KristiB

Lee and Elizabeth, I think you both are very smart about what you want and how to go about getting it, or getting it done. I was in that place last year...had my last straw while on the Weight Watchers diet. I know dieting doesn't work for me, because I always go back to the old eating habits. I have found that the band helps in many ways for me....I don't crave as much of the sweets as I used to, I feel fuller a LOT faster(duh), and when I DO feel the urge to be bad and don't really want to be bad, I can remind myself how much money I spent on this surgery, and by crackety I am NOT going to eat that today!! There are other things too, but these are the main ones. I have been divorced for 4 years, didn't do much dating due to my weight mostly. I just knew when I was ready to start going out again. I think you will both come to that time in your life, when you start to be happy with you and your own company, you will find that more and more people see YOU for who you really are. I know I crack myself up sometimes, and now I would like to crack other people up as well. And yes, I have lonely times, though not as much as I used to. I can take care of most everything by myself( oil changes, fixing a hole in the wall, etc), but it is sure nice when I had a man around who WANTED to take care of me. It's that feeling that I never got with my exhusband. I am 34 now, got divorced around 29 or 30?ish. Anyway, I guess my point is this...you just gotta take care of you first, then everything will start falling into place for you. You are doing that right from the git go, so keep it up.:clap2: I havent' been out lately or I would tell you guys tall tales, but nothing to tell as of yet.....keep your fingers crossed. I did get on the scale this morning, it was 190!!! Of course if I get on it now it will be like 196 or something, but that was the lowest it has been in 7years!!!! woo hoo! Kristi

I just wanted to ask if anyone has found good alcoholic beverages to drink while out? I don't drink much, but love wine coolers, and now that I don't want to even try the carbonation, I always have to take my blender and my own mixers to parties....can be a pain in the neck. I just don't have a clue as to what you can just buy, ready to drink, thats sortof like a wine cooler, or sweet in otherwords. I don't really like the taste of alcohol, so I don't know. Any ideas? I love white russians, and mudslides, but again, pain in the butt. Kristi I have thought about adding vodka to some crystal light or koolaid, but who knows? I as seriously in need of some helpLOL.

Okay, I joined plentyoffish, its good cause it is free. I met one guy from there last night. Blah, he didn't look like his picture very much. So after about 30 minutes of whtever, I went to my brothers house. We had met at a casino, but didn't stay together for very long. Ha Ha When he called me on the phone, (hes from Virginia) he sounded like forrest gump, so that was a no go, and then he wasn't QUITE what I had expected, so another one bites the dust. You know, I think I am going to put bad and good pics of me on my profiles, so that people will see everything, I think this guy was posing, and it made him look better than he really was. So back to the drawing board. Goodness I hate dating. I wish I could just meet someone and get hitched, and be happy. I guess that would be boring though. Kris

Joan, I love callin you woots, too, thoughLOL--I hope you and this guy hit it off! And living close to your daughter does make for nice weekends, seeing the family and possibly the man. Good Luck. I am glad to hear you are feeling better. MissyC, hey did you ever get that book? by Houston? I can't find it at the library for free, so I guess I am going to buy it. Sorry folks, information from another thread. Chrispy, I am so excited for you. Although I don't like a lot of tattoos, I don't mind a few, but you know what you like, and all that really matters is how you treat each other, and mostly that he treats you like a princess. TracyinKS, I think you have a good strategy for dating. Have you ever read "He's just not that into you?" or "why men love bitches?" They are hilarious. I would recommend them to anyone trying to date. Well, except for men, I guess they already know this stuff. JDru, ok we haven't heard much from you lately, what gives? No information coming from your end? How's life? Lee4love1, well if thats not a pickup line of some sort, I don't know, but welcome to our little tribe of singles, keep posting, we need some male input every once in a while. Where's Derek? So here is my latest. I went out with "longhair" again. This is our second date. Haven't seen him since before I hurt my leg fighting that tree limb, so tis bean a wheel. Anyway, he was cuter than I remembered him, so that was a big plus, but we got along great, and I felt like I could open up to him, so I was pretty comfortable. He told me I was intriguing, which is cool, because when I am skinnier, men are ALWAYS about looks, never about what I THINK. We didn't get real romantic or anything, but he kissed me at the end of the date, and he has a bit of a scratchy little mustache, and he asked me if I liked men with mustaches, and I said sure, as long as you aren't a leg man! (BC we had just discussed my big scars on my legs from the battle with the tree limb and how I had better not meet any leg men). Although what I REALLY wanted to say was something along the lines of "it depends on what body part you are kissing as to whether or not I like mustaches"LOL But I was a GOOD girl and didn't say that BAD thing. And so now he thinks I am humorous also! So I am having a pretty good time with him. Thanks for listening, Kristi

Of course Water is best, try Fiji, it's great, but expensive. I drink a lot of tea and crystal light. Crystal Light now makes those on the go small packs, so there are tons of flavor in those packs, you can keep em in the car and just pour some into a bottle of water, but not Fiji, don't ruin the Fiji. Can you tell I am a Fiji fan? LOL Kris

Chrispy, what Jdru said! Glad it was great! Kris

i know most of the romance I have read has been written by women, but there is one novel that is historical romance by a man. Its by James Houston? I believe, and its called Ghostfox, or Ghost Fox. I need to buy it from ebay or something like that, I could read it over and over again. It was very good, of course that was when I was 20something, so maybe its not as good as I remember, but I still love it. Kristi

Woots, thank you very much. I am just whining, I hurt but not bad enough to take anything for it. I am saving whats left of my lortab for the suture removal on Thursday. I hope you get to feeling better too. Are they going to check you for blood clots or anything? I hope you get well, my prayers are with you. :kiss2: Internet dating.....Hmmmm. I have had both good and bad luck. I never personally met any of my matches from eharmony, but they seemed like nice people. I met several from yahoo personals, and they were pretty much what they said they were, and looked like their pictures also. (for the most part). I am going to a singles study group at church tomorrow night. I have had the most luck with a dating service that cost quite a bit of moulah, but its one of those matching services where they do a background check, income check, compatiblity matching, etc. They do it at the office in person. Several of the matchmakers get together over the profiles and try to do the matching. They call the woman first, describe the man, and if the woman likes what she is hearing, she can tell them to have the man call her. They then call the man, and if he likes what he is hearing, they give the man the womans phone number so he can call her. If you never meet someone you are matched up with, even if you have been talking on the phone for months, that match does not count against you. Youcall em back and tell them to put your profile back into the hopper, if you will. the one I am using is the Singles Station, but there are other national ones, Its Just Lunch sounds like a good one. But they are expensive. I like them because I dont have to peruse the singles online, and try to weed out the ones I don't like. They mostly do it for me. They have pictures of everyone, but we don't see each other until we meet. Anyway, see ya. My daughter is griping at me to get off of here. to bed. bye :faint: Kristi

Was told by surgeon that the carbonation 1. expands in tummy stretching it out, so defeating the purpose of having surgery in first place. 2. soda and all carbonation goes down through the stomach opening ( through the band) and then the carbonation comes back up but cannot escape, especially when your band is tight. This makes some people feel like they are stuck or having a heart attack, not a pretty feeling. I however have not tried any carbonation yet, too scared. I was wondering if anyone has tried to drink soda and take some gas x with it? kristi

Oh Geez my leg hurts! Kris

gyfts welcome to singles, and hopefully welcome to bandland, it takes some getting used to, but by and far, (its only been 3 months for me, tho) it has been worth it. Woots(Joan) sorry to hear bout all your problems, I know that had to hurt, such a sensitive area. It really is good you got all of that taken care of though, now only a year, you can save up money and vacation time to prepare for it, buy that new treadmill and get it ready for post banding, cause believe me you will need it to help work out the gas pains in your shoulders. Thank you everybody for your encouragement and support- I only have 18 or 19 stitches. 4 or 5 deep stitches in the fatLOL and 13 on the skin. They are far apart though, so if they had put them closer like I thought they were, there probably would have been 40 or so. I was going to go to work today, but last night at wal fart getting the gauze and stuff, both of my legs swelled very large and tight like watermelons. And they were berry berry itchy!!! So's I stayed home. Boring.... Watched Smallville season 5 episodes all day(got it for Christmas)... I am going to try to put pics with my profile, so if you want to see the gruesome stitches, feel free. oh yeah, since I have been home and bored, and not working out, I don't think I will be making my mini goal tomorrow. Happy VD! Kristi

Charlotte, that is what I thought it was called, then changed my mind. I guess I was right all along. I really DID get hit by a tree limb, though. I am off work for a week or so, healing up. I guess I will pick up a book, since I watched all of season 5 Smallville today. Geesh, I need to get off the couch, but my leg hurts. Kristi

Charlotte have you read Anne Rices sleeping Beauty trilogy? It's very different from her usual stuff, I believe. I guess thats why she used a false name. What's that called? I got hit by a log yesterday, and can't remember anything..............jk Kristi

MissyC, yes, that was the same storm. Those areas look like disaster areas, don't they? My grandfather had surgery we had to move him to an assisted living homed during those icy days, and then last Saturday, he had a stroke and died. We buried him just a few days ago, so we hadn't made it Wagoner to pull those limbs out of the trees yet. It was my dads father. So we have had a rough 3 weeks anyway, then I got hurt. My dad and brother said the limb fell sideways, so it actually hit me at an angle, and threw me several feet, flipped me over a couple of times, and then landed on me. They all came running, so I hopped up real fast and said, " I'm okay. I'm okay." I almost started to go back to work, but I sat down to look at it first. Good thing I did, too. It was about 5 ot 6 inches across the area of the tibial tuberosity, and it was open up and down about 3 inches. My mom almost passed out. Sorry, mom. Missy where do you live? Kristi

prbrooksie, Hey, you need to give yourself a break. Its a BIG change to get this surgery. You are LEARNING right now. Learning how to eat, or not to eat, what you can and cannot eat. It has only been what, 3 months for us now? You took how many years to gain all the weight? You need to give yourself a chance to lose it also. I think what has helped me THE most if I feel like eating and I am not hungry, or want to eat cake or something, is exercising. Not necessarily going to the gym right now damnit! But do some crunches, or some walking on the treadmill, or my bike or whatever it is that you can do at home. I prefer the crunches, because it hurts after a while. If my tummy muscles are hurting, I DON'T eat until dinner time. This may not work for you, you just need to find something that does. I think I am at my sweet spot for right now. I CAN overeat on some things, but I can control it now, whereas presurgery, I couldn't control how much I ate. I think with this fill, it has gotten rid of my cravings, I used to be a chocoate and sugar aholic. Now I can say no to those things, even when everyone else is having it. I had my first fill and I couldn't eat anything solid, so I was way overfilled. The next time I had only .2cc removed. And now I feel perfect. For some of us, the amount of fill is the key. I think I am lucky that I got it in two fills or unfills. As I lose weight, I may need more, who knows. Another thing that helps me, as I was self pay, is I say to myself, "how much money did I spend on this darn band? $16,000? Wow, I am NOT eating that today!" And I don't. You WILL find little things that help you along. I think I have traded eating for exercising. Maybe I still have an addiction, I have just changed it to something healthier. You are doing great. And you're 5'10"! I am only 5'6", and started out at 237. I didn't look all that bad for as much as I weighed, and you have 4 inches more! You will lose that weight, just keep trying. It will work. Kristi

My biggest pet peeve is when patients show up for an appointment a day or two early, and expect to just be worked in, and are rude about it. I also hate hate hate people who pass you in the right lane, which is going to end soon, you know this because the sign says lane ends. Then they slam on their brakes and try to turn left, and you have to wait behind them.

Joan, I am so sorry to hear about the stent and nitro but you have got to put yourself right before you go and get anything else going, because the band is a big change, some people do well from the beginning and some dont, they have complications, although I don't think most complications are that bad with the band. You are going to be all right, and I will pray for you. Chrispy, 6 men? Are you crazy? No you are probably happy as heck, I know I would be. I went out with the one guy with the tats and piercings, but we didn't click, so that's okay, but I went out with someone I met through a dating service, and we did okay, I think I already told you about that, I will try to see him again. I also have another guy in the works, but I don't think I want to be more than friends with him, cause I work with his mom. So if things got bad, I would still have to see her everyday. That could be bad, although she is the one who is trying to fix us up. Jodie, You have fun, but be careful, I am sounding like your mother here, I know, but Listen to me girl! I envy you your stripper. SuperG, Hey how are you doing? I agree with your posts, as always. Cascadian, Welcome to the singles thread. We need more men on here. Just to get perspectives on different issues, right ladies? Puddin, I agree with you too on the athletic thing. I want to date guys who take care of themselves, because it is now a lifestyle issue for me all the way. I have spent a LOT of money and effort to lose weight and get into shape, so I want someone who wont derail all of my efforts. Jdru and dibaby, Hello, maybe I will have more to say later, but I got to get to the meat of my post before my parents come home. Okay, so y'all know about the ice storm we had her in ok, tx, ks, etc. Well, my parents have rental properties in one of the towns hit hard by the ice. There are a lot of trees down and we went and helped my folks cut some of the fallen brances out. In the front yard, one of the HUGE branches hadn't falllen all of the way out of the tree, so we were using chainsaws and ropes to pulll this bad boy down. Weeeeelllllllll, some dumbass named Kristi wasn't far enough away, and the branch swung the wrong way, cause that is the way I was running, and it knocked me in the back into a concrete and rock retaining wall and smashed me underneath. I thought I was okay, I could walk and everything, but when I got over to the car, and took off my overhauls, yes I was wearing camoflaugeLOL, my leg was covered in blood, and my knee had been ripped open, down to the tibia, you could see the bone. It was really cool. So I had to go to the emergency room and get stitches, both of my legs are all bruised up and abrasions everywhere, my back is bruised where the limb hit me, and my elbow is swollen, I look like I have been in a bad carwreck. Anyway, I told you all of this just so I could whine about not being able to go to dance lessons with my friend on Wednesdays. I can barely walk. I am just so mad about the whole thing, it is driving me crazy. And I can't take a bath. Yuk!! Kristi I think I will make my challenge for the weight loss by Vday, I am 194 right now, my goal was 193 by 2-14, but I won't be exercising anytime soon. How is everyone else doing on the mini challenge? And what is going to be our next goal?

Kristi age 34 geek nice cute wanting to meet same

Is the game yesterday, or next Friday? I say go! Get a free game, and see if you like him. If you like each other you can talk, if not, you can watch the game. simple. ok, I know, not THAT simple, but you should go. It will be fun. Kristi

I don't mind long hair on men, IF it goes with their facial structure, etc. Just like women, some of us look good with long hair, some look better with short. But I agree about the yummy baldies. Especially if the top of their head is tanned. I love the show Smallville, and the guy who plays Lex Luthor looks weird with hair. He looks so hot as a bald guy. Kristi

Sharon and Karen welcome to the single bandsters!! advice, no. I told my date up front about the band. I am not ashamed of it, don't care what they think, so....I don't know what to tell you about when or what to tell people. I have only encountered one person who was negative towards me being banded(female friend of a friend) and she is negative towards life, so I took her with a grain of salt. Karyn, Howmuch can you eat? Do you feel like you are over eating? Are you not losing? I think I was over filled with my first fill, and it was miserable, so I am reluctant to go back. I am losing weight again, by working out a bit more, I still have to watch what I eat, cause I am eating when I am not even hungry sometimes. I think the band is doing it's job by keeping me not hungry, I just need to do MY job by not eating when I am not hungry. Thats my two or ten cents, even. Kristi

Misschrissie, Sunshine, oklabubba, you are all doing fantastic!! The liquid part of the diet seems like it takes forever to get through, but it's worth it, when you get to start eating mashed potatoes, and stuff. sorry, i probably shouldn't mention that to you now. But it gets better, it truly does. Kristi

Okay so the guy I went out with on Saturday just isn't my type, but he was nice. He's the 24 year old, so I am 10 years older than him. And although I have a few body piercings, I don't have them on my face, which he DOES. And he smokes, which I DON'T. But I knew these things beforehand, so I thought I would give it a try. We ate Mexican and saw a movie, don't go see the Hitcher, it's lame. We didn't hit it off, but i really didn't expect us to, so no biggie. I do like him, and I think he and my brother would be great friends, so I may get them together over a beer, or something. Tonight, I met the blind date for dinner. We have been talking on the phone since Friday, so I knew a little bit about him, his background etc. so we had stuff to talk about. He wasn't exactly what I pictured based on his voice, but not in a bad way. He's not Brad Pitt, but he's attractive. I let him smooch me on the lips, it was ackward, but I think I will see him again. So it wasn't the romantic mushy dinner I was hoping for, but it'll do. Oh yeah, and one of my friends at work doubles as a lounge singer, and knows lots of single boy toys for me to get acquainted with, so maybe I will have lots more dates. Yay!! I really just wanted to get back into the swing of dating, I fear I have lost it:faint: completely. OHOHOH yeah, I almost forgot to tell ya, I was a size 22 pre surgery, and now into 16 comfortably, and I can cross my legs again!! I have a joke for you. This lady is at the bar, a guy asks if he can buy her a drink, she says no thanks, alcohol does bad things to my legs. Guy asks what does it do? Make your legs swell or something? Lady says "no, it makes them open". Ha ha got that by email today. Sorry if it offended someone, my bad I won't do it again. BTW, don't ask where the body jewelry is located, not telling.:biggrin1: Peace out, Kristi

Tom, Hey, you should be able to do the elliptical if it is set right for you. It truly is an easy machine. If you get an elliptical with the handlebars that move, you can''t adjust the height of the steps. Try to get on an elliptical that has no moveable handlebars, that way you can either walk(more or less), and swith to a higher step which is more like climbing stairs. I repeat, do NOT get the machine that has the moveable handlebars, you have to work harder on that kind of elliptical.If you use the adjustable step kind, you can adjust the difficulty or resistance of the machine, making it more of a lope, or more of a walk, or even more of a run. But you can't do this with the ones with the moveable arms, at least not the ones I have seen. It is easier on the knees, because your feet never leave the footholder, you don't lift your feet off with each step, you leave them on and just use your power or weight to get them going. Now, if you have a lot of upper body strength, but your legs are sore or tired, you can use the one with the moveable arms, and actually USE your arms to help your legs up and around. You get a higher HR with the use of your arms also, so I have graduated to this type of machine now, but I started for only 6 or 7 minutes at a time on the other one. Good Luck, I hope I have helped you. Kristi:tape:

Ha Ha Missy I am always on the computer when I should be reading. I guess when I grow up and the kids are gone, I will have time to read. I really miss reading in a nice warm bathtub...........aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh. Kristi