ifyourstomachoffendsyou

Maintenance scares me. I'm getting a fill to help me maintain. I'm to the point where I just need a tweak. But I can eat too much, especially at night. I'm working on my issues. I don't journal my food, being ADHD makes me go crazy trying to keep track of details, it just makes me want to eat, so I journal my food-related issues on lapbandtalk and on my blog. I frequently focus on my ADHD, my codependancy, my arthritis related pain, etc. I also work on my mental state by focusing on the good things in my life. Philippians 4:8 says, Finally brothers(and sisters), whatever is true, , whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Change your thoughts, change your brain, change your life. I'm working on creating that paradigm shift inside my brain to help turn off the emotional cravings for food. I rely on God to fill the spiritual hunger, particularly through staying involved in my church, especially the music (praise) ministry, which for me is a whole body, mind, and spirit experience. The exercise I'm getting and the high protein diet are actually very good for the ADHD. And I'm an Alanon veteran who knows the value of letting go and letting God deal with the dysfunctional people in my life. I still work the 12 steps when it comes to wanting to control people and places and things. That helps. I'm practicing contentment, being content in all my circumstances, good and bad, knowing that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That's from Phillipians 4: 11-14. I'm also practicing balance, which is part of contentment. I don't want to get addicted to continued weight loss, or to exercise, or to work, or to church, or to people, or to anything. Maintaining balance helps me maintain balance in my food. I try to do what I'm good at and put my focus there instead of on trying to be good at things I'll never be good at. As an ADHD person, I have others who keep me organized. I try not to let anyone guilt me into doing things I'm not good at or that will knock me out of balance. What I do well, I make myself better at. What I'm good at is teaching. What I'm good at is building relationships with children that make them want to learn. I help them experience success and then make that snowball. I observe their learning style and find the blocks as well as the strengths and then I experiment with methods and materials that I think might help until I find what does. I pour all my energy and love into what is an incredibly rewarding job, working with academically at-risk students from one of the communities with the highest rates of murder in the city of Chicago. For relaxation and fun, I play with and take care of my grandchildren who always make me laugh. These things helped me lose the weight. They should help me maintain. Cheri

Maintenance scares me. I'm getting a fill to help me maintain. I'm to the point where I just need a tweak. But I can eat too much, especially at night. I'm working on my issues. I don't journal my food, being ADHD makes me go crazy trying to keep track of details, it just makes me want to eat, so I journal my food-related issues on lapbandtalk and on my blog. I frequently focus on my ADHD, my codependancy, my arthritis related pain, etc. I also work on my mental state by focusing on the good things in my life. Philippians 4:8 says, Finally brothers(and sisters), whatever is true, , whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Change your thoughts, change your brain, change your life. I'm working on creating that paradigm shift inside my brain to help turn off the emotional cravings for food. I rely on God to fill the spiritual hunger, particularly through staying involved in my church, especially the music (praise) ministry, which for me is a whole body, mind, and spirit experience. The exercise I'm getting and the high protein diet are actually very good for the ADHD. And I'm an Alanon veteran who knows the value of letting go and letting God deal with the dysfunctional people in my life. I still work the 12 steps when it comes to wanting to control people and places and things. That helps. I'm practicing contentment, being content in all my circumstances, good and bad, knowing that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That's from Phillipians 4: 11-14. I'm also practicing balance, which is part of contentment. I don't want to get addicted to continued weight loss, or to exercise, or to work, or to church, or to people, or to anything. Maintaining balance helps me maintain balance in my food. I try to do what I'm good at and put my focus there instead of on trying to be good at things I'll never be good at. As an ADHD person, I have others who keep me organized. I try not to let anyone guilt me into doing things I'm not good at or that will knock me out of balance. What I do well, I make myself better at. What I'm good at is teaching. What I'm good at is building relationships with children that make them want to learn. I help them experience success and then make that snowball. I observe their learning style and find the blocks as well as the strengths and then I experiment with methods and materials that I think might help until I find what does. I pour all my energy and love into what is an incredibly rewarding job, working with academically at-risk students from one of the communities with the highest rates of murder in the city of Chicago. For relaxation and fun, I play with and take care of my grandchildren who always make me laugh. These things helped me lose the weight. They should help me maintain. Cheri

Maintenance scares me. I'm getting a fill to help me maintain. I'm to the point where I just need a tweak. But I can eat too much, especially at night. I'm working on my issues. I don't journal my food, being ADHD makes me go crazy trying to keep track of details, it just makes me want to eat, so I journal my food-related issues on lapbandtalk and on my blog. I frequently focus on my ADHD, my codependancy, my arthritis related pain, etc. I also work on my mental state by focusing on the good things in my life. Philippians 4:8 says, Finally brothers(and sisters), whatever is true, , whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Change your thoughts, change your brain, change your life. I'm working on creating that paradigm shift inside my brain to help turn off the emotional cravings for food. I rely on God to fill the spiritual hunger, particularly through staying involved in my church, especially the music (praise) ministry, which for me is a whole body, mind, and spirit experience. The exercise I'm getting and the high protein diet are actually very good for the ADHD. And I'm an Alanon veteran who knows the value of letting go and letting God deal with the dysfunctional people in my life. I still work the 12 steps when it comes to wanting to control people and places and things. That helps. I'm practicing contentment, being content in all my circumstances, good and bad, knowing that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That's from Phillipians 4: 11-14. I'm also practicing balance, which is part of contentment. I don't want to get addicted to continued weight loss, or to exercise, or to work, or to church, or to people, or to anything. Maintaining balance helps me maintain balance in my food. I try to do what I'm good at and put my focus there instead of on trying to be good at things I'll never be good at. As an ADHD person, I have others who keep me organized. I try not to let anyone guilt me into doing things I'm not good at or that will knock me out of balance. What I do well, I make myself better at. What I'm good at is teaching. What I'm good at is building relationships with children that make them want to learn. I help them experience success and then make that snowball. I observe their learning style and find the blocks as well as the strengths and then I experiment with methods and materials that I think might help until I find what does. I pour all my energy and love into what is an incredibly rewarding job, working with academically at-risk students from one of the communities with the highest rates of murder in the city of Chicago. For relaxation and fun, I play with and take care of my grandchildren who always make me laugh. These things helped me lose the weight. They should help me maintain. Cheri PS I like this post so much I'm going to put it in my blog, ifyourstomachoffendsyoutieitoff.

I've lost 67lbs since June 18, and I always make the most progress after a fill. But now with only 3 lbs to go I'm slowing down and trying to transition to maintenance. We all go at our own pace. The last 2 months have been four-5 lbs instead of 8-10. I only had 70 to lose but it has totally changed my health and my looks. Keep on keeping on. Cheri

3 lbs to go. Taking my time. Scheduled another fill since my restriction has just about disappeared. Walking a lot. Not overeating, just not restricting like before. Fill will help me lose the last few lbs and move into maintenance. Cheri

On fills: At U of I Chicago they don't remove and then put back and do not measure amounts. They believe that's bad for the band. They look through a floroscope when filling the band in order to tell how much is going through the band. You have to swallow some yucky barium drink. I have read however, that fluid can hide in the wrinkles or crinkles of the band, so the fluid is still there that seems to have gone missing. Let your Dr. reassure you. Julie, third time may be the charm, particularly if accompanied by a letter from a lawyer. Also, lifting Mimi may be aggravating your neck and shoulder. I don't have any tightening of the band after lifting but I imagine lifting shifts the band and causes irritation of those with adhesions the lifting may cause pulling and swelling that makes the band feel tight. When my neck or back is bad I sit down and have grandchildren climb on me with an assist from me so I don't lift the full weight. I frequently falll asleep with a Fisherman's Friend in my cheek. I use these while singing, also. They have a sugar free version my husband orders on-line. I also sleep sitting up when I have a tickle cough, usually the remnants of a cold. Apples vertigo is nasty. Have your husband wake you up when its over. Lori, glad your DD is being so wise. My husband, who is 62 and retired for now, sleeps unbelievable hours. Full nights sleep and frequently beyond, then sleeps watching TV off and on throughout night and afternoons if I'm home. I love my husband and he treats me very well, but I don't think I could take adjusting to anyone else's peccadillos ever again in my life. Twice was enough. Janet, hope the baby gets better. Laura, so glad your dad's doing so well. Don't worry about Nel's food. Those round cheeks of his are perfect. He'll eat when he's hungry again. The main thing is fluids as I'm sure you know. I have to laugh sometimes when you talk about how you bundle him up when you're cold. I've found that if kids are cold they'll let you know. It's the leave them alone and they'll come home part of child-raising. I see so many parents cooking one thing after the other trying to find the one thing their child will agree to eat. Which totally puts the child in control. Or threatening them if they don't eat everything on their plate. Talk about a pre-cursor to eating disorders. My DGS is a very picky eater because of the autism to which many sensory issues are attached. My daughter just keeps things she knows he likes to snack on that are good for him that he can eat when he's in the right frame of mind for it. Prewrapped rectangular cheddar is one of his favorites. His cheese has to even be shaped a certain way, and never melted. No foods mixed together. Lots of Mac n Cheese. Yoghurt, nuts, and beef jerky sticks. Cut up bowls of fruit he can pick his favorites out. Makes it easy on her so she isn't tempted to pressure him to eat at meal time. Give kids just a couple of simple choices that are healthy and they can serve themselves and all the hassle goes out of mealtime. No more power struggles. You won't ever win with an autistic kids and his food. Jessica: you're doing great. As far as PTSS, it doesn't take much to cause it. Living with undiagnosed ADHD and not knowing what made life such a struggle when I was obviously so bright was a good part of mine. Living with an alcholic certainly contributed. But I totally believe I was also born without an off switch in my brain when it comes to food. Brain research is showing that that's true for most of us who struggle with food. Don't need any PTSS or major trauma to create food addiction. We were born with it and in this country we can freely indulge it. Charlene, the fibromyalgia must be really horrible. You're doing remarkably well all things considered. Linda--wow! Great exercise. I'm glad you're relaxing a little about the speed of your weight loss. I'm slowing down, too. Partly my body saying, OK, that's about enough now, partly me slowing down on purpose. I could get addicted to losing weight and to exercise so I've made a choice to stop where I feel good, am healthy, perfect BMI, and look good in clothes again. Well, weight is stable. But I no longer have first bite syndrome, which warning I really need, and I can eat dense meats fairly quickly and in quantity so, I'm really glad I scheduled that fill on Feb 2. I want my weight range to be between 165 and 170. I'm right at 170. I think the fill will help me get to the official 167 lb goal and maintain it. I'm no longer at my sweet spot and I want it back. I'm in a size 12 at 170 lbs. For comparison, I was in a size 12 at the age of 17 and weighed no more than 140. Sizes have really changed. Cheri Wonder how many people posted while I wrote this!

Meredith, so sorry for your pal and her mother. I hope her father or some other relative is not a suspect. What the heck was she doing with $2000 in the car in her purse? It really sounds like she was meeting someone. I'm sure the police are considering everything. Sounds good on your house. Can't believe you've already got a paint scheme. I usually have to live in a house for a while before I get any sense of what I want. I tend to decorate more with framed art posters and a few good paintings I've splurged on here and there. Jewel, belts are a great idea. Keeps those pants wearable longer so you don't have to buy so many clothes. Also, my new shape seems to require a belt or things slide down my thinner hips and thighs because as a typical middle aged woman I don't curve in as much at the waist so things want to slide down. You're doing great; I struggled during that time before the first fill, too. Chocalate Protein drinks really helped me. Jodi, my psych consult was trying to figure out why I was there and when she figured out it was just a requirement for lapband surgery, she said send her the paperwork and she'd sign it and wouldn't waste either of our times. Eva, I love Chuck, especially. I wish it came on more often. I was really afraid they were going to cancel it. I love so many of Chuck's values, his ineptitude combined with heroism. Somehow I totally relate. Singing chef that does interior decorating. Love it. I am a singing teacher that writes children's stories. For now. Love the quote and the comment. It's part of the reason I have so few friends. It's why I don't do Alanon or church Bible study groups much anymore. I want friends to laugh with and have fun with and I like listening to people's problems as long as they don't take themselves too seriously and make their woes the topic of every conversation. But very few people are healthy enough for non-dependant intimacy. I like a good rant once in a while if you don't take yourself too seriously and do it with humor. Then get over it and get over yourself. I have no desire to do the chasing in a relationship. I want empathy and compassion but not a lot of advice. I'm a big girl and can figure things out myself. If I start giving you too much advice, or get too intense, let me know in a humorous way so the friendship can continue. I'm attracted to creative people but often they're also high strung, easily offended, high maintenance. I just cant do that. I work hard at not being offended so I appreciate others who do the same. Very few can. Sometimes it does feel like you end up without friends. This thread is pretty safe. We all have more slowly gotten to know each other with the protection of having time to think before we type, which in person doesn't always happen. We can be more vulnerable in print and less abrasive than in person. Julie, imho Pilates machine is more like a medieval torture machine. LOL. I just wish my neck would allow me to go back to swimming. I love to swim, but if I do too much I get a lot of neck pain. I've modified my stroke to accomodate it and could probably start again but really haven't got the desire to swim in anything but really warm Water and I hate taking along everything I need to a pool--clean underwear, showering stuff, make up, hair dryer etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. So, walking and climbing stairs mostly at work or in my neighborhood will have to do for now. By the way, I'll make a fool of myself for my grandkids any day of the week. 1day, good on you for getting the promotion. Woo Whoo! OK. While I was posting this ya'll probably posted 10 more times. Can't keep up.

Had a great day. lunch with daughter-in-law and her 3yr old daughter, Skylar. Mended some fences. Took DGD to my DD's where she got to play with her cousins, my 2 DGS's. Watching Heroes now. My husband recorded Chuck for me so might watch it after this. Or go to bed early and watch it tomorrow night. Love my new clothes. Cheri

Apples, I got exhausted just reading about your morning so far. I'm off work today. MLK day. Had a great sermon and worship set yesterday. It was Super Soul Sunday and the black experience was traced through Gospel songs and God's faithfulness in bringing African-Americans out of slavery like the Israelites and the Egyptians. Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt land. Tell old Pharoah, "Let My People Go!" Jist of message by our African-American assistant pastor--Now that they are free, they must never forget the past and the God who saw them through it and brought them out of it. I got to sing some great Gospel numbers. We really rocked it. Bonus to the spiritual high of worship: when you're singing, swaying, and dancing while singing, you burn lots of calories. Practice at 8 a.m. then two worship services. Total of hour and a half singing. I'm going to bundle up and walk outside again. Then at 12:30 I'm meeting my daughter-in-law for lunch at a place that's got train sets everywhere and a train for Skylar to take rides in. I'm trying to mend some fences and build a relationship with her. My kids haven't been the most accepting with her and she avoids most family occasions. She's also shy and works evenings and weekends so that makes it hard to get to know her, too. Then I'll probably go to my daughter's and take care of her boys so she can go to Kohls and use the 30% off coupon she loaned me. No work for me today at home. I'm gonna play.

Sunday, January 17, 2010 Life Goes On, Without the Weight I'm always surprised when someone comes up to me and compliments me on losing weight. I forget what a shock my appearance is to people, especially if they haven't seen me for a while. If they ask me how I lost the weight, I tell them about the lap band, but I always make sure they know its just a tool; I tell them if I don't eat right it won't work. In fact, if all I ate was ice cream it would slide right through and I could eat enough to gain all the weight back and then some. I find being honest publicly helps me be honest with myself. I'm 3 lbs. from goal and slowing down on speed of weight loss. Trying to ease into maintenance. I'm scheduled for another fill Feb 2, which I can tell I'm going to need. I can eat a lot now at a sitting. Not good. Means if I do that, then I've got to really be careful for several days after in order to maintain or continue to lost. However, I can't manage a life of weighing and measuring and writing everything down. So I need the band filled to limit the quantity I can eat and then make good choices most days with occassional treat days. One big relief is that Roseland Christian where I work is doing much better. The money has come in to keep us running despite the IRS freezing and then taking the money in our account. We are meeting all our current obligations, including to the IRS, for this year. We are working on paying past obligations, with the help of donors who believe in us. And we seem to be getting some good help in place for future fundraising. I don't think I can tell you how much I love teaching at Roseland. I am not a textbook teacher. Probably no effective teacher is. I no longer even attempt to write lesson plans. The material I cover from year to year is basically the same. The workbooks my assistant puts together from the materials we have may come from new materials but I have kids working through them at their own pace and ability levels like before. As they finish a page I check it, reteach as necessary and have them correct it or I do it with them. They constantly circle around me and sit back down and get back to work. They love working in my classroom because they're working at their own level and pace and because my assistant and I are available to help them. Flexibility is the key and rigid lesson plans don't work. I work through reading the same novels as in past years but the questions I ask have to be so flexible because the children's abilities are so varied and their responses are so different. I have to ask the questions in totally different ways for different children. What worked one year might not work the next year. For example, my fifth grade class is mostly boys. They all have very poor attention spans. Boys are competitive, so everyday I split them into their teams and start with review questions on what we've read previously. Their team gets points for what they are able to answer. They hate when I stop the game to continue reading the book, but they have also really gotten into the book so they hate when the bell rings, too. I make things up on the fly while I'm teaching that I would never think of if tied down to a detailed lesson plan. My most recent memory device is a song set to the old Mounds/Almond Joy jingle. I sing to the kids who are learning to carry or trade numbers, "Sometimes you carry the number (or 10), sometimes you don't." Every year I get better at teaching. I get better at handling the kids and building relationships with them. This past week a fourth grade boy said while he was doing his math, "I love Mrs. Flory. I love math." Man, that's worth all the other hassles that go with teaching. I love these kids at Roseland. I'm so connected with them. And I might not get to teach them next year. I have begun to realize what a privelege teaching these kids is. But its all in God's hands. I believe Roseland will still be there another year. The help is coming in. That's one hurdle. Now I need to hear from Chicago Public Schools if they're still going with an outside vendor, then that vendor has to agree to subcontract with Elim who is the vendor for my services at Roseland for me to keep my job. Meanwhile I'm signing up for two graduate courses next summer. I'll only need one after that to be endorsed in Special Ed and I'll be able to keep taking Master's courses after that. Possible that I'll have my degree by the end of the following summer. So I'm doing the footwork to continue my employment. I might become a consultant for one of the programs I use in my classroom, or I might connect with homeschoolers who have kids with learning problems. I really don't like the way special ed is handled in the public schools. These teachers seem to be testing kids, filling out paperwork, writing ieps, and sitting in meetings a lot more than they're teaching or helping the kids. That's not what I want to do. So we'll see. God has his plans for me. He's brought me safe thus far. And whatever my future holds, I'm going into it a lot healthier and with a lot less weight to hold me back. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Sunday, January 17, 2010 Life Goes On, Without the Weight I'm always surprised when someone comes up to me and compliments me on losing weight. I forget what a shock my appearance is to people, especially if they haven't seen me for a while. If they ask me how I lost the weight, I tell them about the lap band, but I always make sure they know its just a tool; I tell them if I don't eat right it won't work. In fact, if all I ate was ice cream it would slide right through and I could eat enough to gain all the weight back and then some. I find being honest publicly helps me be honest with myself. I'm 3 lbs. from goal and slowing down on speed of weight loss. Trying to ease into maintenance. I'm scheduled for another fill Feb 2, which I can tell I'm going to need. I can eat a lot now at a sitting. Not good. Means if I do that, then I've got to really be careful for several days after in order to maintain or continue to lost. However, I can't manage a life of weighing and measuring and writing everything down. So I need the band filled to limit the quantity I can eat and then make good choices most days with occassional treat days. One big relief is that Roseland Christian where I work is doing much better. The money has come in to keep us running despite the IRS freezing and then taking the money in our account. We are meeting all our current obligations, including to the IRS, for this year. We are working on paying past obligations, with the help of donors who believe in us. And we seem to be getting some good help in place for future fundraising. I don't think I can tell you how much I love teaching at Roseland. I am not a textbook teacher. Probably no effective teacher is. I no longer even attempt to write lesson plans. The material I cover from year to year is basically the same. The workbooks my assistant puts together from the materials we have may come from new materials but I have kids working through them at their own pace and ability levels like before. As they finish a page I check it, reteach as necessary and have them correct it or I do it with them. They constantly circle around me and sit back down and get back to work. They love working in my classroom because they're working at their own level and pace and because my assistant and I are available to help them. Flexibility is the key and rigid lesson plans don't work. I work through reading the same novels as in past years but the questions I ask have to be so flexible because the children's abilities are so varied and their responses are so different. I have to ask the questions in totally different ways for different children. What worked one year might not work the next year. For example, my fifth grade class is mostly boys. They all have very poor attention spans. Boys are competitive, so everyday I split them into their teams and start with review questions on what we've read previously. Their team gets points for what they are able to answer. They hate when I stop the game to continue reading the book, but they have also really gotten into the book so they hate when the bell rings, too. I make things up on the fly while I'm teaching that I would never think of if tied down to a detailed lesson plan. My most recent memory device is a song set to the old Mounds/Almond Joy jingle. I sing to the kids who are learning to carry or trade numbers, "Sometimes you carry the number (or 10), sometimes you don't." Every year I get better at teaching. I get better at handling the kids and building relationships with them. This past week a fourth grade boy said while he was doing his math, "I love Mrs. Flory. I love math." Man, that's worth all the other hassles that go with teaching. I love these kids at Roseland. I'm so connected with them. And I might not get to teach them next year. I have begun to realize what a privelege teaching these kids is. But its all in God's hands. I believe Roseland will still be there another year. The help is coming in. That's one hurdle. Now I need to hear from Chicago Public Schools if they're still going with an outside vendor, then that vendor has to agree to subcontract with Elim who is the vendor for my services at Roseland for me to keep my job. Meanwhile I'm signing up for two graduate courses next summer. I'll only need one after that to be endorsed in Special Ed and I'll be able to keep taking Master's courses after that. Possible that I'll have my degree by the end of the following summer. So I'm doing the footwork to continue my employment. I might become a consultant for one of the programs I use in my classroom, or I might connect with homeschoolers who have kids with learning problems. I really don't like the way special ed is handled in the public schools. These teachers seem to be testing kids, filling out paperwork, writing ieps, and sitting in meetings a lot more than they're teaching or helping the kids. That's not what I want to do. So we'll see. God has his plans for me. He's brought me safe thus far. And whatever my future holds, I'm going into it a lot healthier and with a lot less weight to hold me back. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Happy Birthday Melissa. Glad you're having a good one. Hey Janet, even a cop needs a break once in a while. 28 yesterday, 30 today and sunshine. Went walking both days. Made me feel great to not walk indoors. Yea, 30 is a heat wave around here too. NOt quite sandals but definitely could handle a walk outside. Cheri

Not that fond of oatmeal. My daughter says the steel cut are awful. Says they need so much doctoring to make them taste good they're not that good for you by the time you're done. How do you guys make them palatable without adding tons of brown sugar, butter, cream, etc.? She doesn't believe that people should be eating fake sugar in large quantities. Plus oatmeal is carbs and doesn't leave much room for protein.

Watched my 5 yr old grandson play basketball. Hilarious. Then went to their house and the 2 and 5 yr old and I ran all over the house playing ambulance, fireman, Dr., police and bad guys, dogcatcher and dogs. I quieted them down enough to listen to two stories and we had intervals of playing baby bird where I lie on the bed and they crawl under my legs and pretend to be hatching from eggs. I also laid on the couch and they discovered my saggy baggy stomach and the 2 year old started pushing the skin up into a ridge down the middle that he could blow zerberts onto. Then the 5 year old had to do it too. Hysterical. Then went to Kohls with 30% off coupon and spent $125. Got four pairs of pants that fit and flatter and several tops. Gotta go. Gotta get up early to sing in both services tomorrow. Protein, protein, protein. Low carbs. When trying to control hunger and lose weight, this is the formula. Keep your hands busy. Keep the crave foods out of the house. Find somebody's child(ren) and play with them. Dance, sing, laugh. Cheri

Blah here, too, in CHicago. Overcast, not quite up to 32 so melting snow is frozen onto sidewalks so I can't walk outside. Was hoping to do that instead of going to community center. I'm off work on Monday. Hopefully do something with my grandkids. Could use some more pants so may go to thrift stores. Lack of structure plus confined by weather can lead to food issues for me. Had a lot of stuff to deal with at work this past week so am also stressed. Had my permanant crown put in and a cavity filled so still dealing with some jaw pain--TMJ pain not nerve pain thank God. Pain in neck last ngiht too, fortunately hanging on my incline board took care of it. Also dealing with lack of sunlight. It is grey, grey, grey. The snow is in that melting grey slushy stage too. No pristine whiteness to brighten things up. Perfect storm for getting back into the food. Stress, physical pain, lack of sunlight, feeling trapped, no external structure to my days. I'm going to go to community center and see some grandkids to try to kick this in the butt. Increase my vitamin D, also. My husband has some Catholic school stories too but most of them seem to be about the nun's fears that the boys would "touch" themselves. Amazingly, he wanted to be a priest until he discovered girls. Now he's protestant, where he found God on a more intimate basis, but occassionally he misses some of the catholic traditions. Been sitting all morning--actually finished a book for the first time in a long time. I need to move now to get out of this funk. CBL CHeri

Reading all posts. Not much time to post myself. Love to all. Cheri

Another funny story. My daughter had her 5 yr. old autistic son and her 2 yr. old rambunctious son with her in the Dr.s office. Autistic son started pitching a fit (probably sensory overload and havin to sit too long). She took them in the elevator to go down a level to a washroom to calm him down. In the elevator the two year old pushed the red button. Momma said there'd be days like this....

My fifth graders had a fartfest yesterday after lunch. They claimed it was the cheese. I had 10 of them in a tight semi-circle around my table. I was using an overhead and everytime I looked up they had their shirts pulled up to cover their noses. They all looked at Phillip who has a well-deserved reputation but he said, "It wasn't me this time." No one else would fess up so I told them to please go in the hallway as needed and I would not get them in trouble. Three of them immediately headed for the hall. I taught the rest of the period with students popping in and out of the room. One of them might have just been imitating, but we were playing a game and they really wanted to see their team win. Marquise came back in the room with a look of desperation on his face, jiggling like crazy so I said, "Why don't you go spend some time in the washroom!." He scuttled out of the room yelling, "Thanks!" over his shoulder. Michael kept saying, "It was the cheese Mrs. Flory!" while clutching his abdomen. He tried to stay in the room because he was coming up with all the answers for his team, but I finally dismissed him to the washroom, too. We made it through the period with me calmly ignoring it all for the most part, but at the end of the day, in front of a group of girls who come to me after school, I started laughing until the tears were rolling down my cheeks. Seeing that look of desperation on Marquise', the naughtiest kid in the school, face, was priceless. Then I got on FB last night and someone had posted this joke which I will try to relate to the best of my ability. A man came up to the pharmacist's assistant and asked for something to stop his cough. The assistant was out of cough medicine and gave him something else. Later the pharmacist came back and saw the man leaning on the wall. He asked his assistant what that was about. The assistant replied that the man wanted cough medicine but he gave him a laxative. The pharmacist was horrified and said that you can't treat a cough with a laxative. The assistant pointed to the man leaning on the wall and said, "Yes you can. See, he's too afraid to cough." Thought y'all might like to laugh tonite. Enjoy.

Perhaps I wasn't as clear about muscle/fat in yesterdays post so I'll clear that up first. Of course muscle is denser than fat. So a lb of it is smaller. Which is why, though my weight loss has slowed as I approach goal, with the fat being replaced by muscle through regular exercise, I look like I've lost more than I actually have. I plan to lose the last three lbs and give myself a 5 lb cushion to be lost very slowly as I transition to maintenance. I am all too aware that 7 months is not enough to permanantly change a lifelong addiction. The real battle is before me. Being content with who I am is not the same as complacency. My Dr.'s goal for me was 170 # which at my height and weight and build puts me exactly at the correct BMI. I chose to make it an even 70# loss by making my goal 167#. Being content with who I am means I won't get sucked into losing too much and then rebounding as a result. Being content means I'm accepting of my exercise limitations and arthritis and of my age wrinkles and laugh lines and overstretched skin and varicose veins and all the things over which I have no control (and no money to fix them, either, LOL). Being content means when people compliment me or say things they think are compliments, after I get over being startled, because I forget I've lost the weight, I laugh and say, "Thanks, I have lost weight." If they express concern that I might get too thin, I just laugh and say, "Not a chance of that happening." So much of beauty is attitude. I've got my athletic walk back and I carry myself with confidence and I am a smiler and laugher. I know how to dress and use make-up and fix my hair in flattering ways. I may even be a little vain LOL. I know I look good again. I feel sexy in my clothes too (not naked, LOL). I was blessed with a very balanced figure, actually. When I was younger and thinner (but not skinny) I've heard it described as hourglass and svelt. The last few lbs and the reshaping have really melted a lot of the belly fat and given me curves again. I'll never be as thin through the middle as I was, but that's part of the aging process. Even the thinnest women seem to thicken through their middles while their hips look thinner, and extreme exercise seems to make them look even straighter. They lose their curves. I like having curves. After 3 big babies (biggest 10 lbs.) a hysterectomy, and a big gain and loss leaving me with a lot of stretchmarked flabby flapping skin, I'll never have a tight trim waist or belly, but my curves are back. I'm pretty sure I'm interpreting the looks I get the right way. Interest on the part of men I don't know and an awareness of me that I didn't see before on the part of some of the men I do know. Surprise and doubletakes on the part of many people I know. Lots of compliments. In a way the attention makes me uncomfortable. Like, what was I before, chopped liver? But I also appreciate the attention and that people mean well. So keep that attention and those compliments coming. I'll deal with them the best I can. LOL Mainly, I am content. God is good, all the time All the time, God is good.

Perhaps I wasn't as clear about muscle/fat in yesterdays post so I'll clear that up first. Of course muscle is denser than fat. So a lb of it is smaller. Which is why, though my weight loss has slowed as I approach goal, with the fat being replaced by muscle through regular exercise, I look like I've lost more than I actually have. I plan to lose the last three lbs and give myself a 5 lb cushion to be lost very slowly as I transition to maintenance. I am all too aware that 7 months is not enough to permanantly change a lifelong addiction. The real battle is before me. Being content with who I am is not the same as complacency. My Dr.'s goal for me was 170 # which at my height and weight and build puts me exactly at the correct BMI. I chose to make it an even 70# loss by making my goal 167#. Being content with who I am means I won't get sucked into losing too much and then rebounding as a result. Being content means I'm accepting of my exercise limitations and arthritis and of my age wrinkles and laugh lines and overstretched skin and varicose veins and all the things over which I have no control (and no money to fix them, either, LOL). Being content means when people compliment me or say things they think are compliments, after I get over being startled, because I forget I've lost the weight, I laugh and say, "Thanks, I have lost weight." If they express concern that I might get too thin, I just laugh and say, "Not a chance of that happening." So much of beauty is attitude. I've got my athletic walk back and I carry myself with confidence and I am a smiler and laugher. I know how to dress and use make-up and fix my hair in flattering ways. I may even be a little vain LOL. I know I look good again. I feel sexy in my clothes too (not naked, LOL). I was blessed with a very balanced figure, actually. When I was younger and thinner (but not skinny) I've heard it described as hourglass and svelt. The last few lbs and the reshaping have really melted a lot of the belly fat and given me curves again. I'll never be as thin through the middle as I was, but that's part of the aging process. Even the thinnest women seem to thicken through their middles while their hips look thinner, and extreme exercise seems to make them look even straighter. They lose their curves. I like having curves. After 3 big babies (biggest 10 lbs.) a hysterectomy, and a big gain and loss leaving me with a lot of stretchmarked flabby flapping skin, I'll never have a tight trim waist or belly, but my curves are back. I'm pretty sure I'm interpreting the looks I get the right way. Interest on the part of men I don't know and an awareness of me that I didn't see before on the part of some of the men I do know. Surprise and doubletakes on the part of many people I know. Lots of compliments. In a way the attention makes me uncomfortable. Like, what was I before, chopped liver? But I also appreciate the attention and that people mean well. So keep that attention and those compliments coming. I'll deal with them the best I can. LOL Mainly, I am content. God is good, all the time All the time, God is good.

Sorry gals if I wasn't clear about muscle and fat. Of course muscle is denser than fat. So a lb of it is smaller. Which is why, though my weight loss has slowed as I approach goal, with the fat being replaced by muscle through regular exercise, I look like I've lost more than I actually have. Don't worry, everyone. I plan to lose the three lbs and give myself a 5 lb cushion to be lost very slowly as I transition to maintenance. I am all too aware that 7 months is not enough to permanantly change a lifelong addiction. The real battle is before me. Being content with who I am is not the same as complacency. My Dr.'s goal for me was 170 # which at my height and weight and build puts me exactly at the correct BMI. I chose to make it an even 70# loss by making my goal 167#. Wish I could give my last three lbs to you, Apples, permanantly. LOL. Being content with who I am means I won't get sucked into losing too much and then rebounding as a result. Being content means I'm accepting of my exercise limitations and arthritis and of my age wrinkles and laugh lines and overstretched skin and varicose veins and all the things over which I have no control (and no money to fix them, either, LOL). Being content means when people compliment me or say things they think are compliments, after I get over being startled, because I forget I've lost the weight, I laugh and say, "Thanks, I have lost weight." If they express concern that I might get too thin, I just laugh and say, "Not a chance of that happening." So much of beauty is attitude. I've got my athletic walk back and I carry myself with confidence and I am a smiler and laugher. I know how to dress and use make-up and fix my hair in flattering ways. I may even be a little vain LOL. I know I look good again. Apples, I feel sexy in my clothes too (not naked, LOL). I was blessed with a very balanced figure, actually. When I was younger and thinner (but not skinny) I've heard it described as hourglass and svelt. The last few lbs and the reshaping have really melted a lot of the belly fat and given me curves again. I'll never be as thin through the middle as I was, but that's part of the aging process. Even the thinnest women seem to thicken through their middles while their hips look thinner, and extreme exercise seems to make them look even straighter. They lose their curves. I like having curves. After 3 big babies (biggest 10 lbs.) a hysterectomy, and a big gain and loss leaving me with a lot of stretchmarked flabby flapping skin, I'll never have a tight trim waist or belly, but my curves are back. The men are looking 2 and even 3 times. For 58, that ain't bad. Phyll, I saw your pics on FB. Fantastic. You go girl! Laura, all I can say is, "Momma said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this Momma said, Momma said." Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt and had it framed. Sparkle-welcome. Some of you who I'm wondering about probably have posted while I spent 2 hours writing this. American Idol LOL. Cheri

Monday, January 11, 2010 Exercise and a Balanced Life Exercise--there comes a point of dimishing returns with exercise. I had to make a decision how much of my life and energy I want to put into it. My blood pressure and pulse are excellent. My muscles are in good shape, my coordination has improved dramatically, I'm only going to try and lose a few more lbs, and I have a life. I'm looking for balance in this area because its so easy for me to make an addiction out of exercise like I did with the food. I've done it before. It's ultra time-consuming and begins to rule my life. I don't want to go there anymore than I want to get back into the food. I exercise between 30-60 minutes most days with 2 days off per week. Sometimes I'll walk longer on Saturdays, but during the winter that's enough. Summers I like to hike longer outdoors, but that's as much for pleasure as exercise as I enjoy being outdoors so much. I'm not going to aggravate my arthritis working out much more than that. I'm not exercising that much more time than I did before weight loss; I've always walked as much as possible. Its just that I've added stair-climbing at work after I lost most of the weight, so I get a more intense workout. I'm also walking much faster and farther in the alotted time. I think everyone's different and has to take into consideration where they're at physically and what their available time is. Actually, I think my weight loss has slowed down despite the increased intensity of the exercise because I'm replacing fat with muscle which weighs more. But my body is definitely still reshaping. I'm really happy with my physical body. Not with the drooping wrinkled skin, but can't do anything about that. I'm just happy with how I look in clothes. I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, my pants are 12's and my tops are L's. That's normal. More normal than I ever hoped to be again. My goal is to stay normal (not talking psychologically, LOL). I don't need to be skinny. I want to have a life with my grandchildren and children and be able to work to the best of my ability and have fun and be healthy. I'm amazed at simple things like finding easier ways to get up from the ground. It was very difficult with two fake knees and its still not easy. Kneeling is extremely uncomfortable and with all the weight, gettting up from my butt meant I had to roll onto my knees, then push my butt up in the air and walk my feet towards my hands before full lift-off. Now I can roll onto my side while bringing one knee up and continue right into standing up without having to kneel first. Still a little awkward but getting better. Being able to break my fall Saturday night and land like an athlete lands, without injury, that was incredible. These are the little things that make me happy. I still have to watch how I move, and how hard I move. It's very easy for me to over-extend or overwork my joints and spine and risk further injury. So I've learned the hard way to be careful with exercise and to be content with what I can do. I am content, no matter what my circumstance. I am content, no matter what my lot. I know what it means to live in want or have plenty I know the meaning of being content, Is that I can do all things, through him that strengthens me. Yes I can do all things, through him that strengthens me.

Monday, January 11, 2010 Exercise and a Balanced Life Exercise--there comes a point of dimishing returns with exercise. I had to make a decision how much of my life and energy I want to put into it. My blood pressure and pulse are excellent. My muscles are in good shape, my coordination has improved dramatically, I'm only going to try and lose a few more lbs, and I have a life. I'm looking for balance in this area because its so easy for me to make an addiction out of exercise like I did with the food. I've done it before. It's ultra time-consuming and begins to rule my life. I don't want to go there anymore than I want to get back into the food. I exercise between 30-60 minutes most days with 2 days off per week. Sometimes I'll walk longer on Saturdays, but during the winter that's enough. Summers I like to hike longer outdoors, but that's as much for pleasure as exercise as I enjoy being outdoors so much. I'm not going to aggravate my arthritis working out much more than that. I'm not exercising that much more time than I did before weight loss; I've always walked as much as possible. Its just that I've added stair-climbing at work after I lost most of the weight, so I get a more intense workout. I'm also walking much faster and farther in the alotted time. I think everyone's different and has to take into consideration where they're at physically and what their available time is. Actually, I think my weight loss has slowed down despite the increased intensity of the exercise because I'm replacing fat with muscle which weighs more. But my body is definitely still reshaping. I'm really happy with my physical body. Not with the drooping wrinkled skin, but can't do anything about that. I'm just happy with how I look in clothes. I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, my pants are 12's and my tops are L's. That's normal. More normal than I ever hoped to be again. My goal is to stay normal (not talking psychologically, LOL). I don't need to be skinny. I want to have a life with my grandchildren and children and be able to work to the best of my ability and have fun and be healthy. I'm amazed at simple things like finding easier ways to get up from the ground. It was very difficult with two fake knees and its still not easy. Kneeling is extremely uncomfortable and with all the weight, gettting up from my butt meant I had to roll onto my knees, then push my butt up in the air and walk my feet towards my hands before full lift-off. Now I can roll onto my side while bringing one knee up and continue right into standing up without having to kneel first. Still a little awkward but getting better. Being able to break my fall Saturday night and land like an athlete lands, without injury, that was incredible. These are the little things that make me happy. I still have to watch how I move, and how hard I move. It's very easy for me to over-extend or overwork my joints and spine and risk further injury. So I've learned the hard way to be careful with exercise and to be content with what I can do. I am content, no matter what my circumstance. I am content, no matter what my lot. I know what it means to live in want or have plenty I know the meaning of being content, Is that I can do all things, through him that strengthens me. Yes I can do all things, through him that strengthens me.

I'm feeling much younger and better, too. Go band.

Exercise--there comes a point of dimishing returns with exercise. I had to make a decision how much of my life and energy I want to put into it. My blood pressure and pulse are excellent. My muscles are in good shape, my coordination has improved dramatically, I'm only going to try and lose a few more lbs, and I have a life. I'm looking for balance in this area because its so easy for me to make an addiction out of exercise like I did with the food. I've done it before. It's ultra time-consuming and begins to rule my life. I don't want to go there anymore than I want to get back into the food. I exercise between 30-60 minutes most days with 2 days off per week. Sometimes I'll walk longer on Saturdays, but during the winter that's enough. Summers I like to hike longer outdoors, but that's as much for pleasure as exercise as I enjoy being outdoors so much. I'm not going to aggravate my arthritis working out much more than that. I'm not exercising that much more time than I did before weight loss; I've always walked as much as possible. Its just that I've added stair-climbing at work after I lost most of the weight, so I get a more intense workout. I'm also walking much faster and farther in the alotted time. I think everyone's different and has to take into consideration where they're at physically and what their available time is. Apples seems to be incredibly active just in the work she does at home. Actually, I think my weight loss has slowed down despite the increased intensity of the exercise because I'm replacing fat with muscle which weighs more. But my body is definitely still reshaping. I'm really happy with my physical body. Not with the drooping wrinkled skin, but can't do anything about that. I'm just happy with how I look in clothes. I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, my pants are 12's and my tops are L's. That's normal. More normal than I ever hoped to be again. My goal is to stay normal (not talking psychologically, LOL). I don't need to be skinny. I want to have a life with my grandchildren and children and be able to work to the best of my ability and have fun and be healthy. I'm amazed at simple things like finding easier ways to get up from the ground. It was very difficult with two fake knees and its still not easy. Kneeling is extremely uncomfortable and with all the weight, gettting up from my butt meant I had to roll onto my knees, then push my butt up in the air and walk my feet towards my hands before full lift-off. Now I can roll onto my side while bringing one knee up and continue right into standing up without having to kneel first. Still a little awkward but getting better. Being able to break my fall Saturday night and land like an athlete lands, without injury, that was incredible. These are the little things that make me happy. I still have to watch how I move, and how hard I move. It's very easy for me to over-extend or overwork my joints and spine and risk further injury. So I've learned the hard way to be careful with exercise and to be content with what I can do. Cheri