TexasFire

CERADAD - Thanks for the well-wishes...I am MUCH better now, and still losing. So I am in good shape. It sounds to me like you did just great for your "trial run" triathalon. It's okay to rest, and you will get better. You have come so far in such a short time! KAREY - Good to hear from you! Keep taking care of yourself and we look forward to you posting regularly when you are all healed up! DADDY - You're doing great, too! But boy, you seem to get busier and busier...I don't know how you do it. Kudos! JESS - Great news on the tests! Oh and on your previous comment about no one understanding how important exercise is to you...I know what you mean. I catch "flack" about working out so much, but it makes me happy and it makes me feel good...I'm addicted! So you keep on keeping on with your exercise. Just keep your life in balance and all will be O-TAY!

Oh and check out the Germanfest in Muenster, TX too. That should be a really great tour. I'm considering entering that one, too. But there are infinite possibilities, it seems.

Hey, Josie! Yes, I'm doing the MS150, but the Frisco to Ft. Worth! I'm so excited about it! Are you doing any training rides before hand? I'm only doing one, Tour Dallas. But I ride TONS, so I'm not too worried. What kind of bike do you ride? By the way, if you have a Performance Bike near you, you should DEFINITELY stop by there and pick up a Competitor Texas magazine! It is simply amazing! And it's free, also! If you don't have a Performance Bike near you, here is the website: Competitor Texas | HOME. It lists just about every event in Texas, for running, walking, cycling, triathalons, duathalons...you name it. It has so much info in it. I really hope you come back here and tell how the MS150 goes for you and if you have any tips before I ride on May 3rd & 4th.

ETSY - OMG! That is a fantastic site! I make jewelry myself, and there is some gorgeous handmade jewelry on there! I have never heard of this site before...thank you, J!

Oh, ZZ I'm so glad you had a successful ride this evening! I'm proud of you! Keep playing with those gears to get the hang of it. Try moving them less rather than more to feel the effects. (I'm thinking you have the older style shifters that are levers? Is that right or no?) You will be a pro before you know it! And the car thing...hmmm. Mixed blessing? I'm glad she's okay, but what the heck? She left you walking! Maybe just a one-time thing.

Thanks for the responses. I've decided that I am not going to answer those questions anymore, other than to say that I am going for a healthy weight. Y'all are much smarter than I to not butt your heads against that wall like I have! LOL

I have questions about your chosen goal weights. Mine has been the same since my journey began. I am constantly taking flack from the men in my life. Hubby, grampa, dad, workout partners (both male)...they all agree that I'm fine where I am and that something horrible will happen if I continue to lose weight down to my goal. Running out of responses to these conversations! UGH! How do you successfully exit these conversations quickly without making any commital statements? I am 5 10" tall and I want to get down to 145. Ths gives me a healthy BMI of 20.8, which I love. What do you folks say when anyone asks what your WLS goals are?

HP - Looks like it was glorious for you! And you look FANTASTIC, chica! Get that helmet on next time! LOL Love the new bike! J - Yes, so much to learn...I love it. You do have a lot on your plate right now, for sure. Check the site out as you have time...it is awesome! Also, I forgot to mention that you can order a fueling "manual" for free from that site. Basically, it is a very fancy sales ad for their products, but it gives all the background/research behind all of those products. And this company is the "Gold Standard" for fueling. That is not to say they are the only good thing out there...just that they are highly regarded to that degree. (The manual would be a good place for you to start, C!) ZZ - So sorry to hear about your plight today! That really sucks. Like was said, I'm glad you can see the humor in it. Glad you get your bike back for cheap tomorrow. Do you know what was wrong with your car, though?

C - I've studied fueling for endurance events a LOT, and there are different schools of thought, of course. Then you factor in the band, and it gets REALLY interesting! LOL So far, I have a 30 mile ride on April 5th, a 150+ mile ride May 3rd & 4th, and a 100 mile ride in August. I have an eating plan for the two weeks prior to the May and August events, and I have a plan for the events themselves. I won't use a pre-event diet for the April ride, but will use the same plan always for the event days. A lot depends on the conditions you will be riding in. Heat is a HUGE factor here, of course. Oregon may have it's own challenges, but you should really have almost ideal conditions most of the year, I think! (Lucky dog!) No matter what, though, fueling is extremely important. A company I have learned much from is Hammer Nutrition - Fuel Right. Feel Great! - Home. If you get on their mailing list, they will send you all sorts of fantastic information. They really give you a LOT of info, so it can get really confusing if you let it. I would prefer too much than not enough though. Email me if you have any questions on this and I'd be glad to help if I can! I can give you more details that way, if you like.

Too funny! :drool: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, I couldn't take it any longer...I went for an unfill today. My fill was a full CC last time, three weeks ago and I lost 17 pounds in that time. I haven't been able to eat much of anything. I tried to be a trooper, but it was really starting to piss me off. Then when hubby and I were at Olive Garden last night and I couldn't eat Soup?!?!? Oh no! I left a message and got in today. She took out .4 CC and I went to Jason's Deli tonight. IT FELT SO GOOD TO ACTUALLY EAT SOMETHING! I couldn't eat very much at all, of course, but I didn't get stuck on the first bite, either. It was awesome! I feel so much better now.

Wow...DADDY signs up for a 10k and CERADAD is signed up for a tri. This is just amazing! Would y'all have imagined such a thing just one year ago?!?!? Maybe one of these days I'll quit just talking about it and actually start running...LOL. :cool2: I would SO love to do a tri! I'm so proud of you two and everyone else here! :huh2: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome NYGIRL01! Glad to see you found us! Post often!

ZZ - I heart you! You did great, so don't beat yourself up! Everyone here is giving you great tips and advice, especially BG. And J is right about cycling being a "quick improve" activity...you will be flying before you know it. Did you oil your chain real good last weekend? If so, it might not be a bad idea to have the bike checked out at your LBS like you said. Don't give up! I'm so proud of you for getting out there today and doing that mile and a half!

Daddy - Aw, shuckers...but she has a lot on her plate, for sure. Hey, if we don't get an invite, maybe we should crash it?!?!? LOL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ceradad - What?!?!? No Speedo?!?!? Jeez. I told you I wanted pictures, too! LOL No matter...I'm still looking forward to hearing how it goes!

That's true. Some days when I walk out my door in July at 100+ degrees, it can be so hot and humid it feels like it will steal the breath out of my lungs! And all I want to do is hit the pool!

Hello, everybody? How are y'all today? Hey, BigBaby! Almost there! Only half a pound to go! I know you are so ready to be in One-derland! JAVA! It's about time you poked your head in here! We miss ya! Good going on the weight! AWESOME!

I've missed you, too, Daddy! I've missed all of you! I hope we have nice weather here on Saturday so I can ride...I need to get a nice long ride in...it's been a while for a long one. It sounds like you all are going to get to ride, too! YEA! I'm so glad! I always feel so bad for you guys not being able to get out there because of your weather. The trainer just isn't the same as getting out on the road. MMMM.....Cooooooo-KeeeeeeeZ

Oh no, Daddy! I never quit! That would kill me! LOL I just haven't had near as much time to post with hubby being home. He's still home...this is the longest he's ever taken off from work, and it's been nice. I wish I could drag him to the gym with me more often, but he does go on occasion. And at my rides, he is my biggest fan, so that is priceless. Hey, whatever happened to JM? I miss her! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ceradad! That is the first I've heard about your Tri! How exciting! I hope to be able to do one by Fall of this year. I will be waiting impatiently to hear how it goes for you. You HAVE to take pics and post them, too! How did you find your Tri? TriFind.com? I have a hard time locating them. You will do fantastically...just by entering and going for it!

Ok, that made me snort! I needed a good laugh! BTW - Hello everybody! I've been so busy today, I haven't had a chance to say HI to my biker buddies! And I miss a nice friendly thread where folks know how to give shit and take it, too!

Today we did biceps and triceps at the gym. It was a short run, about an hour. Also, Saturday was a training ride for the MS150, and it was fun! Then the MS Society served yummy BBQ and they made announcements which were very informative and we got to talk to lots of other cyclists from the area. It was great, and I got another ride under my belt. I also just signed up for "Tour Dallas", which is a ride to fight against inactivity. There are three route options, but the longest is 30 miles, so I chose that one, of course! LOL That one should be a lot of fun, too.

I love that part about the not crying or whining! :blushing::thumbup::smile: Too funny! Good for you on knocking out that exercise!

Wow! NO KIDDIN'!

Everyone's journeys and opinions are different. It really doesn't have to be so very hard. In my case, I pulled my docs stats, went to his seminar, submitted paperwork, was approved and had surgery in less than two weeks time. I had surgery just three days after finding out that I was approved! I picked a doctor with fantastic ratings among patients and peers alike. No I didn't dig any deeper than that...I went with my gut feeling when I met the doc, shook his hand, and listened to him answer my questions. I think the process can be as easy or as difficult as you make it. The politics of the business ARE what they ARE...you're opinions are not likely to make a marked difference in this stage of the game, so why sweat it? If the current situation works for you and you can be banded, here or mexico...then do it if you are comfortable with the decision. It doesn't matter what any other bandster thinks, and it doesn't matter what other docs are doing or saying or getting paid or not. Just deal with your situation as it is presented to you. Don't worry that there is a conspiracy theory at work behind every bariatric doctors' door. All the ones that I have met have been wonderful. And they can help you get to the "losing side", which is what matters most.

D! WOW! Glad to hear from ya and that you are hanging in there! Try to make it back more than once every six months, okay? We miss ya!

Fat Bottomed Girls is my MySpace layout now! I totally agree...no matter how much weight I lose, I will always have a big butt...but I like it! LOL I just meant that I would have never had the confidence to get out there like she did yesterday, and I applaud her.

That's right, HP! We are all OUT THERE RIDING! Yesterday, y'all know I was at the training ride for the MS150. There was a lady there who had the biggest rear end I'd ever seen, and she was riding! I really have to hand it to her...I never could or would have done it and she was OUT THERE and having fun! I was so proud of her and I don't even know her!