ReneBean

Hmmmmm. Where can I get some? I know grapefruit is good for me, but I can't stand the stuff... I love sweet.... :]

Lisa Congrats!!! I hear those last ten are the hardest... so we will be here, if you need a hug! 75 pounds in a year is AWESOME!!

Rock On, Julie! Over 50 lbs in 9 mos is great~! Keep up the good work!

Biggie - you can still do diet jokes... you will just have to tell them that you lost x number of pounds... Good Luck working up your new routine!... The things you DON'T miss about being fat... :]

MAN that is the coolest! I can well recall the day... GO Tracy! Go!!! LOL!

WaHoo!! Congrats, Donna!!! Soon you will be on your way~!

I am so glad you went for the unfill, first. That is the beauty of the band. With less fill, you should be able to eat salads and other normal food... When and if you are ready, you can always get more fill - maybe to a looser amt than you have had - to help you maintain control. Good luck with your psychological process. I know that there is no way to succeed long term if you feel horribly deprived. Hugs!!

LOL, Rocky! I have had that one before... :]

If they will approve for one, you should be able to fight for the band. I did - and although it was not a quick process, it was totally worth it.

Nothing happening here, today.... Cindy - Awww. They do grow up, don't they. I remember when my nephew was an adorable baby with a Cool Whip container on his head... now he's 25 yrs old! Congrats to your DD on her win. :] Dianne - the Spanish thing is because I am trying to get certified as a Teacher in TX - and I want to teach Spanish. Once upon a very long time ago, I was fluent in the language... but, 18-20 yrs later, I have forgotten all of it. So, I am starting over at ground zero. Oh - on the plants - I have to yank the stuff out of the ground, whether I am alergic or not - so If I get a good piece, I will send it on. :] It will give more meaning to the all-over bumpy red rash that I get every time I get near the stuff. Mandy - Good Luck with the suit shopping. I hear that it is miserable, even for skinny chicks. But I think if I was down to a size 12? like you, I might actually enjoy the experience! Have fun, you bathing beauty, you! Pat & Lorraine - Hello! Welcome to our little chat. Pull up a keyboard and set a spell. The more, the merrier. Pat, we will want the full report on your surgery experience when you are feeling a little better. :] Betty - nothing but rain in Allen. No worries. Everything OK at your house? Yenken - Hello! Tell us all about you... what kind of classes are you taking? Are you a Genuine Jersey Girl? Lots of us are from other places... we just like it here. :] Hope to hear more about you in the near future. Sherry - Thinking safe thoughts for your boy. Hugs! He will be ok, really. Did you get your stained glass project done in time? Can't wait to see pics. Eileenie - HUGS!! Bosses are notorious for having *&**^$$^ communication skills. MAYBE there is another slant on whatever he said. I hope that it really is just your hormonally challenged perception, this time. xo Well, Algebra is calling. Man, I feel old. xo

Thanks for letting us know, Lorraine! Pat - you relax and let Lorraine take good care of you. Walk as much as you can... even just a spin around the house will help move some of that gas. Congrats on your surgery and welcome to Band Land!

Looser is much better than over-filled... And no - eating part of a 6 inch sub is perfectly OK. When in doubt, look at the skinny chicks around you. If you are eating the same as, or less than they are, you are probably fine. Don't worry about weightloss until you get that little stress relief in April. If you eat like a normal thin person, you will probably maintain.... and you will FEEL a whole lot better if you aren't hurling every day. You will know if you are sliding over the edge into food madness. Hugs!!

Maybe you could call your doc with a description of your symptoms. It doesn't sound very good... but maybe you are just extra swollen for some reason. I know I get really tight Pre-mens... have you had a recent fill? Hugs!!!

Or maybe "Oh, HI. How is the ___ doing? I was thrilled to hear you survived it. I had a delicious chocolate bar to Celebrate. MMMMM."

Happy Bandiversary, Lisa!! How much have you lost? What are your best NSV's? Revel in the fact that you have made a positive step in life and you are still workin' it! Happy Day!

Yep - for the first month after surgery, your social life may suffer - but after that, Party On. In Fact - it was well over 8 months before I ever got enough restriction to keep me from eating like a normal person, portion size and all. I ate LESS from the beginning - but not much less than any "normal" person would eat. Go for it!

There is only so much you can do... if you, Like I, have been fat most of your life and you have stretch marks in places like, your thighs and under your arms - then you, Like I, will need PS to get "tight" skin. I am saving up for that, now. I think it will take me about 2-3 more yrs to get to goal - so I ought to have enough, by then. :]

Real food is truly a joy. Just remember Protein first, then veggies - then carbs if there is room. Hugs!

Hey Melissa We would worry if you weren't just a little bit nervous. It is surgery, after all. Stay strong. You will be fine. Hugs!

Congrats!!! How cool for you that you didn't have to spend months fighting the insurance company. I can't help you with liquids... I only had to do them for 2 days prior to surgery. Before that it was just a low-carb thing. Remember - if you are dying and you have to eat something - make it a raw veggie or some other low-carb, low-cal option. Shrinking your liver and sucking as much fat off of it as possible is important to make the surgery less complicated. Good Luck and Welcome to LBT!

chips are all too easy - and pizza is possible on a thin or cracker crust. So far, there is NO food that I am unable to eat. Have I lost weight? Yup. Has it been FAST? Nope. So, the price you pay for being able to eat anything is that you don't break any speed records in the weightloss dept. Now, SOME bandsters have tight enough restriction that they actually CAN'T eat bread or rice or whatever. They usually lose weight a little faster - but then, they don't get the joy of the occassional slice of pizza, either. The beauty of the band is that most people can make a conscious decision as to whether to go with tight restriction or hang a little looser. Also - Exercise is not optional. Some people swear they have lost weight without doing anything - and I am sure that is true for the few... but the many have to exercise... especially those of us that partake of pizza. If you are ready to make good choices about what you eat MOST of the time, and you are ready to add exercise to your daily life, then the band is a great option for you. The restriction will help you with self control, but you won't have any of the nasty side effects associated with some other surgical options. I love my band! Good Luck in your decision.

Wow. I took a pre-study run at the Teacher skills sample test today - just to see how much I have forgotten.... 90% reading comprehension 95% writing skills 64% on the math... Mind you - after I figured out exactly how much of my math I had forgotten, I skipped a whole section on algebraic formulas - but I sucked at math, overall. So much for teaching it! So, tomorrow, I am going to spend my day at Math.com brushing up on ye old Algebra. I did ok on Geometry and the basic logic problems - but I have totally forgotten how to manipulate those stinking formulas.... *sigh* I also had a little trouble identifying which graph goes with what formula... so graphs are on the list, too. 24 yrs and your brain rots, I guess. Cindy - as soon as there is a plan, you & Betty will know about it. :] Deb - Bread and rice are two things my doc told me to avoid... Try just eating the beef & vegatables from the stew - and chewing them up really well. If you are still having PB's regularly - you should probably go for an unfill. If all you can eat is banana bread, you aren't going to lose weight. You really need to be able to eat solid Protein and veggies. HUGS! Well, I am off to the hacienda. The first part for the fridge arrived today - but there is another one still to come. LOVE living out of an ice chest... Hasta Luego! xo

Atkins shake for breakfast 1 pk shaved lunchmeat + 2 wedges of laughing cow lite cheese for lunch whatever my husband cooks for dinner....

They should never have let you walk out the door if you couldn't drink water... Next time you get a fill - hang out in the waiting room for a bit and then drink some water before you leave. Hugs!!!

Girl! You are passing me on the way down!! Wahoo!!! Congrats and keep on keepin' on!