Well here is September. So far it's been my month...Misty September LOL Yeah that is my real name. It has rained here for DAYS.

Jen-It is a really tricky decsion. A year ago my sister was looking at WLS as an option. At that time she didn't think the risks were worth it. She gave the exstreme diet regimine offered by her doctor an honest shot for many many months. After months she felt she had given it everything she had down to the very last effort. At that point despite seeing a slew of specialists and trying different medications and getting weekly injections and having lost 30 pounds she hit a pleateau for MONTHS, when all they had to offer her was fasting she felt she had given every effort it appeared that WLS was going to help. She spoke to two of her doctors and even before the words WLS came out of her mouth they both said that may be a viable option for her. Between the PCOS and the IR and who knows what else is messing with her hormones its just not possible for her to lose the weight with all this. WLS has been found to reverse IR and type 2 diabetes sympotoms and even eliminate them.

And a year ago I was upset with her for wanting to take the risk of surgery. But now that I have seen her put so much into this and getting nothing out. She has my 100% support. So it's a difficult descion and requires alot of soul searching and information. It's good you aren't taking it lightly.

It was a long weekend for me. I intended to get back on track yesterday. Instead I ate a cake...yeah like a whole cake...well 2/3 of a cake. I was angry with DH and frustrated. I am really struggling today. It's 8:30 and I am really trying not to binge on cereal. I would really just like to make it through on week on plan. I had to go out and buy new clothes b/c all teh new clothes I bought in April are too small. I was in a size 18 (Lane Bryant) and I had to buy size 24 (walmart). So depressing. It should be more motivating but it's just not.

I think I'll go have a cup of tea.

Anyone need a kitten? The stray that someone dumped on our farm had 6 kittens on my porch. They are about 6 weeks old now. SOOOOOOOOOOOO cute! I think we found a home for one. She's a grey calico with long hair. There are two solid grey and 3 yellow too. What on earth am I going to do with 6 cats? I already have two in the house. I feel bad if I take them to the animal shelter, but I really should. They'd have so much better of a chance there. I nee dto at least get the mother fixed, but I don't have $200 to fix a cat that's not mine. DH and FIL all say to just leave them be and they'll go to the barn. But barn cats have a rough life and often a short one.

Well, haev a great day everyone!!!!

Hi everyone--I haven't posted in soooo long, but life is calming down and both my kids go back to school tomorrow (my shouts of relief can be probably be heard down the block).

I ended up deciding not to teach again this fall (I am a middle school teacher)--I was very sure I needed to stay in a part-time position and those are very hard to find. So I will concentrate on moving forward professionally in other ways and try again next spring. There's always the possibility that some district will need a maternity leave fill-in, or a last minute situation. I'm not freaking out either way.

I look my son to a pick-your-own orchard yesterday--we got peaches and blueberries. The berries are actually kind of disappointing; I guess it was too rainy a spring for the berries to work. The peaches are tasty. The main success was spending a few hours in the sun with a 14 year old and having him actually talk to me (LOL)!

Hope everyone has a great week and meets whatever their goal for the week is. I am focusing on tracking my water.

Morning all. Well I feel invigorated. I'm like you Misty, I love September. I'm happy that the sweltering days of summer are behind me and I can look forward to being outside without sweating like a pig or feeling so hot I don't want to do anything. September always feels like the beginning of fall and that is my favourite season. So on this happy note I've decided to give the idea of WLS a break and go back to trying to lose weight the conventional way. Thanks Misty for that story about your sister. I don't feel like I have done all that I could do to lose weight. It is definately true that some overweight people no matter what they do cannot lose weight and surgery is the only option. I don't feel that is me yet. So getting my nose back to the grindstone!!

Misty - I know what it is like to have to go buy bigger clothes. My hospital scrubs are starting to feel a little tight.

Take care all, have a great day!

Jen-It's good you've decided to take your time on this. You'll probably waver back and forth over the next few months and that is ok. Take your time, it will fall into place one way or another when the time is right.

Elana-It's fabulous to have you back!!!!! Sounds like things with your children are going well. The blueberries here this year didn't do a thing. I guess other people have had alot of them but our bushes yeilded only a few. But we have LOTS of new shoots on the bushes this year so we'll see how next year goes. But the strawberries on my husband's unlce's farm were sooooooooo good.

Well, with all the rain we are stuck inside today. I guess I ned to turn off the tv and get the kids palying something or maybe we can do a craft.

Misty - well it is hard because in some ways surgery is a lot easier than losing weight conventionally. You HAVE to eat much better food, no sugar or fat, otherwise you are vomitting everything up. Of course over the long run you can gain it back but I think it works for most people because they learn new eating behaviours and it sticks. I'd like that a lot but I'm not willing to have the surgery until I really feel like I've exhausted all my options. Good luck indoors today with the kids. Mine is driving me bonkers already and the morning isn't even half over yet!

Hello ladies. Went to peach festival yesterday and ate a funnel cake. Sure was tasty. Back on track today.

Elana I was a middle school teacher also. This time of year is hard on me miss setting up everything. Feeling a little blue and not productive. Guess need to get a life!

Hey chicks, I had such an OP day! One down, a million to go lol. I didn't get to walk, as my ankle is still swollen, but I did clean some, so that burned a few calories.
Hugs,
Donna

Hi all. Feelinga little I just cut DS's hair for the first time. He had should length blode curls. But it was starting to look mullet-ish. So I did it. Makes me feel a bit sad that he is growing up. Dh doesn't know yet. His hair is VERY long and I think he kind of thought we'd let DS's grow too.

but I did have a good OP day today

Hi all!

Been a busy week. The first day of school was awesome, Dh didn't kill be for cutting DS's hair and one of my kittens found a new home...the guy almost took a second one and decided it would be too much. I'm sad b/c he's a great guy and I really wish these babies had a better home, but I am glad he didn't take two and resent it. The one will ahev a fabulous new life and sweet family with a 6 year old girl to love her.

I am really struggling today to not scarf down a pile of carb based foods. The kids have been off the wall today. My FIL stopped in, and ended up taking my two to the barn. That has helped. But I am really struggling. Maybe I'll make a nice cup of tea or cocoa. Something warm and soothing that I can skim the points down on.

I thought about making lasagna for dinner so we had leftovers for tomarrow night after I work. It's been a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time since I had to work a full day like that and come home and cook. I mean I sort of do it when I work at my neighbors but this day was just busier feeling and I was more tired. So I wants omething just to heat up tomarrow night.

So since I am thinking lasagna I need to keep the points down for the rest of today so I can actually eat some of it tonight. Plus I already used 6 points on a HUGE bowl of rice krispies (see the carb thing) and 2 points on crackers (again those white carbs).

My sister suggested that I try high protien and cut back on the breads and cereals. She said when she does that her carb cravings go down. I serisouly could eat a whole box of cereal right now. I think it's a comfort thing. But I never do well when I skip the white stuff.

Well I better go cook the kids some lunch. Have a great day!!!!

You know Misti I love lasagna and you can really shave the points with fat free ricotta, low fat mazzarolla, add spinach, use egg whites to bind ricotta. Whole wheat pasta. You shave a lot of points and retain the comfort yumminess.

I am with you my sista on wanting carbs. I too am a carb addict. I agree if I eat good protein easier to curb craving of carb. Have you switched to the whole wheat 40 cal a slice bread? That to saves my bacon how about Thomas lite multi grain english muffin only one point?

hang tough my sista we will do this.
Have a great day at work tomorrow! Enjoy!

DH wouldn't touch anything with spinach with a 10 foot pole. He'll eat Whole wheat pasta if I don't tell him that is what it is and he gripes about reduced fat anything. And his lasgana HAS to have meat...that alone adds 13 points to the entire recipe.

I tried not to eat lunch so I could save some points (probably not teh best plan). I HAD to eat something so I had Veg soup my kids refused to eat for lunch. It's 1 point per serving, but when you calc it for the 2.5 the can holds it's 4....darn that fiber limit LOL. lLeaving me with 14 points. I calculated my lasagna recipe to be about 10 points with full fat mozzerella, parm and cheddar adn 1% cottage cheese (DH also hates ricotta).

So I found a yummy looking veg. lasagna recipe. I am thinking I will make a small amount of the veg. lasagna for me and a regular one for DH and kids. I am trying to figure out how many points it will be. I have Whole wheat noodles for me and regular for the family. When I guessed on the amounts of stuff I would need I came up with 9 points, and for that I can have regular. I do have some FF cheese so I can shave a few points there, but I have to have some regual mixed in b/c FF makes me gag.

But, sometime over the winter I had half a container of FF ricotta. I didn't want to waste it so I froze it. Do you think it is still good?

Vegetarian Times magazine just had some excellent lasagna recipes--I'll try to find the link to the website. One used polenta rounds instead of traditional pasta, which resulted in much more fiber.

Other high fiber snack ideas: a baked sweet potato with a squirt of lime juice, a bowl of Puffins with a few walnuts, a reasonable portion of hummus with raw veggies. These all work for me--they are very filling, low points and in some cases give you another serving or 2 of veggies for the day.

A great new discovery in my area--a whole grain granola bread--8 grams of fiber per slice and it tastes great! Also great for making french toast because of the dense texture.

Take care--

Hi all!

After all this fuss about lasagna I had no ground beef so could not make it for dh and the kids. They had hot dogs for dinner and later after the kids went to bed I used the last of my points for icecream.

I did make a veg lasagna for myself. It's uncooked in the fridge. I'll toss it in the oven today. I think I figured out it was like 10-12 points for then entire thing. It's in an 8x8 or so casserole so if I cut that in 1/4 it should work out to be around 4-5 points per serving. I'll probably count it as 5. I hope it tastes ok.

Well today is DD's first day of dance class. I should go wake her up. She's not a morning person, so we'll give her a bit to wake up.

Hello chicks,
How is everyones weekend going? Mine has been pretty good, been pretty much OP today. Did have some pumpkin seeds, love them!! Well, hope everyone is doing good!!
hugs,
Donna