Woodys

No chips.....baked or not...just not a good idea! Ice chips work....don't worry, the days pass quicker than you think and you will be introducing solids in no time. Carol

I spent one lonely Christmas in my late 20's.....never want to do that again....I alienated myself from everyone but quickly smartened up. It is painful to be lonely....I hope you find some peace and happiness with your family on Christmas day. Only you can fix all this...you need help, there are many resources....you need to go after them. You don't have a partner now but that doesn't have to be forever. And....why do you have to eat because you are with family? Why can't you eat what you know you should be and the quantity? I hope you have a lovely Christmas, for the New Year please sincerely plan on turning a new leaf and seeking help to overcome your problems...only good things can come from that and maybe a solution to the lonliness. Carol

I own a restaurant. Always make sure that there is something entered on each line. If you enter a tip on the tip line then fill in the total line, if you don't enter a tip and extend the total down to the last line then be sure to draw a wavy line through the tip line. If you left the tip line blank and extended the total down to the last line your server could fill in a tip and change the total claiming it was an addition error on your part....it would be their word against yours. However, if there was something in the tip line to begin with and it appeared to be altered then the customer wins. Carol

I was banded 3-1/2 months before my 55th birthday. I was carrying 219 pounds on a 5' frame....it was exhausting me. My health was on the decline but I wasn't suffering too badly. I went through the surgery with no complications or complaints....as a matter of fact, I worked the evening shift in my restaurant (a quiet one at that) the day after surgery. That was really pushing it but I got bored....nevertheless, it shows how quickly some of us older ones can bounce back. The only real difficulty I had was getting out of our waterbed so I opted to sleep elsewhere for a week. Go for it....I love my band and if I had to do it all over again I would in a heartbeat. Carol

I drink straight scotch, use to drink beer also but told NOT to....something to do with carbonation and bloating. The scotch hasn't affected me but I'm careful not to get to the point where my better judgement will be imparied and cause me to make bad food choices. One of my new year's resolutions is to not drink so much scotch...LOL...its the way I wind down after a day serving in the restaurant...works good for me. But, our restaurant and home are in the same building so we like to go out to our local bar where all our friends hang out....just for a change of scenery.....they serve only fast food so I'm so careful to just sip on my drink and not get too loaded. Fast food does not work well with me anyhow but no point on bringing on a bad pb'ing episode for no good reason. Carol

Thanks Yoda...I did get what I needed but now I have to shop again for a gag gift for an "after Christmas" party for our local bar here in Fenelon. I will be down in TO for 4 days over Christmas so I will try the malls in Mississauga. Cripes.....we get quite raunchy and goofy up here in the country....cause there's not much else to do. Can't believe some of the gag gifts last year, hard to picture someone actually sitting on the "quality control" line checking this stuff out.....LOL Carol

Good for you Angela! So far I am really impressed. No one but my immediatly family and one friend knows about my surgery but 80 lbs later obviously my customers and other friends and family know that I've been working hard to lose. Unlike other Christmas's this year I have not received one gift of chocolates, candy, Cookies, sickening sweet liquers, etc. Everyone so far has been sensitive to my weight loss and I really appreciate that! Carol

purtynailz...that may be so in some isolated cases but not in all. I was self pay and my fills were all inclusive. My first fill was 4 cc. and each of the 6 fills following were at .5 or 1 ccs at the Drs request because even .5 of a cc can make a significant difference and you don't know that until your fill has taken effect and the swelling after the fill has gone down. Carol

Its a great feeling isn't it!!!!! I still struggle with leaving food too. I was raised by a Mom who wouldn't allow food waste....now, I live with my chef husband and the biggest rule of the kitchen is "you never throw anything out unless its off or has been on a customer's plate". I'm getting use to it now though because I just don't desire the food once I get that feeling. Unless I'm out for fine dining I usually ask for a take out container to be brought to the table with my meal and I pack up what I know I can't eat before I even get started...that helps me not to get too overwhelmed by having too much food on my plate. I don't eat out a lot but hubby cooks for us every night....I can only eat so little and hubby is not a big portion eater either....so our refridgerator always looks like a leftover grave yard LOL Carol

Hmmmm.....maybe he would be a good cleaner but who'd be looking at the house? Carol

LOL.....go figure....we really do take the simple pleasures of life for granted. Carol

Harlito....I thoroughly agree with you.....the entire process should be made clear right from the beginning. I knew before surgery what I was in for....I was hoping that a workable level of restriction would have happened before 9.5 ccs and 7 fills later, but I knew that it was a possibility that I'd have to have several spaced out fills to reach this level.....or it could have happened sooner....but I was told all the options and scenarios up front. I am so happy I chose the clinic I did.....I had very few questions along the way and grateful for that. Carol

First and foremost....it was less invasive and reversible. And.....I wouldn't have to wait 2 - 3 years for a surgery date. It just fit with my expectations and situation and I vowed never to look back....its working for me just as I wanted it to. carol

I'm right there with Jack...its this crap that got me here in the first place. So....I eat when I'm hungry and its up to me to make sure that the right stuff is in place for me to eat. Carol

I would you add to the offerings by taking something you can eat.....it is so hard but you can do it. Sometimes it really helps if you can be munching at the same time as everyone else...that gets me over the hump...so, when invited to house parties,office parties, etc I always take a tray of something I can eat. Carol

Thank you ousooner....same to you.....doesn't it feel f****** fantastic!!!!! Carol

I set my goal weight by reflecting back to the weight I felt most comfortable and healthy at....125. However, I have now reached 140 and I'm worried that if I push it to 125 my face, shoulders, back and chest will be too boney. My apron has gotten increasingly worse over the years and I doubt that losing 15 more pounds will make that much of a difference in that area...if I lose more I'm afraid that it will come from the body areas already mentioned and it just wouldn't look flatering. So, I'm now just doing 5 lbs at a time and I will stop when I'm satisfied....I've resigned myself to the fact that I will have to have the apron surgically removed. Carol

I have been banded since early June and I have 15 lbs to reach goal. I worry about maintenance, I'm still losing so I guess when I go on maintenance I will have to have a small unfill so that I can increase my calorie intake....don't want to keep losing. But, it scared me to death until the other day when I went to a buffet with my girlfriends. I chose what I felt I should be eating and how much and had the odd very small bit of a few of my favourites that aren't so low cal but the portion was so small it wouldn't matter. I realized that I had a fabulous time....I didn't miss at all not being able to load up my plate and stuff myself. I enjoyed the company and seeing my friends have a good time and I was still able to have fun as well. Carol

Like Wheetsin, I too had a "moment". For the most part I made the decision quickly and never looked back....however, I had a "moment" a few days before surgery when I wondered if I would be able to adapt to the significant lifestyle change...and it wasn't so much would I be able to, but would I want to. That didn't last long at all. My husband told me that when I woke up the day of surgery I had a smile on my face that went from ear to ear and it hasn't left my face since. He said that I was so happy on my way to the clinic that he though I was going to spit....LOL. Laurend....Its your decision...you are the one who will reap the benefits from the surgery or suffer the consequences if you don't. Its up to you, don't bother trying to convince them..that can be stressful and exhausting...the simple fact is, you are doing it no matter what so they can get use to it. Carol

Devana, that was such a great description of citrus and cholesterol....I've been trying to put it into layman terms for one of my weight loss group's members and I just keep confusing her but I think your description will work...thanks. Carol

Hi Flower: My husband is a chef and he taught my weight loss group last week how to put a low calorie twist on some of his favourite hor d'oeurves. If you have to feed all these people there might as well be stuff that you can eat. Cucumber rounds make a great base ...cut an english cucumber in 1/2 in rounds.....using the tip of a teaspoon scoup out the centre making a little bowl (don't go all the way through). Mix canned crab with low fat mayo, finely chopped onion,raddish, celery and place a spoon full in each hole topped with a parsley leaf. Mix low fat cream cheese with tabasco or chipotle puree, place a teaspoon on a rice cracker and top with a baby shrimp (can by a small bag frozen) top with anything that will add colour like a sliver of red pepper, parsley, coriander,etc. dips....mix curry with low fat yogourt and sour cream ........mix hot salsa...half and half....with low fat sour cream ........make your own salsa....chopped tomato, red onion, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper....best served the next day. I have an entire Christmas dinner of recipes that my husband put together for my weight loss group, couldn't possible retype them but it you would like to try and scan and email them to you just pm me your email address. Carol

Oh my goodness.....you poor thing! Can't say why she is doing this to you but you definately need to hang in there and stay strong, you have shown already that you can do that. Even though you are in need of her help right now you need to take charge of YOUR house. Tell her that you appreciate what she thinks is being thoughtful, but from now on anything that goes against your band is forbidden and she is to decline immediately from offering. Huh.....easier said than done.....good luck. Carol

I'm not sure about how the long term effects of the grapefruit diet.....I do know though that eating citrus fruit on a regular basis is recommended to people with high cholesterol levels. Carol

Thank you so much Laura (Housecatgirl). I LOVE my bracelet....it is very charming and so much my style. I will wear it well with one of my many "visiting" outfits over the holiday season. Thanks again SS Laura......It is an absolutely wonderful gift and I will take great pleasure in showing it off. Carol

I think Bosteph's sense of humour is understood.....we did finally "get it".....and I for one appreciate it....I was very happy to hear it was her sense of humour shining through.....so, I don't really understand why all of a sudden this thread got so dramatic. I know that my misunderstanding of what she was up to with the nugget started a bit of a sour note....but didn't I mention somewhere here that I was relieved to find out it was joke? We all give different types of support, but maybe thats because we are all different and sometimes the different methods of support offered is needed. I would love this topic to now die a very quick death.....to continue it would be hijacking Bosteph's thread and I don't want to do that. Carol