LeighaMason

KCG-- I hope you feel better soon. I hope you don't mind me saying so, but with your exercise I think you need more calories. When I started my cross training I was not losing, I actually gained a couple of pounds but by eating and continuing what I was doing I started losing and I have continued to do so.

The longer you wait and the more irritated your stomach becomes from pbing the more they will have to remove to help you. I would go in immediately. I have had as little as .1 of a cc removed and felt better immediately. They don't have to take out the whole fill to help you. Good luck.

The only time this should apply would be during the pre and post-op liquid and mushy stages and it depends on your personal will power. Can you cook without tasting it? Can he cook for himself for a month or two? After that y'all should be able to eat most of the same things. But I have found that since I have been banded our cooking at home has changed dramatically to healthier choices which is good for everyone involved.

Hi Bandpal, I am really happy to read your post this morning. I am at or near goal myself. I just got here. I say at or near because I am having a little indecision about my goal weight. I have my stated goal of 130 which I decided was my ultimate goal weight before surgery, but I went clothes shopping this past weekend and bought size 4 Levi's and realized I was at the size that I had thought would be perfect for me. So I decided I really don't need to lose the last 5 but I feel weird about changing my goal weight because I feel like I am giving up or cheating if I now say I am "at goal". I am also considering a slight unfill, I have been slowly getting tighter over the last month or so, I have to eat slower and slower. Just this week, my husband pointed out my struggle to eat around others and this is very concerning to me, I do not want to end up with an eating disorder. Plus we have 3 teenagers who live in the house and I do not want to show a disordered eating example to them. I have started an exercise program that is a cross training program that I do in the park. I didn't start exercising until I canceled my gym membership. I have been bloging about it, maybe something like that would be good for you since it is done outdoors and doesn't require being in a gym. Your pictures are so impressive, I am going to have some professional pictures taken next week, I will post my near/at goal pics then.

If you offered instruction on how not to use the gym it would be very helpful. I have been reading this board for a year and I can not over emphasize how many times I have read that embarrassment keeps people out of the gym. Whether the weight discrimination at the gym is real or imagined, the cause is the same, people don't go. Now if you offered a program where we could start at home or at the park with bands, balls and hand weights and then when we are more comfortable transition into the gym to work on machines and free weights, this would be very helpful. I personally did not start working out until I canceled my gym membership. There is also a financial benefit to this, my fitness expenses for the last few months consist of a good pair of shoes, a jump rope, a towel, and a stadium seat that I use to cushion my spine when I do sit ups. I am doing a 9 week (beginner) cross training program that I found on the internet but I do plan on using a trainer once I reach a certain level of strength. Good luck with your program, I think its a wonderful idea.

You should shop around, I paid $10,200 in Dallas. There are 2 medical finance companies that I know about, Carecredit and Cap one. The Dr office that you use will have information for you.

I can be found with carkingtyler@att.net

Well what a difference a day makes, well actually 2 days. I was prepared for day 11 and I did so much better. I ate properly the day before and had my usual Greek yogurt 30 min before and I did really well. Here is what I was suppose to do: As many rounds as you can do for 30 minutes: 8 minute run/walk with purpose 10 body rows 10 tuck jumps 5 plank holds for :30 seconds 20 squats Here is what I did: Rode to the park where the body row bars are 1.43 miles 3-9 min runs (that is how long it takes to run the course) for a total of 2.25 miles 30 body rows 30 tuck jumps (I can really jump higher and tuck my legs much better now) 15 plank holds (only :15 seconds each ) 60 squats Rode my bike home Total of 5.11 miles, 1 hour, 2 min. I can really feel the increased strength in my muscles and it hasn't even been 4 weeks yet. I still have 5 weeks to go and then I will start the intermediate program and then I will finish with the advanced in mid-January. My middle run was almost effortless. Almost. :thumbup:

See Bob, I am an overachiever, if one is good every day is better! Stacie-- Nice new pics on facebook! And I don't have any port pain either. However it does stick out. I have decided that I am through trying to lose weight. I went shopping yesterday and I was nervous to try on a pair of size 6 Levi's because I knew if they didn't fit I would get my feelings hurt but I went ahead and they were too big. So I got a pair of 4's and they fit perfectly! I had no idea I could wear a size 4 so I think that is small enough so I am going to declare myself at goal and start maintaining here. I am not interested in being a 2. Here is a picture of me in my new pants.

If you exercise you go back to regular shape with some extra skin, at least that is what I did.

Yep, crazy. Huge difference.

I quit drinking wine and lost 2 pounds!

I can't believe they call this a beginners plan! Whew! If I had not done C25K before, there is no way I could do this. I am having to modify the moves as it is. So yesterday, when I did day 2 here is what I was suppose to do: As many rounds as you can do for 30 minutes: 4 minute run/walk with purpose 5 body rows 5 tuck jumps 5 plank holds for :15 seconds 10 squats Here is what I did: Rode my bike to the park 2.04 miles, 15 min. I did 5 rounds of the exercises and covered 1.4 miles during the running part. I can not hold a plank for :15 seconds so I changed to :05 and did 5 of those, I also can not do a full pull up on the body rows so I pulled up about half way. So in total I, Rode my bike 4.08 miles, 20 min of running, 25 (half-a**) body rows, 25 tuck jumps, 25 :05 second plank holds, and 50 squats. Day 3 is tomorrow. I am scared to see what it holds, but I am excited because I then have 2 days off until Friday. :rolleyes2:

KCG--How many calories are on this diet your on? Astrasmom-- Yay for only 10 pounds! I think your Dr is right, about the exercise. I personally think that is why the band statistics are like they are, the band helps with about half and exercise does the rest. Txcloverangel-- My twin! 91 pounds is great! Major NSV yesterday. I technically have 5 pounds to go but when I had the surgery in my mind I thought: If I can get to and stay a size 10 I will be satisfied, if I can be a size 8 I would be happy, if I could get to a size 6 I would be thrilled. I thought a size 6 would be best case scenario. Yesterday I bought 2 pair of size 4 Levi's. I cant believe it. I have not worn a size 4 since I was 19 or maybe 20. (I will be 41 next month) I was scared to try on the size 6's because I knew I would be disappointed if they didn't fit, then they were too big! Unbelievable. I am going to get my husband to take a picture of me later today wearing them and post it. :thumbup: No matter what you do, do not underestimate the power of exercise. During the last 10 years I have lost down to this weight with diet pills and Adkins but I was never even close to this size.

Try mixing crystal light in your water. The first couple of weeks water was sticky for me but if I had something mixed in it was slicker going down. This only lasted a few days or maybe a week or so.

Let us know if there is something we can help you with.

You may have seen my posts on other threads where I finally decided that to get to goal weight I would have to stop drinking wine on a daily basis. My goal weight is pretty aggressive at 21.6 BMI. I had reached a point where it took 46 days to lose 2 pounds, 21 days for one then 25 days for the next one. So I knew I had to make a change. I am doing a very aggressive exercise schedule and I have a very streamlined diet so the only thing left was the wine. I usually had a glass of wine a night, and maybe a couple on the weekend nights but I made sure that the calories still fit into my budget. So even though I was fitting the alcohol calories into my calorie budget they were still keeping me from losing weight. I stopped drinking wine 12 days ago and I have lost 3 pounds, and it isn't that I am taking in less calories, I added food to replace the alcohol calories so the moral of my story is its not just calories in vs. calories out its also what kind of calories in vs. calories out too. Here are a couple things I learned from this experience. I was looking for a flavored drink more than looking for alcohol. The night I stopped, I was wandering around the kitchen and so I decided to have a G2 Gatorade that I buy for our boys. I drank half of one (25 calories) and that settled my cravings. Substitution is very important when you are creating your new band lifestyle. I can still have an occasional drink and still lose weight. I had a drink on 2 nights since I quit drinking daily and I am still losing. Moderation is key. (DUH:biggrin:)

I see a lot of questions about what people eat, so I thought I would post my usual menu selections. Breakfast is usually 1 of 3 things. 1) 1 egg and 1 piece of bacon 2) EAS low carb Protein Shake 3) Jachut's Green Smoothie (1 cup water, 1 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 banana, 1/2 apple, 1 scoop Unjury unflavored protein powder pureed in blender) Snack, If I am hungry I have either 1) 1 Cheese stick string cheese 2) Laughing cow light cheese wedge with 6 crackers 3) Greek yogurt 4) EAS shake Lunch 1) A piece of fish (4 Oz by weight) 2) Leftover meat from the night before, (2 Oz if beef) 3) If I am busy at work, Starkist Lunch to go or a can of sardines with 6 crackers. I add a veggie to one of the meats above either leftovers from the night before or canned that I can heat up easily at work. Afternoon Snack I choose 1 from the snack list above Dinner (usually cooked on the grill) 1) Beef 2 Oz 2) Chicken 4 Oz 3) Fish 4 Oz 4) Pork 2 Oz I measure my meat by weight and my veggies by measure cup. We cut up fresh veggies and put them on the grill too. I make sweet potato's in the microwave and eat 1/2 of it with butter. I usually have 1/2 cup veggies and 1/2 cup carb. I try and keep my breakfast, lunch and dinner at 250 calories and snacks under 150 each, this gives a grand total of 1050 per day max. Plus anytime I am trying to see if a snack is appropriate, I use the rule of thumb of 1g protein per 10 calories. I hope this helps someone, I will be happy to answer questions. :thumbup:

I gained weight during the first 6 weeks, then I started getting fills and started losing. Start practicing good skills, measure and journal your food, start walking 30 min a day three times a week and pretend you have restriction. You will be hungry during this time but it will get better! Don't give up now!

Here is the link to a blog that tells what I eat. This is what works for me, that doesn't mean it is for everyone. You have to find your own way on this journey. What I eat... - LAP-BAND I stay between 800-1200 calories a day but that depends on if I worked out that day or if I am going to work out the next day then I am around 1200 if I am not working out that day or the next I am at 800. I don't work out everyday instead I work out really hard 3 days a week. I am talking about my pulse being at 90% for an hour, sweating like you wouldn't believe. I have to have 1200 calories to work this hard or I run out of gas. Oh and I worked up to this over a period of time. Keep in mind you have just been banded for 6 weeks or so, I gained weight in the first 6 weeks so don't start beating yourself up for not losing steady. My advice is to look at what you are doing every week and find 1 thing that you can include or eliminate that will give you better results. If you do this every week you will learn a new lifestyle with continuous improvement instead of trying to change your whole life all at once.

Congratulations!

Thanks Melody! Denise-- I knew I was screwing it up somewhere. Sawyer-- WTG on overweight, normal here you come! LOVE your new pics! Christie-- Are you back on solids now? How is Steve acting? OK so I quit drinking wine on 07/26 and I have lost 3 pounds. It took 46 days to lose 2 pounds while drinking wine and 13 days to lose 3 without drinking wine. :party: Now I am pissed I didn't do it sooner.

I think it depends on your personal eating habits. If you are use to eating a lot of simple sugars and starches you might have sugar/ starch/ caffeine withdrawals. So you might want to "clean up" your eating before your surgery, maybe going on a "diet" of only eating complex carbs, meat and veggies, in other words, eliminate all sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sodas, white bread, white rice, and for now white potatoes. Then if you have withdrawals from these things you wont have it at the same time you are doing your liquid diet. Good luck.