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My rant for the night. Neighborhood Party tonight..Everyone is there. Except me. (kicking my teddy bear)lol I live in a small private subdivision. The neighborhood gets together for parties often. At the last party, A husband got uncomfortably friendly with me. A hello kiss and moving in too close. He demanded I have a shot with him. I avoided him for the night and chalked it up to alcohol. Now I have been taken off the guest list. Not a word or explanation. I am only speculating it was the situation at the last party...Who knows what other social faux pas I might have made. How did I become the bad guy here??? Damn it, We own our home.

How would one liquid be more likely to stretch your sleeve than any other, say.... Water?That's preposterous. I heard the same thing in support but I never bought that jive. Alcohol and soda and crap will put weight on a person but actually stretching a sleeve is, from what I've read, nonsense. It's the swelling going down; rarely it's due to some sort of dilation. Anyway ultimately it's what goes into our mouths. Corrrrrrrrrect!

Semi Update. Just bought size 40 pants two weeks ago, they are already falling off (didnt even get a chance to wear one of the pairs I bought). Buying some 38's next weekend. I started in size 44's which were pretty tight. I visited my personal trainer for the first time since surgery and she was amazed at the amount lost. She thought that I was a gastric patient and even said that I'm losing faster than most gastrics. First week of school is down and life is great. My self-confidence has reached record highs and I'm a lot more social around people. My shoulders are a little sore from the exercise, but other than that I'm having a hard time avoiding a parties and drinking (1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories, that is double what carbs and proteins are), and the primary drink of the college student is Beer which I do enjoy but wont drink due to the high calories and the carbonation effect of the fermentation. I'm scheduled to take do some structured interviews and tests with a psychologist to see if I have AADD. I've been the person people come to for help with Math/Sci/History all my life, and yet I can't get above a C (from Jr. High to Current College). There is a lot more to it that I won't get into here, but I'm hoping I can figure out everything and hopefully figure out ways to improve myself mentally, now that the physical aspect is going full-throttle.

Thank you! It is the kind of support I need! Just having someone to help me understand at least. I've been through all kind of appointments since August 2016, and my last meeting with the nutritionist was 2 weeks ago, and nobody mentioned anything about the weight gain. I'm on day 6 of the liquid diet, which only allows me 3 Protein shakes a day, broth, tea, and some green veggies with no oil or dressings. And I've done it perfectly!! I'm very proud of myself because it has not been easy at all, but I'm so excited and committed to this. I asked to meet with the surgeon tomorrow, but they seemed pretty sure about their decision. I'm going to try anyway. It's very unprofessional and heartbreaking for me to hear that I've made it this far to not know now of a date. Thank you again for your support. It feels good to let the frustration out. At least I know now that I can use this forum groups for support instead of using food and alcohol when things go the wrong way and I'm filled with anxiety

Report from the Pittsburgh Tribune News GS Cookie Sales Crumble Nationally, cookie sales are reportedly down 19 percent from last year. Regionally, the outlook isn’t as dire. "I think the economy has something to do with it," Vance says. Since the cookie sale is the primary fundraiser for troops each year, Vance says decreased sales may hold girls back from great experiences in the coming year. My cookies have arrived, from not one, but two different Girl Scouts. I have no idea what my family ordered (remember I avoided that HERE) because I didn’t look. But I think my family help with the Regional Outlook being better…I’ve been told there are many boxes on our shelves…I’m staying away. This got me thinking about how I’m going to deal with my sweet-tooth as part of my lifestyle change. I’m a huge chocoholic and as you’ve heard me say so many times I’m all about starting into this change as a lifestyle change and not a diet, so it’s all about being able to make better choices without feeling deprived. I’ve never cooked/used many artificial sweeteners, but I’ve started some research on this. I’ve got some sugar free Russell Stover chocolates, individually packaged that work for me, so I thought I’d like to learn about artificial sweeteners, possibly even in cooking/baking. *Note I’m no Dr. or Nutritionist, I read a lot of articles and this was the gist of what I found out, I don’t claim to know what’s truth, and experts come down on both sides of the safety issues on all these. I started with the LB; What I’ve turned up so far is that several people have blamed band issues on artificial sweeteners…one declared that it was a major contributor to her band slippage, and many people have said their docs have told them not to use them (some say they cause sugar cravings). There are two types of sweeteners available on the market, nutritive and non-nutritive. Nutritive sweeteners provide sweet taste and a source of energy (calories). Their sweet taste comes from the presence of natural sugars glucose and fructose, alone or together, as sucrose. They are higher in calories than non-nutritive sweeteners, but they are all natural. Exceptions* - Common examples of nutritive sweeteners include typical table sugars (both brown and white), molasses, honey, agave nectar, and syrups such as maple and high fructose corn syrup. - Erythritol/Polyols, energy-reduced sugar alcohols: Slightly less calories than true sugar. Often called sugar replacements, these sugar alcohols are derived from natural sugars- fruits or produced commercially from dextrose. The most common include: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol. Products are Organic Zero, Zsweet, Sun Crystals. Gas and laxative issues. - Stevia: almost 0 cal. New product. Truvia*(Rebinia), PureVia* (*some say both have artificial additives), or raw/natural Stevia. Some say has a bitter aftertaste and causes gas (I’ve actually grown this plant in my herb garden before). - Whey Low: 75% less cal. than sugar. Fairly new product. Made with different sugars-sucrose, fructose, lactose; studies not clear on calorie absorption-they claim 75% less calories because of the way the combination of sugars acts to not be absorbed in the intestines. The only studies were done by the company. Some say more studies need to be done on this product. Non-nutritive sugar substitutes offer no energy (calories) and sweeten with little volume. Non-nutritive sweeteners include: saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium and neotame. For many of you who drink protein shakes, almost all of them contain these. - Saccharine: 4 cal./pack Sweet ’n Low- thought to be dangerous was almost banned by the FDA, but public outcry kept it as it was the only substitute at the time, and it used to be labeled ‘cancer causing in lab animals. Made from petroleum based products. - Aspartame: 2 cal./tsp. Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful- some studies show that aspartame is dangerous/cancer causing and is considered dangerous by most, by law has to show PKU (disease in infants) warning. Found in Diet Pepsi/Coke, SF Jell-O/Pudding, and Crystal Light. - Splenda/sucralose: Says 0 cal, but it's NOT calorie free-has 4 per serving, which can add up if you’re baking with it, i.e. coke zero has 4 calories. FDA rule- they can claim 0 if it’s less than 5, the same is true for all packaging; i.e. they can claim something is 0 carbs if it is under 5 per serving. Splenda has sugar: maltodextrin & dextrose/corn syrup and sucralose, the process changes the sugar molecules and turns some atoms to chlorine (other chlorinated products include pesticides). So, although it’s made from natural sugars the process changes the atoms. Remember that everything is ‘natural’ it just depends how you define artificial vs. natural. Most consider this the safest low cal. nonnutritive sweetener, but there have been no outside studies. - Acesulfame K/acesulfame potassium: 0 cal. sold as Sunett, Sweet One- thought to cause cancer (no new studies underway). It’s found in Crystal Light, SF Jell-O & Pudding. - Neotame: Newer product. From amino acids- Clabber Girl Sugar Replacer, Domino Pure D’Lite. Many consider it to be much more dangerous than even aspartame, which was considered the worst. Used in many gums, Herr's pretzels. The bottom line of what I found out was that although there are opinions on both sides, one thing that most everyone can agree on is that even if artificial sweeteners aren't bad for you, they aren't good for you either. I'm no health food/organic nut, but even I was appalled at the lack of studies on these products and the role of big business in keeping these on the market (ie. Saccharin is only still on the market because Congress passed a 2 year moratorium against any ban of the product by the FDA when they wanted to ban it in 1977, which Congress has continually extended). Even Cyclamate that was banned by the FDA in 1970 is currently being reconsidered (I lived on TAB in my teenage years...no wonder I was so skinny). I don’t have time to read every nutrition label and I’ll probably still chose to eat some things with the non-nutritives like SF puddings (let's face it, obesity will kill me sooner than aspertame caused Cancer). As with most things…all things in moderation. I do plan to limit my intake of Crystal Light, which I have always drank to excess on every diet, and just up the water intake. I don’t intend to start baking with any of the non-nutritive, although I might look into some of the nutritive ones more. I think this will turn out to be like the rest of my theme for my ‘lifestyle change’ …I’ll be using real sugar, and just like other bad foods…in VERY small amounts. Besides, I love really DARK chocolate…Like Hershey’s 70%, which are lower in calories and higher in the good aspects of chocolate like antioxidants (cocoa has more antioxidants/flavanoids than green tea)…a tiny bite satisfies my chocoholic cravings. The cave woman got most of her sweets from fruits, which were seasonal, so she bulked up in the summer and fall to survive the long winter. So stick mainly with the natural sweets...nature knows best!

Sheri, I wil be your friend! *hugs* The world can be so cruel! It sounds as if the people around you are just jealous! I read about Lap Band for the first time in the middle of Sept! My surgery date is on Oct 26th with Dr. Ortiz. thats how serious I want it! I am self pay too! I researched for everyday, and I still am. This site is wonderful! I feel fully confident that after my surgery if I have questions or complications that I can always just come here and be taken care of. I told my husband first- hehe years ago we had a friend who was overweight and she went and had the full gastric surgery done. I found out on my bacholerette party (ms) I felt so mad! Here I am about to get married and you walk in and steal the show about your surgery- That I so wanted to have done! *chuckles* I was so jealous and sad and angry. I felt totally low self esteem. But my husband told me he would never let me get that surgery, not ever! I secretly agreed that it did sound awful! So I put it in the past. Well here I am 3 years later and found Lap Band. Geez, I wont even go into details, everyone already knows how much better it is. Just being reversable procedure is enough! hehe So I told my honey, and he was at first like no way! after a few hours of talking and showing him the research he was ok with it. then I told him I was getting it done in Mexico! He hit the roof! No way in hell again, etc. And he is Mexican! Ha! So, I had to prove to him why I had to go there. First, our ins wont cover the cost. And i refuse to pay over $10,000. second, my hubby said, ok we will switch ins and find one tht will cover the surgery. Geez! I cried. No way in hell can I wait prolly a year to go thru all that. I see that US docs, require so much more then mexican docs. I cant wait that long. I told my husband, I already wasted 30 years, i need to do this now. I want to get pregnant again someday, and I am already 30. Waiting another year, then waiting another 2 years too concive after the surgery, is risky too me. I dont want to risk any birth defects due to my age, etc. So then I get my Hubby to agree this was good idea. So he starts getting the process going with the funds. The day we got apprved fr our home equity loan (alot cheaper way to go then those finance ordeals posted by the docs), guess what he did? he made me feel like crap, after going thru all that stuff and we agreed it was good. He was like if I give this $10,000 in cash, just think of all the things we could do with it! A new car, plasma tv... trip, etc. I couldnt believe him telling me this. I cried. He isnt overweight and has no clue what its like! He said " I just gave you $1500 in may for a personal trainer. And you took it seriously for a few weeks, then gave up. If you go back then I am sure you could loose weight on your own. You just didnt try hard enough. Ugh!!! Now- I didnt mind eating healthy at all! And still due, its the freaking portions sizes that screws me up everytime! It amazes me still to this day as too what society views food as a portion. No matter how much I loose I will always battle with that forever. I am serious! So this tool is going to be a miracle for me! even though it is only a tool! So I ended up booking my surgery, after convincing my husband that if he gave me $10,000 in cash, I would still get the surgery. Even though I know if i wait a year it could be covered by ins. Ha! A year from now who knows how fatter I will be! So then I tell my mom! She is so happy that she wanted to do it with me, but cant afford to. She is getting the full gastric surgery done by the VA, so hers is free. But she is scarred. Anyways my mom is coming with me to TJ, Thank God! i love my mom for that. I paid for all her plane tickets already. She lives in Ohio and I live in Cali. Another reason why I dont mind having my surgery done in TJ is beacuse I live pretty close and can go back there for all my fills. No problem there. So the I tell my inlaws- and spill the whole 'this surgery is safe even though its in TJ" spill all over again. My Father in Law- a real health nut, says "well something has to be done!" heha..... so i have there support. So next on to telling my friends- Erin and Big Joe! They said it was all good, even though I dont need it! ( aww how swet of them) So I tell em its in mexico, and they freaked out! HA! Again, i have the its safe spill again- so now its all good. We went out to my favorite strip club on Saturday to celebrate my last, meal, smokes, and alcohol binge! it was a blast! I even got a lap dance by the most beautiful girl ever! And yes, I was touching her all over and it felt great! All I kept thinking is Damn she is so hot! In a year from now- I hope I can attempt to look as good as her! And to move and dance like that is amazing! I can only look forward to that in my bedroom someday- to turn on my husband like that with a gorgeous body! That was my motivation! I have been always fascinated with beautiful womens bodies, but know maybe i have a chance to have one myself! I am scarred that this wont work too. Geez but paying $10,000 ... crap something better fall off of me! rofl So thats my story summed up. And I will be your band buddy! *hugs* ~Raynie!

You are right, telling stories is about the only way I can reach my Dad now, but those days are few and far between. My Dad has become suspicious and paranoid. He thinks I am out to steal his money (I have never taken or asked for even a dime from my folks in my entire adult life), he has invented amazing (but terrible) stories about my DH, my kids, my Mom and is now starting to go after my brother and sister. He chased my brother out of his house recently! But the advice you gave about trying to explain how I will miss him and need to spend time with him is good and I will try it. And the stories, a great suggestion. Hopefully he won't think I am trying to divert his attention in order to swipe something... :paranoid What a great way to view your parent's alcoholism. I don't think I have ever heard a better way to look at it. I sometimes think about the fact that I gained alot from dealing with my parent's "issues", but mostly I just feel grateful that I survived it. You have turned it into an advantage. I do try to remember that I grew in ways I wouldn't have if I had had "normal" parents, but there was so much pain in my life as a kid that I sometimes let that cloud my perspective. Good for you that you learned early on to make it work for you. What a terrific attitude. I'm surprised your sisters didn't pick that up from you. Are you the oldest? My Mom quit drinking for 2 main reasons: She fell down the stairs (again) in a blackout and while recovering, her doctor told her she had only a short time to live as her liver was totally shot. My Mom didn't really care at that time, but then my brother lost his wife and 2 kids in a car accident and needed help, which gave my Mom a reason to live again. She checked herself into a rehab and did the tough work necessary to turn her life around. She is an inspiration to all her friends in AA, as well as our family! I really am sorry about your Dad. I will try to remember how precious time with our fathers is, no matter how they are treating us. Thank you for your compassionate advice. It means alot.

Overall i'm happy with the positive replies on here... the last thing we need is judgmental people who are in denial on here... My viewpoint in life is that totally stopping something 100% that you are addicted to doesn't always work... cuz when you fall of the wagon, you fall hard... I think that moderation is the key to all addictions, whether its food, alcohol, etc.... And thanks to our sleeve we have the key to moderation.... Pair that with good to moderately good food choices and we are set... And like i said, and others have said, it's not the McDonald's chicken wrap that made you fat, its the Big Mac, the chicken sandwich, fries, coke and hot fudge sundae that did it.. or the huge bowls of Pasta.... or whatever your addiction was... Peace! and a special shout out to all of the people who took this post as what it was meant to be, a way to share info on what we are eating, and some tips......... thanks Southernsleever, Supersweetums, and as always, Tiffykins!!!

THANK YOU!! i just wish i could sleep and that i would stop having a migraine! thank goodness the nurse called and said my meds for it is OK to take (i was told I wasn't allowed anything more than Tylenol for 2 weeks prior to surgery, including NO ALCOHOL). I should be starting my period any day, which is the cause of the migraine, and i'm happy to get it over with BEFORE surgery, but still....it's been going on 6 days of it and still no sign of TOM! anyone else couldn't sleep this far out? i'm hoping it the migraine and that when it's over, i will sleep better. we just got a new bed and the first night i slept WONDERFUL....the next day is when my head started and it has gotten worse every night! i woke up at least 8 times last night! anyhow....everything is paid for, not backing out now! LOL i had my 2 week pre-op (we did it over the phone so i didn't have to drive 2 1/2 hours just to 'go over' all the paper work i've been having for a few weeks already) I should get my prescriptions in the mail any day now. my next appointment is April 6th, the day before surgery at 3:45. They will schedule all my follow up visits and tell me what time to be at the surgery center. we are staying at a hotel near the office. too bad i can't start the valium the night before! that would help me sleep better! LOL

hi all! its been a while but it sounds like a lot of people are doin great! congrats on the 14/16 shirt, excellent! the car story was great. well, my first fill is tomorrow and i am excited and nervous. i am eating more and more but im curious to see if i've lost wt being on mushies. tomorrow will tell. it's been hard to keep up with the gym, 3x's in last wk, with school starting. it seems like i'm always tired. part of the prob is that my dh works midnite to 8 and is up and getting ready when i am trying to sleep. so i don't end up getting to sleep til around 12:30 or so and up at 6:30 i need more beauty sleep! lol! someone posted about alcohol! so far so good, teachers are the biggest drinkers ive ever met and i am one of the ringleaders!!! i have been sticking to lite lemonade or juice and vodka. remember no pop or beer. that's one of my questions for the dr. tomorrow i REALLY miss beer! i also need to ask when we can try ivf again. anyway, sorry to ramble. i'll try to be better. dez

The longer you cover up problems with stimulants (food, strippers, alcohol), the more of a mess you'll be in. The more of a mess you're in, the more you'll wonder why other people get things and you don't. The more you feel rage about others getting things, the less you'll be heard for who you are. You say you want to get the goodies of life and you want to be heard...in order for that to happen you'll need to work through your problems. If you don't work through your problems, you're choosing for things to remain the same. If you choose for things to remain the same, don't be angry or surprised if you get what you choose.

My band and I are learning to co-exist. If I get a little out of hand, my band taps me on the shoulder (well, not exactly THERE!) and says, "Ahem...shall we revisit that last activity and talk about it?" and I say, "Oops, sorry buddy....I got ahead of myself and wasn't thinking" We mutually discuss what I did wrong to cause whatever consequence I experienced, I make a mental log of it and promise to adjust my actions accordingly. Shake hands...no hard feeling and go on about my business. My band is my little watchdog and I cannot CONCEIVE of life without it. No one is going to convince me that you can take the band out of a person and they have "learned their lesson." This is a physical and mental disease we have, like alcoholism. It does not "go away in time". You were born with it and you will die with it and you will cope with it forever (band or no band). I know myself well enough not to pull the wool over my own eyes and think for one minute that after 55 years of failure I could remove this watchdog and NOT go back to exactly the way I was before.

I already posted on here earlier, but something is bugging me so here I am again! I am trying to figure out where the 1/2 cup 'rule' even comes from. I was never told to weigh or measure my food - ever. Why do some doctors tell their patients to do something that is only going to make them miserable and add more guilt to a person that has already been made to feel like a failure and had to resort to major surgery to lose weight? Overweight people have trouble restricting their food intake - there are lots of reasons, physical and emotional, for why they can't do it, but that's beside the point. The point is, to tell an overweight person who just had major surgery to limit their food intake to 1/2 cup and expecting them to be able to do it is like telling an alcoholic to limit their drinking to 1 shot and expecting them to do it! The whole point of the band is to give us the ability to limit our portion sizes. After surgery,and once the swelling goes down, we are often just as hungry as before banding because the band is not functioning yet. It needs to be adjusted. Once the band is properly adjusted our portion sizes get smaller and we need less food to stay satisfied. I just don't understand the 1/2 cup thing. I was taught to eat slowly, take small bites, chew each bite thoroughly and to stop after 20 minutes whether I had food left or not. When you aren't extra tight (like without a fill or even after 1 or 2 fills) you can get a larger amount of food in within that 20 minutes because the food is going down easier and so, while the 20 minute time limit did limit my portion sizes somewhat, I was able to eat way more than 1/2 cup in that time. The idea of the band is to give us the willpower that we overweight people don't have because we feel hungry if we don't eat large quantities of food. How can a doctor expect us to have willpower just because he put a band in us when it isn't functioning yet? Okay, done with my rant!!!

I am a little less than one month out from surgery and last weekend I went out clubbin and did shots(tequila & washington apple) I can't remember how may I had but it was several. I didn't have any problems. The weekend before that I was at a party and had a few mixed drinks (crandberry and vodka) without any trouble. I wasn't thinking and grabbed a beer and that didn't go so well... I just felt like I had to burp but could for a bout 15 minutes (pretty uncomfortable) but then I let out a wicked burp and felt better. Needless to say I will be much more careful to avoid beer. Now what I will say is be cause of the high calories in alcohol if I go out drinking then the next day I run an extra mile and try to tack on an extra 25-30 minutes to my exercise routine. It kicks my ass but I reason it out in my mind that if I want to party I am going to have to pay for it.

I am SO happy it's the weekend! I'm here for confessionals and personals and to share my NSV... Personals first: SweetHot: YOU GO GIRL! If it's not too personal to ask, how far does your dunlap fall? Yeast infections are NO GOOD! My tummy is just now starting to hang, but I'm also still over 200 lbs. By the time I'm down to 170, I'm sure it'll just be a lump of soft flesh. Good luck with the loss! I'd be motivated, too! B'man: Keep your chin up. I know I asked before, but have you ever thought about anti-depressants? The're not a permanent solution, but girl, they could help to bouy your spirits during this tough time. I'm sorry your Gramma is tripping. We love you. Just keep in touch periodically. *hugs* Jill: I know all about daycare woes! You poor thing! Does your city have a county agency you can call for licensed child care referrals? Does your job have any kind of Employee Assistance Center/Program (EAC or EAP)? If so, call them and see if they can't help. If not, I can call my company for you to see if I can't get some direction. Bless your heart. And give your tummy a love rub for me! SO excited about our 2nd band baby! I assure you, if you eat sensibly, the baby will continue to grow even if you're losing weight. I lost a TON of weight when I was pregnant! I had huge fibroid tumors (14cm and 16cm) while I was pregnant! I could barely eat. Still managed to give birth to an 8lb 4oz healthy, bouncing baby boy! :thumbup: Nikki: How's our first band baby doing, you sexy mama? It's summer for you, right? How's the weather? How far along are you? You crack me up talking about your wobblies. Give yourself a love rub for me, too! Sending positive energy to you and that baby! Steph: What are you doing with your time these days? Are you doing any skiing this year at all? I remember how much you enjoyed it last year. You have company this weekend, I think. Did you get all your cleaning done? Wish you could come over and help with MY cleaning! My house is okay, but my room is a friggin disaster area! I have clothes. everywhere. *sigh* I just need to stop bullshitting and get busy! ...maybe later. VaB: How did the job interviews go? *fingers crossed* How's the exercising coming along? I haven't exercised a single day all year long. Well, not since I got back from FL. I have been sooooo tired! Well, today I am determined to get up onto that elliptical for an hour - even if I have to break it into 4 sessions of 15 minutes each. I'm so close to crossing the continental divide, I am ready and willing to WORK for it! :tt1: How's the man situation? Meeting any new cuties at all? Did I tell y'all I joined some online dating sites? *giggling* I DID! No luck yet... Claudia: So you moved to Chicago? I'm confused, I'm sorry. I can't remember if you were moving or visiting. And do you have a job there yet? If you are in Chicago, how are you finding the weather? Chicago is one of my favorite cities! I'm a huge Bear fan, too! I live across the lake in SW Michigan, about a 2 hour drive. Next time I'm headed that way, I'll let you know. Maybe we can meet up for a cup of coffee or something. :tt2: So I'm hoping to fill yall in without writing a novel. I have a raging case of PMS. Well, it's either PMS or I'm pregnant, too. And I swear to y'all I'm praying for PMS. It hasn't been this bad in months. I'm irritable, bloated, my nipples are really tender, I've got a headache, and I've got some (TMI) discharge that is making me itch. It's not yeast. If there's no motion in the ocean by 2/15, I'll be getting a HPT. Again, I am praying for my p'rot to fall. Until then, I'm struggling to keep my mood swings under control. I took measurements today! I have lost a total of 55.875" since 12/1/2006 (when I started my pre-op diet). I measure neck, bust, ribs, waist, hips, arms (2), thighs (2) and calves (2). I have lost 9.75" from my hips alone! Can you believe that? Almost 10 inches! And I've taken off 7.5" from each thigh. My thighs are under 30" around for the first time in 15 years, I bet. It's just amazing. AMAZING! I'm determined to be under 200 by 1 March. To help me with my loss I gave up sugar and alcohol for Lent. I think part of my headache and moodiness is from sugar withdrawal. So while I was taking measurements and changing clothes, DS was in my living room scribbling on the arm of my sofa with a permanent marker. OMG! I completely lost my mind! I spanked him and threw him in his room. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed - the marker came out of the sofa. I thought the couch was ruined. Anyhow, he's still in his room. This happened about 2 hours ago. I can't even deal with him now. I feel like BAD MOMMY, but I need a break. Not much else to report. About to get on my elliptical for a while to work off some of this frustration and weight! BIG LOVE! Nat

Brandy II, not only do I not think you're a dumbass - you just plain make me laugh! You made me think of something though when talking about your dad. It takes about a teaspoon of wine to get me wasted. I was warned about this before banding but since I hardly ever drink, I didn't think much of it. Absolutely no alcohol in public anymore - not because I make myself look (more) stupid, but because I need to go to sleep - immediately!! My "bad" foods have always been the salty/fatty ones. And Tostitos and queso slip down just fine, darn it!! I'm trying to use the willpower I don't have (birth defect) to just not buy them. Sometimes I'm successful and sometimes I'm not. I think my problem is with planning. Wish I'd paid better attention in home ec.

Jack, I agree that drug use CAN disrupt and erode the fabric of society - alcohol abuse to a certain degree has certainly proved that, and it is legal. Obviously, drug cartels do have a history of enforcing means to their own ends thru violence and corruption. Wonder how powerful they would be if their drugs weren't illegal in the U.S., and if we had a proper means of manufacturing, distribution, taxing, and a set of rules governing the use of drugs? Alcohol abuse didn't end with the abolition of prohibition, but lots of bad guys are no long enforcing a means to their own ends through violence and corruption in the U.S. as it relates to the illegal sale and distribution of alcohol here.

thank you all so very much for your kind words and words of encouragement. To Lozjacko, yes in some way maybe he did do me a favor in leaving me with him being an alcoholic. I had gotten to the point of not handling it very well emotionally. The late nights of his drinking, not knowing whether he would come home at all or whether he had had an accident and was dead, the worrying so yes, it is a relief. The hardest part for me, well, we were high school sweethearts and I still love that person, but he isn't that person any longer, he's changed. If only I could go back about 8 yrs...I came across my video camera today that had a video of Christmas '08, our last Christmas together, happier times, we were laughing, extended family was in it, it was a good trip down memory lane but sad. I pray every night that he seek help in the Lord and come to his senses that he realizes he needs help with his drinking. Such a waste. He's college educated, had a very important corporate job that he lost, its just sad. Now is the time for me. Me to get healthy and instead of getting my big girl panties on as they say, I'm gona get my skinny girl panties on someday...ha Here's to ya'll.

Copied from Allergan: Your surgeon may consider whether the LAP-BAND ® is right for you if your BMI is at least 35 and you have a health problem that is related to obesity. Your surgeon may also have other criteria he or she uses. Ask him or her to discuss the criteria with you. Contra-indications The LAP-BAND ® System is not right for you if: You have an inflammatory disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, severe esophagitis, or Crohns disease. You have severe heart or lung disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. *You have some other disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have a problem that could cause bleeding in the esophagus or stomach. That might include esophageal or gastric varices (a dilated vein). It might also be something such as congenital or acquired intestinal telangiectasia (dilation of a small blood vessel). You have portal hypertension. Your esophagus, stomach, or intestine is not normal (congenital or acquired). For instance you might have a narrowed opening. You have/experienced an intra-operative gastric injury, such as a gastric perforation at or near the location of the intended band placement. You have cirrhosis. You have chronic pancreatitis. You are pregnant. (If you become pregnant after the LAP-BAND ® System has been placed, the band may need to be deflated. The same is true if you need more nutrition for any other reason, such as becoming seriously ill. In rare cases, removal may be needed.) You are addicted to alcohol or drugs. You are under 18 years of age. You have an infection anywhere in your body or one that could contaminate the surgical area. *You are on chronic, long-term steroid treatment. You cannot or do not want to follow the dietary rules that come with this procedure. You might be allergic to materials in the device. You cannot tolerate pain from an implanted device. *You or someone in your family has an autoimmune connective tissue disease. That might be a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma. The same is true if you have symptoms of one of these diseases. I put * on the potentially applicable contraindications. Talk to your rheumatologist about this, please. Best of luck!

I originally had joined dailystrength a few years ago with this handle. My bf was in active addiction to alcohol/cocaine/ prescription pills and i made it b/c even though his family had given up on him, hope still lived within me that he would come through it. Today he is 20 months sober after 30 years of active addiciton. Now, hopeliveshere, signifies my new start, i have hope that i will overcome obesity.

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: You may need an eating adjustment<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. Fruit juice is just sugar water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. Cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. Meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body You may need a behavior adjustment<o:p></o:p>1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?<o:p></o:p> a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment<o:p></o:p> 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment<o:p></o:p> 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment<o:p></o:p> 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened<o:p></o:p> 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1:place>Oranges</st1:place></st1:City>, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) e. If your pain is severe <o:p> </o:p>

Hi everyone. I went for my monthly visit yesterday to my surgeon and I lost another 6.5 lbs. in 3 weeks. I went away with my honey to Disney for 1 week, boy was it HOT there. I did have some episodes where I just thought I could handle a certain food or ate too fast and got sick. This is a daily commitment. The band does NOT go on vacation. I thought that maybe I was ready for a fill and he said, "NO!" We had a long discussion and he feels I am doing great without pushing it and going too far. He does not want to see me develop any problems from being too tight. I agree. I have 3.75 cc in a 10 cc band. I wonder If the 3.75 cc is still there?? I am still not having any soda. I can not eat bread or pasta. I try to make good healthy choices everyday and it is not always easy. Now I am really starting to see the loss and it feels great. It is wonderful to have to go to Walmart and buy a 2x underwear and throw out the 3x. THEY ARE TOO BIG !! I am most proud of the fact that I went away on vacation and still lost weight. I was aware and made good choices and limited my alcohol and did it. I was so worried and did NOT want to come back heavier. Today is a new day. I feel blessed !!! Have a great day to everyone who is reading this..... :thumbup:

I'm assuming you mean alcohol? If so, I had 3 glasses of white wine Saturday night & was pretty tipsy. And this is coming from someone who could hold her own. I told hubby yesterday I didn't like how I felt & was a little annoyed I couldn't get off the couch & go to the gym.....So, I've turned into a lightweight:wink:

How to Lose 22lbs or 10kgs in 28 Days Without Starving or Training Like an Olympic Athlete!' By Stephen Smith BSc If you seriously want to lose 22lbs or 10 kilograms in 28 days then you must perform all of the principles exactly as recommended. Unlike the recommendations in my book, ‘Look good, feel great!', where you can pick the principles you want to use and ignore the rest and where you can even modify the principles to suit your lifestyle, these principles must be followed exactly as they are outlined. If you want extraordinary results, then you must be willing to put in an extraordinary effort! I realise that some people may be thinking, ‘But it is impossible to lose 10 kilograms of fat in a month!' I agree- it is! However, the truth is, it is impossible to only lose fat on any type of weight-loss program. You will always lose a combination of fat, water, stored carbohydrate and some muscle. Furthermore, most people who want to lose 10 kilograms in the first place are generally retaining excess fluid anyway, so a system that helps get rid of the excess fluid is certainly going to accelerate their results. Perform 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise morning and night. Yes, you read that correctly, morning and night- 2 sessions a day… every day! No excuses. We're all busy, we all feel tired some mornings, but if you're serious about getting amazing results, then you must be willing to do everything necessary. When we talk about aerobic exercise, we're talking about exercise! Not walking around the shops, doing the gardening or doing housework. It must be exercise, which means your breathing rate increases, your face goes red, you sweat, you get tired- simple! Some examples of aerobic exercise include: walking (pounding the pavement at a brisk pace- not dawdling), cycling (stationary bike is ideal), swimming, rowing, stepper, cross-trainer, aerobic classes, boxing, etc. Use ‘thermogenics'. There are several very effective thermogenic supplementson the market that can accelerate your progress towards your goal. Those containing caffeine, green tea extracts and an extract from a plant called coleus forskohlii are the most effective. They will boost your metabolismand promote the release of fat from the fat stores. ‘Scorch' by MAN Sports is a good example. It contains a combination of 7 powerful herbal ingredients specifically designed to boost your metabolism, burn body fat and increase your energy. Unfortunately though, thermogenics are not ‘magic pills'. You can't expect to take a couple of thermogenic capsules and then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results. Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program. Take 1-2 capsules twice a day; once prior to your morning exercise session and once with your lunch. Don't take them later than 4:00pm in the afternoon because they may keep you awake at night. Before using thermogenics, see your doctor first and obtain their approval. Do not eat anything for 30 minutes after the completion of any exercise. As a result of using the thermogenics combined with the exercise, your metabolism will remain elevated for some time after the exercise session is finished. This means your body will burn fuel at a faster rate than normal. Any exercise causes the body to use carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) as a fuel source. This means that after the exercise is completed the carbohydrate stores in the body are low and the body will be forced to use fat as its fuel. If a meal is eaten immediately after the completion of the exercise session, the blood glucose level will rise, inducing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. One of the effects of insulin is to stop fat burning in the body. Therefore, wait 30 minutes (but no longer because cortisol will rise) before having your next meal. Perform a weight training workout 2-4 times a week. Lifting weights is the most under-estimated way to lose fat fast! Now, before you start saying, ‘But I don't want to get big muscles!' or ‘I don't want to look like a man!', consider the following. The main purpose of lifting weights when your primary goal is to lose body fat is to preserve the muscle massyou already have. You see, muscle is the ‘engine' within which the fat, or ‘fuel' is burnt and maintaining or even increasing your muscle mass slightly will help ensure your body fat is burnt off efficiently. If you don't lift weights, your body will quite happily lose both fat and muscle as you drop the kilos. Lifting weights forces your body to maintain your muscle mass, therefore keeping your metabolism elevated and turning your body into 24-hour-a-day fat-burning machine! Incidentally, it only takes two 30 minute sessions a week to obtain the muscle preserving benefits of lifting weights. Have 5-6 small meals a day. One of the most common strategies people use to lose weight is to skip meals. Whilst reducing food intake is certainly an effective way to lose weight, having fewer meals is not the way to go. Many overweight people say, ‘I don't know why I'm overweight, I only eat once or twice a day!' Unfortunately, this is exactly why they are overweight. Having a mild calorie restriction is effective because if you consume less calories than you burn each day you will lose weight- simple! However, skipping meals forces the body to invoke its ‘Starvation Mechanism' because it thinks it is entering a famine. As a result, the body slows the metabolism to preserve energy. It also increases cortisol output and cortisol is the most powerful catabolic hormone in the body, which means it goes around the body breaking down lean tissue, particularly muscle. A loss of muscle slows the metabolism even further. Skipping meals also results in an increase in appetite, which forces you to eat larger amounts of food when you do eat. In addition to all these factors, the body also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), so when you do eat the food gets stored as fat. All of this results from simply skipping meals! By having a small meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your metabolism stays elevated and your body will happily burn fat all day long. Unfortunately though, most people are conditioned to having large meals and they automatically assume they will put on weight if they have 5 or 6 meals a day. The fact is, the ideal portion sizes for most people are actually quite small and in order to lose weight fast it is essential that you never feel full from a meal but you do feel satisfied. Also, most people find it difficult to have a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day because they are so busy with work and/ or family commitments. Here are some suggestions to ensure you get your 5 or 6 meals a day. • Plan and prepare your meals the night before • Use meal replacements (protein shakes or bars) • Select foods that are quick and easy to prepare and consume Ensure each meal contains protein. Protein is a component of all cells and makes up over half the dry weight of the human body. Furthermore, the human body is a dynamic structure, which means it is constantly building up and breaking down tissue. Just imagine a bath full of water. At one end of the bath the plug is pulled out and at the other end the tap is turned on full. The water level in the bath doesn't change but there are ‘new' water molecules entering the bath and ‘old' water molecules leaving the bath all the time. The human body is exactly the same. If the body breaks down more tissue than it builds up, then it is said to be in a catabolic state. This results in the metabolism slowing down due to the loss of muscle tissue. Having a portion of high-quality protein every few hours throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids- the building blocks of the body. This prevents the catabolic state, promotes an anabolic state (tissue building) and therefore keeps the metabolism ‘fired-up'. If only carbohydrate or fat is consumed for a meal, for example a piece of fruit (carbohydrate) for the mid-morning meal, then the body will still enter a catabolic state because it doesn't have the building blocks (amino acids) to re-build body tissues. Protein, as its name suggests, is of primary importance. Reduce your intake of high-density carbohydrates. Most high-density carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and cereals cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. This invokes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn stores the glucose. The body stores glucose in the muscles and liver as glycogen and once these sites are full, the remaining glucose gets stored as body fat. Not only this, but insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat for fuel (burning fat). So if you want to maximise fat loss, you need to keep insulin to a minimum and the best way to do this is by reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrates without cutting them out altogether. Cutting them out totally is a philosophy of many low-carb diets on the market. However, these are very hard to sustain long-term and may lead to nutrient deficiencies. Each day, have a small amount (1-2 serves) of high density carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereals); a moderate amount (2-3 serves) of medium density carbohydrates (starchy vegetables and fruits); and a large amount (5-6 serves) of low density carbohydrates (fibrous vegetables). [For a complete list of carbohydrates, see pages 136-138 of the book, ‘ Look good, feel great! ] Do not have a Treat Day. Since you are expecting an extraordinary result, it is essential that you put in an extraordinary effort. Accordingly, for the next 28 days you must follow the plan exactly as it is outlined without deviating. This means you can't allow yourself to indulge in any ‘forbidden foods'. This also means avoiding alcohol for the entire 28-day period. I know this may be hard for some people but let's face it, it is only for 28 days! By committing to the plan and disciplining yourself to see it through, you are ensuring that the results will follow. Plus, the disciplines you create to help you achieve your physical goal will have a ‘carry-over benefit' to other areas of your life as well. I wish you the greatest success in achieving outstanding results! * Before using any nutritional supplement, speak with your health care professional.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->

You go girl! I look forward to loving my band too.. how often were your fills and do you drink alcohol or wine?