Not a lot to report... but will do it anyway

Or maybe, actually there is...?
Yesterday we went down to my Mum and Dad's. We had a really cool time. My brother and his fiancee came over for lunch and then my brother asked DH to be his Best Man. How lovely is that? DH has obviously known him for years - my brother was just 16 when we got together - but we never thought he would ask him. My brother has so many friends, but apparently none he can truely rely on sincerely on the big day. I thought that that was really sweet. DH was really blown away too.

So DH is Best Man and DS is a Paige boy! I am not doing anything THANK GOODNESS! I am already planning my WOW factor as I am hoping beyond all hope to be nicely along in my weight loss expedition. The last time I saw everyone was at my brothers engagement party. I was pre band then too... so about 18 stone. I am hoping that I will at least have lost another stone before August, and the way things are going with my FABULOUS band, I think I might just pull that off!!!

My Dad has also bought a Sinclair C5. Remember them? I cant believe he has bought one, but he has much to DS's delight! He's got it going and has driven it up the road and stuff. Its in incredibly great nick. I have always wondered what they were like in real life. Your legs go over the handlebars and you steer it from close to your hips. Its a really strange thing. But, if you thought I was crazy... then you might get an idea where I get it from now!

So, yeah, yesterday was really great. Food wise I wasn't very happy with myself. For breakfast I had half a tin of mixed bean salad (140cals) and then when we got to my Mum and Dad's we had coffee and I had a shortbread biscuit. It got a little bit stuck, but soon passed. For lunch everyone had pizza and chips, but I had pasta with a stir in sauce and roasted vegetables. Totally fine. After initially tuning down ice cream, I succumbed as everyone was being offered seconds and had 1 scoop. Its amazing how SIT this makes you feel. Such guilt from something so tiny. Our minds are powerful things. By this time I thought I might as well go and shove my head in a gas oven and ate 6 sugarland chews from lidl - a bit like starburst. Then later when we got back from the suit fitting for the wedding (luck DH said yes to being best man huh!!!??!!) I had another shortbread biscuit with coffee. Then for tea Mum brought out hot cross buns, lemon drizzle cake, cream sponge cake, wagon wheels, bread and butter. Oh my.

Initially I was scared. Because I am *Paranoid Pants* I thought, maybe my band is broken and I am gonna get fat again, so I tucked into a hot cross bun. I ate 1 hot cross bun. Half a bun at a time. I was then - swear to God - worried that I was right and my band had indeed broken. WHY? I dunno!! So I ate a bit of lemon drizzle cake. then rushed to the kitchen sink! Puked up the cake and felt miserable, but glad to know my band was there. I kid you not, I really do go through these crisis moments thinking because I have been able to eat something that I maybe should not have had, the band must have stuffed up again. I am such an idiot.

Anyway, tea was over with. Another coffee and shortbread biscuit and we were on our way home. On the drive home I ate another 12 - 15 chews. Felt thoroughly miserable with myself and had convinced myself that I had overeaten and RUINED the whole weeks good work. We got home at about 10:30 and went straight to bed.

Then this morning, I got up and had some weetabix. I managed 2 spoonfuls, and I was done.

It was after this that I decided to face the music on The Daily Plate and add up my calories. I entered absolutely everything and I was GOBSMACKED to find that I only consumed 1200cals. That's after all the sweets and stuff too!! I really thought it was gonna say 3000 or something. That is what it would have said PRE banding. Goes to show really. I felt awful for no reason. I will try and remember this lesson.

So on this happy note, I made lunch at about 1pm and I ate 1 and a half chipolata sausages and 1 friend egg and 1 spoon of baked beans.

Then I went to get something out of the freezer and guess what. EVERYTHING WAS DEFROSTED. AGAIN!!! That's twice in 4 months. So I have spent the whole afternoon cooking. The switch for the freezer got knocked off whilst decorating and must have been off for at least 2 days. I have lost ALL my soups I made and had in store - Borscht, pea soup, chicken soup, lentil soup etc. I had 3 bags of prawns, 8 large lamb chops, mince, fish, 8 chicken breasts and bread rolls, bread and pastry etc.

So I have made a chicken and onion pie, a Chicken and butternut squash pie - that's the chicken and pastry taken care of. I have made a cottage pie too and 5 fisherman's pies. I have thrown a whole bag of sprouts out. What a nightmare. I am just glad it wasn't stocked to the brim. It is bad enough having to throw away all that home made soup. GRRRRRRRR

So by the time it came to eat dinner this evening, I seriously couldn't face it. I cooked lamb chops, parsnip and carrots, but I ended up leaving it for DH. I had a quarter of cheese and tomato quiche instead.

So today's calories have been 645. I am off to bed now. Back to work tomorrow. *sigh*

From Size 30 to Size 4

Lynne used to wear a size 30 or even 32. She now wears sizes 4 and 6. She weighed 296 pounds in January 2005 and got down to her goal weight of 129 pounds by March 2007. She is 5'5" tall.

Her first step was to join a Weight Watchers online group. Months later she started walking one mile a day around a track. Now she's a vegetarian and works out five days a week.

About exercise she says;

The best part about exercise when I started is that my weight-loss went into high gear. I started posting 2+-pound losses almost every week for the first six weeks. Even after that, my losses were usually in the 1- to 2-pound range. Because of exercise, I have a flat stomach (even though I have some loose skin), strong arms, toned legs, and a buttload of energy every day.

She also has an online support group on her blog for other people who'd like to lose weight and are seeking online support and friendship.

It's hard to believe she's a grandmother. See more amazing before and after photos at her site.

Charlie Brooks Loses 30 Pounds

Charlie Brooks is a famous actress in the UK. In 2004, after having a baby, she weighed 168 at her height of 5'5". In 2005 she decided to hire a personal trainer and do 'a before and after workout' video. Over the next month, as she worked out two or three times a week, she lost about 14 pounds. By the end of the video she had lost about 30 pounds.

She says her workout DVD is different because it is not some famous star doing a workout video where they start out super slim and finish super slim. In her video you actually see the weight loss transformation take place.

Unfortunately, her video, which is quite popular in the UK, (and on Amazon.co.uk) is not available on Amazon.com, although you can find about 1,900 other workout videos there.

I couldn't take it any more!!!

Some of my dedicated and loving blog readers might have noticed the weight change bar above... has changed...

It now says 15 POUNDS LOST.

Because...

I just couldnt take it any more and weighed myself. I have lost 4 pounds since Sunday!!
WOW bloody WOW WOW WOW!

So I have now achieved 2 goals..
Lose 1 stone and get into the 16 stone zone.
Both done, today! YES!

I now weigh 16 stone 13 pounds.

Because this is SO awesome, I am gonna put it in the weightloss record.

I know its just in there but the BUZZ I got from the scales saying 16 instead of their usual 17 was like sweet music to my ears.

This also means that its only 10 pounds until I am back to my original banded weightloss...
The total loss I ever managed before it buggered up was 25 pounds. That was my lowest banded weight (16 stone 3). It was devestating to see it go up and up and up... I just wish someone had noticed and sorted it out earlier. Well, they didnt, so I guess I have to get on with it. Its working now honeyz!

My lowest banded weightloss was on 16th May 2007. I will be so great if I am less than 16 stone 3 by 16th May. In a strange way it will make me feel really good to know that I am back on track, even though its a year later. I still feel a little bit like I am competing with my initial weightloss. If I weigh 16 stone 3 before May 16th I will be very very happy; like I have overtaken myselfagain. I know it doesnt make sense, but somehow it will make me feel 'even'.

So the scales are shifting downwards again thank God. I knew that they would because food intake and eating habits have had to drastically change since Sunday. It has only been the last 24 hours where I have actually puked on food. I guess you start to relax a bit and forget to chew 500 times and do 450 times instead and WHAM! Your band says NO! NO! NO!
So I was reminded, not that gently, that thou must first chew TO DEATH the cooked beast and vegetation of the field.

Todays food:
BREAKFAST:
Tablets. Didnt want anything after that.

LUNCH:
1 McDonalds Hamburger (300cals)
5 Mc Donalds fries
1 orange juice
dipping sauce

IN CINEMA:
NOTHING! GO ME!!!!!!!!! I was too full from McDonalds! COOOOOOL!

DINNER:
Roasted vegetables (Butternut squash, aubergine, courgette, tomato, onion, pepper, sweet potato) coleslaw and green salad - 275 cals

So with a few other odds and sods, today's calorie intake is gratifyingly low at 835.

1 YEAR SINCE BANDING

I cannot believe that it has been this long, and yet gone so quickly.So after a year, two surgeries a total of 11 pounds weight lost... Am I glad I had the band?

YEAH! I know that if it hadnt blown apart, or someone had noticed and diagnosed it within the 8 months it was broken, then I would definately be close to my goal now.

So today, just to show you how much I love my band, I have taken photos of a couple of interesting items I ate today which PROVE that the band works. COMPLETELY.

Here is a plain regular size apple I tried this evening at about 5pm. Its still sitting on my desk waiting to be finished. I COULD NOT eat any more.

Here is the remains of my dinner. I have been painting and tiling all day again, so DH said he would get fish and chips. I ordered a small cod. I pinched 5 of hubbies chips and two are still on the plate as you can see. The cod fitted on the plate, so you can see exactly how much I could eat. No much. HA! Cool.

Suddenly this band is doing the job in a way I would never never never never in a MILLION years have been able to.

Its really strange. Until you are literally AT THIS POINT you cant imagine what its like. This is like mind blowing. I have read so many blogs where they say things like "When you get the perfect restriction you will know" and I kept asking "How?" I mean surely there must be some kind of way to describe it...

Well basically its the above pictures. This is what restriction is. Couple it with a feeling of fullness thats NICe and not bloated and hurting. Couple those with not being hungry between meals. Then wrap all of those up in a ribbon with realising you are eating around 800 cals WITHOUT TRYING!!!!!!!!!!! I mean WOW!

Today I can truly honestly from the bottom of my heart say

I love my band

So back to boring stuff...

Breakfast: rest of the prawn and salmon salad in the fridge from yesterday's lunch

Lunch: Knorr chicken noodle soup - 1/3rd packet

Snack @ 5pm: Kiwi

Snack @ 6pm: 1/4 apple

Dinner: 1/3rd piece of battered cod and 3 chips

Total (I F'ING LOVE MY BAND) Calories - 501

Awesome.

45 Pounds Lighter Without the Soda

John used to drink a lot of soda. He decided to give it up. This was the key change that helped him lose 45 pounds in nine months. He now weighs 190 and feels great. Although it took him several weeks to beat the soda cravings he's sure now he wouldn't touch the stuff again. See his quitting soda story here.

Breakfast:
1 chopped apple, 1 kiwi fruit, 4 grapes and 1 petit filous.
This kept me well full until lunch time. It took me 30 minutes to eat.

Lunch:

Or rather the REMAINS of my lunch (still in the fridge!).

I forgot to take a pic before I started gobbling it, but remembered when I saw the camera on the side on the way out to the kitchen with my plate. The complete meal was:

a handful of salad

70g prawns

50g smoked salmon

tablespoon of chilli sauce

2 tablespoons of cocktail sauce (home made with less cals!)

However, I only ate HALF of this as you can see. I had to stop as I started to feel a little pressure in my oeasophagus. So I thought -

"Right, rather than sit here and keep trying to eat a little bit more, and then
a little bit more, I will bung it in the fridge and get on with my jobs. If I
get hungry I can eat it then."

Didn't get hungry. Didnt end up eating it. HA HA HA HA HA COOOOOOL!

Spent the whole day tiling and painting and stuff in our Utility room. Am totally covered from head to toe in silicone sealant and paint and bits of tiles. But it looks WELL GOOD! I dont know why I didnt do it before. Its like one of those rooms that are getting a bit ropey, but you dont notice, as its kind of got older with you!!! Then one day you look and think "Jeez, this has got to be done up" and start wondering if anyone who visits thinks you are a total scab hound.

When I got right down on the floor and started work I was pretty ashamed of my housekeeping. I blame it on the short sightedness!! It really was well grim under the radiator where the dryer pumps out its perfumed fuzz laden air right onto the pipes. Without skirting boards since we tiled the floor over a year ago (OMG!) its kind of started to get a bit gross where the plaster is a bit damp etc. So its done now... filled, made good, sealed and skirted and now tiled to boot. Looks ace.

If I am renting the room downstairs to one of the Spanish girls, I cant very well let her walk into that pig sty every morning. I would want to shoot myself. So we have made it really cool now. Will finish it off with a lick of coffee colour paint tomorrow and it will be awesome.

DINNER:

I made Spaghetti Bolognese.

Extra lean mince, passata, onions, garlic (lots of!) and pasta.

I am still full now and its 11pm. Yippee flaming doo!

YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Total cals today according to The Daily Plate 823

I could cry with ecstasy.

Dare I say... 364 days after banding,

I LOVE MY BAND

Tomorrow is my 1 year bandiversary.

I kind of hate to think what I would look like now had the blow out not happened... but

Que Sara Sara

I'm not skinny yet, but this time next year I definatley WILL be!!!!!!