Itsmeitsmeitsree!

I have completely gone off caffeine and carbonation. I used to drink about 4 Mountain Dews every day, and it was tough to let go, but well worth it.

I have lost almost 40lbs since the middle of January. I hope to have gastric bypass surgery, but the insurance company is still fighting me. My doctors all think it's a good idea for me, and I believe it's a life saving measure. NO, I'm not looking for an easy out (if you think gastric bypass is the easy way, you don't know much about it), I am just looking for an overall better quality of life.

I eat a few carbs, lots of protein, and vegetables. I eat three times a day with a snack of a protein bar or similar once a day. It's not easy, food was once my best friend. But it was a nasty best friend who treated me horribly!!!

My husband was born in Clapham in London. As a child he moved to Watton in Thetford, and lived there until he joined the RAF. Then he lived in Wales for many years, including Cardiff and Newport.

I'm down about 2lbs in the past couple of weeks.

Was on the treadmill way early this morning, and my pedometer registered 12,000 steps by 8am!!

My last appointment for the 6 month medical weight loss (required by my insurance company for gastric bypass) is July 5. The changes I've made in the last months will make the TOOL (not a quick fix, but a tool) of GB be successful for a lifetime.

My two cents on ways that I've lost darn nearly 30 since January:

Stay under 100 carbs per day, and the carbs that are consumed are entirely complex carbs.

No carbonated beverages at all. (not even diet Cokes)

5 or 6 very small meals every day. A meal consists of yogurt and an orange. Turkey (2oz) and broccoli. (1/2 cup). It keeps you full, especially when you drink water in between. It's also the best way to kick-start your metabolism.

Do not ever skip a meal. If you don't eat smaller meals, and just eat three larger ones, don't skip one. Our bodies tend to go into a mini "starvation" mode and start looking for ways to store fat.

Minimum 10,000 steps every day on the pedometer, 60% of these from exercise that gets me to my target heart rate. Every day this week, I've done at least 15,000 steps!

Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry, or close to meal time, and never take a hungry person with you.

And I must disagree somewhat with Steven, I've proven for myself that you do have to count calories. There is a number of calories that your body needs to MAINTAIN that weight. If you dip under that number of calories, you will lose, especially if you're active. I've proven that theory over and over. And if that guy (dr?) was on an informercial and not the nightly news telling of his opinions, is there a slight chance he's a quack?

And to those who don't want to swim because of vanity reasons...get thee to a YMCA! That's where I go, and I'm so glad that everyone there isn't a 17 year old size 2!! I don't have to be self-conscious at all, because some people there are bigger than me!!

I'm a loser!

Today I had the 5th month visit of the 6 months required by my insurance company for the gastric bypass. I've lost 3.5lbs since the last weigh-in, which because of their schedule, was just 19 days ago!

Yesterday, I mowed our grass (45 minutes of nothing but SWEAT), 35 minutes HARD on the treadmill, and 20 minutes of weights.

14, 237 steps on the pedometer.

Just wanted to share as it may be helpfull to anyone considering swimming...I took a swimming for fitness class last semester at school (mostly for mental relaxation)...to my complete surprise, I lost 14 pounds and went from a (US) size 5/6 to a size 2 or 3 (in 4 monthes)!!! The class was only 2 days a week 50 minutes a day. I seriously was not trying to loose weight and am not doing anything else differently...still run 2 miles 2 or 3 times per week. Needless to say, I am now addicted to swimming. Anyone who is swimming...try fins on your feet and paddles for your hands for more resistance (and great arms). ...The swimming class kicked my butt though- it was not just a relaxing hour at the pool...swim hard.

I've always wanted to do swimming as exercise, but exercising in front of people in a bathing suit is definitely not happening at this moment in my life. Hell, I find it hard enough to go to the gym and work out in front of people in clothes.

Try to get over this! I began to swim again because my kids love it so much. I realized if I let my own preoccupation with what I thought others thought of me, I was cheating my kids out of something they really love. And now, I swim twice a week (or more), and there is nothing like the feeling! I use very good fins, and my legs have improved dramatically.

If other people are spending time worrying about what you look like in a bathing suit, then they probably have bigger problems than what you looking better in a bathing suit could solve. Don't let it stop you! Heck, I didn't, and believe me when I say that I am not a supermodel in a bikini!!

I would like to join this thread as well, but I'm not sure how I'll be received. You see, I've just finished my 5th month of the 6 months medically supervised weight loss program as required by my insurance company to pay for gastric bypass. I've lost 27lbs since January.

I've struggled with weight issues all of my life. There isn't a diet program out there that I've not been on, and been successful at. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri-System, Weigh Down, Atkins, South Beach, and the list goes on. I've been on cabbage soup diets, all liquid diets, and some diets I just made up. (when I was 10, I ate nothing but fruit cocktail during summer break) I've had hypnosis and tons of therapy. I've tried it ALL! There were things that were more successful than others, such as Weight Watchers. I never lacked the willpower to make it happen, what I clearly lack is the stamina for long-term success. What I clearly don't have is the ability to lose enough weight and maintain it at a healthy level. I cannot get to a healthy weight by myself.

Where I find myself at now is a place where I seek medical intervention to get to a healthy weight. For those of you who believe that I (or anyone in my position) am seeking a magical, quick and easy cure...you are wrong, and I challenge you to educate yourself as to how NOT easy gastric bypass is. For those of you who say, "But that surgery is so risky, I would never do that." Well, being at my current weight, with the couple of weight related health issues I have, is just as risky. Gastric bypass is a risky and life-altering choice, not a quick fix. But for me, it's been an intensely personal decision. My physician, and the surgery center I'm going to, believe I'm an ideal candidate because I have informed myself FIRST, then decided to have the surgery. I've researched this operation, and the place I'm going to, for a very long time. This decision wasn't reached without a lot of thought, prayer, and information.

What I'm doing now is just very simple. I stay around 50-75 carbs every day. I eat less calories than is needed to sustain my weight. (they can tell me this at the Dr.'s office) I exercise more than an hour, five days a week. I wear a pedometer and reach 10,000 steps every day. Really, I reach my personal goal of 12,500 every day. I swim for 30 minutes 3x week. And I do weights and weight resistance 2x week. My biggest vice, the carbonated beverage, has been gone from my life for more than 3 months now. (for those of you who believe diet drinks are the answer...wrongo...carbonation stretches the tummy!!)

I'm also in a group that similar to OA. We deal with WHY we are food addicts and how we got to where we are. I have bariatric support group meetings and nutrition seminars that I go to. I have just over 100lbs to lose, and suffer from two comorbities...HBP and OSA.

I don't want to become one of those people who have to be cut out of their house and weighed at the zoo. I don't even want to be one of those people who rides the little cart thingy at Walmart, towing their oxygen tank and huffing to the car. I want to be at a weight that allows me to be healthy enough to sustain a better quality of life than I have now. Not a glamorous size 2/4, but just healthy. I want to play with my grandchildren (not just watch them) and stay with my sweet British husband (who is HOT!!!) for as long as I can. I don't want to saddle my children (ages 10 and 15) with a mother who is totally unable to care for her fat self.

So if you'll allow me, I'd like to join this thread. I WANT TO BE A LOSER!!!!

I have a very good friend who's doing this too. She's doing the diet and physical therapy thing before the surgery right now. She's the same way, nothing else works for her. She's still battling with the insurance company though. I know there's lots of complications involved but to me, it sounds like you are doing this for all the right reasons.

I just cringe when I hear someone who wears a size 6 and wants a gastric bypass though

Good luck mama!!!

Vickie,

Thank you very much for this, I really appreciate it.

And you're right, I cringe as well. At my initial consult, the doctor told me that you'd be surprised at how many people come for gastric bypass because they want to lose 20 before a cruise, or want to lose 40 before their class reunion!! Gimme a break already!

B.

I don't get it, why shouldn't we drink at all during a meal?

Liquid fills up your stomach and moves the food out faster. The faster the food moves out, the faster you feel hungrier again.

How to Pick the Perfect Portion

3 Easy Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, March 2004

When it comes to food portions, we are definitely living in a super-sized world. Americans have become accustomed to large portions not only at fast-food restaurants but also at many other kinds of food service establishments. In fact, portion sizes have increased so dramatically over the past 20 years that large, calorie-laden servings no longer seem excessive and have become the norm even when we dish up food for ourselves at home. And, unfortunately, our waistlines are keeping pace with the extra food we are eating.

Get a better grasp on what constitutes a sensible helping, and avoid an expanding waistline, with the following 3 size-wise tips:

1. Retrain Your Eyes

Whether you are trying to lose weight or simply maintain your weight, controlling the amount of food you consume is just as important as the food choices you make. Simply by eating reasonable portions, you can eat the foods that you enjoy and still take off pounds. The first step is to retrain your eyes to recognize perfect portions for different types of food.

1/2 bagel 3" = tuna can

3oz lean meat = palm of hand

1 slice bread = cd case

1/2 cup pasta, rice = 1/2 tennis ball

1 pc fuit = 1 tennis ball

Using smaller, 9-inch plates instead of large dinner plates also can help you retrain your eye. You'll have a reasonable, yet filling, amount of food while still satisfying your psychological need to see a full plate.

2. Don't Be Fooled by Misleading Food Labels

Comparing food labels at the supermarket is another good way to make healthier portion choices in your diet. But, be forewarned—a quick look at the label might not be giving you the whole story. If you're like most shoppers, you notice the calories on the label first, but it's important to consider the calories as well as the number of servings per package. Snack food favorites, such as cookies and chips, are especially prone to confusing food labels. Take, for example, a package of chocolate chip cookies: a serving of the regular cookies contains 160 calories while a serving of the peanut butter chip Calculate how many calories are in the food on your plate.

version of the same cookie brand has merely 80 calories per serving. An easy decision, right? Look closer—a serving of the peanut butter kind is only one cookie while the original flavor lists three cookies as a serving.

3. Use Nutrition Information to Your Advantage

Don't sabotage your quest to eat the proper portions when dining out. Many fast-food restaurants now provide nutrition information about the foods they serve, allowing customers to choose a regular McDonald's hamburger (260 calories) over a Big Mac® (560 calories). But at conventional restaurants where huge portions are the norm, the choice may not be so clear. An easy way to cut calories when dining out is to order a child- or appetizer-size plate, or ask for a doggy bag when your order arrives so you can put aside a part of your meal.

Do not eat in front of the tv, in the car, or anywhere not actually supposed to be a dining area.

Leave food in the kitchen, and don't put it on the table.

Drink 8oz. water 20 minutes before eating. Do not drink at all during a meal. Drink 8 oz. 20 minutes after a meal.

Chew food slowly, putting fork down between each bite.

When shopping for food, shop only the perimeter of the store, where the more fresh stuff is likely to be. Don't venture down an aisle unless you absolutely have to...it's where the evil stuff is more likely to be.

I would like to join this thread as well, but I'm not sure how I'll be received. You see, I've just finished my 5th month of the 6 months medically supervised weight loss program as required by my insurance company to pay for gastric bypass. I've lost 27lbs since January.

I've struggled with weight issues all of my life. There isn't a diet program out there that I've not been on, and been successful at. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri-System, Weigh Down, Atkins, South Beach, and the list goes on. I've been on cabbage soup diets, all liquid diets, and some diets I just made up. (when I was 10, I ate nothing but fruit cocktail during summer break) I've had hypnosis and tons of therapy. I've tried it ALL! There were things that were more successful than others, such as Weight Watchers. I never lacked the willpower to make it happen, what I clearly lack is the stamina for long-term success. What I clearly don't have is the ability to lose enough weight and maintain it at a healthy level. I cannot get to a healthy weight by myself.

Where I find myself at now is a place where I seek medical intervention to get to a healthy weight. For those of you who believe that I (or anyone in my position) am seeking a magical, quick and easy cure...you are wrong, and I challenge you to educate yourself as to how NOT easy gastric bypass is. For those of you who say, "But that surgery is so risky, I would never do that." Well, being at my current weight, with the couple of weight related health issues I have, is just as risky. Gastric bypass is a risky and life-altering choice, not a quick fix. But for me, it's been an intensely personal decision. My physician, and the surgery center I'm going to, believe I'm an ideal candidate because I have informed myself FIRST, then decided to have the surgery. I've researched this operation, and the place I'm going to, for a very long time. This decision wasn't reached without a lot of thought, prayer, and information.

What I'm doing now is just very simple. I stay around 50-75 carbs every day. I eat less calories than is needed to sustain my weight. (they can tell me this at the Dr.'s office) I exercise more than an hour, five days a week. I wear a pedometer and reach 10,000 steps every day. Really, I reach my personal goal of 12,500 every day. I swim for 30 minutes 3x week. And I do weights and weight resistance 2x week. My biggest vice, the carbonated beverage, has been gone from my life for more than 3 months now. (for those of you who believe diet drinks are the answer...wrongo...carbonation stretches the tummy!!)

I'm also in a group that similar to OA. We deal with WHY we are food addicts and how we got to where we are. I have bariatric support group meetings and nutrition seminars that I go to. I have just over 100lbs to lose, and suffer from two comorbities...HBP and OSA.

I don't want to become one of those people who have to be cut out of their house and weighed at the zoo. I don't even want to be one of those people who rides the little cart thingy at Walmart, towing their oxygen tank and huffing to the car. I want to be at a weight that allows me to be healthy enough to sustain a better quality of life than I have now. Not a glamorous size 2/4, but just healthy. I want to play with my grandchildren (not just watch them) and stay with my sweet British husband (who is HOT!!!) for as long as I can. I don't want to saddle my children (ages 10 and 15) with a mother who is totally unable to care for her fat self.

So if you'll allow me, I'd like to join this thread. I WANT TO BE A LOSER!!!!

Melinda has a nice voice but she looks odd. She has a Jay Leno chin and no neck.

Sorta like Shrek?

Your new kitty is precious. But then again, I would say that! See photo of Emma.

The same thing has happened to my husband with the keys. He also uses the handbrake all the time as well, and it's an automatic. Drives me crazy.

We applied for his AOS in March, and didn't get the interview until October. Received card in January, 2006. Yes, it does take that long and longer, LOL.

But hope it does go seamlessly for you.

I'm gonna add my 2 measly cents worth and say gallbladder as well, cause my symptoms mirrored yours. Of course, when I do something, I do it right...and I had pancreatitis as well. It was very, very scary. As well as pain, I couldn't breathe.

GO TO A DOCTOR EVEN IF IT FEELS BETTER, cause if (WHEN?) it comes back, it might not be as much fun...

We have the fancy places here, so that my husband can sometimes find some things from the UK which make him feel more at home.

And, we have THREE (count 'em three) super Walmarts in this town (and three or four more within 20 or 30 minutes drive), and one plain ol' Walmart. Whoop-ti-do.

My husband's favorites are Paul Weller, and The Jam and the Style Council. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

I too, have had a 48 hour Greyhound trip, CherryXS. Lexington, Kentucky to Los Angeles, April 1999. It was the longest 48 hours, but for the price, it was great. Saved me some money, but that just meant I had a lot more to spend in LA!

But with a kid as young as 7, I'd take a plane. I checked into Amtrak, and it was more expensive than a plane.

Thank you Stina. I really appreciate how you are an positive example to all of us.

I too, am unworthy, and hope that I never look away from his eyes again.

Try these:

www.flytecomm.com/cgi-bin/trackflight

www.flightview.com/TravelTools/default.asp

www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/delays/tracker-index.htm

Best wishes for a wonderful reunion and even more wonderful life together!!!

For me, it's always been, immigration or not...retail therapy, Doritos, chocolate, and movies!!

Warm, beautifully sunny day here in Kentucky. I wish I were able to go out and enjoy it. However, I had surgery on my ankle yesterday and don't think I'll be doing anything today except enjoying some nice prescribed narcotics!

Edy's Double Fudge Brownie...and anything that has the word "cheesecake" in the flavor description.

I turned 40 just over a week ago. He's 40, will turn 41 next month. Ten months apart.