TexasFire

THANK DOG! YEE-HAW! :tt1: I'm so glad you had a good time, sweetie! You deserve it! You deserve to have a relationship with someone who knows how to be a "grown-up"! (Of course, so does HE! ) Well...I don't think it's wrong for you to want him to find out about your date, as long as it's not for warped reasons. If you are doing it to make him jealous, I believe it's wrong...because you run the risk of hurting the new guy by "using" him. If you are moving on and away from the old relationship, I think it's only "human" to want him to know that he's missing out on you from now on. Is that juvenile? Probably...but definitely human. I hope the latter is true for you.

It is important for you to find what works for you, and putting this thread out there for us all to respond with our different methods is great so you can get many viewpoints to try. Therapy to address the underlying reasons for your sabotage is commendable, as well. Good for you! As long as you don't give up, you are on the right track! All our bodies will respond differently to different methods, so keep trying different things. Just remember that four to six weeks is a true trial period for anyones' body. As much as we all would love overnight results, that just isn't reality. I'm rooting for you, girl! Keep posting and you will always have us behind you, rooting you on!

For me, it was the day I had surgery. I simply made the decision to do this the right way. Since I was going through surgery for it, which is HUGE for me (or anyone), I was simply choosing to do it right and not look back...like turning on a light switch. Have I had slip-ups? You better believe it! But in the first six months after banding, I could count the number of times I "cheated" my band on one hand with fingers left over. (Mint Milk chocolate covered Oreos is the most memorable one! HEAVEN!) After that, I had to start getting creative to keep my body guessing so it would continue to lose. I'm still doing that. And it's working! Currently I am in a size 10, with my ultimate goal being an 8. I hope to be there by my first bandiversary on June 8th! Many will fight me on this, but I truly believe it is simply a matter of choosing. Once you do, the decision is made and you simply implement it. If you sit around and think about it, or think about willpower and the likes, it will be very difficult. If you are thinking about willpower, or talking about willpower...you probably don't have willpower. I don't have willpower...I WANT WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT IT! But I can make a decision and formulate a plan to accomplish it. That plan is nothing more than deciding how many calories to take in in a day, how many grams of protein/carb/fat will make up those calories, finding which foods fit the bill for that, and how much exercise to get. Then, like Nike says, "Just Do It!" Don't think about it. Then you won't miss anything at all except the extra weight! You can do it!

I'm good! Will post stats and pics tomorrow! Congrats on your event, Daddy...and as always, thank your for your encouragement. Love ya bunches! Good weather? Hmmm. Dunno about that! No, overall it was great. But the first third of the day yesterday was FREEZING, and the wind was AWFUL all day. Biking into 25mph winds is not fun. Today was great! Warmer and winds of 5mph...PERFECT. It was an amazing experience...wonderful, nice people everywhere...fantastic support...well organized. Couldn't have asked for more. I will do this ride again next year.

J - Uh-Uh...you gotta do that ride, girl! You've been talking about it forever! You can do it! BTW, you got a link for those pedals? They sound interesting and I would love to check them out. I'm considering getting a third bike with upgraded Speedplays, but would love something relaxed like you describe for my current girl. BG - Ouch! I have had strep but once, and that was once too many. No fun at all. You are smart to take it easy and not talk or anything...get that junk gone as soon as possible! Oh! And LOVE the new pic! SBG - B - So glad you are all right, feeling better and better, and posting more! HP - Good for you getting out there in that wind! I feel your pain...I would rather ride uphill in the rain and cold than ride against the wind. C - YAY for your ride! Glad you are recovering well! ZZ - Where's my girl? I wanna hear how your appointment went! Unfill some? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay, day one of MS150 wiped me out. We had 25mph winds no matter which direction we were heading, it seemed. I did learn that I have a whole other region of gears that I didn't know about, though! (Can you say "DUMMY"?????) Now I heart hills, too...much easier...never walked a single hill yesterday. Got some good pics yesterday...today my camera wouldn't even come on! GRRRR Even though the winds died down today to about 5mph, I was so sore. My tailbone has been hurting ever since I fell at the Lancaster ride three weeks ago and this morning I was feeling being on the bike that long yesterday. I sagged in again, damn it...did about 120 miles, though. I just couldn't stand in my pedals another 40 miles. You short gals look cute when you stand in your pedals to go, but I'm so tall that I just look like a gangly girraffe doing it! So I'm even sitting sideways in my recliner right now because I can't even sit in a chair without my tailbone hurting. (Glad I already have a doctor's appointment Tuesday morning.) All in all, the MS150 was a fantastic experience! I met so many nice folks...learned that I want to start driving sag as well as riding...met my MS champ at the finish line, too! She is a real sweetheart...made me cry to hear her story and see her in that wheelchair. We will be in contact forever, I'm sure, and she asked me to ride for her again next year, which I agreed to do. You medical folks...can I convert my saddle to accomodate a "donut" for my tailbone? LOL JK I hate the thought of it, but I may need to stay off my bike for a bit. I will discuss with my doc. I loved this ride, but it will likelly be the only big ride I do from now on. Right now, my preference is to stay around 40, maybe 50 miles for any one ride. After that, it gets to be too much like work! LOL Of course, it really depends on the terrain, too. I've really discovered, by doing these rides, that my long training route does me no favors. It simply isn't challenging. I thought distance was the challenge, but now (for me, at least) I know better. Lancaster's hills taught me better. My route is way too peaceful and flat. Anyhow, I will post pics and stats tomorrow! Love y'all and everyone get better and back on your bikes! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Where's Daddy, D and JC?

OMG I made it through day one! (86.1 miles) So fun! Tomorrow is 74.2, if I remember correctly. I'm so sore and tired...g'nite all! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Daddy, good luck on your duo tomorrow! I'll be thinking about you and your event while I am standing in my pedals mile after mile tomorrow because it hurts too much to sit down! LOL

OMG I made it through day one! (86.1 miles) So fun! Tomorrow is 74.2, if I remember correctly. I'm so sore and tired...g'nite all!

OMG I made it through day one! (86.1 miles) So fun! Tomorrow is 74.2, if I remember correctly. I'm so sore and tired...g'nite all!

Thanks, all...I really appreciate the support. J...I heart you...you can always make me laugh: "...but I'm ever so slightly just a little drunk." I love that...ever so slightly just a little! Is that like being ever so slightly just a little pregnant? LOL And yes, I will get refilled. I will take it a little at a time and only get the bare necessity, though. Right now, I'd say it's necessary.

I may have joined this out of sheer blind optimism. Since my band slipped and I was subsequently unfilled two weeks ago, my weight is going in the wrong direction now. Pissed off. :cool2:

I spoke too soon, and now I hate being unfilled. Don't wanna talk about it, but my weight is climbing.

I spoke too soon, and now I hate being unfilled. Don't wanna talk about it, but my weight is climbing.

I spoke too soon, and now I hate being unfilled. Don't wanna talk about it, but my weight is climbing.

I have two ideas...do you have a botanical gardens near you? Also, we have these shops in the mall and such where you can go and pick a piece of greenware (unglazed, unfired ceramic) and create your own masterpiece. It's really fun! And you can create something for her and she for you! To remember your special day with just you two and no icky boys! LOL They actually have birthday parties and stuff there like at pizza places or laser tag places, but more original!

Oh, I am so tailgating on ZZ's solicitation! (On two threads!) My big ride is this weekend (thanks Josiebies for the well wishes!) and I wanted to post my donation link within the post...sometimes the signatures become "invisible" to us since we see them with every post. Donation Link: 2008 SAM'S CLUB MS 150 Bike Tour This is from my donation page... About Your Rider Rider Name: STEFANIE STANPHILL Rider Message: Thank you for supporting Multiple Sclerosis! I am so looking forward to this 150-mile bicycle tour during the weekend of May 3rd & 4th, 2008! Please contact me for details if you would like to attend...I would love to have you there, cheering for us all! There will be many people riding who actually have Multiple Sclerosis, so come show your support and enjoy the weekends' activities! Please let me know who you are so I know who to thank when the ride is over. Thank you so much, Stefanie Stanphill

Thanks, you two! Hey, LULUC! I just checked out your profile after you talked about North Texas weather....I didn't realize/remember that we were neighbors! So do you just have your own horses or do you board horses, as well? I was thinking about getting a couple horses, but would need to board them.

Here ya go, Suzzzie-Q! Your payment for $25.00 USD has been completed. You are now being redirected to MARCH OF DIMES BIRTH DEFECTS FOUNDATION If you are not redirected within 10 seconds click here. Now it's my turn to shamelessly beg one more time! :thumbup: Donation Link: 2008 SAM'S CLUB MS 150 Bike Tour Donation Form Giving online is fast, easy and secure. It is a three step process. In this first step, please let us know on whose behalf you are donating. In the second step, you will be prompted for payment information. The third step is a receipt of your donation. You will also receive an email receipt and the rider you list below will receive an email confirmation. About Your Rider Rider Name: STEFANIE STANPHILL Rider Message: Thank you for supporting Multiple Sclerosis! I am so looking forward to this 150-mile bicycle tour during the weekend of May 3rd & 4th, 2008! Please contact me for details if you would like to attend...I would love to have you there, cheering for us all! There will be many people riding who actually have Multiple Sclerosis, so come show your support and enjoy the weekends' activities! Please let me know who you are so I know who to thank when the ride is over. Thank you so much, Stefanie Stanphill

Oh, wow! Y'all are doing AMAZING! Everyone! I'm so proud of my fellow Exercise Challenge buddies! :smile2: I'm doing okay with being unfilled so far. Not that I'm not eating like a horse...because I am! But all my exercise is keeping the weight gain at bay for now. My big ride is this weekend, so I'm adding carbs in this week and getting more Water and sleep. After the ride is behind me, I plan on going back on www.My-Calorie-Counter.com and logging my food every day again. I need to get my cals back under control...just plain get under control, PERIOD. I'm REALLY enjoying being able to eat! LOL I am just plain BUSY lately! Hubby came home unexpectedly, which is AWESOME! He surprised me so he could be here for my ride this weekend...what a doll. So we've been shopping and playing and working around the house...just enjoying our time together until he goes back offshore. He starts a new contract in two weeks and will be working in Hong Kong for the next five years, so it will be six week rotations from now on. So we are Spring cleaning, shampooing carpets, painting the master suite, relandscaping the backyard...and cleaning the garage is next! I'm TIRED! LOL Oh, and all of this is around dealing with refinancing our house...I despise doing all that paperwork junk! I'm not missing any of my workouts, though. That is always a priority! I'm getting really curious again to know what my body fat percentage is! I think I will make an appointment at Cooper Institute again to get hydrostatically weighed. I don't care what my bathroom scale says NEAR as much as what that will tell me. Even though I'm getting a little aprehensive about my ride this weekend, I'm really looking forward to it and can't wait to post pics for y'all!

I agree with Neely. It happened to me...overfilled, stubbornly wanted to keep it, horrible PB-ing episode (ONE) made my pouch stretch and band slip slightly. I am now completely unfilled to see if it will heal itself. Call your doc and get checked out with flouro.

Hey, Gen! :huh2: <wink>

Yes, I remember you! And welcome back! I have a few questions for you to maybe get you thinking, since you seem to want feedback here. Nothing I have to say or ask is any revelation to anyone, I'm sure. But you say you can eat "loads"...what if you stopped halfway short of that? Would you still be hungry? My thinking is that the answer is no, but that you are used to eating more. What say you just choose not to do that anymore? Isn't that an emotional action, to keep eating the full amount? Also, have you kept a food diary, and tracked macronutrients (online is easy) to be sure you are eating healthy? Until I tracked my diet, I only THOUGHT I knew what I was putting in my mouth over the course of a day. After several months, I stopped...pretty much knowing what things amounted to at that point. And lastly, are you exercising? Without it, I think your chances of making goal are slim to none. Are there folks here who did it without exercise? Of course. There are folks who never need a fill, too. They are the exception, and not the rule. I'm certainly no exception...I have to exercise my butt off to get anywhere. Expecting the band to do it all by itself really is no more logical than us taking diet pills before the band and not exercising...thinking it was our "miracle". Making goal for most will involve a combination of good diet and adequate exercise. The recommendation by the govt. has risen...now it is 30 minutes minimum cardio for FIVE or more days a week. Also, it is important to understand that if you are comfortable walking for that time, then it is likely not enough. Exercise should occur just outside your comfort zone...you should push the envelope to make a real difference. Now before anyone screams at me, I'm not even remotely suggesting that you hurt yourselves. Know your limits, and meet them head on so that you can expand them. For most folks I know on here, walking is not gonna get it. Most I know of on here are physically able to do more. Walking is great and has enormous benefits, it's just not enough in most cases. And of course, you all know what I think about resistance training...IT IS ESSENTIAL AND IS THE BEST THING TO INCREASE YOUR FAT BURNING ABILITY AND RESHAPE YOUR BODY! :w00t: Well, I wrote another book again, huh? LOL I certainly hope you will continue posting again! It is a great place, as you say! Let us encourage you! No matter what you do, I wish you well as you continue on your journey! Take care! :huh2:

Our bodies are designed to take food and liquids in one direction only. If it's coming back out of your mouth, there is SOME kind of force behind it. The law of physics...inertia...momentum...the initial action inside you starts where? Has to be your stomach, from what I understand. On the flip side, I do know what you are talking about...have experienced it several times. It is not the same as trying to get unstuck, per se. It is gentler. It's still a PB, girlfriend! :huh2: