Third fill!

Well this fill was quite uneventful.  Nothing like my last two experiences.  I got another full cc.  I now have 6cc in a standard AP band.  Doctor said that he could feel pressure pushing back on his thumb so we may be where we need to be.  I have lost 12 lbs since my last appointment 8 weeks ago.  I totally didn't think he would give me a fill let alone a full cc.  He commented that my band was still pretty empty.  I am not quite sure what he meant by that.  I go back the first week of December.  I am hoping for some restriction this time.  I have been weighing and measuring my food way too much!  Only a pound to go for 40 down!  I am getting  excited!

I just realized something.

I was cleaning in my office today.  We are housed in an old doctor's office, so each office has a whole bank of cabinets and a countertop.  Most offices (not mine) also have a sink.  The downside to having all of this cabinet space is that I practically live in my office.  As I was going through the cabinets, I found a stack of papers.  These papers had not been in there long, but I had just stuck them there for lack of a better place to put them.  Anyway, I took a good look at them.  They were a copy of all of my medical records that I obtained when I was gaining approval for my lap band surgery.  I guess I was just so worried about getting those papers to my surgeon, that I just copied them, and sent them on their merry way.  Maybe they didn't mean much then.  I don't know. 

I sat down and looked at them and there were two pages that showed my vitals including weight each time that I went the doctor since 2002.  All of these start about the time that I had my gall bladder surgery.  I have blamed a lot of my weight gain on that gall bladder surgery.  After I had the surgery, my pcp told me that I should expect to gain about 25lbs.  Within the year after that surgery, I gained 40lbs.  I made excuse after excuse about my weight.  All about the gall bladder surgery.  Amazing how we don't try to see what is really going on.  The year of the 40 lb gain was also the year right before my husband and I divorced.   Maybe me feeling bad about that 40lbs led to some of the marital problems we were having.  I also realized that I weigh 13 lbs less than I did at the weight that I balanced out at in 2003.  I weighed 183 for 5 years until 2008 when I got pregnant with my daughter and went up to 210 after I had her. 

I am so thankful for my lap band for giving me hope again to move downward on the scale and upward on my mood.  I can't even believe my luck when I realized that I was that much below where I had been for so many years.  It makes a lot of sense looking back now.  I had so many size 16 pants and xl shirts.  I guess that is what I wore for so long.  I got up to 18w and 2xl at my largest.  I am now in 14 and some 12 pants and large shirts.  The clothing size just amazes me as I had just reserved myself that I was going to be a 16 forever. 

I still have a ways to go to goal, but I feel like the victories come at the times when you most need them!!

To the BOOBS...

Have a wonderful time in Chicaago!  Take lots of pictures and KEEP POSTING!  I am so missing not being there.  So bad as I really want to get in the car and go.  Too bad my husband took my car to St. Louis with him this morning...  I am not driving his for 6 hours, I am afraid to drive it in town!  Anyway, have a grand time everyone!

How many calories?

I have tracked my calories daily for about 2 weeks now.  I have come up between 1000 and 1100 calories each day.  I have hit a lull in my weight loss.  I have been sitting at 170 for about 3 weeks now.  I am wondering how many you gals get.  I feel like I haven't moved because my metabolism is screwed or something.  I do know that I am in need of a fill and have an appointment on the 29th. 

I am at a loss for what I should be eating.  I am asking here because the nutritionist at my practice doesn't visit my office.  I like most foods, but for protein I do not like fish.  I can't seem to get past the smell and texture.  I have tried as I know this is a lower calorie protein source. 

I feel like I was doing so well, but have just stopped.  Am I getting too many calories?  Or not enough.  I have seen on a few websites that my basal metabolism is 1592 a day so I should be loosing right?  I do exercise, but probably not enough.  Any help would be appreciated!

Cherry on Top Award!

Thank you so much Christine for this wonderful award!

 I really appreciate it!


Ok, this award’s rules for eligibility are:



1. Answer the question, “If you had one chance to go back and change one thing in your life, would you and what would it be?

There is only one thing in my life that I think that I would possibly go back and change.  My husband and I divorced for three years and remarried.  We were married for nine years when we called it quits.  Three years later we decided to give it another go.  That was three years ago.  I think that we wouldn't have went all the way to divorce if it wasn't so easy.  We separated in October and the divorce was completely finalized in November.  We didn't give it time.  However, all is not lost.  We both learned a lot throughout our time apart, for the better.

2. Pass on to six people and inform them of the award.
I am going to be a bump on a log and pass on the pass along.  I haven't had a lot of time to keep up on commenting and the such.  I read such glorious blogs so if you think you deserve an award, you get my vote!

Thank you so much Christine!

Portion sizes

I guess since I haven't been around in a week, this is going to be a two post day.  I have been having a lot of thoughts lately about portion sizes.  My particular portion sizes are probably bigger than they need to be.  I still don't have great restriction.  I do however realize over and over, how much less I eat now. 

As I posted earlier,  I spent the week at the fair.  Last year, I would have easily had a sandwich, a plate of ribbon fries with cheese, a lemon shake-up and then be looking for more.  I would do this a couple of times throuought the week.  This year, I got a philly cheese steak with a fork.  I ate approximately 1/3 of the meat and was stuffed.  I also took water bottles with me.  I didn't want to drink the sugar water.  This really amazed me.

In the fall and winter, I cook a big pot of soup on  Sunday's.  Every Sunday.  We have a warming element on our stove that keeps soup at the perfect temperature all day.  So I cook early, and don't have to worry about anything the rest of the day.  This was the first week of the year that I cooked soup.  Southwestern bean was on the menu.  Last year, I would eat several large bowls of soup throughout the day.   It was there and available.  Today, I didn't even fill my bowl.  I am really full.  I might go back for more at dinner. 

What the difference a year makes!

It has been a busy week

I haven't been around at all this week, so I thought that would give a quick update.  This past week was our town's festival.  Can you guess what we celebrate based on my daughter's picture from the parade yesterday?



Our town in small, less than 10,000 people.  The whole town comes out for the festival that lasts for a week.  Eating at the fair with a band is interesting to say the least.  I managed to make it through only getting stuck once, but no pb. My husband thought that I might need to help him at the pie eating contest.  I told him that unless he wanted to see a whole lot of slime on stage, that probably wasn't a good idea.  

Look at these big guys!  My husband is on the right.  They were beat in the pie eating contest by some skinny teachers!





My son (farthest left) had to join in on the pie eating activites also!

The parade in our town is such a big deal (2 1/2 hours).  People in town start setting up their chairs on Wednesday for Saturday's parade.  People always set up  their chairs in the same place year after year.  We had a great time! My oldest son worked on many projects for his Key club group.   Back to normalcy for us this week.  I leave you with another picture of my daughter.  Doesn't this picture just look like Americana?

I buttoned....

A 12!  I wouldn't have dared come out of the dressing room, but they buttoned and zipped!  I went to the goodwill last night for a couple of 14s because the 16s I was still wearing yesterday were horribly big on me.  My son was sorting the racks. (Great job for a 10 year old by the way)  He accidently put a 12 in the stack.  I looked at the tag before I put them on and figured what the he**.  They went up and BUTTONED!  You can not even imgine (well most of you can) the excitement!

Thousand Word Thursday

This is a crossstitched picture that my grandmother stitched.  She was amazing with a cross stich needle.  This is about 2 feet square.  My mother and I have several of these since she has passed.  The funny thing over all is that we treasure these, but we both didn't like her much.  She was my father's mother.  I feel that I am very like her and that scares me alot.  One trait that I get from her is that I must have the ENTIRE set of everything that comes in a set.  I obsess about it.  I don't even need half of the crap, but I must have it.  Sad isn't it?

Plateau broken, crater forming

Down 2 lbs this week!  So glad because that plateau was making me crazy!  I am only 3 months out of surgery and the plateau was a little ridiculous.  Oh well now I can make my way to "overweight!"  I have 10 more pounds to lose to never be obese again!  Wish me luck, I will need every bit of it.

On non band related news, this week has been a whirlwind.  The past has come back to haunt me.  My brother in law, who is one of the biggest dipshits in the world has resurfaced after 7 years.  He says that the kids want to see thier uncle (my husband)  problem is my husband wants nothing to do with his brother at all.  I have spoken to him on facebook and I am not impressed.  He is still the same slimeball that he was when he did what he did to cause the 7 years of no contact in the first place.   Long story on that one... lets just leave it at this event is what spurred our divorce.   I feel so bad for my husband as this is his only sibling and they don't speak.  This contact has stirred a lot of bad emotions for me.  I however, have not resorted to food!  I am so proud of myself for that. 

Questionairre for a Saturday Morning

So I have seen this on a few different blogs...so I figured I would give it a whirl on a Saturday morning! 

A

- Age: 35 shsssh don't tell anybody :)

- Annoyance: Kids who think that they know everything.

- Animal: I love my 2 cats Bailey & Onyx

- Actor: Josh Hartnett



B

- Beer: Not a real fan of beer, but if I am going to have one, it has to be a Fosters

- Birthplace: St. Charles, Illinois
- Body Part on the Opposite Sex: Hands

- Been in Love: I love my hubby so much I married him twice!  So much better the second time around!
- Been bitched at: I am a Probation Officer... so daily!
- Believe in yourself?: I have trouble with this one often
- Believe in God: Yes, but the Catholic church pissed me off several years ago, so we are faithful but don't attend services

- Before weight: 210  OMG I actually typed that?


C

- Car: Hyundai Santa Fe

- Candy: Payday
- Color: Purple

- Cried in school: Yes once, when I fell up the stairs  (wasn't I the graceful one!)

- Chocolate/Vanilla: Vanilla

- Chinese/Mexican: Mexican definately

- Cake or pie: Pecan Pie

- Country to visit: I travelled the world as a teenager with my parents.  I am happy right here in the USA.  OK maybe go back to Jamacia



D

- Day or Night: Day... I can't seem to stay up past 11 ever...

- Do the splits?: not a chance, not even when I was 95 lbs in high school



E

- Eggs: Scrambled with cheese

- Eyes: Blue

F

- First crush: Gerry Morris (found out recently that he doesn't go for girls, maybe I did something he did kiss me in the coat closet in Kindergarten!)
- First thoughts waking up: I gotta pee!

- Food: Mexican!



G

- Greatest Fear: Not having enough money
- Goals: Make my kids look back on thier childhood fondly.  Like the sign says, Our family puts the fund in dysfunctional
- Get along with your parents?: I talk to my mom almost everyday.
- Good luck charm: Don't have one



H

- Hair Color: Light Brown with Blonde Highlights

- Height: 5'2" (eyes of blue LOL)

- Happy: Most of the time...

- Holiday: Christmas... The lights, sparkling and shiny things...singing carols, family... everything. (OHHHH YEAHHH! I second this too!)

- Health freak?: Um this is a weightloss blog...!

- Hate: People who lie to me.  (I get that alot in my job, and it still pisses me off.  I do like to really gloat when I get them to admit that they were lying to me)

I

- Ice Cream: Not a big fan, but vanilla if I have it.

- Instrument: I have absolutely no rhythm



J

- Jewelry: I am a fan of costume jewlery. 
- Job: Probation Officer






K

- Kids: Step-son 19, Son 14, Son, 10, Daughter 22 months
- Kickboxing or karate: I am not coordinated enough

- Keep a journal? I blog duh!



L

- Longest Car Ride: We drive everywhere we go, but last Thanksgiving we drove from Illinois to Myrtle Beach.  Unfortunately the interstate was closed right before Asheville NC because a mountain fell on it.  The detour was approximately 100 miles out of our way.  So I take out a map and we decide to go through the mountains... 3 hours and many deuling banjos later we made it over the mountains.  The drive was already 14 hours so the extra 3 was just a bonus!

- Love: Tony

- Laughed so hard you cried: Joy is something that must be found in life.
- Love at first sight: I  don't think so.  Maybe lust, but not love.


M

- Milk flavor: Almond milk...

- Movie: Harry Potter or Twilight series

- Mooned anyone?: Oh yes!

- Marriage: Married 3 years this time.  9 years last time (to the same person) (we just took a 3 year break)

- Motion sickness? Nope...thank goodness!!!

- McD’s or BK: I really can't stand either, but BKs Cheesy tots were good.


N

- Number of Siblings: Younger brother

- Number of Piercings: just my ears
- Number: 5



O

- One wish: Being thin



P

- Place you’d like to live: Tennessee

- Perfect Pizza: Pizza Hut Stuffed crust Supreme
- Pepsi/Coke: Neither... Mt Dew!



Q

- Questionaires: Sure why not, I am still filling out this one aren't I?


R

- Reason to cry: Not lately

- Reality T.V.: Not a big fan

-Roll your tongue in a circle? Yes



S

- Song: You're gonna miss this - Trace Adkins
- Shoe size: 7, but my shoes seem to be getting loose
- Salad Dressing: Ranch... can someone say weight problem?

- Skipped school: I was a nerd, so only once!

- Smoking: Quit 3 years ago

- Sing well?: Not at all, but I still do it in the car with the windows up

- Strawberries/Blueberries: Strawberries raw, blueberries cooked

- Time for bed: around 10... if I haven't fallen asleep on the couch already

- Thunderstorms: I love them! 

- TV: Greys, Private Practice, L&O SVU


U

- Unpredictable: Sometimes, but not too often



V

- Vegetable you hate: Green Beans, cooked carrots

- Vegetable you love: Broccoli, peas, onions, mushrooms

- Vacation spot: Try for a different one every year...  I totally love Gatlinburg though!


W

- Weakness: Freeze dried green beans.  I don't like regular green beans, but I could eat a whole bag of these, band or not!
- When you grow up: Been there done that
- Which one of your friends acts the most like you: My BFF is Heather, funny I know Heather & Heather.  We also work together. 
- Wanted to be a model?:  Not in a million years


X

-X-Rays: occassionally


Y

-Year it is now: 2010

-Yellow: daisys



Z

- Zoo: If it isn't too hot

- Zodiac sign: Gemini

Thousand Word Thursday

I would have to say that my best feature has always been my eyes.  The speck of brown has always been mysterious.  Luckily two of my children have my eyes....

Thoughts of the day

I think that I am going to go with bullets today because that is just how my mind is moving today...

• Has any one else realized that they have to pluck the crazy wild thick hairs of the moustache and beard areas less often as they lose weight?  I used to have tweezers in my purse, desk at work (with a magnifying mirror there also),   and several at home just in case I felt a stray hair.  Most certainly it would drive me insane so I had to rid of it right away no matter where I was.  I have noticed recently that I am having to do that less often because I am just not finding these hairs.  Awesome NSV!
• Has anyone tried almond milk?  I am so in love with this stuff.  It doesn't taste or smell strange like soy milk.  It is thick and creamy and only 60 calories in an 8 ounce glass.  I have been using it to mix my protein shakes rather than milk (can't stand it with water.)  I have also been using it in my coffee. 
• I am also having protein shakes for breakfast.  I am really tight in the morning so I have just been doing a shake in the morning.  I came across a new kind of protein yesterday, Casein proteins.  Supposedly they take longer to digest and keep you satisfied longer.  It only has 120 calories per serving.  I ordered it yesterday and will see.  I hope that it is good!

My mind is just wandering today.  I hope that the day is better than yesterday.  I felt like it was a second Monday at work.  Heres to hoping for a wonderful hump day!