WORKS<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> P.S. Sorry about all the war analogies but I like the knife and fork joke so I stuck with gun and war theme<o:p></o:p>

Once again It looks like I will burn in hell, I love shrimp and Lobster and most shellfish. To atone for my sinss I promise to never eat eel or turtle again. I wonder if this Lambert chap has noticed how high the ratio is of women to men in the teaching profession. Do you think maybe he might have some sort of unresloved issues with his mommy?

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">It has been some time since I originally posted this but my feelings have not changed. I have not yet broken the 100 lb barrier but I am very close, 2 pounds. This summer has been a great one filled with all the ingredients that make another perfect summer. I have not been a good bandster eating too much BBQ,d steak and chicken along with lots of ice cold beer and great wines. Still I am down another 8 lbs, not a huge number but still pretty good considering any other time I would have put on 50 pounds or more. Yes I am still happy and yes the band works I have lost 8 pounds during a period that would have normally see me gain. I leave today with my family for two weeks in England and Ireland, a trip that we have been looking forward to for some time. As soon as I get back it's time to get back in the saddle and focus on some significant weight loss. But for now I plan to feel good about my accomplishments as I enjoy a few pints of Guiness. Who knows, I may even dance a jig or two </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I like the name Tom!

My Thoughts and mine alone, 1. Helping someone who does not want your help especially when that help is only given when it is in your best interest seems less than helpfull. Imagine then wondering why they don't like you and even better it's almost comical that you would suggest they pay you back. 2. The only comman thread in the aforementioned conflicts is the American presence. Things that make you go HHHMMM!

It would seem to me that the US government has seldom based their relationships with foreign dictators on how bad or good they are. It's almost comical when Americans justify their lack of any attempt to build better relations with Cuba on how evil Castro is. I think we can all agree that th U.S. government has been able to cosey up to some very bad dictators over the last 50 years.

I don't know what day this thread started but I like it a lot. Nineteen years ago today I was getting married. Words can't describe how happy I am today and how much in Love I still am with my best friend. We have two great kids and together we live a blessed life. Everyone have a great day Tommy O

In regards to the 2 1/2 hours, theres an old joke that seems apropo. Here goes, (Please this is a condensed version) A Young man is in a bar when he notices a working girl sitting at the bar. He approaches her and asks what her price is. The Lady of the evening tells him she is the best and the best costs $1,000.00. The young man is in disbelief and walks away, Much later in the night and after no other opportunities appear the young man goes back over to the lady at the bar and say's he is willing to pay. They head across the street to the hotel and go to a room. When they get in the room she informs him that she needs to use the lady's room. When she walk out of the ladies room she see's heim on the bed masturbating. In shock she asks "What are you doing" The young man responds "For a thousand bucks you're not getting the easy one"

Folks I am going to be traveling in England and Ireland the last two weeks of August so I cannot participate. I usually work out 5 times a week so I would be happy to join an excercise challenge in September. My thought is this we focus on individual goals, so for example I would set a goal of 8 hours a week of physical activity someone else could target 4 hours or 10 hours, whatever they choose. We track how we are doing vs our personel objectives. We would not focus on what you do but rather, that you do it. At the end of the challenge everyone who accieved their objective would be be entitled to feel very proud of their accomplishments and everyone who didn't would get a pat on the back for trying!! Sounds like a very Canadian challenge to me!! Cheers TommmyO

In the last two weeks I have had somewhat of an epiphany in understanding the term satiated. When I began this journey I was told that the Lap Band would moderate my food intake as well as help me to feel satiated even though I had consumed less. When I heard this I assumed that feeling satiated meant I would feel full. I have included a definition of satiated to help explain my point.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sa·ti·ate<o:p></o:p> Pronunciation: 'sA-shE-"At<o:p></o:p> Function: transitive verb<o:p></o:p> Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing<o:p></o:p> Etymology: Latin satiatus, past paiticiple of satiare, from satis enough<o:p></o:p> Date: 15th century<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> It turns out that satiated does not mean full or at least it doesn’t (Didn’t) meat my interpretation of the term full. I have realized that to me full meant exactly that, full of food. In most cases being full meant a feeling that my stomach was full to capacity and on special occasions a feeling of fullness that was an uncomfortable sense that not another morsel could be eaten.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Interestingly enough while discussing this with my DW who is average weight, she could not understand, at first what I was talking about. She actually ate till she was “satiated” or had enough; she very seldom, if ever felt full but rather stopped eating at satiated. That feeling was the trigger that made her stop.<o:p></o:p> I on the other hand stopped when I felt full I my have been satiated by the middle of my first big plate but I was not full. Somehow I think I had lost my ability to read the signals.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Since I have had the band I have been able to once again feel satiated and understand what it is. It is actually funny but this has come about because I have stopped eating many times because I did not feel like fighting the band or heading back to the bathroom to throw up. It dawned on me that I wasn’t really hungry anyway so why continue. One day I realized that the reason that I could stop eating was because I was satiated. A light soon went on and I began to understand my eating a little better. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I have read many posts on this board that described why people thought they had become obese and each one of those stories has touched my heart. The truth is none of those stories represented what I thought was a reason for my obesity. <o:p></o:p> I realize that over time I had stopped eating to the point of satiety and began eating to a point where my stomach was full. And it was this sense of fullness that I was looking for. Even worse was that when I was particularly anxious or upset or happy for that matter, I would eat to the point of overfull, all in an attempt to feel satisfied.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> My band has reintroduced me to the concept of satiety and I think that I am slowly re-learning this signal. There are times when I still crave full but many more times when I stop at satiated. <o:p></o:p> Many folks here talk about hitting their sweet spot and I think that the sweet spot is a point where satiety and full is once again the same thing.<o:p></o:p> I am currently at 98 lbs lost and struggling to break the 100 lb mark mainly because it’s summer and I love steaks on the BBQ and cold beer along with a glass or 4 of great wine. Maybe, just maybe it’s okay to slow down the weight loss to allow oneself to enjoy some of the fine things in life. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> So I raise a glass and offer a toast, a toast not to full or bursting or stuffed but rather to Satiated<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Cheers<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> TommyO

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">I believe strongly that we learn as we go, meaning we learned to think feeling full means achieving a sense fullness in the stomach. I think as a child I gradually began to work towards that sensation and over time it took more and more volume to get that feeling of full. I was sitting down the other night after eating, and because I had been a bad bandster I had been back and forth to the bathroom PB'ing. I noticed that I did not feel full but rather I had a sense that I had eaten enough. It struck me that this was a feeling that I had begun to be aware of since the band. Keep in mind I had been feeling frustrated because my Doctor had told me that with the band I would feel full sooner and that was not the case. At that very moment the light went on, this is what he was talking about. My doctor is a very slim man who has no weight issues. It occurred to me that we were speaking two different languages. When I said full I was talking about a stretched feeling in my stomach when he said full he was talking about a sense of Sateity. TA DA!!! It seemed to all to make sense now, it was a matter of interpretation. I would be lying if I were to say that all of my problems with eating were solved at that moment, I still struggle with the beast everyday. But I now realize that I can get there if I work towards making eating to achieve satiety my goal. Getting back to my earlier theme I believe I can re-learn how to eat because of my Band. I would be foolish to think it will happen overnight. I think it is important to also state that I believe that when we measure our success solely by the numbers on the scale we probably do not understand what it is we are trying to accomplish. (But that's a topic for another post) The band is a tool that helps me on my journey and I am grateful for it. It took me 47 years to get to this point and it will take time to re-learn all of the things I need to re-learn. The good news is now that I have lost my 98 lb's and because I will lose another 50-60 I now have a lot's of time to get it all figured out "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step" Confucius </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Cypress tree here, sounds good to me.

Mandi, congrats on the loose jeans out of the dryer it's good to feel good about how well you are doing. I think you should go and buy a bathing suit and then go back to the beach. It always seems that somehow we draw attention to ourselves when we try to hide. Being the only person on the beach in jeans probably draws a lot more attention then wearing a bathing suit. I for one have always been of the mind that we all have our flaws so I don't particularily care if mine is more visible. So after the jeans come out of the dryer put'em on, take a moment to feel good that they fit, then take'em off and throw on the bathing suit and head to the beach proud of who you are and how well you are doing.

NancyRN, sorry for the confusion, my note was a poor attempt at reinforcing the idea that most men love to perform cunnilingus. I probably over stepped my boundries by speaking for most men so I will ammend my statement. I love to perform cunnilingus, my wife knows that anytime day or night I am eager to please. It is an extremely pleasurable experience for me and I am relatively certain she enjoy's it as well. I guess I just assumed that most men are of the same opinion as I and that may be my folly.

Kare, please do not take any offence, as my comments were not intended to be a taken that way. Believe me I am not the being sensitive, I was only making a statement that I thought might cause people to re-think what is often an accepted opinion (Men are selfish when it comes to sex). Your first note indicated that a possible reason women are bad at this sort of thing is because they may have learned how from a male. I do not think less of you nor do I think that your opinion is not valid. I was just putting forward another perspective. I was not directing my statement at you I was expressing a point view that I hoped would make everyone think. I am certain that you are a good person and I do not want you to be upset and leave because of my words. Please chalk this up to the old Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars syndrome and continue your participation in this conversation. Your participation is very much appreciated.

I think it's a bit unfair to place the blame on the male, Sorry but how good or bad any individual is at anything is usually based on their willingness and desire to be good at it. It seems to me that when it comes to sex, it seems way to easy and acceptable to assigned the blame on the male.

Tonight I'm going to tell my wife its' all about her. Just so you know from a mans perspective that's exactly how many men treat cunnilingus and possibly why we are quick to do it.

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Wheetsin, is it not possible to interpret your words in the manner I suggest. Seems to me I am not alone in my interpretation suggesting it quite possibly a matter of sematics. pfunkem, reactionary yes (It would seem to me any response is a reaction) defensive not a chance. I am not even slightly defensive about this the topic or any other for that matter I am very comfortable with who I am. I could probably use a little humbling and seldom if ever do I take anything personaly hence I am seldom defensive. In answer to your question ...Who exactly? Suggest you read some of the threads that discuss the discrimination that some members of this board have felt as obese people. </TD></TR><TR hb_tag="1" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Me thinks you are splitting hairs, when the debate focuses on the words and not the intent of the words the debate becomes silly. Want, need, desire, whatever term you use, as long as you use them it allows the blame to be placed on the victim. Every time someone rationalizes anothers problem by stating "they do it because they are getting something from it" you allow others to assign blame on the fat person. I am not fat because of how it somehow protects me, I am not fat because of some benefit it provides. I am fat because of a lifetime of learned responses and a strong instinct to eat. In my case it is physical not mental, No one has worked harder than I to not be fat, although I am certain that many have worked as hard. I will continue to fight the good fight and I will continue to root for all those folks who are fighting their own good fight. I refuse to be minimalized by the legions of Doctor Phil fans who have decided that I am fat because I choose to be because I get something from it. I refuse to blame fat people for being fat and every time someone expounds the huey that fat people are fat because they need, choose, want, desire,get etc to be fat they give everyone a free pass to treat me with disrespect because it's my choice. </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Wheetsin, there are multiple reasons that people are fat and I maintain that none of them are because of a want to be fat. Your suggestion that "people do everything they do because they get something out of it. That includes being obese (you can see previous posts for examples or reasons). " Is incorrect. People who are protecting themselves from the pain of sexual abuse or rape or any terrible act that has been perpetrated against them are not fat because they want to be fat they are fat because they don't want to be sexually abused. There is a big difference between a desire to be fat and a need to be safe. Your short sighted argument is one that allows us to ridicule the fat person rather than having compassion for their pain. It gives people a free pass treat an obese person with disdain because it blames them for not only being fat it also ignores the rape. There have been multiple studies done that prove that obesity is rooted in physiology rather than psychology. If you also have had some severe psychological trauma in your life it is likely to be compounded by your increased capacity for becoming obese. I am disappointed when a normal weight person negatively judges an obese person but I understand that there prejudice is based in ignorance. For an obese person to negatively judge another obese person, to me, is unconscionable </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Wheetsin, I was self pay and I have no problem if my tax dollars paid for someone else. I have been fortunate and I can afford to pay my own way, I have no problem with some one who is less fortunate getting their surgery paid for. When I decided to have my lap band surgery it was because I was afraid for my life. I can't imagine what it would have felt like to be in that position and not be able to afford the surgery. I do not care that people put a little sand in their pocket or that some people may do this for superficial reasons. Most people on this board and by most I would say 100% chose this surgery because of a desire to live. Not because they wanted to shed a few pounds off the old hips. To any one who suggest that wearing heavy clothes or putting a few heavy objects in the pockets constitutes an imoral act I say get over it. Finally if I have to read another post about the fat people who eat and eat and who are not trying to do anything abouit their weight problem I am going to start to get upset. In my life I have never met a fat person who didn't have losing weight as their number 1 priority. When we see overweight people out in public and they appear to not care about their obesity we more than any other people should understand their situation and forgive them. We have all at one time or another said F--K It and appeared not to care. </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Economic Left/Right: -6.38 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.79 I am happy to say I'm sitting with Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama Cheers

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Can't imagine that many of the men hear find any of the choices something worth shooting for. Hmmmm, maybe this poll is really just a little eye candy for the ladies. Where's Homer? </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>