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Hi, Molly, Thanks for posting! Are there any support groups in our area? My surgeon here holds one every month, and I've found them very helpful. Best, Christine

I have definitely used the DVD's- they are super! Most of the time, I go to live classes, since they are convenient and I get them free as part of my Gold's Gym membership. Enjoy!! Christine

What a wonderful thread!! So far, I've said goodbye to: Wearing Poise pads everyday...and being afraid to cough, sneeze, or laugh without them Lower back pain 1/2 of both my diabetes and blood pressure meds (may come off altogether later this summer) The inability to climb a flight of stairs without having to take 10 minutes to catch my breath Constant fatigue The thought that food has any kind of power over me The avoidance of exercise...in 3 weeks, I will be certified as a Zumba instructor!! Being Morbidly Obese, based on my BMI The conviction that I would never be considered attractive What a blessed journey we are all on!! Hugs all around- especially to you, Tina!! Christine

I actually started back at the gym a little before my surgery...heck, I had been paying for it for quite a while, but never using it! Started in earnest about 2 weeks postop, walking on the treadmill. As I got stronger, I started to do other things, like the elliptical. 4 weeks post, I started taking classes and weightlifting. At this point, I'm going 4-5 days a week, including Zumba at least twice a week, and varying my other activities as much as I can. In 3 weeks, I go for training as a Zumba Gold instructor- if I'm going to exercise anyway, I might as well make a bit of $$$ doing it, lol! I also have all kinds of Walk Away The Pounds, Zumba, WAVE, and Kettlebell DVDs at home, so if my schedule gets crazy, I can get in the activity on my own time. Just a couple of thoughts for you...you may want to consider switching your gym membership to one of the 24-hour-a-day-access facilities, so you can go when your schedule allows. And, once the school year starts, check with your local Board of Education for the Adult Education schedule- they are likely to be offering fitness classes at a very reduced price that might better fit your schedule. PLEASE DON'T demotivate yourself by worrying what other people are thinking when they see you exercising. The honest truth is, there's a 99.99% chance they are not concerned with you in the slightest! I'm still a big gal, but I don't let the thought of other's opinions stop me when I'm doing my thing My very best wishes to you on your journey! Christine

Welcome to Banderland! Just a friendly word of advice...you need to resist the temptation of advancing your diet too early. I was on liquids for 10 days post surgery, then 2 weeks on purees-to-softs. If you're going totally crazy, then call your surgeon and ask about what you can safely add in. Doing this too fast is putting yourself at risk for trouble. As to Protein supplements, try going out on the Bariatric Eating or Bariatric Advantage websites...there are lots of options available for you to get your protein in while you are healing...and not all of them are milky shakes. The brand called Believe is good, and there are others. And, just a small comment regarding an earlier posting...it is recommended by most surgeons that you don't drink liquids with a straw after weight loss surgery- it introduces too much air into your pouch. That said, lemonade iced tea is terrific! Take heart! This is just a temporary period in your journey, and if you were strong enough to get this far, you can weather this as well. Soon, you'll be back to more normal foods. Take care! Christine

Greetings, all, First, I have to give MEGA KUDOS to Colorado for taking the risk in opening this thread, knowing that it was pretty much akin to opening Pandora's Box. I extend my support to all of you who are newly banded and struggling through the early days...it's definitely not an easy time, physically AND psychologically. I was lucky in the sense that I had a 6 month waiting period from my insurance company to do full research and get my head together prior to my surgery. Even so, though, I have certainly gone through some feelings of anger, resentment, frustration, and all the other issues along the way. There are certain things that I now consider ASSUMPTIONS when it comes to my life: 1) I have control over food. It does NOT have control over me, perfect restriction or not. My Band helps me do that, thank heavens, but the ultimate responsibility is, and always will be, MINE. 2) I choose what, how fast, and how much to eat. If I make poor choices, I have to accept the consequences. I will NEVER AGAIN be able to eat without being mindful of the act...that kind of thing is what got me here in the first place. 3) It is no longer viable to not get physical exercise of some kind every day. I don't have to beat my brains out for an hour on an elliptical, necessarily, but I do have to move. Every day. 4) I didn't become 300 pounds overnight, and I'm not going to reach goal overnight, either. 5) Looking better and wearing smaller sizes are simply the ingredients to the icing on the "I'm going to live a longer, healthier life, if that is to be my journey" cake. 6) I will Celebrate each and every pound lost, knowing that if I do my part faithfully, it will never return. 7) I will provide support, love (tough love, if necessary), and encouragement to those who are on this journey as well, no matter what method they chose. We are all in this together. Hugs all around, to the bravest guys and gals I know...I honor all of you! Christine

Hi, everyone!! I would like to encourage anyone who's curious to GO FOR IT!!! It's too much fun, and you can easily modify the moves if you're not ready for some of the more intense/high impact stuff, while still having a great workout! If it is any kind of motivation, prior to my surgery, I did very little, if anything, in the way of exercise...now, I'm working out almost every day, including 2-3 Zumba classes a week...and I just registered to take classes and become a Zumba Instructor!! Mind you, I'm still a big gal at 255, but I'm hoping that seeing a woman of size out there and moving it will bring others to the classes- If I Can Zumba, So Can You!! Hugs all around! Christine

I, too, am a Zumba enthusiast, toffee, so I know just how you feel!! I think Betsy is quite right...Zumba is fairly high impact, and although you can do some modifications of the moves, I would say that you'd be better off holding off on it until about 4 weeks postop. I started back to the gym at 2 weeks post, but didn't resume taking aerobic-based classes or lift weights until I was 4 weeks post. On the bright side, I just signed up to take the certification to actually TEACH Zumba :redface: Can't wait to share my mania far and wide! All the best to you on your journey! Christine

I get the sugar free mint patties (like the small York patties), and keep them in the freezer. When I need a chocolate fix, one of those is perfect, and because it's cold, it takes a long time to melt. I've also tried a Cookies and cream Protein shake...vanilla Protein powder, soy milk, ice, and a couple of sugar free sandwich cookies (like oreos) in the blender. Fantastic! Best wishes, hon! Christine

I'm adding my vote to the "don't unfill" camp. I can't speak for anyone else, but if I were being really honest, I would say that being able to ease off my eating plans for convenient reasons, i.e. vacations, holidays, and the like, was a major contributor to how I got here in the first place. To give in to that temptation now would just be an act of self-sabotage. Our social lives shouldn't be wrapped around the mechanical act of eating/drinking. Eating good food is a pleasure, and always should be, but for me, it's just as wonderful in the small amounts my band allows me. I would say, leave your band be, go on vacation, enjoy your time with your friends, and let the food be a secondary part of the experience. If you're worried about getting stuck, be all the more careful about what you eat and how you eat it. Wishing you all the best! Christine

Good for you, wanting to spread the news! You might want to consider, if your surgeon doesn't have one organized already, moderating a support group...then, you could encourage folks to bring their friends who are thinking of having the surgery. My surgeon gives a monthly lecture at the local hospital about WLS, followed by our support group. It's almost always full, sometimes to standing room only! Best wishes! Christine

What a great idea! Some of the weight machines I use at the gym are set at 55 pounds, and those last few reps are simply a matter of willpower to get through. I stood in the grocery store recently and tried to lift and hold 50 pounds of potatoes. I only lasted a minute or two. How did I ever walk around as heavy as I was? Thanks for the tip! Christine

Courage, hon, this really WILL pass! I echo the other posters that your best ally will be getting up and walking...I almost wore a path in the carpeting of my hallway those first few days! The pressure in your chest is partially from swelling at the surgical site and partially from the gas rising from your abdomen to sit under your diaphragm, but both are temporary. A week from now, you should feel much better. If not, it's worth a call to your surgeon, if only for reassurance. Another thing I found helpful with nausea is to get the Ginger Altoids...suck on them, don't chew...ginger is a well-known homeopathic remedy. Good luck- and welcome to Banderland! Christine