ElfiePoo

ROFLMAO...thanks for the laugh. .

I was sitting here in my dining room looking out across the snow covered fields and watching the snow gusting wildly across the open expanse. For some reason, a stray thought occurred that our bodies were designed to store calories because they needed them to stay warm through the winter, particularly when food was a bit scarcer. Now that we live in a society where we have excellent heating in our homes and food is plentiful even in winter, our bodies are kind of working against us. So...and this was my wild thought as someone who detests exercising but wouldn't mind burning some calories faster... How many calories could I burn in say 10 minutes if I went out onto my back deck butt naked into the cold and just shivered the calories away? :rolleyes2:

I've been a very very bad girl. Late last night I got up and ate a whole stuffed pepper and the leftover mashed potatoes...enough for two people. I topped it off with a cup of sugar free hot chocolate with a splash of whipped cream on top. My father-in-law died the day before Thanksgiving and I thought I was dealing well with it. Then two days ago, a very young (too young - 21) woman that I know, with a very promising future, was killed in a car crash on her way to work. It just stunned me because it all seemed so pointless and all I've wanted to do since that time is stick my head under a pillow and cry. I guess it all came crashing down on me yesterday because prior to the pepper debacle, as it is now being called, I had an almost uncontrollable urge to dive head first into a bucket of KFC original recipe...which I overcame. I'm sure the weather helped since it was bitter cold and I didn't want to brave the biting 40 mph winds (can we say -8 deg F?)...but to get to the pepper and potatoes required only the very brief cold air from the fridge. So I bundled up in my fluffy robe for extra protection and the rest is history. I have only 3 cc in my band and no restriction so there was no problem in getting it down or any nasty side effects and to be honest I'm finding it hard this morning to feel any guilt either. I'm not sure what that says/means. I'm getting ready to have my protein shake this morning and am back on track...I think...although I will make sure there are no leftovers in the fridge at all in case I have another relapse. My penance this morning will be to go out early and scrape the windows of both cars and shovel the walk from the house that's covered with drifting snow. That's usually my husband's job, but I obviously need a bit more activity if I don't want to get on the scales in a few days and want to cry again. :eek: It's a new day...one step forward. .

I will keep her in my prayers. That's a good thing though, isn't it? I've often heard that the more time that passes, their chances improve exponentially.

I love my low carb Protein shakes but the thing I love most about them is that they taste good enough to get down...but not so good I'll go "hmmm...think I'll have another." :rolleyes2: JoJo...I have that same problem (raised blood sugar levels) with some low carb protein powders. I think it has to do with the type of sweetener they use in it. I'm using EAS protein powder from Sam's and that one doesn't affect my blood sugar levels.

Kathleen, Sadly there are doctors/clinics just out for the money and their decisions will be made based on how they can get the most out of the insurance companies. One can only speculate as to whether that's the rationale yours operated under, but I'd be a little concerned if my doc said they weren't giving fills as often because they 'thought' I wasn't eating enough protein. Good for you for being proactive and taking charge and responsibility for your own care. Good luck with your new doc! .

If that was your first fill, I'd talk to the doc about ramping it up a bit. The fact that so many docs give fills at one month post surgery and then every 2 weeks until restriction says it can be done. Personally, if I had a doc more interested in sticking to his 'schedule' instead of taking my personal situation into account, I'd probably find a new doctor, but then perhaps that's just me. I don't get the mindset of some of these doctors. If we could stick to a diet of 1000 calories or less, we wouldn't have needed WLS. You've lost 2 pounds per week since your surgery. Congratulate yourself! .

Yes, you will lose weight. Consider how many calories you were eating pre-band that maintained your current weight. Decrease your calories by 500 per day and you'll lose 1 pound a week. I've lost 12 pounds (I'll change my ticker some time today) in the 5 weeks since surgery and I'm just eating in moderation. I'd say my calories average anywhere from 1200-1400 a day. There is no good or bad food, although I am mindful of empty calories. At Thanksgiving, my sil made this absolutely sinful cookie. Although I'm not a sweet eater, I can be tempted by these little gourmet treats on the rare occasion. Last year I would have had 3 or 4 Cookies. This year I had 1 bite. Ok, I would've eaten the whole cookie, but my husband came over and asked, "Do you really want that?" and I realized that I didn't. One bite was enough to deal with the craving. For those who can stick to the 800-1000 for months on end...more power to them. I know I can't and if I try, I will crash and burn and power eat my way through the evening. Do what works for you. If you're making good choices as a general rule and eating in moderation or even low cal and (bonus) losing weight, then I'd say keep doing what you're doing. On my first fill (about a week ago or so) my NUT asked if I was following their recommendations (1 cup of food at each meal). I told her that I wasn't and didn't intend to until I had the type of restriction that would help with the hunger that type of diet (and failure) will only cause me to have. I'm losing roughly 2 pounds per week and having no real difficulty in eating in moderation so what's the problem? She couldn't think of any. :rolleyes2: .

I find when I focus on others, my problems seem less so. :rolleyes2: .

Greytz I will keep your stepfather's daughter in law and your family in my prayers. Has she come out of surgery yet? That's one reason why I posted about my 'slip up'. I don't want to give the impression that I'm walking this walk perfectly. I have my moments just like anyone else.

My doc recommended liquids for 24 hours after a fill in case there's swelling. I'd go back to liquids - Water, Protein shakes, clear/creamy soups - for a day or two and then start eating easily digestible solids. The info I was given after surgery says that chicken is one of the more difficult meats because it's drier so maybe scrambled eggs, fish, etc.? If, after that, you're still having problems, I'd call your doc but look at this time as a plus because it will have an impact on the weight you lose right now. :eek:

Three pieces at one go and you didn't feel full or have a feeling of pressure in your chest with 9 cc's? Ok...what's one sitting...15 minutes...or an hour or more? If it was over a short time (the amount of time we should allot for eating...like 30 minutes), then I'd ask your doc. We're all different and it could be you need more fill. If it took you awhile to eat it (e.g. one poster took an hour and a half to eat hashbrowns and eggs), then remember the band doesn't stop grazing. We still need to 'step away from the plate'. .

Yep, this happened to me for a few days after surgery as well. I told my husband if I could just give one good burp I'd feel better. Never happened, but it finally went away. .

Obviously I don't know you personally, but I used to play Final Fantasy and was to the same point in the game (end game). I also said I did it for 'fun' but one night I realized it was an addiction and was coming between me and my real life relationships. I didn't realize until almost a year after I went cold turkey (cancelled my account and got rid of anything that had my access information on it) that I realized it was actually stressful. It had stopped being 'fun' a long time ago but I was addicted and was blind to that fact. Interestingly, I was also diagnosed with 'depression' and was treated with meds during that time. My depression went away after I got rid of the addiction. You know what you have to do. Now you just need to do it. Stop avoiding your doctor, get back into a support group (come here if you don't have one locally) and start writing down everything you eat. Recommit. You can do this! As for your boss...he may be your boss, but he doesn't have the right to 'get personal'. If he brings up your weight again, very politely tell him that this is something you need to deal with on your own and comments, well meaning though they may be, about your weight or eating habits do not help. Then whenever he brings it up, just quietly say 'boundaries please'. Hopefully he will take the hint but if not you may have to be a bit more assertive. If he won't establish proper boundaries, then you establish them. Since you know tax season is coming up, spend some of your spare time (the time you're no longer spending on WoW :eek:) to make up some dinners that you can freeze. I have one of those vacuum freezer savers and I freeze things in individual portions. That way they're easy to defrost in the microwave and I'm only heating what I'm going to eat. Just cook extra and immediately after dinner, portion out the extra and freeze it. Voila...instant meals when you come home late during tax season. You can do this. :thumbdown:

Oh no...you mean there are two like this in the world? :thumbdown: .

I went in for my first fill and had gained 2 pounds. Of course, the next day I was down by 4, but of course that couldn't happen so that my doctor got to see it. My doc is a sweetie though. He said not to worry about it. That's normal. I love having a doc that has a band. He knows exactly where we're coming from and what we're dealing with on a personal level and not just from books. .

Been there...doing that. Normally I run around the house in shorts and t-shirt even in the winter, but tonight I have on a pair of thick fuzzy socks, flannel pj's and a thick fleece blanket tucked around me. I have one of those paraffin dip thingies and earlier I dipped both my feet into it and then wrapped them in towels. It's the first time my feet have been warm in weeks! Seriously, my feet are so cold, so often now that they ache. I'm wearing wool socks to bed for heavens sake! My husband just grins and says, "good...maybe now the rest of us stand half a chance of being comfortable" (because I'm not turning on the AC in the summer or turning down the heat in the winter). Pfffft.:thumbdown: Let's see if he still feels that way when I tuck my cold little tootsies behind his knees...or a little higher...to get warm. :eek:

I had a private message this morning from someone who thought I was coming across as 'rude and self-righteous' and that several of my posts were 'controversial' and inferred (I think) that I did not respect other people's opinions. So, let me clear up any misconceptions. Perhaps it's years of writing clinical summaries on my patients but it's just the way I write. I go to great lengths not to be rude or insulting. I would suggest to that person, and to others, that they not second guess the author's emotions/intent. It's a pointless exercise when there is no body language to clue you in. However, as far as I know, I have not called anyone neurotic, a know it all or implied that they're an idiot. If I have, then my sincere apologies. As for being 'controversial' or not respecting other's opinions...disagreement does not mean I do not respect another's opinions. It just means I disagree with them because my research and experiences do not coincide with theirs. Those reading are free to take it or leave it. .

Did he say why he gave so much? Seems a bit of an overkill unless that what his point because you 'dared' tell him you wanted a fill. Hopefully that's not the case. Congrats on getting your fill though.

You mean like this?

It truly wasn't meant to belittle. :scared2:

Happy, I agree. Time and scale do not lie. I took off 70 lbs 6 years ago without exercise...and I have maintained that loss without exercise. I think I did say in my previous post that "This may vary depending on muscle mass and a few other factors, but I'm trying to keep it simple" but even with a slow metabolism, if you reduce your calories without changing your activity level, you'll still lose. For example a 25 year old woman that is 5'7" and weighs 150 and is sedentary needs only about 1800 calories to maintain that weight. Eat more and she'll gain. Drop her calories by 500 cal a day and she'll lose a pound a week. Take another 25 year old woman who is 5'7" and weighs 150 but whose activity level is moderate and she'll need 2200 calories. If her activity level was high, she'd need about 2500. In all of those cases, drop the calories by 500 per day and in a week that amounts to a loss of 1 lb...without exercising. In fact, the person with the higher activity level will most likely have greater muscles mass which means she may lose even more than 1 lb per week. Again, there will be some variation on the data depending on things like muscle mass because someone with more muscle will burn more calories even at resting. Exercise may look like a much better option than cutting calories to people with little muscle mass and a sedentary lifestyle to start with...but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. :scared2: If someone chooses to exercise and can make it a lifelong commitment, then more power to them...but to tell people they'll be always be fat and never lose the weight if they don't exercise...not exactly accurate. Worse, for people who detest exercising, it takes all hope away from them that they can be a normal weight without hitting the gym 5-6 days a week. They can be...if they control their eating. Anyway, that was my last word on the matter in this thread. The information is there, do with it what you will. :thumbup: .

46 pounds down? I'll say! Congratulations! You can't change a lifetime of habits in only 2 months but you apparently are changing them enough to have lost 46 pounds! If you're going to beat yourself up, don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back too! One step at a time and always moving forward. :scared2: .

Someone asked that in the seminar. My doc's only comment was that once we have restriction and are eating smaller amounts, keep in mind that the alcohol may affect us more strongly. .

My doc gives fills when we're hungry sooner than 3-4 hours after a meal and/or if we're able to overeat...and do even occasionally. It sounds like that's what your doc is telling you as well. If/when you're hungry, he'll do the fill. The reality is that even when we get restriction, we'll have to use willpower and self-control to keep from eating the wrong foods, slider foods or even eating more than we should (even if that more is still less than we used to eat).