I'm here to help...

[Apples2 19]

I am Thankful for all of you. Even though we have not met in person I feel like I can count on you at all.

And I am most thankful for my family and love ones who have always supported me through my ups and downs.

Hey Melissa..how are you doing? Better?:biggrin:

[Apples2 19]

Hi Meredith! Nice to see you posting again. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we missed you!

Your photos are beautiful. You look great. Wish I had your nice white smile. Great teeth. Your sister is a real beauty also. Ok...and the dog too.

You did great not to gain while on your trip. Bet reality hit when you got home and had a semester to complete. Good luck with your finals and nice to see you again.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

hi everyone~

Just got back to mom's house. What a long long day! Dad is out of surgery and in his room. They did a cystoscopy, changed the double J stent and did a brush biopsy of the ureter. The urologist is an old fart and said in his opinion he doesn't see any evidence of cancer. His gut instinct is the brush biopsy will be negative. Next will be CT guided needle biopsy of ? mass near ureter. He said until you have TISSUE biopsy with cancer, then diagnosis cannot be cancer. Even with urine cytology and PET scan. Who knows... maybe he is right. But oncologist and nephrologist seem VERY comfortable with CT, PET and cytology. They are actually upset that we are delaying chemo. I don't know. Maybe I have blinders on... but my dad doesn't look like he has cancer. We will know in 3-4 days.

Nels was with mom's neighbor all day. He doesn't feel good and was on a hunger strike. All day he had 3 juice boxes and a hand ful of cheerios. He ate 2 chicken nuggets and a cup of chocolate milk before bed. Poor thing. It's raining like crazy here and WINDY! In the 40s. (that's cold for us Floridians!) He loves all the leaves and is sad he cannot go out in this rain.

Can barely eat here again. Still don't know if it is flying or stress... b/c I flew here to be stressed. yikes. Anyway, i am getting in Protein with either Protein Bar, skim milk, ff yogurt 100c or muscle milk. had wendy's chili for dinner and did ok.

read all your posts on my phone. you guys just make me smile. i am tired and cannot even use capitals. that's bad, eh?

apples~ happy anniversary baby.. got you on my mind <singing>

janet~ glad the geek squad fixed the puter! glad it was only power.

julie B~ hope you are doing better. that pain must really be driving you nuts. the cooking sounds soooo good.

meredith~ love love the pics! i hope you find your perfect house. : )

jazz~ yeah, be careful on those bars. the calories add up. I only do one a day... and make it a 160 cal one that has at least 20+ gms of protein. Protein Shakes made with water... or a mixed one like muscle milk lite. welcome to our site.

1day~ good to see you.

great~ i love to hear that your 100 yr old gm is alive and well. so sweet. hope your knee is feeling better.

that's all i can remember. pretty good for someone who was at the hospital for 12 hours. peasout till tomorrow. will update again soon. Laura

[IndioGirl55 32]

I agree Janet, I do eat those Protein Bars like candy, usually around 3-5 a day. Perhaps, hidden calories there I never thought about. I also only drink a low carb Protein Shake for Breakfast but get hungry soon after. I've never been much of a breakfast eater so I asking everyone for quick on the go breakfast ideas as well as snack ideas.

Tonight I'm pan frying shrimp and putting it in a greek salad that I have. Hopefully I will stay full. I do worse at home than here at work.

Jeanie - GF throw away the Protein bars - you are consuming most likely 200 cal per protein bar - That's way too many calories

Breakfast - I eat at work - you know you don't have to have eggs and Cereal for breakfast you can have 4 oz of steak, chicken fish - 5 slices of deli ham 60 cal - with a slice of 2 % cheese 45 and 2 slices of lite whole wheat bread90 = 195 cal and some mustard - lettuce and Tomato - or a tuna sandwich made w/lite mayo (1 serving can has 80 cal - mayo 35 - bread 90 =205 cal) - Dannon lite & fit yogurt w/.25 cup of granola - I love Apples oatmeal idea - make a batch and throw it in a baggie - I have to have raisin in my oatmeal - I may just try that - but I really don't care for sweet stuff in the morning - this last week I have been eating 1 oz Jerky (90 cal) and a small pear - I have eaten just pure protein (meat/fish/chicken) for breakfast..

During my weight loss phase and even today - I keep my breakfast - at about 200 cal - lunch 200 - 300 - dinner 300- 400 - Snacks 100 cal each x3

I kept a food diary till I got to goal (1 yr) I counted calories and pt grms only - I eat limited starch (bread/pasta/etc) I have 1/2 c rice most every nite for dinner - I am a total night time eater - always have been always will be - so I budget my calories to comensate for my lifestyle..

I don't snack during the day for the most part - I save those snacks - 100 snack pack popcorn - sf dark choc puddings 60 cal each - WW fudgesicles 100 cal each - Tostiodo bite size chips 24 for 170 cal..

I read label on everything that goes in my mouth - I know the calories - I don't keep a note book any longer - but I keep a mental tab - but again it's easy to forget those little things like the handful of walnuts or almonds (170 cal) and those things add up - That's what my problem lately has been - have some pudding add walnuts - then eat a fudgesicle eat more walnuts with it (I love choc and nuts) but those little stupid nuts add up in calories real fast - if you add 500 calories a day x 7 days that = 3500 cal - which is 1 lbs ..

This is why keeping a food diary is so important - you realize how many calories you really are consuming..

This to is why it's so important to read labels and know the calories per serving... Heck regular yogurt has 200+ calories - eat 3 of those a day that 600 cal..

So if you deduct 500 cal a day x 7 - you should lose 1 lbs a week..

When I am trying to shed a pound or 2 - I will keep a food diary and write it all down..

Snacks - Babybel (think it's laughing cow) Lite cheese - little round disk in a net - 50 cal - with 2 lite wasa crackers 60 - 110 cal - String Cheese 80 cal - 1 single serving tuna 80 cal

fruit - Jerky too is a good snack - Kashi cereal lean & something is good to - but you have to measure it out into serving size baggies so that you don't over do it.... I also like the banana cheerio 3/4 c is like 100 calories - good for when you want sweet & crunch..

If you want a sample menu - I have one - just email me - jwrightpim@aol.com and I will send it to you or I will try and attach here for the other newbie..

Does anyone know can u finance this

Ask your doctor - they usually have financing...

We all have our trigger foods and we are always telling each other here to GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE. For some it is Fritos, others ice cream, Cookies scream out to some of us. If you are consuming that many protein bars in a day, I would say get rid of them and just start over with all "fresh" basic foods. Try to not add any processed foods to your diet and when you feel like you have a handle on things, introduce them as a snack...but only on special occassions or for a "planned treat".

I just hate to lecture but if you are consuming that many bars, they would account for the total number of calories a person should eat in a day and still lose weight. I would dump them and replace with very low calorie snack. Try to eat your hard protein first at a meal and then a veggie. I know it's difficult to hold off eating anything for 4-5 hours, but, like Janet said, find an activity to try to get the hunger out of your mind.

Go for a walk, take a bath, brush your teeth, rinse with mouth wash, pick up a puzzle, etc.

I guess if I were you I would ask everyone here to give an example of the amount of calories they ate on a daily basis during their weight loss phase and examples of how they designed their meal menus. This would give you some guidelines.

As far as breakfast ideas. Do some bake-ahead mini-quiches made in cupcake pans. You can make and freeze in individual baggies. I make a big pot of steel cut oats and when done I add raisins and Splenda. I freeze in 1 cup size and grab and microwave. Great with sugar free maple Syrup. You need to eat adequate meals to stave off the hunger and prevent snacking.

I hope this helps and was not too preachy. No, I take that back. Preachy is sometimes good to help someone get back or keep on track. If you have the time each evening, post exactly what you have eaten during the day, how it was prepared and the amount of cals you took in. Maybe we can look at it and help you tweek it.:biggrin:

Yes Dear - I am very preachy :0) - I am the #1 tough bad love person - but the operative word is LOVE..

But we all say the same thing in diff ways and hearing it in diff verbage reaches each person differently..

Apples, lately, my trigger food is .............FOOD! I think I figured it out. When I eat protein I PB.........so, I am eating sliders because I am hungry. I must be tight because of the IBS. So, I go next Thursday to the WL doc. I am going to have them take out a little fill until my body settles down. Also, I will be flying to Hawaii and I don't want to be tight. I go to the GP tomorrow to talk to her about this aching and IBS. I am feeling better because we have been having good weather. I just want some drugs to take with me on our trip.

Yes, Janet, we are a Blessed Bunch of Banders!

Charlene - ya I was surprise when you got a fill last time and you went in to get some taken out - you gotta be able to eat real food - and yes I think we all tend to lean to sliders cuz they dont fill us up as fast and we can eat more - it's our addiction talking to us...

Hello everyone! I am here!

So sorry that i haven't ck'ed in at all since I've been home. I've just been so busy with wrapping up this semester at school and looking for houses. I still have my offer in on that short sale, but it has taken so long that I have decided to keep on looking. I've also expanded my area within the same city by a few miles, so I have found some beautiful homes and I'm going to look at those on Friday.

My trip to California was awesome! I loved it there and then came home to the cold and wondered why I live here and not there!? Well, then I realized that I would be completely miserable without my friends and family and decided that I should stay here for a very long time! I do love it here too! I love having all four seasons and snow in the winter! I will post some pics at the bottom of this post.

I have just read all of your posts and caught up with all of you in the past 5 pages or so! I'm sorry that I cannot comment on all of your posts, but I will be back on regularly now so then I can keep up and post on everyone on a more regular basis. Once again, I am so sorry!

As for my eating, i was really nervous about gaining while i was in cali. Actually, i stayed the same and have since lost another pound. I was at a stand still before i left and it has been coming off slowly the last 20 pounds or so, but I am exercising my butt off and have recommitted myself to only eating properly. I have done well for the past few days and I am hoping that I can keep it up! I am almost at 60 pounds lost and just one pound away from adding my new bead to my troll Bracelet. My sister gave me this bead in august for my birthday and I cannot wait to put it on!

As for the challenge, I am in! My goal is also to lose 10 pounds by Christmas!!!!! That will make it 70!

Ok, I'm in class and should probably be paying attention!

I will check in tomorrow night! I promise!

Love, Meredith

Meredith = Glad you had a good time w/your sis...

Love your pics !!!

Well gang just realized I don't have anything to feed the doggies - gotta run to the store...

cbl Hugs..

[Apples2 19]

Laura...get some rest and keep us posted if you can. Poor Nels. Hope he is feeling better soon.

Will say an extra prayer for your dad and in hopes that there are some very positive answers. Take care.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Laura

Maybe the old fart is right - there is nothing wrong with hope..

Keep on thinking positively!!

Dont worry about Nel not eating - he doesn't feel good - That one thing we have to learn is not to push food on our kids - he will eat when he's hungry...

You are stressed which I can say for most of us makes us tight - flying doesn't bother mine - but stress does..

Relax if you can - enjoy the time you have and keep us posted.

Hugs...

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

I am grateful for a God who loves me, a husband who loves me, parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren who love me. I am grateful that I have all these people to love.

[ocotillo 0]

Geez, I haven't been gone that long...4 pages to read.

Janet, you know you could use a regular mouse with that lap top. Most of them are plug and play. I have a wireless, optical mouse for mine because I don't like the touch pad...my thumb trails and the cursor goes to strange and unusual places.

Linda...really great job on the 96 pounds. It's great your company has not been affected by the economy. It's nice to hear some positive circumstances in business.

Meredith...great pics. Glad you are happy with where you live. I think it's important. Great job on the weight loss. You rock!!!

Laura....hugs........hope Nelson feels better tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed with your Dad.

Cheri, thanks for the "I'm grateful start".

Lori, sounds like your GM can keep up a good pace. It's so cool you have her and she is still active. Great job on the knee too. Slowly, you're getting there. Are you going to check into getting the other knee done?

Apples, all that baking...you know you are lucky that you have people to eat the food you cook. AND they are healthy and not worrying about how many calories they are eating. Glad you had a nice anniversary.

Julie, good job on the walking. Just moving around helps with everything....mental health as well as physical health. Sounds like your family counts on you to do the goodie baking. Hope they appreciate you too.

Welcome new people. I'm sort of new too and these guys have taken me right in. They are all very nice and helpful. I'm not very good at dieting either which is why I was banded, but I find it helpful to keep in touch with other people doing the same thing I am. The people on this thread are truly walking the talk.

I am grateful for my life, my friends, DH, pets. I'm grateful for so many things that I'm not sure they can be listed. I truly believe life is what we make it and I CHOOSE to make my life a good one.

One of the things I'm working on is my relationship with food and my body. Both are not optimum but slowly, very slowly I believe both will change. I take two steps forward and one back and in the end, it's progress.

I have never, ever, lost more than 30 pounds at one time when dieting. I have never done the 100 pound thing or even 31 pounds, so this is new for me and I've never stuck to anything for 5 months. I am grateful that this time it truly seems to be different.

Okay enough.....hope everyone has a great night.

Eva

[Apples2 19]

I am thankful that Eva has surpassed her 30lb loss limitation of her past.

As far as the baking goes, Eva. On most days all my recipes are "revamped" to low fat. On these days when the guys are burning more than they take in, they get the real thing.

My DH and DS are and always have been very health conscious. If they would gain 5lbs, it's off by the next week. They both have the ability to push themselves away from the table. No lap band for them! As far as the other guys that work here on a seasonal basis...it's free meals a few times a day and they have to "watch their own bobber".

[TinyaK 0]

I am thankful for life and the ability to see my kids grow up and live a better life that I did. I am also thankful for my husband, he has always supported everthing that I do...he is kind, loving, and spoils me all the time.

[phyllser 3]

I'm thankful for a merciful God who loves me right where I'm at, with all my frailties and shortcomings! And for all the blessings He has granted me.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang

Today is my Friday !!! Tomorrow is my 1st furlough Friday and I am taking a lemon and making lemonade :0) Shopping with Phyl tomorrow for her reward for reaching onderland - Coach Purses !!! And thanks to Great we have coupons too !!!

Not much to report since last night - went to gym did arms - I think I am going to be sore tomorrow - but not too sore to carry shopping bags :0)..

This weekend - clean I since my GF Eva coming to visit - so gotta dust the guest bedroom - don't do it when DS & Family are coming hell their family and pigs anyway - but gotta say even though the room looked like a hurricane hit it when they were here - they did a good job of straightening it up and making the bed - but who knows what they left behind under the bed behind the night stands :0)..

Well just cking in...

[Apples2 19]

TGIF Janet...You are lucky the family picked up the room. I have had company (and not even family) that have left a terrible mess after being guests for a couple of weeks.

Ok...throwing out a "subject for today". Janet and Phyll are going shopping. Phyll hit onderland and has a Coach purse in her sights. I remember on previous attempts to lose I would reward myself with food. Ten more pounds and I could introduce Cheetos back into my diet. Another pound away and I can have a peice of double fudge cake, etc. It just set me up for failure. I had yet to realize that turning to food in most every situation is what got me in trouble in the first place.

So topic for today....What have you done for yourself when reaching goals whether big or small(and not saying a person "needs" rewards for weightloss...just nice to do something for yourself).

I was one to feel soooooooooooooo selfish the first time I rewarded with something other than food. I think in the busy world we live in, we are forever on the run, doing for others and we get lost in it all.

Meredith has the right idea with doing charms for every ten pounds. Phyll...diamond earrings and now a Coach purse. Cool...I just wish we could ALL be there to help her pick it out.

By listing some things by some of us farther down the trail than others it might help new pple recognize they can pat themselves on the back and help to focus on little goals and help keep them on track.

[Great2BThin 5]

Today I am thankful for the many blessings God has placed in my life. I am thankful that he saved me at such a young age and I've hardly known life without a relationship with Him.

I am thankful that every day my knee gets stronger.

Today I go to therapy this morning and then have the rescheduled appt from Monday with the agency that helps Grandma as her money runs out and see what their services are. Not really looking forward to that as I really don't understand Medicare, Medicaid, etc. guess I will get a crash course!

Rewards: Lets see as I lost weight I gave myself a new gold star charm for my Italian charm Bracelet for every 5 lbs. until I ran out and couldn't find them anymore. They were such a rage a few years ago but no longer. At 50 lbs I got a Coach bag and I also got a coach bag at goal. And since about every 20 lbs I needed new jeans bad I got those then. In the past my rewards were always food, in my case popcorn. When I say popcorn I am not talking the fat free microwave kind, oh no. I had to pop it on the stove in lots of oil and then put a whole stick of butter on it. Even now I read of several of you eating the microwave popcorn as your treat at night. I can't trust myself with it. For me it would just trigger the cravings for my super fattening version. So I only allow myself popcorn at the movies and a small at that. I have been known to scour the paper for a movie that looks even half appealing just because I am having a popcorn craving. LOL

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Morning gang........ It's another nice day here in ND... it's great to have a little Indian summer, as we call it..... I did my Cookies yesterday and they are in the freezer... Will just take the frosting along so they will be nice and fresh then.... I have the dough rising for my pineapple rolls.. and the filling cooling.. Yes, Apples, they are family favorites.. My Dad used to just love these rolls and Mom would usually make them at Easter.. I am the only daughter so I must carry on the family food traditions.. My SIL's don't (or won't) attempt to make them.. So, that leaves me!!! I don't mind usually.. I don't care for these rolls, so not much of a temptation... Now the cookies... (part of the reason I didn't frost them yet!!) I'll make the butterscotch pie this evening..

Rewards: With my 106 pounds lost so far I can't really think of any rewards I have given myself.. I think this is partly due to all the medical issues I've had this past year... Don't get to feeling good enough to think in those terms yet.. Also, I still have big concerns about weather or not I can get to my goal.. It seems so far off yet... I did finally get myself some new clothes... I'm bad about that as I tend to think I don't need to wast the money... But I did need winter things so got what I wanted.. I'm in good shape now until I have a major loss again.. Even with steady loss I should make it til Spring with most things... I suppose that doesn't sound very upbeat.... I guess I'm just not there yet!!!!

Eva, WTG on getting past a milestone mard of 30 #'s gone.. This is part of my problem... In the past I have gotten to the stage I am now, but never below it.. I keep waiting to get below this mark... I hope I can follow in your footsteps soon..... congrats, girl!!!

Janet, have a fun Friday.. It's good that you aren't going to stay home and fret because of the money lost... Good for you.. Have fun with Phyll... Don't you girls buy too many purses... And by the way, what is a coach purse??? Never heard of it... (Remember, I'm not a shopper!!)

Tinya, welcome..... I have a husband like yours... I'm very thankful for him... Tell me abuot your name... some have written "tiny" for short, but I was wondering about that... Is Tinya your real name or just a user name??

Laura, hope things are going okay out there... Is Nelson feeling better? How are your dad's spirits today.. Waiting for news is so hard.. You hang in there girl.... Hugs and prayers going out for you all...

If, you sound like you are in a very good place about yourself and your life.. It's wonderful.....

Meredith, glad you are back.. You are so busy.. wish I had some of your energy.. The pics are great... you both look so happy... good luck with house hunting..

Great, you g'ma sounds so awesome.. glad you have all this time with her....

Hi to all you other gals out there.. Hope you are all doing well.... Joanne, are you still with us?? haven't heard from you for awhile.... Take care everyone and have a great day...