Pinkylee

I'm with you Poodles. When I stopped exercising, it all went down hill. And to think it all started with me trying to jog (what was I thinking. The challenges came to fast after each other and I think they lost their effectiveness. Let's try another challenge for the next 3 weeks. If we all agree, we can extend it for another 3 weeks. Should we include exercise and calorie count too? If memory serves me we used the blue biggrin1 :biggrin1: in our signature for each day we drank 8 glasses of water. We could use a dancing banana:Banane14: for exercise and :hungry: for sticking with our own personal eating program. Please give your input. It's only for 3 weeks. If it doesn't go well we can always stop after 3 and declare the winner. The winner will get to post :first: Junebie Winter Challenge for as long as they'd like. Let's begin tomorrow. Who's in? I'll tally each week and we'll go from there. Inputs? Suggestions?

Socalgal - Congrats on such good news. Take care of yourself! Randi - You sound in better spirits. A good goal would be to eat a liquid/mushie meal without pbing! Cathy - my husband wanted to buy me one of those fancy one cupers and I wouldn't let him for the very same reason. Instead, I'm now hooked on hot tea. Barbara12 - When things get really bad, I walk a mall. Galleria has some great card shops. Why don't you get a jump on this year's bday cards? Today is jumping off day. I thought I had seen the last of 190:faint: .You guessed it - and I can't use fluid as an excuse after the day I had yesterday. You can bet I won't see it again.

Barbara12 - Knock knock. Are you there? Did you get the fill?

Randi, I'm guessing you've ruled out the complete unfill? If that's the case, have you tried the wine or hot tea trick (I'd stay clear of fruit juice if you have that much pbing). I'm struggling now too, but it's really not the band. I'm trying to sooth a few wounds with food and lethargy. Sometimes you just have to let go of that suitcase. It may seem illogical, but this is my year to lose this weight and gain my health. EVERYTHING has to line up behind this effort. Including other people's expectations. Speaking of which---guess what DH asked!!! He wanted to know if I wanted to get plastic surgery done so I could wear a bikini this summer? I didn't know whether to be insulted or die laughing! Talk about expectations - I'm almost 56 freakin years old! To be bikini ready I'm sure I'd need enough stuff done to end up looking like a science project! Regina - I'd say go for the .2. All meds make me gain weight except my fluid pills. By the way.....This is an official Junebie Poll: Who is drinking their water every day? I'll answer that one first - Not me!:faint: Kynekee Welcome to your new home. Please tell us about yourself. Can I call you KK (I can't remember how to spell your name - if you hate it tell me, I'll get it eventually) OOOH Poodles, I love Red Zinfindel! No wine today for me. I didn't have any calories left to drink a drop (Yikes!!!) In fact, I owe a bit back tomorrow. Barbara465 - Congrats on that Valentine's Day Goal. Aimee - Are you cold in Saintville? AS a fellow Gulf Coast gal -- this weather sucks!!!! At least in Michigan I didn't look like a weirdo in my earmuffs and mittens.

We could all take a lesson in how to handle being banded from Barbara465. She's refused to be overfilled and stuck to the rules. Her loss is an amazing 50 (plus) pounds with less than a 2.0 fill. So far fills don't keep me from getting hungry (except for maybe the first wk after a fill). I'm going to avoid them if I can continue to lose even if it's only a few pounds a month.

Wow guys. It's tough out here this week! SocalGal - We're thinking about you. Randi - Praying for you to find a doctor that will help you. Barbara465 - When it's time to say enough, it's time to say it! Poodles - Thinking of you too! I read a statistic (and I've lost the link) that studies have shown that those who drink wine (1 glass per day) have more successful losses than those who don't. (quicker and a higher % of body weight) None of us wants to overindulge or pick up a new bad habit, but stress is a killer for most of us. I'm going to try to find some of those small individual serving bottles of red wine and see how that goes. By the way, DS told me that more relationships suffer breakups in January than any other month. Theory is the stress of short days and ugly weather. Hang tough yall!

Penni, You are the second person who's posted today about continuing difficulty with their band. An aggressive fill for some means slow or no weight loss. I know what it feels like to be hungry and want to eat - and not being able to. Worse yet are endless days of hunger and no weight lost! (been there too) A few things that have helped me through agressive fills: Preblended liquid Protein (powdered drinks you blend with Water yourself have been known to cause problems) Drink from a small custard cup. It helps remind you to take small sips. Add calories by adding honey or real butter or olive oil to your foods if you are consuming less than 1200 calories a day. Chewable or liquid Vitamins are a must daily One or two sips of hot tea before meals will help open you up. Make sure the tea goes down before eating your solids Count your "chews". 30 per small bite. Blend your Proteins to mush in a food processor if you have to in order to get them to stay down Above all, don't worry about what others think of your eating habits. Join the group, stay as socially active as you can.

Randi Gosh! What a bummer! Sounds like you need more taken out, not put in. We've all experienced overfills and they are painful. You sound as if you've been overfilled and then another fill added on top of that one. Take care and please consider having some fill taken out. You are not a failure. 28 pounds is still a good amount of weight, but an overagressive fill can slow your weight loss down to nothing. Keep venting if you need to. You have a right to expect more from the band than what you've gotten so far. :angry

Poodles I don't think you're a loon. Several friends in med profession attest to the fact that there are cycles where the body seems to bear more stress. Since we're not in full moon, our common tightness could be phlegm from allergies or the bug sweeping across the country. Odds are these dreary, cold and wet days aren't helping us. Yeah for the 2 days of sun this week. Boo hoo, it's not gonna last!

Whew! Crisis averted for the night at least Barbara465. Is there a full moon tonight? We might not cycle, but I've had troubles these past few days and I can't say it's all stress. Maybe hormone ups and downs. In the meantime, SocalGal, you are in our thoughts and prayers to have a peaceful and painfree weekend. Yeah for Pinky - real estate issues are easing up just a bit.

Socalgal All the best on Tuesday. Know we are thinking of you and especially praying for staying below 200 and more continued success either way. How are you physically today? Are you able to carry on physical activity normally or has this got you down totally?

Lady, For some reason I get a bitter aftertaste with everything but sweetnlow. Guess I have old fashioned taste buds. Melissa Lea, I've read positive and negative press on splenda. What's your take on the artificial sweetner info?

lunch was fun yesterday. Everyone is looking great, but Barbara12 definitely looks closest to goal. She looked amazing! I didn't make my anniversary goal. I probably could have. I ate lots of carbs the day before and my weight went to 190 again. Anniversary dinner last night was great. We shared a steak dinner and had a nice quiet evening. I enjoyed wearing my new pantsuit, but honestly I think I'm a jeans and nice t-shirt kind of girl when we go out. Comfort first. Anyone else surprised at their "new" clothing tastes? I ran out of my lo-carb slimfast - no big deal, I'll just "egg it" for Breakfast. Not happenin' this morning. Two new things I need to realize in my new bandster life: 1. Nothing solid before 9:30 2. Number goals are not conducive to my weight loss.

Amen! Tribon. I thought I had food under control until all the holiday treats came in the house. Good for you in recognizing the need to purge the crap! I've said it before, but it's worth repeating - Bigelow's vanilla Carmel, and their Chai tea's are like dessert with 2 sweet n lows and a little creamer. Warm and comforting. Good luck on recovery process and enjoy the down time!

Lady - Can't help you but sympathize as four female family members are on anxiety meds. They take their meds faithfully and aside from occasional but manageable anxiety, they do very well. None take the same meds, so it's definitely a trial and error kind of thing. Follow your doctor's orders and if you don't feel relief call and they will work with you. All the best.

Aimee - I did try l/4 c pineapple juice and lots of hot tea. Feeling better, but I am swelling some. This time it feels like gas. Unfill seems unreasonable. This last fill was back in November, so whatever is making me tight is maybe food allergy, or stomach muscle tightening due to stress. Or just old age.

I've been swollen a bit and a little tight yesterday. I'm a lot tight today. Liquids and musihes are going down slow. Is there such as thing as partial blockage? That's what it feels like.

Barbara4 My uneducated guess is that your delayed reaction is actually swelling or mucous buildup and it's temporary. Hot tea might be better for you than coffee if it's going down really slow. Also, you might try a sip or 2 of pineapple juice Regina's surgeon suggested when she got stuck. Hang in there!

Your brother is in my thoughts and prayers. My Mom burned on her face with a stove accident. She was severely swollen (beyond recognition) and lost eyelashes and brows and the top layer of her skin. It took several weeks for the swelling to go down and several months for the skin to heal, but she has the most beautiful peachy skin for a 78 year old woman I've ever seen. Lashes and brows returned. She was in her 40's at the time. All the best

For no apparent reason I sometimes swell in the band area. Sometimes a tight feeling, but I can drink and eat. It doesn't happen often, but it makes me wonder..... Anyone else experience this?

Melissa - Great. Hope you can make it. Barbara12 are you out there? :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: One for each 10 pounds. Congrats Barbara4 on losing 50! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Congrats for unsticking the scale Aimee and losing more than 4 bowling balls. Scales must be getting greasier for us. I saw 188.5 this am which is so close to goal for Wednesday. If I make 188 by Wednesday, it will be the first time I've met a goal. (I think I'm getting more realistic) I decided I wanted to work on inches for goals since the scale is so fickle. I am a definite apple Bust: 42 Ribcage under bust: 37 Waist: 38 Hips: 41 I pulled the tape pretty tight. Especially on my waist measurement. Figured it was easiest to get accurate for the next time, so I can probably add l - 2 inches for an actual measurement.

Lady and Poodles - Changing sizes is so amazing. I tried on my anniversary outfit tonight and it was great not to have to worry I got too fat for it! (admittedly I was taking out all the seams in the camisole) Your NSV's mean a lot. Lady - I hope you can make it to Vegas. I'm a former Michigander and I miss my Northern buddies. As far as the driving goes - it will thaw soon enough and you will find your sanity. OOOH! It's looking good! We saw the sun today!

Vegas? I'm also going single. DH hears enough lapband talk without making a weekend of it. Barbara12 and Melissa and any other Houstonian out there - Barbara4 and I are meeting for lunch on Wednesday outside Ninfa's in "The Park" shops on McKinney and Caroline (near George R Brown). ll:30 a.m. if you can make it. Tricia - refresh my memory, you had vein surgery? How did it go? I've been sidelined from exercise and have started back slowly. Are you stir-crazy in Chi-town or enjoying some down time away from work? Melissa - I think obsessing over the scale is hurting me building any good habits to keep the weight off once I've lost it. I'm trying to focus on good healthy habits rather than numbers. NSV - I am now wearing my 14 jeans "for real". I didn't make the size L tops. Who am I kidding? I have shoulders like a football player.

The only thing I really crave is diet coke. A nice frosty one from my fav convenience store that uses lots of coke syrup. I can see it bubbling around the crushed ice now. I don't crave any food, but if I get started on chips and salsa, watch out.

I'm giving up! Frustration Expectation Pressure I read some interesting facts from Dr. Cahn on band2gether.net. Eventually we will get to that permanent plateau. Determined by our own metabolism, average calories consumed and burned on a daily basis. The average bandster will maintain a healthy weight at 1200 to 1800 calories a day. I'm not giving up Healthy eating habits (bandster rules apply) Exercise (walking DVD) Logging food on fitday.com (800 - 1200 calories a day) Drinking 64 ounces of water a day Daily vitamins These are all a part of the new me. Whatever results that brings I will accept as best for me. Dr Cahn's remarks opened my eyes to the fact that there's a new normal for bandsters.