coops

Coops - are you thinking about doing arms still? If you need it, I highly recommend a breast lift too. Wow, makes your appearance alot more youthful!
I had the small thigh lift and it worked for me because my worst problem was fat pockets on the upper inner thigh. My thighs are still an ugly area but given that huge noticable scar with the long lift, I am pleased with my decision. Lots of middle age women have ugly thighs so I am in good company but no longer have those globs of cellulite and extra skin rubbing between my legs.
The arms have been amazing though. People see my arms and don't even notice the scars unless i point them out or am doing something that makes the underside super obvious.

Hi ladies!
 
Lordy - just got back from a few days at the coast with friends who were up from San Diego and it is kooky how off track my hubby and I can get when we are out of our home element. Going to an unfamiliar grocery store seemed to completely discombobulate the both of us. We both nibbled our way through more calories than we should have - I certainly had more carbs and processed food than I am used to and whoa what it does on the scale - poof up 7 lbs in one day from puffy bloat, salt and not enough fluids.
 
M2 I have had my Fitbit flex since last October and I love mine - still need to work on getting all of my daily steps in though. 10k a day every day is a goal.
 
I have been recovering from the BS from end of semester stuff - I basically walked away from my teaching job two weeks ago ( I turned down the offer to compete for my old job after the new administration brought the hammer down and dismantled the art department at our college - the music dept is next.) Basically half of all of the core faculty contracts were bought out - meaning teachers were threatened to either take a severance package (which was 75% of their salary) or possibly have nothing - they basically worked the collective bargaining agreement to eliminate professors who made the most money - which at our college is not that much.
My ethics told me not to keep subjecting myself to a new corporatized situation that cares nothing for anything but money. I had started taking my anti-anxiety medicine (usually reserved only for long car trips) just to go into work, and crying every day.
 
Its scary but I no longer feel sick to my stomach every day. Anywho - enough of that.
 
I have been reading a new book on clean eating after reading about a program of eating called Whole30 - which I had no heard of. Its basically 30 days of hard reset - no wheat, sugar, dairy, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, etc - and is focused not so much on WL but rather elimination of inflammation, breaking the carb addiction, etc...All pretty common stuff in the food literature that we read. The dairy part would be really rough for me - I like a bit of 2% milk, and my favorite sweet is light and fit Greek yogurt - hi dairy and artificial sweet lol. If you slip up you have to start the 30 days over again lol.
 
I am frankly dreading the fall (my most difficult part of the year for food and activity) and want to whip things into shape this summer to be better prepared. I just need to knuckle down!
 
I too like our little group the way it is - I trust you guys and that is a big deal to me - I don't trust very many people

Hi ladies. Quick note I received the Fast Beach diet book. Nothing at all new. If u read the first book you've read this one. Only push is 4:3, HI exercise , and more control during non fast days.
I will be done by tonight. If u want me to send the book to u let me know. We can pass it around. There are some tips. But to me nothing we don't already know
I Am with u Coops. Fasting today! Focused for the next 6 weeks

Florinda! I love your love story! Hope it all works out for you both. It's working out right now so that's really all that matters. I want to see a picture.
Sue, good luck on the 4:3 this week, you can do it!
I don't know how I feel about the 4:3. I know that when I read about the 5:2 there was talk on some of the 5:2 websites that there wasn't much evidence that there was benefit to fasting more than 2 days a week. This makes me wonder why now is the guy trying to push a 4:3 diet now. Maybe it's more of a boot camp type of a push where you do it for a short time and then go back to 5:2? I don't know maybe I'm not understanding it. I haven't looked into it, I've only read what Georgia and Brown posted here.
For me, it seems that if I fast on my 2 days a week and eat regular, along with some treats, on the other 5 days that I maintain. If I'm very strict on my 5 regular days of eating and eat very clean with hardly any treats, that's when I can lose. I also exercise regularly so that may make a difference for me. I've been staying between my bounce of 140-145 while fasting 2 days a week.
I do believe that changing things up every once in a while, whether it be eating or exercise, that it really helps with keeping my body where I want it to be. I feel like this keeps my body from getting comfortable or used to the same thing over and over.
Things have been going well. It's been busy and I haven't had much time to get on the computer. I've been reading from my phone but I hate trying to type up a long post on that little thing. lol My husband is doing great. He hasn't had any issues at all with eating or drinking so far. We are praying this is going to continue to work in the future. He has been able to sleep all night long and that hasn't happened in months.

fast day completed... I didn't chew anything til 7pm, which means I went 23 hrs without eating!  That is a real achievement for me and it wasn't that bad!  I did have a few cuppas though, and some herbal teas... the Hot Drinks really helps!
 
I am gonna go  4:3 this week; today weds and thurs... it is my mam's birthday tue and my son's birthday thurs so they will be fuelled with cake and junk food.... hoping the 4:3 will counter act this!  Possibly going out for a few bevvies sunday too.. such a mixed week food wise for  me!
We have another week in work and then we break up for a week and in that week I have promised myself that I will go back to Curves.  By mid June my work load should have decreased too!  That will allow me more time for me!

Florinda, what a great story! I'm so happy for you, thank you for sharing. Can we get a lovey-dovey picture here (in the private group) as well?
Denise, sorry Bill is sick I hope you don't get it either.
Georgia, THANK you for posting that. I plan to take a good look at it in a little bit.
Coops YEEEEEAH GIRL!!! Love that skirt from when you were 21..."chuffed to beans" for ya!
Well, my fitbit logging is going well, I'm even logging when I eat ice cream, and half a donut (NOT on the same day, lol) but here is what my last few days have been (calorie-wise)
Thurs: 1,406
Fri: 1,912 (this was the ice cream day! oh my, that is HIGH cals for me personally)
Sat: 1,910 (I know 2 high cal days in a row, my only *saving* grace was Sat. I did so much lawn work, I was OUT working in the lawn...mowing, triming, edging, fertilizing, cutting branches, hauling them to a temporary neighborhood dumpster, etc. I was out from 10am-4pm with only Water to drink, so then I must have made up for it by dinner time, lol)
Sun: 1,069
Mon: 352 from my am breakfast and mid-am yogurt.
I'm having lunch out today with my mom, so no fasting today. Maybe I will try to fast on Wed. Anyway, at LEAST (for now) I'm logging my food which is a big f'ing 100% improvement over the last 4 months of NOT logging whatever I eat. UGH!
Maybe I'm back on track? Maybe...

my fast went ok friday - went over 500 but under 800 so I am claiming it!
on another note, sorted out my summer wardrobe; put woolies away and got out my linen trousers from last year - the size UK14 are way to big - they have to be recycled! As I was doing this I found a skirt I wore for my 21 birthday and for a laugh I tried it on... well bloody hell fire - it fits! Ok, it is tight around the waist and I probably wouldn't be able to wear it for long.. but I can do the button and the zip up to the top! How happy am I? NSV claimed right there!

my fast went ok friday - went over 500 but under 800 so I am claiming it!
on another note, sorted out my summer wardrobe; put woolies away and got out my linen trousers from last year - the size UK14 are way to big - they have to be recycled! As I was doing this I found a skirt I wore for my 21 birthday and for a laugh I tried it on... well bloody hell fire - it fits! Ok, it is tight around the waist and I probably wouldn't be able to wear it for long.. but I can do the button and the zip up to the top! How happy am I? NSV claimed right there!

A beautiful day here in South Wales... sun is out as am I!  Gardening in between catching a few rays!  I love the sunny weather!  Especially now I don't drip with sweat at the thought of it!  Yipee!

Florinda, I was in need of a fairytale today, thank you! x

This is from the fast diet website. Evidently the kindle version is available in UK. (Cathy and Coops).
 
http://thefastdiet.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FB-PLANNER.pdf
 
 
From one of people starting this bootcamp:
 
Well today is my first day and it’s a fast day! I already do 4:3 most weeks (Mon-Wed-Fri) so will be doing that for the whole 6 weeks. Normally if plans make 4:3 difficult then I just do 5:2 but for the 6 weeks I will sub with a weekend or do back to back in the week. I usually save all my calories for even meal and plan to continue this. (I think I might also do a sep personal diary thread).
 
Here is a short summary of what I have gleaned so far…….
 
Mimi describes the FBD as a “short term, souped up strategy for summer” It’s approach is three pronged, based on way to:
 
- tighten up on fast days
- toughen up on non fast days
- tune in on any day
 
One of the ways suggested to tighten up on fast days is to try 4:3 but it is not the only suggestion. There is also suggestion to do 2-2 (based on Brad Pilon’s book Eat Stop Eat) which essentially means after a normal lunch on day 1 eat sparingly (or nothing at all) until a late lunch the following day . Extending the fasting window so rather than have say Breakfast at 7am and supper at 7pm missing breakfast or fasting from supper to supper. And being fastidious about your calorie quota.
 
On non fast days it is about holding back on indulgences and “superfluous snacks” and treats, cutting alcohol (entirely or reducing), eating less refined foods and cooking at home. Suggestions include following a more Mediterranean diet or even Japanese with more emphasis on healthy cooking (grilling, steaming, raw). Aiming to have meals based more around vegetables and reducing meat intake, being careful about portion sizes etc. There are lots of other great tips – some of which I have already done over the years like eating more mindfully and not having dinner on autopilot.
 
Then there is emphasis on quality of exercise and the suggestion to introduce 3 High Intensity Training (HIT) to your weekly exercise schedule. They also state it should be 3 max and give lots of suggestions on how to do this. Plus 2 strength training sessions incorporating push ups, lunges etc. on non cardio/HIT days. I suppose if you have Fast Exercise by Michael Moseley you could get the info there.

my fast went ok friday - went over 500 but under 800 so I am claiming it!
on another note, sorted out my summer wardrobe; put woolies away and got out my linen trousers from last year - the size UK14 are way to big - they have to be recycled! As I was doing this I found a skirt I wore for my 21 birthday and for a laugh I tried it on... well bloody hell fire - it fits! Ok, it is tight around the waist and I probably wouldn't be able to wear it for long.. but I can do the button and the zip up to the top! How happy am I? NSV claimed right there!

SherylJane - you mentioned that you are sort of continuously losing atm, and feeling less robust, and not exercising. I think your answer is there, in the not exercising. As I educated myself on lifting (y'all know how much I love my lifting!) I learned many things, one of which is that you can either eat less and not lift, or eat more and lift. The point being, that 90% of weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. So, if you aren't working out, and you are eating skimpy, and are now of a normal body composition, it is not surprising that you are getting weaker.
I know that you, like myself, are battling bursitis brought on by improper training, how is yours healing? it has been over 2 months and I'm still in pain.
To Everyone, it sounds like we could all use a dose of fairytale, so I will tell you all about Jack and how we met...
I have used the dating website OK Cupid for a few years now, in fact with one exception, every single date I have been on in the last 2.5 years has been a result of OKC. In mid-February I changed locations in AFG and at first things went really really well and I was experiencing some wonderful revelations about my Self, in every way, plus my eating and fitness were really good and I had taken off all of the regain and hitting new lows so, I was in a very good head space. So, I went to OKC and rewrote my profile, I was finally ready to "come out of the closet" regarding my intelligence, my worldliness, my income. I rewrote the profile in the most genuine voice I had ever used, and I think the very next day, Jack approached me. Via the mechanisms of OKC I think I had seen him and read his profile and given him 5 stars so I received a notice saying that we liked each other, meaning that he had read my profile and given me a high rating as well. It was after that that he wrote to me. I wish I could remember what he said, or that I had saved the message, but I can't. What I can say is that even though I saw his profile pic, I read his entire profile before looking at the rest of the photos and loved everything he had to say for himself and didn't bother looking at the pics for a long time because it didn't matter!
He is so caring, so loving, so sweet ... he giggles and blushes and is so expressive, opinionated like I am, vulnerable with me, considerate... he also has sweet sweet warm brown eyes, unruly dark chocolate curls, long legs and a cute little butt
We started out by exchanging emails within the OKC messaging service, then it went to immediate OKC messages, then live chatting, then Skyping with video, we were both so nervous about that first session, to actually see each other, live, in real time! It was wonderful though and we quickly got over our nerves. At that point I was in Germany and preparing to be sent to the States, my plan was to come here to San Diego and stay with my friend for about 6 weeks, during which time I would have all the testing etc that I needed to get done that would be much more difficult up in the rural north. By now, we were so into each other that the idea of going 2 months without actually being with each other was unbearable, and he bought a ticket. He came down to SD on the 28th of April and stayed for a week and it was wonderful. It was, just right, even when we disagreed or had a miscommunication, we worked it out. Our photos we posted to Facebook no doubt made some people gag, they are so lovebirdy ;P but we don't care .
He went to all of my Drs appts with me and loves me regardless. A life together just feels so natural, we talk about children, about life and the future, we have both experienced trauma and have learned coping skills and communication skills as a result. He has also undergone massive weight loss though not via surgery, he has lost over 50lbs. He is a part of my life now and a day without seeing each other's faces literally makes us ill .

Had a great fast Tuesday but not yesterday.  I am seeming to be able to only hang on to one fast a week and I can def tell it. 
 
Kim (and Brown and Coops)  mentioned about the 5:2 bootcamp "Fast Beach Diet" = I think that would be an excellent idea.  I wish it was out on Kindle so I could jump on it now.  I don't want to order the paperback. 
 
If anybody gets it - give us the synposis and how to proceed if anything different from original.  Iam game for a 6 week run if others are up for it.  Most of us have been "hit or miss" for a while now so might do all of us good to get serious about it again. 
 
I think Sheryl mentioned getting serious about healthy eating.  I agree.

fast day today... wish me luck cos I'm hungry already and I've only been up an hour... off to work I go!

I'm in on the bootcamp! When it comes out on Kindle. I also just bought a kindle book called 5:2 mistakes you wish you would have known. Looks like goot info. I'll post anything I think we could use.

Oh and Coops...googled the Stella comedy...just listened for a few minutes, OMG I need a translation dictionary ...haha! Love the accents! I love all the quirky differences in language.

Just had an interesting convo with the hubby... he too is having 'problems' with the scale... it is saying that he has put on 6lbs in a few days! Even though is jeans are looser... hmmm! He also had to weigh my son.. for his boxing... and H has put on weight too! Even though he clearly hasn't! - H needs to keep a check on his weight cos of his boxing matches.
Looks like it might not be 'me' after all!
So, on his instructions I am ordering a new set of scales - these are 4 years old and they have had a lot of hammer!

Loving that idea Cathy - two Mother's Days! lol... I can just see there faces! My son would probably say something like 'How about NO!?!' lol!
Busy week for you next week but all good - hoping the move is swift and relatively pain free! Keep us posted! x

Just as a side note, I'd thought I would share this... I have thrown out all my 'fat pants'! My underwear draw is now fully of pretty knickers, some even with lace on! I even have two, yes you read that right, two sets of bra and knickers!
There you go ladies, I've said it...lol! x

Yes, I am looking forward to hearing about the book too - funny, I just re read the original to see if I was 'doing it wrong' - not lost a pound in 6mths!Dec I reached my all time low and I can't get down there again...top of my bounce again now, even after being super dooper... this is getting old! I hate these long stalls... I don't mind slow loss... but the stall is doing my head in again!
Sheila, good to hear from you... with my eating and your work outs we have it sussed...lol... chin up my lovely. Let's hope the funk, funks off soon for you... it is an awful feeling.
Dee... do vent away! I also get what you mean by the 'thin suit' - I quite like not being recognise by certain peeps! It is a pity you couldn't do a pit stop over Wales... I would buy you a coffee... skinny of course!
Keep us up to date on you!
Hope everyone else is ok... we gotta keep going girls, the only way is forward! x

I'm in the house! Surrounded by boxes but it is going to be good.
Florinda good to hear from you, we have all been worried by your silence.
I have not weighed for 2 weeks now and am worried, clothes feel a bit tight. I don't know which box the scales are in, I think I need to get back on program and get some fast days in. New house, new start and new me!

I am just over a year out from a BL and TT - I'll be 4 years post sleeve in July. My reasons for getting rid of the excess skin and overall droppiness of the mid section was that it didn't look like my face! I had the body of an 80 year old and a face of a 40 year old... it was so discouraging, I didn't really feel the benefit of losing all my weight.
Now it has gone, especially the tummy area., I am a lot more mobile and can (when energy levels permit) do high cardio work outs; I don't have the overhang flapping around and pulling my back. Back pain and a recurrent groin injury have both gone since... I feel like my body is properly aligned, if that makes sense?
I think because I paid for all my surgeries, I am more inclined to 'fight' to keep the weight off and to continue to lose (not at surgeon's goal, still, but not giving up either). I don't take any of this for granted... it is hard work, but that's ok...
So yea, there are plenty of different reasons why people maintain and regain... it is a mix up really!

Hello everyone, long time no comment, I know.
I spent 10 days in Germany, where I did not receive any of the care I needed. I was sent to the States and told that if I didn't get a certain piece of paperwork completed within a certain time frame, that I would be considered AWOL. At the very last possible moment, quite literally the 11th hour, they accepted my paperwork.
Now I must focus on filing for worker's comp and filing my formal complaints against the leadership and the neurologist in Germany. I arrived in San Diego on the 23rd of April and will stay here with my friend and her family till the end of May. She has two boys, 14 and 3, and it is insanity 24/7 - not the best environment for healing.
My Mom will come down at the end of the month and we will take a driving holiday north on the PCH, the Pacific Coast Highway, all the way up the length of CA. I did this drive when I redeployed from Iraq in spring of 2011 and it is stunning and beautiful, I'm excited to share it with her.
Since arriving here at my friends house I have eaten absolute junk and feel enormously fat in my skin. She talked a good game in the weeks before I arrived about wanting to get healthy and eat right, etc. but once it became a reality she wasn't as keen on the idea ;P I gave up on trying to get her and the boys to eat healthfully and instead have settled for just getting them to eat home-cooked meals.
Once I got here I found a neurologist and began having tests. I had a lumbar puncture last week, on wednesday, and by Mother's day I was in the ER with the kind of pain I can't even begin to describe, from the loss of cerebro-spinal Fluid, my brain was touching parts of my skull. I hope I will be able to get in to see the neurologist soon, before I leave, because I need a definitive Dx for my worker's comp file. Does anyone know how I should deal with having my diagnosing Dr so far away, when I am up north and he is here?
While I was in Afghanistan I started talking with an intelligent sweet young man; we started with e-mails, then live chatting, when I got to Germany we started Skyping and during the time I was there we would start and end our days with Skype sessions which worked out perfectly because I was 8 hours ahead of him (he was in OR).
By the time I was heading to CA, we were talking about him coming down to see me in San Diego because the idea of going another 2 months (minimum) before getting to see each other was just not an option. A week after I arrived, he flew down from Eugene OR. He stayed for a week and it was wonderful, exhilarating, revelatory, and comforting. I learned about his family, his pains and his joys, and he learned the same about me. He is such a natural part of me and my life. He knows about my medical issues, knows about my sleeve, knows my REAL AGE and hasn't run away . He is intelligent, thoughtful, romantic, respectful, considerate, tender, logical, expressive and has satiny lips . He is going to come down to Mendocino to help me move up to Seattle.
He loves my body, is not interested in me losing more weight, but is supportive in my health goals. He thinks I am beautiful, in every way. *sigh*
From today I have 17 days left here in SoCal, I have not stepped on a scale since I left my FOB and judging from my reflection in the mirror after the shower and how my underwear is fitting, I have a horrible certainty that I have gained 12 pounds v_v. So, it is back to Full Time VVLC. 17 days of that should take off this bloat and allow me to do 5:2 during the month I am with my Mom so, hopefully, I will be at a new authentic low by the time I see Jack again .

Yes, I am looking forward to hearing about the book too - funny, I just re read the original to see if I was 'doing it wrong' - not lost a pound in 6mths!Dec I reached my all time low and I can't get down there again...top of my bounce again now, even after being super dooper... this is getting old! I hate these long stalls... I don't mind slow loss... but the stall is doing my head in again!
Sheila, good to hear from you... with my eating and your work outs we have it sussed...lol... chin up my lovely. Let's hope the funk, funks off soon for you... it is an awful feeling.
Dee... do vent away! I also get what you mean by the 'thin suit' - I quite like not being recognise by certain peeps! It is a pity you couldn't do a pit stop over Wales... I would buy you a coffee... skinny of course!
Keep us up to date on you!
Hope everyone else is ok... we gotta keep going girls, the only way is forward! x