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.....