Great Idea - I will do it right now !!

Hi

I am Janet and I am a recovering food addict :wink2:

I was banded 7/17/07 - My starting weight was 250 - I'm 5'4

Today (just over 10 months out) I am 154 - size 8 pants (was 18/20) Medium tops (was 22/24)

I got banded as I wanted to extend the years that I have left on this planet and to do that I knew that I needed to lose weight.

The band has been the tool I needed. For the first time in my life I have been able to achieve this goal (actually getting to my goal weight)

If you want a buddy - support - help - suggestions - Please feel free to call upon me - I will gladly share my journey with you - the journey is still on going and by helping you I will be helping me (staying motivated and accountable) and then one day you can pay it forward and help someone else.

Linda...don't mind you being nosy and asking what is on the menu. The kids chose: little 5yr old guy wants me to make BIG pancakes with fried eggs for eyes, bacon for mouth and to rip a piece of bacon lengthwise for eyebrows and to make some hard boiled eggs so that we can cut in strips for eyelashes. This kid has been thinking! He also wants scrambled eggs on the side with ketchup on the top. NOT ON THE SIDE. (I screwed up once and put it on the side).

8 yr old girl wants my homemade breaded chicken strips with bread sticks and some other kind of baked bread (I am making asiago cheese bread loaf), plus she loves my homemade BBQ meatballs.

Little guy informed us that we HAVE to eat everything that is on the kids menu but I am going to sneak in some other things also. Other things I am making is terryacki (sp?) grilled shrimp (can't believe I found some nice ones here), meat and cheese tray, veggie tray with some nice dips, homemade mini chimichangas, and sesame chicken (cut in chuncks), and, as I mentioned in other posts, a garage full of sweet treats. Just texted kid's mom and made one statement..."Let the spoiling begin!".

You are so lucky, Linda, to have Alyah with you. Especially during the times when you probably want to wring the necks of your DSS and DSD. I am sure she brings you more joy than you could have imagined.

Good Morning Janet...you are ray of sunshine today.

I was going to post something on the Brownsugar comment also but I just chalked it up to pre-entertaining jitters. I was also going to say that when I met Lori for the first time what I walked away with that she is beautiful, and oh so gracious. The time we spent together during our first meeting was so much fun and filled with conversation. (Yep, Lori, we are talking about you behind your back...but....we won't stab it ever). Thought the same of her in Vegas and also in all of her posts. All her guests need is to see her beautiful smile and they will feel comfortable.

Oh my gosh, gals, you are making me cry. No one has ever said those kind of things to me before (well besides DH, DS and DD but I figure they have to LOL). Thank you. You are giving me encouragement and hope that I can do this. DD has called a few times to see how it's going. Poor thing is sicker than a dog, dr said as close as she can be to pnuemonia, she's on antibiotics but can't take much for the congestion being prego. Anyway I have the potatoes in the crock pot, house is clean, I have DH cleaning his 'man cave'. And I think I am ready. I went and bought a new Christmas table cloth at Kohls (can you beleive that stuff is 70% off before Christmas?) and am about to go set the table when DH brings up the leaves for it. I don't have a centerpiece, is that necessary? Since DH nor I drink coffee I am always worried about making it. I found a new fool way to do it. I found premeasured filter packs that you just put in where the filter and coffee go, that way I can't mess it up. LOL

BrownSugar posted a page or two back I think yesterday about how terrible her first fill was but didn't say how or why. Hope she's okay.

Oh my gosh, gals, you are making me cry. No one has ever said those kind of things to me before (well besides DH, DS and DD but I figure they have to LOL). Thank you. You are giving me encouragement and hope that I can do this. DD has called a few times to see how it's going. Poor thing is sicker than a dog, dr said as close as she can be to pnuemonia, she's on antibiotics but can't take much for the congestion being prego. Anyway I have the potatoes in the crock pot, house is clean, I have DH cleaning his 'man cave'. And I think I am ready. I went and bought a new Christmas table cloth at Kohls (can you beleive that stuff is 70% off before Christmas?) and am about to go set the table when DH brings up the leaves for it. I don't have a centerpiece, is that necessary? Since DH nor I drink coffee I am always worried about making it. I found a new fool way to do it. I found premeasured filter packs that you just put in where the filter and coffee go, that way I can't mess it up. LOL

BrownSugar posted a page or two back I think yesterday about how terrible her first fill was but didn't say how or why. Hope she's okay.

Sounds like you have a handle on everything. As far as the centerpiece goes....not necessary unless YOU want one. What I do is take one of my serving bowls and put Christmas ornaments in it and get a couple of sprigs off the evergreen tree and I'm good to go.

Apples, I am making your sauteed asparagus recipe. How far in advance can I do the sautee part and leave it in the covered glass dish to put in the oven? Can I do that part way ahead and then just put it in the over 30 min prior??

Apples, I am making your sauteed asparagus recipe. How far in advance can I do the sautee part and leave it in the covered glass dish to put in the oven? Can I do that part way ahead and then just put it in the over 30 min prior??

You should be able to do it now and leave it on the stove top until ready to put in the oven. Some of the spears will look a little shriveled but that is the way it is supposed to turn out. Just make sure they are evenly spread out in the pan and no worries.

Hi everybody...... I was away from the computer again for a bit and there was 5 pages to read..... and I guess we are all in the same boat as I can't remember much either... Lori, best of luck with your party, but you'll do great.... Apples, have lots of fun tomorrow with your kids... I'm sure you will have them feeling so special.... Melissa, be good to your feet... Jessica, wtg on the grades....... Linda, I know just how you feel about the kids... We only have Kayla's family.........the others don't care to be with us.... It's their loss.... Laura, hope you get help soon... Oh, there is so much more to say, but my homemade bread is just out of the oven and I have to get ready to go to a family potluck........... The hostess is making ribs, so I will take some of my goodies and fresh bread..... Should go good with ribs....

gotta run, but hugs to all.... oh, and I'm still doing pretty well..... amazingly.... DD doesn't like me to speak of it so as to not jinx it, she says!!!!! So just forget I brought it up, okay!!?? Bye bye............. Julie

Lori, everyone is right about how beautiful you are and gracious your behavior is. You have a beautiful and very welcoming smile. You put people at ease quickly. Me, I tend to stick my foot in my mouth when I'm nervous or even when I'm having a good time. It's the ADHD. Thought in head comes out the mouth instantly without a filter. People who don't know me take offense and even people who do know me can be put off and I'm often not even aware of it. My make-up is such that most offensive things people say roll right off my shoulders or don't even register. When they apologize I have to think to even remember the incident. I also make it a choice not to take offense and not to assume the other person meant to hurt me. I often wish people would grant me the same grace. You, on the other hand, are so afraid of hurting others feelings and of making them feel good that you make the perfect hostess. Relax, and enjoy your guests.

Cheri

Melissa..what is the intensity of your pain? Is it just an irritating feeling or is it stabbing pain? If you have had pancreatitis in the past and it feels similar, don't let it go without seeing a doctor. If not, give it a few days and then see your doc if it does not subside. Good luck with your 5-day. Really want to see that post on day 5 on how you feel. (Like Linda's post of feeling so great because of having done it). Also, doing the test will not make you want to undo the good you have done over the holidays.

I am like Cheri in that when those holidays roll around, don't deprive ourselves. But, on the same hand don't get totally out of control with treats, mashed tators, gravy, etc. Tastes of your favorite things (a few tsps.) can be a wonderful things. Anything out of control can start a cycle within us where we beat ourselves up and feel defeated.

Apples it is an irritating pain but like Cheri said it could be gas or like Janet said over eating I will start paying more attention. I ended up getting called into work to help out I was there for like 3 1/2 hrs no biggy.

Melissa - I can get a pain behind my port sometimes when I eat too much - and yes girls I do eat too much some time ;0).. And maybe you are sensitive to the foods your are eating - maybe you have food allergies that are causing you to bloat. It's hard to pay attention to being physically full and band full and not eating around it.. Even when we eat around it - it can still be over eating... I know for me - when I look at the bowls I ate out of (1 cup) I think - oh I haven't eaten much - even now 3.5 yrs later...

I have never counted carbs/starches - I counted Protein & calories only - Some pple don't want to or can't for whatever reason - so what you have to be mindful of is eating Healthy & Exercising. You do the grocery shopping for your house don't you?? So you plan meals - well now you just plan healthy meal. Maybe working around all that food will make you sick of food ;0).. Pay attention to what you are eating or have eaten when you get the pain - Good Luck on your 5 day pouch test..

I should get some 1 cup bowls that is a good idea. Yes I grocery shop for the house I buy good things my DH goes out and gets the bad stuff. I will pay attention more to what I am eating and how my body feels afterwards.

Good Afternoon Gang! Dh and I ate Breakfast. I ate a quarter of an omlette . Anyway, then we came home and DS called to say make some dessert for the dinner tonight. I made two kinds of Cookies and then my fav......Pecan Pie Cake. That thing is so easy......better than pecan pie. I also make these little candies, small twisted pretzel, hershey kiss, and a M&M. Melt the kiss on the pretzel at 200 degree oven . When the kiss is soft take them out and put a m&m on it. I put them in the frig so they would get hard real quick. Yep, I had on pretzel and a small taste of the cake. I forgot to eat lunch, but we are having Fajitas for dinner. All Protein for me tonight....maybe just a dab of guacamole. We are off the Meet the Parents. I'll check in later! Lori.......best wishes...on the dishes!!!!!

Melissa, it could be adhesions. They tend to bloat my gut when I do a lot of moving around and I am anxious. It always go down during the night. Go to the dr if it does not subside!!!!

Aargh! My son came to work a little more on the downstairs bathroom. He installed a fan. Then my husband took a shower in the upstairs bathroom which we'd had Bathfitters redo two years ago. The drain was cracked and leaking which we wouldn't have found out if my son hadn't been down there when Ken took his shower. I've been watching my son's daughter and her cousin while Tim did the work. But now Tim has decided he'd better fix that immediately. Its raining down on the new drywall in the downstairs bathroom. So I called my other son, Jon, and told him to come over, too, and he can help his brother and baby sit his own daughter as well as Tim's daughter. Ken and I have been waiting for Tim to finish so we could go to a party tonight. I just sent Ken out for a bucket of chicken for my sons and their daughters and handed a hunk of $ over to Tim to pay for parts. But we are going to blow this pop stand and go to this party. We look forward to it every year. My friend and his partner throw this party every year. We used to head up an Alateen group together so this is a no booze party but the food is incredible.

This house has been an albatross in recent years. When something new happens, all I can do is laugh. It beats crying.

Cheri

Ah, thanks Cheri, that means so much! Hope your bathroom is good as new soon.

Well the prime rib is in the oven, the garlic mashed potatoes are mashed and on warm in the crock pot, the asparagus is sauteed and ready to go in the oven, the table is set, I think I am ready. As ready as I am going to be anyway. I'm pretty nervous and not sure how much I will be able to eat LOL One couple is bringing salad and the other dessert.

Arlene, you are too funny. So have you had an all Protein day yet? LOL I've done good today but may have a spoonful of taters tonight. Maybe not.

I will let you know tomorrow how dinner went tonight. I hope it helps me conquer my demons!

Aargh! My son came to work a little more on the downstairs bathroom. He installed a fan. Then my husband took a shower in the upstairs bathroom which we'd had Bathfitters redo two years ago. The drain was cracked and leaking which we wouldn't have found out if my son hadn't been down there when Ken took his shower. I've been watching my son's daughter and her cousin while Tim did the work. But now Tim has decided he'd better fix that immediately. Its raining down on the new drywall in the downstairs bathroom. So I called my other son, Jon, and told him to come over, too, and he can help his brother and baby sit his own daughter as well as Tim's daughter. Ken and I have been waiting for Tim to finish so we could go to a party tonight. I just sent Ken out for a bucket of chicken for my sons and their daughters and handed a hunk of $ over to Tim to pay for parts. But we are going to blow this pop stand and go to this party. We look forward to it every year. My friend and his partner throw this party every year. We used to head up an Alateen group together so this is a no booze party but the food is incredible.

This house has been an albatross in recent years. When something new happens, all I can do is laugh. It beats crying.

Cheri

I'll say it for you, Cheri...DAMN! You were so happy to be almost done. I hope it did not ruin the drywall. Have fun at your party. You deserve some fun and relaxation after the last couple of months you have had. Hugs

Melissa, it could be adhesions. They tend to bloat my gut when I do a lot of moving around and I am anxious. It always go down during the night. Go to the dr if it does not subside!!!!

It could be. I have had several Abdominal surgies prior to the LB. I am keeping up with the times and othe info regarding my pain so i can call the Dr.

Lori, your dinner will be great. If they don't like anything they don't have to come back again.

Apples, have a wonderful time with your get together tomorrow. Fake or real Gma it don't matter all that matters is the love you give.

Kelly, you go girl, you are doing so good.

Sandy, hugs for your stress with your Dad.

On the dating front.... I went to a singles party/dance last night. This is my second one. Had a blast, met a lot of fun people. One guy that I have been talking to and met last time, went to dinner, but I got his number and I think he is a player. Fun to play with for now. Changed my attitude about this whole dating thing, not looking at it as "finding the one" just going with the flow and having fun.

LauraK