nolagirl2

robyn, i'm so sorry to hear about your port!!! what are they going to do about it? i will see you in a couple of weeks at the next support group meeting (remember me?) cate

Thanks lins :confused: I'm still a newbie, so I'm milking these first few months as much as possible. Yesterday was my six-week bandiversary :grouphug: Congrats on kick-starting your WL again.

I paid for half in cash.

C 274 (-59 total, -6 this week)

With the burden of public safety... I can budge. But marijuana shouldn't count, because it can stay in your system for up to a month.

I found my surgeon's office gained a lot more interest when I finished my requirements. They even have different phone numbers for prospective patiens and actual patients. I just imagine that they are flooded with questions from prospectives, and they really need to focus on their patients.

Prospective employers can't drug test unless the applicant is applying for job which will require contact with drugs (police officer, etc.). Current employers can only drug test if there is a burden of proof that drug abuse is a problem for an employee.

True, none of the models are going to have the body problems MO or formerly MO people have. But I think that some MO people like me, who haven't seen a normal size since adolescence, have a hard time picturing themselves as such. It helps me realize that it does make a difference - even with stretch marks

One way I try to keep myself pumped is to try go on a website for my virtual model and see what I will look like (more or less) at certain points. Here's two of my total side-by-sides: You can make a virtual model by going to one of these sites: http://www.mvm.com/en/index.htm The top one is from glamour, the bottom one is from prevention

New Rules: 1) Complete separation of church & state. Yep, even take the word "God" off the penny. 2) Legalize marijuana and end the pointless "war on drugs." 3) Legalize gay marriage. 4) Tax the hell out of SUVs. And then tax them some more. 5) Gun control. 6) Abolish the death penalty.

Hottie McHotterson

Backstory: A friend from high school came in town who I hadn't seen for four years. I had to go to her father's funeral, and we also were hanging out. It was my first time really letting go and having fun. So here are my NSVs 1) Started this journey at tight 28. Yesterday, had to go to a funeral - slipped on a size 22 no problem. Bit of a muffin-top issue, but my shirt was long/loose enough it didn't look funny. 2) After the funeral, food spread included: Turkey, ham, cheese, rolls (yum), carrot cake, chips & salsa. I had 2 slices turkey, 1 slice ham, and 2.5 slices cheese. NO BREAD!! 3) So I drank a fair amount of red wine yesterday... I think it ended up being around 3 glasses (probably ended up being around 200-300 calories). Well, after I was already basically tipsy/drunk, we went to another bar. I did not order another drink, which was good. Also, my friends ordered Pub Chips (delicious chips w/ seasoning, eat w/ ranch dressing). Even inebriated, I DID NOT PARTAKE!! 4) This morning I took her to my favorite Breakfast place (where they have like caramel pear french toast, and blts with eggs and pesto mayo - delicious). Well I ordered the smoked salmon wrap (smoked salmon, goat cheese, spinach, egg, tomato in a spinach tortilla) and subbed a house salad for the home fries. I ate 1/2 the wrap (fillings only), and about 1/2 the salad. And no bites of biscuits & gravy or strawberry pancakes! I rule! I realize a lot of these are "I didn't eat/drink X", but that is my hardest thing - to stick to the diet on the weekend, when I'm out, when I'm having fun, when I'm celebrating, when it's a special occasion - whatever. So it was really good for me to be able to say "This is a special occasion, and I can drink 3 glasses of wine, but it doesn't need to be 3 glasses of wine, plus pub chips, and rolls, and pancakes, etc." OH, and the SV: I woke up this morning, convinced I'd plateau'ed myself yesterday. Nope, down 2 more lbs!!

Thanks everybody. I had sort of a hard day eating wise, both yesterday and today. My big eating trigger is when I am lonely or bored. Sitting around watching tv and waiting for people to come home just makes me :hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry::hungry: I still didn't eat any junk food, but still, overeating is overeating. So I went to the gym today and did the elliptical for like an hour. I feel better. And I took my measurements tonight. In total, since surgery, I have lost a little over 24.75 inches. So that feels good. Maybe I will shower up and take some new pictures tonight.

Wait until you eat something (i.e. not liquids) before being afraid that you can eat anything.

You look like you're doing pretty amazing. You've already lost almost 25% (24.5) of your excess weight!!! Pick up a bag that weights 27 lbs. and try to carry it up the stairs - thats when you really realize your strength

DBurlap - A certain amount of anxiety is inevitable. The nice thing is, you're not the only one. You can basically find someone to answer any question you have - someone has been through it. K@t - Yeah I just am unsure, I hate the idea of more surgeries, but I know I will probably do PS, because I am not going to spend the rest of my life being unhappy with my body. EmileeKaye & MsButterKup23 - Yeah I've been trying to really mentally prepare myself for dealing with all the good things/normal things that I will have post-weight loss. I know I will have moments where I don't realize I'm not fat. I already still think of myself as being around 315-330, and I'm at 276. I started this journey with tight 28s (skirt @ LB - not stretch). yesterday I had to go to a funeral, and I was amazed that I easily slipped on a size 22. Sammee - I imagine the PS would take off at least a good chunk of that last 12 lbs. And I wouldn't worry about more skin issues from losing 5-10 lbs., unless there's something I don't understand.

Here, I started a thread for us. I think our experience is going to be different from teens, but probably more different than 30+ year olds too. So let's just have our own little party here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=236907#post236907

Okay, write this down: Take coffee tumbler (i.e. really big thermosy cup) Fill it to the brim with ice Pour coffee in Add 1-2 tbsp. sugar-free syrup or sweet n low Mix ENJOY! I also occaionally will order them in a coffeeshop. I just ask what varieties of SF syrup they have. At the grocery store, I have seen chocolate, caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, irish cream. Just make sure you check the nutritional label because brands will vary (I like Torani). Also, beware - they are expensive! Like $4 a bottle. But a bottle will last a while.

Well, I came home the next day, think I mght have weighed. Weighed all the time on that day actually. First official weigh-in was the day after that. I'm a daily weigher. Works for some, doesn't work for others.

I haven't had any stuck/pb episodes yet, but just based on my past eating compulsions, i'm afraid to even look at bagels and snickers. just can't do it.

oh, especially the coffee drinks! i used to be such a fancy-coffee addict, but they are such junk food! i trained myself first to get on regular coffee w/ cream & sweetnlow, then to iced coffee sweetnlow no cream, now i can have coffee hot or iced w/ sweetnlow or sugar-free syrup. MUCH better alternative.

I suggest a carb detox. It seems like you are filling your days with too many snacks/junk food (carby). After 3-5 days on a limited carb intake, your cravings will decrease. But the more you eat it, the more you want it. Here's an example of what I ate/drank today: 9am: Iced coffee with sugar-free caramel syrup, Water (0 everything) 10am: 2.5 oz. turkey sausage, 2 oz. egg beaters, 1 oz. shredded cheese. (9g fat, 185 cal, 3 carb, 0 Fiber, 3 sugar, 21.5 protein) 11am-2pm: finish coffee & 66 oz. water 2pm: 2 oz. chicken, 1 oz. broccoli, 1 oz. blue cheese, 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream, hot sauce (mixed together), plus 1 oz. turkey pepperoni & 1 oz. cheese (19g fat, 350 cal, 2.5 carb, .75 fiber, 1 sugar, 35.75 protein) 3pm: 16 oz. iced tea w/ 1 sweet & low 3pm-6:30pm - drink 34 oz. water 4pm: finish work - go to gym - 40 minutes elliptical 6:30pm: 1/2 c. chili Beans, 1 tsp. bbq sauce, 2 tbsp. cheese, 2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream (4 fat, 192 calories, 24 carbs, 6 fiber, 3 sugar, 11.5 protein) 7:30-10:30: drink 34 oz. water 9pm - do 3 sets of 20 arm exercises & thighmaster daily totals: 32g fat, 727 calories, 29.5 carbs, 6.75 fiber, 7 suger, 68.75 Protein a lot of people tell me i eat too little. i eat when i am hungry and try not to when i am not hungry. i know i have a real problem with compulsive eating, so i cannot let myself snack or graze unless i am truly hungry. i also don't believe that weight loss means "one-size-fits-all" - some people lose on 1500 calories a day, others on 700. it just depends. it's not just that eating/exercising this way makes me lose weight (which it does), it makes me FEEL better. over memorial day weekend, i had some crackers & pizza & bread, etc. when i came back home, it was SO HARD to not eat them. i just wanted to stuff my face w/ carbs. but i did a 3 day very limited carb intake (20g or less), and the cravings went away. for the most part, i try to stay below 30g net carbs (meaning total carbs minus fiber - sugar alcohols DO count) a day, and no more than half of those in sugar. i try to get all of my carbs only from foods naturally (i.e. beans, veggies, etc). it causes fewer cravings. just my $.02

I'm basically counting on at least some excess skin, I was just curious - when did you start to notice it? I've lost about 30% of my excess weight, and so far, I still have enough fat that the skin isn't sagging yet :scared:. So anyway, just curious. I was going to attach a poll, but I don't know how. Maybe for simplicity it would be good to say the percentage of weight loss when you noticed it in addition to the amount of weight loss (just because we are all special & unique snowflakes). Thanks

I've been having the same ideas! Granted, who knows what my body will look like. Based on the stretch marks, I know that my breasts are going to be a serious problem, and probably tummy too. I have some flab on my arms & thighs, but I am hoping they won't be too much of a problem. But then I worry because if I do have PS, I will probably be like 24 when I do. That's way too early to know if I am going to have kids, etc. And I don't think I'll be able to wait until I do have kids to have the body I want. Besides, unlike lots of bandsters, I'm not married! If I'm gonna be out & dating, I want to be comfortable in my body.

I weighed this morning at 279.8. Granted, I round that to 280 for my official weight, but to even SEE the 7 was good news. I want the 80s to be gone for good!!!