jayeljay613

Hi Jen, I am Jenn, 35, mother of 3! I was banded December 29th, 2010 and love the idea of having friends to check in on one another!

Your question totally makes sense! I feel the same way many days wondering what "restriction" is like. It seems people differ on their view of restriction. Since my last fill I have noticed that I have to be a lot more careful with eating. If I don't eat slowly and chew a lot then I get a stuck feeling in my chest. My problem is I do feel satisfied but normally only for a short period of time (maybe an hour) then I feel hungry again. My hope is to hit the "sweet spot" and feel satisfied for longer. Great news is that you are feeling full quicker!!!

Kathy: Great job on your 50 pounds! I always want to celebrate when I hit a "10" like that but 50, that is awesome! I have major issues with my knees too and have not been able to exercise much. I'm really hoping this doesn't slow down my weight loss! Keep up the great work! Checkyes: Great job on your weight loss too. down to a size 14W, that is so exciting. Soon you will be shopping in the "regular" sizes! I am going to try to keep up with these posts from now on but I just wanted to check in with at least a couple of people. I was banded December 29th and I'm hoping to hit my 50 pound loss tomorrow (my weigh in day)! Right now I'm at 48 pounds. I go for my fourth fill tomorrow and not exactly sure what to expect. I finally have some restriction now but still feel hungry all the time. Not sure if I just want to eat or if I'm really hungry. Damn this head hunger!!! Keep up the good work everyone! Jenn

I was banded in December as well and I am constantly struggling with what to eat. I tend to feel tight in the morning so I start with a shake, then lunch time comes and I often look everywhere for something different to eat! One good fit for me has been chicken salad with light mayo and some melba toast (crackers). I try to get some fruit in at some point or some yogurt. Then for dinner I often have something with ground turkey (like stroganof) or chicken. Since my last fill I have struggled with chicken but I find I can eat it only if I eat it very slowly and take very small bites. Sometimes I have half of a sweet potato and veges with my dinner. With that said I am getting very bored with my "diet" and am constantly looking for new recipes. It would be nice to be able to eat all foods just in moderation.... Jenn

I was banded in December as well and I am constantly struggling with what to eat. I tend to feel tight in the morning so I start with a shake, then lunch time comes and I often look everywhere for something different to eat! One good fit for me has been chicken salad with light mayo and some melba toast (crackers). I try to get some fruit in at some point or some yogurt. Then for dinner I often have something with ground turkey (like stroganof) or chicken. Since my last fill I have struggled with chicken but I find I can eat it only if I eat it very slowly and take very small bites. Sometimes I have half of a sweet potato and veges with my dinner. With that said I am getting very bored with my "diet" and am constantly looking for new recipes. It would be nice to be able to eat all foods just in moderation.... Jenn

That is great! Enjoy yourself!!!

Our stories are very similar. I started out at 260 at 5,6 ft and my goal is 180. I would LOVE to be 180. I have a feeling once I get there I'll want to go lower but that is my goal for now. As long as I'm only "overweight" not "morbidly obese"!!!

Very happy to report I lost 6 pounds this week! I stayed the same last week so I had a feeling I'd do well but 6 pounds!!! Jenn

Congratulations! YOU look amazing! You are a true inspiration and I pray to have the same success story to post!!! wow

Alright I am in! I'm excited for the challenge. The first few months have gone great but I found myself slipping back into some bad habits this past week. Here's to getting back on track. Best of luck all! Jenn

Wow! 35 pounds is excellent! I am VERY happy with my weight loss so far and I have lost 26 pounds since being banded on December 29th. Remember you want to aim for 1-2 pounds a week so you are way above that. Keep at it, you are obviously doing something right! Neurotic? Maybe a little.... but aren't we all?

I asked my nurse why I have port pain sometimes after eating and she said it is common for some people to get port pain when they over eat. It is not something that happens to a lot of people but it can happen. It has something to do with where the port is placed, honestly I didn't understand the rest! I have had a couple of stuck or near stuck episodes the last two weeks (since my third fill) and I get awful chest pain and the worst time I got horrific pain in between my shoulder blades. Needless to say, I am slowing down eating a lot since then!!! Best of luck to you!

Well said Amanda! Good luck to you too!

Best of luck on your 5K tomorrow dk! You can do it! I need to get my butt in gear since I plan to walk my first 5K in May! Right now I can barely walk a mile and a half so I need to get training. Who knows, maybe next year I'll be running one!!!

Good suggestions everyone. I actually have avoided Italian food since I am not eating pasta but sounds like there are some other great options. Glad the dinner went well for you! Sounds like you made some good choices and enjoyed a little treat too (which is good for all of us once in awhile)!

Just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Anybody doing anything special? Have any long term banders made any special traditions that do NOT involve chocolate?

I really liked the Isopure but I always diluted it and put lots of ice in it. My favorite was the grape but I like the blue raspberry too. Good luck!

Congratulations on your 35 pounds!!! All I can say, is today is a new day. You CAN do this. Remember the reasons you had the surgery in the first place... Realize that we will all hit rough times and the thing we tend to go toward is food. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be stuck inside all the time but the first thing I would do is to get rid of all the foods that I was overeating. Make your house a "safe zone" with only healthy foods. Then work very hard to find other things to make you feel better. Come on here and try the chat (if it is working) or reach out to others for support. You may have to do the hard work right now without a fill since you don't have the money but know that you can do it!! Hang in there and let us know how you are doing! Jenn

Congratulations! Sounds like it has been a successful 10 months!!! I can only imagine how excited you are to get under 200 pounds. I swear the day that I get there I am having a party!!! Keep up the good work!

Thanks for posting!!! You are a true inspiration to so many. 130 pounds is amazing. You must feel great! Let us know how the tummy tuck and possible boob job go! Congrats!

Happy to have surpassed my goal for January's challenge and hoping to do the same for February! Let's make it a great month!!!! ~ Jenn Age~ 35 Weight on January 31st~ 235.5 Goal Weight for February 28th~ 229.5 Exercise Goal for February~ Walk on tredmil at least 3 times a week and strengthen bad knee Dietary Goal for February~ Protein 65-80 gm and calories 1,000-1,200 Personal Goal for February~ Improve my knee so I can have more fun with my kids! Date Banded~ 12/29/10 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 14.5 pounds (30.5 total)

Great inspiration! Thanks for sharing!

I'm not sure if it my port or not but I posted about this yesterday since I am feeling discomfort as well. I feel it when I bend but sometimes it hurts just walking around. Someone mentioned to me that it might be scar tissue. Where exactly is your pain? Mine is on the left as well but actually a couple of inches above my port scar. According to what I have read it will get better soon!

Hi all. I got my band four weeks ago and my first fill three days ago. Since the surgery I have been bothered off-and-on from a "bulge" a couple of inches above my port site. For all you woman out there who have children the best I can describe it as is the feeling you get when you have a little foot poking out! Strange analogy but that is what it feels like! Today it is particularly uncomfortable and I find myself holding it in as I walk. I used to think it was the port site but then after my fill I realized it is higher than that. Anybody have any ideas? It is really getting annoying! Thanks, Jenn

I admit I have always been somewhat of a "scale-a-holic"!!! Many times in the past, I'd have my husband hide it on me so that I would only weigh myself once a week. Since being banded I told him I "NEEDED" to weigh myself twice a week to be able to see the results and he hesitantly agreed. I wish that the number was not so important. Logically I know that other things are more important like: how we feel, our clothes being loser, etc. but I can't help but want to see that number go down fast!!! If you want Mandy (and others) we can have our husbands hide our scales and we can do a weigh in once a week. I know that helps me! Jenn