Jann

http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=7029 Tons in there! Jann

Uhm, I didn't really feel anything on my first fill until I got past liquids and then it was clear I had some restriction even if it wasn't tight restriction. Jann

I wondered what happened with you, Vix. Glad to see you stop in and say hello! Let us know what we can do to help you break your funk. Hugs! Jann

Look at you go! Nice one, Denise! I started with walking, went to brisk walking, up to advanced walking with weights and have jogged twice! Running is not my friend or should I say never used to be. I've never even ran for a bus! My program also integrates jogging and when I'm doing it I'm like, 'Whoa, is that really me doing that? HELL YA!' Kudos to you for getting right to it! You are braver than me out of the gate, that's for sure! hehe. Hugs! Jann

I had a lobster tail. It was the most glorious thing I've ever eaten and I doubt I will ever forget it. hehe --

OMG! What a difference some pounds make, eh? You are stunning. A totally different person!!! WOOT! CONGRATULATIONS! I so love these before and afters! Jann

Awesome work! YAY for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jann

SparkPeople Experts Answer Your Fitness Questions Question: I'm still sore from yesterday's workout. My boyfriend says that to continue building muscle, I should keep working out until the soreness goes away. I say it's more beneficial to take a day of rest and then workout tomorrow. Who's right? Expert Answer: First of all, are you sore from strength training, or from cardio? Are you new to either of these types of exercise? It's common for beginners to experience muscle soreness that lasts for a week or two. Yes, you should keep working out even though you are sore, but your boyfriend isn't exactly right in what he is telling you. Muscle soreness has two primary causes. The first soreness you experience happens during your workout ("the burn") and should subside within a couple of hours. This is caused by lactic acid production. When you are training and your muscles are not getting enough oxygen (anaerobic glycolysis), lactic acid builds up. You can break down lactic acid by continuing to move and by doing light aerobic exercise (such as walking) after your workout. This is why cool-downs are so important, especially for beginners. The longer you cool down, the faster that lactic acid will be broken up and removed from the body. The type of muscle soreness you are experiencing, up to a day or two (and sometimes even three) after your workout is known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). DOMS is caused by microscopic tears inside the muscles, resulting from weight-training or fully exhausting the muscles during cardio. This is normal. Again, beginners will be more sore and usually for longer, but if you really worked as hard as you should have during a weight-lifting session, you should be somewhat sore for the next day or two. This is where rest comes in. You absolutely must rest the muscles you worked for 1-2 days after a workout. So, if your boyfriend meant that you need to keep lifting anyway, he was wrong. Take at least one day off between sessions, and if you are still very sore, take 2 days off. (This means from lifting, not from all exercise such as cardio). If you don't let your muscles recover and repair, they will continue to break down and you will actually get weaker. To help prevent soreness in the future, and alleviate some of it now, be sure to: 1. Always warm-up for 5-10 minutes and cool-down for at least 5 minutes 2. STRETCH!! Stretch after a warm-up, during your workout, and after you are done. Only stretch when your muscles are already warm from some kind of light activity. 3. Stay active. The more your muscles move, the faster they remove that lactic acid build-up. 4. Have your boyfriend give you a massage for all of the hard work you put in at the gym. Exercise Extra: Research shows that engaging in lower intensity exercise after a strenuous workout session may be more beneficial than resting completely.

You bet! You can still apply good bandster rules with or without the band. My sister doesn't have a band and she's following our structure, protein first, veg, fruit then starch, chew 20 times, fork down, etc. They are good habits to get into with or without the band. Glad your back! Hugs! Jann

OoOoo love the yellow mustard/parmesan touch! I'm gonna make this! Thanks Jann

Love ya Babe! Jann

Thanks for that one year update. I love those stories! You've done so incredibly well. Congratulations to you! You've earned it. Jann

Wot they all said! Hope at the very least you had a blast before the pain, hun! Hugs! Jann

Thanks Jude! Like you said, "sharing is caring" and I do care! I'm off to Best Buy to see if I can get that Jillian Michael's Wii Fit program. I've been to Future Shop, (your Circuit City) Walmart, Zellers and EB Games. Maybe I hit the lottery at BB! Either way I have to pick up three Wii Fit's for Xmas gifts for the nieces and nephews. Hugs! Jann

OoOoOo excellent observation, Trav! Jann

That's hilarious! I've never heard that one before. Jann

Look at you! EIGHT pounds one week? You are a rock star. I've come to the conclusion that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Each of our bodies has different needs and different approaches. Sounds like you have found yours. What a babe you are! I just love pics! Jann

US unveils exercise plan for Americans Oct 7, 2008 WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US government unveiled a exercise guide for Americans on Tuesday, recommending two and half hours of physical activity a week for adults as a means of avoiding a range of health problems. The guide, presented by the Department of Health and Human Services, suggested activity that could be easily incorporated into daily routines such as bike-riding or vigorous walking. "The evidence is clear -- regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases," US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a statement. "The more physically active you are, the more health benefits you gain." Obesity continued to creep up in the United States last year and now affects more than one in four US adults, a US government report showed in July. In 2005, 23.9 percent of adults in the United States were obese, or had a body mass index greater than 30, while in 2007, the percentage had grown to 25.6 percent, data issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed. The new "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" are the most comprehensive of their kind and are based on the first thorough review of scientific research about physical activity and health in more than a decade, the statement said. Jann

Five Ways to Break a Weight Loss Plateau If you've ever tried to lose fat for any sustained period of time - you may have hit a plateau. You have changed nothing, but suddenly the fat no longer disappears. The human body is incredibly adaptive and will do its level best to maintain equilibrium (homeostasis). The plateauing effect has to be the biggest motivation-killer there is. Unfortunately many popular diet books are strangely quiet on the issue -- I guess the concept doesn't sell well. The best single word of advice is to make a change. Don't make the mistake of doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result (Ben Franklin's definition of insanity). What changes can you make? Zig-Zag Calorie Intake Zig-zagging, or calorie cycling is the process of varying daily calorie intake, while maintaining the same weekly intake. Instead of consuming (for example) precisely 1200 calories each day - you can mix it up. Eat 1400 calories one day, and 1600 calories the next. This can be as simple as halving then doubling a portion size, or adding a post-workout shake into the plan. (obviously we bandster must fall in line with the rules of banding) Just keep your body guessing. Strength Training If you are not doing this as part of your program or lifestyle, then it's time to start. Working your muscles will help to strengthen bone tissue, increase lean mass, and ultimately boost metabolic rate. Change Your Exercise Routine So you go walking a lot? Then try jogging, or swimming, or cycling -- anything that will change the way your body is working. If you are doing low intensity cardio work, then try some high intensity exercise. Alter Macro-nutrient Intake Although it sounds complicated, once again, the idea is to change what you are eating. If, for example, you are eating a moderate diet that is higher in carbs - try eating less carbs and more protein. There is no need to get super-technical over the whole thing. If you have a carbohydrate snack every day at morning tea time - change it to a protein snack. Whatever you are doing consistently - try mixing it up a bit. Change Meal Frequency If you are eating three square meals a day start adding snacks in between (which may mean reducing the portion size of the main meals). Eating often is an old and common style of eating - once again, you are trying to boost your metabolic rate. I know all that - What else is there? Some of us seem to have more adaptive bodies than others. I remember when I was eating a fairly rigid diet, having three strength training sessions per week, and as much as seven (often intense) cardio sessions a week. After 3-4 weeks - the fat simply stopped coming off. The frustration was enough to make me take my meal plans (stuck to the fridge), screw them up and throw them away in disgust. I was furious and disappointed. I felt that I was doing everything "right". So what was the answer? Chill out and back off... I was becoming obsessional. I started eating more, and gradually reduced my cardio levels. I gave my body and mind a break. In the process I have learned to eat more intuitively. Every person is unique, and we must learn how our individual body responds - and how to work with that. Jann

Nope, if I don't cook with it I don't drink it. I take calcium citrate every morning instead. The compromise is I cook with 2% because I can't abide homo! Hubby still has to have some substance in his moo! Jann

I have been making this for years. It is out of one of the Barefoot Contessa books but I forget which one. It goes to all family and friend functions by request. I have a function next weekend and this yet again is on the menu at the insistence of our host! I haven't modified it to low fat living. It may even be that it's okay to just leave it as it is given the tiny amount we eat anyway. On the rare occasion these days that I have pasta I can only eat a very small amount and then I'm full. I definitely classify this as a cheat food! Five Cheese Penne Kosher salt 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/2 ounces) 1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces) 1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola (1 1/2 ounces) 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 pound imported penne rigate pasta 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter Directions Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot. Combine all the ingredients except the penne and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine. Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity) or one 9"x13" pan. Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes. Jann

I've always been a pretty vanilla eater when cooking aside from the usual spice suspects. (And about 10,000 pizzas, buckets of wings and about a billion cheeseburgers) Now that I actually taste my food and give it a lot of thought, I've got a whole new respect for hot sauce now. Thanks for that head's up, Jude! HUGS! You'll also notice a lot of the soups I cook have a milk base. I don't do much dairy aside from cooking with it with exception of a Danone every day. I just can't bring myself to drink milk. ewwwwwwwww Jann

Enjoy! I added a little Frank's Hot to my bowl since it's my new addiction. hehe -- Jann

Excellent Denise! That's one of the things I love about crockpot cooking. It does go a long way to tenderizing the meat making it easier for us to manage. I'm so glad this one is such a hit! YAY! Jann

Mi recipe su recipe, no worries at all! I'm sorry to hear about your dad, Jude. <hugs> I'm really happy everyone liked the food. I know when I make it hubby pretty much licks the crock pot clean! Jann