6 Weeks + 3 days Post Op

Really didn't want to get up this morning. I could have laid there until now I think.

I got up and went to work, but I only had 1 pupil this morning, so when I came home I was planning on sleeping again, but alas it was not to be.

DH decided after 3 YEARS to repair the hole in our sofit or fascia thingy. It started as a small hole, and not its about a foot wide. He spent about an hour trying to patch it up with bits and bobs, wasting half a bottle of wood glue and a tube of no-nails and decided that its too bad and we have to get someone in. I get so annoyed. I am going to have to pay someone £50 odd to fix a bit of wood, which I could have done myself 3 years ago. I have asked him to do it every weekend for the last 3 years and now we have to get someone else to do it. If he didn't want to do it then I could have got someone in 3 years ago. ARGHHH.

Hopeless.

Anyway, after that I remembered I needed to go to the City to get some music books because of the new pupils this evening. So I did that, came home and then crashed out for 2 hours. I get so tired. The best thing is simply just to sleep.

Today, eating wise, its been a bit odd. I didn't have any breakfast I don't think... just coffee. Then I felt hungry and I had a packet of those cadbury's animal biscuits which I find take my sweet craving away really well. But I was still looking around for food, although I don't think I actually felt hungry... So I had 2 slices of toast. I didn't have any butter, so I put a spoon of olive oil on it instead. This evening for tea I had a quorn sausage, a fried egg and a potato waffle. So a pretty good day all around. I feel a bit weird though.

I have had a persistent headache for about 2 weeks. It comes and goes, but by the end of the day, its there again. I thought it was gonna catch me up this afternoon too, but I think the sleep staved it off. I wonder if it has anything to do with the new adjustments at all?

Regarding my Port Hole problem...
I ended up emailing Dr. Clayson, as he said I could at any time, and he put my mind at rest. He doesn't think its an infection, because there is usually touch sensitivity and also heat and redness. He said that if I was eating normally and not being sick, then he thinks it is most likely bruising of the muscle. If the muscle gets pulled by the stitches, which is exactly what it feels like when I have the pain, then the muscle can bruise and this then creates the residual pain until it settles. Once again, my pain does seem to have gone away again, so I am thinking that he is right on the money. He did say that if I get more concerned or wanted to come in to get it checked out, I could do that at any time... for free! Good huh! Its only the fills that cost the money. So that has really helped me too.

But its settled down again, so we shall watch this space.

Night night all.

Obesity: A problem Increasing

No one should be surprised by the large percentage of Americansover weight these days. With faster than ever growing food chainsand the way our money and appetites respond to walking pastendless, mouthwatering posters in restaurant windows, there's nowonder why diet has become the talk of the century. As many havelearned, accomplishing "weight loss" as not nearly as easy asit is to say it.The

Day 44 - From now on I will just type weeks... its getting ridiculous!!

Well today was cool. Went out this morning for an hour and it was really nice. Had a good laugh with R and a good old chat too. We haven't been able to have a good catch up for ages, and I spent 3 hours on the phone to her last night putting everything to rights! I love her to bits! She is such a lovely person to know and have in my life, and I am very glad to have her as a Friend.

I found I got really tired today.

I started the day off well with 2 scrambled eggs on a piece of incinerated bread. Tasty, but I actually had a hula Hoop sandwich for lunch!! Can you believe it. I was hungry and so tired I needed to eat and then go for a sleep, so I grabbed a pack of hula hoops and 2 slices of bread and made that! I haven't had a hula hoop/crisp sarnie since i was at school! Tragic.

Had a nice sleep for 2 hours and then went to work. It was quite good, because it is my last Friday at work for 2 weeks because of the Easter Holidays. YAY! I love my job! So did that, and whilst I was at work, DH and DS went to tesco and bought a new hoover and a new lawnmower. The mower that I bought from eBay last year sadly died. It was a short life. Why is it that when other people buy essential tools they last FOREVER, but when we do... they last a year. This is just NOT on! I end up buying the cheapest because I am skint from having to replace yet another item that should have lasted but didnt! Grrr.

The new hoover practically rips the carpet out from under you, so the suction will probably give out within a month or two and then be useless for the rest of its days. Yes I am a cynic.

However, we have hoovered stairs and cut lawns this week. Long may it continue!

If they break again I am tiling the stairs and bedrooms as well and gravelling/AstroTurf the lawns.

I defrosted a pot of quorn chilli that I made last week and had that for my tea, as my DH and DS had had their tea before I came home from work.

Then there was fun and games at the 'old homestead' with my Mum and Dad so that kept me busy for the rest of the evening.

I am shattered. I am off to bed, and have to get up early to work tomorrow...

....but then I am FREE FOR 2 WEEKS!!! HURRAH

Courtney Love Loses 44 Pounds

Courtney Love, 42, made a New Year's Resolution to lose weight in a healthy way. People Magazine spotted an entry on her website where she says she's lost 44 pounds since the beginning of this year and that she would like to lose another six to eleven pounds. She's done this with a macrobiotic diet focused mostly on vegetables and fish. She has also been getting lots of exercise as well as partaking in regular yoga workouts.

Health Club Weight Loss Programs

Duncan joined a weight loss program at his local health club twenty weeks ago. This customized program includes personal training, consultations with a dietitian and even group therapy. He has been successful in losing 30 pounds. He also dropped six inches around his waist and lowered his blood pressure and bad cholesterol reading.

The health club he belongs to has only two locations (Seattle and Bellevue). But they have a very sophisticated weight loss program available for their members which includes meeting with a dietitian once a week, getting instruction and motivation with a certified personal trainer three times a week and meeting with a support group once each week.

Maybe we will be seeing more health clubs adopt this kind of approach in the near future. Visit Duncan's site, he will be posting more details about his experience here.

Day 43

Found a great website http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/
They make lovely home cooked meals and deliver direct to your door for FREE.
They do all kinds of meals from just normal meals to low fat or low salt or gluten free or vegetarian etc.
The meals are very very good value, and as I want to make sure I eat nutritionally well, are prefect for our evening meal as a family. So if you are in the UK, check it out!
I often get some of the ready meals since banding, because I find that when I get hungry, i get hungry quickly! These are cheaper than Tesco's healthy living meals too, probably save me £50 a week on my shopping! Brilliant.
I have found that I am wasting a lot of food since banding, simply because I don't know how much to cook... I have frozen a lot of things, but theres then not enough for the family.

My first order will be delivered on Wednesday 4th April. So I am looking forward to that!
Will write more later....

Here is the scan of my track record of slimming... Thought I would show you the ups and downs week by week over the last 2 years... HA HA

DAY 42 - 6 WEEKS POST OP

Hi all,
spent a quality hour or so telling you all about the lovely day that Travelling Buddy, DS and I had at M&D's house - my bunk mate from Brugge remember?

But the stupid computer crashed about 25 times and I couldn't find the will to write it all out again. Plus I obviously don't make notes... because these are them!

I am performing housecall as we speak!!

Anyway, we did have a wonderful time. It was so nice to see her again, but a shame we didn't get to see D because he was at work. We will see you soon though no doubt!

it was great to see each other after 6 weeks. M looks great. i can really see the difference from when we said goodbye in Brugge 2 days after the operation. Its so cool!

She has lost 27 pounds and I have lost 18.5.
We are doing so well aren't we!

Anyway, must go because I don't want this ruddy thing to crash again and have to do it all over AGAIN!

Oh, and the port pain has magically vanished... Very mysterious.... But then so has *star* week, so maybe it was that after all. We will see I guess. thanks for all of your concerns. I was really worried that it might be an infection because I have been really run down and poorly the last few weeks... But hopeful it was just bloating/swelling or something.

Oh yeah, and I finally ordered my skirting and coving for the MASS LOUNGE REGENERATION PROJECT. Phase 1 starts April 7th! We are packing DS away to my Mums for a week, and cracking on with it. I bought uPvc skirting with an ok pattern and uPvc coving too for ease and lightweight-ness! So I should soon have a living room that looks like tramps have moved in.... or is that already what it looks like. Yeah, maybe it will look like MORE tramps have moved in!

Ok, now I really am off.
Byeeee

The Health Risks of Being Overweight

What are some of the main health risks of being overweight?

Studies have shown that being even just five to ten percent overweight can increase the risk of getting certain chronic diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones, colon cancer and stroke.

You are considered overweight if your BMI is over 25 and obese if your BMI is over 30.

Calculate your BMI here. As an example, a person who is 5'6" tall would be overweight if they weighed more than 155 pounds. They would be obese if they weighed more than 186 pounds.

If you are tired of hearing the health risks of being overweight, and such facts don't help you in your quest in losing weight then rest assured that most other people also feel this way. See more about different motivation methods for changing lifestyle habits here.

________
The photo above is by Colin Gregory Palmer

DAY 41 - POST SCRIPT oops

Oh dear!

I VERY NEARLY PB'D this afternoon. (PB'd is a nicer term for sicking up food with a band)

I have had an odd day. Because of the pain in my tummy, I haven't really felt hungry at all today. I forgot to eat. Simple as that.

This morning I had a pupil coming to the house and I had over slept, so missed breakfast to madly dash about and tidy up. Had a coffee or 3.

This afternoon I was making lunch, when I went to shut the back French doors and realised they wouldn't shut! So I served up DS's lunch whilst I fiddled with the door, sprayed it with WD40 etc, and then scoured the WWW for the number of our double glazing company who put them in for us last May. We were due to go out, so I had to sort it. Hence missed lunch too. Had a coffee then as well.

Went out to the meeting, and then straight back to a Friends house to teach her two daughters. was not thinking about food at all, so when I got home DS was peckish - it was 6pm after all. So I said have a snack.

That's when I realised that I hadn't eaten anything all day. So although I wasn't hungry, I had a hot cross bun. No butter.

I ate it too fast. I got a pain in my chest that felt like bad indigestion. Saliva started backing up in my mouth and I couldn't talk (just like you said Erika!). It seemed to help to breathe in deeply and hold it, then slowly breathe out and repeat the process. I had a big bite of bun still in my mouth at this time too! Water kept coming into my mouth and the pain was really square between my breast and in my back, and then I thought, I just had to swallow the saliva, and very gradually the breathing got easier, and the pain lessened, and within 20 seconds I was back to normal again. I then spat out the mouthful I was about to eat when this pain started. I couldn't face swallowing that too!

I really did think that it was going to come back up, but it didnt. I really should not have eaten a dry bun after nothing else all day.

Anyway, to finish the weird day off, I went upstairs to read. I got a new book about Home Education from amazon, year on year lesson planning and tips etc. So I lay down on the bed to have a read. Then about half an hour later I thought I would have a little snooze.

I slept through dinner and its now 9:30pm and we are both going off to bed with a hot drink.

So very strange.

Today I have been mostly eating... 1 Hot cross Bun - minus 1 mouthful.

Crazy, but I still have not PB'd!

How To Buy Running Shoes

As an athlete or an every day person, buying running shoes is one of the best things you can do for your health. Proper running shoes are critical for a good running or walking experience, and to be able to safely exercise with the right type of support, knowing how to go about buying running shoes is more important than you might think. Your choice in running shoes can really make or break your

Day 41

I have pain below my 'port hole'.

I am not sure whether its do do with the fill: infection? too much saline? moved? twisted?
I am not sure whether it is to do with: 'just because'

Its *star* week, so I am wondering if any one else has had trouble with their port site during this time? Maybe bloating has contributed to it? or water retention? Because its the tummy muscles maybe that's all it is.

Anyway, it hurts. A lot.

Started Sunday and got worse yesterday and today I can feel it all the time.

I don't know whether maybe to call the doc, or see if it clears up....

any ideas?

Day 40 - Yet another pound down the toilet!

Oh yeah!

I am so thrilled. I have lost another pound. I am happy that it is nice and slow. I have, been on holiday for 3 days, eaten takeaway and had a KFC and home cooked food all week and just thinking about nutrition more than anything, and portion size. I have gone with my band, and when it said enough is enough, I have stopped.

Did all that and lost a pound. So I am Extremely happy. Its like I am a 'normal' person.

a pound a week is 4 stone in a year! That's a great start for me!

Over the moon.

See yaz!

Alkaline Versus Acidic Foods

Most people eat too many acidic foods these days. This creates a real imbalance in our bodies. When the body becomes imbalanced and overly acidic the condition is called acidosis. According to the bible of nutritional information, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, symptoms can include insomnia, water retention, recessed eyes, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, abnormally low blood pressure, dry hard stools and frequent sighing.

The highest acid-forming foods include alcohol, meat and pasta.

Most fresh vegetables and fruits are alkaline-forming foods.

See a four minute video here where Elaina Love, a raw foods chef, discusses alkaline vs acidic foods.

Star Jones in Bathing Suit at Age 45

Star Jones Reynolds celebrated her 45th birthday this Saturday. Here she is on a beach in Miami with friend and actress Vanessa Bell Calloway. (Photo and scoop via Just Jared).See more about Star Jones and her dramatic weight loss story here.

Can You Simply Change Your Lifestyle?

Knowing the health risks isn't enough to stop people who have bad eating habits. This is also the case for people with other bad habits or addictions such as smoking or drinking.

As one example written about by Carol Crenna, over 1,500,000 people get a coronary bypass or angioplasty each year and this costs $60 billion. Doctors tell patients that to stop heart disease before it kills them they have to change their lifestyle. But two years after surgery, ninety percent haven't changed. People find it incredibly difficult to change.

Alan Deutschman is a doctor who wanted to investigate something aside from just giving the scary facts about bad habits to people. He describes a study done on 194 people who suffered from severely clogged arteries. These people underwent a program where they were given help in switching to a vegetarian diet and quitting smoking. They also participated in group discussions, meditation, yoga and exercise classes. After the year-long program they were on their own but it was found that three years later 77 percent were still sticking to the lifestyle changes and had halted or reversed their disease.

Alan Deutschman has written an interesting book about this called Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life He says the way to successful lifestyle change is not by using facts, fear or force to change people but rather to help people change deep rooted patterns of how they think, feel and act.

Good Grief - Animal Rights Activist in the making

My son has just told me that he now wants to be a vegan.

Just this minute.

Last night, and for the past few weeks, he has been hotly defending his choice not to eat meat.

He has been EXTREMELY animated about it (no pun intended).

We have always been supportive of his vegetarianism. He was never a meat eater even as a toddler, just didn't like it. But NOW he has really strong views.

Now, without any prejudice at all, last night he instigated a really adult conversation with us in the car about how The Eskimo/Inuit Huskies (or whatever they are... am not up on animal names or anything-sorry) get shot after only a few years, because they start to get slow pulling a sled.

He was very angry about this. saying why couldn't they "keep them as pets" etc, or "they could move to Greece and let them have the freedom that they deserve". These are actual quotes from that conversation. Why Greece? I have NO idea, but that's what he said. He said "how would you like it if you got a little bit slow at driving and I just shot you." I am telling you now, that he has NOT been talking to anyone either. He is home educated, and with me 24/7 practically! He just works this stuff out for himself.

We always try and put across a balanced view (not easy when your husband and his mate just had a Horse Steak with all the trimmings whilst in Slovenia!) of how he has a point, but then so do the Inuit/Eskimo's etc and Vegetarians/Vegans respect meat eaters, and meat eaters respect Vegans/vegetarians and so on and so forth... You know what I am saying?

This is a well complex issue and to be PREFECT LY HONEST, I don't really have any idea about why someone would choose TO eat meat, or NOT to. I eat what I fancy, as I always have. So have all my family, and I do love animals. I have never really thought of it as a conscious decision or anything.

But DS has a PASSION for animals. He really loves them. So I asked him what Vegan meant, and he said "I never want to eat or have anything to do with animals in my body again". The fact that he even knows, at 8 years old, what a vegan is and what it means says something I guess.

Anyway, any ideas people? I don't know what to do with my extreme son! I love the way he feels able to express himself, and I want to support him, but I am the chief cook and bottle washer here. GULP! Is it Safe for a kid of 8 to be Vegan?? WOW? I dunno?

I guess we can see how it goes, and just let him make his own choices. He loves ice cream.... lets see what that means hey?

But seriously, any ideas from people who have gone through similar would be extremely welcome.

Day 39

Today we all got up late... not because of the clocks going back or forward or whatever they did..., but just because DH didn't set the alarm right. We were still up at 3am or 4am whatever you want to call it waiting for our rubbish DAB radio to update itself to the new British Summertime. Well it didn't, so we set it earlier than we needed, but DH forgot to press some button or other. You need a degree in electronic engineering to work the thing out. I was a DAB radio that has buttons to set the time MANUAL!!! I can see why my Mum despairs of new technology. If it ain't broke, we really really don't need to fix it do we. *sighs*

I have grand plans for today.

1.)I want to change DS's light in his bedroom to one of those globe things. We bought the globe thing about 6 months ago and it has sat, out of its box, screws and all, on the landing window sill since then.

2.)I want to finish sorting the garden out where:-
a.)it has no lawn - sow grass seed.
b.)it has a pile of old fence panels and junk - dump it.
c.)the gazebo has collapsed under hundredweight of vines - search, chop and destroy.
d.)the kittens can't use the cat flap - erect a plank for them to run up to get back in the house.

3.)Tidy my WHOLE house

4.)List 4,000,000 items on eBay that we don't use and are currently filling my sons cupboards and the entire 3rd bedroom and BOTH of my washing baskets!!!!!!!

I also have to take it easy, because my port problem is still aggravating me.

Yeah, I don't think its going to happen. However, I don't think any of the rest will get done either considering my DH's past track record with jobs around the home. He has probably got a crisis with the computer... again - most odd, but it normally happens when there's work to be done. Strange huh?

So its most likely up to me to do it all again. :o(

Oh, and I am REALLY excited about tomorrows weigh in!!! YEAH BRING IT ON!

Update,
We did get the house clean at least. Every room has been cleaned except the spare room, which is still full of eBayable material. I managed to vacuum upstairs and was just about to give the corners a good scraping with the nozzely bit when it blew up. Great. Need a new vacuum cleaner.

We also got DS's light fixed. I am no longer worried about him hanging himself by the light cord, or getting tangled in it whilst in bed and electrocuting himself. Phew. Now its just a nice globe on the ceiling. If it was in the middle of the room it wouldn't have been a problem. Why do builders put ceiling roses off centre??? WHY? I simply don't get it.

This evening, I made one of those "Whats in the cupboard that I can throw together meals"
This is a MILESTONE. I have NOT been able to do this since the operation. My imagination is obviously returning.

I had an our of date packet of Mexican seasoning. Put it in a pan of water and boiled it with some soya chunks for my newly Vegan son (see the next post after this one!!!). then i fried some onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves in a little olive oil and then threw on some frozen roasted veg I had left over, a can of lentils and a can of chick peas. mixed it all about and decided a bit of frozen spinach would give it some colour and then bunged the pan of Mexican soya stuff in on top. I boiled it for a bit. I was reading a Friends live journal, so it was a while, and it had reduced, so I put about half a carton of passata in with it too, which made it really yummy looking.

Served it up and it went down a treat. If I was on slimming world, this would have been a really good meal. Lets hope so!

Weigh in tomorrow. YAYAYAYAYAYAY

Day 38 - Day of my Brugge Bunk Mates fill!!

Hello bunk mate!! How was your fill?
I will call you later and see how it went.
I wanted to say "Have a good one!" yesterday, but I was in bed all day long. So rather belated. Sorry honey!!

Seems I picked up some nasty virus in Slovenia... Headache, achy joints, golf ball throat, double vision, arctic chills and Saharan flushes. However, today, I feel pretty OK! Not 100% but I went to work, and those who know me, know that I like to have an excuse not to work.

Going to see my bunk mate on Wednesday! She has lost more than me the absolute cow! (JOKE)

I am really happy that we are both losing so well. Neither of us have put on weight so far at all. I am at last relaxing with the band, and eating a normal diet and still haven't had any problems with any type of food at all. Not even bread or spices. I am very glad about that.

I have finished work for the morning. I actually enjoyed the 2 lessons I had this morning. I usually have 5 pupils on a Saturday morning, but 3 of them are on holiday. I should have had another 4 this afternoon, but I just have 2 because the others are not home today.

I am going to put a load of adverts about in the town today and try and drum up some more trade. I work much better when I have a lot of stimulation, so I am going to try and fill my Saturday rather than have 2 kinds of shifts. I get off track. I am also wanting to fill up a Wednesday if I can, and maybe eve a Tuesday afternoon... I don't know. Could be good. I feel much happier in my own skin these days, and much more confident about my skills.

I am still having pain when I brush my hair. I don't know what to do about it. I washed my hair in Slovenia, but there was no way I could have dried it, even if I did have a hair dryer. If I hold my arms up too long, it just pulls so much. The doctor said it was where they stitch the port to the muscle, and it takes a while, but this pain is nowhere near the port. I will monitor it and see how it goes. I am not going to book my next fill for some time, and hopefully by then, it will have healed properly and not bother me any more. I must say that it was only last night that I realised I am not bracing myself to roll over in bed like I had been doing.

Hopefully that means that everything is really bedding in (ha ha) and sorting itself out.

Bought some strange teas from Slovenia to try. Hibiscus is one, and the other in Fenchell... I guess fennel. I am having a sip of the Fenchell one right now.... WOW that is awesome. I love it! Its sort of like licorice/aniseed flavour, and sweet too. I am impressed. The box smelt like herbal health shops. I always wondered what that smell was, so it must be this. This is lovely stuff. I kind of want to cut down on coffee. I love coffee, but am starting to get bored with it. It is always nice to have something else to drink apart from coffee. I don't really like English tea much. I used to when it had 2 sugars, but I cut that out when I was 9. Since then , I have only really drunk coffee.

Yum. Glad I tried this fenchell stuff. Will now find I probably cant buy it here! That would be just my luck.

Cant wait until Monday to see my progress!!!

When Dieting and Overeating Become a Vicious Cycle

Most people on a diet are doomed to failure. The statistics say that only four out of a hundred people who diet are able to lose the weight and keep it off.

Studies have also found that ninety percent of American high school girls are dieting, even though many of them are not overweight and obese. A 2001 study of female high school students found that 11 per cent had used laxatives to lose weight, 15 per cent had taken appetite control pills, and nine per cent had made themselves vomit after eating.

This is a set-up for a lifetime of weight loss failure. A diet is typically seen as a temporary route to success, but the only real long-term solution is to change lifestyle habits. If you are wanting to lose weight consider making a complete overhaul of your daily lifestyle, in a way that you feel you would want to maintain for years and years.

As my doctor recently said to me, just eat many more fruits and vegetables and get some regular exercise. Consider making fruits and vegetables at least fifty percent of your daily consumption of food, forget a specific diet, limit the white flour and sugar habit and the benefits will be astounding, although gradual.

It all sounds so simple...

Day 36 - 5 weeks + 1 day post surgery!!!

Hi, just walked in the door from Ljubljana in Slovenia.

Lovely place, Lovely people, Lovely food!!!!!! HA HA

Wow, talk about "eyes being bigger than the stomach" syndrome!

The HOSTEL actually turned out to be a 2 star HOTEL. The Hotel Emonec. Very swish, marble floors and entrance etc. Nice receptionist, electronic key cards and all that jazz. Room was spotless, beds fabulously comfortable, en suite wet room was lovely, and it was to all intents and purposes better than I stayed in in Brugge to have the operation!

Downsides? Well for those of you who think www.Hostelworld.com is not an ideal place to book your accommodation and the reasons this hotel didn't have the Star status it deserved, was simply the breakfast was a little limited, and the breakfast room was rather clinical, cold and quite small. It didn't have a bar or a lounge to chill out in later in the evening, and our room was cold.
There was also a pub down the road that we could dance along to in our pj's for most of the night if you know what I mean!

However, the heating was fixed the next day after we told them, so don't really have anything to complain about there. The breakfast was tasty and there was lots of it. Good coffee too.
And i guess clinical means dirt shows up, so it was extremely clean and you didn't feel like you had to wipe over the surfaces with dettox. The noise? Well If I had brought my ear plugs as I normally do, I would never have known. I use them routinely, what with having a very very good snorer who sleeps with me every night.

It was also very good location wise. Unfortunately we didn't find too much to do. It was snowy but very warm, but we didn't need 2 nights there really.

But, the food was fabulous.

The first night we were all starving, and I ordered for the 'old me'. I knew I wouldn't eat it all, but hey! I also had my first glug of red wine since the banding, and it slipped down there a treat. I decided to be naughty!!! I decided that I would, just this one time, drink with my meal. ARGHHH
I will never do it again. I didn't get fuller, but I was able to pack most of that meal away inside me. I didn't realise how much it really does change how you feel. I had a little mashed buckwheat and sauerkraut and a gulp. then I had some dumping and bacon, and a gulp. Then I had a bit of sausage and some more sauerkraut and a gulp... The meal went on like that. I gave away the DISGUSTING black sausage to DH who said it was yummy...

*VOMITS over keyboard*

Travelling buddies hubby devoured the roasted pork (less one small teeny nibble by me) and half my dumpling too. Travelling buddy also had a forkful of my buckwheat combo and so that finished the plate.

I was truly surprised at the difference drinking made to my ability to sink food. It slipped down there a treat. So,

DON'T DRINK AND DINE - My new slogan. Good init.

I was also half cut after 3 glasses of wine, which has not been possibly until this point.

But folks, note that there was NO starter and No pudding. The 'old me' would have definitely had them. Oh yes. So I feel good about the experience.

The next day was our whole day in Ljubljana, and I ate like a bandster. Lovely food, but just not much of it. I went with my full feeling and left half a plate of dinner even. (i could have cried!)

Restaurant portions now seem incredibly massive. They used to look normal. Its a learning curve alright.

It was a lovely place, and the people were very warm and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am now going to bed as I haven't slept in 2 days... remember? I forgot my ear plugs?

I thought we had adopted a farmyard full of pigs!

Extreme Weight Loss for Jenna Jameson

Jenna Jameson has lost a lot of weight and looks as though she is anorexic. On her website at MySpace she explains how a nasty divorce is responsible for her loss of appetite;

I feel like I need to address the weight rumors that have been swirling for a few months now. This saddens me... only because, everyone that is judging me... has absolutely NO idea what is happening in my life. People are hateful and accuse me of being a drug addict, or an anorexic. Does anyone seem to remember the fact that I am going through a nasty divorce? It has been weighing heavily on me. I worked extremely hard for years to secure my success, and i have been forced to fight for everything I busted my ass for. This has definitely affected my weight. It really hurts that my fans and everyone else) have taken it upon themselves to be so horrible, screaming eat a burger! or we want the old jenna back! I'm sure everyone out there has gone through tough times, and this is when I need support. I wish I could enlighten everyone with what is exactly going on in my divorce and business, but I can't because of legal proceedings. I really hope everyone understands and remembers I am human, and I really need friends and the love and support right now. Soon the divorce will be settled and I am hoping to come out unscathed, but my x is doing his best to make it hard. Thanks for all of your support, and remember I love you! xoxoxox Jenna

Found via Jossip

When A Size Four is Not Good Enough For Hollywood

Lena Heady, 33, the lead actress in the movie "300" is quoted as saying she is going to ditch Hollywood and just do British movies. She says she is sick of Hollywood's obsession with weight and the stress of staying slim enough for US casting directors. Heady is an American dress size 4 (British size 8).

Can Drinking Tea Make You Live Longer?

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, after water. Asian cultures drink gallons of green, oolong and other teas, and the Brits consume large quantities of black tea. In fact, everywhere in the world, tea is a regular part of life. In many cases, we drink tea because we like it, but as it turns out, it may be extremely healthy for us, too.Over the years there's been tons of

Eating Raw Foods to Lose Over 150 Pounds

Here's a three minute video clip about a woman who used to weigh 294 pounds. She decided to change her diet drastically and began eating only raw foods. Within the first year she lost a whopping 105 pounds. Today she weighs 126 pounds.

This is her story as portrayed by the BBC. The video has some really good before and after photos. Angela Stokes, 27, says the raw foods diet changed her life and that within one month of starting the raw foods regiment she had her first boyfriend in five years. It's hard to believe this is the same woman a couple of years later.

A Massive Dog Food Recall is Underway

There is a pet food company called Menu Foods which makes canned chunks of meat in gravy that is packaged in cans and small foil pouches. Some of their pet food is causing kidney failure in dogs and cats. This company supplies a huge number of brand names. Just for dog food, 51 brand names on this list may be tainted. See their lists for cat food here.

1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
2. Authority
3. Award
4. Best Choice
5. Big Bet
6. Big Red
7. Bloom
8. Wegmans Bruiser
9. Cadillac
10. Companion
11. Demoulas Market Basket
12. Eukanuba
13. Food Lion
14. Giant Companion
15. Great Choice
16. Hannaford
17. Hill Country Fare
18. Hy-Vee
19. Iams
20. Laura Lynn
21. Loving Meals
22. Meijers Main Choice
23. Mighty Dog Pouch
24. Mixables
25. Nutriplan
26. Nutro Max
27. Nutro Natural Choice
28. Nutro Ultra
29. Nutro
30. Ol'Roy Canada
31. Ol'Roy US
32. Paws
33. Pet Essentials
34. Pet Pride - Good n Meaty
35. Presidents Choice
36. Price Chopper
37. Priority Canada
38. Priority US
39. Publix
40. Roche Brothers
41. Save-A-Lot
42. Schnucks
43. Shep Dog
44. Springsfield Prize
45. Sprout
46. Stater Brothers
47. Weis Total Pet
48. Western Family US
49. White Rose
50. Winn Dixie
51. Your Pet

Kidney failure signs include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting. The recall involves 60 million cans of the contaminated food. Right now it's thought that it is probably the wheat gluten in the product that's the source of the contamination.

These food recalls are getting much more frequent over the last couple of years. It's another reason to eat as little processed foods as possible, but then again even raw spinach was recalled a few months ago. It's a very worrisome trend.

Yummy dinner

Just made this yummy dinner. Had to share it:

Pork loin sliced into little half centimetre medallions - enough for 3
2 onions chopped
half a mug of water (5oz?)
slug or 3 of vermouth
2 tablespoons capers
half a small pot of sour cream
half a tin of Campbell's condensed chicken soup(low fat)
broccoli and cauliflower.

You use that spray oil stuff and fry the medallions for a couple of minutes both sides until nice and brown and crispy, then put them to one side.

Then put your 2 chopped onions in the pan and fry them until coated in the meat juices and looking a little kind of 'cooked' - 2 or 3 mins anyway.

Then pour in the water and vermouth and bubble away until it reduces to a thick sauce. Then add capers and chicken soup and mix it up and heat through.

serve the onion and caper sauce on top of the pork medallions and a serving of broccoli and cauliflower and a dollop of sour cream each.

WELL TASTY!!

It also tastes good blended up for you pre chewing bandsters. If you are 4 weeks then give it a go and see how it feels right off the skillet.

Chew chew chew though!! And a bit more!

Everyone is Starved for Something

The other day I was walking past a McDonalds and saw a young fat mother sitting by the window with her baby stroller beside her. Her eyes had a glazed look as she devoured her big ice cream sundae.

I had a flashback from the night before, where I had seen a man sitting at a bar, his eyes glazed from alcohol and gulping back another mug of beer.

I can't understand how people who abuse alcohol can be so critical of fat people. And vice versa, many fat people look down on alcoholics as being some kind of very weak and despicable people. Yet take away the one vice from the one group and you will often see them turn to the other. As an example, studies are now finding that people who undergo weight loss surgery often develop an alcohol addiction in place of food.

Then there are the other thirty percent of the population, who are not overweight and don't overdrink. The majority of these people have some other equally harmful behavioural patterns such as uncontrollable shopping or gambling, nasty treatment of their employees, spouses or children, sexual addictions, beauty and body image obsessions or various other bizarre and harmful ways of manifesting their neurosis.

It seems we're all very hungry for something greater out there. There's a really good book that addresses this problem at the very root. Though it's aimed at people who drink too much, I think it's applicable to all neurosis and to anyone who feels a compulsion to escape to a better place with food, drink or other obsessions.

The book is The Thirst for Wholeness: Attachment, Addiction, and the Spiritual PathIt's written by Christina Grof and the main premise is that addiction is really a search for wholeness. Grof is a pioneer in transpersonal psychology and the book discusses her own addictive past and 'the thirst' to know the true self.

Day 33 - Weigh in

Oh yeah!

I lose two and a half pounds this week!

Wooooooo Hoooooo

I am thrilled!

Went to town today as had to have an eye test, and get some new contacts. They are really cheap and its so great to bung them in on the 1st day of the month and then throw them away at the end of the month. So much less fuss and bother. Plus it shows off my cool permanent eyeliner that I had done in Hungary. All helps to make you feel better about yourself doesn't it.

I was starving by 12:30 so went in to Marks and Spencer's and grabbed a sandwich. I ate half of it and I was FULL. No problems with bread yet it would seem. I chose a nice wet filling - egg mayo and watercress, so that it would be more moist on the way down. As it was a healthy sarnie too, it made me feel good about my choices. I am glad I am back to normal and can just grab something on the go rather than have to take something with me.

So today has so far been great.

No puking, no burping, totally fulfilled and 2 and a half pound lighter!! YAY

Day 32 - Solids again!

Back on Solids!!

*Does a little dance*

Wow, having liquids only really sapped my energy.

I had cancel all my work yesterday and go to bed.

Today I went to the meeting in the morning, but I felt so tired I can home after an hour. I was wiped out. I got into bed just after 11:00am and didn't get out until 6:00pm! I only got up then because DH was going to Badminton, and I hadn't seen my son for nearly 3 days straight.

Now I am up I feel better. I said I wasn't going to have solids until tomorrow, as one more day can only help my stomach feel better, but I JUST COULDN'T STAND IT ANY MORE!

I made a lasagna for us all. Really good recipe but I had to doctor it a bit.

Instead of pasta it said use sliced courgette (-zucchini for our US/Australian readers).
The recipe said cut them thin. I knew there was going to be a problem with that before I started as I love BBQ'd courgette and peppers, and that never goes well. There are always uneven slices. So.... I used a potato peeler to slice them micro fine! It worked so well. They were wafer thin and 3 courgettes went a long way.

The guts of this lasagna was a bit odd... I didn't have any minced/ground turkey so I used minced Quorn. Very good for me. It made a really nice thick 'meat' sauce with onions and 4 cloves of garlic (yes, 4!). I sliced a whole bunch of mushrooms really thin and chucked them in too. The white sauce they suggested sounded like sick... so I changed it. I am used to making a nice thick and creamy cheese sauce for the lasagna, but its too rich when trying to lose weight, so I used some half fat ricotta and milk blended together with an electric blender and threw in some fresh parsley and basil, salt a and pepper, a bit of nutmeg and half a packet (25g) of grated Parmesan to make it cheesy. It worked really well. I strongly advice blending with with an electric blender or you end up with lump of strange cheesy stuff. Not nice.
So I put it all together and just underneath the fake pasta layers and on top of the fake meat, I put a layer of fresh spinach. Just for kicks!! It worked really well.

I covered the whole affair with a helping of half fat grated mozzarella and baked it for 40 mins and it was YUMMY!

The whole lot made 6 portions, about the size of a postcard. One portion was all I needed, and I was full. DS didn't really like it because of the mushrooms, but he spat them out and ate it anyway. Delightful child.
So I put DH's on the side for when he gets in from Badminton and I am freezing 3 portions for when I need something quick.

The courgette pasta worked very well and it all stayed together in the dish, which is unusual for me. If I make a pasta one, it slops everywhere usually, but this looked like a really nice healthy beautifully layered affair. Exactly like the picture in the book! Except theirs had lumps of sick sticking out because their cheese sauce was terrible. Mine looked much better. HEE HEE

It was bliss to chew.

I know that I will have to go with fluid diet again once I have a second fill, and I am not looking forward to it simply because of that.

Also, I have good restriction. I feel very full. I have not been sick, but I know if I ate any more that I would probably be ill. I ate a significantly smaller portion that I would have post band, so that's good.

Tomorrow is weighbridge day again...

I hope I have lost at least a pound. Not too much to ask I don't think.

Metabolism: What You Need To Know To Lose Weight

We all know that losing weight has something to do with our metabolism. But few of us really understand what metabolism is. In its simplest terms, metabolism is a process that takes place inside your body which converts the foods you eat into energy. The body uses this converted energy to do everything; from walking to talking to swimming and so on. This process continues even while you sleep.We

An Extreme Walking Schedule to Regain Health

Priscilla weighed 390 at her heaviest in June of last year. Her and her husband Morton decided to take some drastic measures to lose weight. They are undertaking an extreme walking and cycling regiment. They started on January 1st when Priscilla weighed 343 pounds and their goal is to walk and cycle across the entire perimeter of the United States.

They have completed over 1,000 miles already. In January they did over 390 miles. In February they completed 534 miles. In the first 43 days of their trip Priscilla lost 47 pounds. Her goal is to regain her health and weigh 140 pounds by mid 2008.

They are asking people along the way to help them with donations for overnight stays and free nutritious food and water. Check out their walking and weight loss progress here. See more walking weight loss success stories here.

Day 30

Well, today I am taking on board the advice given my the doctor.

Fluids till Monday, might as well not bother with Sunday seeing as it can only help to give it a bit longer.

Before meals, I can drink right up until my first bite. Knew that already, and have been doing just that.

After meals, no drinks for half an hour... not an hour like I was doing (which was a killer!).

On the odd occasion I CAN drink with a meal. Doctor just said that it negates that meal for weightloss. Over all I should still lose weight fine as long as I stick to the rules 80% of the time.

COOL.

I can handle this. This is actually better than I imagined.

I actually feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted from me.

I can eat what I want, when I want. This totally eliminates craving for anything. Just eat a healthy diet. He told me not to bother with slimmingworld and to spend the money on a holiday. I didnt tell him I have about 10 a year already!! HA HA. Apparently we dont need low fat diets, just a Healthy diet.

1st day post fill....
I had a 5oz coffee this morning. DS made it for me and said
"I made you a 5oz Mum, because you might not be able to drink an 8oz".
I thought "Mmm. Yeah sure. Oh well I can always get another one..."
But the little chap was right! I was full after a 5oz coffee. Wow!

I had to take my tablets after that, and down my co-codamol which I was told I MUST take for the next 3 days or else, and it did feel a bit to fill in there.

Then, because DS is going over to my Sis in Law's for a sleep over (SHOCK INVOLVEMENT WITH NEPHEW!!)I drove him to the dog quarantine centre where my Sis is Law was picking up her dog after 6 months, and we chatted for a bit (ANOTHER SHOCK!!) and then left him with her. I was then feeling a little peckish, so I ate my low fat custard that I brought with me just incase such a thing occured!! How organised am I? I astonish myself!

I am still full now. So this morning I have had a coffee and a custard and its 10:30. I would suggest that the fill is.....WORKING!! YAY

I have been advised that the first fill sometimes wears off a little. There can be a little evaporation through the band or port and once the stomach swelling lessens again, or I lose weight actually from the tissues in my stomach, it can get a bit loose again... So not to be suprised if it doesnt stay restricted like this.

I think 4cc is a heck of a large fill, but we will have to see.

I am going to phone the chemist now and see if they make a soluable form of my prozac or similar as taking 2 of those is like eating a 3 course meal at the moment!!

L8erz

P.S. check out Helen and Erika's blogs......>
Helen and me are at the same place and Erika is a little ahead of the game. Cool to have people on the same page as me. I dont feel so alone...
all together now AHHHH !!!!!!!!

*****

A whole day on fluids went well. I have had about 3 pots of custard and some soup that I made from a post op lab band recipe book. It was really nice.
You basically sauteed some onion and 4 cloves of garlic, added a tin of tomatoes, a pound of turkey thighs, a can of Campbell's condensed chicken soup (with 2 cans of water) a little cumin and a half teaspoon of chili flakes and boiled it away for an hour. after that you blended it with a hand blender until it was totally smooth and it was REALLY yummy! I will be making it again for sure. It made enough for about 6 people. I froze the other portions in take away cartons that I had saved up. I stockpiled them before my band as I just knew that I would need them!

So I had a bowl of that, some smoothie from "innocent" and also an Ella's kitchen one and a yogurt. So its more food than I was eating after surgery, but not so much as I was on say Wednesday before the fill!

I must admit I have drank a lot more water today, because we went to a quiz night this evening and they only had coke and lemonade or orange juice as soft drinks... so i just had water. I could have had the juice, but all that custard and orange juice... ooow no. Don't think so.

We came 2nd .... AGAIN! We lost out AGAIN to the swat team who obviously spend their entire lives behind encyclopedias and are all about 100 years old. None of them even smile. They sat there all smug and nodding. Tragic. Everyone on our team was trashed by the time it finished, except for me on water, and we still came second. We also only had 7 people! They do ti every time. Oh well. At least we all had a really good laugh.

I had SERIOUS wind. I was burping all through the quiz. I also had bottom burps!! I just had to let them out and wander!! Thankfully they were just gas.

So good day all round.

Work tomorrow... Also having our ceiling plastered in our front room. So thank goodness I am out whilst the mayhem happens.

Day 29 - My First FILL!!

Well, today I had my first fill.


My good old travelling buddy came along for the 2 hour ride there and back; we started the journey together, so I was pleased she came with me.



The Doctor was very nice, went through my data and then said "you were banded on 14th February?" And I said "Yes" etc etc and at first He couldn't understand why I was there as he only does them at 6 weeks, but I explained my problems about being starving nearly all the time now and he said he would only do it if the area was properly healed.



GULP!



He went into great detail about how if I was filled too early there could be all kinds of problems - erosion, vomiting, not being able to swallow your own saliva, death etc!! Then topped it off with how its not wise to go too fast and that I shouldn't hurry it. GOOD GRIEF!



AS IF!!! I was only there because one of his staff told me I should go earlier!!!



He asked me if I had had any problems with vomiting or problems with any foods. I told him I hadn't and he said "Don't just say that because you want a fill today." I was a bit annoyed to be honest. I was telling the flippin' truth!!!



I started to panic that I had driven all that way for nothing. I had driven all the way under the advice of one of his staff, knew others having their first fill the same day as me, who had also had their bands the same day as me, and I was worried that it would all go wrong etc.



I said to him that I didn't want to get sick, or like DIE and that I would not have come up if I hadn't been advised by a member of his staff to do so. I told him I didn't want to rush it and if it was a bad idea I would go home. I would have been well depressed, but I would have rather done that than have what he was describing happen to me!



I mean, who the heck would want that to happen??



Well, he must have realised I wasn't just there chancing my arm on getting an early fill. Or a stupid person who didn't know what they were doing. I told him categorically that if the wound wasn't properly healed and he thought it was not a good idea, then not to do it.



Maybe that was his way of finding out the truth for real... if someone had had real problems and they were fibbing about being hungry and just wanted a quick fix and stuff, they might have gone "OK mate, never mind I will see ya later" or something. I don't know, but I was now a little worried actually! He had a good look, and was like a totally different bloke after I had said about just going home.



Fear over, he got me on the couch and had a good long look at my scars. My port wound is very nicely healed apparently. He really dug deep into my tummy and pushed and prodded (like I have wanted to do but was too afraid to try!).



The port is apparently quite close to the surface, which he said was good news for him, logistically it makes his job easier and less tricky.



He explained that the 1st fill is the hardest because of locating the port under the most layers of fat... (thanks mate!) and that as I shrink it gets closer and closer to the surface. He was very impressed with a 15lb weight loss, and said that that was above average, so that made me feel good. He was talking about all this stuff whilst digging in my guts.



He told me all about what a fill does... that it doesn't stop you feeling hungry, but makes you feel fuller quicker bla bla bla, and all that stuff. He also gave me a sheet about what to do afterwards.



Because he had located the port and decided that the wound had healed right through He went ahead and did the early fill. I am wondering if he was just trying to scare me with how dangerous it all was... I dunno. (Justify the money? I'm such a cynic)



So he got a vial full of saline and a needle. He had the port between two fingers and then went for it. I didn't feel a thing. Not even a tiny prick. He then injected into me and it took a little bit longer than a normal injection... about minute or so, and then said "All done!"



He put 4cc in my band. Some of it is obviously taken up in the tubing. He said they normally fill the band until they feel a restriction, and then add another 0.5cc but he felt restriction quite early on so he continued because he thinks that that was not a normal restriction. Oh I dunno, but I have 4cc in there anyway.



Because he worried me so much before hand, I asked him a couple of questions (like 20) about how I will know if its not right, or gone wrong, or infected etc. I even asked him if it really was in there and he hit the right spot!!! Sauce for the flipping goose and all that!!!



I didn't have an x-ray or a barium meal or anything... he just stabbed it, filled it and bunged a plaster over and that was it.



He asked me to drink a glass of water to make sure everything went through OK, but other than that it was done.



I am back on fluid diet for 3 days, so I cant have a full meal until Sunday.



He also said that the 60g of protein and then veg then carbs is a load of TWONK! He said I can eat whatever I like in line with a healthy diet. I will lose weight, and they look for 1lb a week loss, so this time next year I will be roughly 13 stone!! WOW That's so cool to imagine.



He had also never heard of the phrase "PB" or productive burping. He obviously does not frequent lap band talk or other chat sites.



Anyway, he really took away my anxiety about food, and calories etc. He said that it takes time to get the fill level adjusted, but it works a dream. His wife has a lap band too, so he knows all about it in real life too. I do wonder sometimes when these doctors give us this info whether they actually are basing it on real life, or textbooks, so it was good to have info from someone on both sides of the medical fence. I started to relax after he was talking about all this. I am satisfied I am not going to die anyway!!



So I have a 10cc band ( i checked with him) and I had 4cc inserted today. I think that is quite a lot, but he said that it is often usual to be about 7cc to reach a sweet spot. That's cool.



I am to go back in no less than 6 weeks, and only when my weight loss has slowed right down. However, he said VERY IMPORTANT if weight loss stops, DON'T JUST LEAVE IT. I should come in for an adjustment right away, because there is a window of opportunity when the pouch is tight and working well, which is about 2 years. After this time, the band doesn't work so well, or stops working and your body adapts. This is the same on every diet... after a certain our clever little bodies adapt to the new situation and that's that.



That is why we wont lose too much weight. We wont regain the weight, but we will get to our goal and stay there which is FABULOUS.



See what I mean about complete change of tack. I was scared S**tless before, and after the fill he was sweet as anything and putting me at ease about food etc.



It was a very enlightening meeting.



It was also £75 for 30 minutes. I paid him by paypal in the doctors office.... how cool is that, and how random! I never thought I would be online in a doctors office ever in my life.



So I have had the fill, and I am to take pain killers every 4 hours for the next 3 days and only liquids. Stopped at Tesco on the way home and stocked up on Custard and semolina. Yippee Do.



Anyway, I just took the most cute photo of on of my new kittens Keith. I just had to share it. He was walking up and down on the piano for ages and ages. So funny. What a cutey!

iPod Fitness Works for Me

I bought an iPod a month ago. I'm writing to report that it's been a wonderful help to me to get me out there walking more regularly. It's the second generation iPod, much tinier and more powerful than the first ones that came out a few years ago. It costs $79. (The photo here shows that it's not much bigger than the size of a quarter.)

Before I got the iPod, I was walking an average of about 7 miles a week. I've been using it for three weeks now and I'm up to about 14 miles a week now. The goal is still to get up to over 20 miles per week and maintain that for a while.

I spend way too much time slouched over my computer. In the last few months I've really begun to feel the muscle and joint strain from this all over the right side of my body. (Especially around my right hip and right arm.) So it's really crucial I get out there and move, not just for fitness and weight loss and all the benefits associated with that, but to make sure I don't develop some long term nerve damage due to my bad computer habits.

I'm not so much into listening to music on my walks as when I was younger and jogging around with my heavy walkman. Now I prefer the fascinating podcasts that are available out there for free. There are tons of really high quality free lectures and talks on any topic you might possibly be interested in.

In summary, the iPod has been a great investment for my fitness motivation so far. Will let you know if it's still motivating me a few weeks from now.

4 weeks post surgery - 28 days!

Wow, 2 months ago I didnt think I would be 4 weeks post op for lap-banding!!

For my 4 week 'bandiversary' I celebrated with having a chill out with food. Today I am eating as if I wasnt banded or on a diet. Lets see what happens

Last night I had a CURRY!!! I had a prawn korma. I managed about 20 prawns and a tbsp juice and smae of rice and that was it. I felt indulged and happy.

I started the day off with a coffee today.

Tesco arrived putting paid to breakfast plans, so I then had a glass of Innocent breakfast smoothy which had arrived via full tesco carrier bags.

Then I had a creme egg ice cream (woooo naughty!) which had ended up in the house via the same method. They are for DS but as its 'lets not stress abotu food day' I had one! HUH!

Then after I had gone back to bed with my TWO NEW KITTENS (SO CUTE) and had we had all had a cuddle and a nap, I got up again and had 2 scrambled eggs and some baked beans!

I am now luxuriating with a coffee and writing this post.

So far no bad burps - I have been suffering with them quite a bit; just plain old gas every time I eat or drink...

I haven't been sick at all in the 4 weeks post op, I still have a mild pain in the middle of my back, but its not as bad as it was, and I feel fine.

I refuse to count the calories because I am simply above all that now.as I don't need to stress about food do I!

(hey... anyone want to count up my cals for me??? Tee Heee. You see -I am trying hard to convince myself I dont need to stress! Shhh dont tell anyone though.)

Fruits with the Highest Fiber Content

A high fiber diet is very helpful for losing weight and improving digestion. When our intestinal tract is not functioning properly it can cause fatigue and listlessness. Legumes, vegetables, bran and oats are all high fiber foods. But some fruits are way up there as well in terms of high fiber content. What are the fruits with the highest fiber content?

A cup of raspberries has a whopping 8 grams of fiber and only 60 calories. That's almost twice as much fiber as a cup of broccoli, which is also a high fiber food. Pears have almost 4 grams of fiber. The delicious asian pears have the highest fiber content of all pears. One cup of strawberries has about 3 grams of fiber and one of the small kiwifruits has 2.5 grams of fiber.

These foods make great snacks. Get munching on some rasberries, pears, strawberries or kiwifruits today!

To lose weight without going hungry, try eating 25 grams of fiber everyday. This is the daily recommended amount but very few people get even half of this much fiber in their daily diet.

Some of these fruits can be quite expensive, especially when they are not in season. The most cost-efficient way to get a high-fiber diet is to eat lots of legumes, greens and brown rice. Legumes and greens are loaded with other vitamins and nutrients as well as fiber.

Best spot ever

Everyone who knows me knows I love spots. This goes beyond a passion. I would actually pay to squeeze your spots. No joke.
This is one of the best I have ever enticed out of myself.

I knew I would feel better soon.

Now I do!

Day 27

Feel really weird, because I simply cannot sabotage myself.

If I had been this good on slimming world and NOT lost weight I would MOST DEFINITELY had a Chinese last night, and NO HOLDING BACK. I would have enjoyed every sodding bite.

However, last night i had a healthy living meal from tesco 'cos I didn't get in from work until 10:30pm. I ate it and it was ok. I thought about eating a bag of crisps, but the thought turned my stomach.

I am not sure whether this is good, or not. I guess its good for my FAT CARCASS, but not good for my Psyche.

I am SCREEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMING

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I am most upset, and I am not TOTALLY sure why. I am not totally convinced that I am upset because of staying the same, but rather because I am to ambitious in weight loss. I think maybe I am upset with myself for not thinking of the big picture...

I have, after all, lost 15lbs in 4 weeks. That's pretty damn good actually.

I am not going to obsess any more. I am going to eat, and be done with it. I cant help if I am eating too few calories, if I am full can I?

I bet them scrawny bints on magazines don't worry about eating too little.

Yeah, thought not.

I am full, and happy and content, and surely that is what matters...

Oh I don't know. Too confused and baffled by all the different ways I have been told to look at food over the years.

Stuff it.

This band will work, I am having a fill on Thursday, so its just going to work and that's it.

Contrary to what I have just said... I will take advice and eat a few more calories, even if it means adding mayo to my mackerel or having real butter to make my scrambled egg. I promise I will be a good girl.

*

I actually feel pretty grim. I feel like I should just eat liquids today. I know its weird, but I feel blocked up... like I did the other day. I can feel a hard feeling when I breathe in deeply.

I am going to flush myself today and see if I feel better. I wonder if those grapes are still stuck in there...

I don't want to eat meat tenderiser!!! I have heard that's the only way to get rid of a blockage.

yuk

Green Tea’s Weight Loss Magic – It’s Not The Caffeine

In recent years there has been a significant amount of attention given to green tea and its health benefits. Green tea has been shown to prevent cancer, heart disease, and reduce the signs of aging. And, more recently, studies have shown that it can be helpful in weight loss.Green tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important to our bodies because they fight the free

15 New WLS Webisodes

We have 15 brand new WLS Webisodes to present to you! The topics are terrific and include:WLS & Health InsurancePlastic SurgeryNutritional SupplementsThe "jump through hoops" process to get approvedWLS and Reproductive HealthGastric Banding: Green ZoneGastric Banding Sweet SpotChanging Your Lifestyle AFTER WLSHow to listen to yoru body after WLSCan you really regain weight after WLS?We've

Why Do Some People Live 100 Or More Years?

By Sharon MooreThere are lots of studies going on around the world trying to answer this question. Centenarian studies so far have not revealed any particular "thing" these old timers have in common.Some centenarians are sweet, some are cranky. Some drink and smoke, some don't. Some exercise regularly, some are proverbial couch potatoes. Some have high cholesterol, some low, and some in the

Jessica is Fat No More

Jessica has lost 140 pounds. She has lost all her weight naturally, without surgery, fad diets or diet pills. She says she was finally able to start losing weight "once I realized that being "fat" and being "me" were not the same thing.

See her weight loss tips here.

Munnalita On Infertility and Obesity

Munnalita Kyrimis wants to get pregnant but she hasn't been able to conceive and she thinks her obesity may be the reason behind her infertility.

Munalita is one of the contestants on the Biggest Loser in Australia. Her starting weight on the show was 127 kilograms which converts to 280 pounds. She is 5 feet and five inches tall.

She's a hairdresser and becoming a mother has always been her dream. Her and her husband have already tried IVF for two years but her doctors have told her she really needs to lose weight to help her fertility and improve her chances.

Her infertility has made her more depressed and this has led to an even worse obsession with food. She says she eats an extreme amount of chocolate and is always thinking about food.

Munnalita has done really well on the Biggest Loser so far. In the first four weeks she has already lost 37 pounds.

We wish her the best luck and great determination for the rest of the show.

Mel Russell on the Biggest Loser

Mel Russell is one of the contestants on the Biggest Loser show in Australia. She is 24 years old and her starting weight on the contest was 108 kilograms which converts to 239 pounds.

At six feet tall she's quite a bit taller than the average Australian woman. She works at a food magazine as an advertising coordinator and has to share offices with skinny snobby fashion magazine types. She's never had a boyfriend and feels her weight is the key problem.

She's done really well in her first four weeks on the show. She has already lost 30 pounds.

We wish her great luck and lots of determination as the contest proceeds.