TulipStar

I love oatmeal...eat it every day. Since I have had a few fills, I can't even eat a whole packet, but eat about 3/4 of it. I used to make the steel cut oats in my crock pot overnight, but it's a lot of work for what little I can eat. Now I just use the weight control in cinnamon flavor...yummmmmmm

count me in! I am up for just about any type of challenge!

Hi, just wanted to let everyone know that I will have a delay posting my weekly stats. I am traveling overseas for work and my laptop is on the fritz! I will be back on Friday!

I too hated exercise. I think that the key is finding something that you really enjoy doing. Try different exercises, classes, sports and when you find something that is "fun" you will want to continue doing it bc it's not a chore, its "FUN". Anyway, you can start walking immediately after surgery.I started walking 2 miles a day about 1 week post op and then started going back to the gym on week 4, taking it really easy and NO AB work for at least 6-8 weeks! However, you should check with your dr, to see what his rules are. Also, it doesn't all have to be at one time, just buying a pedometer and trying to reach 10,000 steps a day is an improvement. Park further from the office or store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. It all adds up. Now I work out 7 days a week and it's just part of my lifestyle. It also really kicks the weight loss a couple notches. I wasn't losing anything...I was plateaud for at least a month until I started getting more fills and getting consistent with my exercise routine. I also am more active, like taking the stairs at work (6 flights that I couldn't do before). Of course the weight loss helps too, but the motivation has to come from you.

Today was the most # of steps for me that I have ever had. I am female, 5'5" and 256. The most calories burned was last Saturday at just over 4000 and that was because I worked out extra hard, I guess. My spikes are always from working out. And the weird thing is that I usually burn more calories per minute by walking than by doing a spinning class. This makes no sense to me since in Spin class, I am sweating so much and open-mouth breathing and I barely break a sweat walking. This screen shot is from today. Every Saturday I do a step aerobics class and a spin class back to back. I also am pretty active on Saturdays with errands/shopping, etc. I also took a walk in the afternoon.

My favorite is in powder form and its called EAS, Iron Tek 100% pure whey in chocolate. I mix it with 8 oz skim milk and 3 ice cubes and it tastes just like a milkshake!

OH yeah, they shut down all those online pharmacies in the U.S. The last time I checked it could only be ordered internationally and you can't trust that. My dr actually prescribes it. I have lost over 100lbs on it before, it really does help for me. However, everyone reacts differently.

I have worked out 9 out of 10 days so far in January. 45 minutes spinning class this morning You go and get in your groove!

Just some off the top of my head... How many lapbands have you done? What is your complication rate? What are the top 3 complications of your patients? If I have complications, will you cover them (warranty)? What is your "fill" philosophy? Is it agressive, etc. Does the Dr do the fills himself or do you have to go to a fill center? What is the pre-op diet? Do I have to lose a certain amt on the pre-op bf you'll do surgery? What is the post-op diet? And I second that you should go to an informational seminar! I went to 3 of them and learned something new every time.

Wow, ovarian drilling sounds painful!!! I have had PCOS for 17 years and it was something they used to do for PCOS, but it is now considered "old school" and they don't do it much anymore. Surely there is something less invasive you can do for hair growth...like laser hair removal????

of course you should ask you dr. I drank diet soda religously every day for over 20 years (since I was a child). So, I thought it would be hard to give up, but I haven't missed it once. My dr said that every once in a while I could have soda if I really wanted one...he said ONLY on an empty stomach and only every once in a while.

I have this problem and it has been so embarassing! Especially if I have to get up and leave to PB bc I can't get it down. For Christmas it was the worst... 12 people, some extended family and most don't know about the band. I could only eat like 2 bites and then I just sat there and stared at everyone. I have always eaten very little in front of people. I used to be so self conscious about it that it led to Anorexia at one point in my life. When I first starting dating my now hubby, I didn't eat in front of him for a good 3 months or so. This was tough, bc we were living together too. However the amount of food I can eat now is ridiculously small...(a couple bites?!) so I just do the best I can to "hide" it. Push my food around. get up to clear my plate 1st, etc.

You have to increase your acitivity to burn those calories. That will also give you more room to eat a little more.

I have a book that actually shows the opening width of the stoma. Depending on your fill, the opening is about the size of a pen. Not a skinny skinny pen, but a gel pen.

I went to a spin class last night and tonight is my fave step class of the week! Tomorrow is spin class at 5:30am and then I do a step class at 9am. I am trying to get exercise in this week bc next week I have to go to Europe for work and it is soo hard to exercise when traveling (jet lag, 12 hr plane rides, etc).

The skin thing depends on your genetics and skin care. I have lost 100lbs before (pre-lapband) and I was just careful to moisturize like crazy and I didn't have too much loose skin. The port-- can't even tell it's there. What port? It doesn't interfere with a thing once it's healed.

after you get a few fills you won't be able to eat fast anymore. Trust me, I have learned the hard way!

The bandages over the steri strips can come off the day after surgery. You are supposed to let the steri strips fall off. Most of mine fell off about 2 weeks. If there were any left after 2 weeks then I just took it off.

I LOVE this topic! 1. I can walk the stairs at my office and not have to stop (6 flights). 6 months ago, I was wheezing. 2. I love to work out and I feel so good. 3. People are starting to notice and random people are telling me how good I look. 4. My skin is better than ever, it has cleared up and I look younger! 5. I have 2 bags of fat clothes that I will NEVER wear again. 6. The BEST NSV is that I am finally starting to feel like ME again!!

No veggies...only liquids. I think tomato soup is ok.

Y'all are making me want to get another dog!

Wow, no one ever told me not to chew gum. I cannot live without gum!!! I chew gum every day... 2-3 pieces a day and it keeps my mind off of food. Plus it freshens my breat ::huff huff::. I think the last time I swallowed a piece of gum was over 10 years ago, so it isn't very likely it will happen accidently. (as long as I didn't just jinx myself)

In your BB program, click on "My resources" then click on "reminders". You can schedule it to beep on your arm to remind you to get up and stretch or walk.

LOL...this has been a sore subject for me for years! My DH and I have been together for 12 years and I never would tell him how much I weigh. He is a thin person and can eat anything and never gains a pound (good genes). So, I went through lapband surgery and started to lose weight, then my port flipped and I had to have revision surgery. As I was in the pre-op room waiting for to be rolled back for revision surgery, my DH was waiting with me. The anesthesologist came in and just blurted out "You weigh 275?" I was like "yeah" yeah...move on, hoping my DH didn't hear! Then after my surgery when we got home my DH said, "Does it bother you that the Dr blurted out your weight". I said no...because I had already steamed about it. Oh well...after 12 years this was the only thing he didn't know about me. Now he knows EVERYTHING!

No one told me before, but the paperwork I got after my fill said not to eat or drink 2 hours before my next fill.