StrangeDz

DAMN THOSE CHEETOS!

From what I've read in a few of your blogs, it sounds like you have an eating disorder... I'm glad you are going to discuss it with your doctor. Have you talked to a therapist or psychiatrist about your feelings toward food? I dont mean to sound judgemental... I hope you dont take it that way-its just that all that throwing up cant possibly be good for you. Good luck and keep us posted, ok?

Although I've yet to meet my first goal, I am so happy about something that I just had to share it with you! For the first time in about 7 years I FIT INTO A PAIR OF JEANS!!! Not the stretchy kind with the elastic waist, but real jeans! WITH A ZIPPER AND POCKETS! This may not seem like a big deal, but I hated the stretch 'denim leggings' i've been squeezing into for years. When my friend and I go to rock concerts, I have to give her my phone and money to carry in HER pockets, because I have none and dont want to take my purse in. Hated that! ...not to mention I felt like a total dork. How uncool are stretchy denim leggings on a 250 pound woman, right??? :thumbup: At my biggest, I was in a 26-28 stretch pant and yes, I was stretching them out! :cursing: Now that I've lost 63 pounds I got brave and ordered some jeans from Roamans a few weeks ago in a size 24 (I still have the body image that I'm still 266 pounds!) and they were huge! I had to send them back. When I went to reorder, all they had left was a size 18! Booooooo! I wanted to order a 22, but.... Well, I ordered them anyway, telling myself that I would fit into them at some point in the future... I really liked the style and fit. PLUS they were on clearance. Anyway, I tried them on last night, just to see how close they were to fitting me, AND THEY FIT! THEY ACTUALLY FIT!!! I cried so hard! My daughter didnt understand why I was crying... I couldnt explain it. I thought I'd never fit into a regular pair of jeans again. Yes, I know they do make jeans in larger sizes, but I never liked the way they looked. My thighs are huge so they would always be too baggy on the bottom (I'm not a fan of wide legged pants). Or they would be too low in the waist... or create muffin-top... or bag out in the back... or have hangy crotch. I finally gave up trying to buy jeans. Although I've lost some weight, I just didnt feel good in the many i've tried on and always left the store depressed and dejected.. WHICH in turn made me wonder why I was wasting my time trying so hard to lose weight when I would never be able to look the way I wanted. I know... I know... self sabotage. I was always hoping that SOME DAY I would be able to wear some jeans and feel good in them. :tt2: THAT DAY IS TODAY! I'm so happy!

Hi, my name is Linda and have been a member for some while, yet had never used this forum to introduce myself. So here we go........ :thumbup: I had my bariatric surgery on April 23, 2008. I have always been heavy, but didnt reach my worst until the end of 2007. I had put on over 50 pounds in that last year; taking my weight to 266 on a 5'1 frame. I was going thru some deep depression and I just stopped caring. I couldnt find steady employment, my bf was being very abusive, so we broke up, and the meds I was taking for my depression caused a desire for sweets! Just what I needed, huh?? Anyway, in the fall of 2007, my ankles started swelling up grotesquely and my knees were hurting so bad. I decided to go to my personal physician to see what he could do about my knees. I have been with that dr for over 15 years and he has seen my weight and depression through the years and he was very concerned. He said that if I didnt do something to get the weight off FAST, I would need knee replacement surgery or be in a wheel chair within 5 years. I wasnt even 40! He recommended bariatric surgery. I met with a bariatric surgeon in October of 2007 and he recommended the lapband. He gave me a list of specialists to see before he would even consider the surgery. It took me until March of the following year to get all of my tests done, and they all came back saying I was in perfect health! Funny that I was so darn huge, and my insides were blind to it! My dad said that was good, so I would recover from the surgery better, but if I didnt have the surgery, it would only be a matter of time before things went ugly. I was fortunate in that the insurance company approved my request the first time around. I had my surgery in Lubbock TX by a surgeon that did wonderful work, but had a horrible disposition. Everytime I went for a check up, I left in tears. He also refused to put any Fluid in my band unless we did it under floroscopy; which my insurance wouldnt pay for. On my last visit to his office, I asked why, and he said he didnt make enough money doing it in the office. Office visit=$60. Floroscopy=$800. HE SAID THAT TO ME! Soon after I changed drs. I now see a surgeon in El Paso TX who does the fills in his office. I didnt get a fill for 6 months after my surgery, so I am kind of behind in my journey. ....but all that said, I am on my way! The lapband makes me work for my loss... which is slow going, but natural. It's going to be a long, and at times, extremely difficult journey towards a healthier me. I have setbacks sometimes, and as much as some people say it was an easy way out, it has been far from easy. It's hard work, but it will definately be worth it. I have come to realize that no matter how much weight I lose or how healthy I may become, I will always be a fat girl inside. It's part physical, but mostly mental. I love food. Especially sweets. Since this all began, I have secured a wonderful job with a company that supports my new healthier lifestyle. I was a temp when this started in 2007 and they hired me on the day I had my surgery so they could pay me while I was recouperating for three weeks! They also pay for a gym membership (which I thoroughly take advantage of!). I couldnt ask for a better place to work. I long ago gave up on that rotton guy and am enjoying learing to live for me. I'm no one's doormat anymore and it feels sooooooo good! I still take medication for my depression, but i'm living now! I've only lost 63.5 pounds to date, but I feel so incredibly better! My knees still hurt some, but nothing like last year. I can tie my own shoes (last year all I could get my fat swollen feet into was sandals!), fit into a seat on an airplane without asking for an extention, climb bleachers at school events (I use to have to sit on the bottom row becuase thats as far as I could climb), and look at myself with some pride. Its been a long time since I could do that! My friends and family have been VERY supportive and I feel so incredibly fortunate to be given this chance to change my life for the better; for my daughters, as well as myself.

Congratulations!!! How exciting! I love all of your blogs. They are so inspirational and honest. I dont always comment, but I read them religiously. Thank you and keep up the good work!

Sounds like you are building muscle. Muscle weighs just as much as fat does but takes up WAY less room. My dietician told me that a person can weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 10 or weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 3. Which would you rather wear??? Ha! At this point, i'd be MORE than satisfied in a size 10! The size 3 sounds like a pipe dream! haha :confused: Anyway, I went a whole month and didnt lose anything; in spite of the vigorous workouts, and was so disappointed. I decided to get measured and I had lost inches... so its all good. Keep up the good work and keep losing those inches!

Dang! You really DO look 20 years younger!!! Congratulations!

I tend to get a little yucky feeling for a few days after a fill. I've had 5 so far, as I can only tolorate .5 cc's at a time. When he puts a whole cc, I cant keep the Water down in his office, so he ends up taking half out. I have 5 ccs in my 10 cc band now. After my first fill, I had a weird sensation on the left side. Kinda like a heart attack! They said it was normal. I guess it was ok, cause I'm still around! After this last fill I noticed that when I eat, I feel pressure where the band is. I hear tell that is what I should be feeling as I get close to that 'sweet spot'. Hopefully that will be soon! :smile2:

I've been telling myself this same thing for the last few days! "Just because there are chocolate bars in the candy dish at work doesnt mean I have to eat them." "Just because I made WAY too much dinner, doesnt mean I have to have seconds." "Just because all there is in the fridge to drink is koolaid, beer and Water doesnt mean I skip the water and go for the other two." "Just because the kids want ice cream doesnt mean I have to have some." I hope this philosophy helps, because sometimes I feel I'm drowning in things I shouldnt have... if that makes sense.

Thanks Tiffany! I'll look for the chewable calcium tonight!

Have you tried the 5 Day Pouch Test? It really helps get back ontrack.

I bought the Disney Princess gummy vitamins last night and they are YUMMY! After this last fill, I am also having a hard time taking regular vitamins and my calcium citrate. Do you take just the 2 or do you do 4?

It makes a blender full so I use (2) 16 oz foam cups or (4) 8 oz foam cups. I freeze what I dont eat right away. If they freeze solid, I put the foam cup in the micro on defrost for 1 1/2 minutes (power 3). It makes it edible by spoon. So YUMMY!! Since they are frozen and portable, I take them to work for my afternoon Protein snack! I also added these to the recipe section. I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I do! Here are a few of my own favorites- strawberry banana Protein smoothie (90 grams of protein!) -handful of frozen strawberries (slightly defrosted-I leave 'em on the counter for about 10 minutes or put in micro on defrost for 45 seconds) -1 ripe frozen banana (i break up ripe bananas into quarters and freeze) -2 scoops of banana Protein powder -2 scoops of strawberry protein powder -1/2 cup of generic splenda -1 cup diet cranberry juice Tropical Protein Smoothie (It is close to the Tropical Trio from Keva Juice - minus the calorie and plus the protein!) -1/4 cup frozen mango chunks -1/4 cup frozen peaches -1/4 cup frozen strawberries -1 frozen banana -1 small can of pineapple chunks in their own juices -2 scoops banana protein powder -2 scoops strawberry protein powder -dash of vanilla -1/2 cup generic splenda -1 cup diet cranberry juice or Water

Thank you so much for posting!

Wanna hear something I've found to be strange? I'm sure you are all aware that after banding, you arent suppose to drink carbonated beverages... well, being me, I've taken a sip from my daughter's soda and BAM! Instant burp. ...but get this. Beer isnt a problem! I tried it on vacation in New Orleans and I've not had any problems with it at all. Anyone know the difference?

Yikes! You poor thing! I hate PB-ing in the car! Its the worst! I tried to eat a bagel yesterday on the way into work and I was so sick... and on the freeway! I was grateful to have an empty cup on the floor! I shall never touch a bagel ever again!

Oh My! I interrpereted that wrong. What is it called when you just hack up what is blocking the entry to the stomach and DON'T lose the contents of the pouch? Is that still a PB?

I think it stands for Productive Burp. Someone correct me if i'm wrong...

I've never been 'sore', no matter what i've eaten or has been stuck. Is this common and will I feel that when my band is tighter? I am sure I have yet to hit that sweet spot i've heard so much about...

I tried the 5 Day Pouch Test 2 weeks ago, and I didnt lose a pound! I was rather disappointed, but I've heard such good things about other people's success. I guess it just wasnt for me. I was told by my surgeon's dietician that adding some weight training in addition to the treadmill might help jump start things...

Thanks for the advice. I'm a slave to the scale. I really am. When home on weekends, I find myself checking several times a day. I know that cant be healthy! I guess I have to remember that even tho I've done so well this week, the week before I was BAD. Think maybe those croissants are catching up with me and that I didn't lose any this week because I would have GAINED had I not tried so hard this week? Hmmmmmm.... Think so?

I am so FRUSTRATED! I've really been on track this week. I've been getting all of my Protein in, eating healthy foods, taking my vitiamins, drinking TONS of Water and have been to the gym every day (something i've NEVER done) this week and I'VE NOT LOST A POUND! I just dont get it... I feel cheated. I went to a bday party sunday and turned down cake and ice cream. I've not touched the candy dish at work all week (which is saying alot for me). No ice cream at night for desert. I've really put forth more effort this week than I have in a LONG TIME. I was really hoping this would get me back on track and start losing those last 8 pounds to get me to ONEderland. Any advice?

Oh I feel for ya! Its hard work. As you can see, i'm struggling slowly thru this weight loss journey, as well. I have a question for you... do you eat slider foods because you aren't able to eat solids? I can eat solids, but my will is weak and I struggle to make good food choices.