Ceradad

Today went much better. Thanks for the comments. After I left work yesterday, I was mentally drained. Today I'm working the late day shift, so I went in to the gym this morning (late because DD got up @ 0415 throwing up:frown:. DW spent the day with her). I was able to get my upper body and 85 minutes of cardio in. One thing I've learned is that the first day back to lifting after my non lift/recupe week off SUCKS. Almost feels like I've been off lifting for months. I can handle the weight easy enough, just feels heavy. Oh well, I'll get it back.

5.34 miles and 1110 calories this morning doing elliptical for 65 minutes this morning. Sorry I'm so short on the update today. Been a REALLY bad day at work today.

Great post Terry! No wonder your a mod. I couldn't have said any of that any better if I had tried. The bold part is exactly what people need to realize. If they did that, this would be a much more enjoyable ride.

Oreo, gkeyt, shesmiles, Denise and bles-you all said exactly what I have been thinking, and saying. This is no easy way out. I could eat anything I want. I, too, am able to eat bread, Pasta, chocolate. I simply choose to not get an adjustment to make it so I can't. People, including bandsters, need to live. Why make it so I can't live just so I can lose more weight? My PA has told me several times that, by eating approx 1.5 cups of food at most meals, am eating more than she would let most bandsters eat. However, because I work out 11 times a week, she says I need more food to fuel my body. So, there are basically 2 ways to use the band and lose weight. 1) you get your band restricted to the point where you can eat only a little bit of food and exercise a little. Or, 2) you leave the band a little looser so you can eat foods you enjoy (but in moderation) and exercise more. I choose the 2nd option. I just make the right choices on food (most of the time :thumbup:)

Jess-golf is addicting to play. I started about 12 yrs ago on a whim. Don't get out nearly as much as I'd like. As for softball, too bad you live in Ohio, I could have used you for my corec team, before it disbanded for lack of women players. Now, I only have my mens team this year and subbing for other teams. For sand volleyball, I have not played that in about 16 yrs. I used to play it alot with friends. Stef-those asstd chin/dips machines are awesome! I love the one at Golds. Ok, went into Golds this morning. 65 minutes on treadmill for a total of 5.34 miles and 1068 calories. Breakdown for miles was: 1.5 @ 5.5 and 1% incl, 1.05 @ 5.5 and 0 incl., .2 at 4.0 and 2% incl, .75 @ 5.5/0 incl, .15 @ 4.0/2%, .35 @ 5.5/0 incl, .50 @ 4.0/2 incl, .5 @ 6.0/0 incl., and .34 @ 4.0/2 incl. Still a little tired from my efforts on Thursday morning, but it was worth it. I'm now looking for a road bike to start training outside now that it is getting warmer.:thumbup:

Jess-golf is a great game. I love to go out and hit the links. Just don't have the time to do it too much. Can't stand to watch it though. Like paint drying. You should definately take it up.

Thanks daddy, I was thinking about the goggles after I got done yesterday. Would make it alot easier. My plan is to just increase the time btwn rest periods. Go one more length each time before that initial rest. Figure eventually I'll get up there.:biggrin:

Thanks Tracy. It's been a pretty remarkable change for me at work. Btw, w/o asking that Lt, I found out just a little while ago that I am only about 8 lbs heavier than him now.:smile: Couldn't believe it. He came up to me and said I was going to be lighter than him soon. I told him I didn't believe that for a minute. He then told me he weighs 269. Not gloating, just thought I would throw that out after my initial post. I chose not to mention my marriage because little has changed. DW is proud of the weight loss I've accomplished and that I did this for her and DD. But, like Tracy, she loved me anyway.:biggrin: Edit: I meant DW loved me anyway, not Tracy. I'm sure she likes me, just doesn't love me. :-)

daddy....after trying, and failing pretty miserably, to swim 1/4 mile yesterday, if you are swimming even most of 1/4 mile straight my hat goes off to you. Wow! That kicked my butt. My shoulders are a little sore, but my ribs are just now getting much more so.:biggrin:

I just don't see where having that type of restriction is living. I've had one fill at my 6 mo checkup and have lost over 100 lbs. I do not have the restriction that alot of you speak of, but I know when to stop eating. I can eat almost anything w/o pb'ing or sliming (never had either and happy about it). I just got done with lunch, little over 1 c of food 1 1/2 hrs ago and I still feel stuffed. Eating sweets will not kill you or ruin your lb journey. As long as you don't binge on them and know that 1 or 2 small pieces of chocolate are all you need to satisfy your craving. And, as long as you don't do this all day every day.:biggrin:

Couldn't have said it better. I do 11 workouts a week. Yup, 11, 7 cardio and 4 weightlifting via circuit training with free weights. As I like to put it now, this is a triangle. You have to have the lapband, diet and exercise. If any of that is missing for us, we don't lose weight like we should. One of my officers that has had the lb about 2 yrs longer than me only talks about his diet. Never mentions anything about exercise to me. He was proud of the fact that he lost 30 lbs. his first yr. Hasn't lost much more since. I'm not putting down slow losers. Most people are working the program the way they should. It's just the people that don't do everything necessary to make this work.

You absolutely still need to have self control. I've lost over 100 lbs in just over 6 mos, only had one fill and exercise every day. Cardio 7 days and lift 4. I know I could eat more if I wanted to, but I know that if I do, all the work I've done will be for nothing. It takes work, in diet, exercise and the amount we do in both areas. As for people that want to say I took the "easy way out", just let them come to the gym with me for one weeks worth of workouts. Not too many "normal" people could do my workouts for one week. I even had my PA last month tell me she couldn't run 3.5 miles straight like I do 3 times a week now.

Absolutely Stef. The important thing to remember is to just get in their and move. Even if it is walking around your neighborhood. Which, btw, seeing as it is finally getting decent up here, I can start to do with my dog. (Funny sidenote, my german shepherd has always been skinny for a gsd. Now that I have been losing weight, he has gotten fat. Guess I forgot to walk him enough while I've been working on losing weight. Poor guy.:angry_smile:) But, the important thing for people to remember, is that this lb tool is a triangle. You need the lb, diet and exercise to be truly successful with it. You leave one aspect of it out, and you are not living up to your abilities.

I'll go with my work relationships. As some know, I am a police officer. You want to talk about some of the most un-PC people around, you can't beat police officers. I used to have to deal with all the jokes about being big and eating. I especially hated potlucks in the dept. Always the obligatory "better get your food quick 'cus J is coming". Or, one of my Lt's always would ask "are you eating again?" if he saw me eating an egg @ Breakfast. (Funny thing is, same Lt always eats at least 2 donuts each and every day and is no little man himself) Always got the jokes about my uniforms and how many rayons did they have to kill to make one for me. Or how many cows had to die for my leather jacket (please no PETA comments here, I respect your views, I just like to stay warm). If I didn't just laugh it off and keep up the "jolly big guy" mode, it just egged them on. However, since my time off from the surgery, it disappeared. Almost so quickly that I didn't realize it had happened. I now longer here the comments about the amount of food I eat or about my clothing. Unless it is to comment about how big my uni's and civilian clothes are getting or about how little I eat (not that I ever ate that much anyway, most of you know how that is:frown:). Or about how good I seem to be doing with the weightloss. Don't get me wrong, I love these guys to death, for the most part, and would back them to the hilt. I work with some of my best friends, but it got old. So, just from that standpoint, the lapband has been a positive. Also, I have sort of become a person that other overweight people know they can talk to about their struggles and ask any questions they may have. I will never tell someone they need this surgery. But, if asked, I will answer any and all questions and volunteer to go to any seminars if they want me to.

Absolutely! I find I NEED to exercise or I just don't feel right. On my non lifting weeks, by the end I almost feel as if I am "jonesing" for a lifting workout. Which is one of the main reasons why I put those in every 6 wks. Otherwise, I find I start to get burnt out and find excuses to not go in and workout. I'd rather take a week off and recupe than stop altogether.

On behalf of his fellow officers, thank you so much to your family for his service. That is a great quote. Good luck next week. We'll keep you in our prayers.

Wow plain, I thought you were going to ask a real personal question.:angry_smile: I am 6'3". So yeah, we are pretty similar. As for my weight goal, I originally started this whole process with the goal of getting to btwn 250 and 270. After seeing how it was going post op, I changed it to 240. I was told by the bariatric clinic nurse I originally saw that 225 would not be out of the question. My surgeon said the same thing. I just want to get to 240 and then I'll re evaluate again. So far, I'm down from a size 48 pant to a baggy 42. Waist is just about right, but the rest is baggy.:cursing: For the weightlifting, I once considered amateur powerlifting, but have pretty long arms which does not lend itself to being real competive in that sport. However, I have always lifted weights. So, like you, I have a layer of muscle under a layer of fat. Luckily, now the layer of fat is smaller:thumbup:.

:cursing: That would be unfortunate. Even though I would most likely not see it, it would still suck having to listen to all the media hype over it.:angry_smile:

Karey-welcome back. Good luck on your continued rehab. Jess-great news on the tests! Keep it up. daddy-keep up what you are doing, keeps me inspired seeing your success!:angry_smile: Stef-sorry about the overfill. Hopefully, with the unfill, things will get back to normal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ok, now for my update. Yesterday, I was off from work, so I went in the morning to the gym right off and tried my own little indoor triathlon. Swimming went not too good. I ultimately swam for just over 1/4 mile but had to rest for about 30 seconds btwn each lap.:cursing: Knew it was going to be my weak point, just gotta work on it on my off days when I don't lift. Showered off real quick, hopped on a regular exercise bike, and did 45 minutes on a cross country setting. Made it 12.2 miles in that time. Hopped off the bike, refilled the Water bottle real quick, and hopped on the treadmill. Ran 1.25 miles @ 5.5 mph, followed by .5 miles @ 5.0 mph, .75 miles @ 5.5 again, .2 miles @ 4.0 mph, and then .4 miles @ 5.5 again. Total of 3.1 miles in about 35 minutes, running almost the entire time. That, to me, was the most impressive. Did not think I would run that much after swim and bike. Figure I burned btwn 1550 and 1600 calories btwn all 3. Went to my first MN Wild game last night. I don't know much about hockey as I grew up in IA, but had a blast. However, did not get to bed last night until 2300.:cursing: Still got up this morning for cardio. 50 minutes on the elliptical for 4.02 miles and 825 calories.

Thanks for posting this. I had not heard of this movie until now as well. I will definately be making time to go see it.

I really need to stay on top of this thing. Couple of items of note. Last week I hit the 100 lbs lost mark:thumbup:. Truly a great accomplishment for me. I still can't believe it. I see my reflection in glass when I am walking around, and I think I am still almost 380 lbs. Not anymore though. Ok, I finished off my 2nd cycle of the 6 wk cycle (2 3 wk cycles w/i) last week. Did real good. So, this week is a non lifting week, only cardio. Tomorrow, I am going to go into the gym and see how much of a mini triathlon I can do there. 1/2 mile swim, 14 miles on a bike and 3.1 mile run/walk. I'm a little concerned about the swim and run. I have never swam that much at one time and I KNOW I'll be tired after that and the bike ride. Oh well, gotta start somewhere. After talking to some people from church and work, I am really excited about trying for a mini triathlon this summer. At least one. Just no Speedo's for me.:biggrin:

I really need to stay on top of this thing. Couple of items of note. Last week I hit the 100 lbs lost mark:thumbup:. Truly a great accomplishment for me. I still can't believe it. I see my reflection in glass when I am walking around, and I think I am still almost 380 lbs. Not anymore though. Ok, I finished off my 2nd cycle of the 6 wk cycle (2 3 wk cycles w/i) last week. Did real good. So, this week is a non lifting week, only cardio. Tomorrow, I am going to go into the gym and see how much of a mini triathlon I can do there. 1/2 mile swim, 14 miles on a bike and 3.1 mile run/walk. I'm a little concerned about the swim and run. I have never swam that much at one time and I KNOW I'll be tired after that and the bike ride. Oh well, gotta start somewhere. After talking to some people from church and work, I am really excited about trying for a mini triathlon this summer. At least one. Just no Speedo's for me.:confused_smile:

Congrats FLman!:huh2: I, too, was excited when I hit that mark. It's amazing how much better we feel when we reach those mini goals. It keeps you going for your next goal. Keep up the great work.

Trust me, you don't want to see that.:huh2: daddy, congrats on signing up for the race. Keep us posted on the training. Jess, school sucks. I'm going through the same thing with work, school and working out. No fun at all. For cardio today, I did 65 minutes on thge elliptical machine for 5.3 miles and 1094 calories. Tomorrow will be my first attempt at the mileages for the mini triathlon. Should prove interesting. I've never swam 1/2 mile straight. Then to follow it up with 14 miles on bike and 5k running/walking, WHEW! I'm tired just thinking about it.:cool2:

Nor am I. I just want to give it a go and see if I can do it.:tongue: