Positive people unite! This thread is being created for the sole use of positive people to give positive reinforcement to others in the group that we care about. We know that we may disagree on some issues but we will offer constructive criticism, objective suggestions, we will always give kind support even when delivering the occasional (but necessary) kick in the pants.

I will be glad when everyone gets back, I miss reading their stories.

Today is my 5 month anniversary, I have lost 43 pounds, and I have accepted the fact that my weight loss has slowed down and I have only been losing about a pound a week for the last 3 weeks. But even at that rate I should be at goal before my 1 year anniversary.

It is raining again in East Texas today and they are saying snow again tomorrow. It has only snowed 3 times in the previous 20 years I have lived here and if it snows tomorrow that will be the third time this year. I am glad that I only have to work until 2 today and then I am going to just lay around for the rest of the weekend.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Hi, Guys!

Leigha, we have snow today, too---of course, it is Chicago, but still....it has been so warm and nice, I kind of convinced myself it was going to stay that way.

I have to post and run---will catch up tomorrow. We're having 20 people for dinner tonight, so I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. (Mark is, I might point out, asleep. In his defense, (a) he's got congestive heart failure, and ( he did get up at the crack of dawn to throw two briskets in the smoker, and has been tending them lovingly since. But still...asleep!)

The house is clean (I had help), the food is almost all made, and I think I might be so sick of seeing it I won't even want to eat it. (Well, maybe....) On the menu are several things that fit in my plan---and several that do not.

We're having smoked brisket (Texas style--Mark is a pro), Galveston chicken, beans, chile lime cole slaw (my specialty, and something I could eat until it came out of my ears), and a bunch of evil desserts I won't touch. (I didn't even lick a spoon or finger yesterday when making them....and it dawned on me, as I was putting a pan of brownies in the oven, that I didn't even have a child home to lick the spoon *sniff*). And of course the usual Texas barbecue libations...

It seems odd to be doing a barbecue in March, but it's part of our church's annual fundraiser. We do an auction annually, and the highlight are parties. People offer, at auction, parties---this year, we put up the Texas barbecue and a San Francisco dinner, and others put up many other really interesting dinners. Then, people bid on the seats at the table....it's fun, and it raises a bajillion dollars for the church.

Okay, time's up---I hope you're all having a marvelous weekend. Time for me to go pick up an extra table and chairs...We can comfortably seat 16-17, but the number got bumped up, so we're rearranging!

I'm hoping to squeeze a walk wit Truman in before everyone arrives...snow flurries or not, the poor beast (ha! and Truman, too) needs a walk!

Have a great day!

I'm glad to hear I am not the only one dealing with snow. We did not get the 10-12" they said we would, but did get plenty. The sun is out and the sky is blue today.

Betsy, the dinner sounds like fun and work. I bet you burn off a pound just by doing everything that it takes to have the house and food ready.

Bob: Isn't that just a marvelous feeling to be able to fit in a booth!? When I dropped from 330 to 260, it was such a wonderful feeling to be able to fit into a booth and to fit (barely) through those idiotic turnstyles they put in some stores (a la the amusement park turnstyle).

Christie: Go ahead and whine about the massage. I paid for my sister's massage school and I'm *supposed* to get free massages for life, but everytime I visit her (she's 5 hours away), she's always too 'tired'. Whining hasn't gotten any more massages but oh well.

HB: It is spring. The "S" word is no longer allowed. My brother lives in Chicago and said they had several inches today. I'm hoping by the time it makes it here that it will just be rain...but it's probably false hope. The temp has dropped about 10 degrees within hours and still falling.

Dottie: Sorry to hear about the PB and sliming. I know that at some point I just don't feel the same sense of enjoyment at eating out because I never know what's going to go down wrong and send me to the bathroom...several times.

Chickadee: Congrats on the 30# loss! Keep up the good work!

Leigha: Not sure if I answered you or not about the arm pain. The doc's suggestion was pain meds or sleep meds...or just wait it out. I'm not much for either of the meds since I don't tolerate stuff like that well so I guess I'll just 'tuff it out'. After 4 days of little sleep, I finally crashed last night and slept for 5 solid hours although my husband said I'd groan a little in my sleep when I shifted my arm the wrong way. I told him to wear ear plugs. If it doesn't wake me up, it's all good.

Betsy: Your party sounds like a lot of work but also a lot of fun! Hope it went well.

It's been a quiet couple of days here but I think I've come to the conclusion that I need that last .25cc (put in 3 weeks ago) back out. I'm PBing and sliming on an almost daily basis and I think my lack of weight loss is due to just not eating enough calories. I looked over my journal for the last few weeks and even with my Protein shakes, I'm lucky to get in 1000 calories a day because at some point in my two solid meals, I get stuck and that's all she wrote as far as eating. Lately, I get stuck with the first bite. It's possible I'm just swollen from all the stuck episodes.

At any rate, I'm going to give them a call and see about getting that last fill taken out.

Oops...my beeper just went off to remind me to check my bread dough so this will be a short one. Take care and have a good weekend!

.

Snow???? Seriously snow??? That's just WRONG! We had a lovely morning (70ish and sunny) which has morphed into rain rain rain....better than snow! I'm nice and dry in my house watching a sappy chick flick and enjoying the fact that I have not hurled, puked, PBed, whatever you want to call it, in a while 24 hours now! After the last 3 days I was starting to wonder. Banded life, it certainly takes some adjusting...

I found a secret hidden stash of old underware (like new, apparently bought during one of my brief episodes of shrinkage and then stashed away because I knew someday I'd lose the weight again), so, I'm now the proud wearer of non-butt-sagging-panties! Woohoo!!! I attempted the purchase of new bras today as well, however, that did not go so well, so, no sagging butt, but no comment on the other.

Have a great evening!

I attempted the purchase of new bras today as well, however, that did not go so well, so, no sagging butt, but no comment on the other.

Have a great evening!

ROFLMAO...ok, you've motivated me to go out and buy new undies...and bras. I'm actually looking forward to a smaller cup size.

The women in my family have a serious problem with being big chested. Two of my aunts had reduction seriously and I know of at least 3 more who need it before they also have problems with their back...if they don't already.

I'm fortunate... I've always had a Marilyn Monroe type figure (36-24-36) albeit large size so nothing majorly out of proportion...but still I find they've given me back problems over the years. I've always envied women who had enough to look womanly, but not so much they'd get black eyes from jogging.

I told my husband that when I get the weight off, I will have a boob job...and they will be made a reasonable size.

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Snow???? Seriously snow??? That's just WRONG!

It is, indeed, very, very wrong. But it was just a sprinkling here (Chicago burbs)---enough to make the yard wet for the dog to track in 400 times before company arrived, but not enough to stick to sidewalks (or walking paths!) and roads. Typical Chicago March :laugh:

Off to read back a few pages....hope everyone's having a lovely weekend so far.

(did I hear massage? I have a GC for an hour-long massage; today would be a great day to put it to use...)

Someone's comment in another thread reminded me of the NSV moment I had at my regular doc's office last week. The assistant started to put the large BP cuff on me, did a double take and then put it away and put the regular one on! Woot!

This morning, I put my pants on and then proceeded to roll the waistband up several times...to the point where the pockets were rolled up out of sight! I've been wondering how I couldn't have lost anything in the past two weeks but I definitely look skinnier. My shirts are literally hanging. Then I made the connection with the pants. My body has been redistributing the fat and my belly is disappearing! Double Woot cuz that's even better than the scale numbers going down!

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It snowing again! This is crazy! When it snowed in Feb. in 2004 we thought that was weird, now snow on March 21st! Plus the wind is gusting to 25 MPH. I am trying to convince myself to go to the grocery store, I usually try and go on Sunday morning before the church crowd gets there. But I hate to be cold, so I am stalling.

Elfie, Congrats on the multiple roll down! Time to buy some more pants.

Christie, Yea for new panties. I wish I could find a stash.

Betsy, How was the party? I am so jealous, my husband is anti-social and only wants to be around our family so we never have company over.

HB- My SIL lives in Centennial Co is that near you?

I guess I am going shopping now, have a good day everyone.

It's 43 and gray and misting...great day to be inside, curled up with a book. Which is exactly how I intend to spend the day. Maybe not the most exciting Sunday ever but I'll enjoy every second of it.

HB- My SIL lives in Centennial Co is that near you?

No, Centennial is a burb of Denver. I do have to drive close to that area for my lapband doc though. ( I think )

I am west (or north west) of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs.

It sounds like some of you are getting the bad weather That was here Fri. It's really nice here today and the snow is melting.

Great NSVs Elfie!

All this bra and panty talk is depressing. I went drawer shopping in my bra drawer today and threw away some stuff. I have gone from a 42DD to a 38C +/38D- already :laugh: darn it! I didn't like the DDs, but I still have some weight to take off and it would be nice if it came off in the right places!

Hi, all!

Hope everyone had a good and losing weekend!

I had a great weekend at my workshop, and it's nice to be home again. I was inside most of the time, so I didn't see much of the glorious warm weather in Boston, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

However, because I was volunteering, I was so busy my schedule was all off with my eating, and I had to grab stuff on the run. How does a person handle that kind of situation with the band? I would hate to give up my volunteer work. I know the most difficult part for me will be handing the scheduled eating and eating slowly. I tend to be a pretty fast mover. Mindfulness and meditation, anyone:unsure:??? How do you handle it??? I have to figure out something- and certainly would appreciate ideas and shared experience.

I finally see my Dr. again Wednesday- woo hoo! My question list is 2 pages long, poor guy! Let's get this show on the road! God, please grant me patience yesterday...

Edited March 22, 201016 yr by AnneGG

Hi Everybody, Well I am a little late posting today, I just got back from Dallas, I felt like I was a little too loose and so I called for an appt. for a fill. I was glad I did, we had steaks on Saturday and I ate a 4oz steak in 7 min. it was like I didn't even have the band, well maybe not, if I didn't have the band I would have had the whole 1 1/2 pound steak instead of only 4 oz. But still when I drank the barium it just went right through like the band wasn't there! So I got a .5 fill and we will see how that goes.

Anne, I have to take my food with me when I am going somewhere. I have a little lunch box with a reusable freezer bag, it is a lifesaver.

Bob- How was the Casino?

I guess I should do some work now, its 2:30