OH Juli

D I want to see a new picture! I got a few head shots done on Friday for something else...when I get to work tomorrow they should be in my email. I'll post one. Come on, you've lost over 61 pounds....I'm sure you look FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

Had a fun filled weekend of riding the bike. The GF and I put 80 miles on our bikes between Friday, Saturday and today. We fianlly got to ride with the lesbian group and they were amazing and so great! I'm so happy to have found them. The bad part about being with my honey is that we are bad influences on each other. Though yesterday we went to a Rib and Jazz festival and she got a funnel cake and ate it before coming back to the chairs so as not to tempt me. But no bother, I'd had more than a half of bottle of wine by then. So I didn't much care. That was the 2nd night in a row with wine. Oi! I'll probably come back from vacation 5 pounds heavier! That's only two weeks away!!!! Pamela, it will be awesome to meet you and your honey. Hope you all are well.

Thinking of this as the start of a fantastic journey is a good way to begin. It's going to be hard, but it's important. And really, it's not the worst of it. Getting cut and poked around in, stitched up and recovering is like getting hit by a truck. BUT IT IS SO WORTH THE EFFORT! Everything you do in advance of the surgery well will make you only that much more successful in the long run. Be strong and post on here for support.

I have a small child. I know your concerns... There are times when I say to myself, "It's really not okay to beat her!" when she's pushing my buttons.... I give her a time out and I give me a time out....you know, a few minutes on the stairs to cry and reflect and feel sorry for myself and hope she loves me still...it all ends with a hug. No food. Maybe it's too much to do with three little ones, but sometimes, like before you'd manage a way to get the food in. You can manage a way to go and sit, just for a few minutes until the situation difuses.

Decide on getting a fill based on how much you've lost or will have lost by the time your fill appointment comes around.

D 23.5 is AMAZING! It's crazy how quickly miles add up! As for the vegas plan we contacted a travel agent who is banded but she's not been very proactive about supplying us with details. I was telling the other planning people I'll give this TA until the end of the week then I'll find someone else to organize the trip for us. I bet we'll have a quiet board with BG and JC away from technology the next few days. You, me, HP and Annie are going to have to keep the conversation flowing! J

Hi gang, I had a bicycling full weekend. I was out for 16 miles on Friday, 31 yesterday and 33 today...yes, that's 80, eighty, eight zero, in a weekend!!!! I found a group of women cyclists with whom I rode today and they were great! Can I tell you most of them are a good 10 or more years older than me. God love um! And they were so welcoming. Woo Hoo. Denise, I'll hit that 220 by the end of the week! Hope everyone is well. I'm going to bed now.

Hi kids! The weekend rides are over and are ready........drum roll please..........I rode a total of 80 miles this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kill me. My ass is aching! But I feel good. This is what happens when my GF and I get together. We challenge each other to do more. We went out with the Women on Wheels group this morning. We thought it was going to be 24 miles. It ended up being 33, we detoured to get breakfast! Which was great. Hope you all are having a fun weekend too.

D What Annie said. That's restriction. Lunch meat does it to me everytime. I think it's because I don't use a fork to eat it...just shove it into my mouth! I've PB'ed about 3 times too...which is what you discribed with the added bonus of hacking up the food like a cat with a hair ball. EEWwwww JC- You're a funny dude. We rode 16 miles today! More tomorrow and 25 on Sunday!!! Woot Woot

A few years ago I thought I wanted bypass and went to see my PCP to talk about it. I was a mess and cried the whole time I was talking to her. She said the out pouring of emotion was a pretty good indicator it wasn't the right decsion for me, in her opinion. Thank GOD I didn't do it! When I learned about the lapband I KNEW it's what I wanted. I set up the appt with her and gave her the reasons why and so forth with out all the emotional hoo-ha. She was like, "You know what you want and you'll be my first. Let's get started." So, if you have good reason for wanting the band and can articulate that to your doctor, if he or she hears you, you should be okay.

Jacqui Welcome to our little piece of LBT, we've built a snug little place over here. I'm amused at you being worried about people looking at your backside though you run, run, run. I'm the opposite. Perhaps because by riding I figure I'm moving fast enough not to hear the snickering. My fear with running is that I'm going to fall in front of people and make an ass out of myself. Babygirl can testify that one can make an ass out oneself falling off of a bike too. Maybe one day you'll get that bike! JC-What a path you've been on! It's hard to imagine all the different stories that have brought us to this crossroads. There are so many painful lessons huh? I keep going back to that quote, "that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger." I love it! And Dude, you are one strong man. And the fact that you are hanging tough here with a bunch of chicas just proves it. Babygirl You couldn't be cuter! Nice ring too. BTW, it's been decide overtime is winning out over the apple cider century. If JC and hoosier come up for it I'm going to hate myself for not going, but my reality is cash comes first. I need the money. Boo HOO!

I thought about cutting my hair off.... Really, when I decided to get the surgery in Januray 2006 I started to let my hair grow. So it's pretty long now. I thought I'd let it grow during the whole weight loss process so when I get to my goal weight I can do a HUGE make over. I didn't realize I'd lose so much volume during the process. I'll look for the Protein spray. Juli

Annie You can look for someone who does eating disorders too. It's not that big of a jump to go from anorexia to obesity. (I LOVE telling that to the girls I suspect of having it. I'm a sadistical fat girl!) But really we get the same body dysmorphia and we are using food for power or comfort. So you could probably find someone close and in network if you are so inclined. Deanna, I'm really interested to see how you decide to go with the fill. I ponder it way too much myself too. As for eating pre period, or during or post...hormonally induced hunger is horrible. The desire to eat is freakish! But then it goes away. I ate huge amounts of baked chicken breast today. In the past I'd had eaten huge amounts of spaghetti or bacon or ice cream...so I'm still ahead of the game. Though working out today just didn't happen. I was feeling hateful and gross...tomorrow is a no work out day, I think...but we are riding 40 (maybe less) on Saturday and maybe 25 on Sunday. Come on Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm without a fill. When, should it ever happen, I lose fewer than 10 pounds a month I'll get a fill. For real, I don't want to mess with an equation that is working. I'm not too hungry and I want to be able to eat enough so as not to fall over when I'm biking 2 hours at a time. My doc and I agree I'll get a fill when I need one. It wasn't ugly coming around to this thinking. I kicked his chair and told him that I hated him. I was crying too at the time. Did I say I was dramatic earlier? I also am a big baby...really he and I were laughing at the time... Anyway, look at your equation of calories in and what you are burning and if you are HUNGRY. A loss of 10 a month is plenty. That's more than 2 a week. JC- I'm not ignoring your radar comment. I want to engage you in further conversation, but as you say you are at work....don't need to set you off at the office. Here's to hoping that our minds catch up to our super hot bodies! Annie, Did you get Snow White comparisons too? I'm sure you're very pretty. I'm getting all freckeled covered and tan, which is unusual because once upon a time I'd refuse to get out in the sun. But cycling and swimming has changed that. Blonde from a bottle and green eyed here.

BG- You are BABY girl after all. So long as you're out of diapers I'll talk to you like your grown. Annie- I can't tell you how much I love therapy! It's so indulgent...better than any new shoes...and it really is beneficial. I think it has been the KEY to my success so far. I'm sorry I missed "racing season". What are you racing? I'm too lazy to go back and figure it out. JC-awe shucks. Thanks. As a fella, I'm sure you have a different perspective, but when you get a minute we'd love to poke around in your brain to see what the heavy once, now healthy thing has done. Deanna- You're just my bud! God love ya. Isn't funny how we can think Annie is do different but we've got the same information. I think she's short, with brown eyes. (Now I'm just messing with you Annie!) what's your guess?

I'm losing hair too. My hair dresser confirmed it yesterday. I'm four months out and annoyed. I know it will come back, but herumph. I'll read old posts to get some ideas what I might be able to do....

Oh my, Annie, I so understand where you are coming from. I've been in therapy for a solid 14 months pre surgery and I've not stopped since. I talk about having gotten a band around my head at the same time I got one around my stomach. I love therapy! I have changed how I look at food and exercise and even how I live in this ravaged body. I really try not to look at the deflated skin as bad, but inevitable...but there are times when I just sob thinking of how much damage I've done to myself by being overweight for so long...but then I go back to one can't belabor the past. It's a mess, I tell you. Focus on the positives. I understand about not going to the pub and missing those relationships with the people who shared those old times. But old behaviors give us old results. Part of cycling with the group, is that I'm making new relationships with people who don't know me 75 pounds ago...who are active... But damn it's work, Always so much work. Annie, I don't know how old you are, but young adults have different kinds of relationships than we older people. I'm guessing you're 25ish???? With that said, if I'm wrong, ignor me. BG chime in, you're 27 to my 39. As we get older our relationships with friends change dramatically. People follow jobs, get married, have kids, change interests. So typically at twenty-one a woman will have 6 really good friends. At 30 she will 3. You might be experiencing part of that natural life change too, which is related to your weight loss, but also factors as well. So whew, who knew a bicycle thread would get so deep?

Deanna Your nutritionist can kiss my peanut loving behind! I do limit myself to about a tablespoon a day of peanut butter, but life wouldn't be worth living without it. --I'm a bit dramatic at times-- I'm so happy to hear you all were thining too regardless of the vitamins. I'm about 5 out of 7 days...or maybe 4.... I just see it on the brush and the drain, but it's getting long too, so I was like have I always shedded this much, but they were shorter hairs or is it really more hair? I hope it slows down. I'm 4 months out from surgery. Annie, how long did you notice before it stopped? OMG, I just looked at your stats! You've lost so much weight since December! Holy Cow! That's amazing! Do you share pictures???????? I'd love to see them! J

BG, I'm a peanut butter FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy cow! If they told me I could never eat it again I would die. I typically put it on rice cakes these days, it's the best food in the world. It's raining here too. The sun will come up tomorrow-ala Annie,

Lee, Could you use a spell checker or just proof read? FFS, it's not that hard. But clearly communicating doesn't seem to be a priority.

BG You're pretty funny. You'll get out there soon. EWWWWWW binging on protein drinks. At least eat something that will sit in your pouch and make you feel miserable. I got my hair cut and colored yesterday and my worst fear has been varified. My hairdresser says my hair is thinner!!!! Holy crap! I know I need to be religious about my vitamins and I am not, but I eat a friggen side of beef a day, or so it feels. I eat well over 100 grams of protein EVERYDAY! I know it can be a reaction from the surgery itself. Anyone taking Biotin? Or hell, it could be stress. I'm always stressed with, you know, this crazy life of mine. No bikey until Saturday for me. Maybe on Sunday too, I'll be going out. JC- Dude you are 5 pounds from goal....HOLY COW! That's fantastic! 15 pounds a month average too! I'm amazed!

I know I'm sooooo skinny looking! OH you were talking about the tires! You don't underinflate them by a lot because you'd lose performance but a bit, just to keep them from blowing out. But you also always, ALWAYs have a spare innertube with you. Or so it was beaten into me. Someone will come by with a tire pump, or you get one of those too, and attach it your bike.

They aren't going to burst because you under fill them by 5 PSI. I'll fill them completely when I hit 180...until then, I give them a little bit of squishiness. Just a tiny bit.

Hi people It's been a minute since I've stopped in. The GF and I are getting together this weekend at my house, not hers, which is a nice change. We've got a busy weekend planned...school and the kid and the biking are all going very well. Peace.

JC and everyone else on this board------- Do not ever, ever, ever apologize for talking about an accomplishment! Not here. We need a place to come to where we can say, I kicked some ass today! Brag on your bad selves, because who else will? And we all want to hear it! JC, dude-you are intense and fantastic. It's so cool to see your success! By the way, you need to talk again about the BikeE...I think now I know what it is. It's one of those funky upright ski with wheels things, right? Send us a link or a picture again. I biked with the group last night. My average speed was new all time high of 14 mph, I did 23 miles. The group dynamic is awesome. My gams are looking good!