Anyway - good idea Robin, we can set up our own thread and quit monopolizing my super size thread. But I can't post in here anymore 'cause I'm in MO.

Scheduled for another fill next Friday! I'm at 2 in a 4, so I'm going to see about 1/4 cc or so. I have restriction, just not enough... but don't want an overfill either.

I am absent!! Crazy busy, and anytime I'm not, I just want to relax.

Tuesday... we can play it by ear? I want to see you guys, I just forgot I had already made plans for happy hour... I will let you know if I find anything out.

I got a haircut today... Check it out! (plus see my new hat)

BTW angela... We should plan some sort of bag exchange, because I probably want to pack in there probably... Let me know what is convenient for you.

Angela, Holli, Cate, and Robyn I am so proud of all of you. 100lbs Angela in 6months WOW!!!! Cate is buying strapless bras now. Holli is getting smaller and smaller and Robyn is so great too with all she has been through. I have to admit I am jealous of you all but truly happy for you too. Ialso have to admit that today I emailed Billie and told her I don't really feel like I belong anywhere right now. I have a band that doesn't work so I don't feel like I belong to you banded guys and I don't feel like I got unbanded cause I know it's still there. Holli I definitely will carb detox with you if you'd like. I ate soooo bad last night and today. Tobe honest I have spent a lot of time crying the last 2 days. I know I'm kind of hard to relate too right now and if you guys want I'll back off of this website and leave you alone. Hopefully I'll still see all of you at the Support Meetings. I would truly understand and would appreciate your honesty on

this subject. I will always think highly of all of you no matter what and I brag about the women I have met and how good you all have done. Have a great weekend.

Cynthia,

I am so sorry you are struggling. One thing I know from this journey (with my band) is that there are times when we all want to give up. It is hard to change a lifetime of poor eating habits and self-defeating attitudes.

You, however, can take pride in the fact that DESPITE the fact that your band has never worked for you...YOU HAVE STILL LOST WEIGHT! You are smaller and healthier than you were and you did it all on your own!!!! :clap2: You should be proud of yourself and you definitely have bragging rights for that. So, try to keep on trucking.

Maybe you will feel better by taking control of this situation with the insurance appeal. Maybe you can seek out people who have fought with an insurance company and won. Find out how they did it. Keep on top of Dr. H and Billie to be proactive. But keep on truckin' girl! You can make it through this!!! :scared:

Hey Cate - I'm pretty booked this week (flying to IL for a business trip Wed.) but we'll arrange something. Are you available during the work day at all, or are you tied to a schedule? I'm thinking - worst-case scenario, I'll send it with DH to work... and he could have their secretary watch it at the front desk. He's near Penn Valley... if you know where Boulevard brewing company is, he's right next door to their building. There's a tiny chance I'll be in the Brookside area Monday or Tuesday... possibly having lunch w/ some people and we drive through the Brookside area to get to our restaurant, and I could drop it off, but that's a BIG if.

Hey Angela,

Actually, your worst-case scenario might actually be the best-case scenario... Tomorrow I'm busy until 6, Tuesday it looks like I might be booked up all day, Wednesday I'm booked up all day, and Thursday is my last day in town, so I'm definitely all booked up. It's an insanely busy week. Picking up the bag from your DH's work might be easiest on both of us. Let me know what you think.

Cate

Then best it is. I'll PM you details later. Any idea what day would work best for you? When I'm in town (Mon - Wed) he'll be in the office roughly 7:30 - 3ish (we both have flex schedules, can work from home, etc. so our office hours are iffy), and when I'm out of town, probably more like 6:30 - 2ish. (We usually ride together, but I refuse to wake up early enough to be at work at 6:30... but when he's driving himself, he'll go in super early). If you know the day that works best, I'll talk to him and make sure he'll be in the office that day.

Cute hair cut Cate!!!

Ok, ladies... if you want to detox on carbs with me...here we go! I am starting tomorrow and doing less than 20g of carbs/day. It is tough. Be sure to remember to count your vitamins, calcium chews and drinks. It takes about 4 days for the withdrawls to go away. I am going to keep my tylenol handy.

I had another idea. I tend to be a little competitive, so I thought we could do an exercise challenge. I need something to motivate me to get back into it. I have never joined one of the challenges on LBT but I trust you ladies and am wondering if anyone is interested. Do we all just offer to donate something to the "prize pool"? ...and how do you determine who wins? Anyone interested?

I already do 20g day (ah, good old induction days). I'm actually trying to get down to 10. So far today I've had 3, so I'm on target.

I'm going to pass on the exercise challenge, I hate to admit it but I have really zero time for exercise in the next month (which is when my summer class will end), and haven't done much in the last 2 weeks. On slow days I head to the pool between meetings, and will use the pool after work hours on my trip this week, but other than that, literally all of my time that I'm not at work is spent with school projects. Note to self -- NEVER take a summer class again.

Hi ladies! Well I am a liar I can't leave you guys alone. But I am not going to be a downer anymore. I went to see Dr H today and got unfilled. I was feeling some discomfort and felt like something stuck in my throat so we took everything out until we can get the surgery done. I am going to keep doing my part and when I get my band fixed it will do it's part. I will be watching my carbs as well and making myself exercise. I hope all of you are doing good. Is Robyn ok I haven't seen her on here lately?

Hi Cynthia, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Any word on your appeal? I'm not a medical person (started pre-med, never continued!), but let me know if you need any help at all... even if you need someone to edit for stronger/more impactful wording. I'll offer any assistance I can give.

As for Robyn, she's out of town through tomorrow, I believe, at a family reunion if memory serves.

And don't worry about being a downer. You certainly don't have to be only happy. Look at me, I'm never happy. I'm way too cynical for happiness. :confused:

Also, if you need any advice with a low-carb diet, I can be tons of help. I LIVED the induction phase of the Atkins diet for over a full year. I know tons of recipes, tons of ways to prepare allowed foods to make them palatable, etc. Again, any help I can give...

I should confess. Lately my biggest issue is fat. Nuts, peanut butter, sour cream, guacamole. And big time -- cottage cheese. I truly cannot stand low fat dairy prodcuts, so my near-daiy lunch of pepperoni chips and cottage cheese consists of the full fat version. I'm working on re-weaning myself off, but cottage cheese is such a "safe" food.

Ok, Angela... can you share your favorite low-carb recipes with us? I need some variety.

I am with you on low-fat products. I can do low-fat cottage cheese, but not any other kind of low-fat cheese. It is just nasty.

Dairy should not be blue!

One of my all-time favorites was crustless pizza:

4 oz softened cream cheese

4 eggs

1/3 C heavy cream

1/4 C grated parmesan

1 tsp chives

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or pizza seasoning

1/2 tsp wet garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 - 4 C cheese (I use the Italian blend containing Asiago)

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat together cream cheese and eggs until smooth.

Add cream, permesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray or oil.

Place 2 cups cheese in bottom of pan (not the 1/4 C grated parmesan)

Pour egg mixture over cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread pizza sauce over baked mixture.

Add toppings of choice.

Cover with remaining cheese (optional).

FWIW< the lowest carb, decent tasting pizza sauce I've found is at Wal-Mart, a brand called "Mama Mia's". It comes in regular or mushroom. As for toppings, on Atkins I would use pepperoni, bacon, hamburger, ans sausage. Nowadays I use turkey pepperoni only.

1. Bake until bubbly and brown.
   
2. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Holli/Robyn - are we still on for dinner? I dunno if we dropped the idea alltogether, or if we'll just have to eat sans Cate.

I was not sure what we were doing. I am open. Just let me know.

Angela, do you have my phone number(s)/contact info?

Hi Girls-

Just walked in the door back from St. Louis...and the land of no restriction :faint: .....SO ....I've read through all the posts and I'm confused...are we getting together tonight or not??? To be 100% honest, I would rather NOT if Cate can't come...solely for the fact that I wanted to see her before she left, and I'm going to be leaving my son's baseball game an hour early to be able to make it So.....if she can't make it, can we all just plan on going out after next support group, can't we (even though I would love another excuse to just get together) Cynthia...that means you too girl!! Somebody call me on my cell...I have to leave for the game in 10 mins...it starts at 6:15. Holly, would you mind calling Cate/Angela if you get this message and then call my cell pretty please with kisses??:kiss2:

I'll post more later tonight. Missed you all...talk at ya later