libra

300.5...so close I can taste it!! Woo Hoo!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Robin, I didn't feel much restriction with my first fill either, which was a huge let down. I thought that after my fill, I'd be on my way. I've already scheduled my second fill for September 29th. I was actually hoping for sooner but this was the soonest my surgeon could take me. I lost 3 pounds initially after my first fill and that was it. So basically, I haven't lost anything in 2 weeks. I've been charting my foods on fitday.com and I've been between 750 - 900 calories, so I'm not eating too much (BTW, they are healthy calories, no junk) I can't wait for that second fill. I want to start losing again. This is getting frusterating!:angry

Jamie, watch the carbs honey. If you're hungry, try and stick to proteins, they'll keep you full longer than carbs anyway. For example, don't eat the potato and eat more chicken, or snack on some nuts instead of pretzels. I noticed as soon as I started going carb crazy again, my weight loss stalled.

I was concerned about how many calories I'm eating when someone here suggested I go to fitday.com to track what I'm eating. I have to admit, it makes it easier to figure out where I'm at. Well, I'm not eating too much. Actually, I'm only eating about 700 to 750 calories a day. My question is...is that enough? I feel fine, I'm not hungry (aside from the voices in my head saying eat, eat, eat, LOL!!) I haven't lost any weight in a week and I've already had my first fill. I'm scheduling my second since I'm stalled. Could my calorie intake have anything to due with my stalled weight loss? Ideas? Suggestions???

I like midtown too!!!:biggrin1:

Pebbles, you may want to call your gynecologist. I not sure what other advice I could give. I suppose it could be from not having your period for over a year. I'm sure that cold affect you. I think you should call your doctor to be sure. Sorry you're in so much pain.

Wow! Thanks for all the advice everyone. I think I'm overwhelmed. So much to learn. I think my calories have been healthy ones. I've been eating chicken (usually grilled, fish, lowfat cottage cheese, cheese sticks, eggs and the like for my proteins. And only fresh vegetables. I've been trying to cut down on carbs (not easy coming from a carb addict) One good thing I suppose is that I can't eat any bread, as it gets stuck. If I have pasta, it's less than a quarter cup's worth. I started using the treadmill 3 times a week for 30 minutes at 2.5 mph and will start increading the speed gradually. I'll go search for that thread in the archives, sounds like a good read. Thanks again everyone!

How 'bout "at the crossroads" between twoterville and onederland?

Aside from the time when I wanted to get pregnant, I've been on birth control since 16. I haven't noticed any weight gain. I love having a regular cycle and shorter periods. Yay!!! Do what you need to do. If you do experience some weight gain, I'm sure it will be minimal.

Welcome to the club!! LOL!! I had one in the middle of a diner and slimed in my hand because I had no idea it was coming!!!! :omg: Now that's embarrassing!!! I would have much preferred to PB in the shower!!!

You know, it was so early in the morning and I was so nervous, I forgot to ask how much he filled!! I'll have to do that my second fill. I want to know what's happening.

Since we're on the topic of weight descrimination here, I have a little story for you all. I used to be an elementary school teacher. My first teaching job was third grade in the town next to ours. I was overweight, maybe 225 at the time and 29 years old. I was hired with 4 other women at the same time. The other women were fresh out of college, young and thin. The vice principal would come in our rooms and check on our lessons occasionally as we were new teachers. He would give us feedback on how we were doing and what needed improvement. Every time this man came into my class, the feedback he would give me would be the same, "You need to move around more, circulate more. You look lazy" It got to the point where I was never allowed to sit at my desk, not even to take the attendance!!! I was extremely frusterated with what he was telling me, because it just didn't make sense. My students were learning, I was getting praise from parents about how motivated the kids were. It just made no sense. I didn't get it until I saw him observing one of the other new teachers. She was sitting on her desk the entire time she taught a math lesson. Didn't get up once!! I met her in the teacher's lounge on our break and asked what feedback the vice principal gave her, (assuming she caught hell for sitting on the desk) and she said that he told her she did a wonderful job!!!! Because she was thin, she was allowed to sit on a desk while teaching a lesson and since I was overweight I had to be constantly moving in order to not appear "LAZY". It was a double standard I couldn't bear and I left that school at the end of that year. BTW, I got tons of letters and phone calls from parents devastated that I wouldn't be there to teach their younger children. The descrimination exists and it's cruel.

I can still feel my port and I was banded on the 15th. Every time I bend over for more than a second it starts to hurt. I think it just happens to be in a location where my belly roll creases when I bend (Sorry for the nasty visual, LOL!!) I can feel the hard scar tissue around it. I'm thinking of getting my second fill as well. I'm giving it to the end of this week to see how I feel and if I lose any. I haven't lost anything in over a week. I'm doing the treadmill three times a week, (never exercised prior to surgery), eating about a cup of food per meal, (trying to keep it low fat, high protein) and trying to drink a lot of water. I thought I should increase my liquids and see how that goes. It feels like I'm swimming now!!! I'm weighing myself again on Friday, if I didn't lose, I'm calling the doctor. Hope everyone is doing okay. BTW, I sort of had an ice cream cone. My two year old had one and I had to keep "cleaning up" the dripping ice cream so he wouldn't be a mess. Ah, a mother's work...:biggrin1:

I have to agree with the "not much restriction in your first fill" I'm not feeling much at all, actually. I haven't lost any weight in a week and I'm struggling not to overeat. I'm calling my surgeon for another fill probably later this week.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how you're feeling.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this senseless violence. My father worked in the World Trade Center since it was built. Three months before the attack, my father was diagnosed with cancer and was out on sick leave when the towers collapsed. He lost many of his friends that he worked with for 35 years. I was watching a memorial service on television shortly after and they read the names of all the victims and showed their picture. I remembered a lot of these people coming to my house as a child for barbecues and parties. I saw several that came to my wedding. I thank god that my father wasn't there and that his cancer actually saved him. Shortly after the attack, I went to ground zero and placed flowers at the site. This is the final resting place for so many people. People that were just going about their day, doing their jobs and supporting their loved ones. I hope someday we find peace. Violence generates more violence.

As a former teacher, (I'm home now, with my 2 year old) I think the childhood obesity issue is a huge problem. I've seen so many significantly overweight children in school. Much more than when I went to school in the 80's. It seems we keep giving in to our children instead of doing what is right for them. Here are a few examples of what I've noticed while I was teaching that really upset me. 1. The school lunches have changed from balanced, healthy meals to Domino's Pizza, Cheeseburgers and Fries, and Greasy Cheesesteaks. 2. In the school I was teaching in, children were allowed to get a second portion of food for an additonal dollar. So instead of eating one slice of pizza, children were eating two or three slices. 3. The side dishes have changed from fruit cups and vegetables to cookies and french fries. 4. Some parents would drop off McDonalds' to their kids for lunch several times a week. And I'm not talking about a Happy Meal. These kids are eating quarter pounders and large fries. It frightens me to see parents doing this to their kids. They see them getting heavier and keep feeding them garbage!! They should be insisting on healthier meals for their children. On the upside, my son and daughter's schools have taken a healthier approach to school lunches. Both schools options to the traditional hot lunch. Children can choose to have various salads and even sushi. And they can buy bottled water to drink.

I completely know what you're feeling. Just the thought that this WILL work, is such an amazing feeling but yet I can't grasp what it will feel like to be comfortable in my skin again. It's been years since I looked in the mirror and actually liked what I saw. I'm looking forward to the time when I can post my before and after pics as well.

Hey bug, Usually Monday through Friday I just have a sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast. It fills me up and has a lot of Protein. On the weekends I usually do the "big breakfast" for my family so I try to join in. I can have scrambled eggs with cheese. (the cheese makes them softer.) I can also have some turkey bacon or turkey sausage, (I just have to make sure its not overcooked) Or I'll have a ham and cheese omlette. Of course, I'm only eating about 1 egg and 1 strip of bacon or sausage. But it feels good to be eating something "hearty"

Chrissie, I know how you feel. This isn't easy, I know. But it's really too soon to make the decision that this isn't working for you. I've already had my first fill and I've stalled again too. I suppose I need the band to be filled more. This is new for all of us. I really think we need to remember that we are still learning how to live and work with this band, and this change in lifestyle. I have my days when I get on the scale and don't see the results I'm hoping for. I usually end up being pretty cranky for a few hours until I think about what I may have done wrong and what changes I can make. Hang in there and do the best you can until your first fill. As for the other members of the ABC, I'm so glad to see how everyone jumped to the aid of someone feeling down and discouraged. That's what the ABC is all about.

Thanks for the help!

Good for you Kate!!! You know, I totally understand that we wont constantly lose weight, but everytime the scale stalls or worse goes up 1/2 pound, I get upset. I can't believe I'm so obsessed with the scale. Especially since before banding, the only time I went on a scale was at the doctor, and I'd close my eyes!!!:omg:

I can eat rice too, as long as it's not dry. It has to have some sauce on it, like cheddar cheese or something. I only eat about a tablespoon of it though because I don't want to fill up on starches.

Sorry to hijack here but...you have to unsubscribe to each thread? Sheesh, what a pain. That would explain why I'm still getting these emails!!!

I had my surgery on 8-15 and my first fill was on 9-1. I guess my surgeon is really aggressive.