lisacaron

Simply put, it's where you feel satisfied after eating about a cup of food for about 3-4 hours without feeling hungry again. Where the food/drink is tolerated and digesting well, without any feeling or symptoms of over fullness.

I tried using Mederma for a while, but it really hasn't done anything for the color of my scars. They are still a bright pink. I know that scars fade over time, my son had some pretty horrific ones on his back from injuries, it took a couple of years but they finally faded to more of a skin color. If anyone has any other idea's though, I might be willing to give em a try!

I find the Water drinking is the hardest thing for me. Not because I can't get it in..but because I'm not. I'm going to try the sipping thing through out the day to see if that helps me more. By the end of the day I realize I haven't had enough, and I'm actually thirsty so I start drinking but it's almost time to sleep...and well it's not good if you actually want to get some sleep

Wish I could say the same, I don't think I have hit the green zone yet...but I'm aiming for it!

Today I went to my surgeon's office and had a metabolic test. This test measures your resting metabolic rate to see how many calories you burn while you are resting, while you are active and while you are exercising. I found the whole experience to be very interesting and to be a very worth while test for those that are able to take one. I learned that you actually burn the most of your calories for the day doing nothing but resting. Simple breathing and relaxing burns off more calories then you burn killing yourself in the gym for hours on end. If you walk for 30 minutes you are burning a max of 200-300 calories. Resting, I am burning over 2000! Doing simple every day activities like walking to the bathroom or up the steps I am burning over 600! The key to weight loss is to burn more calories then you consume. For those of us that are banded we should be consuming less then 1000 calories a day. The key to obtaining a faster metabolic rate is not so much the cardio output as it is the lean muscle mass. So for those of us that can't run the marathons, or even walk very far, pick up the hand weights or just move your body up off the chair or off the couch. If you sit down and stand up 5 times you are lifting the equivalent of your current body weight 5 times and creating more lean muscle. So the answer really is to just get up and move. As you increase your strength and muscle mass, start adding resistance in the form of resistance bands or weights and you will be well on your way! I am writing this sitting up straight in my chair, clenching my abdominal muscles and lifting my legs off the floor to pump my ankles a few times! increasing that muscle mass, sharing the info with you all and getting some work done at the same time! Happy Thursday!

Ditto to all those compliments lady you look marvelous! I have the baggy close factor happening myself, but not ready to buy anything new just yet!!

Is it dangerous to over fill or tightly (close to max level) fill a band? I have the newer band 10cc but I am always thinking about how close you can get to that number and not have a problem...just curious.

Mmm...due to site upgrades I can't seem to post these clips. Once things are back online though I will post them and then I'd like for you to explain your point to me, since you seem to be telling me that not only am I wrong, but so are my doctors.

Explain how you can state THIS IS NOT TRUE. Here is a copy of the test results that are true for me, along with the explanation. Your body burns more at rest doing nothing over the course of a day then it does after an hour in the gym. Which is not to say you should not have a formal exercise routine, but which is to say that you do not need to kill yourself for hours in the gym to benefit or achieve a high calorie burn. It is the lean muscle in the body, not the amount of cardio or aerobic activity that is the key.

First of all J I was not exploring any one else's or the "average" metabolic rate. It was a PERSONAL assessment. I don't need to check the "internet" or web sites for information on this because the test the doctor performed was personal to MY metabolism only. I would never say exercise is not important to life Especially for those of us that are here, however the point was that you do not have to go to they gym and kill yourself for hours on end. Simply MOVING is enough to help you start to burn and raise your metabolic rate if you do not have any other metabolic issues. There are some at the beginning of this journey that can't even walk let alone hit the gym. For them simply moving is enough to help their metabolism to burn more. Strength training and lean muscle burn more over the long haul then hours and hours of cardio alone. Please read the post as it was intended before passing judgement. I offered my experience in having this test and how I was advised what is best for me and my metabolic system. It's a good test if your surgeon offers it. To assist in the journey as we become more mobile and fit over time.

My BEST advice to you is to take things moment to moment. What seems impossible one moment will be better the next. Allow yourself some TLC, you need it your body needs it. This is a MAJOR operation, and while you may feel well after a day or so take it easy. Follow your post-op guidelines and diet. Do not go right to any type of solid or even purred food right off the surgery table. Stick to your fluids, adding Protein as applicable to the diet your surgeons office or nut provide you. Comfy clothes, ice packs, hot Water bottle, warm tea herbal or any other kind help with the gas and discomfort feelings. sugar free ice pops are your saving grace. They sooth and help with the internal swelling as well. Gas ex or other gas reliving formula will help you don't panic if you have gas pain and/or shoulder pain. My biggest aha moment after surgery was the most embarrassing, it was that first gas release! Never though I would love to fart, but OMG I felt 10x better after. Hydrate, sip from small medicine cups or teaspoons so your not overwhelmed by the Fluid intake the first day. Most of all keep your spirits high and think of how awesome your going to look and feel in a few weeks! Best of luck to you for a speedy recovery!

Hi Jeanette, Researching the good the bad and the ugly of any decisions is always a smart move. While yes these things can happen, they are complications that most of the time can be avoided by proper band practice! (pardon the pun) Following the rules that your surgeon gives you and practicing good eating mechanics and food choices will all help to prevent things like esophageal dilation, or pouch dilation. As you search for your "green zone" for optimal weight loss and satiety as you begin to have fills, making sure that you are never too tight, where you are having issues swallowing liquids or having reflux will also help to ensure that you do not experience band erosion. There is a down side to everything, but with proper usage, open honest communication between you and your surgeon, and adherence to guidelines provided to you the odds of you experiencing any of these complications is minimized. One step at a time. Keep a good outlook and don't let fear dictate your actions for you. Read, research, and then decide what is best for you. If you are having serious doubts, my advice is to schedule a session with your surgeon and compile a good list of questions and have them answered before your surgery date. Best of luck to you!

That's great news! Feel better soon!

Awesome way to measure CG. You look amazing, can't wait to see what ya got next!

Try not to stress the fill. They put the Fluid in the same way they took it out. Hopefully they go slowly and don't overfill you too much on the first go around. Ask your Dr. how much fluid they are putting in and what size band you have. I don't believe the are using the 4cc bands anymore. Today they are either 10cc or 14cc.

Oh man! I'm sorry that your having to go through this. That has been my worry every time I go for a fill. My Dr. is very conservative with the fills and I'm grateful for that. I want to reach that green zone and everyone wants to get there and we want to be there yesterday...but I would rather get there slowly and not by having to slam into a brick wall first. It has taken a bit longer for me to get the numbers on the scale moving but I'm in this for the long haul, so I'm happy with the gradual progress. I take the time in between to learn more about the band and work on my eating habits and work through my emotional/stress eating issues as well. I hope you are feeling better soon!

I don't know if it's breaking the rules per-say...If you are keeping the calorie content low and you can tolerate it then French toast is not a bad thing in and of itself. Bread especially soft and mushy breads tend to be a problem for some bandsters but not all. I've had French toast, since being banded and it went down and digested well for me. I made sure the hubby had it pretty well done, it wasn't very soft but not a hockey puck either. However, not having that thick sugary syrup on it because of the calorie and sugar content, has really put me off the meal. I tried it with a bit of fruit preserve and it was tasty, but not worth the extra caloric expense for me to have it again I felt. It used to be one of our main breakfast staples, and the hubby sure made them yummy, but since being banded and having it that once neither of us has the desire for it again. He still whips it up for the boys, when they ask but not that often at all.

I have a very eclectic taste in music. I listen to everything from Mozart to Bach, to KISS, Pink, Sarah McG, Christina Ag, Alabama, the Beach boys, Reggae..really all over the place but it keeps me smiling and singing! Lucky my co-workers don't want to muzzle me must be my Caribbean Friday parties....

There are so many to list, and so many that have been listed that I can relate to. For me today, my NSV is being genuinely happy to read all these posts and be able to relate to them and all of you!

Thanks Jean for putting all my thoughts and feelings into words. I have been learning this lesson in a very profound way this month. Not just in the way I deal with food but in the way I deal with many things in my life. There is a point when enough is enough. There are days that I over extend that point and it never feels good, and like I said it's not just with the band. I have tended to ALWAYS overextend myself past the capacity of what is comfortable for me. Getting used to always being stretched too tight or pulled too thin. Learning to master the lessons of the band, have helped me in making better choices, and learning where my tolerance is and I have been able to apply that to area's of my life that have been over extended to the point of discomfort and gear those back and push away those extra's that just are not necessary. Thanks for taking the time to share with all of us!

Congrats! Take care of yourself during this post op phase and you'll be well on your way in no time!!

Congrats! Take care of yourself during your post op phase and you'll be well on the road in no time!

Some very good advice here! Take it slow your still healing. Lay off the work outs, your not ready to be doing all that. Your body has undergone a very real and major operation. Right now it is focused all it's resources on healing and it has stalled your weight loss because the body does not know that you are choosing to put it through this trauma. It's thinking your life is in danger and there for it must conserve all the energy (fat stores) it has so that you don't die. Cut back on the exertion and give yourself some time to heal. Keep eating the good foods with the emphasis on the Protein stay hydrated and you will soon see some changes. Perhaps in inches before you see the movement on the scale. TLC is what's needed right now give yourself some and your body will respond.

Hi flipper, LBS is not going to fix your emotional eating or mindless eating for you. To quote another, the band goes around your stomach not your head. That said, LBS does help you to stay in control of the portion size that you consume to a degree, though that is not the true goal of LBS. It will help with the feelings of uncontrolled hunger, and offer a feeling of fullness faster then you might have them now. The band is a tool that you must master. Just like a carpenter or a plumber can call themselves that from day one, but to be a true master of their craft they must master all the tools that they employee in their service. You can be banded and never truly master your band. If you want to be successful and lose and keep that weight off for good then you must make that commitment to mastering the use of this tool. It is not an impossible feat, there is a pre-op and post-op diet that require strict adherence. They consist of mainly liquid diets, and soft mushy foods building up to a regular diet of Protein and vegetables. Take some time and research what the band is all about and see if you are able to make the full commitment that is required of patients under going this surgery. Best of luck to you on your journey.

Hi flipper, LBS is not going to fix your emotional eating or mindless eating for you. To quote another, the band goes around your stomach not your head. That said, LBS does help you to stay in control of the portion size that you consume to a degree, though that is not the true goal of LBS. It will help with the feelings of uncontrolled hunger, and offer a feeling of fullness faster then you might have them now. The band is a tool that you must master. Just like a carpenter or a plumber can call themselves that from day one, but to be a true master of their craft they must master all the tools that they employee in their service. You can be banded and never truly master your band. If you want to be successful and lose and keep that weight off for good then you must make that commitment to mastering the use of this tool. It is not an impossible feat, there is a pre-op and post-op diet that require strict adherence. They consist of mainly liquid diets, and soft mushy foods building up to a regular diet of Protein and vegetables. Take some time and research what the band is all about and see if you are able to make the full commitment that is required of patients under going this surgery. Best of luck to you on your journey.