Drasan

Wow! There are a lot of great ideas! My girls and I thank you!

Finding the right exercise has been as much a journey for me as getting ready for lap-band surgery. I joined a gym but found the membership was oversold. I grew impatient spending more time waiting for machines than I did exercising. I also worried about what to wear and people watching my big derriere. This was not my exercise solution. I have a wonderful treadmill, which kind of works for me, but I get bored, even listening to music. So I started looking for group exercises through the YMCA and couldn't find times that worked for me. Then it occurred to me, I have cable television. I looked at On Demand options and there is a Fitness Channel with on demand exercise programs, anytime I want them. I must have been living in a cave to have missed this. It's perfect for me. There is a large variety. I can exercise at home at times that are convenient for me. Best of all, I don't have to exercise in front of anybody else. If I don't like the exercise routine, I can change the station. So, I'm wondering, what exercise have you found that works for you?

Zumba?!? I just googled it. It looks fantastic! Do you use the DVDs?

Before I had surgery, my husband was really scared for me. Since surgery, he has been awesome and seems very proud of me. Some members of my family, whom I have dieted with previously and attended Weight Watcher's meetings with, are acting a little strange. It's like they're watching me. I laugh because I think I might be their test dummy. If it works for me, maybe they will follow. It's hard to know what other people are thinking. I'm going to assume the best. I'm VERY happy and everyone can see that.

I'm always sorry to read when somebody is having problems. I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I have no advise to offer, having no experience with your issues other than to stay in close contact with your doctors and to follow their advise. Gentle hugs to you and best wishes for the very best outcome.

I went on a trip 6 weeks post op. I talked with my surgeon about this and he postponed my first fill until after the trip. (turns out I didn't need one after the trip either) Anyway, the plane ride was 10 hours there and 8 hours coming home. Once there, I was VERY active! I walked until the bottom of my feet felt bruised. It was a great trip! I had no problem with the band from the flight or my activity. You should be fine. Have a wonderful trip!

Love this thread! I'm only a few months out but I already FEEL such a difference. - I've lost the roots that sprouted out of my body attaching me to the sofa. I'm no longer a couch potato! I'm able to do some physical things that I haven't been able to do for years, like work in my garden. Yay! - I no longer take Mobic for degenerative disc and joint disease. - I'm looking forward to losing the dreaded CPAP machine. My pulmonologist has given me hope that this will happen with a few more pounds off. - I didn't realize it before, but I think I've lost a little depression.

My surgeon recommended it to me. He drinks it when he works out! Occasionally I use it as a supplement between meals. I haven't noticed that it makes me feel any more full than, say Water. But it definitely has the Protein we need! Best wishes on your exciting weight loss journey!

It is very normal to feel anxious and to question your decision to be banded. I can join Illuminationlady in saying I wish I would have done it sooner. I'm a little over 3 months out and losing 1 to 2 lbs a week as expected. It's awesome. My best advice is follow your surgeon's advice and give yourself some time to heal. I loved watching movies during the first days following surgery. Gentle hugs and best wishes to all.

I have to second Betsy's response! Good response Betsy. I do love reading your posts.

I need help in this area. I'm doing great with food and I'm losing weight. But I have not been able to establish a regular exercise routine. I have a really good treadmill and I even have a gym membership. But I can't seem to kick in gear. Any suggestions?

Congratulations!!! Looking forward to that experience someday! You inspire!

Did you tell your doc that you had a cruise coming up so close to your fill? My surgeon waited until after my planned trip to consider filling me. There's a lot of good advice on the boards. I hope you will be able to eat comfortably and enjoy your cruise. Best of luck!

One factor that nobody has mentioned is age. I'm not sure if it's a myth or not but I'm under the impression that you should factor in a few more pounds as you get older. So I don't expect to get to the lowest weight of my early adult years. Maybe somebody with more information on this subject could add to this thought. I'm 5'6" and shooting for 140 lbs. My surgeon and nutritionist both feel this is a doable and reasonable goal.

I had surgery on 3/10 and I've not needed a fill yet. I'm eating about 1 cup of food at each meal. The one cup of food consists of 1/2 c (3-4 oz) Protein, 1/4 cup vegetable 1/4 cup fruit or other carbohydrate Not all meals are that easy to break down so sometimes the measurements vary. But 1 cup of food pretty much fills me up. 20 oz of Water or non-caloric Fluid between meals helps to keep me full ... usually. :thumbup: If I've had my 20 oz of liquid and I'm still hungry between meals, I have a small snack, like 1/2 of an apple with 1 tbls Peanut Butter. I'm beginning to get more hungry so I'll probably need a fill at my next office visit.

That is awesome! A buddy in the family! I see some of my family members watching me with a jaded eye. But my little sister is talking to me about having the surgery. I too might get a buddy in the family!

I want to add an update to this thread with some information from my recent travel experience. The airport from where I departed had metal detectors. My lap band, as expected was not detected. The European airport for the return flight had a full body scanner, but not the kind that shows the xray of your body. This scanner showed a silhouette of a non-gendered human body. Detected objects show up as little orange squares. My lap band and port where detected, each one showing up as a little orange square. This earned me a pat down which was no big deal. I passed through security with no problem. Happy travels everyone!

chuckling MissyMS, You're invited to dinner! On the menu: fried chicken or pork chop, so overcooked that the lard permeates every Fiber to the point the it glistens all the way through and the meat is a crunchy, unrecognizable mass. mmm yummy canned peas or corn mashed potatoes, saturated with butter topped with gravy made from the lard, left over in the pan and don't forget dessert which will be ice cream, or donuts, or pie or iced brownies, maybe some of each I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I know mother-in-law means well and like I said, I love her, I don't want to hurt her feelings for the world. I have tried and tried to talk with her, but she is impermeable. It's not so much her cooking that can undo me .. I can pass on that food. It's the junkfood that she brings into the house, candy, donuts, cakes, twinkies, etc.

Thanks for this timely thread Deb! I really need to vent this. My mother-in-law is my saboteur. Yes, I KNOW I am ultimately responsible for me and what goes into my mouth, but putting a drink in front of an alcoholic is just cruel. Likewise, putting a dozen donuts in front of a foodaholic is just as cruel. And mother-in-law is not happy unless a dozen fresh donuts are on the kitchen counter at all times. Fortunately, she lives out-of-state. Unfortunately she comes for extended visits, 4 to 6 weeks. When she is here, she just takes over my kitchen and cooks for us while we're at work. She over cooks and fries everything in lard, the thought just makes me shudder. She doesn't like salads or fresh veges or fruit. She is a junk foodaholic. The most unfair thing? She is tiny! Petite! Her nickname is Peewee! In the past, when she's visited, I've usually been on a diet (story of my life) and I have always been derailed each and every time. Again, yes, I KNOW it is ultimately MY responsibility. Oh and believe me, I make it VERY CLEAR, that I am on a diet and I can't have those things around me. It just doesn't seem to matter to her. I pick her up at the airport tomorrow. I've been doing so well and I am determined not to be derailed this time. I love her, but she IS my food nemesis. Wish me luck.

I suspect, like a couple of others, that the strawberry may be the culprit. A strawberry, even blended is not part of a full liquid diet. Maybe omit the fruit and see how that works. Also, like others have suggested, sip very very slowly. I was given a tiny little medicine cup in the hospital, you know the kind they put a little pill in? Anyway, I was told it should take me 5 minutes to sip that much liquid after the first days of surgery. It was a good object lesson. Good luck, take things slow and give yourself a lot of tlc.

I think I'd call the surgeon. I'm 5 weeks out and pain free. I hope you feel better soon. Keep us posted.

Where is the pain and how long does it last?

There is a lot of knowledge and experience out there with the members of this forum. I thought it might be helpful to round up the most helpful hints that everyone has to offer. Feel free to post hints for ANY stage of the process! My Most Helpful Hint: Water, 20 ounces between each meal I allow myself a reasonable snack if I can answer "yes" to this question. "Have you gotten in 20 ounces of water yet?" I'm generally not hungry between meals and I usually don't feel the need for a snack when I get all my water in.

We're off to a great start! These are some really good helpful hints. Keep them coming!

I'm not sure about the kidney pain either. You may want to touch base with your surgeon with that. I can relate to being tired after surgery. Like Juliansmom said, your body has been through a lot and you are adjusting to new eating habits. It gets better. Make sure you're getting enough Protein. Also, my surgeon had me add Iron to my Vitamin supplements.