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I know that I eat as a coping mechanism. I think many WLS patients do that and it's why so many turn to alcohol after they get surgery in order to find another way to cope. I've said this many times in these forums that I think WLS patients should get therapy afterwards to help deal with the changes in our coping mechanisms. When I went to therapy he broke it down very simply for me, I eat to cope. I need to cope because of stress. I have a choice, reduce the stress in my life or find a different way to cope. By thinking of it like that it's easier to address the stress and why we are eating to deal with it. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you find a healthy way to cope or a way to help reduce the stress in your life.

I didn't keep the belief that everyone was the same for as long as you did Terry--but I know exactly what you are saying! I grew up surrounded by people of similar status and belief systems....with happily married parents, and grandparents who loved one another, and us. I can remember on a summer evening on the front porch, Mom brought Dad a bottle of beer, and had poured some in one of those little glasses that cheese spread comes in for herself. That was my life---until I got married. I was young (17!!!) and would have run away if not given permission, the border is 11 miles away!!! I married into a family with serious alcohol issues, and fidelity issues. The first night my husband didn't come home all night, I was in tears convinced he was dead somewhere....the thought he was cheating never entered my mind! It was quite a wake up call!!! I am now much more observant of how people live amongst themselves.... OH and FWIW-----For What It's Worth...... I don't think my Uncle saw his job as depressing...although he dealt with depressed people....hard to describe. He was very well respected, and sought out when there was an elder on the reservation die. He would go in and observe all the old traditions. Including, the fact that if one of the elders actually died in their hogan (a dome shaped-usually-mud and stick built home, with a fire pit right in the middle, piped out the top) he would go with the family, and witness the burning of the home....partake in the meal, usually mutton stew and fried bread, then hold the services. The Navajo people have a huge presence in the armed services, per capita they are in the majority, and they all have massive respect for fellow servicemen. He actually did several of the original "Code Talkers" from WWII's services. And drove countless bodies thousands and thousands of miles for military burial. His wife is my Dads sister, and she is a PITA--she used to love that I was the fattest one in the family, now she and her DD are both bigger than I am, and she will not mention anything EVER about my weight---she always refers to her own at being 220 pounds, which is about 75-100 short---but hey she has to carry it around not me! But my Uncle he is always telling me how good I look, and how proud he is I found a way to do it. Mom and I are always saying--poor him having to put up with my Aunt!!! Sorry your sister had it out with your Mom. I am not trying to defend her---it was a horrible thing to do. But as I have said before, sometimes it is easier to be mad, than to be sad. We want them to want to fight with every breath too....I was FURIOUS with my Mom for allowing my Grandma to sign a DNR. Mom did not have any choice, she didn't want Gma. to hurt anymore, and it was Gma's choice. But I wanted her to beat the cancer again-and live forever, not sign a paper that said they would not keep her living. I said horrid things to my Mom, and I threatened to talk to Gma. myself. Had my Mom in tears....and left her that way! You may be thinking, that I was just a kid, and your sister is not---but I was well into my 30's---not a kid, just a scared granddaughter who could not face the thought of losing her and no one doing anything! I still hate DNR's! I have since apologized to my Mom, and know the pain she had in making the choice to accept Gma's choice. But it was so much easier to hate everyone and everything about it, than allow it to hurt....Does your sister have much of a support system to get through this besides you? Hugs to all of you! Tracy---as soon as it is light, and I can go to the car and get the box, and to the garage and get the tape, and get off my butt and get dressed.....I'll get right on it!! LOL I promise!! Gonna be nice here today too, Kinsey and I are walking to the bank this morning, hoping the fresh air makes my headache ease. TTYL~~ Kat

hi hi hi girls! how's everyone this morning! 309 days is gonna fly by Judy. I'm soooo excited! I slept so weird on my neck last night and today I can't move it around too much... That's not good... Terry - I'm fully committed! Can't wait to see our new baby... Tell me how much you need for the deposit and I'll sent it right on over. Or we can meet for din din sometime next week and i can hand it over :smile2: Did you check the rates on flying out there? I don't know if I should go ahead and book now or wait. So far Southwest comes in around 50 bucks cheaper but I don't know if it's worth it to drive all the way down there for 50 bucks savings... Pammy - when does school officially start for you? Around here it starts next Wednesday. Kids are not too happy their summer is over... How can you drink 4 beers? You don't have problems with carbonation?? I feel like my chest is gonna explode when I take a sip of soda... The only alcohol I drink now is coconut rum and pineapple juice :wub: Who is oreokitty? You are making me want Oreos with my coffee this morning!! Bad kitty...

SylviaT: I think the stuck feeling is the same as the golf ball people talk about. I may be wrong since I am not yet banded and am just going on what I have read. I found this info from the bandsters group and thought it had some great advice. Question: "Hi Everyone, I hope someone can help me who has experienced what I'm currently going through. I had a slight .1 cc fill last friday and ever since I have been coughing up flem and bits of my food at nighttime. I try not to eat after 6:30p. Not to sound gross, but it is mostly flem and liquid. When I get up from bed and walk around, I am totally normal and fine. Do you think it is because of the slight fill or do you think it is a slippage or Hiatal hernia? I had a hiatal hernia repaired last year due to the band. Please let me know if anyone has experienced this." Answer: "That sounds like reflux. Whether it's from your recent fill or a hernia or change in eating, I can't say. But what I do know is it is not something to be ignored. Some things to consider: -Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating -Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime -Rinse your pouch with a glass of water an hour before bedtime -Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: o Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods o Chocolate o Caffeine o Alcohol o Some fruits and vegetables Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers o Peppermint -Use baking soda toothpaste instead o Carbonated drinks -Eat slowly and do not eat big meals -If you smoke, quit smoking -Reduce stress -Exercise promotes digestion -Raise the head of your bed (not just using extra pillows which can actually worsen reflux) -Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist -Take estrogen containing medications in the morning -Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime -Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring -Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications -See your health care provider Try some of these changes and if you don't get relief, I would suggest a visit back to your fill person." I hadn't thought of rinsing my pouch at night by drinking water. I haven't even read them, so I wanted to post them here! Audree

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 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>

Good Morning Ladies! ok my DIM SUM DILLEMA.. I actually did good considering all the carbs it all had. I had one small shrimp dimsum 2 pcs of small asparagus 1/4 cup or probably less of Tofu with chicken for dinner I had 1 small piece of chicken breast baked and half a banana I've been drinking ALOT OF water and I notice that really helps alot..:scared2: Tonight might be a lil difficult, one of my friends in the military is here for the long weekend and they wanna go out to dinner.. Where ever we go.. i'm stickin with a soup or salad... its just the ALCOHOL part.. I like drinking with friends.. but I feel like i'm on a good roll I don't wanna mess it up.. but in the same token.. I wanna have a drink or 2.. uggh.. We'll see.. I think I might have 1 hard drink. Anyways... HAPPY FRIDAY!! YAY!! LONG WEEKEND IS HERE!!!!

whos is the bariatric educater? Is that the nutritionist? I really don't need that appointment I could probably teach her a few things!! LOL. I just don't follow what I know. I hope they let me skip some steps. I have done so much research on the lap band that orientation was actually a bit of a bore. Our class was argueing about smoking and alcohol. Also gum chewing!! We got out late by the way!! LOL

Reggie! We warned you about the stupid questions:) Were they stuck on alcohol, caffeine or cigs???:cool: You are going to be at goal soon i bet!!!:regular_smile:

Hey All - just got home from Richmond - got to see John and he's doing well but said the pain is more severe than when he had the band attempts. He should be able to go home tomorrow evening. Woopie!!! Didn't get to see Lee but Bonnie said she's doing well and John got to see her - she was walking the halls so it's lookin good for her too!! Yee Haa! Mo - Love the jeans but they are both too big :thumbdown: The Tommy's I can probably get away with, just a little baggy, but the but is real droopy so my husband veto'd them. Why couldn't I have kept my butt and lost the boobs?? Why did it have to go in the reverse order?? Ok, so I just got home and saw a letter from my ins. company letting me know that I was found to be NOT at fault in the accident last November ----- WHAT ACCIDENT??? apparently my husband has neglected to mention this to me!!! Since it appears that it's not "MY" fault I will let it slide and won't say anything to him bout it but I would have been nice to have known that HE was in a car accident! funny how he didn't know how the little dent got in the Montero??????? Why do you suppose he was afraid to tell me - HMMM??? MEN!!!! (sorry John - LOL) TamTam - glad you're up & walking but I think you really need to come hang and get the support you need!! I think it would help you get past the rough patches. NEXT TIME!! Bee - It was good to see so little of you!!!! You need to post - even if it's just to say hi and rub it in that you've already lost 40lbs since October and have had 2 fills aready and have 6cc's while the rest of us are over here suffering! I see Doc Who has his favorites. JES - time to do a total carb detox - zero carbs and after 3 days you'll be over it with the chocolate - if you must have some get a little bag of sugar free dark chocolate and just kinda suck on one when the craving hits. The sugar free ones are made with alcohol sugars so you won't have the spikes that regular sugar gives you BUT... still alot of carbs so don't overdo it.

Thanks Brad! "The baptist don't allow people to dance"???!!! I don't think I've heard that one before!!! On a serious note, my mother used to make my sister and me go to church when we were little. I absolutely hated being made to go. Not being a morning person, I especially hated getting up early on Sunday when I had to get up early for school all week. It wasn't that I hated church, I just hated being made to go and listen to stuff that I didn't understand. While my mother made us go, she did not, neither did my stepfather who was a mean alcoholic. So even though I was being made to go to church and being told to live right and live for the Lord at church, everything at home was quite the opposite of what the preacher was saying. So it was very hard to know what was right and what was wrong. My Mom eventually stopped making us go and it wasn't until I was in my early 20s that I started reading the Bible and understanding it. I didn't really believe what the Baptists were preaching, and everytime I went to a Baptist church, it just felt dead to me. So (I'm dodging bullets here, lol) I joined a church of God church and I do still follow most of their beliefs, but I no longer go to church because it just became a place full of drama and people putting on a show (Anyone who's been to a church of God service knows what I am talking about). I'm not saying all churches are like this, but I haven't found one that I feel comfortable at. The point is, everyone has to come to their own understanding of the Bible and what they believe (or don't believe) and no one can make them believe one certain way by preaching to them and pounding them over the head with a Bible.

Well with the argument, drug addicts and alcoholics are every day people with kids and families as well as someones son, daughter, sister or brother; so should we legalized current illegal drugs and driving under the influence for the sake of them getting home in time to either be their for their families or get some rest before work tomorrow? The argument I expect in return is that driving under the influence can injure and possibly kill that person and others, that taking drugs can kill that person and possibly others around them. Really? Having sex with a prostitute is like play Russian Roulette with ones life as well as others. No amount of government regulation is going to keep that under control and we the tax payers will end up footing the bill for it ALL in the end-whether it is the legalization of prostitution itself or the medical bills that those infected with diseases will incur due to sex with prostitutes. Please keep in mind that legalizing prostitution is not just for women, but men as well and one of the largest "spreaders" of HIV/AIDS and many other diseases is through sharing of needles and homosexual intercourse (no, this is not a bash to the gay community but rather mere facts). How many unsuspecting wives or husbands will have unprotectected intercourse with their spouses AFTER he/she had sex with a hooker? Many, and many have contracted diseases because of this. Again, there are many consquences for legalizing this "industry" without looking into the moral aspect of it all and in the end, ALL of it will be at the expense of the taxpayers in some fashion: Establishing offices and highering workers to montior the industry ACROSS the nation, setting up free or low income clinics for the testings of the prostitutes, criminal fees when one person finds out another gave them a disease because he/she had sex with a prostitute and decided to take the law into their own hands, medical bills related to those who contract diseases but do not have health insurance to pay for their health care or meds as a direct result of this behavior, etc..etc...etc... in the end WE the TAXPAYERS will end up paying for it and I for one do not feel compelled to pay for someone else having sex!!!

I am super lucky that I was reunited with my first love from 27 years ago in June and now we’re engaged and he adores every inch of me. Before him, if I was seeing someone and it seemed to be a potential, I would go he’d never let them know. My last boyfriend also had surgery. He wasn’t even a year out and was still eating all the junk and alcohol he wanted being in the honeymoon phase. After almost a year and him not changing, I ended it and then my now fiancé stepped on the scene!

I can't seem to quote your quoted quote... No, silly - not alcoholics anonymous - american airlines (something special in the air my ass....) The spa is across from A23. Next time you fly out of DFW, give it a whirl - it's a great way to relax after dealing with ticket counters, security, and the other dumb-asses who mess up the general travel experience... And yes, you're Hottie McHottie also! Sweet Dreams! B

Hey gang, Just go back from Los Angeles - My apologies to anyone who loves LA - but I can't freaking (in deference to J's new endeavor) stand the place - never have been able to - never will. I was very good with the food, but very, very, very, very, very bad with the alcohol... I've never been one to have a hang over no matter how much I drank. I figured this trip would be different, since I couldn't binge eat on protein after a hard night of drinking, but I'm happy to report that I can still drink like a whale and not be hung over - go me!!! BG - Good look on your interview today!! We'll all be pulling for ya! I like the revisions that Alex has made to the site in the last week - looks like a more modern version of the old layout than completely different. Can't believe that we went from bycyling to bicyling... Geez-o-Pete. Speaking of new suits (and congrats BG on the smaller sizes!) I had to buy a new suit before my trip - smallest size that I've worn since 1991. It will be the last suit I can buy at the fat man store (and if I hadn't been pressed for time, I would have gone shopping at normal stores). My boxer will be having knee surgery on Wednesday - she had quit limping after a few weeks of bed rest, but she blew it back out the first time she went to play with her friends. She'll be on three months of bed rest, so no Easter Hill Country ride for me. Not happy, but I got to take care of my puppy. Got my grades for the fall term - A & A-. Not happy with the A-, but whatever. Put me in a much better mood about school, though. Was wishing I was going to take classes this term, but in a few months, I'd be pissy about it too. Also with a recovering dog, I'm sure that I'll end up spending most evenings sitting with her, so the wife can do something besides sit with the dog. ZZ - Sorry I didn't respond earlier - your pics are awesome - you are doing sooo good! T - welcome - like BG said, any friend of J is a friend of mine. HP - Hope that school is going well TX - We still need to get together for a ride, but it might be a few weeks until the dog can start doing something besides bed rest. She's gonna be mighty cranky, and it's not fair to my wife to make her sit home with her all day seven days a week. D - We miss you, and hope that you are doing well! JC - Hope that your recovery is proceeding apace. B

Tina, I find that the Morningstar Veggie Sausage Patties are still too dense for me at three months out. Regular pork sausage - awful UGH UGH UGH. I'm sorry it got you. I hope you feel better and that your fever goes away. John, I knew you were a Sailor and drink like one too! I haven't tried alcohol yet. I may have a taste of wine when visiting the wine country next month. I've only been to the champagne district several years ago when visiting Paris so it might be fun to try vineyards in the south.

GOODness girls, stop with the alcohol! I had a bad expericne dontcha know, I am off the stuff! Too Teeny for drinkies now :-) But LOVING wearing size 10s!!!!! It's so worth it. Surgeons and gas . . . . gosh. Here is my "IMHO" rundown on what each excels at. I think Baggs and Fisher do the best squeezing gas out. Fisher is toughest on initial weight loss - Baggs second toughest - but Fisher I hear is best on making scars pretty except he makes an extra incisoion so there is one more TINY scar. Baggs good on all accounts, very positive and informative, leaves very small scars, and most agressive out of them all with fills, first one at 6 weeks and the next 4 or 5 with 4-6 weeks between each - he does smaller fills more often. Dr. Parks the very nicest, kindest, most reassuring person on earth but not so great on squeezing gas out and seems like she has more bruising (I have a lot of friends who have had her, not just you guys!), and she believes in less fills, waiting longer until 1st fill, and bigger amounts in every fill! Dr. Im I don't know much about, Pam is the only one I know who had him but he's a sweetie!

Well I think Kaiser has to decide if they want us to have a support group or whether they want to take control and be the support group..............that is what it boils down to. Liz told me the same thing but I see it two ones one that maybe they don't think we are smart enough to figure out who to listen to and not to and the other way is that if we are on the site than they lost a bit of the control over the diet and rules they put out by use being educated by the masses........... Again I have to agree alot of people going through all this come in with a totally clean slate. I had research so much I could even talk latest research studies and the pros and cons of each type and band and method of surgery...........LOL. So maybe I get offended when I am not the normal patient. I am sure I know who to belive and who not to believe ya know..........and we all cheat her and there and we don't post that to brag about sneaking around but to be accountable. So maybe if you have no brain and are easily brain washed you should stay away from this site.............LOL. That would be like telling an alcoholic no AA meetings!! Man I have alot of opinions lately and I am trying to chill out a bit!!! :-) I think the site is a GOOD thing. Lifts me up doesn't pull me down.

Chrissy - Yes I've had plenty of alcohol, mostly rum these past few weeks. Never really liked beer but I do like my mixed drinks. When I decided to move forward with the Sleeve being able to have some drinks here and there was a small factor. I did clear it with the doc but admit I've had a bit too much this past month being away from home. I’m still trying to figure out what best to mix rum with. Staying away from carbonated and high calorie ingredients like coke, cranberry and the like. I’ve been using crystal light to mix with when I can. Long Island's were my drink of choice but I'll now stick to a weaker drink. Good luck with the case manger appointment!

Hi fellow Feb ‘19ers - well, I was doing extremely well and as for all of us, Covid hit... child with autism at home, zero therapy for her, husband lost his job, yada yada I gained 25 lbs back. I really fell off the wagon, especially with alcohol. I hardly drank before but used it to get through those hard months. Even though I have gained, I have actually done pretty well by my standards haha. Skip to now - kid back at school 2 days a week, husband working again (from home) and I’m getting a grip on life again. I went to see my surgeon and we are working towards getting a distal bypass done. I’m currently taking Saxenda to get me started on the journey and so far so good. Anyway, I hope you are all doing well. The photos you have posted are amazing!

It's been really hard for my daughter - she is very anxious around kids, but she considered the kids in her class to be her friends. She was in Grade 5, so Elementary School came to an abrupt end and she'll now be going in to middle school... I'm sure you know what it's like when we 'go off script' with our spectrum kids. She's dealt with it very well, but I know it's hurt her. Yes, I must not let food be the escape - that's how I ended up at 360 lbs in the first place. I was also turning to drink there for a bit too... not much, but enough for it to hurt my weight loss. So I really don't want to come out of this fat AND alcoholic. Thank you for your thought and prayers - I really appreciate it. I appreciate all of you letting me vent on this thread. I know you will understand and it's a safe place with no judgement.

I have a great aunt who has been an alcoholic all her life. Until just recently (3 years ago) Know why she stopped drinking? Because after a lifetime of one family member or friend after another constantly 'Giving" to her, they stopped. We gave her money, we bought her food, we took her for job interviews, we put up with her verbal abuse, we paid her rent at times and I could go on and on about how we all enabled her to continue in her sin of abusing her body with alcohol. she had state ins. she couldn't hold a job for more than a week or two. Fourty years of that! Finally, we chose the tough love approach. No more enabling. No more money for food, no more help with rides, nothing. She had noone to turn to. Even her daughter and son gave up helping her. Simply because she wouldn't help herself. She was dependent on all of us. Once we stopped giving, she HAD to do it herself. She lost her apt, her job, and was even going to live on the street. We allowed it to happen FOR HER SAKE! Do you think we wanted to let our beloved aunt live on the street for that time? Absolutely not. But within one month, she walked into the Hospital and they committed her into rehab. She was hungry and cold. Now, She is in a wonderful community apts. with new friends she has made, hasn't had a drink for 3 years and has a job for the last 2 years. We put up with her drunken abuse for 40 YEARS! and in less than 6 months of disenabling her with our 'help', she started to take care of herself. When you 'help' people they tend to rely on that help and not 'do' for themselves. I am all for helping those who can't help themselves, or for helping people who are "trying" to better themselves and in the meantime need a hand. But I don't condone helping a prostitute who gets an STD because she CHOOSES to have sex with others for a living unless she leaves that profession for an honorable decent one. If she chooses to continue in that lifestyle, why should I have to pay for her medical care? She knew what the consequences of her career could bring. So, out of her own pocket is where her medical treatment should come from.

Well, I formally move onto less mushy foods today. Terrified! So much so that I am still eating the same things I ate on the last phase (yogurt, baby food, cream of wheat). I am afraid to open the flood gates. I had some peanut butter on a spoon, ate it slow, and boy did it stick like a ball of wax - not ready for that yet. I received a notice of a "bandsters" mtg. in my general area and they are meeting at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet restaurant! Isn't that like taking an alcoholic to a bar for a meeting? Aren't places like that what got us in trouble in the first place? Definately will NOT be going to those meetings. Trying to motivate myself to get back to exercising. I used to go to a strenuous boot camp 5 mornings a week. Would like to do that again - maybe 3 days and get back into running. A little too soon I think as I still have pain in my left side like a running cramp - start with walking I guess. Fingers are crossed!!!:smile:

Also, contact your surgeon to advise you if it's okay to have your PCP prescribe you something for flying anxiety. I would not suggest mixing it with alcohol tho...

3 month update! 5/4/23 - Start Pre-surgery diet - 324 5/15/23 - Surgery - 307.6 8/15/23 - 3 month - 242.4 Had my 3 month visit with the dietician and have blown past all of the targets (both the 3m and 6m ones). The year target is down 100 pounds (from the 324), and I am only 18 pounds away from that one. Should be able to hit it by 6 months. Have had very little in the way of side effects. I have thrown up twice when I over ate and had 20-30m of pain after eating some pork that I apparently didn't do right (not sure if I didn't chew it enough or what). I have been pretty low energy only when working out (but that is getting a little better), but have been fine the rest of the day. I have occassionally had an alcoholic drink (started on vacation and has crept back into one or two drinks a week), but I am trying to be a little more strict about that. Currently reading a book called Wheat Belly that talks about how evil Wheat is. Pretty interesting stuff, but heavy on the science behind it all. In the past week I have averaged: 975 calories per day, 78g of protein, 64 oz of water. Given that I workout in the Texas heat (Crossfit gym), I need to be drinking more fluids, otherwise I am really happy with where I am at. I don't feel like there is anything that I want to eat that I can't (or haven't been) eating already. I cheat a little bit with tortilla chips, but that is really the only thing. Honestly, I feel like this whole process has been as painless as possible. I feel incredibly lucky, especially after hearing Synlee's story (I hope you are doing better!)