My Hard Drive Died

RIP hard drive.  Thanks for your years of service.  Why oh why did you leave me in the lurch like this?  You have all my saved blogs and emails addy's and so much more.  Farewell dear friend....

Yep...it died on Thursday and I have been surviving on DH's laptop when he gets home but alas he goes to New Zealand tomorrow for the week.....and I just realised this afternoon that I will be WITHOUT  my blog and worst yet...all of yours.

Anyway he got me a new one yesterday and it is unreal but for some reason we can't get the internet on it yet (even though we are paying for it!!!!  Grrrrrrr)  Also on the spending front....we bought me a new car today!!!!

This is a sample photo of it.  A silver Toyota Camry.  I have had a Camry for the last 8 years and it has been a great car so we decided to go with it again.  Hubby has a new Pajero arriving in April so we don't need another big car and I can use his if I ever need a 7 seater.  How exciting ...I should have it by next weekend...drives like a dream.  I am not a huge car fan so this is great for me.

Lastly, we had to get another DVD as well....talk about a big spending weekend.  Ours keep dying but aren't they cheap at the moment?  I would also love to get a digital recorder for the TV...does anybody reccomend any??

Biggest Loser starts tonight and I just don't know if I have the energy to invest in another series....but will watch the first episode anyway.  Hope they stop mucking around with their food etc and actually tell us what they eat on a daily basis...that would be a nice change.

Please don't forget me....I will catch up with you all at the end of next week

GB xxx

On the move again...

Yes folks...that is right....the scales are going down!!!!  How exciting!!!!  And I can tell in myself that I feel slimmer.  So I am trying for this week Catherine and Dash's weighing them selves every day idea.  I thought about this and I realised that I have been weighing myself once a week and after one particular week of being good the scales showed a 1.2 kg gain but the next day it was gone.  I felt awful about that but can (I think) accept daily fluctuations.  Anyway...we will soon find out.

I tired Lap Band Girls Cheesy Pancakes today and they were yum.  I could barely finish one though...and there were 2.  Worth a try!!!!

We have had a nice morning here covering the girls books for school and having a quick swim.  We are off now to check out a new car for me....so here's hoping as I have had my car for 8 years and touch wood nothing has gone wrong so far. 

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday

GB xxx

Houston...we have restriction!!!!!

Well, after my 'I feel so sorry for myself' post, I woke up the next day and thought I would have a cup of tea and viola! full...a little later I had my vitamin with a sip of water and it felt like it was right there...if you know what I mean?  I was going to Deep Water Aqua Aerobics so I thought I had better eat something....so I made an egg with a little milk in the microwave and took 3 tiny bites...the size of a 5 cent piece and I was done.  Wow.

I am so proud of myself getting back into the exercise and forcing a new mental attitude when I feel so low like I did on Thursday.  I had 1 glass of wine instead of a bottle like I have gotten into a bad habit of last year...suffering through depression and no endorphins from exercise plus my mum's chemo...but that night I just dealt with it and the next day was a new day.

I loved the Deep aqua....nice to see old instructors and the weather was hot...what a day to be in the pool.  I am going to start off with a modest goal (remember BALANCE is my 2010 word) of this class 3 times a week to start off with.  After the class I went and got a massage for my hips and back which are a bit wonky after walking around in this boot at work etc....so I thought that was a nice treat....Hmmmmmmmmmmm.  I had less than 1/2 cup of apple puree after the class...done!!!  Amazing.

I then did the food shopping and was finally really hungry so I came home and made a stuffed mushroom with ham, avacado and cheese which I finished off with two spoons of yogurt.  That sounds alot but it was about the size of your palm and healthy.  I then did the ironing, had a swim, threw the ball to the dog and had a shower and picked the girls up from school.  We headed up the road to the shops and met some friends for an ice cream (them) and a skim cappaccino (me) and some more shopping.  Then Netball registration and home where I cooked some fish with pesto, broccoli and potatoes.  I ate about 1/2 a 100gm of fish, 3 bits of broccoli and a few slices of potato...it took a while and once again I was done for the night.  Great!!!

Now for the best part.....that was the most productive day I have had in ages....besides work.  Life off the crutches is rocking and it will only get better.

This morning my legs are a little sore which is a good sign isn't it???  Means I worked hard.  However the hunger is a little stronger.  For breakfast I had some homemade spinach slice which has 20gm of protein, about 2 hours later I had 1/2 a small banana and now about 2 hours later I have made a tuna, corn and rocket wrap on mountain bread and after 3 bites it is going down ok....could my restriction already be gone????  I do however feel slimmer today yay and the scales show a movement of around .8 kg...yippee.  Will not weight myself until next week now...naughty girl!!!

I will finish shortly, but I want to share with you one of the best little mags I have seen in a while...so great infact that I subscribed right away and even ordered some back issues....it is Healthy Food Guide.

Ignore the 'Lose Weight' headline....their advice is sensible

This mag has so much info on Nutrition, Health Issues and Exercise and it up to date on allergies etc.  The recipes are great and provide all the cals, protein and fat info that you need.  I love it!!!  Check out the website too... Healthy Food Guide

Finally, thanks for all your support for my last post.  I really appreciate it.  I may well start looking for another fill Dr.  Will see how I feel after the next appointment where I see the dietician too.

Thanks again

GB xxx

My First Fill

Well my first fill was actually a non event.  I managed to go earlier than expected but that was the good part.  I accidentally went to Tafe today and we don't actually start for another 2 weeks.  So I had a coffee with another girl who turned up with me and then DH (who was working from home) and I went to see Avatar....what a fantastic movie.  How do they come up with that stuff????  Unreal banana peel!!!!

Anyway after the movies I drove the hour plus to see the DR.  Got to see the sidekick I suppose now that I have been operated on I won't see the main surgeon and this kind of sums up my feeling with the clinic I have chosen.  The Dr went through how I had been going and it all seemed fine but I just can't help shaking the feeling that I am just a number.   As the fill went...no big deal.  No sting and 1.5ml in (no idea in cc's sorry).

I then went out to make the appointment for the next month and of course they really have no spots that suit me.  I need to see the dietician this visit and they suggested I see her and come back another time for the DR.  I said no way...at a two hour plus trip no with traffic ...I don't think so.  So all the times basically suck and they only do 2 half days consulting a week.  Just adding to my bad omen feeling is that now that they have the money perhaps they don't care???? 

If I am honest I had some reservations about this at the initial visit but was so keen to get in before Christmas that I just went with it.  I also wanted to go to a hospital far away as my mother was a RN in  hospital theatres in our area and I didn't want to end up with a friend or acquaintance of hers running in to me as I have keep this from my family.  I suppose I didn't really think through the follow up bit in terms of driving time.  Hey I suppose I am closer than Gen or Debi but I hope your support is worth the travel....doubting mine.

I mean in Australia we are so lucky that we don't have to go through all the rigmarol that you guys in the States/ Canada have to but then we pay around $5000 out of pocket if we have health insurance more if we don't.  So for that I get the operation, all follow up visits with the Dr's, dietican and psycholigist(sp) and no further fee's etc but how now that I have the band how that helpful if I can't get decent appointments and support.  I mean they couldn't get me in a month so my next appointment is 5 weeks.

I just feel that this isn't working for me.  I am not losing, I am not eating much but I am getting back into the wine at night.  After the operation I just thought it was a dream come true but no so much now.   So sorry for the whinge....maybe I need a good cry....or it could be coming up to that time of the month???  If it really gets me down I will just go somewhere else closer and pay for the fills.  Will see what happens

Anyway....thought I would go for a swim or deep water aerobics tomorrow now my foot is not hurting so much.  My kids had a great first day and I hope all others going back to school were well settled and happy.  Have been searching the recipe books for a meal tomorrow night so trying to get motivated.

If you bother to read my blog...thanks for listening

Till then ...GB xxx

Happy Australia Day

Well yesterday was Australia Day and I thought I would stop being so shy about who I am and start posting some pics of my beautiful family.

This is my gorgeous 10 year old.  We had to buy the cosies especially for the day.  My sister and her family came over and my dad too.  My mum was in Melbourne watching the tennis.  We spent the day by our pool and having the good old Aussie BBQ.

I took a photo of myself the day before and have decided that I look no different and I am stuck at the moment.  Some days I have great hunger and otherdays like today it is a struggle to eat at all.  I started a salad with Tuna today and it just felt like it wasn't going down right so I just ate the tuna and then a small pkt of nuts I had.  Luckily I had the nuts because I was at work and starving...even though the salad wasn't quite right...weird

Tonight I could only get down the pork strips and a few tiny bits of salad.  I feel super frustrated and just want to get this weight loss moving.  Is this normal??  I have my Dr's appointment so I suppose it couldn't have come at a better time.  Restricted and not....blah

The kids are back at school tomorrow and I am back at Tafe (college).  I have loved the time with the kids and will miss them.   I sort of dread all the sports starting up again but then I love the routine for the kids. 

It will  be full on again so soon with dancing and swimming starting next week and then the soccer and netball registrations and then of course the training and grading etc.

This is my other gorgeous girl who is seven.  Look at all that zinc ....so Australian...and a bugger to get off....anything!!!

This is DH....I made sure it was a shot with his clothes on so you wouldn't all be super jealous!!!! 

These little blondies are my sisters kids.  The girls all had a ball using the surfboard all day!!

Here is our dog Oscar who we rescued last April.  He just loves his ball and will bring it to us while we are in the pool so we throw it to him.  He is such a good boy and has been so great to me while I have been injured.  He has changed my life in so many ways and we all adore him.

Finally...look at these beef patties (burgers) that we cooked for  the kids...in the shape of Australia...how cool

Food wise I was quite food until the homemade ice cream came out....and I drank too much.  It was such a lovely day....just casual and a perfect end to the holidays. 

Well that's it from me.....GB xxx

Is it possible?

I am sick of eating....yes you heard it here.  Am I sick???...in the head maybe.  But the things I want to eat are not going down well and it is HARD trying to think of nutritious foods that cover all the criteria.  This may explain why I didn't eat the best on the weekend.  I wasn't awful but I had a few things I shouldn't have....like a bowl of nuts for dinner on Sat night.  I wanted the chicken kebabs but they stick weirdly in my chest.  I also had ice cream after dinner last night.

The girls made dinner last night....we had nachos with beans and for dessert there was ice cream cookie sandwiches.  We had a lovely weekend...productive and relaxing.  We spent Saturday by the pool and a girlfriend came over with her daughter.  I had a chicken and avacado wrap for lunch...chew chew chew...and no fill yet either.  Then we mucked around with the kids in the pool and on the Wii.

Yesterday we were at home again.  Although DH took the girls up the shops to get their school shoes and I stayed at home to get off my foot.  I then did some ironing and sorted out my recipes into a new Recipe Folder I got from Kikki K.  I love that store.  It looks like this and has all different sections.  I have just started by going through all my recipe mags and just pulling out the ones I think I will make or have made and put them in.  I also cut up some old WW recipe books (have I told you all I used to be a Leader???  So I have heaps of them. ) I think they are great recipes and ok on the waist line too.  I won't cut them all up just the books that were not that good.

I seem to love buying recipe mags....but sometimes I don't even cook anything out of them.  I like to get ideas or sometimes I wouldn't make the recipe because I felt it was too high in fat or carbs or something but I want to now eat a little of everything and get out of that diet mentality.  (when I am back into food again....lol).

Today the girls and I are off to my girlfriends place for a Mothers Group lunch and swim.  We have been friends for around 8-10 yrs and although the kids all go to different schools now we still try and catch up.  Every year we have a Santa Photo too with all the kids and the mums too.....it always gets a crowd around us as people stop to watch.  It is amazing how the kids have grown and changed.  We will take Oscar (our dog) and he can play with Roxy - my friends dog.  They are so funny chasing their balls all day and Oscar actually gets in the pool after a while for a rest and so Roxy won't take his ball....hilarious.

Finally I am going to do a shameless call out for Followers....just like Gen did in her early days.  So if you are out there reading my Blog please pop in and say Hi.  I love comments and also let me know if you have a blog too and what stage of the band you are at.

Later....GB xxx

Thank You

A sincere thanks to all of you who responded to my last post.  I am very hungry today but got stuck on a pancake this morning (a rare breaky treat) so then I was starving by 11.30 and had a chicken wrap from Subway which I could eat all of.  I have also had some strawberries and yogurt later in the afternoon and later again10 rice crackers with eggplant dip.  So that is more than I usually need...maybe I am in Hell.  The great thing is the hunger is not as intense.  Before the band I would get moody and irritable when I was hungry...now my stomach just gurgles and grumbles.  It also makes funny sounds after I eat or drink.   Is this usual???

I also can't believe that 21 of you are interested in my little journey but i so appreciate your support.  I have managed to get around a few blogs now so I am starting to feel in the loop again and can see that many of you are stuck on the scales like me.  At least we have each other.

I think I will get the fill next week...so that will be a new experience for me too.

Finally, I went to the Dr today and he said I can toss the crutches now.....yippee.  In 3 weeks I can start trying to wear normal shoes again with my orthotics on and off with the boot and in about 2 months I MAY be able to start a walking program.  It will be a full year though until I am back to my regular activites though.  But no crutches is fantastic and I feel like just prehaps my life is coming back to me.....8kg down and no crutches.  I still have the boot but hey....did you hear me......NO CRUTCHES!!!! 4 1/2 months was a long time to be a cripple and so now I am only a half cripple.  Yay

Oh and a quick "where are you?" to Emma.  I want to hear about your night out with Cara and to tell you that we had a West Highland Terrier in at work and I kept calling him Westie!!!  He was so stubborn and wouldn't come back in after his wee walk so he just rolled on his back and wouldn't walk.  It was hilarious.  Is Westie stubborn?

Till next time GBxxx

I didn't let the scales get me down...but I am still frustrated...

and this is what I would like to do to my scales!!!! (if you can damn well see it!!!!  How the hell do I find decent pictures on the net and upload them like you all do!!!! And at a decent size??? Help!)  So I digressed.

This week I have been so good...back at work and eating my 4 small meals based on protein and vegies and a tiny bit of carbs and then I get on the scales yesterday and I weigh 1.2kg more.  To say I was dismayed would be being very polite!!!  Farkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!! So I took my measurements and sure enough they were down.  So I knew the scales were lying......lying, lying, lying.  Bastards.

This morning I am back to where I was....see they are LIARS!!! But I have lost no more.  I seem to be stuck....BLAH!!!  I would have thought that my alcohol free days would have got them moving again but then I thought maybe I am eating too few calories???  I might track my calories today and see what they are.

Any other ideas???  Am I in Bandster Hell without the eating???  If I get a fill will I get even more stuck??  I can guzzle water no problemo......Please help....

And finally I am busy with the kids (school hols and picking them up from my great friends after work) and then work itself but I really miss your blogs and plan to do a 'read around' tonight.  So please don't forget me.....and if you read my blog please leave a comment....I love comments and really need some advice right now.

See you all soon

GB xxx

Hooray Hooray Hooray

Well happy days here....just tried in my work uniform and it fits and is COMFORTABLE!!!  What a thrill.  It is not hanging off my but considering when I was last at work - 5 weeks ago I couldn't do up my pants and the top was so tight across my back...it is such a relief.  And a first after the holidays too.

Have a great day

GB xxx

Busy Weekend.

My aunt and her best friend were up for the weekend to mind my sister's kids while her husband and her had a nice weekend away.  He is in the Special Forces with the army and has just recently returned from overseas.  I love my aunt and she is only 11 years older than me and lives in Melbourne.  So we had a social weekend where I drank way too much but other that that coped very well food wise.

I am waking up hungrier in the morning but can still get stuck easily so I am not sure what Dr Taylor will say next Thursday when I meet with him for a visit and maybe a fill??  I can drink quite alot again and have heaps of cuppa teas today so maybe I do need a fill...who knows.  I am certainly not in Bandster Hell but who knows???  Maybe I am getting there????

My aunty made a really great suggestion for Christmas next year that we do a family holiday together.  There is a long story behind this but I will give the abridged version.  My mother had breast cancer 20 years ago and was cancer free for 17 years when it came back in the bones and lungs 3 years ago.  Well after chemo for about a year she is stable again now but we do really value all the time we can get together when we can as it won't be going away.  So my aunty read this great article about a family of 16 who went on a cruise together to celebrate a family member's birthday.  They could do whatever they liked in the day but always met up at dinner.

So we thought this would be a great idea to do and after lots of talking we may be going on a cruise the week before Christmas this year.  All the family is talking about it and we will decide next week and possibly book it then.  This would be great as the kids have always wanted to do a cruise and I have heard that the more who go the merrier but we would still be able to have our space if needed.  And guess what?????  I will be thinner than I am now...well well well on my way to goal!!!  How exciting to be planning a holiday where I can where the clothes I want and not be hassled about it before hand.

I am loving the band. I don't think about food that much anymore except to plan on what I can eat to get the best lot of nutrients in for the day....protein, vegies etc....  I am not feeling that much lighter this week but have been social with the drinking so will stop that now.  On another point about the band I am not dieting anymore.  I am letting myself choose healthy options and if I feel like something then I can have just a little (shame I never stop at one wine...need to work on that!!!)  So all is great.

Back at work tomorrow so this will be crunch time with my foot.  I have a follow up Dr's appointment this Friday after 3 days on my feet ....I am hoping that my foot is ok after those 3 days and I may get out of this damn boot and off crutches and that will mean I am closer to getting back to exercise again.  Send good thoughts out to the universe for me please.  If I don't I will seriously look at swimming (not my favourite exercise ) or getting a PT to work with me on weights or something....anything will be better than nothing I suppose.

Have made a very yummy looking vegie quiches thing with vermicelli noodles in it and loads of different vegies.  So I will let you know how it goes.  Foodwise today I had a small bowl of meusli for breakfast, a tuna mix with celery and mayonaise in a mountain bread for lunch and for afternoon teas I had some strawberries and yogurt.  Tea will be this slice thingy which has the egg and cheese for protein.  So seems I am still just having the 4 small meals a day.

Well I hope everyone is going well with their own journeys....

Till next time...GB xxx

I don't understand???

I know I just finsihed that marathon post but how after just being stuck on a tiny piece of chicken can mt tummy be grumbling and gurgling again and I am HUNGRY????

Just had a half a cup of yogurt as I truly haven't eaten much today but what the?????

Also for you USA ladies....what are grits???

Restriction and NSV's...

Well as I sit here typing this I realise that I am kinda stuck on some chicken.  We had a BBQ last night with friends and I was starving today when we got home so ate the skewer on the hop so to speak...last bit obviously wasn't chewed well enough.  And here it sits....

So this brings me to the topic of restriction....I think I have some!!!  Yesterday morning I made up two eggs and only ate 1/2 because I felt it was getting a little uncomfortable.  That was around 10.30 am and then I had some vegies and tuna at 2pm, a kiwi fruit at 5pm and then a few bickies at around 6.30pm with a piece of cheese and then dinner, one skewer some salad and a tiny bit of potato bake....so I seem to be staying full too.

Today I had some porridge for breakfast and then we went to the movies and I had about 1/2 cup of popcorn because my tummy was gurgling.  (We took the girls and a friend to see Alvin and the Chipmunks - the Squeakual).  Of course after that I felt like lunch but no one else did because they chowed down in the movies...so I decided it would take to long to sit and eat....(Did I really say that????)  so I got a skim cappacino to fill the gap.  Funny, even though I was gurgling I wasn't 'fall and over die type' hungry like I would of been in the past...so that's a good thing too.  Anyway my aunty and her best friend are up from Melbourne to mind my sister's girls so we dropped in there for a cuppa tea and I had a banana and then the skewer when I got home.  (By the way I feel like it is passing and totally agree with Amy W that becoming unblocked feels like doing a great big POO...so sorry but true!!!  And what a relief too - he he he)

So do you think it seems like I do still have some restriction???

Now for a major NSV for me yesterday. My DH has a stressful job and decided to go back to work for two days this week as the absolute huge, massive, really high up bosses are visiting from Europe next week and he wanted to make sure he was a little bit caught up on stuff before they arrive.  Anyway he has been working hard and then at home has had to take up some of the slack here due to my bloody foot....anyway yesterday he was a little stressed out and we had a few words ....so off I go crying...because I am a girl and I can...but at no stage did I think of turning to food.  He was even a bit critical of me because the night before last I had a tiny packet of rice sticks cheese flavoured and he said to me that he didn't think I had changed my eating habits much since the operation.  Well of course this hurt...because of course I have.  How can you lose 8kg and not have changed some stuff????  You should of seen what I could have packed away before hand. And I have cut down heaps on my drinking and I basically don't even snack anymore.  So I said to myself....STUFF IT....no matter what he thinks I know I am doing well.  Usually I would fall in a heap and have a binge for a few days...eating my emotions!!!!  So of course I know he didn't mean it and this morning I even got a cup of tea in bed and a huge sorry cuddle.

My other NSV is that some size 18 pants that I am wearing today can be pulled up and down without using the zipper.  They are nice capri pants from Suzanne Grae and I have a pair in black too...both only worn about 3 times each so as I will be out of them soon let me know if you would like them and when I am done I can pass them on....I am not sure what size US they would be....perhaps someone can help me there???

Finally (and yes then this long long post will be over)....how do you manage to get in enough of the right foods when you are eating so little???  I am aiming to get enough protein and then fruit and vegies but it is hard when I am eating so little.  Any advice welcome...

I am now going to try to catch up on a few blogs....take care GBxxx

8 Kilos Down...

Yes...I did it again.....but I had a good reason.  Back to that in a sec.  Today I am officially 8 kg down (17.6 lbs) so yippee for me!!!!  I weighed myself today only because Wednesday is to be my official weigh in day.  I told you it was a good reason....

I had a really lovely day with my BF yesterday...just relaxing with the kids by the pool.  We had a nice lunch of lentil slad, cold meats and rolls but I was too nervous to try the roll so skipped it. We also enjoyed some champagne over the afternoon...yummo!!!  We took our dog Oscar over for a play with their dog  Roxy and let me tell you he was exhausted when we got home.  Isn't it great to have a friend or friends that you are just totally yourself with????  So easy and relaxing.  I filled her in on the band and she thought I was eating a lot slower and a lot less.  Later on in the afternoon (we were there for 6.5 hrs!!!) we had a snack of watermelon, crackers, homous, sundried tomatoes and carrot.  I didn't have the melon as I wanted to get in some more vegies and protein.

For dinner last night I just had the left overs of the creamy chicken casserole.  So again just the 4 small meals.  I don't think I am in bandster hell yet as I am eating less that before and staying full for a few hours.  Today I had a piece of well cooked toast with a scraping of peanut butter (love love love this and can eat it from the jar!!!) and some pureed vegies.  Lunch was some more vegies and tuna and tonight I have cooked chicken with a creamy tomato sauce which has heaps of mushrooms in it.  I got that from a cook book recommended on Roo's blog.  I will have to post a picture later as it looks great....thanks Roo.  Oh and speaking of Roo it appears that when she actually lives in Sydney we are not very far from eachother!!!  Small small world.

Now I have noticed on many of your blogs that you are choosing a word that represents your weight loss journey and for me it was so easy and the word BALANCE  won hands down.  I am a very all or nothing person in my life...I am exercising all the time or dieting really strictly and then when I blow it, I go so far the other way and am soooooo bad that you would not believe it.  Same with a glass of wine or reading a book....can't seem to have just one wine or read a few pages...I go all out.  So for me this journey is about balance.  Having just one treat or one glass of wine.  Enjoying all foods including carbs, exercising (when I am off these crutches) and if I miss a day that is ok too.  So last night in the spirit of the new year I enjoyed one glas of wine and you know what...it was ok!!  One for me...high five.(Except on readin this post back I forgot that I had champagne in the arvo!!!!  Hey still balanced....a variety of wines.....he he he)

Well that's about it for today except to say...Where do you all get your grovvy pictures from????  And Dinnerland....your blog won't let me come and play....it says I am not your friend???  Boo Hoo...LOL

I am off to another friends to catch up now....and go for a swim...still very hot here.  We do have a pool but it is still a little green after our holidays.  I am also trying to be more social again this year as I really locked myself away last year due to my weight, injuries and depression.....

Hope you are all well

GBxxx

Thanks...

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who posted comments in the short time I have been blogging.  It was great to wake up this morning and hear from you and I really appreciate your comments on my photos....it was a really hard thing to put up and your support is MOST appreciated.  When do we stop hating ourselves????

Well naughty me....I weighed myself this morning...and YIPPEE... am down another .6 kg (1.32 lbs)!!!!!  I really need to stop having a wine every night now that I am back from holidays and this is a big weakness of mine. 

I am back on solids as of yesterday and really enjoyed my creamy chicken casserole last night...had about 3/4 cup ...and chewed and ate slowly and no problems....and was full although later in the evening I had 3 crackers with cheese.  I do find I am not so hungry in the morning but later at night I am.  Although when I look back at what I ate yesterday it was a far cry from pre-banding days.  I do notice a few old habits slipping in though and must work harder on those.

Today I am off to my friends place.  She is the only one besides hubby who knows that I am banded so it will be great to talk to her about it and not worry about eating with other people who do not know.  It is going to be around 35 degrees today so after a month of no swimming on Dr's advice I think I might do the big cosie reveal and take a dip.

Oh and by the way...those photos are of when we were on holidays...we are back now.  :(

Thanks again 
GB xxx

One Month Banded...

Well today is my one month Bandversary and my total weight loss to date is 7.2kg (15.84 lbs) and yes I am a little disappointed with this as I don't really seem to have moved much in the last few weeks....but at least I weighed myself!!!

So I thought I would list the changes I have experienced in this last month to remind myself how far I have come...

• I have lost 7.2kg very easily and with no exercise since I am still on crutches. 
• I look less bloated and feel tons better
• I am not so obsessed with food
• I lost 1 kg (2.2lbs) on holidays whilst still enjoying wine almost every night, some chocolate and a few other treats
• I fill up very easily now
• My size 18 shorts are very loose and I have gone in 2 notches on my bra
• I have lost 23 cms

So I guess I am on my way...

These are my photos - left is the day of surgery and right is this morning....I can see a little bit of difference

Sorry about the gross undie shots but I figure I won't look like that again....still can't believe that I have posted these for you all to see!!

Well I must admit that these shots make me feel quite down about how I actually look and how far I have let myself go but I am really focusing on the positives.....well who am I kidding???...I AM TRYING THOUGH!!!

I think I am a little down after coming back from our holidays and being back in the same old groove.  I have had my foot problem for a year now first it started as Plantar Fascitis but then my Faschia got torn and I have been on crutches and in a boot for over 4 months now.  Before this I was an exercise junky and I soooooo miss those endorphins.  I have been a bit depressed (Ok a lot) too.

On the food side I am going well today.  Have only had my vegies and tuna and that lasted for about 3.5 hours and I just had 4 strawberries and some yogurt....absolute heaven as I have missed my fruit (don't love it pureed).  Tonight I am going to make a Chicken and vegie casserole...yum

Here is a shot of the view from our holiday house....to make all of you currently having Winter and Snow jealous....LOL

Take care GBxxx

Back from the Coast....

but I have to admit that I am too scared to weigh myself.  I thought I felt alot thinner but no one has noticed and DH says he hasn't noticed except for my face.  Then when we were away I caught sight of myself in a window and thought I couldn't really see any difference...so that is why I am scared to weight myself because I don't think I could stand the dissappointment if the scales had not moved.

I have been hungrier too....I am at nearly 4 weeks post op and sometimes I can surprise myself at how hungry I feel.  But I seem to be getting stuck all the time as I venture closer to eating real foods again.  It was difficult whilst we were away to always have pureed food and sometimes I had a little chicken peice or a prawn and it got stuck...ouch.  The burning pain and the feeling of wanting to vomit.....I could not stay at the table and just sit there so off I would go to the toilet and stay there until something changed.

As I am supposed to go onto normal food I am really worried about being stuck all the time.....ANY ADVICE PLEASE????  But if I get stuck...why am I HUNGRY???   I do stay full though for 2-3 hours after eating though.

These are the types of things I have been eating....

Breakfast:  Baked beans, porridge or egg  (egg felt stuck once)
Lunch:  Mashed vegies and tuna or salmon, soup
Snack:  Yogurt or pureed fruit  (not a fan of pureed fruit)
Dinner:  Rissotto, soft pasta, soup, kidney beans and veg, fried soft rice, etc

Most times on holidays I had some wine and one night I had a bit (ok 2-3 lines) of chocolate because i was starving after getting stuck all day.  What I don't understand is that I am eating heaps less so why wouldn't I be losing heaps of weight????  I also drink heaps of water.

I suppose I should get brave and just weigh myself......I will take some pictures of myself tomorrow as it is my one month Bandaversary......

I can see my bikini line ...

and some stretch marks....so good with the bad.   I haven't seen the bottom of my stomach for ages so was a little surprised by the stretch marks but then I was my biggest weight ever.

Anyway.....Greetings from the South Coast of New South Wales in Australia where I am holidaying with family and friends in a gorgeous house on the beach.  Happy New Year and I hope your holidays were happy and healthy.

I am now about 3 and a bit weeks banded and love it already. Although I have indulged in a few treats such as wine and choccie I have been amzaed how much I don't really worry about missing out on food especially now that I am on mushies.  I have pushed the limits at times and have been stuck a few times on fish and once vegies (early in the mushed stage) and also the last few days I felt tighter and then remembered that a lot of you have commented that you feel like this around that TTOM.  I even turned down an icecream last night and again today.

I have quite a few NSV's to report as well.....I can pull down my size 18 shorts now without undoing them.  I have tighetened the notch on my bra twice!!!  DH says my face looks thinner and my stomach doesn't look so bloated (read pregnant!!!)  And a top that was tight is now fitting nicely.  So it will be great to get home and have a better look at myself and to see what the scales say.  I have been trying to catch up on blogs today but am on DH's laptop so can't leave comments under my original name so I am the Anonymous GB commenter.

I can't wait to see some real progress once life gets back to normal....your journey's are so inspiring.

Well back to relaxing and chilling out.....