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IT'S MY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! The best birthday present I've gotten is to make a decision to lose weight!! I don't regret my decision not one bit and am just so thrilled to have lost 31 lbs in 2 months. Even though it is a slow process and I haven't gotten into a good groove of figuring out how less to eat to see the scale move more consistantly, I still am thankful when it does. Physically I feel so much better already. I mean, heck I'm eating 1/3 (if not less) less than what I used to eat on a daily basics. Congrats to all of you other August bandsters! I can't wait to see where we are this time next year.

Yesterday: Breakfast 1 packet cheese grits (which equals 4 oz) 1 egg (scrambled in microwave) 1 slice Kraft cheese Snack---forgot it, looked up and it was lunchtime Lunch 1.5 oz tuna (in water) 1 cup black beans 1/2 cup brown rice Snack 1 Banana 1 can of V8 Dinner--Picadilly's 2 oz turnips 1 oz baked fish 2 oz mashed potato Snack Skim milk 1 SF Fudgesicle Today: Breakfast--GNC Isopure Chocolate Protein Shake in 8 oz milk Lunch The other half from yesterday's dinner Snack No Fat Pringle chips (about 80 calories)

The bottom line is it's just a struggle each and every day to not overeat. I do cheat but not over the edge cheating. I agree, if you want something, eat it and get the craving over. I've had my 1st fill and fill no restriction but am still logging what I eat. I am still ending up eating very little fat and carbs and keeping intake around 1000-1200 calories. But guess what? The weight is not coming off!! I'm losing 1-2 lbs every 2 weeks it seemed for the last month. I speed walk 5 times weekly and just started working with bands last Saturday. I am looking at the good in this and the long term. I'm 31 lbs lighter than I've been in 10 years. I'm going to be patient and eventually get to the fill that will give me good restriction. So don't beat yourself up too bag. Look at how far you've come and look at some long term bandsters and see how long it took them, some more than others but they kept at it until they got to where they wanted to be. Hang in there!!!! We've got to do this and we can do this!!!!

Congratulations Kathystrick. You'll do find. Just be patient throughout the approval stage and ask if you have questions.

I'm 7 weeks post op, 2 day post 1st fill. I am brisk walking 5 x's a week 3 x s daily but my doctor told me to start doing weight resistance training. So after deciding joining a gym was just too costly right now, I read an article in Prevention magazine about working with bands. They did a study of which form of exercise provided quickest results between yoga, pilates , working with dumbbells or using band. The bands won. So my 22 year old daughter (who's lost 22 lbs with 10 to go) decided to be my trainer. She was a All State Athlete in High school traveling on top notch fast pitch softball teams and playing basketball. It felt great working my upper body and was fairly easy. But the lower body definitely needs a lot of work. I've been suffering from butt and lower back pain for about 6 months so I could barely do 2 situps and leg lifts. But I know, it will be a slow process and I'll have to work my way up to being able to do more with lower body. I'll keep everyone posted on my results. Thanks for listening!!

fabfatgrl, thanks for the clarification. Who was I kidding doing a workout in 10 minutes!!!!! I'll try to see if I can find it over the weekend. Thanks again!

Thanks and I hope it does kick in. I do somewhat today feel a bit more restriction.

I got my 1st fill yesterday in my 10 cc band. He did it under fluro and told me to watch the screen and he explained everything to me. He is just the greatest (Dr. Steinberg, Atlanta Georgia). He 1st numbed me, stuck the needle in (it just felt like a pinch) and put 2 cc in after asking me if I felt full all of a sudden. I didn't really feel full but felt as if I needed to burp. He wouldn't put more in for fear I would be too tight. I was told to do liquids for 2 days and then gradually add food but be very cautious with beef and pork. Well, I've already eliminated that from my diet anyway so no big deal. I had such a headache and was out of protein shake earlier so I went to GNC and got a 16 oz bottle of banana creme muscle milk. It was kind of sweet but had 32 grams of protein that I needed. Afterwards I felt so sleepy and had to sleep it off. But boy when I woke up, I had energy like you wouldn't beleive it!! As far as restriction, I did eat a few fries just to see what it felt like and the only thing I can say at this point is after about 5 or 6 it felt like they were about to get struck or like a golfball trying to pass through. I hope that's the kind of restriction I should have and I hope it lasts.

Joyouslyme, that is just awesome and you've lost so much already before getting your fill? When were you banded and is it just that the band is reminding you not to eat? Or have you just conditioned yourself to not eat? WOW!!!!

Yes but guess what? It didn't last. The next day, Sunday, I could eat normal and could eat bread. But I still held back for fear of getting sick in front of everyone. It does though appear that I can go longer after eating before I'm hungry again and I do burp a lot. I'm still watching what I eat and will see if restriction kicks in. If not, I'm to go back to Dr. in 1 month and I'll just get another adjustment. At least I know what to look out for and I am still very careful with eating slowly and not eating much. Thanks for your reply.

Great! So apparently you two are witnesses that they do work. I agree J.S., I do love them and my 2nd session was much easier and I felt great afterwards. fabfatgirl, I'll have to get that DVD, especially the 10 minute one if you can touch all areas in that length of time. Our sessions last about 30 minutes.

WOW jbates! I'm sorry it's not working for you. It would appear you'd be practically choking with it that full. Maybe someone else that's experienced it like that can help you. Have you tried any exercises yet? Each week I've added more and more. I'm brisk walking on both breaks and 1/2 my lunch plus just this week I've started working with bands doing resistance weight training. The biggest thing that helps me is tracking what I eat so I won't go over a certain amount. The band reminds me not to overeat but at this point not much restriction. I am going to just keep trying different things to get the scale to move. At one point I only lost 2 lbs in 2 weeks but in the last week it finally started moving again. I hope something start working for you soon. Don't give up. Track what you eat. There are several out there that can help. I use sparkspeople.com. You'd be amazed how many calories you're consuming when you don't track what you eat.

My opinion is we all fall off of the wagon every now and then but look at how far you've come and just forget yesterday. Today is a new day. I actually have built in 1 cheat day, Sundays. I don't go way off the chart but eat if I want. It worked before on a diet I was on so it should work now. Heck , one time about 4 weeks out I consumed an entire bag of bbq fritos. You're okay. Yesterday is gone, start over again.

That's exactly how I feel especially after yesterday at our 126th year Church Anniversary. I was able to eat dressing, lima beans, green beans, pasta salad, pound cake and a little apple pie. But instead of eating all of it, I only ate half and saved the other half for later. I could have eaten more but didn't want to test it and get sick in front of everyone. I'm still using my head to control my eating and I've read sometimes it takes 2 or 3 fills before you fill true restriction. As long as I'm losing, I'm okay. Thanks.

I actually did not have a problem with nausea, at least not enough to need meds so I'm not sure about the bracelet. The morning of surgery, you will go in and change and get weighed. The nurse will take your vitals...etc. Then you'll be wheeled to surgery and moved to a table. They'll put the oxygen mask on you and you're out for the count!! Post recovery at the hospital I did feel the "skinny" nurse was acting like she didn't want to touch me but I did report her. They'll want you to get up after a while to walk. The discharging nurse will give you instructions after Dr. Steinberg comes to check your incisions and to make sure you're swallowing okay. They were very basic like not to drive or operate heavy machinery for 48 hours and take pain meds as needed and to call if any problems. Make sure as soon as you can to walk, walk, walk. You will experience a lot of gas and walking helps more than anything. Also get some of those Gas-x strips that disolve on your tongue. I hope all goes well. I don't mind answering questions, just let me know whenever you need me or you can email me directly.

Does anyone know if eating spicy foods is ok with band? I add a lot of black and cayenne pepper to my foods and sometimes cook veggies with a green pepper in it. I also add a lot of garlic and Mrs. Dash. It doesn't have the same affect as ibuprofen, does it? Also of course with eating spicy foods, I do sweat a lot after eating but I heard this helps in speeding up your matabolism (Sp). Actually even if I don't add spices I sweat after eating. Does anyone else have that problem too?

Well, I'm 2 days post 1st fill (2 cc in a 10 cc band). Unless it takes a while for it to start working , the only difference I've experienced is I'm not very hungry in the morning and the hunger pains prior to the fill are not as intense . I'd managed to lose 30 lbs prior to fill but was wondering if you are not consuming that much calories, why are you not losing weight any faster? It seems that you have to figure out how many calories you need to consume to lose weight. Some it's 800 and some is 1200 or more. According to the formula I can consume between 1200-1500 daily to lose 1-2 pds weekly which is what they safely recommend. As a matter of fact, there is a warning on sparkspeople.com to not consume under 1000 calories a day. I've kept it between 1000-1200 with a day or so of going over 1200. That's so great if you have to force yourselves to eat though. I am definitely waiting to get to that point! How long did it take you after your first fill to feel restriction? Last night I had 1/2 a vegetable pizza eating very slowly and 1 choc chip cookie. I kept waiting for that signal that I'm full but never really got it. I've never PB'd since I've been banded.

Actually I posted a question whether spicy foods are okay as I love them. So far, I haven't had any problems but I had my 1st fill yesterday and haven't had rice since. I did eat about 1/2 of a vegetarian pizza and I kept waiting to fill full but never really did.

I have really stuck to the rule to not eat and drink. After eating spicy foods, the only thing I do is sweat. After about 30 minutes, I'll then drink.

I got my 1st fill yesterday in my 10 cc band. He did it under fluro and told me to watch the screen and he explained everything to me. He is just the greatest (Dr. Steinberg, Atlanta Georgia). He 1st numbed me, stuck the needle in (it just felt like a pinch) and put 2 cc in after asking me if I felt full all of a sudden. I didn't really feel full but felt as if I needed to burp. He wouldn't put more in for fear I would be too tight. I was told to do liquids for 2 days and then gradually add food but be very cautious with beef and pork. Well, I've already eliminated that from my diet anyway so no big deal. I had such a headache and was out of protein shake earlier so I went to GNC and got a 16 oz bottle of banana creme muscle milk. It was kind of sweet but had 32 grams of protein that I needed. Afterwards I felt so sleepy and had to sleep it off. But boy when I woke up, I had energy like you wouldn't beleive it!! As far as restriction, I did eat a few fries just to see what it felt like and the only thing I can say at this point is after about 5 or 6 it felt like they were about to get struck or like a golfball trying to pass through. I hope that's the kind of restriction I should have and I hope it lasts.

WOW! That's a lot for the 1st week but just awesome!! Congrats!

No, not the Obesity Center, The Surgery Center. They have a new section if you are standing directly in front of the main hospital entry, look to your left. There is a new parking deck, go and park there and go to the 2nd floor (i think) and you'll be right where you need to be. It is beautiful and the people are great. You will have your surgery that morning and go to an actual room (yes, they even have a bariatric wing) after recovery and stay overnight. I wish you the best. I just had my 1st fill yesterday at the hospital in the Xray department. Dr. Steinberg is just awesome. He's right up there with how I feel about my Gynecologist, Dr. Stuart Pancer. Let me know if I can be of any other assistance.

Tomorrow's the day of my 1st fill!! I'm excited and nervous at the same time. More nervous about what I can and can't eat afterwards but I'm sure just as I've gotten used to these other phases I'll adjust to life after a fill. I've lost 28 lbs so far with finally losing about 4 pounds in the last week. I was like others, at a stand still for about 2 weeks (during the Pureed stage). I changed my meat to fish and increased my walking from 3 to 5 times weekly and from 1 to 2 miles. This weekend I will start working with the rubber bands for weight resistance training. Wish me well!!

Yep, another one for Dr. Steinberg. I was banded there 08/23 and he is the coolest, a genuine sweetheart!

No I didn't but will definitely give it a try. Thanks!! You're my idol!