sunnysidega

" What I mean my listening to my body is... when I eat I stop eating when I feel satisfied... not stuffed. I plan my dinners for week in advance and always have Snacks in the refrigerator (usually cold turkey with dip). I make sure I eat three meals a day and sometime 2 snacks. I hardly never have "head hunger" anymore because I now know when I'm really hungry.... also because now when I eat I'm more satisfied I'm not as hungry in between meals." I think listening to our bodies is something that is foreign to many of us and a real contributor the reasons why we ended up obese. Very good advice. And a great lesson if we all can learn it we will certainly succeed.Thank you, Tom.

This has been on my mind since coming to LBT. I just wanted to give a word of caution to those who are maybe new to being banded or over-zealous when it comes to weight loss and thinking maybe more and more fills are better. The caution is about a habit that I developed and had to realize what I was doing wasn't the best idea. That is I want to caution you about getting your band too tight and in order to get things down lubing it up with extra calories like salad dressings or sauces. So more fills and a tighter band may not always be the best answer. I know it's cliche but it is a marathon and not a sprint. It's just something you may want to consider before getting frustrated or discouraged. I have been banded many years and happy with my band.

Rode my bike 2.5 miles yesterday and pulled a big hill. Wasn't sure if I could do it but I DID! Rode again this morning but not sure how far this ride. Beautiful weather to be outside. Hey Catfish! How about those CARDS!

Welcome, Jesus!

Awesome! Sounds like you are doing great.

Is today your birthday? When I read St. Louis I went to your profile and it says today! Happy Birthday! Big Cardinal fan. Cut my teeth on Cardinal baseball. Am actually from the lead belt-Flat River, Farmington area. WTG on the workouts!

I was hoping you would get some feedback. I have had maybe 3 fills and 2 unfills in 10 years so I don't feel I'm a good one to respond. Sounds like you are doing great. My suggestion though (and hopefully you will hear from some others) if you had your fill Sept. 30th I would give it a month. I have known people who got more restriction even a couple weeks out from an adjustment. Strange, I know. But there is so much about the band that isn't consistent. Good luck and keep up the good work.

Thanks for the belated happy birthday wish! Hope everyone has got in some kind of workout today, even it was parking your car farther away from the office or taking the stairs. Anything to push what we normally do is a step in the right direction. The weather is finally gorgeous here in north GA. I got in a 2.63 mile walk with one big ol' hill. I'm weird but I love walking hills. Due to the Federal Parks being closed I cannot walk where I like on the trails and hills at the Chickamauga Battlefield. It is just plain creepy seeing everything barricaded off and the trails blocked with police tape. Looking forward to reading what others post later. And by the way, love the screen name Catfish! (I assume it's a screen name lol). Oh, and then this afternoon my husband and I cut tree limbs and trimmed bushes so got in some extra calorie burn dragging, lifting and dumping.

Don't worry, and I wouldn't necessarily say slower is always better. Everyone is different. Some people require little, others more. Just don't get too anxious or upset if you aren't where you feel you want to be immediately. I actually lost 110 pounds with no fill at all. When you look at my ticker you will see I'm over 10 years out from banding and I'm still a work in progress. I came within 3 pounds of reaching my personal goal and went on a self-sabotage spree that took years for me to get a grip on. Whenever I post something I am always talking to myself, too. Best to you!

I'm still here and still working on my exercise. Walked Sunday and yesterday was my birthday. Hubby and I went to a state park and hiked 2.05 miles around a lake. It was a beautiful day. I need to stay coming here for accountability and encouragement. Hope to hear what other's are doing.

Great job! Keep on keeping on.

Oh, yeah. Definitely sounds like you were stuck Not fun and sometimes resolves more quickly and easily than others. My family definitely knows when it happens by the look on my face. Generally I try to relax and give whatever it is time to go down. If not I head to the bathroom. Sometimes just standing up and starting to walk will take care of it. I have known people who do what they call the chicken dance and flap their arms and move around and that works for them. It's not fun when it sneaks up on you and it's not a PB but a true hurl. If you ever have that happen be sure to take some time to rest up and not go directly back to trying to eat. Your pouch will be irritated and swollen. For me sometimes I will be very hungry and get in too big of a hurry. That never works out well. And the big difference with the band is that it just seems to stack up. You can't try to wash it down with any liquid. Only makes it worse. Just try to be cognizant of what you are doing and eat slowly and chew chew chew.

Definitely! Been banded over 10 years! Certainly haven't been the perfect bandster but have not had the first problem with my band. It's hard telling what my weight would be or if I would even be alive had I not done it. Working back towards my goal weight. I have learned so much about myself and what has contributed to my weight issues. Tomorrow I will be 63 years old and very healthy.

Donna450, what has your orthopedic doc said about use of your shoulders? If you have been cleared to do so, what about swimming or water aerobics class? If you fall in the water, no big deal. If I read it right you would consider a gym. If your knees give out on a stationary bicycle what happens since you are seated? Do you know why your knees give out? I went through something similar and had to have arthroscopic knee surgery to get some loose junk cleaned out. Good luck. Maybe you could consult a personal trainer if you are cleared by your doctor to exercise.

I remember this phase and eating out. You will be able to find something to accommodate you. But the thing that sticks out in my mind so much is looking around at other people and seeing the portions of food they were consuming. It was so strange for me. It was like looking at the world through a window. Remember, whatever you choose even though it's soup or something soft like mashed potatoes or black beans to savor every bite, eat slowly putting your spoon down between bites and enjoy your family! In our culture so much is centered around food rather than relationships it's easy to overlook what's really important. Have fun!

I am new to this forum and not really acquainted with the folks here. But from what I have seen, there are many successful people that you can gain valuable advice from. I went to your profile and read back and read through your posts. From a purely objective perspective I didn't read anything but honest responses. Support can take many forms. I would never be offended if someone suggested taking up a problem I was having with my doctor. From what I read you haven't been banded long and believe me, you will have your ups and downs. That's the way life is. You are now in possession of a valuable tool to assist you in your journey. Plus, you found this website which is another asset.

Stacy, that is great! Everyone I know who has done the Zumba class says it is great. Sweat is a good thing There is a church nearby that offers the class. Maybe I should check it out. I have heard of the 30 day shred but can't recall exactly what it involves. Seems like it was pretty hard core from what little I remember about it. Thanks for the encouragement. Keep us up to date with your efforts. Good luck.

Got my walk in today and I was clipping right along. Walked about 2 3/4 miles and then went to Costco and Walmart so stick a fork in me, I'm Done! Need to ride my bike today because it helps work the range of motion of my knee but not sure that will happen. I am ready for some cooler weather. It was 70 this morning when I walked but no breeze and 91% humidity.

Where can I find those weight ticker tape thingys?

I forgot to say anything about this but I assume that everything is okay with your band and it is working properly as far as restriction?

You can definitely start over! I was banded over 10 years ago. I have had my ups and downs but one thing we have always got to remember is that the band is only an added tool. It doesn't change our thinking about the way we approach food (unless you get hung up and then that's temporary change ), it doesn't alleviate our stress level, it doesn't change how our emotions can affect our behavior, etc. It sounds like you have identified some of the main culprits. I totally understand how much time and effort it takes to focus on taking care of ourselves! A lot of us women have spent many years working, being caretakers and not putting much focus on our own health and well-being. You mentioned feeling stronger! Of course! It is very empowering to make the kind of positive changes you mention. Congratulations on your retirement! I will turn 63 Monday so I'm right there with you age-wise. I did start a thread about encouragement and accountability. I came here, too, in search of support and to surround myself with other banded folks who understand our struggles.

I live north of ATL. The humidity was particularly BAD this summer! Whew! Even though the temperatures weren't as high as other years the humidity was unbearable.