Jachut

I run between six and ten kilometres five days a week - probably a ten, two eight and two sixes per week. I'll also walk 8kms about 3 times a week too. Other than that, I just never sit down.

I'd try to walk it off. For goodness sake, dont drink anything. You're at great risk of stretching your pouch if you overeat and if you really overdo it, you will probably puke it back up again.

You cant know for sure, that's true. And the readings on cardio machines are pretty unreliable. Also, when you become really efficient at something, your calorie burn drops. I burn less calories running 10km now than I did because my body has adapted to it. But still, its a fair bet that to run 10km in under an hour, you're burning well over 500 calories, given running burns 80 to 100 calories per kilometre depending upon body weight.

Yep, I can eat beans without a problem. I'm just used to a very high fibre diet. I'm not used to eating more than moderate amounts of meat, eggs or cheese, and they upset my stomach.

I think it just goes to show that NONE of this is proven science and that our doctors all have their own opinions on things. I think that when you choose a doctor, you are choosing to follow their instructions for the most part and so I think your father should follow his instructions even if they are different to yours. But overall, when it comes to life with the band, you need to inform yourself, make your own decisions and do what makes your body feel good. My personal choices are that high Protein and cutting good carbs is not particularly healthy, artificial sweeteners and low fat are a waste of time and that you should simply apply moderation to sugary or fatty foods instead, carbs dont make you hungrier and that lots of cardio does build muscle rather than wasting it like people say. MY opinion and MY experience has backed that up for me, its a little coincidental that its also the way we tend to approach banding in Australia. The next person on here will disagree vehemently with everything I just said becuase THEIR opinion and THEIR experience tells them different. Same with you and your father. His journey will be different to yours, but it doesnt mean either way is the only way. I wouldnt be too concerned with how he will go or what he will do compared to you. less calories and more exercise = weight loss, the rest is just splitting hairs. I dont think doctors can even agree on what is dangerous for the band and what isnt. My doctor has no problem at all with caffeine or carbonation, the next doctor would have conniptions at the very thought. I've no idea how I got into an Arizona forum either, sorry, lol.

Whilst I have a marked decrease in appetite in the morning from preband, i can eat normally. And at lunch I can eat. I have always been tighter at night.

You know, if your weight can go up by as much as 10lb, then you might need a small fill. That's a lot of variation. The other thng is, and you probably dont want to hear this, but those last 10lb took me the better part of a year to lose. I gave up on expecting weekly process and concentrated on monthly instead. It came off in the end.

I'm glad you feel that way - I do too. I am amazed at what i have achieved. I also feel in NO way is WLS the easy way out. Its the sensible way out! It takes work and of that work I am proud but I'm also proud I finally saw the light and stopped bashing my head against a brick wall but took decisive action instead.

Being a runner and often burning that much in a session myself, I easily lost ALL my excess weight and then some on more like 1500 to 1800 calories a day.

I dont eat in the car either for that exact reason. It was bad enough the other night when the sliming continued after I left the restaurant while I was driving. Thankfully there was a coffee cup in my console from Ewan's morning milo before school.

Yes, you take them apart to wash them. That's one of the main benefits, the insert folds out and the fuzzibunz itself is only PUL and fleece so MUCH more thorough washing and very fast drying time - those microfibre inserts dry very quickly. So you can have a super thick absorbent night diaper for example, that doesnt still smell after washing or take four days to dry. As for the Bummis snaps - I always used snap diapers and covers due to the tendency of velcro to rub my chubby bubbies' fat thigh. It depends on how you use the prefold - if you're simply going to trifold it and lay it in the cover rather than fasten it onto the baby, velcro gives you way better control to keep it in place. The Bummis tabs dont rub and the velcro lasts and the other GREAT trim cover if you're going to do this is bumkins.

Laurigee, I feel exactly the same. I dont want to be really tight. I was a slow loser and due to my ability to eat, I have to call on a fair bit of willpower, but I felt exercise was important to me. I lost 120% of my excess weight in the end. There's ALL sorts of ways to work this band.

You could try some interval sessions in your walks - break into a jog for 30 second sputs. REALLY intense cardio can have some spectacular effects on fat loss. But sadly plateaus are a part of weight loss and they can be long, but you WILL get losing again.

Nope, too much protein and heavy food does it to me. Like after eating Christmas dinner. It bloats me up. Fibre doesnt do it to me. I think its an individual thing, what your system likes. And having bad and smelly gas is a well documented side effect of extreme high protein diets. As it is of eating too much fibre too.

Oooh, another one to look at. I'm a daily hair straightener myself, my hair isnt very curly but quite fluffy so it doesnt take me long. But I have fragile hair and am afraid to part with my bio ionic which has IMPROVED the condition of my hair. But its getting old now - 3 years. almost time for a new one.

I can tell you 3 years into the journey and with good restriction I could EASILY eat 4 Oreos. I could eat a whole packet with ease. Cookies are one of those foods that you may never have restriction for - they are slider foods that chew to liquid and go down easily. Crackers tend to trip me up a bit more. I am a bit of a carb addict and I quite regularly overindulge in cookes - its my worst worst habit. I've lost 120% of my excess weight and never quite beaten this vice. You dont have to be perfect. I figure other areas of my eating and exercise behaviour are very good so I dont beat myself up on this one. I try not to do it of course, but it happens, particularly pre period time, and it has not stopped me losing weight and keeping it off. to me, eating cookies has very little to do with being hungry. If I'm truly hungry generally I'll want something healthy. Cookies are more a head hunger or eating for stress relief food for me. That's something you have to work on yourself, but like i said, improvement in that area is what you need to achieve, not perfection.

a few months back, Chickie had surgery to shorten her tubing becuase it was causing similar problems. They took about a foot out of it I believe and as far as I know, that solved her problems.

PB's are not necessarily an indication that you're at a sweet spot. PB's are pretty random, it's just a matter of not chewing something quite enough or eating a bite just a tad too big or losing concentration for a moment. You can PB with a loose band and restriction changes day to day, particularly for women. I wouldnt plan on not having your fill unless you're pbing daily from now until then.

If you lost 20lb in 2 weeks you can bet your bottom dollar it was a lot of water. You simply do not lose fat that fast. So following that, your body rebalances and rehydrates itself and you appear not to lose weight. But you probably are losing fat - and that's the kind of weight loss you want.

Me too - I had a teeny top up today. I have worked hard to get off the 4lb I'd gained over the past two weeks and today I didnt want a fill on a full stomach so had a liquid breakfast. Then I had a smoothie for lunch and I blended up a very small dinner of a lamb loin chop, broccoli and sweet potato - literally half a cup. Went down fine but I"m not wanting to push it. I've been out for an hour's run and now I'm absolutely STARVING. Its nearly 9pm here I guess I'll have a coffee and go to bed.

I think that's true to a degree - I was a BMI of 36 and while I didnt lose fast (2 years to lose 100lb) I lost 120% of my excess weight. I really cant identify with the constant hunger issue that others seem to have and I was able to start runnning three months after surgery. But with all due respect, I really hate that "I'm fatter than you so I deserve surgery more" mentality. A BMI of 36 is seriously obese. It poses increased health risks. Statistically one is JUST as unlikely to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off than heavier patients. What, should we wait till we're REALLY fat to do something about it? Do we have to suffer more before we deserve the surgery? In fact, here in Australia they band from a BMI of 30 and are formulating an opinion that banding works better for the lower BMI patients - maybe since its a surgery that requires so much input and work from the patient - or maybe just because the less fat has been on your body for the less time, the easier it seems to be to get rid of it for good. I just really dont understand why you felt the need to say that?

Funny, tuna is one of those sticky foods for me, guaranteed to always may me a bit uncomfortable, even 3 years down the track. Dont worry about a lack of restriction at this stage - its entirely normal and that's what fills are for. Just try to stick within the limits to keep weight coming off and hold on for that first fill.

A protein heavy diet does that to me. Protein foods are rich and heavy and they upset my stomach. I like lots of fibrous, lighter foods like good wholegrain bread, salads and fruit. So i dont do high protein, if I do, I walk around surreptitiously farting all day and then getting out of there before someone realises that horrid stench was me!

Its a guideline, but I think 1 cup is reasonable. But its very important to learn to read your satiety signals as it depends on the food. 1 cup of a lettuce based salad crunches down to nothing, 1 cup of red meat would make you explode.

You can tell here I've lost 120% of my excess weight. And kept it off for 18 months.