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1 wsw27 1 tillydog 1 doedoe1961 1 staylucid 1 mygirlayanna 1 Rdk211 1 kiwifruit_77511 1 Mrs J.J 2 minidriver 2 slim2be 2 BethO 2 mrsgriffin2u 2 trudeip 2 Barbiek 2 annabella 2 SanDiegoSusan 2 anita reyna 2 jjenkins2411 2 1day at a time 2 freedom 0702 3 BigBander 3 scoutmama 3 2GoodDogs 3 kimlam 4 joiful 7 slim1 7 ginnyc 7 AmyWA 7 Redheada 8 blaze 21 8 Louisville Lesa 8 zeama 8 cinda 8 flowers 8 JaJeanne 8 Booklady 8 IntoLess 9 Ailie 9 Sarv 9 MarylandMommy 9 siouxsie Sioux 9 Rivieramaya05 9 lalaredd 9 missrach 9 aliNSanDiego 10 sallen21 10 Goobe 10 2Blite4life 10 melmel 10 Fancy Nancy 10 vannie 10 Danasuze 11 Applebottom 11 vra123456 11 wstone 11 falloons 11 melallot 13 OvrLvl 14 MaidMarion 14 Chellets 14 pbpunisher 14 lindsaylee74 14 crzytchr 15 Fearless55 15 Flowerpurr 15 lynlynkr 15 pschmolle 15 perfectforme 15 PENTURN 15 mellimel71 15 Melody2006 16 eyespy 16 lisainbohemia 16 lotzasunshine 16 SciTeach 16 lynlynkr 16 michkor 16 jomomma 16 Charlene K 16 nanaislosingit 16 moez02 16 aclubb 16 Dionna113 16 Teressak 17 OCBreeze4U 17 3m’smom 17 tnag86 17 Long2bFree 17 Simba00 18 PDXBandster 18 toogoode4u 18 CapitolChick 18 ElusiveQuality 21 clayverde 21 just1more 22 Moocatschade 22 zillyanne 22 TeriVA 22 kimaly 22 lleighton5 22 Choromom 22 annesan 22 Laniev00 23 BABOOMER 23 shellbell99 23 vanman 24 daniml 24 nyllrap 24 linksmom 24 lisadental 24 Frypan 24 Diva21 25 thatDEgirl 25 NewJEM 25 Kiki220 25 Nachtigall 28 ann71 28 splfrd 28 mamanmidwife 28 BeverlyDiane 28 Jessicadyan7 29 Cherub 29 Chellets 29 Cindersb4 30 orea15 30 2KpUpwithAvery 30 ShondaN 30 Katherinem200 Let me know who is missing if anyone. I want to try to get all of the July Bandsters on the list.:cursing:

July Bansters::cool2::tongue2: Please paste and correct 1-tillydog, wsw27?, florida girl 2-trudeip, mackie, BethO 3 4 5 6 7 8-Zeama, Tamspri, knd, JaJeanne, 9-Missrach, st4r69 10 11 12 13 14 15 16-lotzasunshine 17 18-CapitolChick 19 20 21-pennylane 22 23 24-daniml, nyllrap 25 26 27 28 29-Chellets, newlifeaheald 30

Adding myself to this list: Updated July Butterflies List 1 wsw27 1 tillydog 1 doedoe1961 1 staylucid 1 mygirlayanna 1 Rdk211 2 minidriver 2 slim2be 2 BethO 2 mrsgriffin2u 2 trudeip 2 Barbiek 2 annabella 2 SanDiegoSusan 2 anita reyna 2 jjenkins2411 3 BigBander 3 scoutmama 3 2GoodDogs 3 kimlam 4 joiful 7 slim1 7 ginnyc 7 AmyWA 7 Redheada 8 blaze 21 8 Louisville Lesa 8 zeama 8 cinda 8 flowers 8 JaJeanne 8 Booklady 8 IntoLess 9 Ailie 9 Sarv 9 MarylandMommy 9 siouxsie Sioux 9 Rivieramaya05 9 lalaredd 9 missrach 10 sallen21 10 Goobe 10 2Blite4life 10 melmel 10 Fancy Nancy 10 vannie 11 Applebottom 11 vra123456 11 wstone 11 falloons 11 melallot 13 OvrLvl 14 MaidMarion 14 Chellets 14 pbpunisher 15 Fearless55 15 Flowerpurr 15 lynlynkr 15 pschmolle 15 perfectforme 15 PENTURN 15 mellimel71 16 eyespy 16 lisainbohemia 16 lotzasunshine 16 SciTeach 16 lynlynkr 16 michkor 16 jomomma 16 Charlene K 16 nanaislosingit 16 moez02 16 aclubb 17 OCBreeze4U 17 3m’smom 17 tnag86 17 Long2bFree 18 PDXBandster 18 toogoode4u 18 CapitolChick 21 clayverde 22 Moocatschade 22 zillyanne 22 TeriVA 22 kimaly 22 lleighton5 22 Choromom 22 annesan 22 thatDEgirl 22 Laniev00 23 BABOOMER 23 shellbell99 24 daniml 24 nyllrap 24 linksmom 24 lisadental 24 Frypan 25 NewJEM 25 Kiki220 25 Nachtigall 28 ann71 28 splfrd 28 mamanmidwife 29 Cherub 29 Chellets 30 orea15

I'm the 14th! 1 wsw27 1 tillydog 1 doedoe1961 1 staylucid 1 mygirlayanna 1 Rdk211 1 kiwifruit_77511 1 Mrs J.J 2 minidriver 2 slim2be 2 BethO 2 mrsgriffin2u 2 trudeip 2 Barbiek 2 annabella 2 SanDiegoSusan 2 anita reyna 2 jjenkins2411 2 1day at a time 3 BigBander 3 scoutmama 3 2GoodDogs 3 kimlam 4 joiful 7 slim1 7 ginnyc 7 AmyWA 7 Redheada 8 blaze 21 8 Louisville Lesa 8 zeama 8 cinda 8 flowers 8 JaJeanne 8 Booklady 8 IntoLess 9 Ailie 9 Sarv 9 MarylandMommy 9 siouxsie Sioux 9 Rivieramaya05 9 lalaredd 9 missrach 9 aliNSanDiego 10 sallen21 10 Goobe 10 2Blite4life 10 melmel 10 Fancy Nancy 10 vannie 10 Danasuze 11 Applebottom 11 vra123456 11 wstone 11 falloons 11 melallot 13 OvrLvl 14 MaidMarion 14 Chellets 14 pbpunisher 14 lindsaylee74 14 crzytchr 15 Fearless55 15 Flowerpurr 15 lynlynkr 15 pschmolle 15 perfectforme 15 PENTURN 15 mellimel71 15 Melody2006 16 eyespy 16 lisainbohemia 16 lotzasunshine 16 SciTeach 16 lynlynkr 16 michkor 16 jomomma 16 Charlene K 16 nanaislosingit 16 moez02 16 aclubb 17 OCBreeze4U 17 3m’smom 17 tnag86 17 Long2bFree 17 Simba00 18 PDXBandster 18 toogoode4u 18 CapitolChick 18 ElusiveQuality 21 clayverde 21 just1more 22 Moocatschade 22 zillyanne 22 TeriVA 22 kimaly 22 lleighton5 22 Choromom 22 annesan 22 Laniev00 23 BABOOMER 23 shellbell99 23 vanman 24 daniml 24 nyllrap 24 linksmom 24 lisadental 24 Frypan 24 Diva21 25 thatDEgirl 25 NewJEM 25 Kiki220 25 Nachtigall 28 ann71 28 splfrd 28 mamanmidwife 28 BeverlyDiane 28 Jessicadyan7 29 Cherub 29 Chellets 29 Cindersb4 30 orea15 30 ShondaN ____________

Body Part * 9/1/06 * 10/22/06 * 4/27/06* %Change Neck * 14" * 14" * 13.5" * -3.5% Bust * 50" * 47.5"* 44.5" * -11% Upper Body *54.25" * 52.5" * 48" * -11.5% Upper Arm * 18" * 16" * 14" * -22% Below Bust * 40.5" * 40" * 39" * -4% Waist * 45" * 43" * 38" * -15.5% Wrist * 6.5" * 6.25" * 6" * -8% Hips * 53" * 51" * 49.5" * -7% Thigh * 26.5" * 25" * 25" *-6% Knee * 16.5" * 15" * 14.5" * -12% Ankle * 9.5" * 9" * 9" * -5% _______________________________________ Totals *333.75* 319.25 * 301 * -10% Smaller!! :clap2: -40 lbs, Start: 227 Today: 187

No complications yet........was at my doctors this morning and she is cutting my high blood pressure medicine back so that is good... only problem ive had is getting that damn protiene in.....another 10 days and I can get into the soft foods part of this.

Post op day 10 and for the past 2 days I feel like a different person!!! I am finally able to eat foods that I have to chew! Every night I've walked my block 1.04 miles. I'm sleeping on my right side (port) relatively pain free. Cooked hubby dinner last night. Yesterday was the first day I haven't required a nap. Cleaning the house today and feeling a lot more accomplished!!!

I had my surgery one month ago today, and here are my basic stats so far: 1. I've lost 30 pounds from my highest point this fall 2. I've lost 14 pounds since my surgery date 3. I take in 700-900 calories a day 4. Two weeks into working out again-- about 4 times a week Overall, this has been a really positive experience. I was very lucky and had no complications and very little pain after surgery. I'm tolerating food pretty well-- I'm just not hungry! (Which was the point, right?) Maybe I've been reading too many astounding weight loss stories from all of you, but I am a little disappointed that I've only lost 14 pounds since surgery. I had hoped to lose 20 in the first month. But, I truly can't complain. That's not too bad considering that I had a 2 week stall in the middle of that. (I literally lost 2 pounds weeks 2 and 3 post op.) I would not have lost this weight without the sleeve. And as everyone says, it didn't go on overnight, and it's not going to come off that way, either. On another note, I signed up for my first 5K. It's 4/20, and I've started a 10 week couch to 5K program. I'm currently on week two. Working out is harder than it had been before, though, I have to say. I think it's because of my diminished calorie intake, but it takes a lot out of me. But I'm working through it, and it's starting to get a lot easier again. And, the loss of 30 pounds has really been good for my knees. I don't have as much pain as I used to after working out. So my next goals? 1. 215 2. size 16 3. Enjoying running (I really, really, really want to enjoy this. So far, not so much.)

12 days ago I found out my insurance finally approved my lap band surgery. I know I'm suppose to go on a 2 week liquid diet prior to, however I just received confirmation this past Thursday my surgery is scheduled for March 5th. I don't know if I can lose the 10 pounds in 7 days, but I'm sticking to the liquid diet with no room for error. Is it at all possible to lose 10lbs in 7 days? Also, if I don't what will happen? I don't know what I weigh now, I haven't been weighed since October. How will they determine my weight loss? Can you all please help me with some answers!!!

Before the band, I used to sometimes measure time in terms of "pounds ago". 100 pounds ago was quite a while ago, high school years. 60 pounds ago would be more recent, about when I was 19 and 20. 40 pounds ago I met my husband. Twenty pounds ago I started to give up on losing that 20 pounds from 40 pounds ago. Now that I have the band, I suppose I could try it in the opposite sense. It is sort of strange in a way, having my linear sense of time disrupted. Maybe its a good reminder that life and time really are cyclical. Now I can say that 40 pounds ago I had weight loss surgery and was waiting to see if I got into grad school. 10-15 pounds ago, I found out I got in. Hmm... I've also been working on my rules for when to not follow the rules. Normally there is a stage in every diet for me, when "just this once" starts to happen more and more frequently until its always just this once and I think we all know that it is pretty downhill from there. ) So I have my rules on when there can be no rules. If it doesn't fit in here, then sorry, I have to be good: 1) My birthday; whole day is a free for all (if my birthday is "missed" due to illness I may reschedule for a later date. 2) Celebration dinners (and no, everyday cannot be a celebration) 3) Christmas, New years eve, the eight major pagan holidays, and maybe a couple other holidays I specify in advance. 4) Cinco de Mayo. Its mexican food and margaritta goodness. 5) the times I order movie theater popcorn so long as these times do not exceed 8 times per year and the bucket never exceeds a medium (probably won't be bigger than a small). I get soda on those days too. 6) vacation If its not on that list, then its not allowed to be a free for all. Naturally, I reserve the right to revise my list, but I think this is a good starting one.

I have a dog now, Lovey, a 12 year old Cocker spaniel. She is a funny old girl. The dog that was most special to me was my Min. Shnauzer ,Thurston. I swear, that dog owned me. He had so much personality. I only had him 10 years and he died of a brain anuresim. It was horrible. I already had lovey at the time so no getting another dog for me. Lovey is so aloof since T died. She no longer sits with me or sleeps on the bed. She has to be in the same room as I am though. she does not like to go on long walks. Short ones yes. So,, we are walking together well these days.

i am 10 post band surgery. everything was going great, including the esophagram. now that i stopped taking the pain medication, my esophagus tightens in a spasm and i find this random pain quite annoying. it can happen any time of day or circumstance. any one else experiencing this or have advice?

Surgery done last thursday (10/16) everything went well, some pain (of course) first two days at the hospital and now at home pain has gone, except for cramps that come and go, which I've been told are normal. I won't weight until finished the first week. It's very hard the first days on Full Liquid, although you don't have any hunger psychologically its a stress but manageblable. I hope as days pass by and I progress into the next steps everything will be fine. No regrets at all, already feeling good.

My program recommends an annual bone scan, because it's the only way to find out if your body is cannibalizing your bones for Calcium in your blood stream. Your calcium must be extremely low to show in a blood test, because your body will just leach it from your bones to make up for what you are not getting. I missed getting this done the first year somehow, so last month, I got my first bone density scan post-op. It's also my first one post-menopause, so not sure how much change is due to that and how much can be blamed on WLS. Last scan was in 2005. I am already walking 4 days a week, so plenty of weight bearing exercise. And I am taking the amount of Vitamin D and Calcium recommended by the Kaiser Fremont Bariatric program, which is 4000iu of Vitamin D per day (800 from 2 Multivitamins + 1500iu from calcium plus D + 2000iu vitamin D tablet) and 1500 mg a day total of calcium citrate. I was taking the calcium twice per day (3 tablets each time), but I am going to switch to taking it three times per day (2 tablets each time). So we will see what next year brings. Here's the scoop on the scan: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed to obtain bone mineral density (BMD) measurements using the Hologic Discovery bone densitometry unit. For each BMD measurement, Z and T scores are calculated. Z score represents the number of standard deviations of the patient's BMD from expected age matched values. T score represents the number of standard deviations of the patient's BMD from the average peak BMD value at age 30. A FRAX score has also been calculated using the LEFT FEMORAL NECK data. OSTEOPENIA is defined as a T score from -1.0 to -2.4 representing an INCREASED fracture risk. OSTEOPOROSIS is defined as a T score more negative than -2.4 and represents a HIGH fracture risk. T score: Fracture risk comparison to gender and ethnicity matched 30-year-old. 0 = Average risk -1 = 2 times the risk -2 = 4 times the risk -3 = 8 times the risk LUMBAR SPINE: BMD = 0.843 g/cm2 g/cm2 T score = -1.9 Z score = -0.7 LEFT HIP TOTAL: BMD = 0.855 g/cm2 g/cm2 T score = -0.7 Z score = 0 LEFT FEMORAL NECK BMD = 0.657 g/cm2 g/cm2 T score = -1.7 Z score = -0.6 ** IMPRESSION **: 1. Bone mineral density in the LUMBAR SPINE is in the Osteopenic range. Compared to the prior study, there is significant change.The bone mineral density has decreased by -15.0 %. 2. Bone mineral density in the LEFT HIP is in the Normal range. Compared to the prior study, there is significant change. The bone mineral density has decreased by -23.3 %. 3. Based on FRAX, the 10 year probability of hip fracture is 1.0 %. 4. Based on FRAX, the 10 year probability of major osteoporotic fracture is 9.2 %.

I think we have all felt that way. My doc had me eating egg before I left the hospital. I am 1 month out and I can eat anything. I do have to eat slow and that I am having trouble with. So many years of eating big bites is a hard habit to break. I popped a ritz cracker with chix salad in to my mouth and chewed alittle and swallowed like I used to. Big mistake!! hurt for atleast 10 min. That taught me a lesson. My dic also said it is not possible to hurt, stretch your sleeve. Another mistake I made was I had a margarita then 30 min. later I ate. Food came right back up. I don't think I will try alcohol for a bit longer!!! Live and learn!!!

My surgery date is this friday, and boy is the mental warfare raging. I've never been of normal size...(okay, I was from birth until age 5). So I have a very deep rooted attachment to those foods which give me positive affirmation, feel good hormones bring me pleasure via my tongue, etc. Counseling didn't help, because it's truely an addiction, and I just wonder is this really going to work for me. I keep trying to imagine what it will be like when I wake up after surgery and the deed is done, and I have my first "mental hunger" for the "feel good" response needed from something sweet. I know there is going to be a lot of tears, a lot of shouting at my husband that I did this for him (which is only half true...I am doing it for me too), a lot of regrets and remorse. But in the end, as the weight drops, I hope to be excited about where my life/body is going. Sadly I have not fully embraced what is about to happen to me because I'm fearful. Fearful that life without food (large quanities of unhealthy food) won't be as "sweet" as life has been with food. But let me say that right there is a lie that my subconscious believes, because the more I eat, the worse I feel. The more my body hurts, the lazier I feel, the less I want to do the things that do bring me "feel good" hormones, that last and leave me in a better place than when I started...like the 11 mile bike ride I took this weekend. Hiking to the top of mountains (real ones..ha!) in the Smoky Mtns. Kayaking. So, for now, I'm clinging to the hope that losing this weight will replace what is currently bringing me pleasure (but leaving me heavier and unhealthier), with something that is lasting and that will help me to live a long, healthy, and most important to me, active life. And I'm so tired of the yo-yo dieting, of the struggle to lose 10 lbs and have one weekend of "fun" and gain it all back...the endless dieting cycles. I do know I am down to 2 options...the surgery, or "let myself go" and ballooning back up to my highest (320) or higher which means giving up the activities I do enjoy. I don't have one single more "just try this diet" in me. Only radical change such as this is going to help me. Ready or not... here comes the sleeve. I will embrace it...but first it will embrace me

Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the minimum calorific requirement needed to sustain life in a resting individual. It can be looked at as being the amount of energy (measured in calories) expended by the body to remain in bed asleep all day! BMR can be responsible for burning up to 70% of the total calories expended, but this figure varies due to different factors (see below). Calories are burned by bodily processes such as respiration, the pumping of blood around the body and maintenance of body temperature. Obviously the body will burn more calories on top of those burned due to BMR. BMR is the largest factor in determining overall metabolic rate and how many calories you need to maintain, lose or gain weight. BMR is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, as follows: Genetics. Some people are born with faster metabolisms; some with slower metabolisms. Gender. Men have a greater muscle mass and a lower body fat percentage. This means they have a higher basal metabolic rate. Age. BMR reduces with age. After 20 years, it drops about 2 per cent, per decade. Weight. The heavier your weight, the higher your BMR. Example: the metabolic rate of obese women is 25 percent higher than the metabolic rate of thin women. Body Surface Area. This is a reflection of your height and weight. The greater your Body Surface Area factor, the higher your BMR. Tall, thin people have higher BMRs. If you compare a tall person with a short person of equal weight, then if they both follow a diet calorie-controlled to maintain the weight of the taller person, the shorter person may gain up to 15 pounds in a year. Body Fat Percentage. The lower your body fat percentage, the higher your BMR. The lower body fat percentage in the male body is one reason why men generally have a 10-15% faster BMR than women. Diet. Starvation or serious abrupt calorie-reduction can dramatically reduce BMR by up to 30 percent.Restrictive low-calorie weight loss diets may cause your BMR to drop as much as 20%. Body Temperature/Health. For every increase of 0.5C in internal temperature of the body, the BMR increases by about 7 percent. The chemical reactions in the body actually occur more quickly at higher temperatures. So a patient with a fever of 42C (about 4C above normal) would have an increase of about 50 percent in BMR. External temperature. Temperature outside the body also affects basal metabolic rate. Exposure to cold temperature causes an increase in the BMR, so as to create the extra heat needed to maintain the body's internal temperature. A short exposure to hot temperature has little effect on the body's metabolism as it is compensated mainly by increased heat loss. But prolonged exposure to heat can raise BMR. Glands. Thyroxin (produced by the thyroid gland) is a key BMR-regulator which speeds up the metabolic activity of the body. The more thyroxin produced, the higher the BMR. If too much thyroxin is produced (a condition known as thyrotoxicosis) BMR can actually double. If too little thyroxin is produced (myxoedema) BMR may shrink to 30-40 percent of normal. Like thyroxin, adrenaline also increases the BMR but to a lesser extent. Exercise. Physical exercise not only influences body weight by burning calories, it also helps raise your BMR by building extra lean tissue. (Lean tissue is more metabolically demanding than fat tissue.) So you burn more calories even when sleeping. Hopefully you can find something useful in all this information.

Hey, I just thought I'd give you guys an update! Today I am 16 days out and I lost 10 Kilo's! (thats 22 lbs according to the conversion site) I can already feel it in everything! I'm not having any problems with "eating" (just cant seem to really call what I'm doing eating... :crying:) except that milk products still dont go down well. Some days better than others. I'm walking every morning for 45 minutes (I always did, have dogs ) and in the evening I go for another 20 minutes with one of the horses. Some days I feel good enough to do lots, other days I have less energy. All in all so far so good!:lol0:

Walking into the OR is empowering because it is you clearly taking the situation by the horns and handling business. I did not know they generally knock you out on valium or some form of sedative before they wheel you into the OR for this surgery or my first plastics procedure, but my last two plastics surgeries I insisted on being fully non-drugged when they put me to sleep. Generally they don't make you walk because they have to have the bed with you and roll your IV, EKG leads, and monitor with you and it's more hassle than it's worth, but I say enjoy the experience. You know how you walked down the aisle at your wedding? Ready for a whole new life? Look at this situation exactly like this. Get your head up, march your butt into that OR, and own it. Also, the drugs they give you to knock you out are about 10 seconds of the best high ever. This way you get to enjoy that too.

Today I got up, dressed my son in a cotton sweater and shorts--he is so cute--got to Green Bay (2 ours south) and thought on the way there that we are going south, so it must be warmer here--and it was sooo windy--I had to go get my kid some long pants! Mother of the year, right here! ha ha NOT! Still cold here and tonight at home--we have the HEAT on already! (but I keep the bathroom window open, because my skinny husband likes it sooo hot in here (and I am not talking about ~hot~ hot , I am talking about temp. hot. )and I can't stand it! It's august and the heat is ON! HELP ME!!! I can't do 10 months of WINTER!

Stay on liquids but make sure you get in 60 grams of protein a day... protein shakes. After a night like you had, I would do ONLY liquids for at least 2 days before trying soft foods. Lastly, get some over the counter Pepcid for the heartburn and ask your MD for a prescription for an acid blocker. I'm an RN, the dose of Pepcid we use is 20 mg twice a day. I'm not sure if the over the counter stuff is 10 or 20 mg but you need the 20 mg. Try a warm cup of tea before you go to bed.

HAPPY FRIDAY MY VIOLETS!!!! MAKE IT A GOOD ONE. Now here's some fun thoughts for the day. 1. The best way to get even is to forget... 2. Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death... 3. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts... 4. Some folks wear their halos much too tight... 5. Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be maintained on earth... 6. Unless you can create the WHOLE universe in 5 days, Then perhaps giving "advice" to God, isn't such a good idea! 7. Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up.. 8. Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous; You will get knocked down by the traffic from both ways. 9. Words are windows to the heart. 10. A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it's a forgery. 11. It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill, just add a little dirt. 12. A successful marriage isn't finding the right person - it's being the right person. 13. The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground. 14. Too many people offer God prayers, with claw marks all over them. 15. The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it. 16. To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you. 17. You have to wonder about humans, they think God is dead and Elvis is alive! 18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done. 19. You'll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out its neck... 20. If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the Water bill is higher. Disclaimer: Some of it is funny and some is religious. I know we're not all religious, so just take it for what you want.. there's 20 things there, pick the ones you like :tt2:

On Companionship: Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. On Ability: We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough. On Self Confidence: What I am looking for is not out there; it is in me. On Ability: When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another. I'll be happy when... We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire. The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with..... and remember that time waits for no one. So, stop waiting Until your car or home is paid off. Until you get a new car or home. Until your kids leave the house. Until you go back to school. Until you finish school. Until you lose 10 lbs. Until you gain 10 lbs. Until you get married. Until you get a divorce Until you have kids. Until you retire. Until summer.. Until spring. Until winter. Until fall. Until you die. There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching, If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special. I just did! I am going to be happy today---want to join me?

Are you getting enough solid protein? If you are starving after slowly eating 4 oz portion of meat & 4 oz of veggies then you need a fill. Make sure you are drinking 8-10 cups of water too! At 1000 calories and walking you should be losing! Try My Fitness Pal to count calories and make sure you are measuring your food. I know how crushing it is to think you are doing everything right and still not losing weight! Just try to stay positive! Keep checking in so we know how you are doing!

What you are feeling is perfectly normal. Its a scary and life change thing, to get sleeved. If I can offer a few word from a veteran (as of March 6th, I'm a year out so I qualify) It will be the best health decision you could ever make. life is back to normal now. A new Normal? Yes. And I love it! There is nothing I can not eat. The only taboo thing for me per my surgeon is carbonation. I can eat and drink anything and everything. Not a single thing disagrees with me. That said, yes I can eat or drink anything, most of the time I just don't. The success I have achieved encourages me to eat healthy. I do eat very healthy 80% of the time. I eat better 15% of the time and I eat GOOD meaning anything goes 5% of the time, on average. Some days and weeks are perfect some days are not so much. I have succumbed to chips and salsa. I have eaten a few bites of the most decadent Desserts (only a few bites) but mostly because there is no more room I have wine every weekend. We are big wine lovers. I go to parties and social events where food is the focus and am just fine. I enjoy a few bites of this or that but always try to stay Protein focused. You will too. Life is not over after the sleeve, its just better. Way better. I still have 13 pound to go to my realistic goal and 23 to my ultimate goal. Although the last few months I don't think 130 is best for me. I don't think I would look or feel my best there. I think 140 is real for me. What I can tell you is, if I do not lose another pound, ever, I will consider this surgery as the best health decision I could have ever made. Where I am now is healthy, well, energetic and full of energy. I may not be a size 2 and that is fine with me. I am currently wear a loose 10 and snug 8. I I were 20 years younger I'd probably not bother with the 10. Med tops. It's not about the size but the health and all the amazing things that go along with new found health and energy! Your fears are real and normal. Take the step, it won't be easy. This is in no way "the easy way out". You will struggle, we all do, it's not all unicorns and rainbows. It is SO worth the journey and the end result is priceless. That's my 2 cents. Best of luck to you!