julie.ann

Anne you look great! Isn't this a wonderful journey! I still can't wait to see if I have a collar bone!

I will give you my advice. You can take it or leave it. Bandster hell is tough. Leave out all bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. It makes your blood sugars spike and that means more insulin in your system and then more cravings! Eat PLENTY of protein. The more protein for me the less hunger I had. Eat your solid protein first and leave the carbs to the fruits and veggies that follow it up. Keep track of what you eat. I use sparkpeople.com, others like dailyplate (?)there are several free websites out there. Good luck. Keep up the good work!

Great goals! Very obtainable. Remember that soda can stretch the pouch. So not worth it. I don't miss it like I thought I would. I think your walking goal is great! If you do more then GREAT! If you don't do any more than 20min 3 days a week then don't get down on yourself. Good luck.

Grey Goose and cranberry with a lime twist is my drink too! I have Belvedere in my freezer at home. I have gotten crystal light cranberry that takes all the calories away except for the vodka. (64 calories) but even that adds up. I have even thought about carriing a little single serving mix to the bar when I go. Actually I have given up drinking. I think I have had one drink and that was had DH's christmas party because they had bought the vodka just for me. (WTF?) I looked up the calories if I order that drink at the bar and haven't found it is worth it. I would much rather see the numbers move on the scale. I'm sure I will for special occasions and such. Nothing wrong with a rare treat!:huh2:

Anne you are dong great! Everyone is doing great. Just think back to where we were 6 months ago! How nervous and unsure we were of ourselves. We all deserve a pat on the back!

I have had 2 fills. I have 3.5cc in my band. I really think I am at that sweat spot we all hope for. My last fill was last week. Thanks! It has been a nice discovery. I can't wait until I found out if I have a collar bone!!!!:glare:

I am a little bored and started messing around so I decided to post some pictures. Our group has been so quiet lately. I hope everything is going well for everyone! The first pick is from August 2008 when I decided I would get this surgery NO MATTER WHAT! The second is an "Artsy" picture from today 55 pounds lighter!

Thank you! You guys are very sweet! Someone in a on-line support group makes a good point. In 5 years when we are all looking good and feeling great it won't matter how long it took us to get there. It will only matter how we feel! Keep up the good work. Eat healthy and work out! I'll think of you guys while I'm at the gym! We have to keep supporting each other! :wink2:

August 2008 When I decided that I would find a way NO MATTER WHAT! Me today! Feeling "Artsy" 55 lbs lighter!

Good Luck and great job making this big decision.

1-17-08 Mentally I am doing pretty good. I think that the newness is wearing off. I am still motivated. I guess after 3 months things really are becoming more of a lifestyle change. It isn’t as hard to choose to eat healthy as it used to be. Today my hubby and kids wanted McDonalds. I went with DH to pick it up because I wanted to grab a couple of things at the store. It wasn’t even a choice I needed to make. I wouldn’t put myself in that situation over and over, but it was okay. I made myself one of these great stuffed chicken breasts that I found. They are at Wal-mart and they are about 230-270 calories, 7-8 carbs and 35 protein. It is so good and tasty. (It is Sam’s Choice brand and come in many different flavors. I like the pepper jack cheese and bacon.) Anyway my point is that I didn’t have any problem waiting the 30 minutes for my supper to get done because the band as curbed my hunger so much and THEN I couldn’t even eat the entire chicken breast before I was full. What I eat and make ahead of time has become a habit. Making food for the next few days has become habit. (I love my quick and easy chicken salad and I keep turkey breast around for a grab and go meal to eat at work with some cottage cheese and a veggie. ) My attitude toward this journey is starting to change. I’m not bored with it. That isn’t the right way to explain it. I guess like I said it is becoming more of a lifestyle. It is more of a normal way of life. I still get up every day and get on the Wii to weigh myself. I immediately get on lapbandtalk.com and record my weight change on my tickers. Every Friday I post my weight for my October 2008 group and every Saturday I have started to post for my Dr. Kirshenbaum group since I started their new challenge. Each Monday I record my weekly weight on my excel spread sheet that graphs my progress. This is a focus in my life, but I haven’t had to focus on it an intensely. It is nice. I just have to know how to balance everything in my life. Part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have always been that person that starts to wonder what will happen when things are just going too good.

I did hit a 2 week plateau last month that was hard, but weighing myself keeps me accountable. Somedays I am tempted to eat something bad and then I think about getting on the scale in the morning. I think that if I knew I didn't have to step on the scale for a couple of weeks I would start to think that I could cheat and have plenty of time to make up for it. Everyone is different. Weighing daily works best for me to keep me accountable for what I put in my mouth. Thanks for the support and keep up the good work.

click on any of our tickers. That will take you to the website to build your own. After that paste the code they give you into the signature. You can edit your signature from going to quick links at the top of page. After that to update you ticker you just click on it and enter the code. You won't have to edit your signature everytime.

1-17-08 Mentally I am doing pretty good. I think that the newness is wearing off. I am still motivated. I guess after 3 months things really are becoming more of a lifestyle change. It isn’t as hard to choose to eat healthy as it used to be. Today my hubby and kids wanted McDonalds. I went with DH to pick it up because I wanted to grab a couple of things at the store. It wasn’t even a choice I needed to make. I wouldn’t put myself in that situation over and over, but it was okay. I made myself one of these great stuffed chicken breasts that I found. They are at Wal-mart and they are about 230-270 calories, 7-8 carbs and 35 protein. It is so good and tasty. (It is Sam’s Choice brand and come in many different flavors. I like the pepper jack cheese and bacon.) Anyway my point is that I didn’t have any problem waiting the 30 minutes for my supper to get done because the band as curbed my hunger so much and THEN I couldn’t even eat the entire chicken breast before I was full. What I eat and make ahead of time has become a habit. Making food for the next few days has become habit. (I love my quick and easy chicken salad and I keep turkey breast around for a grab and go meal to eat at work with some cottage cheese and a veggie. ) My attitude toward this journey is starting to change. I’m not bored with it. That isn’t the right way to explain it. I guess like I said it is becoming more of a lifestyle. It is more of a normal way of life. I still get up every day and get on the Wii to weigh myself. I immediately get on lapbandtalk.com and record my weight change on my tickers. Every Friday I post my weight for my October 2008 group and every Saturday I have started to post for my Dr. Kirshenbaum group since I started their new challenge. Each Monday I record my weekly weight on my excel spread sheet that graphs my progress. This is a focus in my life, but I haven’t had to focus on it an intensely. It is nice. I just have to know how to balance everything in my life. Part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have always been that person that starts to wonder what will happen when things are just going too good.

I think most people go through the "last supper" syndrome. I could tell you to resist because the more you gain then the more you have to lose. I won't tell you that. It is normal. I was just thinking today that going to a buffet would be a waste of time for me now! Last supper syndrome is normal for most. Keep this in mind. When you can't eat it or don't want to eat it because your weight loss is going so great then you really don't miss it as much as you think you will. At least if we are alike you won't. Good luck!

mymy - I think everything you are going thru is normal. This is a life changing decision. This is where it all starts. I bet you are nervous about surgery and scared it won't work. Will who you are and how you feel change? Will how everyone sees you change? Will they treat you different? Congrats on stopping smoking! That is tough. I know. I am an ex-smoker. If you think that you need to push your date back then by all means do what is right for you. If you think that everything will change in that time and it won't be an emotional and very tough journey then think again. Good luck! I hope everthing works out great for you!

I have heard others talk about losing hair. It seems to happen around month 3-4 for those I have talked to. I was just thinking about that this morning wondering if that will start for me soon. Some have said no enough Protein, some have said too much, some have said too much change in your body all at one time. I don't know if anyone knows for sure. I would encourage you to take your Vitamins, your Calcium and get good nutrition and wait for it to pass, or if you are really worried about it and it continues for quite a while call you doctor. I'm sure they have had that report a lot. Good luck and congrats with your success so far!

Well put me down for a loss of 3.1#. Nothing to be ashamed of... I'm about halfway to my -Day goal! As an added plus I am only 3.3# away from having lost 20% of my body weight so that would be 40% of my excess weight!

How is this for motivation. If your liver is too big and fatty they CAN"T do surgery. I was told to shrink my liver absolutely NO bread, rice, potatoes or pasta! It worked and I lost 15# in 2 weeks before surgery. I still try to stick to that rule and I do except for an occasionally piece of thin pizza.

Pete, You are right, some of your weight gain may be from stoping the lasix. (furosemide) Are you noticing swelling especially in your lower extremities. If you are making good food choices and still gaining weight like that you need to let the doctor know. You don't want to put on a lot of fluid. It wouldn't be good for you. Keep up the great work. You will get there!

1-16-08 I have hit some of my Non-Scale Goals. My goals include being comfortable sitting in a chair without having a table to hide me. Being able to cross my legs and be comfortable. (especially in an airplane) My kids being able to hug me and put their arms all the way around me I realized after my son’s game last night that I was comfortable sitting on the bleachers watching him play. I wasn’t completely self conscious like I used to be. I can cross my legs. I’m not completely comfortable doing it yet, but I’m getting there. Tonight after school when each of my boys gave me a hug they were able to lock their hands together behind me. WOW! Three months after surgery. Who would have thought! My next goals are to · Weigh less than my husband · Be able to use a regular size towel and rap around me and have it stay. · Still working on crossing my legs comfortably. · I will be flying in April. I want to be more comfortable on an airplane and not wonder if the person next to me is wondering how they got stuck next to the fat chick. · I am planning to go parasailing! I wouldn’t go last year when I was at the beach in April because of my weight. I plan on being in onderland this year so I can’t wait to go!!! Whew! That is a lot! Here I go……

1-16-08 I have hit some of my Non-Scale Goals. My goals include being comfortable sitting in a chair without having a table to hide me. Being able to cross my legs and be comfortable. (especially in an airplane) My kids being able to hug me and put their arms all the way around me I realized after my son’s game last night that I was comfortable sitting on the bleachers watching him play. I wasn’t completely self conscious like I used to be. I can cross my legs. I’m not completely comfortable doing it yet, but I’m getting there. Tonight after school when each of my boys gave me a hug they were able to lock their hands together behind me. WOW! Three months after surgery. Who would have thought! My next goals are to · Weigh less than my husband · Be able to use a regular size towel and rap around me and have it stay. · Still working on crossing my legs comfortably. · I will be flying in April. I want to be more comfortable on an airplane and not wonder if the person next to me is wondering how they got stuck next to the fat chick. · I am planning to go parasailing! I wouldn’t go last year when I was at the beach in April because of my weight. I plan on being in onderland this year so I can’t wait to go!!! Whew! That is a lot! Here I go……

If you like him over Detroit the money would eventually add up. Have you looked into the fill center? Do they have good customer service? If the service is comparable I would drive the 45 minutes. If the service is no where comparable then that brings it down to a choice between saving money or having good health care. For some there may not be a choice because they can't afford the $500. If you can then again break it down to the simplest form Save Money or Better Health Care and support.

Well Friday is here again. I am down about 2.5 lbs this week. I guess I can't complain. I had my fill last Friday and I have been eatting less everyday. I ate breakfast yesterday without feeling hungry. I think I might have to start back on protein shakes to get my calories in. I really don't want to get in the habit of eating when I am not hungry. So I am at 231.7 I guess I am pretty close to those 220s that I have been coveting for so long. Good luck to all of you today!

It is the same as the people with kids saying "MY kids will NEVER...." They learn too, don't worry.