Jachut

If its fat that you need to lose and not loose skin then: Cardio Cardio and more cardio Something really HARD - like interval training, interpsersed with longer sessions of steady state stuff. Depending on your fitness it may be fast walking, but if that's relatively OK for you then you need to push past that and run or do something equally intense.

Its willpower, pure and simple. And over a period of time, you learn to focus on the outcome, not the process. When I go for a run, I tend to alternate between it feeling so good, I dont really know how to explain the feelign I get when I run other than euphoria and it feeling awful (particularly when doing interval sessions). But nothing worth having comes without work and I love how fit and strong I am now. I really value that. That's my focus, not the minor inconvenience of a bit of discomfort. And I think I really have learned to let my wind wander to another plane whilst I'm doing it. I'm always having that "shit, how did I get here" feeling, like when you're driving and suddenly realised you've covered about 20kms and cant remember any of it! "Just Do It" is a pretty good motto. But sheesh, 2 hours would do my head in. You know, you'd get just as good or better results by pushing a bit harder for a much shorter period of time. Or break it up with some strength training. That must get soooooo boring.

I agree. And I have to be completely honest - my DH is also banded and has lost about 50lb. I did begin to find him, hmmmm, not unnattractive because I loved him but not as hot as he used to be. He looks way hotter now and I do find myself initiating things, not just waiting till he did. So whilst I would be hurt and angry too, I can understand it and I know for sure I'm way more often in the mood now that I dont feel disgusting. I enjoy showing off and wearing nice stuff and all of that and it does make you more attractive because you behave as if you like YOURSELF.

Lol, I always always do this. In my mind, vegetables are the most important food group. All colours, all those vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants, I think they're way MORE important than protein, which most of us will get enough of without even trying. But virtually nobody, banded or unbanded gets enough vegies. Glad everyone is healing up, going well and enjoying success, although I hope that passes soon Oregondaisy.

Well, I am 5ft 10, was about 248 or so, BMI 36 and I lose all my weight relatively easy. In fact not only did I lose 100% of excess weight, I lost about 120%. The lapband appears to actually work BETTER for lower BMI patients than it does for heavier ones. Not the least because we're often still able to exercise relatively intensely from the get go. It also appeared to me that I found good restriction much more easily since my band fit better from the start - less fat round the stomach, doctor was able to choose the smallest band for me, and there's been less remarkable loosening as I've lost weight becuase of course there wasnt as much fat there in the first place. There was plenty elsewhere though!

If you cant exercise, just eat extremely carefully and accept that a plateau may occur - its better to heal. I've hurt my hip too - waaaaah - I was playing kids games during phys ed last week, lots of sprinting in different directions and awkward moves, it was stiff and sore, I've run all week, its better this morning and we did phys ed again. I went to chase the ball and rip! I've really done it now, a hip flexor. How about swimming? If you're like me, yeah, maybe once or twice, but way too time consuming for every day. I've found I can squat, and of course do upper body work, and walk up an incline on the treadmill, so modified circuit training, maybe a swim or two and gentle walking for the next week or two for me. Just experiment with what you CAN do that will get your heart rate up a little and make do until you're better.

Mental definitely. For me, the physical part of it was really very easy, the band has worked absolutely text book perfectly for me, I had it put in, I ate less, I lost weight, simple. I never had half the food issues that many others here have suffered from, so eating less of my regular diet has been absolutely fine. Of course, I had to cut out a lot of the extra crap, but I basically ate a health diet with extras. I wasnt a fast food junkie, a sugar nut, I didnt drink milk shakes or stuff like that and we're encouraged here to eat a normal diet in smaller portions, not Protein first or low carb or anything. So it just wasnt a huge change. I knew I'd have to exercise, but I'd made the decision to have surgery so I was ready to commit to that and I found something I love - running - which helped enormously. I run purely for pleasure these days, I really love it. But mentally, it wasnt anything deep and meaningful like coming to terms with myself or facing deep dark issues that came to the surface as I lost weight. Again,that part was easy. Its now. I'm a thin, fit healthy person. But I dont know how to stop "being on a diet". How do I change the focus from always wanting to improve myself, now that I'm here? What do I replace it with? I still need every day to be a "challenge". I still get up affirming to myself "today, I'm going to be good", "today I'm going to run 10kms" even though those things are second nature. I even eat poorly for periods of time, I think just to give myself focus while I"m "getting back on the wagon". Its really difficult to accept that the body you have is what you've got, there's no more weight to be lost, what's the choice now - accept it, relegate it to a lesser part of your daily focus or go on a never ending Quest for perfection through rounds of plastic surgery? I think about plastic surgery often - and truth is, I dont want it at all, but it would keep that journey going so I wouldnt have to face actually having arrived!

I dont find I need to carry anything. If I get caught out for a long time and am hungry, well then I am, it wont kill me. But if I know I'll be out - liek today - I have four hours of lectures and tutes today between 10 and 2 and I'll leave at about 9 I'll just buy a coffee or two and eat something when I get home - but the only reason I wont buy a sandwich or something at uni (plenty of healthy options there) is coz I'm too cheap to spend $7 on a sandwich. I could take lunch I guess, but it doesnt really worry me to wait. I have all the running round with kids sports etc too, and generally, as long as I've eaten good meals at Breakfast and lunch, I can wait till 7 or 7.30 when we get home for dinner. So, lol, I just wing it and starve if I have to. I'm not organised enough to carry food, and I dont eat Protein bars or stuff like that that would be so easy to carry.

I am noticeably, definitely tighter at night than in the morning and always have been. If there's going to be a meal I get stuck on or cant even eat more than a few bites of, its dinner. And the stress from kids doesnt help, I have the same issue sometimes.

My upper body is perfect, just the right amount of fat on it to give shape, but low enough fat for nice muscle definition, and I have killer collarbones and a nice long neck. I'm really happy with everything above the waist - even my deflated boobies, which look pretty OK when I'm dressed, now that they're a perfect C cup. I'm not into huge boobs. I have a nice flat stomach, dont need to lose any more weight from there. what I want gone: those annoying little love handles that hang over the top of anything that's firm fitting the saddlebags, I always had them, now they're really obvious "pockets" of fat on an otherwise muscular and thin thigh. Ditto the inner thigh fluff. My bum's still huge, lol. I'm very much pear shaped, the area between mid thigh and hip bones is my problem zone. I'd love to be able to spot weight reduce just there. BUT - I really may at some stage try to scrape together the money for some lipo to finish it off. Because in reality if I lose anymore I'll start looking skeletal above the waist. And I'll still be the same shape, only a bit smaller below.

You cant really compare - I mean I'm 5ft 10 and I was in a size 20 by the time I hit 100kg. I was an 18 at around 90kg, a 16 at about 84kg and a 14 between 73-84. At 70 kg give or take a few hundred grams, I'm a size 12 in most things, but size 14 isnt ridiculously big on me. I can wear a 10 on the top sometimes. jeans west is where i buy most of my jeans - they're all a 13 from there. Yet I can get into size 10 jeans from Target! My 5ft 10 girlfriend swears she's a size 12 at 80kg, no way no how could I have gotten into a 12 at that weight - but I'm pear shaped and she has no real hips but what we joke about as log legs - very heavy legs with no definable knee or ankle, calf as wide as her thigh. I can wear knee high boots, there's no way she can. So we're all completely different shapewise - but it doesnt matter a bit. Once you can shop in regular shops, its a joy.

Sure sign for me each time was absolutely neon yellow urine, lol, not like dark dehydrated urine, but I've just swallowed 16 Vitamin B pills urine. I have NO idea what that means, but it was a giveaway each time, and although we were stopping at two children, and I fell pregnant accidentally the third time, I knew within 2 days of conception that it had happened.

Hmmm, I lost about 70 in the first year. My starting weight was about 245, BMI 36. I did 3 weeks liquids (only 1 day clear), 2 weeks mushies an then onto solid foods. I ate (and still do) a diet based on ALL food groups meaning I dont restrict healthy carbs such as wholegrain cereals, breads, brown rice. I also occasionally eat white rice and Pasta. I dont count Protein, or do protein first, I eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegies, moderate dairy and I firmly believe this is NOT a diet, but a new lifestyle, so yes, treats do come into it occasionally. However, overall, I reduced my calorie intake to about 1500 calories a day, 3 meals a day, perhaps one snack. By the end of the first year I had about 2.2 cc in my 4cc band. For the first couple of weeks after banding, I walked about 2 miles every day. After that I spent a few weeks at the gym doing an interval style cardio program on the elliptical. Then at about 3 months in I cautiously tried a jog. I ran 3kms that night and was hooked, I ran at first about 4 times a week outside, then I bought a treadmill and began to run 4kms a day, most days of the week. I trained for several fun runs and by the end of that year, my routine was mostly outside running, 6 or 7km at a time. Keeping up that routine and building my running up to distances of 10kms or more (not every time) and over the second year, I lost about 30lb, then I have maintained ever since, about 18 months now. Honestly, I dont want to sound smug, but I found it really easy. I wasnt trying to do some super duper strict diet, so the control on portion sizes just meant I was eating normally, which wasnt hard. I didnt have a lot of appetite or head hunger between meals in that first year and I really do believe you have a window of opportunity with this, because a more normal appetite has gradually returned to me, however I still have small portions and exercise regularly so I havent gained.

I've never been that fond of pizza and would only ever eat gourmet wood fired and home made ones - that pizza hut shite, yuck. And your pizza that we see on movies and TV looks lots different to ours. So given I dont like it a lot anyway and now its difficult to eat, I've really only bothered when I had no other choice since I was banded. Pasta is more of a staple in our house and we do eat bolognaise and lasagne semi-regularly. And when I go out, most pasta dishes are 'safe' for me in that I know it goes down and stays down. I just limit serving size and stick to non cream sauces.

You really have to overdo the Protein to start problems like calcium leaching - I think for the average woman, over about 100 grams a day and your body doubles the rate it excretes calcium. 40/30/30 wont hurt anybody. I dont find I can do it, all that protein makes me very upset and nauseous in the tummy and believe me, you wouldnt want to be downwind. I run better on a more carb based diet personally but I think its down to your personal constitution - so experiment a bit.

There's a lot of evidence that regular moderate wine consumption (particularly red) is good for your cardiovascular health. This question always comes up at the info evenings and my doctors stats indicate that regular moderate wine drinkers lose more weight. He doesnt pretend to offer an explanation for that. However, I'd rather relax after dinner with a glass of wine than with a bowl of ice cream or some chocolate. Perhaps that's a reason? Lol. As far as alcoholic drinks go, dry wine isnt particularly fattening, so its a better 'treat' than a lot of other things. Pure carbs of course though. But then, I dont low carb it so I dont care.

given the smaller size of our cities downunder, the bandster community tends to not be as online as you see here, and Melbourne bandsters and such do meet. I've not been really involved in groups, but I have been to several big meet ups. There's loads of people around in Australia who have been banded well over 5 years, since they've been doing it here for longer than in the States. And the small snippet of people I've met in real life are not representative of bandsters in TOTAL anymore than the members of a forum such as this are. You hear of so so many problems here because people who HAVE problems are the ones most likely to log on asking for help. there's a gazillion bandsters on there that dont get involved in online communities. So you get a skewed picture here. What I have seen represented in real life is that the bandster who loses 100% of excess weight is not the norm, most improve their health (and looks) considerably but dont get all their weight off. However, every second person is not barfing up every meal, sitting up all night with reflux or having terrible complications. Most of the people in real life are just like me - had their bands in, lost weight, got on with life with the occasional stuck episode and that's it. Longer than 10 years, well, who knows? There's few stats anywhere on that and band design has improved enormously, i doubt there's many people around with non adjustable bands in! But yeah, you dont remove it. To do so usually results in significant weight regain. Once your body has been fat, it seems it is goign to fight to stay that way. Bands are essential for maintenance. Same as you dont reverse sleeves or GBP's. That said, there is every likelihood that your band will wear out or fail in some way - most likely the balloon. You've really got to be realistic about having to replace it at some point - my doc conservatively "guesses" 20 years, but is quite upfront about the fact that its probably the balloon part that will wear out. I guess you have to decide if that worries you. I mean I plan to live long enough thanks to my band and my healthy lifestyle that there's every likelihood that my knees or my hips will give out and I'm not removing those just to be on the safe side!

Personally, not being a night time eater, I'd have shaake for breakfast , a good lunch at about 400 calories, an afternoon snack and another shake and a big bowl of steamed vegies for dinner. I couldnt ever ever ever ever ever get through the day on 2 shakes. I tried it for a few days and ended up passing out. I dont think starving all day and eating a whole 800 calories at night time is in any way sane or sensible for weight loss and I'd be very surprised if that's really what the doctor intends. 800 calories for dinner is very ample, you could eat a moderate serve of almost anything and stay within that boundary. I'd definitely think about eating a bit of it during the day.

some people like to approach banded life with a set of rules and a ban on alcohol because of the empty calories often tops that list. But a band is a tool to help you manage a lifestyle change that will see you reach a normal weight. And within that, I personally believe, there is room to be a normal person once in a while. You've got to face facts - if you go out and have 3 or 4 drinks four times a week, that's going to affect or negate your weight loss. Alchohol IS empty calories and you cant down too many empty calories. However, going out for a drink once or twice a week if you stick to 2 or 3 drinks and dont do the usual burger/hotdog/kebab thing at 2 am need not really be ap problem for a young person who is otherwise active and healthy in their habits. Decide before you go how you're going to tackle it, some occasions are honesty not worth wasting the alcohol calories on - others, like dinner with the in-laws, you need all the help you can get! One thing that really struck me in my decision making though was the fear of having to change habits like this. I love my cup of coffee, packet of Cookies and a good book sit ins on the couch. It was my relaxation time. I really feared what life would be like without it. then it hit me like a bolt from the blue - IF I WANTED TO BE THIN, I COULDNT EAT LIKE THAT ANYMORE, EVER AGAIN, BAND OR NO BAND. It wasnt the band I was afraid of, it was changing the habit. D'oh! So obvious. But so true. Likewise with social drinking. The band doesnt make you stop that. But if you ever want to get thin and stay that way, something must change, no?

Yes, that's right, the band isnt meant to be removed - you dont take it out unless something is wrong. Its mainly silicone - which is inert in the body, and should last forever, and the metal bits are titanium.

Dont panic, its most likely your stomach is swollen, sore and irritated from the vomiting (even though nothing came up). Do liquids to mushies over a course of a few days, just worry about getting some nutrients in in whatever form they will go down - warm liquids to start with. If you're not feeling better within a few days, then perhaps you might require an unfill for a while to let things settle. Its not impossible for the band to slip from an episode of vomiting, but its not a given either, its not common and most often, the band, as long as it has healed into place for a reasonable period of time, will remain exactly as it supposed to. And also, slippage symptoms tend to be a lot worse than what you're describing. But do contact your surgeon if the irritation doesnt settle, as an unfill for a while will most likely help a lot.

At the end of the day, no matter what sort of diet you follow, its the calories that matter. I never needed to go that low, so I didnt find it necessary to truly count, but I always eat with a mind on calories - for example, most low carb foods (part from vegies) are quite calorie dense - things like meat, cheese, dairy. So I tend to fill up more on carb foods like wholegrains - becuase the air and fibre in them means I eat way less calories overall. But there's no magic in that, whether you low carb it or not at the end of the day, its just calories.

Its so different here in Australia that I'd hesitate to give advice, because you guys get denied for all sorts of reasons that we dont face, for starters hardly anybody would do a bypass or switch here! It hasnt been done for years, lapband is the norm for anyone wanting weight loss surgery, so you wont find surgeons pushing you into other surgeries. And we dont have all the dicking around with insurance either. But I'd suggest being clear on the reasons why you want the band and firm about the fact that you understand the work that is involved with a restrictive weight loss surgery (band OR sleeve) - that you know that diet and exercise choices made by you are a big part of the success. Good luck!

I dont know that many bandsters personally in real life, I have a group of about 20 that I've met with on a few occasions, not for at least 2 years. But last time, there were four women in the group that had had bands done in the 90' and early '00's, so about five to seven years at that stage. My doctor is quite up front about the fact that the band probably WONT last forever. You can expect to have to replace it at some stage because it is an item in your body that can break - its designed to last forever but its highly likely that the balloon will wear out -another reason not to muck around overly with your fill or have your band too tight. I figure when mine goes, then I will look at the options available at the time. Personally, for me, I'd have another band as its worked so well for me. But who knows what'll be around?

Its quite obvious if you're looking for it, I do have a visible lump on my stomach. I wear a bikini nonetheless, it doesnt bother me and it doesnt REALLY stick out unless I stretch out - the small amounts of flubber left on my tummy disguise it. it doesnt show under any clothing at all.