NanaRenan

Hey there! I'm going conservative on my challenge goals.....last time I upped them I ended up having a car wreck and not doing anything for weeks and weeks -- and just when I was able to go back, I had a nasty stomach bug that laid me low for another week!! But, I'm committed to increasing my endurance. Hubby and I are taking another cruise (maybe! depends on if DIL's due date coincides!) and he's challenged me to be able to keep up with him on hiking excursions! YIKES! So I'm focusing not on time spent, but on increasing my distance each time I go. Has anyone else tried this method? And was it helpful?

I finally cut myself loose last week and went shopping -- a little! I'd been pulling out old stuff but (a) some of it wasn't near as "cute" as i remembered, ( some elastics do not store well and are stretched out and © fashions have changed a LOT over the last 5 years! Anyway, I went to CATO -- if you have one near you, you owe it to yourself to check it out. I found that all of my OLD stuff that WAS still in good shape and looked good was from there. Take it from a professional seamstress: You cannot beat them for quality at that price. PERIOD! You can find other stores with similar pricing, but I guarantee the quality of the materials and workmanship do NOT compare! Anyhow, I hit the clearance racks and some of the new stuff. I got a new jean skirt, two tees, a shirt and FIVE jackets for $127. (I wear a lot of jackets because of these 'faux boobs' I've acquired on my BACK!!! UGH!) I've already given away several boxes of 24 to 30 clothes. Some of it I'm a little sad to see it go, but I solidly in 22s now and dropping! I'm packing up the bulk of them to take to a friend in Dallas next weekend, because I worked long and hard to put together a collection of pieces that could mix and match and make a multitude of outfits and it just seems a shame to dump it at Goodwill or something and all that 'effort' go to waste! Giving it, en masse, to one person just makes me happier. Almost as happy as buying 18's and 20's!!!! LOL

I've been away a while, too. But still losing....way slower than you August Folks who've lost 90+.....WOW! I can't help but be jealous! Anyhow, I'm gonna perservere....still too early to tell. But I am back at the gym and watching what I load on the fork every day!

Hey, LJM....glad to finally get on and read about your surgery. I did think about you and pray for you on the day, just couldn't eek out a chance to peek. Sounds like things went well and those photos are amazing...love the 'pants' one. That before frontal could be me -- my pann. gives that 'faux hips' look, too. I can't WAIT to be where you are some day! You are an inspiration and SUCH a trooper to post through the pain and drugs! Love ya, Gal!!!!

I'm absolutely THRILLED that I did it and wouldn't hesitate to do it again or to recommend it to anyone!! And it doesn't "feel" DRASTIC at all once you've done it. I sometimes get impatient -- I want the weight to fall off faster, but, I have to remember it took years to put it on AND since I've been on a perpetual diet for the last 20 years, I wasn't consuming mass quantities of calories to begin with, so it's not a huge reduction in calories, just a slight, but consistent one.

Sweetie, give yourself a little more time to recover. Just the fact that you were put under general anesthesia can mess with your emotions, hormones and brain chemistry. Let that all settle down before you panic and make up your mind you've made a mistake. I'm six months out, and while I never felt quite as desparate as you sound in your post, I did have some moments of great anxiety. Still do on rare occasion. But for me (and I have no idea your situation) I have to look at the reality -- at least I am ALIVE to have regrets, or anxiety......and the road I was headed down BEFORE being banded, I didn't have much time left in this world!!! I had to decide which was worse, living with a device and possibly never eating certain foods again. Or being dead before I'm 50 and my grandkids never knowing who their Nana was....? Not too hard a choice when you think about it. You're in my prayers!

Y'know, I've given an awful, awful lot of lip service to my pre-concieved notion that if I can only eat 3 or 4 ounces of food at a meal, I intended to make it the very best tasting/healthiest foods possible. Now I'm backing away from that notion. In practicum, I've had a lot of problems getting my BRAIN to accept that the meal is over!! I'm literally full to the brim, couldn't eat another bite and my brain is screaming at me -- "You haven't eaten enough! You're gonna be hungry too soon." But the reality is, I'm not getting hungry too soon, so my brain just needs to SHUT UP! What I've started to notice -- as I've become more involved in life and less obsessed with my next meal -- is that I don't have this same battle if I eat JUST TO FUEL MY BODY instead of eating something deliciously divine to soothe/nurture/reward/treat my mouth and/or emotions. Anyone have any comments to share on this topic??

LOL on the crackers!

I've been SUPER-DUPER hot natured ALL of my life. As in if I'm comfortable, I know everyone around me is freezing. My weight loss since banding is very stop and start....like drop three or four pounds in a week, then not lose anything at all for three or four weeks! I have noticed when I am in a losing phase I am like 'chilled to the bone' all the time. When that goes away, I know the scales are gonna level off. Weird, but interesting. Glad to know I'm not the only one! My husband, who's endured years of being uncomfortable to try and keep me content is loving that I'm asking him to turn the heat up!!!! I hope when it's all over and I'm at goal I'll be 'normal'.

I didn't watch it for a long, long time -- I'm not a fan of 'public humiliation as entertainment' -- BUT....I figure if you know by now what the potential is for being singled out and ridiculed, and you go on there anyhow, then you're buying into the game.

I don't think I ever got the memo I couldn't wear heels! In fact, the bigger I got, the more I've worn them!!!! It was the one thing I could control -- what I put on my feet!!! Probably I just headed to the shoe store every time I got depressed trying on clothes!! LOL

I think it's time I give this a try!! Thanks for inspiring me to attempt new things!

Thanks for sharing this list of dos and don'ts. Sometimes I get too carb-oriented to the point I start craving them -- signified by waking up wanting something sweet to eat. I have to "detox" myself by "going Atkins" for a few days to get the sugar out of my system. I needed to review the actually guidelines as it's been a long, long time since I read the book and followed the diet to the "T".

I never liked the consistency of oatmeal, but I love oatmeal Cookies and especially oatmeal cookie DOUGH! So a few years ago I figured out if I nuke my instant oatmeal and then stir in about a 1/4 cup of whole oats, that it was like eating cookie dough! LOL I could eat it every day now!

I have ON OCCASION had difficulty with many of the foods on the list, BUT, I put "other" because the thing I CONSISTENTLY have difficulty with is any sort of sandwich (or anything that is hand-held). It's the double whammy of biting it off -- rather than cutting small bites, it's harder to bite off a small bite when you're used to taking big bites -- AND not wanting to lay it down and pick it up a bunch of times, so rushing bites too close together. Hamburger Subway Chopped BBQ Sandwich PoBoys PB & J Doesn't matter -- I pretty much know before I start that I'm gonna regret it.

I'm still shopping in my many boxes of clothes I've worn briefly since I got down to 249 in 2005. I've got to get significantly below that before I HAVE TO buy new clothes. But LOOK OUT when I do!! LOL Not really -- I actually intend to do quite a lot of sewing and starting to work on clothes to sell -- including personal items that I will sell off on eBay as they become too large.

This comment made me think about the numerous times -- and my husband, family and friends can attest - that a dinner party at I am in will be ushered to a tight booth, EVEN when there is a perfectly adequate table open in the immediate vicinity. Also, many times, although no one in the group ordered a diet soda, I am 'accidentally' given one. If these things occurred a little more rarely or randomly, but its as if it's some form of subliminal punishment/motivation.....as if I didn't know I'm obese! I used to be bitter about it. Now, I just smile sweetly, act as if it's all innocent and never happened before and silently pray that they REMEMBER this if/when they are ever obese somewhere down the road. Cause y'never know.... I think that's why people do mock/ridicule/discriminate.....they're suffering from a deep, internal fear that they, too, could end up this way someday.

Very cool!!! You did a great job of explaining how the TOOL 'works'.

I'm fortunate in that 98% of the time I'm eating out I'm with my husband and/or kids and grandkids. I just get an extra plate and take a forkfull or two from their orders!! And actually, my friends don't mind sharing with me either. But when I eat out with someone I'm not comfortable asking to share I will order something -- protein! -- ala carte, like a grilled chicken breast or a fish fillet. I need to ask my doctor about one of those cards to carry!

Hey, Rain, me too! I remember at 18, in the maternity ward following my first delivery a cranky nurse who kept getting me out of bed to put on a bra so my breasts wouldn't sag -- I finally flashed her -- lifting my gown over my head to show her they already sagged!!! Seriously, I passed the pen test in 4th grade!!! At 45, after FOUR stints (totaling 7.5 years!) as Dairy Cow for my progeny they are definitely TROPICAL in locale (nearing my personal Equator!) By the time I reach my goal weight -- they could be nearing my personal Antarctic!

OMG -- it hurts to LOL!!! (I was in a high impact rear-end collision on Friday and hurt all over!!!) But I couldn't help but LOL at your description!!! I still have a LOT of weight to lose, but am beginning to fear my extra skin may be getting tangled around my ankles before I hit goal and am considered for a TT. I'm so excited for you -- the countdown begins! -- and can't wait to follow your progress!! Nana<---dreaming of the day she'll be past all of the surgeries!!

I buy mine in the fresh seafood market section of the supermarket. Either in a pouch or a plastic tub. I know there are cans on the aisle with the Tuna and Salmon, but I've never tried it.

They certainly are a CARB-FEST aren't they!?! I've seen a few with eggs -- usually scrambled, but occasionally hard-boiled -- some questionable sausage patties, but not much to offer in the way of healthy protein. I usually pack some instant breakfast packets and get my low-fat milk from the hotel.

My opinions on Scientology aside, I once heard a discussion of the 'power' of celebrity. The speaker ran through a list of Hollywood "movers and shakers" and gave their background....in an attempt to show what gave them the authority to speak on such weighty topics as politics, social reforms, etc., etc. One that stuck with me was Tom Cruise. He was a dropout/busboy when he was offered his first movie role. And because of his looks and acting ability (which, when you think about it is an innate ability to lie convincingly!), he became very successful and made a lot of money. But at no point did he use that money to further his education -- unless you count the tens of thousands spent on attaining each new 'level' in the Church of Scientology! -- instead, he was catapulted onto the world stage to voice his opinions on different topics and be quoted and filmed endlessly by the media. But he's still a dropout/busboy....just with a lot of money and power. Nana<---a dropout/housewife.....with a GED and a blog

I'm almost 5 months out, and despite my best focus on Protein AND taking Biotin, my worst fears are confirmed, I'm losing skads of hair on the shower. Hopefully this will be short lived and it will grow back. My hair has already thinned down significantly in the last 20 years. I don't relish the thought of it getting thinner any quicker than is necessary! btw -- I've had multiple surgeries over the years and never noticed any hair loss from anesthesia.