Jachut

when you do get something stuck and throw up, its is not uncommon to be unable to eat for a while. The inflammation would have meant NOTHING WAS going down until you were settled a bit. Trying to eat immediately after pbing is not the most sensible thing to do. Its likely to result exactly as it did for you.

The further I've gotten into this journey, the more often my mind has changed. After I hit goal i was super obsessed with getting it ALL done, now I'm glad I've waited. I think I've mellowed out, lost the focus on how I look and started to come to terms with what nature gave me - what's good, what's not so hot etc etc. I no longer want to carve up every part of my body. But boobs, boy they need work. And much as I'm not really a fan of the implant look at all, I dont think a breast lift will be enough, I'm already down to a C cup, by the time that loose skin comes out, there wont be much breast tissue left. I think I'll need an implant for the shaping factor, otherwise I'll still have no volume on the top. but I most definitely dont want to go back to being a DD cup or more! I like being a C, to me its a perfect size. Even D was difficult because the smaller size bands dont come in the bigger cups and if you go up to the "full figure" range, the bands are all way too big for me. I'm a 12C at the moment (about a 32 D in yoru sizes). Here in Austrlaia, 12DD are difficult, its not an "unusual" size but you can bet if yoiu go into a department store there wont be one in the style you're wanting.

Its a strange strange feeling getting out there in a two piece for the first time since you were a child. It's hard to imagine feeling more naked if you WERE naked. but what I've discovered is that although we worry about our rolls of flesh and such, a 2 piece can actually be more balancing to your body than a one piece - strange but true. I felt my flabby stomach shouldnt be shown, but really, its not that bad. But I do have a fairly wobbly backside, lol. Well, a one piece of tankini directs ALL the focus straight onto my thighs - a 2 piece visually breaks me up and stops the focus being on my problem area. My DH who is brutally honest said that although I am no bikini model, I actually look better less covered than when I try to hide the flabby bits. Its the same as how wearing baggy, loose jeans FEELS more comfortable becuase bits arent hanging over, but well fitting jeans will always always look better. Be brave. Get out there and show yourself. Once you get used to it, you will feel great and in truth, covering up fools nobody anyway.

There's a lot of evidence that the band works better for people who have less to lose - you're more likely to be able to work the band well, you're more likely to lose ALL of your excess weight. And my surgeon says its easier to perform the surgery and fit the band (and choose the size that will ultimately be best for the patient) on a lighter body.

Ok, its official as of this morning - I have no tits. DH threw back the doona this am (to get me out of bed to Iron him a shirt, grrrr) and we looked and there was NOTHING there. Well, just a big uggly hollow where my breastbone is. But my tits, we couldnt find them. They came back a bit when I stood up but not much. I've come to realise why Hollywood is so plastic surgery obsessed. To get to a low weight, to have a flat stomach and a nice small backside, most women have to completely sacrifice their faces and their bustlines. You lose the weight and then you have to go and put some bits back. It simply isnt physically normal to tiny hips, no stomach and big firm boobs :-(

I'd say its quite common to feel that - like theres' something lodged in there? A bit like when you get a popcorn kernel stuck in the back of your throat, makes you want to keep swallowing? I had that for about a week after surgery and once or twice I've had it after a fill but its always resolved within a few days and not caused any problems.

I'd also guess the proportion of bariatric patients who actually KNOW how to eat properly and who DEDICATE themselves to it are not the majority. We're talking a huge population with a lifetime of disordered eating behind them. Its not like they've performed these surgeries on normal weight people with healthy food relationships and seen the effect it has on bone density is it? How much of our previous lifestyle is to blame, how much is actual weight loss to blame, and how much is after surgery lifestyle to blame? I once said to someone studies schmudies and made them REALLY mad (fancy that!) but really, they mean little. We can only do the best we can from this point on, cant we?

Fried camembert mmmmm..........

spag bol = spaghetti bolognaise

Moussaka Its greek lamb and eggplant casserole, a pretty staple food here, like good old spag bol.

This is how I experienced weight loss. I just never had a strong satiety sensor, I never got a signal to stop eating, and I liked doing it, so I did it a lot. I wasnt inappopropriately hungry, in fact I wasnt any hungrier than I am now. And people, usually nutjobs on LBT have called me obsessive about exercise, but sheesh, I go out most days for a 40 minutes to an hour run. I like doing it. Like you, if I have to miss a session, which does happen reasonably often, I eather plan around it and head out early morning, or I just miss it. Its no biggie. In fact these days, much as I like it, in the interest of the long term health of my knees, ankles and hips, I do the least I can to maintain my weight. I did get a tab obsessed with running enormous distances for a while there, I did my half marathon and now I'll probably never run more than 10K again. The risks and downsides to me outweigh the benefits, I've proved I could do it now I have no need to grind my knees to cartiledge to prove I can do it again. I dont need to do it to lose weight. I just want to stay fit and healthy weight. I'd call that a healthy but sensible dedication to a health promoting practice. Also, the people who like to call you obessive for doing that are generally not fit themselves. They would spontaneously combust or barf up a lung from trying to run 10km - they dont understand that to me, to head out for a 10km run is EASIER than for someone 300lb to do a brisk walk. Its not taxing, I dont puff and pant, it feels good! I never experienced any transfer addition - no shopping compulsion, no switching to ice cream or alchohol etc. And I agree, I think the term "addiction" is misused.

You just peel lychees, they're a bit of work, but they're delicious. Although they have this weid drying effect on your mouth. English cucumbers, not so exotic here, just eat em in a salad. Eggplant - we roast them, or char grill them sliced, they're nice, or you can use slices in place of noodles in a lasagne, um, make moussaka too. There's loads you can do with eggplant. I've never eaten a Tamarillo.

Hmmm, BJean I think its dangerous to assume that someone white will never have experienced racism because of what they are. That's rather an ignorant remark. I can think of several times I've been abused by muslim men for being a white slut - once I was giving a man directions, he asked me VERY rudely "hey you girl, which way to...." I told him politely and then he spat at me and went on. his way. You only have to be on the street dressed normally in some areas of Melbourne for that to occur. I can also think of many cases of immigrant families whose children go through hell becuase of their parents' unwillingness and inability to merge themselves into a culture they consider inferior. Racism goes BOTH ways. But in answer to Beth - does it matter whether its racism or "fatism" anyway? She was treated poorly for no fault of her own, and whatever form of discrimination it was, its hurtful.

I'd guess it would be a factor with ALL surgeries. Firstly, being obese is bad for your health, and losing weight improves your profile on a lot of those scores, but it is also a stressful, traumatic process for the body and yo definitely are way better off to never get fat in the first place. Second, i dont think the quality of the diet after any bariatric surgery is optimum. You cannot live youre entire life on restricted calories and not expect restricted nutrition to follow. You only have to read the "what did you eat today threads" to see that. Regardless of the whole protein/carb debate, people simply cannot focus on their Protein, and not lose sight of calcium, or focus on their calcium, and not lose sight of protein, or focus on getting enough fish and Omega 3's and forget to eat enough vegetables, the list goes on. If you are only eating 1000 calories a day, you are clearly NOT going to get everythign you need, unless you are a perfect eater. And science has not been able to show that replacing intake in the form of supplements is really that effective. You may not develop a deficiency but to date we cannot replicate the complex relationships and syndergies between various phytonutrients contained in our food. Eating an orange is WAY different to swallowing a Vit. C pill. However, I think any study never addresses the full picture. So, you're more likely to break a bone. Whilst you may not relish the thought of breaking a hip at 80, its better than dying of a stroke at 65, isnt it? Or losing both your legs to diabetes at 50? And whilst most women cannot get full, complete and thorough nutrition on 1000 calories a day long term, how many of those women were formerly scarfing down 3000 calories a day of pure crap? There's also measures you can take to protect your bone density, such as running (YAY), and other weight bearing exercise, strength training, and most of us really COULD down a glass of milk or so a day as well.

Nuts. Lots of em. They keep me from getting too skinny. I'm not willing to cut back on the running, and I am not willing to eat rubbish. This is where a well functioning band is an advantage, I guess becuase to a degree I can modify my restriction to suit my needs, which I have done. But by the same token, unfill it too much and hello cravings. So I resort to a few foods like nuts, organic muesli, and similar which is quite high in healthy fats and calories but provides the carbs I need. I can get in quite a few calories for not a lot of volume, as I really need 1800 to 2000 calories a day to maintain my weight. I always would have said I had a slow metabolism, but it turns out really not to be so bad - which means i must have been eating a helluva lot before! Also, a daily couple of squares of dark chocolate and some red wine is really good for you!

Relax - it takes regular and consistent overeating to stretch out the pouch - but if you do regularly and consistently overeat (to the point of discomfort) the esophagus can baloon out to accommodate the bulk. It can be remedied by a complete unfill, but it does make you prone to slippage, so its not wise to think about it as something that can be fixed. It does seem as if some people are very prone to it, I know a couple of people who swear they're not overeating but whose pouches seem to stretch out time and time again.

Why should you be "grateful" for anything? That's an odd attitude to me, like you dont feel you deserve to be a certain weight. Although perhaps its just the way you said it. But you dont need to settle for any weight. If you've had PS and gained a bit from being unfilled, well, you'll heal, get filled again, get back to exercise and you can lose it again. I surpassed my goal weight by a lot, but then, I only set it with some vague thought about being realistic. I'd been that weigth for long periods of adulthood and was never happy with my size. It wasnt obese, but it was chunky as it was right at the top of my healthy weight range. I kind of always knew it was a temporary goal and that I wouldnt stop there. I've definitely had to work to "accept" my current weight. I'm not 100% happy with my body, its become obvious that some figure flaws will never be fixed short of major PS which I dont want to do, so I have to live them. I cant keep losing forever and in fact have almost gone too far in terms of how my face and upper body looks. I think it was Courtenay Cox who said you have to choose between your face and your ass and in my experience she was right, lol.

I dont really see why a trainer needs to be "band friendly". Your body still works the same way and will respond the same way to exercise. There's no rules you have to follow because you're banded (apart from taking it easy till you're healed). You just need to find a trainer that you see eye to eye with in terms of exercise philosophies and such. And accept dietary limitations - but personally, as a runner, I've never found my band to limiit my ability to fuel myself for my sport. Now, eating huge to bulk up is a different story, very very hard to do with a band. So, in general, the exercise facts which apply to the general population also apply to you. The way to use exercise to assist weight loss is the same for you as for the next person. Band friendly really isnt necessary - although someone used to working with obese people would probably be nice.

I've had quite a few small elective surgeries and I never felt any fear. For some reason, I spent the night before my lapband surgery awake, afraid that I wouldnt see my kids again. For me, it was something to do with having a hard time getting my head around the validity of having surgery to fix my weight problem. I couldnt quite assign it the same necessity or validity as having heel spur or wisdom teeth surgery - not sure why. I felt like I was doing sometihng irresponsible, taking a risk for an issue I should have been able to fix on my own.

There's so many theories on this - some people like the 3 sets of 8 to 12 routine, personally, I'm more of the believe that you should go in hard - pick a weight and if you can do 12 to 15 of it and be almost unable to do it at the end, its about right, when that gets a bit easier, up the weight. I dont really believe in sets. But do some googling on it, there's many many theories and I really believe in informing yourself on current exercise science and beliefs. I also believe in doing any sort of strength training hard and fast for most women and the types of bodies they want. So 15 upper body reps on say one muscle group, swich to 15 lower body exercises, back to upper etc without taking breaks like you do with traditional sets and reps. that way it will also get your heart rate up and be moderately cardiovascular as well - burns TONS of fat.

Well realistically, you're somewhat right. I'd have to be honest and say i worked the band REALLY well first year and then gradually slacked off. I dont eat as carefully and perfectly as I did. However, that's where the band is really a very valuable tool. I have to eat less, I have to eat better because I simply couldnt fit the piles of white processed carbs I used to live on into my stomach. I've got the motivation that comes with already having lost the weight, I've really learned how just allowing 5 or 6lb to come to stay adds up over time, I've also managed to become a regular runner, this is something I dont waver on and dont slack off on. In combination with portion control and better (but not perfect) eating, that weight has not gone back on. Not even 1 lb of it. The other factor of course is what looks normal to someone else looks like an ENORMOUS meal to me. My perception of food, how much I need and what I need has changed totally, so that I'm not longer trying to eat like I did. However, had I eaten in my first year what I do now, I never would have lost weight so well! Speaking of Cookies - I jsut had one with a cup of coffee and yes, it was enough. I used to eat the entire packet. You will lose that really fiery motivation, but you can still work the band to keep weight away without giving up too much of a normal lifestyle. However, exercise is key there, if you're prepared to really put into that, you wont have a trouble keeping your weight off.

I think almost everyone experiences this but for many its an after they're full occurrence.

I saw something quite amazing a few months back that literally made me feel sick. In australia, its a very multicultural society, well in the capital cities. You see greek, italian, muslim races, and loads and loads and loads of asian people, entire suburbs in fact. We have a reasonable sudanese population in this local area, but by and large, to see someone black is pretty unusual. Yellow, olive, white, and dark as in Indian or indonesian, but black races of African origin, very rare. Rare enough that most kids would stare. So that's what makes this even more amazing. We were doing safety with the prep (first year) kids at school - road safety, neighbourhood watch, all that stuff and yes, stranger danger. I asked the children to draw pictures of situations they should avoid. And one little girl drew herself being taken away by a huge black man. Even the other teacher (I'm a student teacher) didnt notice or question it. It is highly unlikely that this would be something this child would have experienced, here in Melbourne. This is entirely subconscious, another schema that she has just simply absorbed from television and media. That's really really sad becuase its not even consciously racism, its simply subconscious assumption. And you can guarantee with all the negative publicity the muslim community receives in the media that similar schema operate there too. How do you fight that? Its one thing to react to blatant rudeness and bigotry isnt it? But quite another to challenge people's enculturation into a racist way of thinking.

Well, if its a brie, camembert, blue costello, edam, etc, its probably cheese. If it comes in a box or plastic with a recogniseable brand name on it its not. Cheddar is a bit different, that can be cheese or not cheese. Generally in the supermarket here, cheddar is pretty decent, and we only have cheese sticks and the Kraft processed stuff in the blue box that you wouldnt really eat. That and the laughing cow kind of thing. My main non cheese madness is the fruit and nut cheeses, that are basically cream cheese with fruit and nuts in it. I love those, but I dont buy them because I eat way too much. I try to keep cheese intake fairly low coz its full of saturated fat and to me, lite cheese is not worth eating. But I do occasionally buy some brie or similar and there's always cheddar in the fridge as I guess that's the staple cheese for most households.

the thing is at the end of the day, I can be so tired and just not want to get on the treadmill but it always feels better when I have. Its just getting on it or out the door. I am lucky, I have older kids. My daughter is only six but she has 14 year old and 12 year old brothers, so I feel quite fine leaving them for 40 minutes while I go out for a run. I try to get it in before dinner, that way there isnt the willpower issue of being tired. I'm not much of a morning person and i dont enjoy morning runs when i do them. I chose to take up running partly for the reason than in 40 minutes, i can burn 800 calories (I can run 8kms in that time) its a very time efficient workout. You cant burn that much doing nearly anything else that doesnt involve a spin bike or a gym! I can fit it in at 6am if I have to (if I really have to!), I can get it over and done with and maximise my time with my kids in the evening. My kids are late to bed, they dont go till about 9.30 (they get up at about 8.15 and just kind of roll out of bed, into their clothes, past the breakfast table and to school) so I have more time at night. I could easily get on the treadmill at 8pm if that's what time i had, while they watched a bit of telly. But with younger kids that you cant leave, well, you have to accept your limitations - and there are many, afterall that's when a lot of us got fat! You cant have it all ways, if you choose to be selfish with your exercise (which personally, I would) then something about the routine is going to have to change. How old ARE your kids? I made my daughter sit in a stroller till she was four to make sure I got my running in - I took her with me. She didnt like it, but she didnt get a choice.