Jachut

Yes, I think that's a bit over the top - really its a reflection on how the health system works, not an example of America's open mindedness with regard to immigration! I think many people with a chronic life threatening disease would find they might run into a brick wall when they try to migrate to another country! Whichever country that is. You cant automatically assume its some moral judgement of the woman.

I had them 6 weekly at first, till I got to 1.5ml (took 3 fills), then I've had 2 fills in the last 18 months.

In a normal day I will have dairy foods - usually yogurt and about 2 cups of milk a day for tea, coffee, cereal plus a skim milk latte or similar most days. I usually have something like tuna or cheese at lunchtime and dinner normally includes a serve of meat, chicken or fish - plus there's the smaller amounts of protein in cereals, breads, soups etc that you might eat in a day. I will sometimes snack on nuts and most days for breakfast cereal means muesli - with nuts, dried fruit, oats etc. I dont count protein and I dont supplement it, I seem to do OK.

If I've really got the munchies, a craving for something, I go with it. Sometimes, trying to hold out just means you end up eating even more as you eat 40 things other than what it was you wanted in the first place. Most times, I get peckish and suffer head hunger in the afternoon, I try to time my runs for then. A good long run, particularly on a day like today where its 37 degress celcius in melbourne, kills my appetite. But running does more than that, it burns lots of energy which means that I can eat 1400 calories a day and lose weight and eat 1800 and maintain. So I dont get that much head hunger because I can eat quite a lot of food, 3 meals, 2 Snacks. And I dont need to be very tight to keep my appetite low enough to keep me under 1000 calories, so I can eat most foods which means I dont do without much. Things like chocolate, I get cravings for and sometimes you just have to ride it out. Other times I feel I can afford to indulge it like I said above. Probably good luck to a large degree, I seem to have been able to lose on much higher calories than many others that exercise as much as I do.

Holy sh&t Julie, you must feel fabulous. That is unbelievable, what a great result. And it will feel fantastic when you run, I'll bet!

The thing is about old timers and wisdom (Tami, I'm so glad to know that something I once said impressed ONE person, lol) is that people dont want to hear it. i've lost count of the number of times I've said something only to be howled down, and argued with. Like with the goal weight thread. Whilst we all have to be careful of reporting our own experience as absolute truth (which it isnt), I cannot fathom how people who have never BEEN a normal weight before will argue with you that losing that last 20 or 30lb doesnt make more difference than losing the first 80. That thread was a prime example of how people just do not want to hear the truth about the band. You just give up after a while. You figure someone else will answer all the FAQ that you've answered a million times and with the nitty gritty stuff like whether you should lose that last 30 or whether exercise is really necessary, people just get nasty because they dont want to hear it or they have a justification for why they're different from everyone else on the planet. I wasted enough energy on that goal weight thread to last me 20 years, I'm not bothering anymore. People will work these things out for themselves and if they dont and they never have the joy of actually getting to normal, healthy weight, or of being really really fit, well that's not my problem. So whilst I dont lose patience with band babies, not at all, I was one and I asked questions too, I really think that sharing the wisdom is not really what people want either. They only want to hear validation of their behaviours, not the real answers.

Oh yeah, exactly like you've described. If I was ever to see myself running on video, my fantasies would probably be shattered. I'm not gifted, fast or particularly good at it and I probably dont look as if I am when I do it, but I dont care. I love the fun runs too, I'm gutted that I was registered for the Olympic Dream next Sunday but cant do it due to having to do my Austswim certificate and then cant do the Sussan Women's the next week becuase its Fraser's birthday.

I think if you're got loose skin on your front, then you've got loose skin over your bits too. But as to whether you're an outie or an innie, lol, that's like your belly button, you're born to be one or the other. There is surgery that can change it I never look at it myself so I dont care. And I dont really plan on showing it to many people, lol.

I'd agree - all those problem spots, the only way to lose them is all over fat loss - cardio, diet and increasing muscle mass through generalised strength training. Do go and get a bra properly fitted though, I never had real back boobs, but did have a small bra roll and it was completely fixed by going down in the back size, up in the cup size - the back no longer rode up to my shoulder blades and back roll was eliminated. Most people are walking round in a bra that's too big in the back, too small in the cups.

I lost really well and quickly - well I consider 2lb a week quick - for about six months, without even trying. The first six weeks I lost even faster than that. I'd lost most of my weight by 12 months and its just been very very slow since then, but most of that time, I've been within my healthy weight range so wouldnt expect to lose fast without superhuman effort.

Even though Starbucks isnt as huge here (not yet) its getting darn hard to just buy a plain coffee - as in brewed coffee with a dash of cold skim milk, like you make it at home. It drives me nuts, since the hot milk in lattes, cappucino's etc often makes me a bit nauseous since banding and even though they're usually only plain coffees and not calorie laden, I agree, I'd rather eat my calories than drink them. Habit of a lifetime, I dont drink calories (unless its a nice cold sav blanc, lol). But I agree - a large milk based drink if its skim milk and not full of sugar and syrup is a good source of Protein, Calcium and many Vitamins and minerals and as long as you count it, why not enjoy it. I'd rather get my protein from cows milk than genetically modified soy any day - which is what most of the Protein shakes here are made from.

I believe you'll see more and more of it - but the US and NZ health systems are different. It can be more of a reflection on how the system works than a moral judgement about obesity - and no country wants to take in, for example, someone who's going to be dependent upon welfare and taxpayers money - people who have no skills or trade or a criminal record already struggle to immigrate to other countries dont they? I dont think this is any different really - not that I am condoning it. In Australia for example, everyone gets health care under the public system and some people can choose to have more choice in their health care by paying private health insurance. But basically everybody has the right to decent health care. So a majorly obese population puts enormous strain on the health system as nobody gets denied treatment on the basis of not having insurance etc, as you get more and more health problems resulting from obesity, the system struggles more and more. So yeah, I think unfortunately, its a matter of time before fat discrimination comes out of the closet and becomes blatant. Or our health system changes and we start denying those who dont have health insurance. Probably both. Perhaps the government should look at the problem of obesity and how to prevent it rather than denying people who may have other valuable skills entry to the country?

wow, that's a bit harsh isnt it? Many people have trouble even with unfilled bands. It must be different there, or maybe I'm idealistic, but in my view, you go to a surgeon, you say I want my band removed, you're the customer, you're paying, they bloody well do what you ask! I'd give him a piece of my mind, lol. And why on earth should you have to have two separate ops for the revision?

Hmmm, I'll go out on a limb and say most people that have post surgery tummy tucks etc have a lot of fat still under that skin - if you ever see true excess skin only aprons, they're rather thin. But that's fine, why on earth NOT get rid of the fat and the skin in one fell swoop. So more likely than not, your belly is skin AND fat. Lots of fat deposits hang around that are near on impossible to shift with diet and exercise, I have a mid abdominal pouch that just wont go. Its only at the very end of my journey that I could truly say I've noticed excess skin, - that crepy wrinkly stuff. I have it on the very bottom of my belly - hidden by even hipster bikinis thank goodness, and the tops of my breasts which is the only spot of my body where I have bad bad stretchmarks - ironically from puberty, not pregnancy or weight gain. I've had a consultation for a breast lift, which I will probably have in a year or two and been told that even still, that crepey empty flaccid skin will remain, it would take an implant to fill it out. Actually a bit of extra skin doesnt worry me, skin and skin alone to the degree I have it is completely invisible even in a bikini. But the fat that gives you that muffin top, erk. For me though, I'm trying to suffer it out and lose more weight as I simply cannot afford $13,000 worth of lipo at this stage of my life.

I make nori all the time, have no real trouble eating it - its filling very quickly. But my kids LOVE it, so its often a weekend lunch treat, wasabi and all. Sure beats hot dogs, meat pies or fresh white bread which we always used to eat as Saturday or Sunday lunches.

I've had about five fills, none with fluoro and my doc always hits the port first go.

My DH has a big beer gut, and honestly, at my highest weight we were getting too fat to do it, lol. Not seriously but it was way more difficult than it is now. My weight loss has improved things but if Doug could drop 20kg I think that would make a huge difference. Unfortunately, I'd still rather have a cup of tea and read my book in peace.

That first bite or two can get any of us, good restriction or no. When I've had PB's, its without fail been from the first bite I swallowed. I've learned to begin ANY meal very very slowly, because it takes 5 minutes for that first bite to lodge in the stoma by which time I can have shovelled several more bites in on top and what would have cleared itself needs to be forcibly removed!

I'm really interested in this, there's a place near to me where I can get it done, now I've done a bit of research. I havent suffered from a lot of loose skin but I'm more jiggly than I would have been had I never got fat and would dearly love to be firmer. I've been for a lipo consultation and was pretty much told, dont waste your money sweetheart, just lose 7 or 8kg more to get rid of the last of the fat, but lipo is only going to leave your skin even looser. As its OK now, the CS said I'd be a fool to to it. So I'm really thinking about this. It seems a bargain compared to $13,000 worth of lip.

I would never laugh at that, I'm so proud of you for getting out there and giving it a go. And it doesnt matter how fit you get, there's always someone fitter, I feel embarrassed posting my times on cool running for fun runs and such, I am slow slow slow! But exercise seems to be the one thing people are just so stubbourn about, and to me, its way easier if you loathe it, to force yourself into a 40 minute run or swim or whatever, than the work you put in day in day out not eating what you crave, sticking with what you should eat, counting those calories. Truly, exercise is the easy part. Just grit your teeth, and do it. It honestly makes SO much difference and when you get to the weight maintenance part, well you wont be successful without it, guaranteed. Lots of cardio keeps weight off, combine it with strength training and you will look sensational!

Its a glorious 28 degrees celcius in Melbourne today, almost summer, its sunshiny. First I managed to fake tan my entire body without using $60 worth of St Tropez in one hit - its AMAZING how much longer the bottles last now, at least 5 full body applications more. So I'm glowing brown. And I slipped into a little mini skirt and a shoe string top. There's no part of me that I have to hide, be self conscious about. I dont have to sweat under sleeves and long pants, it just feels soooooo good!

Ouch. Its horrid. And its amazing what foods you wont want when you realise you cause them pain. We're going away for the weekend, Doug said "we'll probably just grab a pizza for dinner at the half way point". Um, doubt it. He and the kids might, I'd rather not eat than bother with pizza.

Not liquids so much but easy foods, yes. I eat a lot of soup, becuase I like it and its such a healthy way to get veges into you and its hot and satisfying at lunch time. Strangely though I have to eat soup quite carefully, I block up on it, I think its liquids and solids together, like drinking with a meal. Because generally I'll only eat home made soup, not canned stuff. But when I track calories and choose healthy solid foods, I struggle to make 1200 whereas with my general, not thinking about it choices (which includes too many cookies), I'm easily at 1500 to 1800 - fine for maintenance for me, but I'd like to lose a little more, so too much to achieve that. I think in one form or another, its a bad habit that most bandsters develop to some degree and you have to constantly remind yourself to choose well. Because a lot of the easier options I choose are certainly healthy enough, but I just can eat more when I eat them.

My only real preference is for a digital scale, I like to be able to see small variances. I'm too tall to read a dial - its too far away, lol. Cant tell until I've lost like 5kg, so digital for me. Personally, I dont hold much truck with all the body fat measurements etc. Mine tells me I have 30% body fat, I find that a little hard to believe since when I was 15kg heavier 10 years ago I got measured at the gym at 32%. Then I'll get on one morning and it'll say 25%, I think home units are just too inaccurate to be of much use. Anyway, to me, if I can pinch rolls, I have too much fat, end of story.

Its ridiculous because "ho" isnt even a word we use in Australia, its an American word. Sheesh. We would say pro or prostitute. Santa doesnt go around saying Pro Pro Pro. I do agree that THAT is overly pc. Stupid.