Zannie

Hey y'all! Yeah, I'm here...I've been reading posts as they come into my email box. Actually, I'd typed in a fairly long post last night when our power went out & I lost it. But I just haven't had the motivation to re-type it. :tired I've been chugging along (not literally) with the Water, but just not quite making 64 by the end of the day. And I'm on the treadmill every other day -- which needs to be M-F at least, if not daily. So I'm doing it all, just not as much as I should be. I don't know what's wrong with me, but the funk continues... Y'all are doing so well! Keep up the good work! I'm hoping you'll rev me up with your enthusiasm! ____________________ Suzanne Feb'07 Bandsters: May Challenge~20 & 20 WATER: 3 of 20 days drinking 64oz EXERCISE: 4 of 20 workouts (30 min)

To address the new spell-checker tool & scrolling situation, I've played a lot with my screen resolution. 1280 x 1024 is the highest screen resolution available for my 17" monitor, according to the Display Properties menu options (and it is unbearable to look at for long periods). In that mode & using full-screen, there is no width-scroll bar, I have 4 rows of emoticons available in the advance editor mode's Smilies menu, and can just barely see the spell-check icon to click on it (because I remember where it was, not because I can fully see the tool option). In 1024x768 (my usual resolution), there is a width-scroll bar, only 2 rows of Smiles in the side menu, and no spell-check icon or increase/decrease icon (I think that is what the last option was). Based on my experimentation, I think screen resolution is very much a factor in the chopped Smilies menu and missing tool icons that many people are complaining about, and in having to scroll the width of the page. Whether the underlying cause is left-hand ads or not remains unclear since I can't control that. For the record, I had no problems at all in using the teal setup (old, old version). Most websites I surfed to in my testing function just fine with a 1024x768 resolution, but almost all require scrolling the width of the page with my motor at 800x600. Perhaps (and I can only imagine the work required to accommodate this suggestion) designing/editing the skin could be done while using a smaller screen resolution? :nervous

:welcome:to the BMI 50+ thread, and to LBT! I hope you find all the support you need within our lil' corner of the Web. And I wish you much success on your journey to a healthier you!

:wow2: I just checked out the pics. :clap2: Your DH is right, the change is noticeable in both your body & your face. I know body image is a real kicker, but the progress is showing. You're doing a great job! When I took my pics at 2 months post-op, I couldn't see even a bit of change despite having lost 31 lbs. But now, at 38#, my mother says she sees it in my face (I don't), and it's obvious that my jeans are too big. I'm hoping I see results in the 3-month pics, though that's not for another 9 days. Keep up the hard work, Babygrl! :high5: And Happy Bandiversary! Suzanne

Ya know, BabyGrl & TravelGirl we had Ambrosia with us that 1st day, but seem to have lost Sharon along the way! I noticed a profound silence in the April Challenge, too, as the month drew short! Why do you think that is? Certainly it's no insult to the company kept on the Challenge thread(s), because the same people post on our main Feb thread. Perhaps motivation waned for everyone (not just me!) and it was easier not to post than to face another failure? I'm not a competitive person by nature (control-freek closeted in a laid back personality, but no competitor), but maybe "not winning" turned some of us off? I don't know. What are your thoughts? Regardless, I'm glad you prodded at least the 3 of us on to a 2nd challenge, BabyGrl, because I need some accountability with this exercise shit! Suzanne

Good going, TravelGirl! :clap2: I have not dared adjust the incline yet! Maybe when it no longer takes me 45 min to do a mile, I'll start raising the platform! BabyGrl, I looked further into that race site. There's an 8K about 1-1/2 hours from here in late September. I can't imagine doing it...I really cannot. But you've got me at least thinking......... A real GOAL with the exercise, an end result which you otherwise don't GET from exercise (especially on a treadmill) might be something. I shudder to at the thought! But maybe...maybe... My clinic offers a monthly Lap-Band support group, as well as a Bypass group. Perhaps I will research the "whats" of the Sept 8K and mention it at the next meeting. (Or the one after that -- not sure how committed I can get myself to be in a week & a half!! :heh:)

Okay, I went to the coolrunning.com site...not that I have any intention of doing a 5K, but more to see what craziness YOU signed on for! And I about split a stitch when I saw this... "Beautiful Cape Cod is the place to be for the 30th Dunkin’ Donuts Cape Cod Marathon and Marathon Relay" Now that's the kind of race I'd like to cross the finish line for! :heh: Though, personally, I'm a Krispy Kreme kinda girl!

I've been wondering ... is there anybody taking prenatal vitamins? :Banane43: They're super cheap under my health insurance at least, and they've obviously got a full range of vitamins. But I only hear about people taking chewable or liquid vitamins. I'm confused because I can swallow pills just fine -- I was discharged with a Vicodin Rx for post-op pain! It seems to me that I ought to just spend the $2.50 for my INS co-pay on Rx-quality prenatals, rather than the $8 on Flintstones... Any thoughts?

I say hang in there for a bit longer. I ordered a ton of samples from WLSSupplies.com, too. I'm looking at my invoice right now. I placed the order on 3/31 and the invoice has a shipping date of 4/2. I used also USPS Priority Mail as my shipping method. It took forever to get here -- about a week & a half! :phanvan But the samples did arrive, all in these little 6oz plastic bottles. I didn't try to contact the company about the delivery delay, so I can't comment on their not returning you calls. While the package was slow to come, I am quite satisfied with my order. And it was so much smarter to get the samples than spend a fortune on bigger sizes while hunting for something worth drinking! :Banane43:

Feb'07 Bandsters: May Challenge ~ 20 & 20 WATER: 2 of 20 days drinking 64oz EXERCISE: 2 of 20 workouts (30 min) I did, in fact, take the kiddies to see the Queen on Thursday. We had a really fun time; my son was enthralled by the whole hoopla! And I got a good walk out of it, with our 22# lil' girl strapped to my hip the whole time! While I didn't do my walk on Friday, I am about to jump on the treadmill right now. I knew that it was gonna be the exercise that did me in if I wasn't careful. I need to get a routine going so that it fits naturally in with my day, but UGH! :Banane43: I'm determined to have lost 40 lbs by 3-months post-op, so I'd better get cracking! Suzanne

Did you attend the shower? How did it go?

Personally, I couldn't care less about the girl at the top – though I think it’s valid to say she’s not all that representative of Lap Band. The ads on the left are fine for me in reading the actual posts (1024x768). It’s when I go to past an advanced reply that things get all catawampus. My window, even scrolled all the way over, no longer shows all the emoticons – but more importantly, I can’t get over to the spell-checker!! Egad! I don’t know if the ads being on the left are the contributing factor in the screwy advanced editor setup, or if anybody else has the same problem. Oh, and I have seen other posts about the weird smiles and <p> characters that appear when trying to go back to edit an already submitted post! Everything gets all messed up when all I wanted to do was correct a typo that remains because I can’t get to the spell-checker! What’s up with that? Another thing I saw someone mention was no longer being able to change the username. I never thought about doing that, but I guess other people miss the feature. I do like having our screen names & data down the side of the posts, rather than across the top. Change is good, even if I’m usually slow to embrace it! Suzanne

I agree! Call around to see who of your family is going to the shower. And, frankly, go even if nobody else you know will be there. Be the bigger (if now smaller ) person; be polite even if she or the host are cold; do what you can to embrace your ex-best friend and the new roll she WILL play in your family as your new sister-in-law. And hey...she is marrying YOUR brother -- perhaps the two have talked about the fight! This may be her way of trying to move past your rift. Who knows. But you will only make matters worse by not attending. What? Are you going to avoid her forever? Get it over with now, not at your brother's wedding (where you're right, you'll look like the bitch for ruining her big day if there is to be a scene between the two of you)! :gluck: Suzanne

Okay, so I went to wasa.com to check out this bread/cracker. Which flavors do y'all recommend? :hungry: Suzanne

No, it's not ZERO CARB at all -- more like 60-70g of carbs a day. (Atkins, for example, is 30g max.) BUT, but, but... The clinic strongly advises the avoidance of: * sticky cards (soft bread, potatoes, Pasta, rice -- "the whites") * crumbly carbs (crackers, chips, Cookies, cake, candy & Cereal with the exception of Kashi -- "the 6 Cs") And I do have 200# to loose, so I'm doing my best to follow along! Suzanne

You're right, you're right...I know you're right. :frusty: So I'm off to go pack a diaper bag now. Rain be damned, I'm taking a (30 min) walk with my kiddies (DS 4-1/2; DD 1-1/2) to see the Queen of England in Colonial Williamsburg! :drama: (Note: Down 10# since 1st fill 1-month ago today; 38.5# since surgery 11-weeks ago today! )

(Pardon the cross-post, but I'm running late...) Well, I just weighed-in for my "official" 1-month post-fill check. I'm down TEN pounds since the 1st fill (min. goal had been 8.5#, 2 lbs. a week), so that is good! I've lost 38.5 lbs since my surgery!:high5: But I'm also in a real funk. :tired I'm bored with the foods (no carbs), not wanting to exercise, and not getting in all my fluids either. I tend to have a great track record of effort for about 3-months on most diets I've tried, and then the weight loss stalls & I eventually go off the plan. Um..er..uh..my surgery was 11 weeks ago today. Even though I'm still loosing weight, I am apparently still "mentally" ready to quit. (And here's where the LapBand comes in handy, eh? ) I'm not regretting this decision at all or anything like that. It's just that I've hit a mental wall & don't know quite how to get past it. :frusty: This has been going on for a bit over a week, and I just can't shake it. :noidea: But I did get my 1st cycle since January at about the same time, so maybe this is just a wicked case of PMS? Perhaps when Aunt Flo leaves, she'll take my funk with her! Whaaaa! Would you like some cheese (but no crackers) with that whine? In quasi-related news, the Queen has come to town. I live in Virginia and this year marks the 400th anniversary of the landing at Jamestown in 1607. Her majesty will take a carriage ride in Colonial Williamsburg early this evening to The Inn. I plan to be there with my kiddies & a zillion other people for this historic ride. I figure A) neither the kids nor I will ever get another chance to see the Queen of England, and a walk in C.W. to see the Queen will be a great way to force in today's 30 minutes of exercise. :drama: Maybe all I really need is a jumpstart...

(Goodness me... Are there ever changes afoot at LBT! I liked the old, old look personally. Things are all askew with the newest version. :phanvan) Well, I just weighed-in for my "official" 1-month post-fill check. I'm down TEN pounds since the 1st fill (min. goal had been 8.5#, 2 lbs. a week), so that is good! I've lost 38.5 lbs since my surgery!:high5: But I'm also in a real funk. :tired I'm bored with the foods (no carbs), not wanting to exercise, and not getting in all my fluids either. I tend to have a great track record of effort for about 3-months on most diets I've tried, and then the weight loss stalls & I eventually go off the plan. Um..er..uh..my surgery was 11 weeks ago today. Even though I'm still loosing weight, I am apparently still "mentally" ready to quit. (And here's where the LapBand comes in handy, eh? ) I'm not regretting this decision at all or anything like that. It's just that I've hit a mental wall & don't know quite how to get past it. :frusty: This has been going on for a bit over a week, and I just can't shake it. :noidea: But I did get my 1st cycle since January at about the same time, so maybe this is just a wicked case of PMS? Perhaps when Aunt Flo leaves, she'll take my funk with her! Whaaaa! Would you like some cheese (but no crackers) with that whine? In quasi-related news, the Queen has come to town. I live in Virginia and this year marks the 400th anniversary of the landing at Jamestown in 1607. Her majesty will take a carriage ride in Colonial Williamsburg early this evening to The Inn. I plan to be there with my kiddies & a zillion other people for this historic ride. I figure A) neither the kids nor I will ever get another chance to see the Queen of England, and a walk in C.W. to see the Queen will be a great way to force in today's 30 minutes of exercise. :drama: Maybe all I really need is a jumpstart...

Damn it all! I'm in such a funk!!! :phanvan I've been working on the fluids, but not quite getting those last 2 cups in... But more importantly, I have not done any exercise in over a week! Argh. And I don't wanna!!!! Whaaa! Today is my official weigh-in, and I am excited to know just how far I've come in 11 weeks. But I just can't motivate!! :tired I'm thinking this is my usual "diet-burn out at 3-months" taking over, in addition to being over a week into my 1st cycle since January...egad. I hope those 2 elements combined are the main problems here. Because I am bummmmmmed. I'm sticking to the "no tempting foods in the house" rule, so hopefully that will help get me over this continuing hump. Off to the dietician now... Suzanne

Ditto. Former Mt. Dew fanatic here. (Oh, how I'd love an icy cold Code Red right now!)

My son's also 4 and only recently gotten into the swing of things with this #2 business. He'd been peeing on the potty for quite some time, but just didn't want to stop playing long enough for a BM. I figured: he knows he has to go, and he knows I'll come with if he wants company. The choice to go in the potty or in undies is his. And so is the responsibility of his decision. I know this may sound evil, but it really helped. I calmly (never mean or humiliatingly) had him (under my supervision) dump the poop in the toilet from his undies (or pull-ups trainers, which were the real problem, I think -- inconsistency is the very concept of those) and rinse out the undies in the bathroom sink. "Accidents happen, but we've got to clean them up" was what I said every time. It sucks cleaning our your underwear when you'd rather be playing, but that was the choice you made in not going on the potty in the 1st place. Obviously the 'rinsed' undies then got thrown in the washer (by him), the sink cleaned out with a bleach wipe (by me), and my son's hands scrubbed (though he quickly learned not to actually touch the poop or dirty part of his underwear). But the point is that HE had to "do the work" in cleaning up his accident. Everything being Mommy's job just means that kids don't take responsibility for their own actions -- be it picking up toys, cleaning up spilled Cheerios, or rinsing out poopy/wet undies!! (Does that make me a rotten mom?) And he was FOUR for pity's sake! I am not doing the same thing (yet!) with our DD who is 22-months and actively interested in the potty. With every wet/dirty diaper change, she says "go-potty, go-potty" until I plop her on the toilet...even though she just went in her dipe. DS never did that -- and was never interested in trying, despite my pulling out all the tricks. I, obviously, hope your son's potty issues are stubbornness (as they were for mine) and not a bigger medical issue. :gluck: Suzanne

Feb'07 Bandsters: May Challenge ~ 20 & 20 WATER: 0 of 20 days drinking 64oz EXERCISE: 0 of 20 workouts (30 min) Personal Target: -10# (2 lbs a week), plus water & exercise Here we go (again)... :cheer2: Suzanne

Feb'07 Bandsters: April Challenge ~ 20 & 20 WATER: 9 of 20 days drinking 64oz EXERCISE: 10 of 20 workouts (30 min) + 2 bonus workouts :girl_hug: My target for April was - 8.5 lbs (2 lbs a week), in addition to the 20 & 20 goals. I don’t have my official weigh-in until May 5th, so consider this a guesstimate of my progress! I started this challenge at 292.5 pounds (down 27.5 from surgery). My first fill was April 5th. As of April 19th, I had lost 5 lbs in the month. This morning our home scale (totally inaccurate :mmph: since my 4-year-old jumps on it) says I’ve lost another 5.5 since that last official check, but I don’t trust it enough to update my ticker. I hope it’s safe to say I at least met my weight-loss target, if not the Water & exercise ones! :pout: I’ve gotta get back on track with both the water & the exercise, but would really just rather NOT. :tired Bad, bad, bad… :girl_hug: So, I’m on for May, too, Babygrl1234. See y’all there! :wave: Suzanne

Well, the month of April has officially come to an end. Time to check in... How did everybody do?

We just don't buy the things that I find irresistible. My hubby checks in with me before buying anything in the junk food category, or other foods that I'm really missing. If I say I can't have it in the house, it doesn't come home -- which has been very helpful. Not everybody has the support that I do when it comes to shopping (and yes, we have 2 kids!). Plus, I do have things at home that are okay to eat when I feel a "need" for sweets (SF pudding, Popsicles, jell-o). Of course they are not the same, but at least I don't feel like there's nothing I "can" eat in the fridge. I also keep nuts on hand for my salty/crunchy fix. If I really am feeling desperate for something that "normal people eat" I'll have a small Crystal Light Slurpee from 7-11-- it really does the trick. I also acknowledge that there are times when it's better to "give in to a craving" in a controlled fashion, rather than let it fester into an uncontrollable urge. That's what I've been doing anyhow. :gluck: