Rob_SoCal

I am three years post band, and have lost 200 pounds. I have gone thru the same feelings at times, but for different reasons. The first year can be trying and you deal with a range of emotions. One day at a time, you have to trust the system and keep focusing on the positive gains to date. As is the old cliche saying, pretty soon the bad days are not as bad, and the good days begin to accumulate more often. This food stress is a big deal and is hard ot break old patterns. When I went thru it I focused on work, exercise, and doing something positive for myself every day and would build on that. Good luck.

This is an interesting phenomena I have experienced. I have lost 200 pounds yet when I see pictures of myself in a recent triathlon, I was all upset. To me I still look big, but to everyone else I look skinny and in shape. The irony, I look back and I think that I viewed myself smaller than I really was at my heaviest (and I NEVER wanted pictures taken), and now I view myself as larger than I really am. A lot of changes, and it may take a few years, but your eyes, mind and heart will adjust.

I have had this sensation over the past year and a half (I have lost 130 pounds since banding). I have the same issue after hard workouts. I have not been able to explain it, but I know I have seen it related to drinking more fluids than I realized and being more full that I can feel. Hence it feels like the band but in fact I am just full. Weird that I do not feel it, but that is the case. Good luck, hope you find answers.

jen: I found the same thing about swimming, therefore, i did not swim early on. I have found so far that my high intensity (speed workouts) or longer duration (endurance workouts) I am not really hungry. I generally take a recovery drink and found that I am not hungry for an hour or two. When I added swimming (for triathlons) I am starving when I am done. After speaking with some friends who competed in college or beyond, these responses are typical. Good luck.

Meg: Exercising 5x a week and the amount of calories depends on the intensity. I ran into this when I started running and now doing triathlons. I am now down 140 pounds. I have found that I needed to up my caloric intake for performance of the workouts. I found, as you will read in the literature, if your calories are too low, you risk lossing muscle, and sending your body into starvation. Try a recovery drink (Recoverite, etc) after you work out and then wait about an hour or two and try to go with some light, nutrituous foods. Good Luck, ROb

I have just passed my one year since I got the lap band. I am approaching 140 pounds lost and will be doing my first triathlon soon, after doing several 5k and 10k runs. When I started, I started walking, then to the gym to work on the machines (needed to be careful because of knee problemms). That progressed to longer ellyptical workouts, and then other machines. I then started very slow (and sometimes painful) jogs. I made sure I stayed long and slow to build up tendons, muscles and ligaments and avoudn knee and foot problems. This has progresses from 3 days a week to 6 days a week (with a coach), and training for a series of triathlons. My recommendation for all of you is simple: Make sure that every day you move, have quality workout days, and make sure you get a recovery day every other day, every 3rd or 4th day etc. But more so, start cross training as your fitness allows. Start weights, swimming, bike, etc. Do nto worry about spped or how you look. Get comfortable sports clothes, an ipod or shuffle to listen to music if you like, join a gym, and do not worry about everyone else. Just start on machines you are confortable with and then start working hard, and move out of your comfort zone several times a week. The Couch to 5k is an excellent program as is www.jeffgalloway.com, beginning triathlon pages etc. Go to active.com to read and set goals. A half hour to an hour a day several days a week will make a HUGE difference. Alternate workouts to avoid overuse and mental boredom. GOOD LUCK !

Dear Sweetz: I am a year post post band, and approaching 140 pounds lost. I would suggest that you consider access to a gym on your way home or right after work before you head home. That way your drive home is a recovery time. During that time you can alternate core/weights and then an ellyptical/treadmill on the other. I found that I was so tired when I got hoime it was hard, so I tried to hit a gym or walk/run right after work, and then head home. If the gym is not an alternative, a stationary bike at home is great because you can read or watch tv and catch up on the day. Last if non of those work, go to your local bookstore and purchase a book on core training workouts that you can do at home after work. There are numerous workout tapes also that are 30 minutes. But a 30 minute core workout really makes a difference. Good luck, Rob

Go to the Nike web page or to a local Nike outlet. Pickup a pair of the compression undershorts that you wear under your running shorts or sweats. It will help with that issue as well as provide some support to your upper legs and improve circulation. The nice things about Nike is they have sizes that extend all the way up to 3xl. Good luck

I have lost about 110 pounds since surgery last May. I have had a couple of knee surgeries (sports related) so was afraid to run. I sent the first 5 months on the machines in the gym losing weight and building aerobics. I started running over the past few months to beat the boredom abd get over a hump that I was stuck at. I did a couple of things. First I loaded up a nannopod with music. Then I got a Nike Plus sensor, calibrated it and use it faithfully. This gives me the time I ran, distance and pace. I am now running 3 to 5 miles 4 to 5 days a week and then supplement with gym work. I was really scared and I definitely struggled early. I think what everyone has to realize is that you have to go slow and like the diet, it takes time and you need patience. If you are someone who does not have a running background it takes a while and you have to be careful. However, it definitely pay dividends and really is a mental boost to do. Make sure you have good shoes and good runing clothes, and take a day off between runs (or two) foe the first few months. Make sure you stretch well and properly. Ice as you need to. The best thing you can do is start reading runners world. Although geared towards a different crowd, you can learn a lot. Good luck, like the surgery make a commitment and support the decision and you will really enjoy the results.