TerriDoodle

Panda!! You are so gorgeous!! I am always amazed at the beautiful women that are revealed as the fat melts away....the ones we all know are in there "somewhere"!! You know I don't mean to offend anyone by that statement! You need to post your side by side B&A's for us!! BRAVO!!

I've lived in Texas all my life and I love it here....except for the brutal summers. Ideally, I'd like to have a summer place in Colorado. I just love it there, but no way I could handle the snow in winter.

YEAH!! That's what I was trying to say!!! Ok, I'm hungry AND I'm craving a cigarette. That's my cue to go to bed!!!

When we go out I almost always order a small salad, soup, an appetizer, or off the a la carte menu. Or DH and I will split a dinner and he'll order a soup or appetizer in addition. That works well for us. We ended up going out tonight 'cause he just felt like it and we went to Carrabba's (italian). I ordered crab cake appetizers and he ordered a personal pizza. I could only eat 3/4 of one crab cake, 2" in diameter! He ate all the rest, plus 1/2 of his pizza. We brought the rest of the pizza home. I still enjoy going out. Well, I guess I'm alone....but I really am enjoying what I'm eating! There's not too many foods I'm missing at all. But I am getting to the point I've always wanted to be ...and that is by really savoring the flavor of vegetables and fruits, whole grains and fish! (TracyK, i used to hate fish, too. I eat tilapia 3-4x a week now.) I know it's because I eat more slowly and chew each bite well. But more than that, I think it's because I eat so 'little' now that what I do eat I really like. <shrug> I dunno how to explain it. Haydee - Any chance you'd want to walk in the Houston SPCA 5K walk with me on Oct. 20th? I'm going to sign up with my DD...would love for you to join us. It's a great cause!! More info at HSPCA - Houston SPCA if you're interested. I still haven't told anyone about my band outside of my family and 2 friends. But then again, nobody has said to me, "WOW, you've lost weight!"...much less "How did you do it??" As a matter of fact, nobody outside of my family has even commented about my weight loss. But my kids tell me all the time how great I'm looking and I LOVE that! They are so sweet!

I just totalled our losses on the spreadsheet and it's like 478# (or close)!! WOW! We were going to go out too....but it's a waste of money. Especially when I am sooooooo happy with pan-grilled tilapia and some steamed asparagus or salad. I've got a freezer full of meat and lots of veggies in the fridge so we're eating in too. Tomorrow's a busy day for me. I think I'll do some beading tonight and probably hang out here. So I'll see ya'll later! Oh, by the way, I meant to ask ya'll....... Do you find that you enjoy your food more now than pre-band?? I know I do. Every bite.

Bingo, Jack. That is where I think I am. I'm anxious to see how I feel in a week or two. So far restriction is perfect-o!!! By the way....I looked it up and was freaking amazed to find out that 0.1cc is 0.02 of a teaspoon!!! That's very very tiny.

Good Morning Sweeties! Ok, I am definitely feeling greater restriction with just a measely 0.1cc fill. Do you realize how little that is? That is 2/100 of a teaspoon!! Blows my mind. Jenn - You know what I think? I think that every time he says "I fell asleep" that is his code word for "I found something better to do." He just wants a lay and he wants it when it's convenient for him. GROSS! That line about "it would be different if you were my girlfriend" sounds like a line that boys use in high school for cryin' out loud! He must think you are as dumb as a post. Ignore his existance. He is a gnat...no, an amoeba...in the world of real manhood. I haven't read the book, but I have read exerpts, "He's Just Not that Into You" and one of the things I remember is that if a guy is really into you he will almost make a complete ass of himself by calling too often and wanting to see you! If he's interested, you'll KNOW it!! When I think back on the 4 serious loves of my life...they all did that. Like we were inseparable from the day we met!! That's not just a coincidence that they all 4 behaved the same way....that's what real, meaningful attraction looks like!!! And, on the other hand, just because someone isn't that into you, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you!!! It just means that the chemistry isn't there!! No big deal! "There's a bus every 10 minutes" as my DH is fond of telling anyone who's heartbroken. I know that a good relationship would go a long way in helping you feel better with all you have going on right now. It's hard to bear all that weight yourself. I know. And I'm sorry you have to do it. It's vastly unfair how many women have to do it alone. And, speaking of which....why is it that you won't ask your children's father face-to-face what his plan is for paying child support??? Can't he see...doesn't he understand...that you are on the verge of losing your house and car?? Is he THAT much of a bastard? And if so, why in the world are you allowing that bastard the luxury of waltzing in and out of your life as if you were an all-night drive through? I just don't get that at all. Sorry. I know you love him and that is a powerful thing. But man o man...not supporting your kids is the lowest of the low in my book. Lower than your 'sleeper' friend, the amoeba. Ok, done with my rant. Michelle - I'm so glad that you feel pretty today!! I just LOVE those days!!! Your outfit sounds really cute! How about a pic?? Might I remind you that anything more than 8# a month is totally unhealthy?? ....and what it implies is that you are wasting muscle tissue, not fat?? So, my dear, you are right on target. Give yourself a big kiss and jump for joy!!! You are a picture perfect bandster!! Judy - I have never been good with the alchemy of spices....so thanks for those suggestions. I use that "Garlic Dude Dust" and it takes care of it all for me! LOL I can't tell you how many soups I've ruined because I put some wierd spice in there that didn't belong! I wish I could take a class or something that emphasized the use of spices...I don't even know what 1/2 of them taste like. TracyK - Sooooo glad you are feeling better. Have a nice restful day today! (are you working??!) Lazy day here -- I'm the only one at the office in my area. Everyone scattered for the weekend....Vegas, Florida, Pennsylvania and Mexico! LOL Yet, here I sit!! Did anyone see that new show last night after Gray's Anatomy, "Big Shots"? Those guys remind me of the kind of men that I work with!!! Except that my guys are upstanding, very nice and very monogamous!...but they are all definitely a part of the country club crowd so it will be an interesting show for me. Gray's Anatomy was awesome last night!!!

Oh, you outed yourself! I thought you meant somebody squealed! Well, you did the right thing, Tracy. I don't know that I would have done the same. I'm proud of you!!

My worst nightmare!! Who told?? I'd kill 'em.

Are you banded...and tight? It could also be the taste of bile which is a sign of being too tightly restricted. Call your doctor or nurse to discuss your symptoms.They may want to scope you.

Laura - I've come to the conclusion that you just have taste buds from another planet or something. I'll eat a lot of things, but I will NOT eat canned chicken! I think it tastes like dog food smells!! And here you are buying all you can get your hands on!

Well, I did ask and receive a 0.1cc fill. The nurse is kinda new to lapband but she said, "If you feel much difference in 0.1cc, I'll be amazed." Well, I do feel a significant difference! I can definitely tell I've had a fill! Thankfully it's not as rough a ride as my last fill was!

Here's some other threads: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/help-gum-question-im-cross-posting-37506/#post508899 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f84/help-27277/#post353105 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/help-swallowed-gum-20316/#post248005

Oh, how exciting!!! Congratulations and welcome to LBT!

Have you tried to eat anything yet? How did it go? I was of the understanding that we shouldn't chew gum for that very reason...because it will get stuck and may require surgery to remove! :rose: You better call your doctor!

Re: that beef/veggie soup recipe....don't forget that when I posted that, I posted later that I also ended up adding 3 cubes of beef boullion cubes at the end...so you may want to put some of those in, too. Laura - I am soooooooo sorry to hear about your sister!! OMG!! She does sound like a House episode! Is she at a good medical center? That's one thing I like about Houston...we have good hospitals! Please keep us updated. I know you must be worried sick! And, BTW, I often get stuck on deli meat...I have no idea why. I eat it in salads, but I have to be very careful. Maybe the lettuce and dressing helps it go down (?). Pamela - I love your 'new' signature!! LOL!! ....ME TOO!!!!!!

I had posted this earlier and there is a BIG error in it!! The last line should read, "....with as little as 0.05cc of fill." Big difference! And yes, I definitely feel a big difference with just 0.1cc today! Kat - I swear - you win the award for craziest family and friends!! I thought I'd heard everything but never being registered at a porn shop! Lordy! Do they even have those where you live??? LOL And I wanna come visit just to meet your crazy neighbor...she sounds like a hoot. Takes all kinds, don't it?? Oh, and thanks loads for the list!! Speaking of which...i was looking that over and thinking that I'm right about in the middle and I live in a big hub city....so you all need to come to Houston! Gosh darnit!! We need to figure out a way to get together!!!! I guess we'll just have to load Jenn up with Xanax and margaritas and get somebody to strap her in her seat....and we'll get her out on this side. LOL We're not meeting up without you Jenn, so you better figure out a way to get your butt on an airplane! It's a loooooooong bus ride to Texas! And don't forget...Galveston is 50 miles away and has a cruise ship port!!! We gotta start planning something seriously. Why don't we all pitch some ideas and then we'll take a vote? Maybe that would work. Pamela - you sound so much like me. Ha! Except for the advance degree part!! LOL But I am a college dropout and only had 1 more year to go. (Although I am glad I'm not a nurse now.) I don't know why we sabotage ourselves but many, many, many people do it! I know for me I just don't like to put much effort into anything! I don't like to cook or clean, entertain, work in the yard or at the office, etc. I'm just LAZY!! I don't sit and watch TV on the couch, but I do play on the 'puter all the time, I like to shop, read, hang out with my friends and BEAD. I really am beginning to think that I have ADHD and probably had it always...but it seems to be getting worse. To think of doing what it takes to write a dissertation just blows a fuse in my brain!! No way I could do that. So you should be proud of what you've accomplished!! I think with your 2 jobs and a LD relationship it's just too much! I don't know how you find the time to watch tv! Oh, and no...i can't go to the gym before work. I'm at my desk by 7:00a. I have to be in the shower by 5:30a. After work is fine and i like to come home and have a small dinner before I work out. Otherwise I'm eating too late. Gina! Go get an unfill for cryin' out loud!! You're gonna do all kinds of damage if you stay too tight like that!!! Does your doctor know? :rose: And congrats to you on sticking with your exercise program! Still riding your bike?? What will you do when the weather gets cold? Got a plan? And yes, I did go to the gym tonight and burned 280 calories. Good enuf for me. Laura - I did erase my cell number. I was only planning to leave it up for a day or so anyway. Thanks for looking out for us. How are you feeling today? Did DH's intestinal pain go away finally? What ever happened with all that? I'm going night-night. :notagree See ya'll in the morning bright & early!:ranger:

<p> </p> <p> </p> <p>LOL....I don't keep my cell phone handy. It's in my purse under my desk and isn't very loud when a message comes in. But I DO check it before I get in my car and keep it handy 'til I get home. So don't worry...your messages will get thru before the 'critical hour'!! </p> <p> </p> <p>My cell number is xxx-xxxx. If any of you see my exercise ticker looking like it's not moving...feel free to harrass me! LOL</p> <p> </p> <p>YOU GUYS ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST. I love you all!!! MMMMmmmmuaah! <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/kiss2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Kiss2" smilieid="154" class="inlineimg" /></p> <p> </p> <p>BTW, i did go in today and asked for a teeeensy weeeeensy fill: 0.1cc!! The nurse said, and I quote, "if that small amount makes any difference, I'll be amazed." In early Aug. she filled me 0.5cc (to 2.5) and I had to go in for an unfill 'cause I was too tight. She took me back down to 2.3 and I felt too loose! So I asked for 0.1cc (to 2.4) and it hopefully will put me right at my sweet spot! We'll see!! On the fills board someone was kind enough to post the Inamed protocol and it says there that "as the patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (less than 0.2ccs) becomes greater and greater. it is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as 0.5cc of fill." Isn't that interesting? I thought I was nuts for wanting such a little fill, but I guess I'm not after all!</p>

I will be happy to send my cell number to whoever is willing to whip me into submission!

Tracy - You are BEAUTIFUL!!!!

That's a great idea, Laura. Except my weak points during the day are afternoon, when I want to have something sweet after lunch....and when I walk in the door after work feeling too tired to go to the gym. So I'll try to find some suitable substitute for the after lunch thing (gum?) and set an Outlook task reminder, but I'll put a big ol' sign on my back door (for when I walk in) and on my closet door (for when I change clothes after work....leisure?.... or gym clothes??) Thanks!

Ok, I sent an email to a Life Coach who has 20 yrs experience as a PhD psychologist working with health issues and eating disorders! I'm thinking ..."This is perfect!!" She wants $375/month for 2 sessions and email support. YIKES!! She was very nice though. But I'm thinking that between my violets and my great self-help book....maybe I can do my own headwork and get you guys to help me with the accountability issues. Will ya'll help me? Please? I need you for the accountability. Ya'll please keep a close eye on my exercise 'ticker' and keep after me. "Terry, How bad do you want it?" I'll even come up with a list of what ya'll need to do to keep me motivated. Need to get back into my book "This Year I Will..." and figure out what will work best for me.

Anyone want to sell me their body bugg they are no longer using??

Thanks ya'll.....that is so very helpful!! I thought I was nuts to think that at 2.3 I could almost eat anything and 2.5 I was way too tight. I'm going to ask for 0.1 and if she (the nurse) thinks I'm nuts then I'm going to insist on a fluro to see what is going on.

I changed the quote in my signature this morning. This question is directed at myself. How bad do you want it, Terry? How bad do you want it and what are you willing to do to get it? I was ON FIRE before and after surgery. My goals and plan to get there were shining before me like a holy grail and there was nothing that was going to stand in my way. I absolutely loved this person that I'd become -- a totally reinvented self that for once in my life was 100% sure that I would get slim and fit....and most of all, healthy. I had no doubts. The doubts are starting to raise their ugly heads and I want to beat them back with a vengence!! I see the 'old me' creeping in the back door and I want to slam that door, bolt it and nail it shut!!! I have to find the strength somewhere (but where?) to re-commit. I have to rekindle that fire (but how?) to reinvent myself once again. I have to love myself enough (huh?) to do this for me! And so what is it that I am raving about?? 3 'simple' things: 1) Regular, intense, meaningful EXERCISE 2) Eating according to my doctor's guidelines and following The Rules 3) Not smoking My scale registered 188 this morning. It's going UP, not down. I have not exercised in any meaningful way for this entire month. Gee, you think those two things are connected?? It is crystal clear that I will not reach my ultimate goal unless I make regular, intense, meaningful EXERCISE a regular part of my routine at least 4-5x/week. And, in fact, I not only have to make it a part of my life for this weight loss process, but FOREVER. I have to decide...which do I want: 1) Eat fewer calories (enjoy food less, be hungry more) and be lazy (i.e. have a mushy body but more time to do 'nothing'!) OR 2) Eat more of the foods I enjoy, have occasional treats without guilt, and enjoy a body that is firm and fit although it requires effort? I choose #2. I CHOOSE #2!!! Yes, I CHOOSE it. Nobody is making me do it. I can be somewhat satisfied at this weight but I CHOOSE a to be something different! I CHOOSE to set a goal and reach it!! I CHOOSE to be as healthy as I can be!!! This is what I choose. I have free will! I can choose to eat Snickers all day if I want to, but that IS NOT WHAT I WANT!! I WANT TO BE HEALTHY AND FEEL ATTRACTIVE. I want to wear a size 10!!!!!! How bad do I want it??? I want it BAD!! I want it so bad that I am willing to do whatever it takes to re-invent myself once again. I will go into therapy or hire a life coach. I will enlist the help of any- and every- one on this message board. I will read inspirational books. I will COOK healthy meals! I will EXERCISE 5x a week. I will get back into training. I will have faith in myself and I will love myself. And I will succeed! [ROAR!!!!!]