When Is Your Lunch Break?

...because I want to schedule a meeting during that time.

I remember when I was in my first year of being banded, social and group meals (especially at work) kinda freaked me out a  little a lot.  These were usually catered lunches at work or meals out with vendors/customers at restaurants.

So many questions would flash through my brain before these meals:

• Would there be a food choice available for me?
• I am going to take FOREVER to eat.  What if everyone finishes before me?
• I'll need to talk during these lunch/dinner meetings.  How will I chew, chew, chew while I talk?
• What if I get stuck and PB? (I'm still waiting for my first official food-related stuck/PB...I've only had large vitamin stuck issues.) I used to always visually locate the bathroom when I would enter a restaurant for this exact reason.

I quickly realized during that year that:

• There is ALWAYS a good choice for me at most restaurants. Everything from the local Mexican restaurant to the Olive Garden...there's always something.  Since I'm usually the one organizing the lunch meetings, I get to choose the foods/restaurant (they don't call me the "cruise director" around here for nothing).
• I'll always look up menus online before going to eat out. I check out the nutrition facts and can then see what is my first choice and second choice.  Then for fun, I'll occasionally look up what I would have ordered in my pre-band days. What a difference!
• People do notice that I eat less or slowly which I could really care less about. But most people seem to just really care about themselves.  Because if people do notice, they start apologizing for eating too fast or too much.  Hilarious.  I'll usually say "Oh, I'm just not that hungry" or remind them about my band.
• Now I'm only looking for the bathroom cause I drink so much damn water.

Today, I've just organized a pizza lunch meeting for my team for next week. 

Yes, I chose PIZZA.

I specifically chose a pizza place that has a great salad bar.  Yum.

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

I have another "first" to add to the list.  

If you remember, last weekend's firsts were snowshoeing and karaoke.  

This weekend?

Paint-balling.  No joke.

The last and only time that I've ever shot a gun was back in October 2010.  I told you all about it HERE.

Luckily, I purposely did not look up "paintball" on YouTube before I went.  Because I would have probably talked myself out of going.

Aren't we bad ass?

Baggy clothes. Not a good look for me. 

What did I learn?

I'm a hider.

I now realize that my hide-n-seek skills that I perfected so many years ago has finally paid off.

I would get myself into a nice little hiding place and then peek out occasionally and shoot the other team.  If you get hit, you're "out" and have to leave the game. Most of the games we played, I would usually be the last one left.  I did get hit twice. Once on the head (OUCH!) and the shoulder.

Me.  Hiding.

One thing that I also noticed was what a GREAT workout it is.  I was huffing and puffing.  Lots of squats and crawling around.

Will I do it again?  Probably not.  Call me sexist, but I'll leave this one for the guys.

Weigh-in Day & the Results Are...

Goal weight: 145 lbs

Today's weight: 141.4 lbs

Happy Friday!


- Posted from my iPhone

Cookbook Review & a Discount For You!

When I first learned about Jean McMillan's unique cookbook that was just for Bandsters, I had to get my hands on it.  Of course, she's a bandster herself (banded: September 2007 and will be converting to the sleeve tomorrow!)

OK, so I eventually read all 384 pages of Bandwagon Cookery.  Whew! It took me awhile.

Someone should invent 30 hour days so I can get everything this girly needs to get done in one day.  But I guess that's a post for another day.

So? What did I think of this cookbook?

FABULOUS!!!!

Let me start with the intro/back story that Jean shares in the beginning of the book.  She reveals how she learned to cook when she was young.  I don't want to give away all the juicy details, but here's one word: Scotland.

Here are just a few of the ah-may-zing things that I like about this cookbook:

• What's in a bandster's kitchen.  She even provides a shopping list too.
• Problem foods for bandsters.
• Most recipes have an adapted version on how to make it "puree" or "mushies".
• Nutrition facts FOR A BANDSTER PORTION.  How awesome is that!  Usually cookbook nutrition facts are always for a normal serving, never small portions like we need.
• The recipes could easily be used by RNYs, VSG'ers, and other weight loss surgery peeps.

OK, so where's that discount that I promised?

Scroll down to the bottom of this page.

You'll see a link and drop-down option that will take you over to Jean's PayPal site so you can get the Lap Band Gal fan discount!**

                                                                                  Regular Price               Discount Price

Bandwagon Cookery                                                 $20.95                         $18.00       

Bandwagon (2^nd edition)                                           $20.95                         $18.00
Set of 2 (Bandwagon Cookery & Bandwagon)         $35.00                         $32.00

All prices include shipping & handling
This discount will only be available through Thursday 5/3/12.


**I am not affiliated with Jean, her books, or compensated in any way.  I just like her cookbook!

Say Hello to Suzy

Check out this TV ad:

What a great reminder for me that one can lose their independence due to behavior choices.  No matter what those choices are.  

Specifically related to me: my choices of healthy food and making exercise a priority each day.

Wouldn't it be AWESOME if similar TV ads were made about obesity?

Violent Volcano Alert!

Come gather 'round for today's little earth science lesson about why someone who lives in Oregon should have volcano insurance...

Did you know that Oregon rocks?

Literally.

It really rocked like a  gajillion  7700 years ago when a volcano erupted and created this: Crater Lake

Yep, this is where I went this past Sunday....Volcano crater huntin'.  A.K.A Snowshoeing.  Unfortunately, no cocktails were served on this hunt.

When we first arrived there were a few "The Shining" flashbacks in my head.  The snow was 12-14 ft high!

 

So while I tried to stop repeating "red-rum" in my head, I put on my snowshoes and off we went into the wilds of Oregon.

But, my fears were quickly calmed because there was Ranger Mike to safely guide us on our two mile trek through the snow:

Ranger Mike showed us pictures of...birds.
Good times.  

By the way, Ranger Mike revealed to me that he was single and looking, so ladies...look no further than the wilds of Oregon.

Up lots of hills!

Even at 7000+ feet up, the altitude didn't really bother me and could easily keep up.  There's NO WAY I could have done that when I was 256 lbs.

Oh look! I found the crater!

So here's your quiz question for today's lesson:

What's wrong with this picture of my feet in those sexy snowshoes?

Yep, I took this photo AFTER we snowshoed for over TWO hours. 

My literacy skills amaze me sometimes.

There's a First Time For Everything!

I sang.

Karaoke.

It happened.

In a public place.

AND there was no  alcohol  liquid courage involved.

Let's be crystal clear here: I CANNOT sing.  Seriously.

But up on stage I went and then more friends joined in.  

Would I have done this when I was a fatty?  Probably not.

Happy faces to protect the innocent.

Weigh-in Day...and the Results are...

Today's weight (Jack Sh*t style!):

Yep, that's over SIXTEEN months of being in my maintenance range of 135-145 lbs.

Have you voted on Facebook yet on what my next blog post should be about? Now's your chance. Check it out HERE.

Why Is Gluttony Rewarded In Our Culture?

I follow my local sandwich shop on Facebook.

Recently, they posted this photo of one of their customers with the following comment: "One of our Pound the Pounder winners showing off her awesome pounder t-shirt. Great job!"

She was rewarded with a free t-shirt for eating this sandwich in less than 30 minutes. Yep, that's a two foot long sandwich with over one pound of pastrami:

I just don't get it.

Why is gluttony rewarded in our culture?

Please explain this to me.

I Need My Fashionistas Help! Dressing Room Adventure

“A woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view.” 

~Sophia Loren

I need a dress for a few different professional events coming up. So off I went to TJ Maxx yesterday. Yep, that's one of my few store options in this little one-horse town that I live in.

Here's what I ended up with. 

For the bargain price of $19.99 (No sales tax in Oregon!)

Size Small

What do you think?  

It's kinda church dress-ish, don't cha think?  It falls very appropriately and conservatively to my knees. 

I'll definitely have to bring out the big guns of shapewear to make it really work. 

What about a black blazer over it? Would that work? What color heels? Help.