LapBandFan

:angel: I have not had time to come back on here since my post and I am blown away at your response, support and prayers! God is so good! I have been superbusy with my job and dealing with dad's doc appts, etc, and you all just about made me cry with your kind words and wonderful prayers. Thanks so much, I can feel God working through all this. I have been on track since I posted and have exercised every day this week, got in at least 8 glasses of Water and not snacked at night while watching TV. I am trying to add more healthy choices to my diet and am sipping on hot green tea while I am typing this. :ranger: I have heard nothing but good about green tea including that it helps to kill any cancer cells if there are any. Well, it might all be hype but I thought God created the stuff so it has be good for you and a whole lot better than other drinks. Well gotta run, just wanted to touch base with you all, I will try to be mroe regular as I NEED you all badly. Good luck to each of you and May God bless you richly in all your endeavors. MY DAILY MOTIVATIONAL BIBLE VERSE: I Corinthians 6: 19 & 20 ".... your body is the temple.... Ye are not your own... For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body"

Hello, I have been lurking on the boards for a while. I used to be quite active here on the boards when I first had my surgery almost 5 years ago (Feb 08 will be my 5 year anniversary of my band) I have been on a plateau for a while and need more support. Being five years out you would think I would "have it altogether" in my head by now and I do for the most part but have been hit lately with some mild depression and anxiety due to my father being diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. We have had a strained relationship previous to this but now we talk daily. I am a christian and have been for years, but the devil somehow drove a wedge between us through my mom, she is very selfcentered and hard to deal with. I am glad I found this thread on his board, I sure need some prayers and support as my emotional eating habits are wandering back into my life and I feel helpless sometimes but he band is my helpful tool, but I have been sneaking candybars and icecream, my old life comfort foods. Please help me pray for more control over my emotions. I picked up a couple of books lately one is The First Place diet book/plan with devotions, and bible verse cd to help memorize scriptures and the second book I picked up is LeslieSansone's "Walking the Walk, Getting fit with Faith" with daily devotions as well, it also includes a walking dvd as well, she is the one who does the "walk off the pounds" programs. Well, guess, I have rambled on long enough. Anyone who wants to correspond or pray with me and keep in touch daily on our lapband journey, I would love to. I will check this board later when I get time to see. Have a blessed day! Lapbandfan

I have done a search and not found any luck on here to see if any of you have tried the "Best Life Diet" by Bob Green and it is the same diet made famous by Oprah. I need a good Maintenance diet and have grown tired of the Atkins and SouthBeach diet. Anyone here doing the Best Life Diet? Thanks for any info.

Anyone else doing Weight watchers with your band? I found I needed a more structured eating plan than the Atkins I was doing and feel so much better now that I can eat a variety of foods on the WW points plan. I would love to correspond with you if you are doing WW points too....

I do a high-protein shake for breakfast every morning and have started adding 1/3 cub All-Bran Bran Buds cereal to it. I usually measure out the cereal and soak it in water for about 30 minutes so it will blend better in the blender with the shake. It has done the trick for me. My shake ingredients are: 1 scoop Lean Protein powder (whey protein), 12 oz water, 3 ice cubes crushed, 1-2 Tsp splenda, 1/2 small pkg sugar-free jello powder (for flavor) 1/4 cup frozen strawberries along with the softened bran buds. Blend in blender and chill. Yummy! Gets my protein and fiber in early while still being low fat, low carb!

Hey just wanted to annouce I have been led to start a new clown ministry with nursing home, elderly and assisted living center visitation. Here is a pic of my business card.

I use Kraft light ranch dressing and sometimes just use Light Miracle Whip, chop up some pickles into it and yummy.

You go girl, I too, do so much better when I am on these boards daily. I started more faithfully on the South Beach diet Saturday, no carbs then or Sunday! My scales are down 2 pounds WOOHOO! Of course , this might be water weight loss and I won't get too excited but hey it is still a loss! I am here for you and will try to support you daily. Things will go better for you after your fill/adjustment. I am so impressed with your dedication to the exercise thing :clap2: . I need to do that and stay with it. :thumb: We can do this, I know I can get over this plateau with all the support on this board. Love the South Beach plan as I am NEVER hungry on it. Let us be here for each other and support and motivate one another, K?

Susan, thanks for your encouraging words. I have been on this journey long enough to know what to do to get back into focus and start losinig again, but depression is a factor hindering me right now. I am gonna try harder though, cause I did not come this far to start gaining! I think me coming here to these boards daily will keep me focused and help me stay motivated and on tract. South Beach does work as I have tried it before, I did really great on the plan yesterday, no carbs (phase 1) at all. This is the weekend which is always harder for me, as we go out to eat, etc. I WILL make wise SB diet food choices all day today. Good luck on your journey and thanks again for responding.

Ladies and fellow SB bandsters...I am finally checking in...been Missing In Action for a while...been depressed. Gave into valentine candy (more than once) so....I am back after a huge gain:mad: . I do so much better when I check in here daily, but have not in several days, just embarrassed to admit I have gained NINE POUNDS:omg: ....I will try to do better and be here and more active on these boards as I need your support and motivation... Signed, the stuggling bandster - lapbandfan

Just my 2 cents worth. Lots of folks experienced gas pains several weeks from surgery although I was very lucky not have done that. That is all normal. Best advise there is to get moving to work the gas out. Rocking in a rocking chair helps too. In my 3 year experience with the band, I have had a slip of the band one year out from surgery and had to have it replaced. Looking back at things that could have played a role in the slippage, I, too, remember getting that shoulder pain after eating just a little too much. I tried to watch portion size. After the revision surgery to have another band placed I am extremely cautious to eat only till I am satisfied not until I get a full feeling. When I ate till I "felt full", I would always get that shoulder pain which lead me to believe I ate too much. Eating too much will cause the stomach to stretch and could cause the band to slip. My best advise is just stop when you feel satisfied and no longer hungry, not till you get a full feeling.

I notice under the sweets section for phase 1 that Sugar Free Chocolate powder is listed, So we can have sugarfree hot cocoa then right? I am excited to begin the South Beach journey with you all. Take care.

Good Morning to all, I have been overwhelmed with work this week and not much time to do any posting. Thanks for the PM to find me! I appreciate your concern and continued support. My weight is still the same, so I have decided to lean towards doing the South Beach diet to get me jumpstarted. I never get hungry when I follow that diet either. :heh: The food demons attacked me again last night :phanvan although I did not go as overboard as I have in the past. I had 1 cup sugar free chocolate ice cream and some Peanut Butter and crackers right before I went to bed. Then I found some sugarfree chocolate candy from Russell Stover, had 5 pieces which is a serving but way too much fat in it even though it is sugar free. I know that don't sound too bad but my goal is to not eat anything after 7 p.m nightly and I blew it on that. I want to train myself to only have some sugarfree hot chocolate or hot tea before going to bed. I do better on some days than on others. Food journal for yesterday: 24 oz hot tea with splenda Weight yesterday: 253 (YIKES):heh: Breakfast: whey high Protein shake for breakfast Snack: Slice cheese lunch: 1/2 cup fat free refried Beans with 2 tbsp low fat shredded cheese and 2 tbsp light sour cream, taco sauce Snack: Slice cheese Supper: South Beach meal bar (high protein, low carb) Somewhere between supper and bedtime the 5 pieces of sugarfree chocolate found me. Snack: 1 cup 2% milk. Later had 4 ritz crackers with 1.5 tbsp regular peanut butter. 1 cup sugarfree ice cream (although sugarfree, still too much fat per serving) Drank Water and caffeine free, sugarfree tea throughout the day. Good job Mourning Funeral on the loss! That is Great! You inspire me! :clap2: Looking back at my food journals, it seems like I am getting in too much fat. Therefore I goals for today are: Drink 82 oz water Exercise AT LEAST 30 minutes on treadmill Journal all food intake :hungry: Choose LOW FAT versions of my food Check in here throughout the day for encouragement and inspiration from you wonderful fellow bandsters :rose: Thanks for your encouargement and for posting daily so we can help each other, you all are the best!

Gonna try to join you on the beach. Been on the band journey going on three years this month. God has been good to me and I had lost up to 140 pounds total with the band with a recent gain and need to get more focused. I know this diet works as I have been on it before and loved the results. I fell off the wagon several months ago and got back into eating carbas and being hungry more. The best part about this SB diet is that you don't get hungry ever. I suffer from food demons attacking at night, however, so need your encouragement daily on this part. WORST PROBLEM AND HABITS: My dear hubby works at night and I work during the day so therefore when I sit and watch TV I feel the urge to snack which is just all in my head I know as I am normally not hungry. My goals for today: Drink 82 oz Water. Exercise at least 30-40 minutes on treadmill if cannot get to gym. Journal all my food. Check this board often for encouragement. Visualize me 80 pounds lighter! Good luck to us all!

Hey all, Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Bandida - Take care of yourself and still praying for a speedy recovery for you! Teresita - Come on Sarge! You ? No good qualities? I don't even know you and can tell these things about you: Your are an inspiring person, you care about others, You love God, You are so much more! Come on, we want to see that list! My lists: Things I like about me: I love to laugh. I am honest, caring and compassionate. I like my eyes. I have a tender heart. Things I don't like about me: I am a procrastinator. I don't exercise like I should. I put myself down (a lot). I listen to the food demons in my head. I don't drink my Water like I should. Sarge, question about the measuments. Do we post them here or do we PM you? The chest measurement, do you mean area under the breasts? My food log for today so far: 1 -20 oz mug hot tea with sugarfree flavored creamer Breakfast: 1 whey sugarfree Protein shake Snack: Slice cheese Lunch: 1/2 cup blackeyed peas 1 sugarfree snack pudding cup GOALS FOR TODAY: Drink 82 oz water Exercise 30 minutes on treadmill at home and and possibly 45 minutes at gym (if work allows) Keep food log Good luck to us all!

Prayers going out to you Bandida for your surgery today. May God's hand guide the surgeon's hands and they place your new miracle inside you today! I will continue praying for your speedy recovery. Take care of yourself! Big Hugs!

My 2 cents worth. I joined Curves as soon as the doc said I could exercise and stayed a member for the first year, but I added walking 30 minutes 3x per week then decided I needed more cardio and weight training, so I joined the local gym. I called the girls at Curves my first year's cheerleaders after my band. IMO, Curves is a great starting place and a good workout for those with bad jointes, etc, and I loved the support there. At our local Curves, they measure and weigh you once a month and offered daily motivation and support while you were there. I miss that part now in going to the local gym instead but the gym has so much more equipment to use and you can switch things around in your exercise routine. Good luck on your journey.

Teresita, Good luck on hitting your first 100 pounds gone forever!! I am so excited for you. [/url] Bandida - Meant to say, praying for you as you get ready to take the next step on your weight loss journey. Countdown to your surgery has begun! Take care of yourself and be a good little patient now, ya hear? Well, hope you all have a great band day and get in all your water , protein and hugs to yourself !

Teresita, thanks for your tough love speech this morning... My day went better yesterday and I fought off the food demons last night and somehow survived.... (not an easy fight) Was very tempted by some valentine chocolate already in the house :mad: But I journaled all my food, got in all my water but did not get in the exercise. Todays plan of action: Exercise for 45 minutes (30 minutes treadmill and 15 minutes weight machines at gym) Drink 84 oz water Journal all my food Go to weight watchers meeting tonight and get inspired, encouraged and motivated. Come to this board throughout the day for motivation, tough love and encouargement (you guys rock!) Thanks for all your encouragement and postings of your daily lives on the journey. Goals met so far today: Went at 5:30 a.m. to gym did 45 minutes as above Water so far 24 oz

Ladies, thanks so far for your responses and encouragement. I too, like you, am glad you all are here for me too for support! New plan of action: Stop looking back at past mistakes and yesterday's goof up. Exercise 30 minutes on treadmill here at home (no time for club today) Drink 84 oz water Journal all my food Look at this pic of myself before my band and make myself say "Band saved my life, I can keep on" (see pic below) Come to this board often throughout the day for motivation and support.

They say confession is good for the soul....here goes...I think I have a mental problem as I self-sabatoge myself alot lately. I know what to do to make my body lose weight but I somehow manage to make it a day or two following good band diet/exercise/water rules then a little demon appears and I end up cheating on my diet... First confession, I did not workout yesterday; 2nd confession, I ate a pack of reece peanut butter cups candy last night and a brownie! What is WRONG with me?!?! :cry :heh: I was on my way to the YMCA to get my workout in and stopped off shopping and never made it. Am I a Fruitloop or what? I got so mad at myself for screwing up my diet again. I am so crazy for doing these things. I did manage to get all my water in yesterday, big-deal, did not counteract the calories and fat in that candy and brownie I ate.....Anyone else have this self-sabatoge disorder? :think I know God has not blessed me to have come this far in losing 140 pounds at one point after the band to mess it up now. Suggestions please!

Thanks for all of your posts today! I am glad to see I am not the only one struggling right now. Bandida - good job on the kickboxing and only eatine ONE muffin, you did good girl. WOOHOO! THREE MORE DAYS till you join us as a member of BandLand! Good luck to ya! Teresita - Great job on staying busy last night to keep from eating, I have to do the same thing as my dear hubby works at night and when I am watching TV my old habits want to attack! Avilla - Keep your chin up, you might show a loss the next time, our bodies don't get along with scales and daily weigh-ins, or at least not mine. We retain fluid sometimes, the moon is in a weird phase, not holding out mouth right, etc. Don't get discouraged, the scales will start going the right direction soon, you are doing great! Now for my update about last night.... I had supper with 1/2 cup refried beans around 6 then had about 1/4 cup mixed nuts around 8. Then a bedtime snack of 4 oz cheese and 4 crackers then right before bed had a cup of sugarfree hot cocoa. That is my daily treat (hot cocoa) I used to eat icecream before bed before my band and lots of it, and that temptation is still VERYTHERE, but I tell myself the hot cocoa will fill the sweet need and just go on to bed afterwards. I have not made it to the gym yet today but plan to later this evening. I have already drank 40 oz of water today (I get up real early to start work at 5:30 a.m.) now to use the work of the week from Tersita -CONSISTENCY - keep up the water intake, food journalling and daily exercise. You all are a huge inspiration and encouragement to me. I will be here often cause I need the motivation. Thanks ya'll. Have a good lapband day!

I will be 3 years out from my lapband this February. God has been very very good to me and helped me accomplish my weight loss. Just another 80-90 pounds left! Good luck on your new band journey! :clap2:

MourningFuneral and Bandida - Good job on the posting, I need to get in that same habit, good or bad huh? Bandida, Oh I am glad you have the energy to do kickboxing. I do good to walk on the treadmill! LOL. Good for you! Keep up the good work and the posting, you inspire me! Mourning Funeral good job on posting your day and have fun on your walk around the block!

Avilla, I have been reading up on the green tea, have you found it helps in losing weight? My dear hubby brought some of the bottled sugarfree Lipton greea teas home with peach flavor and he did not like them so I am drinking them and wondered if you had any luck with a boost in wt loss with them?