OH Juli

Lor- I know what you mean about the emotional part of why we eat how we eat. It's a tangled knot to be true. I started seeing a therapist 14 months before I got banded. (It took the process that long to get through insurance) and I continue to see her about once a month. I swear they put the band around my brain when they put one around my stomach because my thinking about food has totally changed. But I'm new and I'm scared it will go back to how it was. But then I don't worry about the future like that. But then I'm freaking out about the damage I've done to my body by being so heavy for so long. and then I get obsessive about what weight I might be at when specific dates come along....and it just never ever stops. Well it does sometimes. My point is, there are people who are going around things with food psychologically just as you are. Holler and we'll listen with out judging. OH Juli

I'm not that far into the journey and I don't have a fill so I don't know how that changes things, but I know there's a difference in how I approach food now to how I did before. But it started in January before I was actually banded, when I started tracking the food I was eating. I had seen the nutritionist and gave her the real deal about what I ate. Easily I was consuming between 3500-4000 calories a day. She also measured my metabolism which was super healthy, I burn about 2600 daily just breathing. It was clear to me how at those numbers I was gaining. So I paused and wrote down what I was eating in fitday.com I started reducing the calories a bit every couple of weeks and to my delight I lost 23 pounds before surgery. It got my head in the right place. You need to know what's going in your body to work with the band. You need to take control instead of giving it over to the band. The band is just a piece of plastic that will only work if you work with it. I'm not saying I'm know all there is to know about being banded. I'm just saying you've got all the power in the world to make this work, you just need to choose to use it. Good Lucky. OH Juli

TMP just makes me howl! How funny! You go with that iPod and a 5am workout. You are doing great! Thanks for the kind words. Juli

TCTX- Ahhhhhhhhh, you been being bad! If you didn't tell us we'd never have known. We can't see your yellow/orange stained cheeto fingers! There's always tomorrow. Bad days happen. J

Lucy and Edd Thanks for your sympathy. My sweetie is fine, we are worried however for her mother and grandmother. They will be fine, I'm sure but there's going to be much greif to sort through before that happens. Thanks again. Juli

That's a tough one. I too do what you do, I only see where I need to go, not where I have been. It's hard. We are hardwired to look for negatives not positives about ourselves. But the good thing is we can override that programing. So, when looking in the mirror, for every negative thing you see compliment yourself on something you like looking at. Lots of positive self talk will help you through this. At least that's what I'm doing. Good Lucky. OH Juli

jmcambra Yesterday was only one day in a lifetime of days. Yes, we all have out of control moments. They happen. It is what we do to regain control that matters. Don't let yesterday's chip determine your entire future. So dust yourself off, toss any chips in the house away and get back to eating like you know you should. (And put all those chips in your fitday tracker so you know what a really bad day can look like.) You'll be okay. HTH, OH Juli

Hi my people. My weekend ended a bit short due to a death in the GF's family, her uncle. But we still managed to have a good time for the bit of time we were together. We did bike and work out and grilled some amazing food. We were able to laugh and shop and find some bras! I got back to town a bit earlier than planned. Yesterday I spent the day at the pool with my DD. We both got too much sun, but it was fun! I don't know about the rest of you and where you live, but Memorial Day is the offical opening of the pool season in Ohio. And about Memorial Day, thanks to everyone who has served or is serving our country. I am grateful. OH Juli

I second the tea theory. I make a pot of tea. 32 ounces. I pretty much say no food until the tea is gone. You can do the same with Water or other beverages. Or you know the V8 commercials. Knock yourself in the head and say, "I'm bored, I'm eating because I'm bored, and that will keep me from my goal." Then stop eating. You'll feel like a Kook talking to yourself, but it might get you to stop. Good Lucky. OH Juli

Carol I find it interesting that you are ending that love affair. I to am a foodie to nth degree. I really struggled with how to recogcile my love with this new life. I have to say I've become the consumate food snob. My standards are different and my values have changed. I don't look for the flakiest croissant dough. I look for the best use of carbohydrates. Instead of eating regular oatmeal or instant I go out of my way to get steel cut oats. I've also moved in the direction of really understanding the nuances of nutrition and what it does for the body. I see this as a way to keep my love and have it benefit me at the same time. Also all those years of baking, you can know that when that dry piece of birthday cake with waxy icing passes beneath your nose, it's not worth eating. (See food snob talking!) Oh, I'm getting way into teas and slowly starting to learn about wines... :hungry: OH Juli

Denise- You're a Rock Star. Way to Go! Momlambert- 2 pounds a week isn't anything to sneeze at! Slow and steady will win the race. Hazelbunny- That's a fantastic weight loss. Strut your stuff girl! Rosi- PBing is horrifying no? I've never felt so much like a cat trying to get up a hair ball! I've heard of others having problems with scrambled eggs too. Maybe it's the size of the bight? LLSilbley- Congratulations on using your will power to avoid all those calories! As for the veggies, make soup, or you can freeze things like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I have to say I hate wasting food too, but since surgery I've tossed more stuff in the garbage than I ever thought possible. What kind of veggies do you have? We might be able to toss some ideas your way. Oh, and don't worry about rambling on in postings here. It's your website as much as anyone elses. Today the pool opened and DD had me in the water with her a good 3 hours! I had no idea splashing in the water burned as many calories as fitday says it does, but I'm happy! Juli

Hi Marchies I'm excited to share. I've been on a plateau for the last 10 days. I think the first part of it was a natural, stop losing for a minute and the second half was water retention due to the TOM. Any it's all better now. This morning I dropped 3 pounds. That's 34 pounds since surgery and 57 since I committed to eating better and exercising at the first of the year. June 8th is my 3 month anniversary and I thought a 10-12 pounds per month goal was a stretch. Seems like maybe it's just fine! Anyway, I was getting frustrated with the scale but I kept the faith...eat well and exercise and eventually the scale DID move. Whew. Juli

Eddie I can't say that I had odd stomach pains. Mine was in my muscles of my abs. They are invisable to the eye under all this fat, but due to incisions I had strange tugging and pulling if I twisted or bumped. It took a full month for it to go away. That's about when I was able to sleep on my tummy. HTH J

Hey Boston It's so good to see someone who is so far out who has done really well! Got any tips for newbies? Lucky you for living in the only state that allows for gay marriage. I have a 5 year old with my ex girlfirend. We co parent very well. Juli

Julie You look so amazing. Thanks for posting your pictures. I'm inspired. OH Juli

Hi gang Looks like everyone has been having a great weekend! I had some sparkling wine this weekend, and it went down pretty well. I only had one glass. I've had a couple of mixed drinks and I've had a few glasses of wine since surgery...I agree that I get drunk pretty tipsy pretty quickly...nothing like being a cheap drunk :drum: Juli

Talking about being bored. I've gone pickle and olive crazy. I want a mouth full of flavor. My breakfasts are the same always Fage fat free yogurt with either berries or granola. Lunch is typically fish or chicken. I think I'm growing gills I've eaten so much fish. I'm really trying to get into the fruits of the season. Yesterday I had a Laura's Lean Beef patty with a cut up tomato for dinner. Nothing exciting, but it is what I'm eating. Have a good weekend, and enjoy that potato salad! It's not about feeling guilty about how we eat. It's about being mindful and educated to what we are putting in our mouths. So here's to a weekend of fun and family and enjoying good food. Love to you all Juli

Lucy That's fantastic. The band is indeed a project that needs some focused attention, especially in the beginning. Good for you. All- I'm off in a few hours to head north to the GF's place for the weekend. I'll be on the road in 3 hours if the cost of gas doesn't bankrupt me! RV Eddie, you've got to tell us what it costs to fill your new road machine so we can all have a collective gasp! We have bike rides on the agenda, shopping for bras and grilling some good for us food planned. I'm so excited I could burst! Yeah, the bras, you know you have a good friend when she tells you, wow you look great, you'd look even better if got a new bra to pick the girls up! This is from a 50 year old straight woman! God love her. So I'm going to see what I can find this weekend! Peace my queer buddies. J

well, lets not allow inertia to keep this from happening....

We are nasty little bunch of banded folk, huh? Let me add to it! Eddie I love your humpin' 'nanas. Gets me all steamy cuz you know us girls (with the help of silcone and leather) like it like that too. I love this thread! J

Yenken, you need to open a free account with someone like photobucket.com Put your pictures there, and they give it a http address. You then cut and paste that into your posting. You can use the insert picture icon above. (mountains) HTH J

[quote name=MsDad;477781 I went to the gym yesterday! Did a full circuit' date=' all the machines. The ab machine was a little rough, but...HAHAHAHA!!! Bet I got a bunch of you with that one!! quote] You so got me! You DOG! Good to know you are walking and getting you butt to the gym. Where do you work? I was thrilled to have my full two weeks off with the surgery. I want another extended time off, but with out surgery! Juli

ThickChick????? Hey what's going on? How are you feeling? Your Marchie pals want to know. J

Kity First off, you bragger! 8+ Orgasms is just greedy. The straight girls on your April thread probably thought you were exagerating. But we girls know it's completely possible. (If you don't then keep trying!) But it would stand to reason your port area would hurt. As my surgeon told me, the port is stitched to muscle but it "floats" until the scar tissue builds up and anchors it in place. Contracting your tummy muscles would cause pulling in the port area, and left over aching. I'm sure now that you're 6 weeks out it's all healed. With stating you're 6 weeks out, how are you doing with fills? Juli

:happybday2: DENISE! You're going to ROCK your 40's!!!!!!!!!!!