Jenn1214

I feel like my hair and nails are growing faster than they did before the surgery. Perhaps I've lost my mind, but does anyone else feel like this?

I have been using Leslie Sansone DVDs...I'm a workout beginner so they really kick my butt, but I'm sure they'd be good for someone more advanced too.

I just flew to NC a few weeks ago and had no problems with the band. Enjoy your trip!

I've been using Nuvaring for about two years and I love it! I don't have to remember to take a pill every day and it doesn't make me feel crappy like oral contraceptives used to. I still use condoms anyway because I am so not ready for motherhood at this point, but it's supposed to be as effective as any other hormonal birth control method. My GYN said it also has a lower incidence of weight gain. Give it a try!

I wish I had done it sooner.

After suffering at a plateau for several weeks, I got an adjustment yesterday. I stepped on the scale today for the heck of it and not only did the plateau finally break, but I'm now halfway to my goal weight! Woo hoo!

The first one is always the worst. I think it's because you're not used to the sensation and sometimes they have a little trouble finding the port at first. It gets easier, don't worry! I just had my 4th fill this morning and the discomfort was really minimal. I don't even ask for lidocaine anymore.

I've been stuck around the same weight for a few weeks and I'm beyond frustrated. I know I should be happy that I've lost 45 pounds since my surgery but I'm starting to grit my teeth every time I get on the scale. My clothes don't fit any differently either, so I don't even have that to comfort me. I know this happens to everyone but I've been doing so well and now I feel like a failure because the scale won't budge, and now I'm afraid I'm going to go back to my old "all or nothing" mentality that always caused me to fail before. I guess this is just bringing back bad memories from all my other failed weight loss attempts and it's putting me in a bad mood. Sorry to sound so negative...I just needed to vent about this. I know the scale will get moving again soon, especially since I'm going for an adjustment today. *sigh* Sometimes this journey isn't so easy!

My fiance was having similar problems. He wanted to have the surgery in August so he got all his pre testing finished in June. When he called the surgeon's office to make sure they had everything they said they hadn't received the report from the psychologist that he had seem almost a month prior. Neither he nor his surgeon's office could get a hold of this woman for several days. Turns out she went on vacation without telling anyone...ridiculous. Needless to say that held up the whole works and now he'll have to wait several months to have the surgery. I think doctors' offices tend to forget that they are screwing with people's lives when they do things like this.

Since I failed so miserably with my last challenge (hello plateau!), I'm gonna keep pushing forward with this next one! Name, real or screen~ Jenn Age~ 27 Weight on August 1st~ 207 Goal Weight for August 29th~ 202 Exercise Goal for August~ Exercise at least 3 times a week, add strength training Dietary Goal for August~ Vary my diet to shake off this stupid plateau Personal Goal for August~ Enjoy the rest of the summer! Date Banded~ March 14th, 2011 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 45 lbs

Weighed in this morning at 207, nowhere near my goal but I'll get there eventually...

I was at a support group meeting last week and the facilitator said the absolute number 1 reason that the band doesn't work the way it should is when bandsters drink with meals. It's been proven in studies and everything. Just don't do it!

This week I drank tons of water, exercised 4 days, and ate right. I expected to lose at least a pound this morning and I was excited about weighing in. I stepped on the scale and NOTHING! I was so mad! I know I'm not going to lose every week but I really hate it when I've been doing well and it doesn't show up on the scale. Oh well, just had to vent!

Haha, men have the strangest way of giving compliments! Keep up the great work!

Give yourself a break! I've been there too, so I can definitely relate. I could barely move off the couch my first week and I kept thinking what a mistake I had made. I cried all the time because I missed food so much and if I had to drink one more protein shake I was going to scream. But I got through it, and so will you. That in itself will show you just how strong you really are. Don't beat yourself up, you're doing great and this too shall pass.

I sleep pretty well most of the time. I'm hoping the issue is that I'm exercising more now and my body is holding on to some water weight to help my muscles repair themselves. We'll see what happens next week!

Our cats do the same thing...they seem to know exactly where my port is! Now I just cover it with my hand when they jump up on the couch or the bed, just in case.

Checking in today, haven't lost anything :-(

This afternoon I mixed a scoop of protein powder with a cup of light soy milk and threw it in the freezer for a few hours. Not exactly like ice cream, more of a snow cone or granita. Delicious though! The soy milk gives it a better flavor (I think so anyway), and it's the perfect treat for these blazing hot summer days!

I don't really have any "problem foods" but there are foods I stay away from (rice, steak, stringy vegetables, popcorn) because I've heard a lot of bandsters have problems with them. I could try them, but honestly I don't miss them and it's not worth it for me.

Tonight I decided to go to one of the monthly support group meeting held by my surgeon's office just to see what they were all about. At the beginning we had to go around and say how far out from surgery we were and how much weight we've lost so far. When it was my turn, I got a couple of "wow"s from the other patients. That made me feel pretty darn good and eager to keep up the hard work!

I used to feel the same way. While I was eating one meal I would be thinking about the next one. I didn't know HOW I was going to live without eating all of my favorite greasy, sugary foods. The very thought of it terrified me. When I got the band, the first couple of weeks were VERY hard. I cried all the time and was sure I made a huge mistake. The liquids phase was the longest 2 weeks of my entire life. When I got onto mushies, things changed for me. I realized that I needed food to live, but not in the way I thought before. Food is fuel to keep my body running and that's it. I still have cravings for things now and again (mostly during that special TOM) but nowhere near what I used to. It's kind of like the band reset my brain, in a way. Now when I watch my fiance eat the huge portions I used to eat, I can't help but feel a little sick (sorry honey!). I could never go out and eat a Pizza Hut combo meal and wash it down with a huge candy bar or ice cream like I used to...the thought alone makes me nauseous. I never thought I would be able to say that, and thank god. I'm no longer killing myself with food. I still eat "bad" things every once in a while, but in small amounts until my craving is satisfied. I never think of myself as "being on a diet" because that's why I failed so many times before. I allow myself to eat the things I ate before, but the funny thing is, I don't really want to anymore.

Do you drink with your meals?