Betsyjane

I think you're right about the slang. I do think there is a street-black way of talking, but that can't be generalized to all blacks, just like redneck talk can't be generalized from Jeff Foxworthy to all whites. Even as slang, it's still a shorthand so it's often wrong. Or Eminem would be black.... Oddly, when I moved to the South, I thought everyone of every race "sounded black". Just goes to show how stupid gross generalizations can be.....

Mom's coming home Tuesday. I took her out of "the home" this afternoon to go grocery shopping to stock her up at home. I was really pleased with how well she did. Good energy, good brain power. Jeez...91 years old, two broken hips and a stroke, and she's healthy as a horse. Amazing. So it's 34 dogs and Mom for Christmas. Yippee!

FaithMD....I've had my plateaus too. I'm amazed that the band will hold my weight while it's waiting for me to figure out how to get my act together. Before, that gaining and losing of 10 pounds would have been a steady gain! Do you know how you're off the wagon? Usually I know. Once I had to keep a food journal for just a day to realize how out of balance my protein/carbs/fat/calories were.

Who knows what will work...we all have such individual experiences. I like the band..... I've had a stretched pouch, and it was no big deal. I've had GERD from too tight a band, and the solution was no big deal. Just minor stuff. Seems like one reason the complications appear so high here is that it's a support group so people who are just cruising along are less likely to post. On the other hand, I know one person with the sleeve, and she is no longer losing weight, eats a bunch more than I do at a sitting, and is starting to gain weight. Who knows.... All I know is that I was supposed to go to the gym today and talked myself out of it. My own kind of complication....

There are so many presonal preferences! My Dr. said you can't absorb more than around 25-30g of soy at a sitting so not to get any higher. Who knows. I like EAS CARB CONTROL chocolate liquid shake. I can get it at my grocery store, it's not way over priced, and it only has around 100 calories for around 20g of Protein. Just be use to get the one that says Carb Control. My shake is rather complicated, but I get a lot done with it. I put in a blender the EAS shake, ice, some Water, a scoop of Any Whey (pure protein and nothing else), Benefiber powder for Fiber and regularity, a little frozen fruit, some fresh berries (so I have fruit, since I usually don't have any the rest of the day), some flax seed oil....and I blend it and sip on it for part of the morning. I've tried also putting my daily chewable Vitamin and Calcium pills in the blender with everything, but it ruins the taste. Anyway, then I don't have to worry much about getting enough protein, fiber, or fruit the rest of my day.

Hi everybody. I was where you are. I felt so stupid for not being able to "diet and exercise"like all the ads say we should be able to do. What ignorance about obesity! With the band, I have to work hard at being healthy and losing weight, but it works! That's a huge difference for me. It used to be impossible. Now I see results for the things I do. It's a new world. PLUS I am no longer diabetic and I no longer test as having osteoporosis. And I can cross my legs. And I can shop in regular stores. And I fit into just part of an airplane seat. Welcome to the journey.

I did mine last year. You can only write off your medical bills exceeding 7.5% of your income. So I did...surgery, travel, meds, supplies.

Funny you should mention a drivers license. Mine expires next month, so I just went in yesterday. I'll be interested to see how the photos compare. A few weeks ago a neighbor guy wanted to say something to me, and didn't know how to address weight with a woman, I guess. He did it well. He said,"You're looking so fit!"

Keep this in mind too. A lot of times a leak can be fixed by filling with Omnipak instead of saline, because Omnipak is thicker. Someone I know had a leak and has had Omnipak for over a year without a problem.

Sometimes insurance will pay for it to be taken out because it is emergency surgery. You might check.....

BArbara, congrats on scheduling your test. I think that's terrific. There has to be some answer for your finicky esophagus. I'm game for tomorrow if we can draw a crowd! Otherwise I'd prefer to wait until after the holidays.

Thanks for the update on the party. I hope Dr Spivak knows that it's not personal. For me, I just don't want to buy a fancy dress until I stop changing sizes!

I want to live in the times of Soylent Green. Remember that old book? People elected to go get killed and turned into food.

Hi. Just popped in and read the topic and the last few posts. IMO: 1. I'm white and I never say nigger, out of respect. 2. I think black people who say nigger are missing a great opportunity to command respect. 3. Any woman who puts up with being called a Ho or a Bitch has missed the same opportunity.

I'm sure sure sure there's a support group in the nirth Dallas area!

My only major challenge is ice cream.

I adore fast food for the fast salads! I'm older so my priorities may be different. I have enough helath problems that I really want to try to de-age a bit through my diet. I'm interested in eating unprocessed healthy food whenever I can. That part is not so much about losing weight as it is about using the "will power" of the band to be able to stick to healthy eating better than I ever have. It's sort of my last chance at my age and health status. For example, with the band, I am no longer testing as diabetic....but artificial sweetener raises blood sugar as much as sugar does, so I try to stay away except with my morning Protein shake. Just seems like the thing I need to do for me. And I want my cholesterol low so I don't do burgers...but that wasn't as much a choice as a loss of interest since I was banded..... Stuff like that......

We have this discussion periodically in our local support group. Some people do portion control only and refuse to diet. Some people do portion control and an eating plan... or a diet counting something...carbs, fat, Protein, calories, or anti preservatives, vegetarian.... Just keep your own goals clear, and write them down, and then decide how you are going to get there. We're all different. I have a strict diet of healthy foods at home that I adhere to 85% of the time. Then when I'm at a restaurant, I order whatever I want and just go with portion control. So restaurant eating ais a special event for me. Altough...the longer I have the band, the less interesting food is. I never thought I'd say that!

Why did Dr. S cancel the Christmas party?

1. Fantasize all you want. It's better than what the reality would be. 2. Enjoy yourself alone. 3. Feel sexy. 4. Rent a room, and have a mad passionate affair with your husband.

I read and really enjoyed the book by Dr. Oz on aging. Got some interesting food ideas from that... Aslo here are a few of my recipes: Blueberry, cooked cubed chicken, fresh spinach, walnut, garlic and ginger salad, slightly warmed in a pan. black bean salad with tomato, onion, cilantro, red pepper, a tiny bit of avocado, and a meat "sandwiches" meats and veges wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf eggbeater vege omelette chicken salad stuffed tomato

Great "food for thought". Thanks! I love your 1 cup plastic container idea! If I don't eat off of my husbands plate or order a side something when we're out, I have lots of leftovers from my meal. Putting them in 1C containers will keep me from overeating from my leftover plate. I too eat on dessert plates, and I've collected a pretty variety from Tuesday Morning, but I keep leftovers in the to go styrofoam! Duh! I'm not afraid of a little fruit with cottage cheese...but I really got in trouble at first with artificial sweeteners! I had never been fond of them but started doing lots of them when first banded, and felt so "chemical", and they made my blood sugar go up! My fast food meals are a salad from any fast food place eaten over several meals or those steam in bag all vege microwave meals with a bit of tuna added. I try hard to be really good at home, but when I'm out, I allow myself the luxury of going with portion and carb control...and otherwise picking at whatever I like. Thanks so much for your ideas! Hey Phyllis, sounds a lot like a stetched pouch to me. Hope your doc can figure it out. And please believe me there is life (and band) after a pooched pouch!

OK. How about....anybody want to go to the horse track Saturday night? :-) Dave and I are going. Dave doesn't know it yet.

Hey Trans....Puleeze....I would love to have some of your favorite recipes! Hey Zen....You're losing...just slower than you would with bypass. And someday you may really count your blessings that your band is adjustable! Take it from one who stretched a pouch...needed a slight unfill when sick...hates to get the runs....has the option to unfill a bit before travel....

Does anybody want to go mall walking during the weekend. I know.....crazy during shopping season. But I'm thinking first thing when the mall opens? Either that or a walk around Kingwood on the trails?