Lizabeth

Dr Minks performed my surgery and everything went very smoothly. Turned out better than i could ever have imagined!! Dr Beane and Dr Minks work together with their team at Grand River Surgery. And what an amazing team it is. They all work so well together for pre-op and post-op care!!! I am very pleased with them thus far and I know I will continue to be pleased in the future!!! I hope those of you searching for a surgeon in the area goes to them because you will not be disappointed!!! I would be happy to answer any questions anyone has about them or their practice, as best i can!!

Adjua....................347...............337...........240......... ....97 Amy.....................289................264...........160.......... 104 Angie64.................270...............270...........210....... ......60 Astrasmom............254...............254...........170............. .84 Babe....................265...............265...........199.... ..........66 Band_Groupie........172.5.............157.5..........0-148........0-9.5 BetsyB.................226.6.............206.8.........109...... ......97.8 BigMomma............209.................209...........135...........74 Bklynike...............258.................258...........150.......... .108 BobbieND..............224................207...........150..... .......57 Bree99.................259................238...........155..... .......83 Brigette................198...............198............150.... ........48 Bristlecone............157...............157............130....... .....27 crzytchr................217...............217............180..... ... ...37 Dana36.................233...............229............160....... .....69 daqui26.................274...............274............200....... .....74 DDGALARZ..............185...............185............150............ .35 destined4thinness..215.5.............215.5..........150............65 5 Diamondgirl81........317...............292.............250............ 42 ericanda1973.........198.5............198.5..........130......... ..68.5 Fourme.................189...............180............145........... ..35 HummingBird..........204...............179............150............. .29 jenibeni.................224...............208............165........ ....43 Jennih...................232...............232.............130.... ......102 KDEE....................240................240.............150...... .....90 kyleegirl01.............245................198.............160...... .....38 Lady LAP...............217................217.............125...... .....95 Lisa65...................174.5............165..............145..... ......20! Liz........................193.4............174..............155...... ......19! lotzasunshine.........247...............245..............175........ ...70 MaggieGT..............238...............236..............208.......... 30 newdicarlo.............187...............174..............135...... . ...39 Northernmist..........289...............265..............175.......... ..90 ol55andahalf..........184...............184..............144...... ......40 Peggy1.................308...............308..............225......... ..83 RandaPanda...........194...............175..............150........ ....25 RAYNE913.............234...............225..............160....... ....65 RobinAnn.............232.4...............210.4..............160...... ....50.4 scoutmama...........270...............270..............180........ ....90 shadst8................333...............304..............217........ ....87 skinny31................261...............249..............182..... .......67 SNDYCNRD.............207...............194.5............150.......... 44.5 sueinne.................220................212.............180.... ........32 Tabithan................244...............234..............190....... .....44 TARASGIRL.............305...............284..............225....... ......59 tdtucker................256...............256...............160...... . ....96 Teacher2010..........192...............183...............150...... . ....33 Tealeaves..............305...............289...............150...... . ...139 TeriLu....................215...............212...............150.. .... ....62 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... .....94 unshackled............277...............277................180....... .....97 Valerie.................190................190................150... . .......40

I had surgery this past july....and have done pretty good so far, but for the past few months I feel like I have lost focus, haven't been working out as much and it is almost as if I am sabotaging myself, but that isn't what I want. I know that. I think I am having major head hunger issues. Just looking for some words of wisdom, motivation and encouragement. And what better place to look for that then here. And maybe just getting these feelings out there will help as well. Thanks in advance for the help!

Here is a before and after shot......will post better pics later....hopefully you can still see the difference with just a head shot!

I am 11 pounds away from 100....I am excited to cross that line!!

I need to update! lol Liz....current weight....187

Liz.............193.4...........193.4..............155

I too was going through a slump with the gym. I had only been going maybe once a week for the past month if not longer. I started to feel lazy and bad about myself even. So this past weekend I got my boyfriend to go with me and even after initial visit back I began to feel better, then went the next day. But yesterday I got my wisdom teeth pulled so I haven't been able to go back yet but trust me, I will! I feel it does nothing but good things for me, gotta get back to weight loss not maintaining my weight, I still wanna loose an other 40lbs!! I hope all the best for all of you! I think this site works well to just get your thoughts out there and talk about it!!

It might be helpful to you to eat meals that you know will keep you fuller longer, lots of protein. I sometimes feel like you are feeling and just remind myself to be mindful of what and how I am eating. Its like that eating without truly paying attention to what or how or when I am eating. For me, I feel like I just need to focus more to get back on track. Just do what works best for you, either cut out the snacks altogether or wean urself off of them or just try to trade out bad snacks to healthier 100cal or less snacks! I hope this helps!! I feel it even helps a little to just talk about it with someone.

I just had my 4th fill this past week as well and I puked for the first time last night, tried to eat again and now I know I shouldn't have. lol But I can definately tell a difference with this last fill. I am hoping the same thing though, that it will get better. My band it just teaching me I guess.

I'm in!!! Do we document our weighins weekly or just at the end?

I have also had 3 fills and with this last fill, I have gotten more restriction than i ever felt before, in a good way, not over the top or anything!!! I like it, I'm not snacking nearly as much as I used to and just feel better. I am loving my band!!!! I have not had any issues of PBing or throwing up or getting anything stuck. I chew everything as best I can and try really hard to eat slow, I definately do not want to be PBing because my Dr says that is not where you want to be, that is not a way to lose weight. I hope everyone is doing well and not having any issues!!!

I also have heard that the softer white breads tend to be trouble for us bandsters, however I have yet to even try any bread yet, I am kind of scared. But I do love sandwiches and are possibly the one thing I miss the most since being banded July 10th, I am trying to see how long I can go without it. Eventually I will try it again, but will wait as long as i can. But I am curious as to how well and if I can tolerate it.

I have been banded for about 3 months and I have eaten out a few times, and Yes I know we are all being served way too much at restaurants, but what i do is take it home!!! I even do this at breakfast places, I get at least 2 meals from those meals and I actually feel I get my money's worth then. But I guess you would have to be the type of person who eats leftovers too. However, I eat so much less than what I used to we all pry get used to eating leftovers cause it is easier to make a large portion and eat off the rest of it later. (for the next few days) lol But I hope I have helped and gave some of you some ideas!!

I have only been banded for 3 months, and have yet to have any trouble with foods or getting anything stuck, however i will tell you what I know. I know that everyone handles different food differently. But I do think that if you eat slowly and take small bites and chew chew chew you should be able to tolerate most anything. Some/most people are tighter in the morning, therefore can tolerate more things as the day goes on and less in the morning. I have not tried bread yet, I am a little scared, but some people can tolerate it, some can't. I think that as long as you proceed with caution with anything you eat you should be ok, but everyone is different and there may be some things that you just can't tolerate. I think as long as you are aware of that and do everything on your end to make sure you are eating correctly you should be fine. I try to take the positive road and take it day by day and step by step.

My doctor said at first no carbonated anything, but after surgery about my first or second fill she said that i can have diet pop every now and then as long as I let it get flat because the carbonation can stretch your pouch. I haven't tried it yet, but I think as long as it has no calories and is flat you should be ok, just my opinion.

I think your doctor is being unrealistic and being a jerk. At my doctor's office, when I went to the post op appointment, they said to me that some people even gain weight between the post op appointment and your first fill. So I do not know why he would react that way. How mean!! You can do it, just stick to it, try and switch things up every once in a while!

I'm just gonna put my 2 cents in here, whether or not you choose to tell people or not, it doesn't matter, you have to do whats right for you. Now, if people question you or what you are doing, I think that it is our responsibility to educate people on the lap band and our process, because if we all decided that it was just too hard or not worth it to explain it to people then we truly are allowing the persistance of ignorance, even if they disagree at least you gave it a shot and attempted to broaden their horizons as far as WLS is concerned.

I think that you are an amazing son for wanting to help your mother. However, you have to approach this topic very carefully as you do not want to hurt her feelings. For me, my mom was doing a lot of research on the lapband and was actually working with the office where i got it done doing reseach and what not and casually mentioned it to me from time to time and sent me emails with info about it, not saying that I had a problem or what not without being to forceful said, look at this and tell me what you think, I think they are doing some amazing stuff here. She gave me the research and knowledge to decide to do this for myself. I hope this helps, I know my mom recognized in me that I did need help, and that helped me a lot! Good Luck!

I know that some people dont exercise, I just wanted to provide an alternate view. I have been exercising since being banded 7/10. First it was just walking about 30 min or so, then I added in a workout video (Biggest Loser Cardio Max, kicked my butt!! lol), now I have added going to the gym and doing the elliptical machine as well as some weights, mostly for my arms. So I do a variety of these things about 5 times a week to keep it interesting. As long as you are doing something you are helping your weightloss. I know that I couldn't have lost 56lbs since 7/10 without working out in some way shape or form. So I help maybe this inspires you all!!!! Best of luck!!

I am 25 and still working on my bachelor's at GVSU in Michigan, and it is definately hard to find healthy things to eat on campus, but I do my best. And it is hard to exactly know how healthy it is, etc. But I try. It definately is harder than I thought, but I find it easier not to snack while I am at school. And harder at home at night to not snack.....

Sometimes I find it hard to think about what it will be like when I get to my goal, because before I had just made myself believe that I will never be that small. That it would be impossible to be that thin. However, as I have begun this journey and have been banded for almost 3 months now, I am beginning to see that goal become closer and closer and it still isn't real yet mostly because I don't want to jinx myself but I am hopeful that my goal is in my future. And I have faith that I know this will work as long as I use it properly. I have been working out and journaling my food and trying to eat slow and take small bites, which is always a working progress, but I am working on it and I think that if we put in the hard work we can do it!!!

I went to my great-grandma's birthday party yesterday so there was a lot of my family there, many I have not seen since before I was banded in July. Anyways, my little cousin who is 6 or 7 came in, went and hugged my brothers, looked at me occasionally, I smiled at hime, figured he is just young, and I havent been around in a while. Well, about 10-15min later he was playin around on one of those chairs with wheels on the bottom, he looks up and says to me "you look different". LOL I laughed, and thought it was the cutest thing I have ever heard and really just confirmed for me that I do look different even with only about 3 months under my belt being banded!!!! I can't wait to see what is to come!!

Man, I have been stressing out with my period this month, I am newly banded, (7-10-09) And I just got my period a few days ago, and the day before and the first day I ate everything in sight. It was almost like I had no restriction. It sure is frustrating, It was like i got to the end of the day and realized how much I ate, how ridiculous. I am hoping to gain control over this as time goes on, but in the midst of it I am frustrated. After that first day of my period it has definately gotten better, maybe we just need to experience those days in order to figure out how to deal with it later down the line. I am just so happy I found this thread, i feel better already just typing about it. I love it!!! Wondering if anyone has any ideas how to handle the cravings? I have been doing good with what I eat, like 100cal snack packs but those do add up. Anyways, like I said it got way better after that first day but maybe I need to plan for next time. I hope I'm not the only one with this problem, and if anyone wants to talk about it, I'm here!! Cause i know this has been the most frustrating part for me. Best of luck to everyone!! We can do it!!

Yesterday I had: B: 1/2 yogurt L: Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beens S: 2oz of soup at work D: Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans