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I am scheduled for August 4th, but I am still waiting for BC/BS approval. No food funeral for me...I've enjoyed losing some weight during my nutritionist visits...so I just look at this as getting a head start on the surgery. I'm down 20 lbs since April. I am DREADING the pre-op liquid diet; my doctor requires two weeks on shakes and Clear liquids.

Yea Riley you can eat around the band!!! LOL. I know some days I get so fed up with not getting or keeping anything down I eat a slider........ice cream, or soups........I am trying harder this week. Just I am afraid now of getting stuck and darn it hurts so it is easier sometimes to eat something I know won't hurt........ CHEATING THE BAND!! Bad news!! I wish I didn't know it was possible......... I am going back to calorie count this week. I stopped since I wasn't getting much down. I was figuring in my head but I think I will do better if I know the numbers per day good or bad. I just don't want to think I can eat more when the count is as low as it has been. Aunt Flo arrived and I am up three pounds today. Alwyas happens this way than the day after I drop it. Just glad it is this week and not the week of the fill. I am still serious thinking about cancelling my next fill but I want to see how much I loosen up this week. I am gonna be tight this with with my visitor here. So I might lose this week like crazy..............I don't want to get stuck witn no appointment for two months if I suddenly need one.......... But as of today. I DON"T want and cc of anything in my band!!

Thank God you guys didn't fill up 3 pgs this afternoon ;0) You are making my life easier :0) Jessica - Sorry GF I forgot to congrat you on 3 lbs WTG !!!! Linda - You are going to love Avatar - it's not my kind of movie at all but I loved it !!!! My Xdh had 2 girls the same age as my GS 4 & 5 when we got together - when we got together he had his 15 yrs DS living with him - Well we ended up w/the girls - I was lucky they were ok - He was a housedad - so most of it was left up to him - what I reseneted the most was I had his girls but he didn't like me having my GS - Well this is why were didn't last - then yr later his gf had all these kids and he said to me - I am sorry for how I treated your kids - I understand now what it's like to do for someone else kids and not yours.. If the magic man fell in my lap - but he had little ones - I think it might be a deal breaker for me now a days ;0) Apples - OMG Girl - I don't know how you drive in those conditions - do you have special winter/snow tires or chains?? I am glad you look younger and it wasnt' for your funeral lol - that's a good one - ;0) I could so totally see you bonding w/DS GF and staying friends - I am good friends w/GS Mom - I love her like a daughter and she loves me like a Mom - we will always have that bond even though her and ds aren't together.. I know how happy you are going to be to see your DS OMW a year is a long time.. Julie - Sounds like you are going to have a fun night - I love playing cards - Enjoy and be safe... WTG on your walking !! Charlene - When I called last night an donated - I was talking to a lady in Houston - she was really nice - I would love to work on a telathon like that one and the one for Katrinia.. I agree with praying that the younger pple - do step up to the plate - there is a lady here in the desert who was in the process of adopting a Haitian little girl - it was on the news she was worried if she was safe - thank God she was .. Yes - We (world) need to stand together and help - that area really needs some industry to move there so pple can have jobs - that and getting rid of their corrupt government and from now on get some bldg codes - I know when I was in Jamaica - on a tour they told us school was a privilage - I think only up to 8th grade was mandatory - High School wasn't - and since they are island w/o much commerce - working for the tourist industry or going to America was the only way to escape the poverty Deb - Here a suggestion on how to plan - make up a menu for the week - write it down - then make of all the items needed - go to the store and buy only the food on your list - then you will have all the ingredients to make your meals - WW has a great cookbook 5 ingredient meals & 20 minute meals.. They are great for ideas of what to eat too.. Since I pretty much eat the same thing all the time - when I go to the store and just by my veggies - fruit - fish - chicken or ground turkey Night time is the worse for me too - I won't be hungry but want to eat - boredom - rewards for our day - this is where I hope this book comes in handy in motivating us not to eat Well gang when to bro's house - nephew told me before Xmas he was out - so I went and had a key made for realtor and get to the house - open the door - WTH bags of clothes headboard - motorcycle body - bike - clothes still in the closets - dirty pots on the stove - stuffed animal are all over the house and get this - there's a freaking bird too.. So call DN tell him he has to get his stuff out of the house - that we had 2 calls last week to show it and we need the stuff out !!! - So I went around and put things in order pilled bags in corners and moved the headboard into a bed room - fed and watered the bird - put his DD stuff in a boxes - just sorta neatened it up.. Told him he has to get it out so that I can get rid of DB stuff - problem is there is no electric - so I can't vaccumm - I guess I am going to have to turn it on so I can get the place cleaned up - it's a total fixer upper - thrashed carpet - formica kitchen & bathrooms.. but hell there is bird seed crap and feathers all over the one room.. This took 3 hrs - then went to book store - OMG I am so spoiled by amazon - it's so much easier to find books - they only had the work book and pink book - not the green one - then went to look for books on the holucaust - well they don't have a section - you gotta go look in world history - or bio section- well - I am never going to the book store again - amazon is the only place I am shopping for books.. Then went to grocery store got some eggbeaters for bf tomorrow had 1/2 c steel cut oats today.. Well I want to go read the book - will cbl :0)

My doc allowed me caffeine. Thank goodness bc I love my coffee!

There is a couple in my group and they think it's their hour to talk about them only, their relationship, their kids, everything. They can get down right rude by interrupting people all the time. However they haven't been there the last two months. I have to say they have been the best two months Bc everyone gets a chance to share, ask questions, and so on.

It's funny bc after I wrote all of that I was thinking about this same thing. Usually you would think that something terrible happened to me growing up but that wasn't the case for me. I had loving parents who are still married to this day. What I believed happened is that I didn't get that much attention from my dad. I don't mean this in a bad way. My dad loved me growing up and still does. I knew it but he never really told me that much and he didn't really know how to show his emotions. I guess that when that guy started giving me attention I liked it. It didn't take too long for the relationship to become controlling and abusive and by then I was sucked in and I couldn't get myself out of it. I was young and stupid. I can still picture myself standing by my locker in high school and the idiot coming up to me telling me I looked fat...he had complete control over me. Before he was in my life I was such a happy go lucky type of person. Full of life, enjoying myself and having fun. See, part of the reason (remember this is my teenage brain at the time thinking) I believe I couldn't get out of it is that I started to have sex with this guy. He was my first and I grew up believing you don't have sex until you are married. So I had guilt with that, too, I thought I had to marry him because I had sex with him. I know it's crazy! Anyway, while our daughter was growing up my husband and I talked a lot about him letting her know she is beautiful and wonderful and she didn't need to hear it and believe it from some horny teenage guy. My husband would take her out on dates. He always told her she was beautiful and she was special. This worked! She grew up knowing her dad thought she was all of these things! One day when she was a sophomore in high school a guy she had some classes with came up to her and said, "I wanted to tell you that I think you are beautiful." Guess what she said??!! "I already know that, thanks!". It didn't even phase her that a guy was telling her she was beautiful because she already knew this in her heart and she believed it!

Becky Those things are just models they really can't give you an accurate # - they just take generals into consideration - age and weight not how we burn calories - our metabolisam - what foods we eat etc - That 1200 to lose 3 lbs is BS IMHO... But I'm not a rocket scieniest - just a fat chick. I have a freind who was trying to gain a little weight - so she was eating sugar - nothing no weight gain - then she deleted the sugar and added flour/white crabs - was eating less calories of the carbs than the sugar - but in eating the carbs she gained the weight - Go figure - it's how her body reacts to the food it's given So IMHO we each have to find out what works for us - but the main thing is to decrease calories and exercise - Zig Zag your calories but no more that 1200 max a day - when you exercise (walk) don't stroll - push yourself - sweat.. Walk fast for a few minutes - slow down - then speed up again.. There is no way to know how many calorie we burn even on those treadmills that tell us how much we burn - say that my trainer who's 43 - 5'10 - 260 and ALL muscle - pluggs in those # on the treadmill (age/weight) and the man next to him is the same height and weight but all fat and out of shape - they are going to burn diff amount of calories on the same speed and incline - my trainer is going to burn less cuz he's in shape - the fat guy is going to burn more cuz he is using muscles he hasn't used.. but the stupid machine is going to say the both burned the same amount of calories So that being said - we have to take all those #'s with a grain of salt - they are approximates only - not written in stone. I only used daily plate or fitday to get the calories of foods that I didn't know how many calories was in what I ate (del taco burrito) - All I did was log my food in a little note book like this BF - Weight Control oatmeal 160 c L - One Pot Wonder 150C D - 4 oz Fish 120 - 1/2 c Rice 120 - Veggie 50 = 270 S - Popcorn 100 - puddings 2 120 - fudgcicle 80 Total for the day 900 - Excerise 2.5 miles That's it - my exercise was $$$ in the bank - Just keep doing what you are doing eating healthy exerciseing and once you get proper restriction the weight is going to come off - some weeks it could be 1 lbs - next week 2 - next wee 1/2 - then 3 the next. What the kind of food you eat - I am not an atkins advocate - but I do eat limited refinded carb

Tbh I love your question bc I believe your correct!! Due to my pregnancies my muscles stretched. Badly. That being said, I also overall had about 85-100 lbs extra to lose... Depending on how you look at my weight. I since delivering two years ago, had a six month pregnant look. Everything else looked OK. Now that I've been losing the weight since my surgery, my belly had gone down drastically and bc I have extra skin. Not a ton but will definitely need a panni or abdominoplasty my belly button looks slightly lower, not crazy or anything but I believe it's because I'm losing so much in the mid section. I think I will try taking my measurements, I've never done that.

Try not to be so hard on yourself. We are going from one extreme lifestyle (for me, massive over eating and using food for all sorts of reasons) to the sleeved lifestyle, which is extremely opposite. We are all figuring it out at our own pace. You’re aware of how and what needs to be done so take baby steps. I find if I take baby steps, I am more successful-change one small thing at a time. I always failed before the surgery bc I would try to do too much and then when I fell short of what I was wanting to do, I’d feel like a failure and then go do the total opposite. You’re doing great! We are all there with ya!! Sleeved 8/7/17 HW: 256 SW: 248 CW: 197 on 1/3/18 5'7" GW: 150

Yea I can’t lay on my side either bc of my drains from the TT. I know I’ll be in the recliner for a while. Just missing my bed. I totally get just wanting to curl up on my side in bed. Good news is I’ve been off of all pain meds aside from Tylenol in the evening since Friday. So on my way up! Or on the downhill some say! Lol

Y’all... day 3 of this liquid bs, stinks! I really was okay with it until today... sorry- just venting! 🙄

Some random pxts of my weekend away at the Bunya Mtns. Survived 7 children aged 2-10. Beautiful and green. Wallabies by the squillions - roo poo everywhere. Birds sit on verandas to be hand fed. Short bush walk, but several walks up & down the hill to the cafe - still 1km there & another back uphill. Surprised to notice I wasn’t huffing & puffing - huge win. No OOTD shots though - two mirrors in the whole house placed above the vanities & I’m too short. If only I had long legs like my shadow. New work dress - protruding hip bones - who’d ever have thunk it. Stay healthy everyone. PS @BayougirlMrsS - French tucking is my go to at the moment. Shirt out but tuck one side only hip to fly.

How in God's name is the BCS system something Congress should be making laws about?!

Denise I crave sweets like every 3 or 4 months but not on a daily basis - I hate the saying "nothing taste as good as thin feels" cuz I think it's bs - food does taste good and sometimes more than a size 8 Since I count calories and I look at a piece of cheese cake being like 900 - I say oh crap it's just not worth it (that's 100% of my calories somedays) .. I love brownies - I have not had one since being banded - one night I was craving them and so I had a box in the pantry - i took out 2 tblsp of mix and mixed it with a little Water and ate it - I got the taste without all those calories then threw it away.. I bought a reese pb cup a few weeks back 210 calories for both pieces - I ate one on Friday and the other on Saturday - now if I had bought a bag of them - I could have eaten them all - so I didn't - just one serving over 2 days - Healthy Choice Fudgecicles - they are sf and good - I have a new trick with them - I have the cake cones (left over from when son was staying with me) I take the fudgecicle and cut off pieces and stick them in the cone (25 calories) and then I have an ice cream cone for 105 calories. I guess for me the sf double choc pudding - healhty choice fudgecicles and dannon light & fit yogurt & fruit will now satisfy my sweet tooth. On grandson's bday I made him cupcakes - I allowed myself 2 (over 2 days) but that friday they were calling my name - so I put them in a freezer bad - said here put these in your room so I can't eat them.. Avoidance and # of calories are the 2 reasons I don't succumb to my sweet tooth - I like the way I look and feel - and if I start eating sweets I am going to go back to being fat and I don't want that. So like an addict I just don't start - and if I do - it's just a tad and then no more and if it's in the house and I can't say no - then it goes in the trash... Do I miss it ya - sometimes - I miss food still - I miss eating high fat/calorie foods - but now that I read lables - see how much something is - it's just not doable anymore - my meals are usually around 200 to 250 with 2 Snacks at 100 so that's 950 a day (approx)- some days more some days less - but I spend my calories wisely...

Good Evening Gang Hugs & Prayers for Julie !!! One on my #7 is having her band removed too - partial erosion.. Melissa - Hugs on fight w/DH - but good that you did talk about it- I know that w/my own DH - - on needing a fill - if you eat 4 oz of hard Protein are you physically full... That's the test IMHO.. I think we all eat to a degree softer foods so that we can consume more food - not just junk but veggie too. Take tiny bites chew well and eat slowly and then sit and thing about your stomach - does your pouch feel full.. This doesn't mean you aren't still going to be hungry but your stomach is actually full.. Try it and let me know - OMG my post was really bad spelling ;0) I was too tired to spell ck LOL - I think you have to find out the reason you are killing yourself before you can get better - what's inside you making you eat things you know you shouldn't - I am praying that this shrink will be able to help you get to the bottom of your issues.. Hugs Hugs Hugs.. Cheri - Co-dependency - I truly applied it to our relationships w/an alcoholic or drug person - but I see where it can affect other areas of our lives - I can't say I am a pple pleaser - Yes I like to make pple feel good - but not to the point of putting myself 2nd.. I have taken care of so many pple in my life that IMHO it's my time.. I'm done raising kids putting myself 2nd having controlling pple in my life and boyfriends who were addicted to drugs - hell my xdh was a rescuer - but the problem was I didn't need rescuing - he might have thought I did but - I sure in the hell wasn't helpless and I think this is why the marriage didn't last Like Melissa I truly believe that my eating was my control - it's what I did for me after doing for everyone else - Only other pple who have this issue understand - I know my trainer would say - why when you know it's killing you - I think we just put our heads in the sand - and after a while it's just to hard to think about losing the weight - ie this is where the band comes in play to help - but it's not the magic cure all - it's only a tool to help us - as I alway say the real work is up to us.. Food is our drug of choice and a non food addict really just doesn't understand this.. It's what I controlled when I had no control over all that was going on in my life.. Lori - I am glad you are standing up for you... I love the pic on fb of your GM holding her GGDGD great great darling grand daughter lo)... Apples said she could see the diff in my face - I can a pit - but pictures don't really show the diff that much imho yep enabling and codependency go hand in hand.. Charlene - botox can take a week to come to it's full effect - the filler is immediate - but the swelling last for a bit too.. The only problem with doing this - is you are going to want more and after a few months - it wears off -I can even see where my filler could use a touch up - each person is diff on how their body reacts to this stuff - botox really only lasted me 3 months - I am going to call an get appointment for my eyes - they are what bug me the most - still saggy - I really can't afford a full face lift - and don't want the 2 week down time - so next month I am going to call and get price.. Well dogs want to be fed - Idol tonite :0) Thanks for the props on looking like a hottie ;0) it was nice for my handsome young boss to give me that complement and wore another dress that I got when I met Peaches in LV 3 yrs ago - got told why don't you wear that dress more often... cbl

Salmon is my all time fav fish to cook/eat. Looks really good! I’ve never had cauliflower Mac and cheese but that looks good! May have to see if my hub will make some. My hub loves to cook and is really creative in the kitchen w meals. I hate cooking but do it bc I have to. My hub is about to go bk to the office instead of working from home so I’ll be back on kitchen duty Boy did I get spoiled w that!😩 Send the recipe for the Mac and cheese if you can! 😊

Good Evening Gang Phyl - no you didn't post here about your issues - (she's hasn't been able to eat w/o pbing & reflux) Hopefully it's just bronctius Have fun tonite Eva - Ya I hear you on life gets in the way ;0) - How nice of you to do that for sis ... Why going to fl for 2 yrs?? I don't like crowded movies either - I hate when you are packed in like sardines.. That's why I like going to the 1st showing especailly on sundays when most pple are at chruch.. I got this receip for ribs "love ya long time ribs" google it - it sounds really good - I may do them tomorrow or sunday - sometime ribs don't agree with me - but this recipe may.. Joyce we have Palm De Oro - where you can drink in the show.. We have fandago to buy tickets a head of time - I just like elbow room at the show.. Melissa - Glad to hear you are doing better Hugs.. Jessica - sounds like a relaxing day.. Laurak - How nice of you to volunteer and get some rest too :0) Any plans this weekend?? This morning I got dressed - went to beauty supply and got hair color - then to ride aid to get a new pair of readers - even with contact some print I cant read (tiny or if I don't have good lighting) got 2 pairs of 125 (one home and one for work) and then a new pair of 250 for when I don't have contacts in - all of my current glasses are scratch all to hell then went to the bank deposited State tax return - then to the grocery store - didn't get any junk - almost got some of these fab tato chips - but said no - cuz I ate cake last night - got a pot of Beans on the stove - debating if I should make cornbread or not :0).. Watch Dear John move .. had a cat nap - had a cup of coffee and skyped for an hour or so w/joseph and family - just fed the dogs - going to go watch crazy heart.. CBL

Eva~ You figured me out! EEK! Yes, I'm a night owl, usually going to bed around 1 or 1:30. I've been like this my entire life. My dad is like this and so is my grandma. When I was in high school I used to go over to grandmas on school nights and watch the 11 o'clock news with her because #1, we were both awake and liked to chat, and #2, because it was the only place I could go after curfew and not get into trouble! But, I can stay up late and wake up early if I have to. Usually for work or school or whatever. I love that you are in school. I hate to say it, but I miss it already!!!! Enjoy! Linda~ WTG on your exercise too! Yay! So glad I'm back into the groove. If I don't go when I like to go, I will make every excuse in the book not to go at all. I want this weight off badly, so that is just not going to fly! Hugs on SD problems. So sad. Did she tell you why she was going to the ER in the first place? Did I miss something? I'm so happy that little Aylah has you. She is just beautiful. Arlene~ You didn't lose, but you didn't gain! So, thats good! You've had a lot going on the last few weeks with your mom, so you haven't been able to focus on you. Hopefully everything works out ok in that department. Hugs to you too! Apples and Janet~ Cannot stand this site and losing posts! The most annoying thing ever! I love hearing from the two of you, so it stinks for all of us. Laura~ Girl, I hear ya with the bloat and crabbiness and all of the rest! It's been me since Monday. Hopefully it will be over today. Gotta love the BC. Sometimes when I have a dinner, then a sf fudgsicle or whatever later on, that happens to me too. Did the Dr take out a lot last time you went in? My band slipped a little bit and it made the pouch a little bit bigger, but its not dangerous I guess. Last time I had a fill, he only put in .2cc's and I had to have them taken out less than a week later bc of the acid. Now, I don't feel like I can find my "sweet spot". But, do you think that you are at yours? Ok, nothing new, just wanted to pop in and say "hello". Going to get moving and get to the grocery store in a bit to pick up stuff to make dessert. Apparently its a Weight Watchers version of Ambrosia salad. I remember my mom making it years ago and just found it in my cook book that she made me. According to the old school WW points it is 1c.= 1 point I'm going to have to figure out the calories when I get all of the ingredients later. Here is the recipe: - 1 box SF/FF vanilla pudding - 1 15 oz. pineapple Tidbits (drained) - 1 15oz. Mandarin Oranges (drained) - 2 8oz. lite vanilla yogurt - 1 8oz. Cool Whip Lite or Fat free Mix dry pudding with fruit - blend in yogurt and cool whip.

Gotcha hon. Yeah. I totally agree. I'm sorry to hear that for him. It's a grueling sword of Damacles that hangs over his head. He needs to really take care of not gaining weight and keeping his insulin very low. Most prostate cancer is driven by elevated insulin and what it cascades into the sex hormones. I feel his pain. My BC was hormone positive. It's a constant specter that never leaves me.

My go to meal! Just before pics bc there is never anything left after! 3 big ones like this are sometimes even too much. Posting ingredient pic incase a one wants to try them, of course you can choose to use a healthier variety of cheeses. Super simple and quick to make.

I'm back on my BS... Currently preop (including 2 week diet) so no coffee & titrating off all caffeine but... Green tea y'all 😭 whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

MLW - Welcome - Weigh only once a week - yes it could be tom - don't worry - just keep following your doc orders.. Laura - Exercise doesn't have to be the gym - what you did today was exercise WTG - Hugs on Dad - maybe he will feel better after the chemo gets out of his system.. Charlene - How much have you lost since you been on this shake thing and how long has it been- you may just be hitting a plateau ... Did you have any extra's this past weekend - just keep doing what you are doing and it will come off.. Congrats on FV 70!!! Just get a new email address - sign up on fb w/that email address and start a new farm - I have GS email - but I just haven't had time to farm 2 farms - I use to when I 1st did farm town but alas my work load has changed and I don't have a private office anymore.. Ya you can't quit cuz you always ferterlize my crops :0) Phyl - lol Retired and still not enough time :0) Great Pre Happy Anniversary !!! On the gall bladder issue - my doc said that nuns usually don't get them - that's about not having kids - and the 3 F too.. It could be a hiatel herina too the symptom mimic a heart attack - my gall bladder hurt more in my back than my stomach - Keep us posted - Prayer.. Hugs on the move issues !!! I would imagine that would be very hard - I have never left the desert - Kid's did move - and I miss them but still have Andrew - and I love not having the responsibility of having to pick up the girls after school and stuff when they were at work Well girls I gotta go color my hair - been to the gym and fed the dogs - Andrew's at work - will be back once I get my color on ;0)-

Hey there gang... Kathy how in the heck could you be too tight - when did you get a fill - heck I thought you could eat 10 oz steak.. I most have missed a post or something. or maybe you are gas lighting me:lol::thumbup: But glad that taking some out has helped - I didn't think you had restriction at all.. IMHO I think that this whole thing about the band making you not hunger is BS - I still get hungry - It does keep me full longer - but I still get hungry - right now I could eat a horse.. Long - Great going on the exercise - just keep doing what you are doing and it will come off.. Sharon - Yes you gotta make time for you.. and concintrate on getting your Protein in - that's important - but I get you about the busying and not eating -but I gotta say - I don't love my job that much to skip lunch - the clock hits noon and I am headed to the lunch room... And right now I am starving... Ok - I gotta go finish packing - remember I won't be around til Monday - I'm going to Fort Worth to visit my 93 yr old Aunt and I am going to meet PJTax Lady for Breakfast on Saturday.. My flight leaves Palms Springs at 6:35 a.m. so I gotta be out of here no later than 5 a.m. - I don't know what to pack - heck who know's what I am going to feel like wearing Well Off i go to ck out clothes - CBL

I think it’s bc you’re only 2 weeks out. Still swollen etc. things will be weird for about 2-3 months the. You’ll start to figure out your signs. My nose runs when I reach restriction. Weird!

My very first before/after food post! Thank you Tealael for telling me about this one! Tonight for dinner I made a new, and so awesome, meal. Chicken in a creamy parmesan mushroom sauce with veggie noodles and green beans (bc GBs are my favorite!) First one is my before photo, second is my after. I added the pic of the noodle bag just incase anyone hasn't seen these. I stopped when I felt restriction.