Look at the difference in the way your arms hang down straighter! Attagirl!

I just created a calorie counter. Now don't laugh. I wanted to count calories without looking them up or carrying a pen and paper. So I put a rubber band around my left pinkie finger. Each finger is worth 100 calories. Right now, I've eaten 400 calories for the day, so the rubber band is on my left pointer finger. I've had the band long enought to roughly know how many calories something has, and I round up or down to the nearest hundred. When the rubber band is on my right pinky, I'm finished for the day!

Your idea is great! I don't even count calories. I know I should and I use too, but at this point...I am not able to eat that much anyway.

Hey listen to this! I had a bone density test today, and also had one last year at this time. Last year, my spine and both hips were in the danger range. This year, both hips are in the green/safe range and my spine is in the caution area and almost the safe area. I haven't taken osteoporosis meds and haven't changed my calcium intake...all that's changed are my weight and doing weight bearing exercises! Thank you, oh magic lap band!

Betseyjane that is soooo great!!!! It is amazing how much extra weight can damage out limbs. My poor mother is now 76 and she is very obese and her knees have completely given out. She can hardly walk anymore. That is one of the reasons I decided to make sure I didn't get that way. No more yo yo weight up and down. Stretching my skin with the excess weight then loosing it and it sagging. I am just going to loose and then maintain FOREVER!!! YAHHHH BAND!!!!!!!

I am just wondering what kind of salads you guys have been able to eat. I am trying different ones and a dry ceasar is the only one so far that I can get down. Dressing on the side. Which ones do you guys like?
Thanks

It's funny. I've alwasy been able to eat salads! Dry or wet! I do find though that baby spinach in a salad is the easiest to chew up......and salad with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil on it makes it so hearty tasting, and well, anything goes down better with a slider!

By the way, congrats! You are close to your halfway mark! Woo hoo!

Hello everyone. Hope all are having a nice summer. My newest battle has been that of eating when I am not hungry. Why the heck does this happen and oh my is it easy to fall right back into old habits! Im really going to get back on track!

I know exactly what you mean Marni. I am at another platue and notice that I start eating chips a lot which is carbs and calories my body does not need. I just love the salt. I was eating soy chips for awhile but they are hard to find so if I get a soup at togo's it is hard not to get a bag of chips with it. Lots of willpower and arguing with myself to talk myself out of it. Boy is it hard. I want to drop 10 more pounds sooooo bad to get back into onederland and my body is just not cooperating. So it is off to get a fill next week and get back on track. I am going to get really tight this time and have to just concentrate on just nutrient items for me not craving snacking items........darn chips!!!!!!!
I hope everyone is doing well. Where is everyone?? It has been really quiet.

Marni--I totally understand...it is easy to fall into old habits even with everything we have been through, especially when the stress begins to rise!!! I just try to focus and take a moment to breathe before I pickup that bite of food...i know, easier said than done, but i try to remind myself everything i have gone through to get to this point.

Count our blessings! I had to pass this along. I'm still laughing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

Hey guys! It has been a while since I have posted--I hope everyone is doing well and had a good summer. I am stuck at a plateau, but I know it's my own fault. I am eating things i shouldn't be, and not exercising as much as I used to, but it has been a very stressful few weeks for me. My mom was in the hospital for almost 3 weeks, my son had mono(with a couple relapses), my daughter cut her leg open clear down to the bone and had to have 20 stitches. It's been crazy, and I've always been a stress eater, so.........I guess I should be happy that I haven't gained, but I just really want to get back on track and start losing again.
Betsyjane--that video is hilarious--she was on the Today show and got a chance to redeem herself, but boy was that funny!

Yeah, I saw her draw a blank when they asked her at what point she knew that what she was saying wasn't making any sense.

I've learned to be grateful for plateaus that just mean no weight loss, instead of meaning that I regain and more! Nice that the band just waits for us to getout act together again!

Just got back from las Vegas. I love buffets. Picking a bite of a bunch of different foods makes for a great meal.

I don't feel that way... Even though exercise as much a part of my daily routine as brushing my teeth. I do 5 miles Nordic walking every day, 7 days a week... I cannot break the plateau.

I am very focused on healthy diet, calories and nutrition.

For me it is a very hard work, which is a good thing, but I, personally, would like to see more rewards.

(Probably the beta-blocker is the culprit, because I really do everything I should do.)