Foofy

Hee hee. Because my stomach is bigger than my hips, I've had my underwear fall off - once in a parking lot and once standing at a vending machine! That's a conversation starter. Apples unite!!!!!

BooBooKitty, Thanks so much for sharing, especially the info about your calories and exercise. Those are such important components to weight loss, and it is always so informative to hear what successful losers have done. How very excited and proud you must be!!!!

I guess it's time to start exercising.... 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

Wombat - I think it depends on your weight. For thinner people, 10 inch inches is a throw back to Marilyn Monroe or Barbie (36-26-36). For bigger people (like me) you might be able to have a 10-inch difference, if you were a "pear" instead of an "apple" . Here's a good link to waist:hip ratios based solely on health. Waist to Hip Ratio Chart Supposedly, for maximum health, your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement should be less than .8. So, if your hips were 36 inches (omg for that day!) your waist should be 29 inches. Dream a little dream.... I am WELL into the high risk category (.85+). My waist is the same size or slightly bigger than my hips (1+). That's gonna change in 2008!!

Wow. I think this was a great exchange of information and support. Sci Gal - you slipped up, and you wanted sympathy, but what you NEEDED was someone to tell you the truth. That's what you got from the experienced bandsters. I am glad that they could give you the advice and you could accept it graciously. It is all so lovely when it works. This medium can be very difficult sometimes, because there are no visual or audio cues to help you. From my experience on this site, I can say that most people ARE trying to help you and give you good advice. It may not be what you wanted or were expecting, but it is almost always what you need. So, pick yourself up and get back on the straight and narrow. Make that committment and you will be successful.

I agree with Kristin and Kacee, FitDay is fabulous. I have been using it off and on for 3 years and it is fascintating to look back and see what worked and what didn't. Also, I am a daily weigher (actually in the morning and again at night. I don't weigh with expectations of how much I expect to lose, I do it purely as a science experiment. Seeing all the fluctuations gives me confidence that if I have a "increase" or a "no loss" on my official weekly weigh-in days it is nothing to freak out about. It's the long run that counts. You are doing great. Hang in there.

Thanks ladies. I appreciate the feedback (and look forward to more folks weighing in). It's good to hear from folks who are in the same boat (shape-wise). On the plus side, it seems like apple folks often don't need the thigh and backside plastic surgeries, just the TT (the up side of storing it all in one place). I am really looking forward to seeing my toes in 2008 and having my stomach measurement be less than my hips or bust! Paulax, you look great. Also, I have seen other (more close-up) photos of you on other posts and can say that if you were really an apple and got those results, I am feeling very hopeful. Wow!

I was banded on Nov 12th and am scheduled for my first fill on the 2nd of January. I had been thinking that I would tell my doctor that I didn't want the fill, because I really haven't been hungry and have not had any problems sticking to the diet. I've been loosing fairly well, so I figured I wouldn't mess with success. That was before Xmas dinner. Whoops! I had about 1900 calories yesterday - with probably 1300 coming between 7:30 and 8:30 pm. Wow, I had prime rib, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and salad. Not as much as other people, mind you, but it still blew my 900 to 1000-calorie daily average right out the window. As a one-time slip, I am not too worried; but, since I didn't feel any restriction at all during the whole episode of piggery, I started worrying for the future. So, I think I am going to get that fill on January 2. Even if my Xmas dinner was a isolated incident, it will probably be good to know that I have some sort of internal "limit". Until now, I figured I did and just hadn't ever tested it. Now that my devious mind knows I don't, I am sure it will be whispering in my ear "just eat a few more bites." Better safe than sorry, I guess.

Thanks for all the info folks. You all brought up good points that I was hasing around in the old bean. I went in today for my followup, and my surgeon talked me into the fill. He put in 3 ccs and then had me drink Water. I got about 3 swallows down, and then no more would go. He thought maybe I had an air bubble (because he was surprised about that reaction from 3ccs). After a few minutes of waiting and me making urping noises, he decided to pull out 1 cc. After that, the water went down just fine. I haven't tried eating anything (supposed to do liquids for a day or two) but I noticed that the SlimFast I drank on the drive home seemed to fill me up pretty quickly. Hopefully, this will keep me from eating a whle steak, but will still let me eat real food. BTW, he says that starting a couple months ago, the sizing of bands switched. There are now two sizes. I have something called a "standard band" which is actually bigger than a 10cc band. That's why he was surpised that the 3ccs was too much for me. However, I have a really big omentum (internal body fat deposit, so it is probably impacting the band). He says I am built like a man (great for my ego) with fat in my abdomen instead on my hips and thighs. That's it for now! Happy 2008.

Relax Renee, You've lost 32 pounds in less than 2 months! Girl, that is not a plateau. Lots of people lose a lot up front (including a lot of Water weight). Later, when the scale isn't budging it looooks like you are not losing fat, but you are. If you are exercising, you are probably just gaining back a little water and maybe some muscle. RELAX. Don't try to tinker with the little stuff. You are in this for the long haul and you will start losing again soon enough. Don't beat yourself up. We have almost the same surgery date and starting weight. I started like a ROCKET and slowed down, but I'm not worried at all. Time is on mys side. I never lost more than 20 pounds in a YEAR - EVER!!! Stop and smell the roses.

I used to drink 4 to 6 partial Diet Cokes or PEpsis a day. I knew they were bad for my teeth (acid, not sugar) and stomach, and the formaldehyde-ish smell of a day-old leftover used to freak me out a bit - but I was hooked. I am happy to say that I haven't had one since the pre-op (8 weeks ago). I have a few cravings now and then, but Water and tea take care of them. It's good not to have that sweetish taste in my mouth all day long.

You are all saints. I fell into the pig trough in a biiig way. I had probably 1800 - 2000 calories yesterday - most after 7:00pm. We are talking prime rib, potatoes, butter, blue cheese, salad dressing, etc. Even a few ginger snaps and turtles to top it off. Phew. All in all - as former feasts went, it wasn't too appalling, and my total for the day was right around my calories burned for the day. Still it was a remarkable change from what I normally eat with this band, and I had nooooo problems getting it down or keeping it down. I guess I will need my first fill in January afterall, if only to keep my sneaky brain from tempting me with future episodes. I was kind of hoping I would PB something up, kust to teach myself a lesson, but it was not to be. Oh well, it was glorious, and it was an anomoly not a trend! I am back on the wagon today with cottage cheese, yogurt, tuna, LOTS of water, and a very growly tummy.

Lovely as always! Next year we'll do a Hanukkah one for you!

Merry Xmas to you all. I know I don't need any presents. I am wearing the best present I could have ever had inside and have a big smile on the outside. I was going through all the old diet records I have from the last 20 years (ugh). I have never lost more than 15 pounds in a year, with a total lose of 35 pounds over three years. My pattern has always been to lose 8 or 9 pounds and then plateau for 4 or 5 weeks and then QUIT in frustration. Now, with the band, when I hit a plateau, I am sure that I will have the strength and serenity to know that it is coming off eventually. What a blessing to have peace in me! Longhorn - I looked online and choclate covered cherries seem to range in calories from 68 to 81 per piece. I'd say you could work that into a sensible holiday diet! ;o)

Cagstrom, Here in Montana, we are especially fond of the larval (vs. mythological) nymphs, as the blue-ribbon trout find them to be irresistable. I am sure the ladies will feel the same about you as you progress on the band journey (if they don't already).

Hi Brad, I was thinking about this last night. I don't really love or hate anything about my surgeon yet. He's a nice guy, but really I've seen him less than an hour (including the consultation - I was banded on 11/12 and don't go back for a fill until 1/2)). Since I am so new to this, I think I will just give you a general piece of advice. Please encourage your patients to do research on their own and try to provide them with as much information as you can. I know this isn't easy. I educate communities about environmental risk. The range in level of comprehension and attention span of folks I encounter is enormous, and I know doctors must face the same problem. My surgeon operates in a Center of Excellence in Montana, but that does not mean that I received a lot of information. My psych evaluation lasted three minutes (really) and my nutritional counseling was a group format and was only 90 minutes long. Necessarily, it was geared to the slowest members of the audience. This has not been a problem for me, since I am used to doing research. From my own digging and the support of this website, I knew what I was getting into, and I was able to make informed consent and to deal with any issues that arose post-surgery. However, if you spend a few nights reading the posts on this site, it is apparent that many, many patients were (and still are) clueless about what to expect before, during, and after the band. It is not a miricle - it is a tool. The work still has to be done by the patient. I think a website like this is an incredibly important resource for you surgeons. Lets face it. Neither you, nor your practice, has the time to spend covering everything that is covered here. Also, unless it related to them at that particular moment, most people would not adsorb the info - even if you provided it. I would counsel you to make your prospective patients spend at least a month visiting this website on a daily basis. It is easy, one-stop shopping. Have them listen to the highs and the lows. Let them hear how it is THEIR responsiblity to eat right and exercise after the band. Let them see that the band will not suddenly make everything all right. It will not fix finances or strained relationships. It might even make them worse. This site has been immensely useful to me, and I am constantly surprised at how supportive other members can be to someone who appears to be whinning. I think it is actually teaching me tolerance. What a lovely side effect. LOL. Thanks for your input on the site. We appreciate it.

I was banded on Nov 12 and don't go back for my first fill until Jan 2. I am wondering if I will even get a fill then. I am not physically very hungry. I don't know why. Maybe the band is pressing on alll the right places. My big problem is "head" hunger in the evening, which I know is really just boredom. I need to keep busy. This (I am sure) will keep me from nibbling and will also burn more calories. Also, I am fine as long as there are no forbidden foods to tempt me in the house. Really, who cares if you nibble on cottage cheese? However, these last few weeks, there have been caramel apples and chocolate covered almonds in the house. I feel like a mouse sneaking in and nibbling. I DO write everything down and my calories have been mostly under 900 per day (except the last week was 1200 per day). Still 1200 calories is less than what I burn by a significant amount, and I think the little excursion to higher calories (and more food volume) actually jogged something loose (both metabolism-wise and waste-elimination-wise, if you know what I mean). I started out in size 24 and now I can pull my 22 jeans down without unbuttoning. I'm a happy girl.

Just a warning - Flagyll is a very strong antibiotic. It kills the good bacteria as well as the bad. I had problems with it several years ago. You need to take some Probiotics (get them in powder form from health food store) and eat yogurt with active cultures. This is easy these days, as there are so many yogurt products that advertise this. Watch your tongue. If it gets a freaky white coating with sores, you might be developing thrush and should call your doctor. It is not particularily dangerous, but is uncomfortable and is a lot easier to treat if you catch it early.

I haven't had ANY gas (more than normal pre-band) or gurgling since about week 2. Maybe I'm just lucky....

Haha. The first step in using yer business is being able to see it. Weight loss has got to be the magic charm for that. What a great NSV that will be. LOL.

Sheesh. I can't count. I am FIVE weeks out from banding. Time flies when you are having fun.

I am six weeks from banding and another two weeks since the start of the pre-op diet. I'm down 21.5 pounds so far, but most of it came during the first four weeks. Stil, it's an average of over 3 pounds a week overall, so I am not complaining at all. I'd like to lose a steady 10 pounds a month from now on out. But I'd LIKE a lot of things that I may not get, so I am pretty flexible in my expectations. This week, I am going to start back on the eliptical trainer. That should knock a few pounds off!

I was banded on Nov 12. The same thing happened to me. It lasted for about 3-5 days (I can't remember). That's the main reason I didn't go back to work until 4 days after surgery. I didn't want to have to lose the race to the bathroom. Don't worry. It's normal and you'll be feeling great soon.