Teresita

First of all I have to say I am sorry you and your family are going through so much. I hope that you believe in the power of prayer. I just prayed for you and I trust that your healing is in progress. Set a moment aside and just ask for the guidance and peace. I see that you already know what your doing and what you need to do. What is Nike's motto? We all need to estiblish the "Just Do It" attitude. I am a procrastinator from way back so I sometimes I have to "Just Do It". When you are feeling overwhelmed take a moment to find some peace and smile. Your own smile can actually make you feel better, even through tears and pain. Smile 5 times a day and put your joy back into your life. Don't try to be a mind reader. Talk to your husband, he loves you. Good Luck Micki.

That's right Alexandra ((applause))) clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap for Queen of the Slow Loosers. All Bow Down, you deserve it.

WOW Carrie all of this good advice is helping me. We can do this. We are all in the same big boat. I had a co worker who started bringing big beautiful salads for lunch and I would bring dinner. We combined the effort and we would end up with little zip lock bags of everything to make the worlds best salad everyday. Lettuce, onions, mushrooms, corn, chick peas, tuna, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers,boiled eggs etc. You get the picture. Putting the salad together was part of the joy and not just eating it. Is there anything in the mountin you can incorporate into your lunch? If not leave it alone. As far as microwave dinners, there are some that have a good calorie count but watch your sodium for the rest of the day. I made some chili for this week and quick easy meal to prepare, transport and band friendly. Brown meat, add onions, 2 jars of spaghetti sauce, 1 big can of kidney Beans and done.

WOW Katie those are great!! I have a girlfriend who lost weight, so I will have to see what size clothes she has that do not fit anymore. I saw your pictures and they look great. I love that waitline, you go girl. Oh Becky we do have you by a foot but of course I always wanted to be shorter. It's not easy finding pants that are not highwaters being tall but some fat on top of that and that's it. I have 5 pair of the same pants. When I find a pair that fit I have to buy them.....all. I feel that exact same way. I am ready to LIVE. A friend sent me information about a concert but of course it is not even a thought to go. My brother invited me and my daughter to a baseball game and I straight out told them she can go but I am not because I don't know if I will be comfortable in the seats. I have grown in more ways then one. LOL In that past I would just make up excuses but not anymore. Are you guys exercising? If so what are you doing?

I still had a hard time with certain foods up to my first fill, almost 3 months out. My doctor did my fill after I stopped loosing weight. I stayed still 4 about 4 weeks.

Both, those who were or are 400 and more. The stories are just so inspirational. Hey Tony it sounds like we are built the same. LOL I am also 6'1" and carry my weight pretty good. No one ever guess I weight 4 something. I because they never met anyone 400 pounds who could actually walk. Tony that is great, keep up the great work. I cant weigh at my primary doctor's office either because someome broke the add on weight for the scale. But I go to my TOPS meetings every week and we have a digital scale that goes up to about 5 or 600. Beckym, wow you are awesome also, just too inspirational. Again I am right there with you, the little things are such big accompishments. I feel the same way about telling people I've lost 44 pounds and it's a diffrence but not a, "I've got to go buy a new wardrobe diffrence". This is why I did this thread because I do feel a alone being this big. Everyone here is wonderful but you still feel set apart. We will keep in touch. I know that we will all succeed in loosing the weight. Thanks Guys.

I would like to meet other 400 pounds and more bandsters to compare notes. What are you goals and what have you already accomplished.

WOw Margo you are doing great. I have a 4cc band I received 1.3cc. I got my first fill 8/21 and immediately lost 4 pounds. YEAHHHHH

Oh my goodnes I don't know where to start. UMMMMMMM Thank You Guys

Oh WOW that is awesome. Congratulations!!!! WOW that is a big family you are gaining. You deserve the best and I love you ring.

It's come to this... I went into a gas station today and asked for five dollars worth of gas. The clerk farted and gave me a receipt.

I got my first fill last week and I was banded on July 8. You will appreciate it once your weight lost has slowed down. It will kickstart it again and it feels great to see those numbers go down on the scale. You are eating less and controlling your weight without extra restriciton which is a wonderful thing. My doctor had a patient ( a man of course) who didn't need a fill for almost a year. The band was such a mental jumpstart for him he did awesome with a fill.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodnes, I saw chocolate cake, where is that chocolate cake....eewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww LMAO

I've heard of that before. Usually gastric bypass patients, that is why they leave the hospital with drains sometimes. Everyone's body is diffrent. Thank God you were proactive and got right on it and not just let is fester. I pray that everything heals up nice and pretty. Ask your doctor is this going to pose a problem with scare tissue when you get your first fill. Ask him to do the first one under flouro if he doesn't usually. My doctor did it blindfolded, just kidding. I mean he did not use xray and I was scared as I don't know what. LOL

Ohhh Poodles that sounds delicious. I try to stay low carb....most of the time.

If and or when he comes to get his stuff, you might not want to be there or have someone there with you. If you don't want to do that be sure someone comes over after he leaves, if he actually leaves. You know how men can be but you are going to be fine and finner then fine. I keep thinking about you. We all love you.

Hey hey hey are we making excuses..... you haven't even tried any of them. Well I live in MD and I will be glad to show you skills in cooking. Everyone has liked those things that I have prepared. My feelings are hurt. You would be surprised at how good the coolwhip and yogurt is. You don't have to use graham crackers just do the coolwhip like icecream. Mix in your favorite yogurt. Lemon, strawberry, peach or banana are all so good. I am going to get the yoplait chocolate whip and try that one.

You go girl, take your life into your own hands. You are on this site for a reason. As Road Queen said you are going to need patience. I know how you feel because once I decided I was going to have the surgery I wanted it done that day. What you can do today is acting as if you are already banded. Start walking, replace a meal with a shake, start eating a salad day, you know what to do. Come on along and welcome aboard with your imaginary band.

Hey I watched all those shows to. Nothing like those chaulk milk shakes. Slimfast Optima is good, vanilla and cappaccino (sp) You can still eat your favorietes, I jsut substitue. For ice cream it is low fat or , crushed graham crackers, yogurt mixed in coolwhip and topped with strawberries or fat free caramel or chocolate fudge. For chili mac, I love browned ground turkey, onions, pego spaghetti sauce and Pasta. Double cheeseburger, that is a hard one because I don't do burgers well, but a turkey meatloaft (which is a little loser or moister)melted shredded cheese, ketchup and mustard. Uuummmm you are making me hungry. If you substitue one of your meals for a shake you knw you will see more weight lost. come on get on the band wagon. You have done well this far don't fall back. I haven't even drop a size just pounds and pounds of "fat back". I didn't relize how much fat I could carry on my back. LOL Come on Krystal, do it, do it, do it, do it., YEAHHHHHHH Krystal

Oh my goodness I am so sorry. I know what heartbreak is and it takes times to stop hurting. Use your family, friends and us to lean on and vent to. You need to talk about it, you need to cry. You know men and women think differently. Men don’t just decide to leave like that. Other things were going on in his head for a while now. He could have known he could not be everything you need him to be. I see that you are 20, you are still young and there a lot of old geezers out there waiting for you. Positive thought: · As you are stressed as you see the weight coming off that will make you happy. · Make a list of all the good and bad about him. I figured out my friend was a weekend drunk and poor, what do I need with that. That helped a little to let him go. · It is a time to focus on you and your joy. · liquid Tylenol will help you sleep and you won’t have a headache when you wake up and cold wash cloth under the eyes to take away the puffiness. Cucumbers work on the puffiness also. Maybe I’ll put some on my big belly. LOL Love You Baby

When I loose weight especially weight lost that is noticeable to other people. I gain this confidence as if I can do ANYTHING. Last night at my TOPS meeting, no one wanted to volunteer to be on the anniversary committee so I did. Then no one volunteered to be on the game committee, again I did. I was thinking, “what am I thinking” what makes me think I can do this by myself. But you know what, I am going to do it and it will be done right. I find myself walking and sitting a little more erect. I pay a little more attention to my hair, my overall appearance. I have lost 44 pounds but sometimes I act like I have lost 90. Sometimes I will see a female with an awesome body or someone is giving me the “you are fat look” and it snaps me back to reality. I remember that I may have lost 44 pounds but I am still ((morbidly obese)) as an ignorant doctor once wrote on my chart years ago. I still need to loose 165 pounds. Hey, I just realized I need to loose 165 pounds to my most extreme goal. I didn’t know that, I have always been able to say; I need to loose at least 200 pounds. I didn’t know how close my goal is. Wowwww. Hum that’s a thought I did not expect to come out of this……

Thanks Mandy, I also did the Nick it shirts and I won't say how many I got. LOL

Keri I did get that coupon. I will be trying them also. Thanks

They do sound good. I will be stopping at Walmart today. Thank you guys

WOW that is crazy. Are they crazy? Was this out of the ordinary for them or they usually deranged? Where was your husband, what did he have to say? Try to let it go or send them a nice letter stating as to why you made the decision not to tell them. Maybe you didn't want anyone to talk you out of it. You know what, you are grown and for them to come and do that they already had underlying issues with you. Good luck in your journey to a healthy, happier you and being a better mother, wife, woman, human being by loving you.