FLORIDAYS

My husband doesn't have a weight issue. He stood behind me in my journey but didn't given up the foods he liked to eat. I still cooked his favorites and bought his chips and snack crap that he chooses to enjoy, I just made the choice not to eat any of it...

People ask me all the time how I had the fortitude to spend 2 years of my life on such a strict eating regimen... Because even though I have a band around my stomach helping me out I still had to count calories and make good choices to achieve the goals I set forth. I have come to the realization that it's just time spent. There is no magic solution it's just doing everything right day after day after day. And if there was a blip in one of those minutes or hours then it was having the ability to move on and go back to what I knew was right. I found that food is fleeting... Kind of like putting gas or a meal on a credit card.... When the bill comes in you have no idea where it went, how it tasted or if you even liked it......you have nothing to show for it. I found if I had something I thought I wanted but knew I shouldn't it was just instant gratification and not anything I could hold on too. It just seemed pointless after a while. I have a hard time recalling the trying times. I know I didn't wake up from a dream 2 years later and was thin...but it's tough to recall all those 10 lbs losses and achievements because I am finally in a place that seems the most natural place in the world. I am comfortable with my body. When you feel like it will never happen for you...just remember its just time spent.

Not near you but i went to nursery school in CT if that counts....LOL Just wanted to wish you well!!! Congratulations on taking this step to change your life.

Start eating like a bandster now... That will take some of that weight off. That plus your liquid...you should have a nice jump on your losing...

Me too!!! I drank 4 or 5 cans of soda each and every day for more years than I can count....ok for so long diet coke was TAB!!!! But when my dr told me the effects carbonation had on the band... That was it. I quit it like a hit potato. I do miss it terribly. It's probably throne thing I really really miss...even more then French fries and hooters chicken wings!!!

You ate Because you didn't exercise the control not to.....to be completely honest. Until you get restriction we must be very strict with ourselves.... Counting calories and eating the proper portions. It's the only way you will lose during this time.

Awesome job!! Keep up the good work. I was banded in December 2010 and have basically reached my goal... This time next year you should be right here with me!!!

I ate 1000 Calories each and every day before and after I was in the green zone. It's more challenging when you aren't in the green zone however but that's where will power takes over. My portions remained the same as well.... 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 c starch three times a day. I would add usually 2 Snacks of fruit, sugar free sweets or grains....but I never went over 1000 calories. I did not formal exercise during my loss. Bad habits are hard to break!! However after I lost the first 100 lbs I started walking a mile a day.

Excellent post Mis... I would only add the band is a permanant tool and you must be willing to change your eating habits and lifestyle for it to be successfull. If you are willing to do that this might be a wonderful solution for you and your future. I wish you all the best as you move forward towards a decision.

Your body will not starve at 800-1200 calories. Especially if the are healthy calories. Your body will actually work more efficiently. I found 1000 to be the number I needed to lose weight at an average of 2 lbs per week. If I ate 1500 I wouldnt lose as,quickly and become frustrated and it wasn't pretty......LOL

I recall the first year post op My dr said if I nursed a glass of champagne all night long he was fine with it.... It gave it time to go flat!!! have a great time!

I think I lost 40 lbs the first 5 weeks or so.... Which of course was basically 4 weeks of liquids and of mushies.... And I had a lot of weight to lose so it just fell off. After that I averaged 10 lbs a month...meaning some months it was 5 and others it was 15 lbs... It slowed down when I was about 50 lbs from goal....as it took about 6 months to lose the remaining lbs. Quick lose isn't uncommon considering you go months and years or eating crappy then all of a sudden you change it up drastically. Your body is doing a happy dance!!!

During my losing stage I used the calorie counter phone ap by fat secret.com. Nothing fancy but I liked it for many reasons..one being I could look up almost any brand name or chain restaurant and find the calorie count of something I wanted to eat. I was showing it to a friend of mine today and she was laughing at some of the things I tracked over the last 2 years.. Like 2 medium shrimps Cocktail sauce 1/8 c 2 peanut m&ms 1/16 of large cheese pizza 1/4 of slice of homemade apple pie... You get the idea... So it made me wonder...what's the funniest, oddest or most creative thing you track?

Love it.... I would do the same.... Once I looked up the calories in a lemon slice...my husband was like....are you kidding me?????? Lol

It's never ending.... This is a good reminder.... Thanks

Madly you crack me up....I am celebrating your success!!!!

Welcome to LBT...wishing you success on your journey....

Congrats!!! One step closer!

Just off the top of my head it sounds like you may have eaten a bit to fast....but I only say that because something like that happens to me when I eat too fast.

Ok Martha...whatever you say....

I guess my point is ... One of the reasons this is working for me is because I have changed my eating habits and I fear healthy or not.... Chips are a slider type food so I would be leery of slipping back to old habits.... But not everyone is a snacker so these might just be perfect for you.

I guess I don't know why you feel badly... The band is a tool to help us feel satisfied with a small portion of food. Think of it like an electric drill. It's useless without electricity...right? Well our bands need saline injected so they can work. What is there to feel badly about?

Sounds like you ate enough...