OH Juli

Cher, There has got to be a data base of all gastric surgeons in the US somewhere that you can tap into to send info out to. Where else might one solicit attendees?

Carol We are not dead, exactly. We are in the midst of a regular LBT life cycle from what I can tell. Personally, I'm struggling with keeping it fresh and alive, by that I mean my relationship with my band. We've just kind of have gotten used to each other. LOL. Taking it out to a romantic dinner and dancing I don't believe is going to do the trick. What I am doing is heading to a new gym, getting a new trainer, and setting my eyes on my end goal of -50 by the end of 08. What goals are you all working on?

I can appreciate wanting do a challenge but I just don't have it in me to get back on here to report, etc. HP, I know there have got to be some. How about the 4th of July Challenge? I'm doing the "Don't eat the Cookie Challenge" as we speak.

It's about 3 hours for me. Many Columbus people go to that ride, HP. Let me know if you plan on going, we'll have to meet up!!! As of now, we don't know where we are staying, if there is room in the dorm or if we'll get a hotel room down the street. It's supposed to be gorgeous!!!!!!!! Looks like a ~62 miles on Saturday and ~30 ish on Sunday morning. All of which are sweet. The 63-100 miles (an option I'm passing on) are HILLY! The rest is bluegrass, rolling, horse country. They say the horses live better than we do. I'm sure of it!!!!!!!!

TX I'm meeting my potential trainer tomorrow for the first time, we're going to see if we are a good fit or not. I've gone to two spinning classes and "tone and sculpt" class that had me hurting 3 days. Three days of happy, I've been working my body hard hurting. C- Challenges are when you commit out loud on the board that you will exercise so many times or that you'll lose a few pounds and you track it on the forum. HP, What did you have in mind for a challenge???

Bluegrass Cycling Club - Horsey Hundred

My sympathies go to both families of the people who have suffered such tragic events. My heart hurts for them. I hope they all find peace eventually. You too Kathy. Sorry.

Yeah, if I had a DH or a GF that lived with me I'd be all about sharing the joy. Actually I'm a good team player, but to get all giddy about yard work on my own, that's just not going to happen. I think flowers are pretty, and I appreciate the hard work that makes a beautiful home, but there's just no time. Who's riding this weekend? I'm torn between going north, going south or staying home. Looks like south to Kentucky might win though...it's supposed to be beautiful this weekend. As for the convention in DFW, if that doesn't really happen we'll have to come see TX and B in the spring. Road Trip!!!!

As for encouragement I kind of had the same thing happen, where I'd struggle for a few weeks then bam I'd lose one then two then one then three for a few days in row. Shhhh don't tell anyone but I'm a daily weigher. Anyway, I thought of the days of loosing as fat just melting off me and dropping in little splats as I walked along. plop, plop, plop...I was losing weight... My point is your pattern is typical for some bandsters, so don't stop doing the right thing. My other point, is if you noticed I was writing in past tense, there are definate differences as to how we lose weight during the process so if you started one way then it changed that's also to be expected. Keep up the good work, really you are on the right track.

Landscaping? Isn't that when you pay the nice fellas to cut your yard, edge everything and maybe trim some shrubs? I mow the grass and that's about the extent of my landscaping. Maybe in a different life when I don't have other things I'd like to do like watch paint dry or have my toenails removed with plyers. You all are killing me.

I'd call the company and see if they give you remedy you can live with. I'd document where you bought it, how you cooked it, who touched the package etc, etc. from the microwave to your mouth. If you are not pleased with how the respond to you call a lawyer. Stuff happens in food processing plants all the time...

I didn't want to come across sounding critical. I want more bikes myself!

TX Girl I checked you out! What great pictures! You're such a fine looking cyclist! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So how likely is is that the conference will get off the ground for October? Do we opinions?

I'd take a bath in it daily if that would keep me from needing pastic surgery! LOL!

I have to agree it does cost more to feed a non banded person more to eat healthy than it does otherwise and that's one of the reasons for the obesity epodemic in the US. Yesterday I bought my DD a half pint of raspberries for $3.49 which made one snack for her. I could have bought a package of Cookies that would have made many many Snacks for her for the same price. Mind you the manufacturer of those cookies gets tax breaks and the supplier of the ingredients get financial breaks too from the government. It's a shame. There's a need for cheap abundant food for people living in poverty it's just a shame that that cheap food is so bad for a person. Sorry to hyjack the thread...

OMG, that's funny. I haven't measured the difference, but yes, the food bill at the grocery store is less AND the restaurant tabs are much lower. I'm sure there's some one here will give you some hard data to support your thinking. You can add better gas milage too for having to haul less weight I suppose too. However, the cost of new clothes will eat any savings you might see....but you don't need to tell DH that!!!!

I'm not a guy, but I'll second what Jack said. There's a bit of learning you might need to do. I see you're 24, so in my world you're just a kid. :leaving: My advice is be and do interesting things so you can be and have interesting things to talk about which don't hinge on the guy in the picture. Take up a hobby your Mr. Right might be into, rock climbing, moutain biking, rowing, theater and dig it for your own self. You'll be surprised how much you'll have to chat about with folks. Be open to meeting new people because even Mr Wrong has friends. Make pals with the gay guys at the gym, they have brothers who are straight or the gay girls for that matter. They (we) have an in with the straight boys that gets over looked often. Your fella is out there. He'll fall across your path if you keep moving. Good luck.

I'm kind of where your doctor is.... Wait and see. I've not weighed 130 since I was 12 years old. Hell, I've not weighed 193 since I was 17, but I was a size 20 then. Now I'm a size 16. The way the fat/skin sits etc has me wondering what the future holds. If at 150 I'm a size 10, I'll be consulting the PS then. My LB surgeon tells me I'm a bit premature in wanting a consult just yet, but he'll hook me up with some of his favorites when it's time. I've had a PS for a breast reduction and all I know is that I DONT want to see her. She was fine, but I feel like my results could have been better.

Sorry you're pooped from the weekend. My spring break is over today and I've not done half of what I thought I'd do. :leaving:

My own criteria I think. For insurance I need to be at my "goal" weight for 6 months and I need to have issues where it interferes with my quality of life. I've been documenting those with my PCP. I'm probably going to call my goal weight 145 for insurance's requirements, but really I think I want to see 130. I figure I've got ten pounds of skin on me that will go.... I want to be at goal by the end of 08, so I can sit and wait til the summer of 09 and get surgery just after I graduate with my MBA in Aug/Spet of 09. Then I want to leave my job.....hehehehe

HP If there was contest of the girl with the most bikes, you would win, hands down. I love her, very pretty. I keep thinking about a new bike for next year, but plastic surgery is going to take all my spare $$$. A new road bike will have to be on my 2010 list. Awesome job on getting a great deal!

When you get about 10 to 15 pounds above your REAL goal weight is about when I was told to get busy consulting surgeons. Because you've not got over 100 pounds plus, to lose, us bigger folk sometimes get some part way there surgery to get some of the skin, off but the end surgery is still 10-15 pounds from goal. Call your insurance and see what they may cover. Mine has me holding my goal weight for 6 months before they'll approve it along with having "quaility of life" issues.

Your normal is different, but it does become normal. You don't go to the buffet you go to regular restaurants and take food home or order small, like an appetizer and a vegetable. You make spaghetti and meatballs for your family and don't eat the Pasta, just the meat, sauce and veg. But there are constant reminders that just kind of become part of life. Like your friends want to grab a QUICK bite to eat, you're hungry, but you can't slam down a meal like used to do. The good news a little something will hold you over for a few hours. It's about adjusting. It's not bad, it's not like it used to be, but it is very doable. And once your hubby sees how you are enjoying life more, losing weight and being more energetic, he'll be happy with your decision too.

Golly, There are a few things I see here that I can relate to. People with substance abuse problems, say drinking, resent people who count their drinks. They say normal people don't count drinks. However if you were to ask a person who isn't an alcoholic how much they drink typically, they could answer you with a pretty definative number. Normal weighted people may not get on the scale daily and count calories but they do have an internal monitor that I'd argue Morbidly Obese (MO) people are missing. Does this make an MO bad? No, just different. The other thing that kind of ties to this thinking, a way to live ones life productively, is to understand this condition is chronic. It won't go away. Like diabetes if you treat it, you can control it, and if you are consistent controling it is easier. MO is like that. Then when you talk about control there's an image of a wagging dog's tail and a flea hanging on. You are the flea. If you are on the end of the tail you can be flailing all over the place, but the closer you get to the dog's behind the less out of control you'll be wagged. So the process is getting closer to the dog's butt so you need not hang on so tightly. I don't know, this thinking works for me.