marcyinak

Phyll - I've lost a total of 7 lbs. for the Thanksgiving Challenge...still not beating myself up about not losing 10...there WAS a lot of dessert involved after all! Everyone....here are some pictures from the trip. I'll try not to post a gazillion, but you have to realize that we are not picture taking people and we actually took pictures this time..and *gasp* I'm in some of them! So here you are...I included a picture of the Grand Buffet from the cruise...it's a midnight buffet (as if you haven't eaten enough during the day already) that showcases the best that their chefs have to offer...and it tasted oh so good! I managed to have a "small taste/lick" of plenty!

I'm BaaaaAAAACK! The cruise was GREAT and I have determined that the cruise companies and the diet companies are in co-hoots! Not a lot of food was edible (for me...sent me to the bathroom more than once to PB...I learned to do a lot of licking!). BUT, the desserts were EASY to get down! I have to admit there were times that I had TWO desserts...even took one to my room (there was this souffle that was to die for!). I managed to stay the EXACT same weight! (So for all of you who thoought that I was ahead on the Thanksgiving Challenge...well, I only made it 7 lbs., but considering what I ate these past two weeks...still not too bad!) Must've been all that walking I did...and sweating! Not to mention that session in the spa where I had "toxins removed from my body with algae" (whatever! it was free!) Pictures to come, but internet is slow and I have to get used to the waiting again... It's good to be home with my protein shakes...can you believe I said that? Phyll - do we have a Challenge Final list?

Frustrated - I love the eggnog too...you can still have some, just in MODERATION! I don't like it "strong" so I always use have eggnog and half milk - to be good I use skim. It satisfies the craving. I also add a little more nutmeg to it and that seems to do the trick! Phyl - I also retain water from sitting all day (especially flying). I got some slight compression knee-highs from Wallyworld a while back and it TOTALLY changed things for me! I wear them for flying and long drives and I don't get hot and don't get swollen! Thanksgiving Challenge - something AMAZING happened today! I am 229! Yes, I'm in the 220s! I know it's still a lot, but I haven't been that in almost NINE years! So I started the challenge at 236 so that puts me at -7 pounds! Now, do I think I can lose the rest while on the cruise? At least the candy won't be around! Haha! Funny thing about living in bush Alaska...fruit and "healthy food" is VERY expensive here so I tend to eat much more healthier when out of town so maybe, just maybe I'll be able to do it! I'll weigh myself Tues. morning before I go to the airport and then when I come back on the 23rd...we'll just see!! CC - GREAT job on the weightloss! I'm looking forward to onderland!

Forgive70x7 - way to go! I'm having trouble losing the weight for the challenge, but I'm more interested in BREATHING right now. Haha! I think I'll go take a nap so I'll have more energy later to take the kids out for Trick or Treating...DH is in a brace and crutches because of a meniscus tear and won't be able to do it this year...should make traveling across the country and getting on a cruise ship more interesting!

As you can tell, it was a bad experience, look at all the swearing! Man, I have a potty mouth...sorry! Happy Halloween!

WARNING! I've had a pretty bad cold for a while now so I got out my arsenal of meds last night and without thinking anything of it I took two tablets of Mucinex (haven't heard of it? well, it's one of the best things out there). It has the quick disolving side and the other side that is a "timed release" (ie. doesn't disolve). So at about 11:30pm in the middle of what I might refer to as a "kick ass dream" my stomach HURT. Yep, it was that damn pill stuck! The pain went all around my diaphram and into my back...totally freaked me out. It took about ten minutes to pass...then...the next pill hit about 15 min. later. Let's just say I had nightmares after that! I'd like to feel better before we leave next week..geez!

Phyllser - this next month I'll be out more than in...just keep me on the list and I'll be sure to report back the day after Thanksgiving! The Challenge - I've managed to stay away from the candy (not completely, but I'm doing MUCH better). The Challenge has also kick started my working out. I got out the pedometer (which works sporadically, but I get an idea of what I'm doing/not doing) and I've been out chopping wood everyday and swimming a couple times a week with the kids. So all in all, if I don't lose any serious pounds, I've won already! Now, if the weather just cooperates...we've still got a PILE of logs to chop before they freeze to the ground! We had 3 inches of snow last night and woke up to RAIN! Oh yeah, that was NIIIIICCCCCEEEEE! NOT!

OK, I was able to pass by the cupcakes (which are still on the counter this morning). Maybe I'll be able to make it the rest of the day! By then the family would have them all eaten! My DH was sick last night so I didn't "get any" so I just took a shower instead....yeah, don't hear that from a woman too often, eh? I know, a little TMI, but I'm in a good mood....

There are cupcakes in the house!!!! HELP ME! I know there's frosting too....left over, in the fridge.... It's almost 10pm so it would be even MORE stupid for me to succum... Hold on, sister....you can do it...yeah, that's what I'll do...I'll DO IT... Better go get my husband!

Dini - I, too, am eating not the right things...I eat a lot of what I CAN eat and not what I SHOULD eat....man, I can go through cookies and cheetos easy...it's the chicken or any other meat that I have issues with! Brandy - make sure while you're in St. Thomas to take an excursion to St. John and go to Trunk Bay - it's absolutely beautiful and there's an "underwater tour" that you snorkel through...there are large stones under the water that you can read with information about everything that you're seeing...the sand is white and just like powder! LOVE IT! We head out on 11/11 to Grand Caymen, Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel...it's a family affair. I have to say I prefer the Eastern Caribbean, but I LOVE Grand Caymen! Thanksgiving Challenge - well, it's gonna suck for me...seems that AFTER I finished my period/flowers/Aunt Flow I GAINED 4 lbs.! That sets me back a few for the challenge...I'm going to aim for 225 for when I get back (the day after Thanksgiving) and we'll see what happens. I have to admit, however, that I've been using my pedometer (finally got it out of the box) and my Treadclimber...oh, and there's some wood chopping that's been done. So, I'm working out more - but just this week so none of that, "Oh, Marcy...you're gaining muscle." That's not what's happening....I'm eating the wrong things and working on eating the right things. Dear Lord, get Halloween over with already!!!!

OK, I have to admit that I'm a little worried I won't be able to do it....but count me in....10lbs by Thanksgiving. To note though, I'll get an extra day because I'm flying home that day and won't be able to weigh myself until the next morning. But that also takes Thanksgiving dinner out of the picture! Good luck Lucky #7s!

Janet - YOU LOOK AMAZING! You're really giving me an extra boost in the way of staying away from the opened bag of Halloween candy! OK folks, I'll post a picture in a couple of weeks...not because I haven't lost enough, but because I want to dye my hair and actually "do" it for a picture I'm going to post! I'll be headed for the cruise soon and will be getting my hair done in a "summer color" so it'll be a more fun picture!

Thanks Jackie! I know the 6 lbs. was a "quick loss" so I'm not expecting more weeks like this past one, but I was hoping to lose another 10 before I go on my cruise on 11/11 and this gets me well on my way to that mini-goal! Distant - You look great too! I find it interesting that you got the band and you weren't even 200lbs.! Here my goal is 180 and you were probably there during your pre-op! Haha! Everyone is different and I'm glad you found a tool that will help you. I wasn't so sure about this, but I haven't gained any weight back and that was the whole point of all of this...to STOP GAINING! Oh, BTW...I read it all so you're not being ignored!

Good news! FINALLY I'm losing like I feel I should be! (I say this while I'm eating popcorn though.) As of this morning I am now 1 lb. away from being at my pre-pregnanCIES weight! This is a MAJOR deal for me! I'm so happy! I even put aside my "fat jeans" (to give to a friend) and am wearing a size 18 today...they're just a little snug when I sit, but I don't think I'll be going back to the 20s! I'm VERY happy about that! I know that there are some people who have issues with the scale. I've found that (THIS IS FOR ME ONLY - EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT) when I weight myself every morning I'm more apt to watch what I eat throughout the day. So...after my last fill I've lost about 6 lbs. and that's 7 days! I'm still eating a decent size meal (what a "normal" person should eat anyway) although I'm a little tight in the morning and just have a shake. I'm not excersizing nearly enough, but I feel good...I actually ran around with the kids at playgroup today instead of sitting on the bench chit-chatting with other moms. It's a good day!

Jackie - WOW! I swear you look at least 40 years old in the first photo and my first reaction to the *new* you was, wow, she looks about 17! You look fantastic!

Haha! Just put my husband's name in for the Goth name thing....he's a State Trooper...name is appropriate! Death Dealer!

So, Halloween is going to suck for me...chocolate and candy MELTS! I know I'll be able to make it through the cruise, Thanksgiving, and Christmas because that's all about actual food....AAAAHHHHH! Some loving idiot gave me a huge bag of candy for the church kids today...what was I thinking bringing the dang thing home? I'm PMSing and this is NOT something that should be available! Dear Lord, help me! Andrew was kind enough to move the bag away from the computer and he knows that I don't want it enough to get up and get it so I've been saved! For the time being! My fill is working FANTASTIC! I am totally not able to eat the way I was before. I went to a breakfast at church yesterday and able to only eat a slice of Cantelope and about a 1/4 cup serving of a breakfast/egg casserole! And when I mean ABLE I mean there was no way more was getting down! I've been having protein shakes for breakfast and they are satisfying me so far, but it's getting cold here and a cold shake in the morning is not an ideal way to start the day off...I'll have to come up with something else. Things are good up here in Alaska. A little snow, a little cold, and my blow-up skeleton is scarring the neighbors! Haha!

Mango - mine was also Velvet Crotch...so I used my REAL name *Martha* and got Faerie Corpse...much better...but we're talking Goth here, so it's all supposed to be bad! Haha

Oh, yeah...notice that my ticker is FINALLY moving again! Oh yeah, baby! 2lb.s, but I'll take it! I think I found myself a good fill!

CC - I'm so sorry for your loss. I read Sydney's web site and I'm sitting here bawling (apparently I needed a little release and she gave that to me). Thanks for sharing her with us.

ljuht115 - I also have the 4cc band. I had a fill last Wed. that brought me up to 2.5cc. then added .5 cc on Fri. (I have to travel a long way to get fills so I try to get it tweaked as much as possible while in Anchorage). So, 3.0cc seems to be doing the trick for me. I haven't tried bread because food in general is a little difficult to eat - more than a few bites anyway (which is the way I like it right now). I CAN, however, drink soda...go figure?! It is a strange thing, this band. I'm just hoping to be on the losing end soon!

So...just got back from Anchorage...I didn't have good access to the internet and I don't have the time/patience to read everything that I've missed...I hope nothing BIG, but if there was something big I expect that someone will fill me in. So I had my second fill on Wed. afternoon. Put another 1.0 cc in = 2.5cc. I didn't feel any restriction and that afternoon I was able to eat a baked potato and small salad (Wendy's has internet access so I was there for a few minutes checking some email.) :huytsaoI called him and said that I'd like more so I went back in on Fri. and got another .5 cc put in. he did a check and pulled it all out to make sure there wasn't a leak and it all looked good. :)So now I HAVE RESTRICTION! And GOOD restriction at that! I was getting a little jealous that everyone was only eating a little bit and I could eat...well, more than that. So now I've been cut off! Now, I just have to get over the "head hunger"! :hungry:I had lunch with a friend the other day and we had chicken legs and salad. I got through the salad, had two bites of chicken and got stopped up! I had a real hard time with having food still on my plate and I hadn't eaten that much! I even picked at it for about 15 minutes, but just got more and more uncomfortable so finally I stopped. Carbonation doesn't bother me though (tried a diet Coke yesterday and was fine, but I didn't drink it fast either). So, maybe I'm on my way? We'll see. I head off for my cruise in a few weeks and I definitely won't feel all sexy, but definitely better about myself.:biggrin1: OH.....NSV! I went to get some jeans (mine are FALLING off of me) and I had to go down TWO sizes! It was AMAZING! I felt good having to go back to the racks for a SMALLER size!:clap2::whoo:

Now...on a funny note...Andrew's been gone for a week and a half. Just got home today. Sidebar: when you live in the bush you utilize shopping and lugguage when you go into "town". AK Airlines gives us three bags at 50 lbs each and they are ALWAYS filled! We even keep a scale in our truck in Anchorage so we can fill our Rubbermaid buckets - Alaskan lugguage - to the brim! So, I start emptying buckets and we have the usual cleaning supplies, crystal lite, cheese, etc. And then I open the top to the big bucket and there it is....CEREAL! Now, this won't sound alarming to many of you, but this is my demise! I LOVE cereal! I can eat it all the time! So now comes a true test of wills....will I succum...will I retreat....story to finish at a later date!

Kathy - thanks for the info and encouragement! As for NSAIDS....when this came up before I contacted my surgeon and first he had never heard of this and then suggested it was because they can cause upset stomach and since our "stomach" is smaller it can lead to more discomfort and possible ulcers...so....he said it was ok to take on occassion (pill form too), but it wasn't something that I should be taking on a regular basis...but this rings true for unbanded folks as well. Really, I think it all comes down to different docs/different rules and we should follow our OWN doc's advise.

Beth - You're doing terrific on the weight loss! I was banded a day before you and I've only lost about 5 lbs since the surgery! (I count my pre-op diet loss in my total loss in my ticker.) I'd say though that if you're hungry you should get a fill...you shouldn't have to live your life hungry...we already know what that's like! There's been some talk about what exactly is a PB and I've come to my own conclusion that it's just different for everyone. I get that "heat flash" feeling with a lot of slobber and then I just go to the bathroom and heave a little and out comes a gob of slobber and it's all over. I guess I'm just blessed with an incredible control of my gag reflex and can just make it move with my motions. I've also noticed that if it takes longer than about 20 minutes to eat I can eat A LOT! It must start going down by then and then I can just re-fill the pouch? What do you think? Something else: My fill doc said that sometimes after a fill the tissue around the fill gets swollen so you are tighter for a few days and then the swelling goes down....this could be what some of you are experiencing. I DID notice that I was tight for the first few days and then I was fine...I just need to remember to not eat those first few bites of a meal too fast...I get over-excited with food in front of me! Well, I weighed myself yesterday and FINALLY got to 238! I swear the scale has a vandetta against me and did not want to go below 239. Now, I'm not getting stuck on numbers, but it was getting ridiculous! I've had sick kids all weekend...lucky me! Connor woke up last night with a fever and the uk-poos...just keeps getting better!