FemmeOne

Rae, your doctor will tell you when you can start exercising. Everyone's doctor seems to be a little different in what they recommend, too, so just ask if they don't tell you. About the extra skin, I bet at your age you won't have a problem. I'm 56, and have lost 69 lbs so far and my arms are a'flapping! I'm not terribly concerned about it though, and would probably never have plastic surgery. That's always an option though for people who do have a lot of extra skin.

Jodi! I'm so sorry we didn't get together. I never did see your e-mail, and I posted mine (but you must have not seen it)! We were very busy doing things, and I hadn't been to NYC in 2 years (all my vacation time has been spent with my mom since she's been ill). But it would have been great to meet you! Let's try for next time. Fences was wonderful, and Denzel is an amazing actor. The rest of the cast were great too. Just a sad family story, but lots of laughs too. AND we did make it to the Town Shop; I got fitted for a very good bra and am so happy with it! On the rest of my trip, my daughter kept looking over at me and saying, "Gee, Mom, your boobs look great!" Hah!! It does make a huge difference having a well-fitting bra. I've already looked on E-Bay and can get the same model for a lot cheaper, so I'll be able to get more. We also tried on tons of bathing suits, but I wasn't prepared to spend the big bucks on them, and I really didn't find anything I fell in love with. Other things we did: A klezmer music brunch at the City Winery on Mothers Day. I love klezmer, and it was great (it's Eastern European Jewish music...I call it laughing clarinets cause that's how it sounds). We went to the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of American Folk Art. Also did some shopping, but no big purchases for me, although DD found some good stuff. I saw some interesting jackets I want to try to knock off and make myself. We went to the movies to see Please Give, and after the movie, they had a Q&A with the producer and Amanda Peet, one of the stars of the movie. Then, as we were walking out, we saw Michael J. Fox coming out of the men's bathroom! Lots of celebrity sightings this trip!! We saw Whoopie Goldberg at Fences, too. I'm doing well on the exercise and the food. Before I left for me trip, I was doing zumba every day! I'm still going every day or every other day now. It's addictive, I think. I just feel so good from the sweating and dancing, and it's so much fun. It's doing amazing things for my depression, and I don't feel depressed at all since I've been doing it. ONe of the instructors I like doesn't do too much jumping and knee stuff, so my knees are doing ok. I"m fitting into clothes I haven't been able to wear for 3 years or so. Also got rid of a ton of too big stuff. I made a bunch of new knits tops before I left, so I do have some new stuff to wear. Jodi, I'm sorry to hear about your asthma attack. My DD's partner has bad allergies and she was really suffering last week with all the pollen. Even my eyes were running, and I don't have that bad of allergies. Apparently it's a really bad year for them.

Hi all. I haven't been posting for a while, but I've kept up reading the posts. Was in New York for 5 days, visiting my daughter for my birthday and Mothers Day. I had a great time; we were so busy. She took me to see Fences, a play on Broadway starring Denzel Washington. It was very good. We ate out a lot, but I had no problems with food. Even lost a pound with all the walking we did! Also got a body scrub at the Korean spa castle; I've never felt so clean in my life! I think the lady took off the top five layers of skin! Hope everyone had a nice Mothers Day. Karen, I'm hoping the dental work goes smoothly. I"ll talk more soon!

Thanks for the lamb recipes, Janet and Laura! I think I'm going to try some chops on the grill this weekend. That is if it ever stops raining! (Shari Lewis and Lambchop just popped into my head---You young ones won't remember this, but it was a kid's show on TV when many of us here were kids.) Please get out the wet noodle. I deserve it. Yesterday was a pretty good food day until I got home. Tried eating chicken thighs and artichokes and pb'ed about 4 times. Then ate ice cream to "soothe" my stomach (what a great excuse, right?) I know I ate too fast again. When will I ever learn? There's a guy at my support group who says he still eats too fast and he's over 2 years out! My poor husband said he feels terrible when I have a bad episode like that. I tell him it's not a problem, and he doesn't need to worry but he still feels bad. He's a good guy. Jessica, you look SO pretty in those pics. How great to see your progress like that!

Hi LBers! I'm having a lazy afternoon here watching The History Detectives. The rainy day seems to have made me less motivated! Today is Little 500 day (bicycle race) here in Bloomington, and it's probably been rained out. Ever see the movie "Breaking Away"? That's my town. (great movie, by the way) Great, I hope one of those lookers decides to buy. Eva, work work work! I hope your purse party went well. Wish I was closer to you gals in the desert, cause I'd love to hang out with you. And get to know your tortoises! Cheri, wow on the weight loss! You're an inspiration that I can actually get to goal. Janet, how do you cook your lamb chops? I've never been a big fan of lamb (mostly because I never had it while growing up), but lately I've been liking it. I'm going to have to try some on the grill. Jessica, sounds like you have the right idea on where to be with the cleaning. I'm glad you're liking your new living situation too. You're doing great with all the stress in your life lately---moving AND school AND kid, etc. Linda, sorry to hear you have fibromyalgia. I have a friend at work who really suffers with it at times. Healing thoughts are coming your way. Apples, hope this weekend at the lake is a good one. We miss you though! Ms bubba, hope this next treatment helps. You've been through so much; I'm sending healing thoughts your way, too. Jodi, let's exchange info so maybe we can meet up in NYC. I'm only going to be there from May 6-10. I know my daughter has a lot planned for us but I hope there'll be a little time for us to meet. Welcome, Battle Cat, let us know how you're doing. These ladies here have really helped keep me on track. (or get back on track!) I'm terrible about remembering (CRS) so I apologize for leaving anyone out. Had a fill appointment this week, but didn't get one. I just am still pb'ing too often, and want to see if me eating more slowly and carefully will stop this! I'm afraid of being too tight (heard too many bad stories). Saw my surgeon in the office, and he was SO complimentary... a total of 65 lbs lost in 7 months. it made me blush! He's a really nice man. I'm frustrated because I wanted to upload some photos today (before & after). BUT my software is gone, and I can't download it from the Canon site! They want $25 for a new software CD, and I've been looking for my old one all day. Argh...I have no idea where I might have put it. So much for being disorganized!

I'll definitely take a 1 lb a week loss; it's just that I think I could be doing better. I've been exercising a lot, but have been eating too much too. Still a problem with the sweets. Cheri, I'm an INFP in the Meyers-Briggs system. Just like you, only an introvert instead of an extrovert! When my husband and I took the test, it really helped me to understand a lot of our differences. It also said that less than 1% of the population has my INFP designation, so that explained why I always felt like such an oddball all my life!! I was sorry to read about your experience in choir. Hang in there. Most people do understand. Both my husband and son are ADD, and I know that saying things that "sound" wrong is something they do a lot. I've learned that no malice is intended. Have a great day everyone!:smile:

Sounds like everyone is really busy. Apples, I always knew it was hard work running a farm, but now I feel like I really get it when I read your posts. I'm glad you have the free time now to get some time at the lake. Had my LB support group meeting tonight and it was good. We have a good group and I really like the support people that work in the office. I weighed myself and have lost another 2 lbs. I'll take it; I'm losing about a pound a week now. Happy anniversaries!

Hi ladies! All talk about concerts is making me jealous! Janet, I absolutely love Earth, Wind, and Fire! Lucky you to get to go. I happen to be sitting in my living room listening to Aretha Franklin right now, and someone mentioned getting to see her. My daughter took me to Radio City Music Hall in NYC a few year's ago for my birthday to see her. It was great. We get a lot of good music coming to town here, but anymore I just hate the crowds. The last concert I went to I left because the college crowd was just so rude. They all had their cell phones out texting or taking photos. Just getting too old and grouchy, I guess! Went to zumba today...didn't get to go so much last week. Been off on my food and need to get back on track. Staying still on the scale, and I'm determined to get the rest of this weight off! One really good non-scale victory I've had lately is not having to wear my orthopedic shoes with the orthotics all the time. I actually have been able to wear some of my old "pretty" shoes instead of the clunky ones. Makes me feel good!

A really good test of those Charco Caps, Apples, would be for me to try em here at the fart-o-rama fest. Except I'd have to be taking them all the time. :thumbup:

Happy Birthday, Eva!!! Hope you have a great day. Apples, I followed your advice yesterday and didn't have a problem with getting stuck or pb'ing at all. Just goes to show that you really have to work on changing those habits of eating fast.

Jodi, that would be really cool if we could meet. My daughter lives waaaay up there in Washington Heights, and teaches elem. school there. We end up doing a bunch of stuff downtown though, which usually includes a trip to the garment district for me to buy fabric! I think we're going to the Town Shop for the bras...I should look for a bathing suit while I'm there too! My e-mail is deborah.dechurch@gmail.com, so you can contact me there about the details.

Apples, I will do that (eat slowly this week with eraser-sized bites) and see if I'm just too tight. Good advice! I definitely don't want to risk anything bad happening. I sort of always have erosion and slippage in the back of my mind. I forgot to tell you all that I had a funny sewing day yesterday. I decided to make a scarf and ended up sewing through my finger twice! Just the tip, so it wasn't anything terrible, but the worst part was having to cut the threads that went through my finger so I could detach myself from the scarf!! Yikes. I also started making a cool wrap top from a pretty lilac knit. It's the sort of thing that'll be good for cool spring and summer nights. I don't know if I told you already, but I'm going to see my daughter in NYC for my birthday in early May. I'm very excited about going---we're going to go to this cool Korean spa and take in the Met (my favorite museum), and go specialty bra shopping in this little store that has expert bra ladies to fit you. How exciting is that?! hee I always love going to see her, and NYC is a lot of fun. Mucho walking, so I'm glad that I'm in better shape than the last time I was there. One of the reasons I'm making some clothes is for this trip. I don't want to buy a lot of new stuff, and I have the fabric already, so I just need to sew it up. I'll have to post a pic of the scarf.

Hi ladies! It's a beautiful Sunday morning (well, afternoon, now) here. I lazed around a bit and listened to This American Life on the radio (we listen to a lot of radio), had my steel cut oats with strawberries cooked in it (yum!), and then put on my cleaning clothes and have begun to spring clean. Vacuumed all the draperies and shades (I have wooden wide slat blinds too, in the natural wood color). Scrubbed all the floors upstairs. Wiped down the steps. Now am getting ready to either A) tackle the huge mess in the sewing room, or :confused: get outdoors and weed and clean up the yard. We're going to Menards to pick up a new patio set I saw yesterday. We like to eat outside on the deck and because our deck isn't very big, it's hard to find the right-sized set for it. Peas, I hope I don't have to get an unfill. Yesterday was a very bad pb day. I really do think it's becuase I finally have a good restriction and I'm still not used to it. I eat so fast...and big bites. I'm frustrated with myself for not "getting" this yet. Anyway, today so far is good (but I just had oatmeal). Tonight is our potluck book club, so I hope I can eat slowly. It's harder when I'm around people. Janet, I never said how great you looked in your pics. And you too, Linda...you are inspirations! I just have to get some new pics taken of me and put them on here. There's a horrible "fat" one of me on FB that someone posted. I should use that as my before pic. Eva, sounds like you put in a good day's work yesterday!! Mixing concrete ain't easy! Jodi, you are doing fantastic! It's nice, isn't it, when you get a surprise like that much weight loss? Mmmm...my house is smelling so good from the Murphy's oil soap...I love the smell of clean!