Gravy...

We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. I was pretty proud of myself that I made gravy and it actually was good. I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipie and it was delish. Of course, anything that has a full stick of butter in it should be.

I then used said gravy to enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and even a bite or two of a roll with relative ease. Gravy could be a bandster's best friend - or rather worst enemy. I wasn't hungry until dinner on Sunday. Even though it was the largest meal I've had since getting the band, it was still probably 1/3 to 1/2 of what a regular plate would contain. STUFFED. Just like the turkey. Still full I think.

Other fun news from the weekend, I bought a sweater at Nordstrom Rack in the regular misses section and I'm wearing it today! And, my smallest pants are becoming too big. Does that make sense? The smallest sizes that I still have in my closet are becoming too big. Time to think about how to make it through to last 40 pounds or so. Even my new "small" jeans are fitting just fine and I can see the day when they'll be too big. I was wearing my 18W jeans the other day to go grocery shopping and had to keep hitching them up.

I'll probably get a few pairs of pants tailored so I can make it through. I'm also trying to figure out what I want to get altered period versus replacing.

Update and Photos

I'm going bullet-point style with this post - and even with that it will still be really rambling. My apologies.

I had my last doctor's visit on Oct. 27. At that time, I didn't get a fill becuase I was really pretty tight. However, like clock-work my band seemed to loosen up about a week later. I called my doctor's office about scheduling a fill sooner than my Dec. 29 apointment. The person said that Dr. Minkin doesn't do that. Your appointment is your appointment. She said to follow the rules, eat solid protein, yada yada yada.

I was a little bummed but I do think I'm at a pretty good restriction level. Head hunger was getting in the way but something I read on "It's not a sprint, it's a marathon" has been really helpful. She said her doctor told her (I think) that it's not about how much you can eat but rather about how little you can eat and be full.

So what's the big deal with that? I was really focused on - what can I eat and hadn't been paying as much attention to hunger. I don't get that hungry which of course is a big part of being at a good place with the band. That's not to say that I can't eat.

I always think of that scene on Friends where Chandler and Monica are dating but haven't told anyone. They're in the tub when Joey pops in to ask Chandler if he wants some chicken. Chandler says no and then after the door shuts, Monica pops up and says "I could eat some chicken". I could pretty much eat some chicken all of the time but I'm working on dealing with the head hunger and trying to eat only when hungry. Novel concept.

For the past few days it seems like I'll have coffee in the morning, maybe a latte and then I'll be hungry for lunch around 12 or 1. Then, I'm pretty good until late evening. Skinny Cows have been my nemisis but I've just been eating them because I want to, not becasue I'm hungry.

So, for now I'm cool with my level of restriction. Still amazed that I've lost 65 ish pounds. Here is a picture of my progress thus far. The first is starting (299), second is 264, third is 248 and the fourth is 234. Roughly 40 pounds to go to which is nuts. That would be a weight that I know I would be happy at. I think anything more than that would just be a bonus.

Where I'm at now is how I see myself in my mind pretty much all of the time whether heavier or lighter. The photos are a helpful tool and I think will be even more so as I drop below this weight.