How does Kate Middleton--err, the Duchess of Cambridge--do it?

If you've seen any pictures of the new Duchess of Cambridge (or any pre-wedding Kate shots), you might have wondered how Kate Middleton has been able to attain such a super svelte figure. I'm sure that good genes definitely help. She also has a love for sports, which certainly can't hurt either. Her mother was rumored to be on the Dukan Diet, a new 2011 fad diet in Europe; stories have surfaced that Kate and her sister Pippa (her bridesmaid in the picture) might have used this diet plan as well. And according to http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/, her weight is believed to be primarily managed by regular exercise and extreme discipline in eating--without denying herself. I wonder what that means? See below for the article.


Kate Middleton's fitness regime revealed ahead of royal wedding

AT 5ft 10ins tall and weighing just 8st 8lbs, Kate Middleton's slim and athletic figure was always going to draw comparisons with Princess Diana.

On a recent outing, the 29-year-old princess-in-waiting laughed off suggestions she was getting too thin by claiming: "It's all part of the wedding plan."

Such an offhand comment has made royal watchers fear for the health of the bride-to-be and sparked yet more media interest in the diet and fitness regime of Prince William's fiancée.

There are rumours she is taking diet tips from her mother, who swears by a controversial French eating plan, the Dukan diet, and that stress is playing a huge part in her recent weight loss.

But despite intense scrutiny, the future princess insists she is keeping a handle on the situation and is sticking to the most tried and trusted methods of maintaining a healthy weight - balancing an active lifestyle with sensible eating.

We examine Kate's diet and fitness regime, and look at how her lifestyle with William promises a healthy future for the royal couple.

DIET

Despite the gossip surrounding her eating habits, Kate sticks to a low GI diet of lean meats, fish and vegetables to stay healthy.

She loves "summer foods," She loves "summer foods," including beans, salads and salmon, and although she doesn't deny herself, she is believed to be extremely disciplined in what she eats.

Kate has also been linked to Dukan diet, originated by Pierre Dukan, to fit into her wedding gown on April 29.

Her mother, Carole, has been a Dukan devotee since using the diet to shed weight last year and it is rumoured she has turned her daughter on to the regime.

A variation on the hugely popular Atkins diet - high protein and low carb - the Dukan diet already has several famous fans, including Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman.

The four-stage diet consists of a series of phases - attack, cruise, consolidation and stabilisation - whereby foods are withdrawn and then slowly re-introduced.

According to the Dukan diet website, the phases enable the dieter to lose then maintain the correct level of weight for body type.

DUKAN DIET FORMULA

ATTACK

Brief and headlong phase with immediate results. During this phase, the diet is made up of 72 high-protein foods enabling quick weight loss.

Cruise During this phase, the diet alternates pure protein days (PP phases) with 28 recommended vegetables (PV phases). CONSOLIDATION Phase of 10 days which prepares for the return to a balanced diet.

Monitored freedom with a target of establishing this freshly conquered and still vulnerable ideal weight. This phase brings the gradual return of fun foods.

STABILIZATION

Definitive phase based on three simple, concrete, easy but non-negotiable measures. This phase is both the easiest and most essential in the slimming method because 95 per cent of people who follow a diet put the weight they have lost back on.

FITNESS

Because Kate leads such an active lifestyle, her diet of low GI carbs only serve to help maintain her slim frame while muscle definition is down to her choice of exercise.

She is a keen gym bunny and does at least one hour every day, using the private facilities installed at Clarence House.

Her favourite high-energy workout includes rowing, running and weight lifting. She also cycles regularly, balancing her cardio workouts with yoga sessions to improve flexibility.

A typical workout routine for Kate would include short 20-minute bursts of high intensity training to keep things fresh and interesting.

Kate's workout

RUNNING

To really burn fat and ensure a body fit for a princess, vary the speed of your workout. Running at a high intensity for three minutes and a moderate intensity for five will ensure all of your muscles are working hard and help tone your abdomen.

ROWING

For super-toned arms, rowing is the best thing to banish bingo wings and impress the future king. An intense 30-minute rowing session can burn 300 calories.

A session on the rowing machine will provide great strength, flexibility and posture in your upper body.

WEIGHTS

Adding weights to a cardio routine will help with muscle definition and sculpting body shape. As weights are essentially the same as resistance training, it will help improve co-ordination and increase bone density as well as improving performance during cardio routines.

Doing step-ups and push-ups alongside squats and lunges using an exercise band will also give the same effect. For best results, do repeat each move 10 to 12 times, breaking just long enough to catch your breath in between. Repeat for two to three sets.

YOGA

Lactic acid build-up in the muscles from vigorous cardio exercising contributes to muscle fatigue so it's vital to use yoga stretches in between regular workouts to release any lactic acid build-up.

Forward bends stretch the lower back and hamstrings. This helps you let go of tension in the back, neck and shoulders, increasing the flexibility of the spine.

Backward bends open the chest, hips and rib cage and hips, building strength in the arms and shoulders. They also add to flexibility in the shoulders, while helping ease the tension from the front of the body and hips.

Seated asanas - or poses - increase suppleness in the hips and lower back. Strengthening the whole back, they increase the flexibility of the spine and elasticity of the hips, knees, ankle and groin.

Balancing asanas are essential for cultivating muscle tone and physical harmony as well as strength and agility. Great for overall posture.

LIFESTYLE

Holiday activities with Prince William include skiing, which uses both upper and lower body to get the heart rate soaring and can burn up to 1400 calories an hour.

On their trip to Kenya last year, they had an active holiday, including horse and camel riding.

Tennis-mad Kate, who plays at Princess Diana's old haunt, the Harbour Club in Chelsea, is all set for Wimbledon this year when she will be the Royal representative.

She also loves swimming, which helps tone up her body.

NAUGHTY BUT NICE...

Kate has a notoriously sweet tooth,. Haribo Starmix and Tangfastics are her favourites. She stocks up from local stores when she is with her family in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Shopkeeper Hash Shingadia and his wife Chan said: "Kate loves them. She came in with her mother and bought some Haribos.

"She also bought French bread, ham, salami, cream and eggs and her favourite magazines, Hello!, Tatler and Elle. She's a normal girl."

Disturbing PostSecret Postcards

This postcard was disturbing:


This postcard was even more disturbing:

What Would You Do?

Have any of you seen the show 'What Would You Do?' where fake encounters are set up to examine the surrounding public's reactions? The first part of this particular episode below deals with a public encounter between a mother and daughter over WLS and the responses from real restaurant patrons. Dr. Oz is on-hand to discuss what happens.



What would you have done?

Bunny Cake Update

Well, I was able to ration out every part of the bunny cake except the face. I'm going to work on finding someone to take some of it.

How did everyone else celebrate Easter this year?

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

I have made a bunny cake for a family get-together tomorrow. It is pink on the inside and white ice-inged and coconut-ted on the outside. As a novice baker, my culinary productions probably aren't at all spectacular to most, but I have been wanting to make a bunny cake for years (we had them at church Easter functions (several each year for some reason???) when I was a kid, so thinking of them--and making one today--brings back neat memories). I hope the fam will eat it ALL because I certainly don't need leftover bunny cake!!!

I get to see my niece and nephew tomorrow at the get together too. :) I love spending time with them!

I also plan to go to church in the AM and remember the reason for the holiday! It fills me with love and is very humbling that such a great sacrifice was made for me.

I will leave you with a picture of a house on our local beach. The owners built it to survive hurricanes and other disasters. But it appears they are also in the Easter spirit this year. :)

Feeling Portly

I'm feeling rather rotund lately without a fill and proper exercise plan. I'm reminding myself of Lady Cluck, the chicken in Disney's Robin Hood. Does anyone remember her? Actually, she's exercising in the clip below, so she's got that on me! Ugh!

Delilah and WLS

Does anyone else listen to Delilah? If not, just so you know, she's a syndicated talk show host who discusses relationship issues with callers. I love her radio show and listen if it's ever on when I'm driving. Yes, I'm a sucker for romance. :)

Well, on April 12th, Delilah had a pre-gastric bypass caller on the show. The caller had a boyfriend whose family was telling him to marry the WLS candidate quickly because she would lose weight and lose him post surgery. Delilah then said that she should laugh it off because this type of scenario is what sitcoms are made from because a) the family was basically saying that she was so shallow that she would become a hottie and ditch him and b) he did not have the qualities which would make a hottie want to stick around.

Of course, we have all read and heard that there actually is an increased chance for relationships to retire themselves post WLS...but, as Amy W. put it a couple weeks ago, the relationship, for whatever reason, may have needed to end anyway. (Of course, I don't blame Delilah for overlooking this because she probably wouldn't know of the increased likelihood herself--doubtful from the pictures of her that she would ever need to research WLS for herself).

What do you think about the whole post-WLS-commitment situation? And does anyone else listen to Delilah, or am I a lone ranger there?

Extra Dessert Delights

The Extra Dessert Delights Mint Chocolate Chip-flavored gum is yummy. I tried it a few months ago but forgot to post about it until I saw a commercial for the gum this past week. While some folks claim gum helps satisfy cravings, I don't know if it really makes me less hungry. But it might occupy my mouth for a bit....that could be beneficial in helping to not stuff my face with food. But my one problem with gum is that I often accidentally bite my mouth causing painful, lasting sores. :(

Have you tried the Extra Dessert Delights? If so, what is your favorite flavor? Does gum satisfy your cravings? Does anyone else out there have the biting/sore issue?

Man Living in Glass House

Evidently there is another way to lose weight--live in a glass house.



What do you think about this form of weight loss?

Itchy Tummy?

For the past several months, I've been noticing that I have an itchy stomach around the port area. It's not constant. And it's not putting a major damper on my life. But I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Does anyone know why it's itchy?

A Sad Week

This week has been fairly difficult for me. I have gone to two funerals and two viewings.

One person who passed away was a very young (43 years old) former co-worker and friend who was always super sweet. She had breast cancer, which went into remission but then reared its ugly head again within the last year.

A friend's father also passed away. He was deaf, and the eulogy, probably the most beautiful I've ever heard, covered many aspects of his life that dealt with his not being able to hear. It was very touching. The reason he passed stemmed from some digestive issues he was having where food was sitting on his stomach and not passing through the system correctly. While he was, otherwise, in great health (he was in his early 50's by the way), he received some type of scope procedure (EGD/Upper GI/Upper endoscopy perhaps) and vomited, which aspirated into his lungs. From there, he developed pneumonia, and things went downhill.




I'm sure that this is not common for the scope procedure, but it reminded me to a whole new degree how we are taking our health into our hands whenever we get even routine procedures done. This is why it is important to do our own part to try to avoid any issues. Doing our part includes eating right, not taking NSAID's (or other off-limits medication), following doctor orders, and otherwise working with our bands. Obviously, I'm not perfect here, so I'm not preaching. But this has been another reminder of how we all should function with the band.

I hope everyone out there is having a healthy and happy weekend.

More on My Exercise Situation

I posted yesterday about exercise versus project completion. Thank you for the comments. I'm glad I'm not alone. The good news is that I am not a sedentary person either. Every few months, I usually start to get hungry for exercise. And even over the past month (while I've had my paper looming largely), I've gone hiking and walking a few times. It's not as vigorous as routine (by any stretch) as my jogging/gymming days, but it's something. As mentioned though, I am trying NOT to get into a routine though...as odd as that sounds...for fear of getting obsessive about it.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Losing Weight Due to Exercise

I lost some weight when I was in my early 20's by regularly exercising. I was gymming it up every day. Cardio was my companion. Consistency was key. This is how I helped lose weight in the first year of banding too.

But I feel like sometimes life gets in the way with this approach. Yes, I know that many people have continued with their fitness regimens for a few years after banding, and I also know that life is all about choices. I do completely understand and appreciate this method and line of thinking. And, to be honest, I kind of like exercising...well, depending on what it is.

But I am in a different place right now. When I have a major project, I am a one-track mind sort of person. For instance, while working on my paper like I am right now (a project which is very important to me...and takes a LOOOONNNNGGG time), I find it easy for my motivations to become overtaken by something more desirable (most anything right now). If I start another endeavor even with my paper looming, I want to either see that new whatever it is through to completion or try to improve myself as much as possible in that new vein. Exercise would fall into the latter category. I would be constantly striving to work out more and longer if I started back at all. I know this because I have been on this path before with exercise. I can't stop at 30 minutes a day. And I will want to log time, food, and pay attention and concentrate on all things exercise and nutrition. These efforts would derail me from my one-track focus on completing my paper.

It's strange that I can't do both, but I am just the type that must concentrate my efforts when I have a big project. I have to be obsessive about my one big goal. What scares me about this approach is that I don't even have children yet!!

Is anyone else of the one-track-mind sort when it comes to big projects and endeavors?

Losing Weight Because of Guys

Another means of my shedding weight has resulted from the acquisition of new boyfriends. When I start to get involved with a new guy, I tend to lose weight because of the nervousness factor. I am slightly nauseous for a while and really don't think about food at all. I certainly can't eat in front of them on dates--not from fear of eating too much, just because I am so anxious about the dating situation in general.

Still, I feel unhealthy all the while because I know my appetite will inevitably return. At least with getting out of the country, I've been exercising. With this, my habits haven't changed whatsoever (too bad :( ).

But I guess I don't have to worry about this these days anyhow since I'm an old married lady. :)

Have any of you lost weight as a result of dating? What was/is your experience?

Weight Loss: What Has Worked For Me

So yesterday I talked about what did not work for me. And I got some great responses (even that the Ab Belt has worked for some! :) ). But what has worked for me (even if short-term) aside from the lapband?

I did lose some weight a couple years after the Ab Belt adventure when I went on an extended trip out of the country. I did a lot of walking during my long stay. But unfortunately the weight came back on in full force when I returned home.

In the area I reside, especially in the summer (but overall really), the masses always drive to get to wherever they are heading. With the car parked in the garage or driveway and with most parking garages, lots, and spaces being at least fairly close to accessed buildings, there really isn't a lot of walking that HAS to be done round these parts.

I sometimes wonder whether I would lose more weight if I lived in another country...at least one where I was forced to walk more. I know a couple of other folks who also provide good examples of how getting out of the country is good for the weight-loss situation. A friend's mom has lived in Europe for about ten years now and is pretty tiny--compared to being overweight (and maybe obese) for several years before moving. Another one of my friends recently got back from a trip to Africa and has lost what looks to be about forty or so pounds. She is wanting to go back but will be studying here for a couple years before permanently moving. I will be, I'm sort of ashamed to say, watching her weight progression here and there in order to better speculate about my own potential to keep weight down in another country (although I have no imminent moves planned).

Has anyone else been out of the country (or even out of your hometown) and lost significant weight? Was it because of the siteseeing legwork, increased mobility for other reasons, or difference in cuisine?

Have you found success with other weight loss methods--even if not permanently? Tell me about them.

What Doesn't Work For Weight Loss

After posting yesterday about the Full Bars (which I'd never actually tried), I was reminded of some things I have done to attempt to achieve a better bod. Besides the requisite weight-loss pills, exercise, and dieting, the most zany thing I attempted was using the Ab Belt. I mentioned this in an earlier blog on Wild and Wacky Weight Loss methods at http://mybandita.blogspot.com/2009/11/wild-and-wacky-weight-loss.html.

My main problem area has always been my stomach. It's good in one way because you can help to cover it up with certain shirts (coats in the winter are the best!), but since I was an early teen (when I wasn't really allowed to wear them), I haven't been able to pull off a two-piece bathing suit figure no matter what I've done.

Not for any lack of want or trying on my part, the Ab Belt (and other efforts) didn't work to give me the bikini-ready dream abs. And the belt was pretty painful. With an Ab Belt, you are pretty much shocking yourself in the stomach. It's essentially self-inflicted electrocution (from what I experienced anyway). So I traded it for some books...they weren't as painful :).

What are some of the diets and quick-fix solutions that you all had tried prior to banding? Were there any that were helpful? In what ways? What were the problems with any that you tried?

***The gal in the picture below is sporting an Ab Belt.

Full Bars

Before I was banded, I was exploring a product called the Full Bar. I chose the band instead of pursuing yet another diet product or seeming quick-fix solution. Anyhow, I was reminded of the bars while watching an infomerical last night. The doctor/creator purports that he has done over 1500 WLS's and that the same concept used for WLS is that used for the Full Bar--namely, making your stomach feel full.

I went online to read some reviews. Some were good, and some were not so good. One was written by a bandster even!

I was just curious if anyone else out in Bandland has tried them since I never did?

Oh, and has anyone ever heard of (or was anyone banded by) the creator Dr. Michael A. Snyder?

Sister Wives: The Weight of Four Wives

I (very shamefully) admit that I watch Sister Wives on TLC. I don't know if anyone else does? Anyhow, I have wondered something for a while now about the gals in that 'marriage': do they get jealous of one another as far as appearance goes?

I am really not much of the jealous type anymore. I used to be moreso in my younger days. But I would think that if my husband had three other wives that I might do a lot of comparing and that sort of thing.

The wives on this show range from very thin to average to overweight/obese. Now, I know that people can be totally blissful about their bodies in each of those groups, but I personally wasn't overjoyed about my size when I was obese. Adding other body issues to that mix (wrinkles, flaws, etc.) would seem to make a situation of multiple wives unbearable as far as continued comparison goes. If I were married to a guy who was also married to a twig ten years my junior (not that I ever could or would be in that situation!), it might strike the jealousy nerve (and perhaps even send me reeling down the path of Body Dysmorphic Disorder)....regularly. I wonder how these women cope with thoughts that they might not be the pretty one, the thin one, etc. in their marriage? Or have I just been raised in an environment that puts too much importance on these things? I, of course, realize that there are other redeeming qualities (intellect, wit, kindness, and so on), but to think that my husband, of all people, might be comparing my physical attributes to other wives is a little disturbing. Any thoughts?

Wanted: All Longterm Bandsters

I have recently mentioned to others in private messages that I wish there were more bandsters posting who were five, ten, or more years out from surgery. I think it might give some of us hope in the face of statistics about removal and weight regain. They might also have great eating tips to share. They might have some great advice for longterm weight and band maintenance. If any of you have friends out there, please have them set up a blog...and send me a link!!!

Do I Have Restriction Now?

As I have posted, I have no fill whatsoever in my band now. None. Zilch. Nada. Every drop of fluid was completely removed over two months ago at the onset of my issues.

The reason for this particular post is that a couple of people who have messaged me privately have asked me if I have any restriction now since I have no fill. So, since it's been asked more than once, I thought others might want to know too????

To preface this, I was not one of those bandsters who had restriction before getting my first adjustment. In fact, I actually GAINED weight post surgery (two pounds, to be exact, from December '08 to about February of '09) before I received any fluid. I've not heard of any others gaining, but I guess there is always an outlier. Lucky me!

As you know, I did start losing after the first fill...albeit, slowly. I incorporated better eating habits and jogging (and all sorts of other exercise) into my daily life. I could feel restriction at that point, but I never was the type who didn't have to snack, was full for hours after eating, or could eat a pre-set amount of food in one sitting (in fact, I sometimes noticed that I could eat loads at a time--I posted about this probably around Summer or Fall of '09). While this was the case, I would still PB on occasion if I ate too fast or if something didn't agree with me (dry meat and vegetable skin are on the short list of things that don't work for me...I don't really like either, so it's not been an issue avoiding them).

When all of my recent issues started in the second half of January, before the unfill, I had the most horrendous pain ever when eating and even when I wasn't. Although I would still get hungry (same as usual), I was advised to try a liquid-only diet before everything was removed. As you know, that didn't work. Pain was my constant companion until the unfill (in early February). At that point, the pain began decreasing. It didn't instantly go away...as the experiences of others have been...but it did decrease to the point I'm at now where my symptoms are essentially some heartburn and tingling in my limbs. I've been at this point for about a month--although I was recently sick (which brought back the sore throat symptoms) for over two weeks.

So to answer the question I have been asked, I have experienced something akin to restriction a COUPLE of times since all of this annoyance started. But it's not really restriction. It's been more of a heartburny-type sensation, which seems to be common with GERD when people eat too fast. I need to have some fill before I can really feel restriction. Since all this started, I am eating more than ever...and hungry all the time. :(

I hope that gives the information that you all were seeking.

Extreme Couponing...and Food Issues

So I saw one of the TLC extreme couponing shows last night (and a part of another one too). While the whole concept of couponing is actually pretty interesting to me, a thought struck me: as a person who has proclivities toward eating a lot, is stockpiling food like the couponers do a good thing...even if it's free food?

In one case, I know the answer is a definite, "NO!" One lady was able to secure 150 free Butterfingers and other chocolate candy. What a great deal...except for its impact on your health!

But there were also some other types of snack foods the couponers bought that might not be so blatantly bad as the Butterfinger train wreck (Nutrigrain bars, granola bars, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.....I could keep these etc.'s going, but I'll stop there). These folks had some MASSIVE STOCKPILED quantities of each of their snacks. They pretty much have mini-grocery stores in their homes. For instance, one husband's man cave was being heavily invaded (despite his understandable disgruntlement with the situation) as the third stockpile center (with two other large centers) in the home. Another lady had stockpiles in her bedroom closet, under her baby's bed, and in every other possible nook and cranny. Just FYI, garages seem to be the usual desired locales for the initial stockpiles...before they take over the rest of the home.

But back to the subject, everything I know about snacking points to the notion of keeping bad snacks out of the house as the best tact. It seems to be a good first line of defense when combatting cravings. Only some of the time will you actually propel yourself out of your layabout state to go out and get a snack. This typically relegates you to eating what's lying around the abode (unless your significant other is really needing to secure some literal brownie-getting points :) ).

My personal concern, since my own eating 'Off' switch has oft seemed broken over the years, is what happens when you have mounds of food...even relatively healthy food...lying around? Could having a stockpile with some fairly healthy options help? Could it make things better because your famine mentality (or squirrel mentality as my sister and I call it) is not in as high a gear? In other words, are you not irrationally worried about starving to death if you have your own Publix extending from the back porch to the spare bathroom? Or do you more easily ignore your satiation senses since you have a bigger supply (does the bigger plate equalling more in the mouth also translate to the greater stockpile of food causing the same result)? Do you perhaps even treat your body like the garbage can and eat more so as to not waste food that will soon expire (expiration of items was an issue the couponers discussed)?

What do you think about stockpiling and food issues?

Has anyone else caught the series? The pictures below are of the Butterfinger broad herself and another couponer who went dumpster diving for coupons with her son and pregnant friend.

How Do You Say, "No"?

I have been working on my paper at the university campus in order to focus. But I always eat lunch before going there...or pick something up to eat while working on my paper. If I don't eat at home, I usually go to Subway. It's on the way. Good place to go, right? No. It's not so healthy for me because I LOVE their cookies and just can't resist. Today I was in the Subway drive-in lane repeating to myself over and over that I would not get cookies this time...and two seconds later, you guessed it, I was ordering two chocolate chip cookies. You can substitute them as a side, and I just can't seem to stop myself from doing that (it also doesn't help that I'm not wild about apples as a side...they are not among my favorite fruits). Any tips or tricks to avoid the evil cookies of Subway...or other temptations, for that matter?

More Moaning and Complaining

Well, after more than two weeks, I *think* I'm finally over my cold or whatever illness was wracking my body.....but, lucky me, I started my period, complete with killer cramps, today. And I have had pretty bad heartburn from the esophagitis for the last few hours too. Ugh! Can't a gal catch a break?

(I said *think* up there because I know a couple of folks who've had similar illnesses recently who had something like an 'eye of the storm' before their illness took hold again. I'm trying to be optimistic and assume it's passed completely.)

Anyhow, I guess it could always be worse, but I certainly don't want to test it.

I hope everyone's Monday went well.

My Current Symptoms

I haven't written about the GERD or esophagitis in a bit but wanted to get some input about others' symptoms. I was wondering if anyone else has had tingling sensations or numbness of limbs associated with their GERD or esophagitis?

I noticed these symptoms about a week after my first GERD episode and was pretty scared because it seemed strange that they would be related to the GERD. I also never saw these symptoms listed in the usual line-up of GERD symptoms. I thought that the tingling and numbness HAD to be something else (a bigger problem) until I came across a discussion board online revealing many others' experiences with GERD, these symptoms, the individuals' reports of how they have ruled out everything but GERD, and their discussions of doctors' attributions of their symtpoms to the GERD. I will post a link to the discussion board below in case you ever need to review it (hopefully not).

While I did find much comfort in reading these posts from others, I have not yet seen any bandster posts discussing these symptoms (have I missed them?). Still, even if no one else in our bandster universe has experienced this, I wanted to put this information out there in case someone else has similar symptoms in the future...I hope that it will help alleviate some fears of others' at the onset (it's nerve-wracking enough to know that you have GERD/esophagitis without adding extra stress to the mix).

Also, just so you are aware (in case you experience these along with other GERD symptoms), another issue that some folks with GERD suffer is panic attacks. Fortunately, I've not had any panic attacks at this point. But my tingling and numbness along with some mild heartburn are still persisting. (Just FYI as far as a full status report on me--the tingling and numbness are the biggest issues I have right now, and I have them even when I take medication; Band Groupie had mentioned that some people have break-through medication issues, and I guess I'm one of the lucky ones (sarcasm there)...but I'm still optimistic that my issues might end soon).

Anyhow, I hope this helps someone else now or in the future. But, let me do a little disclaimer here that I had a brain MRI done recently for some migraine issues...it came back clean, so that also helped rule out neurological issues that might be related to tingling and numbness for me. I would recommend that, should you develop any of these symptoms (or any others that concern you), you still see your doctor and get tested for everything you (and your doctor, of course) might normally try...but just know all the while that there is a good little group of folks that find the tingling and numbness related to the GERD. That will, hopefully, put your mind at ease during the testing rigamarole.

If you have any experience with tingling or numbness associated with GERD/esophagitis, please let me know. Like I said, I may have missed some posts from somewhere out in Bandster Land. I'd be interested in reading any you recommend.

***The site I mentioned is http://www.steadyhealth.com/Burping__Chest_Pain__arm_numbness__and_hand_and_finger_tingl_t149797.html

Further Tales of the Trail Mix

Okay, I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to hear my latest daily update on the the trail mix progression :)...and since there is a new development on that front, I wanted to make sure I didn't keep you in suspense any longer. Beautiful, sweet, and very wise Linda commented that I should supplement my trail mix with Cheerios. I actually had chocolate Cheerios on hand. So I am eating the mix right now (altogether, that's walnuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dried cherries, and Cherrios). YUM!!! The Cheerios are 100 calories for 3/4 cup without milk (the calories for the rest of the mix are in my last post). And since there are less walnuts (and everything else), it isn't so calorie dense. Plus I get my chocolate fix met. :) I still need to measure everything precisely, I know, but I just wanted to share this breaking news (I don't think it could get more updated since I've been eating it for the first time as I'm writing this :) ).

Anyhow, I hope everyone is having a great weeekend!!!!

My Trail Mix in Calories

So I did the math on my trail mix:

1 ounce of walnuts = 185 calories
1/4 cup (or 1.4 ounces) of dried cherries = 134 calories
30 pieces of semi-sweet chocolate chips = 70 calories

In total, that is 389 calories for a serving (not sure exactly how close I am to a serving though--I know, I know...I should be measuring that sort of thing). If I am close, that is a LOT of calories for a snack. But as others have mentioned, it is pretty filling and does help with fiber intake, thus really helping the ole system work more efficiently (due to the walnuts and cherries). The verdict is still out for whether I will continue with the same snack. I might try subbing some less caloric nuts and/or fruit. If I do decide to stick with the cherry taste, I will move to raisins, primarily because they are cheaper--as far as weight-loss benefits, they only save me 4 calories (1/4 cup of raisins = 130 calories).

On another note, I am a sucker for this whole royal wedding media blitz. I love the pomp and circumstance that goes with a royal wedding. Has anyone else been following the goings on online or on TV? Will anyone else watch it? I think I will record it so that I won't have to wake up super early, but I am excited to see the event...and her dress! Any guesses on what style she'll wear?