OH Juli

Thanks everyone. I'm now offically 40. ZZ, Congratulations!!!! Woo mother effin' HOO! JC, Duuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I've missed you. I particularly heart your sign offs. JthesweetestdudeeverC TX, Falling stinks. Getting up and riding with out crying stinks even worse. C, I see you made it through another day and haven't eaten the key board. It's hard to make it mushy. Your hell days will be over soon. BG, I'd say gloves. Well since I have one of yours, you're going to need them sooner than anything else. Warm clothing, a case of Cock Blocks (Cliff Blocks), the pump, a cute fanny pack, warm gear, an ass flasher, shoe coverers, one or two jerseys. I'll take 'em next year when they are too big. Sporty sunglasses, a wind breaker, warm clothing, bike lock, bones bike carrier, camping gear for your summer trip, lip gloss, that cute black top at Macy's you really loved.... Oh, BTW, we shopped at Macy's , I'll say it twice, we shopped at Macy's! We were dorks in the fitting room, probably making other shoppers think we were on crack, but as you all well know, department stores are not freindly to plus size people. B, my main man, if I had your phone number I'd call. I miss you. D, you too. XO Chica.

So how do you other Foodies deal with being banded and your interest in food? You know what I mean by Foodies, right? You know you like the history and the science behind how food is what it is. It is such an integral part of who I am. I'm not really having issues reconciling my Banded self with my Foodie self, but I was wondering what others might be doing. For example-I'm in love with steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. I'll eat goat cheese on a salad in place of American cheese. I've rediscovered root vegetables.... Please share your thoughts:hungry: OH Juli

Becca, Again I'm going to go with the stats are correct. What you see on LBT are people who are actively working toward goal. OUR stats are much better than average because we invest our time/energy into this tool. Unfortunately (for them) those who pad the lower numbers wouldn't be around here to see your suggestion. But here's to those who care getting to goal. Cheers!!!

If you can only do 5 minutes this week, do 5 minutes. Plan on doing 6 or 7 next week. THEN DO IT. Plan on increasing your time until you reach 30 minutes. Only then increase your speed. I mean this on a bike, a treadmill, an ellypitical machine, walking outside. You'll want to throw in some weight training after a month or so. Again go at is slowly. but be consistent. I started walking 10 minutes a day in October 06. I ran a 5k a few months ago and can ride a bike for over 50 miles in a morning. Trust me girl, it can be done. Keep setting new goals and keep achieving them!

No beer. No fruity drinks. Shots will knock you on your ass like you won't believe. Find a mixed drink you like and drink it slowly. If you don't lose quickly enough think about not drinking to see it's impact. If not drinking isn't an option you have bigger problems than being overweight. Just saying...

I think the stats are accurate. You are the deciding factor as to where you want to fall on the bell curve. Make up your mind and don't let anything, not one thing, get in your way of accomplishing your goal. Going in thinking -44 is the best you can do, it will be the best you can do. Good luck.

Exercise comes to mind. But you'll also be busy doing things with people. Cooking, etc. There's plenty to do in this world. Start making a list of things you don't have time for now and do them later.

A simple answer is, "What you are doing isn't working. You need to do something different." Losing weight won't fix all the problems in your life, but it will make taking the challenges on much much easier. Because you'll not be spinning your wheels fighting the same old fight of weight loss and you'll have the energy to deal those other issues. As for lapband verse bypass, that's a whole different thread... It's the best thing I've ever done for myself. Period.

I get acid with new fills, when I'm probably tighter than I should be. The solution for me is to not eat after 6pm. I'm an evening eater so it's hard, but after three nights of choosing to eat and not sleeping, sleeping won. If it pursists see your doc. HTH.

I'm going to guess it could have been a combination of things. If were already going to get a migraine and it just made things worse, or you may not have chewed well enough. You might want to "prime" your band with a bite then wait 5 minutes to eat the rest. It is a fickle thing. Your experience you just had stinks. yuck

Are you too thin? No? Then don't worry about what other people say.

I'm single too, and only have my picky eater daughter with me 50% of the time. I make meatballs and freeze them. Take out two at a time. Same with meat loaf. I make Soup and take in what I know I will not eat to work and share. I can tolerate something for about 4 meals then I'm just sick of it. Fish that are individually quickly frozen and packaged you can grab only one at a time to thaw and cook... And I've gotten used to throwing out food. It's just what happens.

I'm living the life I always wanted to live. It's by my design and not someone else's. I'm stronger, happier, and more fun to be around. I'm daring and joyous. I've made new friends who do interesting things like bicycling, running, and golfing. I don't sit on the side lines. There is clarity in my decision making because I don't wring my hands all the time saying, oh dear will I fit, will I eat, will I be included. I'm full of gratitude for my health and my abilities. And physically: My daughter wraps her arms all the way around me. I have a lap she can sit on. I can go on and on.

I told you I love my child more than you love your children. I thought I made that clear.

Laura I'm with you, on the "You've lost that much and you're still that big?!" thoughts someone might be having as I tell them how much. What irritates me are the people who just didn't want to know me as fat and are weight obsessed. I just don't want to give the satisfaction of knowing my business. It really is an each as your own proposition. I certainly don't judge people who tell.

"I love my child more than you love yours." Oh, that's not what is being said exactly but that's what I keep seeing. And it's a bunch of tripe. We all love our babies, doesn't matter if they are 3 or 30. All reasonable people do the best that they can for their children, don't you think? Just saying...

Forgive me for not posting pictures. Here's a link though. Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket What's sad is there's no picture of the "Ohio loves me" Tshirt I got BG, or a picture of the Llamas we saw when I fell off the bike. Or her smoking with the gay boys at the bar. Good times. Stacy is fun and somewhat crazy. I heart her very much.

Wait a minute, let me go poo, weigh myself and get back to you.

Amen to an end to the mommy wars. My child is a wild one who never liked to be held if there was something more intersting than soft music and dark room. A carrier kept her from being dropped and kicked by me out of frustration. I've pushed her down in a parking lot at age 2 because she was running away from me and I couldn't grab her. It seemed like the lesser of two dangers either she goes down and gets a scrape or a car hits her. I'll pick up any child that will sit on my hip and hold them now, because she so didn't let me do it. However at 6 she's all over me when I'm on the couch cuddling all the time. Don't judge the momma, you don't know the child.

I'm funny about how I approach the whole how much have you lost, etc questions. If you're my pal and you relate to me on more than just my body size, I'll be way more forthcoming. I'll tell you what I've lost. But if all you do is talk to me about my weight loss and had no time for me before, you get the "lots" answer. I just don't feel like giving that to someone who apparently only sees weight and numbers. I don't know. I like the idea asking a personal question in back at them, but I'm inclined to ask "How much money do you make?" more than about sex, well, because income is a number. Some people are proud some feel under valued, but really my relationship with has nothing to do with thier income, nor should the number on my scale. Rambling.... Hope all are well. XO

Nikki I don't blame you for staying home. Kids are our priorities. We'll have to take our children to the Zoo or Zoe and I'll will come down to Canal to hang at a park with you guys. (My favorite bike shop is down there, so any excuse to stop in...) I'm not going to make it to May's meeting and I'd love to see you before June. I'll PM you.

HP Cute pic, BTW.

C- I was off work a full two weeks with my surgery. The first week I felt like I was hit by a truck, the second week I thought I'd be playing...but I really needed it for sleeping and recovering. I'm probably more whimpy than most, but my point is allow yourself to heal as best possible without pushing it, if your schedule allows it. TX I heart hills. But I'd die on that ride too. You are such a trooper! There's no shame in getting your ass kicked by a ride. It gives you a base line to work against so you conquer it next time. Rock on Chica! ZZ, WYD, WTF with snow/sleet in April. That's just wrong. It's chilly here and raining too. Glad we rode yesterday. BG Once I get my homework done I'll put all the pics on photobucket so you can pick them up and do what you want with them. K? Off to study. XO

Sorry I hit the meeting at the last minute and didn't get to talk with everyone. Next time perhaps. Nurse Niki, I missed you!!! Hope you're okay.

I just appreicate a period at an end of a thought. Also new paragraphs. It just makes it easier to read. Spelling errors eh, I can deal with.