Niecey

Hi Teri, I'm sorry to hear you are not feeling restriction. What are you eating typically in a day? Denise

1 day at a time - I hope it's nothing serious. Long - Lucky Dog, I need to go on a cruise. Julie - you sound like you're feeling much better, that is great. I hit the onederland, I haven't been in the 100's since I got engaged, that was 18 years ago. Onderland is when you are in the 100's right? Not when you've lost 100 pounds? LOL. Did my Zumba class tonight and actually kept up the whole time expect when squatting down, not too far, my knees just hurt too much. Take care everyone, Denise

Yes it does help me being a little tight. Especially being satisfied between meals. If I keep busy I'm good otherwise I want to graze between meals just because I'm bored. But then I feel the restriction and think "why did I do that?" I have found if I stay between 800-1100 calories per day I can keep losing the weight. Now that I've found this out I track my calories daily with sparkspeople, it makes it so easy. It also helps make better choices because you want to get the most food for the least amount of calories. :crying: The exercising has gotten easier too. I love the Zumba classes. It makes exercising fun if you can call it fun. :eek: I hope everyone else is doing well. Denise

Hi everyone, I'm officially below 200 now. Wow I haven't been below 200 since I got married. How is everyone else doing? I have to tell you I had a little bout with an overfill. It was awful. I toughed it out for a week until it got so bad I could barely drink Water. :thumbup: All my fills had been with the nurses since surgery and they would put in 0.2-0.4 ccs but this time the doc put in 0.8ccs. I had to get 0.5 taken out. I managed to lose 9 pounds in that week which was good since I hadn't lost anything in 3 months. But it was not fun. Very painful and I learned that the band does not do all the work. It helps but ultimately you have to be the one who makes the wise food decisions. Protein first, if there is room after that then veggies. I'm good now. I think I'm finally at my sweet spot or within 0.1 cc of it. Frankly I don't think I want to be any tighter. So everyone give an update!!! Denise

Hi everyone, Well I painted all day yesterday. That was my exercising. Boy was I sore by the end of the day. This mornings not so bad. Hey there is some good core exercise. I ate B-protein bar L- 1/4?? taco bell salad; Protein bar D - TGIF's chicken tortilla Soup, few bits salad; S - skinny cow ice cream sand-----Total 873 calories IDK why but L & D I had trouble eating and had to come back to it later. Maybe didn't chew enough, I think I was distracted or too hungry, IDK. I see everyone eats lots of fish. I like all kinds but I have to admit I have never ever made fish (not counting the fish stick we threw in the over during lent LOL). I think for some reason I'm afraid to because I have no idea how to tell if it's cooked or not. Does anyone have any Cooking fish for Dummies?? LOL Denise

Hi guys, Hey my facebook is Denise French (Nashville network). I'd like to play some of those games. I didn't realize you could play games. I've reconnected with so many people from high school. It's funny. Coconut rum, yum. I think I'll have one tonight. How many calories in rum? It taste good w/ Light Orange Tropicana drink. Speaking of calories: 929 for the day + 1 rum drink. B-protein bar 150; L-sauage patty 200, 1/2 c chili 97; D-chicken breat w/ cheese & squash 332; S-frozen granola yogurt-150. It that good? A great place to get recipes is allrecipes.com, I think all our favorites recipes come from there. you can select your ingredients, do a search and voila! Both of my SILs had their bands 5-6 years ago and no problems at all. Wii dance dance revolution is good for exercise. I do that with my girls and you can build up a pretty good sweat and it's so much fun. Make sure you wear your socks though LOL. Well that is about it and Julie I'm so glad to hear you are going home. A good nights sleep will do wonders because Lord knows hospital beds suck!! Denise

Janet - I'm scared about the tickets but thanx for the "kick in the butt". Do you give "warnings". LOL Rose - I have problems with fish, especially shrimp. Like they are too thick. I'm better with them now but there was a time we'd go out to Outback and my DH would get the side of scallops or crab legs. It would ruin the whole dinner, maybe because it was "soft" I didn't chew enough. Hmm, never thought of that. Denise

Hi everyone, Well I went to the doc today and they took out 0.5cc of the 0.8cc they put in. I was bummed but it felt so much better to be able to drink water without struggling so much. I still go back in 7 weeks so I'll see how this goes. I already feel so much better. I lost 9 lbs in 8 days so I guess I really was not eating at all. So now I really have to learn the part that is my part of all this. The band helps but I really have to make the desicions not to snack at night and make better low calorie choices. I don't know why I was so bummed to have to go to the doc. I guess because I when 3 months without losing anything that I don't want to go that long again. Denise

Well I think I'm calling the doc tomorrow. I have no energy. I thought I could hold out but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I really enjoy this restriction because I'm never hungry but I can't even eat meat. Thats a bummer. I have facebook, it's a blast. Oh and IMHO, Adam's not going anywhere. I think he'll win it and if he doesn't you will hear him in the radio all the time, like Chris Daughtry. Denise

Just a quick note to say Long, Apples and Phyllser your photos are Fabulous!!! You guys all look really good. Keep up the great work. :wub: Ms Bubba: I'm glad to hear you can take in some fluids. I bet in the next few days you will be filling much better and get your strength back once you can start to eat again. Have a great day everyone!!! Denise

I'm behind on reading...Janet, I had a fill on Monday. I'm very very tight. I don't know if I should get some taken out. You mentioned once being so tight it was difficult to drink your coffee in the morning. Did you get a little unfilled? I can eat a little in the afternoon and early evening. Like maybe 600-700 calories. If I have coffee it opens things up a little. I'm trying to hold out because it always seems like 2 weeks later I open up. What do you think? I don't know if I can stick it out. Denise P.S. Also my stomach has a lot of gas despite eating almost nothing. Is that normal if you are not eating enough?

Hi all, Well my family and I missed the tornadoes in TN by 6 miles. Thank goodness!!! I got another fill this past Tuesday. It was with the doc for the first time since after my banding in Sept 08. He is much more aggressive than the nurse. I have been sort of scared. I hope I am not too tight. The nurse always put in .2-.4 CC but the doc put in .8. I'm glad since I have only lost 2 lbs since being of January but since Tuesday alone I have lost 6 lbs. Of course that's what happens when you can barely get 3 Protein shakes down in a day. Today I ate a small sausage patty for lunch and 2 chicken wings for dinner. That was tough and slow but no PBing. I'm taking it slow because I know in a week or 2 there is such a big difference in the swelling or whatever it is that happens and then I can eat so much more. I needed that to get back on track and lose some weight. Janet, what commercial did you do? And your before and after look great. Long, do you have any pictures of you before and after? I'd love to see them. Ms Bubba, I hope you continue to get better. Apples, I PMd you and hope to see your pictures. Also how did everyone decide what goal weight was right for you? The only reason I said 135 is because that is what the physch doc told me I should shoot for. Well I'm 1/2 way there now and it's only been 6 months. take care. Niecey

JennBand08, I think the main reason they are having a problem is because I was always "big" and now they see me losing weight and now I am slightly smaller than my oldest daughter. I guess it's just something they will have to get used to. We have joined a gym and I make them go with me. They are starting to like it. I also "make" my oldest do 20-30 minutes on the treadmill on nights we don't go to the gym. I explained to her that I know she is unhappy being overweight but I will help her and if she doesn't like her size then she has to decide to do something about it. Hopefully they are both young enough that they will learn to enjoy exercise and eating healthy. a2bachik Congrats to your crappy bowling game!!!

LOL, I noticed as I was walking the other day that something felt different and it took me a second to realize what it was...my arms were not touching my sides as I walked. Isn't that strange??? On a more serious note...I'm having problems at home. I have 2 daughters, 12 and 14, and they are having a hard time with me losing the weight now that it's really showing. It's strange to them and they are not comfortably with this. I have talked to them but does anyone have any suggestions how to help them with this? Niecey

Here is a problem I do not know how to handle and I did not expect...I have 2 daughters who are 12 and 14. Now the weight I have lost is really showing and both of my girls are having problems with it. I now weight slightly less than my oldest and I did not realize that. She asked me the other day how much I weighed. In retrospect I should have lied and told her I didn't know because that is when I find out that I weighed a little less. So since that time we have talked and long story short I am making her to the treadmill everyday with me unless we go to the gym which we all like. Then last night my oldest was not with us but we went out to dinner and my youngest was with. So she orders the chicken tenders and steak and I order just the steak. Well when the food comes the idiot server screws up all the meals. After we switch everything around my youngest gets upset because I always get the smallest meal and everyone thinks her "huge" meal should be mine, etc etc. She was on the point of tears. I screwed up in the very beginning when I first had surgery. My oldest had went from a size 18 to 16. So I wanted to keep her jeans for when I got that size. They heard that and apparently I didn't really think that through. My DH said if you get to that size you will buy your own stuff. I agreed because I didn't realize how difficult this was going to be on them. I have talked to them about it and how I am doing this to be healthier to live longer. I didn't mean to make this so long I just never expected this and I don't know how to continue to loss weight and not upset them. Niecey

Deb, congrats on your new doc. That will make a huge difference. You'll be at goal in no time because you did so awesome on your own already. Niecey

Mommie you have your hands full. Maybe you can join the Y with "childcare" so you can get your work outs in. Denise

I have to say when I posted for "help" I had no idea this post was 170 pages long. I have a lot of reading to do to meet all of you but I have to say you all sound like a great group to be a part of. Forgive me for not using names for now...I have lost 60 lbs and have 70ish lbs to go so I don't think my problem is being too close to my goal. I don't know if it is realistic but when I did my "psych" evaluation before getting my band the doc said I should aim for 135. I know I am eating too many calories because I am tracking them very closely. Luckily I am going to the doc in 2 weeks so hopefully he gives me a little fill. I know I can eat 1500-2000 calories with no problem. I have picked up my exercise more than I have in the last 16-17 years. The sad thing is now I see problems with my knees and aches and pains from getting old that I never had before. I think I lost that weight and felt good with all the compliments and thought I could slack off a bit and now I need to get serious again. I don't know, I guess this is a learning process and sorry for the rambling. Sorry to hear about all the blizzards and flooding. I now live in TN and when we moved here we brought our shovel from Chicago. Hung it up when we moved here and haven't gotten it down since then. I did live in MO when all the big floods hit from the MO river and levees broke and flooded everywhere. I worked at the airport then and the whole thing flooded 25 feet under. I had a miscarriage back then so I missed the clean up. well I'll stop for now but look forward to talking soon. Niecey

IndioGirl, Hi, I was banded 6 months ago. Lost 60 pounds in the first 3-4 months. In the last 3 months I have hardly lost a pound. I think I need another fill maybe. How much food do you typically eat in a meal? Why was the first 60 pounds effortless and now I'm just stuck. I know I am eating some days 1200-1500 calories and other days I hit up to 2000. I just seem to be hungry. I have picked up the exercise and mixed it up a bit. Any advice or suggestions to get me back on track? Niecey

Teri let us know how you are, I pray you do not have to go back to the OR. Mid December I stalled on the weight loss for 2 months and gained a few pounds. So I started using sparkpeople counting calories and found I was eating 1500-2000 calories per day. Since then I have been very conscious of what I'm eating and counting calories faithfully. I've lost the few pounds I've gained and lost a few more. I need a little fill because I think I can eat a little more than I am supposed to. I joined the YMCA and tried that Zumba class for the first time. That kicked my a$$, . It killed my knees so I'll wait a week or so before I do that again. I think my body weight must be reproportioning because people are telling me it looks like I've lost more. I know I haven't so I guess the exercise is working. I'm happy spring is coming and maybe being outside will help. It's great to hear from everyone. I saw a picture of JWRN (the nurse) and she looks great. Niecey

Only 31 pounds more to go that is great. Great job. Denise

I love spaghetti squash. I discovered it while doing a low carb diet. Get an alfredo sauce recipe...usually heavy cream, parmesan cheese, butter, some nutmeg, garlic powder and pepper. Add some ham and peas and pour over SS. It's very yummy and low carb. Take the peas out if you want less carbs. Niecey

Tropicana has a sugar free orange drink. I mix some coconut rum or cherry rum with it and it tastes very good. Also the vanilla rum makes it like a dreamsicle. But be careful, 2 drinks and I'm done. Niecey

Hey everyone, Yeah I too haven't lost any weight lately either. Well I have lost 2 pounds since the middle of December. I started using www.sparkpeople.com to count my calories and found I was eating too many calories. So now I'm trying to eat 1200-1600 calories per day and that is when the 2 pounds came off. I think I really have to keep it about 1200 calories. I do not go in to the doctor til April. Part of my problem with not losing the last 2 months has been I thought I was too tight because things were getting stuck constantly. Since I was not eating anything I would turn to easy things like ice cream, etc to feel like I was eating something. Yeah bad, I know. But it's not that I'm too tight that things are getting stuck. It's because I was eating too fast and not chewing well enough. So the past week or 2 I have really concentrated on eating very slowly, taking a minute to rest and see if I feel like I can eat another bite and it turns out it's working. I also found out I can eat chicken or a potato. I just have to really take my time. So now that I've figured that out I think I do need a slight fill come April because I can eat 1-2 cups per meal and I think it's supposed to be half of that. I hope I can lose something before that time. Niecey

Debbie, I had to laugh reading about your sister-in-law. It just shows how insecure she is, having to talk about herself all the time. And the fact that she wouldn't shut up long enough to let anyone talk about how great you look just shows how much it bothers her. 74 pounds is awesome! And just think by this time next year you can ask her how that Weight Watchers diet is going ...:thumbup:. Sorry, that was mean. :thumbup::lol: Denise