Tadegolier

I just did my first IM 70.3 in June. I trained using Infinit & Tailwind on the bike, along with Honey Stinger gels and Huma gels. The liquid nutrition always upset my stomach and the gels ended up in a nasty ball jammed up under my rib cage. Lots of fun coming out of T2. Ugh! I have Lap-Band, so certainly have different challenges. There is a girl I found on FB that blogs her WLS to Ironman journey -- Elle's Journey To Good Health.

Turn your coffee into a Protein drink! Click offers 3 or 4 flavors of coffee protein powders. The taste of coffee, the creaminess, the caffeine, and protein! I was amazed at how good this powder tastes. You can even add a scoop to your regular Protein Powder for blended flavors. I know they have regular coffee, vanilla and caramel. I think they have mocha, but not positive. I've gotten mine at Vitamin World and Amazon. You can also order directly from their website.

You are not alone!!! I was banded in April 2010. Lost 50 pounds by October 2010. Then I started cheating on my band.......Reese's Peanut Butter cups, a little ice cream, got a fill, too tight. That gave me the "excuse" to eat more ice cream because I couldn't keep down real food. Now it is Feb 2014 and I am still down 40 (not bad for almost 4 years of maintenance). I, too, am trying to re-commit to my band and drop my bad, bad, bad habits. I found a resource with great Protein shake ideas and found some I could actually enjoy! I stopped buying ice cream. I took a look at my Vitamins and made sure I was taking what my body needs. I think that has helped me more with my cravings than anything else. I am also guilty of drinking with dinner on occasion. I combat it by not even serving myself a drink with dinner. I finish a bottle of Water about 15 minutes before I serve dinner. That way the bottle is empty and there is nothing I think I "have" to finish. By the time I'm done with my dinner, I'm too full to contemplate drinking because I know it will cause all my food to come right back up. I don't often post on this board, but I do read a lot of the posts and comments. The support and knowledge of having a community helps. Keep coming here! You can do it! We can make 2014 the best year ever!!!!

Stress will do it every time for me. I've learned to order soup at restaurants if we are out as a family because I get too stressed taking care of my son and my hubby to focus on me! As for being tight in the morning, this is normal for me, too. I like to start my morning off with coffee while I watch the morning news. It can take me 30 mins sometimes to drink 1 measly cup of coffee! I don't eat Breakfast because I'm just too tight to get it down. My band loosens up around 10:30 or 11:00am so that's when I have my first meal of the day. Both of these are normal. You have enough to think about with the wedding plans!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I'm happy to report it appears to be a pulled muscle around my ribs. Phewwww! I even made a follow up appt to see my surgeon next month and check in. He did not chastise me or make me feel bad about not coming in in the last two years. He had some very down to earth perspective for me. Even if you only use 2 pounds a month (not a week) that's 50 pounds in 2 years. So I'm going to keep that pov in mind this month and see how I do.

So, I called my surgeon this morning. I think something is wrong with my band. I can keep food and liquids down and I don't have any pain. What I do have is discomfort near my ribs on the left side. I wasn't all that concerned until the nurse asked if I could come in this morning. Now I'm a nervous wreck! I'm sure my bp will be sky high due to nerves. I pray we only have to do an unfill, but I'm afraid I may end up in surgery this afternoon. Of course, I'm also ashamed to show my face in their office again. I haven't lost any additional weight in the last 2 years. I lost 50 in the first 6 months and nothing since. My head got in my way.....again. Though I've succeeded in keeping the weight off, I feel like a failure because I haven't met my goal weight. Better get my issue fixed though. Thanks for listening.

Veggies in general are just not working for me right now. Sometimes I can eat a few bites of salad. Sometimes I can eat 1 or 2 bites of other veggies. Nothing (not even bread!!) gets stuck faster for me than veggies! Seeing my nutritionist tomorrow as I'm concerned about becoming malnourished.

I was banded in April 2010 and also had a hernia repair. What they didn't tell me was how it would feel afterward. I noticed I could not get rid of pain in my shoulder. I thought it was a gas bubble that needed to work its way out. But after returning to work 5 days post-op, I sincerely thought I had a rotater cuff tear. My shoulder actually locked up on me. I was in tears and could not get the pain meds to kick in fast enough. I mentioned this to my surgeon at my first follow up appt. That's when I learned the hernia repair can mask itself as a rotater cuff injury!! Crazy what our nerves can do to us. I was back to normal about 2 weeks post op. My shoulder only locked up on me twice. I switched off ice and heat in the evenings and stayed on top of the pain meds during the day.

I'm able to drink soda as long as it is in a glass/cup (not a can or bottle). Next time you're at a drink station, get a small one and see how you do! Good luck!

I've been able to drink beer, champagne and soda without a problem. I have to drink it out of a glass though. Straight out of the bottle or can doesn't work. I think the glass gives it a chance to reduce the carbonation. I can only drink one, though. I may want a second beer, but there is no where to put it!!! My beer preference is to the heavier wheat beers (Blue Moon, BJ's Hefeweizen). When you are ready, give it a try (maybe a sip of someone else's just to see how you do)! Good luck!

Wondering if anyone out there has ever tried putting a Protein shake through an ice cream maker. Did it work? I have a severe weakness for ice cream, but I wish there weren't so many calories and so few grams of protein!! Thanks!!

I'm sitting in my office on a conference call and working on a spreadsheet. Having a massive sugar craving!! I've intentionally rid my office of all sweets so I won't overdo it. Any advice from y'all on how you just get through these cravings?? I think they will go away if I can just get through it. (tough it out). I finished eating lunch about 45 mins ago, so not quite time to down the Water. I'm not even hungry, just want something sweet. TIA!!!!

Does anyone use an iPhone app to track their calories? Thanks!!

Hi! I'm new here, but was banded back on Apr 21, 2010. I've lost a total of about 50 lbs, but have not really moved the needle up or down in the last 3 months. I have a follow up appt with my surgeon on Tues. Not sure what to tell him. I know I don't need a fill. Can't eat anything until about 10am. I have high restriction days and very low restriction days. Most of the time I eat what I want to see what I can get away with. Well, that's not working for me anymore, but am not sure how to get myself jump started again. It is amazing how easy it is to fall back into old habits. The good news is I survived the holidays without putting on any weight. Now to get serious again! My first step was to reach out into cyberspace and find a support group. My surgeon's support group does not mesh with my work schedule or location. Today I found LBT and signed up. Mission accomplished. My goal for tomorrow is to drink more than 48 oz of Water. Have gotten into a horrible habit of hitting Sonic for my daily fix of Diet Dr Pepper with Diet Cherry. Few calories but tons of sodium. But, it tastes so good!! Then we see the doc on Tuesday morning. I am trying to convince myself to spend more than 5 minutes in his office. Actually tell him what's going on, you know? I'm a very successful business woman, but have always thought doctors don't really have time or desire to hear their patients. So, I'm taking it one day at a time right now. After I get through tomorrow & Tues, I'll set goals for the rest of the week. Thanks for sharing your stories and supporting each other in this journey.