Hungry Girl Chicken Parm

	Juicy-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside chicken breast complete with melt-y cheese and warm tomato sauce?!? Now that's the kind of meal we'd gladly sink our teeth into on a daily basis if it weren't so notoriously high in fat and calories! Fortunately for everyone, HG's tackled the task of whipping up a crazy-good guilt-free version of this classic chicken dish. And there's been a line of hungry neighbors outside the HG kitchen ever since… Ingredients: 5 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast (raw) 1/3 cup Fiber One cereal 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original** 3/4 tsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese 1 oz. (approx. 1/4 cup) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese 1/3 cup canned tomato sauce Optional: garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add parmesan to crumbs (if desired, season crumbs with optional spices, as well). Place crumbs in one small dish and Egg Beaters in another. Next, pound your chicken so it's a bit flattened. Coat raw chicken on both sides with Egg Beaters, and then coat with crumb mixture. Place chicken on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray a light mist of nonstick spray on top of chicken and place in oven. Cook for 10 minutes, and then turn chicken over. Add another light mist of nonstick spray and cook for an additional 10 - 12 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked and coating looks crispy). Meanwhile, if desired, mix tomato sauce with your seasonings of choice. Remove chicken from oven, top with sauce and then cheese, and return chicken to oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Serves 1.
	Serving Size: 1 chicken breast (entire recipe) Calories: 295 Fat: 3.5g Sodium: 890mg Carbs: 27g Fiber: 11g Sugars: 3.5g Protein: 46.5g *5 Points

Hungry Girl Bacon / Cheese Sandwich

I wish that turkey bacon came in that pre-cooked kind. If anyone out there has seen it, please let me know!

(Hungry-Girl.com)

	Hey, Steak 'n Shake -- keep your fatty, greasy, ridiculously high-calorie bacon and cheese melts to yourself! HG's got one that uses slimmed-down ingredients and tastes almost as good as the real thing. Yeah, it really does. Try it. Ingredients: 2 slices Wonder Light White Bread (or another light bread**) 2 strips Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon 2 slices Kraft Free Singles, American (or another fat-free American cheese**) 20 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Spray Directions: In a skillet sprayed with no-cal cooking spray, cook bacon strips on medium heat until crispy and fully cooked (about 5 minutes). Evenly spritz butter spray on 1 side of each slice of bread, using 10 sprays per slice. Top the unsprayed side of 1 slice of bread with a slice of cheese. Place cooked bacon strips on top of cheese, and cover with second slice of cheese. Next, top with the other bread slice (with the buttered side facing up). Place sandwich in a skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cook over low to medium heat until bread is brown and toasty and cheese is nice and melty (about 1 – 2 minutes per side). Use a spatula to press down on sandwich while it cooks. Slice sandwich down the middle, diagonally, or just bite right into it!
	Serving Size: 1 sandwich Calories: 195 Fat: 3g Sodium: 850mg Carbs: 23g Fiber: 5g Sugars: 3g Protein: 18g *3 Points

Hungry Girl Jalapeno Poppers

Yes, I am checking all the back articles on Hungry-Girl.com. I have to make this one for football season!

	HG loves a challenge, and coming up with a rockin' swap for this cheesy fried finger food was slightly tricky. Luckily, our favorite fiber-packed cereal saved the day (as usual). BTW, if you've never tried fake-frying by baking items covered in low-calorie cereal crumbs, DO IT NOW!!! (Sorry, got carried away there.) HG Tip: Bake up a batch (or two - they'll go fast!) this Super Bowl Sunday, and you and your poppers will be the life of the party. Touchdown, HG! Ingredients: 5 whole, fresh jalapenos 1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original Optional: salt, pepper and/or garlic powder Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve the jalapenos lengthwise, and remove the seeds, stems, and membranes (HG Heads Up: Be VERY careful when handling jalapenos; wash hands frequently and well, and avoid touching your face and eyes). Wash halves and dry them very well; set aside. Next, stir to combine cream cheese and cheese shreds. If desired, season cheese mixture with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder. Using a blender, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. If you like, season crumbs with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder. Place crumbs in one small dish and Egg Beaters in another. Stuff each pepper half with cheese mixture. Next, carefully coat both sides of each pepper half with Egg Beaters, and then with Fiber One crumbs. Place peppers on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray, and place in oven. Cook for 25 minutes (for very spicy poppers) to 30 minutes (medium-hot poppers). Makes 10 poppers.
	Serving Size: 5 poppers Calories: 124 Fat: 1g Sodium: 500mg Carbs: 23g Fiber: 8g Sugars: 5g Protein: 13g *2 Points!

Hungry Girl Brownie Recipe

And check this one out! Love the Hungry Girls!

	Fudge...UNPUDGED!
	Hungry Girl has done it again. Armed with nothing but pumpkin, some brownie mix and a VERY lowfat PB, she’s whipped up a version of chocolate peanut butter fudge that's so low in calories and fat, it'll make you cry tears of joy. Here's the secret recipe... Ingredients: 2 cups canned pure pumpkin 1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies Mix (the 18.3-oz. Family Size box) 2 tbsp. Better ‘n Peanut Butter, room temperature Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin with the brownie mix in a large bowl; stir until smooth (do not add anything else). Spray a small baking pan (8" X 8" work best - no larger!) with nonstick cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Spoon 2 tbsp. of Better ‘n Peanut Butter (room temperature) on top and use a knife to swirl peanut butter around. Cook for approximately 35 minutes. The batter will remain very thick and fudgy, and it should look undercooked. Remove from oven. Cover with aluminum foil and let cool in fridge for a couple of hours. Cut into 36 squares and serve.
	Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1.3 oz.) Calories: 63 Fat: 1g Sodium: 56mg Carbs: 13.5g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 9g Protein: 1g * 1 Point!

Hungry Girl Scone Recipe

I have to try this one. Got it from Hungry-girl.com. Check the site out...

	Let's Get Sconed
	There are few things more satisfying than a doughy, warm pastry exploding with sweet blueberries. So it's too bad a typical scone recipe reads like a Who’s Who’s of Fattytown -- heavy cream, butter, eggs, sugar, buttermilk…Eeeks! But don’t worry, these scary ingredients are not carved in, er, scone. With a few sassy swaps like a low-fat baking mix and light vanilla soymilk, we've created a magical scone-y masterpiece that you can actually feel good about eating for breakfast...or anytime. Weeeee! Ingredients: 2/3 cup uncooked oatmeal (not instant) 1/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tsp. Smart Balance 37% Light Buttery Spread 1/3 cup light vanilla soymilk 3/4 cup blueberries Directions: Set oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Fold in berries. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and form 4 mounds of batter on sheet (leave room in between 'em -- they expand!). Bake for 10 minutes. Makes 4 large scones.
	Serving Size: 1 scone Calories: 130 Fat: 3g Sodium: 195mg Carbs: 24g Fiber: 2.25g Sugars: 7g Protein: 3.5g * 2 Points

Weekly Exercise Summary - Sept 8

Just in case I want to look back...

• Mon - 50 mins
• Tues - 50 mins
• Wed - 60 mins
• Thurs - 45 mins
• Fri - 50 mins
• Sat - 45 mins
• Sun - REST

I posted that I switched weigh in days from Tuesday to Monday (Tuesdays being evil and all). I plan to weigh in tomorrow, but if I am the same weight - or YIKES, more - I will stick with evil Tuesday. Is that cheating? Maybe, but that's what I'm doing. Deal with it. ;-P

Groveling and Other Things

So, I have groveled repeatedly as I should. I think things are OK, but the reality is I can be a bitch. And, it probably happens more frequently than people would like. I have said that I will try to control the bitchiness, but that it will not be 100%. We must be realistic people!

As I said in the previous post, I had cooked. I made this Weight Watchers Chicken Cacciatore recipe. (Not sure if I have put it out here yet.) As usual, I altered the recipe, but I have to tell you it is pretty dang good! The peppery-ness had somehow kinda calmed down since yesterday, but still has some zing to it. I don't count Weight Watcher points as much as I just like the quick easy recipes. The amount of food a bandster can eat addresses the points all on its own.

I have started eating the Quaker Oats Weight Control instant oatmeal for breakfast. Why? Check out these stats:

• 6 grams of Fiber
• 7 grams of Protein
• 2 servings of Whole Grains
• No Added Sugar

I highly recommend it. It's not as yummy-licious as the regular maple brown sugar. Probably cause it is better for you! (HA) But I ind it to be filling and satisfying while getting in fiber and whole grains which is sometimes kinda challenging.

I have done a whole lotta nothing today. The only accomplishments of the day: posting, groveling, and going to the grocery store. Yes, I know kinda pathetic that I included the posting and groveling. Well, it is Sunday after all people!

I Suck...

Yesterday I was very productive. I cleaned the house (and I mean clean), laundry, and made some food for the week. I accidentally forgot about cooking 101. When you are measuring out seasonings, don't do it over the dish itself. Well, I did it and with pepper! Um, tad bit more in there than I wanted. I tried it yesterday and not sure how it will be as big surprise - it was peppery. Tried it again today and it was a bit better. I'll see when I actually try to eat some. I also made it to the gym for a 45 min workout. Today I may or may not go to the gym. It is officially rest day, so will see how it goes.

While there was a lot of productivity, I sucked last night. No way to sugar coat it than to say I was a bitch. I was out with the guy I'm seeing (referred to now as 'Nice Guy') and also some friends. Drinking, watching football, and generally having a good time. Then the Nice Guy said something that rubbed me the wrong way and I handled it poorly. I reacted and it was not nice and made the Nice Guy mad. He had every right to be and needless to say the evening went downhill. Don't you just love the silent treatment? Sigh - anyway, bottom line. I suck. I was wrong. I am starting to wonder if I am sabotaging? Why? Cause he is a 'Nice Guy'. I'll have to think on that more, but in the meantime will have to continue groveling.

I <3 My iPod Shuffle

I realized how much when it ran out of battery at the gym this morning. *Sigh* It really is amazing how long it lasts before it dies. Almost too much, cause I forget to recharge it. I am a recently (within the past year) convert to Apple. I also have a MacBook which I love as well. The only thing I don't like so much is iTunes. Don't get me wrong, it is a great service and all of that, but I don't like all the digital rights management. I want to be able to burn a CD of music more than 5 times - not for other people - but here's what happens. I make them. Put them in the car. Then bring them in. (You get the idea.) And I am constantly misplacing them. Hey Apple - do the right thing! Let me make as many copies as I want. It's good for the economy as I have to buy a zillion CDs.

Ike is coming through tomorrow. Kinda sounds like I have a friend stopping by??? Should only be heavy rain and wind for me, but I swear the rain picks up and the stupid electricity goes out. We can use the rain (especially my lawn!), so I'll rent some movies in case the electricity stays on and have a good book on hand as well. Does a hurricane warrant a day off from the gym? Sounds good, but I'm inland - so not a good excuse. That doesn't mean I won't be using it though! I did gym it this morning - 50 mins. (Yeah me!)

Faux-Fried Green Beans and DIP! - 2 WW pts

The Hungry Girls have OUTDONE themselves on this remake...

	Been craving those CRAZY fried green beans from T.G.I. Friday's? WAIT. Before you order, check out our HG-ized version... Ingredients: For Dip 3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 2 tbsp. peeled and chopped cucumber 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. dry ranch dressing/dip mix 1/4 tsp. wasabi paste dash cayenne pepper For Green Beans 2 cups (8 oz.) fresh green beans, trimmed 3/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper Optional: additional seasonings, to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dip ingredients in a food processor or small blender (our Magic Bullet works wonders!). Blend until smooth. Place dip in a dish, and then cover and chill in the fridge. Place the green beans in a large pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 9 minutes. Carefully drain the beans, and then place them in cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and dry them well. Put the egg substitute in a small bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the Fiber One "breadcrumbs" with the spices (add extra seasonings, if you like). Cover a large baking pan with aluminum foil and/or nonstick spray. Set aside. Place about 1/3rd of the crumb mixture into a large sealable plastic bag. One by one, dip green beans into the egg substitute, and place them in the bag with the breadcrumbs -- continue this with 1/3rd of the beans. Seal the bag and shake it up. Remove the "breaded" green beans, and place them on the pan. Repeat this process two more times, so all of the beans are coated. Pop the pan in the oven and cook for 16 minutes, flipping green beans halfway through cooking. Beans are done once they're crispy. Allow green beans to cool slightly, and then serve with the dip. Yum! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (dip included) Calories: 129 Fat: 1.5g Sodium: 881mg Carbs: 32.5g Fiber: 14g Sugars: 5g Protein: 7g POINTS® value 2*

Mini Nacho Dippers - 3 WW pts

(Entire recipe: 200 calories, 2.5g fat, 990mg sodium, 37g carbs, 7g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 6g protein = 3 Weight Watcher Points)

Crunch it up...Olé!

Ingredients:

9 Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks, Nacho Cheese
1/4 cup Old El Paso Fat Free Refried Beans
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup Newman's Own All-Natural Bandito Salsa (Mild, Medium or Hot)

*Optional: slices of jalapenos and/or black olives

Directions:
Heat beans in the microwave until hot (approximately 45 seconds). Stir and place a dollop on each mini rice cake. If you like, top with jalapenos and/or olives. Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping!

Poolside Cherry Pom-arita - 2 WW pts

(entire recipe: 105 calories, 0g fat, 45mg sodium, 2.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 0.5g sugars, 0g protein = 2 Weight Watcher Points)

You don't NEED to be sitting by a pool to sip this fruity cocktail, but it's certainly more fun that way!

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. tequila
4 oz. Diet 7UP (or another diet lemon-lime soda)
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 packet Crystal Light On The Go Immunity Cherry Pomegranate drink mix
ice cubes (for serving)

Directions:
Place tequila, soda and lime juice in a glass. Empty half of the flavor packet into glass, and stir well to combine. Pour over ice and enjoy! Serves 1.

Sweet Cinnamon Fritter Fries - 2 WW pts

PER SERVING (1/3rd of recipe including syrup): 144 calories, 1g fat, 295mg sodium, 41g carbs, 12g fiber, 3g sugars, 5g protein -- Weight Watcher points 2*

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized butternut squash (about 2 lbs. -- large enough to yield 14 oz. uncooked flesh)
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

For Dipping:
1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Use a sharp knife to remove the ends of the squash. Cut it in half widthwise (making it easier to manage), and then peel squash halves using a vegetable peeler or a knife. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and then scoop out all the seeds. (Note: for exact nutritionals, measure out and use 14 oz. of squash.)

Next, cut squash into french fry shapes. Using a paper towel, pat squash pieces firmly to absorb any excess moisture.

Place cereal breadcrumbs in a large container. Add Splenda, cinnamon and salt, and mix well. In a separate medium-sized dish, combine egg substitute and vanilla extract. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.

Toss squash pieces in the egg substitute until they are all evenly covered. One by one, coat squash pieces with the breadcrumb mixture (give them a shake first so they are not dripping with egg substitute), and lay them flat on the baking pan.

Place in the oven, and bake for about 10 minutes. Flip fries over, and return to the oven for about 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and squash is tender. (Cooking time will vary depending on how thick your fries are.)

Serve with syrup for dipping. MMMMMMM!!!!!!!

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

Butternut Hash Browns - 1 WW pts

PER SERVING (about 1 cup, entire recipe): 85 calories, 1g fat, 162mg sodium, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 2g protein -- Weight Watchers points value 1*

These are too good topped with ketchup... Mmmmmm!

Tip! You don't need any fancy equipment to quickly shred your squash. A basic potato or veggie shredder will do the trick. Just peel a small squash, deseed it, and run it thru the shredder. Weeeee!

Ingredients:
1 heaping cup shredded butternut squash
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash ground cumin
dash salt
dash pepper
additional salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: ketchup, salsa, hot sauce

Directions:
Spread the shredded squash out between 2 layers of paper towels. Press down to absorb as much of the moisture from the squash as possible. Repeat if necessary, until no more water can be removed.

Toss squash shreds with onion, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring a small to medium pan sprayed generously with nonstick spray (a 1 to 2 second spray) to high heat. Add mixture to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Flip shreds with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes or so (until mixture is thoroughly cooked and browned). Season to taste with more salt and pepper. If you like, top off with one or more of the optional toppings (everything tastes good topped with these things!). Enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Recipes, Recipes, and More Recipes!

I was thinking and said to myself, "self, your blog would be a great place to keep your recipes". So, that's what I'm doing. Plus I'm feeling restless and a bit bored. A good way to keep my mind off it is to stay busy. I am craving chocolate! But I will not give in...mainly cause there isn't any in the house! bwaaaa...

Warm White Bean Salad - 2 WW pts

4 tsp olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, minced
1/4 cup each of diced green and red bell pepper
2 tbs fresh (or 1 tsp) minced sage
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 (16oz) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil i medium nonstick skillet. Add the tomotoes, onion, bell pepper, sage, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring ocasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the beans.

Um - not sure how many servings. Based on point value, I would say it is 4 servings. Not sure what the serving size is.

Very Vanilla Chillnuggets - 2 WW pts

(1 recipe - 105 calories, 2g fat, 130mg sodium, 21g carbs, <1g fiber, 8g sugars, 1g protein = 2 Weight Watcher Points)

Creamy, dreamy, crunchy goodness...

Ingredients:

1 package Kellogg's Special K Snack Bites (Vanilla)
2 tbsp. Cool Whip Free

Directions:
Place approximately 1/3 tbsp. of Cool Whip between each 2 snack bites, forming itty-bitty sandwiches. One package makes roughly 6 sandwiches. Pop these cuties in the freezer for about an hour & enjoy!

Krispymallow Treats - 1/2 WW pts

(1 square: 47 calories, <1g fat, 32mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 3g sugars, <1g protein = 1/2 Weight Watcher Point)

A fiber-y new spin on an old childhood fave!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Smart Balance 37% Light Buttery Spread
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups Fiber One cereal
5 cups Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs or puffed wheat cereal

Directions:

Melt butter spread in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add both cereals. Stir until well coated. Using a spatula, press mixture evenly into a baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Allow to cool. Cut into 25 squares. (Let's be real - cut them bigger and make them one point. You're going to eat 1 pts worth anyway.)

Chicken Spaghetti - 4 WW pts

8 ounces cooked chicken
3 cups cooked spaghetti -- 4 1/2 oz dry
3 ounces Velveeta Light
4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
1 can 98% fat free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup bell pepper -- cooked w/spaghetti

Mix Velveeta with soup and chiles and heat. The cheese will melt without sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into sprayed 13x9" dish, cover with foil, and cook until heated thoroughly approximately 10 minutes at 450º. Serve immediately.

Serving Size : 6

Weight Watcher Points: 4

Per serving: 221 Cal, 4.3g Fat, 1.8g Fiber,

Spice it up: You can spice it up, if you like it hot, by adding diced Rotel.

Chicken Salad Recipe - 3 WW pts

Servings: 3 servings • Time: 25 minutes • Points: 3 Weight Watcher points

* 2 pieces boneless chicken breasts
* 1 chicken bullion
* 1/4 onion, chopped
* 2 tbsp parsley chopped
* 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
* 3 tbsp Hellmann's Lite Mayonnaise

In a medium sauce pan, place chicken, half the celery, half the onion, parsley and cover with water. Add bullion and cook on medium flame, covered for about 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove chicken and let cool. Reserve chicken broth.

Cut chicken into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add onions, celery and mayonnaise. Add about 1/8 cup reserved chicken broth and mix well. If looks dry add a little more. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

The remaining broth can be saved to make a soup at a later time.

Zucchini Pancakes - 2.25 WW pts

Zucchini season is here, if you are looking for a great recipe to use up your summer zucchini, give these pancakes a try. These delicious pancakes are similar to potato pancakes, with less carbs. They make a great side dish.

Servings: 4 servings • Time: 20 minutes • Points: 2.25 Weight Watcher points

* 2 medium zucchini, grated
* 2 shallots, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup fresh chives
* 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 6-8 tbsp whole wheat flour
* kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
* olive oil spray

Grate zucchini using the large holes of a cheese grater and place in a large bowl. Add flour, shallots, garlic, parsley, chives, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray oil to cover pan. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Set aside and keep warm. Spray more oil in the skillet as needed, and continue with remaining batter. Makes about 20 small pancakes.

Split Pea Soup with Ham - 2 WW pts

This soup is a satisfying delicious meal very high in fiber. With all that ham, you would never believe it is only 2 weight watchers points!
Great Low Point Recipe courtesy Katia
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings 6 servings • Time 2 hours • Points: 2 ww points

* 1 bag of dried split peas
* 1 chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove or more if you like more garlic, use 2-3 cloves of garlic
* 3 quarts fat-free chicken stock
* 2 tbsp of olive oil
* 2 carrots - chopped
* Salt and Pepper, to taste
* 1 Ham Hock

Wash peas and drain them. In a pot, saute onions and garlic in about 2 tbsp of oil.

Add peas, ham hock and your chicken stock, then cover the pot and let it come to a boil. Add your salt and pepper.

Once it boils you can reduce heat and cook for about two hours (beans should be very soft by then). Make sure to check the water and consistency. You may need to add hot water if it becomes too thick.

Serve with 1/2 slice of ww toasted bread.

Zucchini Casserole - 2.5 WW pts

A great recipe for zucchini lovers! Makes a great side dish. I am always looking for great recipes for zucchini since I have so many in my garden. I used one large zucchini to make this recipe. It is best to use a 9 x 12 casserole dish.
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 10-12 servings • Cooking Time: 45 minutes • Points: 2.5 ww points

* 4 cups grated zucchini
* 1 cup bisquick
* 1 small onion, grated
* 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp parsley

Mix everything together in a bowl. Spray a pie dish or a casserole with Pam and pour mixture. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until golden brown. Put a toothpick in the center to test if it is done. If it comes out clean, it is ready.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pie Recipe - 7 WW pts

Ingredients:
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
4 oz light cream cheese
4 oz fat-free cream cheese
12 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup lite whipped topping, thawed if frozen
5 Tbsp mini chocolate chips, divided
6 oz pie crust

Directions:
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter and both types of cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in milk and lemon juice; fold in whipped topping and 4 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips.
Spoon peanut butter mixture into prepared pie crust; sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips over top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Slice into 10 pieces and serve. Dig in!

Weight Watchers Points = 7 (WW Points)

Crab Rangoons - 4 WW pts

Weight Watcher points: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

These crunchy wontons are stuffed with a savory combination of crabmeat, cream cheese and vegetables.

Ingredients

* 2 sprays cooking spray
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
* 2 medium scallion(s), minced
* 2 Tbsp snow peas, chopped
* 6 oz canned crabmeat, drained
* 4 oz light cream cheese
* 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
* 24 items wonton wrapper(s), half of a 12 oz package

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

* Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, scallions and snow peas and sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in crabmeat, cream cheese and soy sauce with a wooden spoon; mix gently to combine.

* Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop crab mixture by teaspoonfuls onto the center of each wrapper. Dip a finger into water and use it to moisten edges of wrapper; fold over one corner of wrapper to make a triangle and press sides together to seal. Create decorative lines along the edges of the wontons by pressing the tines of a fork along the bottom edge of each wonton.

* Transfer filled wontons to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Yields 4 pieces of crab rangoon per serving.

Notes

* Serve with reduced-sodium soy sauce mixed with chopped scallions or prepared sweet-and-sour or duck sauce, if desired. Just make sure to account for any increase in POINTS values.

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - 6 WW pts

Makes 6 servings, 4 points each.
Ingredients

* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
* 1 container (16 oz) fat free sour cream
* 1 packet powdered onion soup mix
* 1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
* 1 small can mushrooms

Instructions

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Broccoli Casserole - 1.5 WW pts

1 1/2 cups shredded nonfat or reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 3/4 cups dry curd or nonfat cottage cheese
1/3 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
2 Tbsp unbleached flour
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3 Tbsp finely ground fat-free whole-wheat cracker crumbs

Set aside 1/2 cup of the grated Cheddar cheese. Combine the rest of the cheese and all of the remaining ingredients except for the cracker crumbs in a large bowl, and stir to mix well.

Coat a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the broccoli mixture in the dish, sprinkle with the cracker crumbs, and spread the reserved cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

12 servings , 1.5 Weight Watcher POINTS each, Serving size: 2/3 cup

Tater Tot Casserole - 6 WW pts

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbl minced garlic
1 box (12 oz.) Boca ground "beef"
1 can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream-style corn
72 onion flavored Tater Tots (frozen)

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9x13 dish with nonfat cooking spray.

Coat a medium skillet with nonfat cooking spray and heat on high. Add the onions and the garlic and sauté, stirring quickly, just until onions are soft. Reduce heat to medium and add the ground "beef;" cook for 5 or 6 minutes until burger is thawed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Stir the soup and the cream corn into the burger mixture in the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour into the prepared casserole dish. Arrange the Tater Tots on top and sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the goo is bubbly and the potatoes are well-browned.

Makes 6 generous servings.
Weight Watcher Points: 6

Calories: 334; Fat: 11.4g; Fiber: 8.2g

Tuna Casserole - 3 WW Points

Makes 4 servings; 3 Weight Watchers Points

1 can tuna in water, canned
1 cup macaroni -- uncooked
1 onion -- chopped
1 can peas, canned -- baby peas if possible
1 can reduced fat reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar cheese -- grated

In a casserole dish, put in your macaroni, can of tuna, chopped up onion, can of peas, can of mushroom soup, cup of milk and mix all together. Sprinkle your shredded cheese all over top. Cover and bake at 350º for 1 hour.

Cheez It Chicken - 5 WW pts

1 pound Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
6 tbsp fat-free sour cream
3 oz Reduced-Fat Cheez It Crackers, chrushed
2 serving I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
Spray

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with PAM. Smear sour cream on chicken then roll in Cheez Its. Spray with ICBINNB spray. Bake 30 - 40 minutes.

You can also use BBQ chips, Sour cream & onion chips or whatever type of chip that you like.

Yield: 4 servings / 5 Weight Watcher points per serving. -

Chickpea and Spinach Curry - 4 WW Points

In less than 10 minutes, this fiber-rich dish is ready for dinner. Serve with warm pitas or over basmati rice. You can top with a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt to contrast the earthy spices.

3 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups chickpea mixture) - 4 Weight Watcher Points

Ingredients

* 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
* 1 1/2 tablespoons bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons red curry powder (such as McCormick)
* 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
* 4 cups fresh spinach
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Combine onion and ginger in a food processor; pulse until minced.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture, sugar, and curry to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and tomatoes; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in spinach, water, and salt; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.

Why Stop Now?

That's in reference to dessert recipes really. But I did go to the gym this morning and worked out for 45 mins. I've been eating and drinking as I should, but we'll see next week. I swear that is what I have been doing for a month and total weight loss is THREE pounds.

Maybe I'm too loose? Nope. Can't be tighter. In fact, I've been considering going in and getting the whole whopping .2 taken out that is in there. I don't like the rock feeling I get when I eat protein and that is surfacing a bit. It's not from lack of chewing either. It's tightness. The only reason I'm hesitant is mental and frankly I'm lazy. Mental - there is just something about having some fluid in there. Most people can't relate as they require way more to get any restriction. Not me. I never even made it to 2.0 and when I got close - bad, bad, bad!

Lazy - I think that is self-explanatory. I'd have to make an appt, ensure it works with schedule at work, go there, etc. See, lazy! That's OK. I have accepted it and moved on.

Oh so weigh-in day. I have decided that Tuesday is cursed and not sure that I have mentioned that. I am now switching my weigh-in day to Monday. And, if that one is cursed, there are still 5 others to choose from. HA! Seriously, I think that Monday will be better as Sunday is my rest day from the gym. Maybe that is just wishful thinking and I'm on a big boat, but I'm going to try it! And now for that recipe...

From my friends at Hungry Girl again...

Marshmallow Madness Popcorn Balls

(1 Ball - 113 calories, 1.6g fat, 25 carbs, 2g fiber, 1g protein - 2 WW points)

These sweet 'n crunchy popcorn balls are as much fun to make as they are to eat (well, almost).

1/2 a bag of Jolly Time Healthy Pop, Butter Flavor
1/2 of a 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows
2 Tbsp. Land 'O Lakes Light, or other light butter

Directions:
In large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter on HIGH until melted. Add marshmallows and microwave until they look puffy (1 to 1-1/2 minutes). Stir to completely melt marshmallows, then pour the melted mixture over the popcorn and mix carefully until it's coated. Makes 6 popcorn balls.

Did it!

Went to the gym. 60 min workout. Please note that was 60 more mins than I wanted to do. That is all.

Today's Dessert Recipe

And the trend continues! I really like the Hungry Girl site. This recipe is from them. I like to look at it and maybe one day I'll make it. My friends have that are on Weight Watchers and they say it is fabulous! Oh, the gym, um - haven't been yet. I'm going there next...hopefully. (I'm still bummed at the no loss situation.)

HG's Topsy Turvy Banana Cream Pie! - 3 Weight Watcher Points!

(1 "Pie" - 143 calories, 0.5g fat, 22carbs, 1.25g fiber, 1g protein - 3 WW points)

A guilt-free cream pie treat!

1/2 cup sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding (prepared with skim milk)
1/4 banana, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. Cool Whip Free
Small handful of crushed 100 Calorie Honey Graham Thin Crisps (1/4 pack)

Directions:
Place pudding in small dish, then spread bananas over it. Smooth cool whip over bananas, then top with crushed Cinnamon Graham snacks. Enjoy!

Haystacks - All I can say - YUM!

Yes, I am on a kick of desserts. Funny thing is that I have been locating the recipes and not making them. I've had these before and they are great.

Hershey Bar Haystacks

(1 Stack - 71 calories, 4g fat, 12 carbs, 5g fiber, 2g protein - 1 WW point)

1 Cup Fiber One Cereal
1 (1.5 oz.) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
1 Tbsp. reduced fat peanut butter, smooth or chunky

Directions:
Melt bar and peanut butter in microwave until smooth, at 30-second intervals. Be careful not to burn or overcook. Stir chocolate and peanut butter mixture. Add cereal and gently toss till coated. Drop onto wax paper, making 6 stacks. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens (about 30 minutes). Serves 6.

I did make it to the gym after a VERY disappointing weigh in. I am EXACTLY the same. Talk about motivation. Um, not so much. I went and just did it - 50 mins. I'm just going to keep at it. There is no way that eating correctly and working out will not eventually get the scale moving in the right direction. (I will just keep repeating that to myself until I believe it. Cause right now I am frustrated!)

Um, that hurts and WW?

Three days off in a row from the gym, so what do I decide to do? Let's go ahead and mix it up a little and change machines! This might have been OK, if I would have remembered a little better how to set it up. But as we all know - I have not been going to the neighborhood gym as much as I had been (or should have). So, 50 mins later - I knew I was going to be sore and yep, my legs are stiff. Will just have to work through it tomorrow.

OK, so you might be wondering what is up with the Weight Watchers. Well, turns out many of my friends are doing it and the recipes are healthy and easy. I figure I might as well add the points for anyone that stumbles across my blog and might be doing WW themselves. Here's a great dessert:

WW Microwave Brownie Thing (I can't remember the name) - 1 POINT!

• 2 tbsp. low-fat brownie mix
• 1 tbsp. plain fat-free yogurt
• fat-free / lite cool whip

In a custard cup or a 1 cup sized cup that is microwave safe, mix the brownie mix and the plain fat-free yogurt. Put it in the microwave for 45 seconds. Top with Cool Whip.

(Seriously, this is awesome.)

Tomorrow - weigh in and must go to the gym (putting it here means it has to happen! ha!)

Heartburn and other stuff

When it is TTOTM I have been experiencing really bad heartburn for a day or two. This time was no different. And it isn't from eating too much. I think that most women feel tighter during this time. I'm no different. The heartburn is beyond horrible though. I had never had it before and honestly could live without having it again. I have found two things that help - Pepcid AC and hot tea.

I had planned to go to the gym on Friday. I was only supposed to work a half-day, but ended up having to work the entire day. So that put a wrinkle in my plan. Let's be real though, I could have gone, but I didn't. I didn't workout Saturday or Sunday either! Over the whole week though I worked out 4 times. I can live with that.

• Monday - 70 mins
• Tuesday - 90 mins
• Wednesday - 60 mins
• Thursday - 60 mins
• Friday - Nope
• Saturday - Nope
• Sunday - Nope

Tomorrow is a new week. I will be getting up in the morning and going to the gym. I made this black-bean soup today. It was really good and best of all easy. Here it is...

Spicy Black bean Soup

1 onion
4 garlic cloves
3 cans black beans
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 can broth
1 can Rotel
1 can sweet corn

Chop up the onion. (I used chopped garlic as well rather than the garlic cloves and put in about 4 teaspoons.) Drain and risk the black beans. Drain the sweet corn. Throw everything into a pot. Bring it to a boil. Then turn it down and simmer for about 20 mins.

For a 1 1/2 cup serving it is 3 WW points

Not a Good Night...

Well, I had done well all day yesterday, but it is TTOTM and the cravings hit. I ate more than I should have and not good choices. I do think overall it was the right decision to have those coated animal cookies (mmmmm) and don't forget the hummus and the crackers! Oh well, picked back up again today. I'll see how tonight goes.

Exercise: 60 mins total
50 mins - eliptical
10 mins - treadmill

I have found some good food items. Hoping to get a bunch of them posted shortly. I don't think anyone is checking my blog anymore, but I have gone back to my blog myself for recipes and products that I used in the past. It's actually kinda funny and I'm glad I did this to chronicle my journey.

And today's workout...

First, let me stress I am on vacation today. So this is definitely not a normal mid-week workout. But I figured since all my friends are at work that I might as well get in a decent workout.

Total Time: 90 mins (stretch and cool down extra)
Activity 1: Eliptical - 9500 steps - 60 mins
Activity 2: Treadmill - 2.5 miles - 30 mins

I did a cool down and stretch, but am thinking that I might end up a bit sore tomorrow (higher resistance). Oh well, I find that even if I am sore it is important to go anyway, but exercise for a bit less time or at a lower resistance.

Things are getting easier for single bandsters that cook at home! I found salmon - individually vacuum sealed at Walmart. They are in 4 oz / 100 cal / 2 pt (Weight Watchers) servings. I sure hope that they are a hit, so they keep carrying them. I figure it might be a good bet as they are 'Sam's' brand.

Doing What Works

Well, as I said in my last post a ba-jillion years ago, I had put on 12 pounds. I did get it under control by holding steady at that weight and have maintained it. The problem is that I don't like the 12 extra pounds! It has taken a long time to get to enough 'dislike' though to actually want to put in some real effort. Plus - band or no band - when you are closer to your goal, it is damn hard to lose weight!

So, here's what I did...first, I was too tight. This is really hard to believe when you hear that I only had .4 in my band. Yep, that is NOT a typo - .4. (This was actually after 1 unfill since my last post in May.) I am now at .2. They wanted to just take it all out, but there is a mental aspect to it and I had to have something in my band.

I increased my activity (exercise) and have corrected my bad eating habits (CANDY!). I have been doing this for three weeks. I'm not sure if it is the shock to my body or what, but I have been gaining and losing the same pound for those three weeks. I am going to hang in there though and just keep doing what I'm doing. Why? Cause it is the 'right' thing to do. My body is in a battle to hold on to this weight - I think it likes to be this weight - but it is going to LOSE!

I was reviewing my blog to remind myself of all the rules and all the things that I was doing that worked along the way. Funny - but there is quite a bit of good stuff here. If you happen to stumble across my blog and are newly banded or thinking about it, I'd encourage you to look at my early posts. You might find some useful information.

One of my observations was that I was blogging. I have been keeping a food journal, etc., but I figure I should pull out all the stops and do this as well. Accountability is very important for me. If I am throwing it out here too, it will only add to that. Here's the scoop on what I'm doing...

• Water: goal - 1 gallon a day (128 ozs). Maybe you are thinking that is a lot? Believe it or not, you get used to it and most days it is easy.
  
• Exercise: goal - 60 mins a day; Sunday (or alternate day) rest. 1 day a week.
• Food: Only good healthy stuff. NO CANDY. Follow 'the rules'
• Journal: Fill out my daily food journal. Blog a minimum of once a week. I am a huge believer that tracking your food and exercise is paramount for success. It keeps you aware of what you are eating (yes, bandsters do 'forget' too) and accountable to both what you eat and how much you are exercising.
• Weigh in: ONCE a week only. Drives me nuts otherwise!

I'm on vacation today. I've been sitting here in my gym clothes, so it's time for me to hit it. In fact, there is no reason I can't do a longer workout, but I'll get the 60 mins in and will see how I feel. As long as I do that, I'm on target. In the next couple of days, I'll get out a Q&A post. I find those interesting on other blogs and might be here as well...

The band is easy? Think again...

I think I have said this before, but it is worth saying again. The band is a tool. It's not magic. It takes work and sticking to the rules. Even after you hit goal. Am I perfect? Far from it, since hitting goal my struggle has been getting adjusted right. Too tight, too loose, dilation...you name it. Stress is still a problem. Funny how the band doesn't fix that (HA!). I reverted to bad habits - read the beginning of work and rules - and ate around the band - root cause - stress. What happened as a result? I gained weight. Thankfully 10 lbs was my breaking point and I got things under control. It could have easily gotten beyond that. So, since then I have been back to strict rules and trying to get adjusted to the magic level. I'm still not sure. I think I am kinda loose, but am so paranoid about dilation that I am trying to hang at this level. I have an appointment for June and will see how I feel then. Not sure if anyone still checks in, but it does help to write it and read it myself. Here's my stats...


Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 154 lbs (last post 145 lbs - but had landed at 143 for quite some time. *sigh* actually 12 lbs gained - YIKES!!)
Overall loss: 80 lbs (was 89 lbs)
Lbs to goal: 5 lbs

Posts...

Well, I came out here a couple times and thought about posting, but then realized there isn't much to post. Today I thought it might be a good idea to share my thoughts on my less-than-what-it-was-fill.

I had been a little bit concerned about having so little in my band. But ultimately when you get to your goal - which I am confident everyone will - you are in a different place than where you were. You don't want to be too tight or too loose, but I do think looser than when I was deep in the battle is good. I am sure - just like everything else - that there are a bunch of perspectives and that ultimately we all have to figure out what works for each of us.

Bottom line though - you still have to make good choices. This is true throughout the entire journey. You can eat around the band, you can make bad food choices, you can still sabotage yourself. You must make behavioral changes. The band is only a tool. It will not get you there without all the other components (working out too is also important).

So, am I happy with my fill. Yes, some days it still feels tight even with the little fill. But what is key is that I am maintaining my weight. I am getting a bit hungry in between meals (3 a day), so I have some almonds or something healthy to take the edge off. It's working, so I am leaving it...and I am down another 1/2 lb. (Remember - Ideally, I'd like to be at 134, but if I don't I am also good with that.)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 145 lbs
Overall loss: 90 lbs (wow)
Lbs to goal: -5 lbs

It's...ITTY BITTY

Yes, I went back to the doc. I was totally stressed out. This has never happened to me at the doctor. They couldn't tell I was until they hooked me up to the blood pressure do hickey. I actually found it to be pretty funny. They of course asked what was wrong and I said I am not sure. Everything in this room is stressing me out and so is this machine!!! I eventually got over it and all was good.

I have really bad allergies, so I couldn't figure out if my throat was sore from that or reflux. I did stick to soft foods, which totally sucked, but wanted this resolved. I also said that I don't want a fill right now. Just see if I am fixed. I will come back if I am hungry or start putting on weight.

Did the fluoro standing up and voila!!! Itty bitty pouch. I even said, "oh look how cute. A little itty bitty pouch. I love it." They cracked up!

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 145.5 lbs
Overall loss: 89.5 lbs (wow, almost 90 lbs)
Lbs to goal: -4.5 lbs

Here I Go AGAIN!!!

So, it was that time of the month. Figured that was why I was tight. This is very normal for me. So, liquids and soft foods for a couple days. Well, NOT the case!!! I started getting reflux from everything. And my throat is 0(*^*&^ sore! I went in today and no surprise I was too tight. AND because of the tightness, my pouch was a bit dilated. I was at 1.0cc and was reduced back to .5cc. I am fine with this. Liquids for 3 days and then soft foods for 3 days and back in to be checked again. Learn from me PLEASE go in if you are feeling too tight. It will save you from dilating, pain, and liquids/soft foods!!!

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 146 lbs
Overall loss: 88 lbs
Lbs to goal: -3 lbs

Seriously?!?

I had no idea that it had been so long since I posted. I'll have to get caught up on everyone's blog too!

Thanks everyone for the congratulations. I have managed to maintain, but did go in for a bit more of a fill. I only had .6cc and went up to 1.0cc. So, still less than before, but seems to be working out fine. I am a little paranoid that I have dilated my pouch again, but then I am loser so it may be that. Who knows. The only way to find out is to go in for fluoro. At 150 bucks a pop, I will save that for next month.

So, the skin question from Leah. I am very fortunate. People can't even tell that I have lost so much weight. I take that as confirmation that my skin is OK. I would like my arms to be a little firmer, but can accomplish that by lifting weights. I just need to be more focused on it. I have no idea why, but am guessing it is all the practice my body has losing the same 80+ lbs. Historically my problem has been keeping the weight off. But no more! YEAH!

I hope everyone is well!

GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

Yep, I did it! 1 year and 8 months later I have done it. I am so proud of myself. Sounds vain, but I am. It has been a long haul. I plan to hang at this weight for a bit, but am honestly thinking of taking off 9 more lbs. Here's some specifics for those that are interested:

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 148 lbs
Overall loss: 86 lbs
Lbs to goal: -1 lbs

BMI: 22.5 - (Normal weight = 18.5-24.9)
Clothing size: 6 or 8! Most of the times a 6! (Yipee) Shirt: S/M

I answered the questions below before and thought I would do it again. If anyone wants to know anything, please feel free to ask in the comments. No question is off limits as I hope people get some value out of this. (Some of the answers remained the same as last time.)

How many fills have you had?

• 1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
• 2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25
• 3rd unfill - was just too tight - went to 1.4cc
• 4th unfill - dilated pouch - complete unfill
• 5th fill - .6cc

Are you going to stay at your current fill level?
Yes for now. I am going to go in and get things checked out in the next couple of weeks. I have not been particularly hungry and have even lost a few pounds so will stay here for now. I am actually thinking that I was still a bit too tight prior to the unfill and am thinking that may have caused the dilation. I don't know for sure, just a feeling.

What are you going to do next?
I am going to maintain for a bit. If I lose, I lose. I don't plan on consciously trying to though - at least for now. Then I may go after the 9 lbs.

What size clothes are you wearing?
Generally, a 6/8 in pants. Shirt - S/M (boobs still remain. Yippeee)

What do you eat in a typical day?
I always start with a venti non-fat latte from Starbucks that I sweeten with equal for breakfast. It helps loosen me up, I get protein, and a good calcium fix. For lunch, pretty much whatever. If I'm tight - which you can tell over time - I'll have something soft. For dinner, I'm loosest then and eat pretty much anything. I pretty much stay away from pasta and bread. When I do eat some, it might be a bit of pasta or crackers---pasta always has a lot of sauce. Dry meat has to have sauce. Chicken breast is tricky. With current fill - I am looser, but for the most part doing the same thing. I am still very careful about dry meat.

Was it worth it?
Yes, it was. I stress though that I would only recommend it as a last resort. I felt I was there. I could get the weight off, but just couldn't keep it out without exercising and watching what I ate ALL the time. Now, I live a life of moderation on everything and the weight stays off. I have consistently remained the same or lost weight. It was worth every penny and I was self-pay.

Have you had any problems?
Yes. You'll see in the beginning of my blog that shortly after my surgery I swore my stitches in my port popped. Everybody told me no way and not to worry about it. When I went in for my fill, it had. So it is on it's side. I still have not had it fixed, but if I lose the 9 lbs I will likely have to. At certain angles, you can kind of see a bump right now. Then of course there is the most recent dilation.

Have you pb'd?
Yep. When I was too tight, a lot. Now, I pretty much know how and what to eat depending on the tightness of my band. When/if I have problems, it is around my period. I have learned sometimes it is best not to fight it and let it happen. This seems to work for me and then does not lead to repeated pb's or irritiation. With the current fill level, no pbs at all. (BTW - What is a pb? Simply put - throwing up. It seems to be a nice way of saying it for bandsters.)

What rules do you follow?
Eat slowly. Take small bites. Don't eat first thing in the morning. When I feel full - stop. Don't drink with meals. No soda. That pretty much sums it up. There aren't a lot of them. These are pretty much the standard bandster rules. The latest addition is the first bite rule. I am sure to chew well and make sure it is small. There is some suspicion that not doing this may have contributed to the dilation. Again, no one knows for sure.

Any questions? Please let me know.

It's WHAT?

My BMI is well within the normal range. I guess that milestone just past by without me noticing. I was talking to a friend and it came up. I am at 22.9!! That is pretty exciting. If I can lose this last little bit I will finally be at my goal weight too. (started out at 35.6)

BMI Categories:

• Underweight = <18.5>
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Dilation and and Slippage Info - Received from Dr

What is a normal pouch?
The gastrointestinal tract is made of smooth muscle which streches and constricts to pass food along the tract and to accommodate different sizes and consistencies of food. The lapband is surgically places a the gastroesophageal junction where the esophagus wides and becomes the upper part of the stomach. When the band is tighteded, it narrows this area creating an hour glass appearance and a small pouch of stomach above the band. It is the small pouch that aids in your weight loss by limiting the amount of food you can eat at one time. Once it is stretched, you will feel a fullness or slight pressure in your chest area. This is a signal to stop eating. (Some people also experience hiccuping, runny nose, and other things.)

What happens when a pouch is dilated?
The pouch can be overstretched by overating, eating too fast, taking bites that are too big, eating foods that are uncomfortable, vomiting, or having your band too tight. If you continually overstretch your pouch, you can cause your pouch to dilate or "stretch out" and then it will hold more food. You may notice weight gain or that you can eat larger portions of food. If you continue eating the larger portions, it worses the problem by further stretching the pouch.

What is a slip?
Slippage occurs when the stomach below the band 'slips' up through the stoma (the opening inside the band between the pouch and the rest of the stomach), causing a prolapsed or herniated pouch. This herniated area can hang over the edge of the band causing food to be stuck in the pouch and preventing it from passing through the stoma to the larger stomach. This is what causes heartburn, regurgitation, vomiting and pain that can be associated with a symptomatic slip. In severe 'slippage' circulations to the stomach can be compromised requiring a second surgery to repair the slippage or to remove the band if there is too much scar tissue to repair the area. It is believed that vomiting is the biggest cause of a slip, so go to the doc if you are experiencing ongoing vomiting.

What should I do if I think I have a dilation or slip?
Although these complications are not common (I think they are more common than they are reported, but that is my opinion and not in any way based on fact.) they can be serious. Summarizing now...Follow the rules. If you think there is a problem, go get it checked out. Don't wait.

What will happen if I am diagnosed with a dilation or slip?
For most dilations or slips the first non-surgical step to treat the problem is to remove all fluid from the band to allow the system to rest. This will relieve some of the stress on the pouch which has led to dilation and hopefully allow the pouch to regain some of its tone so that it can again function to limit portions. (Translation - back to liquids.) In a slip, removing the fluid enlarges the stoma, increasing the chances that the stomach which slipped above the band can slip back down.

Hungry! - and some thoughts...

My hunger has been a bit of a struggle. I find that now I have had my band so long I am way more in tune with hunger and food. I say this in a good way. I can now tell when I am hungry and it is real hunger. I also have learned that it doesn't take a lot of food to stop that feeling.

I say that because right now I only have .6 in my band. I am 'able' to eat much more food, but have (for the most part) stuck with my 1/2 - 3/4 cups of food and when I am truly hungry I have a small snack. (A few almonds, a yogurt, or something healthy.)

The other thing is that the things I couldn't eat because of the band - which for me is mainly bread - I just continue to not eat. Overall, I am pretty proud of myself. (I have also kept my butt away from the soda.)

If that wasn't enough, I am now only TWO pounds from my goal. Bottom line - slow and steady wins the race and you have to hang in there. You have to leverage what the band provides you, but it is still YOU at the end of the day.

I know someone that also got the band. Generalizing, in the beginning as the band gets adjusted correctly, the weight comes off without a lot of effort. BUT as time goes on it gets much harder. You HAVE to make good choices and most people HAVE to exercise. She has put on 20 lbs of the weight she lost which I think was around 60 lbs. How? Making bad choices - eating around the band and not moving.

A little word on exercise - in my experience - you don't have to become a gym rat. 5 days a week at 30 mins or 3 days at 60 mins has worked out well for me. Walking is great. Just get moving.

I think I am having these thoughts because I am so close to goal. I will be glad to get there and at that point might even think about taking off a few additional pounds. Will see how it goes.

Where did all the bandsters go?

It seems that there were many bandsters that were blogging, but over time they stopped. I wonder what happened? Did they hit their goal and get focused on other things? Were they having problems? I finally cleaned up my Blogrolling and deleted the blogs that had not been updated since last year. I go through slumps where I don't post either, but decided that 6 or more months was the cleanup line. I sure hope that they made it and are happy with their decision. But dang it, I sure wish I knew!!

I ran across a Blog on someone else's that is a bandster seeking out bandster blogs. But wouldn't you know it, I can't seem to remember where it was or the Blog on which I linked to it from. I am also on the hunt for other bandster blogs. I find them to be very helpful. Maybe helpful is not the right word, maybe it is supportive? Regardless, I like them. So, please if you know of any that I am not linked to, please share!

Went Shopping

And I Am now solidly in an 8 in Misses and a 9 (which is a bit big) in Juniors. I will definitely be a 6 by the time I lose the last bit. The 8's will be too big. Who would have thought? hee hee. If you read back in my blog I thought I'd be an 8 by the end. A 6 is defintely small enough considering how tall I am. My friends think I am thin enough now, but let's be real they don't see me in the shower and I know there is more to come off.

I do wonder about sizes though. I swear that sizes are much bigger than they used to be. I know I am not as small as I was in college, but yet I can wear a 6 it is just tighter than I like it to be. Vanity sizing - I think that is the culprit. (And the 2-3% spandex in everything.) I still think I would wear a much bigger size in Europe. But oh well, right? I don't live in Europe.

Paranoia Remains

Well it has been a week since I got my band refilled. It has been difficult not to continue to stress every time I eat or drink and that when I go back in a couple weeks I will find that I have a dilated pouch. It is actually quite annoying! I think it is going to take going back a time or two and seeing that everything is OK.

As far as what did it - They don't know. I had not been in frequently enough that it could be pinpointed. I guess there are a lot of ways it can happen - which in my experience - they kinda tell you but more importantly they tell you it doesn't happen very often. I swear this is what I was told, but now it seems I am told that it happens quite often. I am tending to believe that the things I hear now are probably nearer to the truth.

Did you know there is a new band? It is my understanding that it is wider and is a continous circle. It turns out that all other bands have a little tiny spot where the restriction breaks. It seems to me that this wider band will further reduce the chance of slips and I was told that is what they hoped. Interesting stuff.

Anyway, that's my update for now. Trying to adhere to all the rules, but with a little fill I am getting hungry between meals. C'est la vie, right? ;)

Doc Visit Results

Mostly good news. My pouch had shrunk almost down to normal. So, I did get refilled, but only .6!!! My first fill was all the way to 1.2. 2nd fill took me to too much (can't remember what it was) and was backed off to 1.4. It was only .6 because she wanted to be conservative and see if my pouch will shrink the rest of the way. That is all fine and dandy, but now it will take another $150 to get the next fill. (A little frustrating! as I would have preferred to be filled to 1.2 and continue fluids for a bit longer. Anyhoo...)

On soft foods today and then back to real food tomorrow. Have to ENSURE that no more than 3/4 cup is eaten (6 oz.) at a meal. Doctor's orders, but bandster rules anyway. The problem may be that might not keep me full because my fill is not much. I was given the permission to snack. This could be a slippery slope, so going to try to not do that unless I am desperate.

I seriously cannot believe that I am only 4 lbs from goal. I am thinking that I might lower my goal weight another 10 lbs. But honestly, if I get the additional 10 off, then I will likely add the last 6 to get to a full 100 lbs lost. Just don't know. Depends how I look.

That's it for now. I go back in another 3 weeks. Will post again then at the latest.

Nervous!!!

Tomorrow morning I go to the doctor for another fluoro. I have stuck to full liquids since I was there and was unfilled. I have actually been really stressed and nervous about whether or not my pouch is shrinking back into shape. I am concerned that nothing has happened and that it will still be the same. Other stupid thoughts I am battling:

• Any little twinge or anything is something going on with my band.
• Wondering why I am not starving.
• Even though I am unfilled and on liquids that when I have the liquids that I am stretching my pouch.
• Why aren't I more hungry?
• Why am I getting full on liquids?
• Will the weight I lost really stay off when I go back to solids?
• Will I be able to get a fill back to where I was before without additional visits at $150 each
• Should I go to 1.2 instead of 1.4 fill in case the stretching was caused by being too tight
• And a zillion others!

I will report in tomorrow after the doctor's visit. Stats follow. Really close to goal weight!!!

Official weigh in stats:

• Starting weight: 234 lbs
• Current weight: 153 lbs
• Overall loss: 81 lbs (Broke 80 lbs!!)
• Lbs to goal: 4 lbs
  

Anyone out there? Band Update

I temporarily blocked my blog, so not sure if I lost all the people that used to drop by...thought I'd update what is going on. I think it is important stuff for others with a band---or for me in hindsight. (I have found going back and reading old posts to be very helpful.)

I was having some reflux at night. I have been eating my portions, etc. and generally being a good bandster. I did notice that I was eating a bit more, but weight was good, so didn't think much of it. The reflux is what got me. I knew there was something up.

I went to the doc and had fluoro. The band was still in the right location --- no slip. So, that was good news! But, yes there is a but, my pouch was stretched. Yep - you know it...UNFILLED!!!

They unfilled my band and I am on a liquid / then soft food diet for 14 days. The hope / plan is that my pouch will go back into shape. It is supposed to. 7 days (this Thursday - June 7) and I go back to see how things are going.

So, there has to be something that caused this right? Reviewed my journals, etc. and voila. I swear it was the soda that I had read so much about people enjoying. That is the only thing that I had that I shouldn't have. Keep in mind - I was stirring it to get the bubbles out. Maybe this is OK for some, but definitely NOT me. Bottom line: I am self-pay and I need to stay within the rules.

Another thing - GET YOUR BAND CHECKED!! It had been a year since I had been in. Probably could have caught this earlier. So, now going to go every 90 days for a while and then switch to every 6 months. Costs $150 a visit, but $600 a year is worth it to keep my band in shape.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 156.5 lbs
Overall loss: 77.5 lbs
Lbs to goal: 7.5 lbs

Fill Remains the Same

Well, it had to be that time of the month that tightened my band during Christmas coupled with holiday family stress (just in case anyone wondered).

I have not been actively trying to lose the rest of the weight. Planning to kick it into gear mid-April. Will have to see how it goes though.

I am trying to think of anything monumental to report since the last time I posted. You would think there would be something, since it has been so long, but I can't think of anything.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 163.5 lbs
Overall loss: 70.5 lbs
Lbs to goal: 14.5 lbs

Christmas - Outta Town - Too Tight

I track everything in a spreadsheet since being banded. It has allowed me to figure out a lot of things about my band. For one thing: before my period I am tight!!! So much so that I have to stay on liquids and can only eat a soft meal in the evening. This usually only lasts 4 days max (varies from 2-4) and an unfill is not an option. (I only have about 1.4cc in my band and would be too loose the rest of the time.)

I was out of town for Christmas and got really tight. I didn't have my spreadsheet and like a doofus swore it had not been enough time since my last period. So, I was freaking out!!! Yes, it still happens even a year out. I thought something was wrong with my band. What an idiot!!! Sure enough, 3 days later there is my friend. No band issue - whew!!!

The really tough thing though is no one in my family knows about my band. So, I had to lie and say that I wasn't feeling well --- some sort of stomach bug - ha! I certainly didn't gain any weight from Christmas as a result as one of the days I was on liquids was Christmas. Yep, I missed out on all the good food and it sucked! But oh well. Nothing I can do about it. I have learned the hard way NOT to fight my band. It always wins. At least I lost a pound :D

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 167lbs
Overall loss: 67lbs
Lbs to goal: 18lbs

I'll Take It!

I weigh in on Wednesday - this is the weigh in from last week. I was too busy with work, etc. to post it. My goal until the beginning of the year is to maintain. Isn't it funny though that sometimes that works in your best interest? No pressure, expectations, etc. and I lost 1/2 lb. Not much, but I'll take it! 19 pounds to go. Yah - I will probably be counting them down because I am getting so close, so please bear with me!

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 168lbs
Overall loss: 66lbs
Lbs to goal: 19lbs

Doctor Visit

The doctor visit wasn't in regard to my band, but female stuff. The reason I'm posting about it is because I had to weigh in on their scale in my clothes. For my official weigh ins, on my scale, I am always naked (Yikes!). Drum roll please...I weighed in on the doctor's scale at 169.5!!! That is my last official weigh in on my scale with no clothes at the doctor's office! That is cool---I consider my self to be firmly in the 160's and not going to be visiting any of the higher numbers again!

Today was also my weigh in day - the scale showed 168.5. So, I am down 1/2 pound since I last weighed in. This is fine by me. My goal for the holiday season (Thanksgiving - New Year's) is to maintain. So far, I continue to lose. I made a deal that if I lost weight that the new weight became my new 'maintain' weight. This does make it a bit more challenging, but I am up for it. I have had all the holiday treats so far, but even though I could eat more (for me treats easily go around the band) I am making good choices and only having some.

I've been catching up on some of the blogs, but haven't had time to post any comments. There are some very impressive results! Keep it up!

A year later...

Well, on November 16 it was my band-iversary. My stats are:

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 169lbs
Overall loss: 65lbs
Lbs to goal: 20lbs

I thought I'd try and think of some questions that people might have. If anyone wants to know anything, please feel free to ask in the comments. No question is off limits as I hope people get some value out of this.

How many fills have you had? Two. 1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25. I stuck with the second fill for quite some time, but honestly it was too tight. I had an unfill and think that right now I am at about 1.4cc. I have remained at this point and plan to. For the most part, I consider it to be my sweet spot. Except during my period when I get really tight and some days have to stay with liquids and soft foods. Lesson: track your body. That way you can find the trends. If I had not been doing that, I would not have figured out that the tightness was corresponding to my period.

Are you upset you aren't at your goal weight? Nope. Because it was my choice. I was not exercising as much as I should/could have been and not always eating the right thing. But this works for me. Why? Because how I am living is reality. Not always eating right and not exercising all the time. I will get to my goal weight. It will just take longer. My current weightloss is at a pace of 1.llbs per week. That is really good for any weightloss plan. The best thing - I KNOW I will keep the weight off as I know it can easily be maintained. With the effort I have been putting in, I have been continuing to lose weight.

What are you going to do next? I am going to keep going as I have been. I plan though to join the weightloss hysteria in January. I find that when everyone around you is dieting it makes it easier. So, what the heck? Gonna join in on the madness and look to lose the 20 remaining pounds.

What size clothes are you wearing? Generally, a 12. Clothes are so inconsistent it depends on the clothes. I think I'll be an 8 when the last weight is gone as I fit in a 10 now, it is just tighter than I like. This might sound big to people reading this, so I'll stress that I'm 5'8". I will definitely be considered thin at an 8 and might think I'm too thin smaller than that. In college I was a 6 and looking back at pics - looked too thin. So that's the scoop. Shirt wise - totally depends on the shirt as my boobs remain to be on the bigger size. (That is also fine with me - ha!). Generally I'm a medium.

What do you eat in a typical day? I always start with a venti non-fat latte from Starbucks that I sweeten with equal for breakfast. It helps loosen me up, I get protein, and a good calcium fix. For lunch, pretty much whatever. If I'm tight - which you can tell over time - I'll have something soft. For dinner, I'm loosest then and eat pretty much anything. I pretty much stay away from pasta and bread. I can eat it, but honestly it isn't something I have to have in my diet and have pretty much gotten used to not having it. When I do, it might be a bit of pasta or crackers. Dry meat has to have sauce. Chicken breast is tricky.

Do you drink soda? Nope, not supposed to and totally got used to it. So I don't. I paid $20K (self-pay) and it isn't worth the risk even though there are a lot of mixed reviews on does it or doesn't it pose risk to the band.

Was it worth it? Yes, it was. I stress though that I would only recommend it as a last resort. I felt I was there. I could get the weight off, but just couldn't keep it out without exercising and watching what I ate ALL the time. Now, I live a life of moderation on everything and the weight stays off. I have consistently remained the same or lost weight.

Have you had any problems? Yes. You'll see in the beginning of my blog that shortly after my surgery I swore my stitches in my port popped. Everybody told me no way and not to worry about it. When I went in for my fill, it had. So it is on it's side. Right now I do not plan to get it fixed, but think that it might be necessary. When I am at my goal weight I think it might be noticeable.

Have you pb'd? Yep. When I was too tight, a lot. Now, I pretty much know how and what to eat depending on the tightness of my band. When/if I have problems, it is around my period. I have learned sometimes it is best not to fight it and let it happen. This seems to work for me and then does not lead to repeated pb's or irritiation. (BTW - What is a pb? Simply put - throwing up. It seems to be a nice way of saying it for bandsters.)

What rules do you follow? Eat slowly. Take small bites. Don't eat first thing in the morning. When I feel full - stop. Don't drink with meals. No soda. That pretty much sums it up. There aren't a lot of them.

I really can't think of anything else. Please let me know if you are wondering about anything.

What the hell? (and, I'm baack!)

First, what the hell? Where are all of my links to all of the wonderful blogs that I have not been keeping up with????? waaaaaaaaa!!!! I have reloaded the page and done everything to get them back, but absolutely no luck. I cannot believe it. PLEASE if someone can help me (and is still checking back for posts that never appear), please please please tell me how to fix it!

Yes, I'm back. Why? Not sure. I was watching TV tonight and thought how it would be great to see how everyone was doing. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check in (see above - hint, hint - need help!).

I can't even remember what I weighed the last time I wrote, but I am thinking I am about 8lbs down since then. I haven't done a lot of exercising (sporadic at best) and have not consciously been dieting. All of this does not make great bandster progress. That being said, I am overall very satisfied with my progress. I am down 61.5 lbs down and am 23.5 lbs from goal.

I am feeling the desire to get back in gear though. Maybe that is what triggered me to post. Make it real by posting it out here. Well, time will tell. Stay tuned...

Doc Visit at GP

So, I had said quite some time ago about my hair loss. It has kind ebbed and flowed (ha), but never stopped falling out. The hairdresser again said I had lost a significant amount and she didn't like how much was coming out when she did her magic. The last doc appointment for the missed period had all the 'female stuff' come back normal. Made an appointment with the GP. (Note: I have a TON of hair---I'm lucky. Absolutely no one but the hairdresser and me notice it. Just thought you might be wondering.)

The appointment was today. She was a really nice doc. I haven't had a GP for a long time. She was really impressed with my weight loss and actually got mad at me for being down on myself for holding steady---kinda refreshing. Granted I acknowledged that I wasn't putting in as much effort, but she didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing as long as I was holding steady. In fact, she told me to quit being so hard on me about that as well.

Anyway, she is running a bunch of tests. Just to be sure there aren't any of the basic issues iron, extensive thyroid, etc. Anyway, she expects that everything will come back normal as I am in the 'capital of bands' --- so named by me --- and she has quite a few patients that have lap band. Turns out that all of hers have lost hair. Some more than others. My immediate fix - I am switching to liquid pre-natal vitamins. Nope - not pregnant - she recommended it as it is better absorbed in liquid form and there is more 'stuff' in them. She thinks this will help.

Cost me about 20 bucks for 30 days of the vitamins - not so cheap. So my plan is to use it for 30 days and then switch to a liquid multi-vitamin - cheaper, but better than the chewable. Guess I could research where to get the liquid pre-natal too. I just went to a health food store up the street and I highly doubt it was as cheap as online or in a chain store. That's my story. Weigh in isn't until Wednesday.

Amazing How I Forget

Man, I sure forget how to use Blogger when I don't use it very often. That is the title reference. Although, you could say it also applies at times to 'ben the band'. I get comfortable and decide to try to eat something that doesn't work, I get lazy and eat 'easy' stuff, and of course on the exercise front (I forget how much I should be doing it and how it will get me to goal).

The unfill continues to work well for me. I did miss a period though. I don't ever remember missing a period, but did at my past cycle. Nope, no pregnant - checked that! ;) Did go get checked out and preliminary tests such and pregnancy and thyroid were checked. All came back A-OK. Eventually, many weeks late, my friend arrived with a vengeance.

My hair is still coming out more so that is normal - hairdresser agrees. I am going to my primary physician on the 10th and will be having more tests run. I am wondering if I have some sort of deficiency going on. I'll report back when I have the results. I have not been taking my multi-vitamin religiously; although, I swear I have been getting in enough protein. Who knows - sick of guessing. Just going to find out once and for all.

On the loss front, was still at 178, then ballooned up to 180. I know I did not gain weight - there is just no way. My period came later after that weigh in and I will not weigh in again until Wednesday. Since cramps from hell were around and bloating was outta control (rings were stuck to hands!) I know there is a whole lotta water retention in that number. I REFUSE to worry about it. Just going to keep eating as I should and see what the next weigh in brings.

Why no loss? NO EXERCISE. Yep, if I want to get to my goal, I am going to have to exercise. There is NO excuse. I should be doing it and I am NOT going to get to goal without it. I need to come back and re-read this paragraph daily and kick my ass into gear. No promises are going to be made at this point. I wanted to get it out here though why it is my weight loss is so slow (right now non-existent).

That's it for now. Take care all! Keep losing.

Long Overdue!!!

Wow! Where to start. The weirdest thing happened to me. I got TIGHTER over time. Yes, most people say they get looser, but not me. I had only had two fills and was only at 1.8. A couple weeks ago, I recognized it was too tight. I had to eat mainly soft foods and right before the unfill only was able to keep liquids down. Not what I expected. So I asked, yes there are some people like me that get tighter over time. So, I had an unfill. Down to 1.4. My first fill took me to 1.2. The second to 1.8.

Advice: If you think you might be too tight, you probably are. It's important to deal with it. My weightloss pretty much stalled. I feel much better and still have plenty of restriction.

What else? I passed my 6-month banding anniversary. It was pretty uneventful. So much so that I completely forget until I was really looking at my spreadsheet that I track my weightloss on.

I (obviously) have not been posting much nor have I read the blogs I used to read daily. Why? I've just been busy. Work, fun, etc. I feel better about myself, so I have been doing more 'stuff'.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 178lbs (I maintained all of May - Why? Too tight. Stalled my weight loss. Seriously. How do I know? Since the unfill, I am losing weight! Only 3.5lbs since I last posted, but I'll take it!)
Overall loss: 56lbs
Lbs to goal: 29lbs

Note: I still plan to be at my goal weight by my b-day in December. That will be a couple weeks after my 1 year bandiversary.

I'll try not to let so much time go between posts. Hopefully some of you are still stopping by.

Hectic Week!

I forgot to weigh this week! I remembered, but was already at work. Since I only weigh in on Wednesdays, I decided that I will just wait until next Wednesday to weight in. Oh well, I haven't been very focused because I hate, hate, HATE my job. I need to try and figure out what to do about it. Either I have to accept it and get over it or start looking for another one. Quitting and not ever working again sure sounds great, but unless I win the lottery just not very realistic. (I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. Dang - that feels good!)

Have any of you run across monk-e-mail? It is hilarious!!! Here is a link. I recommend trying it out. My friends and I have been sending out tons of them. Believe it or not, they limit how many you can create in a day. Yes, I've maxed it out -- I'm a dork. Go try it!!!

To Only1 - I'm Sorry!

Only1 - I have been reading your blog - although I have gotten behind on all the ones that I read---I am slowly catching up. I read yours today and felt sad when I read this post. I thought that I had responded to your comments on my blog and that I had put a question in there to you that was asking why I had to put my email address on your blog to comment. I am totally and completely anonymous on my blog - not even my best friend knows about it. It is only for me. Therefore, I am scared of using my email address anywhere that could somehow link back to this blog. Please know that I have been following you and am pulling for you too! I will continue to do so and please continue to comment on my blog (if you want) and I will be sure to respond that way. You are a courageous woman and I think of you often. Keep in touch. For those of you reading, please stop by and say hi to Only1.