I need some of your "ticktoitness" I am not doing well today. Not sure why. I have not really struggled like this yet (I will be banded six months the 28th of November) I am hungry, depressed and mad at myself. I have had three reeces cups and a bag of Dorittos (the little bag you get in a maching) I dont know what is wrong with me. This is the first time since my surgery I have a screw it attitude. I gotta stop and quick. Holidays are around the corner and to add I am still at 201. GOTTA GET UNDER THAT! Good luck with your goals. I am just hoping I can behave the rest of the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol that is supposed to say STICKTOITNESS I AM REALLY HAVING A BAD DAY.

What about exercise? What kinds of things do you do? Because sometimes changing that up can help, too...

Mechelle- One day at a time! A diet ends...a lifestyle doesn't...there's always a new day and a new chance to get it right. Don't beat yourself up, just try to make the small changes, we all have bad days. I woke up depressed about this today and although I'm not happy at the same weight I'm happy with having a plan to help me get through...focus on one change at a time (right now I'm tracking it all but I'm focused on the water).

ld- you guessed my 'one new thing', stay tuned.

BG - I think you should be proud of yourself for what you have done already! I can't wait to read your next adaptations!

Thanks girl I always appreciate your feed back. You will be happy to know I am drinking a protien shake as i type. YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!lol. I know it will help. I havent had one in weeks. Cant be helping my hungr to not get them in. We can do this. I wish you lived closer, I would drag you to the park to walk with me tonight. lol Thanks again.

" need to get back-to-basics and work hard at following all my bandster rules and tracking everything (pain in the butt compared to just drinking shakes, but it means learning the lessons I need to in order to know how to keep the weight off, so I'm chosing the hard way); I’m tracking meal volume, weighing everything, calories, nutrition goals in each food group, fiber, water amounts and timing, meds., supplements, and behavior/diet changes for the heartburn. " BG

Ok, I have been making a food list on paper everyday by my computer, tracking if you will. I write down everything I put in my mouth. I have already run a pen dry. I think this is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I add up the calories and grams of protein. I am getting 60 grams or more of protein a day. I have between 1,300 and 1,700 calories. My average is 1,450 a day. I do not drink those yucky protein drinks I am glad I did not have my last fill because I did not want to drink for two days after. I LOVE to eat. I eat real natural unprocessed food. I must say breakfast is slow going but I get it all in before 11 AM and then lunch starts at 12 noon and today I was not able to eat it all so I found myself eating the other half of my lunch around 2 today. I really need to try to get dinner in me before 7:30 or I get the heart burn as well. I do not eat any processed food. That is the hard part. I eat no preservatives. Food is all fresh and prepared with healthy methods. I have used many a recipe From these and other web sites. I also switch up my exercise. I exercise 3 days one week and four days the next and I have even taken a few days off.

I am so proud of you Band Groupie you have been my inspiration from the very start when you told me to create my own destiny. This is HARD!! You are NOT kidding...There is no way around what we have chosen to do for ourselves. There is no giving up or abandoning the ship now!! When the alarm goes off in the AM I start drinking H20. That has helped to get all the water in. My hand has a cup, glass or water container attached to it. I think I drink about a gallon of water a day. If I am not eating something I am yup you guessed it in the ladies room LOL

I love your blog and you have helped me so much. I know those pounds will fall off in no time. Best wishes imaluckydog I LOVE YOU Kathy

Time for an SWA meeting again. LOL! BG, the important thing is not to re-gain lost weight. The yo-yo cycle can cause as many health problems as being overweight. Okay, so your weight loss has slowed or stalled. Are you still in One-der-land? Are you healthier than you've been in years? Are you doing more and feeling great? Are you happy?

Stop obsessing. Being a bandster is just as much mental as it is physical. You've "confessed" several times that your vacations have been part of your problem, so you know you've had issues with what goes in your mouth isn't coming off your butt. (grin)

Now, stop making Thanksgiving such a horror. It's about being thankful, not how much we can ram down our bands. Have a little turkey, and when you're full go take a walk in the lovely fall air. You'll be back in time for coffee and maybe by then a little spoonful of pumpkin pie as a treat. No more is needed. Be thankful and be happy. (HUG)

BG-you can always put it in perspective for us. The band works if we work the band. Life has been crazy for me too and no exercise has stalled things for me as well. I'm not gaining, though! Enjoy the day and stay the course.

I hate myself for reading this blog, thinking how wise and sensible you are and THEN...thinking I couldnt wait for the 'one new thing' that would surely be weight loss magic!!! I am laughing at myself right now for still believing in that kind of magic!!!

I love reading your blogs because we seem to mirror each other quite a bit. I have been stalled, or actually in a gain/lose patter for a month now. Lose one week, gain it back the next, back and forth back and forth. End result I'm about the same as a month ago. I, too, was going to do the shakes this week but decided I need to address the problems that are causing this. I have actually called to make an appt with the psychologist that I saw pre-op. I know I am very stressed right now with alot of personal issues and I know, even though I appear to be handling it well on the outside, it's really getting to me on the inside and I'm back to my comfort zone....FOOD. I thought about getting a fill, more restriction, less food. But that would lead to more stress worrying about pbing, getting stuck. I have come this far with minimal restriction and know I can continue. I'm not suffering with true hunger, only emotional head hunger. I need to fix that problem. Thanks for continuing to blog and keeping me motivated to face the true issues and stay the course.

Girls, girls, girls! Thanks as always for the support!

Mechelle- I need someone to come drag me out!...good job on the protein!

Kathy- You can come cook for me and I'll...well, I've got mad cleaning skills!

Lena- You're always the voice of reason! I can't help it...it's my 'almost OCD' talking. You're right I pay for my mistakes and I need to learn that lesson.

Kay- Your rockin' your band...hang in there gal!

Xavier- ROTFLMAO! But haven't you heard?!!!....it IS a magic band (and GF...I still believe)!!!

Arb- Yeah the head part of this, why we got fat to begin with, and why we find comfort in food is the part they don't prepare us much for so good for you for getting help. It's hard when you can no longer say that hunger is the problem...ummm, that's leaves...me? Stay the course, and we'll get there!!!