sandi2004

Hey cindy - Welcome. I'm here to help any way I can. Send your questions, concerns ot me via PM or just use email. I'm 6 years out so I have kind of been through it. Good luck on your journey.

You bet.I'm here for you...since I can't access lapbandtalk on my blackberry (too hard to read) you may want to email me all of those questions. It's sandi@bandedliving.com I look forward to getting to know you!

I don't live in Illinois, but I have had success and would be happy to give you whatever help I can offer. You may find some useful information on my blog which you caan find at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Good luck on your journey!

I think that oit's not so much about who you ar enow, and what you eat now, but more about what you are committing to going forward. going into the procedure at 424 lbs I made a committment to myself that this was it, I was changing my life and was going to use th band to help me achieve it. Then I was open to, and willing to, follow "the rules of the band" Just for your information, at 18 - 24 months out the results for th eband and the bypass become identical. Remember that bypass patients lose their weight quickly and, if they don't use the first 12 months to change their eating habits they will start gaining weight at that point. With a band we have to change our eating habits from day one if we are to lose weight at all. So we have to make life style changes immediately, are learning what they are and what works for us immediately, so at that 1 year to year mark we are frequently the better educated, with the healthier food choices, as the bypass patients are first beginning to really come to grips with what is necessary to keep the weight off. Bottom line, both procedures have advantages and disadvantages, but weight loss is identical int he long term which is what you should be looking at.

I'll be happy to help. Send me an email or a PM

First and foremost- congratulations- You have lost about 10 lbs per month and that is no small task. Well done! Now, you may want to take a good hard look at what you are eating. It's not what you should it, it's what you are eating. do you have any idea how many calories and how much protein you are getting? Are you drinking at least 64 ounces of fluid? Are you exercising? Are you eating a little more now than the first 3+ months? all this needs to get taken into consideration. Send me an email with a days food journal and let's see what you're choices are like. I'd love to help you, but them comes form interaction between us, not just me telling you what you "should" be eating...Hope this makes some sense.

So what's up? What seems to be holding you back? Go on to my blog to find some "inspiration"?Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Let me know how I can help?

Hi - I'll be happy to be there for you with any help I can provide. You can PM me at this site, or email me directly at sandi@bandedliving.com. I too had to pay privately because my insurance company did not cover and I understand botht he fear of failure and the frustration. You may find some useful information at my blog at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story I have my story up there along with tips and tools I've found useful on my journey. Good luck and please reach out with questions. You are not ALONE!

That sounds like quite a routine. I weighed 424 lbs when I started so I was not into doing anything that put more stress on my joints than my body weight was doing. Good luck to you, and remember to start slowly and do what you love so you will stay doing it!

So I'm six years post op, 250 lbs down, 61 years old and in the best shape of my adult life. I'm at the gym 5-7 days a week. I swim laps 4 days, do cardio and weights 2 days and on the 7th day I either bicycle or walk on the beach. When I started my journey I was 424 lbs and exercise for me was getting out of bed in the morning. I just did a blog post about how I got started exercising - you can read it if you like at Use It To Lose It! and realized that I really didn't know how to get started exercising and there may be many more like me out there. I thought I could use this forum for all of us who currently have some sort of exercise regimen to let those who don't, or those who want to, or those who are interested, or those who may want to change it up know what they are doing and how they got started so- How do you get your exercise? When did you start? (how soon after banding) How did you start? I started by just walking around more in stores, etc. Then I took up swimming laps, starting at 300 lbs and swimming for 5 minutes 3 x per week, working it up to 1 hour per day. How about you?

I agree - put that scale away for right now. You have no restriction right now, and it should get better after your first fill. Also, take a look at what you are eating? Are you on regular foods yet? If so, you want them to be god, dense proteins that will help you feel full longer like chicken or fish. If you're still on soft foods you may want to try getting some fiber in your diet like with refried beans. It helped me. If you are eating alot of carbs, or processed foods with sugars you are making your hunger worse "chemically" - sugar "high" then sugar "crash" - the crash is hunger. Make sure you are getting enought protei n in. What did your doctor recommend for protein daily? Also, make sure you are getting enough water. Another trick that works for me when I think I'm hungry is to have a cup of hot or iced tea that has a good flavor (whatever you personally like) and that is satisfying, especially if I was actually thristy. Please email me or send me PM- I'll be happy to help out. You can also read my story (how I dealth with hunger and the journey, etc) on my blog at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story I hope you find some useful tips there. Hang in, it will get better, and if I did it, anybody can!!!!

Yup - at 56 years old, and weighing in at over 420 lbs when I started this journey, swimming laps was the first exercise routine I used to lose weight. It was perfect for me because: 1. it didn't hurt my already stressed joints 2. I could set my own pace in the pool and increase my time as m endurance built up 3. it worked muscles all over my body, building muscle where there was only fat before and therefore speeding my metabolism to assist my weight loss 4. Swimming laps moderately for an hour burned up to 800 calories an hour for me If you are interessted, check out my blog entry at Use It To Lose It! Let me know what you think!

I was told to wait for plastic surgery until my weight was stable for at least six months. After losing 250 lobs I'm glad I did because you will not believe how much shifting around that loose skin does during that 6 months. You will be happier with your final results if you can have a little patience, although I really did get tired of "poutting" my skin into my clothes. You may find some useful information in an article I wrote about my experiences. You can find it at Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Surgery - To Nip and Tuck Or Not to Nip and Tuck Let me know if the information was helpful. Great weoight loss ! Best of luck to you!

Swimming is it- it tones every inch of your body without stressing your joints, allows you to build endurance, and is aerobic as long as you keep moving at a good pace. Kind of the perfect exercise....I used it to lose 250 lbs and still swim 4 days a week minimum. I solve all of the problems of the world during my laps and always come out of the pool energized and relaxed.

No, the band will not interfere with your daily living. It will become part of it. You will make your decisions and food choices based on what you can and can not tolerate. Just don't try to eat something "new" when you're out and about. Introduce foods at home. You may get some benefit reading about my journey at my blog- perhaps information about how the process went for me will help you "settle in". You can find it at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story I was working from home 4 days after surgery and back int he office at a week. Ninety five percent of the time I have no problem with eating foods..The other 5% of the time it is usually my fault for not chewing horoughly, taking too big a bite, or "trying" to eat a food that I know doesn't work for me any more. Let me know what you think!

Well done- the key seems to be each at our own pace.

You are doing an awesome job. Thanks for pointing out 2 important componenets - starting slowly with places to rest, and listening to your body. For me, the band itself is a tool that has taught me to pay attention to, and listen very closely to my body. Exercise is no exception here. Anybody else want to share how they got started and what they did?

Thanks for sharing. You now have the tool that, with your planning and your choices will help you get the weight off again - you obviously know how to get the weight off like so many of us do, and, with this tool keep it off like we have not previously been able to do. I lost 100 pounds so many times it was ridiculous. Now, with my band, and my choices, I am maintaining my 250 pound weight loss for 4 years now. I wake up every morning truly grateful for my band.

great ideas - thanks for sharing - anybody else?

So I'm six years post op, 250 lbs down, 61 years old and in the best shape of my adult life. I'm at the gym 5-7 days a week. I swim laps 4 days, do cardio and weights 2 days and on the 7th day I either bicycle or walk on the beach. When I started my journey I was 424 lbs and exercise for me was getting out of bed in the morning. I just did a blog post about how I got started exercising - you can read it if you like at Use It To Lose It! and realized that I really didn't know how to get started exercising and there may be many more like me out there. I thought I could use this forum for all of us who currently have some sort of exercise regimen to let those who don't, or those who want to, or those who are interested, or those who may want to change it up know what they are doing and how they got started so- How do you get your exercise? When did you start? (how soon after banding) How did you start? I started by just walking around more in stores, etc. Then I took up swimming laps, starting at 300 lbs and swimming for 5 minutes 3 x per week, working it up to 1 hour per day. How about you?

I wasn't told that I would only lose 100 pounds, but I was told that with ALL of the weight Ineeded to lose a gastric byass would probably be the better choice for me. I was pretty adamant that I wanted a band and my doctor clearly went over all of the pluses and minuses of all of the surgeries in my first pre-op visit and told me, if knowing that I would need to change my lifestyle immediately I still wanted a band that he would support my decision. You can read my story of how I lost 250 pounds with a band if you think it would help you. You can find it at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story If you like, please PM me or email me directly.I know you have lots of information to process right now and I'd be willing to try to help you sort through it all. Good luck on your journey.

Ditto for me. I am just shy of 6 years post- op, I lost 250 pounds, and at 61 years old am in the best shape of my adult life. I also was self pay and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! Yes, it's worth it. The journey is incredible and my life is filled with blessings every day.

Remember this - bad habits are difficult to change. It takes quite a while (could be years) for new habits (the good ones) to become standard operating procedure. When you got your cold you probably did what most of us do- went to comfort food to see you through it. then the special project just gave you an excuse to continue. Remember, it's all about choices. You get to choose out of that behavior now, and try to remember why you are doing this- for your health and well being. If YOU don't take care of YOU nobody else will. One thing, please definitely GO to that doctor appointment no matter how badly you're doing. They may help you redirect yourself. Now take a second an dread my blog entry on how I got myself back on track and see if something there might help you. It's at Maintaining #001: December 26, 2009 or Making It Through My 6th year of Holidays After Lap Band® Surgery Then take a deep breath and list 5 things you will do for yourself today to get yourself back on track. Write them down and set times for them to occur. and email me or send me a pM and let's talk more. I'm here to help.

Good luck and this is probably one of the best decision s you've ever made. Please email me directly at sandi@bandedliving.com and let me know how you are doing. I've heard good things about your doctor so don't worry a bit. Stay in touch.

Hi Colleen- being scared right before surgery is normal. Port problems, while they do occur are not as prevalent as you seem to think. I'm in Ventura, so not far from you. Fortunately for me,my doc is in Ventura too.I understand your concern about having to drive (sounds like Bakersfield to me) 2 1/2 hours to the doctor, that's a bummer. You may get some calming by reading my blog about my pre surgery and day of surgery feelings. You can find it at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Please feel free to reach out to me by email or PM with any of your questions or concerns. I'm here to help!