The Frugal Bandster

Coupons are my crack.  I'm not anything close to those ladies on Extreme Couponing, though.  I get one paper a week and I have a couple of favorite coupon sites that I visit to get ideas.  I love coupons for protein bars/shakes because I like trying new things.  Last week I scored Pure Protein bars for .46 cents each.  Clif Builder Bars (mint chocolate tastes like Thin Mints, I swear!) were also a coupon at Target.  Although they have multi-packs at Sams and the like, the packs don't have the mint chocolate in them.  I stocked up (see picture). I eat one protein bar each day for breakfast, so using this quantity in the next year (the expiration date) will be no problem at all.

Top drawer in fridge : Pure Protein (peanut butter) = YUM

Bottom drawer of fridge : Pure Protein Overflow and Clif Builder's Bars

Tonight's Trip:

Breathe Right Strips - I made 3 cents to buy this :)

Serenity pantiliners (ok, I don't have bladder issues, but they're pads, right?) - I made 76 cents to buy this!

Skinny Cow - each one was .22 after my coupons!  Hello chocolate brownie ice cream!!

Laughing Cow Wedges (chipotle queso is my favorite!!!) - $2.00 each after coupons

String Cheese - $2.93 after my coupon

Also....it was "Free Apparel Tuesday" at the Sears Outlet near my house.  Not every outlet carries apparel, so check out their facebook page for more info.  Anywho, the title says it all.  Take in a coupon each Tuesday (until the promo ends, which hasn't been announced yet) and you pick any piece of apparel for FREE.  No sales tax, nada, zero, free.  Tonight I scored a LAND'S END dark brown swimsuit for free.  It was marked $14 (a steal anyway) but for free....wowzas.  

The Gas I Pass

He's smiling because he hasn't figured out the side effect of Vitamin B Complex yet!!

Admit it.  You're laughing at the title.  Well folks, I can tell you that I wasn't laughing last week.  We bandsters have discussed everything under the sun - gas included.  Let me tell you a little story about gas.


My doc suggested taking liquid vitamin B complex because I've been feeling so sluggish (depression sucks).  My B level tests fine, but I said I'd try it out.  I shelled out $25 at the health food store for a liquid that smelled IDENTICAL to the vitamin drops that I fed my guinea pigs a few years ago.  "Tangerine Flavored?"  Uh, NO.  Tangerine colored, yes.  I mixed it up in some fruit punch Crystal Light.  Down the hatch.  


Later that day, I noticed that I felt really bloated and my belly felt cramped.  I chalked it up to a recent fill.  By that evening, I was ripping 'em right and left.  I had to make a conscious effort not to pollute the room during yoga.  Fast forward to the next morning.  Took another dose, again, strange belly discomfort, and horrible gas.  I mean....like nothing I've EVER experienced before.  I had the #2 urge, went to the bathroom, and holy fartballs, Batman, I unleashed some serious gas.  I'm sure that my eyes bugged out as I listened to the 10 second long auditory performance echoing in the bathroom.  Don't worry, I checked for shoes before I even went in.  Empty.

Then it hit me....it wasn't my body adjusting to the fill, it was the dang vitamin B complex!!!  I had no idea that a vitamin could produce such a horrible side effect!  I must say that I'm fairly traumatized after last week's pressurized experiences.  I'm not sure if I'm going to take it again...I'm thinking maybe I'll try 1/2 of a dose this time (1/2 tablespoon) and see if I need to work up to the full dose.  I'm sure plenty of people take this shit stuff without a problem, but no worky for me.


And there you have it....a humiliating experience turned into an educational one.

Forced Myself to Go to Yoga - and fell asleep ;)

It's no secret that I teach special ed to wee ones.  They're spunky and keep me on my toes.  Tonight I was so incredibly tired and just didn't want to go to the gym.  But I did.  Forty five minutes of Yoga (most of which I was able to do, unlike last week's two classes that had a lot of advanced stuff) and then 15 minutes of lights-off guided relaxation.


I think the toughest part was trying not to rip a huge one in a quiet room.  I was so focused on breathing when I was supposed to, how I was supposed to breathe, and trying not to fall over, fart, or all of the above, etc.  I also noticed that through the whole class my stomach was gurgling and I could tell that things around the band were kind of funky.  Not bad, just different.  Since the last fill, I've felt a lot more band action going on.


I'm starting to privately name people at the club.  Daisy (Duke) is named for her jean shorts.  Who in the heck  exercises in shorty shorts?  Daisy looks good in them, but they look so uncomfortable.  Pencil can stand on her shoulders in yoga.  It looks crazy.  She's very skinny and when she does the pose she looks like a pencil.  Thrifty is the lady in water aerobics that doesn't want to buy a cap to keep her hair dry so she uses a plastic grocery sack over her hair and ties it in the back.  Pogo bounces on and off her seat in spinning class.  Tonight I saw Pencil, Thrifty and Daisy.  I missed Pogo.


I liked the relaxation exercises.  Some were strange (relax your heart, relax your nasal passages(?!), relax your hair).  How do I relax my hair??  Anywho, I totally dozed off at the very end.  I "woke up" when people around me were talking.  Ha.  That's all for now.  :)

Forgive Me Father, For I Have Sinned: Confessions of a Rule Breaker

Got a teenie tiny fill (.10) last week and I'm feeling it.  How do I know?

• On Friday at work (lunchtime), I couldn't eat my lunch - not even two bites of it - before I felt like I was going to hurl all over my classroom.  I was too stressed to eat.  I know better then to try to eat when I'm all clenched up inside.  Stupid!  
• I cannot gulp water anymore.  One swallow at a time, sister.  Any more than a swallow and the "recycling" program begins.  <bahahahaha. I made myself laugh outloud at that one>
• Yesterday I was offered a yummy (but dry) homemade muffin and I "had" to eat quickly (was in line at Bountiful Baskets!).  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.  I know better - it was 7AM and I was sleepy and hadn't even had WATER yet.  Stupid Stupid Stupid.  I lost most of the muffin behind my car and the rest through really painful dry heaving and tears all the way home.  It hurt.  A lot.
• Today I was super hungry while shopping (Stupid!  I know never to do that!).  I found a good deal on Riceworks chips (made from, uh, rice).  I got in the car and proceeded to count out 10 chips like a good little bandster.  While I was driving, I munched on them (Stupid!! I know not to eat and drive with the band!).  So...guess what?  Yup.  Chest pain and heaving into a water bottle.  Yep - I've mastered the art of yaking into a regular 16 oz water bottle.  I'm not proud of that.

So what did I learn?

1. Don't consume anything but water when you wake up.
2. Drink the water slowly or you'll see it again in 30 seconds.
3. Don't eat anything "iffy" when stressed.  You will get stuck.
4. Don't shop when hungry.  Band or no band, it isn't a good idea.
5. Don't eat and drive.  You'll eat too fast or just eat something and get stuck, then trying to heave while driving.  Not cool.
6. Ricechips are made of RICE, Amy.  Rice does not agree with you now.  What happens when rice goes down the throat?  It expands.  It expands UP your esophagus and out your mouth.  You'll experience the worst pain in your chest that you think you've ever had. 

Other than the last few rough days, things are going well.  I wasn't intentionally doing any of the above things, but this weekend was a kick in the arse that I have to be super careful after a fill and follow the rules as if I was just banded.  

New Pup Pictures & Updates :)

Ok, so my one week hiatus is over.  It nearly killed me.  I have so many things to blabber on about, but I'll be brief and use bullets!

• the new addition is doing great.  Zoe is a Shepherd mix, about 1 year old, 38 pounds, full grown and has lots of energy!  She gets along nicely with my two other dogs.  I think she might be snorting crack while I'm at work.  I think she's dealing through the doggy door or something.
• The gym is going well.  I'm doing water aerobics, but there's a giant window between the pool and the land classroom, so I get to see some of those classes as well. 
• Class one:  Zumba.  Heck no.  The instructor had little butt tassels that flailed around as she danced.  Zumba will be a long way away.  I couldn't even VISUALLY keep up.  More power to ya, Zumba ladies, but I was exhausted just watching.
• Class two:  Spinning.  Holy crappers.  The chicks looked all excited pedaling away but going nowhere.   One was pedaling so fast that her butt kept bouncing off of the seat.  Seriously.  I won't say never, but, um...highly unlikely you'll see my butt in a spinning class.
• The women's only gym is great because we're all chicks, and no one gives a hoot how one another looks.  One lady wore a plastic Walmart bag on her head for water aerobics.  I'm not lying.  Could I make something like that up?!?!
• I like water volleyball a lot but I'm finding myself making these horrendous "huuuuuuuuuuh!" noises when I dive for the ball.  Embarrassing.  That, and I also forget to say the score before I serve.  Apparently this is a big issue for some chicks.  Ha. 

More tomorrow!  I'm sleepy.

Blog Hiatus

If you know me, you know I'm crazy for dogs.  On New Year's Eve day, four more paws joined our family.  I adopted Zoe, a 1 year old shepherd mix.  Between work, joining the gym and obedience class, I'm plum worn out.  Zoe is now 1 of 3 dogs at my house.  I love it, but adjusting to another personality is exhausting (in a good way).  


So....I'm taking a one week hiatus.  I'll still be reading blogs, just not as much, but no blog posts from me.  I'm giving myself permission to take some time off (but not from my goals!). Take care all & know that I'm reading! :)

6 Month Bandiversary & THANK YOU!

Six            MonthBandiversary!

Wow...6 months.  Life has changed in soooooo many ways!  I've lost 79 pounds as of this morning.  No matter what number I end up at, I will be much healthier and happier with a new me, no matter what that specific number is.


Thanks to each and every one of you reading this.  Yes, you.  You all are a big part of my weight loss.  Thanks to my family and friends.  There aren't many of you that know about the blog, so if you're reading this, I must like you!  


Fellow Bandsters - although I might not know you in person, I feel like I know you through your blogs.  Your blogs make me laugh so hard that I snort, and make me cry so hard I can't breathe.  Thanks for the support!

Here's to a safe, happy and HEALTHY 2012!!