2-Lose-Fluff

Hi bandsters Thought I would start a new thread that shows what happened when you get off track with the stress in your life. For the last 6 months I have beening caring for my 85 year old mother, who died in the end of January 2011. I gained 39 lbs in that time period, by not eating the correct foods and stopping my exercise. Now I'm going to fight my way to one-erland. If any of you would like to join me please tell of your struggles which caused you to gain and then everyday we will post the positive things we are doing to get this weight off. I'm starting today using my little tony 3 times for 10 minutes each. I am also going to drink 8-8 oz glasses of Water.

Great ideas fly. I'm going to make a list of my favorites and what will be a very difficult way of getting them. So when the attack hits I'm ready. I have great news for all. My new baratric dr will be in town on 12/14 & 15. So I'm going to a seminar to meet with him and his staff. In case you don't know my old Dr left town and moved 4 hours away. I've been over filled for the last 5 months, so I can't wait for an unfill. Then I can eat solids again and not crave sliders. He won't open his office until the new year, but you can be sure I'll be the first one in there. I wonder if any of you are facing being overfilled or underfilled. It sure does make it hard to eat properly either way. The holidays were a nightmare for me and now I trying to get off the sugar again.....I can gain weight so fast. In another week I'm going to start to eliminate the things I shouldn't be eating. First caffiene, second sliders, third bad carbs, fourth sugars and fifth chocolate. I have two sets of company coming within the next week. So I'm not going to get serious until the stress is off. Let me know how all of you are doing?

Fly - You are right we must continue to try. If we do that we will eventually suceed. What do you do when craving sugar? Sometimes I just can't get it off my mind. But if I start eating it I have to eat it until it's gone. Are you like that? The only thing that works for me is to brush my teeth and go to sleep. And let's face it sometimes you just can't do that.

Hi everyone- Isn't interesting how we are all doing better in our own ways. Some exercise, some liquids, some more Water, some logging everything that goes into our mouth. It's so nice we can share the high points. I went to a diet counselor yesterday. And we discussed my sabatoging my efforts with junk food. She said that it comes from me wanting an excuse to eat off the plan, therefore I create stress and have a reason to eat. I focus on my arthritis pain until I can justify eating. I focus on a negative incident in my life until I justify the eating. It was like a light went off in my head. So when I feel myself start that process I'm going to close my eyes and picture a crossing guard holding up a stop sign in one hand and holding out the other staying stop. (she said you can also snap a rubberband on you wrist each time the negative thought enters)Then I'm going to refocus my thoughts to something more productive. Next step is telling myself this is not a reason to eat. I've lost a little more, but it seems so slow now. I think my calories might be too low... so I'm going to get them up to 1100-1200 a day, and see if that helps. Please keep posting to help keep me focused. As DD a friend from another thread said she is going to "reclaim ownership of her band." Isn't that an empowering statement. Keep up the good work and keep on trying when we can't.

DD I'm so proud of you. When we started losing in 2008 you inspired me to exercise. And as soon as I did the weight started falling off. I lost half the weight I needed to lose and then gained some back:mad2:, now I'm losing again. All for the want of eating junk food and not exercising. So as you see you are not alone. I've been doing much better since I joined a thread "I have failed my band." Come join the rest of us that are struggling. I'm sure your be encouraged day by day.

Missy You are doing great girl. Keep it up. Raquelin You should be proud of yourself for trying to shrink that pouch. I'm struggling too but logging in and seeing how others are struggling makes me try a little harder. I've lost only 8.5 lbs since I got back to tracking my meals and exercising. Today I am finally 1/2 way in my weight loss journey, AGAIN. I have to quit beating myself up over the fact that I had lost 90 and put 32 of it back on. Today is a new day and I am only concerned about today. If I do the right things it will come off again.

Way to go Bounser. Keep those gym seats warm for all of us!!! Ha ha. Hope your cold is better soon. StangeDZ does your band adjust tighter when you have a cold, fly or you swell from salt? Mine does maybe being filled so close, all you need until your dr is back is a little more salt. Or if it was so tight and you had a cold or inflamation in your system that's why it's so loose now. On a rainy day my band is too tight. So I just try to do the best I can until the sun shines then it's too loose. It drives me crazy. Try to cut out one type of food at a time and then the next day another. I get so overwhelmed when I stop, fat, sugar and various junk all at once that I normally continue to eat more than I should. You can do it. Confused - Is your hubby jealous that you are losing? Try to reassure him that you are under Dr's care to do this and the amount you eat with your Vitamins and Calcium is healthly for you. Ask him to help you get on track not undermine your progress. Some hubbies just like to hear that we still love them even though we weigh less.

StrangeDZ are you back on track? I did so bad a few days ago with nachos and Peanut Butter swirl chips that I ate whatever I wanted for a day. Yesterday I started the pouch test that Missy suggested. One full day on liquids. Come on lets all lose this weight together. Missy how are you doing on liquids? Thanks for you pouch test idea. Bounser How is the gym? You are going to be the tonest one of us. Go girl. evil- how are you doing? Have you many an appt with the dr to get rid of your fears and see whats going on? I made a deal with myself that if I didn't lose each week I would go see a different dr. I think it's helping. One thing I thought of for all of us, is why did we do this in the first place? I was thinking about that and it helped motivate me some. I just couldn't wait for my surgery to start down this road. So maybe we can all list reasons why we did it. My first reason was being afraid of becoming diabetic. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Don't be so harsh on yourself. Just figure out why you ate the sweets? Physical pain, emotional pain, jealousy for family members eating them without you. When you do that you can find another way to react for next time. The one that gets me the worst is Physical pain. So I try to take a hot shower or put the heating pad on, or take some pain meds. If that doesn't work I just go ahead and eat it. The longer I beat myself up over it the more I eat. Strange huh? Then I try to start again as soon as possible. Whether that is my next meal or the next day. Hope tomarrow is a healthier happier day. We can do this together.

Normally as soon as ketosis, the burning of fat as energy, kicks in you will lose the hunger feeling. At the most 3 days if you stay away from high carbs. If your not there yet you will be soon. Just think of how good you will feel in 6 months with this decision. Keep it up.

Bounser - You are doing great keep it up. It only takes 21 days to creat a habit. You are well on the way. Keep us posted on your progress

Missy224- Glad you are finally taking some positive action to get on track. Even if you only last a week it should do the trick. I'll be waiting to here your next posts as my hubby's birthday is 2/24, my daughter name is Missy, and my sister lives in Houston. So make the thread proud.

Glass half full girl---- I don't mean to discourage you but it took me 7 fills to get too tight. Apparently some of us need tighter restriction. And if the Dr does it too fast the band could slip. So keep hanging in there. Are you stopping all fluids 1/2 hr before and after each meal? Is it taking you appox. 1/2 hour to each a 1/2 cup of protein. Yes that's very slow but it takes that long to signal the brain that food is in the stomach. Those too thoughts might help. At least now you are seeking help to use the tool. So go for the skinny and healthy you.

StrangeDZ Thanks for all your help. I lost 2.5 pound since 11/3 because the thought of going to another dr. got me thru the sugar withdrawls. I now feel accountable to you if I don't continue to lose each week, I know I have to make that appt. It's working. And finally I am feeling better about myself. This thread is great!!!!

I think this is the toughest time for me. I too have gained about 20 pounds back. But I made up my mind no more sliders and no more sugar until it all comes off. Then if I can do maintenance with a little sweets I will, but if I start gaining again I will will not be able to eat sugar again. Because for the last 6 months I have just been going crazy eating junk. I'm one of those people who just can't have a bit. Is that what is behind your weight gain? Maybe we can encourage each other like we did in the beginning.

Tristessa sorry you have been having such a tough time. I'm surprised that your gallbladder wasn't removed with your lap band surgery. If it's just an ulcer ask for sucralfate that healed mine in no time at all. Matter of fact it stops the queasy too much acid feeling in a couple of uses. Then you don't feel hungry at all. We were the closest in weight for the 2008 Notorious Novembers. By the way how tall are you? I'm 5' 10". You are doing great with your weight loss, and I'm sure you will get your toned fit body back as soon as your neck heals the rest of the way. I have gained some of my weight back since my Dr moved his practice 4 hours away, and I started caring for my mom with alztimers. I'm trying to get back on track again with diet and exercise. So far the exercise has been going good for almost 3 weeks. The diet is much harder, but so far two healthy eating days down. Please let me know how your tests go.

We have been trying to get my band adjusted right for 2 years. If it rains on the day or if I am having allergy problems I get adjusted it's too loose. If it's a clear day and no allergies it seems too tight later. The Dr could not believe that the barium just sat there until I gulped down another dixie cup. Then the next time there was no restriction. If he didn't do it on the fluroscope I would say that he was just trying to get paid again. I'm so glad another dr is coming to town. Maybe he can figure it out. By the way StrangeDZ I've been eating the correct way for two days now, except for a cup of coffee tonight. Just the thought of the road trip is stopping all the slider foods and sugary stuff. I do have a terrible headache tonight, probably sugar withdrawl. Is that possible?

StrangeDZ I promised myself that if I didn't lose weight this week I would find another dr. and hopefully he will do an unfill. So let's see if it's just sugar craving and mind hunger or if I really need the unfill. Thanks for your advice. Just the thought of you spending 8 hrs to see your dr. made going 4 hours possible in my mind. Your doing so well..keep it up.

It's amazing to me how many of us are struggling. I started at 311 and went to 215 now I'm at 238. Itsavolinist got me started realizing that the longer I waited to stop eating around my band the better off I would be. That way I won't have to lose all that weight too. So I joined the new years challenge and I started walking a mile in the evenings. I was having problems chewing due to dental work. And now that my root canal and other dental work was finished yesterday I'm trying to go back to the high Protein with veggies instead of sliders. My major problem is that my LB Dr left the area. The nearest new dr is almost 2 hours away. I'm not sure if my band is adjusted right or if it's too tight. I can only eat about the size of an egg of protein, if I eat more I'm pbing. So I've been eating junk in between my suggested lap band diet. A new dr is suppose to be on staff at the hospital near my home in Dec. Would you all wait another month to talk to him about an unfill? Or go to a different dr for one or two visits 2 hours away? I'm afraid if I tough it out again I'm going to fail.

Thanks for the New Years Challenge. It's just what I needed to get back on track. Stress of a very sick mother took me off to sugarland. No more junk food starting right now. Thanks again.

Glammaw---Go in your pantry and try to pick up 50 pounds of canned goods or flour. I think that is a great accomplishment for one year. If you don't think that is a great accomplishment hold them for the next hour. (ha ha) Sometimes we set our sights to high for ourselves. This year work on losing the last 27 pounds. You go girl!!!!

Glammaw--Sorry you are having such a rough time. Are you taking 2 protein drinks a day? That might cut don't on the slider craving. Also go back to the original diet that your DR prescribed and follow it closely. If you can get sliders down you can also get regular meals but you will have to chew them, and then chew them again and again. Remember the plan was for us to eat the amount of an egg each time we eat. You will lose faster if you stay between 800 and 1200 cal. a day. When I don't eat enough I don't lose either. I hope this helps. I'm fighting the same battle right now. I just have to remember why I had this surgery in the first place and stick to the plan. So let's work together and make our Notorious Novembers Proud!!!

Hi all you 2008 Notorious Novembers. I haven't posted in a while, mainly because my weight loss has been at a stall. I gained some over Nov. and Dec. but am back to losing again. I haven't been able to walk as much, because of what I think is arthritis. Are any of you having joint pain? Congrats on all your progress.

DD just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you prepping for surgery. Hope all goes as planned. Glad you are able to get back in the loop. (ha-HA)

HI ddgalarza You keep up the positive attitude and all will go well. You've taught me that with your proactive, positive focus. Pretty soon we will be calling you skinny mini. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.