Road Queen

thinking back and drooling, I ate pretty much everything but really drowned the turkey and stuffing with gravy. oh, this thread has to end. I did see pork chops in the store yesterday and celery - maybe I will make pork chops with stuffing and gravy on Friday night. mmm. oh, I can taste cranberrry relish right now...okay, I'm going to try and drink my morning Protein shake...maybe I will throw some cranberries in it. lol

The fake crab is a good source of Protein - 21 grams in 3 ounces. 1 c of chicken breast - 40 grams. Spinach, for a vegetable has 5 grams in a cup. A cup of black Beans - 15. I also sprinkle almond slices on meals to add protein, calories, and fat. I think tonight I am going to make a veggie tuna cheesy chowder. The tuna, cheese, and milk will provide protein. I am still using Protein powder and Protein Bars to get in protein. And calories. If you notice my signature, I am living in the heart of Africa and right now there is a diesel fuel shortage so food supplies are not getting here. Even without the fuel issue, it is difficult to find things we are used to eating. The people here eat a very high carb diet and their protein can be gross - grasshoppers, termites, etc. One of my goals is to get in 1000 calories per day and it's difficult. Snacking during the day just doesn't happen - my office location is dirty, the toilets are challenging, and I cwould never eat in the building Thank goodness for amazon groceries, netgrocer, etc.

Here's some of my favorite meals lately - fresh green Beans, carrots, and fake crab with garlic and onion (fried with a little olive oil) mushrooms, spinach, carrots, garlic, onion, in a little olive oil. (sometimes add some chicken breast to this) crockpot black beans with fresh salsa (tomatoes, onion, pepper, cilantro, garlic) cabbage, carrots, sprouts, craisins, pumpkins and other seeds mixed with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil

I am fortunate because I have not had the complications others have experienced. But my band is weird - one bite too much and I pb it up. I don't believe I would have had the confidence to quit my job, become a contractor, move to Africa, etc if I hadn't lost the weight and learned that food didn't control me anymore. The band has given me an opportunity to experience more in life than food. And I worry alot about it. I don't have medical care available in this country. And right now, there is a jet fuel shortage to even fly to a dr. Can you tell I am a compulsive worrier? Yet, I am glad I have the band and I have a decent body and am in good health. Good luck in making your decision. Celeste

Penni, I haven't been online much so I didn't realize everything you went through. Good luck in your decision. You have been an inspiration for so many here. Just reading this post and your 10 positive things has inspired me to get off my a@@ and quit feeling sorry for me. Thanks again for everything. Celeste

By the holidays, it might not even appeal to you any more. Or you might try eating small bites with lots of gravy. Its very strange but looking back, I was worried about holiday eating also. Actually, probably about eating in general. I didn't want to miss my favorite foods. But I don't. I just eat alot less of them and use some common sense. You will find your food niche as time progresses. Good luck. Celeste

I would use it in soups and sauces. I tend to use cheese to get my protein in and a good vegetable cream soup works well. A cheese sauce over green beans with a little bacon in sounds great right now. Good luck.

Wishing you the best. Keep us updated. Celeste

I know Dr. Schmit in Bismarck was taking them earlier this year. He is at St. Alexius Medical Center. The fills were being done by his PA - whose name I can't remember. Good luck. Celeste

I can't find any before pictures so I have never posted my after picture. So I am going to put it here. I don't think I need plastic surgery and I'm gonna be 50. As of today, I am down 71 pounds and hope to lose another 10-15 (in the next year). Excuse the bad hair in the picture. BTW - for anyone who can enlarge the picture, my swimsuit has motorcycle parts on it - springer front end, speedometer, etc. Celeste

I hope this doesn't gross you out but this is one of my strangest experiences. Yesterday when I got up, there was a roach in the kitchen. I dropped my shoe on it, got a cup of coffee, and went internet surfing (not ready to deal with cleaning it up. As I walked in the kitchen later, the roach was gone. As I looked around, I watched it being carried away by a pile of ants and disappear into a hole in the wall (to the outside). Gross or self-cleaning - hmmmm. When I was younger, I tried on every outfit and threw them on the bed, floor, etc also. One time my mom went and put some (1 or 2) crickets in my bedroom and they chirped all night. I couldn't find them because of the clothes so I had to pick them up. That cured that. Celeste

John, I am so sorry for you. This should not happen to anyone. I worry alot about personal safety and am very watchful. I think in the US we tend to be more lax and trusting. Hopefully, this will never happen to you again. I will remember you in my prayers. Good luck in healing. Celeste

I hate housework...I have always hated it. So now that I live in one of the poorest countried of the world, I have a social responsibility to hire help. So I have a housekeeper. But here's the weird thing - I used to change towels daily. Now I use 1-2 towels a week. When they iron the towels to kill the eggs (that hatch into itchy bugs), they stink! After a day or so use, the smell is gone. My clothes stink too. They smell like burnt cloth. This is one thing I haven't complained about before and won't do again but sometimes on Sunday, I need to *****.

Vessa, Even tho cold in ND is unbelievable, I am finding that it is relative. Without my layers of fat, I am cold here in Lilongwe alot. Of couse, its probably in the 40s right now (its 3 am) and they don't have furnaces, etc. Although the altitude isn't real high (1/2 mile), I think its enough to make it seem even colder. Ask me about hot in a few months from now. I came here in April which is one of the transition months. It was probably about 80 during the day and 60s at night then. and a little rain. We have not had rain since the first of May and won't have any until December. Right now it is cold and dry but in late August it will start being warm (turning to hot) and dry. The rains will start in December and then it will be hot and wet. The wind doesn't blow much. Some days around 5 pm it will seem windy but that lasts about 10 minutes. Big difference from the upper mid-west. I am coming to ND and Mn in August and will be riding motorcycle for a couple of weeks. I am sure that I will be ready to return here after that. Celeste

When I last posted here, I was a budget analyst for the state of North Dakota and teaching college clases. Now I am the Resident Budget Advisor to the Ministry of Finance for the Country of Malawi. I am a contracted employee (through the US Treasury and USAID). This is (some days anyway) turning out to be my dream job. Celeste

Vines, I am so sorry to hear of this. I haven't been here alot since I moved and I was mostly on a pitty-potty when I was. And here you are worried about being supportive for everyone else. Take the time you need for yourself and heal. I don't know where you are with school but it seems like you might be close to finishing. Don't overdo yourself. Hang in there and let us know what we can do to provide you support. Celeste

Carlene, fyi, last winter in Cancun I used my cell to phone back to the US alot. I can't remember the rate but it wasn't bad (not free tho either). So you may either want to watch your daugher or let her know the cost per minute. BTW - I have vacationed in the Yucatan many times and been with friends and their children, . I have never wanted an all-inclusive but have found that selecting places to eat and ruins to visit did keep the kids involved. Good luck. Celeste

I guess I will just appreciate this while it continues. Thanks. Celeste

Has anyone else just lost their appetite after banding? It didn't happen right away - like 8 months later. First I blamed it on being busy getting ready to move, then I thought it was because it was difficult for me to find food to eat here, now, I just don't know. I have adjusted to food, ordered enough food off the internet that I have options, printed out tons of recipes, my gardener brings me fresh tomatoes, spinach, coriander, carrots, ... I pretty much force myself to eat. For lunch, I had 1/2 c black beans with cheddar cheese and some black bean/rice tortilla chips. This morning I had tea and 6 almonds. I won't care if I eat tonight or not so I bribe myself - I get to read or watch a sitcom on DVD if I eat. I try to get in 1000 calories a day. I walk 30 minutes every morning and sometimes at night again. I don't think I'm depressed of anything. I just don't care if I eat! I make dishes and take them to potlucks. I attended two receptions this week and never tried an appetizer at all. Has anyone else experienced this?

Vessa, I have lived in North Dakota my whole life - until March 2006. I wore long johns under my dress to work on Monday - and I am living in Africa!! So, yes, not having those layers of fat make a difference. Good luck on your journey. Celeste

Sunda, fills are fickle. Time of month, temperature, atmospheric conditions, etc - anything could affect them. Can you wait to get your fill? I actually had an unfill before I went to Mexico in January so I wouldn't have to worry. And I had some more before I moved to Africa because the closest dr here would be in Europe and 20 or more air hours away. You don't want to spend a vacation with pbs or not able to eat. Err on the conservative side. Good luck and enjoy your vacation. Celeste

I am down to 150. Even though its not my goal, I would be satisfied if I stayed here. After looking back at the last year, I have realized that I tend to lose for about 6-8 weeks, then hold for 3 months or so. We will see if it happens again this Sept/Oct. I found the secret weight loss formula - move to Africa and try and find food to eat. My first month, I had protein shakes or bars twice a day and for dinner I would saute green beans, fake crab and sometimes a potato in olive oil. Now that I have been here awhile, its much easier. But I still use alot of protein shakes, protein bars, beef jerky to get my protein in. I have used net grocer, my food coop, hickory farms, drugstore.com, etc to ship food here. Now, I have many packets of tuna so that will be a welcome change. I have also found ground meat periodically at the store. I wear size 8-10 now and am comfortable with that. My biggest problem is clothes. Most of the clothes I shipped here were 12-16 and look nasty. But people here don't have much and I don't want to order a new wardrobe. I don't have to unzip any of my jeans to take them off...isn't that weird!! If anyone is bored or wants to know about living in Malawi, message me. I spend alot of time on the internet. Celeste

I just bought a RAV4 and am learning to drive on the left side of the road and shift with my left hand. On sunday, a monkey came flying across the road in front of my car - man, did I have a major heart attack. I am trying to post a picture of it.

The decision is yours. When I first started consultations, I was 218. I was 203 at pre-surgery and I am 151 now. I don't have the restriction that you talk about. The biggest issues for me are 1) if I overeat, I throw it up - pb or whatever - but its not a big deal, its like a productive burp - the last bite comes out. 2) i am supersensitive to heat - when I first moved to Africa and it was hot, the most I could eat was 1/2 cup. Now that its winter, I eat like I did in the US - 1/2 to 1 cup of food. I also loved food. I planned vacations, traveling, everything around food. I still enjoy it. The difference is that it doesn't control me anymore. I don't lose the way others do here. I don't know if its my system or what. I lose 15-20 pounds and then stay the same for about 3-4 months. I lost the first batch around surgery, the second batch at about 5 months, the third batch at about 10 months. But I am okay with it. I don't have bunches of excess skin - during the time when I'm not losing weight, I lose inches, gain some muscle, and my skin catches up. I won't say that it is painless. When its hot, I have more restriction and need to watch what I eat closer. I also struggle when I'm stressed. Right now, I can eat bread, rice, etc. But I'm on the other side of the equator and its winter here now. Would I do it again - lets see, go from size 18 plus to size 8s. Yes. Have more energy, feel better about myself, etc Yes. Would I have had the confidence in myself to quit my job, become a contractor and move to Africa if I hadn't lost the weight and see myself adjusting to a new slimmer life - I can't say. But I think the whole decision making process, post-surgery life, and life style changes helped make me a person who adapts to change better. Good luck on your decision. Celeste

Lisa, JoLynn and everyone, Okay, life stinks for me lately. The ministry of finance is not happy that I am leaving here at all so I can only get 2 weeks and can't leave until the 23rd. I would fly into LV but I have some health issues that have to be dealt with ASAP so I need to go to Bismarck. I am so bummed out. I won't get back to the US at all until 2008 unless I am major sick so I don't think I'm ever going to have fun again. Okay, wah, I will suck it up. The good news is that Im trying to get signed up for a ride from S Africa in March that goes to 5 countries. I am so upset to miss the party. keep me in mind while you have a blast. Celeste