FeliciaLevy75

Grats, Bunk! A pound was abandoned, so I am reveling in that this morning. =) Much happier that I saw something move! Name.............StartingWeight....Current......Goal.........To Go Bunkey1965........220.................197............189...........8 CQQlgirl..............200.................198............190...........8 Cadets71............239.................226.5..........219...........7.5 Dreamsize8.........216.................216............190...........26 FeliciaLevy75......286.................243............240........... 3 Gayle21..............190.......... ......190............175...........15 Jeni 85................189.................182............169...........13 Laura bough........215.................205............190...........15 Liz_hager............172.................163............150...........13 MMarg.................220.................214............199...........21 Newhope4me......163.6...............160.4..........150..........10.4 NukeChik.............227.................227............197...........30 Scrappy_friend....222.................222.............200..........22 TexGirl................202.................198............180...........18 Thininside28........271.5..............256.............245...........11 Wannabthin.........199................199.............179...........20

No clothes = no stains. Everyone go naked!

I eat cabbage in many forms - including saurkraut - and have no issues.

Sadly, nothing to update for me. I went back on the pill about a week and a half ago and my doctor warned me I would gain wait. I haven't gained, which is good, but I haven't lost anything since last week either. Still hanging out at 244. Thankfully, I have a couple weeks to the end of the challenge! =)

I got mine 1 month after surgery and had another one about a month and nine days after that. I hadn't been on any sort of pill for a while, so I called my OB and and she put me on them - easier to track and know when they're coming! I wasn't regular even last time I was on the pill, so I go back in four months to see how "regular" I have become so we can keep an eye on things.

ROCK ON!! :wink2: Knew you could do it!

I think it depends on just how big your feet were when you were heavy. I know that sounds like a "duh" statement, but not everyone carries their weight in their feet. I did. My ankles were swollen a lot, and my feet would puff up on bad days, so I have noticed a difference because neither of those happen anymore. My family refers to my 11/12s as "gunboats." Sadly, they are still part of the fleet. :wink2: The difference I have noticed, however, is not the size of my shoes but how much better they fit. Strappy shoes, heels, etc. all sit differently now and fit and feel much better. I know some people who are much heavier than I ever was who's feet just didn't show it. I know very thin people with very fat feet. *shrug*

Hahahaha, to be fair, I think I tacked on "weight loss reward" to make it easier to perpetuate the shopping habit. :wink2:

Grats!! That's awesome!

You found out my day job! *sigh* Now I need to find a new line of work.

My family is almost wholly nonsupporting. My little brother and his wife are great, my cousins are fabulous, and some of my uncles are great. Short of that, my immediate family are uncaring, afraid, and generally ignore what I am doing and the results from it. To acknowledge it is to acknowledge that I am removing myself from the club of which they are a part. They don't like people to do that, to remind them that they are unhealthy, obese, and justifying their way into depths from which they will not recover. My dad would have been supportive. I know that. But he died of complications from type II diabetes at only 64 years of age. Still, he would have been there for me with complete understanding and support. He would have been the only one in my Vegas who did. Since I don't have him, I have friends, I have my little brother, and I have ME.

This weekend I am flying to Washington, DC, to spend a long weekend with a man with whom I have had a long distance semi-romance for over 2 and a half years. It's been just over 2 years since we have seen each other face to face, but to hear us talk you would think we hung out every weekend. He knows everything I have done, gone through, and my progress. I haven't sent photos of me because I want him to be pleasantly surprised, and he has been fine with that. So why the hell am I so nervous? I feel more nervous than the first time we spent a weekend together. I am infinitely more confident in how I look, how I feel, and how I manage my lifestyle. I feel great that I have inspired him (not obese, but a little overweight) to hit the gym more and want to move more. He's not solely a BBW guy (aka "chubby-chaser") so I am not worried that I have lost too much weight. I am not worried about running around the Capitol and not being able to keep up. I am not worried about food or drink or anything related. He liked me then, he still likes me... so why the f--k am I having this little mental crisis? I haven't changed, we talk all the time, there are no surprises save for smaller clothes and a few bones that are more prominent now. It's making me nuts (can you tell?) that I am worried about this weekend. All things considered, I should be than calm, more than happy. Instead... Ugh.

This weekend I am flying to Washington, DC, to spend a long weekend with a man with whom I have had a long distance semi-romance for over 2 and a half years. It's been just over 2 years since we have seen each other face to face, but to hear us talk you would think we hung out every weekend. He knows everything I have done, gone through, and my progress. I haven't sent photos of me because I want him to be pleasantly surprised, and he has been fine with that. So why the hell am I so nervous? I feel more nervous than the first time we spent a weekend together. I am infinitely more confident in how I look, how I feel, and how I manage my lifestyle. I feel great that I have inspired him (not obese, but a little overweight) to hit the gym more and want to move more. He's not solely a BBW guy (aka "chubby-chaser") so I am not worried that I have lost too much weight. I am not worried about running around the Capitol and not being able to keep up. I am not worried about food or drink or anything related. He liked me then, he still likes me... so why the f--k am I having this little mental crisis? I haven't changed, we talk all the time, there are no surprises save for smaller clothes and a few bones that are more prominent now. It's making me nuts (can you tell?) that I am worried about this weekend. All things considered, I should be than calm, more than happy. Instead... Ugh.

Best advice I can give is listen to your docs and consultants, question and research everything so you understand it all, and stay on plan. February can seem like it's far away, so you need to stay focused and be vigilant from day one - and stay that way. Everyone slips up... but it's getting back on track quickly and with purpose that means the most to your success. Remember that none of this is easy, no matter what some of us say or intimate. This is a new life and a new way of living it. There is nothing short term about it. Treat it that way, and it becomes a bit easier. Move as much as you can, eat healthy, get into these habits. It's easy to make justifications, especially when you have other people to take care of. "Just this once" turns into "I'll make up for it later" turns into "why am I not losing weight?!" Your success is entirely dependent upon you. No one can do it for you, no one can make you eat, no one can stop you from doing what you need to do. Good luck.

Dragged my ass out to the gym at 9pm, and so glad I did. I put in 40 mins of cardio and then came home and did some stretching and strength on the ball. This morning I dressed in my gym clothes to force me out today and get it done before I do anything else. I haven't left yet, but I started on the ball this morning and plan to hit the gym after Phelps swims this afternoon.

I wasn't sure how to answer the poll, so I thought I would post instead. I do eat carbs, but they are all from dairy (99% of which is yogurt), fruits, and vegetables. Occasionally - because my family is made up of foodies and we're always trying new recipes or restaurants - I will have a bite of something that is made with bread or breading, but only because a dish looks good and I want to taste the recipe. I don't eat bread (the rare wrap, but I am finding I can't tolerate them much anymore), and I haven't had Pasta, rice, or sugar-based foods in months. All of that said, I still average about 40-60 carbs a day from my yogurt, fruits, and veg. I make lower carb choices, but I am not militant about it like I used to be since none of them are refined carbs. I seem to be losing at a steady and fairly quick pace (60 lbs in under 3 months). I have been cycling carbs and calories a little bit lately, but only up for a day or two, then back down to my "normal" range. I have been debating on being more vigilant so I can test out ketosis, but right now I am doing pretty good with the current dietary choices. Not sure if this helps, but I thought I would share.

I once had a TSA agent grab the wire between the cups of my bra when the wand made me beep. I have a fairly good sized chest; she had none. She shakes it a little and says, "What is this?" I said, "Underwire," looked at her chest, and asked, "Heard of it?" My fiance (now ex husband) was laughing so hard he forgot to grab his bag off the conveyor belt. The lap band has not been an issue, and I have gone through three different airports since I was banded.

Trampolines, people, trampolines. The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games I realize that you can easily jumble this into gymnastics, and I think they have, but trampolines? I further realize that the airborne gyrations are difficult as are most gymnastics routines.... but show me someone jumping off the floor, balance beams, or using their arms on bars, pommel horses, and rings. Hell, even *I* can do some airborne gyrations on a trampoline.

Updating.... I really debated not getting off my ass tonight and instead watching the olympics and trying to pass that off. BUT! I got up and I went. And I felt great! I even... ahem... jogged a little!! 8/4 - Day Off (Planned) 8/5 - 30 minutes bicycling @ 22mph (11 miles in 30 minutes) + 1.0 mile cool down. Will also do 30 minutes of light stability ball work tonight. Total - 30 minutes (ball not included) 8/6 - Day Off (Grrrrr...) 8/7 - Day Off (Grrrrr...) 8/8 - Day Off (Grrrrr...) 8/9 - 30 minutes walking @ 3.5-4.0mph @ 2.0 incline (some jogging at 5mph!!); last 2 minutes at 15 incline (huff and puff!) + 5 minutes cool down @ 2.6mph; AND 5 minutes bicycling @ 24mph (2 miles in 5 minutes) for a quick sprint. Also added 15 minutes or so of stretching and stability ball work. Total - 40 minutes (ball and stretching not included)

I have been rewarding myself as I go. Travel, clothes, pedicures, etc. I feel great when I get to enjoy something new, especially on the heels of a feel-good weight loss. My next big in-progress reward is the money I will spend on a trainer to help harden up this closer-to-beach body. I figure another 40lbs and the trainer is a go!

I'll be rooting for you!

Go Md!! Great job!

All I can say is that my life depends on it, so I focus on it. It is a lifestyle to which I am quickly becoming accustomed. -- I watch not only how much I eat, but what I eat. Calories in has to be lower than calories out or you won't lose weight. Regardless of foods in your diet, this is key. -- I move, every day, even if it's just time on the balance ball or floor exercises. -- I don't eat Pasta, bread (occasional bite, or wrap, no more), sugary foods, Desserts, etc. I make replacements so I am not without something or denied something. -- I cycle my calories and carbs. I go up a few days a week to jump start my body. It feels like a treat but also tells my body to burn a little more for now... and then go back to my normal levels. I use the band to support my lifestyle, not the other way around. My new habits are good ones, and most likely would have helped without the band. Since I couldn't do it on my own, I was banded. Restriction helps, yes, but it's more than that. The band reinforces what I need to be doing overall to be successful. That is not just eating less, but creating a healthier me. Maybe that's more than you were looking for... I could go on, but it might get long. :tt2:

This week has been sloooow on the exercise front. I try to walk at least a mile a day... but I know that's not enough. I hit the gym each day last weekend (Friday through Sunday, inclusive), and then again on Tuesday night. Since then, nada. Monday was a planned day off. Wednesday and Thursday were not. Tonight I am going to try and go before dinner with my family, but I am not too hopeful about my timing. So, Saturday and Sunday will be making up for it. =)

Will you send email invitations or is there a link where we can sign up?