bambam31

I actually have a funny story on this topic that I've told before, but WTH... I'll tell it again. I drink LOTS of caffeinated coffee... So in the recovery room they were giving me ice chips and asked if I wanted anything... Of course I wanted coffee. The nurse said there was no way I was getting any that day, but perhaps the following morning I could. Right after that my surgeon walked through and asked how I was doing. I told him I'd be better if I had some coffee. So the nurse asked him when I could have some and after learning I wasn't at all nauseated he said, "go ahead and give it to him." So there I was in the recovery room sipping coffee. Apparently that made it through the talking points for the nurses that day, because the night nurse that I had said, "I can't believe they gave you coffee in the recovery room!" Anyway... Caffeine is one of those strange topics among WLS patients. Some swear you can never drink it again - while others (myself included) drink just as much as pre-surgery. Bottom line... Discuss it with your doctor and find a manageable course of action. Like most things band-related - it's a "your mileage may vary" issue. Good luck! Brad

Six weeks??? Dang... I could have drove the next day and done some "driving" if you know what I mean inside of a week. Both items are definitely labled, "Your Mileage May Vary...." Brad

Stay the course! You're activity level is going to pay off - you'll see. Definitely cycle your calories though, and it's always best to eat smaller and more frequent meals. You never want to eat a set amount day after day because your body/metabolism will adjust to it. Success will follow.... I've always been obsessed with the scale... It's just important that you weigh in at the same time of the day (ie: right after getting out of bed and after using the restroom) and keeping the readings in proper perspective. Finally, body composition is the real measure of success. You want to lose FAT not weight. Inevitably, you will lose some muscle and also fluids with the fat - you just want to keep the ratios properly aimed at the fat component. Good luck and keep working hard! Brad

In line with lulu, I think a traditional gym which had trainers educated in WLS process would be the most ideal. That might pry a few more people to get active who otherwise wouldn't. The two biggest pitfalls I see for bandsters are 1) improper nutrition (frequently including too LITTLE food intake) 2) inadequate exertion. These lead to people throwing their hands up and declaring that the band just didn't work for them. When in fact, there is a huge market waiting to be capitalized upon for someone who can lead these people to results. A structured approach through a gym with a WLS educated trainer may be the only way for some people. Good luck! Brad

I enjoy camping, swimming, kayaking, hiking, and biking. Brad

I've lost most of the fat I want to lose and quite honestly there isn't much that I can't eat. My band is still very restricted in the morning, but by late afternoon I can carefully/strategically eat most anything I want - but am quantity restricted. I enjoy quality food with limited quantity. Brad

Spinning classes have been the single most effective fat burning tool for me. Brad

Great advice from Jachut (as usual). Once you have clearance to exercise focus on cardio with a few strength training sessions per week and you'll keep those muscles in good shape while weight loss is ongoing. Good luck and work hard! Brad

Yep, like most other things - there is no concrete correct answer. Had I not had a lifelong exposure to firearms I too might have a different perspective. But I live handguns, shotguns, and rifles every day because of my job. Nonetheless, we normally overlook or improperly assign the true hazards to our safety. For example, it was discussed previously that if where Suzanne was jogging was unsafe, then travel to a safer place. Hell the travel would be a higher personal risk than just jogging in the rural setting. Brad

And Chandra Levy was abducted while jogging so I think jogging should be illegal! C'mon... most people are killed by the people they are legally sleeping with! Enough of the protecting ourselves from ourselves mentality! Brad

A couple of things come to mind.... First off, I commend Suzanne for her self preservation. It is a practice I wholeheartedly support. For those who choose to carry spray weapons, be certain you're familiar with your local laws! Many states limit the concentration and quantity a civilian can possess. Additionally, in a stressful situation, it can be difficult to (believe it or not, moreso that a firearm) hit your target. And finally, some of the stuff sold in stores is so watered down that it may not have much of an effect, and all of these solutions effect persons/animals individually different - and have expiration dates. Personally, I would seek a concealed pistol license. Become proficient in its' operation and application. Know your locals laws and what your obligations are. You'll jog with much more confidence! I also like the one-headphone idea too! Jachut... There's just a different mind set in this country when it comes to self-protection. Taking responsibility for your own self preservation is an American building block. When you're raised around firearms, you develop a respect for them - not fear of them. Brad

I started significant exercise about 2 months post op - and insanely serious exercise about 3 months post op. Brad

My .02 is that it's not so much "what" you do... rather it's the INTENSITY and CHALLENGE that matter! Many people (myself included) needed a gym to provide those. But if you can get those two key components without the gym, then the gym is unnecessary. Remember, the bottom line with exercise is: 1) You HAVE to do it... 2) You MUST do it at a sufficient intensity to provide a challenge. Challenge = not killing yourself, but not casual either. A casual walk is not sufficient exercise IMO. OK... I'm now beating a dead horse... Good luck and keep moving! Brad

I have one that sits in the closet... Does it work? I suppose that depends on what you expect it to do. It does work the abs and I might consider using it in conjuction with other ab exercises. But remember, while it may help tone and make your ab muscles more efficient, it's not going to do anything about the fat covering them. That's where good ol intense cardio come into play. Brad

I'm not in my 20's anymore either - and I'm glad! I'm in much better shape than I ever was in my 20's! In fact, I'm currently in the best shape of my entire adult life - and it's only getting better. Don't judge your progress on walking a certain distance - or on how little you eat. Both of those things can be detrimental to weight loss - even though we've always been taught they're ideal to weight loss. #1) Walking the same route (exertion level) over and over again is pointless. Your body quickly adjusts and it no longer provides the desired effect. You have to constantly offer new challenges (higher exertion level) to further your progress. Most people will find that, long term, walking as a sole form of exercise will be insufficient. #2) If you want to keep your metabolism cranking and fat burning, you have to eat! Digesting food burns calories. And digesting whole unprocessed foods will burn more calories than slider foods. Whenever you question your progress, it's essential to journal your food and exercise with a program such as Fitday (or similar - there are several good ones). Then you have real numbers to work with (not guestimates) and you can make meaningful adjustments. Good luck and work hard! Brad

Many people rely on that calorie limit number way too much, while neglecting to see where it fits into the whole picture. I've found it's a whole bunch easier to get the necessary calorie deficit (burning more than eating) by dividing it up between your food intake and your exercise output. However, this probably requires you to take your exercise routine to a whole new level (which you'll thank yourself for later on when you look in the mirror and don't see flabby hanging skin!) This allows you to gradually raise the number of calories you eat, which not only makes the journey much more tolerable, but it allows you to adopt a more sound lifestyle - which is the long term goal anyway. It may seem strange, but the more food you eat (good choices) the more your metabolism will crank up. Especially when breaking your meals down to 5 - 7 very small meals a day, eaten about every three hours if your schedule is this flexible. Only word of caution is that, IMO, not all calories are created equal. For example, 100 calories of chicken breast is not going to generate the same metabolic and hormonal response as 100 calories of chocolate syrup. So it's not just how many calories you eat - but also what they consist of! The "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" mentality is bunk IMO. Good luck and work hard! Brad

Unfortunately, we can't choose where our fat loss comes from. Think of your fat stores like an odd shaped ice cube that's melting. The thicker the area of ice - the longer it will take to melt. No spot training will influence the fat loss. You can, however, exercise specific muscle groups to give areas a better appearance. I think the best overall fat burning exercise is a variety of cardio. Light, Moderate, and Intense. Always change it up, but do the better part of an hour at least once per day - most days of the week. Throw in a couple of strength training workouts thoughout the week and you have a good recipe for burning the fat off while keep the muscles toned and efficient. Good luck! Brad

Plain milk is just something I can't stomach... I wish I could but it doesn't float my boat. Never heard of Milo - but if it WAS American owned it's Chinese owned now... :smile: Brad

OK... it gets better. Seriously, this is perfectly normal. Do some LBT searches about Bandster Hell and you'll get a good understanding of what's going on. Once you achieve satisfactory restriction it will get much, much better. BUT... that may be awhile. It took me until my fourth fill to get there. Everyone is different. It will take a lot of will power and committment on your part to achieve weight loss during this period. Best thing for you is to get exercising as soon as your doctor allows. Good luck and stay focused! Brad

Well you know they say what opinions are like... a$$holes... We all have them and most stink... But WTH, I'll opine anyway... There are some things you may wish to consider before running out and stocking up on a supply of chocolate milk... Before jumping on the bandwagon of the study, we should know more about the study... Who financially sponsored it and why? What about the participants? Were they obese people trying to lose weight - or competitive athletes? Was the nutritional content of the chocolate milk consistant across the study group (and what was the nutritional content anyway). You can go to the grocery store and find all sorts of different brands of chocolate milk - with nutritional content all across the spectrum. The people in the study may be very different from us - with very different goals than us. It appears they were simply looking at this from the perspective of endurance and muscle recovery. Very few of us are competitive athletes burning 4000+ calories a day In fact, most of us are trying to LOSE fat, are people prone to weight gain, and likely a bit more sensitive to carbohydrates than most - especially simple carbs. The chocolate milk controversy isn't new - it's been around awhile. I tried it as a post workout drink for awhile back in Nov. and it adversely effected my weight loss. I attributed that likely to the high sugar content. So I began mixing a commercial Protein mix with skim milk - and that did the trick. Tasted just like chocolate milk - and still had the milk - but not the simple carbs. Protein intake is a whole other debate. Personally, I'm of the opinion that people who exercise significantly can benefit from a higher protein intake. It just depends on how you want to achieve that intake. I think whole foods is best, but I supplement with commercial products as well. Even though it is a buyer-beware market. The fitness supplement industry is one of the most deceptive and cut-throat markets there is! Thats my two cents and a whole lot more.... Brad

The band is like any weight loss attempt. You'll only get out of it what you put into it. If you throw your hands in the air and give up - well - that's all you're going to get.... You have to always find new ways to stay focused. One thing's for certain - motivation breeds progress and progress breeds motivation. Good luck! Brad

A lot of this depends on what "hoops" you have to jump through to get approval. Here, it took me 101 days from consultation with the surgeon until surgery day. But I could have trimmed that back a few weeks because I had my surgery correspond with a vacation from work. Good luck with whatever you decide! Brad

CLAUDINE1975 hit the nail right on the head! Anytime you question your progress the first place to look is your food intake and exercise export. Brad

Congrats to all you "losers!" The Girl Scout Cookies showed up this week.... And so did some ice cream... and well... enough said Last Week 166 This Week 166 No change... Brad

Congrats Lellow and thanks for the kind words. I'm glad your surgery was such a success! You can say you feel like 19 again! It's still hard to think of myself as a thin person, but I'm getting more adjusted every day. Brad