TexasFire

"TEST" photo album? :tongue2:

You need pics, too, Alex!

Hey there...and welcome to BandsterLand! I see you joined over three months ago...why so long without jumping in? :confused: This a great place! Get involved and you will have all the support you need to make it through this amazing journey. Thank you for the comments about my pics! That was very nice. No, I haven't had any plastic surgery...I work out like a FIEND! I'm addicted to the gym...live there...would own one if I could just so I could have an excuse to be there all day, every day!

There are many ways to get involved here. Just to name a few, there are the surgery month threads, there are the exercise threads, and there are tons of specialty groups such as diabetic bandsters and the like. Personally, I belong to the June 2007 thread because that is when I was banded, I belong to the BYCYLING thread (yes, we know it is mis-spelled! ) because I am an avid cyclist, and I always join the monthly exercise thread (though I am really not posting much of late with life getting a little nuts here lately). What are your hobbies? Maybe we have a thread for it? Who knows! The key is to get in there and introduce yourself, tell a little bit about yourself and show an interest in the others on the thread...you will fit right in and will find great support.

Let me (or any of the other moderators) know if we can be of assistance in any way, please!

Take care, Stefanie

Hey, folks!

I posted new pics to my bike photo album from the MS150!

Go check 'em out! It was a great event!

Oh, you are welcome! Good luck in your paperwork process...it can be daunting for some, so just breathe and know all will be okay. Some companies "seem" to automatically deny the first time and you have to go for round two. Others return approvals in less than a week. You just never know. It sounds like you have a good handle on things and a good shot at approval. Have no fear! LOL

Thank you for the compliment on my pics! I will admit I am proud of my progress...because I've worked very hard for it! LOL I have a little ways to go yet, before I go into "maintenance mode"...about 25 pounds or a comfortable size 8, whichever comes first. The 8 will likely come first. I exercise a LOT...I am into body building, lifting 1.5 to 2 hours a day, Monday through Friday...one body part per day. I am also an avid cyclist...I LOVE MY BIKE! I try to ride 200 miles per week...sometimes I do more, sometimes a little less. This weekend I am riding in the MS150, which is 150 miles in two days to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research and assistance. This will be my biggest organized event to date, and I can't wait!

One thing I know...exercise is the reason I won't have to have any plastic surgery. Though a boob job would be nice! Exercise is the key! I started late...I hope you do better than I did...I started about two months after surgery and not seriously until five months after surgery. You can do it!

I'll be keeping you in mind and keep me posted as you go through the approval process!

Stef

Right now I am only signed up for cycling events: Tour Dallas is this Saturday for 30 miles, MS150 is 150 miles on May 3rd & 4th, and the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred will be my first Century ride of 100 miles on August 23rd. I haven't signed up for a Tri yet...waiting to see how my knee handles running...I'm just starting. I hope to be able to do one before the end of the year, though. The hardest part about doing these events is choosing which ones to do!

Oh and I love your blog! I may start one with my first event this Saturday!

Thank you, ma'am! Well I went and my pouch is healed, the band corrected itself, and they put 3.2 CC's back in my band...so I am in fantastic shape! No, I didn't gain...in fact, I lost two pounds! So I won't have any more put back in...I'm enjoying eating again, and my exercise is such that I know I will make it to goal without all that fill.

Today is day one for your diet, right? What is the diet, anyhow? Doing okay so far?

Well it was yesterday and today, and it went very well, all things considered! I really enjoyed all the people and the events along the route. I will definitely do it again next year. I have a tailbone injury, so I'm afraid I didn't finish...but I did go about 120 miles on my bike before giving in! I just couldn't stand in my pedals another 40 miles to the finish, so I sagged in. There were just over 4,000 folks participating in this ride, which was great. There were rest stops about every ten to fifteen miles with support crew handing out bananas and oranges, water and gatorade, snacks of all sorts...also different bike shops had tents at each rest stop to assist riders with flats or mechanical issues along the way. The overnight was at Texas Motor Speedway, which is about 25 minutes from my house, so I came home for the night. But most camped out in tents right there at the speedway.

For protein, I use EAS Premium Protein from Costco. It is in a big purple and silver bag, has 27 grams of protein and 150 calories in the chocolate. (140 for vanilla, but I don't drink that very much.) It really tastes great. I don't like my protein thick, and this isn't. I mix mine with 8 oz. water, five or six ice cubes, add extra (chocolate) powder (three scoops instead of two), and add a scoop of natural peanut butter with flaxseed and flaxseed oil...it is super yummy at that point and comes out to 285 calories and about 45 grams of protein. Keeps me full for hours...a complete meal replacement...tons better than any RTD on the market like Slim Fast or the likes. Those products are sugar/carb trash, in my opinion.

Oh! Sometimes I need more fiber, so I put Benefiber right in the protein drink and that works great. After banding, fiber can become a common issue.

WOO -HOO! ImaDucky is approved! That is awesome! (I almost called you "chica", then realized that I don't actually KNOW that you are female! I just assumed? Let me know! LOL)

And WOW on that protein you found! I'm going to have to go look for that! FYI, use the two scoops per 8 oz. of water...that gives you the full 52g of protein, and you need that!

You are very welcome! I'm so glad to hear from you and that you are okay. I can't believe that here I sit in Texas and I actually found that doc for you in the UK at three in the morning! I'm amazed...the Lord had a hand on that one, for sure! Again, I'm so glad you are better now. Was hubby freaked out when you woke him up? YIKES!

Take care, please! Stef

AWWWW....Frannie-Pie! I just saw your pics for the first time! You are so pretty! What a great smile! And you and hubby (and mutts) look so happy!

BTW...I meant to ask...what brand of protein did you buy that is so high in protien? I use EAS that has 27, but would LOVE to find one with much more.

Future Texas Marathoner! Me, too! (Well, Triathaloner actually! I hope...) Do you have your eye on any Texas events for this year?

Glad you had fun at golf! My first round of the year was about a month and a half ago...it was NOT pretty! LOL But we did have fun chasing that little white ball everywhere!

Hey there, MM! Long time, no hear! I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing when I saw your ticker! Amazing job, woman! Glad to see you are doing well! Are you riding on the back of that rocket your crazy hubby got last week? LOL That's so cool for y'all! Take care and don't be a stranger!

Hey there! I actually took about a six month break from LBT, so I am just now reading the picture comment you left for me! (Which you probably don't even remember after so long! LOL) Anyhow, I'm back and wanted to say thank you! I'm pretty proud of my "guns"! Looks like you've had a pretty good journey yourself...congrats for doing all the hard work it takes and keep it up. Merry Christmas! ~ Stef

Hey there! Thanks for the message...I heart comments from folks and hearing about how they are doing. And I'm good, too, thank you! Going for a flouro check up on Thursday, so will know more then, but I feel great. I am a dork...can't figure out what the "L" is...but assuming that the "SD" is Supervised Diet? Maybe "L" is for "LONG"? LOL

Hey, there! Thanx for the friend request! And now I see your new pic! You loo amazing! Significant difference from your other pic in red!

Hey! So glad you are back! Congrats on the lost poundage recently! You look great!

I am honored to be your first friend on LBT! How are you doing? Have a great week!

I just gotta say...your tag line SO sounds like something I would say before laughing at myself! Keep rockin' the band!

I'm BA-A-A-A-A-A-ACK! Lookin good, Daddy! Are these recent pics I see? And your tag line says "TRIATHLETE"!!!!!!!!! You did one? Tell me you did one! How amazing! Was it a sprint? I am just coming out of a knee injury, so my first tri has been pushed out to April 25th. It's a sprint. I wanted warm enough weather to do an open swim. Tell me about the events you've done so far. All I know about are a 5K and a Duathlon. Catch me up, Daddy! Missed yall!

Nice chatting with you...

Oh, of course! I knew I was being hard headed and it would be an obvious answer! No, I didn't have time for preop diets....approved on Monday but not confirmed until Wednesday...had surgery on Friday...all in the same week! (Long story...) Flouro is like xray...is xray? Dunno, but its cool. You swallow this stuff called barium and you can look on the monitor and watch it go through your stomach/band. I usually have them print pics from the machine, too! I definitely will this time so I can compare to last time when we discovered the slip/stretch. My doc does all fill/adjustments under flouro.

OH! And thank you for the birthday wishes! Where did the "Today's Birthdays" list go with the new revisions, anyhow?

Sleepy, yet can't sleep!