Betsyjane

I WAY don't agree about the ice cream! Ice Cream goes through the bandeasily, as does chocolate! I'm enough of a sugar addict that I mostly still have to avoid those things or I'll overdo. For me, the band just makes me like normal people. I can pick at my food and eat little, and I can choose not to eat some things and stick with it. Or I can splurge on ice cream and then head to the gym to work it off. You know...all those things skinny girls do! On the grazing, I found that that was the weird part. Food was what I went to when I was bored...when I watched TV...when I worked on the computer. I actually found that without the doping of food, I haven't been able to sit and watch TV as much! There are so many subtle changes. It's quite a journey.

Great! I'll bring one. There's one for stretching, one for thighs, one for buns, one for arms...but each one is a full body workout. I'll bring thighs...I think it's pretty representative.... I vote for Far East buffet, but I can se swayed to Jade Palace. We need to have show and tell with your new iPhone! Monday is fine for the cookbook.

By the way, I am so impressed with the Tony Horton Half Hour workout DVDs. Days when I can't get to the gym, I can actually pop one of thos ein and it keeps my interest and gives me a good workout. It's not workout to music, so I can put it in the ortable DVD and work out while watching TV...rather than veging out to watch a show. If any of you want to borrow one and see what they are like, let me know. Can I get the cookbook back, Barbara? I want to try a few more recipes. I know I know. You have your own in=house cook, bu tI am but a poor peon who must fend for herself. Sniff.

I called and left a message for Albert. The guy didn't come to pick up his dog until almost 9PM....airport delays due to the weather..... He looked exhausted! Are we doing Jade Palace Monday? Oddly, I haven't done a Chinese restaurant since I was banded. Thai...and buffet that gave me Thai selections... but not Chinese. Cool.

Everybody is different. If you're really restricted, you might end up leaning a bit more toward sipping than guzzling, but I know some confirmed guzzler bandsters too. Here's the thing: I have a friend who can eat bigger meals and guzzle water best right after exercise, so she does. For me, I have the most restriction in the mornings AND right after exercise, so if I guzzled then, I might stretch my pouch....but the thing is, I just don't want to guzzle when I am really restricted. Once you get to know your finicky band friend, you two will come to an understanding that works for both of you.

You will probably learn how to cheat. The difference for me with the band is that I can then say I will get back on track, and I actually can! It broke that pattern for me of failing at weight loss. I am human and not perfect, and I can still follow through. I'm even losing all that self blame stuff. I feel like a normla thin person who can say "I think I'll lose some wieght" and actually follow through and do it. It's an interesting journey, much of which, fo rme, has been about my habits and self=expectations. Wish I'd done it decades ago.....

The guy that invented lap bands did a seminar a year ago, and he said the most important thing is the drinking rule. He said there is absolutely no reason to get a lap band if you wash the food down, and essentially negate the whole thing. He recommends...OK to drink up until the meal...in fact go ahead and drink your drink right up until the food comes. Then no liquids for 1/5 hours. Then start drinking your water until the next meal.

Monday's good for me. I want to go to Tai Chi...and here I sit waiting for a dog owner who was supposed to be here at 5.... I'm gonna try, but if not, I'll start next week. Lana-if you're still around, will you tell Albert I'll definitely be there next week?

I'm a binger and a grazer. The worst of the worst. The honest truth is that with my band, when I screw up royally, I stop losing, BUT I don't gain! That's a first for me. And when I get back on track, I lose! Over time, food is losing it's hold on me. I couldn't ask for anything better..... It's not magic, but it's just what I need.

Anybody going to the start of Tai Chi tonight at 7 at May Community?

I'm certainly not an MD, and my experience is so tiny, so this is a long shot, but have they checked you for Lupus? I guess if you have Lupus SLE, you can also develop Lupus Nephritis....and having Lupus would certainly make you reeeaaaalllly tired.

I shed hair in the Spring, but this Spring at about 5 months after surgery, I dropped twice the hair. Then no more, a nd it's growing back. It turned out not to be a big deal. Not that I'm equating us with horses, but I once rescued a horse who was starving to death, and she had stopped growing hair and hooves, I guess in an effort to conserve what nutrition she could find. Somehow seems slightly similar. (PS: She recovered beautifully.)

Well, I guess if there,s good news, it's that they didn't think it was an emergency for you to see someone! I wonder what potasium levels and kidneys have in common. Did they give you any info about it?

Odd. Several of Spiegel's patients go to Spivak's support group.....

Just goes to show you how desparate we all are to lose weight and how hard it is!

I love 24 hour fitness! When I get bored with machines, I go to those great classes.

Yikes! That sounds awful. Thanks for the information. Spivak's support gorup is open to anyone.

Glad to hear about your fill success, Barbara! You're off to a great start.

Here's something ridiculous. I can almost never eat too big a portion, but I can eat an entire crab leg dinner (not the potato and stuff, just the crab) at Joe's or Baytown Seafood, just about any time. All of it. Now, mind you, I can almost never eat shrimp. Very strange......

Done. Left a message at Tai Chi. Anybody going to the start of Tai Chi ay May Community on Thursday?

Good grief! Should we postpone until NEXT Monday for dinner????? I can call Tai Chi and let Barb know.....

How do you know if your gall bladder is in trouble? It happens to so many of us and I don't know the symptoms....

I missed it...measuring cups and a food scale? If that's to measure your food, it doesn't work that way for me! Some meals I can eat 1/2 cup, some 1.5 cups, some liquids only. Finicky old band. The nice part is that it's so individual that once you and your band get to know each other you learn to get along. What was that stupid movie about the conjoined twins? Sort of like that....

Sorry to hear that Suzanne. I won't be at dinner either. We have so many dogs that I didn't want to leave them for long, so I was hoping Dave would be coming home within an hour of when I left. Haven't heard back from him...which usually means he's snowed under. I'll be back to normal by the end of this week.

Doctor Beanola.