coops

Hi Stacy,
I am just over half way there and I use my before and after pics to keep me motivated, especially when I am in a stall ... I am real slow loser but I am losing...
Here goes, hopes this helps...
[
this was the day I went in to hospital 2nd July 2010

this was the end of June 10

last week

side view!!

this is this week at 32 weeks post op, my most recent pic
Like I said, I still have a fair bit to go, but when I look back and am pleased with the progress so far... I look forward to sharing goal pics!!

Hi Stacy,
I am just over half way there and I use my before and after pics to keep me motivated, especially when I am in a stall ... I am real slow loser but I am losing...
Here goes, hopes this helps...
[
this was the day I went in to hospital 2nd July 2010

this was the end of June 10

last week

side view!!

this is this week at 32 weeks post op, my most recent pic
Like I said, I still have a fair bit to go, but when I look back and am pleased with the progress so far... I look forward to sharing goal pics!!

Denise do you know how badly I would LOVE to be 141?? I would love to be 150...
However, I'm not trying to be blue today, I just had lunch and it was pretty good, it was vegan mac n cheese! I made the "cheese sauce" from almond milk, nutritional yeast, pumpkin puree, and spices. The noodles are blanched zucchini "noodles". The pumpkin puree is homemade from roasted pumpkin which is just solid nutrition and fiber and all good things, really my only calories are coming from the almond milk and the pumpkin yet I am so full and it is so yummy!!

Im in the danger zone, mom in law is in town. We went to San Fran to pic her up yesterday, lunch out in Berkely, but not to bad there. Snacks for dinner, nuts, cake, crackers and cheese.... did not gain, in face lost a pound and a half... after what I ate this last weekend, I guess this was a diet day! Anyway.... I am going to weight in every morning come what may, and try not to let this visit turn out like the one a couple of years ago where I gained 15!. Going out this weekend, will be hiking, kayaking and some physical stuff so hope to keep up with the foodie atmosphere. I cam cooking 2-3 of the meals for the group, so can control those anyway.... Went by a farm stand on the way home from SF, and bought local melons, a winter squash which I will cook in a pineapple salsa and serve with Ferro or something like that. Will also make a low gluten ancient grains spice cake of some kind with raisins and other dried fruit to have with coffee. Portion Control is where its at this weekend.
 
...is it just me or is spellcheck just getting worse and worse!

First fast day in the books. 498 if I manage to ignore the nuts til I'm asleep! ????

Kelly, You are so cute! Thanks for sharing those pictures.
 
Everyone seems to be doing very well, getting back into 5:2 or some form of it. I managed a fast yesterday myself. Now I am down 2 lbs and don't feel like going to the gym. I know I need to, cause that's probably why I lost 2. I am getting so lazy now that I'll be 62 soon.
 
I started my ballroom dance classes last night. I've taken these classes before, but I need to brush up since it's been a long time since I've gone ballroom dancing. I can shake my butt to rock and roll any time, but these steps on some of these dances have to come back to me, before I can go to one of their dances. It was really fun though, and I hope I can get good again. I am not sure I'll have enough time to practice.

Kelly, you need to update your profile pic! I would have never guessed they are the same person! You are so cute and tiny and quit hiding behind your hubby. LOL! I keep forgetting that you and hubby both had sleeve just like me and my hubby.
Okay, this is short and sweet, but I ACTUALLY COUNTED MY CALORIES TODAY....AND
DRUMROLL....
Clocked in at 649 for my fast day....I'M COUNTING IT!!! (sure do miss those dancing banannas!!! lol!)

What Georgia said - you look great -love the hair and glasses too - and you sound more up beat - good luck with the new job! Sounds bliss, I love books!
Half way through my first fast day - scales are still top end bounce - 160... got to 155 months ago, saw it twice and the it buggered off...lol... still gonna keep at it. I had salad with a a table spoon of tuna Pasta for lunch (school dinner styleeee!) and I am going to have baked toms and egg for tea. that is me done for the day.
One I forgot to mention is that my flushes still haven't come back - When I did the cleanse I cut out caffeine in my coffee and tea and have been drinking Decaf ever since - my tea drinking has been dramatically reduced too... might be connected?

Gray Lodge Wildlife Preserve Northern CA, deer, Sandhill Cranes and shoveler ducks....

What Georgia said - you look great -love the hair and glasses too - and you sound more up beat - good luck with the new job! Sounds bliss, I love books!
Half way through my first fast day - scales are still top end bounce - 160... got to 155 months ago, saw it twice and the it buggered off...lol... still gonna keep at it. I had salad with a a table spoon of tuna Pasta for lunch (school dinner styleeee!) and I am going to have baked toms and egg for tea. that is me done for the day.
One I forgot to mention is that my flushes still haven't come back - When I did the cleanse I cut out caffeine in my coffee and tea and have been drinking Decaf ever since - my tea drinking has been dramatically reduced too... might be connected?

Morning Gang!
Just returned from So Cal yesterday - we had a great time. I think I might have mentioned last week that we were attending a close friends wedding, and sneaking off to Disneyland for a day without telling the kids we were going (these kids are adults lol).
I made fairly decent food choices - and have been really watching the baked goods/rice/pasta/candy types of carbs recently and it feels like it has made a huuuuge difference in how I feel mentally, emotionally. physically. Feels like my sleeve has gotten a serious reset as there were meals that I could only eat about 3 bites and I was done. Yay for renewed restriction!
Starting the new job this week so I am going to see what days will be good for fasting after my first experience with that - maybe Wednesday - just working on awareness and keeping my energy up - on Thursday at Disney it was 90 degrees - and I was exhausted most of the afternoon - I was hydrating like crazy, but I also have to take Klonopin to ride in the car because of PTSD (from a horrific accident I was involved in in the late 80's that put me in the hospital and out of work for a year) - I am thinking this might have had an impact on my energy - and I have been slacking on Vitamins, coming off of my period, etc. Got a good nights sleep and feel good today.
I have yet to weigh in today - feeling a bit nervous because when I ride on airplanes I puff up like a puffer fish lol. Think I will drink oceans today and weigh in tomorrow morning.
Florinda - I have read many books on disordered eating, Geneen Roth is one of the big authors, but honestly I don't feel as if I have ever gotten much from her stuff (my therapists were big on her work) - I actually like the work of Judith S. Beck Ph.D. - she wrote The Beck Diet Solution, has workbooks etc - don't worry about the word diet - its more about cognitive retraining of your brain. I also like the literature from Overeaters Anonymous - because I am addicted to certain foods and tend to abuse them - just like a bad alcoholic, I can go on a bender and not know when to stop. I have gone to a few meetings, but have yet to find my tribe with that group so to speak. I like the message they have - one day at a time - which is what this is for me for sure.
Here are some pics from our trip - I have been feeling huge, I guess the photos seem to say otherwise - I have pretty bad dysmorphia - was the only woman at the wedding not wearing a dress - wore white capri pants because after trying on my Shapewear I thought I was going to pass out - it was like being full body squeezed by a boa constrictor - and I wanted to be comfortable. I will just get looser flowy things until I can have the skin issues addressed - its like wearing a backpack of pizza dough backwards on my front lol.
I actually saw a pic from someone else of my backside at the wedding and it wasn't too bad - which is crazy to me!
Check out the pic of the woman in front of us on the Space Mountain ride - mind you this was at 8:30 a.m. so it must have been a bit shocking to her lol. The gentleman I am with is my hubby who also had sleeve surgery two weeks before myself - we've lost a similar amount of weight.

hahahahaaaaaaa - the chip butty is such as delicacy! Pure indulgence - it is my kind of naughty food! And I totally crumbled to it last night - and Yes brown sauce and real welsh butter too....hahahhahaaaa! The problem I have is that I don't feel one ounce of guilt either... not sure if that is good or bad - perhaps I have overcome the demons of guilt related to food. I ate it cos I wanted it, not cos I was stressed or upset etc!
Same will go for tonight - I will enjoy every drink and dance like no one is watching. I think as I move forward in my forties, I am realising that we have to LIVE!
Have a great weekend everyone xx

Thanks ladies - I am defo gonna enjoy the drinkies and will raise a glass to my 5:2 crew. Talking of which, today has been a complete disaster! I totally refused the cakes in work - there were reems of them; all colours, flavours and toppings. They all looked delish! But I didn't cave in,,, had chicken salad for lunch. Then got home and the kids wanted chips - oh the smell! I caved in and had a chip butty (sandwich)...grrrr! Well over my fast allowance now! Looks like Sunday will have to be a low cal low carb day for sure!

Hey! You lot are rocking the 5:2!
Didn't have porridge after Monday - ended up having baked toms and egg muffins with a bit of cheese... delish!
Next fast is tomo - was going to do today but we are having cake day as a fund raiser in school and I don't want to eat cake so the fast is a great excuse not too - although I will donate.
And I am going out Sat for a few drinkies with the girls. I am celebrating - I applied for a promotion in work and I got it! Yeh, at last, they've recognised my hard work... so it will be a cider filled day/evening hence the fast tomo - might even attempt Sunday or go low cal?
For all those struggling - don't be a stranger! Here is a great place to come and have a chat. I love this group x

LOL...Brits have better food than they are reputed to, generally. But a chip butty might be an exception to that LOL. It is a sandwich where the filling is French fries, usually sandwiched between slices of buttered white bread (not toast), people sometimes add brown sauce or ketchup on them. It's only tasty if you were raised there I believe.

Today was supposed to be a fast day but I'm already at 1000 cals AND I have a date tonight! Danced tango last night for 3 hours, it was AWESOME but I am drained.

Hi all, thanks for the kind words and encouragement. <3
CONGRATS on the promotion, coops!! You've deserved that for a long time now!
Glad your house got done, Cathy, the glass backsplash sounds lovely.
ODaisy, will Jim and Bill know you are dating both of them? There's certainly no reason you shouldn't do so, but just curious.
CGJ, yes, the anxiety is a killer. I put up with so much stress and overload, but anxiety can bring me down so fast. It's depressing, literally. I worry my anxiety meds will cause me to get Alzheimer's.
FYE, your calm and grounded perspective always makes me feel like everything's going to be okay somehow. Thanks for that.
Florinda, the food you eat always sounds so good, those muffins sound divine! I need to make some pumpkin Soup too. Or maybe I'll make cream of sauerkraut soup. Yum. I also LOVE sautéed mushrooms.
Everyone seems to be doing well on the 5:2 again, for me not too bad either. Two weeks in a row now with two fast days and fairly good eating on regular days. I haven't shifted any weight yet, but I feel strongly that I need to exercise more again. Even though I almost always get at least 10,000 steps or more per day, that just doesn't even register as exercise to my body. Getting old is awesome. =/
Even on fasting days, I've been having coconut oil in my coffee in the morning, not counting those calories, to see how it goes. I do find that it seems to offset the effects of the caffeine and curb my hunger. The other thing I've noticed is that I get sort of hot and red-faced for a few minutes right after I drink it. "They" say it's because the coconut oil revs up your metabolism. Hmm, not sure, but staying with the test for now. We started putting it in the dogs' food now too, as it's meant to be good for them too.
Not trying to look ahead to next week yet too much, winds me up to do that at the weekend. But it's going to be difficult to find two 5:2 days next week. Have been eating pretty well overall, though, with little blips here and there, so there's that...
Hugs to all. <3

Thanks ladies - I am defo gonna enjoy the drinkies and will raise a glass to my 5:2 crew. Talking of which, today has been a complete disaster! I totally refused the cakes in work - there were reems of them; all colours, flavours and toppings. They all looked delish! But I didn't cave in,,, had chicken salad for lunch. Then got home and the kids wanted chips - oh the smell! I caved in and had a chip butty (sandwich)...grrrr! Well over my fast allowance now! Looks like Sunday will have to be a low cal low carb day for sure!

Thanks ladies - I am defo gonna enjoy the drinkies and will raise a glass to my 5:2 crew. Talking of which, today has been a complete disaster! I totally refused the cakes in work - there were reems of them; all colours, flavours and toppings. They all looked delish! But I didn't cave in,,, had chicken salad for lunch. Then got home and the kids wanted chips - oh the smell! I caved in and had a chip butty (sandwich)...grrrr! Well over my fast allowance now! Looks like Sunday will have to be a low cal low carb day for sure!

Hey! You lot are rocking the 5:2!
Didn't have porridge after Monday - ended up having baked toms and egg muffins with a bit of cheese... delish!
Next fast is tomo - was going to do today but we are having cake day as a fund raiser in school and I don't want to eat cake so the fast is a great excuse not too - although I will donate.
And I am going out Sat for a few drinkies with the girls. I am celebrating - I applied for a promotion in work and I got it! Yeh, at last, they've recognised my hard work... so it will be a cider filled day/evening hence the fast tomo - might even attempt Sunday or go low cal?
For all those struggling - don't be a stranger! Here is a great place to come and have a chat. I love this group x

OH MY GOD COOPS, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know how long they have been putting up a wall of resistance at work, the hugest most excited congratulations from across the pond my dear!! Wish I was there with you and the girls for drinkies, tie one on for me!!!! <3 <3 <3

Coops many congratulations on the promotion.
The house is finished ????
The glass backsplash (the last job) was fitted this morning as I was travelling back from Liverpool and my dear husband had tidied all up so that the house looked lovely.
A few hard days coming up (regarding eating) as I have my mum and aunt staying and we have meals out planned with the family. I'm down lower than I wanted to be by Monday (weigh in day) so hopefully I will be OK.
Have a good weekend everyone

Hey! You lot are rocking the 5:2!
Didn't have porridge after Monday - ended up having baked toms and egg muffins with a bit of cheese... delish!
Next fast is tomo - was going to do today but we are having cake day as a fund raiser in school and I don't want to eat cake so the fast is a great excuse not too - although I will donate.
And I am going out Sat for a few drinkies with the girls. I am celebrating - I applied for a promotion in work and I got it! Yeh, at last, they've recognised my hard work... so it will be a cider filled day/evening hence the fast tomo - might even attempt Sunday or go low cal?
For all those struggling - don't be a stranger! Here is a great place to come and have a chat. I love this group x

Hey! You lot are rocking the 5:2!
Didn't have porridge after Monday - ended up having baked toms and egg muffins with a bit of cheese... delish!
Next fast is tomo - was going to do today but we are having cake day as a fund raiser in school and I don't want to eat cake so the fast is a great excuse not too - although I will donate.
And I am going out Sat for a few drinkies with the girls. I am celebrating - I applied for a promotion in work and I got it! Yeh, at last, they've recognised my hard work... so it will be a cider filled day/evening hence the fast tomo - might even attempt Sunday or go low cal?
For all those struggling - don't be a stranger! Here is a great place to come and have a chat. I love this group x

Woo hoo! You ladies are doing great! I am easing further off the lexapro - skipped a dose yesterday and still feel good.
Florinda, how did the 100 first dates go last week? I am trying to decide if I should just give up on men my age and take a girlfriends advice and go all cougar...ha! I was contacted by someone fit and handsome who is 37 from POF. A very young man (he admitted he isn't quite 30 - yikes) from the meetup is very interested in me. Not.quite.sure. I can do THAT! Ha. Anyway, gotta have a good sense of humor about this big joke called dating.