OH Juli

113 miles isn't so bad. It's nice you have the weekends. AZ sounds lovely. From my door to my honey's is 284 miles. One of us makes the drive at least one weekend a month. But it works out this summer that we'll be seeing each other every other weekend. Which is nice. We have a week planned for Provincetown in August too. You said you had homework. What are you studying? I'm in school full-time and work full-time too. Life is busy. OH Juli

Hey, How did I miss this thread for so long? I was banded March 8th. I don't have a fill because the doctor said I was going gang busters without one. I'm a queer momma with a 5 year old daughter that I share with her other mommy. My sweetie isn't obese but has taken the challenge to lose a few pounds when I started eating better and working out. Her support has been amazing. Glad to find you all. OH Juli

Alexandra- We could go anywhere and we'll have a riot. You just need to pick the date. Fall? January 08? Oh so excited!

I'm down 52 pounds since I was fitted with the Cpap and I just quit using it. I'm rested well enough... I was pulling it off at night, proably because of too much pressure. I figure if I'm too groggy in the morning or my throat hurts like it used to when I snored I'd get it back out. So far so good. I'm not advocating anyone does as I have done, just giving my facts.

That's what I was thinking too. I went to a nice Spainish restaurant today and I order off the appetizer menu, not the main menu. Wow. That was different, but totally cool. Fewer calories, wonderful flavor and a cheaper bill. I think I like this banding thing!

You know, that's funny because I just got home from a wine and cheese tasting. The wine was so good....the cheese was hit or miss. Some was super funky. I need to put the numbers into fitday and I am very afraid. But it is important to me to have some sembelance of normal in my life. I decided to go fully aware of the consiquences. I ate well before and I will do well tomorrow. OH very scared Juli

OMG Your arms are so much smaller and your tummy is getting flat!!!!! (your booty is getting smaller too!) You look awesome! OH Juli

So how do you other Foodies deal with being banded and your interest in food? You know what I mean by Foodies, right? You know you like the history and the science behind how food is what it is. It is such an integral part of who I am. I'm not really having issues reconciling my Banded self with my Foodie self, but I was wondering what others might be doing. For example-I'm in love with steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. I'll eat goat cheese on a salad in place of American cheese. I've rediscovered root vegetables.... Please share your thoughts:hungry: OH Juli

Pamela- It was a fantastic weekend and I'm going to MI over Memorial Day weekend to see her. It looks like we'll have nearly every other weekend together this summer. I'm so stoked. You are in a LDR too? Dish the details. OH Juli

Oh, I know what you mean. It was an epiphany for me when I realized The Person I needed to be accountable to was myself. That happened at the same time I ran out of excuses for not doing something to get healither while waiting for surgery. OH Juli

Yenken- We had a FANTASTIC weekend. It was her birthday as well so she got super extra pampered. I blush as I write. Enjoy your time with your honey. A whole week?! I'm so jealous. Catch you soon, Juli

It's noon on Tuesday and no one is posting? Where are all the Marchies??? I'm heading out to exercise her in a few minutes but my eating today is off the hook! I need to spend extra time on the elyptical trainer! Tammyj, Yenken, Tia, Sue, many others.....what's going on? OH Juli

I'd pretty much go anywhere but FL. Chicago was my first choice because it is close, but Vegas would be fun and I've never been to Texas, so that'd be a hoot too. Tell me where and when I'll be there. OH Juli

I've done it too. When I've not thought about eating something and stuck it in my mouth only to go, "Oh Sh!t, I don't need to eat that". Also when you take a bite of something that you expect will be good and worth the calories only to taste it and go, "No way am I going to swallow that." Then there is what you discribe. Feeling and tasting and then spitting it out....If Julia Child says it's okay, then it can't be bad! Don't worry!

Louise I can't say that I feel like an amputee but there are times when having the band is a pain in the butt and I wish I could just be "normal". Well, truth of the matter is that I've never been "normal" about food. This is just a different kind of weird, but it's a gonna get me healthy kind of weird. So I guess instead of mourning those old relationships with food that weren't healthy, like mourning bad lovers, instead of being sad we should be saying "good riddence!" OH Juli The journey sometimes in painful but sometimes it's wonderful as well.

That blows. It does. However, you're expecting too much too soon. I dare say you should probably eat a bit more. I know that's counter to someone else's advice. 1100 calories a day is as low as regular dieters should go. With out any restriction, you'd be hard pressed to eat fewer calories with out wanting to stab someone. But keep your meals small, drink more Water than seems reasonable and it will come. OH Juli

"Dieters" who you calling a dieter?!? :teeth: I'd like to think of my self as a "life-changer" OR "healthy eater". :eek: No, really I'm with you, I want the weight off right this very minute! I'm crazy in that I know I've lost weight...every indicator out there is pointing in that direction, but I feel as big as I ever was. I guess that gives me something to talk to the ol' therapist about, huh?

Exude- What did you and the doctor decide? I'm curious as can be! OH Juli

Rosi Sounds like you need a fill and a little kindness for yourself. Don't think one or two plates of food makes a failure. Once you get the restriction you need the weight will move. In the mean time make sure you're drinking water and moving as much as possible. Mary- Sounds like you've found the coveted sweet spot! Congrats on the new size. That's a great feeling! OH Juli

Susannah My father has three daughters, Ilona, Suzanna (we called Zsa-Zsa until she was 16) and Julianna. Seems like you got a different spelling of a good ethnic name. Were you ever a Zsa-Zsa? --It's the Hungarian equavilant to Suzi. And Kudos to you and your family for embracing your ex BIL's new family dynamic. OH Juli

You'll be fine! Trust your doctor and know that this is the safest WLS out there. Expect that you'll feel like you've been hit by a truck, which I mean to say, allow yourself to feel like hell while you slowly feel better. Also, pain meds are a wonderful thing! How long do you plan to be off work? You got all the love and hugs a girl can send from Ohio. Come here often and let us help you deal with your stress. OH Juli

Yenken- I got your PM and for whatever reason lost it or something. But I did read it all and want to respond. I think it's great that you've returned to school. You can't let other people tell you about your relationship with your woman. Folks who can't do a LDR just don't understand how you can stay connected. You have a light at the end of the tunnel too. You know when you will be together. Sorry to know you're stressed about coming out to your folks. Where in West Africa are they from? My father is a Hungarian immagrant and his 2nd wife was from Germany; they raised me. My step mother passed away before I came out and I'd lie if I said I was sad to have missed the opportunity. My GF has been incredibly supportive of my WLS even though she is on the slender side. Actually, with me eating differently and exercising she's taken up the get healthy cause as well. She's tracking her food on fitday and working out too. Sweet, no? get me on email at home. juligirl01@sbcglobal.net Later, J

Hi there Marchies. It's so good to see some new names popping up. Or maybe you are old names resurfacing. I wasn't here from the beginning. Regardless, "Hi!" I want to say, seeing the doctor and his pumping me up about my losing weight earlier this week, I've been super good. My calories are around 1200 daily and I've been exercising some everyday. Even today, my sweetie and I stayed at a hotel yesterday to because we went to a committment ceremony. When I booked the room I made sure it had a fitness center. Well today I took my banded little self in there and got on the bike and treadmill. That would have never happened 6 months ago! I don't mean to sound boastful...but I really am proud of just how much this band has affected how I deal with food and exercise. I'm very happy. OH Juli

I SOOOOOOOOOOO agree that her 15 minutes need to be over! You crack me up!

Tia- Great pics. You can really see the difference! OH J