Longhorn

Karey: Yes, I love numbers -- I teach math! :eek: I wish I could get a Body Bugg but I've just started a spending diet! :eek: Our twin daughters both got married last year. The year before, I went on three cruises in 13 months plus a trip to Europe. To try to lose weight, I've spent thousands of dollars on bicycles and equipment, an elliptical, a recumbent exercise bike, and a home gym. Now I've got the payment for my surgery every month. I just can't justify the expense for another gadget right now. My poor, patient, THIN husband! Fortunately, I lost weight four years ago and I've kept the smaller clothes down to size 12 so at least I won't have to buy new clothes as I finally lose weight this time (not much happening in that department -- I've had one fill but no restriction so holding firm at about 18 pounds lost.) I do know that the heart rates are accurate on both of my machines because I checked them before I lost the chest strap on my HR monitor. So as long as I know I'm pushing myself during exercise, that's enough. And I just need to replace the battery in that pedometer and I'll have a little more information. Thanks! :clap2:

I've used several online food-logging services, including fitday and sparkpeople. While it makes me feel organized, I can't say that I find it inspiring. Perhaps that's because I have spent months (before the band) being meticulous about staying under an amount of calories that should have guaranteed weight loss and still didn't lose. I don't plan to count calories again but I might still log my food to keep track of Protein, Vitamins and nutrients.

I've been told by my GP's PA and by my surgeon's nutritionist that calcium citrate is better than calcium carbonate. Apparently, calcium citrate is better absorbed and you have to take much more calcium carbonate to get the same amount of calcium in your system. Also, you're not supposed to take a calcium supplement within two hours of taking iron or a multivitamin that contains iron because the iron interferes with calcium absorption. Unfortunately, Viactiv contains calcium carbonate. I love those chews! I got some chewable supplements from a site that specializes in bariatric vitamins but when my supply is gone, I'm switching to supplements I can find at my grocery store!

I gotta agree! There's nothing wrong with folks banding together but I wish the title of the thread could be changed and they can continue their chat. Meanwhile, a new thread can be started on the original topic. Or maybe more moderation could keep threads on topics and the new group of friends could start over elsewhere. I really think it's great that these online friendships form and keep going over months and even years. But when it happens on a support thread with a specific topic, it can be a turn-off to the rest of us. Thanks!

Two suggestions: One, upper body movement. Sitting in a chair, you can take a couple of cans of Soup or Beans and do various curls or lifts from the front or sides, etc. I think if you googled exercises for senior citizens, you'd find some for people who are sitting. Two, if you have a YMCA or fitness club with an indoor pool, then check out Water aerobics. The water helps support your weight but you still get a great workout. Good luck!

Tell me about it! We finally got rid of the last of the Christmas chocolate. Then we picked our daughter and son-in-law up from the airport and he brings us a big box of Ferrier Roche chocolates from his parents!

I may be burning more calories than I think! If I use the calculator on my bike, it's only 300 calories per hour. My elliptical measures in kjoules but it took me much longer and more effort to burn an equivalent 300 calories than on the bike. The online calculators all say more like 500 to 600 calories per hour with vigorous effort, which what I'm definitely giving! Oh, well, better to burn more than I think! I have a pretty good pedometer that also measures calories from aerobic activity but I need a new battery. I also used to have an HR monitor but somehow lost the chest band. :eek: I probably just need to go back to measuring minutes spent exercising.

Wow, how much did they take out? :eek: Just kidding! Congratulations!

My doctor said that the fills need to be done gradually to give the stomach time to adjust. He said if he went from zero to 7 cc (in a 10 cc band,) that I wouldn't be able to tolerate it. But he can get to 7 cc over time if he takes it slow. Plus, since everyone is different, they don't know how much is the right amount for each person. Being too tight, besides being uncomfortable, is risky for the band since it can lead to slippage (from PBing) or erosion. While it's not always easy to be patient, I chose my doctor for his conservative approach so I don't really mind. :confused:

How long before someone goes back and copies the first list? :confused: I'm assuming starting means at the beginning of this challenge. Good luck, y'all! name ............. starting# ..... current#........goal#......togo# Hollyberries...........298.............298..............285.........13 Momto1(Wendy)....241.............241..............229.........12 Hungryforchange...227.............227..............215.........12 Cagstorm (Craig)...360.............360..............345.........15 Teresajo..............252.............212..............205..........7 Skinny_Jill............195.............195..............180..........15 Foofy .................273.5..........249...............237 ........12 want2lose............236.8..........236.8............225.........11. 8 sades..................229............199.7............189..........10.7 chiqui..................246............231...............220..........11 MarieGabrielle........268............268...............256..........12 Trixie...................264.............264..............244..........20 Firebolt................243.............224..............212..........12 Kristin1031...........287.............256..............240...........16 Longhorn..............211............211..............199...........12

Hi, phyllser! I got the graph from another diet board, Liquid Diet Discussion Board. I was active there when I lost weight on Medifast four years ago. I like this way of tracking my weight for the same reason you mentioned. The prediction of reaching goal is inspiring! I don't know if you have to be a paid member to use the reporting tools. I was given a lifetime membership because I was a very active member at the time the owner started offering paid memberships (with extra features.)

You might try getting some chewable Lactaid to eat right before you have a shake. I've had bad reactions to Protein powder before and I'm not normally lactose-intolerant but the Lactaid helped. Also, have you tried Low-Carb SlimFast? It has 20 grams of protein per 12-oz can and my doctor thought it was fine for me to use it, even during my Clear liquids stage. He also recommended Carnation Instant Breakfast but I never got around to trying it. Hope you find something that works!

Yes, the IRS ruled a couple of years ago that obesity-related medical expenses are deductible, including surgery.

Pretty cool! But yeah, this probably belongs in the Lounge. Hope you're doing okay!

Not at all! It's normal that we confide at different levels. I once attended a middle school faculty meeting where we were invited to share any positive news or celebrations. One gal stood up and announced that she and her husband had sex the previous night! That was almost ten years ago. She is now the principal of that school.

When and how often do we report? It seems like daily would be a lot of work for Stephanie to keep up with. How about picking a day of the week to report our updates? Or did I miss where this has already been discussed? Thanks!

Well, I'm hanging in there! I have no restriction and my second fill isn't until January 18 unless there's a cancellation before then. I'm exercising every day and trying to make good decisions but I refuse to be hungry and my doctor supports me on that. I'm gaining a little but I knew that was likely to happen, especially since I've always been a slow loser. On top of everything, being perimenopausal, my body is going through the "grand finale" on the Fourth of July -- anything and everything every two weeks! I feel good that I got the holiday decorations down today. Tomorrow I may get caught up on ironing. Monday I have to report for jury duty at the county seat 45 minutes away. I also need to get my syllabus and plans ready for the four classes (three courses) I'll be teaching next semester, which begins January 14 (I teach math at community college.) Two of them I've taught for the last four semesters so only one needs more attention since I haven't taught it for a couple of years. All in all, I'm doing fine and still spending a lot of time on the board, passing the time until I finally reach the losing phase!

It takes more saline but not necessarily more fills. For example, 2 ccs is 50 percent of 4 ccs while 5 ccs is 50 percent of 10 ccs. I had 1 cc in my 10-cc band at surgery and 3 ccs added with my first fill. Obviously, that's not what would happen with a 4-cc band! The fills for a 4-cc band will be in smaller increments but not necessarily smaller as a percentage of the capacity of the band. My doctor told me that all the bands are "low-pressure" bands. However, perhaps it's easier to tweak a 10-cc band. For example, 1 cc is 10 percent of a 10-cc band but 10 percent of a 4-cc band is .4 cc. I don't know how easy that is to measure!

Mine didn't hurt at all but my doctor numbed me first with a couple of tiny pricks (which I could barely feel) of lidocaine. The needle is very long but I think it is small in diameter. When I removed the little round bandaid later, there wasn't even a mark underneath it. Apparently some doctors use a spray that numbs the skin. Good luck!

I thought that the fill would be done through the port incision but my doctor actually went in about an inch below the incision. Congratulations, Carsons Mommy, on doing so well!

When you click on someone's name, one of the choices is to add him or her to your "Buddy List." You can access your Buddy List through the UserCP.

March 30 sounds good to me. I just need to give some thought to the weight goal. I've only had one fill with no restriction so the weight isn't coming off right now. But I can still exercise!

You can revise a post. Just click on "edit" and when you get a page full of smilies, click on "Advanced." Sometimes extra characters are added that you need to delete and if you had a lot of formatting in your post, it can get messy but most of the time, it's easy.

I'm in! I've got a recumbent exercise bike, an elliptical, and a home gym on which I can do both upper and lower body strength training exercises. I'm starting with cardio but I'll be seeing a physical trainer on January 18 and hope to get some help on planning a regimen that incorporates the strength training as well. I've done it in the past but not with trained guidance so I'm looking forward to what she has to say. She's a lapband patient of my doctor and has lost more than 100 pounds since last spring! My January goal is to burn 7000 calories. That's based on my experience so far on the bike -- 300 calories on one program takes me 60 minutes. Another more intense program took me just 50 minutes the other day. I'm going to try the elliptical today. I don't know how accurate these machines are as far as burning calories, though they do require me to input my age and weight. But it doesn't really matter -- it's just a way for me to work toward a goal. Good luck, y'all! :clap2:

I think the "copy-and-paste" idea is the tricky suggestion -- it never occurred to me and it's so easy!