chrissylu

Congratulations! Already said a prayer for you. God bless and keep us posted.

JDI....I'm being nosy (LOL)....why does DH not want anyone to know about surgery, if you're okay with telling people? Oh...and I was a total grazer yesterday too! I must get rid of the popcorn in the house...I ate a whole bag of microwave popcorn (minus the two small handfuls my son grabbed). How in the world is popcorn a slider food??? I don't get it. oh well. I logged it in MFP and I'm hoping it will act as fiber. LOL. Meredith...I want to know about the kickboxing class too! I had a stuck episode this morning on tuna salad. ( i know...tuna salad for breakfast??? I'm out of protein shakes/powder and that was the only readily-available protein). It was WAY too early to try solid food. I didn't think I was stuck because I stopped eating as soon as I felt that old familiar pressure. about 5 minutes later though, I got that feeling that said to me "oh this crap is coming up". Total regurgitation. I've only had that happen once or twice before. Kymie...it sounds like you made pretty good choices over the weekend! Good for you! I'm trying to do better today...I didn't bring enough food to work with me in order to graze. lol. I hope everyone has a great day!

Wow...posts have really been active this week...I didn't realize how far behind I am. LOL ValAnn....those things are awesome realizations, aren't they?? JDI...congrats on the better number and good luck at your 6-month check-up. My doc didn't take blood in May so I'm wondering if he will when I go back next month. I'm okay as long as I don't watch them with the needle. LOL. Meredith...Go for the kickboxing! I've heard several people say that its a great cardio AND toning workout. Erica and Kymie...congrats on your losses too! That's great news! Well...I've got to reset my goal on exercise, for sure. After posting my "bandiversary" loss...Its almost like I've "allowed" myself to do whatever. I think I ate just about everything in sight yesterday! Mind you, I didn't overstuff or get stuck. However, I never really felt full all day...so I grazed. For the first time in 6 months, I hit 1500 calories!!! I know...I know...6 months ago, 1500 calories would have been breakfast and lunch with dinner and snacks still to go. LOL. However, I didn't really get any extra exercise yesterday, so I didn't even look at the scale this morning. I think I'll just let it take a little vacay for a couple of days. lol. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Good Morning Everyone! And Happy 6month Bandiversary to everyone! I say that today...because today is mine. I think tomorrow is JDI's...and Meredith's is this week also I believe. So to the bandiversaries over the past few weeks and the ones coming up...YAY US!!! I did not make my 80lb goal for Savannah's birthday with is tomorrow I think. However, in order to "celebrate" the bandiversary, I went by my doc's office for an official weigh-in this morning. Drum roll please......75lbs!! wow! You know, we all have those days where we get down when the scale doesn't move the way we want...or we eat something that maybe isn't the best choice. But, my friends, when I look back on all we have accomplished over the past six months...I am just overwhelmed! I truly thank God that He gave someone the knowledge and idea to create this tool for us! We are blessed beyond measure. I'm sorry I'm not replying to individual posts this morning...but know that I read them. Today is my "cheerleader" day...I'm just going to encourage you all to just keep moving! You are headed toward a goal...and you are changing your life! We take it one day at a time, 1 pound ( or ounce if need be) at a time. You all are rock stars!!! I'm so proud of this group...and to be a part of it. Hugs and prayers for you all are being sent your way! Oh...and I did find a workout program I like. Its on netflix and its a cardio/dance style workout. Its done in 10 minute increments...with the intensity growing with each 10-minute segment. Love it! I will find the name of it and post later. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Nicki....if you are logging your ice cream honestly and you are still losing....I wouldn't fret over it so much. Especially if its only once a week and if you are counter-acting with exercise. I truly believe that denying ourselves the things we TRULY want...well...I think that undermines our will to do well the rest of the time. What gets us into trouble is not denying ourselves of the things we only THINK we want. I too need to do better about logging my food. I think I've gotten lax on it because I'm drinking Protein shakes and eating Starkist pre-made tuna salad most of the time. LOL. I also MUST amp up my exercise. I've not been able to really get motivated to do more than walk each day. I've got to find something on netflix or some other online source to really get me going. Its dropping so slowlysince this last fill and I know its mostly because I'm not at the gym. If anyone has any suggestions...PLEASE send them my way. Meredith...yes! 6 months for us this week. Mine is exactly six months on Wednesday...the day, date, everything. LOL. On one hand, I can't believe so much has dropped in just 6 months. On the other hand, it seems like it was forever ago! Thank God for this wonderful tool! Have a blessed day everyone!

Hi Meredith...welcome back! What a great NSV!!! In the midst of my complaining the other day, I totally forgot to mention an NSV I had. Well...I guess its partially a scale victory..but I call it an NSV because the scale really hasn't moved much. However, how my clothes fit has. I went to Goodwill looking for some slacks because my 18/18Ws are really loose. I bought two pairs of slacks that are a 16!!!! I can't wait to wear them to work. They are washed and hanging...just ready to be shown off! LOL. And...I did NOT step on the scale today. That's something else I'm working on. Have a great day everyone!

Erica...I will tag onto that goal with you. 30 more to 100 for me. I'm going to miss my Savannah goal of 80 lbs by her birthday next week. I don't think I'll even hit 75lbs. I've got to get back on the "bandwagon" for exercise. I've been trying to walk every day but its not the same as being at the gym. Since the gym is on hold right now, I guess I need to search out other ways to exercise. I don't have a DVD player, and so far, I haven't found anything I like on netflix. any ideas?

Erica...I would feel betrayed too. No one in management is supposed to reveal that kind of information about you to anyone. However, I agree with Nicki...I wouldn't make a big fuss about it as it will just blow up. Work it girl...and then be a model (a super model!) of why you did it. Meredith...great NSV!!! I think I'm really close to a 16...or a 16W anyway. All my skirts and pants are too big. I don't know what I'm going to do! LOL. Nicki...doing okay. Still haven't moved but I haven't gone up either. I'm doing more liquids and mushies than anything else. Today is a rest day from exercise...though I might decide to get out on my bike this evening. I just did not feel like getting out of bed for that 2 mile walk this morning. LOL. Plus...I think I'm somewhat constipated (I know...TMI)...so I feel like when things "get moving" there, I'll see a change in the scale. Just trying to keep drinking water and not get dehydrated...its so HOT and HUMID in Nashville! ugh! I'm not doing great with logging my food. I MUST get back into that habit. In fact...I'm going to do that now. Have a great day everyone!

I might do the same as Savannah and go to liquids for a couple of days.

Oh my goodness...I SO want to be on vacation somewhere. I'm so burned out right now. I did win a couple of passes to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. So I guess we're going to take a day and drive up for that in a couple of weeks. I miss the beach. Its been so long since we've been. Oh geez... I sound like a whiner right now. Ugh. Just discouraged I guess. I've still got 9 lbs to go before reaching Savannah's Birthday goal and its only about a week away. Somebody talk me down from the ledge. LOL.

Nicole1...I did the same thing! Fortunately, I didn't go too far off track. I agree with JDI about the cookies. I had 1 each day since Thursday or Friday. I love really good chocolate chip ones. I found some at Walgreen's for $1 a pack. They are good sized and there's about 10 in the pack...so WAY too easy to justify buying them. I tell myself that I'm getting them for my hubby and son. I've managed to do okay...and I count them in my daily allowances...so don't beat yourself up over them. This journey is not about denying ourselves things we like. Its about learning to manage what we DO eat. My loss is slowing as well. I think its because my cardio has been lowered so much the past few weeks. I "froze" my gym membership to save some money for a couple of months until DH's hours pick back up. So, I've been walking (or biking) around my neighborhood the past few weeks. I know I haven't kept the same pace as I would on the treadmill, but at the same time, its harder for me to jog on "the road" than it is to jog on a treadmill. I think its because the belt on the treadmill keeps me moving. LOL. And I miss the weight machines! I guess I'm just going to have to determine to myself that I have to kick it up a notch!

Nicole! That is an AWESOME list of NSVs! I also no longer need acid reflux meds or my CPAP machine! I "tried on" a skirt I wore six months ago, this morning...and was able to pull the waist of it about 8 inches from left side. WOW! I tried to get a picture with my laptop cam but I couldn't do it. I'll get hubby to snap one when he's awake. LOL. I also didn't gain anything during TTOTM this time! Yay!! Meredith & Lady B: Keep us posted on what's going on. I'm going to ask my doc if some meds will cause the band to tighten as well. I noticed that during my TOTM this time, on the days I took generic Midol, I seemed to have more of a problem getting food down. He told me it would be tighter anyway because of the fluid retention in the body, but on the days I didn't take the med, I didn't have any issues. weird. Meredith...have fun at the reunion. Work it Girl! I agree with what has been said about still seeing the "old me" in the mirror. I think part of it is because I don't have clothes that fit properly. I mean, they are wearable, but not all of them really, truly fit. Part of it is that I still have work to do toning lots of areas of my body. So, I've started trying to only look in the "big" mirror when I'm fully clothed. I also try to focus on areas where, to me, the loss is really noticeable...like my waist, neck and chest. That really does help me start to visualize a skinnier me. However, its still hard to wrap my mind around the possibility of being in a single digit size. I mean...I haven't been since I was like, 15. LOL! God bless of each you today. Look to Him for your strength in every moment. Love & Hugs,

Hi Everyone! Nice to "meet" you all. I only use myfitnesspal for the weight loss ticker but I've talked to others who absolutely love it for tracking food and exercise. I use the Lapband.com food tracker myself. I also have at least 30 more pounds to lose. We'll see how I feel/look at that point and see if I want to go for another 10 or 20. God bless!

Ladies....we are doing AWESOME!!! I know its easy to get down when the scale doesn't move when we want it to. However, we MUST remind ourselved how far we've come since January. I think about when I was on Weight Watchers...it took me a year and a half to lose 75 pounds. It's not even six months yet and I've already lost 70 with the band! The difference is...I really feel like I can keep losing and keep the weight off. This is a tool that is going to stay with me. Its a lot harder to choose to live without the band than it was to choose not to rejoin WW. A couple of things I did learn in WW that's good for all of us to remind ourselves with: a) Any Loss is a loss...and no gain is NO gain. celebrated the things that have nothing to do with the scale. Also, 1-2 lbs (average) a week (even with the band), is a good, healthy weight loss and more likely to stay off. Thank God for these forums to help us vent, encourage each other and learn from each other. We gotta stick together Girls...and celebrate EVERY victory...no matter how big or small. Whether its a pound lost, or we just managed to hold it together today. Much love and God bless!

oh my what a weekend! Was sick all weekend (sinus infection I guess). Sometime Saturday, my band seemed to be tighter. Then yesterday, I couldn't eat anything solid until about 7 or 7:30 PM! I was on liquids all day yesterday. I don't know if it was because my throat was sore or something about TTOTM has something to do with it. Its better today. Just had some cottage cheese, that yesterday I had to PB on. so weird! Meredith...back to Buddy...I've heard most chefs pronounce it FON-dant, but Buddy seems to emphasize BOTH syllables. LOL. Anywho...it would still be a hoot to visit the store. I would love to see the Lackawanna digs he's building/has built. I don't know if its finished yet. And...I'm at about 6ccs in my band and I think I'm at the green zone (aside from the above-mentioned issue). I also think I'm going to need a Shopping 101 lesson as well! LOL! Nicki...I agree with the learning curve theory. I was getting stuck all the time on the fill before this last one. Then, doc decided to go ahead and fill anyway because of how much total I could eat (when I didn't get stuck). He had to remove just a bit the next day, but since then, I haven't had as many stuck episodes (until this weekend). As for the ice cream, I'm of the "don't deny yourself" opinion. Just allow yourself only so much and stick to it. I've also started freezing a protein shake in popsicle molds. it makes a great "fudgesicle" or you could put it in a bowl and chop it a bit to make "ice cream". Just got word back from my doctor on my weekend "stuck" and "tight band" issues. TTOTM can cause the band to be tighter because of the fluid the body retains during that time. whew!

Hi...I don't know if anyone is still in this group or on this thread. I was banded in January 2012. I've lost 70lbs so far. I believe that God allowed someone to create this tool in order to help me get healthy. Would love to talk to any Christian bandsters still out there.

That's awesome Amica! I've never been able to shop at Old Navy. A friend at work asked me where I plan to shop once I hit my goal weight. I had to stop and think about it because, for most of my adult life I've bought cheap in the plus sizes at wal-mart, or at Cato for career-wear. She suggested Coldwater Creek. I thought, "Yes! I'd love to buy something from Coldwater Creek." I had completely forgotten about Old Navy. Hi JDI! Meredith...a trip to Carlo's sounds awesome! I love Cake Boss...however, it does bother me how Buddy pronounces 'fondant'. LOL. But, with the looks of the canolis, cakes and other things they make, I think I could overlook the fondant thing. I would have to starve myself for a week just to justify a trip there. lol. I have a question for those of you who are in or near the green zone. Have any of you noticed being tighter at TTOTM?

I've done that too. LOL. Each day is a learning day with this thing, huh?

That is awesome!! Congratulations!

Way to get back on track Cortney! I'm so glad you are not giving up. Sending up a prayer for you on this journey...because that's what it is...a life-long one. Best of luck and God bless & keep you!

I really like tilapia, and now that I have a new George Forman grill (yeah..I know its cheesy but it works. LOL.), its easier to cook it. I sprinkle some Mrs. Dash, a little garlic powder and sometimes some seasoned salt on my tilapia fillets. Then I spray the hot grill with olive oil cooking spray. Pop those babies on the grill. It takes them very little time to cook. I like to have a bit of a brown sear on mine, so I probably overcook them...but its so good, easy, few calories, lots of protein.

That's awesome!! Congratulations!

JDI...so glad you got your AC fixed!! Its rough trying to exercise when its so dang hot! I was out walking between 530 and 6 this morning...and it was already starting to get a little muggy. It was bearable, but I think I'm going to have to go a little earlier for my walk tomorrow. And DO take it easy for a few days. Its not fun when that band is too tight. I'm so glad I went back and had Doc to take a smidge out last week!