GodsTyro

Question- the frozen meals, are they high in sodium? If so that can prevent you from losing weight. I try to eat as fresh as possible now and I also stay away from agave because it stabilizes weight too

For me, most of everyone I know, knows I had it done. All my friends have been supportive in getting it, but when I said what I was getting done I also explained the procedure so there was no mis construed notions of expecting me to lose 40lbs in 1 month- which is not going to happen unless I get the gastric bypass. The only one that wasn't super supportive was my brother, but I understood from his perspective and chose not to discuss it further after telling him. his reasoning is the people he knows on a daily basis that has got it done have either regretted it or had complications from it. But his 2 people go against my 10 people that I know and had great results with it. As I told my brother, no matter what surgery it is there is risk involved but at least with the lap band if I had complications (which I never have) it's removable. Also told him without knowing if those people actually followed the rules they are suppose to there is no way of knowing if his friends complications are due to their own fault. I got banded November 2012 and don't regret it or regret telling anyone, they know I kick my butt at the gym 5-6x a week and that it just helps with the weight loss to have the band, but I've been blessed to not have folks assume the band is what is doing all of the work. I have yet to be in the green zone, but I am also down 72 lbs (now at 243 from 315). Once I am in the green zone finally I will be more interested to see how quickly weight falls off.

Normally you are good to exercise ( but not extensive) after 5-6 weeks, but after surgery you should still be walking around some to avoid blood clots. They normally say to exercise after doctor approval, and your first follow up is normally 5-6 weeks after the surgery

5k is always fun! And the ones like the color run, even if you are unable to run (or jog) the entire thing, there are many that walk as well. I am signed up for a color run in November because if the summer heat in Arizona. But I am hoping to knock my time down, I tried on the treadmill to see if I could jog it straight after 1.5 months with a trainer and going 5-6x a week- I was able to finish in 44 minutes :-)

If you don't use the treadmill, I would actually recommend running outside versus a track- only because there is no incline on a track. Running at a 2.0 incline is like running outside on level ground. You are still going to burn calories if you run on a track, but if you are planning on doing any 5k races etc you need some incline to help you prepare for it

If you set a goal, don't give yourself a time frame to meet it - you just set yourself up for failure otherwise. My goal was to run a 5k...whenever that might be. I have one scheduled for November, but the nice thing is most 5k you can choose to walk if need be too. I'm still getting there but below is what I started with. First, got the couch to 5k app If you haven't worked out in a long time and just starting out, I suggest for at least 1-2w weeks only walking at an incline of at LEAST 2.0 and a speed of 3.0 (or a speed that has you walking at a decent pace that keeps your heart rate in the fat burning zone). On top of the treadmill, I suggest the elliptical for 30 minutes. Both of these will help you build a little muscle to be able to begin using the above couch to 5k app. Start with day 1 and repeat the weeks as much as you need to. For me, by week 4 I've had to switch it up a bit. I couldn't get thru running 5 straight minutes, which told me I needed more leg muscle. So I changed up my routine and started walking at a 8.0 incline at 3.0 mph to build the leg muscle. The 2nd week I would jog 30 seconds, walk one minute- and do this for 20 minutes at that same incline of 8.0 Now I switch it up depending upon my workout and what I need- sometimes I will for 15minutes do the 8 incline and just walk it, then drop to the 2.0 incline and jog long periods of time with short walking breaks. Learning to control your breathing is also going to help you a lot. My routine now a days is treadmill (walk/run at a certain incline depending upon what I have going on) for at LEAST 30 minutes, then I do the stairmaster at a level 4 for 30 minutes (approx. 1300 steps- another great way to build some leg muscle), then if I decide to stay for another 30 I either go back to the treadmill or do the elliptical. Tuesdays and Thursdays I take it easier on cardio, but I have my personal trainer as well those days. It is important not to push your body HARD everyday in cardio- especially when building endurance. It needs "easy" days, so listen to your body when it needs that but make sure you have at least two easy cardio days Hope this helps :-) I'm still working on getting to jogging (want to run tho) a 5k but in about two months I've managed to be able to complete a 5k in about 49 minutes- hoping to drop that time down a lot by November.

Don't know, but I personally prefer the polar monitors. I find that they give a more accurate reading versus other ones I've used.

The wonderful thing about the lap and is its reversible, if my body rejected it (though it didn't) I could have it removed. If something better came along in the future- again could replace it. However, I don't regret the lap band- I considered it for years prior to getting it done.gastric and all other surgeries are permanent, but also gastric specifically you lose weight way too fast as well as chances of gaining back is a lot more likely. The lap band is a weight loss surgery, but mor importantly its designed to not gain weight. Of course if you go from a 7-8000 calorie intake to 1200-1300 intake you are gonna lose a lot of weight by that alone. I didn't have any issues other than retraining on how to eat (slower and smaller bites). There are foods that are harder to eat for me now, but nothing impossible - bless I stick two hard to eat foods together- for example, lettuce is hard for me as is red meat- together though it won't go down. The one thing I have stayed away from is carbonation - I don't want to drink my calories but also I burp every 10 seconds with just a tiny bit of carbonation

Oh no I'm saying luck about he mental bump. I feel energized in the morning as well as in the afternoon, whereas some feel only energized in the morning. Everything else I know is due to the hard work I am putting in

Guess I got lucky lol. As far as calorie burn, I don't have any issues at the moment as I workout 6 days a week as well as have a trainer that kicks my behind and love her to death!!

A difference between afternoons versus mornings? I don't really, the calorie benefits was the biggest turn on for me with the gym in the mornings.

More detailed than what others state it's an app you work out 3x a week on. Week 1 normally consists of 60 sec runs and 1.5 minute walks for 20 minutes 2 nd week- 90 sec run and 2 min walks for 20 minutes 3rd week- 2 reps of running 90 secs, walking 90 secs and running 3 minutes walking 3 minutes 4th week - jog 3 Minutes, walk 90 secs, jog 5 minutes and walk 2.5 minutes (2 reps each) Continues bumping it up each week as such. I use the c25k by zen labs

I'm stuck on week 4 at the moment, so I have switched to changing my incline up for a week walking/running at a 8% incline in hopes of building more muscle to make running easier on a 2% incline

Same, used true results in Scottsdale and have been pleased with all the staff

For me it was giving up things - soda, most bread (but not all) and fast food. I don't touch any of it still, I have my cravings here and there but overall don't miss it

I started on the band at 315, now I am 245 and also have a thyroid issue. I find that app tends to overdo on calories- even working out on a daily basis and eating 3x a day plus 2 Protein shakes I still don't come close to 1800- I stick around 1100-1200. Healthy items to stick with - chicken, fish or turkey. With fish specifically tilapia or salmon

I use to workout in the mornings because its the best time to workout- you don't have any calories taken in yet, so all calories burned are directly going to what you ate days before versus making up for calories not yet digested. But due to work schedule I now workout after work

I just made my first Protein balls and they were DELICIOUS a great way to have a "Dessert" and yet not feel guilty about having one of them because it's healthy. I altered the recipe I found and made it a vanilla-orange like flavor. Best thing of it all is no baking is required!! Kitchenaide is best to be used but otherwise you just need a wooden/really strong spoon 1 cup Almond Butter (called for Peanut Butter but almonds are healthier) 1 cup Agave (you can replace this for honey as well) 5 scoops of vanilla (or vanilla like) Protein powder 3.5 cups old-fashioned oats 1 tsp vanilla extract Shredded coconut Orange extract added until taste is reached Milk added (not a whole lot) for consistency Added all the above to kitchenaide (except the coconut) and then rolled them into balls and coated them with coconut. Refrigerated overnight, and keep them refrigerated to keep the consistency right. Made 27 balls and I figured it out it was about 167 calories per ball and about 6-8 (depending upon how much milk you use) of protein per ball. Also bought BSN's Syntha-6 peanut butter cookie protein powder that is delicious in milk or Water both. I'm thinking about trying that protein powder next for these and replacing the almond butter for peanut butter with the peanut butter cookie protein powder. Yum.

65lbs woot woot! at a plateau at the moment which sucks, but know that with working out 6 days a week that eventually will go away. Progress Pics:

Thanks everyone!!

Seeing the weight came off was definite motivation, but for me, I had no want to exercise a whole lot because the weight was coming off. My motivation kicked in when I started to slow down in which I joined a gym again and also got a personal trainer two times a week. I remember losing 70lbs at one point prior to the band with a physical trainer and I am at the weight I originally had been with that, but I was SOOOOOO much more toner because of having my butt constantly kicked. Between knowing where I was when I lost that original 70lbs (prior to gaining it back and not going to the gym again) and having an AMAZING trainer that I enjoy my workouts with is a huge motivation. Having personal trainers in the past and now having the one I have now it is night and day. Because for me, I now want to go to the gym, look forward to my time with my trainer because it's not just another butt kicking workout, but my trainer is also a good friend as well now. Which also helps in motivation, not wanting to disappoint my "trainer" but now more so not wanting to disappoint my "friend" as well. She also doesn't just train you but teaches you why you are doing what you are doing and how to do it. Those that live in the Mesa, AZ and want a trainer I definitely recommend Alisha from Fitness Evolution if you are looking to get a trainer. I now work out 6 days a week, doing cardio for 1 hour to 1.5 hours most days, and then 2 times a week I'm with my trainer for an additional 30 minutes and still doing the same amount of cardio. Having goals also helps - I signed up for the color vibe (a 5k color run/walk) in November in AZ so it's a goal of mine to get to a point I can at LEAST light jog the entire thing.

Pretty much ANY powdered protein you get you can mix in Water, or any other liquid of your choice - people tend to mix in milk to give it more of a milkshake like taste. I am not a big fan of chocolate or vanilla and so for me I LOVE the syntha-6 Peanut Butter cookie Protein Powder (you can get it now at GNC, or online) it is deliciousness in a cup lol. But I like it with milk better however it is just as yummy with water too

Those that are working out at least 5x a week- do you find yourself hungrier more often? Not sure if normal or means I need a fill.