Great2BThin

Well the last post has the wrong weight for me so I am fixing it Me too, I wonder if someone didn't use the most current one when updating as it has my weight from a few days ago. Name_________StartWeight___CurrentWeight______Goal________ToGo *****<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = V /><V:SHAPETYPE id=_x0000_t75 path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">:cool2:</V:SHAPETYPE>***********:eek:*************:tt2:**********:tongue:****** :tongue: * agreatknead........204............190...........180...........10 areellady..........189............189...........159...........30 BIGB...............342............342...........300...........42 BellaPerdente......253............223...........195...........28 Boos02.............258............226...........200...........26 Brandy.............221............208...........191...........17 BrownBear..........240............235...........200...........35 Cadets71.........223.4..........223.4...........189.........34.4 Claudine...........250............231...........225...........6 Bunkey1965.........194............177...........170............7 CubsGirl17.........172............161...........150...........11 Cutiew/booty.......251............237...........220...........17 cQQlgirl...........195............191...........175...........16 crzytchr...........276............266...........246...........20 Donna113...........199............192.5.........160...........32.5 Ekat...............527............172...........152...........19 feefee57...........262............212...........180...........32 FeliciaLevy75......240............222...........190...........32 GillieBean.........304............296...........264...........32 HeatherO...........150............143...........130...........13 Hollie ............l54............154...........125...........29 Jeni85.............182............182...........160...........22 Jillbeme...........235..........206.5...........185.........21.5 Josie74............260............255...........215...........40 klmsilva...........216............212...........190...........26 legster............183............183...........160...........23 linksmom...........251............236...........200...........36 Liquidbluegal......225..........214.6...........199.........15.6 Liz_hager..........161............158...........130...........28 Long2BThin.........253............227...........215...........12 lotzasunshine......292............283...........250...........33 Luu2008............230..........199.5...........153.........46.5 Lunabeane..........244...........197............187.........10.0 Mamanmidwife.......295............276...........260...........16 Melissa Aguirre ...266............233...........160....... 73 Melody2006.........223............223...........173...........50 MiniPearl#2........???............???...........???...........?? Minxz..............299............287...........270...........17 neefam.............238............189...........158...........31 odizzzydori........242............242...........199...........43 paige65............252............240...........220...........20 rainer.............236............231...........210...........21 Redtulips3.........180............175...........160...........15 reif78.............294............195...........140...........40 RichardCranium.....338............276...........200...........76 soontobehottie.....201............191...........165...........26 srknepler..........285............253.7...........255.........-1.3 squale.............353............353...........325...........28 Sunshine2..........177............167...........160...........07 Suzzzie............305............305...........285...........20 stevegoad..........370............341...........267...........74 Terilynn112........240............227...........199...........41 Truediva...........299............285...........235...........50 thininside28.......255............255...........215...........40 Turler.............219............215...........194...........21 youcandoit!........196............187...........165...........22

Did you get the one finger wave too??? Oh and thanks for the congrats for 50 but I am now at 78!!!!! I want 80 soooooooooooooooo bad and it's been eluding me. It gets close then goes back. GRRRRRR But it will happen, probably sooner if I get my butt back in gear and up the exercise some.

Well you aren't doing everything all wrong, and I sure didn't mean to imply that with my reply. You probably should've gotten that fill, however. You are doing many things right, you are exercising, you are cutting back. now you just need to tweak a few things. I think it is important that you eat your protein first. That fills you up the most. And yes, my 1/2 cup servings include the fruit if I have it. Like InigoGirl likes to say, we didn't get a band on our heads just our stomachs. It takes some time to get the head into the game. We still have to fight those demons that make us want to eat, or say forget it, it's not worth it etc. I'm not real familar with how the process works if you get banded in Mexico but I have heard that getting fills in the US is a problem. Are you going to a FillCenter? if not is there one near you? or another doc who can do your fills? Is it possible to ask for more time at your next appt to discuss your fills? Or is it possible to call your surgeon in Mexico and discuss this with him, maybe he can advise you on how to go on fills, etc. Once you get better restriction it does get easier but it still doesn't get easy.

No one is honking at me yet, I don't think they honk at 50 yr olds. :thumbup: Unless you count the jerk who honked and gave me the one finger wave after he cut me off. :smile2: Not sure what his problem was other than he wanted to be where I was, I was doing nothing wrong. I know what you mean about the attention being scary. I like that people are noticing and do remember a few months ago I was complaining that no one noticed. But now that they are and many ask how much I lost and it feels like so much pressure. Like if I am not down enough since the last time they asked they'll think here she goes again, going to gain it all back, etc. It's probably more me transferring my fears to them. I started answering the how much did you lose question very vaguely with things like: a lot, not as much as I want, etc. However the question I am most uncomfortable with is: how much more do you want to lose? especially if they just asked how much I lost. I can see the calculator going in their minds. Plus I am not totally sure of the answer. So I just say, I'll know when I get there.

I feel like a new woman today. I think I slept off a lot of my cold. I felt so awful yesterday. I slept almost 12 hours with the time change. I can breathe!! What a difference a day makes. Still not able to eat much and PB'd at lunch. If this continues another couple days I may call the surgeon. I've not had a fill in a month so it seems odd that I'd get tighter now, so I am thinking it has to do with the drainage from the cold and not feeling well. We are grilling ribs for dinner tonight since it's almost 80 today and hopefully I can get some of that down.

Ahh, Ellen, Hawaii, paradise!!! I am glad you got away. You need time to recharge with all you got going on! I hope to go to Hawaii the first part of Dec. Have some Marriott points to use and that sounds like the perfect place to use them! I am feeling much improved today from the cold I've had. It does seem to be messing with my restriction however. I've been much tighter while I've had the cold. I've not had much of an appetite anyway and then the super restriction, I haven't gotten in all my protein for a few days. The scale isn't rewarding that however, probably due to how little I'm eating. We are grilling ribs tonight for dinner since it's almost 80 out, so hopefully I'll be able to eat some of those!

Well I don't really think there is a set answer to how many pounds til a fill. My first fill was at 6 weeks post op, I was down 40 lbs then, 2nd fill was 2 weeks later and I was down 4 more lbs then for 44 total, 3rd fill was only a week later at a preop appt for my gall bladder surgery and I was down 3 more for a total of 47, 2 weeks later 4th fill and down 57 lbs now so 10 more. 5th and last fill was a month later and was down 65 at that point. What's more important to determine when you need a fill is how much you are eating and how often you get hungry. My doc wants meals to be 4 oz or 1/2 cup and 80% of that lean, hard Protein. And that should last me 3 hours. If I am hungry sooner or need to eat more to be satisfied then it's time for a fill. I follow that pretty close. As my portions get to be more than a cup, I seek a fill. Or if I am hungry sooner than 2 hours. And I almost always eat my protein first. It fills me up the most and lasts the longest. The meals I don't do that, I am hungry sooner and can eat more. If I get this next fill next month, it will have been 2 mos between fills. I've lost 13 more since the last fill. I hope that helps. I've heard it said the further out from surgery you are the few fills you need. Once you get to your sweet spot it's only 1 or 2 a year if that. But I'm no expert on that, I've only been banded just under 5 mos. I have a large band so have lots of room for fills. My doc is very aggressive with fills. I had a 4cc prefill at surgery and my first fill after surgery was 3 cc so I was half full (7cc in a 14cc band) at 6 weeks already. My opinion is you need more restriction, but remember the band is only a tool, you still have to do the work, the band doesn't do it all. I envy all your walking, I need to up my exercise a lot.

Cathy, so what kind of colors are you painting everything? We just moved into our house 2 yrs ago and painted the entire interior in one 3 day weekend before our furniture arrived. I am so glad we did then. I seem to be stuck on the scale. I knew to expect it as I was losing at such a fast pace, but I still don't have to like it!! 80 is eluding me and teasing me on the scale. Seems whenever I get stuck on the scale it is always just before a milestone number that ends in 0. I was stuck at 49, 57, and 68 and now 78. This too shall pass.

Flowers, if you aren't feeling any restriction after 2 fills then you don't have enough of a fill. The answer wouldn't be to not get any more. I had a prefill during surgery and have had 5 more since. I got very little restriction in my first 2 fills after surgery. I got a little more with each one. And as I lose weight I need more fills as the band loosens up as I lose the fat pad between the band and stoma. Some docs seem more aggressive than others with fills, but hang in there. Chicks, each time I've gotten a fill I worry it will be too tight. So far, knock on wood, it hasn't happened. I'm at 10.5 in a 14cc band. I may get a small tweak the week before Thanksgiving when I go in next as it's starting to loosen up, but has been perfect! So I am a little unsure if I will or not. I have a whopper of a cold and feel like crap. I also can't eat much. I remember mention in one of the lap band classes about when you have a cold or flu and there being drainage some folks need an unfill. Anyone hear of that? I'm not sure I am there but can eat very little. For dinner I had half a hamburger patty (they were large) and was very full. I hope this passes soon. I'm also worried about it settling in my chest and getting a horrible cough. Afraid that coughing hard would dislodge something.

Name_________StartWeight___CurrentWeight______Goal________ToGo *****<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><V:SHAPETYPE id=_x0000_t75 path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">:tt1:</V:SHAPETYPE>***********:tt1:***********************:tt1:****** :smile2: * agreatknead........204............194...........180...........14 areellady..........189............189...........159...........30 BIGB...............342............342...........300...........42 BellaPerdente......253............217...........195...........22 Boos02.............258............226...........200...........26 Brandy.............221............210...........191...........19 BrownBear..........240............235...........200...........35 Cadets71.........223.4............220.4.........189...........31.4 Claudine...........250............231...........225............6 Bunkey1965.........194............177...........170............7 CubsGirl17.........172............161...........150...........11 Cutiew/booty.......251............237...........220...........17 cQQlgirl...........195............189...........175...........14 crzytchr...........276............265...........246...........19 Donna113...........199............192.5.........160...........32.5 Ekat...............527............172...........152...........19 feefee57...........262............212...........180...........32 FeliciaLevy75......240............222...........190...........32 GillieBean.........304............296...........264...........32 HeatherO...........150............143...........130...........13 Hollie ............l54............154...........125...........29 janesays ..........244............244...........225...........19 Jeni85.............182............182...........160...........22 Jillbeme...........235..........206.5...........185.........21.5 Josie74............260............255...........215...........40 klmsilva...........216............212...........190...........26 legster............183............183...........160...........23 linksmom...........251............236...........200...........36 Liquidbluegal......225..........214.6...........199.........15.6 Liz_hager..........161............158...........130...........28 Long2BThin.........253............227...........215...........12 lotzasunshine......292............283...........250...........33 Luu2008............230..........199.5...........153.........46.5 Lunabeane..........244...........197............187.........10.0 Mamanmidwife.......295............276...........260...........16 Melissa Aguirre ...266............233...........160....... 73 Melody2006.........223............223...........173...........50 MiniPearl#2........???............???...........???...........?? Minxz..............299............287...........270...........17 neefam.............238............189...........158...........31 newby23............242............242...........212...........30 odizzzydori........242............242...........199...........43 paige65............252............240...........220...........20 rainer.............236............231...........210...........21 Redtulips3.........180............175...........160...........15 reif78.............294............195...........140...........40 RichardCranium.....338............276...........200...........76 soontobehottie.....201............191...........165...........26 srknepler..........285............253.7...........255.........-1.3 squale.............353............353...........325...........28 Sunshine2..........177............167...........160...........07 Suzzzie............305............305...........285...........20 stevegoad..........370............341...........267...........74 Terilynn112........240............227...........199...........41 Truediva...........299............285...........235...........50 thininside28.......255............255...........215...........40 Turler.............219............213...........194...........19 youcandoit!........196............187...........165...........22

Thank you, I keep getting omitted. I like the New Year New You name for a new challenge.

Katydid, how scary. Yes be sure you get the proper nutrtion and the proper fluids! It's even more important now. I got very dizzy and faint after my surgery and found out my blood pressure dropped so low. They took me off my RX for blood pressure.

Miss Meliss, that's it exactly. I lost over 60 lbs twice before in my life both times to regain it plus a few more. Never have I lost over 70 and now knocking on 80's door. To think that this time it is going to be permanent is mind boggling. I am also learning to say thank you to the compliments. I don't need to dismiss them nor do I need to give them a blow by blow account of my diet or how much I've lost. Just a simple thank you suffices. I knew the band was going to change my life physically, but never did I imagine all the emotional/mental aspects along the way. And I know it's because I am not stuffing my emotions down with food and not feeling them. And this is one reason why I know I will be successful I am dealing with things along the way. I so want gift cards for Christmas too, great idea!! As folks will have no idea what size to buy, neither do I. Plus after Christmas everything will be on sale!! Ann Taylor is my new favorite but oh so pricey!

Of course I am eating. I eat 4 oz mini meals about 5 times a day. 80% of that lean, hard protien, not drinking with meals (that's hard) and going to the gym at least 3 days a week. I need to up that now though.

Thanks Jodi for being sure we weren't left out at goal! I could still lose tomorrow! Doubtful but hopeful! And thanks for the kudos!! So what's our next challenge? I am doing the end of 2008 one just because I reached this one.

I hit 78 lbs!! I know what you mean about scary buying those size 16's. I just recently got my first ever size 16 jeans at the Gap. Part of me is so afraid of getting rid of the large clothes. It's like I feel like an imposter at this size. Never have I been this successful in the past. I have to pinch myself and see if I am dreaming.

I ditto that!! Awesome job!! And you were just banded in April right? Keep up the good work!! I agree about adding layers, much rather add layers than have the fat to keep me warm. I do wonder do our body thermostats adjust eventually? Welcome to an awesome group of folks. this is a great place to come for support in band life and just life in general! Congrats on your band! I am with you fighting the cold/cough thing though have been banded since June. I just got back from Walmart and purusing the cold medicine aisle. The size of some of those caplets on the boxes show actual size are huge. I just went with the liquid Dayquil/Nyquil (Walmart brand) and it's helping a lot. they had liquid tylenol cold stuff too. But this was cheaper and had the same ingredients. Hope you are feeling better. I'm about to go take a nap myself! Cathy, no worries I totally got what you were saying about church ladies. I am very active in my church as well. But churches are filled with human beings and we aren't perfect. It's just that I think I tend to hold them to a higher standard. And think it shouldn't happen in church but it does. And it probably says something that they are about the only group of folks in my life that have no clue I have the band. Others at church know that I am closer to and word is about to get out eventually, but I just didn't want to deal with it with this group. Now for an update: The first couple to arrive last night to our small group was this gal that jumped to the wrong conclusions about my email and got upset and her husband. She walked right over to me, hugged me, and said I am so sorry that happened. I read your apology email and the original and can't even see where I got that you said what I accused you of. So that was wonderful. And rather than try to dismiss it and say oh that's okay it was my fault, etc. like the old me would've, I just said thank you. This morning I lead a ladies bible study in her home and things were just fine and she gave me a big hug as I left. So things seemed to have worked out. the lesson I am taking from this is to be very careful of my words especially in an email and be sure they can't be taken another way than what they were meant and to stand up for myself, and of course, apologize if I was wrong. Thanks for all your support through my emotional melt down!! Oh and my scale had creeped up for no reason than to taunt me by 2 lbs. and it was back down this morning too! I am taking Janet's advice and only counting as official my Thurs. weighins (I was banded on a thursday). Okay nap time! :thumbup:

Yep enjoyed the tough love aka reality that Janet posted too. It's a good reminder. Becky, congrats on the 45 lbs and thanks for posting the Swiss steak recipe. That is not at all how I remember my grandma making it (and she was Swiss!) it was white so evidently with cream of mushroom or something. But then again her chop suey and chili weren't what I think of as the real things either. LOL

I love that quote!! I may have to steal it. A big bowl of hot buttery popcorn popped the old fashioned way on the stove was my go to food when I was trying to forget something. These gals coming tonight have no idea I have had surgery, odd they are the only folks in my life to never mention my weight loss or how I did it (except for one). And the way they are I just haven't felt like telling them out of the blue, oh by the way I have a lapband.

You so wonderful. I am so grateful to have found this group of gals that can help and support one through this journey. I will do just as you say. I've wasted too much energy the past 2 days on what if's and rereading the emails, going over the conversation to see what I did wrong. It's so not worth it because stuff she said had nothing to do with the email. She had an issue and I took the brunt of it. The way I see it (as does hubby and a friend) she should've apologized to me for jumping to wrong conclusions. But that's okay, life is too short. Hopefully this band journey will get easier as I deal with the emotions and head issues. That's been the toughest part. I've always stuffed them down with food before. I have 3 hours til they come! I will post tomorrow and let you know how tonight and the morning went.

You know, Cathy, I've thought that about those ladies and my weight loss but then thought maybe I was being catty. But I will not bring it up again, I will love them and forgive them. But probably not be close friends with them. Proceed with caution! Most of them come to my house tonight for a couples thing and tomorrow I go to the gal who emailed me's house to lead a ladies study. I am more nervous about tomorrow as they behave differently when the guys aren't around. I am so glad I don't have to choose the kind of band to get as I'd be so confused. I heard just the opposite about REalize and Lap and slipping. That if you compare the new Lap (one with the pillows) to the Realize the Lap slips less but if you compare the old style Lap the Realize slips less. My dr. now does both bands and says they are both good. But knowing me, I'd stress over the decision. My port however, has always been visible even before I lost weight. I do wonder as I get to goal if it will stick out more.

Well that would explain why I couldn't find it. LOL Sounds like it wasn't just me having a hard time getting here yesterday then. You know I think she was waiting to just pounce cause when I called to clear up the email and she let me know how upset she was other things came out. She felt I was trying to seperate myself from 'the group', etc. And weakling, afraid of confrontation me, just apologized but as the day went on I got mad. Mad that she jumped to such horrible conclusions about me and mad that she accused me of seperating myself, could it be that I just stopped trying to fit into their little clique? Never once did she apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusions either. This group meets at my house tonight (it's a church group of all things) so am a tad bit nervous. And to top things off since I am not stuffing down my feelings with food anymore I am feeling these things so much worse these days. This too shall pass and I will get more used to feeling all these emotions the good and the bad and hopefully it won't tear me up so much in the future. I do remembers those winters in Wisconsin. They'd flood the baseball diamonds and make them into ice skaing rinks in the winter. Heck we could skate practically before we walked. We'd be out there for hours. And sledding off the roof into the snow drifts, tunnelling snow forts etc. Thanks for the memories!

I've had more troubles getting this site to load today. finally seems to be letting me in. GRRRR It would keep timing out on me or something. CathyChatts, good to see you!! JoAnn, somewhere on here someone posted a great link to an article comparing the lap band to the realize band, but gosh dern I can't find it now. Also Obesity Help magazine this summer had a great article. The biggest difference I see is the way they are attached one is stitched (lap) and the other stapled (realize) and the realize has a continuous chamber for the saline and Lap has little pillow type chambers. if I had a choice not sure what I'd choose but I didn't so didn't have to worry about it. I have Lap. Well I am having a bummer day. I emailed someone about something and they took my email totally wrong. I still don't see how it could've been so misunderstood but she got really upset. I apologized profusely but now am perturbed I did as I didnt' do anything wrong I don't think and it makes me mad that she assumed I said what she thought I said. Just reread that and it makes now sense, other than it's so frustrating. I'm trying to let it go as it's such a petty thing but it will be hard going forward with this person too if she can jump to those kind of conclusions. Also feel like I am coming down with a cold. GRRRR And the scale was up 2 lbs today!! It doesn't count until Thurs. so hopefully it will be gone then. I hit 78 and am back at 76. Tomorrow will be a better day!!!

becky, How do you make Swiss steak??? That is something I remember my grandma making in Wisconsin.

I'm very similar. I had my last fill on 9/24 and have been really good since then, in fact lost 15 lbs since there. However, I have been noticing just in the past few days I can eat more. I go back in 3 weeks and if it continues that way, I may ask for a tweak. It feels so good to be as you say 'the sweet spot or in the Zone'. Oh yes those Wisconsin winters. I remember them well though haven't lived in Wisconsin since I was a kid. We get cold here in Denver but if we do, it doesn't last long, we can be 70 one day and freakin' cold the next and back again. I do enjoy the change in seasons though, but am wondering: With the weight loss aka fat loss, is that why I am less tolerant to cold already this fall? I mean is it true that you lose your insulation. I am already sitting around in the evenings in a blanket shivering and am trying to resist turning the heat above 70 as I don't want outrageous bills this winter.