A1ikou

Hello sweetie, I'm sorry you are feeling so unwell and by the time I write this I hope you are much better and up and about again. Don't worry about the not exercising right now, get well and then deal with it!

I had been thinking and reading about it for ages but the final decision was easy. I needed my gallbladder out and my doc said he would do both at the same time and so then seemed to just be the right moment!

Hello you! Go and get that scale if you want but be aware they can be as bad as the waiting lol. I took mine up to the mother in laws because I was fed up of nothing happening!!!! With it gone I'm working harder because I believe I'm doing well. If I can hold out til end of Feb I will but I guess a peek mid month is very likely. Keep on going girl...WE WILL do this thing!

Jenna you do the bikini thing and I might consider a bathing suit...now that is a big thing for me to do in such circumstances and so I reckon a bikini is a must for you!

Molly I am sorry to hear of your loss and you are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm glad you got to be with your mum though, these things mean so much in the long run. You just take care of yourself now and do the best you can. One day at a time OK?

Molly, Don't worry or stress over anything at this time. What you are doing in taking time to tell your mum how much you love her is the best that you could do. Girl if chocolate helps you right now then take it. You can work it all out later...I'm thinking of you and wishing you the best. If you need anything, PM me and I'm here for you.

Does anyone have a cruise goal? I am still only about half way through my journey and am going to try my best to get off as much as I can before my trip to see you all. I'm 275lbs now and am not sure where to aim for. I have 5mths...ummm I'm still thinking on that one. Where are the rest of the cruise goers at and where do you guys want to be weight wise as we get on board?

bevo.bmp The first picture was taken Christmas 2005 and the second one today. I am down 99lbs (I know my ticker says 102 but Chistmas came and...) and am still working on the rest. I want to get below 200lbs this year if I can and then I will see how I look and feel and take the rest from there.

Hi everyone, Haven't posted in a looong time but thought I should pop in and say hello. I am so happy to see Waterlily back in the swing of things...I missed you girl and you were in my thoughts a lot! The rest of you guys seem to be doing really great. I'm leaving my ticker at 102 down but am actually at 99 at the moment due to the Christmas chocs...(ahem). I am going to be the big 40 in March and have a party in the UK where most folks haven't seen me since before surgery and they don't know what I have done. So, I would love to be 250 by then...that's 27lbs in 8 weeks. I don't know if that's setting myself up for a fall but I do know I am more realisitic about things and if I've tried my best then what will be will be. I am going to try and keep more up to date with you all as I try and wade my way through Twoterville.

Fingers crossed for a good result because after the work you are putting in, you deserve it! Here's to 2007 being good to us both.

And now the countdown begins...well continues really but now we are in the year we will go and that makes it feel so much closer! Everyone else looking forward to June?

First of all I confess...I've been nibbling. Not terrible downfalls but enough to keep me on this plateau. So anyway the scale has gone way under the bed and is staying there 'til New Year. I don't intend this holiday to be a disaster but neither am I going to worry about it. Back to my theme...On Tuesday some new clothes I had ordered arrived and I confess when I put them on I was disappointed. The trousers were UK 28 (from a 32) and only semi elasticated but because they fit 'properly', all I saw was my belly- as usual. I had also bought a bustier and it was OK but didnt make me feel as 'sexy' as I'd hoped. THEN>>> Wednesday I went shopping to cheer myself up. Now I'm fitter I love shopping and poor hubby cringes each time I say I'm off out! I got my stepson to drop me off at the bottom of our long hill and NSV 1, I walked up it. I haven't done that ever before. I felt generally tired at the top but not in a state of collapse and if there had been more to do I know I could have continued. Part way up the hill I was looking in a window and I saw someone wanted to pass. The pavement is narrow and so I moved right to one side...nothing! I looked behind me and there was no-one there. The legs I'd seen in the window were mine...legs I'd seen as skinny, normal legs were mine in my jeans. NSV 2. I decided to buy a shawl to cover up my shoulders and arms in the bustier. I went into a shop that sells these things and saw this gorgeous, cute woollen bollero- one size fits all. HA! It's always been one size fits- all except me. I looked at it on the hanger and mentally assessed it...then I bought it. Got it home and it not only fits beautifully, it looks good and now when I wear the top I feel very sexy indeed. NSV 3. Once I can lose some weight off my lower belly/hip area then I know I'm going to be a clothes addict. And so yes, I haven't been as good as I should have been but I'm going to enjoy this holiday without going beserk and then I'm going to make this 100lbs 150 and then 175...role on 2007 and more NSV's. Happy Holidays Everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I live in Athens now after marrying a Greek and am surrounded by baklava...can't stand it lol, which is probably a very good thing for me!

I'm pathetic...first try I managed a whole 12m!!!! this could become as addictive as his bottle was to him LOL.

Here is my tree but not at its most gorgeous..that's at night when all the lights twinkle away making life that bit better, if only for a while.

I'll get my own insurance since I need much more coverage. I'll send you details when I have it sorted...how long til cruise time now??? ppffft, still too long!

Well done Audrey first on the amazing job and secondly on taking control again when you saw things getting back into old habits. I'm waiting for a little fill too to re-kickstart my loss and when I think about how long this road seems sometimes, you are always in my mind as an inspiration. Keep up the great work and all my best wishes and prayers for a hopefully soon to be happy, healthy pregnancy!!!

Well hello there stranger...haven't checked in on you in a while but I'm out here thinking about you...sooooooooooo, what's going on then umm? Come on lady...you are 'my' inspirtation for getting off my fat ass and walking "I want to be able to walk like Teresita". You can't stop now- so there! You have come such a long way and boy do I know how hard it can be to just keep going...but we have to. The end goal is a possibility now, so just a few steps and then a few more. You're the walker I want to be, so 'I' need to see ya walking! MMMMMMMMMMMWA (big kiss) xxx love ya!

Hi all, As of this week I'm more than 100lbs down- finally! So, I have 28lbs to my Chrissy/New Year goal...a lot to lose but I have had a 3rd fill and it's doing it's job right now and so we will see.

Mine is called Elpeatha which is the Greek for Hope.

I can finally join this group..hit 101 down today and feeling good about it too.

I did, it was the main reason why I chose to have the band when I did. Doc did them both at the same time and there were no probs at all. I had a drain for the gallbladder site for three days but that wasn't too bad either and within a week I was fine.

Oh cool! "Hello everyone I'll get to meet next year :wave: I can't wait to see you all." I can't imagine a better experience for my first cruise than travelling from Greece to Texas to meet up with a whole bunch of other losers!!!!

I thought I should update my pics. The first ones were 2 days before surgery and the second ones 6mths down the road and 92lbs down. I wore the same clothes but they dont do me justice...the top hangs now and the back of the pants dont touch my legs...new clothes next time around me thinks...

I have had my lapband 6mths this week and I'm down 92lbs. So, what have I done/learned in 6mths with Elpeatha (that's my lapband's' name and it means 'hope')? I generally eat better. I take my time with my food. Partly because it's good for me and partly because Elpeatha won't let me do it any other way. I make better food choices and always think protein before I plan what I'm going to eat. Don't get me wrong, I screw up too - exhibit a) one extremely calorific (but utterly scrummy) banana milkshake last weekend. This trip is harder than I thought it would be. There is no (for me anyway) eating what I like but smaller amounts that I thought there would be. If I want this weight to come off then I have to give up many of the things I love and work hard. Leads me to exercise. I'm so much better than I was 6mths ago. I can walk around and go places without having knots in my stomach that I can't cope. I still have a long way to go before I will consider myself anywhere near fit but seeing the results is a great motivator to doing more. Buying a treadmill was the best thing I have ever done for myself . Now what I need is to push myself more. This is something I have never done before in my life (easy option girl, that's me). The weight was falling off but now it's stalled somewhat and I need to up the exercise . Not an easy one but I'll try. I've had loads of NSV's (posted elsewhere) and love them more than the scale. My only disappointment in this respect is lack of clothes falling off- I'm still wearing all my original clothes????????? But that will come too- eventually. I have loved and needed the support I have found online and the friends I have made who's love and concern for my well being is something I now treasure. And that's about it. The next 6mths beckons. I have to work even harder now to get to where I want to be but with all of you giving your support and encouragement I know I'll keep on trying. In 6mths I will have had my lapband a year and I'll be celebrating my 40th birthday . Maybe the old addage 'Life begins at 40' is true afterall? <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->