SanDiegoPhotog

The nice part about the band though, is that when you DO get your fills and IF you follow the band rules, the weight you lost CAN'T come back --at least, not without a lot of extra eating effort. So if you lose it slow and steady or if you lose it fast, we are ALL winning. Just because I'm losing fast, doesn't mean I'm "losing the race" in the end.

Hi Bandded, I was banded June 4, 2008. Look at it this way . . . 5 pounds is 5 pounds and it's 5 pounds less than you weighed before. Have you ever SEEN the volume of 5 pounds of fat? They used to show us what 5 pounds of fat looked like at the old Jenny Craig meetings. It's actually quite significant. I've lost a fairly significant amount of weight, but some of that was pre-op preparation, some was the actual pre-op liquid diet, and then my doctor had a very conservative and strict post-op liquid diet that I HATED at the time, but I did it, I survived, and it really helped my weight loss. I noticed that some people that were allowed mushies a lot sooner than I did noticed a slower pace to their loss because it's hard to find protein-filled mushies. I am also on a mission. I workout like a madwoman and I log every morsel of food into thedailyplate.com. Now, some people will say that the band is supposed to eliminate the whole "on a diet" mentality . . . but for me, it is just easier to endure when it goes faster and when I can make it my mission in life to lose the weight. I didn't want to wait to get to my sweet spot. I didn't want to wait for my 3rd or 4th fill. I wanted the weight off NOW. So, I stick to 1200 calories a day, most of them Protein filled. I exercise for AT LEAST 50 minutes a day if not more. I'm also really careful to recognize that yogurts and smoothies go down a lot easier than chicken . . . so I'm VERY careful about that stuff. But how has it been going for you? Are you exercising? Have you had any fills? I think getting the fills is crucial. I've only had one, but my doc was quite aggressive. I had 2 ccs at surgery time and he added 3 ccs (in a 10cc band) in July. I think I get .5 ccs at my next apptmt. Oh, and to clarify, I am 5'7", my starting weight was 263, on the day of surgery I was 247, and I'm down to 217.5 as of today.

I live my life just fine and I reward myself with weight loss goals. Typically they are short-term rewards . . . like, if I exercise everyday this week, I'll splurge on a spa pedicure. I don't count clothes and (necessary) shoes as rewards, though, because I actually *need* those. Little luxuries here and there, though? Totally reward myself with those.

Excellent job! I cannot wait to be overweight! LOL! I think I'm in the "obese" category now . . . but I must admit that seeing the words "morbidly obese" about put me over the edge.

if it's any consolation . . . I can't get my cycle to END. ugh! I am going to call my doctor on Monday if it doesn't stop over the weekend, but I'm going stark raving mad. I don't want to go on bc either because it makes me moody, headachey, and gain weight . . . but I might check in with him to see if there's anything new on the market that might have fewer side effects.

I'm in the fitted but not too tight category. When I gained weight, I always wore looser clothes to hide my problems. Now that I've lost some, I find I look better in fitted bottoms and shirts that are more form fitting (I'm way smaller on top than the bottom). If I wear a baggy shirt, no one notices I've lost. If I wear a fitted top, then I get all sorts of wonderful compliments. I do have a problem letting go of some my older and more expensive clothes, though. My mom came over and saw me in a pair of old 7 jeans and told me I looked ridiculous. She was right. I could take them off without unbuttoning them. Time for eBay!

You need to look for someone who specializes in labor laws in your area and have them review your contract, your benefits, etc. I have a really hard time grasping a company that says, oh by the way, you didn't work enough hours to have your benefits that we promised you. Vacation is vacation . . . if you earned the time to take vacation, then you don't get penalized for it and it doesn't count against your hours that you need to work in order to maintain your benefits. If you look in your phonebook, call the county or the city you live in, or call your local legal aide clinics (often run by law schools in your area), then they should be able to help you--FOR FREE. You need, at the very least, a good understanding of how and why your company did what they did and if what they did was technically legal. In the meantime, I would suggest begging for or borrowing the money to pay for that COBRA, and then if you find out later that your company was not within their rights to deny you coverage, you can submit for a refund. At least, that's what I'd do.

wow! you look fantastic!!!!!!!!

My husband and I talked about going to Cayman -- it's where we had our honeymoon. But I don't really want to go. I just want to be at goal.

Nope, not 40 years old . . . -40 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had been at -39.5 for a WEEK and it was driving me crazy. Today, I finally went to -40. And I am over the moon! Height: 5'7", High: 263, Surgery: 247, Current: 223, Goal: 150 Right now, I just finished a 5 mile walk and I'm sitting here in a pair of size 16 capris and a size 14 shirt and I am just stoked. :thumbup::glare::thumbup:

well, if I have anything cold, it just seems to make it worse for me -- like my band tightens. Warm liquids work better for me. I haven't had anything REALLY stuck yet, but my doctor recommended warm Water with a teaspoon of meat tenderizer in it to dislodge food that is stuck. HTH.

Charles, I started researching the band in January 2008. As a former Diet Coke addict, I got to the part where it said no carbonated beverages ever again in my research (though I know now that a few people do have carbonation post-banding), and I simply clicked off all the websites and decided the band wasn't for me. I was not ready to face giving up my Diet Coke. I would have gone on a starvation diet before doing that! LOL! And we all know it would have been yet another failed attempt. When I clicked off those websites, though, and stopped researching the band, it certainly didn't make me "angry." It made me realize that I just wasn't ready to give up Diet Coke. In March, it started to get really hot here and I REALLY wanted to wear shorts and a tank top, but I really needed to lose weight to feel comfortable in those types of clothes. So, I decided to give up Diet Coke and that's it. No diet change. No exercise change. Just give up carbonation and "see" if I could do it . . . and I told myself it WAS NOT in preparation for the band, but I knew at the time that if I could give up Diet Coke, then I would start researching the band more thoroughly. I gave up Diet Coke on my own terms and in my own time and it was VERY easy. I haven't had it since March and I have ZERO desire to have it again. I got my band on June 4, 2008, and it is the BEST thing I have ever done for myself. I have lost 40 pounds . . . and guess what? I just ate a bowl of Pasta from a Lean Cuisine, chicken in Peanut Sauce. No problems. I haven't fully explored what I can and can't eat because I've only had one fill and it was last week, so I'm taking it slow. But prior to my fill, I was able to eat ANYthing, within moderation, and provided it was chewed very well. I even eat tortillas and bread on occasion. I stick to a low calorie diet, mostly Protein, but I do eat carbs. I can eat potatoes. Funny, breads and pastas are actually "easier" for me to eat than chicken . . . but I still eat my chicken first. I do hope you continue to do research and not let one article with misleading information get you down. Like hundreds of people here, I absolutely love my band and my only regret is not getting it sooner.

Awesome, you guys! Isn't this GREAT??!!??

I was so bummed I couldn't ride today. My 5-year-old DD was going to ride with me (just a leisurely cruise around the lake) and she decided to speed-demon it down our driveway and then missed the driveway she usually goes up. Hit the curb instead at full speed and flew herself off the bike, over the handlebars, and into a bed of rocks. Scared her to death. Scared ME to death. Yes, she was wearing a helmet. The extent of her injuries? ALL she got was one slightly bruised and slightly scraped knee. If it had been me, I would have been hospitalized!!!! LOL! She wanted to go sit in the house and wasn't interested in her bike until it was too dark. So, now she's bummed that we didn't go riding. I went for a walk and promised her we'd go riding tomorrow.

Well, I am back and fully recovered from my pity party. Nancy, I spoke with several people. Based on their input (people who can actually see me, LOL) and your words, I have safely concluded that she totally noticed my weight loss and for whatever reason decided not to comment. That's fine. I'm over it. Just a few months ago, she commented on my sister's weight loss and she's not even friends with my sister and my sister had lost less . . . so I guess I was just expecting a comment from her. Oh well! But, life is looking up! I was getting tired of my very long walks, so I bought a bicycle and some TaeBo dvds. The scale isn't moving much, but I can tell that I'm losing inches because I can wear size 16 pants now. I even bought a shirt that was a large. Not a 3X, 2X, 1X, XXL, or an XL . . . . it was a LARGE. I could die of shock! Only 2 more pant sizes to lose out of and I will be officially DONE with Lane Bryant! wooooo hooooo! I cannot wait! Hopefully soon. Well . . . thanks for listening. xoxox

I am doing the Tae Bo "amped" series. It's 5 dvds and an "amplifier" bar from WalMart for only $30. It's been great so far . . . but it is kind of a tough workout. I don't think I could have done it very well if I hadn't gotten into better shape by walking and swimming first. Three months ago, TaeBo would have killed me.

Thanks for the support and encouragement, everyone. I heeded your advice and took it easy today. I did 5 miles at a fairly slow pace. I felt like I could have done 5 more miles quite easily, but decided to play it safe. So, I walked for 1.5 miles and then I went home and did some Tae Bo Fat Blasting Cardio or something like that (from the "amped" series). It felt really good to be on the bike. I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the wind while riding . . . usually when I walk, I get so dang hot. The bike was a lot cooler. My one question is: did your wrists hurt? Everything felt fine (even my butt), except for my wrists. What am I doing wrong?

But that's a milk product. It says it contains milk on the label (at least the fruit punch one does).

I just wanted to introduce myself. I have read through quite a bit of this thread, but I can't catch up on over 500 pages of posts, so I thought I'd just jump in. I was banded June 4, 2008. High weight: 263, Current weight: 224, Goal Weight: 150. I am 5'7". I have been walking about 5 miles a day now for some time and have always wanted to try cycling. So, I did some research over the past couple of days and bought this today: Fujibikes.com - 2008# I was going to buy a super budget cheapy bike just to see if I liked the sport (I haven't biked in AGES), but some of my more experienced family members as well as some knowledgeable salespeople convinced me that I probably wouldn't like biking very much if I was uncomfortable on the bike or if the bike had problems . . . so I trusted their judgment and ended up in this one. I brought it home this afternoon and tried it out for about 10 minutes before it got dark. Tomorrow will be the true test. It was VERY intimidating going into bike shops. It felt so much like going into this one professional camera store before I became a pro photographer. haha! This one lady tried to get me to buy those things to make my bike a stationary bike so I could get used to it before going on the road . . . LOL . . . which I am sure is fine and dandy, but I felt like she was looking at me and judging my athletic ability by my weight. I said just because I haven't OWNED a bike in 20 years doesn't mean I haven't ridden them or don't know how. LOL! I couldn't even get the men in one store to help me at all. One guy kept trying to sell me a beach cruiser . . . uh . . . but I don't WANT to put cold beers in my basket and ring the little bell up and down the boardwalk . . . I WANT to rack up some miles on a road bike or a hybrid!!!! LOL! So, I sucked up the intimidation and here I am. We'll see if I break my neck tomorrow. [i put my helmet on and started to get on my bike and I asked DH how I looked. He said, "You look like someone who is about to break their neck." -- he thinks he's soooooo funny!] Anyways . . . just thought I'd say hi and let you know that I'm going to give this a shot. If it doesn't work out, I'll be posting a bike for sale ad here and then you won't have to face the bike shop yourself! :thumbup:

Well, I just have to confess here that I am having a totally crappy day. I think this is the right thread to do it in, too. Let me start by saying that I am 5'7" and I started off wearing size 22 pants, size 20 tops, and a bra size of 42DD. Almost 40 pounds later and I am wearing a size 18 pants, but some 16s fit, too. I am wearing size 14 tops. My bra size is down to a 40C, but I'll probably be in Bs very soon here as some of the Cs are starting to gap a bit. I'm in a 16 in dresses. Let's just say that it is a HUGE difference. I suppose I should post before and after pictures. My face doesn't even look the same shape at all. We went to lunch with close friends today who I haven't seen since May (probably at my highest weight ever). Yup. You guessed it. They said NOTHING. Nothing at all. I could not believe it. (and I'm even wearing an outfit that shocked my husband because he said it makes me look so skinny -- and my husband DOES NOT notice things like weight, clothing, or anything -- he's daft like that). So, I'm in a major funk. My head is playing mental games with me and I know it . . . it's so hard not to indulge in negative thoughts about myself because I deep down thought they might say something positive. Isn't that DUMB??!!???!!! ugh. I'm mad at myself for letting it get to me, too. I wish I was one of those people where things like that could just be no big deal. I guess I'll go take it out on my powerwalking shoes since I can't take it out on my refrigerator or my waistline. Thank God for my lapband! [and thank you for letting me have a pity party.]

Before I had my very first fill, I was eating 1100-1200 calories and wasn't feeling too hungry in between meals. I did snack . . . but they were healthy Snacks and they really helped me to get to my goal of 1200 calories for the day. I NEVER went over. Now that I've had a fill, I have NO idea how I am going to get in 1200 calories. I am at 400 for today, and it's already 4:15, and I'm so NOT hungry. If you're at your sweet spot, do you only eat like 600 calories? I'm asking because my doctor recommended 1200 and I don't think it's happening.

Brandy, Thank you. That is just what I wanted to know. I hope some more people contribute to the discussion because I kind of want to get a general consensus. 1200 just seems so high given the small volume I can eat. I might make it today because after my 5 mile powerwalk, I had a 180 calorie coffee drink . . . my once a week splurge. Imagine a 180 calorie splurge. LOL. My splurges used to be about 1500 calories AT LEAST. haha! Thanks again, Brandy. [Oh, and it's hunger PANG, not hunger PAIN . . . though I suppose I did use to consider my hunger painful in the past . . . :eek:].

I am counting calories at the Daily Plate, too. I love it because I've never been able to successfully eat so few calories in my LIFE. LOL! I also keep my calories low carb and high Protein simply for the nutrition benefits . . . but it allows me to eat some of my calories on the fun stuff occasionally -- like this low glycemic frozen yogurt that's my favorite, or the one tiny cookie I had at my grandma's house. I was so far under my calorie counts that those "fun" foods were fine and it didn't make me feel like I was sabotaging my efforts like it might have made me feel if I was doing strict Atkins or something like that. I would love to get to a point where I could just rely on the band and not count calories. But, for now, while this is all so new, I'm loving the calorie counting. It kept me in check while I was unfilled and it's sort of become a game for me. I hope to get to a point in my life where I just have a "feel" for what I'm supposed to be eating and that eating the right foods nutritionally just becomes a habit and I won't feel the need to log my intake. Until then, this is working for me for now.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not REQUIRED to count calories by any means. I WANT to. During the month without my fill, it helped me to limit myself because I did feel hunger occasionally and I didn't want to sabotage my efforts. When I realized I was eating too little, it helped me to add in calories to work through a plateau. Now, I don't think I could add in the extra calories if I wanted to. I'm losing again, but I'm still kind of concerned about only eating 600-800 calories. But if that's the norm, then, well, I'm cool with that. I just wondered if that was really the deal with the fill. Aside from WW points, I've only counted calories one other time in my life and I crashed and burned because I was always hungry. This is so much fun (counting calories, that is), because now I'm not hungry (I love my band) and because I love the Daily Plate (so cool). So, I'm just trying to learn more about my new life now that my band has been "turned on" with the fill.

hopefulmom25 . . . I did the SAME thing. Keep exercising and watching your intake and one day you'll wake up and the scale will have made a serious drop. At least, that's what seems to be happening with my little plateaus. I lost 4 pounds in one weekend just chugging along after the scale had stopped moving for 1.5 weeks!