StephC

oh - and pocket knife - in Minn we said jack knife. The first time I said it here everyone just looked at me like what are you talking about?

In Pa its crick for creek and yens for ya'll and soda for soda.. coming from Minn it was pop and creek and you guys.

Brandi - way to go in ONEDERLAND!!!:rockon: I know it feels great! Even tho I was stuck at 199 like FOREVER it felt so good to be out of the 2's! I'm still at 197 - But its not 203 - seemed like I was there for a long time too.:cheer2: My fill definitely feels like its working. Yesterday I only got in around 500 calories - that was a mushie day. Today I'm only at 250 - he said I could have regular food already today since I didn't get that big of a fill so I'm trying to eat. I'm eating a frozen dinner and I'm only half way there and I'm already full. Before the fill I wasn't feeling full as fast. And I noticed last night I ate a crab cake with 1/4 cup of mac salad and I was full a good 4 or more hours.:clap2: :mad: So how about Sanjaya didn't get voted out AGAIN! Unbelievable. I know theres that website for the worst but come on.. I just can't believe he's still there. :mad: This is for someone to light a fire under my arse to get me started on painting! LOL Seriously NOT going to do it today - worked until noon, now I need to get some housework done and then DD has a track meet so... :bored :mad: Ok - new subject: While at the dr I noticed they had my goal weight at 166 - hmmm? So I said Nate why is my target 166? And he said thats 60% of my excess weight. And that 60% is over a 3 year period. 40% this year, 10% the next 2 years. I thought it was interesting because thats not my goal - at least not my bottom line goal, BUT what was really interesting was that the last time I felt comfortable at my weight - meaning I actually felt sexy and attractive - was at 163. So my question to you all .. what is the target that your doctors have for you and is it different then your own goal? And do you feel sexy now? Ok Nat - we know you are one hot mama - but the rest of you, are you feeling sexy?

I didn't paint. I went shopping with my best bud instead. Then she went to the dr with me to get my fill. He gave me .5 cc and said come back for more if you need it. I think I'm the only one who goes back for more. - my 4th fill already! I didn't have to be on liquids today - he said since it was so small I could do mushies today and regular food tomorrow. I love my dr. (yes I still crush on him!) Tomorrow I will paint. Kirsten wtg 2 lbs down! woohoo! I love to see the scale move! I'm paying a co-pay now - $35 for dr since he's a specialist. But its worth it.

I agree Sanjaya has to go - I can't believe he's made it this long. I think it'll be between Lakisha and Melinda but I really like Blake. I think Haley is the prettiest and she has a sweet voice but its not up to the others standards thats for sure. I thought Gina did really well last night. I think the guys will be the ones to go first - except for Blake - then it'll be Haley and Gina.... Kirsten I probably would have opted for a day with my sister too. But it'll be nice being able to get a fill when you need it without having to wait. So do you think you'll get one before May now that you're going local? When you go to Colo. don't you have to pay for your fill, or is it covered? I just got a bill for my last fluro - $15. I can handle it. I don't know what he'll charge today since I'm getting it done in the office. No barium - that stuff is nasty - but at least it gives peace of mind when you see the band is still in place and stuff. I've had this gallon of paint sitting on the steps waiting for me to paint the guest room for a few weeks now... I keep putting it off - guess I better do it today. I go back to work full time next week so I'm not going to have the time - or want to do it then. Happy Hump Day.

Kirsten - I think you're doing the right thing. $150 for the fill and how much did you spend on the airline ticket? Sorry it didn't work out. My band holds 10cc's and I have 5 cc's - but I have a feeling I'm down again. Like I said I'm not staying sated for 3-4 hours - more like 2. But I think I'm getting close to the sweet spot. Bk I can't believe they charge $400! Holy Cow! Kay I also can't believe with all that exercise you haven't lost anything! You must just be a total muscle mama. I still plug away at my 30 minutes on the slave machine. Today my daughter had a track meet - so with all the walking from event to event I got an extra 2 miles in. Woohoo! gotsta to watch idol!

Kay I agree with Annie. Don't let the golf ball feeling keep you from a fill. Its from not chewing properly. The ONE time I PB'd I had that same feeling but 100x worse and when I spit it out I could see it was one big chunk that I hadn't chewed. If I don't take the time to eat I get a slight stuck (golfball) feeling but then I stop, sit my food down, do something else for a couple minutes then go back to eating and chew chew chew. I think I'm almost to the sweetspot but not quite. Like today I ate a piece of cheese, 99% ff ham and a sweet pickle rolled up (yeah I like it that way and it doesn't have extra carbs and it fills me up) that was at 9 am, at 11 I was hungry and by 12 I had to eat a Protein bar - I'm at work and it was in my desk - I took my time and it probably took me 1/2 hour or more to eat it but here it is not quite 1:30 and I'm getting hungry already. So I know my fill isn't working as much as it should be. I hope my next one will get me to that spot that Brandi and Annie are at. Ok - I had a compliment today. Someone noticed!!! The member here who signs checks was in today and I was eating my Protein Bar and she said Steph are you losing weight? I said yeah I am. And she said she was going to say something the last time she saw me but didn't - she said she could really tell in my face. So that was nice. I'm glad someone is noticing who doesn't know I had my band. I didn't tell her I got banded - I just said I'm eating less, measuring my food and tracking my calories, and working out 1/2 hour a day. None of it was a lie - just not the whole truth. Still at work so I better get back to work. Brandi - glad you are getting those calories with milk. You'll be glad you drank it when you're my age. I'm only 45 and already have bone loss.

I can't believe you guys don't get enough calories. I wish I had that problem. I really dont' know what could cause hair loss - maybe your just shedding the winter coat. Ok not funny.

I'm anxious to hear Tina's reaction to all of your hard work. My sweet husband finally did some work in the house this winter that I had been begging him to do for a long, long time. New hardwood floors and a wall torn out. It meant the world to me. I think dinner with her favorite guy will be the icing on the cake. Good job TOM!

Its my name. Not real exciting, but its easy to remember. :bolt:

Brandi - thats enough protein - infact my sil told me they warned her about too much protein. Anyone else hear that? She said it can damage ... liver? or kidneys? "When people start consuming too much protein (over 2.0 g/kg/d), the extra protein can become a stressful stimulus for the kidney." thats from www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com and I definitely don't have a problem getting enough food. I really have a hard time keeping my calories between 1200-1500 - I'd love to keep them around 1000 - 1200 which is why I'm going in for a fill tomorrow. I just found an article - Will Eating More Protein Help Your Body Gain Muscle Faster? Find out how consuming too much protein can harm your body. By Miriam Nelson WebMD Feature Reviewed By Gary Vogin Seems like everyone at the gym is doing it: filling up on protein to bulk up those biceps. But it's a misconception. Eating extra protein actually doesn't do much toward boosting your muscle mass and strength. In fact, medical research shows that consuming too much protein -- more than 30% of your total daily caloric intake -- could actually harm your body, says protein expert Gail Butterfield, PhD, RD, director of Nutrition Studies at the Palo Alto Veterans' Administration Medical Center and nutrition lecturer at Stanford University. She says that a diet containing excess protein can have the following adverse effects: Adding more protein but not more calories or exercise to your diet won't help you build more muscle mass, but it may put your other bodily systems under stress. Eating more protein and increasing total caloric intake while maintaining the same exercise level will build an equal amount of additional fat and muscle mass, according to a study published in 1992 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Too Much Protein So think twice when you consider sacrificing the carbohydrates for a protein-dominant diet, Butterfield says. Drastically cutting carbohydrates from your diet may force your body to fight back. She says that's because a diet in which protein makes up more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. So-called ketogenic diets can thrust your kidneys into overdrive in order to flush these ketones from your body. As your kidneys rid your body of these toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily. That water loss often shows up on the scale as weight loss. But along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys and puts stress on your heart. And dehydration from a ketogenic diet can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems. How Much Protein Do I Need? The amount of protein you require depends on your weight and your daily caloric intake. Most Americans consume more than enough protein in their daily diets. A few specific groups of people are at risk for being protein-deficient, including elderly women and people with illnesses or eating disorders. A protein deficiency is defined as eating 50% to 75% of the recommended amount of daily protein, Butterfield explains. Ideally, you should consume 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight, according to recommended daily allowances (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board. So if you weigh 170 pounds, you need about 61 grams of protein each day. Protein should also make up approximately 15% of your total daily caloric intake, also according to the RDA. In a diet of 1,800 calories a day, for example, about 270 of those calories should come from protein.

Kaydoll - wtg on the jogging! Thats awesome! You inspire me! Love ya girlie! Natster - sweetie whats up? Hows the D-situation? I miss ya when you're not here.

Wow it was so good to hear from all of you today! I just want to remind you all that the average weight loss is 40% and most of that is the first few months. I know none of us want to be average but we have to remember that we knew this before we got the surgery. I'm with all of you on the morning restriction, good during the day and its all out the window by evening. I REALLY fight the snacking at night - something I NEVER ate before the band was ice cream - seriously, I would have a small cone about once a month when dh would want to go - and then its just in the summer when the local stand is open. Now I find myself wanting ice cream. Its crazy. I will proudly say I do measure it out and only eat 1/2 cup but still drives me batty thinking that I would even eat the stuff! Chips are also a tough one for me. I have them in the house only for hubbys lunch so I try to buy only small bags for him. DD was home last weekend so I bought stuff I shouldn't have. Its going in the garbage today. I also bought fresh fruit to snack on so I really don't have any excuse. Anyway I go in on Wed for another fill. I took the dogs to the groomer today and then got my nails done. We are ready for spring. LOL I should take a pic - the dogs look so cute with yellow scarfs. It was 76 today - I love it! I didn't get my treadmill time in so I will go after supper for a long walk. For all of you who are doing good - Brandi - keep up the good work. For the rest of us - time for a fill and we will do it! Remember 4 lbs a month is 50 lbs a year! I think when the weather really breaks and we are all alot busier we'll do better. I know I do better when I'm not sitting around the house.

Jill - I'm not making my March goal either but I think I lost 3-4 lbs this month - nothing like I would have liked to have lost but its a little bit and I didn't gain! I'm just going to try harder. Get another fill and really watch what and how I'm eating. To hit my goal for July 1st I only need to lose about 2 lbs a week. Thats totally do-able. You can do it too! Now I'm off to get my 30 minutes of exercise in.

Kirsten I don't think you stretched the pouch. You've only had 2 fills, right? I lost alot of both of my first 2 fills. Dr said it fills the knooks and crannies and doesnt stay in the band part so I think this is probably what happened to you. When I went in for my 3rd fill I took a drink of the barium and it went right through. I think it takes alot of big eating to stretch out the pouch AND if you pb'd on the chicken I don't think its stretched. Are you following the band rules like not drinking before, during and after? If I drink anything during that time it makes the food pass through the band alot faster and its not sitting in there making me stay full. All that said - I'm calling today to get a fill. I'm hoping he can just give me a couple cc's in the office. I've been tracking and my calories are between 1200 -1500 this past week. I still feel like I'm snacking too much. Boo- hon I'm sorry your mom hurt your feelings. Sometimes we say things - as mothers - that we regret. I think you should have said geesh mom, that hurt and was real encouraging. I know I sometimes cross the line with my girls and they have to tell me. Just happened a couple weeks ago with my youngest, it was about her bf and I didn't think anything of it but she was hurt - when she finally told me I had hurt her I apoligized. My older girl - she'll say something right away. I say something right away. When my mom came out to visit - we were in the airport and everyone was saying how good I looked, her included. Then she says now you just need to learn good posture. Which she says to me ALL the time - I have the curved back - my butt sticks out and my belly sticks out because thats where my fat is. I said mom you said it now I don't want to hear it again while you are here. I can't do anything about it and I get it from her! My great neice said gramma is so mean to you - we just get here and she starts critizing you. I said I know thats why I have to set her straight right away. She never said a word about my posture the rest of the visit, infact she just kept praising me on how good I looked. My biggest irk is the people who think this is bypass and that we'll lose weight really fast.

Bman did you mean you CAN see the change? WTG! I bet it felt great to slide into that smaller size!

Kirsten I think you need a fill - you should try to find someone closer to you. I know my dr takes in 'new' patients, I just met one who had her surgery in NY and has moved to PA. I know I need another fill - asap! The evil one (scale) has finally started moving, I'm down a whopping 2 pounds this month! UGH! But I just don't feel like its working. I try to keep my calories around 1200 and still doing 30 minutes a day 5-6 days a week so I think it should be more like 2 lbs a week at that! I went shopping yesterday - me and the girls- we couldn't find anything! We wanted Easter outfits and theres nothing springy out there. It was all reds and blues. But I did try on a few tops that I probably should have bought. My youngest got 1 top and my oldest got a pair of white pants - that was it! DH was shocked we came home after being out for 6 hours with nothing.

Brandi? Is that what you said? LOL - I guess when you said stuck I was thinking it was the golf ball feel. MMA is really intense, and there are girls who do it. My dil works out with ds everyday but I don't think she plans on fighting - shes not very aggressive. Its a pretty healthy obsession. BK if you are eating alot of salads I'm guessing you're doing alot of sliming. I ate a salad yesterday for the first time after my slime time and it was fine but I really chewed that lettuce well. I haven't eaten celery or carrots raw bc I'm afaid they won't digest very well. Claudia have fun in Chicago! My daughter thats in college is coming home this weekend. She's sooo home sick. I think we will go shopping and I'll get us a new outfit for Easter. I haven't seen her in over a month, and when she was on Spring break she went to New Orleans for a mission trip. I'm excited to see her.

BK - first I wanted to say congradulations on the anniversary! What a sweetie you have! How many years is it? 2nd - pb - is when something comes back up but its not like throwing up where all of your stomach comes up, just the peice of meat or whatever is stuck. I've only had it once and it hurt like heck - to the point where I didn't know what I was going to do - then I took a drink of Water and up came the bite of burger. I felt like it wasn't chewed enough - well I know it wasn't chewed enough because when I spit it out there it was a chunk of burger with water. Then I felt fine. But you know the golf ball in the chest feeling when something is 'stuck' well when I pb'd it was way worse then just a golfball feeling - more like a bowling ball. As for sliming - sorry Bman but you have this one wrong. Sliming is when you eat something thats hard to digest - like lettuce - I had this happen the night we went to ufc - we stopped for dinner and I had a salad - everything went down great, no pain, felt great, we get to the fights and about an hour into it I start getting saliva (spit)building up in my mouth. I was sliming ALL night - the dr says it because you don't have all the digestive juices in the pouch to digest the food and so your saliva works as a lubricant to get it down through the band, so when you eat something thats hard to get down the band you get all this extra saliva. Its gross but not horrible. I didn't have pain or anything. They say to drink pineapple juice to help the food digest enough to get through the band. The night at the fights there wasn't any pineapple juice around - I waited until we got out of there and the first gas station we got to I ran in and got some oj - it seemed to help alittle and by then it was 6 hours later so the lettuce was probably about done too. I keep a 6 pk of the little cans of pineapple juice in the cupboard just in case - and I have used them a few times since but before it gets as bad as it did the night of the fights. Bman - I think you should google mixed martial arts in your area - thats how my son found his trainer. His is only a couple nights a week, but some of the guys that are already fighting go on alternate nights to a town about an hour away. That would be a fun thing to get into with him. Is he in any sports in school? My son developed great discipline in wrestling. My son also works out every day at home, running, and he has boxing and stuff set up in his basement. The other night when I was at the support meeting they brought up about the stats for lapband - the average is 40% weight loss the first year - thats something you've all probably heard before and I knew too but hearing it again and realizing I'm only 10 lbs from it was another thing. Actually I've already lost 40% because although the bmi charts said I was at 40 I didn't really want to lose a 100 lbs - I want to lose a total of 80. I know my ticker says 140 and I'm sure thats do-able but I've always had 150 in my sights. I won't be real thin at 150 but I think I'll be a size 8-10 and Lord knows I'd be thrilled at that! My whole point was that we've all gotten discouraged and frustrated because the weight is slower coming off but we are also at a point where we're getting close to the statistics. I hope I bypass the average and hit my 80% by Christmas but I'm not beating myself up anymore - at least not today. I said before my goal for this band is to help me to eat less, change my eating habits, and to develope good exercise habits. Just walking 30 minutes everyday is a BIG thing for me to be doing. Have a good day ladies - I have a gallon of paint waiting for me.

Brandi - girl I just noticed your ticker! You are almost in onederland! Woohoo for you! As for your brother just keep encouraging him to come with you to the gym, but try to put it to him in a way that he feels like you need him .. like.. I hate going to the gym by myself, I'd give anything if someone would go with me, guilt guilt... instead of him feeling like its something you think he should be doing, bc how irritating is that when someone would urge you to exercise. Like my dh, he would always want to go for walks and it would just piss me off instead of it being loving like he meant it I would take it as he doesn't like me fat. Ok - so who spilled the beans? I haven't told anyone from my job... cept Charlie, and he knows he's the only one I told. I told him that I wasn't telling anyone else because I feel like if I'm going to be the subject of conversation I want to be there.

I'm glad you all like my plan! Boo we're all here for you and that paragraph was awesome - I bet the whole book will be great! Can't wait to read it! What are we doing wrong! I can't stand being a slow loser! I haven't lost a pound since my fill on Wed, almost a week! I'm still walking the treadmill, counting my calories - although mine tend to be 1000 - 1300 most days but still there should be some movement! Support group tonight... maybe I'll mention it. Or not. I picked up paint to paint the guest room today. That'll keep me busy for a day or 2. Hubby has the flooring almost done in here now. Remember we did the living and kitchen, and now he just did the computer/dining/hunting room - UGH! The floor looks wonderful but I need to change this room, it drives me crazy! He has a 6 foot gun cabinet in what is supose to be my dining room, so besides all the dining room furniture it also has a deer head on the wall, and my desk with computer. Anyone want to do trading spaces? Has anyone heard from Kaydoll or Nat? Whats up my friends?

BOO - GET OUT! Thats too dang cool! Okay so this is my thought... Oprah is out cause she's stupid about wls but I think we could all go on Ellen and tell her how we met on LBT and became best buds ... I'm talking ALL the steadies... wouldn't that be cool! I was even thinking Rachel Ray but I like Ellen better - You could promote your book and we could get a free trip! Ok so that was kinda selfish.. I'm very proud of you and I want to read it too can you fax me a few pages?

my weight is stuck too - just got this fill and I feel like it should start the scale moving again but it hasn't yet. I can feel this fill alot more, I ate a slice of pizza for lunch and my head said boy another peice would be good but my band said don't even take a bite of the cheese! So I'm finally at a place where I eat the right amount and can't seem to over eat... I'm happy about that. I'm feel good today - took yesterday and just rested and drank alot of water. Thank goodness St pats only comes once a year!

Nat - I'm sorry your mom was a jerk. She doesn't know you got the band does she? I hate to say it but she kinda sounds like my mother in law. I get in my moods too... suggestion rent a good cry movie and cry... somehow it just makes you feel better. I love you and I know you are doing excellant and that you are beautiful! Cheer up sweetie. Went to the annual St pats party at Dave's last night - Its the ONE night of the year I get .. plastered.. Green punch.. vodka, sherbert, 7up - the 7up didn't bother me a bit ... neither did the 12 shots I did either... dh just rolls me on home... actually Dave just lives up the road so its a safe roll. I got alot of compliments, no one says anything about the weight but they say you look really nice tonight. I'm beginning to think its a very touchy subject and people stick to the safe side and just say you look good. What do you think? I even got a compliment on my hair..LOL too funny. I feel like crap... totally dehydrated, with the poops. But I had fun.

He may not be the one right now but he's definitely been good for you. Its just good to hear you happy. More snow today... blah! Anyone have big plans for St.Patty's day tomorrow? Our friend always throws a party - we always have a REAL good time. Its about 10 years of tradition. I still can't seem to get breakfast down. The dr didn't want to give me too much fill because I told him I'm alot tighter in the am - I just had about 2 bites and I'm not really golfballing but I can feel it sitting in my chest. Guess I'll just have to learn how to treat my band.