Jachut

I kid you not, I met a woman at my last fill appointment who had been on the Optifast diet for 15 months. She was on the public list, which in Australia means youc an get called anytime. The operation wont cost you anything, but you can wait for years. So she had to start Optifast and do it until she was called. She was cancelled about four times, and in the end lost 60kg (well over 130lb). She was about 450lb to start. When she finally got banded, she promptly got a port infection and was 4 months into her banded life with NO fill. She'd regained 35kg in that 4 months. So, lol, you can do that liquid diet for an awful long time and not die from it. It only feels that way. Its generally 2 weeks. My DH failed miserably at it, as did I 3 years earlier. Doc gave him a knuckle rapping but said its less than 1% of patients who actually have livers too big to allow the surgery to go ahead anyway. dont be too afraid. Do your very very best, it'll be had but its only a few weeks out of your life, for a very good cause.

Even years down the track I sometimes freak over this. It is really hard when you're trying to lose weight to give yourself permission not to be hungry. Its even harder to give up dieting in favour of maintenance. I was just thinking about this now. I had a good Breakfast of oatmeal and fruit, a hot chocolate and some strawberries mid morning, a small meal of baked salmon, wholegrain Pasta salad (like 1/4 of a cup) and broccolini for lunch and I just ate some sugarpeas because they were there. I was thinking "oh boy, I've really blown it today". Why? because I'm not hungry and I feel to have a *good* day, I *should* be hungry. Sorting this issue out from truly having overeaten is hard. If youv'e overeaten beyond your band's capacity you will know it, its very uncomfortable. If its going down then you might notice it in lack of weight loss but you wont hurt your band because its not backing up, if that makes sense.

Keep it to a drizzle of oil - something with healthy fat like olive oil or macadamia oil. We actually absorb more of the Vitamins and minerals in raw veg when there's some fat eaten at the same time. I usually use olive oil and some salt and pepper, but even that these days doesnt excite me, lol. I've come to quite dislike salad (as in raw veg - lettuce, carrot, cucumber, tomato) and I'm not sure why.

Ooh, good luck!

I can so understand this. I had a figure in my head and it drives me nuts that I never got there, even though my BMI is only 22 now. I guess I want to look like a fitness model, lol. I want muscles and no flab at all and its just not realistic and I know it. But I cant stop trying to better myself, and sometimes its a fine line between exercising diligently to maintain my weight and trying to achieve a body I'll never ever have. I resist any follow up plastic surgery because instinctively I know it will only open the floodgates. Once I fix say my saddlebags, I'm going to obsess over something else. So I'm working very hard to try to realise that I'm in great shape, I'm very healthy and that's what really counts. I did one of those what's your real age tests today (only an online one, just some fun) and my real age came out at 32. Given I'm 41 I should be thrilled with that. That's where my focus needs to be - health, not appearance. the other thing that pulls me up on the liposuction fantasies is that I'm 41. I *AM* going to get old. Everything *IS* going to sag. I cannot be 20 again no matter what I do. The people I admire are not perfect, and the people I think look stunning are always quirky, interesting and stylish in their own way, never that awful blonde bimbo white teeth big tits look, so what am I trying to achieve exactly? I could solve all my bikini stomach angst by one simple action - wearing a one piece! Its so hard, isnt it? But I find it IS getting better for me the longer I'm at goal.

This is an interesting little article, very true. http://www.personalbestpersonaltraining.com/health-fitness-truth-blog/ Mr Jachut struggles mightily with the exercise but sedentary all day thing. Its work dictated and personality driven for him, as it is for many, desk jobs are killers but he doesnt like exercise (he didnt even need a lapband for his eating habits, he's a great eater. But due to his chronic lack of activity he needs to eat very very little and he couldnt do it alone) . But it always amazes me how many people say I'm not losing weight but I walk for half an hour a day. Everyone has to start somewhere, but for exercise to really be effective, you have to get serious about it. And I think one of the biggest challenges with WLS is not to become a skinny fat person. Fast fast weight loss is not good. You're losing muscle. If you ever want that curvy, fit look, you need to take it slower and work on keeping your muscles.

Well, he's impressive and well spoken and i thought it was all very amazing and a moment in history to take note off, whether you're an American or not. I've still got the giggles over the Bushisms that were on TV the other night... "rarely is the question asked... is our children being educated". oh boy. tee hee.

I dont gain a lot of pregnancy weight either - less than 20lb in my first two pregnancies and nothing at all in my third, in all three pregnancies I left the hospital lighter than when I'd conceived. My third pregnancy, I'd lost nearly 30lb of my own body fat. Too bad for me that breastfeeding makes me blow up very quickly, I gained it all back all 3 times within 4 months. During my third pregnancy, I was over 200lb when I conceived. I wanted to keep my weight down, having ahd blood pressure problems the first 2 times. My doctor said to do Weight Watchers, with 25 points per day. So I did. I ate really well, better than I'd been eating and I had a perfectly healthy 8lb baby girl. The whole pregnancy gain thing is based on averages only, it is not a given that everyone MUST gain weight. Like my doctor said, pregnancy requires very few extra calories, its mainly nutrients that are important and as long as those are going in, there's not a problem in the world if you lose a bit of body fat in the process, it wont affect the baby. Everyone's different. Committed as I am to exercise, I cannot imagine how people did stuff like spin classes at 30 weeks pregnant, I would jsut about faint trying to walk up a hill. Medical supervision will continue to reassure you that your baby is healthy and growing, as long as that is happening, dont worry about losing some fat yourself.

In my opinion, Brooks is the BEST shoe out there for anyone who overly supinates OR pronates (dictates which style of course) and anyone who is heavier - and by that I'd include myself since at 154 lb and 5ft 10 for a runner, I qualify as "heavy". I'm no gazelle, at any rate! I am on my fourth pair of Brookes Adrenalines (I'm a pronator) and although I try different shoes each time I buy, I always end up with them again. They're sturdy, quality shoes well designed for each foot problem.

I agree with most of the above. But I differ a bit with diet, I've always been a carb eater and I've still been successful. But key is, that however you do it, you make a permanent lifestyle change that results in a better diet containing fewer calories. Exercise is a biggie. Serious exercise! Flexibility and an ability to realise the band is a tool, people are fallible and that there's no point panicking about falling off the wagon on hitting a plateau. Its the ability to dig in and keep going when these things happen that's important, some people are in a tizz at the slightest disruption to their textbook 2lb per week and let it throw them. You WILL plateau and you MAY be a slow loser. I was a slow loser, so what? My weight is just as gone as anyone else's.

Me either. Its pockes of fat. I have one on the centre of my upper abdomen, lovehandles, and the dreaded saddlebags on the outer thighs. The actual loose skin I have I can live with. I'd be a US size 6 but for those areas, and try as I might, my body does not want to loet go of any more weight. Nor do I really want to because I can see what will happen - gaunt face, bony chest but STILL fat thighs.

Hope you're feeling better now Nigel and that you're thrilled with the results. I'm glad you stayed in Australia, the thougth of what could go wrong is horrendous. Breast implants are a pretty simple procedure compared to major body reconstruction and you need good aftercare.

Hips and thighs, although my boobs really need a lift, I have a nice upper body, its well shaped and shows really lovely muscle definition. I have well defined collarbones and a long neck. I'm not as vain as I sound, lol, I've just learned over these past years to take note of what is GOOD about me. Lower body, hmmm. I'm hardly the worst afflicted woman or on my own here, but I find it unfair that I will never show the muscle definition and tone I deserve to for all my hard hard work, there's a stubborn layer of fat that ruins it. I have moderate cellulite on the backs of my thighs, and a bit of loose inner thigh skin. My stomach is ironing board flat, there's no pouchy pot belly but its squishy with just a bit of remaining fat that wont budge. Whilest I do have *some* loose skin its not too bad, I think lower body lipo could work absolute wonders on me as i have the muscle shape below the fat to support it. Its not come without hard hard work though, sigh. I am naturally pear shaped and will always carry a bit below the waist.

Breakfast - oatmeal with Peanut Butter and maple syrup Lunch: stewed apricots, greek yogurt and muesli snack: handful of almonds dinner: Salmon, bean, chick pea and wholemeal Pasta salad, glass of wine exercise: 1 hr circuit

Wow, there are SO many surgeons doing this surgery who are just failing miserably to support their patients. I'm glad you're finally feeling that you can work with your band. It does take a certain degree of understanding and commitment - nothing that is beyond the average person, but when your doctor doesnt provide you with the basics it makes it very hard!

I'd say the risk isnt really that high, I mean you can get seriously injured anyway kind of thing..... the band doesnt put you at any more risk than that. I played three games of basketball last year to fill in, but I wont join the team as I've been invited to do. At 41, I'm waaaaaaay too afraid of an ankle or knee injury and not being able to run. I really dont think its worth the risk, I dont bounce quite like I did when I was 15. But if I loved and was dedicated to the sport I would do it, for sure.

I can understand why women like it. It hurts like HELL to me, and it just feels a bit too depraved and yucky, but pain is the main factor. But I like to be touched there and I will go off like a firecracker every time I am.

Same here. I dont live a life full of discomfort, vomiting and food obsession. I do think that my approach was useful for me, though, and taht was that I was NEVER going to diet again. I eat anything I want to. But certain foods are harder than others and if they are uncomfortable to eat then they do fall off the radar eventually. I would never WANT to eat a whopper anymore, the mere thought is revolting. Then again, I used to like a nice garden salad, now I loathe it, precisely because it feels quite awful for me to eat. Everyone is different there though. I dont have any problems with my band, its the best thing I ever did. No, it doesnt make me exercise like I do but anything that helped me to find that ability in myself is worthwhile!

when I eat high quality nutritious food and include wholegrains like top quality bread, I average around 1500. if I eat any rubbish, I find it easy to top 2000. I'm on maintenance though and I'm extremely active, I have no problem maintaining my weight on that many calories.

Its a low carb diet which depletes your body totally of glycogen, weakness is an expected side affect. You've got no energy becuase you're taking in no carbs and its not at all surprising if you cant exercise at your normal levels. Its for a reason though, to shrink your liver, and whislt its not a healthy way to lose weight long term, it wont hurt you in the short term. Its horrible though.

I tend to use cheap several use containers like the gladware ones mainly. I dont get tupperware, I just dont understand why you'd want to spend a fortune on stuff like that when the stuff in the supermarket is just as good. Plus anything party plan annoys the crap out of me, I refuse to buy it just because of the way its sold. I do like Pyrex containers though. I have quite a few of those. We'd empty maybe one butter tub a YEAR, we just dont eat it in our family. Nor do I buy ice cream more than once or twice a year. We dont eat microwave or prepackaged meals either, so I dont have a lot of containers like that that I could save.

Really true. The first 3kms of any run, I'm always having this internal dialogue - "you need a rest, go home, dont overtrain, your'e obviously tired". Then the legs and lungs get in sync and suddenly I'm grinning like an idiot. Running and trying to dance and sing at the same time to whatever's on my ipod does get a bit embarrassing, I get some strange looks. And if you've ever doubted the ability of music to motivate, I took DH's ipod the other day because mine needed charging. he had the best of ACDC on it. I swear my heart rate hit 250 that day. I was running like a mad thing, dripping sweat, gasping for breath, lol. ACDC would definitely get you a personal best in any race!

The biggest thing I have learned is that now I'm at goal, I cant stop doing what I did to lose weight. My calore intake has not increased, I still have to "diet" (meaning I cant just eat what I want when I want) and I still run five times a week for an hour and do two or three hour long circuit training sessions. Maintaining a healthy weight is a big and time consuming job, jsut the same as losing it. If you think you can go on a diet, lose weight and then not have to think about it so much, you're doomed! People who "dont have to think about their weight" do not suffer from the disease that is obesity. Those of us who do will always have to work at it consistently to not become obese again. And I definitely need a tool like the band to help me do that.

We do this ALL the time to use up leftover ham. I just use it instead of bacon when making soup. I cook it up with olive oil and onion and garlic, and then add the soup ingredients. So I dont see why you couldnt just puree it into soup. I'm a bit over hame though, ugh. I made this the other day Jamie Oliver - recipes - jamie (after seeing it on TV) and it was amazing, but a whole ham goes a darn long way in a family of five where the 2 adults are both banded!