Yup....the public (especially the Canuck public) want to know!!!

*shoves mike in Argon's mug (face!)*

So, Mandi....tell us....we want to know, how is NB life compared to SK life? Details please!

- job info

- living arrangement info

- people info

- shopping info

- town info (where the heck are ya livin' in NB anyways?)

- boyfriend info (most important!)

Any regrets? Happy? Content? Satisfied? DETAILS DETAILS!!!!

Sadly yes, we are a nosy bunch. (to be completely honest though, Cloe and CanadaSunshine put me up to this!). I'm merely the one who chose the short stick!!!

:scared: :)

It is so good for me, ( someone who is not banded yet ) to see photos of you looking so good !!

I encourage everyone to keep the photos coming !

I applaud your success !

Yasmina :clap2:

found it Mandi! my whole family loved it!

Okay, so I'm not the biggest fan of chili, but I made some awesome turkey chili last night. And it was really easy too. My hubby ate it with cornbread ( I was so jealous!!!) But I topped it with shredded fat free cheddar and monterey jack and a dollop of fat free sour cream.

Take 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey and 1 chopped onion and brown in pan with about a teaspoon oil. Drain the excess fat and put in a large crock pot. Add two large cans (32 oz maybe?) of chopped tomatoes, 1 ~ 16 oz can of tomato sauce, 2 ~ 16 oz cans of red kidney beans, 1 ~ 16 oz can of black beans, 1 ~ 16 oz can of pinto beans, 1 ~16 oz can of butter beans and two packets of chili seasoning, like Lawry's or similar brand. Stir the ingredients and put the lid on the crock pot and either set it to low for 7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. That's it!! It made enough for me to freeze several containers of it.

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Awww... you guys are making me blush! Finally someone commenting on me looking different!! LOL

Thanks for the recipe, neenagh! My crockpot is TINY, so I would probably have to half that or maybe even 1/3 it! I don't think I've ever seen butter beans... what are they?

Hey you, did your ticker move again??? Maybe I just missed it. Your sooooooooo close to half way, WOW!!!

Awww... you guys are making me blush! Finally someone commenting on me looking different!! LOL

Thanks for the recipe, neenagh! My crockpot is TINY, so I would probably have to half that or maybe even 1/3 it! I don't think I've ever seen butter beans... what are they?

I couldnt find them, so i didnt put them in, maybe they are something american?

LOL ... crazy american butter beans... must be!

And nope Cloe, no movement yet. I've actually kept my word, and not weighed since last wednesday... so it truly WILL be a surprise to me when I weigh in a couple days! I have weighed myself virtually everyday since my last fill, since I've been losing so well, every time I hopped on the scale, it was an exciting little adventure. Just trying to get myself out of the habit. I can't believe how hard it is to stop! It's KILLING me everyday not to get on that thing!

But I am hoping to be at the halfway point on Wednesday!!

I put red kidney beans in my chili if you would like to substitute those crazy american butter beans lol.

I don't know if I can do chili, without massive amounts of garlic bread.... mmmmm....

Wheezy, how's that fill treating you? Still not feelin' it?

I don't know if I can do chili, without massive amounts of garlic bread.... mmmmm....

Wheezy, how's that fill treating you? Still not feelin' it?

Yup, still not feeling it!! I'm going for another fill Oct 19th. Dr. M got his way,he will have the chance to see me again!!!! It's just so hard to be irresistible. Life is just so hard. LOL

......................lol

I did it, I did it! I went to the gym and bought a punch pass. Then I went to Walmart and found some sweat pants that aren't as hideous as my only other pants (huge)... which are coincidently my surgery pants! What the heck is up with sizes? I bought 3X pants, after I just bought 18 jeans?

Anyways, I got the shoes, and a buddy to go with, and its a ladies gym, so I'm happy. Hopefully tomorrow I can say "I'm half way there." And I can kick the other half off with starting to do some actual exercise... maybe tone up a bit?

Oh yeah... something else. I have a dilema.

The gym I'll be going to... well, apparently they'll be starting a 'challenge' in November. Everyone who wants to be in it contributes $20, and the top 3 'losers' for the 7 weeks of the challenge will spilt the money some how. So far, I think there's about $400 in the pot.

Is it fair for ME to be in this challenge? I would not have told anyone at the gym that I had gotten the lapband, even if there wasn't a challenge, so do I have to if I want to be in the challenge? Should I feel obligated to? Isn't it still hard work for me?

I'm SURE I won't be winning, cause there's gotta be some maniacs who'll be workin' there butts off there everyday, and dieting like crazy... but it's some incentive. What if I keep doing what I'm doing right now... work out 3 times a week, and still beat everyone? I think I would feel bad, like I had an unfair advantage. Actually, maybe I'd only feel bad if my friend who I'll be going with, comes close to winning, but I surpass her. I think if that happened, I'd split the money with her.

What do you guys think?

I don't want to tell people there about it, so... should I say 'screw 'em", this is still hard work" and still participate, or stay out of the competition?

We had a challenge at work in the summer, and i felt the same way as you did Mandi, I didn't tell anyone about my band, we were in teams though, and our team lost, i was the only one who kept up the weight loss.

And yes i agree with you it is still hard work for us, we still have to make healthy choices, and we still have to fight the temptation of junk food.

If it came to your friend and you coming close to winning and you won yes i would split the winnings with her. Does she know about the band?.

But i still had guilt feelings. I guess it will all come down to you Mandi, and how you will feel about it. Sorry i am not much help.

Maria:)

That is a dilemma indeed.

My opinion is that, yes, it IS still hard work and this is one tool to help out like any other tool. It is correct that if we "eat around the band" and make unhealthy choices the weight loss won't come.

I understand you not telling them; I wouldn't either and I know where you are coming from on that front.

However....that being said...if you win and IF someone there in the future ever finds out about your band (it is possible) then there may be some hard feelings. Even though, to me, it would be a fair competition...with this tool....those who don't understand it will have the perception that it isn't fair...and as we know....unfortunately perception is sometimes everything.

So, ya it is a tough one. No answer for ya...just giving you my thoughts!

Oh dear, yes a dilemma!!!

Honestly, although we all know that it's no easy road for any of us. I think we still would have an unfair advantage. My opinion only.

But, congrats on the gym membership!!!!!!! Way to go. You should be way proud of yourself!!