TerriDoodle

BTW -- I'm CTSS (cut the sugar and snacks) today and doing good so far. Anyone else?

Wow, Tracy... the pics are beautiful!! I feel so happy inside just looking at them...well, especially the last one. LOL The others just confirm that you're crazy. (That's a good thing!) ***IDEA*** We need a Violets b&A thread just for us. Start posting somebody!

Oh YES I most certainly do remember being anxious and scared and full of doubt about a whole spectrum of issues! LOL What helped me the most is hanging out right here on LBT and reading 'til the wee hours many nights in a row! I'd venture to say that 90% of the 'veterans' here went thru all those same emotions, too. It was a huge leap for ALL of us but here we are....most of us have lost a very good deal of weight and are happy with our bands. I just figured all these people can't all be wrong! That's what helped me cross over the line and just do it! I'm so glad i did. Just take it slow. There's no hurry, is there?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENISE!! :tongue:

Make your appt. for a Thursday and Dr. Spivak will do your fill...and ask to have it done under fluro! That's what I did last time (and was so excited to see the doc that i forgot to ask him about some weird symptoms i was having!).

So Andrea, why don't you go get a fill?

Gina - You are sooooo pretty!!! And, again, I love, love, love the new glasses! You know what, Laura?? I don't put up with bad food in restaurants anymore. If it's bad I send it back! I can only enjoy small amounts of food now, so what I get better be GOOD dammit. I sent back a Pasta dish the other night that was watery...and they credited my bill for the entree PLUS $3.00! Ok, so this is what I've had today: oatmeal (260) 1/2 c minestrone (75) 1/2 c cottage cheese w/ raspberries (125) dinner now is cauliflower w/ cheese sauce (200) Sheesh .. that's only 660 calories today! Yipeeee!!! I know, I know....where's the Protein?! I'm doing horrible on protein lately :sneaky: TracyK - How restricted are you... Do you need a FILL?? When was the last time you had one, anyway? Kat - How's the torture device treating you today? Getting any better?

Laura, WHY does this remind me of you??

By the way, Violets... I have NOT had any snacks today and that is MAJOR for me. I might be onto something here. Of course, I'm about to gnaw my arm off, but I ain't snackin'!! Laura, I'm doing this for YOU, girlfriend.:biggrin2:

Oh gosh! I didn't catch that she was only 2 months post op! Are you sure you have 3cc's in ?? That IS a lot of fill in a very short time! No wonder you're swollen! My fills went something like this: Surgery - April 4, 2007 initial fill 1.5 cc (end of May) 2nd fill 0.5cc (June) 3rd fill 0.5cc (July) 4th fill 0.2cc (Aug) 5th UNfill 0.1cc (Sept) 6th fill 0.2 cc (Feb) Total, 11 months post op = 2.8cc

How about a "shoe box show" instead?

See if this link works... Picasa Web Albums - Terry - Jewelry This is the bracelet that Judy commissioned for her cruise in June. The last pic has charms added to see if she liked that best...and she did. Judy also has the distinguished honor of being my very first paying customer...so that when i'm famous, this bracelet will be worth $1,000,000!! .... or Lira or pesos.... something like that.

YEA!!! Tracy's back!!!!!

And HAYDEE?? Where the heck are YOU? Laura...I'm with you today, girlfriend. NO SNACKING TODAY. Not for me, anyway. No snacking and NO sugar. I'm so tired of these numbers on my scale!!!

When you track your success, think like a scientist. Consider your strategies as experiments: "Oh, I thought if I tried doing it in the morning it would be easier to do. But I see I did it only twice this week. What if I shift to the end of the day? Let's see how I do next week." The more scientific you can remain, the less you will fall into the slough of perfectionism or despair that trap of so many would-be resolvers and habit changers. --M.J. Ryan

Sow a thought and reap a deed Sow a deed and reap a habit Sow a habit and reap a character Sow a character and reap a destiny --Anon

A pleasant alternative to fish oil is Udo's Oil Blend which I use on my salads, drizzle on veggies and add to my oatmeal every morning. from the website: Udo's Choice Perfected (Ultimate) 3, 6, 9 Oil Blend is a certified organic blend of guaranteed GMO-free, unrefined edible oils. This unique blend delivers a reliable source of the n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids that are essential to life. Based on 15 years of practical experience with fats and oils, this formula is a 2:1:1 ratio of n-3: n-6: n-9, a combination most therapeutic for the n-3-deficient, n-6-rich diets, as well as 'low' and 'no' fat diets, common today. The Perfected Oil Blend includes oils from fresh flax, sesame and sunflower seeds, as well as oils from evening primrose, rice germ and oat germ. I buy it from Netrition.com - The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore! where it costs almost half of what it might cost elsewhere.

how big of a jar of salsa?

I mix full fat cottage cheese (1.5 grams more of fat per serving...worth it!) with any of the following fresh or frozen fruits: pears, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or pineapple. I mix 3 packets of splenda in, and sometimes a couple tablespoons of yogurt. When on strict mushies I pureed the fruit first. Now I also mix in a couple Tbsp of granola for extra texture. The only brand of cottage cheese I like is Borden, but I think that's only distributed in the south.

I agree that it sounds like you are too tight, but I would like to suggest that you get on liquids and mushies for 2-3 days before you go for an unfill. When I get a fill my band is very, very finicky for 2 weeks...it gets tighter and tighter. This last fill I finally got that all figured out and stayed on mushies for 2 whole weeks...and that made a huge difference in my adjustment to the fill. Now I am quite happy with my restriction, whereas if I had done as before I would have had to go back for an unfill. Give it a try (if you are so inclined) and then add solid foods back very, very gradually. If you get stuck or PB, then back on mushies for a day.

You've been given some great advice. I'm so glad to hear that you are not going to wait 2 months! You paid for this band and the doctor is working for YOU....so keep going back for answers until you are satisfied. Glad to hear that LBT has helped you! I don't know how anyone goes thru this journey without it!

At your age you can expect to lose at least 15# in the first month, then probably at least 5# a month after that, if you follow 'the rules' and you know you are capable of losing weight....some people just aren't. I drop one size for about each 12 pounds lost. In my opinion you'd be perfectly safe to order one size smaller, but you'll still probably have to take it in! The thing is, you don't really know exactly where you'll lose the weight first....so it's probably wisest to err on the side of caution, y'know?

Laura - You are so beautiful!! Your parents and husband must be so thrilled with your success! Your body (skin) is maintaining its shape so well and WOW look at those long thin legs! Just awesome! I'm so glad you had this done at a young age. I wish I could have!

Jenn, we just had our vacuum repaired and it was a simple adjustment that only cost $40 to repair. Find a place that will give you a free estimate! Tracy, speaking of closets I have GOT to get mine cleaned out today. *** Would anyone like to have my 16W and 1X-2X clothes? *** It's not a whole lot of them...and mostly work-type clothes. I'll be happy to ship them to you.

Yep, 86 can be pretty hot....but it sounds awesome to me right now! I'll be changning my tune in just a few short months.