SHRINK'N VIOLETS

Hello all... I'm Tracy and I'm starting this thread because I just found out that I'm scheduled for Surgery on April 26, 2007.

fffffffffffffffffffast forward to April 30, 2007

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

We made it to the other side of bandland and now we are set to support one another while we shrink our booties and grow into our new smaller skins.

All are welcome to join in and post, but we are not a group that bickers..... please be supportive as we all have different paths to follow... but the journies to the more healthy self beckons....

Let the losing begin!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!

What happened that script????

I'm so sorry taking up so much space...I can't edit it either...it comes up as a load of smiley faces!!!

I'm so embarrasses!!:cry

Awwwwww Lunasa

You are right :fish: . I think most of the time were all doing great, its just now and then we have these lerking 'feelings' that knobble us, lol, Im going to have to train mine, lol.

I wish we could all meet up, wouldnt that just be great!!!!!!! Now Im thinking, why dont we all meet up next year in America somewhere...LOL....see my thoughts just grow!!

Sara xxxxx

Ok...I fixed it...That was SCAREY..

Anyway...now that my mammy's finished lecturing you all..

Tracy...You are very adept in your computer skills..I loved your photos..you're such a cutie!! You look much younger than your avatar & I can see a difference already!!

Kat....amazing about our Fat cells storing estrogen..That's GREAT to know!! And thank you always for being our support & projection!

I am always thinking of you & Rick..I am wishing for you..xx

P.s....I second the pink Cowgirl hat!!!

(((Sara mos)))...don't beat yourself up.. you are doing fine & I think you should get yourself a special charm to remind you that bad days are just that..xx

Laura...Be patient with yourself. You're young & beautiful and you & DF are starting out in your new home soon, a new page & you will be so happy. At work the enquiries will die down and just keep telling them you are doing better every day..xx

Sara...wouldn't that be great!! To meet up!! I just imagine us all there with our LBT names on Stickers & finally getting to do real hugs!!

Lunasa, it would be, lol, my mind was already on overdrive as I wrote it.....next summer, all stay in a hotel somewhere near shops too :fish: you know, thats my end goal treat, to go shopping over there!! I loved NY.....we could all have a group photo too....see my brains in overdrive again....lol!!

Well Im off swiming with my mum now, we were going to go yesterday....so this will be my 3rd workout for May. Hmmmmm I think when I get fed up, I need to see that as a trigger to do exercise to snap my brain out of thoughts, I'll try it and see what happens??

Have a great Friday,

Sara xx

BTW everyone... I take lavander essential oil with me whereever I go...I use it for numerous reasons.

When I can't sleep I put it on my PJ's or Pillow.

When I'm on an airoplane & sitting beside a smell loo I sniff it (like smelling salts) Or when someone lets off a "bum noise"

I use it in the bath & burn it in my room

it is definately very calming & I wouldn't leave home without it.

So I believe in essential oils...Check this out.

I haven't tried it yet as I didn't know Fennel came in an essential oil, but I'm gonna try get it.

What if it does help during those Hard Times?

This is a bit of Info I collected on it...loads of reading again..SORRY!!

Fennel is traditionally known to cleanse and calm the digestive system, freshen the breath and may also supress the appetite a little! This calming effect is one of the benefits of the ever popular Fennel tea. There are many different brands of Fennel tea or infusion, sometimes combined with other flavours. The lovely aniseed flavour makes fennel tea really pleasant as a drink in any form.

Aromatherapy and essential oil use

<DIR><DIR>When you are feeling timid and in need of courage and strength, fennel essential oil may do the trick.

(lunasa says it may help when passing on doughnuts?)

RE: TEA

It detoxifies the body and is useful when suffering from a hangover. (Sounds Good!)

Not only does it act as tonic for the liver, kidneys and spleen, but also helps to reduce cellulite as well as easing constipation and flatulence.

It has a cleansing and tonic action on the skin and also helps keep wrinkles at bay.

laxative properties.

</DIR></DIR>It is also used in cases of obesity, as it promotes that 'full feeling' and has a diuretic effect that helps to disperse cellulite.

For the mind, it adds courage and strength in the face of adversity. It has a cleansing and toning effect on the skin, helping with bruises, sorting out overly oily skin and to fight wrinkles in more mature complexions (possibly due to the estrogenic properties of the oil).

It has a toning effect on the spleen and liver, that helps with the results of excess drink and food.

Different uses

<DIR><DIR>Burners and vaporizers

Blended massage oil or in the bath

<DIR><DIR>Fennel oil can be used as a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath for helping to fix a bloated stomach, excess wind, colic, constipation and other digestive problems. It also acts as a diuretic, to remove excess water and to start breaking down cellulite.

</DIR></DIR>Creams and lotions

<DIR><DIR>Used in a base cream or lotion, fennel oil can be helpful for general skin care and especially for dispersing bruises, livening a dull complexion, clearing an oily skin and fighting wrinkles in mature skins. It is also useful for removing cellulite, to fight rheumatism and helps with edema.

</DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR>Fennel oil blends well with

It blends well with geranium, lavender, rose and sandalwood.

P.S...if you wanna check it out remember to ask for SWEET fennel oil.

It may just be a handy bottle to keep in your purse!!!

(((LUNASA))) - I just love your posts so much!! You are truly a wonderful inspiration for us all. Thank you for your time and energy spent on this board. You speak truth and wisdom!! I like truth and wisdom!!

Re: fennel If I use fennel tea, does it have to be hot?...or does it matter? I don't drink hot tea. It's 90-something degress (F) most of the time here, now until October! Drinking hot things is NOT what we do in Texas! Do you think I could mix it with my iced drinks just as well? And you suggest just keeping a vial of essential oil to sniff a few times a day or what? Will that have the same effect as ingesting it or is that just for calming the mind? I am fairly ignorant about the use of oils. I've only used Bach's Rescue Remedy for my dog in the past...LOL

Thank You Terri, You are so kind!!

yes you could drink Fennel as a cold tea but here is a juicing recipe you can make at home you may be more interested in & I can guarantee because you are juicing it fresh you'll get the most benefit.

NB...don't "store" fresh juice, it will loose it's power, you must drink it as you juice it

PURE Veg juice can be hard to take but when freshly juiced at home can be powerful..

So here's what you do (obviously you'll need a good juicer)

A generous slice of fennell

1 ince slice of lemon (leave the skin on if unwaxed)

2 Golden delicious apples

Juice the lot & pour over ice...(I hope it's decent) Try anyway

COURTESY OF JASON VALE www.juicemaster.com

Let me know how that goes..xx

JUST IN CASE... I wouldn't know what to do with juicing a fennel

ao here's a tip

When choosing fennel from a grocers look for bulbs that are white and firm to the touch

When juicing fennel the fennel bulb (which forms the root of the plant) is used. Simply remove a thin end at the root of the bulb and then wash the bulb. Chop the bulb into quarters and feed it through your juicer. The plant also produces stems with fronds on that can also be juiced.

.

<p>Good Friday Morning, all my shrinkin' friends!</p> <p> </p> <p>Jenn -- Great Starbucks news! Last night the barista told me that in a month or so they'll be getting Sugar Free Caramel! <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/happy.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" smilieid="60" class="inlineimg" /> I loooooove anything caramel!</p> <p> </p> <p>Pam -- Congratulations on your new (third!) job! You go girl! Can we all take your course online??</p> <p> </p> <p>Lunasa -- Fantastic info as always. I love the idea of a meet. It's funny that you & Sara envision coming here to the US... when I think about it, I'm the one hopping the pond for an international holiday! About 4 years or more now, I organized a "meet" for folks who posted on lowcarbfriends.com... we had a bbq (low carb, natch) at a park in my town... I live on the East Coast in Maryland, and folks came from as far away as New England, Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania! Those who drove farthest made a weekend out of it. It was so great to put faces w/names, altho it was hard to call folks by their RL names & not their screen names... we had to put both on the nametags! My hubby thought I was a complete nut, throwing a bbq for "people you don't know"... but he didn't understand that I DID know them... better than some of my RL friends actually. So when I say that I'm up for a meet, I mean that I AM up for a meet! <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/happy.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" smilieid="60" class="inlineimg" /></p>

Good Morning Violets,

Thank You for all the congratulations!!! I am still jazzed about it, I really wanted it. I interviewed 6 days post op, and was still wobbly.

Michelle-You can take my class, and I'll give you all A's...Violet sistas have to stick together!

I just read a whole bunch, and can never remember what I read to comment on, damn, and I'm not even blonde anymore...well just a bit.

TTFN (ta ta for now)...xoxo

Oh yeah, I am soooo up for a meet. I've always thought about that. I saw somewhere here that one group is planning a cruise! Next summer would be sooo fun! Plus, it would keep us all motivated to really do well, would not wanna disappoint my violets!

Terri~ We are all thinking about you today. Good luck w/ your fill. We can't wait to hear from you w/ all the details. Just think about the weight you'll lose this month!

Yesterday I went to doctor for a wound check from the infection. I saw a table that was set up for a fill later that afternoon. It looked pretty comprehensive, to say the least. I asked if I could get a fill sooner than May 30, and he said yes, but really wanted me to be all healed from surgery and infection. I looked at my calendar which has only 2 available days on it, so I decided to wait...I will just have to behave. On that note, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SUMMER!!!

I have to buy 10 large pizza's today for the kids. We finished state testing this week and this is the reward. I will be good, but I told myself you can have the cheese and peperoni from 1 slice. That way I won't have to just smell it, especially after I spent close to $100 on it and the sodas (which I don't drink anymore).

Also, ready for this, it is our annual SALSA CONTEST today. I live in southern California and Cinco de Mayo is HUGE here. I made some, "Kick Yo Azz" salsa. We have this competition and you have to sample everyones, plus the guacamole...and then vote. I WILL BE GOOD...EVERYTHING IN MODERATION...PIZZA AND SALSA BAD...COTTAGE CHEESE GOOD.

Repeat/Repeat/Repeat

Pamela,

got any good easy salsa I can make, I love the stuff and put it in everything. Just had an omlet with some

Good morning, all you Shrink'n Violets!!

Another day, another new beginning. Don't ya just love it???? I put on a blouse today that has buttons all down the front.. (what was I thinking??) I bought it in March when we were in Florida and when I got home and put it on.. of course the buttons were stretched to the point where they could put somebody's eye out if they popped. TODAY... it's loose!!!! Now that's a great way to start out the day!!

DH also mentioned a cruise. He said we all could enjoy the vacation on the ship, meet each other and be with each other for 3 or 5 or 7 days, whatever, plus we'd get to show off our new bodies in our NEW bathing suits!!! How KEWL would THAT be?????

GOOD MORNING! I had 4 pages of post to read, and there are things I want to say to each of you, but I would be writing a novel..

ONE THING TO REMEMBER................

IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have my 1st post op appointment today. I'm curious to see how the doc/nurses respond to my loss... I know their scale will weigh heavier than at home....... but I THINK they recorded me at 270 in January..... I wore LITE clothes today.. LOL

This week I've been doing great on the weight loss.. I sure hope it keeps up for at least a while longer.

I forget who mentioned it earlier this week.. but I've been feeling that WIERD Fullness at the top and GROWLING at the bottom. I think this has something to do with the "hunger sensors" that are at the top of the tummy.. we have a small stoma so those "sensors" get turned off quicker, but the rest of our belly... is LIKE FEED ME and it growls, but we are not really hungry..... WIERD but interesting.

I know that in my former pre band life I could never survive on the amount of food I'm currently eating.. I would be feeling sick and dizzy and have head aches....... but I can actually feel my belly shrinking.. and it is sooooooooo nice to KNOW that I'm on my way...

REMEMBER our bodies lose in CYCLES........ pounds THEN inches.

I'm leaving in 10 minutes... be back after lunch!