JulieNYC

That's EXACTLY how I feel. Twoterville is a nice city compared to three-hundred-something but I'm not taking up residence. It's a long road through Twoterville. I've spent a couple of days being on the depressed side about that, but then an NSV will hit and pull me back to sanity. Twoterville is comparitively great Koala, come on over.

I think it's called a "low profile" port and it's about $700. Some docs do it under local, but I think most do it under general. It's a very quick procedure though and from what I've heard people recover much quicker than from the original surgery. I have a friend who had it done and she took 2 days off (and she's a self-admitted pain weenie). Let us know what your doctor says.

My scale is stuck. GRRR. What do you all think we should do next month? Should we up the number of workouts to 17 (there's an extra day in October compared to September, so it's really just 1 more)? Should we add 5 extra minutes to the 30 minute requirement? Both? Neither?

Yep, I definitely identify with that one. I didn't get a haircut for about a year because I didn't want to sit in the chair/look in the mirror. Now I get them religiously every 6-8 weeks. I'm so glad that fear is behind me, among others. Congratulations on your decision to get banded, Laphappy.

I can't usually do that much, but my mind was particularly occupied yesterday. I do go to a really nice gym though. Each piece of cardio equipment has its own TV with satellite and radio channels built right in. I LOVE it! Plus, it doesn't feel like the same movement the whole time because I set the machine for random levels to keep it interesting. My gym is the best. It's kind of off the beaten track, but I'm so glad I found it. Today, for #14, I walked 3 miles outside. I might go to the gym later as well. Depends how I feel after my nap.

Congratulations. 92 lbs is 6 months is AMAZING! I can't wait to read your 1 year post. Keep up the good work.

Way to go Bluehill!!! I'm so excited for you! I'm rooting for a third day of incredible loss. May the scale god be with you tomorrow too. WOOHOO! Momof2, I'm sure yo'ure gaining muscle if you're not losing. It will pay off in the long run. Definitely keep it up. As for me, I had a big decision to make about work and it's been plaguing me for about 2 weeks, so today I said to myself that I was going to get on the elliptical and not get off until I had a decision. 72 minutes later I had a decision and the elliptical didn't kill me either. I love my elliptical machine....

I went on the last round of interviews today and was formally offered the job. As much as I will miss my current place of employment, I just don't see how I can pass up this opportunity. I don't think it will affect my weight loss. It might affect my level of happiness, then again I might be even happier -- who knows. Alas, I think I'm going for it.

Congratulations!! That is the most exciting news. Be sure to keep up posted on how you're feeling.

Seppi, you're doing GREAT!! The first 3 days are the worst, and those are behind you. With the band, you're not going to have 5 lbs turn into 80 lbs -- no way. I'm certain the 5 lbs isn't real anyway. Maybe you can log your food for a few weeks while you get over the hump? It'll keep your weight stable (or better) and will give you something else to do. Check out sparkpeople.com for a good place to keep your food log. Best of luck. You're doing wonderfully!

Oh Bluehill, don't worry. I bet you're just on a mini-plateau (or a WL "pause" as some people like to call it). It'll break soon and all your hard work will be rewarded. Roberta, I'm with you. I weigh every day and I don't think it's evil to do so if it doesn't upset us. I spent 10 years in scale denial (not going to the dr when I needed to just to avoid it, etc.). I'll never be in scale denial again, even for a single day.

Boo, I'd go for the fill too. I am at my sweet spot (knock on wood that it stays), though for some, they would prefer to be a little tighter than I am. For me, my sweet spot means I'm losing well, but more importantly, I don't think about food except when I'm physically hungry. It's such a feeling of freedom! I'm not haunted by the M&Ms in my boss's office or the pretzels we keep in the kitchen. I eat my planned meals and other than that, I just don't think much about food. As for what the eating is like, I have to slow down a little for the first 2-3 bites, but then things go down smoothly. I get that feeling of "oh gee, I could probably stop now" before I ever finish my planned "bandster portion" meal (i.e. 3-4 oz protein & 1/2 c veggies). And I usually do stop at that point because if I do, I won't be uncomfortably full and I will still be full for 4-5 hours (usually 5). So, in sum, the sweet spot for me is a combination of: (1) elimination of 80% of my head hunger and (2) keeping me full on a bandster portion for 4-5 hours. Roberta, I'm interested in your Trimspa. Do you really think there's something to it? Does it change your energy level? I'll be interested to see if you lose more because of it. Keep us posted, please.

I made it to the 260s this morning. I CANNOT believe it. This is my old weight. I'm feeling great, but need to stay focused to blow through the 260s because they're VERY comfortable to me and I don't want to settle in. Midtown, here I come!!!

Thank you all for your insightful and kind responses. I feel very supported and am so thankful I found this board early in my bandster journey. I haven't actually made a decision yet, but I have decided to continue the "interview" process. Basically, I was tentatively offered the job by the partners at the firm, but I have to meet with the associates as well before i get the definite nod. I'm pretty confident I'm through the hard part, in terms of getting the job at least. I'll keep you posted further, but I should meet with them Wednesday. I expect I'll have a week or so to make a decision. Basically, I've decided that I'm using the band as an excuse to avoid an uncomfortable situation (leaving the comfort and security of my current job). I don't seriously think that it will jeopardize my weight loss -- I just think it's something scary to do, even though it's likely best for me in the long run. So, as I do with weight loss, I'm going to keep going forward one small step at a time. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks again,

I use a sterling cocktail fork and berry knife. Makes me feel special and fancy, as if there's more to eating that the food.

My surgeon said he expects in 1000 years archeologists will be digging us all up and saying "I wonder what all those little plastic circles are for." In other words, we take them to the grave.

Roberta, I'm so sorry you're not feeling well. Asthma is such a serious disease. I'm sure your DH is taking great care of you, but you take care too, ok? Boo and Susan, I don't think we're being too easy on ourselves and I definitely think we should continue the challenge into October. I think we should slightly increase either the time requirement (maybe 35 minutes) or the number (maybe 17) but not much more than that. I think that this works for me because the bar is pretty low -- just get my tush off the sofa and to the gym for 30 min. It's hard for me to argue with that. If it got to be too high of a goal (an hour, for example, or 20 sessions), I probably wouldn't even try. I see this as setting myself up for lifelong habits. I might work out 20 times in one single month, but it's not something I'll probably do for life. I'm completely open to what the group wants to do though. We're all doing great! Take care,

Yea Molly! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!! Dancing Guitar-Paying Bananas for you for coming across the border!!! Now, don't weigh for a week in case you have some fluctuation. :Banane08::Banane08::Banane10::Banane08: Yea, girlfriend! I'm soooo happy for you! (Come on over, Libra, we're waiting for you!)

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/238/150 - 25 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/271/150 - 29 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/225/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/178/130 - 30 total 4-5: siestaqh - 180+/177/136/110 - 44 total 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/190.5/134 - 43.5 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/270/150 - 88 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/184/135 - 55 total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4:11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 - 28 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/206/140 - 42 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217.5/196/145 - 21.5 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/207/140 - 35 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-18: LapBandit - 392/369/347/336/324/308/298 - 94 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/188/130 - 32 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/253/156 - 35 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/225/150 - 48 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/248/150 - 62 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/105/69 - 20 kgs/44 lbs. total 4-24: Ceparano - 255/270.5/230/170 - 40 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/228.5/165 - 60.5 total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/225/160 - 37 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/244/145 - 26 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/204/145 - 60 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/267/247.8/140 - 35.2 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/268/140 - 65 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 224/214/175/135 - 49 total 4-28: MomofSixKids - 240/238/210/150 - 30 total

Well, I guess I need your support with what's going on in my life right now as I've been pretty much bawling for 2 days straight. If only I could get control of the emotional and make a rational decision, that would be great. In the meantime, FYI, when you cry all day, you have NO desire to eat and I've lost about 8 lbs in 10 days. So here's the deal. For those of you who don't really know me, I'm a lawyer in NYC. I used to work at a huge law firm without an out-of-control lifestyle and I gained 100 lbs in the 2.5 years I was there. I loved the challenge and the work but could not let my health spiral further out of control so I went to work at a "boutique" firm to the tune of a 40% pay cut. I still make plenty of money to meet my needs (though I can't afford some of the luxuries I'd like, such as being able to buy an apartment in Manhattan). I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my current job. I love the actual work, but most importantly, I love the people and the atmosphere. They are the closest thing to family I'm going to find without actually moving home (Alabama) or getting married (which I obviously can't control as I haven't met the right guy). I suffer from depression and it's the most controlled it's ever been in my adult life at least in part because that omnipresent sense of loneliness that I've always felt is pretty well plugged up by my support network at the boutique firm. I love my job. For better or for worse, and I'll spare you the details, the best possible work opportunity (if I were looking to change jobs) fell in my lap this week. Really, it's fabulous. My salary would INCREASE by (yeah, not increase to, increase by) six figures. The work would be interesting and fabulous. Plus, the firm is very international, which means several international trips a year (Munich in October if I accept). The job couldn't be better -- If I were looking. So the problem is (1) how emotionally attached I am to my current job and (2) how much of my support system (including my weight loss support system) is wrapped up in my current job. On the one hand, I fear that if I take the job, I am destabilizing my life at the time I need it to be most stable - i.e. the weight loss phase. I know I can get another job any time I want to (if, for example, the issue is money), it just won't be as perfect as the one that's currently being offered (they're only looking to fill one space -- immediately -- and it's unlikely there will be turnover in, say, a year). On the other hand, I think I may be using my weight loss as an excuse to stay somewhere that is comfortable when it would be best for my career to move on, as sad as it would make me. Thoughts? Thank you in advance.

I write down my restriction level/hunger level every day on the calendar. I find that every 5th or 6th day I'm a little looser, then, as you've all noted, around TOM everything tightens up. That I can deal with, but the week before TOM I'm very loose and I find it scary. I figured if I could come to understand the cycle, I would have more tools in my arsenal to fend off the fear when I'm loose.

Come on, Molly -- stay away from the chocolate and drink TONS of water!! You're SOOOOOOO close! I can't WAIT for your Twoterville post!! You too, Libra! Come on across the border! We've got a margarita-flavored Propel with your name on it!!

Larry, For me, the life saver was SF popsicles. I like the Flavor-Ice Light brand because they're only 2.5 calories per ice pop, so it's truly guilt free. You can usually get them at Rite-Aid from what I hear, though I buy them online in bulk. Ha! Good luck on your surgery. You're going to do great. Samantha, You're in the right place. Read the archives until you feel like you you know everything there is to know about the band, then if you have any specific questions come back and post. You'll get the most responses if you start a new topic (at least if it's one that isn't covered in the archives), though if it's a question specifically related to "super-sized" bandsters, you can always ask it here and we'll all answer. Good luck on the beginning of your journey. I took 3 years researching the band and wish I'd only taken a few months and not wasted that time. The band is the best thing I've ever done for myself. Take care all,

Susan, I use the Department of Health calculator, which you can find at: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ (I can't get the link insert button to work tonight -- sorry) Today I went to the office for a while to get my mind of something that's got me stressed out. I wore tennis shoes so I could power walk the 3 miles home. So that makes 10 sessions this month for me....

Manny, The Magic Bullet is a type of blender that is very practical. I love mine and am even thinking of buying a second one to have at work. Check them out on ebay for pics, etc.