Kime-lou

I recommend finding some favorite flavors of crystal light and propel type of Water flavors. This has enabled me and my husband to not want or crave soda. We have our own favorite flavors and we keep them in the house so when we want something besides water we grab a pack and mix us one. I am addicted to peach mango green tea- wonderful kinda taste like a mixed drink. I also choose to track my food intake of myfitnesspal and that has help tremendously. Sounds like you are doing great and your way will rub off on your family as well. Congrats!

Each person is different when it comes to sliders. I eat Special K Fruit and Yogurt every morning for Breakfast and I do fill full after one cup of special K with a half a cup of 1% milk on it. I have found some foods people say are sliders and don't fill them up actually do for me. I can eat popcorn a cup full and I do fill full and frozen yogurt to. Everyone is different. I would think that you do need fill, but that is just me.

I think each and every person who has had lapband has gone through this, you are terrified of failure. The key is don't give up. Sometimes getting frustrated pushes us to work at it harder. I had surgery June 22nd and just hit 35 lbs down today and I feel like that isn't enough, but what would be? Carolina girl always says you didn't gain overnight you won't lose over night and that is TRUE!! I do highly recommend calorie counting, I use myfitnesspal and a fitbit- this really helps me be responsible for my actions or lack there of. I didn't realize before that how many calories I was actally consuming. Stay the course you will make it. Like so many others say until you get restriction it's just a diet. Plus it's also nice to think about it this way- when was the last time you lost 25lbs in 3 months?

I have had some people say they fill restriction from day 1 of a fill, but for me it takes 3-4 days before I start feeling like I had a fill. Maybe I'm just slow However, I use to think oh I am so hungery between meals then I would give in and eat a small snack. Now when I first start feeling hungry and it's not time for my snack or my next meal (I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks with a daily calorie count of around 1200), I will start downing my crystal light peach mango green tea that really helps me make it through. With each fill it all gets easy for me.

Think about what you are eating. During my soft foods stage I had indigestion horrible. Mashed potatoes gave it to me bad as did the protein shakes. I took tums the first couple of weeks to keep the stomach happy, now I am fine and rarely ever have it.

I would give it a day or so, if you still feel like a meal of 1 cup isn't holding you 3-4 hours then you need a fill. But, also think about the time of the month which can effect hunger.

I think a lot of people hid behind their fat. For me I have always been the wall flower, never the popular girl. Things are changing as I lose weight I can't hide behind it anymore. Actually I like it, for me I always felt I was being judged due to my weight, but now I feel like I am being seen for me. I know it's crazy, but weight does affect our emotions.

I am not tight in the morning, but during my time of the month I am tighter than other times; which is good because the week before I am starving and I have to watch my calories carefully. Each person is different, a lot of people complain of being tight in the am, for me I am not at least not right now, when I get more fills I might get that way.

Each person is different and chooses a diffrent path to lose. I was never told carbs are bad by my nutritionsnist - I was told too much of anything is bad. I love the 100 calorie bags of kettle corn. I doesn't make me thirsty and does fill me up. For me it's a great snack for mid morning. I was told it ws fine, it is a whole grain and very tasty. For me I do eat it without problems. But, again you just have to choose your path. I choose to count my calories with myfitnesspal and as long as I keep my calories below 1250 I am happy and I have lost 35 lbs in 3 months.

It was explained to me that if you drink while you eat, your food will be pushed through your band quicker and you will get hungery quicker. I know a lot of people who only followed that rule for the first little while and the thing about not drinking soft drinks, but they seem to be having more problems now. I prefer to stick to the rules.

Some people expect to much. I feel like as long as you are headed in the right direction you are doing well. My doctor told me that 4-6 lbs a month is great. Just be proud that it is going down !!!

Peach mango ice tea (crystal light), whole wheat pita pockets because I actually like sandwhichs, they are low cal, have some protein and only a half is perfect for me.

The elliptical shouldn't hurt anything, I use mine all the time. Just don't do any weight lifting for a few days. Try warming a towel and laying it across your chest it will help ease the pain. For me a Sport Bra helps when I pull muscles in that area- the girls pull less on the muscle. I have pulled muscles several times since I started weight training on the total gym. When I do I wait till the pain starts to ease up then I hop back on and take it easy the first time and usually I do fine. Don't stop doing anything that will work the muscle, that will cause more problems in the future. Just try not to over work it and inflame it more. If you doctor oks it advil will help get rid of the inflammation faster. My doctor says it is ok to take it as long as it is not an every day thing.

Congrats and good luck!! I was banded the same day as you and also have lost 34 lbs since surgery. Unfortuanately, I am not pregnant. I had 3 miscarriage prior to surgery and we are hoping that we can try again next summer and get lucky this time. Congrats again awesome news!

You are great!! A wonderful attitude.

Try liquids for a few days. It is possible it is indigestion, which can lead to problems. If it were me, I would try taking a tums when I get that feeling and see if it helps any, if it does- bingo. If that is what it is contact your doctor, you may need reflux meds. Remember reflux can cause a slip. Good luck!!

Welcome to lapband hell! Your body has healed and you are hungry again, it happened to me. I am still not in the green zone so I have to watch myself carefully not to over do it. Compared to some I haven't lost much, but I feel better and I think 34 lbs in 3 months is pretty good. Try, Try, Try to limit your self. Drink, Drink, Drink to help with the hunger. Sometimes when think I am really hungry I will sit down with a cup of cold green tea (crystal light) drink it and it will help curb the hunger until it's time for me to eat again. This is not an easy time in your journey, and no one can tell you how long it will last because every one is different. Just take it one hour at a time and stick to the basics and you will make it.

I would think it's more likely that you need a fill again. I have never had restriction in the mornings, but I don't think I have hit my green zone yet. I am losing weight - total of 34 since June 22nd, so I am still happy with it. My doctor did say that as I loose weight I lose weight inside around my stomach so the "belt" has to be tightened. I would call and go in, if they do you fills with floro then they will know for sure.

Thanks Missy for that explination, it makes since. I never really knew the answer to this either.

I've found that while I still get hungry around the same times a day, I am satisfied with less when I do eat. With more fills it will get easier. Plus remember that if you are starting to workout you will likely build muscle and the start with you either gain or don't lose due to the fact that muscle weighs more that fat. Also remember with the working out make sure you are drinking enough, especially since you are cross training.

Have you all noticed that sometimes even on a weight plateau you seem to lose inches? I seem to go down for 3 or 4 days and then I stop and don't drop for 3 or 4, but I notice a change in how my clothes fit. Even though I have only lost 2 lbs in the last week, a pair of pants I wore last week feel a lot looser today than they did last week, I keep having to pull them up. I haven't measured myself, maybe I should start doing that instead of just weighing.

I have heard people call lapband life numerous things - diet, life style change, easy, hard, ect. I think most people who have had lapband would say lapband is not easy, but is it horrible NO! For me this isn't a diet and not exactly a life style change it is a change in state of mind. Before I never really thought about what I was putting in my mouth. My only thought was this is going to taste good or I want it. Now I think about how good or bad what I am eating is for me and am I hungry. Before it was never really about being hungry, I didn't realize that until now, it was about avalibility and desire. As a kid I grew up on a farm when we went in for lunch we were told to clean our plate because we wouldn't have food avalible later so you ate it no matter if you were hungry or not. Maybe that was where my food issues began, maybe not, regardless the issue began. Now I must change my state of mind. I am the worlds best at excuses and justification. I can argue forever on why I can't exercise tonight or justify why I deserve a cupcake. However, I must switch that up. I need to justify why I need to exercise and make excuses why I can't eat that cupcake. Thank the Lord, I have an amazing support system in my husband. When I want to make excuses to not exercise he kicks my butt in gear because he loves me and wants me to be successful, for me. I am changing my state of mind where food and excercise come in. While I am 31 I am an old fashion southern girl and life always revolved around food and sweet tea. I have to change that state of mind - no more fried chicken, no more sugar sweet tea. That doesn't mean I won't ever have it again, but it will not be on the regular rotation that is was at one time. For years I have worked where you eat quick or you may not eat. I learned to eat quickly. Now my band has taught me to eat slow, if I don't it hurts. I chew, chew, chew instead of swollowing whole. My state of mind has changed. Since June 22nd when I received my band my whole state of mind has changed. I always wanted to be sucessful with this, but worried I wouldn't be because of my old state of mind. Now that my state of mind has changed and continues to evolve the more I become sure that I will be successful, not because my weight is going down, not because I opted to diet, not because I work out but because of my state of mind. I am proud of my weightloss yes, but I am more proud of the change of my state of mind because I developed my old ways over 31 years, but now I am evolving and my state of mind changing for the healthier. I completely feel better, not just physcially, but mentally and emotionally to. It's not just the confindence that I have now, but the the clear head, the lower stress, the comfort. I feel better because I am not over eating and miserable after a meal. The Lapband State of Mind is pretty darn good!! Hope you will join me in the Lapband State of Mind

It is great you are tracking your calories and realize it's a problem. Exercise is very important- do whatever you can do, even if it's just walking. The more you do the more you will be able to do. Also, you say you don't feel satisfied- is it head hungry or real hunger. For all of us we experience the head hunger and have to realize that it's not real and go do something else to forget about it. For me I have to keep the sweets out of my house. No cake, no ice cream - I don't have will power on bad days. My mom even knows when I go home DO NOT try and send sweets home with me. Also, are you getting enough Protein? If you aren't that can make you hunger worse. You need to track that as well. chicken, ground turkey, tuna, broiled or grilled fish are all great sources of protein. Always eat that first and eat SLOW- it's not a race. liquid calories are horrible! The best thing to do is drink WATER! If you need flavor there are great ones in propel, crystal lite and many more. If you like tea there are even tea flavors. I love it. I am addicted to crystal light peach mango green tea. You can do this, you are doing this. Look how far you have come. I was banded a month before you and haven't lost that much yet. You are doing good, don't sabatage yourself now. Go back to the basics- each day is a new day make this one great!

My hubs and I are New Balance folks. We have a New Balance store in our area and we go there. They measure your foot, check where you put the most weight and recommend what would work for you. We walk on a trail at night about 2-3 miles and bike ride 6 miles with these - never had a problem with them.