MickATL

The fact that we EXPECT people to have a problem with it or just say a name and not say they are our partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/etc. is called the "heterosexual priviledge". That str8 people can talk about their husband and that's okay. It's not considered "personal" business. Just like your user ID says you are someone's mom which could imply your str8. For me, I say it takes mental energy to try and hide parts of my life that I shouldn't have to. If you don't like it, I'll spend my money somewhere else. But our personal lives are a BIG part of how we live, who we eat with, why we overeat sometimes and an inability to be completely honest about all of those things is not healthy. Talking about our relationships, how food is involved and how we socialize around food helps us learn, evolve and grow through the weight loss surgery process. If people don't like it, find someone who doesn't care. I don't think my surgeon needs to be gay. He just needs to be good at what he does. But me having to hide the fact that I have a boyfriend because I think he'd have a problem with it, means I wouldn't use him. In my case, I am as out loud and proud as they come and nobody ever has a problem with it. Probably because I don't.

I am thinking of starting a Support group in the Metro Atlanta (Tucker/Northlake) area. Looking for WLS people at any stage, who would be interested in attending. Please let us know what day of the week that you could NOT attend. We will keep you posted as to our status. Also, let us know if you would like to volunteer in some manner, as we are looking for some hlp to get this group going. Thanks and we are looking forward to meeting all of you soon! If you click on my link below, you'll see a link to "Join my support group" at the top of my blog. My blog documents my journey from 326lbs in May '07 to 170 lbs today. Looking forward to getting to know people in the area looking for others to connect with, learn from and share successes with.

So far, I have not found a place to host my group. Although I do attend a group called Lawrenceville Wings (you can find it on yahoo groups). I do attend the Emory group and I think it's awesome. They are not promoting a specific surgery and right now there are far more lap banders than RNY patients. Not sure who gave you that bad information. //I was banded last August and have been a miserable failure of a bandster ever since.//Sorry about your success or lack thereof. You can message me with questions, comments or concerns you have about your band and your program. You can also read my blog at Mick's Corner for more tips on what I eat, how I exercise and what I do to be successful. In the end, this process is 30% what you eat (measuring your portions, not drinking and eating, eating healthy foods, etc.), 30% moving your body more and 40% attitude. That means 70% has nothing to do with the band. Most of the success rest on our shoulders to make healthy choices, move our bodies more and to be positive. Emory allows you to attend a support group meeting for free. You can find out about them at Emory HealthCare - click on bariatric department. My preference was to attend the RNY group sessions because those patients DO NOT CHEAT. It seemed like the Lap Band patients whined about not being able to eat certain foods and the RNY patients just didn't do that. I found them more helpful. I like that Emory rolled the 2 groups together because the post op instructions we follow are almost the same. There are minor differences but, in general, we all follow very similar rules: - Measure portions - Don't drink for an hour after eating - Take a daily Vitamin - Increase our daily activity - Eat a healthy well balanced diet - Chew food thoroughly - Take small bites I try to focus on the similarities and not the differences. There is also a Lap Band group that meets in Atlanta. They are on Yahoo Groups as well. Although, they meet at a bar & grill. I don't find that a support group meeting at a bar & grill makes the healthiest eating decisions. So I don't attend many of their meetings. Hope this information helps.

I would love a Wii-Fit. It weighs you, tracks BMI and work out progress. Everything I read shows it's pretty effective at making exercise more fun and interactive. Anything that changes up a routine before it gets boring works for me. Variety in my daily work outs is becoming more important the longer I am post op. I have mostly focussed on cardio with an exercise bike and it's becoming a bit boring. Now I am looking for ways to spice up my work outs. I purchased a kettle bell (google it) and a Hoist V3 home gym to start building muscle. Now I just need to finish my home gym/basement and setup all my equipment down there!

Congratulations on your surgery! The decision to share, what to show and how much detail you share is really a personal thing. I am an open book. I figure the more people who know and can help me stay the course the better. I didn't embark on this journey for the quick fix anyway. My friends and family will notice I eat healthier smaller portions. That's about it. But I would rather they understand I'm making permanent lifelong changes and not "he's on a diet". I wouldn't want anyone to base a decision to have lap band surgery on my wonderful success or someone else's lack of success. We each walk this path alone. Even if someone does really well, they can stray. The great thing about the band is it is adjustable. We can work to find the right level of restriction and balanced eating to maintain a weight or get back to losing. Good luck on your journey! The hard part is over now it's getting on with the rest of your banded life.

I have been in contact with Whole Foods to try and have our meetings there. It might make for a more healthy environment where they can go through various shopping options, scenarios and making over recipes to be more healthy. More to come.

Hopefully this link lets you join my Yahoo group. There is a link there to the Obesity Help group as well. Click to join atlantaWLSsupport

Follow-up with Emory. Their Bariatric office staff is excellent! Also, sometimes you have to call and speak to different people to find out. The best bet would be to let Emory submit the procedure codes you want. I have BCBS of Georgia and they covered my lap band. Some insurance policies cover out-patient surgery but not in-patient. So same day laproscopic out with-in 24 hours was covered by mine but not extended stay more extensive surgery. You may want to write down who you speak with, ask them to email or fax you a copy of your policy where that is spelled out or indicated. If you don't like their answer. I would hang up and call back and speak with someone else until they can show you in writing where WLS is excluded. Don't give up. Be diligent. It's alot easier for people to give you a quick answer than to look things up and verify. So if you can't find the exclusion on the website, make them show you where it says it. If they can't, it's covered. Again, I would let Emory go through the approval process for you. Don't give up. Don't lose hope.

Do you have a bulldog? We have a 7 1/2 month old red brindle named Nash. He's a cutie pie! Thanks for joining my group!

Congratulations on your surgery! There is a grup that meets in Lawrenceville as well. I hope the link below works. It will get you plugged into my Yahoo Group. I also have a sister group on Obesity Help. The OH group was pending my completion of Support Group Leader training which wrapped up this weekend. Next up.... scouting a location! I look forward to meeting you and, in the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to post them here or on the Atlanta WLS Support group below! Click to join atlantaWLSsupport

Good for you Sadie! That's how it should be. I remember first coming out and talking about "the heterosexual priveledge" which is to talk about kids, hubby, in-laws at work but gay peole are supposed to keep their personal lives to themselves. WTF?!?!? If you talk about your husband at work, I should be able to talk about my boyfriend. I have stopped referring to him as my partner. In the South, people always ask me "Partner??? What kinda business y'all in?" I find that boyfriend gets the point across without using the term lover which is just a sexual term in my book. Start practicing eating slowly, taking small bites, chewing your food thoroughly and, if you aren't... start exercising. It will help with recovery and it's a major aid in helping the weight come off post-op! Congratulations on your date!!!

I looked into the Body Bugg a few months ago and really wanted one but they are pretty pricey. I found the biotrainer online. It's $49 and they offer a 10% discount to WLS surgery patients (use discount code: WLS). This thing sits on your waistband and counts calories all day long. You can either enter them on bio trainer's website and use their menu options, calorie tracking, etc. for a fee or just write down your daily totals and keep track. I find myself wanting to increase the total calories burned each day so I improve. I like it better than a pedometer just counting steps or the heart rate (Mio) which may or may not calculate calories burned correctly. Whatever your method, keeping track of how many calories you burn each day and comparing to how many you ingest will help you forecast whether you are on track to lose or gain weight. Keep moving your body everyday!

That is basically it. You put it on every morning. You wear it all day. It has a built in accelerometer that knows when you are moving and how hard you are moving. It somehow converts that movement into calories burned. You do have to enter some information about yourself so it can figure it out. Here's basically how it works: BioTrainer - measure physical activity and calories burned You don't have to use their online system to track your calories in and have it analyze the #of calories you burn everyday, but I think it's pretty cool. They offer 10% off to WLS patients with the discount code: WLS. It's like free shipping. I also found this demo on their site of the online nutritional program. BioTrainer food Journal: Demo Good luck and keep moving!

That is basically it. You put it on every morning. You wear it all day. It has a built in accelerometer that knows when you are moving and how hard you are moving. It somehow converts that movement into calories burned. You do have to enter some information about yourself so it can figure it out. Here's basically how it works: BioTrainer Weight Loss System ™ - measure physical activity and caloric burn You don't have to use their online system to track your calories in and have it analyze the #of calories you burn everyday, but I think it's pretty cool. They offer 10% off to WLS patients with the discount code: WLS. It's like free shipping. I also found this demo on their site of the online nutritional program. BioTrainer Nutrition : Demo Good luck and keep moving!

That is basically it. You put it on every morning. You wear it all day. It has a built in accelerometer that knows when you are moving and how hard you are moving. It somehow converts that movement into calories burned. You do have to enter some information about yourself so it can figure it out. Here's basically how it works: BioTrainer Weight Loss System ™ - measure physical activity and caloric burn You don't have to use their online system to track your calories in and have it analyze the #of calories you burn everyday, but I think it's pretty cool. They offer 10% off to WLS patients with the discount code: WLS. It's like free shipping. I also found this demo on their site of the online nutritional program. BioTrainer Nutrition : Demo Good luck and keep moving!

A friend from another board told me about LapBandTalk and I had to come and check it out. A forum just for us bandsters!!! What a great idea. I had my surgery on June 18, 2007 at Emory / Crawford Long Hospital. I have been heavy most of my life and all of my adult life. I'm 41 years old and procrastinated on surgery for several years. My PCP kept encouraging me to look into it and finally yelled at me about 18 months ago saying, "When your health becomes as much of a concern for you as it is for me, maybe you'll do something about it!" I have never had a doctor yell at me before. I consider that my "wake up call". Obviously my weight was more of an issue than I was willing to admit to myself. At that point, I was 322 lbs. I attended the weight loss seminar at Emory in December of 2006. They talked about how less than 3% of people who've been heavy for any extended period of time will keep weight off using traditional methods (diet, diet & exercise and pills). Less than 3%! WLS patients were much more successful. Most lose 80% of their excess weight within 2 years and a large number keep a bulk of that weight off for 10+ years. That sounded alot like my previous experiences with dieting. I must be a great detective because whenever I lost weight, I always found it again! I had my surgery in mid June and decided, if I was going to let someone cut me open and alter my body, I was going to do everything I could to maximize my results. I felt I needed to change my life and learn to eat healthy balanced meals, learn the bandster rules and incorporate exercise into my daily life. My journey has been the hardest thing I have ever done but also the most rewarding. Today, I eat 3 balanced (lean Protein, whole grain carbs & a fresh fruit or vegetable) meals and a snack between lunch & dinner. I've gone from 322 lbs to 173 lbs in 8 months (including the month prior to surgery) and have transformed my body & my life. I've come to realize the band is just a tool that helps me feel satisfied with smaller portions. It does not change what I eat or make me exercise. That falls on my shoulders. I've had to get honest with myself about emotional eating, bored (mindless) eating and grazing. I've had to be willing to listen to my dietician and be honest with her as well. I still have much to learn on my journey toward long term health! Hopefully, some of you can help me keep growing and maturing as a bandster who keeps their weight off for 10+ years!

I'm in conservative Atlanta. When I went in for my pre-op tests, the psych consult required your support person to come with you. I brought my partner of 13 years. They wanted him to hear what my eating requirements were going to be and the kind of support I would need post-op. I guess if you aren't out in your life, then what's the point of telling someone who's going to cut you open, place a device and send you one your way? I'm out to everyone. My attitude, if it's not a problem for me, it shouldn't be for you. If it is, then I'd rather go somewhere else. It takes energy to hide things. To play the pronoun game. Its 2008. Believe me, you aren't the first queer patient they've had. If it's a big ugly secret for you, it will be for others. I'm out to the dietician, on the yahoo lap band groups I post on and basically everywhere. The people that have a problem with it probably don't reply to my posts but... I have alot of friends on Yahoo and OH and here and I don't skirt the issue. I think people like me regardless of my orientation. It's a part of who I am. Denying it would be like denying I am male. I used to think people didn't need to know. What does it have to do with anything? It has everything to do with everything! My sexuality is interwoven into my character, my life, my personality and me denying it sends subconscious messages to psyche that says I am ashamed of who I am and other people are right for having a problem with it.

Mine broke last week while I was stacking firewood and I stepped on it. I called the company and they replaced it for $9.99. I have read the reviews on Amazon. Some liked it, some didn't. One person said it didn't show very many calories burned when they weren't very active. I think the studies posted on the company's website are pretty compelling and anything that gets people motivated and active is a positive thing. It doesn't have sensors physically attached to your body measuring temperature or heart rate but mine does seem to reflect my activity effort and does motivate me to work out harder. I saw on it on Smarthome - Home Automation, X10, Remote Control, Lighting, Wireless Security which is my favorite gadget site. I think, like any technology, it'll grow legs and become more popular. "The biotrainer has a tri-axis accelerometer (like the wii controllers) with a built in microprocessor that measures the force of your body’s motion 40-times per second. It processes the data, and then accurately calculate energy expenditure (in either calories burned or activity unit)" -- off their website. John- Congratulations on 40lbs gone forever! Keep up the great work!

Hi 4jin! Thank you for your vote of confidence. I am really enjoying this site and the people on it. It's just hard getting used to how to post and respond to people. Practice makes perfect! Lattedah- It's nite to meet you. I am only a question away and always more than willing to answer questions or help my fellow bandster or pre-bandsters. Success is that much sweeter when you have friends to enjoy it with! I read alot of blogs on OH to learn the good, bad & ugly parts of WLS. It helped me know what I was getting into before I signed on the dotted line and I applaud you for doing your homework! It increases your likelihood for success exponentially by being informed. Keep me posted on your progress as well!

Hey Butterfly- First, congratulations on your surgery AND the 14 lbs gone forever! I bought a bio trainer (https://www.biotrainerusa.com/default.asp?PROMOCODE=WLS) that's like a pedometer but it counts actual calories burned. It will keep 9 days worth of data in it's memory. It has been very motivating for me to incent me to find ways to burn more calories. I am big proponent of the device and the web service ($9.99/month) but the device works without the service. Just looking through the day at how many cal's you've burned can be an incentive. Gonna call Sue? Walk over! Gonna go to lunch? Maybe walk over. You should check out craigslist or play it again sports for used equipment. I bought a recumbent exercise bike and parked it in front of my TV in the bedroom. My rule: No TV or Computer until I have exercised. I started out with 20 minutes a day on the bike and am up to 60 minutes. I also purchased a body by jake ab/back machine and I do crunches on it. Started with 50 a day and now I do 500. That's why my stomach is rockin right now. The walking on the treadmill is VERY smart. Think of the 14 lbs you've lost. That's 1 1/2 sacks of potatoes. Your legs don't have to carry that anymore. You wouldn't even walk around a grocery store carrying ONE sack of potatoes let alone 1 1/2. Your legs get the biggest break from weight loss so walking, swimming or biking are excellent. The next is your tummy. So sit ups, crunches and leg lifts will all help! In terms of finding things... taking the stairs, taking a walk at lunch, getting up every hour and walking around the cubicles or a mid morning 10minute walk. My goal was 60 minutes of activity a day not necessarily exercise and not at one time. So your walk on the treadmill, another at lunch, maybe stairs (going down is fine). Another idea... they sell a set of small bicycle pedals that go under your desk and has resistance or... a squeeze ball for your desk. Something that works your hands/forearms. I like the mini bike pedals under your desk. In terms of excess skin. Of course I do. You can't lose 155 lbs and not have some. Although I have noticed it is retracting as time goes by. If you click on my blog (ObesityHelp - Gastric Bypass, LAP-BAND® System, DS and Other Surgical and Non-Surgical Weight Loss Options. - Profiles - Mick's Corner) I post pics of myself without a shirt and you can see my pancake stomach. It is what it is. My thighs also have saggy skin but it's not as bad today as it was 2 months ago. Biking and crunches help. I've heard, if you put the money you save on food in a jar and the money you save not having to buy clothes at a big & tall store (or lane bryant) in a jar... you'd probably have enough money for plastic surgery in a year or two. I believe it! I hope this information was helpful in some way. Don't stop pushing yourself! Try the Bio Trainer. It's only $49.99 and they give WLS patients a 10% discount.

Terry- Don't be scared. Just get serious & comitted to following the rules and you'll do great! To answer your question, no. I have not had anything get stuck but... I chew my food very thoroughly, I take very small bites and I eat slowly. I don't eat foods that I have heard cause other people problems. Other people have to try it for themselves to see if it's a problem for me. My philosophy is... You don't have to tell me twice! You say pasta's a problem, no problem. You say soft doughy bread can get suck. I hear ya! There are far too many other foods I can eat without the chance of getting stuck. So I stick to what works and so far, no problemo. I also try to focus on what I CAN eat and not what I CAN'T. It makes me happier that way. I just remember, when properly restricted the band creates an opening the size of a pencil eraser. So I take small bites and chew thoroughly. If it doesn't feel like it chewed up in my mouth (dry chicken for example) I spit it out. Otherwise, you can look at my journal for examples of what I eat. I think it's very flavorful, balanced meals that don't feel like I am on a diet or going without anything. Good luck on your journey!

I liked this device. I decided to get the biotrainer because it was $49 and it's a 3 axis accelerometer not 2 axis. They offer an online system for tracking what you eat, your daily total calories burned and provide a virtual color coded report card on your food intake based on nutritional targets. Now they offer a 10% discount (basically free shipping) for WLS patients: https://www.biotrainerusa.com/default.asp?PROMOCODE=WLS The ActiTrainer is bigger than the BioTrainer and counts steps where the bio trainer just counts total calories burned. I use mine when I ride my exercise bike and I use it in conjunction with Nike+iPod when I run. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the results!

Hello everyone! I was banded on 6-18-07 and I've lost 155 lbs since. I lost 30+ lbs prior to surgery with diet & exercise so I started at 292 the day of surgery. However, I count ALL pounds lost since I still had to watch what I ate and exercised to get them off. For people struggling with their bands, it can work. You just have to find the right restriction, change how you treat food, stop listening to your fat inner child (we all have one) and start moving your body. There are many rules being successful with any WLS. I think the trick is surrendering yourself to the process and to stop being a diva who thinks she knows everything. If we knew how to be thin, we wouldn't have gotten ourselves into this dilemma would we? I truly had to get honest with my dietician about what I ate, how much I ate, when I ate and listen to her suggestions. That was probably the hardest thing I've done. Today, I'm a different person. Maybe not the big burly bear I used to be but I could care less. That's all gay culture B.S. anyway. I'm happier, healthier, have more energy and stamina. My partner eats the way I do and has lost 40 lbs since I've started. It's been a wonderful journey and I recommend it to anyone who is willing to change. This is so not "eat less to weigh less". You have to eat lower calorie, low fat foods,measure everything and start to exercise. Yes I said the E word. Good luck to everyone. I wish you all much success on your journey!

This is my first attemp at multi-quote! Sorry if it's confused. I eat 3 planned meals they consist of a lean Protein, a whole grain carb and a fresh fruit or vegetable. I also have a planned snack in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. I drink 2 - 10 oz glasses of skim milk and I do not do protein supplements. All protein from real food here. Do not graze. It does not allow the band to work effectively. If you have the right fill, you should not be hungry between meals. Stop that! Congratulations on your success. Tighten down the ratchet on the grazing and you'll do even better. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Girls can lose alot too! I have seen some giving me a run for my money. 1) you have to eat food to lose weight. the trick is eating high Fiber healthy foods / low in calories and not high calorie foods. 2) you have to burn off more than you consume. That biotrainer thing is a great tool to figure out if you are burning more than you consume. YOu can also use FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to get a handle on it. Don't let me get away with that! Prove me wrong! I would love for you to lose more, quicker and look better! Trust me. It's only fun if we all succeed. Good luck on your approval. My suggestion, get started NOW. Start eating smaller portions, more often. 4 small meals instead of 3 large ones. Eat all your meals on a salad plate (I do this now all the time). It makes smaller portions seem bigger. Lean protein, whole grain carbs & a fresh fruit or veggie with each meal. No more than 1500 calories for men and 1200 for women (pre op) the numbers go down post op. I lost 30 lbs doing that before surgery. Start exercising now. It will make your recovery better and it'll make getting yourself moving after surgery easier too. It has been the biggest difference in my progress post op. When I plateau it is for a couple days. Never weeks. I just keep pedaling through it. You can too! Terry- Thanks for the great note! I used to think food was my friend. My constant companion. Always there for me. It didn't do sh** for me! All it did was make me fat and miserable. How can we let food have such a huge control over us? I would say... do you enjoy being fat or morbidly obese? I don't enjoy exercise. I do it because I want to get the most out of this wonderful gift I've been given (my lap band). It can only do so much... help me eat less. It goes around our stomach not our lips. We OWN what we eat. If I ate 1 cup of M&M's every meal, I wouldn't lose any weight and the band would be working PERFECTLY. You have to come to the party with something. I say this is 30% what you eat, 30% moving your body and 40% attitude. Wrap your mind around Food for fuel not for comfort. My favorite saying has been Nothing TASTES as good as skinny FEELS. What that really means to me is that one moment of pleasure that you get from eating something really tasty or savory isn't worth the hours you have to sweat on a treadmill or exercise bike to burn off those calories. I'd rather find tasty foods that are low calorie and really delicious. I have found alot of recipes that are high in flavor very filling and very good. I don't feel like I am on a diet anymore. I feel like I am eating more healthy and eating to live. I control what I eat, food doesn't control me anymore. You can do this too. I know you can! Buddy, if you need a friend, email me at mickatl@earthlink.net I am here to listen, give you advice or just be a shoulder to lean on. Just understand, I'm not a soother. You know... It's okay, I've been there too. Or, you think that's bad? I ate a ...... I try to be a mentor which means I hold you accountable for a certain level of comittment and behavior. I can't eat the food for you, I can't go shopping for you and I can't make you exercise but I can encourage you to make healthier choices. But I know, with the right attitude, you can change your life! I asked my surgeon and he said, "Mick. I would be worried if you lost 4 lbs a week without exercise. I'd know you were starving yourself. But you look GREAT! You're healthy, you're strong, you are taking your Vitamins and you are rocking this program! Keep doing what you're doing. You are an inspiration to the Gastric Bypass patients who think we "eat less to weigh less". It's obvious you are making healthy eating choices, exercising daily and your labs look fantastic!" I took that feedback and ran with it. My labs have all been excellent. I'm not below goal and couldn't be happier. Again, if I had lost that kind of weight by starving myself, they'd be freaked out right now. Thank you! Feel free to shoot me an IM. I wish you MUCH success on your journey. If there is anything I can do, please feel free to ask. I am here and willing to help in any way I can. Many people have given me wonderful advice and I believe in paying it forward. It is truly amazing to me everyday. My GI said, "Michael you are 1/2 the man you used to be... literally" and I said, "I like to think I'm twice the man I ever was!" We both laughed. I have kept a photo of myself at my highest on my computer's desktop/screensaver as a motivator. NEVER AGAIN. Maintenance is more about figuring out how many healthy calories to keep adding to slow the weight loss but keep exercising. That way you stay healthy, heart strong and keep your stamina up instead of giving yourself a green light to stop exercising and start eating garbage again. So I have been thinking of it as a science experiment in terms of adding calories. So far, I've dropped 2 more pounds and am at 171. I would have been fine at 173. So I have a ways to go to figure this part out.

I started out doing what I could with the goal of 60 minutes of activity a day (not necessarily exercise and not necessarily all at once). So I started with 20 minutes a day (10 minute walk in the morning and 10 minutes on my exercise bike in the afternoon). My rule was before I watch TV or surf the net, I put in my daily exercise (everyday no days off). I now do 500 ab crunches on an old body by jake ab machine and 60 minutes on my Schwinn 213 recumbent bike. I parked it in my bedroom in front of the TV and watch while I pedal. I bought a device https://www.biotrainerusa.com/default.asp?PROMOCODE=WLS that I use to keep track of how many calories I burn during the day. They now offer a discount for WLS patients (WLS) but when I got it, they didn't. It has really helped me figure out how various activities during the day help add to my total # of calories burned: folding clothes, walking around the grocery store, riding my exercise bike, even organizing a closet add up calories through the day. It's like a pedometer but alot better, in my opinion. So that has been the thing that has motivated me. It tallies up the total # of calories burned during the day and stores 9 days in it's memory. They have a website that lets you track the information but you could write it on a piece of paper. I really like their website cause they have menus, track your food intake and keep track of nutrients which has also been helpful. My complaint... they don't let you override the calorie targets but after a few emails, they are interested in supporting our community. Which I think will be really great. We need to put in specific Protein targets, calorie targets, etc. Today I hit 171 and yesterday, my doctor told me my high was 326 so I have to redo my #'s. 155 lbs lost. Woot woot!