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Dear Plumpy Pad, It's been over 4 months since my last confession, and let me set things straight right up front: I went on vacation in August and I quit watching what I ate. I am SHOCKED that I am only up 4lbs. from where I was back then! In other updates, I am now a vegan. I am very passionate about animals, and the animal cruelty committed daily on factory farms makes me sick. I have a lot of strong opinions and views... and decided to take the leap from vegetarian to vegan. It's definitely an added bonus for weight loss that cheese and dairy are no longer welcome in my tummy! I hope I don't lose touch with you again Plumpy Pad!!

Dear Plumpy Pad, It's been over 4 months since my last confession, and let me set things straight right up front: I went on vacation in August and I quit watching what I ate. I am SHOCKED that I am only up 4lbs. from where I was back then! In other updates, I am now a vegan. I am very passionate about animals, and the animal cruelty committed daily on factory farms makes me sick. I have a lot of strong opinions and views... and decided to take the leap from vegetarian to vegan. It's definitely an added bonus for weight loss that cheese and dairy are no longer welcome in my tummy! I hope I don't lose touch with you again Plumpy Pad!!

Hello my lucky 7'S!! Sorry I have been MIA so much lately. Just been busy with work and life. Our weather here in Iowa has been nuts to past couple of weeks. Every other day we are getting snow or something. We are getting ready for another storm again tomorrow into Wed. I hope it clears before Wed afternoon though because I have my monthly check up with my surgeon. I am really looking forward to this one. My restriction is good but I think it could be just a wee bit tighter so I am asking them for a 'tweek' tomorrow. After January first I have to start working on my annual out of pocket max again but up until then everything is covered at 100%. I figure if he gives just a little tweek that should hold me for a while because I am doing ok right now. I want to share a recipe with you all. My MIL is a member of weight watchers and she got this recipe and made some of this soup and had me try it. I ABSOLUTELY love it!!!! I am a VERY big soup eater anyway so this was right up my alley. She calls this the guilt free soup. Very high in fiber and protein and LOW in calories. Just what we need. I made a whole pot tonight and froze it down in 1/2 cup servings in my little gladlock containers. Had some for supper and I am FULL. LOL Soup is very filling to me anyway. Ok here it is (I used frozen vegetables because I would rather have frozen than canned) 1 can green beans 1 can corn 1 can Hormel Chili with NO beans 1 can hormel chili with turkey and beans 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans 1 can Vegetarian Vegetable soup 2 sliced white potato (I did not add this because thought I would just cut down a few of the starch and carbs) 1 can pea's 1 can carrots Boil your potatoes until tender. While potatoes are boiling mix together all other ingredients and heat. When potatoes are finished drain and add to the rest of the mix. Each cup is 50calories. Very filling and very tastey. I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes because I love tomatoes and they are free. Hope you enjoy it.

food! I dont take any Protein "supplement" in the form of shakes or bars etc. These days I'm really loving vegetarian sources like chickpeas and lentils, but I do eat red meat. I love lamb, we eat lamb in some form twice a week or so. I struggle with fish, I only eat it because I know its good for me.

Drooling at the thought of pancakes, with the butter all melting into the maple syrum, siiigh. Instant pain. Really cant do those, its not worth it. I loathe pork chops, so never eat those. I love cooking - I'm really having fun with vegetarian recipes as I bought a lovely cookbook and really like cooking modern, fusion style cuisine. I spend a lot of time and effort cooking and I really enjoy eating it, in moderate quanity and I usually cook healthy meals, not stodgy crap.

We have this discussion periodically in our local support group. Some people do portion control only and refuse to diet. Some people do portion control and an eating plan... or a diet counting something...carbs, fat, Protein, calories, or anti preservatives, vegetarian.... Just keep your own goals clear, and write them down, and then decide how you are going to get there. We're all different. I have a strict diet of healthy foods at home that I adhere to 85% of the time. Then when I'm at a restaurant, I order whatever I want and just go with portion control. So restaurant eating ais a special event for me. Altough...the longer I have the band, the less interesting food is. I never thought I'd say that!

Hi Jill, I think my doctor had me on the pretty standard diet. It was all Clear Liquids for the first week. The second week I could add creamy Soups, sugar free Jello pudding, and cream of wheat. The third I was able to add soft scrambled eggs, liverswurst, string cheese, oatmeal, fish as long as it was soft and moist. He also said that I could eat meats as long as they were pureed. I skipped that offer. As a meat lover I found that it offended my senses. The fourth week I added vegetarian sausages to my diet just so that I could have the taste of meat without actually having the calories or fat that go along with it. Morning Star Breakfast patties are great, they have 10 grams of Protein each and they are only 80 calories each. But now I'm back up to regular foods and everything seems to be going fine.

I know a fill can "kick in" up to three weeks later, but even when mine did, I had restriction from the start...it just worsened all of a sudden down the line. If it were me, I would go back for more of a fill. You know your body best, and from what you are describing, it sounds like you need it. As far as slipping, that is my understanding, as well...you would be in total band hell with pain and not being able to eat or drink at all. Now the biggie in the meantime while you are figuring out what to do is the snacking. Don't beat yourself up over the snacking...you are HUNGRY for pete's sake! I have taken to snacking about 90% of the time since meals are a real pain in the ass for me. (Bonus: I think it is speeding up my metabolism some.) I eat things like seedless grapes, sliced fuji apples with cheddar is a fave of mine, Target has fantastic fruit and nut blends like Almonds and Cashews with dried Cranberries...yum! Just a handful will stave off hunger. And salads are always a great choice. These days I live on salads and fruit and nuts. Since I eat so little, I buy the really "good stuff". I really think I could be a vegetarian if I didn't love salmon so much! Oh, and of course I still do the protein drinks and I found a FANTASTIC protein bar, too, with 30 grams of protein in it. I have tried so many others and found them to be chocolate dipped sawdust, but these are YUMMY. (They taste like someone added a later of peanut butter to a 100 GRAND CANDY BAR! You should LOVE this one, SUZZZIE!) This new one is awesome and really makes two meals because its so big. I wish you luck O2B! Only you can decide what to do, but I would SO be running for another fill to make this band do its' job!

Thanks L8bloomr - truth is I don't do the rants and raves bc its usually a useless battle. Everyone has their own opinion and I doubt what I have to say will change anyone elses. But abortion is something I feel strongly about. I also feel very strongly about Jesus, being a Christian is so misunderstood. I get so tired of everyone who has strong moral values as being thrown into the radiacal right wing group. Jesus wasn't like that at all. He was friend to sinners - and yes I'm a Christian but I'm a sinner too. Only by Gods grace am I forgiven. If we each look deep into our souls and find out what kind of forgiveness we are capable of - can you forgive the rapist? Can you forgive the molester (I've been there), can you forgive the husband or boyfriend who cheated on you? (been there) How about the drunk driver who killed your best friend or brother? How about that officer gossiper who told everyone you had lapband surgery? Petty when we think of it, but it hurt just the same. If we can forgive any of these people who have hurt us - just think how much more God can forgive us. Can we love the homosexual? I should hope so since most of us have them in our family! What is sin? Did God send down a list of things we can't do because its SIN? No, God sent down a list of things that will bring pain and destruction to our lives. When God says don't commit adultry is it bc he doesn't want us to have a 'good time' , no, its bc he knows it will bring pain, hurt, confussion, destruction to the relationship. When God says don't kill we interpret it however it suits us. Someone says we are hyprocrites bc we still kill animals to eat - well thats their interpretation and aparently haven't read any of the other scriptures that tell us to eat the meat. I dont' have a problem is a vegetarian, good for them, but I like meat (Lord knows I like all food or I wouldn't be on LBT) - do I have a problem with gluttony? you bet I do - yep I'm a sinner but I'm also a Christian who has accepted Jesus Christ as her savior (savior means He alone can save me from hell by forgiving me of my sins). Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. Goodnight and farewell.

I just spent 15 minutes searching the web to find more information about the authors and the study you quoted, but all I get is the article you quoted from that is posted on various Atheist websites. I need to know much more about the date of this study, the background and potential agendas of the authors and the criteria of the information gathered. I would also need to know if one very important question was asked before I could sign on to the validity of this study: "Do you practice your religion"? Many people are born, baptised and raised in a religion, but as adults they abandon it. They continue to identify as that religion, but for all practical purposes, they have no religion. Put it this way: I can call myself a vegetarian, I can promote vegetarianism, distribute vegetarian literature and quote from famous vegetarians....but if I am still eating meat, I am certainly not a vegetarian and anyone witnessing my meat-eating should not judge other vegetarians by my actions. The same goes for "religious" people in public and in prison. Also, this study included Jews in its statistics. I have several Jewish friends, and for the most part, they identify as Jews as a culture, not as a religion. They don't follow a moral or "religious" code of behavior, but a cultural one. This study is also suspect for another reason. It gives as a reason for the murderous behavior of Christians the "fact" that Christians commit deadly crimes because they know that God will forgive them and they will go to Heaven, so their behavior doesn't matter. That is, to put it mildly, a load of crap. Christians know that they need to show God that they love and believe in Him, and the way He has asked us to do that is to follow His laws of love, kindness, patience and virtue. Their salvation is only guaranteed if they do. Secondly, your "study" quotes the Old Testament as proof that Christians think that murderous, criminal actions are just fine in God's eyes. Christians don't follow the Old Testament. When Jesus came, he made a New Covenant with His followers. We now follow the laws that Jesus set, and they demand that we live moral and loving lives. Just because many of us struggle with this, especially in our modern world, does not make us any more comfortable with murder or crime than others. Quite the opposite, I believe. Sorry, I just don't buy the point you are trying to make. I have never known a true Christian who was anything like the ones in the article you quoted.

CINDY!!!! First of all, WELCOME!! So glad you decided to join us! I visited the Crackerbox website and was blown over by the beautiful ornaments!!! The website, sadly, does not give any indication of what kind of skills are required for putting them together!? Obviously they look incredibly difficult....are they? I'd LOVE to try one!!! Gosh, your tree must look amazing!!! My company gives me a Swarovski snowflake ornament every year and I think I've got 8 or 9 now. Now we give them as gifts to several of the younger couples in our family so their collection will grow. They, too, rise in value every year...but nothing close to the Crackerbox ornaments!!! So cool!! TracyK - I've got the day off today for shopping, too! I haven't bought one thing either. Not one. Don't know why I haven't been just making beads for everyone!? Well, I do know....NO TIME! I'm going to the grocery store later today and I've vowed to myself that I WILL NOT BUY ONE FORBIDDEN ITEM. I usually buy 'treats' for the kids....like Toaster Streudel or cinnamon rolls or ice cream....but it's not good for them either!! Then they go back to their dad's and I finish off the ice cream!! I WILL NOT BUY JUNK, I WILL NOT BUY JUNK, I WILL NOT BUY JUNK. Grrrrrrrrrrr. Sorry I haven't been around. Things will slow down considerably after the middle of the month and I'll be back to posting regularly again. Mom is doing so much better than she was a month ago. She's much stronger....the PT and OT are doing wonders...as well as the fact that she's getting 3 squares a day and cleaning her plate each meal! She looks good. I'd give her outlook a 6 out of 10, though....she seems a bit depressed, but OK. Could be worse. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. I'm starting to worry a little bit about my 14 yr old daughter. She told me the other day that she wants to become a vegetarian because she wants to "lose some of her muscle mass". Shit!!! She's 5'8" and weighs 130 and wears a size 5. I think she's upset because last year she wore a size 0 and is not getting the relationship between getting taller, 'becoming a woman', etc, and needing larger sizes. She knows she's not "fat" but apparently wants to be smaller....so in her mind she needs to lose muscle mass. OMG!! I've pounded good nutrition principles into these kids' heads since they were toddlers!! Is she crazy??? I'll keep a close eye on her. She does love milk so I'll keep pouring that down her throat. I've got lots to do today, girls.... I hope you all can be patient with me during my busy time and not think I'm just being a snot! Frankly, I'm feeling a little crazy and just trying to keep it all together. Love you all!

I am totally unfilled, and never ate the 1/2 cup that people go on about even when I did have a fill... But To give you an idea of what I eat; Breakfast Cup of coffee, bowl of oats with nuts and a banana. Snack; A home made ricotta cake. Today's are mango ricotta cakes ((drool)) and a cup of tea. Lunch; Tabouleh with 2 vegetarian sausages. Snack; An apple, a handful of nuts, and a big bottle of Water. dinner Moroccan chickpeas (a tomato based dish with chickpea's, zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin, sultanas, nuts, and couscous) Or if I can convince DH that he has the energy to go out, Bruschetta. Snack Cup of tea and a couple of squares of this fab organic chocolate I found at Mrs Flannerys.

Not sure how much mine will help, but anyway: Yesterday I had Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, a bit later a pear. Snack: banana, skim milk latte Lunch: tuna sandwich on wholegrain bread dinner: glass red wine, Pasta bake, green salad, coffee (dinner at my sister's). Today so far I've eaten: Breakfast: 1/3 cup muesli with a bit of natural yogurt and some stewed plums on top. Skim milk latte Just made another tuna sandwich for lunch to use up the other half of the can. Dinner tonight is a vegetarian recipe - roast butternut pumpkin salad with walnuts and fetta cheese, have made it before its yummmy. I'm about to go to my sisters and pick up my daughter who had a sleepover, I'm not going to come back and admit to what yummy carb laden indulgence I've slipped in, as she said she's baking, lol.

Everyone has different experiences with this, for me, there's not much that I can't eat, but lots of things I have to be very very careful with or I can be in big trouble. When I'm stuck, there's nothing I can do except wait it out. Sometimes that means enduring some pain or discomfort from a few minutes to maybe half an hour. Other times, I'll have to go vomit, and this can be painful or it can be a non-event. Sometimes, I'll lean over the toilet, and open my mouth, and out it comes without any effort. Other times it's a lot more difficult. I never know what to expect when I get stuck, it's just something I have to let my body decide what to do about it. I'm a little worried about tomorrow being Thanksgiving, turkey is generally too dry for me, so I might be doing the vegetarian thing tomorrow.... It will depend on if I feel like drowning it in gravy or if it's moist enough. My best advice, though is to SLOW DOWN and take SMALL BITES. My worst problems are caused by eating way too fast, and then I'm beyond full, and there's nowhere for the food to go.... I just bought a one minute hourglass timer, after I swallow, I turn it over, and wait that one minute before I take the next bite. I just got it today, and I've only used it for one meal so far, so we'll see if it helps! I hope this helps you!

Salad Shooter: Vegetarian after eating ex-lax brownies.

I dated a vegan, and had a vegetarian friend turned vegan, and all I can say is - that's some amazing willpower. I knew what a vegan was when I started dating that guy, but I had no clue how many foods contain some type of animal product - things you would never even think about until you have to. I could be one of those "vegetarians" who only eat white meat and fish. For that matter, let's leave the animals alone alltogether and just look toward our lactating women to provide the nation's milk supply. NOW where's the pukey smile... RIGHT HERE! :phone:

I had my lap band removed two days ago after having it in for 2 years. I intially lost 20 pounds and then went on the fill/unfill roller coaster and eventually unfilled about 6 months post surgery because could never get the sweet spot. Because I was unfilled, I over induldged (which is easy to do) and PB'ing was a part of everyday life for me. I spoke to my original surgeon and a new surgeon about getting it out - insurance denied the removal. Months later my port site started hurting and the pain got worse, visited dr on Tuesday and he said that he can file an appeal. By Friday (11/16) I couldn't stand it and went to the ER. He did an emergency removal and said I had a lot of scar tissue. He gave me a big waist band type thing to wear while walking and Lortab for pain (which has worked good). I had a lot of pain from the intubation tube (apparently I'm a fighter) but that has subsided somewhat. I've eaten scrambled eggs, cream of wheat and milk. Kept it bland and soft as per instructions. I was given carafate to prevent ulcers and have experienced constipation. All in all I'm very pleased with the removal and am looking forward to a life without that band in me. My DH was worried I will start over eating, which I honestly don't think that's a problem. One thing that did change while banded was I became a vegetarian, so when I indulge it's on the good stuff. If anyone has any words of wisdom after being debanded and liking it. Please let me know. Thanks for letting me share.

Hi allamess, no wonder you feel miserable if you're hungry and lightheaded all the time! I 've been banded for a month and found in the early days I needed to eat more than three meals a day because I would get so full from a small amount of food. I'd have a LITTLE healthy snack between meals to stop that horrible low blood sugar feeling. As for recipes, if you are wanting to stay away from breads etc maybe you could try some vegetarian recipes. I have found recipes with lentils and chickpeas, and tofu to be fabulous since being banded. They help with your Protein intake, and tend to be nice a moist so I haven't had any problems with them going down. If you do a google search for dahl, vegan burgers, 'neat' balls, chickpea stew you will find zillions of recipes that I've found are perfect for bandster eating because they are so nutritious, and very filling. OH, and they tend to be low fat, low calorie too .... how cool is that?? Susie

No, I don't eat any red meat, chicken or fish at all. For protein I eat eggs, cheese, TVP, Beans and nuts. I never really counted protein grams, so I couldn't say exactly how many grams a day I eat. When I eat out I usually just order from the vegetarian section of the menu (99.95% of the places I eat at have this) And when there isn't a Vege menu to order from, there is usually something that suits me. I didn't become vegetarian for any ethical reason (I don't have a problem with seeing other people eat meat) I was just never a big meat eater, and I found that I was eating less and less meat as time went on and just thought to myself "why not just become vegetarian?" and within a couple of weeks I had eliminated meats from my diet all together. I am what's call and ovo-lacto vegetarian, meaning I still eat dairy, eggs and honey. There are other types of vegetarianism that are far more restrictive in what can be consumed, but I love my cheese and yoghurt, so I don't see myself becoming vegan any time soon.

Hi Chickie, I am curious about vegetarianism. Do you eat any meat? If not, what do you eat for Protein? What do you do when you eat out? Sorry for all the questions but I am willing to do just about anything that will help with the weight loss and you are living proof that someone with PCOS can do it. Thanks in advance!

About 6 months post op I started running (slowly!!) 3 times a week, and I did, and still do 3 days a week of resistance work. These days I run about 5km a day, a long run on the weekends of about 10km (I am working on getting my daily run up to 8km, and my weekend run up to 15km), still do the resistance work 3x a week, and when my friends can rope me into it, a yoga class a week. I stopped taking my met around the time I started running, at about 6 months post op. For my money's worth, it's not just been exercise. I converted to vegetarianism about 2 years ago now, and the weight started falling off when I paid attention to eating whole foods (not over processed diet type foods). The exercise was a HUGE part, don't get me wrong, but I felt a huge change when I started eating whole, organic foods.

i'm 27 years old and feel like i've come to a decision about my life. i've determined that after 20+ years of being overweight, mostly obese, that i never want to be this way again. all past diets and programs have been moderately successful, but the results are never lasting. i lost 10-15 pounds on weight watchers, but gained it all back plus 40. in college i shed 40 pounds and got myself to a much healthier 170 pounds (felt great), but gained it steadily back over 5 years or so. i find myself at the heaviest i've ever been (260 pounds, 38 BMI) and ready to make a lasting change. my wife has alot of concerns, citing complications with surgery and the permanence of change. she has never been more than 10 - 20 pounds overweight (she is now the heaviest she has been too). i feel that someone who has not lived their life as an obese person cannot truly grasp the humiliation of not being able to fit into the clothes you bought the week before, spending money on silly OTC remedies like "hot rox" or whatever the fat burner pill du jour is, or tearing through a huge plate of food and still being hungry. she is being as supportive as possible, and i know she wants me to be as thin and healthy as i want to be, but she keeps saying that i could accomplish the same thing with diet and exercise. i look at the success that people have with this and can think only of the good things... the way you'll feel after your first 20 pounds, hitting the halfway mark, fitting into old clothes you never thought you could again. am i romanticizing it? i could lose 100 pounds and be at a healthy 160 for my 5'9" stature. i can't even imagine what my life might be like. just some thoughts... has anyone's relationship suffered complications from this decision and/or the results from it? what are your stories? after the initial discomfort, is your life restricted in any ways other than food and beverage intake? i am also a vegatarian and am concerned about how that plays in... any other vegetarians on here? i would imagine i am a rare case of an obese vegetarian... thanks so much for whatever opinions you bring.

The Thread was ' Why do people set their goal weights so high?' Originally Posted by Mariposa Bella Originally Posted by Mariposa Bella I'm 5"2" but always say I'm 5"3", started at 195 lbs a busting out of size 16, got down to 137 size 8, sometimes, very few times a 6.. and now I'm at about 155 in a size 10. Okay now tell me, why have some of you chosen to have such small goal weights of 120 or below?? I thought I wanted to weigh 130 but when I was 137 my husband said that is enough, don't lose anymore, you are starting to look sickly, you look great like this please don't lose anymore, so I stopped. I was a nice size 8, and felt great at that weight, I am truly amazed when I read that some of you are a size 0 or 2, WOW, I don't think I'd ever want to be that skinny.. Not for me, I need to get back in my 8 and I'll be comfortable.. So ladies, please don't feel that you have to get to a tiny little number, re-evaluate yourself when you lose weight, find a healthy, normal range for you, just my humble opinion. My goal weight picked me. I didn't try to get down to 107lbs, but through a good healthy diet, and daily exercise that's where I ended up. And I don't look ill, or sick at all. I am not skinny, nor do I feel pressure from anyone to be thin. At an 8 or a 10, I am still fat. I am tiny. I have tiny feet, tiny hands, and and am just a little person. So my current weight suits me just fine. Skinny is not actually a word I would use to describe myself. I look athletic, and healthy. Not skinny. My weight does not define me at all. Nor does the tag on my dress. And I am sorry that you get the impression that it does, but you are very wrong about that. I'm glad to hear that you feel perfectly healthy at your weight, I was just saying that I would hate for some of us to feel like somehow we were not successful with our bands if we don't get to such a tiny number. For me, 137 was a great weight, so that's is all I meant. Maybe I'm just jelouse.. I'm happy for you.. don't misinterpret my post.. I'm not the most eloquent at speaking or writing. I just want everyone to decide what is best for them, not for anyone else. Was my post what started this debate?? Good Lord, I hope not. As I said, FOR ME, that would be too small or yes in my eyes too skinny.. and I hate to say this, but there is such a thing as being too thin.. Look at how Nicole Ritchie and the Olsen twin girl looked.. they looked disgusting. I'm not the only one that thinks that. I am happy that some/all of you are meeting your goals at 100%.. Forgive me if I fell short of meeting my goal of 135 and stopped at 137. I personally looked really good, some oldies on this board saw my pictures taken after my weightloss and surgeries and if I say so myself, I looked pretty damn good. For me, 137 is a good weight.. My 12 year old daughter weighs about 120 lbs (very athletic and toned, she's a dancer) and is a size 0 or 1 depending on the brand.. And for me that would not be a good weight.. I could however steal her very cute clothes, Hugh?? There's a thought. No seriously, I don't want to offend anyone, but each and everyone of us, needs to evaluate themselves and decide where they feel good and healthy. And to those idiots that are sending pm's offending others, stop it.. Be happy with yourself, love yourself and respect others.. Didn't your momma teach you all this?? OOPS, I know, I know, your tired of me, but I missed highlighting some.. Can someone please teach me to edit my posts.. When I try to edit, all I get are happy face creatures in front of letters.. __________________ Banded 11-4-04 Port Revised 7-4-05 I think you would have to ask the OP if this thread was inspired by you, because I don't know. I know that MY part in this thread has been inspired by all the mean spirited people who have taken great pains to tell me I am skinny, anorexic, ugly and nasty. And I am not sure what the point in posting the content of that thread was. My point there, as it is here is, as much as people don't like being called fat, I don't like being called skinny, and scrawny. And let me tell you, when you pick my weight, or dress size, and say that at your height (which is the same as mine) you would look scrawny and skinny, it tends to give the impression that you are talking about me. I am sorry that if by saying whatever I am you think I am saying that you are falling short (I have no idea what I did to give the impression I think that by not being super skinny people are falling short, I never actually used that expression till just now...) See, I have no freaking idea where you get the idea that I think I have to be super skinny. Just because my weight is not one you could imagine on yourself, doesn't mean that I am unhealthy. And that is what pissed me off. The fact that it is just assumed that if someone is under a particular weight, that they are at deaths door. It's not the case. I just came in from an 8km run, am eating a huge bowl of oats, and have a banana to eat after that. I eat, probably more than a lot of bandsters around here, and if I was as sickly as my weight is portrayed to be by some people, I would be hooked up to an IV, not out running, and about to eat more than some people do in a day!! I eat the way I do (vegetarian and organic) because I feel almost super human when I do. I exercise the way I do, because it adds to the way I feel. I am alive. I feel better than most people could ever imagine, and the way I look, is just a very nice side effect. The way I eat and exercise is not driven by a need to be skinny, its driven by a need to be healthy. And I hate having to explain myself And to add to my previous thought, the reason I look "skinny" to some people is because a huge percentage of our population is overweight, and overweight is starting to look normal. So when people, who are used to seeing overweight people, see someone who is of a normal weight/BMI, they look too thin. So, the Olsen twins who are at the lower end of a healthy BMI, DO look too thin, compared to someone who is overweight or morbidly obese Chickie, I am sorry that you feel like you have to defend your position on being the size you are.. I admire your dedication to maintaing your weight and for keeping it off and for eating healthy.. It seems like you were able to conquer your demons.. I on the other hand am still struggling. I don't excercise and rarely eat healthy, I am what I am due to my same old self-destructive habits. When I was AT MY GOAL, I WAS SUPER HAPPY. Keep in mind that I have been fat or obsese then thin, then thin to fat to obese for almost my whole adult life.. I only weighed 190 lbs when I started and had lost the weight many times, but because I never learned how to kill the fat demon, I had to get the band. FOR ME AND ONLY ME.. 135 was a good weight, I wasn't fat anymore, but i never set out to become what I had never been or could never be at realistically. I got to the weight I though suited me and only me.. I just don't think I should be expected to be at 120 or whatever number on someone's chart, for me and only me that would not work.. Not for you, I have never been speaking of you. Please I haven't been on the board not even a week and already I am misunderstood. I hate that people called you scrawny or ugly. That is just hateful.. I just want you to know that I don't think I am selling myself short by having a larger goal weight than you. OMG I am so tired of trying to explain myself, I am exhausted.. I am not commenting on this anymore. I apologize if I without wanting to offended Why on earth would I think that? My goodness. My own husband is overweight. Not just chubby, but overweight. I don't judge him, so WHY would I judge anyone else? I never, ever said ANYWHERE that people who don't get down to some impossible number as selling themselves short. I always say that any loss is going to improve a persons health, and that is the main goal of being banded. My health was my main focus. Sure there was an element of vanity in there, I cannot deny that, but I wanted to live a long, healthy productive life. And even a 50lb loss would have gone a long way in achieving that aim. I was lucky, and I developed a fantastic lifestyle, and managed to lose 190lbs. But I would have been just as happy with 50, or 100lbs. Because it achieved my main goal of improving my health. I would just like to know how you got the impression that I think you are selling yourself short? I mean, I never actually said anything of the sort to you (or anything actually) What am I saying or doing to give people idea's like that? An example of the rest of the thread Quote: Originally Posted by kathystrick I chose my goal weight based on the weight charts and healthy BMI. I have my goal posted as 165, but at 5'10, I do believe that is going to be smaller than I am comfortable with on my body. I have been down to 225 as an adult and wore a 16/18 and felt quite skinny-collar bones and hip bones poking out, sunken cheeks, sculpted jaw. I just can't imagine my body 60 pounds smaller than that. I will keep my goal weight posted as 165, but as I get closer to that, it is likely to change. Jachuts response That's certainly a measure over how different we all are. At five foot 10 myself, I was banded at 240lb. At 225 I was desperately unhappy with what I saw as my enormous weight problem - I had health problems as a result of it too. I hate to single someone out and because this IS a personal issue and everyone should be able to decide what they want to weigh for themselves. But I just cant not comment here because to me that's a very bizarre thing to say. This is where I really think there's a bit of body image issues to this, I really cannot believe that at 225 a 5ft 10 woman would have sunken cheeks and jutting bones - its still a BMI of 32, heck, its still obese. To think you wont be comfortable being smaller, eek, I dont know, I just see that there must be some reason why you think that - and I think its showing an inability to recognise what healthy weight is meant to look like - its not bony and unattractive its (to use that awful word again) normal! I really do respect your right to weigh whatever you want but I cannot in any way truly understand your reasoning on this, and that's the point I've been trying to make - I dont argue with it but I cant help thinking that thay's just well, dysfunctional. 225 is obese and I cant understand how anyone cant see that, or why they'd choose it when they have this wonderful tool that makes it possible to achieve a healthy weight. Please dont take offence at this, its hard to say without sounding wrong, but I am quite baffled by it. Dr. Ernesto I Know from previous comments that Chickie made on the thread that she has had some really hateful comments left on her blog, and I can understand why she is upset, I would be gutted, but Mariposa wasnt the one that left those comments. I think she entered into a lively debate unaware that it had gone off the origional subject ' Why do people set their goal weights so high' and onto ' why do people critise people who are a low BMI'. I dont think that she intended to hurt anyone. Yes after trying to explain she did lose her temper, but I think what was posted was posted out of frustration, I am not saying that I agree with it, Just that I can see how it would happen. To be honest I found a lot of the thread to be sanctimonious and considering that the vast majority of the people on the board are here because it is the only place that getting down to 200lbs is a cause for major celebration, quite derogatory at times,and actually found myself playing devils advocate because of that, but thats just my opinion! ( I'll go and put my asbestos suit on now ) And just for the record I think that both ladies involved look fantastic!!!!

Deez I agree. I'm a vegetarian and I've been justifying this for nearly 20 years. I mean, its my choice, I don't ask people not to eat meat, so WHY do people feel they need to lecture me about why I need meat? Lord knows, I'm not underweight!!! I do admit to be a bit embarrassed about the band, I sort of feel, its sort of a failure in my err ?? what self control - probably lots of things, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I just want to try and concentrate on succeeding this time

Hi Ann, I sort of measure what I eat, one serve is about 1/4 cup. So I would have 3 serves vegetables plus 40-50grams of protein (in my case tofu, fish etc. cause I'm vegetarian). Yes, losing Steve Irwin was awful. He was terrific. It just shouldn't have happened. Let us know how you go following banding! Jenny