ThinknHealthy

Good Job!!! Welcome to the new land.

Saturday I went with my daughter to Oklahoma City (about an hour away). We went to a mall to "quickly" get something to eat and stop by a couple of stores before heading to a wedding. We ate first, you know, that delicious mall food court food. We shared a chicken and rice concoction of some kind--good flavor but texture of a rubber ball. I tried to chew as best I could but a while later I started sliming (that's how it works for me). We were running late to the wedding. I had to go to the car, toss out the contents of a styrofoam cup and proceeded to spit up slime for 5 minutes or so before putting the car in gear and heading for the chapel. Fortunately the service was short but I had to run to the bathroom once before, once after, and twice during the reception before the offending content came up and out. What a nightmare. Worst thing is that the whole reason I went to the wedding was the excuse of having some wedding cake. Pooh. I missed out on that.

Hey sis. Welcome to lapbandtalk. I'm so excited about your approval. This is the best place to get information about the lap band. There is a lot of knowledge here, and a lot of funny stories. These next couple of weeks will go by very quickly. You have the rest of your life to enjoy the benefits. God bless you.

Before my pre-surgery diet, I had a big Chili's Cheeseburger with fries. Looking back I can't believe I ate the whole thing. Yesterday I had a small 1/6th lb burger at Braums and no fries (6 WW points). I was stuffed but enjoyed every bite. So, you can still enjoy things just in smaller quantities.

Candice: What questions would you suggest that we ask when we visit our plastic surgeon for the first time? Just wondering.

All this is in line with what I've been thinking. It's been a year since my lap-band surgery and I am still a long way from goal but I have gone ahead and made an appointment next week with a surgeon so that I can just understand the road map. I just want to know what I have to look forward to, at what BMI do I need to be at, etc. Also, I'm want to sort out fact from fiction. I hear so many stories of what others have done that I want to start to see my story. I know of one procedure that I need to have done that I'm hoping I can do very soon. It's probably the only procedure that insurance might pay for. So anyway, I'm glad this is being talked about.

Well, just a quick post to announce my One-Year Anniversary of being banded. I think this is the one group that would really care about a thing like that. My daughter was like "okay, that's nice, what's on TV?." But I'm happy. It's been a good year and I am very happy with the goals I have met. I'm also excited that my sister has been approved for surgery and will have it soon. Here's hoping for continued success and blessings for all of you on this journey too.

For some it takes time to find a sweet spot. It is not uncommon to experience some weight gain or a plateau from time to time. Just think of it as a pit stop in your journey. You will eventually get to where you want to be. Regarding food addictions? Well, that's why we're here isn't it? Everyone has their own philosophy on how to deal with them. You need to find yours. For me, I don't stress over it. If I want to have pizza, I will have some. One slice is enough and then move on. If I continually deprive myself of all indulgences, I set myself up for failure. Case in point...my 13 year-old daughter has become my food police. She doesn't let me have anything fun anymore. She is always monitoring what I eat when I'm around her. Now summer is here so she is always there. So, what happened the first night she had a sleepover at a friend's house? You guessed it, I enjoyed the freedom :-) and gained 2 lbs that week. But if I indulge in small ways here and there so my brain doesn't think it is deprived, I do not get those urges for a big weight-gaining splurge. Does that make any sense? It also helps to distract yourself when the urge hits you. Get up and out of the house, go shopping, go for a walk, call a friend, anything but sit there and think about that slice of leftover homemade birthday cake in the fridge with the yummy chocolate frosting and that ice cream . . . . oops. Sorry. I'll shut up now.

I still enjoy the things I enjoyed before. Just am happy with less of it. I rarely waste space in my pouch with foods that I do not like or are not of high quality. It is just not worth it.

Well, back in 2003 I had a medical condition that shocked me into losing weight. At 288 lbs I started using my Weight Watchers tools and lost a whopping 94 lbs. It took me nearly 2 years and a lot of hard work, but I did it. The lowest that I got was 194 lbs. Well, eventually I hit a plateau, and started gaining a little back, and then tragedy hit my family when my Mom died. Losing weight was no longer a priority. But before I had even started losing, I vowed I would never be that heavy again. Then, when I had gained weight and was again over 250, I decided to get WLS and did my research. On 6/18/08 I had my surgery. My goal was to get to that low weight of 194 before my one-year anniversary of my pre-surgery diet and I DID IT!!!!!! So now that I have lost all the weight that I had gained I am ready to break through that mental barrier that I had. I see no slowing down this time. No plateau looming in the future. Full steam ahead. Next goal? 180 by my birthday in September. So, all of you in this process, remember to set some goals. Big goals and little ones. By achieving those little goals along the way, you will reach those big goals out there. Then, that ultimate goal is within reach before you know it.

I just reached a big milestone today. So, I'm ready for another goal. Count me in. I hope I added to the spreadsheet correctly.

Productive Burp -- That's what PB means. Cathy described it correctly.

Some people lose hair because of rapid weight loss. Balanced diet, protein, vitamins, and biotin (you can get capsules pretty cheap at walmart) will help. You can expect the hair to begin to regrow after a time. It all depends on the individual. Just don't worry about it. Better to lose hair and lose weight than to keep your hair and gain weight. Right?

That's really good advice. I think a lot of us need to remember to set those "mini" goals along the way. I've set a few myself. It really does help. Also, they don't have to be scale related. I had a denim jacket that had gotten too small for me. As I've been losing, I try it on occasionally just to see how I'm doing. Yesterday, I put it on and showed my daughter that I have a 1 inch overlap. Hooray!!! Just in time for it to be too warm to wear it. Oh poo !!! Oh well, doesn't matter. Goal met. Your success does indeed prove that those goals can be met. Whether in 4 months or 4 years, it doesn't matter. As long as you are generally moving down on the scale you're a winner. Even staying even during difficult times, you're still a winner. May we all find encouragement as we reach our "mini" goals. May we all be patient and forgiving with ourselves until we do. God Bless!!

My neice only eats raw food. She seems to be very healthy and lost a lot of weight. There are a lot of food choices for raw food diets that can keep you from getting malnourished. I definitely agree with Cathy. You have got to get this problem addressed ASAP. That kind of diet will send you to a hospital before long.

Wow!!! That's like 5-6 lbs a week!!!. Amazing and good work. If only we would all lose weight that fast. I suppose you should put the disclaimer that "this is not typical for most people" because that rate of weight loss is very unusual. So, for those just banded or are thinking of getting banded, please do not expect this kind of weight loss and please do not starve yourself to get it. Losing more that 2 lbs per week on average is not recommended for anyone. I don't mean to take away from what you've done, MechBandster. YOU TOTALLY ROCK!!! You're dreams are coming true. Keep up the good work.

I have a friend in her 70s who had it done in January. She's lost over 50 lbs and doing great. Age appears not to be a huge factor. Trust your doctor.

Hey. Thanks to everyone's responses. Look's like I'm not crossing alone. I think we should all stay here and get comfortable. Personally, I want to seal the deal and have a good weight loss this week. It will be tough. This is usually the week of the month that I don't lose weight. I'm off to a bad start. Had a wonderful lunch with my daughter today (Mother's day an all). Oh well, tomorrow is another day ... oh no! This is dance recital week. AND now I can only eat 23 Weight Watcher points instead of 26!!! I think I'm in trouble. Pray for me!

I've finally made it!!! I'm not a poet but I've tried to express how I'm feeling by writing something down. Enjoy!!! It’s a Onederful Day !!! This is not the first time I’ve seen it’s shores. I’ve been here before. The first time just passing through, not stopping to enjoy. Too many years ago, I cannot count I was young and naïve. Thought I could come and go as I pleased. The second stay was too brief and so sweet And gave me a taste of that joyful seat I learned you had to earn your way In this far off world so difficult to reach. Again, I did not appreciate the joy it gave. I thought it would be easy to stay. But life had other plans and I had to leave Never forgetting, it waited for me. The journey to return has been wrought with trials. Though I didn’t go as far away this time It took new tools and navigation to find my way. This time I’m determined to stay. I can see its shores again. More beautiful that before. I didn’t think I would cry when seeing its beauty, but the joyful tears come anyway. It beckons me to come in, to take that step and cross over that nearly untraveled bridge. They tell me I can stay this time If I obey their rules and respect their land. There is much to see and do in this world. I look forward to taking my time and exploring. I’ll go to many cities with numbers. Some places I will stay for a while, But always searching for the spot where I’ll call home. I don’t know where that is yet. Its number is not yet known. I just know I’ll never leave its shores again. This world called Onederland.

I never bought any baby food. It's much easier to mush up your own food in a blender. That stage only lasts a short time anyway, then you're on solids. A lot of what I bought before surgery I never used ... gave it away in a canned food drive. Many are on their own. Ultimately you only have yourself to rely on anyway. This is how it works, when you lose the weight, people will notice and keep encouraging you. You may get comments daily, people won't recognize you, etc. But after a time, they get used to seeing you thinner, the remarks become fewer and fewer, then eventually almost stop. It's not that they don't care, they just forget. From then on, you have to rely on yourself. That's when it gets hard. So, I think it is best to get in that frameset from the start. I never stopped drinking iced tea. I did say goodbye to the diet coke. So, you are one up on me there. Good Job.

Nina: Please know that a lot of people have been in a very similar place where you are right now. Sometimes life throws us into circumstances that we just have to deal with. It is in those times that losing weight just doesn't take priority, nor should it. You have a lot of time to lose this weight. Just take a big breath, take a look at where you are, where you want to be, and how best to get there. You have a few days before you get your next fill. Use this time to review your success so far. What tools (other than the band) did you use to lose the weight you have lost? Were you exercising? Were you on Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, or some other diet plan? If you were not doing these things, do a little research and soul searching. First, what kind of exercise or activity do you enjoy doing? Can you make a committment to doing some of that kind of exercise this week? Maybe at least twice before you go to the Doctor? Second, try to find a diet plan that works for your lifestyle. Many find Weight Watchers works well with the band, or find a website where you can log the food that you eat. I know it takes a little time to do that but remember, you are going to start to make losing weight a priority again. Right? Always forgive yourself. Don't worry about what anybody else thinks. Only you and God know your struggles from day to day. Ultimately, it is up to you to choose to make it happen. Remember that you do have that tool placed inside of you that is ready when you are. Also trust that God can give you the strength to deal with the struggles that come your way. If you give those challenges to Him, you can clear your mind to focus on losing the weight you want to. I know you can do it. God has already given you what you need, now just use it.

Avrietta: Don't automatically assume it is a leak. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), sometimes it is just our behavior we have to blame. Not knowing all your circumstance, my assumption would be that you are not following a plan. Are you relying on the band alone to control your appetite? Or, are you following a plan? If not, I would suggest that you do some research and find one that works for your lifestyle. For me, I use Weight Watchers. That provides me a nutritional framework that works well with the lap-band tool. Using WW I know that I am getting enough calories, but not too many, to lose weight at a consistent rate. Also, what is your activity level? Are you able to exercise a little each day? If not, I would recommend that you begin to do a little each day and build to even one hour each day. Whether or not we have the lap-band, science is the same. If you use more calories that you consume, you will lose weight. However, not consuming enough calories causes our metabolism to slow down. That confuses the equation so that often we find ourselves not losing weight when we think we should be. Finding that right balance for you of exercising and consuming should be a goal. In short, I would make every effort before jumping to the assumption that you have a leak in your band. If you have been a good bander and have followed all the rules, follow a plan, and have a good exercise program, then your concerns might be valid.

Okay, we'll I'm not an expert on "sliming" as I've only experienced it twice. It definitly happened for me when I didn't stop eating the moment I felt discomfort. Usually, when you do stop at the first sign, you wait a few moments and then can continue eating. But sliming happens when you have an obstruction in your ashophogus and you can feel pain. I believe the "slime" is really saliva that just doesn't have anywhere to go. When I tried to "gag" up the obstruction, all that came out was slime. Eventually, within an hour or so, the problem resolved itself. Maybe others have different experiences.

You are doing great. Don't be surprised when people don't even recognize you. That is a very strange feeling to go up to someone you know (but maybe haven't seen for a while) and talk to them like you know them but they are not sure who you are. It's really kind of funny, especially when they figure it out.

It's been different for me everytime. I'm not sure even the Doctors know how it works really.