Shinyhappymommy

Great goals and steps to moving forward. For fitness, if you'd like to get running, I highly suggest the Couch to 5K program you can find at Cool Running :: running run training marathon runners jogging jogger joggers runner run fitness exercise diet weight loss nut.... I was amazed at how I was able to go from not much running to running a 5K, at still well over 200 lbs. Best of luck!

I ran two miles again today. It's not easy, but not killing me either. Just right. Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. :smile2: Hope your new fill level is perfect Audone. I have made it a personal mission to never be overfilled. So far so good.

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm feeling a lot better today. I even did my T-tapp and ran 2 miles at the gym. I think I need to do short runs every day instead of trying to do longer runs and making my hip sore. RSG, I love short sleeve weather, well 3/4 sleeve weather, my upper arms are too flabby for very short sleeves. It's funny how the grass (or the weather) is always greener on the other side. Tap, good luck with your fill Quest. I hate the quandry of whether or not to get a fill, but I'm always glad once I get one. Of course, I haven't been overfilled yet, so that would certainly be a bummer.

I'm sick. It hit me on Sunday afternoon and it isn't getting better very fast. It's just a sore throat, aches and some congestion, but I feel pretty miserable. I'm not exercising, obviously. Just trying to get some rest.

Here's the cake I made. It tasted much better than I had expected. The less-sweet, fluffy icing in the middle really helped it be moist and yummy. (Okay, sorry I shouldn't be posting food porn here.) This is just for the artistic value. Also including a picture of my son's second birthday cake. That is Brobee, from Yo Gabba Gabba.

I'll post pictures of the cake on the Are we through? thread so I don't bog this one down. (Since it will hopefully be ongoing.) We went to the movie this weekend. We saw Monsters vs. Aliens. We almost never go to the movie, so it was a real treat and it was a great movie. Very funny. Hopefully the 5 inches of snow we got on Thursday/Friday will melt soon and we'll be on our way to exercising-outside weather.

Uh, oh. Not hip problems! So sorry, Tap. I didn't exercise for the whole end of last week. Just didn't make it a priority. I was busy, but that's no excuse, really. I'll check in with what I'm doing this week. I think I will run today.

Hi. Exhaustingly busy day, but it went very well. I'll post pictures of the cake later. It turned out pretty cute. I used the fluffy frosting between layers and a new icing for the outside. I think I'll continue using that one. It was a good one. The fluffy icing is: 8 oz cream cheese 1.5 cups powdered sugar 1 t vanilla beat together until creamy add 12 oz cool whip The outside icing was this recipe: Extra Special Buttercream Icing Recipe : Recipezaar I didn't have the butter flavor or the whipping cream so I used double the vanilla and fat free half and half. It turned out nice.

Thanks for that link, what a fun video and experience.

It's a two tier baby shower (welcome baby, actually, she's about a month old) cake. I can do flowers pretty well, so that's most likely what I'll do. I do like to use a more tasty frosting instead of buttercream, but it doesn't decorate quite as well. It is cream cheese, cool whip and powdered sugar. Yummy. The snow is done and the kids are enjoying a beautiful, yet cold day outside. So cute.

About a week ago I realized I needed to make some changes with my eating if I was going to continue losing any weight. I've been bouncing around the 190's for a couple of months now and I knew I wasn't eating well enough for any serious progress. I had to admit to myself that one of the band rules I haven't been following, and never really have very seriously is hurting my progress. That rule is only eating three meals and one snack and not grazing. I had gotten back into the habit of thinking about food every time I walk through the kitchen, or even get up and go to a different part of the house. I run a quick inventory of what yummy thing there is to snack on and often get it. It stems from me being determined to never go hungry. It had just gotten out of control. I think I was likely consuming as many calories in between my meals as in the meals themselves. I'm not sure since I haven't been food-tracking. Well, I decided to give it a try this week and it's been amazingly easy. The mental part is still a struggle during certain parts of the day, but what I've discovered is that I'm not hungry without all that snacking. I'm just fine with the meals and one snack and my weight is going back down to the lower end of the 190's. I haven't been perfect, but I've been a lot better. I'm not striving for perfection, just being a lot better than I have been. The other thing I'm trying to do is only allow myself a dessert twice a week. It was a lot more than that previously, and let's face it, that's not helpful to weight loss.

LilMiss, Is there a reason you're using liquid nutrition so much? Are you too tight during the day?

I'm throwing a baby shower tomorrow for dh's co-worker. I'm making the cake for it today. I'm a bit stressed about the design. I used to think I could make great cakes, but then the internet happened to me and I see so many beautiful cakes and realize mine aren't anything to get too excited about. Oh well. I'll just do the best I can. We're just at the tail end of a blizzard. I think we got about 3-4 inches of snow. Hopefully all the roads will be driveable by tomorrow.

This is the only forum I visit on lapbandtalk. I will be very sad if this forum dies completely. You ladies are very inspirational to me. Don't go.

Tap, I feel pissed off that I'm lazy by comparison to where I was in December, fitness-wise! I've really slowed down because of my hip problems. Bit by bit I'm trying to work back up to where I want to be. I went to the gym and did 3.25 miles on the treadmill. At least 2.75 of it was running, and the rest was walking. Felt great.

I've actually done that, but the return trip is a bear! It was the day after Christmas and the winds were at about 30 mph. It was invigorating, to say the least.

This thread made me exercise today. I didn't get my run in, so I was not going to do anything. Instead I did my short t-tapp workout before watching The Biggest Loser tonight. Better than nothing. I will go running tomorrow. I will.

Did my T-tapp (full) workout yesterday. I am planning on running 2 miles on the treadmill today. It's supposed to be very windy, so outdoors isn't good.

Irene, Would you please put a link to this post in your signature line? I'm having a hard time remembering to look for this thread without it being at the top of the February Forum's list. Thanks. I'm glad you have a supportive hubby. That has been such a key to my success as well. Hang in there, Friend. You can do this.

I forgot, I did exercise on Monday in the form of yard work. I raked the flower beds and garden area for about an hour. Pre surgery I wouldn't have been been able to do that. It wasn't even that hard. (which makes it not that effective of an exercise, but hey, at least it was something.) Hi Tap! I'll try to post more often.

I didn't exercise Monday, but I did my run on Tuesday, a 2 mile walk with the family yesterday and this morning I did my full 50 min T-tapp workout. :tt2:

I put a pair of capris on from last year and they still totally fit. I've lost 25 pounds since then and they still totally stinking fit. Argh! This makes me doubt that I've made much visible progress. That makes me feel fat. I know I should look on the bright side that I have a stack of capris to wear this spring, but I'll have to do that later, because I'm not feeling happy about this right now. I have eased up on my strictness of eating over the last few months and I guess it's showing in my progress. I'm still losing bit by bit, but the big dramatic changes aren't happening anymore and it's discouraging.

Ahh, I see. You don't get that from the picture very well. I didn't exercise today and probably won't tomorrow, but I did finish Breaking Dawn and get it back to the library as it was due today and has a waiting list.

Irene, Thanks for the updates. It's motivating to read about your day to day stuff.

Well that stinks. Keep us posted.