MSnika3

Yesterday: B-lowcarb Slim Fast L-Few tortilla chips and Rotel D-A few bites of salad, 1/2 blackened stuffed catfish over rice, a bite of steamed veggies, a few bites of sweet potato bread pudding. Today I am going to eat more regularly and make better food choices.

50 + pounds and trying not to count. I've been quite a slow loser, but I am so excited that I can finally shop in ladies/misses and even juniors sizes. I haven't had a fill since January. I may go in for a slight fill next month. I've lost the same five pounds since April. I've started exercising this week and I'm vowing to make better food choices. I've given in to consuming what goes down easy as opposed to eating small bites and chewing very slowly. No excuses. I know what I gotta do. Congrats to all! Everyone is doing so well and looking so fly!:thumbup:

[ May 9, 2008 Surgery Day May 9, 2009

Thanks Denise! :thumbup:

Well thank you! I just like to share my experience whenever it applies! Sometimes it gets a bit long-winded! :eek:

Okay fellow low carbers, I've been thinking. Since we have almost 350 posts in such a short time on this thread, why don't we make it a sub-forum under food and nutrition. I've noticed that we have many different topics popping up here and there. If we continue this much longer, we will have a zillion pages to sift through to find a particular post. Since we talk about everything from ketostix and daily menus to why we are low carbing, I was thinking we should go ahead and make it a sub-forum so we can creat different threads about low carbing. I don't know how to do it or if anyone even agrees. Just my humble little opinion! Anyone?

Here's another link that was posted early on in this thread. It's the one I use. It's a little different than the couch to 5k intervals. But close enough and very effective. I love it! Good luck! Podrunner: Intervals - Free Workout Music for 5K Training

banded, popsicle, and clairey -- I agree with plain, jb, and luv. However, I know your frustration, I have been there. As a matter of fact, I am not far from it. I had surgery May 9th, lost 15 lbs from pre-op to 2 weeks post-op. I plateaud for about 3 weeks. The last 6 lbs have been yo-yoing up and down for about 5 weeks. I have had one fill (6/27) and still feel very little to no restriction. By very little I mean, if I take a large bite of something, chew it 2-3 times, and swallow, I can feel a little discomfort that lets me know the band is there. But if I eat at a normal pace, take a normal bite, and chew thoroughly. I can hold an enormous volume of food. I also have a large appetite. My stomach lets me know quite often that it is empty. Unfortunately, I have to wait 6 weeks between fills! Grrrr! This is what I'm currently doing to keep losing: 1) I watch my carbs. My meals consist of Protein and veggies. Right now, I'm not even eating fruit, but you may not want to be that strict unless you are "low carbing" (Atkins, etc). I don't eat bread, crackers, flour, sugar, milk, yogurt, etc. I try to keep my carbs below 30g. And they only come from eggs, cheese, and vegetables. It controls my appetite, keeps me from craving junk and sweet, and keeps me satisfied with each meal. 2) I get in enough protein 60-70 grams. I drink at least one Atkins or SlimFast LowCarb each day as a snack, often with string cheese, almonds, sometimes both! If Breakfast is on the go, then I'll have a Atkins Protein Bar or Protein shake. So, sometimes I end up having 2 shakes. 3) I drink TONS of Water. The standard 8 - 8oz servings plus and additional 8oz for every 25 pounds I'm overweight. Some is in the form of unsweet tea or crystal light. 4) I exercise. I am trying to work back up to daily. I was doing well, but got off track a week ago. But at least 3 times a week. My weight loss has been fluctuating on a daily basis since exercising (don't know why). And my scale has not shown a loss in about a week, but I can tell I'm losing inches, so I'm sure it's the whole muscle increase phenomenon. 5)I journal my food intake on thedailyplate.com. I try to do it everyday, but sometimes I don't quite make it. But I'm very consious of what I consume. I try to keep my calories between 1000-1200. After I lost the first 15 lbs. I plateaud for about 3 weeks. I don't think I was consuming enough calories. When I began to eat, I began to lose. Then I continued to eat and began to gain. That's what started the yo-yo effect, but low carb has prevented that. 6) I also post regularly, usually at least onece daily, for support and accountability. Several weeks ago, I was also very disgusted, frustrated, and discouraged. But reality finally set in that I was in bandster hell and I could either wait it out with weight gain or maintenance, or I could work my butt off to lose while waiting for restriction. I have good weeks/days and bad. But I'm pressing on. Some people have been blessed with good first fills or large weight loss right after surgery, others, like us, have not. I feel that most people who have lost large amounts of weight, thus far, have been where we are and worked by making lifestyle changes to get where they are. I am determined to get there, bandster hell or not. Good luck to you! Keep us posted! :biggrin: