LindaV

OMG, after I posted that last note, I looked at my ticker and noticed that I now have less than 100 lbs to lose. My ticker actually reflects my correct weight because I hadn't updated it after the last 2 lbs I lost. Anyway, I can't believe it. I only have 99 more pounds to lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin1: That sounds so much better than 150. I also found out my BMI has gone from 51 to 43.

Hello Fellow May Bandsters! I have been using Fitday off and on since before I was banded and sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. A few days ago I read on another thread about Sparkpeople.com to track wt. loss, nutrition and exercise so I checked it out. IMHO it is far superior to Fitday. The site is easier to use, the graphics are nicer, the food is easier to log and it offers so much more! Best of all, it is totally free so I don't feel like I am missing out on the best parts. I have noticed a few familiar names/faces over there as well. If you decide to check it out and decide to stick around, let me know. My user name there is drkwid (Don't Really Know What I'm Doing). My computer savy husband gave me that name when I couldn't figure out how to log on to Ebay a few years ago and LindaV was taken over at sparkpeople so I went with my usual user name. I started tracking my calories over there and, guess what? I am not taking in as many calories as I thought. I am eating between 1100-1500 calories a day. I am usually between 1100-1300. Of course, this weekend I tended to be near the top of that and, since I didn't exercise at all, I gained 2 lbs :embarassed:. Oh well, back to exercise and beter food choices this week!

I read about another website called Sparkpeople.com on another thread. It is also free and I think it is far superior to Fitday. I would highly recommend it for tracking calories, exercise,water and overall fitness!

Meal times have been one of the easiest adjustments to being banded. It was hard at first when I was on the liquid phase, but, I still participated in family meals with whatever I happend to be drinking. I eat what my family eats, just smaller portions. Since I eat much slower than before, I don't finish before everyone else. The only challenging part was to time my eating/snacks so that I was actually hungry at meal times. Once I had this figured out, it was easy! I don't usually eat if I am not hungry so, occasionally, I will sit down and drink Water while my family eats but that is fairly rare and since I am not hungry, it is not a big deal. I just make up a plate for myself to eat later when I am hungry.

I have definately found that if I eat below 1100 - 1200 calories for more than a couple of days, I stop losing or lose very slowly. A calorie intake of 1300 to 1600 actually works best for me. I know that sounds like a lot compared to what I read on LBT, but, I have been charting my intake and weight loss for a few months now and this is how it is for me.

Hope - Congratulations - you're in ONDERLAND! I can't wait to join you although it will probably be a while. Weightloss can be such a fickle thing. I know you have been frustrated, but, having restriction makes all the difference! Kato - Hang in there! I didn't gain after my first few weeks only partly because of the band--a lot of it was will power! Hippo's Hope goes to Salt Lake City for her fills. She had her surgery done there soI know there are docs there who do fills. From what I have heard, some docotors really charge through the roof for fills. Those of us who are banded are between a rock and a hard place because we need restrictions for the band to work and we need fills for restriction! Good luck finding a good fill doctor! Myra - If you have a YMCA in your area, you might look into how much it costs for a membership there. We only pay $60 a month for my whole family and I have unlimited access to the water aerobics classes there. My YMCA also offers daily, weekly and monthly pool passes (which are pretty inexpensive) which, if purchased, give you access to the water fitness classes as well at no extra charge.

GreatDame, Congratulations on the great progress! I don't know how you manage to stay off of the scales! I have to have my husband hide mine. Lately, I try to weigh in the morning and that's it. It's great on weeks when I'm losing but maddening on weeks when I'm not. Since being banded, I'm probably more of a slave to my scale than to food :phanvan. I think it's time to have hubby hide it again!

Hi kmwwmk, Good luck with the insurance fight! You might want to post an intro in the August Band Crew (I think that's what it's called) thread. That's a great way to meet others who are having surgery around the same time as you. Again, good luck!

Hey Hope - Glad to hear you are back and your fill went well. Hopefully a little more restriction will help to get the scale moving again--DOWN OF COURSE! The Idahobandsters are planning this month's Soup night. When we have settled on a date and location, I'll let you know. 3Loves - I have been doing deep Water aerobics since 2 weeks after my surgery so that's about 2 months now. I feel like I get a much better workout than when I walk because I am using many more of my muscles. I love being in the water because I weight so much less. The part I like the least is getting out at the end -- I feel every ounce of my 270 pounds right then, but, it gets easier to haul my ass up the ladder every week. My trips to the nutritionist prove that these workouts are building muscle as well as helping me lose fat. I try to go 4-5 mornings a week.

Click on the link below and you can read how to do a ticker. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16218&highlight=Ticker+Help%2C+Please%3F+Hope

Hi KellBell, Welcome to LBT! If you do a search on Tickers, you should be able to find the information. I know it's out there because I found it. This is a great site for researching the band and getting to know others who share our journey. Good luck with the insurance process. I know it can take time and a lot of patience.

Well, it's Thursday and I am doing my challenge check-in. So, here it is: Challenge Start Weight: 276 Current Weight: 270 September 13 Goal: 255 That's -4 pounds this week and -6 total. The scale actually read 269.6 this morning which is thrilling to me. The last time I saw the 260's was about 5 years ago which was the last time I dieted. I hit 265 after about 6 months of dieting then I was done and put the weight back on. Ok, I'm off to Water aerobics now. Have a great day everyone!

If she's not eating or drinking, it sounds like her body systems are already beginning to shut down and it probably won't be very long until she dies on her own. IMHO, if she is in any pain, now would be the time.:think

Good question. I've never thought of doing this, but, I just did the math and I've lost 30% of my excess body weight. Wow, that sounds more impressive to me than 44 pounds lost.

I'm rather new at this, but, a friend of mine had this problem for a coupld of days after her last fill and her doc told her it was probably swelling and to do liquids for a couple of days.

Hi Slimwithin, Welcome to LBT! There are a lot of great people and forums here. Good luck with your journey.

I'll have to put Breakfast on Pluto on my netflix cue. I've never heard of it. We watched Mad Hot Ballroom last night and I really loved it! I don't know that I would put it on my "all time favorites" list, but, it was a really good movie. My 10 year old son even enjoyed it!

Hi All, C 271 (-44 Total, -3 This Week)

Hey Hedwig, I have wondered if your LBT name was inspired by Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I love that movie. We bought our own copy soon after we saw it. I didn't want to ask you for fear that it was not where you got the name and then you decided to watch it. It is definately a movie that is not for everyone. I'm glad to find another fan. Some of my other favorites are: Lost Boys, Goonies, chocolate, Finding Neverland, The Sound of Music, Dogma and Signs

Hey Marci, I usually care less about popcorn, but, every once in a while, for some strange reason, I get a terrible craving for either popcorn or kettlecorn. A couple of weeks ago, I found the 100 calorie bags in the grocery store. They are great. They are really low calorie and just the right size to satisfy a craving without having a ton left over to tempt me. I especialy like the kettlecorn. It also satisfies when I am craving something sweet.

This was also a concern of mine before being banded. The littlest bit of nausea for me sends me running for the bathroom and I can then heave for 5 - 10 minutes. I figured this is a slip waiting to happen so, like Mousecrazy, I keep some phenergan that my docotor prescribed for me around the house just in case.

Hi Melinda, I know some people who woke up from surgery hungry and some people who take weeks to get hungry. It is different for every person. I think it depends on what size band you had placed, how much swelling you have and how quickly the swelling goes down and how much restriction you have with just the band and no fill. I started to get hungry after about a week and added thicker pureed Soups to my diet. That seemed to help some. The fact is, if you are one of the unlucky ones who gets hungry sooner, you basically have to suffer through it until you can start on mushies. They are much more filling. But, don't be too discouraged, it is only the beginning of your journey and it will get better! How long do you have before you can start mushies?

Hi Tina, Welcome to LBT. This is a great site to research the Lap Band. I got my band on May 1st of this year and am completely happy with it. I have absoutely no regrets. The weight loss is not too fast and it can take a while to get the proper amount of restriction in your band, but, the results are well worth the wait. Well, that's my 2 cents!

Hey Hope, The St. Al's support group meets tonight at 7 pm. I am planning on being there if and we would love to have you!

Hey Carol, I know it's really hard to retrain our minds. Once you have good restriction, the band takes care of the physical hunger but, unfortunately, not the emotional hunger. I would encourage you to not expect too much too soon. You may have gained, but you did something about it and lost it again. You need to give your body and your mind time to adjust to all this. It sounds like you have a really busy schedule, but, remember to take some time to help yourself. In the mean time, until your schedule calms down a bit, don't be too hard on yourself.