NanaRenan

I think the bigger question is how do we react to others who've lost weight! I tend to be like "Hey!!?! You look GREAT! Have you lost weight?" Some people are quite delighted to rattle of their stats and what they're doing/have done, while others look like they just smelled something nasty and can't wait to get away from me! In the past I've really loved the compliments when I'm losing. Right now -- as currently reigning PLATEAU QUEEN -- I don't feel I've lost enough to be noticeable, so I tend to feel like the compliments I'm getting are just courtesy or sympathy remarks because people WANT IT FOR ME so bad.

Hi. It's been a while since I was on. But its been crazy busy around here and I was out of town last weekend. I got my first fill on 10/10 and have some pretty good restriction with it...am VERY tight in the morning!!! While we were out of town last weekend, my husband and I stopped for some Breakfast. I ate a few of bites each of eggs and bacon and a bite or two of hash browns and I was stuffed. As we got in the car and started towards our appointment, I caught myself repeatedly thinking, "I didn't eat enough, I'm gonna be hungry soon!" or else wondering WHEN we would do lunch or WHAT lunch would be? And all the while I was SO full another bite would have made me puke~!! Does anyone have suggestions for dealing with THE BRAIN? I told my husband it reminds me a little of SEX!!! The stomach is always going to get 'satisfied', but the MOUTH needs a little more ...er.... um..... stimulation :car: to know that something actually occurred!!!

Glad you got good encouragement!!! I remember once -- after having made excellent progress on Weight Watchers -- I decided I deserved to 'coast' a while. All I accomplished was losing my momentum!!! The motivation was gone. I'd lost enough to cut out several prescriptions, my knees weren't hurting, I got compliments every where I went and all my clothes were brand new!!!! Hey!! That was the best my life had been in many years! Never mind I was STILL 100 lbs overweight! It took 5 years to gain it all back, but I did -- AND THEM SOME! (Ya'll know THAT routine, right?) But I did....and now I'm banded. I'm terribly pessimistic that I will do that again....shoot myself in the foot!! At least with the banding....I know I might stand still a while, but there's no excuse for going backwards, as long as I can scrape together a C-note and find someone who'll fill me!! Hang in there, Losing -- you ARE an inspiration!!

It's some unwritten law or something....when you're losing pounds, you're not losing inches. And conversely, when you're losing inches, you're not losing pounds. Aggravating as all get out, BUT, enough of each one and you'll reach your goal eventually, right?? Carry-on....sounds like both of you are doing fine!

I'm only adding a teeny amount. Which is hard for me, because I LOVE rice! I'm from Louisiana, y'know!!?!! Down there we say, "Rice is ON! What do ya'll want for dinner?" Cause its pretty much on the table always! LOL But now it's a love/hate relationship because I know it's largely to blame for me being over 300 lbs!!! So I've been cutting way, WAY back for years....to the point that post band, I'm measuring it into my bowl by the teaspoonful rather than the shovelful. But so far, no problems. Dangedest thing though....I keep getting 'hung up" with GRITS of all things!!! I may have to give them up entirely. I've had two bad spells with them.

Hm....I do keep my 17 m/o grandbuddy several days a week....hadn't considered THAT! I was so focused on getting my fill that I didn't think to ask!

I am definitely more constricted in the AM. I just got my first fill yesterday, but every PB I've had (or almost had) has been at breakfast or lunch. In the evenings I could eat pretty much anything as long as I chewed it halfway seriously.

I got my first fill yesterday. They did NOT tell me to do liquids, so I'm not. I'm pleased, because after 3 or 4 bites, I'm full and need to stop. I'm impatient, because my brain is going to take a long time catching on to the program. It is screaming at me, "You CAN'T be done! Look how much food is left. You need to wash that down with something so you can fit in a few more bites......and so on and so on". I've got to really work at deprograming 45 years of doing something one way!

I'm not feeling 'fatigued' -- in fact, since the surgery, I've been off several meds and feel I have more energy than I have in YEARS! Today a friend met me at church and we tackled a long ignored task of cleaning out a storage closet. After my third hike to the dumpster out back I had to "sit a spell"....but, I told my helper, "You know, three months ago I couldn't have done this at ALL -- even with frequent sit-down breaks!"

Hi there, Sunny! Welcome! You're doing excellent there....I was banded a couple of days before you. I've gotten TONS of encouragement and support from this site and making some new friends along the way, too. Hope you get what you need. Just ask -- if you're not getting the answer you need, just keep asking....someone will respond. Toodles! Nana Renan (a.k.a. Pam)

Hi, Shelli....I guess if my family wipes it out in one meal it's a "good" recipe, huh? LOL I start them the night before. When I'm cleaning up from dinner I bring a pot of Water (about 4 qts in a 5 qt pot) to boil on the stove. When it is at a rolling boil I turn it off and dump in the bag of beans and let them sit all night. The next morning, I rinse them several times in clear water and strain them. I add bouillion (about 5-6 cubes), minced onion (a tablespoon of the dried), the beans and water about an inch over all in the Crock-Pot. (with garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper to taste) Set it on Low for 8 - 10 hours or High for 6 - 7 hours. This works for Pinto Beans. I do the exact same thing for dried Black-Eyed Peas (Man, my kids friends swarm the house on New Year's Day!!) and Red Kidney Beans (in La. this is a traditional meal on Mondays -- cafes and school lunch rooms almost always make this available on Monday!). But, because the Black-Eyed Peas and Red Beans we serve over rice, you want them really cooked down a LOT. And to thicken them up some, a little while before serving I will take about 1.5 cups of beans and broth out and mash it up real fine before returning it to the pot. This makes for a thicker, richer bean to eat over rice. If you want it even thicker STILL, stir a tablespoon of corn starch into about a half cup of cool water until its dissolved and pour it into the pot and stir well. I add real bacon bits to all three kinds and sliced smoked sausage to the red beans, to make them really "Nawlins"-style. My mama and granny made these with bacon drippings for flavoring. But you can cut out all of that fat by using the bouillion. You can also control the sodium by choosing low-sodium bouillion. chicken or beef flavor either one will work, BUT if your local store has an aisle of Mexican foods, check to see if they have GOYA brand HAM flavored bouillion. I also choose smoked turkey sausage to cut out even more fat. I still like my rice, but I eat much less now -- just a little for texture, and it's usually brown rice. My mama would faint! :faint: LOL That's about it. Clear as mud??? If you have any questions just ask.

I don't notice the chewing issue as much as the timing between bites. I pretty much have to HOLD NOTHING. Sandwich, burrito, toast.....anything that you hold in your HAND and eat -- I get in too big of a hurry and then I have problems! So everything has to lay on a plate and be cut and forked. But hey -- 42 lbs since surgery day? That is AWESOME! :clap2: That's what I ASPIRED to do, but dropped about 21 in 2.5 to 3 weeks and have just been HUNG there ever since. And I was banded the day after you!

Are you KIDDING me? "Fill Parties" I'm sorry, but that just sounds 'igganunt' to me!!!

I know what you mean. Almost every day someone says, "Man, you're really losing!" or "I can see you're dropping the pounds." I want to go "Thanks, but fibbing doesn't help!" I'm SUPPOSED to get my first fill on WEDNESDAY. The date keeps jumping around and I'm starting to get frustrated.

I'm sorta worried about mine, too. It's almost to my knees and I won't cut it. (Been there, done that, not goin' back!) Mine is technically a "dark ash blonde" with a BUNCH of grey in it and it's already about 50% thinner than it was 15 years ago -- thanks to simply AGING. But, I don't want it to get any thinner! But -- if it does, then I'll deal with it, and I'll be in excellent company!

I forgot to add -- cut and paste and substitute your own answers!!!

Tired of those same old 55 questions about me surveys? Well here are 55 I guarantee you've never answered. 1. Is your second toe longer than your first? Nope 2. Do you have a favorite type of pen? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a fountain pen. But I settle for the convenience of a gel pen. "You might be a writer if.....you test drive pens!" 3. Look at your planner for Sept 14, what were you doing? As little as possible and eating liquids -- I was one week post-op. 4. What color are your toenails usually? French pedi or au naturel 5. What was the last thing you highlighted? Something clever that I need to learn/remember in my Dave Ramsey course. 6. What color are your bedroom curtains? Green 7. What color are the seats in your car? Grey 8. Have you ever had a black and white cat? Yes. Her name was Cookie. 9. What is the last thing you put a stamp on? A medical bill 10. Do you know anyone who lives in Wyoming? Can't say that I do. 11. Why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time? Hmmmm.....it escapes me. But then cash always does. *ba-dump-bump* 12. Whose is the last baby that you held? My GrandBuddy...Desmond...my daughter's little boy. 13. Unlucky #? Do I have one? Nobody told me!! 14. Do you like Cinnamon toothpaste? uh---No. 15. What kind of car were you driving 2 years ago? 1996 Buick Roadmaster 16. Pick one: Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators? I'll take my gator fried and my hurricane non-alcoholic. 17. Last time you went to Six Flags? Myself? 1987. But I've dropped the kids off since then. LOL 18. Do you have any wallpaper in your house? Nope -- first house I've lived in in 25 years to NOT have any wallpaper in it. 19. Closest thing to you that is yellow? The wall to my left. 20. Last person to give you a business card? A doctor, I guess. 21. Who is the last person you wrote a check to? My church for tithes. 22. Closest framed picture to you? Tootie and Bean -- my daughter and granddaughter, auntie and niece 23. Last time you had someone cook for you? My hubby made chili dogs on Saturday. 24. Have you ever applied for welfare? Not yet! 25. How many email accounts do you have? Three that I use -- several that I don't. 26. Last time you received flowers? Um....Mother's Day, I think. 27. Do you think the sanctity of marriage is meant for only a man & woman? Absolutely. 28. Do you play air guitar? Nope....I know my limitations. 29. Has anyone ever proposed to you? Yes 30. Do you take anything in your coffee? I prefer my caffeine carbonated and over ice. 31. Do you have any Willow Tree figurines? One 32. What is/was your high school's rival mascot? Gosh, I don't remember. The school was Baker....but I don't know what their mascot was! 33. Last person you spoke to from high school? Tonya 34. Last time you used hand sanitizer? Does antibacterial soap count? 35. Would you like to learn to play the drums? Why bother...like I said, I know my limitations! 36. What color are the blinds in your living room? off-white 38. Last thing you read in the newspaper? The ad for Hobby Lobby 39. What was the last pageant you attended? Can't say I've ever attended one. 40. What is the last place you bought pizza from? Pizza Hut 41. Have you ever worn a crown? Only in my imagination. 42. What is the last thing you stapled? The budget 43. Did you ever drink clear Pepsi? Nope 44. Are you ticklish? Very much so. 45. Last time you saw fireworks? July 4 46. Last time you had a Krispy Kreme doughnut? Right before they closed down the one on Bay Area Blvd....so like 18 months ago maybe? 47. Who is the last person that left you a message & you actually returned it? Ha! Good question. I don't remember! 48. Last time you parked under a carport? At my daddy's, four years ago. 49. Do you have a black dog? Nope 50 . Have you had your mid life crisis yet? Since I've not yet acknowledged that I AM "mid-life", the answer is NO. 51. Are you an aunt or uncle? Auntie 52. Who has the prettiest eyes that you know of? My hubby -- or one of my kids that he gave them to. 53. Believe in Karma? I can't, since I don't believe in reincarnation. I believe we should treat others as we would like to be treated. And I sometimes see people suffer through things they shouldn't have to. But I know God is the judge of us all and He will make it all right in the end. 54. Do you remember Ugly Kid Joe? I'm thinking......er.....no. 55. Do you have a little black dress? Well, in my case it would be a BIG black dress, but yes, I have several.

I've dealt with this for years and it will only get worse the more weight I lose -- until I finally lose enough to get surgery! Make sure the powder you're using is not MEDICATED. It can actually aggravate the problem if it is yeast-related. Monostat sells a Anti-Chafing gel that is awesome. Only problem is its a little pricey (about $6-$7 at Wal-Mart) and I hate that it gets wasted on my hands. I wish they'd put it in a roll-on container instead of a tube. Otherwise, shower frequently. Towel dry and I lay down on the bed in front of a fan and twist, turn and tug until I get all those areas really throughly dry before I dress. Good luck....I know your misery.

For the last two days I've had this odd little pain every now and then. I can only describe it as a PINCH. Not a stabbing pain, but a quick PINCH and it's gone. It's on my left side and right about the bottom of my ribcage.....Okay, I'm not real sure about that -- I'm embarrassed to admit that I can't find my ribs that extend below the bottom of my bra!! :omg: Anyhow, I notice it every time I hiccup -- and a few other times, too. But always with a hiccup. Could it be my diaphragm?? (No, not THAT diaphragm, silly head! ) I'm paranoid that it's some sort of slippage or something -- erosion, maybe? Someone mentioned it could be a pulled muscle. I do tug on my GrandBuddy quite a bit! Alex....? Are ya there? You're the resident SLIPPAGE expert, right?? Should I call the doctor's office? I'm scheduled to go in Monday for a fill.

This is where I am at and I haven't even had a fill yet! Just have to mentally FORCE myself to put the fork down and walk away from the table. Very, very weird. I mean I dropped out of the CLEAN YOUR PLACE CLUB years ago. But I still think I should be able to eat my smaller (normal) sized portions and need to pay more attention. I've PBed a couple of times. The worse occasion was in a resturant with my sister-in-law. She had gone to the restroom and the waitress brought the check. I didn't know what to do, but I knew I had to do something quick or I was going to embarrass myself and gross out one whole room at IHOP!! (I was having the Cod Hollandaise without the sauce, btw!) I didn't have time to come up with a good solution, I just had to run. Sure enough, I'd just finished and was wiping my tears and blowing my nose when the waitress came in looking for us. Poor thing, I know she thought we'd stiffed her.

My name is Pam I'm going to keep pushing the walking -- a little further each day and little longer each trip. And I'm going to finally get off my duff, swallow my pride and go back to Bally's and see what they have to offer -- I'm paid up through May -- I might as well take advantage of it!

I'm spending the extra to by Borden's Hi-Pro 2% milk -- 10 grams of Protein per cup. (I gotta remember eating CHEAP helped get me 150 lbs overweight!) Made Beans twice this week -- at 15 grams per cup, they are a good source of protein. My husband LOVES it. He grew up on them, so their comfort food for him. And mega cheap -- he likes that, too! Also, I've been buying real lump crab meat to put in a salad for lunch -- 2 oz. has 10 grams of protein. You just gotta look for it, it's out there!

Yea!!! I did it! Nana Renan is good for me! Time to get crackin' on October!!!!

This is just a "head's up"! My brother-in-law got married two weeks ago on the beach. The next day they set sail on a cruise -- isn't that romantic? They had a great time in Cozumel. On the morning of their return, he was summoned over the intercom just as they were sitting down to Breakfast. He kissed his bride and said he'd be right back. Three hours later!! When she's pestered every crewmember she can find to help her look for him, she is finally handed over to two armed officers from Homeland Security. They neither answer her questions or help her carry her luggage, but just keep inching her towards customs and periodically hand her off to new pairs of officers. Finally, when she met the fifth new set of HLS officers, she was about to reach Three-Mile Island meltdown. They finally informed her that her husband had been arrested and was in the Galveston City Jail!!! He had a warrant in another state (a 'failure to appear' charge stemming from a civil dispute with is ex-wife, that he'd already been picked up for once before and had been assured it was all taken care of!!!). We were told at the jail that they've been doing this for about a month -- sweeping the list of names of people returning to the country -- and the jail is averaging 5 to 10 cruise ship passengers each week. It took from SATURDAY AM to late THURSDAY PM to get him out!!! Just wanted to warn anyone about to leave the country -- be sure there's nothing on your record.

**bump** Ya'll are doing good....keep it up. I'll be adding a new sumpin'sumpin' in a day or two!