nip50

Heres my before and today at 100 pounds down.

This is my before and 100 pounds down.

I recently asked the same question, I had been at a standstill for about 3 weeks. Someone recommended that I increase my calories for a day or 2, then increase my exercise and lower my calories back down. Increasing the calories seems to trick your body into easing up. It worked for me, I lost 3 pounds this week. Good luck.

Julie - How long will you be off work? I have a consultation next month and they told me that I would need 6 weeks off. I was hoping for 4. Glad to hear you're doing so well. You all are an inspiration to me. I never had 2nd thoughts about the lapband surgery, but this one makes me really nervous. Reading about everyone else's experiences helps out alot.

I made it! I hit the 100# mark today and I'm so thrilled! This band has been a dream come true for me. I never ever imagined that I could loose 100 pounds in just 6 1/2 months. My next mini goal will be to loose 9 more to get to onderland. The weight loss is getting much slower now, but I'll try to make it by Memorial Day. Congratulations to everyone!

I'm so happy today that I could jump for joy! I hit the 100# mark today! I never even imagined that I could loose this much in such a short amount of time (sorry, I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I'm just so pleased with the band). For me, the band has been a dream come true. Oneder - good luck on Monday. I had to be there by 6:30 and I live almost 2 hours away. I was the 2nd surgery of the day and was back home by 6:30pm. I took a little longer because he also repaired 3 hernias.

It's a great day! A week ago I was asking for help to break a slump. I took the advice that I was given and increased my calories for a couple of days and then back to my usual. It Worked! I lost 3 pounds this week and I hit the 100# mark. I'm so thrilled. Now I'll focus on another mini goal, 9 pounds to onderland. Thanks everyone.

I've tried many things over the years also, but I find that the prescription creams the doctors give me to work much better. This also gives me the needed documentation to have the fat apron removed. I'm going to have a consultation next month and try for approval of this.

Viactive makes a chew for both calcium and multivitamins in a chocolate flavor. They sure taste better than the flintstones.

Indiogirl and shortgal - Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to try and eat a little more this weekend and push a little harder on the treadmill and see if that doesn't help. I do find it really hard to eat more (I've never had that problem before). I figure I'll have to eat more at snacks to get the calories in. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Gil 27UK Fresh chicken is absolutely better than the can, but the can is really convienent when you don't want to cook like when you're in a hurry to make lunch to take to work and with the spinach dip it's really quite good. The tostitos spinach dip is quite a bit lower in calories than the homemade. I personally like the homemade but I use the tostitos since I'm watching calories. To make the homemade it takes a dehydrated vegetable Soup mix, Water chestnuts, frozen spinach (squeezed/drained), and if I remember right sour cream/mayonaise. The sour cream and mayonise is what makes it high in calories, but its so good.

I'm looking for suggestions to get out of a slump. I'm so close to the 100 pound weight loss mark and I just can't seem to make it. I know I shouldn't complain I've done so well, but its really frustrating. Anyway, what have any of you've done to break a slump? Presently, I do 30-40 minutes a day on the treadmill and some hand weights and eat between 800-1000 calories a day. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

lherstein - You're doing fabulous. Your stats remind me of mine. I was banded on the 11th and had the same starting weight as you. I'm happy to see you're doing so good. I also can't wait to see onederland. It's been over 25 years since I've seend that. I have a 14 cc band with 5 cc's in it. I don't go back in until May for another fill. I canceled my last one, but the weight loss has really slowed down so I might need another small fill. Haven't quite decided. I don't know if I really want to be that tight. Right now I can eat almost 1 cup of food and eat most anything I want (except white bread, buns, and white rice). I don't feel deprived at all so I might just forget the fill and take things a little slower. It's a tough decision. I sure love seeing the scale moving down. Anyway - keep up the good work!

Mia - You sure can tell you've lost 40 pounds. Your face really shows it. You're looking so good! Keep up the good work, your wedding day will be here before you know it.

I know I don't regularly add comments here, but it sure is nice to read everyone's comments. I read them most every day. Georgiagirl - sorry to hear about the staff infection, I sure hope it clears up soon. I understand it can be miserable and like brina said, don't concern yourself with the exercise, only the healing. Leslie2lose - congrats on being banded today, I hope you love your band as much as I do mine. On another note, today is my 6 month anniversary of my band and I'm still as happy as I can be about it. In the beginning I said I'd be happy with 50-60 pounds by 6 months, so to be at 95 in 6 months, just let me say I'm Thrilled! Good luck to everyone and keep up the great work!

I find that I do much better if I snack twice a day. In fact, the obesity clinic where I get my fills even recommends it. I just try and choose a healthy snack. I usually have a snack 3 hours after breakfast and about 3 hours after lunch. I'll eat tuna, low-fat yogurt, dry roasted endamame, turkey, low-fat cheese, occassionally a Kashi bar, ect. Something with some protein in it. I think it helps with my head hunger if I plan it into my day also.

I agree with what has already been said, but wanted to add a little more. It also depends on your starting weight. Those of us who started with really high bmi's tend to loose a little faster (we have more to loose). Another thing that also affects how much you loose is how close you stick to the lapband rules (or suggestions). Like no drinking with your meals, Protein first than carbs, and not drinking excess calories. Good luck with the band.

Laurieloo - that sounds soo good. I've always wished that I had a half way decent voice, but was not given that gift. If fact, when my youngest son was just a toddler and I'd sing to him, he'd put his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet. Now that's pretty bad. Anyways, I hope you have a wonderful time and be sure to let us know all about it.

Luu - I had surgery on Thursday and went to Church on Sunday (I'm primary president). It was rough and I didn't stay for the entire time, but I made it through sacrament and the first hour of primary. As to what to tell them, just say you had some minor outpatient surgery. They don't need to know anything more and if they bug you about the heart, just say it's not heart related. I understand greatly. I've had two ablations for atrial fib and the last one I was in the hospital for 4 days. And the year it first started, I was in ICU 5 different times. It can get tiring trying to explain it all. In regards to my weight, I guess I'm just a lucky one and I feel great. Anyway, My diet leans towards sugar busters. My doctor says protein first and then vegies and fruits if you have room. He also says I shouldn't drink my calories. Which means that after I was through the liquids and mushy stages that he didn't want me drinking protein drinks and slimfasts if at all possible. I will have an occasional low carb slim fast at work if I'm extra hungry and I need the calories. That's weird to say "If I need the calories", but some days I have trouble making 800 calories. I normally eat around 900 a day. I also don't exercise as much as I should, but my Atrial Fib acts up more if I exercise too much. I do try to walk about 30 minutes a day at least 5 times a week and occassionally the ablounger or hand weights. Anyway, good luck to you on your journey. I hope you love your band as much as I do.

Luu - Sorry to hear that you have to keep this quiet. I am one who told just about everyone I knew. I have also been fortunate to loose very easily with the band and with the rapid weight loss that I've had everyone would have figured it out anyway. I've lost 94 pounds in 6 months. I never expected to loose this much in such a short amount of time. NavywifeJenn and Luu - Welcome and congrats on deciding to have the band. It can really change your life. It's one of the best things I've done. I wish both of you good luck on the journey.

Now remember you're the one who brought it up. But anyway, I think it's horrible for both the women and the children. They need to find a way to shut this down and it should have been done a long time before. I think its great that the state of Texas is doing something about it. Yes, I know that this could really traumatize the children, but in the long run I feel they will be better off. I also hate how this reflects upon LDS church. Many people will not understand that there's a difference between the two. I'm living down south and those of us who are LDS already are looked down upon. They don't have a clue what the Church believes in and this only makes matters that much worse. Just yesterday my son was told that we worship cows and practice witchcraft (honestly this truly happened). A couple of years ago the high school history book that they were using here stated that the reason why the mormons moved west was to practice poligamy. Nothing in the text book menitoned the persecutions they received and that they were driven out. But, my heart goes out to these children. It's a horrible thing for them to have gone through. When they state that there's a 16 year old that already has 3 children, I could cry. They've had their childhood's stolen from them.

In regards to vitamins - Viactiv also makes a multi-vitamin as a chocolate chew (in addition to the calcium). I find it much better than any chewable like Flintstones.

Here's one my family loves, it's sort of a thick chicken soup/chili type. 3 frozen skinless chicken breasts 2 cans chili Beans (I use one hot and one mild) 1 can black beans (drained) 1 can chicken broth 1 package taco seasoning 1 can tomatos with green chilis 1 can mexican corn (optional) I put everything in a crock pot (chicken last). Submerge the chicken and cook it on low for 6-8 hours. The last 30 minuts I shred the chicken breasts. I top with grated cheese and sour cream. My teenagers like it with crushed tortilla chips (I skip that part)

If you think you might need ps sometime in the future, be sure to have your doctor document it for insurance reasons. You might even want a picture of it when it happens again, and most likely it will happen again. It can be a real nuisance and very uncomfortable, but if it'll justify my insurance paying to get rid of it once I loose my weight, I'm glad to have it. I'm working on my documentation now, hopefully this summer I'll be visiting a ps.

AthinnerDenise - I struggled with the constipation for quite awhile, the first 3 months especially. What finally helped me was increasing my water consumption and eatting 1/4 cup of the dry roasted endamame each day. The endamame has 8 fibers per serving. I had been eating benefiber tablets but they're only 1 fiber per tablet and didn't help me much. I don't now for sure which one has helped me the most, the water or the endamame, but I plan on keeping up with both.