Kimberly Collins

Could you sleep first then get up and workout?? Working out gives me energy for the rest of the day.

I had mine repaired then too an recovered very quickly.

I ignored how big I had gotten as well before surgery. I look at pics of myself and can't believe that was me.

I slip up a few times a month. I hate myself for it. The scale also pays me back. I had gotten into onederland and slipped with pepperoni (one of my trigger foods that in no longer welcome in my house) and am now sitting at 200 again. I am mad at myself. I try to learn a lesson from it. It's hard though b/c we are human and aren't perfect.

I had surgery on Friday and went back to work teaching the next Tuesday after banding and hernia repair. I felt fine. I am one of those people who recovers quickly. it was the same with my gallbladder. The doc said a week, I was ready to go back after 3-4 days.

Amazing results. You look fabulous.

I don't have any advice except to make sure that you are spacing things out evenly. I never felt better than a few days after I started liquids. The first 3 days were bad, but after that, I felt great.

With the first 1/2 of my weight loss, I didn't change my diet that much. Now, I have to watch every bite. I did ease into a strict diet by making slow changes, and I still have a soda per day, which keeps me from feeling deprived. I would say that if you have only lost 22 lbs. since April, you need to start making gradual changes in your eating. I did not lose weight in the first few months. I was not restricted and had thyroid issues. After I got restriction and got my issues taken care of, I started losing. I stopped losing though and kind of went rogue for a while. Now I am recommitted and watch everything. Even for my birthday, we are doing a lighter dessert (strawberry shortcake.) Nutrition really does matter. Even meeting the band 1/2 way will help.

Maybe I'm wrong, but couldn't not being able to take pills mean that you are too restricted? I have been able to take most pills from the beginning. Even now, I am pretty restricted and am losing well and can take Dayquil.

Just stick with it. It took me 6 months to feel restriction. Then, I had some bad thyroid issues I had to get ironed out before I started losing. I was banded in 2005 and have lost 68 lbs and kept it off. It has been slow. I took a break for a few years and am back on track losing again. It took another fill, more adjustments to my meds, eating really well, and working out, but I am getting there. Just be patient and work the program and it will work for you.

Congrats! That is so exciting. I am almost there. I am at 200.4 right now. I expect it this week or next. I can't wait.

I cannot lose weight when I drink alcohol. Alcohol affects me way more now too. I can drink red wine,, vodka martinis, and skinny margaritas without gaining, everything else makes me gain.

It took me months and months to feel restriction. I stopped getting fills and stretched my pouch from too much food and couldn't fill my super tight restriction. I cut way back on portion size, my pouch shrunk down, and totally feel it now.

Have your thyroid checked. Mine went south and I couldn't lose. I went on meds and the pounds fell off. After a few years, I hadn't lost all of my weight despite a regiment like yours. My doc adjusted my meds and my weight loss is now in line with the work I am dong and calories I am consuming.

I am fat (lost 68 still have 50 to go) because I love to cook and eat really fatty foods, and in the past, I was not a fan of working out. Before my band, I never felt a sense of fullness or satisfaction. I thought about food 24/7. Part of that was my depression. I was banded in 2006 and had thyroid problems, so I lost nothing. Getting on meds helped a lot. I ended up backsliding though and was drinking lots of sodas and eating the worst foods you can imagine. I also stopped getting fills so I could eat more. Last March, I decided to get serious again. I dieted and exercised and lost 20 lbs over 9 months. It was very frustrating b/c I was eating 1200 claories a day and working out 6+ hours a week. I got frustrated and backed off for about 4 months. Turns out, my thyroid meds needed adjusting. Now that they are adjusted, I am eating right, exercising, and my weight loss has picked up. So, I guess I'm fat for lots of reasons including a love of food, laziness, depression, thyroid issues, and past lack of commitment to the program. If nothing else, I have lost 68 lbs and kept it off. Now I am going back full steam ahead, working the band as much as I can, cutting carbs, and working out. I am totally committed to losing these last 50. I figured if I could diet and exercise and work the band for 9 months, even with the disappointing weight loss, I can certainly finish the game with improved weight loss from my thyroid med adjustment.

I had coffee and a banana for breakfast. For lunch, I'm having butter lettuce wraps with lean ham, a bit of cheese, and some mustard. I will have edemmame for a snack. Dinner is stuffed cabbage (cabbage, a bit of brown rice, lean hamburger, and bell pepper topped with a tomato and sour cream sauce (just a tiny bit of sour cream in the sauce) with chopped apples sprinkled on top.) I eat just one of those. I usually have the same thing for breakfast every day. I eat a lot of salads, lettuce wraps, Vietnamese salad rolls, light soups with lots of veggies, sirlion steak with a light marinade and roasted veggies etc... For snacks, I eat veggie sticks with a low fat yogurt ranch, edemmame, fruit, and on occasion chips with100 calorie pack of guacamole. If I go out, it is usually to get a veggie and black bean bowl at Chipotle. I eat 1/2 and save the other 1/2 for the next day. Sometimes I have Wendy's chili.

I'm 6 years post-op and still fart like a freak. For me, I think it is all the fruits, veggies, and protein. All that roughage causes gas.

I drink a soda per day (am trying to quit) and still have plenty of restriction. I don't drink it with meals. It does make me burp like crazy.

I stay away from FF as much as possible b/c it was one of my worst habits pre-band. When I do eat it, it is Wendy's chili or a Chipotle vegetarian bown with black beans. The kids' meals at Chick-Fil-A sound like a good option, especially since I am not a huge fan of chicken. It's something I can eat and get my nutrition when I am out, but I won't enjoy it so much that I will abuse it.

For me, it helps with the hunger and portions. I was like you in that I never felt full or satisfied. The band changed all that and has made losing easier. I don't have many cravings and feel satisfied after small portions. I have been banded for 6 years and have lost 1/2 of my weight, but am working hard again and am rededicated to watching my diet and exercising. I have never gained any back, but I did stop losing. Losing is hard for me now b/c my thyroid went south, but it is happening and is much easier for me now than pre-band. It's nice not to think about food all of the time.

Share your secrets please I am almost 6 years out and have lost 50% of my weight or so and kept it off. I have been working really hard over the last year to lose the rest and am losing slowly, but also have thyroid issues so it has been slow. Any tips would be awesome.

Do you have the anti-emetic suppositories (if so, you can insert them vaginally instead of through the other end and it isn't nearly as unpleasant)? If not, get them from the doc. Pain meds can cause severe nausea. Also, sip on warm liquids. Literally sip slowly. If you take in tiny tiny sips and wait a couple of minutes between sips, it may help. The most important thing is to get the vomiting stopped. It is going to make your stomach swell even more. It becomes a vicious cycle after that. I can tell you that I had no vomiting and was back at work 4 days after surgery with no pain meds, no nausea, etc... So, for me, what you are describing does not sound normal at all.