Hey my friends,

I have a good friend Julie who is staying with me for two weeks helping me with my company and deciding if she wants to be a recruiter. Julie is about 5' 7" and 142 lbs. She eats all day long. I truly have never seen someone who can pack away so much food. It is a combination of healthy and unhealthy stuff. SHe lives and breathes food. So naturally all week when Julie eats, I eat or nosh too. She does walk a lot and I have walked twice this week with her (in lieu of the gym) about 4-5 miles in the evening. But it doesnt make me feel good about the quantities I am able to eat per meal and the grazing. I went to a buffet this week and was surprised at how much I could pack away at a meal. So I am a little scared. I dont want to gain while she is here, but I notice I am getting hungrier and hungrier. Now with Halloween around the corner, I know she will be eating tons of chocolate. Can I resist? She is here one more week. I really need your help. I am in crisis mode here! LOL

Babs in TX

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Is it feasable to not keep junk in the house? Like a huge bag of baby carrots in the crisper instead of Cookies in the cupboard?

Alternately, does she know about your band? If you aren't a closet bandster maybe you could talk to her about it and just explain why you are having a hard time? Either way, it's either about a weeks worth of will power, or a weeks more worth of a 'break'. I know you are trying to get that last little bit off before goal (CONGRATS), so I'm sure this is super frustrating...

Im with Sarah (great ideas) .... talking to her about how hard this is as a bandster!

Can you ask her to keep the crap in her car or luggage? That way its not in your face when she's consuming all of this.

And I bet most of it's carbs, too!

Do your best while she's here -- then hit it hard after she leaves. Maybe this will be the boost into the final push. Hope it all goes well no matter how you decide to deal with it.

Tell her to stop twisting your arm and making you eat

Seriously Babs only you have the will power to eat or not eat. You know you can do this..look how far you have come. It is so easy for us who have struggled with our weight to fall back into the same old patterns but it is only us who can break those patterns too. NO MORE JUNK FOOD!!! I have been struggling this week too so I know how you are feeling , all the halloween candy in this damn house ..but I have made a commitment to myself Thursday.. NO MORE chocolate and so far so good. Be strong Just say NO! WILLPOWER WILLPOWER WILLPOWER

You know what...I really don't believe in willpower -it just isn't reliable enough - you have to talk to your friend Babs. I have found this journey very humbling - I have had to go to my younger, slim sisters and ask them not to support me in "just having one slice of cheesecake" or "a litte treat" - I ask them to get tough with me, telling them it's the easiest thing in the world to sit beside someone while they self destruct - you wouldn't take an alcoholic friend into a bar, night after night, and hope their willpower kicks in - it's just too much to ask anyone. This halloween I asked my sister to have the family party, and we're going to my in-laws for christmas - I have to do this in advance, or else I will just slide back into old bad habits....

Could you ask your friend to try a detox week with you? Or maybe you two could do a healthy eating week? Maybe she'd like to get to 135lbs for the Holidays!!!!!! This is a really hard journey, and sometimes you have to ask for help!

Hope it goes ok - let us know

take care xx

Hi Again,

Its getting worse!

Sarah, Julie knows I have a lapband.

Michelle: You are absolutely right. I have the power. But I have less now because I had some fill removed in early September and I now have less willpower than before. I know I need a fill, but my doc wanted to wait until December before adding what he took out.

Bright: She is here one more week so I am going to try harder and ask for her help. Her way of countering the large food quantities she eats is with jogging and long walks most every night. Unfortunately with two kids to get ready for school and bed, I have only managed two nights of walking with a total of about 7 or 8 miles. I havent gained this week, but I aint losing either.

I have found that it is more of a volume problem than me actually eating junk food. Like tonight, I had some chicken pieces, some hummus, two little pieces of italian bread, some seafood salad, some coleslaw, some garlic sauce and two pieces of brie. FOr lunch I ate two eggs, 1 biscuit, 1/2 pancake and half a piece of bacon. (we went to Cracker Barrel for brunch). These are not bandster portions!! Certainly less than I ate before, but more than I need!

Plus I'm getting my monthly friend and its Halloween tomorrow. I think someone should just knock me out until next Saturday! LOL

I think I will walk for an hour later.......

THanks for putting up with me!!!

Babs in TX

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Does your friend know you have the band? She must realize you lost a lot of weight. Wouldn't that give her a clue that maybe she shouldn't bring all that crap into your home to make it better for you. My own opinion, but I think she is being inconsiderate. Let her eat her goodies away from the house.

I hope the week goes by fast for you. Just keep that willpower going.