IndioGirl55

CONGRATULATIONS KARRI SO HAPPY FOR YOU How are you feeling (besides being on top of the world)

Chris - I miss beer too - I haven't tried it in a while - like LuLu I could only have one - but tonic Water is no problem - so now my drink of choice is tequilla tonic's :girl_hug: Gotta say it has become a way of life for me - no biggie really - Loving the way I feel - I have lost weight before but never made it to goal - with the band I have finally really accomplished it... Good Luck - Hugs Janet

Yes I remember 2 Brenda :biggrin: you and Southern girl - well it must be something with the name :girl_hug: that you both were too tight :sneaky: Glad to have you back posting here too - the over 50 crowd seems to be changing daily - Denise. Phyl and I are about the only old times left.. Love our new additions - but miss our old ones too - It seems like the same way on my lucky #7 thread - we have about 8 of us who still post regularily - heck when we started 30+ at least.. Hope you are doing better on your fill level - Hugs J

Kari - you can email them to me and I will post... - Yes even at 5'9 you can be tiny :biggrin: Remember this isn't a diet so don't beat yourself up for family picnic's - every now and then is fine - not just everyday :sneaky: Candice GF - Hugs on the Mom situation :girl_hug: Yep being a care giver is really really hard... I understand the burn out and not being on the computer 24/7 - so don't fret - we understand. Yes try and carve some time out for you!!! Once my shrink had me taking off on Fridays (stress related to work and other stuff - my work was afraid of a stress suit or work comp claim so they gave me the day off with pay) and I was to do something for me - massage - beauty shop - museum - show - shopping whatever - but that day was just for me... And yes when we are down - those carbs - sweets etc are the things we crave - not protein... All I can tell you is with this knowledge use it to try and fight off the demons - if you have to give in - small amounts and sf if possible... Wish I could help - all I can do is offer a shoulder - so it's here for you.. xoxoxo J

Pat it went thru :cursing: The reasons you mentioned are the reason I chose lapband - and it's the best deceision I every made

:thumbup:CONGRATULATIONS !!!! :embaressed_smile: :thumbup:THIS IS THE 1ST OF MANY WOW MOMENTS :cursing: I have gone from 18/20 pants 22/24 tops to 6 or 4 pants and Medium tops.. I am still in awe everytime I go shopping:biggrin:

Renewedhope A lot of the monthly groups do meet in their band anniversay month - us Lucky #7's met at the Mall of America this past July - there were 5 of us that could make it - Cali - Wash - Montana - Canada - Wisconsin are all the states that were repersented - it's great to meet in person.. I highly suggest it... It was a ball...

Hey Brenda !! I'm with you about being too tight was that way for 1 week in January and NEVER again do I want to be that tight... Sounds like you may be at your sweet spot - I know a while ago I posted about fill being more physicolgical than physical - but for the life of me I can't find it... Meaning that we think we can eat too much so we think we need a fill but once we do - we are too tight - I wish I could find that post - I have looked here and on my lucky #7 thread but can't find where it was discussed... I know that just have .02 added was enought to put me at my sweet spot. Fills are funny and fickled things... I'm doing fine - can't complain - am on maintenance and am doing ok - going to film a commerical for my doc 10/1 - feel that's a great honor - and just got email from his office - someone who wants the band wants to talk to someone who has lost 100 lbs - so they are going to put her in contact with me... Congrat on the lost pounds:thumbup: - 1 day at a time - they all add up.:embaressed_smile:.. Glad to have you back :cursing:

Karri - Good Luck on your run today !!! It seems we all have our time of the day when we are hungry.. My DF was hooked up to all that crap to for the last month of his life - on and off the ventalor - feeding tube etc - it's no way to live and experssed that to his doctors - Prayers & Hugs as I know what DH is going thru - Well Gang you all were quite yesterday - I went to the show last night DO NOT SPEND $$$ ON LAKEVIEW TERRACE... It's slow and predicatable what you see on tv ads are the best parts - don't waste your $$$ - thankfully gf daughter gave her passes so we didn't have to pay... Not much to report on this morning - pb'd last night at panda express - my 1st real pb at a restaurant - that's the thing with eating out - I really try to avoid fast food crap - but at 9:30 at night you don't have very much options - and your freind like to eat at places like that - I wanted el pollo loco but it was closed for sit down - panda wasnt' ... I would say that with the band my food options are limited when it comes to fast food . but gotta say when I got home I could eat the rest of my noodles - I don't even want to go look up the calories - but I had only 1 cup max so I gotta ck it out... scales were ok this morning so I guess I am ok. Well need to get dressed and go shopping for gf bday next week but don't really feel like it.... CBL:tongue:

Mia - You hit the nail on the head - everything we seem to eat while out is high fat high sugar king size - no wonder the pple of the world are fat. I went to the show last night too (don't go see lakeview terrace to slow to long) I took my fiberone bar :cool2: I'm with you on the choc stuff - even those 100 calorie snack thingies - if I love it then it turns into 2 or 3 of them - so if it's something I can't stop at I don't buy it... Candy reese pb cups - are the devil food for me - if I bought a bag - I could eat the whole thing - so I don't buy it - I buy one reg size (no kingsize) and enjoy.. I get you on the will this new found positivilty fail - but I gotta tell you for me it hasn't and I'm 14 months out - don't know if you would still call this the honeymoon stage or not - but I really feel I got it this time and have realized that we can't worry about what food choices we are going to make tomorrow - we have not control over tomorrow - the only thing we have control over is the here and now - worry about today only - as the saying goes for addictions - take it one day at a time .... In the beginning I worried about where I would be in 5 yrs - well - I finally figured out that I had to stop that.. Today and today only :tt2: I haven't been on vacation too much since being banded did a couple 3 day trips and I do ok - not perfect but ok - not perfect cuz I gotta be honesty I tend to eat sweets on holidays not alot but will have some but I don't do it at home so I really don't worry about it too much - but again I am no longer in weight loss phase -... Am going on a cruise next March - that will be my 1st big vacation/holiday since being banded You just gotta make the best choices available to you - and your band should provide restriction on things like pizza - Pasta - etc - just watch out for the slider foods. On the stupid font thingie no - I don't think there is a way to set it - I agree with you - I hate haveing to select each time - sometimes i do it sometimes I don't - it'a a pain the in butt

Nancy - Hugs.. IMHO I feel that if someone is a big sweet eater that bypass is a better option for them... just cuz they don't absorb the calories they will get sick if they eat sugar - I am not sure if the sleeve has this effect or not - I haven't read up that much In talking to my doc - I asked which option was best for me and by the little questionnaire I complete he thought the band would be good. Sorry for your struggles - wish that I could help... I can understand your frustrations...

Yes - I make good choices 98% of the time cuz I know that if I don't then the weight will come back - I can't say I think about food 24/7 but I do plan and keep my kitchen full of healthy stuff and not the crap.. I usually cook on Sundays for my lunches for the week - or cook enough to have left overs for lunch - I would say that the only thing I find hard is eating on the fly - There isn't much fast foods that I want to eat due to the calories and unfriend to my band. I was never a big fast food eater but there are times that's all there is (traveling) I don't want empty calories - I want nutrition. So I will order a burger - throw away the bun and call it a day - I'm full but not satisfied I love good food and when I eat I want good food not junk... Yep once you have proper restriction the band is a break - but I don't rely on my band to stop me from eating unhealthy cuz it's not... Most unhealthy crap is slider foods - Cookies candies mashed tatos gravy ice cream - my band really doesn't stop me from over eating the bad stuff but it does limit me on eating the good stuff.. Yes this is a lifestyle change I will live with - For me this has been pretty easy - I have not really struggled in the last year - Yep I miss some of my unheatly habit - I miss pigging out - but I am Loving the way I feel the energy I have. so the trade offs are worth it...

I have been at goal for 2 months - but it could be 2 yrs the diff between this is #1 the tool (band) doesn't come out after you have lost the weight you have the portion control 24/7 365 #2 I finally did make this a lifetime lifestyle change - Remember those words - I know you have heard them a million times - I was a ww girl too... Well you know what - it's true - this isn't a diet - cuz diets fail - After you lost those 80 lbs - you went back to eating "normal" well that normal is what got you fat in the first place. I have finally gotten that statement "lifestyle" I eat healty 98% of the time allow for treat 2% - exercise 3-4 times a week... I am living life and loving it.. I am not deprived - I don't live to eat I now eat to live - I look for good nutristist foods not junk to fuel my body I follow a ww eating type program - which to me is the healthiest and I have good restriction. No more mindless eating - I think plan avoid my triggers and if I can't I am now aware of my triggers - I am using my brain.. I feel to freaking good to screw this up again.. For me - I think that have major fricken surgery was my "ah ha moment" this isn't a game - but my life and I have wasted so many yrs being the fat chick - Well now I am the skinny chick and am loving it.. Best of luck to you on your jourmey..

:thumbup:HAPPY BANDIVERSARY & CONGRATS ON YOUR 100 LBS GONE :eek: GREAT JOB KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK :cool2:

Nancy How did you make a mistake?? Yes I truly beleive that what pple are told leads them to beleive that any WLS is the magic cure all (it take away your hunger - ya it helps but for me it hasn't taken away my hungry - and IMHO headhunger manifest it's self into what we preceive as physical hunger)- it all takes work on the person's part - it's not the surgery itself but the person who had the surgery changing their ways that leads them to their goals. WLS is no diff than any other program out there - if you you make the lifetime lifestyle change - it works - the diff is that WLS is a tool that make the job a little easier. I was at a lapband counsel in June - I advised them that they really did need to make it clear that head work is alot of it - but of course no one would make any $$$ if they spelled that out...

Welcome - LBT is a great site for info & support. I am going to give you my tough band love explanation (love being the operative word) Reasons some don't lose or lose very slowly and this is my personal opinion #1 THE BAND IS ONLY A TOOL!!! It in itself is not going to cause you to lose weight... You have to realize this going in - and that little part of your mind that say ya this is the answer it's the magic cure - that's the devil talking to you - cuz it's not the magic cure answer to our obesity. The band requires alot of work on your part. #2 There are pple who say I didn't do this to go on another diet - they continue to eat the same food that they did prior to banding - which usually is high fat foods and foods loaded with refined carbs (oh btw I am not an atkins advocate) and foods that have sugar. With the band once you get proper restriction (which can take awhile for some) it will limit the amount of food you eat at one sitting - but you can eat around the band ie candy cookies milkshake alcohol gravy all slip right thru the band (these soft foods are slider food) plus we still absorb all our calories (not like bypass patients who don't). These pple are going to lose some weight just do to the fact that they can't eat large quantities - but they are not going to lose a significant amount in my opinion. #3 Some pple have a slow metabolism (for reals - they have been medically tested not just another fat chick excuse) or another medical reason #4 To actually loose 100% or very close to your excess weight you are the one who has to make major changes in the way you look at food - You have to make healthy food choices (low fat - limited sugar and limited carbs) and you have to add exercise into your life. The band is only a tool to help with your portion control it doesn't make your food choices or it doesn't do the exercise. Losing weight is all about calories in vs calories burn - plan and simple as that. When you read the stories of pple who have been successful with the band - most will tell you that they counted calories - weighed and measured their foods (as fat chick we don't know what 4 oz looks like - to use a serving of ice cream is either 1 pint or a whole half gallon not 1/2 of a cup) and they also keep some kind of food diary/log and they exercise their butts off. They changed their food choices - there are alot here who do atkins or no refined carbs - I still have my starches (but limited to dinner only) I follow a basic WW type eating plan and IMHO I think it's the healthiest.. I am 14 months out and I am still learning how to control my head hunger issues ... I can be physically full from my dinner and still want to eat Our head hunger issues are our real problems - As fat chicks the minute we thought we were hungry we would eat - then eat again - we would eat past full - All of us have diff issues with food some more complicated and some as simple as boredom. We use food to soothe us when we are upset, angry or sad - we use food to comfort us - we use food to celebrate and as reward for something or cuz someone told us we shouldn't - we use our fat as a barrier against the world. All these things are the mental issue that must be dealt with if we want to lose the weight and keep it off for good (neither the band nor any WLS is guarantee that we keep they weight off forever) To this (keep the weight off forever) you must make this your lifetime life style change in eating and exercise Diets don't work cuz the minute you go off them and go back to eating normal you gain all your weight back - eating normal for us is what got us fat in the 1st place. Now Exercise - as fat chick we don't want to exercise cuz it's too damn hard - it takes too much energy. Well you must exercise - our bodies were made to exercise. You just make the commitment to yourself - you start slow and steady and each week increase it a tad - I could barely walk 1 mile 11 months ago on the treadmill doing a 25 minute mile on a zero incline - but every couple of weeks I would increase the speed and inclines - I now do 3 miles in 50 minutes on vary of inclines from 3 to 12- I work out with weights 2 x a wks (muscle burns more calories) Ok I wrote a fricking book here - but I just want you to know that even with the band it's work - it's still hard -- it takes will power to make good food choices and discipline to go to the gym or workout where ever you choose but with the band (once you have proper restriction) as a tool it does make the job of losing weight easier. As you said not easy but a little easier.. IMHO I that that I have done 75% of the work (making good food choices and exercising) and the band have done 25% of the work by providing portion control and making me feel fuller physically on 1 cup of food. I take credit for my weight loss - ya the band helped - but it's just a piece of plastic - it doesn't have a brain to make the choices and changes that I have made in the last 14 months.

It depends on your doctor - they are all diff - I didn't get my 1st fill till 8 weeks out... But again that's my doctor.. You gotta trust your doctor.

I have lost 108 lbs - yes I have excess skin - Exercise does help when you build muscle to replace where the fat was but there's not a lot you can do about it - mostly it's determined by your DNA - how long your skin has been streached beyond it's limits - think of a plastic trash bag - put in a 10 lbs weight - leave it there for 1/2 hr - take it out - the bag will retract to its normal self - now put in 100 lbs - leave it there for a few years then take it out - the bag isn't going to retract.. Due to age my boobs weren't great to begin with - my tummy and legs are too bad - far from great but at my age I'm not running around in a mini skirt or spandex or hot pants - and my face is ok - arms are the worse and what bothers me the most - I am going to see PS in December Which would I rather have - the fat or the skin issue - I will take the skin issues any day - the excess skin isn't going to kill me but the fat will . The excess skin doesn't make me tired and unable to walk up a flight of stairs - The excess skin is just that skin - it doen't take away from all my accomplishments in the last year - it's proof that I have lost 108 lbs That's why God made plastic surgeons :eek: Which would you rather be - thinner and healthier or fatter and no skin issue?? I gotta say I look better naked now than I did 108 lbs ago saggy skin and all.. Good Luck on your journey

Ok I went an did a daily plate on what I ate yesterday - and I am pretty good on guesstimating my calories - I guesstimated my calories yesterday at around 1010 - and welll guess what on my dailyplate it said that's what I had too :tt2: - I am pretty damn good at knowing the calories in what I eat - any way here's the breakdown 1010 c - fat 51 Carbs 146 Protein 56 My fat was high I guess the cracker and lamb ??? Oh you know what when I put in stuff pepper for lunch - I bet it thinks hamburger - I used turkey - so I bet really it's not that high - the only thing with fat was the crackers... It said to maintain my weight 1800 calories - well - on most days I don't eat that much - I am anywhere between 1000 to 1500 - maybe that's why I am 143 not 145 - but that's ok I really wouldn't mind 140 :eek: - as long as I stay between 140 - 145 I will be happy. Karri - I was thinking last night OMW that girl had a long drive and was up at the crack of dawn... (you guys wouldn't beleive it but I think about you all - all the time even when I am not on the computer ) I am glad you stopped and rested.. How's DH's Mom doing?? How's he doing?? Hugs I gotta say I don't wake up starving - I am hungry around 8-9-10 depending on how busy I am... I'm not hungry now and it's 9:30 but exercising does that to me - it takes away my hunger - I know that's odd most pple say it increases their hunger.. Well did my 3 miles foot seemed ok - felt good to get back into my routine :thumbup: - it was funny today as I was on the treadmill I was looking down at my feet and get what - there is no tummy in the way - it was sorta a shock. Things you reallize that you haven't before - I look like a thin person - I feel thin - but can't say my mind always thinks I'm thin - it's weird... Well, I need to do something besides sit on the computer running my mouth - I need to throw in a load of wash - will CBL :cool2:

Wake up ladies... I am back from the gym - did my 3 miles - my foot/ankle was ok - I haven't been on the treadmill since 9/6 - I didn't go on 9/9 cuz I went to my new grocery store - then hurt ankle on 9/10 so I didn't go on 9/13 or 9/16 to give it a chance to heal.. Lori was going camping this weekend - What about the rest of you any great plans.. Hows your restriction and hunger issues going - What's up with the exercising.. Well, just cking in - will cbl - :thumbup:

Ruby - What you are reading is true - you have to eat.. Net calories for a day 152 - well that's not enough !!! If your carbs in the right % then reduce your fat increase your protein and eat more. I have a GF who is trying to lose weight - well she is working out 4-5 days a week eating very low cal - but not losing - I keep telling her she needs to eat more. Also, you may want to cut back on the exercise a bit - 6 days some days 2 x - that's a lot - give your self a schedule - I do weights Mon & Wed - Tue & Sat - treadmill - that's it.. In fact this month I have what like 9 days that I have exercised 6 days weights and only 3 days treadmill and my weight has stayed the same - infact I was 143 this morning and I am eating. Are you taking in to consideration all the walking you do since you don't drive.. That in it's self is exercise - are you putting that into the calulations - if you aren't then you really do need to up the calories. I will have to do a dailyplate log - I haven't - when I tracked I did it in a little book - I will have to ck it out. As to being cold - well the way I look at that one is that we have less insulataion than we did a year ago :tt2: and also you may want to up your vititmans - since you aren't getting alot of calories you may need to take 2.. I think I am hitting true menopause cuz lately I have been getting mini hot flashes - nothing terrible but all of a sudden I get this flash for about 1 minute and then it's gone... It's true you need the fuel to run your body - this next week up the calories by eating less fat more protein & calcuim rich foods (they help take the fat out of your body) and exercise a tad less - I bet you see a loss at the end of the week... Try it !! It can't hurt.. You gotta play around with things to see how they work for you... That's what I have always done..

Good Morning Gang I went to bed at 9:30 last night and have been up since 5:15 :eek: I am going to the gym this morning - haven't been on the treadmill since I sprained my ankle (or possible broken foot) a week ago Wed - Heck I haven't been on the treadmill in a while - just my 2 days of weights for the last couple of weeks - Life has been getting in the way :thumbup: But today I am going to try it out - foot feels better it's been almost 10 days so we will see. Karri - how did the fill go?? I hope you didn't drive by yourself - cuz you were up so early - don't want you falling asleep at the wheel.. Phyl - You start your road trip today - Be safe tell DH to drive carefully Linda - How did the doc thing go?? Candice - What's up you have been quite... Denise - are you camping ?? Kari - How's the biking Ruby - Are you watching your carbs.. Well the dryer just stopped gotta get clothes out - (yes I have already done a load of wash) CBL:biggrin:

Mia Ya I missed eating - and ya there were and still are times that I think and want to eat like I use to - I can be straving and out and order a plate of food like I use to eat - taco, enchillada, releno, rice and bean - but I am lucky my band won't let me eat like that - I can eat 1/2 taco to 3/4 of my taco - a bite or 2 of the enchilla and Beans and that's it.. Do you have good restriction?? If not go get a fill.. Your band is a tool but for it to work properly you gotta maintain it.. I am a nite time eater - still am - but my secert is to budget my calories to eat that way it works for me. So when you are hungry have a little something like a sf pudding or snack pack popcorn, a piece of fruit - a bite or 2 of meat/fish. I have rarely ever felt deprived - if I go to the show (cinema) - I have a small popcorn without all the butter (I use to drown my popcorn in butter) I stay away from real sugar pretty much cuz the more you eat of it the more you want.. I will have a candy bar (just one regular size not king size) every now and then 200 calories - but again they were within my budget - and I gotta say in my weight loss phase I really didn't do it too often - I wanted the weight off and getting it off was more important to me than eating that candy bar. If you have a treat and are above your calories for the day then you gotta exercise more the next day and reduce your calories. Don't beat yourself up for your little mistakes - just think about what you are eating before you eat - no more mindless eating. For me it's more about fueling my body with good healthy foods not junk - junk has no nutrition and we need good nutrition to be healthy... This has never been a diet for me - but a lifestyle change in my eating and getting healthy.. Yesterday food was - 1 lf string cheese & 5 cracker for Breakfast - lunch - stuffed pepper (small) stuffed with ground turkey rice corn & tomatoe sauce - dinner 3 oz of lamb a few carrots & 3/4 red potato - snack pack Popcorn - 2 sf choc pudding - and 1 sf fudgecicle Say you have eaten 3 cookie - don't say ok I f'd up so I might as well keep eating - Say - OK I screwed up - I realize that - now I am going to make better choices -think about why you did it - what were you really upset about - what feelings where you trying to drown with food... Then move forward - you can't change the past - so don't fret about it - all you can do is be more aware and move forward. Also for me it's always been and still is "avoidance" of foods that I have no control over - brownies - I don't have them in the house I don't make them cuz if I did even with my band I would eat the whole damn thing - maybe not in one evening - but I bet I could make a pretty good dent it it - So don't keep stuff around that you know you can't control - If I want a treat - I go to the sweet shop (bakery) and buy 1 cookie - I enjoy that cookie - I don't by 12 - just one.. I dont know if you went back and read all the pages on this thread - I know I have attached a menu - if you want it let me know - it will show you that I did eat.. Good luck at the cinema tonite - just eat light for breakfast or lunch so that you can have a treat without feeling guilty about it..

Ruby I started to reply this morning - but never got to finish - been super busy at work... Sorry I am a carb person to... Or well should say use to be... I don't eat them like I use to - I still eat them my rice every night - but that's like 22 grms Ok did a quick ck on a few things 100c snack pack popcorn 20 grms 7 triscuts 17 grm carbs - 1/2 cup rice 22 grms carbs - 2 slices lite bread 18 grms carbs - 1 cup watermelon 11 carbs - thats 88 carbs and yours are more than that... I would guess my carb intake most days is 60 - 80 max - its far from being atkins - i think you get like 23 grms period... Gotta say I have had carb loaded days - but they are few and far between.. So ya - cut your carbs some and increase your protein.... Eat more veggies (non strach ones:tongue:) It's worth a try :tt2: Hugs - Janet

CONGRATULATIONS JB - WAY TO GO Yep we understand your excietment... Keep up the good work Gail - I would ask your doc when you go for your 1st post op visit - I don't think I went to the gym til after my 1st post op appointment..