voiceomt2002

Hi Ruth! Hi Lucky! Feel free to steal the idea, y'all. One of my quilter's guildmembers has an even cooler idea. She specializes in making Linus quilts for the Linus Foundation, she likes to include a tiny doll or stuffed animal for each child in a special pocket on the quilt. (Sniffle! So adorable!) The animal/doll, about the size of a beanie baby, matches the theme of the quilt and sometimes is attached by a ribbon to the quilt so it can't be lost. I'm new to quilting and certainly not adept yet, but I think I'll plan on making a few Linus quilts to learn on. A child won't care. They'll just feel the love. I've made one or two fleece quilts, but I think it's time for me to do more. Lucky, I just had a fill on Monday. OMG! I'm so tight, I'm still on mushies! (happy dance) After three months of trying to go it alone and losing a mere six lbs total since May, I'm glad doc gave me a fill. This is my limit, though. If my band were any tighter, I'd be on pure liquids. Not good. We'll see if the swelling goes down in the coming week, or if this effect is permanent. Hugs and much love! Lena

This is my cure for stress to replace eating-- crafts! I'm very proud of this wall hanging, because it's not just a small quilt. It's a wall safe. On the back are pockets where you can hide small valuables and money. Not a lot, but enough to keep your most precious things safe but ready to use. Yes, that's an applique of a red dragon in the center. Now I just have to decide whether to sell it on the internet or give it as Yule gift.

This is my cure for stress to replace eating-- crafts! I'm very proud of this wall hanging, because it's not just a small quilt. It's a wall safe. On the back are pockets where you can hide small valuables and money. Not a lot, but enough to keep your most precious things safe but ready to use. Yes, that's an applique of a red dragon in the center. Now I just have to decide whether to sell it on the internet or give it as Yule gift.

Hi, I'm Lena and a proud scale whore. I use a wipe-off board to keep track of daily calorie and carb intake, and mark my weight loss on both a Ticker here and (with a wipe off pen) on my bathroom mirror. What I've learned in the past eight months since my surgery has been that the band is truly only the beginning of self-repair. I always knew I was a stress eater, but I didn't realize the extent of my problem until the band forced me to find alternate ways to deal with stress. I've lost 69 pounds as of my doctor visit on 17th, and that is the lowest I've weighed since I was in my 30's. I'm now 50, so it's been awhile. I'm seeing the weight fall from my body like a snowman melting in the sun. Somewhere under there is Venus, and I'll see her someday.

Well, DH still is out of work, and we almost went into foreclosure, but a friend rescued us. Now if they start foreclosure, it'll be at Christmas. If DH doesn't have a job by then, well, we have a contingency plan. Nice thing is, I'm still dropping weight. It's coming off more slowly lately, but I actually don't mind so much. I have a chance to adjust my clothes instead of finding out at the last minute that the pants bag or fall right back down to my ankles. (That was a shock the first time it happened.) Clothes I haven't worn for years are now the mainstays of my wardrobe, and I can't wait for cold weather and my leather jeans, SIX SIZES smaller than I was a year ago. My senior editor wants pictures, but I'm resisting until I hit Onederland. Back to work! :biggrin:

Well, DH still is out of work, and we almost went into foreclosure, but a friend rescued us. Now if they start foreclosure, it'll be at Christmas. If DH doesn't have a job by then, well, we have a contingency plan. Nice thing is, I'm still dropping weight. It's coming off more slowly lately, but I actually don't mind so much. I have a chance to adjust my clothes instead of finding out at the last minute that the pants bag or fall right back down to my ankles. (That was a shock the first time it happened.) Clothes I haven't worn for years are now the mainstays of my wardrobe, and I can't wait for cold weather and my leather jeans, SIX SIZES smaller than I was a year ago. My senior editor wants pictures, but I'm resisting until I hit Onederland. Back to work! :sneaky:

You've been peeking at my mirror again, haven't you? LOL!

Wow, Glenda!! Yes, girl! Wear those shorts and stop suffering. I've been wearing bermuda-length shorts for about a month, and I thought that was great. That is, until my frisky DH decided to see if the shorts were loose enough to be yanked down around my ankles without unbuttoning. Yes, they were! LOL! Do I resemble a Shar-Pei puppy? You betcha! I've lost about sixty pounds. It's coming off more slowly now, but I'm happy with that.

We all do it. However, for a bandster, the results can be very uncomfortable. The reason it can be difficult to eat healthily is that "hidden persuaders" can lead you into bad eating habits, says new research. Try these tips to avoid mindless eating: Be aware of the size and shape of containers. It's the amount of food that counts, not what it looks like. Use smaller plates and bowls. Empty plates and bowls, even those of a smaller size, cue some people to stop eating. Read nutrition labels, paying attention to the serving size listed. Consider the facts; don't guess at how many calories you're eating. Look past the packaging. The wording on a food's package or the language on a menu can influence you to actually like a food better, increasing your risk of overeating. Keep visual reminders of how much you're eating. Keep wrappers, empty containers, bones, and other reminders of how much you've eaten nearby. Think about eating a meal that's healthier overall. Don't just focus on separate parts of the meal. Control your impulse purchases. Don't let signs encourage you to buy more than you need. For us, it's more than just gained pounds. My DH hates sitting at the table to eat meals. Worse, he pouts and grumbles when I sit at the table, even though we have a relatively open concept home where we are still technically in the same room. I've been reading the labels as far as serving sizes, and actually measuring out the portions of the snacks. Y'know, it isn't worth it. When you measure out the teensy number of ounces of pretzels and look at the carbs, it's just not worth eating them! Now, by the time I've chowed down on some cheese or a crudite tray, I'm not only full, I'm guilt-free! Funniest thing of all, I no longer mindlessly shop, either. We're still laughing over the fact that some so-called "diet" foods provide no benefit whatsoever (okay, so 20 calories lower. Yay. Wow. I'm so not thrilled) for half again the cost? Uh, NO! I thought I'd freeze to death reading all the labels in the grocery freezer section, trying to find out which so-called "diet" whipped topping actually was the most beneficial, but now I know. With the correct serving size, I now enjoy a little dessert guilt-free. We're still laughing. And we're saving a ton of money by not buying the methyl-enthyl-bad-stuff with ingredients I can't pronounce, much less spell. All in the name of "diet." Goodbye, diet. Hello, Thinking.

We all do it. However, for a bandster, the results can be very uncomfortable. The reason it can be difficult to eat healthily is that "hidden persuaders" can lead you into bad eating habits, says new research. Try these tips to avoid mindless eating: Be aware of the size and shape of containers. It's the amount of food that counts, not what it looks like. Use smaller plates and bowls. Empty plates and bowls, even those of a smaller size, cue some people to stop eating. Read nutrition labels, paying attention to the serving size listed. Consider the facts; don't guess at how many calories you're eating. Look past the packaging. The wording on a food's package or the language on a menu can influence you to actually like a food better, increasing your risk of overeating. Keep visual reminders of how much you're eating. Keep wrappers, empty containers, bones, and other reminders of how much you've eaten nearby. Think about eating a meal that's healthier overall. Don't just focus on separate parts of the meal. Control your impulse purchases. Don't let signs encourage you to buy more than you need. For us, it's more than just gained pounds. My DH hates sitting at the table to eat meals. Worse, he pouts and grumbles when I sit at the table, even though we have a relatively open concept home where we are still technically in the same room. I've been reading the labels as far as serving sizes, and actually measuring out the portions of the snacks. Y'know, it isn't worth it. When you measure out the teensy number of ounces of pretzels and look at the carbs, it's just not worth eating them! Now, by the time I've chowed down on some cheese or a crudite tray, I'm not only full, I'm guilt-free! Funniest thing of all, I no longer mindlessly shop, either. We're still laughing over the fact that some so-called "diet" foods provide no benefit whatsoever (okay, so 20 calories lower. Yay. Wow. I'm so not thrilled) for half again the cost? Uh, NO! I thought I'd freeze to death reading all the labels in the grocery freezer section, trying to find out which so-called "diet" whipped topping actually was the most beneficial, but now I know. With the correct serving size, I now enjoy a little dessert guilt-free. We're still laughing. And we're saving a ton of money by not buying the methyl-enthyl-bad-stuff with ingredients I can't pronounce, much less spell. All in the name of "diet." Goodbye, diet. Hello, Thinking.

I look like a commercial! You know the ones where the person holds out their too-baggy clothes to show the "gap" between waistband and belly? That's me! My formerly-favorite jeans slid off my hips and hit the floor in a puddle recently. My daughter laughed and said, "Guess we're breaking out the sewing machine, huh Mom?" My wedding ring now resides around my neck on a silver chain after I almost lost it down the kitchen sink while doing dishes. I feel so naked! But the biggest triumph happened this morning. I have a pair of leather jeans that were my "goal" jeans for the past ten years. Ten years! The friggin' things cost $200 in 1997, and I was going to wear them "someday." Today was that day. They slid on, past my thighs. I gasped and pulled a little more. They came over my butt, as if it were greased. My face broke out in a sweat. I tugged the two front halves together, wondering if I could get it buttoned. YES! Then, the final test --the zipper. I grasped the zipper pull with shaking fingers and lifted. ZIP! All the way up! I stood looking in the mirror with my mouth agape. The leather jeans not only fit, they were comfortably loose! I didn't have to lay on the bed to zip them or breathe in shallow pants to avoid breaking the zipper. They fit. Really, really fit. My husband, watching from the chair, applauded. I'm still stunned. I don't have anymore "goal" clothes left. I'm done. I may still be overweight and no where near a correct BMI, but I've surpassed every goal I set. I guess this means I need new goals. Or a new set of pants. Okay, a new set of pants. LOL! I guess we are breaking out the sewing machine. :confused:

Was I skeptical when I saw rice in this recipe? You betcha! However, this is wild rice, and you're talking a little bit of rice spread on 36 appetizers. When you need a fast, cool, and cheap appetizer, this wins hands down. Since I can't get the image to resize smaller, here's the URL: http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u323/voiceomt2002/Recipes/Recipes--%20Appetizers%20and%20Party%20Foods/LCPinwheelAppetizers.jpg See if you agree with me.

Was I skeptical when I saw rice in this recipe? You betcha! However, this is wild rice, and you're talking a little bit of rice spread on 36 appetizers. When you need a fast, cool, and cheap appetizer, this wins hands down. Since I can't get the image to resize smaller, here's the URL: http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u323/voiceomt2002/Recipes/Recipes--%20Appetizers%20and%20Party%20Foods/LCPinwheelAppetizers.jpg See if you agree with me.

I may have posted this before. If I haven't, I'm sorry. This may be the ultimate bandster food-- ground meat, cheese, and tasty enough to keep feelings of deprivation as a distant memory. Now, I have to admit I've skipped buying different kinds of ground meat and stuck to 2 lbs of ground beef. Sorry, it's cheap! Also, to "dice" the bacon, I cheat and use my kitchen shears. Someone told me to only partially defrost the bacon and chop it then, but I'm not too bright in the morning and handing me a sharp object before noon isn't wise. LOL! Enjoy!

I may have posted this before. If I haven't, I'm sorry. This may be the ultimate bandster food-- ground meat, cheese, and tasty enough to keep feelings of deprivation as a distant memory. Now, I have to admit I've skipped buying different kinds of ground meat and stuck to 2 lbs of ground beef. Sorry, it's cheap! Also, to "dice" the bacon, I cheat and use my kitchen shears. Someone told me to only partially defrost the bacon and chop it then, but I'm not too bright in the morning and handing me a sharp object before noon isn't wise. LOL! Enjoy!

So true. We're food addicts, emotional eaters, etc. We have to face our demons.

I've been substituting cottage cheese mixed with a little Splenda and my choice of flavoring. Now DH can pig on ice cream and I have something in my dessert bowl, too. LOL!

This recipe originated at SavingDinner.com. However, I had to alter some portions of it to make it reasonable for bandsters. I personally encourage the use of the Body Clutter Menus from SavingDinner.com. With minor alterations, most can be used by bandsters. Bandster Slow Poke Jambalaya Serves 6 (If they eat tiny portions. For hungry adults, double this recipe) 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped onion 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh tomato 1 cup chopped celery (or if your band won't take celery, substitute a teaspoon of celery salt) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T. dried parsley or 2 T. fresh parsley, chopped fine 1 tsp. Dried thyme 1 tsp. Oregano 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper (Note: We like it hotter, so we added 1 tsp. Toni Chachere's creole seasoning) ½ tsp. Salt (omit if you used the celery salt) 4 oz. Smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces 8 oz. Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used 4 pieces of skinned chicken thigh because we didn't have chicken breasts and thighs are cheaper) 2 cups low sodium beef broth (or homemade, as we did) ½ lb. Cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined. (DH recommends getting the kind with tails off, but that's up to you. The tails do add flavor, believe it or not, so they're worth the extra trouble) Separate: 1 cup cooked brown rice In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the shrimp and rice. Give it a stir, cover, and cook on low at least 6 hours. Add shrimp and cook for another 20-30 minutes. For non-bandsters, a bit of rice in the bowl, then pour their serving over the top. Bandsters don't get rice. These nutritional values are for a serving with rice: 232 calories 7 g. fat 25g Protein 16g carbohydrates 3g dietary fiber 93 mg cholesterol 474mg sodium

This recipe originated at SavingDinner.com. However, I had to alter some portions of it to make it reasonable for bandsters. I personally encourage the use of the Body Clutter Menus from SavingDinner.com. With minor alterations, most can be used by bandsters. Bandster Slow Poke Jambalaya Serves 6 (If they eat tiny portions. For hungry adults, double this recipe) 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped onion 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh tomato 1 cup chopped celery (or if your band won't take celery, substitute a teaspoon of celery salt) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T. dried parsley or 2 T. fresh parsley, chopped fine 1 tsp. Dried thyme 1 tsp. Oregano 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper (Note: We like it hotter, so we added 1 tsp. Toni Chachere's creole seasoning) ½ tsp. Salt (omit if you used the celery salt) 4 oz. Smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces 8 oz. Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used 4 pieces of skinned chicken thigh because we didn't have chicken breasts and thighs are cheaper) 2 cups low sodium beef broth (or homemade, as we did) ½ lb. Cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined. (DH recommends getting the kind with tails off, but that's up to you. The tails do add flavor, believe it or not, so they're worth the extra trouble) Separate: 1 cup cooked brown rice In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the shrimp and rice. Give it a stir, cover, and cook on low at least 6 hours. Add shrimp and cook for another 20-30 minutes. For non-bandsters, a bit of rice in the bowl, then pour their serving over the top. Bandsters don't get rice. These nutritional values are for a serving with rice: 232 calories 7 g. fat 25g Protein 16g carbohydrates 3g dietary fiber 93 mg cholesterol 474mg sodium

Glad you liked the Cioppino, ImaLuckyDog! The jambalaya will post in a few hours.

I'm not an inspiration, BG. In fact, I've had a bit of a rough time, with a couple of months of barely losing five pounds. I've faced many issues like learning the band doesn't solve personal issues like stress eating. I'm still in the "obese" range as far as the medical community is concerned. (sigh) And I still have all those weight-related co-morbidities to solve, though some like blood sugar issues and high cholesterol have gone away. I"m learning the band is no miracle cure, but getting it has been the turning point I can look back to and say, "I made the decision and took my fate in my own hands."

KayVee, right click on any recipe you like. Your computer should give a popup screen. Choose "Save As" and save to whereever you like on your computer.

Thanks Lucky and Delivered! That Jambalaya worked very well. In fact, I'm going to recommend doubling the recipe for a family of four. Stay tuned.

While my personal life is still a bit of a mess with DH still out of work, I finally stopped stress eating. My daughter has provided all the buddy system I needed, and I've begun to drop weight again. It's been funny. The jeans I loved and carefully altered to fit me at my top weight dropped off my butt a month ago. LOL! They now reside on my sewing table, sans the added material, waiting for tailoring to my new size. As of this morning, I weight 228 lbs, a size I've not seen in over ten years. I've lost almost 60 lbs in six months! Despite minor health issues left over from carrying around all that bulk for so many years, I'm fit as a fiddle. I don't think about walking around a grocery store whereas once it was an onerous and painful journey just to buy groceries. Do I have skin batwings on my arms and resemble a Shar Pei puppy? You betcha! I'll have to get pictures of my garden, once the heat advisory here in Florida breaks. For now, it's Father's Day. We're having Jambalaya, and I have no worries. (No, I won't eat the rice! LOL!) Yes, after I've checked out this new recipe and made bandster adjustments, I'll post it. Lena

My daughter (DD3) has moved in with us. She's 24, and hadn't been able to find work in her field in Denver. Hence a desperation flight to us filled with hope. Since she works in the same fields as my DH, we have hope they'll motivate each other. DD3 has another motivational point in her favor. Like me, she tends to be overweight. She's 5'10" and weighed a couple of pounds more than I did when she arrived. Immediately, she saw the benefits of dieting with me on the buddy system. We've each lost four pounds! Woohoo! This is going to work!