argon

No no, I KNOW Vancouver's not cheap! That's why I need a GOOD job to go there.... much better than what I've got now. Leslie, I was using one of those lotions that you apply daily, and it slowly builds some colour. If I noticed the extra stretch mark glimmer with just that, so I'm not sure that a 'real' tan, whether by bed or sunlight would look better! MAYBE I'll try a spray tan (like from a can) to test it out. I actually like being as pale as I am, though. Ahhh...

errrmmm... no one else is offering, so... I say: have it. You want salty? Buy a LITTLE bag of chips. Sweet? small chocolate bar (better yet, one of the 100 cal bars). If I'm craving it, I usually end up having it. It's the only way to stop it! AHHHHH! You could say 'Maybe that's why you've stopped losing, MANDI!", but.. I've done this all along, so... couldn't have been all that bad of an idea. I was doing well... for a while.

You'll like him, sweetforlife! Welcome, and best of luck!

I personally don't think we say "aboot"... at least I don't ! It's a myth!

Doddie's got it covered, but *I* wore sweatpants, a tank top, and zip up hoody (to hide the no-bra thing!)

Good luck Peaches! I'm sure you'll be fine to go back on your old pill after a month... but I guess it depends how big they are. I'm taking Wellbutrin XL and they go down ok. They're the biggest pills I take. Well... Tylenol tablets are bigger, but I still haven't tried taking them without biting in half first!

It's definitely not a fact. Some people get that, some not. Me ... yeah, usually. Man... on Canada Day (night), I ate a hotdog for the first time in a year and a half! Alcohol was definitely a factor. In restaurants, it depends how I'm feeling. Some times I can't tell. I'm so hungry, but I'm just not sure I'm going to be able to handle eating something... but I order it, planning to try it out and eat what I can, and it all goes down fine. The other day, I went out for lunch, not 'feelin' it' at all and planning to order just a soup, but the one they had was gross, so I ordered an omelet, and ate it no problem. I don't bother with things I'm sure are pointless, like a burger, cause with the speed I have to eat, it would get yucky, fast. I'll usually get what I want, and deal with the sympathetic looks or questions if I can't eat much of it. Annoying :phanvan how are you doing now, Wheezy? Do you not weigh yourself? I wish I didn't!

Yes, me too.

Hey... I'm fine. Still around. Not much to say when you're not losing, eh? I'm pretty stuck. (up and down a couple pounds for months) At least it's nice to know I can do what I'm doing and not gain! If only I could make it to my goal, AND THEN have that issue! It's all my fault, I'm sure. I had that tiny defill, which made a huge difference (in getting rid of nightime reflux) so I'm hesitant to get another fill.... cause I don't want it to come back. I'm leaving to go home for a visit next Sat, and I think when I get back, Dan and I are SERIOUSLY gonna get down and dirty watchin' the food intake, and exercising! UGG! I'm also considering buying a Body Bugg, which I've seen others on the board talking about, and I'm very intriqued about being able to track how much calories I burn. It just became available to Canadians yesterday, apparently.... soooo... maybe I'll make another investment. You guys can wait til I get mine and see how I do with it. hehe So yeah. 170lbs. Wearing size 12 or 14 pants... my biggest I keep around are 26's. Shirts are a M or L (mens) when they used to be 2XL's. (i'm gauging this by work-logo-ed tshirts I've bought since working here) I have a hard time with shirts. Hopefully will be easier as it cools down, cause why are ALL women's short sleeve shirts SO damn short sleeved?! I want my short sleeves to come down to just above my elbows, not midway between my armpits and elbow! I have gruesome stretchmarks that are blindingly glimmery, and I'd like to cover them. I don't know how that's ever going to change, but maybe if I had a little less dangly skin on my arms, the glimmer wouldn't bother me as much. (and I've discovered once again that self tanners just make stretch marks look worse... wonder if 'natural tans' do?) I hoped I'd never have that 'nothing to wear in the summer' problem again, and I guess it's not AS bad this year as last... but still. I won't wear shorts... I have a couple capris that I haven't gotten the guts to wear yet, but maybe still will. I'm not nearly as sweaty anymore as I used to be during summer, so that's a definite plus. I don't know what I'm going to do about work. Dan wants to leave here. He hates what he's doing, feels like he's getting screwed all the time, and wasting his time/talent here. *I* on the other hand, am just stupidly grateful to have a job. I'm in the 'I don't know what else I could possibly do/who would hire me, if I left this job' thinking. I'm making well-above minimum wage, and if I were to leave and didn't have a GOOD paying job lined up elsewhere, I couldn't live working minimum wage. I feel like I'm so poor now, I don't know how people can live on minimum wage. (well... it would make a big difference to not have just student loan payments eating 1/3 of my take-home pay). Dan thinks he's got a good chance at a job in Vancouver. I'm going to apply at a few places there. One good thing is that we'd have a place to live as long as we needed it (cheap, if not free), if we did move there. I dunno what's gonna happen. :phanvan Just saw Ratatouille tonight for the 2nd time. It's fantastic! You don't have to be a kid, or an animator to like it... it's a nice story, go! Enjoy!

Are they 'bad'? I have wanted to try making my own greek ribs, and finally did a couple weeks ago. I'm in love, and am eating them alot. I can't really find anything on the nutritional value, and what I do find, I don't know if 6oz includes how much they weigh with the bone-in, and if so, how the heck am I supposed to know how much meat I'm getting off of them? As a general rule, are they very high in calories and/or fat, and no the best meat choice? Should I stay away?

Puddin, the picture you have on page 5, the 'before' one, is that what you were looking like JUST before you had the lower body lift, or months before?

Mine's left, and a few inches above my belly button. That's Dr. Cobourn/Mumfords 'usual' place, and I like it just fine... never have a problem.

Incase there are any other Canadians and/or Mac users interested in the Bodybugg, here's what they told me in a recent email: I also don't know if that means that there may be a NEW bodybugg model possibly coming out, or maybe just new software/website stuff, but you might want to keep an eye on it if you're thinking about buying one, cause I'd rather wait a month and get the newest model (if thats the case)... but I can't even get one, cause I have a Mac, and live in Canada!

Wow, you HAVE been away for a long time, Sherri! You'll find alot of people gone AWOL around here. Some of us are still around, just not posting much. Let us know how it's going. Mandi

I don't know what to think about my restriction. I don't really agree with him saying that you should only be able to have coffee, and maybe some yogurt in the morning. Not everyone is really tight in the morning, it's not a rule, and you shouldn't have to (or be supposed to) aim for that! If you can eat breakfast, and are still losing weight, that's awesome, and you're all the more better off than those of us who can't. We've ALL be told forever that you should never skip breakfast. For the first, I don't know... 9 months, I WAS able to eat something at breakfast, and I usually would. I lost the most weight during that time, so is it a bad thing? Beef should be difficult? I can't say that it's ever been difficult. I've never eaten so much steak (haha, well.. maybe I have). I've had the best luck, most recently WITH eating steak. Anyways, that's what I think. I don't think telling people they should be wanting to not BE ABLE to eat breakfast is good at all.

Any of you guys end up getting this book? If so, what did you think? Is it something better for a newbie? I never got it like I planned, but am about to put in an order to Amazon, so I'm considering it again!

I am FROM Sask., but I'm living in NB. Maybe I'm still on SK time?!

and really, do we know she's never had a caesarian, or any kind of surgery that could cause scars like you see (cause I don't notice anything I'd say was a scar) ?

I don't think so. I think she looks like anyone with bumps and lumps, who's lost TOO much weight, and her skin's getting hangy.

I haven't read this entire thread, and I normally stay away from the rants and raves, unless I see something that catches my interest, but I'm feeling feisty, and need somewhere to just say - IT'S LOSE not LOOSE!!!!!!!!!!! You don't want to LOOSE weight! AHHHHHHH! Sorry. I'm done.

Why would your nutritionalist want you to lose 30lbs in 5 weeks? Is it a pre-op diet? Guess it depends on how you're doing it. I was on Optifast for just 2 weeks before surgery, and lost 15lbs. I was 280lbs. Heavier people usually have better initial results, so I'm sure it's POSSIBLE. I think 3 Optifasts plus the cup of veggies I was allowed a day, added up to about 900 calories. It wouldn't be fun, and I would not envy anyone who had to do it for THAT long. Ugg!

Which 'model' do you have, Doddie? I'd have to have something VERY light and barely noticable to me, to wear ALL the time. Do you shower with it, and everything?

Ok, I'm seriously considering it. Maybe I'll ask for one for Christmas! I am guessing MedicAlert is better to have (for 'privacy's sake) than something with "Lapband" or whatever on it... with how it can contain all your medical history, contacts, etc. But then, since I'm cheap/broke, I could just get one now that DOES have the 'no blind intubation' and 'adjustable gastric band' on the back, or something, and hope no one sees. Wish MedicAlert didn't require a yearly subscription too. :phanvan Hmm... dilemas.

Whatev, it's your ass... I was just stating that instead of using something to 'ease' it, you should do something that might prevent it. Good luck to ya.

I'm pretty sure it's gotta be nail polish remover WITH acetone, not the gentle stuff that is 'without'.