Poodles

"....without the Mountains of Opposition, the world would be flat...without Fire steel would remain Iron....without determination we lose our direction and our ability to pursue our goals....without tribulation we neither recognize nor appreciate our blessings.... You have the ability to make your life what you want....and the pitiful annoyances will fall from you as you circle for your victory lap... COURAGE!!! ACTION!!! NOW!!!!" Quote from Jack from another thread. :love: This is exactly the reason I love Jack!!! :love:

The cool whip ideas sounds wonderful! I will try that. Tried scrambled eggs this morning. Felt like I swollowed a brick. After two bites I feel a terrible pressure in my chest, and felt like I was going to throw up so I stopped eating. Sticking to smooth things for the rest of the day. I really don't think my tummy is ready for eggs/tuna yet. Wonder if that means I will have restriction when I get on solids???

Wow, I totally respect those of you going so far to get the band. I had to drive an hour and a half and thought that was far. Stay safe.

Thanks all. I just can't stop smiling like the Cheshire Cat! This is a great move. I feel like a totally new person. Once I get this stupid hernia surgery out of the way (Friday) and start losing weight I may never quit grinning!

Well found out today that I will have hernia surgery on Friday! Yea!... I guess.:phanvan Doing well with my band. Have absolutely no restriction any more, but that is ok. I just keep drinking my Soups. And I am going to sing the praises of low carb everywhere on the board now. It really has helped me to eat less in this stage of the game. Please send me good thoughts on Friday... and maybe a prayer or two. I feel like I am playing Russian Roulette going under so many times this year. :love:

How is everyone? Hope everyone is doing well. Good luck to those being banded tomorrow. Just wanted to check in and let everyone know about the low carb thing. I really recommend it. I make my own stuff and blend it into mushies this makes me have less sugar cravings, and eat/drink less too. You can blend almost anything smooth. I have had roast/tomatoes, pork ribs/green chili salsa, and chili so far with no problems. All make a wonderfully great blended "soups". Add a little cheese or sour cream... and you have a great mushie meal. Wish everyone a fast recovery! And no more complications!

Well, I am still on mushies, but I have had a few take out items. The beans and cheese from Taco Bell, and the Chili from Wendy's (blended up at home) are really good for my stage.

Oh my gosh. I just found out that my old school is not going to replace me. Don't know if that is an insult or what. I know I am irreplaceable, but common. They are going to double/triple up on the teachers that are staying there. Really sad. I feel bad about leaving the friends I have to be dumped on, but I am so glad to be outta there. Wish the education community would understand that they do need to think about their employees. We are not all marters, and do need to be treated fairly. But they want to save a buck...

Thanks Teresita, I will have to try that. This place sure is wonderful!

Everyone is nervous before. EVERYONE. It is a big step. Just close your eyes and go!

Doing much better today. Not eating until I am stuffed. Doing things the low carb way sure seems to help me.

Watch the carbs too. I have learned that the past few days. I have gone low carb today and am having a mush easier time with hunger. You might check out the "low carb mushie??" thread for some ideas. A blender is a wonderful thing.

They called me. I got the job. I accepted the job. So exited and scared at the same time!!! Thanks for all of the advice. I do feel sad for leaving the school I am at, but must think of my family too. ($5000.00 raise...cha-ching) Hubby is excited. Now we get to move!!! He has been wanting to move for a while now! I figure I will call my most clingy students (have about 4) just to let them know. Don't want to hurt them at all if possible.

When the time is right the perfect job will drop in your lap. I am sorry you are disappointed with this loss, but something better will be in your future. Chin up. Start sending out those resumes!!!

I totally forgot about Mock Mashed Potatoes made with cauliflower. I will have to get some. My blender is going to work overtime! Thank you all for the suggestions. I will make chili, cauliflower, and look into that diet soup! Low carb mushies can be done after all!!!!

Love everything from Mozart to Metallica, but I skip over the country genre. Even if I am from TX, prefer not to listen to the honkey tonk junk. Favorite albums of all time are: Queensryche Operation Mind Crime, and Phantom of the Opera. That is my bi-polar disorder showing up!

I am going to put this on here so that the veterans can tell me if I am doing ok or not. Had sugery June 5th, still on mushies. This is what I did yesterday: B: Isopure shake with Juice S: Mashed Potatoes 1/2 cup L: Potato Salad 3/4 cup (no chunks, just used pickle juice for flavor) S: Refried Beans 1/2 cup, with 1/2 slice cheese D: Blended Pork/Green Chili Soup 1 cup S: 1/2 a 1/4 cup pudding to mix my meds in Drank green tea and water in between. I see way too many carbs there, but hard to figure out low carb mushies. (Which I am asking for help on in another thread.) What do you think?

I have a pit/shephard mix named Angel, also a pound puppy. They make the best pets. My recommendation on potty training is using chicken. Take a piece of baked chicken outside with you and if she goes give it to her with a "good girl" and a good petting. If she does not potty, she does not get the chicken. (They learn really quickly). Then make them ask out. When you take her to the door ask her "do you want to go outside?" This usually gives them the idea that the door means outside, and means chicken. When outside use a commmand for her to go. I say "go potty". After they get the hang of asking out and going outside then use the chicken every other time, and then every third time, etc. Alway use the good girl and the petting. Eventually you just have to use the "good girl" and they are trained. The longest time I have ever had using this method was 3 weeks with a puppy... and with that puppy I did all the same as above, but would put him in the crate if he did not go. Then once he did go he had run of the house. So I guess it was a positive/negative reinforcement with him. (He was a maltese/jack russell mix. Small and stubborn.) Good luck! And thanks for being a rescue Mom!

Ok, so you guys/gals know that I have been desperate or money for my classes. I have been teaching technology and art, both of which require materials... and lots of them. With all of the budget cuts there is absolutely no hope of the school investing in either of my programs because they are not TAKS related, and therefore "unimportant". At the same time I have been writing grants, researching, and begging for my current classes, I have been applying for other jobs. I am convinced that if I work at a larger district I will have more resouces and that will make my life easier. Actually interviewed for a job last week, and think I have it. (Their HR department called this morning wanting my social, because they rec'd a recommendation for hire. :kiss ) I would be going from a small 3A to a larger 3A. It would be a full time Art position, classes of 25, one prep of Art I (instead of the five I have now), mostly freshmen, with a nice size budget and they have equipment (kiln, etc). Know there are teachers out there. What do you think???

I had been on low carb for three years. Went from 318 to 268 and stayed at 268 for 9 months. Could not break that plateau. Then started "cheating" again and gaining back up and up. No matter what I did, the volume of the food did me in. All the diets gave portions that were too small for me (2 oz of meat at a time...yeah right). After being in the hospital for chest pains, borderline diabetic, foot pain, back pain, dealing with PCOS, and being fat for over 12 years I had to do something. I do not want to die at 58 like my parents. My theory is that if I can limit the volume of the food I eat, and stay low carb then maybe I can break that 268 mark and hopefully see 200... or heaven help me I will get to 180 (my goal). I will be a 14/16 then and can live with that. The 30/32's are something I don't want to see again...ever. My hubby suggested weight loss surgery when I hit 294 again. I was bawling on the bathroom floor, and he said we would do what ever it takes to make me happy and healthy. Then I started to research and decided the band was the best thing for me.

Egg salad sounds great! Thanks for the idea. I have even thought about doing the fat fast for a few days, using only the cream cheese. I think that would be easy on my tummy, and may jump start my weight loss.

Hootiebelle: I hope it continues to be easy for you. I have decided to go on low carb mushies because the Carbdevil has convinced me to eat more than I should the past few days. After my swelling went down, it was not easy any more for me. I have still maintained the 12 lb weight loss, but the scale has not moved since. Ok, so I have edited this to add the following: Do you guys have a schedule that you follow? This morning, I ate Breakfast before drinking anything, now 3/4 of the way thru a bottle of Water, and then I will eat lunch. Do you think the eat, bottle water, eat, bottle water will work to get in all the liquids and keep us full? What do you do?

I have had the Chili post op... but I put it in the blender first. It is still really good, and you don't have to worry about the Beans getting stuck. Even though I am on Soups now, I blend everything so my tummy does not have to work. This early in the game we need to not make our tummy work. (But then again, I am having volume problems... I can drink WAY more than I should.) Other than that I am doing fine, can even roll over on my port side with minimal discomfort. My incisions are healing nicely and I only take Tylenol if I overdue it. Too bad I will be scheduled for hernia sugery soon. Find out today when I go back under. Wish everyone the best of luck this week! Remember there is hope on the other side!!!

Ok, I am interested in the Hoodia thing too. Someone mentioned you can get "gittery". Can you take this if you have blood pressure issues? I think I need something until I can get my first fill.

I am convinced that the mashed potatoes and blended chowders has sent me over the edge into Carb-land. I have been eating/drinking until I am about to bust. This is day two and I am miserable. I made my favorite low carb Soup today (country pork ribs with green chili salsa, put cheese/sour cream in it. YUM!), and blended it smooth so think that will help. But the only other low carb things I can think of are meat...definitely not Mushie. I need 0 carb, low carb, MUSHIE foods. I am not even to soft foods yet, so it bust be MUSHIE and filling (Jello does not work for me.). No jello pudding, no mashed potatoes, any suggestions???