M2G

Okay, since this thread has already derailed, why not add this. Please note: this is just for fun...and not serious: In a fit of anger her majesty Queen Elizabeth II issued the following letter to the citizens of United States of America To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II In light of your failure to financially manage yourselves and inability to effectively govern yourselves responsibly, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up ‘revocation’ in the Oxford English Dictionary.) Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy). Your new Prime Minister, David William Donald Cameron, will appoint a Governor for the former United States of America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated sometime next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect: You will learn that the suffix ˜burgh” is pronounced “burra”; you may elect to spell Pittsburgh as ˜Pittsberg” if you find you simply can’t cope with correct pronunciation. Then look up “aluminum” and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. The letter “U” will be reinstated in words such as ˜colour”, “favour” and “neighbour”. Likewise, you will learn to spell “doughnut” without skipping half the letters. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up “vocabulary”). Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as “like” and “you know” is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as “US English”. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter “u”. You will relearn your original national anthem, “God Save The Queen”, but only after fully carrying out Task #1 (see above). July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults and then used solely for shooting grouse. If you’re not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you’re not ready to handle a gun, let alone shoot grouse. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour. The former United States of America will adopt the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland prices on petrol (which you have been calling “gasoline”) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French Fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with malt vinegar. Waiters and waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling “beer” is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. New Zealand beer is also acceptable, as New Zealand is pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth – see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one’s ears removed with a cheese grater. You will cease playing “American” Football. There are only two kinds of proper football; one you call soccer, and rugby. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American Football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies or Jessies – English slangs for effeminate males and blouses for big girls respectively). Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the “World Series” for a game which is not played outside of the United States of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket. You must tell us who killed JFK. It’s been driving us mad. An inland revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776). Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season. Thank you for your cooperation. God Save the Queen!

Okay, thanks. Glad to know it's not just me who can't seem to find it. I will have to look for Carbquick (never seen that on store shelves either...) I see almond flour and a million and one GLUTEN free flours but it seems to be hard to find low-carb flours. I guess I could just order some...lol

Nice new bike Ted!!! I did my double workout yesterday, weights for an hour, then spin for an hour...I am feeling quite sore today. I usually go a Wed. fitness class also but I have some freelance work to do (which I'm avoiding by being here...lol) and also I'm sore enough that I probably should "rest" today. I *might* do a light workout on the treadmill later but nothing strenuous. Just added up my miles and I'm at 51.5 for the month. Looking like I'm going to be aiming for 150 for the month. I think I was 121 or something in Sept. so I think I need to up my goal.

Hi Pink! There is a thread that is more lively with more recent posts from people from Colorado here: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/63581-any-colorado-sleevers/ You might want to check it out. Whomever started this group seems to have abandon it...lol!

Coops, that is a bloody fantastic drawing (in my best brit-speak accent!) and I should know I was an art major in college! LOVE that you did this instead of eating...just LOVE it. And yep the 159 is your new low...GO FOR IT GIRL! LV sorry you were down, glad it's fleeting... Brown I don't have am nausea, I would be looking into that further. On a similar note, my hubby last thurs...we went to a meeting at school that is once a month and it's always a potluck. Someone picks a theme and we all supply necessary items. It was Italian which is usually not very sleeve friendly, so I brought crockpot meatballs. OMG, hubby waited till the "end" of the line and they were GONE! So he had some type of Pasta with sausage, ate it, immediately felt ill, and went home to throw up. It was crazy, he hasn't thrown up in well over 2 years (his sleeve was March 2011) and he said as soon as he ate it, he instantly felt icky. So other people ate that too (I didn't) and they were fine? Go figure. I figured he had a touch of flu but he felt better the next day so I guess the moral of the story is sometimes things just don't agree and how and when they present is tricky to tell. I don't like feeling nauseated so I avoid at ALL costs. ALL! lol... Chimear, OMG, so sorry about YOUR hubby. Sheesh seems to be going around here with sick husbands...first Cheri's husband falling, then Cathy's hubby and now yours (oh and mine who didn't tolerate someone's potluck dish...hehe.) Anyway, sorry about the car trouble too, NOTHING is more frustrating. Glad you have a vacation waiting for you...sounds like you will need it! Yesterday I didn't fast because Tues and THurs. are my double workout days when I do weight lifting for an hour and then head directly to spin and drench myself in blood sweat and tears. Yesterday I came home from 2 hours at the gym, showered and fell alseep for a GOOD SOLID HOUR. I never do that. I'm a sore puppy today. And my weight is still up by 2+lbs which I think is due to the weight lifting, but gosh darn it...I'm annoyed by it. So today is a fasting day...hoping to just coast today. I have some freelance work to do and homework to do, so I'm happily skipping my Wed. gym class. I need to heal and rest from yesterdays monster workout.

What do you all think is better...lower weights and more reps or higher weight with less reps, or is it a wash? Or does it depend on the type of results you are looking for?

TOTALLY AGREE WITH GG^^^^!!!! I think you look amazing. If I looked that good I probably wouldn't bother with plastics... I know this is a personal journey for everyone, but I'm just being honest. I think you will look even more fabulous after you get all your work done, but please be proud of all you have accomplished. I never did and never will have a bikini body, so I love to see it when people rock their bikinis after a major weight loss.

Wow, Lisa! Amazing! And your skin looks great to me...

Well, my lovelies...yesterdays FAST day was going great...until...BOOK CLUB. I was able to say NO to red wine, but somehow the cheesecake just found a new home inside my belly. Sigh, today is a new day. Georgia...sorry about your neck, I hope that heals quickly for you. Have you ever been to a chiro? I pulled my neck (years ago!) and waited 3 weeks in pain before someone suggested a chiro to me and it worked like a charm. Cathy...sorry about your husband...gosh that is scary. I hope that everything continues to be okay with him. Sounds like he needs to find ways to reduce that stress! Coops...again on the same page with you (well except mine was cheesecake related...) but sorry you had an off day. Hugs my dear friend. I'm going to dig around for an article I read about the coconut oil...(thanks for the links Coops!) I susbscribe to a newsletter called Nutrition Action and it really tries to give a hard look at things (nutritionally speaking) and basically is a good resource. I can't remember exactly what it said about the coconut oil thing but that it was part true and part hype. Lemme see if I can find it... http://www.cspinet.org/nah/articles/coconut-oil.html Okay, just realized they keep all their archives online...anyone who is bored and wants some good solid nutritional advice spend some time over at NA reading through all their articles. Great stuff.

Of course...mind like a steel trap! LOL! Aww, he is already an old man...let him hump away at the shoes...better the shoes than your leg, right?

Soooo, is this cat one that needs a good punching or a serious talking to? LOL! I hate drains, I would secretly be giving that cat extra treats and telling him THANK YOU for helping remove evil from my body.

Well the cinnamon started just because I love the taste of cinnamon. Then I found out there are loads of health benefits to cinnamon so now it's just par for the course that we add cinnamon (just about 2 or 3 shakes of pure cinnamon right over the top of the grounds.) The salt, well, DH is loves the show with Alton Brown...Good Eats. He mentioned adding salt to your coffee to take off the slightly acid flavor of coffee. We tried it and were pleasantly surprised that it worked. Here is a link if you want to read more about salt in your coffee. Usually 2 shakes does the trick for a pot of coffee. The link has a great photo of how it should look so you don't add too much. http://blog.khymos.org/2010/03/21/a-pinch-of-salt-for-your-coffee-sir/ No wonder I enjoy my coffee so much. :wub:

Thank you ladies! SS - I will never be a size small but that is OK ...I'm fine where I AM...heck of a lot better than where I WAS! Yes, thank you so much! I do look "depressed" in that purple shirt...ha ha! I wasn't really though, I happened to be looking down at the 2 year old who was coming up to the table I was sitting at and the photographer was trying to "catch" her in action (2 year olds move pretty fast when they want to) but she "caught" me sitting in a chair looking depressed instead. I wasn't happy about my weight but I wasn't depressed ...even though the photo looks like that. It's amazing when you *think* you look a certain way and then somehow the camera catches you and you finally see what everyone else sees instead of what you look like in your own mind...

Maybe we can figure out a date/time to meet up. I know that long-distance commuting is hard...hubby did it for 2 years, we only saw him on weekends. Now he works primarily from home ...lol not sure which is worse. So I was supposed to take it "easy" this weekend but I ended up mowing the lawn (we have quite a large lawn, actual mowing time..not including triming, etc...is like an hour.) Hubby is quite allergic to the lawn (lucky me!) so rather than hear him wheeze and act like he is on his deathbed I took over the mowing duties years ago. Anyway, I have one more day of "rest" before my weight class tomorrow. Oh and I don't have a fitbit or anything to keep track, so the lawn mowing isn't going into this challenge...LOL!

I just take it out and set it sit for a few minutes and then it gets soft pretty quickly. Wow, GT, that sounds like the visit to Germany, even thought it was to be a hernia repair was well worth the time to go. Even though you don't have just ONE answer as to what's going on, at least you have some answers and a place to start. I'm sorry that you have such a hard time getting the proper foods while being deployed. When does your deployment end? So I have heard that coconut oil is like this super-oil, but haven't heard about it in coffee. Actually my frozen choc. banana thing a page or so back was from the internet (of course!) and it called for using coconut oil but I didn't have any and subbed seasame seed oil and it worked just fine. I already put a sprinkle of cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt (to reduce the acid flavor of coffee...sounds unusual but totally works) in my coffee (before it's brewed, I sprinkle both on top of the grounds.) I may have to try the coconut oil thing... Awesome! Both you and FYE, getting some movement on the scale...woo hoo! Okay, fasting today...we have 3 out of 4 of the family members going in different directions tonight, gah! I think it sounds like a shredded chicken in the crockpot kind of night.

Thanks Laura... I know what you mean about going MIA in family memories. That purple shirt, I thought "ah ha! I will get the 4X to cover ALL the rolls of fat" and then someone happened to snap this photo of me at my cousin's daughter's 2 year old bday party and I went HOLY SH*T I guess that 4X wasn't really working for me. But that L, yeah it's not a M or S or XS, but I will gladly take it!

Thanks Laura... I know what you mean about going MIA in family memories. That purple shirt, I thought "ah ha! I will get the 4X to cover ALL the rolls of fat" and then someone happened to snap this photo of me at my cousin's daughter's 2 year old bday party and I went HOLY SH*T I guess that 4X wasn't really working for me. But that L, yeah it's not a M or S or XS, but I will gladly take it!

Okay I will share. I haven't done the pants things ON me so stay tuned...will have to try that soon. Edited to add: funny these are both a pair of "capri" jeans, notice how much the length changes to accommodate the belly... Here I am wearing BOTH of these shirts (before and after) Here are the sizes of the shirts: Before 4x After L

Okay I will share. I haven't done the pants things ON me so stay tuned...will have to try that soon. Edited to add: funny these are both a pair of "capri" jeans, notice how much the length changes to accommodate the belly... Here I am wearing BOTH of these shirts (before and after) Here are the sizes of the shirts: Before 4x After L

Thanks for putting this up there OD. Was this back from when LilMissDiva posted it? I totally agree about the 5DPT, done it lost it, gained it back. But I have also seen where it can jump start someone back on the right road, so I'm not going to tell people not to do it. There are so many things that work for so many different people. This is an awesome place to post this though, as it is GREAT advice!

Thanks for putting this up there OD. Was this back from when LilMissDiva posted it? I totally agree about the 5DPT, done it lost it, gained it back. But I have also seen where it can jump start someone back on the right road, so I'm not going to tell people not to do it. There are so many things that work for so many different people. This is an awesome place to post this though, as it is GREAT advice!

Definitely google panniculectomy vs. tummy tuck, there is a difference and I'm quite sure if anything is "covered" under insurance it would just the removal of excess skin. And totally agree that you should wait until you are further out, 10 months is still pretty "new" as far as your skin is concerned.

Definitely google panniculectomy vs. tummy tuck, there is a difference and I'm quite sure if anything is "covered" under insurance it would just the removal of excess skin. And totally agree that you should wait until you are further out, 10 months is still pretty "new" as far as your skin is concerned.

Thanks for sharing that. It IS beautiful and so true.

Thanks for sharing that. It IS beautiful and so true.