PhotoNut

Hm, that almost sounds like bites of some sort to me. Can you take a pic and put it up for us to see? Just cause I'm curious.

Makes perfect sense to me Kellie. Comfort and protection all in one - Food! After all, what man in his right mind wants a fat girl. At least that was my thinking. I really appreciated what you said, Bermy. About getting the weight off whether you need therapy or not. It kind of snapped me back from the fears. You know... all of my adult life I have dieted and sometimes even had pretty good, although short term, success. Typically though, at some point in the weight loss process, I run face first into the same old fear of being unprotected without my fat. And that's usually when I sabotaged myself. Thank the good Lord above for this band! This time around it is keeping me on the journey in spite of those collisions with the fear. Good griefl. Do you think I might really make it to the end this time AND get some things resolved along the way? Could it be possible? What a dream come true. To be "normal" again, both inside AND out!

Do you feel you NEED a fill? Check this out before deciding: Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.

Right there is the key. Barring any medical problems after being banded, it is the mental commitment that will make the biggest change in the physical results.

:welcomeB: to the Gone for Good Club :clap2:Tracyd! :clap2: I've added you to the Members Page. If you need any help with your score card or pics, just PM me. K@t!! I'm so PROUD of you! Do you do the Rocky dance at the top of those stairs? NaturalBeauty, thank you for the kind words. I do believe that God brought me here, but I'm not so sure it was all for others. I get so much out of watching everyone else having fun and working hard. The smiles and hugs can been seen and felt through the text. I love this place!

:clap2: Happy 3rd Bandiversary!:clap2: How about an :update:

:clap2: Happy Bandiversary, Christina!:clap2: :girl_hug: (and so does that other thing you mentioned :rose: )

Cashley, if your last post was to me... I was agreeing with ya!

:welcomeB: to the Gone for Good Club, :clap2:BeacheeGirl, Jorjet, K@t, A1ikou, and RavensRiches!:clap2:

I deleted my original post because I was overtired when I wrote it and I really have no business telling anyone else how to handle their marriage. Life is a series of choices. Where we are now and where we'll end up depends on the choices we make along the way. I hope everything works out for the best of all involved in the situations presented in this thread. Sincerely.

She's right ya know. We all KNOW in our gut when it's not right. The disasters come when we try to shape and mold the square peg enough to force it into the round hole. You already have your red flags PAY ATTENTION TO THEM! Dont just smooth them over with "Yes, butt..". We have women's intuition for a reason. Trust it!

Oh yay! Another hubby and wife team. Love it! Best of luck to your hubby on his approval. You two are going to love going on this journey together! Just remember though, Jen. Men tend to lose faster than women, so don't be discouraged if he seems to steamroller past you. *chuckles* You'll both get there in the end and that's what counts.

Dont know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but caffine is a diuretic which causes dehydration. Because of the extreme reduction of intake abilities after surgery, we are told to avoid caffine because we will already be struggling to stay hydrated. As for the soda. In addition to what's already been suggested.. Carbonation can get trapped in the lower portion of the stomach and be difficult to get back up through the band in the form of a pressure releasing burp, and therefore can be quite uncomfortable. Woops.. I should have read page two before posting. JustDuckie already addressed this. :nervous

ROFL Donna!!!!!! *coughs and chokes and laughs* Thanks... I NEEDED THAT laugh. *grins* Sorry Linda. Still love me? *grins*

*sigh* I was talking to my mom on the phone last night. You know, the mom that always told you how pretty you are but if you'd just lose 10 pounds... 20 pounds... wear some lipstick... dye your hair blonde... *rolls eyes* Anyway, she's coming to see me in two weeks. She hasn't seen me in about 2 months. When I told her that I'm wearing a size 16 pants now, she was thrilled. Which was good. But then she got kind of quiet and said in a sad voice, "Aww.. what if I don't know my little girl?" Meaning what if I've changed so much, I'm not "me" anymore. I think I see where I've gotten these fears. I'm afraid to be thin because.. what if that's STILL not good enough? What if I go through all of this and I'm STILL not... <insert your choice of options here>. Then there's me. The last time I was 150 pounds I started getting far too much attention from men and I freaked out. As a child I suffered a lot of sexual abuse from various adult men that were either relatives or friends of the family. Now I feel like I have this neon sign on my forehead that lights up when I lose weight that somehow advertises the child that doesn't know how to defend herself against predators. My husband assures me that I now have a 6'4 angry looking Englishman at my side who will see to it that I'm never approached. But... the fear from many years ago still lingers. Maybe I need therapy. Ya think? *chuckles*

I am the bread of life, Those who come to me shall not hunger, Those who believe in me shall not thirst Yup, He's in your son's belly!

Grats on the new account, Telly! And we will hold you to your word that you won't be a stranger! *hugs*

Do I regrest getting my band? Oh heavens no! I'm so excited about what it's already done for me and what's to come!

Yay! Ali joined!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I'll get ya added to the Members Page. Welcome welcome!! Hey Ronny, you're right. This DOES work! Are you considering getting the band? And JoyceGA, welcome back! I've updated your stats. You're under 400 AND on the Honors Page at -52 pounds. Congrats lady!

*laughs* Git her Funny! Heather (K@t), you have the most gorgeous big blue eyes! And I can see your progress in your face. Its really slimming down. And I love your smile! It matches your personality to a tee

Cashley - Remember the story of Job? God allowed Satan to tempt Job into turning his back on God. Satan wiped out all of Job's family, his possessions and finally his own health. Job's friends would come to visit and tell him to pray to God and ask forgiveness for sinning, for surely he must be receiving God's punishment for being wicked. But Job refused. He knew he had been a faithful servant. He didn't curse God for allowing or causing the losses in his life and eventually God replaced all Job had threefold. So you are correct. God does not pushish, nor does he reward. He teaches us in His word how to live so that we might have peace beyond all understanding when the bad times fall upon us. Riches can easily become our God, so I do not look at riches as a reward. In fact, I see riches as distractions for many of us. We are driven to have more, and once we get more we worry over losing it. With all that attention on possessions that will not go with us when we die, how can we be focused on God's will in our lives now? Fame and fortune often breed greed, lust, and vanity. But there are some who are not affected by it and can keep a level head about what the real values in life are, probably not many. TV evangelists constantly focus on money. Robert Schuller for example preaches the rewards of postive thinking.. often suggesting those rewards to be financial. I was in Amway for 8 years in North Carolina and came to the Lord during a Sunday morning service led by one of Amway's biggest celebrities. The entire sermon was about wealth. The church I attended for years here in Boise became so materialistic I had to leave. The richest couples were praised and held up as Funny described. Even though most of them ended up in divorce!! I'm just rambling now. Sorry. This topic really bothers me. I don't want to judge others though. I've realized that my own life is full of sins. I have no business pointing out the sins of others. To sum up my feelings about God and rewards. Our only reward is to live with God in eternity. Things here are merely distractions that will be left behind and of no value when we die. Run the good race, and keep your eyes on the true goal. Easy to say, but so often hard to do.

Kat817 and Cashley - Or Quick Links/Subscribed Threads. You just have to post at least once in the thread to have it added to your Subscribed threads list.

Heyas Alex... I dont know if this has been mentioned yet, but when you click on a member's name you see a list of options to email, send a PM, etc. Could you add Send a Pager Message to that menu? Thanks.

Hey NB, the challenge is just for fun and GFG Members can join in or just stick to the regular weekly weigh ins. Its up to each person to decide how involved they want to be. We just like to hear from ya now and then so we can cheer you on and give you hugs. I've PM'd the instructions to Mychevygirl for her badge. Hopefully it will be in her siggy soon! She blew me away with her dedication to her weight loss. She completed her pre-op diet, got her band, losing 24 pounds during the challenge all while her father was in and out of the hospital in critical condition - SEVERAL TIMES! I'm so inspired by this woman, I just can't begin to tell you. In my eyes, she IS what true femanine strength is all about. Love ya DeAnn! Congrats my friend!

Wow Bermy. I looked at your site too. Truly beautiful. I LOVE your style! The "Each in His Own Way" set left me speechless.