shellyj.

WOOOHOOOO!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!! thats WONDERFUL!!! i look forward to posting that 'someday' as well!

What is your workout routine? when i go to the gym (it changes with season) this is what i do... 50 minutes to an hour cardio. eliptical, 1st choice. recumbant bike 2nd choice then i go to the 'weight machine' things for 30 mintues. i do ones that focus on my stomache, sides, lower back, back of arms, back of legs, inner thighs, outer thighs, and butt. i alternate the machines i use so they are different each time. Do you use a combo of cardio and weights or other like swimming? i do cardio till i am pouring in sweat and feeling alive and happy (50 minutes to an hour then i do 30 minutes on the weight machines. of the weight machines i looked at the pictures on the machines that tell you WHERE the focus of the machine is and decide if its one i want to try. generally if its a new to me machine i will observe and try it myself but i definitally will ask a staff member the 'proper' way to use the machine. i start with whatever weight i can do 15 reps of 2 times with moderate difficulty. my brother is a 'physically fit bastard' and my 'trainer' he says the free weights are a better muscular workout but you can hurt yourself easier with them if you dont know what your doing. i dont know what i am doing and i am not trying to 'sculpt' my body just tone it up. hop on hop off- thats why i like the machines. i WOULD do swimming but the gym membership i have now excludes use of the pool. at the ymca i would swim atleast 2 times a week to keep changing up my workout routine. Do you have a trainer? What are the benefits? to me the benifit would be you have a DOLLAR motivator. well that and (hopefully) qualified proffessional to teach you. What are good questions I should ask a trainer? i have never had one other than my brother. i told him what i wanted out of working out: to lose weight and tone-up where i could. build some muscle but i didnt want 'hulkiness'. Should I have a trainer experienced in working with WLS patients? i dont think that matters but it def. couldnt hurt! i think if you dont have a clue about exercise than it would be $$ well spent. you can still figure it out on your own though! i didnt have a clue and with a few questions and taking the time to READ the insructions on the machines i did fine! if you are starting from scatch with exercise then DO NOT try 50 minutes on the "cardio" machines (eliptical, bikes, recumbant bikes, stairstepper) i started with a 5 minute goal for the first time then work your way up so that you get a good workout. after you are comfortable on the machine you can slowly turn up the resistance or try different workout routines. goodluck!

that is just GREAT! i can imagine how tough it would be for me so i am TOTALLY impressed and proud of you! SUPERB! keep on keepin on!

i sold sex toys (at home parties) for 3 years i defintally qualify as a devient!

sounds awesome! BUT before you go through the trouble i want to make sure its for a 12 lb medicine ball (looks like basketball) the term 'stability ball makes me think of one of those LARGE blow up balls which i do not have one of! thanks!

for the wedding i registered for a medicine ball. well no one thought it was a good gift so i bought it for myself! we have really been getting a good different workout from it! we through the 12 lb ball back and forth for 15-20 minutes then we do various exercises using the ball. i am gonna do a search and see what kind of medicine ball exercises i can find! i am glad we bought it i can see its gonna get a LOT of use!

thanks again to all of you! i really appreciate all the well wishes! i am gonna put up a few hawaii pics soon... i got some good ones!

hello everyone! i have been back from the honeymoon for almost a week and still havent unpacked! but i DID get the pictures from the cerimony uploaded to a picturetrail. the wedding was WONDERFUL!! everyone had a great time! calvin is a writer and he wrote the entire cerimony, his brother performed it at our house we had 110 guests. the link is to the same one i sent to family and friends its pics my uncle took. on the left side it has a 'thumbnail strip' you can scroll down there and click on a specific picture if you dont want to flip through the whole thing. we still havent got the ones from the photographer! i cant wait to see his! the last 2 pictures are ones he took i will post a few of the hawaii pics soon. it was AWESOME!!! http://www.PictureTrail.com/kovashweddingpics...1 on the bandfront~(have been unfilled .4 since mid may and didnt want a fill till i got back from honeymoon) right before the wedding it had started to tighten up again, i thought from stress- but my throat had gotten REALLY dry from the climate i live in, in humid hawaii it got better. now that i am back home in the 'high desert' we have our 13 gallon a day humidifier going 24-7 and my nose throat is DRY again which is making my band show some restriction (i have had a few random hick-ups.) i have an appt for 8-1 for a fill, .1 cc. i need it! for Breakfast i had a 3 egg veggie scramble...mushrooms, onions, cilantro, bacon, and spinach. i ate it all without 1 sip of anything! i have to use veggies as a filler cause i can EAT. michelle

there is a show on PBS called 'SIT AND BE FIT' it has exercises for people confined to a chair. it is on TV weekly, no idea on the time, sorry. they also have movies out. i rented a couple for my mother in law and she really like them. theyt also sell the on e-bay. just type in sit and be fit! good luck!

hey BPM! CONGRATS!!!! on days i bike i DEFINTALLY eat more but its hasnt hurt me yet!! i also have a 'bike bag' to hold some essentials on my bike and i have a few granola bars in there for some quick energy. i get shaky when my blood sugar drops and riding 10 miles will use up your stored energy quick! right now its getting a little too hot where i live to bike. 103! no thanks! i ride on a trail and the busiest time is 'after work' but the coolest time would be early am or later night/eve. i prefer to go when they are busy. its safer. so i may be on a bike hiatus till the end of this heat wave!

OH MY!!! well that defintally helps to cut out snacking and grazing! the foods you suggested sound GREAT to me! i eat a heck of a lot of black beans! i also TOTALLY had forgotten how much i LOVE fresh green beans! i bought a big ole' bag and am making them tonight! unfort. calvin HATES them! he puts blue cheese on them YUCK! thanks again everyone! i have a whole list of new foods to try!

the whitmans are SF right? i cant do that AT ALL!! i think my constipation problems are a direct result of the atkins diet and SF chocolate. thats why i eat the real stuff! lately its just EVERYWHERE! even if i dont over do it on chocolate, i usually eat more in general on days i eat chocolate. it triggers other cravings!

njchick- i just had a drinkable yogurt! the answer to a -on the go- Breakfast, if you have restriction! leatha- i need to lay off the eggs! i have been having (since honeymoon) eggs every morning! this morning was a fried egg with slice of cheese sandwich on healthnut bread with reg. mayo AND another popper egg on the side with its own piece of healthnut bread, luckily my dogs helped me eat the 2nd piece of toast! i am gonna defrost some great chilly i made about 2 months ago. i can also put a scoop on a turkey dog, they are cheaper than veggie dogs so i buy them unless i am getting the corn dogs. kathi- i love the 100 calorie packs i like the wheat thins. i have never tried baked cheetos i will be looking into them! thanks ladies!

ok so i thought i would revisit this post since i am struggling with eating too much foods (good or bad) and REAL hunger. i woke up at 4 am because my stomach was GROWLING...now i am a person who can sleep through the alarm blaring for an HOUR! yet grumbling in my tummy wakes me UP. i am very glad to say that i am eating the same foods i was loving WITH restriction...well except the fudgecicles. i have gone straight for the chocolate for a good month now. call it wedding stress, whatever, i call it ADDICTION! PLEASE tell me some good foods that are lower calorie and taste good!!! here are some that i didnt mention above, but have always loved... MORNINGSTAR veggie burgers! they are only like 100 calories and i LIKE the taste! serve covered in sauteed veggies (mushrooms, onions, peppers) with some cheese on top!! YUMMY and filling with or without bread! ***please note i love the ones that are veggies shaped into a patty, NOT the ones immitating meat, those are GROSS imo but i am a meat eater. i also LOVE LOVE LOVE their veggie corn dogs!!! 150 calories vs 300 calories for others! i cant deny that a good crispy corndog calls to me sometimes! gross out factor has made me stay away from 'hot dogs' for years until i found "morningstar" brand veggie dogs- then later the VEGGIE CORN DOGS (frozen food section) i bake them in the oven so their crispy and dip in mustard! my DAD is a meat lover and he would eat a veggie dog off the grill in a second. i also eat a lot of lite tofu, firm or extra firm. a whole box is 120 calories (also depends on brand) add that to a veggie stirfry with above mentioned "lighthouse sesame dressing" and YUUUUUUMMMMMY and low calorie. i also freeze my leftovers in lunch sized containers and eat for lunch or a quick dinner!

hey myra! since my band isnt tight right now and i am having MAJOR hunger issues i have been eating the heck out of 'filler' foods. basically free for all on veggies with limited protien and fats. one of my favorites is mushrooms, yellow peppers, red peppers, orange peepers, yellow onions, all sauteed. (mushrooms add last they take less time to cook) add a can of black Beans, black olives sliced, chopped up cilantro, a cup of salsa, and your favorite taco-ish seasoning. serve a big bowl of that along side with a piece of chipolte grilled chicken---YOWZA!!! top with a dollup of lowfat sour cream....my skinny friends dont even know its a 'diet meal'! i also do ALMOST the same thing BUT add Water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and instead of mexican seasoning i buy this "lighthouse" sesame dressing...i OH MAN does it make a GREAT stirfry. and only 15 calories a serving!

great post! i am glad you are ok around to tell it! i am one who has ended up in the ER out of state on more than one occassion! i have had to give MYSELF an unfill AND pay 1,000 for it!! in a pinch they can also use the needle that they access ports used for something heart related (much easier than finding a huber needle) whats WILD to me is that i have had the increase in restriction SEVERAL times from flying- this last time i flew for 11 HOURS getting to hawaii, we also flew to Oahu, and another 11 hours home, NOT A SINGLE change in my restriction. i think this time its cause i was loose to begin with. Sue- when they were having the lapband stuff coming up on e-bay i half joked that i should order a couple unfill kits for when i travel. then the Dr's / ER cant say they dont have the equipment!

hi tipper, when you vomit or PB it causes the area around your band to swell, this gives you more restriction. thats why after any 'episode' you usually go on liquids or soft foods for a few days to let the swelling go down. if you vomit or PB again you swell even more, get even tighter etc. sometimes after you PB if you keep eating anyway you seem more open. i dont know why that is but overdoing it at that point can also further aggrivate an already swollen stomach. michelle

my mp3 is what i listened to the last 2 weeks of the wedding. its a variety of music. it was good for 'working' to and safe enough that i could listen to it with my mom around! i would plug it in to the speakers and we could listen while we worked. i need to put a new playlist together though! got to give it up- marvin gaye wild mountain honey- steve miller band let love rule- lenny kravitz close to you- daniel ash here i am- al green let your love flow- al like a virgin- madonna true fine love- steve miller american music- violent femmes best of my love- emotions come get to this- marvin gaye angel in blue- daniel ash mr cab driver- lenny kravitz kiss you all over- exhile peach- prince dont stop till you get enough- micheal jackson lady, you bring me up- the commodores fallin again- alabama dance dance dance- steve miller band dixieland delight- al get down on it- ? dancing machine- jacks 5 gett off- prince rock with you- micheal jackson

one of my banded bridesmaids JUST had her baby in may and she had been banded alomost 3 years... during the first trimester...she had great restrction. she was quite ill with morning sickness and vomited ALOT. it caused her band to tightent up and she got a .4 unfill. this left her with no restriction. as she moved along in her pregnancy the morning sickness got better and she wanted a fill. dr said no! she was mad but as time went on and she got closer to her date she got tighter and tighter...almost to the point of shutting off completely! she had made an appt for a fill 1 week after delivery, she went a week early so she had 2 weeks before her first fill. the gave her .4 (what they had removed originally) she was TO TIGHT!!! her body was still swollen and she went 1 week with her band WAY TO TIGHT. when she went in to the dr she was vomiting blood and they took ALL her fill out. her breast milk dried up because she was so dehydrated. what i learned from her: you should be loose enough that you could vomit daily without causing to much pressure on the band. not sweet spot restriction. during the last 3 months your restriction could change and get progressivly tighter. out band dr said she WOULD have filled her a SMALL fill is she hadnt been retaining SOOOOO much Water. i would like tricia said talk to your OBgyn and surgeon. everyone is different! CONGRATS!!!!

thanks EVERYONE!!!! marc: thanks for the great advice! kathy!: your silly! thanks for viewing even with dial-up! funnydudies- thanks! i had a idea in my head of what i wanted. a rustic wedding, when we found this house, we LOVED it from the begining but then with all the big rock and stage setting next door we knew not only were we buying the house but we were REALLY gonna start our lives here! paula- that is really neat and i appreciate everyone who was here for me! not only did ya'll see my and calvins relationship begin and blossom- you all were here for me when i was leaving a BAD relationship. babs- thanks for coming out to post, call me if you get a chance. my home number is the same! THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!! michelle

thanks everyone! tricia, i am in WA the south eastern part. i went to the dr about my dry nose/throat (i am from HUMID TN) he told me the area was 'high desert'. it doesnt look like desert in town! everyone has a green lawn (sprinklers) when you get out of town its VERY dry and 30 miles one way is desert, 30 miles the other is big mountains! thanks again! michelle

hi ladies! thanks! vines, the wedding was at out house on the side yard, and it was HOT!!! we live in eastern WA and we were standing in the full sun! we both were sweatin! it was a little warm for a 40 lb dress! (or however much they weigh!) it was a PERFECT day though!

hi js! i do ride my bike alone. i go down to a local trail and ride it during 'prime time' hours. sure it means the trail is BUSY but i dont have to worry about being out the alone. i go usually around 4 pm thats when the first 'after work' crowd shows up. if you are riding in your neighborhood then i suggest getting a mp3 player or headset. i dont use mine at the trail because i get scared of someone coming up behind me and me not hearing it. i dont have any other boredom suggestions, i figure it a MILLION times better than a piece of exercise equipment. ohhh wait heres a suggestion...when i ride i pick a destination like i usually ride to a swimming hole, take a quick dip and head back. the last mile or 2 really motivates me to get to my destination! good luck! michelle

hi! i am giving a list to our DJ and feel like i am forgetting some good songs...what are some songs you LOVE to dance to? fast or slow all suggestions welcome!

THANKS!!!! i am writing down a few that i forgot and some new ones! michelle