NewCC

Marcyinak!!!! What a great husband!! How amazingly sweet, even the rain sounds romantic when it involves a cabin in the woods and sleeping in! Maybe skip the photos of the moose butchering!! Or warn first! My boys all love to hunt but I have never had anyone bring home a moose! And my grandfather was a big game hunter. Bears, mountain lions, etc, but not mooses, is it mooses? or just moose? I like Alaskans - you are a riot!! Enjoy the well ground moose! And you wonderful husband!! CC

Brandy, You slimed. I agree, it isn't really what I expected either. A bunch of us say they threw up. I didn't really, just the bubbling, thick, slimy stuff. If I get the stuck stuff to come up, it stops right away. CC

Ribearty: I will pray for your nephews recovery. The story is helpful for me as I have a 15 year old with a learners permit. They think they can handle anything and don't really understand dangers that come with rain/snow/ice/night/sun reflecting/others......Thank you for sharing. I think realizing, because of the unbelievable theft, that you are even vunerable to robbery after an accident really is scary!

Only: I am another Keurig lover. I am on my second one! I can't make a good pot of coffee for my life - this thing is always perfect! Motivation: Couldn't ski last spring break. Couldn't fit in womens xl and they don't make much bigger than that (that I could find). I finally found a mens many x's and an L. It really didn't fit well....knees hurt.....My family loves to ski and we have a condo in Colorado so it's not like I can avoid it. I decided I would decrease my weight rather than continue to increase. It was a horrible feeling to have my weight stop me from something. I had never really experienced that before. CC

Phyl: I am so sorry about the delay on your fill date. I went to the office today and they told me I was only in to have my "hematoma" sp? checked. I insisted that I had asked for a fill appt. I thought I was going to start bawling right there. They were really nice and did the fill, but I understand the crying!! When you are ready-you're ready!! I am not following my after fill rules tonight. I promise to shape it up and follow them tomorrow. I will not beat myself up - I will just start again! CC

Got my first fill today! He put in 1cc and said that filled me to 3 (I have the prefilled band, but didn't know it was that filled!?!) I tried to drink water and started sliming on water. Major slime. lots of gurgling and bubbles. He decided to take out 1/2cc. If feels a whole lot better. I am supposed to set appointments with the fill center every 3 or 4 weeks for 6ish months. They will slowly up my fill until I get to my sweet spot. He said they will provide help with making sure we change our habits - that sounds like a bonus I didn't count on. He said with the new bands, patients are finding that they need to do liquid for 3 days after a fill. That should get my weight loss kick-started again! CC

Chim: Great question! I think my biggest trigger is procrastination. When I don't want to do something - I reach for food - as though that would get it done!! I used to keep a little sticky note by my computer (my snack spot) on which I copied a quote, maybe from Flylady?, "If hunger is not the issue, food is not the solution." I didn't lose any weight looking at my quote, but it probably kept me from gaining some! CC

Hey everyone! I get my 1st fill tomorrow!! Excited and hoping that the feeling will be more like a week after surgery. Auntie Phyl: We had a place that sounds like your Mongolian place. All of them closed. They were so "greedy" in their pricing. All these crabby rules. Even if you choose all vegies and the guy behind you choose all seafood and meat, you couldn't have anything "extra." Believe me - nobody liked the bossy rules and they all closed pretty quickly. Served them right. I understand wanting to make a profit, but they were nuts. Has anyone been "sorry" about their fill? Remember how some of us, ok - me - were "sorry" right after banding. Does anyone feel this way after a fill, and how long does it take to go away if so? (the banding "sorry" went away when my infection went away, so maybe I'm the odd one) Just wondering. CC

Ruby & forgve, thanks, I'm near you. I am going to try to figure out how to record it right now! CC

Cazulay: I love all the stories of how much the first helped! Just thinking of it helped me a little today. Dini: I loved losing weight during the pre/post op periods, I guess I got spoiled! I liked your taxi story. Phyl: We will be almost fill twins. I go on the 5th. I thought you already had a fill - if not, you had to wait awhile. I bet you are really feeling ready!! Nichole: I wish Aunt Flo (I never knew this term until you guys) was on her way, but sadly it is just my eating habits. Slowly learning things like: don't buy MY favorite snacks for the "boys" to eat, b/c I WILL eat them all!! I watched a tummy tuck on tv. I hardly ever watch tv but all my guys we on a father/son hunting trip. It was completely gross but oh my, I already want one!! I have a small hope that I might get by, because I am tall and I put on the weight more recently, but if I need one - wow - they work! Several of you mentioned a show you watched called something like Big Medicine. What is the name of the channel that is on. My husband gets pretty much all the channels, I looked all around this weekend and didn't see anything that sounded like it, but after watching the plastic surgerys, I got interested. I'll be back tomorrow! CC

Thanks Lynette and Frustrated! I will keep hanging in there! I so want instant results, maybe like with food: feeling "______" (fill in the blank) and eating so that that feeling will instantly go away, which of course it does not - all that happened was I gained weight. Nothing truely good is ever instant! Patience is a great habit to take on. Thanks! CC

I am in the fill waiting stage and I am GAINING weight. I am not eating all that much. I did start exercising seriously but not 3 pounds worth in 6 days!!! My fill is Wednesday. I need encouragement. Why oh why can't I lose weight without the band restriction? When am I going to learn to just eat less? Why do I even want to eat? Why can't I get my thinking changed? ...........I did well for 5 weeks and I am beating myself up for "failing" for a few days, because it is just like before the band, great for 3 weeks, impossible for 1 week. How do I get past this. Will my fill do it for me? CC

Marcy: I want baggy jeans!!!!

Jeanie, I need your night time restriction! I feel it great in the morning less in the day, hardly at night - so the last too days I know I have eaten too much. Weight loss is stalled. It is nice to have had some of you go through this (and come back out the other side!). I realize it is temporary (unless I keep eating like I have been at night!) I have worked out Fri, Mon, Tues, and plan to make it again today. Maybe my muscle coming back is weighing more. Have a great day everyone! CC

Welcome Butterfly! I was one of several here banded on the same day. Congrats on the great weight loss. CC

I keep reminding myself that 1-3 pounds a week is good! When we were on pre-op and liquids it was fun to lose weight so fast BUT our skin will probably do better as we settle into the 1-3 range. Of course 3 sounds soooo much better than one! I am promising myself to be content if I only see 1/week. I'll shoot for 2-3 though!! Phyllis, I do think your current numbers are wonderful. I think the "slow down" hits us hard, but it is to be expected. Your travel plans sound fun! I am also a procrastinator. Maybe all of us who have a hard time actually getting ourselves exercising (rather than planning or thinking about it only) should create some kind of challenge where we commit to doing something, anything, even for 2 minutes! Once we see we can do that, it will be easier to do 3 then 4 then 5....... I did work out for the first time this week. Stomach exercises were not possible. They actually hurt (near my port) Probably too soon. Otherwise it felt good. It was just a matter of getting over the getting myself there, and taking the time to bother. CC

How fun that everyone seem to be posting today! Caz: I am completely opposite you! When busy with volunteering/driving kids/sports events/errands/etc. I do great. For me that is my "work" but when I am home - I eat. Much harder for me at home and actually lots of my "work" is at home. I think it must go back to our old habits. I gained lots of my weight snacking at the computer. I am working hard to curb that habit, but am surprised how often I find myself getting up to graze or actually back at the computer with a snack! As I make progress breaking the habit I am noticing I get more done without the snack. It must be an avoidance thing for me. Auntie Phil: I wish an excercise for you! One that won't hurt your knees. Maybe some arm stuff? Crunches? Anything to build a bit of muscle to help your body burn calories faster. I wonder if anyone makes a dvd/video for people with bad knees? My knees are doing a bit better the more I lose. Are you finding your's are better than they were? I like the swim idea if you could work that out? Always wishing you the best (You feel like my first really wonderful Aunt!) Jackie: I got my band because of the exact same Aunt Flo issues. I CRAVE everything the week before and a bit at the beginning. Any other time I am mostly in control of what I put in! I went through the first pre-week while traveling and did notice I was eating more, thinking of food, craving things and giving in some BUT in the end I did WAY BETTER than in the past and I am sure you are finding the same thing! We have to figure out some tricks to get us past the hard days. I wonder if I could put myself back on more liquids/mushies during that week? If anything works for you, I'd love the tip!!! Ribeartyand Lynette: Congrats of the skirt and loose jeans!! How fun! Everyone: Keep up the good work. We are all so blessed to be able to have this great tool to regain our health and live our lives more fully. I already notice more energy and better sleep, yeah!! CC

Only, your salad sounds great. I just bought the spritzers. I haven't tried one yet. I will now!! Brandy - Wow! The 26 pounds is amazing. I was shocked reading 53 days. It has actually gone fast, hasn't it? I sure wouldn't have thought that in the first few days! I am going to bed. I was just out "rolling" (toilet papering) (actually not me but a couple of carloads of kids) and I have to get a kid somewhere at 5:30 am. Ouch. I always hear good sleep helps with weight loss! I basically get NONE lately! CC

Chim: Congrats!!!! CC

Only, I was very scared to try salad the first time - I ate the tinest bites and chewed until it just disappeared! I figured out that they work for me and have eaten them since (although maybe I shouldn't yet, they can't truely me mushie). Lynette, I'm so glad the school thing is working out for you and Hunter. Indigo - your walking is amazing! I work out for the first time tomorrow morning and am actually excited. Sunny, Thinking of you. Everyone, I am finally loving this band. My thinking is very slowly (and admittedly with lots of mistakes) changing back to my thin ways. I can see that this is going to work for us!! I did a bad thing out of habit and it created my first slime/pb!! My band "caught me!!!" I had grabbed a bag of potato chips (ones I like, shouldn't have even bought them!!) and sat down at my computer. (habit eating). Shoving them down I suddenly realized they weren't going to work. I'm not even upset about the pb (by the way is wasn't really like vomiting) because my band kept me from continuing a habit that won't get me thin! I'm glad everyone is coming back to the boards! CC

I used the Adkins shakes with my Dr.'s ok. Only 160 calories and I think better than the Slimfast. I love smoothy King and always have had them make mine without sugar, any other sweetners and with no sugar subs. They taste great and it saves about 100 ish calories on a small BUT it will still have carbs and having carbs makes me crave more carbs, which makes the pre-op diet harder. I would stick to the low carb shakes - as your pre-op weight falls, you will like them more ! I had the headache because of caffeine withdrawal. I quit diet coke. I agree sugar and not enough Water can contribute too. I love being diet coke free!!!!!!! Best, CC

Lynette, I love you attitude on the school thing. He WILL be fine whatever the school thinks! Everything you are doing makes a great kid! CC

Sunny, I am so sorry about your Daisy. I might help you to know that we had a beloved dog that had very similiar symptoms. I somehow made it to the emergency night vet. In her case it was a twisted stomach. Yes, they "saved" her but she went from poor sight to completely blind. Her back legs were mostly paralized and went from bad to tipping over when she tried to stand. Her quality of life was horrible after the incident. She made it for a few months but we were all miserable for her. At the end we had to drag her sideways across the grass while she went potty. (she was a bit prissy, a standard poodle, didn't want anything on her). We finally had to put her to sleep when she couldn't even move and was in terrible pain (excessive panting all the time and whining) . I would have hated losing her any time, she was so loved, but watching her really suffer after being 'saved' was an awful 5 months. I know whenever they die, it's very hard. I am so sorry. CC Lynette, If it helps, my kids go to a school that does first and second grade during the 1st grade year. The teachers there don't want the preschool teachers to let the kids write at all! They say that when the kid is writing really young it messes everything up for "real" writing in first grade. They have to unlearn bad habits. They do what you are doing. Letter sounds, numbers, counting by 10's and 5's (4 year olds). The kids excel in grade school. By those standards, you are on the right track! The main thing they want parents to do is read the kids books that are above the kids level. They learn vocab words, they learn to speak more intelligently, they tell better stories, and they learn to love reading - which is wonderful for the rest of their life of learning! I hope you can get him in where you want him, but I wouldn't stress that he's not a grown man at age 3!! (It almost sounds like what they expect!) (before thursday, try having him toss a tennis ball up, just a bit and catching it, after a few successes, a little higher....Find him some things to "snap" together, like Easter eggs, legos, duplos....Give him dull tweezers (watch him, I had a nephew walk immediately to a socket with anything pointy!) and some cotton balls. Can he move them to a cupcake pan- putting one in each hole? Things like that help with smaller motor skills. Also, catching can be a problem when he's young if he is right or left handed and opposite eyed. (cross dominant (sp?). Someone here will know more about large motor skills. Burping thoughts. I think as my food goes down bit by bit, air comes up. Burps are getting louder. I have just been trying to get alone for a minute or two and get most of it out awhile after eating. I wonder if the grumbling stomachs are b/c our body knows we have eaten, but most of our digestive juices are in our lower stomach. I've always thought that the "growling" noise was digestive juices having nothing to digest (when you are hungry). So maybe we are noisier because our stomachs are waiting for the food. My wasn't so loud after "eating" when I was on liquids...?...idea....maybe.....? Sorry that I just wrote a book. Oh, I had a "slime pb combo" - it was very very slimy - try to avoid!! !! CC

Jackie, I just got an idea about your weight stall! I am losing but I used to exercise a lot. I know the muscle added to my weight. I imagine that without my really hard workouts, I am losing muscle which is speeding up my weight. You on the other hand, sound like you are exercising MORE than you used to. (I will get back to normal soon). You might be building muscle which will burn more calories each day than your fat, so the more the better, even if it weighs more on the scale, because you will look better and lose faster eventually! Thats my take based on my own past experiences. With everything you are doing the fat loss is there. You will start to show the weight loss eventually and will speed past non exercisers!! CC

Tenille, I forget all the time and I drink water when I eat. Tonight I got a little sudden heartburn as a reminder but until I read your post, I didn't even relate it! Obvious this bander thinks it is a hard thing to do!! I will take your post and encouragement and do a better job myself!! Thanks, CC