shortgal

Well you're posting for some reason and I dont believe for one minute that it has anything to do with "helping" or "saving" someone from a big mistake.

If you have a "life threating" medical condition, I would think you'd be in surgery this very minute. I agree that Bariatric surgery is a money making business and that's why surgeons and hospitals are opening clinics all over the place. I agree that with all the rapid changes in the health care field, our bands could become obsolete. I also think we don't really have enough long term stats to know how long the majoirty of us will keep our bands. I knew all this going into surgery. I knew I could die from surgery. This is elective surgery and I elected it. You couldn't keep the weight off for years and suddenly you found the answer for you to lose weight? Hmmmmm, looking to sell THE answer? Sorry, I'm not looking to buy.

I don't doubt that at all!

1000 calories is good. I try to get between 1000 and 1200. If you haven't tracked in a few months, could be a few extra Snacks are sneaking in and writing it all down and adding it up will help you to see where it's sneaking in. Try varying the calories from day to day, like one day 1000 and another day 1200. I find it can help to confuse our body on what to expect. Yes, on shorties the weight lost shows quickly and so does the weight gained. Yikes!

Calorie intake varies for each person based on several factors. That's why tracking them helps. If you are tracking and you know you have about 1500 a day and you are not losing, then you know you need to go lower. I would suggest you try 1200-1500 calories a day and see how that works for you and adjust up or down a little depending on the weight you lose. The elliptical should defintely be helping you burn some fat and calories! And watch the carbs. The best carbs to eat are green veggies and whole grain ones and for milk products, skim and low fat or fat free. Listen to me, giving you advice, you've lost almost 70 pounds! The other thing I see people mention is it's harder to stay on track because we know we look better, feel better, clothes start looking good and well we just don;t try as hard anymore. I think that's natural, we just have to pysch ourselves up and set a goal to reach.

It's looks like you've lost an average of over 9 pounds a month. That's not slow..., it's actually above average.( If the Dr's say we should expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week) Most people lose more in the beginning and then start to lose more slowly. Now that you've lost 68 pounds, your body needs fewer calories to maintain that new lower weight and that means you need to take in even fewer calories to continue to lose at the same rate, that's why the weight loss slows down. Do you know how many calories you take in every day? I find that varying the amount of daily calories confuses my body a bit and that seems to help me lose, if I'm stalled. do you do the same routine at the gym or do you change it up? Many people have said that helps them as well. Just trying a new thing can help.

Do you track your calories? Have you had your fills? Does food get stuck or come back up? You know I used to always put the word "only" in front of the pounds I've lost, too, but that does not help us. A pound gone is a pound gone and it takes a reduction of 3500 to lose just one pound, so I stopped saying "only". In the past 11 months you've cut out 133,000 calories. That's saying something!

Ctcutie: Come up with a plan ahead of time with your Dr. or PA about after surgery as well. It is important post op to follow the Dr.s diet. Postop you are healing and it's best for your band, if your stomach doesn;t have to work to digest solid food, so you'll most likely have to be on liquids again, then. The beginning is hard, it gets better after time. In a few months, you will have forgotten all about this part.

ctcutie: I've read on the forum that some of the shakes give people the runs... one of the ingredients, maybe??? So maybe it's the shakes and not the broth? Everyone on the forum moans about the liquid preop diets. wy not call the Dr's office and let them know you've completed 10 days and the problems you're having. Maybe they can suggest alternatives for the last few days. I'm fairly sure they will still want you on liquids at least the day before surgery. Don't worry about the weight loss yet, you're getting a band to help you. It will happen!

Kathy, You're not banded yet. I know you're trying to practice everything you'll need after surgery, the band will help you later, even if it's just a little help in the beginning. I know it's a head game, but most of us struggled before being banded just like you and look how many of us are better now with our bands than before our bands! Do your best. Prebanding, even not gaining is a big step! You'll do better when you get your "tool" to help you.

I've started walking again ( I walked before surgery and then kind of stopped when winter came) and I cannot believe how much easier it is this time. I thought today when I was walking about your bags of cement and I translated mine to 1 and 1/2 bags of the big 25 pounds of dog food that we buy. That's a lot to carry on my short frame! Feels good to be free of that!

TxArcher: I see you've passed the halfway mark, too! Carrying those bags of cement sounds like a "biggest loser" challenge! And it's obviously working!

I've never smoked but I heard those pills can cause some crazy nightmares, but I know lots of people that they worked for. But is it the pill causing weight gain or substituting food in place of cig?

There's a few great threads on here about how the "band works and how fills work" that might be very helpful to you. Look under FAQ's, I think they are there. Not everyone gets restriction with their first fill. it can take several for some people. Until you get to that "sweet spot" you could be as hungry as you were before you got the band and that's why people call it "bandster hell". If you've dieted before, it's kind of like that, you need to use that time to practice your new skills of Portion Control, chewing well and not drinking with your meal or one hour after. Then when you get good restriction, you'll be ready.

There are a few sections on the forum based on how much weight you need to lose, jsut scroll down on the main page and you'll find them.

You don't have to bend, walk or stretch to organize photos or a drawer or do a craft, you can sit. You won't burn many calories that way, but it's a diversion to food and occupies our mind for a bit, so we forget about food, for a little while at least. It just gets easier to figure it all out as you go along. Oh and many people love to scrapbook right now, too. As you lose weight, you can progress to the organizing that requires more bending and stretching.

I think the toughest times are during the period after surgery and before you reach good restriction and that is a hard time and for some people (like me) takes a while to get there. (i'm still waiting for that promised sweet spot). I have a cup of tea or a bottle of Water before I even consider eating. Diversion tactics: I just organized our re-cycle area. Sorted cans, bottles, newspapers and cardboard. I'll read the newspaper. One morning I organized all my recipes. Another morning I sorted all my clothes that no longer fit! All those boxes of messy old photos are waiting for me, too. And how about the junk drawer? I figure by the time I get to goal, I'll have one very organized house, LOL! Like to keep your hands busy, take up needle work or sewing or a craft. It will keep you busy and you end up with a finished project as well.

Hi Molly, you found us! If you look on this section for the Cinco De Mayo challenge, you can add your name, starting weight (weight you start the challenge), current weight, goal weight and pounds left to reach goal. We copy and paste the list each week and change our "current weight" and "goal". I think we started on a Thurs. but people post depending on their personal schedules. Sades is right, we don't have to "join" anything, but I meant join in. Let me know if you have trouble finding the right thread for the challenge.

This thread started out toxic and has gotten back to that place. I did not originally post anything on this thread about or to Chickie. She started the confrontation on an old topic because SHE couldn't let go. Will I continue to be attacked by her on every thread I post on, simply because we had a difference of opinion on an old thread? I think it's best I unsubscribe to this thread, I don't need to be attacked about my previous opinions on a topic other than the current one on the thread. If people want ONE answer to every question and one person's opinion only than why have a forum at all?

There will always be several opinions on any subject and plenty of data and studies to back up any one of them. And a new study sure to be published soon with a new finding. I an no fan of G and on several threads suggested she gave people bad advice, like when she told someone that "if they gain one pound they should run and get a fill" or if " you can't get real food down, M & M's will usually go down". But G's question, which on a public forum she is allowed to ask, did not ask what her goal weight should be. she wanted to stop losing weight because on HER she felt thinner was unattractive. G (or I) did not personally attack Chickie UNTIL Chickie chimed in with, examine why you feel you want to stay at a unhealthy BMI and examine why you think thin is unattractive. In general, I agree that "thin", whatever that description is, to MY EYE unatractive, just like I do not find Chihauhau's or Greyhounds very attractive dogs because they are generally very thin. It is just my opinion and apparently that was Grace's opinion. ( not about the dogs, about people) So what? If Chickie does not care what my opinion is, then why get so hot and bothered about it? Asking WHY? Why? Why do we find "thin" unattractive? We just do. The same way some people find fat unattractive. The same way I prefer the beach to the snow, summer to winter, vanilla ice cream instead of chocolate. It's a preference. On a few people very thin works and on some it doesn't, to MY EYE. I just think that someone that was previously overweight should not preach to people ( that have had surgery to become healthier) about remaining a bit overweight because they are "fat and unhealthy". Didn't we all spend enough years beating ourselves up over our weight without people on a WLS "support" forum continuing that? Some of us don't have the same need for "perfection" according to some medical chart. Some of us are no longer 27 years old, either. Standards of beauty and health change. It is obvious to me that Chickie and Jachut feel that they prefer to weigh the low end of a normal BMI. There are others on the forum that would agree and others that don't. That's the way the world is! But I never preached to my thin friends that they should be fat like me and I don't think that we need to preach to people to be "thin" like them. And health isn't the only reason. We should not all have to fit into the one same mold. When people on threads have to respond with comments like, well my Dr thinks I am doing well and is happy with my progress, that tells me that they were possibly offended about the unhealthy BMI comments. All I did was try to defend those people ( it was not just G!). I do not even know HOW this topic came up AGAIN. I thought it had died a natural death and I think it should again! I will end with, name calling is just so ridiculous coming from an adult, because someone has a different opinion. And please anyone with a greyhound or chihuahua, I love dogs. I don't hate your dog, I just wouldn't get one as they are not appealing to me. Just like perhaps you would not get a Golden Retreiver. Guess I'll stick with my November group for support and steer away from Rants and Raves.

We've been around and around on this before Chickie and as I've mentioned you are unable to debate a subject wthout juvenile name calling. I am well aware that "G" has a problem, but she still had a right to choose her weight and she stated in the post that she DID NOT WANT to LOSE MORE WEIGHT, but you insisted she consider that option. She said SHE doesn;t like the way SHE looks at a normal BMI, not that ALL other people at a normal BMI are unattractive. If what I think about you doesn't matter, then why all the anger? One would think there would just be indifference. You can spout that "the medical community" thing all you want. The medical community changes it mind all the time about things, like smoking and drinking while pregnant. You my dear, have issues! You have "respect" for people who work their ass off but then tell them they are unhealthy and I am NOT just talking about "G". No, you do not need my acknowlegement of your acheivement, nor do I need your approval of my final weight.

I think IN THIS FORUM it is rude. Many people here will never reach the "healthy BMI". Some only because of excess skin that they can't afford to remove. Yet they've worked hard and have acheived a great deal and you always have to throw in the "BUT, you're not at a healthy BMI" thing. I still think you are directing this anger at me for one comment when it is really someone else in your life that you really are angry with that must be making some comments. The degree to which one is "thin" is subjective. How it looks on one person in one photo can be different than how the person appears in person. A normal BMI has a range of what, like 15 pounds, so maybe people might think one person looks good at the high end but perhaps "too thin" at the low end of their BMI. This whole stupid gripe you have, all started because you tried to tell someone else on here ( who I agree does not have very good band habits) that she should re-evaluate her desire NOT to get to a normal BMI, when that was not even the question she posed. So I defended her right to choose the final weight she wanted to be. As I have said ( but you don't put that quote of mine in your response) that it does NOT diminish your achievement to get where you have. If you're happy where you are good for you. And taking one quote of mine from one post and combining it with another is totally taking it out of context. The line you quoted was about whiney newbie complainers. The fact that you continue to harp on this ( and take the time to go back to check my previous posts) tells me it's a very sensitive subject for you. But harping on people that they are NOT healthy can be very sensitive to some people as well. No, I am not one of those people, but I did feel on one PS thread, a person felt she had to defend her weight goal as well, because of what you wrote. MOST people would not consider someone that is 10 pounds overweight, "fat or unhealthy".

Molly, I have stopped using the word "only" in front of how many pounds I have lost. I kept doing that too, yet I had to remind myself that I never lost 30 pounds this quickly before being banded and thirty pounds is several sizes, so we shouldn't say ONLY. Think of it as 1/4 or 1/3 or whatever and it seems better. I haven't lost much more than you in the same amount of time, so i think you're doing great. I've stopped comparing myself to others. I'm older than many on here and I've always been a slower loser. Of course,we all want to lose fast, but I'll take slow and steady. It seems slow, but Friday I weighed in and I had reached the half way mark. So one day, I'll wake up and be at goal! That A hole might be in charge at work, but don't let him have control over what you put in your mouth. Don't give him that! Hope to see you post soon in the November 2007 support group. Stop by and post a hello and I know you'll get lots of "Welcomes". We are in the middle of our Cinco De Mayo Challenge. We all set a goal (mine is always the lowest :biggrin: but we check in each week and post our weekly loss (or occassionally a gain) and cheer each other on. We moan about no restriction or too much restriction and talk about our fills. We have a few in our group that have incredible losses! Cindy ( hollyberries) has lost over 90 pounds! And Kristen has lost a LOT of weight with NO FILLS at all! She's very diligent on her exercising! And our one male in the group ( TXarcher) has lost a lot of weight, too. You'll get to know all of us quickly and there is one older thread there where we introduced ourselves and said a little about ourselves. A few have posted photos already! Our "longhorn" (Kendra) is struggling with a health issue right now ( you can read about that, too) and we are all wearing our cowboy boots for her to kick "The BIG C" in the BUTT. It's never to late to join us!

Not everyone is fortunate enough to afford or have insurance that pays for WLS, so not everyone can "fix" their disability. And WLS for the most hasn't been available until recent years. So what do we tell the 66 y/o lady that has a heart condition and doesn't qualify for WLS? Tough shit old lady, suck it up and fit in that tiny seat to go visit the grandkids? Yeah, even though we know the seat barely fits the average person. Yeah, we know your knees will bother you with no leg room. The laugh is medical experts recommend you get up and walk on a flight to prevent DVT. Ha! With the food cart in the aisle or turbulence ( the pilot says stay in your seat with your seat belt buckled) and oh yeah after you climb over the other two people if you're in a window seat. Flying used to be exciting and the first step and last step in a great vacation. It has become just a crappy way to get from one place to another. Trust me, I am not a bleeding heart type in anyway. And some airlines are not allowing heavy carryons bags and some have not only a size limit for carryon, but a weight limit, as well.

I get a little tired of the "so how much weight have you lost now? question. But I think people don't know what else to say. They know we did this to lose weight, so the amount becomes the logical question to ask. My friends have been supportive and ask "how's the new way of eating going" and "do you feel better" which are good questions to ask and much better than "how much"( unless we choose to share that number) But weight loss is a numbers game. Oh, the only really toxic person still in my life is my SIL and trust me she would have been out my life a LONG time ago, but my husband loves his brother. So for that reason, and that reason only, I deal with her and avoid her as much as possible. She is personally weight obsessed as it is... so it's really a bad subject for us to discuss anyway. I never really feel like people are watching what or how much I am eating and that became evident at Christmas. I was one month banded and still eating soft food and testing what would go down, so I was very careful. I thought I'd tell my brother and nieces, if they mentioned how little I took, but nobody said a word, so neither did I. They still don't know I've been banded. I won't hide it if there becomes a reason to mention it, but it could come out, as some people know and some don't so... if ever the twain shall meet, as they say! I hated to hide it from everyone because let's face it, is there anyone that did not really know that Star Jones had bypass? Would anyone that knew me really think that at the age of 56 after trying for years to lose weight that I suddenly did it all by myself? Nah! Sure, I could have left them guessing but I saw no point in that. After a while, people will stop asking about it anyway. It won't be new or interesting anymore. But everyone needs to do what works for them, absolutely! No one should feel they have to tell anyone they don't want to, for whatever reason.