Bunny

I have previously underestimated the power of the NSV to encourage me when the scale is stagnant. The scale has started to move again!! Here are some things that got me through: 1) I was able to paint my own toes the other day while sitting down on a stool and bending over. I was never out of breath once!! 2) I was able to put on my old pair of size 16 jeans yesterday. They hurt like heck but I was a least able to get them up! 3) I am able to type this right now sitting in Indian Style on the couch and it doesn't hurt! 4) I was able to button a size 16 pant suit jacket today and my arms were not too tight in the sleeves! That's it for now!

I haven't updated my weight in a while. Allisarin…57 Amber...39 andrea71…28 Bekiboo26....58lb Bunny...81 lbs Busy296...72 lbs Caresarn…16 Chocolate_Snaps....52lbs dsmit13…48 eastxnurse....30 lbs EL1…23 flipper64...30 georgia girl…83 Ginger_...30 Gloucester...70 lbs Gurlygirl....27 Hazeleyegrl1...45.9 lbs. itstime....23 lbs Jennie1976...49 lbs jfc193...106 lbs Juliacleone…32 Justwant2lose...41 kagoscuba...37 Kellymovingon...53 Kimmie…45 Lapband4me...32 Lapitup…22.5 Linda E......24.5 lbs Lindypie...41 Lucylu...15 Magooz07…11 mandi78…23 Mdicurn…30 Queenp....28lbs ScareDcat…65 Sirusman…67 Stacy 73… 60 suzygayle...52 lbs Texrose 575 .....24.0 lbs Thinmom…23 time4me...65 Tishamarie…49 Tulipstar...61 wannabthin...44.5 lbs

mpope, i get hungry lile a regular ole person. the difference is, when i eat my Protein first, i am fuller longer. when it's time to eat again, i am starvin' just like anyone else...it just takes much, much less to make me full. carbs imo are the easiest to eat...so if sweets/carbs is your thing then you will have to be very careful with them. you will have to make a conscious effort to eat your protein first...like i do. so, less of them? hmmm...depending on how restricted you are, you will eat less. but, most carbs are soft and therefore very easy to go down.

It is good to know that we share similar struggles. I have been battling the mental/emotional hunger thing lately. I am at a perfect fill level but went to the doctor two weeks ago asking to have some taken out. It was an interesting visit. The PA asked if I thought I was too tight, experiencing reflux, etc. She could not figure out why I wanted to be unfilled. Then, I said, " I just want to eat!" She told me that she would do whatever made me feel comfortable but that she could tell I was having problems getting my mind in line with my stomach. She told me she was hesitant to do it because I lost 10 lbs since my last visit 4 weeks ago and she didn't want me to have too much taken out and gain weight. I laid back on the table having 2nd thoughts the entire time...Then, just as she was getting the needle ready..."STOP!" I said. I changed my mind. (Dang, a wasted co-pay!!!) I am looking forward to this week...to slowly making some mental changes...I bought a box of 100-calorie pack Hostess Carrot Cake cupcakes two days ago...6 packs come in a box...I ate 3 packs today alone!!! On one hand, I am glad they were just 100 calories a piece, but on the other hand, I wish I would have exercised more self-control. I have decided not to buy them anymore. I am definitely going to try the whole "PRETEND I ATE IT ALREADY" thing.

Well...looks like I'm checking in to myself. No one has been on this thread since I posted yesterday. Maybe it's because it's the weekend. b-chocolate protein drink l-one weiner, two tbs of black-eyed peas, pepperoni slices d-three cheese squares and turkey deli meat snack-Starbucks skinny vanilla latte, a few fritos (oops!)

I'm staying on plan today because I went to the doctor and got a good report. I want the next one to be even better.

Checkin' in: b-skinny caramel latte from Starbucks l-broccoli cheese soup d-meatloaf, baked squash, spinach artichoke dip ...no chips snack: chai tea

(Renewedhope-no apologies necessary...no offense taken at all.) Birdee and AthinnerDenise, I got faint during a workout as well. That's why I started adding fruit and even a 1/2 banana to my protein drink in the mornings. We already eat very little so a few more carbs really won't hurt. I didn't like the faint feeling. On with what I ate today: b-ISOPURE Zero Carb strawberry protein drink w/1/2 banana and drained peaches. (50 gr protein) l-curry chicken (just the chicken...no rice or veggies except a few pieces of onion) d-pepperonis and cheese, one weiner with some chili over it. snack: chai tea, 3-carb fudge popsicle I weigh in tomorrow with my PCP who hasn't seen me since two weeks after my surgery. At that point, I had only lost 14 lbs. He will be proud.

Checkin' in: I will likely always do low-carb. Low-carb doesn't mean chosing unhealthy foods, BTW, though today I could have made better choices. Good luck everyone else with whichever plan you choose. Here is what I had today: b-protein drink with drained peaches and 1/2 banana (50 gr protein) l-4 chicken nuggets and 1/4 thin beef hamburger pattie d-pepperonis and cheese snack: 3-carb fudge popsicle, chai tea w/splenda, Special K protein/fiber Water I look forward to the scale moving downward some more.

Did well today. b-Strawberry ZERO CARB Isopure Whey Protein Shake made with water/drained peaches. 50 grams protein. l-nothing, got busy at work and wasn't that hungry from the protein shake that morning d-smoked chicken thigh and 1/4 cup of black-eyed peas snack-Chai tea w/Splenda lost another pound...yipppeee!!!!

Another good day! For whatever reason, I didn't have much of an appetite today. b-Strawberry ZERO CARB Isopure Whey Protein Shake made with water/drained peaches. 50 grams protein. l-1/4 cup chili d-two pieces of bologna snack-3 carb-fudge popsicle, 1 cup popcorn (I had to edit this portion. I planned to drink coffee but my boyfriend called wanting to take in a late movie and I had some of his popcorn)

Low-carbing has gone well for me today. However, I will be on liquids the rest of the day because I PB'd some breakfast this morning. b-sausage, bacon, egg and cheese scramble (basically, these were the contents of a breakfast burrito from Taco Bueno). Coffee w/Splenda. l-one tbs of spicy guacamole and about 3 Veggie Chips, hot raspberry tea w/ Splenda d-chicken broth, hot tea snacks: sugar-free jello pudding (6 carbs), 3-carb fudge popsicle. Oh...I lost another pound. Headed in the right direction! DOWNWARD! Yipppeee!

losingjusme-gonna miss you on here! Things went well today for me. b-two sausage patties and 3 stips of bacon l-1/2 cheeseburger pattie (no bun...little bit of ketchup) d-the other 1/2 of the cheeseburger pattie from lunch...no ketchup snack: 3-carb fudge bar, coffee w/Splenda, one tbs of spicy guacamole with 5 veggie chips. (these snacks were throughout the day...not all at once)

Smgallop, WELCOME!!!!! There is a wealth of support here. Ask any questions you want. Congratulations on your new journey!!! You will hear this over and over again. The BAND is only a tool. You have to use it properly. You will learn how to do this through the process. It takes a few fills/adjustments to get to whatever the proper restriction is for you. There is no magic number. Oh and behavior modification is still important. Again, WELCOME!!!

I'm staying on plan today (Saturday, 3/29) and the rest of next week because I go to my Primary Care Physician (PCP) on Friday, April 5 @ 5pm. I want to have lost all of the pounds I can since he hasn't seen me since October!!! Last time he saw me I'd lost 14 lbs...a couple of weeks after surgery.

I did well today and stayed away from breaded foods. b-eggs (OMG! I thought I would be able to tolerate them since I had .2cc's removed. I did not PB but it took a while for them to go down.) l-3/4 cup chili d-cheeseburger (no bun)...little bit of ketchup snack: sugar-free caramel latte from Starbucks. Only carbs are in the non-fat milk...about 12.

Checkin' in, Ya'll... b-coffee w/Equal, sausage jerkey stick l-pepperoni slices, cheese d-two weiners and 1/2 cup chili snack: sugar-free vanilla pudding (6 carbs) chai tea

I'm staying on plan today because the scale is moving downward again and it feels good!

Shortgal, Thanks for the posting. I was never quite sure what the perfect fill was. I got my last fill in Dec '07 and thought that was the perfect fill. I was very tight and could only eat about 3 tbs of food. The scale was moving downward so I thought the fill was perfect. However, I often threw up and things often got stuck even when I chewed. I was so afraid to overeat that I did not address it with my doc...I could still get down fluids and soft stuff. Anyway, about 2 weeks ago, I had .2cc's taken out because I felt like I WAS on a diet. After doing a barium swallow to see how tight things looked, my NP suggested a very slight unfill. I like it better this way...I am at 7.0cc's in a 10cc band. I have not PB'd since the unfill yet I also cannot overeat. I don't feel the need to AVOID meat. Now, THIS is the perfect fill. Oh...and I have lost two more pounds!!!

Bad eating day, ugh!!!!!! I really need to stay away from the fried stuff...well, fried stuff that is breaded. Whenever I eat wings, I eat the non-breaded ones with hot sauce which has no carbs. b-nothing l-fried sampler from Pappadeax (alligator, calamari, crawfish) d-grilled catfish and boiled crawfish no snacks today...I've had enough to eat.

I am staying on plan today because I was finally able to update my Ticker...I lost two more pounds!!! Yipppeee!!!

Well...well...well... let' see...I didn't do so hot IMO! b-small sausage link, coffee w/Splenda l-baked salmon (leftover from yesterday), 4 tsp pea salad d-salad w/ranch and croutons, 3 tbs of mac and cheese, snack-pepperonis and shredded cheese, 10 frito chips_oops!. Things started out well...then Olive Garden messed up my order. I asked for Steak Gorgonzola (medium rare) with wheat pasta. It ended up that it was cooked well done...I just was not going to be able to gnaw on that stuff and get it down successfully. So, they were in the process of making it again when they came to me saying they ran out of wheat pasta!!! THAT'S WHERE THE MAC and CHEESE CAME IN!!! I had my little cousin with me today who ordered mac and cheese and I ate some of his. I dunno...we'll see what the scale shows tomorrow. I did lose 2 lbs when I weighed this morning!!! Yipppeee!!!!

I'm staying on plan today because everyone was telling me yesterday that they can tell I have lost MORE weight...but the scale hasn't moved!!! I ready to update my Ticker...

Hey! Things went well today. b-Skinny vanilla Latte from Starbucks (non-fat, sugar-free) l-popcorn chicken (fried...but I got the "snack size" and I hear carbs are minimal in fried foods) d-baked salmon snack-3-carb fudge popsicle (Breyer's brand), cofee w/Splenda and low-carb milk (HOOD brand-Calorie Countdown...good milk...only 3 carbs per cup) My scale is stuck though...I am ready to be able to update my TICKER!!!

I was busy shopping yesterday that I was tooooo tired by the end of the day to post...here is what I had...Saturday was just okay...I had some chips and a little rice...and I had some fried stuff on Sunday. YESTERDAY: SATURDAY, 3/22 b-strawberry ZERO CARB Isopure whey Protein shake made with water/strained peaches. 50 grams protein. l-taco meat and 2 tbs shredded cheese d-Jamaican Black Pepper chicken and black Beans (I had two tbs of rice), avocado...chips (oops!) snack-3-carb Fudge popsicle TODAY: SUNDAY, 3/23 b-skinny mocha latte from Starbucks l-5 spicy chicken bites (fried)...they are small...from Jack in the Box d-1 fried chicken thigh, 1/4 cup of pinto beans snack-8 pepperoni slices with melted shredded cheese, sugar-free coffee (1 carb from milk-Hood brand) I did not gain weight when I weighed this morning. Hopefully, the scale will show I have not gained when I weigh tomorrow morning.