dee257

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

Its been awhile since I have posted here....
Life for me is so very different then it has been for most my life...
I wake up every morning HAPPY...wanting to get dressed...wanting to look in the mirror. Even wanting to go for a walk...thinking back its all things I always wanted to do...just wasn't going to happen with 130 extra lbs on me...
The band is the best thing I have done for ME...Im thankful for my supportive Husband and my sister who is my bestest friend also....
 
Oh it has been work...in the beginning I was hungry like I read many of you are..but I knew what I had to do to get where I wanted to be...I hung tuff and its so paid off..I started with a BMI of 47...I was tired all the time...who wouldn't be ...Yesterday I weighed in at 130 with a BMI of 25 !!!! My Dr pointed out to me that I have lost more then what I weigh right now...omg I never thought id do it...well yes I did...what I really didn't know was how good it would feel in all aspects of my life and my family's life ..I have been studing to get my GED ...though I did have to take a break from that due to
my husband had a heart attic a lil over a month ago and wow that wakes everyone up fast..he is doing very well now...eating right ...exercising a lil more then he did before..during that month my band got so tight I couldn't eat anything and enjoy it...not good...I did see Drs yesterday and got my band unfilled ( scary ) but a upper GI on Monday and if all looks good he will refill it...I was at 8.5 ccs....might go down to 8...what ever he says...
SO life is wonderful 19 months since I was banded !!!

I finally paid my AT&T Uverse bill word of advice check your bill often because they will upgrade your internet without your knowledge. I guess they didn’t get the memo about me being on a budget!
 
Anyway how is everyone? I am okay… I guess. This recovery time is harder than I thought it would be. I guess I can start with the morning of the surgery. Surgery took about 18 minutes and I was discharged around 930am. Once again my amazing daddy took care of me. He made sure that my a$$ sat down and got my meds. And just like last time he went to work that evening! This is why I love my daddy! My coworkers (I don’t know if I told you guys this before but I work with nurses) been checking on me every day especially my partner in crime. It cracks me up when he texts saying how is my patient this morning! (I can’t laugh too much because it hurts) Despite of all the things that been going on with him losing his home and getting his life back on track. He still makes time to check on me and that means a lot to me.
 
My support system has been wonderful to me. They are concerned about me because the first thing they ask me is I hope you’ve been sitting you’re a$$ down! I am but it is hard. I thought I prepared myself mentally for this but I didn’t. I am afraid that I am going to gain some of my weight back when I am so close to One Hundred Land! I was doing so good with my workouts and I really wanted to do my first 5K with Catfish next Saturday but I have to wait and try again. It’s sorta depressing but I am trying to get over it by thinking about how much I accomplish during this journey.
 
So, I am going to put my faith in God and move forward. Besides I will have to do this again in a couple of months because my port has to be put in again. My surgeon let me know this yesterday I will a little disappointed but he told me to continue what I been doing and I will do just fine. Then he removed my packing on my incisions and showed me how to do packing. I just like to say two things: That f*cking hurt! Thank goodness for pain killers and two I am glad my daddy drove me because after all that I wouldn’t been able to drive. So what did my daddy do…. He took me out for some ice cream! I am such a daddy’s girl and a big kid but this actually made me feel better!
 
I haven’t got my appetite back yet but I’ve been eating. I have too because all the pills I’ve been taking and I don’t need to be taking them on an empty stomach. I know I will resume my workouts soon but until then I will continue making healthier choices until I get back on track! I have to remember this is only temporary.
 
Thanks for reading.

I am still seeing post about what you should be eating, how much you should be eating, why am I not losing weight, why does this hurt and why does that hurt. One thing that should be clear when you leave your doctors office either pre op or post op, you should have a list of foods you may eat. You should have been told exactly what to expect after your surgery and during the pre op phase. If you are not sure of these things then you need to schedule an appointment to see your doctor. I can not believe so many would have this kind of surgery and still be asking what you should be eating and what you should not be eating. In the pre op stage if your doctor or nutritionist has not gone over these things with you then you should ask or find another doctor. When I left my meeting right before my surgery in my hand (which was also gone over with us by the dietician) was a list of foods to eat and at what stage. A prescription for pain medications and nausea medication. I had times when I could start exercising and how much I was to eat in a day. The only way that they lap band is going to work for you is to have every piece of information from your doctor available at your finger tips. Every doctor is different in what they want you to eat so asking us if you can eat something is like asking can you remove your sutures. If you are afraid to ask your doctor questions then why have your insurance pay him or if you are self pay why hand over 16,000 dollars or more. He is getting paid to give you what you need to be successful in this journey. Not everyone loses weight the same and if you want or expect to drop 100 pounds in a few months that is unrealistic. Yes others have lost more then you but it does not mean you are doing anything wrong. It just means your body is not going to lose it fast. If someone weighs 400lbs and you weigh 250 they will lose faster then you. If you are having any kind of pain call your doctor it could be something serious. I think if you are unsure of what you are doing then your doctor should be the one guiding you .

I started to get serious about exercise and walking about 4 weeks post-op in January 2013. I would get my iPod, blast some of my Treadmill Playlist tunes (Eminem, 50 Cent, Nelly, Pink and even Justin Bieber), find my focal point and start walking. At first I could only walk about 10-15 minutes before it felt like my legs were jelly, but it felt good and I felt like I was at least moving. I always covered the time/distance display because I didn't want to get caught up in the numbers at that point- I just wanted to sweat a little.
 
About a month into this routine, I decided to start increasing the speed a little at a time. It was hard for my legs to keep up with the pace, but I did it. I finally got to the point where I felt strong enough to increase the speed to do a slow jog and only lasted about 2 minutes- MAX. The next day I did the same thing, but added 30 seconds. And just kept going until I found myself running on the treadmill on a regular basis. Say what?! I have NEVER enjoyed running, jogging or even sweating for that matter. But I started to crave this new feeling I got when I was running, a feeling I had never experienced before and find hard to explain.
 
Last week while I was on the treadmill, I happened to look down and caught a glimpse of my feet moving beneath me and I became mesmerized. Although I have been on "Charlie" hundreds of times, I absolutely could not believe what I was seeing. Less than a year ago, I could hardly go up a flight of stairs without being winded and avoided multiple trips upstairs at all costs. I started to cry while I was looking down at my legs and feet gliding along at a nice pace, it looked so effortless at that moment. I'll never forget that day. Kelly Clarkson was in my ear telling me "No one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that." I took a little video on my phone to capture that moment when I really started to believe that I AM A RUNNER.
 

Made Sourdough Waffles for the family this morning, they were so light and smelled so good that I knew with enough butter and syrup they would be a slider food for sure. two small bites later and NOPE. Fed the sewage system and will have a shake before Church.

I'm truely all smiles this morning. I went in to have a fill on tuesday and i weighted in at 216. I weighed myself today for the March challenge and i was down to 213. This has made my day. So I started my day off with an egg white veggie omelete. If I had this to do all over again I surely would.

I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to let stress get the best of me. I'm done, and I'm moving on...
 
Monday is a new day, a new challenge...

After spending a lot of time on LBT and now having some experiences under my belt, I have come to the conclussion that the LB is like a game of Chutes & Ladders.
 
We start our surgery and we're going along and climb a few LADDERS by losing weight and then we might do something not so smart, get stuck, not enough protein or water, injuries, sickness etc... and we hit the CHUTES, back to shakes, rethink how and what we're eating.
 
The best part is there is always a winner, as long as you don't give up the game.
 
Just my thoughts

This morning got up early and went to my son's house. Last week my grandson was 13 and we had to bring him his b. day gifts. My son went and bought fresh made bagels. I was polite and asked for 1/4 of a bagel and he put Smart Balance on it. Nothing. That is how I felt about eating a former breakfast food. Nothing. I can live without them. I loved that. Some foods I can not go without but bagels are on the good bye list.
On my never live without list is pizza, bread in restaurants, almonds, pasta and Chinese food. I think that is it. If you can't have what you really love and enjoy yourself the Band will not work with you because you will go after all these forbidden foods. Or that is how I see it with me.
Have a wonderful weekend and hopefully no storms where you live.
"Eye Candy"

This article went out to all 3,000 employees at my state agency. Guess everyone knows now.
 
 
Surgical maneuver: Amanda changes course with weight loss surgery
 
Weight loss surgery is simply a cosmetic issue; it’s taking the easy way out. Amanda is witness to the fallacy of these notions. Candidates for surgery have exhausted other means of weight loss and are at risk of illnesses that can be life threatening. And treatment does not end with surgery. Success demands from patients a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
 
For Amanda, weight loss surgery afforded her the opportunity to make the necessary and permanent change in her life that other methods had failed to do. Her body mass index was in the severe range. The three medicines she was taking were not stabilizing her high blood pressure. And Amanda’s doctor had diagnosed her as prediabetic.
 
Amanda recalls, “I couldn’t even walk up five stairs to get into the building without [being winded]. Medically, I was completely unhealthy. And I had to do something to change that.”
 
Choosing the right course
 
Of the three main types of weight loss surgery, Amanda opted for the least invasive: laparoscopic gastric banding. She was concerned that sleeve gastrectomy, which involves removing about 75 percent of the stomach, is too new a procedure and is irreversible. And gastric bypass surgery, although more common, is also considered to be irreversible and has a higher risk of nutritional deficiency. Gastric bypass surgery involves sealing off the upper part of the stomach and connecting it to the lower part of the small intestine. Thus food skips part of the digestive tract, and the body absorbs fewer calories.
 
Amanda chose laparoscopic gastric banding (lap bad surgery) not only because it is the least invasive but also because it is reversible and involves routine checkups. A band is placed near the top of the stomach and is inflated with a saline solution to create a pouch, or kind of funnel. When a patient eats, the pouch fills up with food much sooner than the entire stomach would. As a result, the patient feels full sooner. The food also takes longer to pass into the lower part of the stomach, which increases the amount of time that the patient feels satisfied between meals.
 
The band is adjustable, allowing doctors to routinely evaluate and optimize its effectiveness. A tube runs from the band to an access port — a small, discreet incision under the skin on the patient’s stomach. The doctor inserts a needle into the port to add saline solution to the band. The solution tightens the band, which shrinks the size of the opening from the upper stomach to the lower stomach and so reduces the patient’s food consumption. The port can also be used to remove solution from the band if the band is too tight to allow food to move through the digestive tract or is causing problems, such as pain or vomiting. Regular checkups enable the doctor to find and maintain the “green zone,” the most effective opening size for the patient.
 
The journey has just begun
Amanda’s surgery was successful, but it was just the beginning. For the first two weeks after the operation, she could consume only clear liquids. She graduated to full liquids for the following two weeks. Only then could she move on to the luxury of mushy foods.
 
Recalling her trial by diet, she says, “The first two weeks, [you’re not so hungry] because your stomach is full, and you don’t have an appetite. But once the swelling went down, the hunger returned with a vengeance.”
 
Amanda did eventually get to move on to solid foods, but in order to avoid discomfort or potential problems, such as band slippage, she has had to adopt strict eating habits. She eats only about a cup of food per meal, which she serves on a side dish to appear more abundant. She chews her food very well, about 20 or 30 chews, before swallowing, and she must wait at least a minute between bites. She downloaded an app to help her time her bites.
 
“The idea is that it takes you about 20 or 30 minutes to eat your meal. And then you’re full. If you follow those protocols, nine times out of ten you have no problem. Most complications are from patients’ not following the guidelines and not changing their eating habits.”
 
Band or no band, most anyone would likely benefit from those eating practices.
 
Steady as she goes
Referencing Leslie Mitchell’s comment in a recent article about the Calorie Counter app, Amanda notes that surgery, like the app or any weight loss tool, is not a magic wand. The surgery helped Amanda lose 80 pounds in a year, but its success depended on her discipline to consistently make healthy choices, a discipline that
she must enforce for the rest of her life.
 
Amanda now exercises daily. Not only did she overcome those five steps that used to wind her entering the building, but she now climbs the stairs to her office each morning…on the eighth floor! And sometimes, she makes the trip more than once a day.
“My exercise is walking. I don’t do gyms,” she laughs.
 
Once a month, Amanda meets with a support group. Fellow members, who have all had lap band surgery, offer emotional and moral support as well as exchange recipes and ideas.
 
Amanda also strictly monitors the food she eats. Since she is eating less food, she must ensure that every bite packs a nutritional punch.
“I eat high protein — three to four ounces of protein per meal; then, veggies. Then if I’m still hungry, I add the carbohydrates. But most carbohydrates give you energy but don’t fill you. They make you hungry, especially…non-complex carbohydrates….If I’m going to eat something, I’m going to make sure it’s worth my while.”
She’s even been known to turn down a piece of chocolate these days. Her rationale: A piece of chocolate may be only 45 calories, but that’s 45 calories of mostly empty nutritional value.
 
The surgery, she explains, “doesn’t change the type of food you put in your mouth. You have to control that. Ice cream will go straight down — [the band] is a funnel. For a lot of the people who aren’t successful, it’s because they don’t change their eating habits. It’s the same with any of the surgeries. Like with the bypass — some people lose all this weight and then just gain it right back.”
 
Although her new diet is strict, Amanda can still enjoy the occasional treat. “It all boils down to calories in versus calories out. It depends on how physical I am,” she explains. Eloquently articulating her new outlook, she says, “Now I eat to fuel the body and not the obsession.”
 
Balancing the costs
Unfortunately, costs for lap band surgery can be prohibitive. The procedure is expensive, and the amount of insurance coverage depends on the plan. To qualify under many plans, an individual must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater and two comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure and prediabetes. Currently, the state of Texas plan uses a higher BMI minimum and includes some additional requirements. Naturally, other costs can include deductibles and copays. Individuals interested in weight loss surgery should consult their provider for details.
 
The initial expense may be high, but the investment is sound. Weight loss surgery can be a valuable tool in promoting healthy lifestyles and likely reducing the high costs of long-term medical care. In addition, investing in healthy individuals can, as this agency has recognized with its successful wellness program, yield solid returns for all.

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

Just have to put down in print a NSV I had today
 
Yesterday I got myself down because my day started just like every other day
for lunch I wanted soup and decided to have a bowl of onion soup...then another...
and in each bowl I put oyster crackers in them...My down fall is pretzles and saltie crackers are
trigger foods for me... so from there on it was a eatting frenzi for me...Thank goodness I dont have any junk food in the house...so I over did with good things...
 
I woke up this morning with a fear OMYGOODNESS please let me get ahold of this eatting and not have a day like yesterday...( I swear I even dreamed of food)
 
So breakfast I had my usual yogurt...ok....lunch time I had a bowl of salad with a C of cottage cheese garnished with some slivered almonds....4 bites in and I was wow...Im full !!! But I was scared not to get my protein in so it took me a hr to get it all down....
 
Then I started watching TV as I folded laundry....The Cake Boss....and they were baking with Choc...and OREOs....and OO WOW I wanted choc !!! SO I got myself a small SF jello cup....took 2 bites and really enjoyed and thought about the taste...I satified my craving and folded the foil lid back over the cup put it back in the fridge and I was happy...
This may all sound like such a small thing to some of you...but for me its a HUGE NSV....
A year ago I would of had one cup cuz I wanted one....the second cup to taste it...and a third cup cuz I didnt even taste the first 2......Food controled my every min of my days...to be in control of food is the best......

This weekend my husband & I went to Lubbock, Texas for the Wine Chocolate Fantasia at Llano Estacado Winery. This is an annual event and is both a fund raiser for the ACF Texas Panhandle Chefs de Cuisine and the West Texas Parkinsonism Society; as well as a chocolate competition. There are entries from amateurs, professionals and chefs. The evening includes many of Llano Estacado’s wines for sampling.
 
It was quite enjoyable hanging around barrels of aging wine, sampling some interesting chocolate creations and sipping on my favorite wines.
 
I consumed about 800 calories this evening; pure sugar and fat calories. My total calories for the day were 1600. I am at goal and that is the only reason I chose to attend this event. I would never recommend anyone still losing to attempt managing an evening like this. I don’t know the actual calorie count for the chocolate I sampled nor do I know their actual weight so I took my best guess.
 
Why am I telling you about this? Two reasons; it was fun and I want to share my experience managing the maintenance lifestyle. I know that I am going to attend things where the only choice is wasted calories, full of fat. As long as I stay in moderation I will be successful.
 
I planned for this event I knew I would be eating chocolate and drinking wine. I knew about how much I wanted to have before I arrived and I stuck to that. The evening was an absolute blast.

Today while I was at work I honestly had to say to myself I am so thankful for my health. When you work in a hospital you think you have seen everything and then there is always something worse. The pain that people suffer, the drug addiction, alcoholism, patients with HIV, miserable infections that antibiotics wont cure, people trying to kill themselves, and the list goes on, I just have to think these aches and pains I have from being on my feet for 12 hours is nothing compared to how these people suffer daily. All the people in ICU on vents being kept alive by a machine. Some of these things just are not right. When you see these things from a medical perspective it really is an eye opener. I never in my life have seen family's who are so selfish to keep someone alive and make them suffer because they don't want to let go. Then they stand outside of ICU and argue about what the patient wants, when in fact it's not at all what the patient wants but what they want.
 
The patients that get me the most are the elderly with dementia whose bodies work so well but their minds don't. It must really be pure hell to have a healthy body but you can't remember who your family is or where you are. I don't take life or my health for granted because it can be gone in a minute.
 
One of my coworkers today had to leave work because her cousin was shot dead in her car because someone tried to car jack the car and she wouldnt open the door. A life gone in less then the time it takes to send a text. Life is hard and people are even harder.
 
I am thankful today and always for everything I have. I will take my bad hip any day then suffer like others do. Take time to be thankful for everything in your life.

Ok i have been sitting here reading the furums this morning...
and WOW....
I mean were all in the same place....sure some of us are a lil more ahead then others...but we all started at the same START LINE....we all want to get to the same place....
yet Im reading so much meanness from so many people....Were living in a world with so much meaness right now....It just saddens me to see a group of people with the same goals...hurting and even wishing bad to each other.....I just cant wrap my mind around this....

Ok i have been sitting here reading the furums this morning...
and WOW....
I mean were all in the same place....sure some of us are a lil more ahead then others...but we all started at the same START LINE....we all want to get to the same place....
yet Im reading so much meanness from so many people....Were living in a world with so much meaness right now....It just saddens me to see a group of people with the same goals...hurting and even wishing bad to each other.....I just cant wrap my mind around this....

Ok i have been sitting here reading the furums this morning...
and WOW....
I mean were all in the same place....sure some of us are a lil more ahead then others...but we all started at the same START LINE....we all want to get to the same place....
yet Im reading so much meanness from so many people....Were living in a world with so much meaness right now....It just saddens me to see a group of people with the same goals...hurting and even wishing bad to each other.....I just cant wrap my mind around this....

Ok i have been sitting here reading the furums this morning...
and WOW....
I mean were all in the same place....sure some of us are a lil more ahead then others...but we all started at the same START LINE....we all want to get to the same place....
yet Im reading so much meanness from so many people....Were living in a world with so much meaness right now....It just saddens me to see a group of people with the same goals...hurting and even wishing bad to each other.....I just cant wrap my mind around this....