TamifromAL

I have some good news to report. I have officially met my St. Patty's Day 25 lb. loss goal a week ahead of schedule! I'm now 188 lbs., and better yet, I'm no longer "obese"! I'm "overweight", and on my way to "normal"! I won't update my ticker until Monday, when it's official, but I just want to bask in this moment for a bit in case the scales go up again. Tami

I have some emotional issues with losing weight, too. My problem is that I am getting way pickier about myself. I guess it's vanity. When I was fat, I accepted that I was "imperfect". I'd wear a bathing suit in public and reallly didn't care. But, now I notice every little bump and bulge. I've been buying clothes for our vacation to Cancun (while Mim's having her surgery :girl_hug: ), and couldn't find a single pair of shorts that I would wear in public. And forget about bathing suits. I came up with a solution for that, though. I bought men's board shorts that coordinate with my bathing suits. Why should men be the only ones who get to wallow in big ol' bathing suits? I'll take my board shorts off when all the guys put on Speedos. But, anyway...back to the emotional issues. So, why am I *more* picky about my looks now, 85 lbs. lighter? I think this was one reason I ended up gaining after my last major weight loss effort. Tami

Automating meals (one or two per day) is one of the suggestions in the "You on a Diet" book. Supposedly, reduced variety leads to quicker satiety. I eat the same breakfast almost every day. That's 1 c. of Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal with 1% milk. Because I eat cereal slowly, and it might get soggy, I pour the milk into the bowl, add a little cereal, eat that, then add more cereal... lunch varies, and is often leftovers, but one of my standards is turkey chili. Sometimes I'll serve it over some chopped dark green lettuce. dinner also varies, but is more often chicken and veggies, in one form or another. Tami

Today's my 6-month bandiversary, and I'm down 82 lbs. :rockon: Edit: I missed the "how?" part of your message. Basically, I follow the band rules most of the time, drink my Water, limit sugar, white flour, and trans/saturated fats. After the first 50-60 lbs., I started exercising, and have steadily progressed with that until I'm now doing a spin class 5-6 days a week plus strength training 2-3 days a week. I don't believe in keeping a "too tight" band, because I want to be able to eat Breakfast and solid Proteins. Oh, and I didn't use any Protein supplements until recently (due to the strength training). For the last month or two I've been posting everything I eat and drink on my blog at Obesity Help, feel free to take a look: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/tamifromal Tami

Hi ya'll, Today's my six month bandiversary! I'm down 82 lbs. in 6 months, and life is so much richer than it was pre-band. I have so much more energy. I used to dread going to Walmart, and if I missed something in the non-food section after I'd moved on to the groceries, I'd skip it until the next time. Even so, I was exhausted when I got home, and my feet ached all the time. Now, the only punishment I get from shopping is my aching Am Ex! I've chalked up many, many "non-scale victories" in the past six months: ** I'm off of 3 prescription meds ** My plantar fasciitis is essentially gone ** I'm down from a size 26 in pants to a size 16 ** I see and *reach* every area of my body. I kid you not, I can even scratch between my shoulder blades! ** I used to be addicted to TV, and now I'm addicted to exercise. ** I was concerned about the amount of alcohol I used to drink pre-band, and I now am a relatively normal "social" drinker (2-3 drinks once a week or so). ** I can cross my legs. ** I can tie my shoes standing, with feet flat on the floor. There are probably many more that I can't think of right now. But, basically I'm in love with the band, and love life!! This week, I'm down two pounds, and exercised 5 days. Gotta run...spin class in 25"! Tami

That makes me wonder whether you are exercising in your target heart rate. Do you use a heart rate monitor? I bought a Polar brand heart rate monitor, and using a calculator on their web site, I found my target heart rate (based on my morning resting heart rate). Tami

I started noticing a lot of hair in my shower drain and on my lap while I was blow drying my hair at about 4 months out from surgery. It lasted about a month or so, but now at 6 months out it seems to be back to normal. I didn't lose enough for it to be noticeable, but I have very thick hair naturally. Tami

Hi there, Unfortunately, it's been my experience that in order to enjoy exercise and even look forward to it, you have to be in pretty good physical condition. Of course, you can't get "in shape" without exercising. So, basically you have to force yourself to do it until you get to the point where you *want* to do it. But, in the meantime, I do have a couple of suggestions. First, don't underestimate the power of your own mind. Every time I drive by my gym, I say (with conviction), "I LOVE that place." It was a total lie at first, but now it's actually true. When you're on your treadmill, picture yourself as you want to be (thin/physically fit), striding along, with your head held high, gut sucked in, proud of what you've achieved. I swear to you that this type of guided imagery really works. Second, find some really good music to work out to. I got an iPod, and loaded all my favorite music into it. I click through until there's a song with the right beat to match my pace, and I'm off! Good luck, and stick with it. Tami

That's awesome, tommygirl! That's the best thing about the band, it's always there for you. When you're ready to do your part, it does it's part, and together you can make real progress! And of course you can post your weight here. I love accountability. I used to splurge over the weekends, but since we've been posting our weights on Mondays, it actually helps keep me in line. Tami

Lisa, if you're doing it properly (with the help of a good spinning instructor), you should use all your lower body muscles, which of course are the body's largest muscles, and the ones that are gonna burn the most calories. The secret is to use a full circle motion with the peddle. Most people tend to let the leg that's pushing down do all the work, lifting the opposing foot. But, if you consciously move both legs in the full circle motion, you work the glutes, hamstrings, and calves as well as the quads. BJean, I have a bad knee, too, and have found that biking to be less problematic than most other forms of aerobic exercise, because it's low-impact. I've also started taking liquid Glucosamine/Chondroitin, and have seen some improvement. Really the only time it bothers me is walking down stairs, which I have to do stiff-legged with the bad leg. I even take the elevator down one flight of stairs at the gym. I always feel a little funny doing that. Here I just took an intense exercise class, and then grab an elevator instead of taking the stairs! Spinning is a great exercise. If you wear a heart rate monitor (which you really should do), and stay in your own cardio zone, you get a great, low-impact workout. I pictured drill sargeant types screaming at me to go faster, but the opposite is actually the case. They tell you not to push it out of your cardio heart rate zone for the first couple of months as you build your aeobic base. The one downside is the tiny seat (they call it a saddle). The first class or two, it just plain hurt. But, my behind got used to it, and now I don't even notice it. I'm not trying to push spinning or anything, I just found something that I really like. Everyone has to find their own exercise niche, and switch things up now and then. But, if anyone's interested in learning more about spinning, check out this site: http://www.spinning.com/ Tami

Hi September Bandsters! I'm down three pounds this week. I started spinning classes this past week, and absolutely love it. I never cared much for group exercises because I'm a little uncoordinated, and don't pick up steps/moves very quickly. I always felt clutzy. But the spinning gives you the cameraderie of a group class without having to learn steps. The time flies, and it's an awesome workout. According to the Spinning website, you burn 400-500 calories per session. Mim, saw your pics. You're gorgeous, kiddo. You must be getting close to goal. I can't wait to hear from one of our group that they've reached goal. Ya'll have a great week! Tami

DrewsLou, have you picked your name yet? Don't leave us hangin'! Tami

I had some good news this morning, and wanted to share it with you guys. I had a bodyfat analysis done at the gym this morning in a "Body Pod". I've gone from 35.4% bodyfat in November to 23.9% today! Based on my lean body weight of 150.2, I've actually had to raise my goal to 165! I just jumped 15 lbs. closer to goal overnight! Is that awesome or what? I also did my first spinning class this morning. It was intense, but I loved it. It was much easier to get my heart rate up into the training zone doing that vs. elliptical. Tami

I don't know how much of our reputation is deserved, and how much of it is stereotypes perpetuated by the media. As Jeff Foxworthy says, when something news worthy happens, they don't look for someone with some measure of intelligence to discuss it, they look for the woman in her housecoat and slippers with curlers hanging out of her hair, saying, "It was pandelirium!" Of course, sometimes the piece just speaks for itself: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zkw_mru-hU]YouTube - Leprechaun in Alabama[/ame]

The real bigotry in this piece is the assumption that they would get beaten, killed or arrested, not the reaction that they received from the people who were taunted. And, we get this type of thing all the time in Alabama. Somehow it's politically correct to lay all the blame for bigotry and ignorance in the US on one state. Every time there's a joke about the south on TV, it's "Alabama". Tami

For the past month or so I've been posting what I eat and my exercise on my profile at Obesity Help. I don't know whether they allow posting links here, but I'll try posting the link to my profile. http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/tamifromal/ Tami

You are singing my song, sister! I get a little frustrated when I read someone post, "Why am I not losing weight yet?" before they have restriction. Invariably, several people respond that the first six weeks or so after surgery are for "healing", and that no weight loss should be expected. I say that's just baloney. It *is* true that you may have little help from the band at the point. But, you can lose weight the "old fashioned" way by restricting your calorie intake and moving your body. And, about the time your motivation starts flagging, you'll start getting fills and have restriction to help you continue. Getting the band was a huge "trigger" for me, that put me into weight-loss mode mentally. I was ready to make some serious changes in how and what I eat, and I've pretty much consistently lost weight. So, don't buy into the idea that you won't lose weight until you get adequate restriction. Because what you believe is often what you get! Go for it! Tami

Hi ya'll, I just realized when I got on here this morning that I've been pretty scarce lately. It seems like the more weight I lose, the more active (translate: busy) I am! I haven't even been watching favorite TV shows because too much is going on! I've been doing some redecorating, spurred on by an upcoming social event at my home in a couple of weeks. I work well under pressure, and I'm getting a LOT done, but, whew, it's been a whirlwind! I took Mim's advice this past week and ate chocolate (Valentine's Day), and had a 2 lb. loss. But now I find out it's probably gonna catch up with me next week, huh? Sheesh. Katie (LovinColorado), welcome to the group. You've done really well, congrats! As for the plateaus at this point, my surgeon says that at this point, exercise becomes key. As we lose weight, part of that is muscle, so our metabolism slows down unless we work to build more muscle. I'm up to 45-50" per day of cardio, 6 days a week, and 30-45" strength training every other day. I feel like a gym rat! I'm lucky to have a flexible enough schedule to allow this much time spent with my new "hobby". BJean, I've had some hair loss, too. It seemed to peak a couple of weeks ago, and is tapering off (or maybe my rose-colored glasses are clouding my perception.) I've heard using Nioxin (from your hairdresser or beauty supply store) can help, but it's a little pricey. And I've heard the recommendation about using Biotin. Then, on the other hand, I've heard that Biotin is only helpful if you're deficient in that vitamin. If you're eating veggies and taking a multiple vitamin, you're probably not deficient, so the Biotin is unlikely to help. My personal philosophy on the hair loss issue is that our bodies go through a bit of shock from the surgery and dietary changes, but that the hair loss is temporary. (I hope, hope, hope!) Sandranoelle, so did you get the fill? I get "stuck" quite a bit, but haven't ever PB'd. Getting stuck on occasion doesn't necessarily mean you're at your optimal restriction level. But, if you are taking small bites *and* chewing really well and still getting stuck, I fer sure would *not* get any more fill. And, for me, that applies to breakfast, too. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I haven't had to skip breakfast, and I'm awfully glad about that. I think that eating breakfast revs up your metabolism for the day. Plus, I really, really like eating my Kashi Go Lean Crunch every morning. It's my treat! Hope everyone has a wonderful week. Tami

Hi Alabama bandsters! Just wanted to let ya'll know that there's a lap band support group meeting at 11am on the third Saturday each month, on the third floor, Bldg. 46, at Medical Center East. Most of the participants are patients of Drs. Miles & Schmitt, but others are welcome, too! http://www.banders4life.com/event_info.html Tami

Sue & Mim, congratulations! Sue, I'm so glad you finally got a scale victory! Mim, do I have to start eating chocolate to keep up with you?? :roll: I'm down a pound this week. I'm not complaining, any loss is a good loss! Hope everyone is doing well...miss you guys! Tami

Hi Cheryl! Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. I know you must be excited! I live in Birmingham, so I can't really recommend a surgeon or fill center near you. But, I hope that you get this arranged before your surgery. I've read a lot of posts from people who really struggle to find someone to provide good aftercare. You need to think about not only who will do your fills, but who you will see if your have a complication. If you have to travel a long distance, you're more likely to live with a band that doesn't provide enough restriction, or you might be tempted to try to tough it out when if you're overfilled. Neither makes good use of the band, and being overfilled is one of the primary causes of band complications such as dilated pouch or slipped band. I hope you can find someone close by who can provide good quality after care. Good luck with your surgery! Tami

GUILTY! Buddy is aka: Buddy Ray, Mr. Buddy, Bister Muddy, Boo Boo, Oscar, Scooby, and "Idiot!" everytime he attacks the TV because he just saw an animal. Sassy is aka: Sassy Lee, Lee, Lee Lee, Stinky, Precious, Pretty Pretty, and occasionally "Grace", as she misses her mark while leaping towards the couch once again. I'm sure there are more that I'm not thinking of right now, because the nick names seem to be constantly evolving! Tami

Chabutter, we were banded on the same day! I know you're disappointed in your weight loss. It sounds like you need another fill, but you also need to ditch the simple carbs, which just make you crave more carbs! Instead, eat more protein! It definitely helps keep you full longer. Don't worry about the salads. You don't need to eat salads at all. Some bandsters can't eat salads, because the lettuce gets stuck. Others avoid lettuce just because it's bulky and doesn't have a great nutritional value. I eat them, but I always make sure I get in my Protein, too. So, I might eat a cup of lettuce, 3-4 oz. of leftover chicken cut up on top, and a tablespoon or two of light or thin dressing. Tami

Hmm, how 'bout: Bloody Valentine Sassy Sk8r KneeHi Boots Banded Bomber Demon Cherry Rockin' Roller PunkGrrrl Apocalypse Amy Sk8rGrrrl Fun! Let us know what you end up with! Tami

Wow, that sounds very promising! It figures that they'd come up with a cure for obesity after I spent $14,000 to get mine under control. It seems like their description of "starvation mode" is different than how most of us think of it. They discuss starvation mode as a state where the body stops making fat, and starts using it. Whereas we often hear lapbanders talk about the need to avoid starvation mode, because it's believed that it slows the metabolism and weight loss. Interesting! Tami