dab

Been a while since I have stopped in. Glad to see everyone still droppin pounds....nice having to step over them on the floor :smile2: :cool2: It is getting to that time of year where it is more difficult to stay away from the bad stuff.....in quantity. Hunting season is here and I can tell a HUGE difference. What was almost impossible at 570+ pounds just over a year ago is pretty simple to me now at 352 and on the way down. Wading through crotch deep Water with 4 inches of mud for 250 yards doesn't hardly make me breath hard now....I couldn't do it last year. The fact that I am off my diabetic medicine, off both my blood pressure pills and can do things like above are some of the reasons I had surgery. The biggest reason though is that I can share more time with my family. I have four kids that need me out there working for them to get through college and helping to do my part in readying them for this world of uncertainty we have now. I want to be around when they get older and have kids......so I can laugh and tell them they were just as bad :cool2: :w00t: :tt2: Best of luck to all...stick with it one day at a time. dab

Congrats on the 52 pounds lost...that is an accomplishment to be proud of. I didn't ready everything word for word, but have you talked to your doc about the possibility of a fill? Or maybe needing one? If you are snacking more maybe a fill is needed? Exercise and all of the other things go into play - eating right, Vitamin supplements and those things......also are you drinking lots of Fluid? That is supposed to help with metabolism. I am slowing down quite a bit and need to change a couple of habits. I need to start a regimented exercise program and leave the beer alone. I am finding a taste for beer again and as long as I don't eat with it, it goes down alright - extra calories I don't need. Anyway, keep a good attitude - 50+ pounds is nothing to get discouraged about......best of luck. dab

Although I far exceeded my initial goal - I must admit I am a bit disappointed in the last month. I only lost a little more than 7 pounds this month and upped the walking and other forms of exercise. I had been losing 10 to 11 a month without problem. Oh well, I am going to call it a fluke and go hard again this month and see what happens. Anyway - back to the success. My initial goal was 140ish for a year......but, with three days to spare, I hit the 200+ pound lost in a year mark. I am happy beyond expectation about that...but don't want to slow down to 4 or 5 pounds a month and will pick up the pace to try and maintain at least 9 to 10 pounds for the next 10 months. For those who have made your goal weight....more power to you. I plan on getting there....but it is going to get more of a challenge as time goes by I am sure. Just keep on keeping on is my advice to those who are just starting out. Success will come with the proper attitude and mindset. Happy Friday to all and hope eveyone has a great weekend. dab

China; I don't eat anything many times till late in the day either with the exception of my Vitamin and Calcium chews. I eat them in the morning with either a cup of skim milk or a cup of coffee or two and then I don't eat again till late in the afternoon...especially during the week - not because I want to starve myself...just because I really am not that hungry and I am pretty tight in the morning and mid-day. Yesterday - I ate: Breakfast - two vitamin and two calcium chews. three cups of coffee lunch - I was a bit hungry so I went to Taco bell and had one half of a taco Supper - 1/4 baked chicken patty and 3/4 cup of potatoe Soup. Late snack - 8 or 10 puffy cheese curls.....I know I shouldn't have....but it gave me something dry in my mouth to use the glass of home brew to wash down. lol That is about a typical day for me....usually more Protein at supper - fish many times with a fresh veggie. dab

China; I never drank coffee hardly at all until after I was banded. Now I drink too much...probably a pot a day. I used to drink 8 plus Diet Coke's a day...but have quit that totally. I am not the biggest fan of Water either, but try to drink a few glasses per day. I also drink Lipton Green Tea...it is pretty good and isn't super expensive. My wife bought me some of the new Gatorade stuff that is only 25 calories per bottle....it is alright - but I don't like paying that price for something to drink. There are a few options. Also, I use the sugar free single flavoring packs sometimes. Take a water bottle, take a small drink out of it and pour this powder in...put the cap on and shake it up.....you are good to go. Just a few options that might help you. Have a great week dab

Here is my take....and I am just another person banded.....surely not an expert on anything related to health or I wouldn't have put myself in this here shape I seemed to have let myself get to....but.... I would incorporate some light exercise at first....nothing strenuous...just light things like walking and maybe leg lifts on the floor while watching your favorite television show - that makes the time go faster for me - I would also drink more clear liquid....I am trying to drink two gallon a day to keep metabolism up. Lastly, this is big for me.....it might not be something others agree with and everyone is different....but I only weigh at the doctors office during my monthly checkup. I do what I do during the month and have changed my lifestyle as part of the banded community. For me, it would drive me crazy if I weighed weekly or daily....I would be so obsessed with what the scale said. I want to go by what my body tells me...not so much what the scale says.......if I pay attention to the first - the second will come on its own. That may seem weird........but it is what it is and it is working at this point. We will see from there. dab

best of luck traysag. Take it one day at a time and slow from the beginning. There is lots of advice to be had from some folks here who have been through it. I know I relied on them throughout this first year for me. Keep the good attitude, which I believe is 90% of the battle...the other 10% is remembering this surgery isn't the end all, be all - but rather a tool for you to use on your journey to better health. dab

Becky - I can only imagine how it must feel going from 469 to 167.....WOW!! That is loosing almost twice your body weight. :wink2::thumbup: I hate to even admit this, but my waist was a 68 when I started this journey....now I am into a 50. I kept one pair of pants, one shirt and one belt and have them on a shelf in the closet. The other day I got the pants down and I can literally put both legs into one of the legs of the old pants and hold the other side out all empty. I can't wait to see what it will be like with another 100 gone in a short year.....but it can't be anything compared to losing what you have. One thing I have noticed more prevelant is vericose veins in my legs. I think I mentioned it in a post before. I go in for the pre-surgery consult the last week of this month and then am having them laser treated the first week of September. A couple on the surface are a good 1/2 in diameter. They used to have to "strip" them, but now go in and laser zap them and they die off. Will feel good on to fronts. First, getting rid of the big ole ropes behind my calfs and my inner thigh....and also it is supposed to clear up pigmentation differences in the lower legs. Apparently there is Iron that is leeched out of the blood to "lighten" the load because of the vericose veins and once they are fixed, the body clenses the area because it can handle the added weight in the vessels again. We will see, but it is a step in the right direction. The increased risks of blood clots with the vericose veins is the real reason I am taking care of them. I didn't realize the risk was so great until I talked with my physician about them. Congrats again - you are THE success story in my mind to this point....I hope to match your weight total...but will never be able to touch the percentage. Great Job!

Hello Kristi - Best of luck to you for reaching your goal. I dont' check in around here too often, but there is a great group of folks that have been down the road you are going down already and are willing to share their experiences with you. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with. Looks as if you are well on your way already. Again, best of luck and remember this us just a tool, not a savior! dab

Haven't been in here in a week or so....party the hell on girl!!!! Awesome. I went last week for my 11th month check-up and only have 6 to go to hit 200 in the first year....hopefully I will hit 205 lost the first year. That will only leave me with 100 to go, which would be my goal at the end of the second year. Congrats...I know it must feel good. Dab

Giddyup!!!! Great job - can't wait to see that myself....will be a while - but it will happen. :thumbup:

That is all! :biggrin2::biggrin2: I admit I was down snoopin in the powder room and them wimmins have much more interesting discussions than what goes on here :wink2: :scared2: Next on the agenda....trying to convince the wife "it is only 15 more calories" :smile: :smile: Everyone have a great weekend and keep on losing!!!! dab

I must say I am a bit disappointed...it took you all longer to find it than I figured. :thumbup: What is life without a little fun :thumbdown:

Thanks for the reply. I, too, kind of look at it as the "sizzle" and not the "steak". I am afraid that I am going to have an apron that hangs down a ways too....and the thighs are starting already and the arms like was said before...but I am much healthier and get around so much better. I was at the duck club today and jumped up on a farm implement like I hadn't done in 25 years. I had to look back down at the ground and think...wow...that was an easy jump up here. I still have 100 or so to go to get where I think I will be without having the skin surgery....so I am not as close as you are. One thing I did notice and saw a doc about Thursday is now that I have lost so much weight in my legs...I have some rope vericose veins. They did a doppler scan and the circulation is bad enough that insurance sure pick up the tab...so I go back next week and they are going to start the process and laser treat after the insurance company agrees.....that will be as much to me as the inner thigh excess skin....I have these rope veins on the back of my knee area on the left leg and one on the oustide thigh of my right leg that are really noticeable in shorts. Getting skinny is hard work damnit....one think leads to another Happy Saturday.

Becky - That is way too cool......happy to see you hit that 300 pound mark!!!! I would like to hit the 300 pound + mark....at first it was just a goal....now I don't think I will have a problem doing it and would actually like to do 320....and look forward to it now!! I have hit 184 pounds in just a few days over 10 months...and plan on hitting about 205 to 210 by the one year mark....anything over 200 and I will be very happy...I was hoping for 150 to 160 at the one year mark originally. I figure it will take another year to get to 300. If I can do 300 in two years - that is only about 8.5 pounds per month each month for the second year...which I think is very obtainable. I do have a question or two though, if you, or someone else can answer them for me. I am 6 feet 8 inches tall and a big frame guy. Back in 1989 I got down to 246 on my own......I was really too skinny, at least that is what everyone told me.....and I have to agree with them. That is why I think 255 to 260 is about where I want to be. After losing 300 pounds....how much dead weight do you think you are carrying that you can't lose without removal surgery. At 184 pounds, my kids want to play with my arm flab and laugh about it....in a fun way. I notice the skin around my mid section starting to get fairly lose as well as on the inside of my thighs. I just wonder at what point you can be where you need to be on a weight loss perspective....but still have 15....20....25....???? pounds that could be lost with excess skin removal? I didn't think about that too much at the beginning, but I can see now there is going to be excess....and quite a bit. Just wondering if you are someone else can answer.....and who had just lived with it? I am sure the insurance company won't pay for it as they didn't pay for the initial surgery....and I don't know if I can fork over 10 or 12k to get some skin taken off????? TIA for whoever can answer for me. dab

Burnt ends actually are not "burned"....it is the one end of a brisket that gets more "crispy" than the rest. The meat is just as fine as the rest, but it is a bit longer grain texture and the outside is crispy and the inside just smoked to the right temp. I don't like to eat chicken breasts either. Just doesn't settle well. dab

Best of luck to you travel lady...and others. I just try to remember this is just a tool and I still have to be in control of what I do. The last few days were a scare for me, but it is getting better. I traveled last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I did well on the food side, but probably enjoyed too many drinks....oh well, once in a while. I think the problem came in when I filled up with gas for the tirp home.....I went in to get a bottle of tea and picked up a bag of sunflower seeds. It had been a long time since I ate any sunflower seeds and this new flavor - Salt and Pepper - caught my eye. Short of the story, I ate a big bag of them on the 3 hour trip home....that is all I ate that day. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning with the WORST heartburn I have had since being banded. Antacid didn't cut it. My throat also felt like the week I was banded, where it almost feels like there is a lump about halfway down. That happened then, on and off the next day and then again the following night....just as bad. I thought something might be wrong...but with a bland diet the next day and some over the counter acid pills, I am about back to normal now. It is funny how some things can be tolerated and some things can't. Early last week, I was invited to lunch with a couple of guys and they wanted bbq. They didn't know I was banded, which doesn't really make a difference, I can do just about anything as long as I am careful. They both ordered burnt ends and sausage...whcih sounded good, but there wasn't any reason for me to spend $11.00 on something I would take three bites of - so I ordered a burnt end sandwich. I had three chunks of the meat out of the sandwich and chewed and chewed and chewed and chewed and chewed and thought all was well. I also had two french fries. When we were leaving I knew things were not as good as first considered. I gave it all back in a parking lot about two blocks down the road. I am glad we didn't ride together and they went one way and me the other when we left the bbq place. I am going to miss burnt ends....but I will live without them. Hope everyone had a great 4th! dab

Good to hear....I focus on one day at a time and it seems to work. Not that I don't sometimes make bad choices, but I try to be extra good for a few days after I fault. I only weigh once a month too....I think I am obsessive compulsive enough that if I let myself weigh everyday I would stress out too much. Seeing 48....24...15...11....and the lowest ever was 9 pounds per month versus .3 or .5 per day is better for me. Congrats again and good luck in the long term. dab

I am in Independence...Northeast Independence. dab

Yes, I have a 10 cc band that was placed in September of last year...the stats are at the bottom of the post on progress. I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about losing weight...even more than 200 pounds. I realistically would like to lose 300 to 325 pounds...but I don't am not sure how far I will get. The skin is starting to sag quite a bit now and I don't have a clue how much weight will stay on because of that. We shall see. dab

Heckofa job whosya.... 30 pounds in 3 months, depending on your weight now could be a breeze based upon what you have accomplished in the last 9 months. Best of luck. dab

I am sorry it took so long to get back with you. I actually forgot where I posted this and then was out of town a week. I dieted on and off for my whole life. I could lose 100 pounds on a fad diet only to gain 120 back in the following months. Fear is a reality....but I am proof, as well as others, that this is the tool that many need to succeed. I have changed my lifestyle and am reaping the rewards....sure it is nice to have smaller clothes, but the blood pressure and diabetic meds going out the window is the benefit that matters to me....my health for my kids and family are now important to me. Best of luck. dab

I had the some of the same concerns. Looking back, at this point at least, I don't know why I waited so long. I have lost weight before on various diets only to put it back on plus 20 pounds more. I don't think that will be the case now. You are right, the lab band is a tool....but it is a tool that is very effective and one that I won't be able to get tired of following and start eating a large pizza followed by a half gallon of ice cream out of boredom/frustration/or other various factors. In seven months, I have lost the equivelance of two bags of sac-crete. I just put that into perspective the other day and I don't have a clue how the hell I functioned after thinking about that....two bags of sac-crete Still at least one and a half, if not two, to go. :thumbup: You ultimately have to make the decision on what you do. Look at the options available and good luck with your decision.

I paid $18.5k for my surgery. I was fortunate to have an upfront retirement fund to draw it from, so no monthly payment....but it was the best money ever spent. In seven months I have lost 155 pounds, basically the halfway point. I am gaining control of my life and that is worth more than any monetary value. I figure it will realistically take me another 14 to 16 months to get the second half off and it will take some regimented physical activity as well. I had my 7 month checkup yesterday and talked to them about financing for my wife to have the procedure. It is a tool and you have to have a desire to succeed, but it is a great tool! dab