FeliciaLevy75

Hey guys, count me in. I talked to my friend tonight and he and I decided to put off our NYC trip until it was cooler (humidity + me = no thanks!). So I will be at PF Chang's with bells on!

Awesome job, everyone!! I can't seem to open my tickers to fix them - it only wants me to view the pictures. Hmmm..... Still, happy to report another 2 lbs gone! One more and I am into the 240s!! Name.............StartingWeight....Current......Goal.........To Go Bunkey1965........220.................205............189...........16 CQQlgirl..............200.................198............180...........18 Cadets71............239.................229............219...........10 Dreamsize8.........216.................216............190...........26 FeliciaLevy75......286.................250............240...........10 Gayle21..............190.......... ......190............175...........15 Jeni 85................189.................183............169...........14 Laura bough........215.................205............190...........15 Liz_hager............172.................165............150...........15 MMarg.................220.................214............199...........21 Newhope4me......163.6...............163.6..........150..........13.6 NukeChik.............227.................227............197...........30 Scrappy_friend....222.................222.............200..........22 TexGirl................202.................198............180...........18 Thininside28........271.5..............271.5..........245...........26.5 Wannabthin.........199................199.............179...........20

OK, had to post a progress pic of sorts. They are all lined up along the same edge on the left so you can see the difference on the right. 26 to a 20 in just over -50lbs and 2 months.

Doing great! Walking on a daily basis. Today I did 15 mins or so on the elliptical at home and then 30 mins on the treadmill and 10 mins on various weights.

Awesome! I have also read that you can eyeball proteins by imagining a deck of cards - a portion the size of a deck of cards is approximately 3oz (give or take, depending on the protein).

My doc suggested a Multivitamin twice a day. I also take Biotin - not proven, but said to help with hair loss. Unfortunately, I, too, have PCOS and thinning hair. I have noticed that it has gotten worse, but everything I read and the people in my docs office say that it is temporary. Once your body adjusts and the weight is less and less of an issue on PCOS and related symptoms, you should start to normalize. The good news is, after losing only 50lbs, I have had regular periods two months in a row. That's a small time span, I know, but I haven't had two back to back in almost a decade. That's a step in the right direction!

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market is where I get it.

I like 6oz (single serve) Fage Yogurt (greek style, yum!) and Syntrax's Nectar in Cappuccino flavor. I throw in ice to make it smoothie-like. Less than 200 cals, over 30 grams protein all together, and under 10 carbs.

I was told no more carbonation, ever. Cold compressed gases in a heated environment = hello balloon pouch. The air doesn't get into the band, but the gases do cause your stomach to expand. Lower and upper - bad all around. The caffeine thing wasn't a no no, but I was advised that it causes you to feel hungry and make you want to eat. It's not banned like the carbonation (soda, beer, anything with bubbles), but it's not recommended.

Right. Imagine you wanted to eat a salad: Start with 3oz of lettuce. 3 oz of lettuce by volume can be a bite or two depending on the type you chose. By weight, you have a great base (and tons of greens) for a salad. You chew it all up until you can't chew anymore and 3 oz of lettuce ends up around quarter to a half cup by volume - if not less. Ever cooked spinach? Think about how much fresh spinach it takes to make a tiny amount of cooked spinach.

And then I have found there are two reasons for this: (a) they are already involved and they think they can "innocently" dink around online; and/or (:tt2: they look nothing like what they are trying to sell themselves as online UGH!! I have met my share of great guys through travel or friends or running around Vegas, but none of them ever live close! So, I try online once and a while and A or B applies. Frustrating!

hahahahah I was going to make the Protein comment, too! I told a male friend of mine about the band and how I track my food, etc. I said, "I track anything that goes into my mouth." He raised one eyebrow and said, "anything?" Alas, I found no entry on The Daily Plat for the "extra protein." *wink*

I found this interesting, as my doctor says it's by weight, not volume. Think about it, after you chew it all up, 4oz by weight is still 4oz by weight. Volume, however, changes. So I weigh it out, and it seems fine.

Hehe me, too. I loved, loved, loved my statistics classes. I love school in general, though. I am (finally) finishing my bachelor's and then doing a master's before I decide what's next. I am so excited, I graduate December 4 and, so far, with a 4.0!! =)

Senile microeconomics teachers who can't remember what they told you last week, then tell you the opposite this week, suck a$$.

I lived in Vegas just north of the Henderson line (Silverado Ranch, not far from Green Valley) when I first moved here. Now work and school are north, so I moved. =) I love Vegas. I won't be here long term; I want to get back to California. But, I do enjoy it. But I digress... I am taking in about 700 calories a day and feeling great. I am not watching calories so much as I watch what I eat. 700-900 is just where I seem to fall. When I am more active, I take in a little extra and/or adjust the type of caloiries I am consuming so as not to deprive my body of anything it needs. For example, this weekend I went to Chicago with some girlfriends. I was up around 1100 calories both Saturday and Sunday, but I was also walking a lot more than I do on a daily basis at home - about 8 miles each day in the heat and humidity. When I was swimming all day (4+ hours at a time) in Phoenix a few weeks ago, I was up around 1500 or so for that weekend. I am also a fairly decent low-carber. I don't eat breads, pastas, or sweets. My carbs come from yogurt, some fresh fruit, and vegetables. I am studying the idea of ketosis and trying to see what I can do with that as well. All this, and still no restriction. I am looking forward to that. My issues lie almost entirely in how much I eat, not what I eat. I was able to eat almost an entire turkey sandwhich on Monday (no mayo, no bread; wrapped in lettuce) when I should have been able to eat less than half. The whole thing was nothing in the calorie department in the grand scheme of things, but the fact that I could eat it didn't make me happy. (Neither did the fact that I kept eating it, knowing I shouldn't. But that's my fault, not the band's.) I go in for fill #3 on July 30, I am looking forward to some restriction!

AWESOME! Grats, NY!

Long2B.... The weight loss slowed down, but it is still pretty decent and steady. I started around a pound a day, and now I am down to about 3-5 lbs a week. Remember that as you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories. You have to adjust your intake to match your new weight.

NSV TIME!! Holy crap. I went into Walmart to get some new jeans (IMHO, better than any expensive jeans I have purchased). I started at a 26 and have been wearing some 24s as well. Walking around Chicago this weekend, it was apparent that I had to break down and buy some clothes. I bought a few things last week, but not jeans. Mostly comfy stuff, workout clothes, summery casual stuff. Anyway, for sh-ts and giggles, I picked up a pair of 20s along with the 22s. THEY FIT!!!! I am beside myself... the teens are on their way, baby!!

I thought I wanted to choke all the time? Isn't that part of the learning curve?

I am still trying to rearrange my plans so I can make this one. =) I'll know more in the next few days.

The phone was eventually returned but only after the guy traipsed all over the B gate area screaming, "HELLO?!?!?!" into it (getting the attention of a rent-a-cop). The best part? He never actually made a call. People watching in Vegas has got to be the most fun thing EVER. LOL

No longer "about" 50 lbs.... but OFFICIALLY PAST THAT! Woohoo!! =)

Today is my "Monday," so time for an update! I officially passed the 50-lb mark (total) and 30-lb mark for this challenge!! HOLY CRAP!! The scale has moved 5lbs since I lupdated last week, 3 lbs since I did a semi-update (but didn't change the tracker). So exciting! Name.............StartingWeight....Current......Goal.........To Go Bunkey1965........220.................205............189...........16 CQQlgirl..............200.................200............180...........20 Cadets71............239.................229............219...........10 Dreamsize8.........216.................216............190...........26 FeliciaLevy75......286.................252.4.........240...........12.4 Gayle21..............190.......... ......190............175...........15 Jeni 85................189.................183............169...........14 Laura bough........215.................210............190...........20 Liz_hager............172.................166............150...........16 MMarg.................220.................214............199...........21 Newhope4me......163.6...............163.6..........150..........13.6 NukeChik.............227.................227............197...........30 Scrappy_friend....222.................222.............200..........22 TexGirl................202.................198............180...........18 Thininside28........271.5..............271.5..........245...........26.5 Wannabthin.........199................199.............179...........20