voiceomt2002

This is my best recipe for a Breakfast "muffin" that's good for you, filling, etc.

(Taking a bow) Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here at the Bottom of the Heap Lounge all week. Try the prime rib, and don't forget to tip your waitress...then return her to her original upright position. (No, I've never been to Vegas. Really.)

When I was much younger, there was a movie on TV about a fat girl who was reviled and treated badly by everyone she knew, even her fiancee. Her only retreat was college, where she was a professional student. Then, she had a car accident after one cruel trick too many. Even in the hospital under all those bandages and in pain, she was still treated badly. Her fiancee broke up with her, among other things. She had no choice but to go on living, and when she finally emerged back into society, she had a new face and a new body. And one heck of a lot of anger. So, she murdered the people who'd treated her so badly, one by one, and very artistically. She made the punishments fit their crimes. I loved that movie. I'm sure we've all been there with that girl, when someone made it clear they didn't find you attractive or even pleasant to be around because of your weight. I'm happily married, but a year ago a man we know made the blatant statement that he found me the antithesis of sexy, despite what I wrote, because of my weight. No matter that my DH loved me, that still hurt. Fast forward one year. The other day, that same gent lavishly complimented me about my weight loss, and how he couldn't help but be attracted to someone who wrote all those erotic stories, etc. (Boy, what a hypocrite!) If my marriage ever failed (HAH!) he hoped I'd look him up. (gag!) I took such pleasure in giving him the evil eye and saying, "Not even in my worst nightmares, sweetie." Revenge is a dish best served cold, and this one tasted so much better than a frosty Ben and Jerry's. :eek: Well, back to job hunting...

When I was much younger, there was a movie on TV about a fat girl who was reviled and treated badly by everyone she knew, even her fiancee. Her only retreat was college, where she was a professional student. Then, she had a car accident after one cruel trick too many. Even in the hospital under all those bandages and in pain, she was still treated badly. Her fiancee broke up with her, among other things. She had no choice but to go on living, and when she finally emerged back into society, she had a new face and a new body. And one heck of a lot of anger. So, she murdered the people who'd treated her so badly, one by one, and very artistically. She made the punishments fit their crimes. I loved that movie. I'm sure we've all been there with that girl, when someone made it clear they didn't find you attractive or even pleasant to be around because of your weight. I'm happily married, but a year ago a man we know made the blatant statement that he found me the antithesis of sexy, despite what I wrote, because of my weight. No matter that my DH loved me, that still hurt. Fast forward one year. The other day, that same gent lavishly complimented me about my weight loss, and how he couldn't help but be attracted to someone who wrote all those erotic stories, etc. (Boy, what a hypocrite!) If my marriage ever failed (HAH!) he hoped I'd look him up. (gag!) I took such pleasure in giving him the evil eye and saying, "Not even in my worst nightmares, sweetie." Revenge is a dish best served cold, and this one tasted so much better than a frosty Ben and Jerry's. :scared2: Well, back to job hunting...

Like everyone else, my rings won't stay on my hands anymore. Yesterday, I almost lost my wedding band in the bathroom, and today while fixing the roast bird for dinner my ring almost ended up as part of the stuffing. LOL! So, I went web surfing. Here's a place with different types of ring guards from the liquid to plastic to metal, depending on your tastes and needs. Click HERE. Thought I'd share. Lena

Things have gone from bad to worse here. My poor DH has recovered from whatever illness got him on the trip home. After two weeks of flu-like symptoms and a trip to the doctor's, he's been looking for work like a fiend with no success in sight. No one will give a trucker with less than a year of experience a chance, especially not in this economy. The local want ads are full of truckers --both experienced and men like my DH-- begging for any trucking job they can get. My DH has applied for any job he can do, even forklift driver and warehouse worker. He's called and applied at every temp agency that will talk to him. They all say the same-- "Don't call us. We'll call you if we have anything." I guess he'll be applying at McDonald's next. I'm down to 237 lbs as of this morning, and I had a recent fill that's put me darn close to the sweet spot. Guess it's a good thing I'm not eating. There's not much food or hope left, here. I think we're going to lose the house. I can't remember the last time I slept a straight eight.

Things have gone from bad to worse here. My poor DH has recovered from whatever illness got him on the trip home. After two weeks of flu-like symptoms and a trip to the doctor's, he's been looking for work like a fiend with no success in sight. No one will give a trucker with less than a year of experience a chance, especially not in this economy. The local want ads are full of truckers --both experienced and men like my DH-- begging for any trucking job they can get. My DH has applied for any job he can do, even forklift driver and warehouse worker. He's called and applied at every temp agency that will talk to him. They all say the same-- "Don't call us. We'll call you if we have anything." I guess he'll be applying at McDonald's next. I'm down to 237 lbs as of this morning, and I had a recent fill that's put me darn close to the sweet spot. Guess it's a good thing I'm not eating. There's not much food or hope left, here. I think we're going to lose the house. I can't remember the last time I slept a straight eight.

Yay for you, BG!! I'm waiting for you here in Bandster Heaven!

I was a size 28. Today, I'm wearing my size 22 jeans. I keep looking at my "goal" jeans-- a pair of black leather size 18 jeans I bought over ten years ago (!!) when last I was at 205. Thirty pounds to go before I dare try them on. Today was a strange NSV. I'm having a garage sale this weekend. A gentleman older than myself walked up while my DH and roommate were inside. The customer was a flirt! With me! I froze like a scared rabbit for a few moments until he started teasing and I knew the answers to his riddles! Then my husband came out and the sweet thing had the most disappointed look on his face. Someone flirted with me. I'm still in awe. It's been thirty years since a man flirted with me.

I did just fine with a few six-packs of EAS and Atkins, which my doc allowed as long as they were 7g total of carbs or less. Don't go overboard, BG. Keep a six-pack around for fills, though. Sometimes after a fill, a shake is all you want.

I don't know about the others, but I have a similar difficulty. I've had to leave my drink in the kitchen and have my DH police me. We set a timer as soon as I put my fork down and say I'm done. When the timer goes off, I race for that drink. LOL!

OMG, I hadn't even noticed! I had a diet lemonade yesterday while out shopping and no reflux! OMG!! (Throwing confetti in the air) Lena

I hear you there, Pete. I've not lost as much as you, but I feel the need for a fill. Just a few cc's I think, would put me closer to the sweet spot. You're right about the exercise, though. I've been neglectful.

Just looking at the rip-offs on the Starbuck's list makes me cringe. Those were of course my favorites. As the Diet Detective rightly points out, those weren't even meals. http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2108/156/

Just looking at the rip-offs on the Starbuck's list makes me cringe. Those were of course my favorites. As the Diet Detective rightly points out, those weren't even meals. http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2108/156/

Which of us are you talking to? I've lost over 40 lbs but my surgery was on January 2. Start: 286 Day of banding: 267 Today: 242 (My own fault I've not lost more.) Lena

Well, DH made it home, but not without problems. Within 24 hours of his return, he was burning up with a fever. Today is the first day he awakened and said he felt better. (Relieved sigh) Now maybe he can look for a new job. I love him very, very much. Seeing him walk through that bus terminal door made my heart burst right out of my chest, plop to the floor and roll to his feet. Scruffy, sleep-deprived, and stinking from riding a bus for 2.5 days, he was still my gorgeous darling. Yeah, I'm seriously besotted with my grumpy old man. However, our savings had already been severely depleted by our purchase last year of this lovely house we live in. I'd not been able to replenish most of the money, though I managed about a month's worth of stockpile before the budget goes belly up. One month to find a job before disaster. I'm looking at the month of April with desperation. I'm lighting candles and praying to that he'll find work quickly. We don't need much. A mere $1200 a month net is all we need to make ends meet. This is also a disaster for my weight loss. My DH is a carb hound who can afford to eat rice, potatoes, bread, cakes, sweets, and starchy vegetables. The man is so thin, it's scary. My new low-carb life is impossible for him to maintain. He's positive he'll starve. (grin) So, I'm baking and cooking just like I used to before my band, and there's fudge in the fridge, chili in the crock pot, and the remains of Monkey Bread on the counter. I can resist anything but temptation, and having the Monkey Bread on the counter was too much for me yesterday. I sliced off some and hunkered down like a child stealing cookies. Less than five minutes into it, my band made me pay dearly for my naughtiness. Umm...I never want to look at Monkey Bread again. Blech! That HURT. A lot. I'm a stress eater, and right now I'm very, very grateful for my band. I can only do so much damage before my band reminds me forcefully that I'm not allowed that much self-indulgence. Today, instead of eating and worrying, I think I'll update my own resume. I may be a disabled old woman, but maybe I can sweep floors or something.

Well, DH made it home, but not without problems. Within 24 hours of his return, he was burning up with a fever. Today is the first day he awakened and said he felt better. (Relieved sigh) Now maybe he can look for a new job. I love him very, very much. Seeing him walk through that bus terminal door made my heart burst right out of my chest, plop to the floor and roll to his feet. Scruffy, sleep-deprived, and stinking from riding a bus for 2.5 days, he was still my gorgeous darling. Yeah, I'm seriously besotted with my grumpy old man. However, our savings had already been severely depleted by our purchase last year of this lovely house we live in. I'd not been able to replenish most of the money, though I managed about a month's worth of stockpile before the budget goes belly up. One month to find a job before disaster. I'm looking at the month of April with desperation. I'm lighting candles and praying to that he'll find work quickly. We don't need much. A mere $1200 a month net is all we need to make ends meet. This is also a disaster for my weight loss. My DH is a carb hound who can afford to eat rice, potatoes, bread, cakes, sweets, and starchy vegetables. The man is so thin, it's scary. My new low-carb life is impossible for him to maintain. He's positive he'll starve. (grin) So, I'm baking and cooking just like I used to before my band, and there's fudge in the fridge, chili in the crock pot, and the remains of Monkey Bread on the counter. I can resist anything but temptation, and having the Monkey Bread on the counter was too much for me yesterday. I sliced off some and hunkered down like a child stealing cookies. Less than five minutes into it, my band made me pay dearly for my naughtiness. Umm...I never want to look at Monkey Bread again. Blech! That HURT. A lot. I'm a stress eater, and right now I'm very, very grateful for my band. I can only do so much damage before my band reminds me forcefully that I'm not allowed that much self-indulgence. Today, instead of eating and worrying, I think I'll update my own resume. I may be a disabled old woman, but maybe I can sweep floors or something.

Actually BG, I'm already feeling that "it's just fuel" mindset. I'm not there yet, but for days at a time I stop obsessing about every little morsel in my mouth. I've got other issues right now affecting my life, but I noticed that I've forgotten to do the food diary for several days, yet I stepped on the scale as usual this morning with a small loss. I should have gained, because my DH is home and the man is a serious carb hound. Without his breads, cakes, potatoes, rice, and starchy veggies, the man would think he's starving and I'm torturing him. Having him home is a severe trial on my nerves. Here's hoping I'm cured of the psychological reasons I'm fat, because I'm a stress eater.

Not to be a buzz kill, but head hunger happens even after banding. You're right though, my choices in "cheating" have changed. I know I can't have some of DH's sub sandwich because dense bread and my stoma don't play well together, so I steal just the meat! LOL! Sure, some of my choices are just plain bad, but I can't pig-out-binge until the whole bag of cookies is gone anymore. Does such naughtiness slow down my weight loss? Yes. Does it kill it? Not so far. Yes, I'm a paranoid Scale Whore and will be for many years to come, but the NSV's keep me pretty much on the path to healthy weight and well-being. Speaking of which, Time for me to go ride my exercise bike! I'm stiff and sore from running up and down the steps of the theatre last night. Me! Running! It's a miracle!

Damn skippy! Ditto for me, Biker. 1. If had been able to do it on my own, I would have done so. DUH! 2. The snowball effect had already come into play. The more I gained, the worst my health was, the more I sat around, the more I gained, etc...Endless loop with the problem getting bigger and bigger, just like my body. 3. Yes, food became a comfort. The delicious taste on my tongue was a momentary "feel good" when the rest of me felt so very bad. Now the opposite snowball effect is happening. I feel better, so I get out and do more, which makes me lose more weight, so I feel better and want to do more, etc. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! Lena

Tell me I'm not crazy, please. Someone rewired my tastebuds! I used to hate chicken salad! I once turned my nose up at steamed or canned veggies! I pigged on hot or cold cereals! I lived on red meat! I made my list this morning of what needed to go in my food diary for yesterday and made the above shocking discoveries. I ate a chicken salad sandwhich for lunch, a salmon quiche and soft canned veggies, and...my mother nearly fainted...turned down sweets. Has anyone else discovered their tastes in food have changed?

I'll add any sort of dry meat. If it's dry and/or cold, it's going to come back up, and I don't care how tiny a bit I cut, or how long I chew. Lena

I noticed we're all starting to have NSV's (Non-scale victories) so I thought we might like to share with our January Hottie friends. We're all fitting into smaller clothes, no longer fighting to fasten our seat belts when driving, and crossing our legs in comfort. Mine's a strange little one -- I can wear certain shoes of mine again. When I was at my heaviest, my feet would swell and I couldn't wear my prettier or dressier shoes. Even my sneakers were no longer possible. I was stuck wearing Crocs clogs or flip-flops so I could just slide something on and didn't have to grunt and bend over to tie a shoelace. Now all my Crocs are too big, even at the end of the day. I tie on my sneakers by myself, hop off the chair, and I'm out the door without a thought. What are your NSV's?

Several of our friends already suffered layoffs last week. Now this. The economy sucks when the truckers are hit. I knew President Obama had a difficult road ahead when he took office, and I refuse to blame him for this. He hasn't been in office long enough to impact the economy one way or the other. Do I like the big billion dollar bailouts? No. They were a bandaid fix that caused more trouble than they repaired. I wish I could get a couple to ten grand simply for whining to Congress. I'd be out of debt and well on my way to happiness. Heck, just forgive my tax debt like they do for the bailout businesses! I'd be ecstatic, and I owe much, much less than they do! Lena