renewedhope

karey, Sorry you are having a rough time. Our bodies are so amazing. Even the slightest change makes a difference. hang in there

Everyone is doing sooo well!! I love eading everyones stories each day. The good and the bad. It shows that we are all human, AND that we can all do this!! WE ROCK!!

You are too funny Lyn. Wish I could see the ballet moves. I used to have a Roger Staubach poster on my wall in my bedroom when I was a little girl. Go Cowboys!!

Thanks Boo Boo. I am going to schedule my consult at 150. According to the doctor's office I can expect approx 3 months from initial consult to surgery. So....It is possible that I will be at or very near my final goal when I have PS. Whatever that goal really is. I bounce around from 135 to 145. Thanks so much for the advice!! MimIn - Congrats on the scales finally moving. You must feel so good to get that Fluid off.

WAY TO GO BONNIE!! THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SUPER HARD!!! You go girl!!

I am down 2 more pounds this morning! That puts be 24 from PS!!!!! I can't wait. It is all i think about. I think I am becoming rather obsessive. I have read that you lose from 10 - 15 pounds of skin with the surgery (thighs, tummy breasts, arms). Am I reasonable to think that if I get to 150 before my PS that the surgery itself will get me close to my goal of 135???? If my thinking is right, then, in my mind, my real goal is 150 and then finish it out with PS.

I'm staying on plan today because I am down 2 more pounds. I want to keep the scales moving in the right direction!!

I like the Packers much better than the Eagles. In fact, I root for the COWBOYS, and whoever is playing against the Eagles. I am a die hard Cowboys fan!!!!!!! I watch every game. I can't wait for football season to get here again!!!

Good morning all. My scales finally have moved again (at least in a direction I am willing to admit) I am down 2 pounds this morning!!! I will definately be behaving this week. Mamato, I am sure you will soon drop some major pounds. You are sticking to this diest so well. I know it is very frustrating. There have been several times that the same thing has happened to me. If I stuck with it the weight fell off. A few of the times I said heck with it and ate what I wanted. I always regretted it when I did that. Hang in there!!! You are doing great. The scales will show it!!!

Finally, My scales have moved!! I am down 2 more pounds this morning!! NAME ____________weight now____ goal___ lbs lost *************** :mad:**********:biggrin:*********** aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Bea1128............220.........199.......1.5..... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........209.........205.......3....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... erikadawn.................199..............175............0.......... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........168.........155.......4....... JennyPoo...........169.........159.......0....... KarenG.............162.........158.......4....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Leslie2Lose........223.........209.......1....... Lunabeane..........221.........200.......5....... Luu2008............219.........189.......7....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......0....... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... mominlv13..........316.........300.......1....... MSnika3............228.........204.......4....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......4....... NukeChik...........227.........199.......0...... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........191.........180.......3....... Renewedhope........174.........155.......5....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......0....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......10....... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sadie..............216.........199.......4.......

What an amazing accomplishment!!! Congrats to you!!!!! If that isn't motivation I don't know what is!!

Welcome Georgia!! I am so glad that my best of all band buddies is joining us. you can do this!! You are awesome!!

Dh just told me a little while ago that after I have my tt and bl he wants to buy some body paint and paint a bikini on me. WOOHOO!! We have never even talked about anything like that in 13+ years. I can't wait. I think he saw it in Sports Illustrated.

Thanks Karey. I have read yalls ps threads and I can't wait. I have exercised regualrly since being banded, so hopefully I am in good shape for my surgery. I am have been reluctant to do too much weight lifting, because initially I willg ain weight. I know it is muscle and the more muscle you have the more fat you burn. So.....in the long run it is very beneficial. I just have to convince my scale obsessed brain to chill and do what is best for my body. This is probably sooo silly, but when I am dressing I often stand sideways in the mirror and lift my lap. I would be really small without that flap on my lap. Will it really all go away?? Will I really have a flat tummy. I can't even imagine it. I am sooo ready to be there. I have a bodybugg too. I have not worn it in quite some time. I am not going to pull it out now, but if my weight stalls I will definately use it to stay on track!

Although i have pretty pretty honest with people about my banding, when I didn't tell someone it was out of fear that this to would be another failure on my weight loss experince. I didn't want to tell people and then gain the weight back. Now that I am down 80 pounds and feel like the REAL me has emerged I am no longer shy about telling people. In fact, I will shout is from the mountatins, because it works!!!! Nothing has worked before....... The hardest thing for me has been not seeing myslef as a fat person any longer. i wear size 12 jeans and a large shirt and sometimes I see the physically attractive person I have become and sometimes I look in the mirror and see 255 pounds. It is so weird. I don't even know how to buy clothes anymore. DH is a great help in this regard. If he says it looks good then I wear it, even if I feel funny in it. I have even begun to wear sleeveless shirts again!! Restriction does not come immediately. Be patient. About 2 months into this thing I decided that I had failed at something else. That this worked for everyone but me. Not true.... Bandster Hell is real and it will pass. This is the best decision I have ever made for myself and my family. These are the biggest suprises I have had. I will try to think of more, but I love my band and am beginning to love myself again. Just this morning, I looked in the mirror and just smiled at the beautiful woman looking back at me. She has been there all along. I'm so glad I can see her again!!

mimin, I just googled those drinks. They look great. Do you warm them in the microwave. The don't have any type of variety pack on their website. You have to order 12 of one flavor. Let us know which ones are really good. I wish I could order 1 of each to see which one I would drink. I have had to give up my Starbucks addiction, but I do love some coffee. Right now I drink coffee with sf french vanilla or hazelnut creamer. It's pretty good.

Mamato, 1/2 pound is not bad for TOM, but I know it is yuck to see those scales go in the wrong direction. You may also be retaining some fluid after your double last night. Working doubles used to always make my ankles swell and made me jsut generally puffy. Especially really hard ones. Way to go on moderate ketosis!!!!!!! You really are doing great!!

You ladies have been such an inspiration to me. I don't feel the least bit qualified to chime in, but I am working on the last 26 pounds before having PS, so here I am. What better place to get ideas than from the pros. I am eating low carb. I am using ketone sticks to allow myself a few carbs, but make sure I remain in ketosis. I just completed week 2 of the couch to 5k. this week I would like to add body sculpting 2 days a week. I want to be in really good physical shape for my ps and recovery. As for restriction. I had an unfill of 0.3cc about 3 weeks ago because of reflux at night. I can tell a huge difference. I am definately hungry. I talked to the doctor's office Friday and they said that when you are close to your "sweet spot" that small amount can make a difference. I am going Monday for a tiny fill. She said probably 0.1cc. I hve decent restriction, so even if this fill doesn't do what I think it should, I am going to allow my band to help me and i am geared up to do the rest!! Thank you ladies for being an awesome example to all of us. Yall have shown me from the start that this thing is doable!!

mamato, I'm glad you survivied your double. Some people just don't produce large amounts of ketones. What you ate looks very reasonable to me. As long as you are in ketosis, you are burning fat You are doing AWESOME, BTW... Bonnie, You know, this is a life long process. One evening of eating what you "shouldn't" won't really do much dmamge in the bi picture. Just jump back on today and get back in ketosis before the cravings take over. (Speaking from experience). You are doing GREAT. Don't let this set you back!!! Today is a new day!!

I didn't realize, but I had 3 packs of 4 each of the old shakes. I will definately be drinking those. I buy the cvs brand of ketone sticks. Beware, they are soooo addictive. I use one almost every time I pee. So not necessary. I had moderate ketones tonight before bed..

Today we went to court for our foster son. We weren't sure where to go and were a little pressed for time. We walked into the courthouse. Our hearing was on the 4th floor. we walked to the elevator and there were about 10 people waiting for the elevator. I stood there a minute and then asked DH if he knew where the stairs were. We quickly went up 4 flights of stairs to immediately walk into the courtroom. i was not out of breath in the least.

OK, scratch the coffee for snack. Just finished my run and DH insists that I have protein after exercising so I drank a caramel latte atkins shake instead (yes I have a few of the old ones left).

Oh man, I just finished day 3 of week 2. For some reason this was the hardest one yet. I was allready tired and had to make myself do it, but guess what? I did it. I can still hear the Rocky music. I am going to press on to week 3 next week, but man I am thinking it is going to kick my butt....... Everyone is doing so well. It sure is fun doing this with all of you!!

Ok, I am sooo disappointed. I LOVE STARBUCKS!!! I used to get the peppermint white mocha. YUMMY, but it has like 60 something carbs. I have been getting a skinny cinnamon dolce latte instead. It is supposed to be MUCH better. well I looked it up and it has 14 carbs. I am back down to a small amount of ketones tonight so I was searching to find out why, and I found it. So, no more Starbucks for me. :thumbup: Maybe on date night. Here's my day.... B - Skinny cinnamon dolce latte (my last) L - 6 oz steak and avacado sauce S - Atkins Endulge caramel Chew Bar (OMGosh) I don't like bars, but this thing is the bomb!!! D - about 4 oz steak, broccolli S - coffee with sf french vanilla creamer Oh how I'm going to miss my starbucks..... Also, went to court today and we are beginning the process to adopt our 8 month old foster son... He has lived with us since he was 3 weeks old. Very pleased with court today!! Still have couch to 5k to do tonight before I go to bed....

I am staying on plan because I am finally in ketosis and don't want to mess it up!!