Cheri

Jill, if you have a YMCA nearby, they have a great strength training class and you can pay per session!! I go once a week to the strength training class (it takes most of the week to recover, and I never thought of sitting on the toilet as work until this class!) I also do 60 minutes of yoga 2x a week (great for strength and balance - not to mention stress-relief) followed by 45 minutes on the treadmill. On the days I don't yoga or strength train I go and use the cybex machines and treadmill, or I stay at home and lay around on my lazy butt!! I find that exercise videos don't do it for me, as I am SO NOT accountable for myself! I will watch it from the couch instead of the floor!! Maybe if I had someone to workout with it would be easier for me!! Besides, everytime I get on the floor, my two littlest ones decide I am a horse (it's kinda tough to do leg lifts or crunches with two and three year-olds as resistance!!

I thought that a man's assets were in his wallet, not his boxers!! hahaha We want to see your portfolio, not your tripod!!!!

Well, I would post mine, but I don't have a wide angle lens for my camera!!! Can anyone say "back boobs?" This is SO funny - Magic, are you a man?? haha

$14,000 cash - includes 1 year of fills/visits! If I lose 100 pounds, that will be $140 per pound - well worth it in my book!!

I am curious to see why everyone here is, well...here. We all have a different story to tell, a different life led, so why are we gathered together in this one place to offer love and support to one another? For me, I have a mixture of contributing issues. You know the childhood "eat all of your dinner or no playing/tv/swimming/etc", unhealthy body issues in adolescence, bad food choices consistently for years, and now genetics (everyone in my immediate family and beyond is morbidly obese!) Just thought it would be interesting to see the most common factor we all have to deal with! ~cheri (by the way, you can choose as many as apply to you - and this poll is anonymous!)

Wanna be healthy, I suggest you do just Clear liquids for a day or two until you feel a little better - most people on here state that they are on clear liquids for 2 weeks then to full liquids (pudding, milk, anything that can go through a straw consistency) Don't worry about Protein for right now, just focus on healing and feeling well. Your body will be fine for a couple of days as it heals further. I also found that cold cold liquids spell disaster for me, lukewarm or even room temperature don't seem to cause the sudden tightness! Good Luck! ~cheri

Congratulations, Grandma Penni!! Wish I could fly you to see your new bundle of joy!!!

My advice- call your Doc ASAP!!! It could be nothing, but don't take any chances with chest pains!!!! Let us know! ~cheri

Had a fill almost 2 weeks ago, still no restriction to speak of! I am ready for another one, too, but the doc says one every 6 weeks (at this pace, I'll be good to go in a year or so!!) I have a 10cc band, so I have no idea what to expect!!! ~cheri

Nice to meet you, and congratulations on your progress!!! I love it here, too! ~cheri

Angel, When you find out this answer, please let me in on the secret too!!! I had my first fill going on 2 weeks ago, and I honestly wonder if I even have a band sometimes! The only thing that lets me know is that I get sick immediately when I eat rice or even try bakery-type items (which I didn't do before! Today, I have followed the inamed statement on my band's info card about only being able to eat 1/4 cup at a time, and boy am I starving!!!!! ~cheri

Yeah, my 8 year old syas that Gloria is my idol (not hers, mine!!) I feel better now since I had her explain - she says that Gloria is big and beautiful - she loves the swimsuit at the beach - and has a bad attitude!! It could be worse - we could be the wicked witch of the West!

Get ya some propel - good for you and tastes like Kool-aid!!! Hope you feel better soon!

This is a pic of my three pirates with their buddies at Halloween! I guess I am bragging, but I made their pirate costumes (the Belle dress, too)! [ATTACH]3376[/ATTACH]

This is William on my ab lounger - hey, at least it isn't a clothes hanger, right? [ATTACH]3373[/ATTACH] This is a pic of Maia and Elliott on the night of Maia's Daddy/Daughter Dance. [ATTACH]3374[/ATTACH] Here's all three acting like the silly kids they are! [ATTACH]3375[/ATTACH]

Wow, Lisa!!!! You look awesome, and you look like you're having a BLAST!! How many margaritas did it take to get you on that thing?!?!?! Did you ride your new Harley to the bar? Bull-riding...not for me. I'm scared that the bull would pull out a white flag if I climbed on it's back!!!! Woo Hoo, Delarla!! ~cheri

Honestly Penni, I would talk to my doctor about it! I would definitely send in my application for it (cause you would surely rock!!), then have a heart to heart with your doc. See what he/she thinks. If you have back issues, they may be irritated or worsened by the grueling tests. Your doctor can advise you better! As for Cannes, how long are you supposed to be gone? If it is only a weekend, that is SO doable!! I would never give up a chance to go ANYWHERE (except Alabama, which is where I AM - hehe) Cannes will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you shouldn't plan on missing it! I am sure that TBL doesn't not intend to have you sit at home waiting for them - I agree with the call-forwarding idea, and, hey, maybe they could inform you at Cannes - - imagine what that would do for the ratings on the show!!! I know, in your video, bring up the whole Cannes thing, and how you would miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance in order to compete on TBL!!!! Let us know your final answer!!! ~cheri

You go girl!!! 172 - I would be out there strutting my stuff BIG TIME at that weight!!! (maybe not in my swimsuit, I still wouldn't look good in one of those!!!) Keep up the good work! ~cheri

Girl, send him and his nuts to the garage!!! Support means not doing things that hurt you (whether emotionally or physically) as well as doing things that will help you! You are like a baby bandster right now, my goodness it's barely been a week! You can't eat the cashews even if you wanted to, but he really needs to keep his snacking away from you, especially right now! If you were smokers and he decided to quit, would you continue to smoke in his presence?? It's essentially the same thing! I realize that you are probably cooking meals even though you are on liquids (we gotta do what we gotta do), but the snacking thing in the evening is too much - no one should be eating junk that late! (I say this as I remember last night's munch fest on cottage cheese and soy chips, and the night before with fully-loaded ice cream and chocolate chips!!) It sounds like you have a good relationship, but you need to kick him out of your sight whenever he pulls his nuts out!!! (Oh, you naughty girl - not those nuts!!! hehe) Good Luck! ~cheri

Best of luck! Know that we are here cheering you on!!

Of course, I am no expert, but I would say you have nothing to worry about. Your port is attached to the muscle in your abdominal wall, so every time you cough, you are "disturbing" it, just the same as when you do crunches or stretch. It probably hurts even more than with other activities because coughing is such a violent movement for your muscles!!! Never hesitate to call the doctor if it feels "wrong". She/he is there for your well-being, and I'm sure they can do a quick check to see if your port is okay!! Rest, lots of fluids, and some great cough syrup (hopefully with some "good stuff" in it) should have you ready to go soon! Hope you get to feeling better soon! ~cheri

Wow! How cool would it be to see you on the show!?!?! I already bawl my eyes out each week during weigh-in...I can't imagine how I would react if someone I know was on there!! If you make it, we should have a biggest loser challenge to keep up wih you!!!!! Good Luck! ~cheri

I have to say that i hate you (JUST KIDDING) I am sooo jealous, though. I don't think my left calf would fit in the waist of a size 16!! A job? I would SO love a job...but I have three kids, 2,3 and 8 (the hubby doesn't want me to get a job yet- I don't think we could afford childcare!) Italy, too?! Girl, I want to be you!!!! Congrats and keep up the good work & positive attitude!! ~cheri

:bump: :eek: :bump:

I am SO happy to have my band!! Someday - once it teaches me a few tricks - we will make a great team!! I am still learning to listen to it's subtle hints (which I am sure won't be so subtle after a few fills!!) This is the best thing I could have done for myself at this time. I wish I would have done it sooner, but now is good too! ~cheri