ElfiePoo

Like Melissande, that was what I was taught to do...eat my portions and push myself away from the table. If I can stay 'full' (defined as not hungry) for about 4 hours then I'm at my sweet spot. If not, I need a fill. I'm at my sweet spot. I eat my portion of 3 oz of Protein and 1/2 cup of vegies and I'm good for 4 hours. For dinner, I'll often add 1/4 cup of starch (rice, potatoes or beans). If I ate whatever I could and until I was full (defined as not able to stuff another thing in my mouth), I'd also eat myself out of house and home. .

It's a learning process. The band takes away the hunger but it does not change our old bad habits. I struggle daily with wanting to eat just to eat. I'm not hungry any more, but I'm so used to eating constantly (due to the constant hunger prior to the band) that I feel a little 'lost' when I'm not eating. In some ways I feel like I've lost my best companion and it's a daily struggle to change these old habits. Some days are better than others. Keep working at it. Don't give up. If you fall, pick yourself right back up and begin again. Don't wait for 'tomorrow'. .

I eat 1100-1300. .

Down a pound this morning. It's amazing how fast we put on the weight just by raising calories a bit, but how slow it comes off even when eating 1000 calories less than our current weight needs to maintain. My mom's brother died on Tuesday of a heart attack. Not too unexpected since they were talking about doing heart surgery. I have to wonder where his brain was though that he drove to Florida (and was on his way back) knowing he has heart and circulation problems which wouldn't be improved with hours of sitting. When he got out of the car at a gas station in Georgia, he just keeled over and couldn't be revived. Since he wanted to be cremated, they decided it would be easier to just cremate him there and then bring him home and they'll have 'calling hours' at the house. So now I'm debating whether I need to drive 5 hours given the fact that we weren't close...don't think I've spoken to him or his wife in the last year or so...and my mom doesn't have much use for her family so it's not like she needs any consoling. I'm sure that sounds cold, but I'm a practical person. I've always said, if they don't come around when they're alive, they should stay away with their fake sympathy when the person dies. So...decisions decisions...drive 5 hours (risky for me because I've had 2 episodes of fallling asleep at the wheel) and put up with the drama queens in the family who will now use this as an excuse to wail and moan about how they're going to miss their beloved brother (who they've been trashing for most of his life)...or go to dinner tonight with my husband. The latter 'sounds' romantic but it's a dinner and lecture on 'energy and photosynthesis'. I'm thinking of hiding an iPod in my bra and running an earphone out the shirt collar. My husband says that would be ok...as long as I don't forget and start singing along. I'm feeling a bit grumpy at all of this. Must be time to go do some Tae bo. .

Elcee: You're killling me here...budgie smugglers? ROFLMAO! Re: food problems...I think a lot of the problems with food allergies and sensitivities has to do with our immune systems struggling to deal with the chemicals they're inundated with on a daily basis. Not just from food, but from the air we breath, the Water we drink, the clothes we wear, etc. Counselor: Yes, it is very surprising how gluten is buried in just about everything. I went to buy some taco seasoning (usually I make my own but...) and it has gluten in it. Seasonings with gluten?? Ugh. .

If you lose 100 pounds, you'll have loose skin. Depending on your age, how long you were overweight and (mainly) genetics, you may not have 'much' loose skin. I'm 54, have been overweight for 40 years but have exceptionally good 'aging' genetics...which means I'm still going to have loose skin. You can tone the muscle underneath, but when you have bat wings, wrinkles on your knees and wrinkles on your thighs, just below your butt...toning doesn't help much. .

I went to 2 classes and quit out of frustration. Everything moved so quickly that I was always several moves behind and just felt like I was flailing around. The instructor's words of 'advice': Oh just keep coming, you pick it up eventually. Some may...I wouldn't. I need to be 'taught' the routine. Since that apparently isn't part of zumba, I moved on. .

My favorite is 'Better than Bouillion'. Not as fake tasting as so many are and not as salty. .

I went from no exercise to consistently walking an hour a day at a *very* brisk walk ( 4 miles per hour by week 2) and after 5 weeks, I still did not lose any weight...and it wasn't because I had gained muscle mass. I already have a lot of muscle in my legs from carrying this weight around. However, as much as I hate to admit it, I did get to the point where 10 minutes into a walk, I actually 'felt' better (even if I was still bored with it). At some point, the boredom did me in and I quite walking, but I remembered how good I felt so I kept looking for something that was 'fun'. Now I do Tae Bo every day and I love it. No, it's not helping with the weight loss but I do feel good. Studies show that you do not need to exercise *to lose weight*. It all comes down to what you put in your mouth so that's where I'd start looking first. Exercise may help you lose more quickly and provide other health benefits though. .

Based on my own episodes over the years, I think it's just the digestion system's inability to deal with what you ate. This has happened to me in the past when I'd eat way too much and way too many different types of 'too much'...or when I would drink several bottles of coke (which I haven't done in years). Generally, I would also get gassy and bloated and felt so miserable that I'd immediately go on a low fat, low calorie diet which I think inadvertently allowed my digestion to deal with the mess I'd previously left. Perhaps eat 'clean' and 'light' for a day or so and see if it resolves itself. Mine always did. .

I can relate and all I can do is tell you what's working for me and to *not give up*. Keep trying different things until you find what works for you. So...some thoughts which you may or may not have already tried... Some people lose without recording or counting calories. Good for them...but if you aren't one of them, then it's something you're going to have to do. Record every single thing you put in your mouth (even a breath mint) into something like fitday.com. It's horrifying how fast each little thing adds up. Be consistent. If you eat 1200 calories one day and 2000 the next and so on, then you may just be averaging out to a fairly high calorie count overall...and no weight loss. All calories are not created equal. Calories in does not equal calories out. That's the biggest lie told by the diet/nutrition industry. If it was true, then just decreasing our intake by 1000 calories for a week should equate to a 2 lb weekly loss. So when you're decreasing your intake by close to 1500 calories a week (as I was) and you only lose a pound in a month...well that just goes to show what a lie it is. You just need to find the right combination that works for you. Some people do well on 800 calories a day...others don't lose anything. Some lose well on 1200 or 1500. Others don't. By recording your daily calories, you'll have a starting place for deciding whether to lower or raise your calories. Carbs do count. Weight loss tends to be faster when the carb count drops below 60...even more drastically when it drops below 30. It's no coincidence that many doctors are now recommending 'low carb' diets (even if they still don't understand that 'low' is under 60...not under 200). Protein grams *might* count. Excess protein can act like carbs in creating a glucogenic insulin response...and this will slow or stall weight loss for very long periods of time despite low calories. It is currently believed that you should not eat more than 1gm of protein per every kilo of ideal weight. I'm not sure if this is true of everyone, but it appears it is for those who have blood sugar issues. This is not a popular view here on the LBT, but studies show exercise is not necessary *to lose weight*. It really does come right down to what we put in our mouth. So that's where you need to start. Exercise *may* speed up your weight loss (didn't in my case)...something we must consider as we get closer to goal weight and don't have as much of a calorie window between what we need to eat for our ideal weight versus the current weight. And it will certainly create changes in your body that will make you healthier. Do drink 64 fl oz of Water daily. Our organs run more efficiently when they're properly hydrated...which means they'll be more efficient at utilizing what we put into our body. Consistency, consistency, consistency. When I look back over the last year, the thing I see *most* responsible for my slow weight loss is the inconsistency. I'd have a good week, then a so-so week, then a good week, etc. When I was 25, that would not have been a problem. At almost 55, a good week at 1200 calories followed by a so-so week at 1800 calories is enough to stall my weight loss. Even when I'm *consistently* at 1200 calories for a month, I only expect to see maybe a 4-5 lb loss. Pretty frustrating but it's still better than gaining! Melody

Morning bandsters... Over the last year, while I've watched the daily carbs, I still ate things that had wheat or gluten in them. After Christmas, however, I decided to give up all wheat and gluten products since (1) they push my carb count higher than I'd like even though I am still 'low' carb, and (2) a friend told me that when she discontinued all wheat and gluten products, her health improved drastically. For years I've suffered from unexplained muscle and joint aches and pains, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, etc. I had a very extensive allergy testing done that showed I have a slight allergy to grass and dust but nothing else. The doctors finally decided I must either have chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. Apparently when they've ruled out everything else and don't know what to look for next, this is what they diagnose. So, despite not having a wheat allergy and desperate to find some relief, I decided to give up the wheat and gluten and see what happens. Holy mackerel! A week later and I feel like a new person. Best of all, 3-4 days after going wheat-free, I started sleeping through the night! For years, as long as I can remember, I'd wake every 1-2 hours throughout the night and then struggle to get back to sleep. I'd blame it on being a light sleeper and some little noise would wake me...or the aches and pains in my body...or my brain racing and not being able to shut it down. For the last several nights, I go to bed at 11 p.m., wake maybe once to go to the bathroom and don't wake until 6:30 a.m...and then only because my husband's alarm goes off...but I'm *rested*! A great feeling compared to the total exhaustion I've been dealing with. I'm going to stay wheat free for the rest of the month and then I think I'm going to do a little experiment and see if re-introducing wheat brings back my symptoms. I'm going to cry if so many of my health problems could have been eliminated so easily years ago. Melody

Counselor: When you say you're hungry 2 hours after you eat...how much are you eating? If 1/2 cup, as so many seem to be doing, that's pretty normal IMO. If it's a reasonable meal (e.g. 3 oz Protein, 1/2 cup vegies and maybe 1/4 cup starch), then it sounds like you might need a fill. I'm not sure what causes the band to get tight and then loose again, but I've found that drinking hot tea or coffee helps. I start each meal by drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee about 15 minutes before I eat and that seems to help with the tightness issue. There was a time when some foods got stuck even before my sweet spot (eggs, bread, protein). Now nothing does so perhaps the band gets more 'flexible' with time? Dunno. HB: What a royal PITA to have to deal with when you're already stressed enough just with all the moving. Take a deep breath and remember, it's inevitable that karma will come back and bite them in the butt. Melody

It always amazes me that people feel it's ok to comment on another person's weight...and in a rude manner to boot. I think they do it because they know the 'fat' person is so humiliated at having their fatness pointed out that they won't fight back. My family members haven't made rude comments about my weight in decades because at some point I stopped tolerating it. Whenever they'd make a rude comment, I'd just calmly ask them if they were intending to be as rude as they were coming across or were they just being insensitive. It really didn't take more than a couple times to get them to stop since it's hard to argue with the fact that they're being rude...and now they are the ones that come off looking bad. I don't allow *anyone* to treat me disrespectfully and still say in my life. Life is too short to surround oneself with hateful people...even if they do call themselves 'family'. .

Even at 8.75cc I could eat as much as I did preband but I'd get stuck at least once at each meal...sometimes more. Don't look for physical restriction, look for cessation of hunger. I don't get the 1/2 cup thing. I actually sat down and figured out how much 'real' food that was and I could only fit 1/4 cup of vegies and 1 oz of Protein. I just don't see how it's possible to eat a nutritionally sound diet on 1/2 cup of food 3x a day. At any rate...my surgeon said the sweet spot is when you can eat a *reasonable* meal (3 oz of protein, 1/2 cup of vegies and *maybe* 1/4 c. of starch) and not be hungry for at least 4 hours. I'm at 6cc in a 14cc band and am at my sweet spot *but* if I wanted I could still eat half a pizza. With the band controlling my hunger, though, I don't want to. .

Elcee: I did find out that the cause of death (from the friend who had band surgery) was due to a blood clot. Hey, you want I should ship you a snorkel and swim fins? Aussie friends have been sending me pics of their lakes...I mean back yards. Pretty impressive! Stacey: Headaches...several remedies using pressure points. I was about ready to go into this long detailed explanation and went searching on the web to see if I could find a picture of the one in the hand when I found a link that lists them. Saves me some typing. Check this out. I've used most of these successfully. HB: I only see Bob on Facebook these days. Deb & Denise: {waving} Melody

It depends...are you trying to follow a low carb diet? If so, low carb is generally recognized to be anything under 60gm per *day*. I do low carb *and* eliminate all wheat and sugar products (which tend to be too high carb anyway). A typical menu for me: B: 2 eggs, 1 oz cooked bacon L: 3 oz of Protein (pan fried, grilled or broiled), 1/2 cup low carb vegies (green Beans, broccoli, salad, etc.) D: Same as lunch but I'll add 1/4 cup of rice, potatoes or beans. In between meals, I sip on hot tea or bouillion if I need to soothe my 'cravings'. Melody

Little sips don't bother me and my doc doesn't have a problem with them. If I make a mistake and take a big gulp...well let's just say I look like a rabid dog cuz it all comes fizzling right back up and out my mouth and nose...and if I'm lucky, it does it quickly because I can't breath until it clears. I can see the headline now. Local woman suffocates on a Perrier. .

I'm not sure I understand why you feel the band was a waste of your time and money since you have yet to get a fill. You're hungry all the time because the band puts pressure on the vagus nerves which control the stomach from producing ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Some people get enough pressure with just the band. Most of us need some amount of fill. Patience. My guess for why no weight loss...you're still eating at least as many calories as your current body weight needs. This would be a good time to start recording what you eat in something like fitday.com so you can see why you're losing, stalling or gaining. .

I've spent so many years with blood sugar issues, first hypoglycemia and then diabetes, that affect my hunger level that I no longer trust my body to tell me when I'm hungry. In the last year I've learned to eat on a schedule (basically just eat the same time every day) to retrain my body into not expecting food 24/7, to measure out my reasonable portions, and to eat them thoughtfully and not while watching tv or playing on the computer. Now I have to work on consistently eating only 1200 calories per day because I have too many days still up around 1500 and that will only get me a 1-2 lb loss per month. .

ROFL...yeah what is it with the girls losing weight more rapidly than, say, the stomach! It's right up there on the 'unfair' chart with my oldest son having the most gorgeous eyes and eyelashes and my middle son having the most gorgeous luxurious cascade of hair (until he had it all buzzed off to join the Army). Last year after several months postop, I was walking across the room at my in-laws and my underwear literally slipped off my hips. Thank God I was wearing slacks...which was the only reason they weren't down around my ankles! .

Evenings are always the most difficult time for me and I know it's not true hunger. I think it's just bad habit from the times I used to sit in the evening and watch tv with a bowl of popcorn or chips or whatever else I felt like shoving into my mouth. I've discovered that, for me, keeping my hands busy really helps. For the last several evenings, while watching tv, I've been sorting through old photos in preparation to finishing up my son's album before he gets married in May. Interestingly, not one problem getting through the evenings in regards to food. .

When someone tells me I've taken the easy way out, I always ask them why they believe it's the easy way? They generally end up stuttering all over themselves because they're unable to verbalize a response. I let them swing awhile and then I politely educate them...depending on whether they're ignorant (lack knowledge but can be educated) or stupid (can't be educated because they don't want to be). .

Morning everyone. So ok, this first week of January has not been as focused as I'd like. I'm not eating the holiday junk anymore and I've been very good at avoiding sugar and wheat but still having a hard time dropping those calories to 1200. My husband mentioned that I seemed to be 'hungrier' so I've been paying attention to that for the last 4 days or so and he was right. So time for a small fill on Tuesday. Hopefully they can get me in when I call on Monday. In the meantime, I'm going to try and drink hot broth whenever I get hungry. I'm still doing Tae Bo every day and enjoying it. Still can't keep up with him but at least I'm moving! .

Denise: Nothing takes the place of actually tracking what we eat, eh? When I first had my surgery a year ago, I planned on not doing all the traditional 'diet' things because that's why I got the surgery. Well, you know, when you're trying to 'lose' (at least for me) I still have to diet and that took me almost a year to understand. There's just not a whole lot of difference in the calories needed to maintain my current weight versus those needed to maintain a weight of 140, and in order to shed the pounds it requires *consistently* eating less than I currently need. If I only stick to that diet for half the days of the month and eat what my current body weight needs to maintain the rest of the days, then it stands to reason I'd only lose a pound or so during that month...or stall because some days I'm eating more than my current maintenance needs. Shad: See above. At one point I was eating 1100-1500 and found I have to stick consistently at 1200 if I want to see those scales move consistently downward. I'm still working on that. I got lazy over the holidays and now it's harder to get strictly on track. Right now my weight is just stalled but I know why. HB: Ugh...you have my sympathy. I downsized my business last August and have been in the process of cleaning out a warehouse, moving the things we're keeping into the pole barn and trying to organize everything else for a warehouse sale. Now that it's cold I just can't get motivated and there's no 'push' to do so since the building hasn't sold yet.