DivaStyleCoach

AllThings, I completely understand why you are frustrated...is there another doctor in the practice (or nearby) you could call / visit / email to get a second opinion? It just seems like he's trying to make it as hard as he can...but that's just this laywoman's opinion. What level of fill do you have? How recently were you banded? I sympathize with your frustration level - it doesn't sound like your doc is easy to work with at all...

AllThings - I don't understand how a "no carb" diet is even possible? Why would your doctor suggest such a thing? It sounds like a version of the Atkins diet (heavy protein) and that has it's own issues with fat content... Enlighten me, please...

Amen, and I say again, Amen!

PJTP...Thanks for the belly laugh!

Congrats and a :w00t: to all who have lost 100 or more - your stories are inspiring, and I have set a goal to join you by the end of 2009!

Hey folks! Loved the challenge on this one...packing food for those less fortunate puts a real "usable" goal at the end of the challenge and puts the focus on someone other than the contestants. Good idea, in my opinion... Why am I not surprised that Laura (miss whiny wop) would sit out the challenge when Sione had an injured ankle and would have been better placed at the belt packing stuff? She is such a WIMP...all that crying and snot flowing and crap...I'm with Jillian on this one - I hope this shook her out of her sense of complacency. My DD and I were just yelling at the TV for her to grow a set and get over herself already! DD says she is Joelle, just a different skin color... *snort* I do like that they were making the entire group responsible for each other, but putting all that pressure on Mike wasn't exactly fair. I don't think he made the goal, though I'd be happy if he did. If he didn't make it, then send Shar-pei Dad and Whiny Weak Laura home... ITA with those who feel Tara might be hard to take on a daily basis, but gotta admire her gumption and refusal to quit. The gal is a serious competitor...DD also feels that Laura compares herself to Tara too much and that might be part of the reason for her spinelessness...she thinks she can't compete with Tara, so she quits trying. I think someone in her childhood made her feel bad for being competitive and trying to come in "first" or "best" and it had such an impression on her that she now refuses to compete and doesn't really know why...sad, just too sad...

Mornin' Notorious Novembers! WannaB - I'm so sorry to hear that you are not having the success you envisioned when you got your band...perhaps by re-educating yourself on healthy food choices via Weight Watchers, and by following that program with the band as a backup to help with portion control, the scale will start to move for you. I can say with absolute certainty that while I knew what I was supposed to do, without my band, I was NOT doing it. I know how to exercise - I was a lifeguard for many years during high school and college and used to swim a mile a day (72 laps of a 25-yard pool); I lifted weights and did cardio classes with dumbbells before aerobics with weights was popular. I was strong, yes, perhaps even fit, but I could never get the scale to move in any real way. Even when I lost weight, it came right back on. For me, the last straw - so to speak - was being hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat that had me passing out on the treadmill during my usual 30-minute routine one morning. It was my body's signal that I wasn't doing enough...that the exercise was not enough to counteract the bad things I was doing to my body with food. Since I was banded my blood sugar numbers are getting better by the week - my doctor is considering taking me off of insulin, and I have lost over 20 pounds with NO REBOUND. I am eating better than I have in years because the band only allows me to eat so much, so I'm focusing on the good stuff. I'm hoping that going back to WW helps you, WannaB - and that the band becomes the tool you must have believed it was before you went through the process of getting surgery. I believe you can be successful with the band - and I want to encourage you from afar...I cannot know everything you are going through, but I pray that you will get the results you want and be a healthier, happier WannaB! :scared2:

Mornin' all! Loved seeing the guys' perspective...and good for him for being brave enough to post here! Plain - that goes for you too... I have had my "salad tossed" - my hubby enjoys it and so do I. He isn't yet 'comfortable' enough to let me reciprocate, but does very much enjoy fellatio and manual stimulation of his testicles (gently, now!). Again, as others have said, cleanliness is critical - you can't expect someone to enjoy tossing a salad with grit in the leaves, now can you? :scared2: Re: the guy who likes "being bent over and taken"...if that's what makes him happy, at least he's open enough to admit it! Perhaps the idea of being submissive to a strong woman who will enjoy him that way is what he wants - not necessarily being submissive to another man. *TMI Alert* My DH and I have an alternating dominant-submissive relationship - we take turns being dominant, but I am most often the dominant one. He likes it that way...and since I am a strong woman who likes to be in charge, I kinda like it that way too. Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion...

PJTP... LJM - I'm so, so sorry to hear about your friend...cancer sucks! It's never easy to lose someone you love - sending you a big hug and praying that your spirit and your heart are lighter as time goes by... Baby farts - I'm laughing at my computer as I read that again...aren't they just too precious? Makes me miss my grandbaby...I think a road trip is definately in my future, but with my schedule at work it will probably be summer before I can go. Working for a college pretty much means that during the academic year, you are on lockdown! :scared2: DH is in Washington, DC for a few days on business, so I'm bored with nothing to do...trying NOT to eat my way out of my funk...

Mumof2boys, Keep on hangin' in there...keep the kids' routine as normal as you can make it, and be sure to keep breathing! It will take some time to get used to your husband's constant presence NOT being there - allow yourself enough time to get used to that! As the wife of a retired Navy man, I can tell you that the absences are hard in the beginning - you may experience everything from profound sadness to a sense of relief and lightness. Allow yourself space to feel any and every thing, and if I could make a recommendation - get yourself a blank book and a really smooth writing pen and write down your thoughts and emotions as you travel this path. You might be surprised at how much you will change, grow and grow stronger! Though my DH's absence was forced by the Navy and not by choice, it was still hard to watch him walk out of the house every time, knowing I'd not see him regularly for a while. It did, however, make me realize how STRONG I was, and I pray you have the same experience. YOU CAN DO THIS! I believe in you - I know you are strong enough to handle it, and I pray you have a chance to get to know the strength you carry within. Bless you - stay in touch and we'll keep encouraging you!

Aww, now...you're gonna make us wait, aren't you? I pray this is the one for you, Donna! I'm still feeling my way through my fill - it was my second, and my restriction is kinda weird. Bread is a no-no most of the time, but occasionally I can eat it. Raw veggies are going down really well - maybe because I consciously chew them a LOT - mostly baby carrots and cucumbers cause I like the crunch. I think I'm making progress - the scale hasn't moved dramatically, but all my clothes are looser and I feel less winded than I used to. We'll see what consistency brings - I am also going to increase my rowing workout this week and see what happens...

PJTP... What luluc said - details, girlfriend, details!

PJTP...I don't want to be at work, but here I am... Ewww! :frown: :thumbup: Congrats, Susan - I'm happy for you! Keep us up to date on what's happening with you...I pray all goes well!

Lawd ha mercy.... That she turned down an offer of a home for her children and help to keep them healthy and safe just shows how ignorant and selfish she really is. Because she would have to agree to keep them out of the public limelight, and therefore SHE would be off everyone's radar?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :thumbup: :frown: She really needs to wake up - SHE is not the "star" she thinks she is (or could be) the babies are all that we, the general public, are concerned about. Her JOB - if she were mentally stable enough to accept and do it - for the next 18 years would be to RAISE those children, keep them safe and healthy, and to love them unconditionally. That she has turned DOWN help makes me absolutely freaking sick - and in my eyes, that makes her an unfit human being. She is not a mother - a true mother would not put her beloved children through this just to make money or raise her own social standing. I hope she loses custody of ALL of her children - they deserve better than that walking meat sack for a parent. She will raise a group of therapy-needing, public-assistance-taking, bitter and resentful human beings who will then go on advice shows and cry about how they were neglected emotionally by a mother who thought of nothing but her own fame and potential fortune and who thrust them into the public limelight by irresponsibly adding 8 additional siblings to their familial group. This is not a family - it is an american tragedy...

Mornin' Notorious Novembers! It was a up and down weekend - the snow gave me the chance for some extra exercise, but boredom encouraged me to eat a little too much, so I think it was all a wash! I'm back at work and reading through your inspirational messages and getting myself back on track... You and your wife have done an awesome job, and you're definately an inspiration. The discipline you show in getting in your workouts (even if you don't exactly love them) is so key to your success. I pray I can be as consistent! Jms - that is such an awesome accomplishment! Congrats to you and I know you're going to look awesome in that dress! That is the EXACT feeling I get, now that I've had my 2nd fill - it's kinda weird at first, but it's sorta neat at the same time. Now if I could just get my 'fat mind' to realize that the physical signal means I am FULL, I'd be in good shape! :thumbup: Just gotta keep plugging away - my body knows it can survive on less food now, but convincing my mind is a different struggle all together! Hang in there everyone! We can do this!

Okay - forget what I said earlier...hopefully Pilot Boy will stay on his side of the office, so to speak and get un-weirded... You definately deserve better, girlfriend...and I believe you're going to find it *sending positive vibes, energy and thoughts your way*

PJTP...I'm playing with the multi-quote feature! I totally agree, Diva - your avatar is just too cute! ROFLMBAO - Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Big A** Off That was just perfect...:tt2: How terrible...I wish the kids all the best - hopefully they will all be okay and your niece can get some help! I love the laughing smiley! Beth, let me know when you're rollin' out - I'll be there with my sh*tkickers on and I'll help you stomp a mudhole in that boy's ass!!! SMS - would it be out of the question to send him a text telling him to shut the f*ck up and the next time he wants to see you like that to wait until he** freezes over? I'm just sayin'... Totally nasty comment alert - I bet pilot boy would appreciate the pics, SMS

Private school?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I'm with the rest of ya - who is paying for that? If Octo-mom isn't paying their tuition, it means that the rest of the parents at the school are. I was blessed to attend private school - the combination of a scholarship from an unknown benefactor, plus a lot of scrimping and saving on my parents' part enabled me to go from 3rd through 8th grade there. It was a terrific experience...but for dang sure, my parents did not expect anyone else to pay for it! They did without a LOT of things to make sure I could go - and after my dad passed away, part of the survivor's benefits I and my siblings got went toward tuition. I saw years later that the state social services office was offering tuition to that same school for the children of welfare recipients - no cost to them, and no obligation to pay anything into it or pay anything back. I think that's wrong - even if you can only pay a little, you should be expected to pay SOMETHING. I pray they set up a irrevocable trust for the babies (actually, all of her children) so that she can NEVER get her hands on ANY money given to the kids. NEVER! The trust should be set up so that it must be reported on publicly every single year to avoid any problems getting buried and not showing up for years. Accountants or accounting firms should be rotated periodically so no one gets too "used" to having access to that money, and under NO circumstances should Octomom be able to touch it!

Hey Notorious Novembers! I seem to have found my sweet spot - I cannot eat what I used to (thank goodness) and I am getting full on much less food than before. Bread gives me the blues - sandwiches are temporarily off my list of accepted foods. So far rice is okay, and most meats, though I nearly pb'ed on a piece of beef from some stew I made. It was very well cooked, but I guess I didn't chew it enough. That is a shift for me - the chewing part. Now that I have good restriction, chewing is so much more important! I was a fast eater - always have been - but now I have to discipline myself to eat slower and chew lots more. I LOVE my bodybugg! I've only had it a few days, but I love being able to track more exactly what I'm burning - calorie wise, I burn a lot more than I thought I did! Since I have it linked to my home computer, I can't upload my calories burned until the end of the day - that actually helps me, because I can't look at the number of calories burned and justify eating that 'special treat'! LOL I am logging my food on the bodybugg site rather than on my iPhone right now - does anyone know if bodybugg has an applet for the iPhone? That would be very cool if they did! Jewels, Heather, lfein229, mljalways, and KimmyQ - hang in there! I know exactly how you are feeling - I was there before this second fill. Though it may take a bit longer to find that sweet spot, have faith that you WILL find it and the pounds will come off. Until then, the willpower and good choices you are exhibiting will only help you in the long run. Yes, it's tough, but you are NOT quitters - you wouldn't have a band if you were! This isn't the easiest way in the world to lose the weight, but it's the one that we've chosen and we can make it right for us! A motivational speaker I heard once said that we have to "make a decision, and then make it right". I think we're all going through the process of making it right - we made the decision to get the band, and now we've got to make it right. I'm here for ya, Notorious Novembers! We can do this!

TxChelsey - I found my BodyBugg on Ebay - got the last version (grey, now there is a black one) and spent less than half of the retail cost (approx $130) plus $99 for the program. I already like it, though I've only had it on for two days. I like the more accurate measurement of calories burned during exercise - I was guessing before, and guessing wrong! I'm burning more than I thought I was, which is not a license to eat more, but means that if I keep up what I'm doing, I'll lose the weight faster than I might have thought. That is a benefit! I like electronic gadgets, and the bugg doesn't show under my sweaters or jackets, so no one at work really knows I have it. I highly recommend it - YMMV

Afternoon Warriors! Walked on Wednesday - morning and lunchtime. Beat my previous time for my lunchtime 1.5 miles walk, so it's time to extend my distance. I am trying to keep the time constant at 30 minutes, so if I get faster, I walk farther. No rowing last night - tried to eat some chicken and spent over an hour sliming and pb'ing. Teach me to chew better! Today I walked DDog this morning and walked at lunchtime. Will try to get in rowing tonight, but I'm back in class now and my time is going to get even tighter. No matter - it's only 30 minutes and I can find that. Going dancing for a short while tonight with DH - theres a club that plays 60's and 70's music on Thursdays, so we're gonna stretch and go to that tonight. Actually, its only a stretch for me - he's on the afternoon shift and can sleep later in the morning if he wants!

Testing my multi-quoting ability and checkin' in... Ceradad - I had to laugh when I read this, though I know in some ways it's really not funny. I am a bit of a gym snob myself...and I agree with you that if you are not going to use the equipment properly - and that includes getting some instruction before using it - or if you are working on the one set every hour plan, KEEP IT MOVING! Spudmama - it's not us formerly-overweight-people you have to worry about - I've gotten more grief from "skinny fat" folks in the gym than formerly-overweights. I've been a member of my gym for well over 5 years, so I know who they are. We 'gym regulars' can be very nice to newbies - just pay attention to what the trainer tells you, get the basics down, and focus on your workout while in the midst of the machines. You'll find that us veterans are not above handing out pats on the back and verbal attaboys when we see you working hard...and believe me, we do notice! I posted in another forum about an unexpected compliment I recieved from one of the most intimidating women at my gym. She is in fantastic shape - I think she could step on stage any day now and win a bodybuilding competition - that's how great she looks. She and her workout partners - both HUGE guys with muscles out the wahoo - wear headphones during their workouts and don't talk much. They come in, hit the weights hard, and leave. No socializing, no dilly-dallying...and she was very nice when I complimented her the other day. It was, of course, AFTER her workout...I wouldn't want to be disturbed, and I'm guessing neither was she. Ceradad - you are not as bad as some I've seen...cut yourself some slack, and I bet you inspire some people at the gym...heck, you inspire us here on LBT and we haven't seen you live and in person yet!

Hey Tina, First - congrats on getting out of the house and having some fun! Good for your brother that he is ready to 'show you off' - that must have been fun as well! Second - I thought the same thing as Beth - did something get slipped into your drink? You don't strike me as the type to go out and get so tipsy that you don't remember anything...that would definately be a concern of mine for you. Perhaps this is for the best - that your husband now knows what he has to do and is making plans to do it is a very good thing. That you two are on good terms is also a very good thing - having been through one divorce, I can tell you that it is indeed a sad time, but you will come through it okay. Hang in there, girlfriend - and keep finding ways to enjoy yourself!

I heard the bit about the porno company offering her money on Perez Hilton this morning and I was completely grossed out! :thumbup: :tt2: Who would want to watch that? And why would she (Nadya) if she had an ounce of ego (which she obviously does) even entertain the idea? I wouldn't - especially knowing that porn stars have to be in relatively good shape, and with her just having had 8 babies, she's not anywhere near that kind of shape. If she did do something like that, CPS would definately have grounds to keep the babies away from her...they wouldn't see that as 'viable employment' I'll bet... I wasn't able to catch Dr. Phil, but I may check it out online...but not after lunch, I don't want to hurl!

Mornin' Notorious Novembers! I'm in on the challenge - I have two mini-goals: 1. I am thisclose to fitting into a beautiful new outfit (size 18) that I bought intending to wear it to the Tyler Perry play "The Marriage Counselor". We have tickets for a performance on Saturday, March 14th, just about two weeks and a half from now. I think it's reasonable to lose 4 - 6 pounds in that time frame, which would put me into that outfit. 2. I want to be at least 25 pounds lighter by June 30th - we have a family reunion coming up during the first week of July in Florida, and I want to get into a new swimsuit for that week. The reunion is for my husband's family, and though we all share a proclivity for being heavy, I have gotten grief from a couple of his sisters for being heavy - go figure! I want to show them something new this year - and I'm going to be the smallest one there! I intend to reach both of these goals by continuing to watch what I eat (goal is 1600 calories per day) and working out at least 4 days per week. I currently walk every weekday at work and at home, and I have a rowing machine at home I'm using. Let's do this! :thumbup: