pugsx3

Well, last week was a big one for me. I had a horrible and stressful week at work, and did not have time to eat much. I made healthy choices because I didn't have time to think about anything bad. I then went on Saturday to the rec center in our area, and they let me try everything out for the day. I was there for 3 hours, did the eliptical, track, bike, & swam too. I took out all my frustration and it felt wonderful. I hurt a little on Sunday, not nearly as bad as I thought I would - so I got on the treadmill at home and climbed stairs till I met the goals my fitbit set for me, which was 10,000 steps, 5 miles, 1,100 active calories burned, and 10 flights of stairs - woo hoo!!! First time I met all my daily goals! I hurt a little bit more today than yesterday - but I know how to fix that, and that is to keep it up!! I think it was all the exercise, but I really feel like I turned a big corner mentally this weekend. I felt like I was fighting with myself, and even though I was making better choices, and was doing some exercise, my heart was just not totally in it yet. That changed this weekend - I'm now committed and psyched, and making choices because I want to make them, not because I feel like I have to. My best friend is bigger than I am, and her insurance excludes bariatric surgeries, and she's felt left out with me betting my band and my losing weight. I got her headed in the right direction this weekend too. I bought her a fitbit to get her motivated, and she's very competitive, so I'm sure she's going to work really hard to beat me - and in all seriousness, I truly hope she does!!! It also feels good to help her make positive steps in her life as well! The best news of all though, when I weighed in on Sunday - I lost 3.6 lbs last week!!! Finally I feel like I'm getting somewhere!

I lost 140lbs on my own about 6 years ago, and my ex had a horrible time with it. He was not happy until I gave up and cancelled my membership at the gym, and to make a long story short - I gained all 140lbs back + 30 more. I was miserable and hated myself for doing it, but it just got to the point where it was way to hard to fight him anymore. He was happy, but I wasn't. In addition, I had a hysterectomy about half way through the weight gain - and being post menopausal killed any chance I had for success to get the weight off on my own again. I'm always saying the definition for insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, so I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to do something different, and filed for divorce. That was not enough by itself though, because the housing market has dropped so badly in my area, we owed 95,000 more than we could get for it, and my ex was not on the mortgage, and filed bankruptcy to avoid paying anything at all. My lawyer suggested that I either paid the shortage, or I filed bankruptcy - so guess which route I was forced to choose??? The divorce was final 10/25/10, and the bankruptcy was discharged early in 12/10. After the first of the year, I started putting myself first, and began looking into the band. I got my band 9/15/11, and I've lost over 40 lbs to this point. I'm thrilled with all the changes in my life, and if I had to do it all over again, the only thing I'd do differently is I would have done them all 10 years ago! One thing that has always been a big factor for my is exercise. I feel so much better about myself when I'm working out, so if you don't have a gym membership - I'd recommend that you get one!! It's unbelievably hard to do at first, but once you get into a routine it's a big morale booster. I do "classes" 5 days a week - 3 times weight training 2 times cardio. A lot of the time on Saturdays or Sundays I'll go and just swim cause I love the Water, and this makes such a huge difference to my mental state that I can't believe it.

Well, I did not keep my ticker updated for October, and I did not make 60 miles, but I came close at 56.4 miles!! Since that's way more than I would have done without this challenge, I'm in for November as well. I'll try to update myself at least once a week this time!

Until you get a lapband anyway!!

I was banded on 9/15, and waited until mine were healed, which was about a month and am now putting Vitamin e oil on them at night. It's too oily to use with my good clothes, so I won't use it during the day. It's supposed to help "fade" them. I've used it on the incisions from my gallbladder, hysterectomy, and bunion surgery - and they are barely noticeable. It also helps with the itching!

My Aunt suggested MiraLAX to me, and it has helped!! Since my gallbladder was removed, I have not had that problem, so I did not know where to start. She's got her phd in nursing, so I figured it was pretty reasonable advice!

Sorry - it must be the day for double posts... Congrats on figuring this out and for your weight loss!! I get my first fill tomorrow, and I sure hope that changes things for me. I've been pretty good (not perfect), and feel like I should have lost a lot more than I have. I too was told that my liver function tests were elevated, and they had to do a biopsy of my liver when I had the band put in. I was scared and crazy waiting to hear that everything was ok from the biopsy, and it was. I too am struggling to lose weight, so I think I'll talk to my PCP to see if that could be affecting my weight loss. I've always retained Water badly so maybe it's catching up with me.

I'm down to 266.6 - Yeah me! Something must have been wrong with the scale last week. I feel much more motivated now.

I did not know they had a support group - but I'd love to attend one. Right now my life centers around my band, and I'm driving people crazy because that's the only thing I think about, and I can somehow manage to work any topic into my weight loss and the band. I've got to stop that - I hope it settles down soon. When and where do they meet? I live in Aurora, and work 60 miles west of home - so getting into Winfield/Wheaton is not always easy, but it sure would be worth the effort! I get my first fill a week from today, so I'll ask about it when I go!

I did not lose any weight until I started the preop diet, so I started at my all time high. I've been in a stall for what seems like forever, and I'm thrilled to report that I stepped on the scale this morning, and I've finally lost weight again. I don't normally like to step on the scale mid week, but I felt like I was down in weight, and needed to confirm that those extra lbs were gone. The 5lbs I gained last week are in fact gone, plus another 4lbs. It must have been water weight - cause there is no way I've lost 9lbs since Sunday. That brings me to 39lbs lost and 127 still to go! I feel so much better after 40lbs, I can't wait to see what I'll feel like with the rest of it gone!! I'm doing a walk for Diabetes on Saturday on the lakefront in Chicago, so that should help my weight loss efforts too! I'm not diabetic, but my best friend almost died two years ago. She did not know she was diabetic, and her husband came home and found her in a coma. She spent two weeks in the hospital, the first week was in intensive care. They did not know if she was going to make it for 3 or 4 days - so this is for her! Her diabetes is cause by her weight, and I can't get her to lose weight, eexercise or even look at the band, so I'm trying to be an inspiration for her. She is walking with me - so here's to the first step!

I have 3 pugs who cuddle up next to me when we sleep, and I wouldn't have it any other way. As a matter of fact, all I have to say is "should we go sleep?", and they're running in circles, racing each other to get in the bed. The two girls curl up right away and crash, but my boy has to climb on top of me and get a healthy dose of affection before we go to sleep. He also climbs all over me when we're watching TV, staring me right in the face as if to say don't watch the TV, lets play! After surgery, I was too afraid to sleep with them for the first couple of days, so I put beds on the floor for them and took enough of the lortab to knock me out. After about 4 days, I could not stand being without my kids and I picked up the dogs and put them in the bed with me. Their weights range from 22 - 34lbs, and I had no trouble picking them up, even though I was not supposed to. I had my surgery on 9/15, so I'm a little more than a month out, and my boy is loving the fact that I'm now picking up the pace and trying to run a bit with him. I'm absolutely positive that he is glad I chose to get banded, even if it meant a few nights on the floor without his momma!

I just got my band, so I'm still too fat to know. I can tell you that I did ask the dr. on the day of surgery if the band will be visible through clothes. He responded I hope so. When he saw the horror on my face, he said that I'd have to get down to a size 6 or 8 before it would show, and there were things they could do to address that when the time comes. He told me not to worry about it. I guess I kinda think of it the same as I think of the extra skin. Although it may not be attractive, it's better than the fat!

Weight on 10/15 = 277. Very discouraged here - I gained 5# this week, and I was "good" all week. I just don't get what I'm doing wrong. I've had a hysterectomy, so maybe it's the post menopausal thing making it next to impossible to lose the weight??

I get my first fill on the 27th, so I've got a week and a half to go. He better give me a big fill. I'm hoping he'll do my second fill a week early, otherwise it will kill my thanksgiving dinner.

I'm totally discouraged today. Got on the scale and gained 5#. Wth??? I've been using my fitbit, logging all my foods, and have been under 1,000 calories every day but one - when i came in at 1,053. The fitbit shows I burn more every day than I'm taking in. I have not been successful at losing since my hysterectomy 5 years ago. Please tell me it will get better!

I am so proud of myself, that I just have to share! One of my favorite things for breakfast is a cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera, with honey walnut cream cheese. I live in a suburban area where there is a Panera on every corner, but drive an hour or so into the middle of no where, and there are no Panera's within 30 miles. I bring in bagels as a treat once a month or so, and everyone enjoys. Needless to say, I haven't brought bagels in for a while, so it's been over 2 months since I've had one. Today one of our sales reps brought a customer in, and he brought Panera bagels for all of us - and placed them in the open cube across from mine. Those bagels have been screaming at me all day and I am so proud to say that someone just took the last bagel - and I didn't even have a bite!!!! I feel so good about myself right now, as this is a huge victory for me in my journey! The first test is always the hardest. My coworkers think I've lost my mind, but now I know I can do it!

I did not think the band would do everything for me, and I did not expect to wake up from surgery thin. I did think it would make me less hungry, and would cause pain when I ate the wrong foods. I've been successful at not gaining - but I have been starving, and it has been hard. Only once have I felt "full" - and that was while I was still on full liquids. Other than that, I go to bed hungry, wake up hungry, and no matter what I eat in between, the only thing that changes is the degree of hunger that I feel. I'm eating the wrong things, and am eating too much, and I absolutely admit it. It's not the band's fault, it's mine. Right now, the only way I know I even have a band is when I feel pain in the port area, so I'm not getting any "help" from it right now at all. I'm still hopeful that the band will make it easier some day, and I hope it's sooner rather than later. I know I have the 14cc band, and I have not had my first fill yet, so there is a lot of room in there to "shrink" the stoma and give me the "help" I'm looking for. I'm hoping that I get to the "sweet spot" soon, but I am in this for the long haul and don't intend to give up. If it takes a year to get there, then I'm still ahead of the game as long as I don't let myself gain.

I know I'm eating way to much, so I won't step on the scale either. I learned a long time ago, that the scale is not my friend. If it says I've gained weight, well I figure wth, I might as well eat something, so I do. If it shows that I have lost, I think I can reward myself. Either way - the scale is bad. I weigh when I go to the dr. once a month, and that's just going to have to be enough! Maybe when I get more used to this, and start feeling restriction I'll change - but I seem to be able to eat as much of whatever I want at this point in time. My first fill is 10/27, but I want it NOW!!!

Well I'm still at 272. I think I should revise my goal if possible and change it to 262. I was being too aggressive just coming off of liquids thinking I could continue as I have been. It's not realistic to think I'll lose more than 2-3 lbs a week.

I have an aunt who thinks I'm taking the easy way out too. He mother was an alcoholic, who beat her addiction after 30 years, and she thinks that being overweight is the same as being an addict. I love her to death, but she just doesn't understand weight issues, because she watches everything she eats and works out. It's a part of her life and always has been. I am huge because I eat the wrong things, and I eat too much of everything. I know what I'm doing, but I don't have the control to do this on my own, and I don't understand how the choices I make that lead me to be fat have a negative impact on others. I told my aunt that the band is a tool that I am using to help me lose weight and that I owed it to myself to try it, but she insists that I should do it my own. I asked her why anyone would buy a cordless drill, when a screwdriver got the job done just fine, and she didn't quite know how to answer that one. She wants me to get into a 12 step program to deal with my weight, and she is "praying" that I can have the band removed some day and keep the weight off. She told me all I had to do was to avoid "all bad food" for the rest of my life. I get so frustrated with our society, because we help and treat all other addictions as a disease, at the same time we legally discriminate and ridicule those of us with weight problems. I hope I'm not coming across as unsympathetic to those with addictions, I don't intend to. We can and should help everyone to the full extent of our ability. I'm just wanting to understand why enjoying food and being overweight should be considered some kind of personality flaw, that deserves to be ridiculed instead of getting the same kinds of treatment options as those available to addicts of any kind.

You are very similar to the diet I'm on. When I went for my 2 week check up, I admitted to my dr. that I had progressed myself to cottage cheese and melted cheese. It was the only thing that got me through. When he told me I had to do 4 weeks of mushies - I told him that I refused to blend meat to the consistency of applesauce before eating. He backed off a lot, and told me to do just about a week at that point, and then slowly start introducing foods back in. It took me about 48 hours to get to ground turkey meat and I've had no problems. At this point, I have not had a solid piece of meat yet - probably because I'm afraid. He said he wants me to be on regular food by my 6 week appt., and that's when I get my first fill. I can't wait, because I am starving all the time!

I'm having problems because I'm hungry all the time. I could easily eat just as much as I did before my band, and I'm working really hard not to gain back what I've already lost so I'm being really disciplined. I wish I could describe what it is I feel, but I'm not quite sure I can put it in words. It's kinda like I'm hungry (and no, it's not head hunger - I'm really hungery), but I feel "swollen" and bloated. Anyone else feel like that? I think I've got a couple of problems - First, I have always had a glass of something to drink in my hands at all times. Getting my fluids has never been a problem, and still is not. The down side of that is, I don't know how to eat without drinking. I'm afraid that the food I'm eating is going right through the pouch. This is so second nature to me, that I catch myself doing it even while I'm trying to be conscious of it. It's easier at home, because I just don't put a glass near when I eat. This is not an option for me at work, as I eat at my desk - Second, I'm not eating enough protein - Third, I'm eating way too fast, again it's happening even when I try to control it If anyone has any ideas on how I can get a handle on this, I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions! I only hope being conscious of this will help me in the long run.

My PCP tried to talk me out of the procedure, and fortunately I did not need a referral from him to go to a surgeon. When I contacted the surgeon, he was very encouraging and motivating, and had no hesitation at all about doing the surgery. I started out with a BMI over 50, and was not required to lose any weight before surgery either. I did have to do a 3 week preop diet, and lost 24lbs in those 3 weeks. The surgeon also required that I get medical clearance from my PCP, and when I saw him for the clearance, he tried to talk me out of it again. I simply stood firm and told him that this was a tool that may or may not help, but I owe it to myself to try because although I've been able to lose weight in the past, nothing I've done has kept the weight off. I just couldn't find a down side to having the surgery. I'm now a 3 weeks post op, have lost another 12 lbs, and am thrilled to death. I've got an appt to see the PCP tomorrow, because I think he needs to drop one of my BP meds. I'm getting light headed and dizzy if I move to fast, which he warned me would happen. I had a follow up scheduled with him for November, so I'm more than 6 weeks ahead of schedule on that. I can't wait to see if he's still as pessimistic about the surgery now!

I have no doubt you'll use it again soon!!! I'm 19 days post op, and I wish I had it by about day 9. I looked at the BodyBugg also, and settled on the Fitbit because of the price. The BodyBugg was a lot more expensive, and you had to pay extra for the web stuff. From what I understand, the BodyBugg is probably more accurate regarding the activity calories, but it said that the Fitbit underestimated activity, so I figure it's ok if I actually get more activity than reported!! Like I said, my main reason for choosing the Fitbit was price, but anyone interested should probably look at both and make their own decision!