vinesqueen

Woot! Don't forget to change your sig!

I find that really good, really dark chocolate does the trick for me. Just one or two of the dark dove treasures... Of course, I have a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's in the fridge that I've had for 6 weeks.... So, I guess don't listen to me... Wow, you have done a great job with your weight loss work! No pitty from me!

This is my only support group. As far as I know, there aren't any other bandsters in ID. My husband is very supportive, since he's been banded too, but he lives in another state.

/e does the happy dance! Sashimi! My husband isn't much a a sushi person, but he takes me out for it because he knows how I adore it. He hasn't been able to tell me if he can still eat it, because well, he didn't really eat it before, and wasn't willing to try after. (He pb's a lot)

Excellent work Cindy! How long have you been going to the gym? Are you doing strength training? It is possible that you aren't actually at a plateau, but you are busy building muscle. Muscle weighs much more than fat. This fall I gained around 15 pounds. Yeah, I know, YIKES!!! However, the even with gaining that weight, my SIZE didn't change, which means that I put on 15 pounds of muscle. From what I have learned here on these boards, some plateaus last a month, some last several months while your body is getting used to it's new size and shape. It is possible that your body and mind need this time to readjust to NOW... 87 lbs in 6 1/2 months! Holy Cow! That is great! you have done much better than the 8-10 pounds per month average! That's just over what, 13 pounds a month! How long has it been since you were at this size??? You have done some really tremendous work, and you should be proud of where you are!

Okay, I think I'm going to have to request a warning lable from now on with all your future postings... Something along the lines of "Caution! May cause Crystal to laugh until she cannot breathe!" Okay, I've got my caftan ready... How long does the jammie stage last? How long does the "no bra" stage last? (I only have bras that are marvles of engineering...)

ah, good point. That's why I suggested running through the stick... And creamed corn in this would be good... I'll edit the recipe. Thanks Lisa!

This is Soooo good. ISU has an African Night every year, and this was one of the foods served at dinner. I think this qualifies as mushy and can be run through the stick blender as well to make sure it is. Irio: 8 servings Drain 1 16-oz. can PEAS and measure the liquid. Put the peas through a vegetable mill or sieve to make a puree. Drain 1 16-oz. can KERNEL CORN and add the liquid to that of the peas. In a 2-quart saucepan: To make sure this is a "mushy" food, please use creamed corn, or run the corn throgh a blender. Prepare 4 cups INSTANT MASHED POTATOES following package directions and using the vegetable liquors as part of the required liquid. Add: 3 Tbs. BUTTER 1 tsp. SALT 1/4 tsp. PEPPER. Blend the puree of peas into the mashed potatoes until a smooth green color results. Fold in the drained kernel corn. The consistency should be that of firm mashed potatoes. I haven't tried this, since I just now found it. When I make it, I will use frozen pettit peas and probably will use frozen corn. Frozen veg don't have the problem of added salt that canned veg does. Also, by using frozen veg you will be able to adjust the ammount you make easier. Plus I will probably add a whole bunch of stuff like onion or garlic or both. .... mmmm garlic I edited this on Delarla's advice, not having ever actually been on a mushy diet...

Trish, have your tried water aerobics? My husband was in the pool until he hit about 500 pounds (going the wrong way), but he had to stop going because he developed an sore on his calf that just would not heal. ANYWAY he felt much better being in the water than on dry land. You might find the water is a good place for you too.

Ah, but who says they don't count? The same people and mechanisms that say we dont' count? I say they do! I say that anything that gets us up and grooving, up off the sofa or our chair counts! Every single one of those activities burns calories, does it not? Then by golly, it does count. And the simple fact is the more we do those types of things, the more we can do other types of "move around 'thingies'" Unless you are in a power chair when you go grorcery shopping, (or are lucky enough to get cart rides) you are walking. Walking, walking, walking. I say they count, and I say we count!

Alex, I just wanted to let you know that my son thinks you are lieing... That there is no way these are pictures of the same person! We both say that you look so much younger in the second one. WAY TO GO GURL!!!

He’s been at a plateau of 420 for the last couple of months. Part of it is psychological; he hasn’t been in the 300 range for 20 years. Fear, anger, body armor. All issues that are keeping him from where he could be. Probably issues that are keeping most of us from where we could be too. He’s been eating way too much sugar, but he knows it. On the plus side, two weeks ago he and our son started working with a personal trainer. I figure that after a while working with the trainer will kick start his weight loss. He has also come to an understanding that if he doesn’t let go of some of his cherished anger at his father, he will never lose the weight he needs to lose. (Body armor…)

Hey Trish, I've had my surgery date since the first week in January. I've had that date set before some of the other test. I met with the dietician, and the surgeon on the same day, and the psych eval was taken care of a week later. It is possible that it is easier for them to schedule the operation first, and the smaller test, like ekg and other "stuff" in smaller time slots. Don't worry, it will be alright. Sure, it is easy for me to say this, since I still have over a month to go before my band installation....

HAH HA HA HA HA Oh my gawd! that was too funny! And so appropate given the subject!!!! My husband has some interesting stories about certian gay men chasing him and asking him out. Even when he weighted 600 pounds. He was flattered, but of course turned them down.

Thanks Darcy, this has been on my mind lately. A need to "be here now." I find that I don't think about what I am currently doing, but focus on what else needs to be done, or wants to be done. If I cannot focus on what I am currently doing, how can I be happy there? Since I discovered that the scales lie, I haven't really paid much attention to what they tell me, consequently, I have not listened to the scales when they told me the truth either. *sigh* I have discovered during this journey of discovery that I am currently on that I have been guilty of gulping my food in hurry to get to the next... what ever. Since I have started to seriously masticate, I find I am more focused on my food, as opposed to what was on my computer screen, or TV screen or book. I think if I concentrate more on what I am eating, if I actually pay attention to what I am eating, my head hunger hunger might be satisfied sooner.

I can relate to your post Ladiebird. I've been with a few feeders, all thin men too... odd that. My sister-in-law is currently in a realationship with a man who adors fat women. (She and I are roughly the same size). My dad also adored fat women. One of his favorite sayings was "a full barn and a plump wife never did any man harm." I know that he sabotaged every diet my mother was on. Oh sure, he would feed her, but we were a different story all together...

It is my understanding that most barfing flus (what the heck is the plural of "flu?") are actually outbreaks of food poisoning. Of course, you can get the actual flu and cought so hard that you vomit. This is one of my concerns...

how do crunches affect the port?

I believe I’m ready. I’ve done some serious soul searching. I know some of the reasons I’ve been holding on to my armor of fat. At least, I think I know. A big thank-you to everyone here for helping me along this journey. I’ve read almost everything posted since October, and that is sure a lot! J Most of it has been very thought provoking for me. I hope I’ve been able to add to the quality of the board, and not just created a lot of useless noise! The before-and-after pix are such an inspiration, as is the NSV thread. The results y’all have shared amaze me and give me hope. I need all the hope I can get. You see, I am still in the camp where I don’t quite believe that this band will actually help me. I have tried just about everything, but I only end up fatter than ever. I worry that it won’t work for me. I know that the band is only a tool, and not magic. I know I still have lots of hard work ahead of me. I believe I’ve set a realistic goal for myself; I want to end up a pants size of 12, and end up around 170 pounds. So, that’s just shy of 100 pounds, and a full 10 sizes. My first NSV goal is to nicely fit into a desk at school, not feel like a sausage squeezed into the desk… Food and exercise: I’ve examined my relationship to food, and I’ve discovered why I HAVE to have a house full of food even if I never ever eat it. I know most of the foods that trigger a binge. I have learned a lot about some of the various eating disorders. I’m learning that even thin people think they are fat and are made miserable by that. I’m practicing chewing everything to mush…. I even masticate in public! However, I’m a little worried about not drinking with meals though because I find some foods too dry to swallow without the added benefit of a sip of water. Because I’m currently recovering from a severe asthma episode that lasted for several months, I’m slowly getting back to where I was physically. I actually took the stairs yesterday without even thinking about it! Sure I was winded when reached the next floor, but I was exhilarated at the same time. It sucks being limited to “as tolerated” especially when I am still not tolerating as much as I was before this episode started in November. But one of my goals is to get my black belt in Tae Kwon Do before I graduate, and I know what that work will require. Aftercare: All aftercare will be taken care of in Seattle, which is groovy with me because it means I can write off trips home. And any excuse to go home is a good one. Okay, well, almost any excuse…

Johnathan, my husband had a similar experience to yours, he was in hospital for about 4 days after his surgery, but he's super special.... He had A LOT of swelling and couldn't keep anything down for days and days. I'm glad you've been able to finally get somthing to stay down.

Oh, Newhope, I understand that. Character is who you are in the dark. My point was that I think what travisty that this new faith based diet fad is. It plays to people's worst fears. As an arguement for not letting fat people in heaven, they often point to verses that site the body as a temple, and let no man defile that temple. Since we are fat, we've obviously defiled the temple... How dare they suggest that the MO are less worthy than someone with a high metabolic rate or who barfs everything they eat??? How dare they judge, how dare they condem! They dare because they view us as less than worthy in this life; we are the new pariahs, the new lepers. It isn't illegal to discriminate against us (except for one state, I believe) and we make a convienient target. Also, I think they dare because diet hawkers make tons of money off the misery and failed hopes of people like us.

Thanks Zoe, I only have two more years here then I head out to parts unknown after I finish my degree. Luckily I get to go home for Summers... If you google "christian weight loss" you gett approximately 18,800 different entries, while "bible based weight loss" only nets your 31 google pages... Yeah, this is a big phenomina. I believe the folks who are screaming that fat people don't go to heaven are the same types of people who either think that only people who go to heaven believe exactly the same way they do, or they are simply marketing weenies who use reliegeon to play on people's fears and insecurities. And gutton is only my second favorite of the SDS... (While skin is the largest sex organ, the brain is the most important...) I do try to work on the other 5, but I have trouble with striking a balance with pride. Resumes built on humility don't get you the job you want...

bumping for Brandi

I have never been ashamed of my size. Okay, that's a lie, I haven't been ashamed of my size for many, many, many years. I haven't let it stop me from doing anything, not skiing, not belly dancing, not wearing a tankini bathing suit, not changing in the women's locker room. Of course, lately my weight and size have stopped me from breathing, but that is a different thread entirely. I have been very lucky to live in a place like Seattle, where people are accepted pretty much for who they are and not what they look like. Gay or strait? No problem. Pierced and tattooed? no problem. From a foreign country? no problem. Fat? very little problem, unless you are as large as my husband was, and then it was mostly an accomidation issue. There is a level of acceptance there for who you are, unless you are cruel or rude or racist, well you get my point. We are pathalogically polite. And then I moved to SE Idaho. For the first time in my adult life, I am looked down upon. I've been treated as if I have personally offended people simply by breathing the same air they do. I am treated sometimes with downright hostility. I mostly look like everyone else here, except for being fatter than most. No tattoos (yet. I'm going to get one for my birthday in 20 years.), no outragous piercings, and I'm pathallogically polite. Okay, I do love to dye my hair fabulous colors... Yet I am treated with hostility here because I am fat. It took me months to figure that out. My new temporary home is a very "churchy" place. There is a lot of "you don't go to my church, so you are not one of the chosen" attitude. I have classmates who won't even acknowled me in the quad because I don't go to their church. (my buddy who is teaches Anthropology has been very helpful in figuring things out here...) I've been reading several articles on the new Christian Diet phenominum. Many are screaming that "fat people don't go to heaven" and other such drivel. Who are they to say who does and does not get into heaven? What happened to "judge not lest you be judged?" We make an easy target, heh, we are so damn big it's hard to miss us. I think it is soooo much easier to point the finger at someone else rather than look at our own shortcomings. Those of us who are MO are seen as weak, and to a extent, wicked. Guttony being one of the seven deadly sins and all. As long as we are viewed as being morally weak I fear that we will contintue to get little or no respect. The few bulimics that I know are "normal" size, and anorexics are certianly thin... Because they are thin and "normal" they are seen as being deserving of respect, sympathy, dignity and treatment.

Under the cummunity section there are directions for posting pix. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4119 Hope this helps