Steady losers ;-)

[StephC 0]

ok this is for kay - my butt - not a shelf butt.....

[StephC 0]

and this is the barrel belly - I know its hard to believe but I'm actually sucking in.

[StephC 0]

Patty I was laughing my butt off over your treadmill episode! That sounds like something I would do!

I had my daughter take the pics this morning. I haven't taken measurements but those pants I'm wearing were stuck in the closet because they have a zipper and I was too uncomfortable wearing them, now they are very comfy. I have my start weight at 226 but I was actually about 10 heavier at one point so I was wearing the elastic waistbands. I told my jean story - my bellybutton is pretty low (look at my scar page) - so with my big belly its really uncomfortable to wear jeans that are 4 inches below my bellybutton - maybe if you have a flat tummy its ok but dang its hard to buy pants that fit! I've always had a hard time even when I was thin I wore a size 5 in the butt and a 9 in the waist. Anyway all my weight is in my upper body - big arms, shoulders and belly.

I ate some salad today - I was so hungry for fresh greens! I didn't eat much lettuce but it was so good and so far its sitting ok in the pouch. I need to start charting my food. So has anyone gotten their fill yet? Carol are you first? I'm really getting anxious - I know I'm eating things I shouldn't be and yet I keep thinking that I know its definitely not in quanity. And I also don't snack between meals .... well if I only eat 1/2 cup then I eat more often but I don't graze like I used to. So I have to be eating alot less.

I think I will take a walk and then a nap - now that the kids are all gone. Hubbys in front of the game so its a good time to walk.

[transformer 1]

Today’s new mushy concoction was ½ a can of chicken with about ¼ of canned zucchini and Tomato sauce, topped with a tiny sprinkle of parmesan cheese. It was just like having real food!

VABandster—I’m in Newport News down in the Hampton Roads area!

SmithKR—I hope you feel better soon! :sick Ground-up Vienna sausages! EWWWW! I can’t even look at those little things in the store (they look like chopped off fingers to me—I’ve been watching too many episodes of CSI). I wonder what they’re actually made of? Thanks so much for the laugh!

jillrn—Are your clothes fitting any differently? Maybe you are gaining lean muscle and losing fat?? I got back into a pair of size 20 knit pants I haven’t worn for a while today. I’m going to try to avoid the scale until I go to each doctor’s appointment. If you are sticking to the eating guidelines your doctor gave you, drinking your Water, and getting some exercise, you should be okay. Obviously, you should check with your doctor and get bloodwork done if you need to make sure your thyroid isn’t out of whack. I had mine tested about a year ago and it was fine.

beversman—You can’t control other people’s reactions. We can only control ourselves (barely?). We just need to stick to being positive and supportive, no matter what thread we’re posting on. That is what’s most important, isn’t it?

I think I’ve finally got the separation of eating and drinking down pat. It’s very weird and hard to get used to! I eat Breakfast (15 g protein), wait for 2 hours, and then sip on 32 ounces of Water. Once I’m done drinking, I wait about 30 minutes before having my next “meal” of 15 more grams of Protein. Two hours after lunch, I sip on 32 more ounces of water and wait a half hour before my snack (15 g protein). Two hours later, I have “supper.” Two hours after supper, I’ve been having something “liquid,” such as a sugar-free popsicle or Jello. Now I just need to get exercising built in to my weekly schedule…sigh!

[StephC 0]

Dawn did you get a fill?

[smithkr1 0]

Hey, if anyone has the time will you PM me and tell me how to post pics. I've got pics of my scars day after surgery.

K

[StephC 0]

Kathy - I sent you instructions

[StephC 0]

B-man - I don't know how to attach another thread so I'll just tell you. Go to the Lounge - and thread is Joke for open minded people. Totally made me think of you!

[Levi27 0]

O.K. I need alittle motivational boost. I had a really BAD day today. I cheated alot. I'm supposed to be on mushies but I ate stuff I wasn't supposed to... even the cheese and sausage topping on a piece of pizza. Luckily nothing I ate made me sick, nor do I have any pain from it.... I know I'm bad and I'm trying not too beat myself up over it. I plan on restarting tomorrow with my regular stuff. Does anyone think I did any damamge? Advice please...

[sweethot143 2]

(((B-man))) I know how you feel, I feel the same. I have never been a "mean girl" not in high school or now, and that was never the intention. Anyone can come here and be involved in this thread..we don't own it. I just thought it was a chance to get more in depth and build on our already bonded relationships. I still go to the December thread first and read & post. What can we do? There will always be people who misinterpret, and I am comfortable that my intentions were not malicious nor were anyone else's.

SmithK-I am so curious about Vienna Sausages. I have seen them in the supermarket and to be honest, was always a bit freaked about sausage type mean in a little can. I know it is just a matter of what we ate growing up...That is a good story about your concotion though. I hope you got over your craving.

((jillrn))) Hang in there. We are all going to lose at different rates. I don't balme you for the feelings you are having, but it is too soon for regrets. What are you eating in those 1000 calories? I only ask because I too have thought about insulin resistance and I find when I cut out sugar, white flours etc, the weight starts to come off. I would also recommend getting a thorough blood workup and thyroid checked. Hang in there!!!!!

Nat-you are such a bitch just teasing. How goes the good fight? Are you on your elliptical while reading posts? I can't wait until you start sleeping while you pedal on your elliptical. Maybe you can put some wheels on it and drive to work that way. I swear you have grown extremely attached to that beast! haha. Good for you.

As far as the gym, there are no classes at the gym I go to now. I would love some yoga and I always liked kickboxing but my last gym that offered those classes cost me 50 bucks a month, and this gym, with better cardio equipment is only $20. I can live without the classes. For weights I have my own schedule of machines alternating upper and lower body workouts. As I get a little more into my recovery I will sign up with a trainer to set up a more concrete workout. As of right now, I feel like what I am doing is working.

Sweethot-I am so glad to hear you are feeling better!!! We don't want any complications. Especially while you are attending the Medieval Torture hospital. Learn some German, would ya! To be truthful, I would be afraid to understand what those nurses were saying to you!!!

I think a reunion some day would be great. Nat seems to think you are hosting??? Count me in!

actually, I would love to host it! coming Europe is expensive, but ofcourse everyone can stay at our house, we have 4 bdrms so we can use two of them and the living room for sleeping. but it's not as if we would be here, we could do some traveling. lots to see here. oh well, we have plenty of time to discuss that. we should wait until we are almost at goal so 1 yr. to 18 months from now would be perffect. j

ok, so i did so good today on my meal planning. except 4 fench fries. but i'm still well under 1000 calories, closer to 700.

I have an iud, and found out that it causes weight gain and inability to lose weight! i put on 65 lbs last year! so i'm going to get it removed. i'm dreading having a period again. i haven't had one since may of 2004!! maybe if i take it out i'll lose faster. i could always put it back in after getting to goal and trying it again. anyone have one and have problems losing?

[sweethot143 2]

bman- we so love you here and know you are not mean!! sorry they said that, i would have my feelings hurt.

[VABandster 0]

Carol, as long as you didn't have any pain, I'm sure you did not do any damage! don't worry about it, just get back on track! We're all gonna have 'bad days"...in fact I had one today!! I took my kids to the movies and we always go to CVS before hand to buy our Snacks (I refuse to pay $5 for a small soda!)....and I bought and ate a small dove dark chocolate bar! :-( omg...it was soooo good though!

Transformer....Ok, you are pretty far from me...Oh well! If we were closer we'd definitely have to get together! Guess we'll stick to meeting here on the board

I am getting my first fill on Friday....providing the weather in Denver holds out so I can get there! Someone on another thread said that if you get a fill at 4 weeks it can rip your sutures out?? Anyone know if there is any truth to that?? I'm going to call my Dr. tomorrow just to make sure I'll be ok b/c I will be at my 4 weeks, and I gotta tell you, it can't come soon enough! I can definitely eat waaay more than I should and that is frustrating b/c now I just feel like I'm on a "diet" again and having to stop myself from eating too much.

[thininde 0]

Hi Carol - I've done the same thing, everyone slips every once in awhile, think of all the sacrafices that you have made for the surgery and I'm sure you will do great. It is so hard when you go from liquids to mushies, you are so close to real food, it is hard to not eat stuff you shouldn't. I just feel lucky that I didn't get anything stuck when I did it, and try to learn from it. You can do this!!! You are already down almost 20 lbs! How long would that have taken to lose without the band??

[thininde 0]

Steph - you look great!! I wish butt wasn't the size of a large shelf that you could serve a 10 course meal on. I bear the thought of taking a picture of my bubble butt until I lose another 30 lbs.!!

[dawnae 0]

Well I also had a bad day today.....I am really learning what triggers me wanting to eat....and a biggie is stress from my children!!! Yesterday at 4:00 pm my two yr old...Belle sustained a concussion from falling off the back of the couch onto the wood floor...okay I have told her not to do this a bazillion times.....why does everybody ignore me???? So I am cleaning up throw up....waking her up every two hours....then she woke up at 3:00 am starving and could not get her to sleep until 5:00 am then the other one wakes up at 6:30!!!! My dark circles are so bad I look like I have black eyes! To top it off my husband is gone for three weeks working in Colorado!!!! So then my son wants me to make a cake today....and what do I do....oh sure of course I will make you a cake....and then I decided to make cookie dough!!!!! Oh man, I did take little bites of both....nothing like a pre-banded binge but I absolutely have got to figure out a better way of dealing with this stress.

(Now all you youngins I don't want you to think that having children is hell.....well it kind of is....but right now I am watching Belle dance to 12 dancing princesses in a crown septer and princess gown.....pretty funny!!!! )

I guess I really regret the way that I deal with stress....because I am finding out how I became this way...and I really want the band to work!!

Transformer....I was looking at your stats and we are almost identical....my starting weight was 281, and I am around 265! Kind of weird....it will be fun to compare our progress!

Steph....I go Tueday morning to get my first fill. I will be a little more than four weeks out. So KIRSTEN I doubt that our doctors would give us a fill at four weeks if if ripped stuff out.....doctors are too afraid of lawsuits.....plus some people get their first fill in the operating table....and I am with you.....it can't come to soon!

Carol....I sympathize...I doubt you did any damage....especially without any pain...but if you are worried call your doctor...I think he could put your mind at ease.

Well got to go and get the little rugrats iready for bed. I just want to say thanks to all of you for letting me vent, and thanks for letting me destress on you....it does help....to get it out here instead of leaving it in my head!