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Good Evening Peeps - think this post on my #7 thread needs to be re-posted here - it's about our issues with fear and maintaining an waking up fat tomorrow.. Good Evening Gang... Ok I can speak to the fear - I have been maintaining for almost 2.5 yrs now - Like you said I am moving into my 4th yr of being banded and my 3rd yr of maintenance Dropping off the site doesn't always mean that pple have lost their focus as we have one person who pops in every now and (beth??) the one who moved (you won't know her but Candice & Phyl would) and I think for those pple who have been successful and who's light bulb has gone off they have a hard time dealing w/pple who just don't get it.. But I would say the majority drop because they feel like failure once again. But these pple haven't gotten that this is a lifetime battle - they think it's a quick fix - the get cocky - they go back to eating their normal It really is about changing our eating and how we look at food and about moving. It's not about dieting or keeping your band so tight that you can't eat.. Will you ever lose the fear - I dont' think so - Idrise has helped a lot in understanding that I do have control - Remember about 6 months ago - he and I got in a big disagreement - about me being a food addict - he says there is no such thing - well this pissed me off and he and I went around and around - I told him if there is a bag of candy or fried chicken in the house I would eat them I have no control So one day he said Janet are those foods in your house - I said No - He said who does the shopping - I said I do - he said well are you buying those foods that you have no control over - I said No - He said well then Girl you do have control - AH HA MOMENT !!! We are not physically addicted to food - we are mentally addicted to it - Yes our bodies have a physically reaction to our trigger foods - but it's not like a physical addiction like drugs or alcohol - It's a mental flaw that we have (genetics).. and for some they don't have that full sensation - As adults - we go to work every day cuz we have to we have responsibilities - do we like going to work - I would say for the most part nope - do you like paying bills - do you like cleaning house - nope. But its all things we have to do. Well we have to apply that same mentality to being healthy.. So what do you say to someone lt who tells you - I don't like exercising and I don't want to watch what I eat Well just like the rest of our lives 80% of the time we are doing things we don't like to do - but there are the things that we have to do as being responsible adults So to be healthy - you have to eat healthy & exercise - suck it up and be a responsible adult and just do it.. Ya you may not like it all the time - but if you want a better quality to your life - if you want more energy - if you want to extend your years on this earth then - ya gotta do it - just like you gotta go to work every day to put a roof over your head It's ok to have treats - that's where our thinking is screwed up - we think we can't - that if we eat a giant candy bar one day - or a Reuben sandwich - Omg - we are back to the road of being morbidly obese - no we aren't - that was a treat - it's not something we are going to do every single day - we did it one day - not 365. This is why I usually eat pretty healthy at home - but when I am gone on our vacations - I have more treats - but again I try and watch it too.. I don't pig out 24/7 for 5 days. and if I come home and have gained a couple of lbs - I know that those lbs will come off with a little extra exercise and with my normal healthy eating.. We all had surgery to help us - and the band does help us but it doesn't do all the work - but what we have to do is give ourselves credit for the times that we are eating clean and exercising When we find ourselves slipping back into old habit - We realize it - hell look at Jane - ate 2 cups of grapes and had a freak out attack - oh tomorrow I am going to wake up weighting 250 lbs - you ate grapes - you didn't down a gallon of ice cream and then a bag of Cookies - That's when you need to freak out - you need to freak out before you eat them - you need to exercise control when you are out shopping and not to let those foods ever get in your house - it you are in a mood - you want to say "f" it - go buy a pint of ice cream and eat the whole damn this - go to the bakery buy 4 cookies and eat them all - if you want a candy bar go buy just 1 giant one - eat it - and then when it's done you say - Ok I did that - I'm done - I had what I wanted now it's back to the real world. Yep the candy & ice cream still call my name - but when I walk down those isle - I say "F You" I really do this ... Those things that call my name - they say "I know that you can control it " (that devil talking to us) but I know I can't -- So I will pick it up look at the calories and think Oh I would love to eat you - but I know I won't stop at one - so I am not buying you - I feel to damn good to go back.. I wake up every morning - and when I go to put on a pair of my pants - I am still amazed that they fit.. I have fear - but it's a healthy fear of my mental addiction to food - better yet - I don't have fear - I am have awareness I am aware that if I eat candy - cookies - ice cream - high fat foods - tons of cheese - and I don't go to the gym - I am aware of what the results will be - I will be 250 lbs .. I don't want to be 250 - I want to look cute - I want to have a longer life more than I want to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream every nite.. I want to have the muslces - to help my body do the things I want to do and to help me as I age - to have stronger bones - to have better balance - I like being able to clean the house without breaking in a sweat - to go shopping for 6 hrs without my feel killing me after 1 hr.. As we all know being morbidly obese limits the quality of our lives Since most of us are 50+ we know that we have less years in front of us - and if we want to extend those yrs - enjoy the yrs that we have left - we have to lose the weight - we have to get and stay healthy.. And to get those results we have to eat healthy and exercising - is it fun - nope not all the time - but just like life - it's not a bowl of cherries either - we just have to take those lemons and make lemonade w/splenda and we have to pick the lemons - squeeze them - instead of going to the store in our cars and buying it already made and full of sugar Our addiction never leaves us - it becomes a little easier as time goes by - but it's still always in the back of our minds - When we do have those treats - we have to tell ourselves - it's ok to have a treat - what's not ok is to have the 24/7 365.. We do have control - we truly do and we will relapse every now and then - it will happen in all our lives - but what is the most important thing - is that we are now aware that we have lost the control and say STOP - PULL UP THOSE BOOT STRAPS AND MOVE FORWARD.. So if you want those new shoes - you save for them - you work for them - If you want a nice house - you work for it - you do what it takes to save the $$ for it and then once you get it you have to maintain that house. Getting healthy is no different - you have to eat healthy - you have to exercise and once the weight is gone - you have to keep up that work to maintain the new healthy body.. As the saying goes - who said life was easy... Laura - Yep page 1000 is getting close ;0) Hugs on your Dad - yep once you have been diagnosed w/it - every test after wards is scary - Prayers & Love to you and your family for good results.. Kelly - Like I said you don't know my family - picker was suppose to be bicker o) Chris - sent you the recipes Cheri - I need to give up FB games too - but it keeps me out of the kitchen ;0) Sandy - One Thanksgiving the kids couldn't come - I went to bff's house - this yr am looking forward to some down time - like I said - while you are all feasting on turkey - stuffing - taters - pies - I will be having Lobster Veggies ;0) Julie - Hope the shots help - and TRULY I will be just fine - I am a loner (family trait) and just think I am spending an entire week w/my family ;0) Ok gang gotta feed the dogs - cbl

Thanks, JM. What's the scoop on your banding? Are you getting closer? After tomorrow, I am getting serious again with my new lifestyle. I really need the support from all of you. When I am not reading the posts, I get off track. I was thinking about joining the food addiction group starting at the Methodist Hospital. I think I am really addicted to food. My dad, Lord rest his soul, was an alcoholic and maybe I have that gene. It is a day, by day, battle. Well, I will post when I get back from the fill.

Phyll, got a contact high from mj once. Newly married at 19, went to a Joan Baez concert. Very smokey. Don't remember much of the concert. Just wanted to sleep. My husband told me later that all the smoke was mj. Never understood the attraction. I'm enough of a space cadet without the addition of drugs and alcohol. Cheri

Meredith...there are just times when it is impossible to weigh and measure EVERYTHING. It is a good habit to be into. Teaches us a lot about portion size, etc. Helps us to eventually eyeball what we are eating. I now just automatically know portions sizes by looking or know my limits as to what to eat by how my tummy feels. I had some of the same feelings you are having when I didn't weigh and measure. It's a good habit but so is choosing everything that is healthy at this stage of the game and it will teach you to make more healthy choices throughout your life. It will all come together for you. I think that as long as you don't overdo the dressing put on the salad, Protein and lettuce/veggies are a very healthy choice. At first I did not like filling up my new pouch with lettuce as there is not a lot of nutritional value in it. But I always craved it so much so I would just throw a handful on my plate with my meat/fish/etc. During the weightloss stage, I used Walden Farms zero cal dressings. I really like the taste of them but have heard others stating that they did not. I still have them on hand for DH and he really likes them also. Worth a try! On those occasions when you cannot weigh and measure, try to eye things up. It's actually a good way to learn to guesstimate what you are eating. You will know when you get to the stage when you trust yourself with the amounts you are eating. My pouch has always been good to me. I have never pb's, don't really know what it is to slime, and it tells me when I am full. I get hungry every 2-3 hours but I don't mind that. But you will find out, as all of us banders did, that there are days that your band is lose and you could eat your lips and your fingertips off and there will be days that your band is tight and you WISH you could feel hungry. It's all a learning process and that's what us experienced banders are here for. I relied on everyone here for many months. It's important to plan any Snacks that you have and also important not to let yourself get too hungry and have the urge to binge. Make sense????? Hey to the rest of the gang (man, that really sounds Gomer Pylish!). Had a VERY long day yesterday. Left home b/4 daylight and did not get my people home till after 10:30pm. Stayed up visiting until 1:30am. DH's butt will be dragging in the field today. Letting Aussies sleep in. They have been on an "around the world tour" for close to three months and are shot. We have made no plans and will leave it up to them what they want to do. I am sure DH will not take a break with the workaholism and I will be entertaining 24/7. Did insist guys come home for dinner (lunch) so at least DS has and hour today to get reaquainted with his big sis. It will all fall together and DH will just have to catch up with us when he feels he can pull himself away from the work. Cannot remember who mentioned about lifting and band getting tight. Linda????? I have noticed this from the very beginning. That, flying and stress. Now, I KNOW I don't get stressed when I fly so I know my band just tightens on me and have to be very vigilant of my eating days b/4 I fly so I get enough cals and do not lose weight the days after flying. I try not to lift much anymore as to not tighten up my band. Fickle, fickle, fickle band! Just as I explained above to Meredith. Laura......hope your dad is doing better. Anxious to hear. DH's mom has been on dialysis for over five years and functions quite well with it. Sad if your dad has to give up his pilots license but he will adjust if need be. Great..........(seems weird writing that) Smart not to buy a MOB dress now. I predict that you will weigh less a year from now. The body goes through so many transformations after a person gets to goal. You will be happy you waited. A couple of months ahead of time should be sufficient time to find one. Keep looking and trying on different styles. By the time you need to make the purchase, you will know exactly what you want and what looks good on you. I love separates due to the fact that I am long legged and short waisted. They just look better on me. Janet....sound like you had and "Apples" day on Sat. I tend to start a small project and it turns into an all day deal. Good example is the past week when I was getting ready for company. My house was basically already clean but when I started I didn't quit for three days and then started again on Sunday until I couldn't find anything else to do. I was cleaning, painting, hanging pictures, rehanging pictures, recleaning, etc. I swear I cause work for myself. And, as I mentioned the other day...I am way too picky about my house and am trying to make a stab at changing that. Would like to be a little more free and easy about that. Think it has to do with all the traffic we get through here and always having to have the house ready for extras just dropping in for a meal. Julie....hope you are feeling better each day. You have been through the wringer and it will take some time. When we are so used to taking care of others, it is difficult to accept help. Linda...I pray for your little grand daughter. I think of her often and think of what you are going through. Issues such as these are never easy and wear on a person. Take care. Doodle...what a good granny to be the "mom" while your daughter is away. Damn all brownies. Funny you guys mentioned them cuz my Aussie daughter talked about my "special" brownies most of the five hour drive home from the airport. She was begging me to make some and I kept just putting her off and saying not sure. Well, when we walked in the door I presented her with a pan all for herself. We stuck them in the freezer and she says she will have only one a day. She is a police officer and needs to fit into her uniform when she gets home. OK...know I left some of you out but not on purpose. Just a little brain dead this morning. 4 hours of sleep does not do it for me anymore and only 5 hours the night b/4. I am a believer in 8 good hours of sleep. Keeps life nice and mellow. Going to have to catch up this week. You all take care and will check in when I can. Think we will hit a casino a few hours south of here this week and stay over one night then off to the lake for a couple of days and a weekend full of parties. (I love a good party but, no, do not always have a drink. Maybe have one drink once a week on the weekend.). I have to be quite careful. 1/2 ounce vodka, crystal light and Water and I am a PARTY ANIMAL. Can't handle much. Never had much tolerance for alcohol b/4 banding. 2 drinks and I would slur so for 30 yrs of marraige I have been the D.D. Don't mind a bit and parties are all about the cooking, visiting, games, etc. My friends love me cuz on girls night out, they have a built in ride home. Gotta go plan dinner and supper. Need to make a blueberry dessert, making chicken strips on the grill, scalloped corn and homemade mac and cheese. Have no menu planned for supper yet. You all have a great day! :smile2:

Hey gang, I am back. Still hurtin from my last fill. I can't keep anything down but fluids. I think I am gonna stick with protein shakes tommorrow and try foods again the next day. I tried fish for dinner and it wouldn't go down, chicken for lunch, eggs for breakfast. None of it went down. My weight is though. If I can't get something down after monday I guess I'll have to get an unfill. I really don't want that to happen. I want to be able to use my band. Before my fill I was wide open now I am so tight. I am sleeping alot again. Don't know if it is from not eatting or if I am getting depressed again. Probably the latter. Just gotta get through this last week of school before I have a melt down. With this new level of tightness I find that I am feeling the same way I felt after surgery. I miss food. Now it is stronger cause I am losing sight of my goal. Back in my post op days I was high on the thought that I would be thin one day. So I was not bothered by my longing as much. I am just confusing myself so don't know if yall will even understand my ramblings. I am just a little down by my last checkup/ fill. Doc says I am a carboholic and just as an alcoholic can't allow themselves 1 drink I can't allow myself 1 carb loaded meal. I need to quit making justifications to eat carbs. I feel like a failure at this. My last 2 visits have been this way. I am losing the momentum I had and not making much progress lately. I did contact the therapist that works with my surgeon. Hopefully monday I will get a response.

Julie...so sorry for what you have to go through. Drinking wine might just be what you need. My Grandfather had a couple glasses b/4 every meal and swore it kept him young. But, I am no expert on wine. You would need to ask our resident expert, Phyll! LOL Janet....there are meds that can be taken for vertigo (for dizziness). They put me out and make me feel crappy. Like I stated yesterday....it just runs it's course after a few days and continually gets better. I don't think mine starts in the inner ear. I believe it starts in the sinus' and affects the inner ear once sinus swells. That first day is miserable and after that just off-balance. I just have never been a medicine taker. Not even when I have my kidney stones. Just do not like the affect it has on me. I think my system is overly affected by meds and always has been...kind of like alcohol. Doesn't take much to make me loopy. Not always...but most times. But, does not deter me from having a weak one once in awhile.

Congrats Kathy - WTG You gave up sugar for lent - so no alcohol - it has sugar:lol: The eroded issue scares me - I know one lady here who had it happen like in 6 months.. Hope you have a good weekend too.. -------------------------------------------------------- I guess everyone else is having a hard time getting to LBT site... I have tried all night - (well got home around 6) but from 6 to 9:10 - I couldn't get here - been playing pathword on FB.. Now my eyes are dead... Well not much to report on - and as I said I guess no one else could get here today... I don't know what's up with that... Well, I am going to go watch some tv... Talk to you all in the morning

Cheri......thanks for sharing your life with us. You are such a bubbly person. I just loved watching you dance. Apples....I hear ya on trying to make things normal. Living with an alcoholic made things predictably chaotic. I promised myself that my kids would have a sense of normalcy, but I didn't know what normal was other than" Leave it to Beaver". You know that wasn't real, but that is what I thought was real. Oh well, all in all, my kids turned out pretty good......except for inheriting my bad eating habits. Janet.......Whoa Hass! Don't get on my A$$ today. I didn't eat right today or exercise. Tomorrow......then you can stay on me. Water aerobics in the morning. I am sitting my GS too. We should find out tomorrow if he placed in the baking. Laura.....glad you got to hear from DH. I bet he is having a wonderful time. Post a pic if you can. Melissa......you are a beautiful woman. Take it from us old farts......we all wish we had lap band ten years earlier. You have an awesome opportunity to turn it all around before you are forty.......baby steps......one day at a time!!!

Morning............. hope everyone is up and being productive...unlike me.... just sitting here doing not much of anything.... like ordered..... Apples, I'm so glad you feel some better today... Do flowers bother you that much to start an attack? I guess I don't know much about vertigo.... thought it was more a balance things... I'm not good either... No help from the doctor on Friday and now I'm once again waiting for insurance approval for more tests and another shot.... The pain is spreading to the other shoulder, getting stronger, and coming at any and all times of the day.. Already had a medium sized attach this morning that I'm just coming down from.... Had one at 4 yesterday afternoon that about got me.... I don't drink, but I called my DD at 5:30 and asked her to bring me some sweet pop wine, like Strawberry Hill.. I remember drinking it from the bottle in college.. A friend and I killed it last night... I don't think it did a thing for me, but I was just completly crazed and thought it couldn't hurt... I know it says no alcohol with the pills, but I didn't figure a little wine would like kill me..... don't know if I'd care at the moment.... So, I need to try to do some paperwork today.. Did some during the night, then went to sleep about 5:00 and woke up the hard way... Maybe the rest of the day will be better ...... hope so.... Everyone have a safe day.... Hugs to all... Julie

Hi...again have no freaken idea....how to navigate this site....and no time to fiddle with it....so sorry everyone for the typical font and reply style. lol so unlike me which is the reason for the apology. Its been a week since posting and well.....it hasnt been a great week for food, exercize or Water....but am getting back on the saddle tomorrow AM....rather the seat of the cycle at the gym. Foods havent been horrid just eating Proteins and shakes and not enough vegetables and water.....Ive been so busy running around buying presents and supervising that I have no idea if im coming or going.....I thought this would be the easiest holiday to deal with but......I realize its so much easier to shop, cook and have off from work but nooooo going to work run around after looking for presents in a million different places and going to one party and celebration at this ones house or that ones...or dinners out etc has taken its toll and im just plain tired!!! Of course its a wonderful holiday...but all the running....and partying and its only just begun...eight more nights!! I am just thankful there is school all day otherwise...in addition to busy and tired Id be totally broke with a babyisitter in addtion to all the presents and goings on...lol This weekend we are going to our synaguage for chanuka dinner tomorow night....that should be fun and nice. Sat lunch is at another shul. That should be fun too....if course this means I wont have anything to eat good for me....but I have prepared one of Phyllis what I call famous BBQ chickens!! Thanks again..saving me. So at least I know ill go home and eat if there is nada...and I know what shabbos dinners are about soooo I know there wont be anything for me. Sat night im the car pool mom, my turn to drive to and from Bat Mitzvah about 45 min away....where I will be twiddling my thumbs wating around for three hours....probably go shopping for more presents at that time.... Sunday is our family chanuka party at my brothers house....I am hoping for some serious alcohol or other to help with the drama that im sure will happen at that party! Of course its all in the spirit of chanuka ....so im sucking it all up and running, running, running!!! I see everyone is getting ready for Christmas....and I love reading about all your plans....jealous of the great decorating and table settings and the gettings ready....cant wait to hear about all the fabulous christmas eve and morning stories with everyone and their families.... well... must run its late and exhausted.....welcome to the newbys....and have a great holiday...and remember WHEN YOU FAIL TO PLAN YOU PLAN TO FAIL (like me this week) Okay....have a great night...... Jodi

Apples, my niece is having a stint put in tomorrow. She will have her stone crushed when they can get her scheduled. That machine must really be booked. I think she said may be two weeks before she can get it busted up Synd.....I wasn't into having a dog until the kids were gone. My pup is like my kid except he loves me unconditionally. He loves walking with me in the morning. That is really why I got a dog......so I would get out and exercise. Joyce.......thanks for the props. I haven't been too good since Vegas. I act like I am on a food vacation. It is weird. Maybe it is because I am not going to weight management on Wednesdays. I am working on it. Lori, it was not easy baking. I am really glad it is over. It is like being a alcoholic and a bartender at the same time. Enjoy your nuggets. You know while you were gone I bought nuggets and they had sand or dirt in them. My teeth still feel gritty. YUCK! I won't be eating nuggets from McD's for quite awhile. Are you going to the McDonald's across from Waikiki? We stayed at the Hilton a couple of blocks from there. I wish I could fly to Hawaii at least every six months. Enjoy!! LauraK, I would eventually like to take yoga. You should have seen Janet and Joyce doing their yoga moves. They are quite limber. Okay peeps.......going to my mother's tomorrow. My DH bought her a new cell phone with voice recognition and larger numbers because of her low vision. I am taking DD with me because she will have to be my techie and program the phone. I know I could do it, but why?.....I have all these people that can do it so much faster.

Wow! Great stories! This is exactly what we need to keep ourselves on track. Having gone to Alanon for many years and attended open AA meetings to hear special speakers and having hung out with a lot of recovering Alcoholics, a lot of their phrases stick in my head. When someone relapses they'll say, "It takes what it takes. There but for the grace of God go I." "They're not ready yet." "They haven't gotten sick and tired of being sick and tired." Many of them refer to themselves or others as "rehab rangers" because they relapsed and went to rehab so many times. A hospital in Dyer, IN had an emergency short-term rehab known as the "Dyer dryer" mostly for falling down drunks. Some of the recovering alcoholics I'd met had been there several times. Over and over again, every alcoholic who spoke was willing to tell his/her story in jaw-dropping detail and honesty. Helping other alcoholics recover was the key to their own recovery. Honesty about one's past and present is stressed to the max. That's got to be part of our recovery, too. We have an addiction. It brought us places we never wanted to go. We didn't grow up thinking, "I want to be a morbidly obese food addict when I grow up." We are horrified to find ourselves there. And we can never forget. To do that we need to share our stories in all their embarrassing details. How about having trouble wiping your butt or getting all your parts clean? Wondering what that smell is and realizing its you? Trying to clip your toenails with your stomach hanging between your wide spread knees? This is a serious life-threatening-shortening illness. Embarassing. Gross. Ugly. We think we only affect ourselves, but what about the children we robbed of quality time with us? The $ we spent on food that could have been spent improving the lives of our families and beyond? The employer's and insurance companies and the government (the American people) we ripped off with our inability to do our jobs to the best of our abilities and the ailments whose cost got absorbed by our families and the rest of society? Take your bands seriously. Treat them right. Take your disease seriously. Are you ready to do whatever it takes to be "clean and sober?" Cheri

JANET, I am here.....just nothing to report. I am going to get a fill on Monday. My DH is going with me.....he is having a consult with Dr. Davis for WLS. I think I am ready for this fill. I have been working on my bites and chewing. Also, when I feel the least bit stuck I put down my fork and stop eating. My weight has not moved. I know I am eating too much, but I am staying away from bad stuff. Christmas baking was like an alcoholic pouring liquor for guests all day long. I WILL NOT bake next year. I have already told my family that I cannot take that risk again.

Hi peeps! Whew! I had four g-kids today 6,2, 18mos, and almost 3 mos. I did something in my lower abdomen when I got up with the little one. I just hope it is a catch. It is right where I had my last surgery four years ago. Hopefully it is just scar tissue. Anyway, we had a good time with the kids. Then my DS came over and finally picked up the rest of his clothes. He still did not get the deer head. UGH! I guess this girl is a keeper. Being a major in the Air Force she is keeping my DS in line. He is crazy about her. I know they are talking marriage. LauraK.....yep it was a good day with the kids. Three in diapers made for a poopie day too! lol Nope, didn't get the decorating done. My granddaughter that helps was a no show......she is coming tomorrow to get the stuff out of the attic. I can do it now, but why take the chance of pulling something when a 16yr old has offered. Cheri, thanks for sharing about your family. It is interesting to watch how those characteristics run throughout the family. We have lot of ADD in the family. From you talking about it I have been able to notice those symptoms in my ADD kid and now in one of my grand. I even see it in me. No one in my family ever sought help for alcoholism. They just got old and quit drinking. Joyce, the weather is pretty now so your DD will be able to enjoy a little of it before it gets nasty in a couple of days. Water aerobics is the only thing that does not hurt my back. I love it. You are so limber. It won't take long till you have a trainer. I even forgot you had a knee replacement because in Vegas you never favored your knee. Melissa, Zumba sounds fun, but I would have to borrow it before buying. I have so much exercise crap I have never used. Glad you found something to make you sweat. lol Okay gang, I am going to go soak in the tub then watch a little TV.

Hi gang! Joyce, Good on getting rid of the sling! Go ahead and whine about the snow. I almost feel guilty that it is 85 and sunny outside. Yeah, on the weight thing. 5 down- 1 up after the fried seafood dinner. I am not giving up. I am getting used to this eating plan. LInda, Awesome news on the MRI. I would imagine that neck pain is real bothersome when you type. I typed almost every day for 35 years. At one time I thought I had carpal tunnel. I went to Walmart and got braces for my hands and wore them at night. They worked. It was a good investment for me. Wow, you hit the Jackpot with the meat. Happy Cooking! Laura.....Safe Travels. I know you and Nels will put a smile on your dad's face. Prayers and HUGS! Cheri........enjoy your Spring break. We had ours last week. All the schools are finally on the same page and everyone was out. Still praying for your daughter. I just got back from my DGS's two year old B-day party. I won't even tell y'all what was on the menu. Not good. Thank goodness I ate boiled eggs before I left. I went grocery shopping for my mother. On my way to her house there was a man with a "I am Hungry" sign. I do not give money, but I did have some of my mother's Famous Amos Cookies. I gave him a snack bag.....he was grateful. I see these signs every time I go to Houston. I think I am going to keep a case of Water and Snacks in the car for these men. Yeah, I know most of them are drug addicts and alcoholics, but these are hard times for everyone. Don't worry, I only crack my window.....and No Money! Later peeps! Enjoy your weekend!

Trying to get the house work done, not sure what the evening is going to bring. Tomorrow is DH's birthday, and the family wants ME to DO something. Which would be fine, but DH is not so much wanting me to DO anything! He is building an addition onto the shop to house the air compressor and some other things, so that the noise will be outside the shop, well he planned to do that, have a few beers, and kick back. His parents think the world will come to an end if anyone sips a drop of alcohol. We let them live and do our own thing, but out of respect for them, keep it away from them or family gatherings they are at, At 80+ they are not changing their minds we know! So now here I am, I either curtail DH's plans, and satisfy the family that by me cooking a cleaning all day THEY did something for his birthday......or I am the uncaring wife/DIL who let his birthday go by without celebrating. I have to work tomorrow, he is off, but I am not going to have him prepare the yard and house for a cookout for HIS birthday! My Mom offered to host a cookout for it, and then last night the man who delivers their firewood, dumped 3 cords of wood in the parking area, that now my Dad has to get stacked & ready for winter. So her house is out. My MIL has not offered to do anything.....for a long, long time. Then again when I am over 80 I hope to not have to either!!! LOL All 3 kids work tomorrow. DIL is due any second, she does not feel like doing it, and is the only one not working! I am going to suggest we all meet for dinner at someplace simple---a burger joint or something. Any suggestions??? As for hanging shirts, all mine hang, and all of DH's EXCEPT his work shirts, they go in a dresser---and are kept separate. Nothing washed with them, nothing stored with them, as there is an odor to them! They smell like diesel to me. No one else agrees.......but I smell it! They get dumped into a hamper in the laundry room, not in our bath like the regular clothes! He does not deal directly with the diesel anymore, but when he goes through the shop, he puts on coveralls, that are work issued, and work cleaned, so the guys who marinate in the diesel under the trucks, coveralls get washed right with his, and they make his clothes smell. No detergent or additive gets rid of it....so his work stuff folds into a dresser. With properly folded shirts!!! LOL No rain here, at least not enough to be worthwhile.....trade ya some heat for some rain Tap...... My kids and grandkids ALL got their own cakes to tear into for their 1st birthday, and we have progressive pics of each of them, they are some of my favorites! My youngest grandson probably will be the first not to get one, his Dad would not allow it---the mess etc. He is a germaphobe, and very OCD---it would make him crazy. He cannot even stand for him to have drool on his shirts! He is such an annoyance!!! Well I am being called to inspect the building process, and my laundry is ready to change out. I do not BTW have new W & D and am NOT enjoying doing laundry!!! LOL

Hi Everyone, I just got back from camp. I'm exhausted, but we had a great time. I didn't do very well on the mushies though. The menu for the weekend had very little that could be mushed up in my magic bullet, so I just chewed like hell. I have discovered that I can pretty much eat anything, as I have no restriction whatsoever. I was very careful with everything I ate, and kept it to 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup servings, but I know I could continue to eat, and eat, and eat if I wanted to. I did drink quite a bit of alcohol thought... I guess that is a bit of a VOICE camp tradition, as the kids are being entertained, us adults are enjoying our own version of entertainment. Wine passes through just fine!! I've decided that since my first fill isn't until Sept 10th (my doctor waits 6 weeks, as that's the manufacturers recommendation), and I have no restriction, that my goal this month is to eat healthily, start a real exercise program and just maintain until the fill stage. I don't intend to try to lose weight right now... just maintain. After all, I got the band to assist me in the process, and it can't really assist me right now until it's filled. I've tried to catch up on the posts, but sure I missed some things. So here goes... Lynette.... CONGRATS! $9,600 of new found money. Don't let your DH spend that... put it away for yourself to use on something special as a reward when you reach your goal. Marcy... Oh you are so lucky. I love crab, salmon, etc. I've also always wanted to visit Alaska. Must be amazing. Sunny... Hope you're doing better in the hind end situation!!! Jeanie... Miss you sis! Everyone else, hope you are doing well!!!

Oregon is a great place to live! I think you are obsessed! You are always making me want to drink!! I seriously need to run out and by some alcohol! You're still typing, can't be too many! Lifting mojitos is just exercise, silly! And I bet your middle name is MOM! Yeah on the interview! Crossing my fingers for you! I looked at my hair today and it scared me! I thought I had some lovely blond streaks from the summer sun - wrong! I need my yearly cut and color before school starts so I made the phone call! Time to head out for dog agility! Fun, fun! Have a nice evening!

Guh! I HATE meds that have to be taken on an empty stomach This (IMO) is the ultimate band "secret". Learning the difference between "sated" and "full" is the holy grail. I worked a retail job while I was in respiratory school. There is nothing, NOTHING (IMO...again) like a job in the medical field that will make you hate people. Don't get me wrong, I still love the work. It's just that medical folk often see people at their absolute worst. That's the Irene I know! Kick ass!! I'm pretty comfortable, but everybody is different. There's no "cookie cutter" appraoch. Yeah, I never saw the logic of using anti-gas meds with the lapband. Gas-X is basically a "detergent" that breaks down the surface area of a gas bubble (think rubbing alcohol on a soap bubble) in the digestive track, so the individual can...well...fart it out. The gas from the lapband surgery is inside the abdominal cavity, but outside the digestive system. But hey, if some folks find relief with the gas-x, more power to them!

Karla, There are some things that you can do to help ensure success and in reality they are very easy. But you have to commit to them. You can't do them here and there. At the beginning you MUST follow EVERY rule. It is later on when you get to maintenance that you can slack off a little on the following things. The following is what I did when I was in the losing phase. I was incredibly rigid (and so was Janet). I am not as rigid now...but I learned the tools so that if I needed to go back to them I could. It takes 28 days of constant use to create a habit. If you haven't been doing something consistently for 28 days it is not going to be a habit. A new lifestyle is changing the habits of the past. 1. Made a menu of all the food I was going to eat for the day and stuck to it. (If it wasn't on my menu...I didn't eat it. This allowed me to know what foods I needed in the house and made shopping and dinner planning easier). 2. Ate my protein first, followed by veggies. I didn't eat a whole lot of carbs. I was an Atkins girl so this was very easy. However, I didn't cut out carbs in total. I would have a VERY small serving of them so that I didn't feel like I was being deprived. 3. Ate 1 cup of food (most of that was protein). If I couldn't eat a cup of food or I couldn't eat much protein I knew I needed an unfill. I lost 85% of my weight completely unfilled. That doesn't mean that you can, but I think my sweet spot would probably have been right above an unfill (like 0.5) but my fill nurse kept overfilling me. If YOU CAN'T EAT YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT LOSE WEIGHT! Your body will revolt and you risk MAJOR damage to your band if you try to eat and are too filled. Even being tight when you drink protein drinks you are still going to be hungry because it goes right through...so you end up drinking more. Even the Atkins shakes have 150 calories and I have seen protein drinks upwards of 450 calories if you count all the servings that are in there. 4. You have to have a plan when you go out. Anticipate your calories. Everyone under the sun knew that I had the band so they didn't think twice when I would bring my own food with me. I am more self conscious about doing it now, but when I was losing, I didn't care. If we went to a party I would take my own food and my own drinks. My weight loss was more important to me than people thinking I was weird. I don't drink alcohol so that was never a problem for me. But if I had, I would have calculated it into my calories. I think that if you plan for that you might realize that the calories in there just aren't worth it...but then again, maybe not. 5. Exercise. Good for you on the 13.5 miles of walking...but if that isn't regular, then it isn't going to do anything. You need to do 30-60 minutes of consistent exercise 5-6 days per week. You don't need to run...walking will do just fine. Janet's main exercise is walking but as you progress you are going to have to either increase the distance, intensity (speed or incline) to keep up with the weight loss. You burn less calories as you get smaller. I think that I read earlier that you had last 45 or so pounds. My doc said that the band will usually cause you to lose 30-40% of the weight without you doing much. But if you want to lose MORE, then it is all up to you. Yeah...it is tough. Not being able to eat foods that you want, exercising when you are tired and sore, and feeling like it is a never ending battle is a BITCH. IT IS F'ING HARD. But it is worth it. The phrase...nothing tastes as good as thin feels probably means very little to you because it didn't to me. I didn't know what thin felt like. But now I do and believe me...there is no feeling quite like it. My feeling that I can do ANYTHING now is great. I don't ever have to worry about not being able to keep up or fitting in. I can just roll out of bed and face any challenge that might come my way. As for the holding pattern...it could be that you had gained and then lost. I weighed daily so I would always know. I am not saying you should be as obsessed with the scale as I was, but the scale is a tool and while you are losing it will help you make adjustments. As for the challenge, we could most certainly start one, but you also need to be able to do it on your own. Make your own challenge. We don't like to let other people down so we tend to perform better on challenges with other people, but it is very important to not let ourselves down. So I can't guarantee that what I told you will cause you to lose weight, but I didn't have a single week that I didn't lose something. My lowest week was a 1 pound loss and that was when I was overfilled. I averaged 3 pounds per week. One last piece of advice, tinker with recipes that you like. I could usually get a 500+ calorie per serving recipe down to below 300. I would be willing to look at some of your recipes and try to help you. Well I need to get going. I have an 8 mile run to get in today.

Im told myself i’d do a 2wk stint of low-carbing starting today to get myself bikini ready for an upcoming vacay at the end of the month. (while i am no longer a card-carrying ultra-low carber these days, i do acknowledge the drastic effect it has on my appearance when i do, which, in my opinion, is for the better as I think my body looks so much less “puffy” when deprived of carbohydrates). Plus I anticipate many an alcoholic drink to be consumed on vacay so it’ll all even out in the end anyway, lol. But I digress. Mr comes home with my absolute favourite brand of Jamaican Beef Patty (perfect amount of spice and sauciness of filling, as well as my preferred pastry makeup: not too, too flaky on the outside and chewy/soft just under the surface…how that for a description!?! Lol) So low-carbing be damned! I split one with Mr. 190 calories for 1/2 the patty. 🤤

Hi all.... welcome to all the new Lucky 7's !!!!!! Last nite I found myself crying...thinking about not being able to eat 'alot' anymore .... and also not being able to drink (alcohol) alot anymore. (I love to party) So was this greiving???? Anyone else go through this??? Today I am so excited.....can't wait to go tomorrow!!!!! I am scheduled for 7:30 am. Posted earlier: embarrassed.....hell yes. I hate the way I look/feel. I'm really embarrassed for my husband. He is such a hottie and I'm embarrassed when we're out together. We used to go out all the time....now I don't want to..... BUT that will be changing soon !!!!!! Thank you all for your good wishes and prayers..... I will post as soon as I can. PS...... Damn 'Aunt Flo' showed up today... that biiiotch !!!!! READY TO GO !!!!!! :car::car:

Walks in hanging head low in shame. The amount of alcohol I drank tonight should not have fit into my body. I don't know what was more fun - the drinking to excess and not caring since it's a rarity for me, enjoying bar food and the fact that it stayed down or the ridiculous flirting going on between myself and my out of town friend who is 8 years my junior - damn he's hot though! (ok so not really a contest but it made for an amazing night) Plain - forget the roofies - I use propofol on almost a daily basis at work

People with the TAS2R38 genotype have a heightened sensitivity to bitter taste. Their genetic makeup includes a gene discovered in 2003 that controls the presence of receptors for a bitter-tasting compound called 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Scientists believe that the presence or absence of this gene can help account for individual taste preferences and eating habits. A study published in February 2005 found that children who had this gene were more partial to sweet beverages and foods than those without it (though this effect seemed to wear off by adulthood, when race/ethnicity was the strongest determinant). Researchers theorized that these children may be less likely to find vegetables palatable, which could limit their intake of important nutrients. On the plus side, an earlier study suggested that those with the TAS2R38 gene were less likely to indulge in underage alcohol consumption, experiencing it as more bitter and irritating than do those without the gene. Nutritionists hope that this type of information will help improve dietary planning for children. We were just discussing this on another thread I am on regularly. It was a subject on a Nova Science program. It was common among the group of us, that those of us who disliked broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts as kids, were also the ones who disliked bitter alcohols. And some of them who really liked those foods, even find swishing VINEGAR in their mouths to NOT be horrid! There were of course exceptions to the rule--but it was kind of interesting...... Not of course as interesting as hot handy men, or sponge baths given by hot handy men, or giving sponge baths TO hot handy men......deep, deep sigh.......

Thank you! And I made this on the stovetop! Here's the recipe: Ingredient: 1 red onion 4 large cloves of garlic Red wine 4 roma tomatoes (throw in blender until fully broken down) 1 -2 tablespoons of aji panca beef (obviously) potatoes carrots Seasonings S&P Adobo garlic powder cumin beef bouillon oregano 1 bay leaf Directions: In a little oil pan sear beef on all sides until slightly brown then remove and set aside. In the same pan saute onions in a little olive oil until translucent then add garlic until slightly golden. Add the tomato sauce you made in the blender to the pan and then add the aji panca and cook mixture for 2 - 3 minutes. Season mixture with all seasonings above and mix well while cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add beef and all its juices to the pan, coat all the meat well and then pour in some red wine. I eyeballed this but Id say I added about a cup. Cook beef in the sauce for another 2 minutes and then add lots of water and then cover the pot. I cooked the beef a little over an hour and kept adding water as it got low. I think I added water about 3 times and on the last time when the water was low but not too low I added the carrots, let those cook then added the potatoes. When I saw the potatoes were almost done I added a little bit more wine, about 1/2 cup more and let the alcohol simmer away. I wanted my sauce thicker so in a small cup I added some water with a tablespoon of corn starch, mixed, then slowly added my cornstarch water to the pot until it was to thick to my liking. I didnt end up using all the cornstarch water. Note: Throughout I kept tasting and adjusted the seasonings as needed.