LeighaMason

I get a big bowl, and throw in snow peas, red/ yellow/ or orange bell peppers cut into strips, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and cut up about 5 leaves of Chinese cabbage and keep it covered in the fridge. When I am cooking dinner, I just grab a hand full I throw them in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté for 2-3 min, since they are already cut up its really easy and good. Here is what I use my old French fry maker for: It makes the prep work of cutting veggies easy. I don't recommend any fruit or veggie juices during the weight loss stage, too many calories without any Fiber.

The end of week 3, and I have to say, I am glad that I have 2 rest days coming up. However, (drum roll please!) I did manage to lose another pound! Now I am 7 to go! Here is what I was suppose to do this morning: 25 push ups, 25 sit ups, 25 squats, 25 body rows, run/walk with purpose for 10 minutes. Here is what I did: Rode my bike to the park 1.44 miles. Did a total of 50 push ups 50 sit ups 50 squats 50 body rolls 20 min. of running Ride my bike home 1.44 miles. And now I am off until Friday!

I have problems with my feet as well, I am sitting here now at my desk with them on an ice pack. I freeze water in an empty water bottle and then roll them around under my feet to help with inflammation. Maybe that would help you too.

Here is the spreadsheet for anyone who needs it! http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ap1qXRkd4RRydEFfa2pPb19reVlTa25Qb1hlYUktcFE&hl=en&authkey=CLuLqfUE#gid=0

Welcome Tbonesgirl! Good luck with the challenge. I lost a pound this morning so I am counting it for yesterdays weigh-in :thumbup:

How much did they put in? I had a fill once that was too much and they took out .1 cc (yes, one-tenth of a cc) and I was much better. So don't panic, an unfill doesn't have to mean taking out the whole fill, but the longer you wait and the more dehydrated you get the more they will have to take out. Good luck.

Still at 138, but getting nice definition in my arms and legs from my workouts. :wub: (Is that an excuse or a rationalization?) I ate restaurant food 2 times this weekend so I am not surprised that I didn't lose. Maybe this week!

Your Mom is right in a way "all I have to do is stop eating so much." She just doesn't realize that is what the band is for. When you have a smaller stomach it will call out for less food, less often and you will eat less. Problem solved. I was always hungry before the band and now I just get a "its time to eat" feeling not the "I'M STARVING" type of hunger I had. I hope the same for you.

I was a spitter too! Good job on spitting it out instead of swallowing it, your stitches holding your band in place are still healing and you don't want to interfere with that. You will be back to the land of eating soon, just wait it out. You can do it!

Good for you!

Diet pills set you up to fail, you will lose as much muscle as fat and then you burn less calories a day so you have to eat less when you get off them. I would rather have an extra 20 pounds weight than use them. (OK, I am getting off my soap box now.) What about a trainer? If you burn more you can eat more. Good luck with what you decide.

Bob, this statement proves that you are not married. :wub:

After my last fill, I felt like I had less restriction than before, I thought they had poked a hole in my band. Then 10 days later, BAM! perfection! And 3 months later I am still at the perfect spot. Give it a chance to work and don't get into the fill/unfill cycle. Try and wait at least 3 weeks before you try again. BTW my last fill was .2 CC. So you do not have to have a big fill to make a big difference, if you end up needing another fill maybe you should suggest a smaller fill instead of .5.

I'm sorry you have had so many complications with your band. But I understand what you mean, when I was first banded I was dead set against VGS as well but now I know that if I were to lose my band I would have the VGS. Its OK to change your mind. Maybe your body just didn't respond well to having a foreign object but would do well with the VGS. Don't give up, your complications were not your fault, I hope you find the solution soon.

I agree with the push ups, I have been doing a cross training program that includes push ups and I have really seen a difference in my arms. If you do them 3 days a week, every other day for 3 times then rest 2 days increasing the number of push ups each day and you might as well include other exercises while you are doing them. For example: Monday --5 push ups, 5 sit ups, 5 squats repeat 3 times. Wednesday--7 push ups, 7 sit ups, 7 squats repeat 3 times. Friday--10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squats repeat 3 times. Rest 2 days. Monday --5 push ups, 5 sit ups, 5 squats repeat 5 times. Wednesday--7 push ups, 7 sit ups, 7 squats repeat 5 times. Friday--10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squats repeat 5 times. Rest 2 days. Monday --7 push ups, 7 sit ups, 7 squats repeat 5 times. Wednesday--10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squats repeat 5 times. Friday--15 push ups, 15 sit ups, 15 squats repeat 5 times. Rest 2 days. One week increase the number of exercises and the next week increase the number of sets. If you want to make this a true cross training, either run or jump rope 2 min in between sets and increasing the running time each week. I hope this helps.

All you have to do is set yourself up for success. Select a great surgeon that you can trust and believe in and then follow his/her pre and post op diets, work hard on learning new eating techniques that will minimize sliming and pbing, and let the chips fall where they may. I think you have made a great start on doing well with the way you are thinking through the surgery. I think many people just think up to the surgery and don't consider what lies on the other side, you seem to be preparing for that as well.

Kcg-- 14 miles! Wow that is more than a half marathon! Good job. I have also been whining about the scale not moving but I went shopping for clothes yesterday and I had a Epiphany. (The following is a repost from another thread, sorry if it is redundant.) "Today I went and bought some new clothes. They were all 6's or 8's. I started thinking, in 2000 I lost down to 139 by using diet pills and Adkins but I wore a size 10. Now I have been exercising and eating properly and I weigh 138 and I am much thinner. So: 139 pounds + diet pills + no exercise = size 10 138 pounds + band diet + exercise = size 6 or 8 So if you are doubting exercise, remember there are benefits even if the scale is not moving." WTG on the 1 hour pity party. My MIL says when you feel bad about something give yourself permission to have a short pity party and then get back to work. I think its wonderful advice. I did my exercise yesterday and put it on my blog if anyone wants to read it, one repost per posting is enough! :wub: Cindy-- I bet the mixed classes really help, your body doesn't get a chance to get use to anything. Congrats on the 4 lbs. Renee-- When you were logging your food, was it on a web site or on paper? How is everyone else doing?

This morning I was suppose to: Jump rope for 5 minutes, then run/walk with purpose for 5 minutes. Repeat for 30 minutes. Here is what I did: Rode bike to park .99 miles Jumped rope 5 min./ ran 5 min. repeated four times for a total of: 20 min running, 1.55 miles 20 min jump roping (If you call jumping 20-30 times, hitting myself with the rope or landing on top of it and having to start again jumping rope for 5 min. :closedeyes: Then rode home .99 mi. Now for the crazy part, yesterday my husband suggested that we go to Dallas and spend the night in a hotel and my first reaction was "I cant I have to work out in the morning!" So we stayed home worked out and then went shopping for new clothes for me. And then as a reward everything I bought was a 6 or 8. I haven't worn a 6-8 since I was around 23 and I will be 41 in September. And for those who are trying to convince themselves that they should work out. In 2000 I weighed 139, I had lost weight with diet pills and I wore a size 10. Now I am 138 from working out and eating right and I am a 6 or 8, 10's are huge on me.

I have started a intense cross training program. It is 3 days a week. My Body Bugg says I burn around 450 calories when I do it, my pulse is between 160 and 180 during the workout. Before, when I was just walking on the treadmill and just starting to run I was eating 800 calories a day and losing 2 pounds a week. Then I upped it to 1200 a day the day before I ran. But, with this workout, I am eating 1200 the day before and then I am starving for the rest of the day after I work out (at 7am), I usually end up eating about 1400 calories the day I work out, (all good choices other than the occasional glass of wine). So that means my week is 1 day- 800 calories, 3 days - 1200 and 3 days 1400. I have gained 2 pounds since I started, not Water weight, not 2 pounds all at once but a true 1-3 oz a day gain. Now the traditional accepted maximum muscle gain for women is .25 pounds a week so lets average up and say .5 of that 2 pounds is muscle. That leaves 1.5 pounds of fat regain. My question is this: This is a 9 week program, I am on week 2, as the weeks progress will the added muscle start to overcome the added weight? Should I cut back on calories on the days I work out and just be hungry? (I feel an actual physical need to eat on those days as well as going to bed at 8pm because I am so worn out from the work.) The workout is effective, I can see a change in my arms definition and I can tell a difference in my strength and endurance but it feels counter productive of what I am trying to accomplish if I am gaining fat as well.

I wanted to post an update on this. First, the 2 pounds are gone, I haven't lost any extra but I am back to 138. Today I went and bought some new clothes. They were all 6's or 8's. I started thinking, in 2000 I lost down to 139 by using diet pills and Adkins but I wore a size 10. Now I have been exercising and eating properly and I weigh 138 and I am much thinner. So: 139 pounds + diet pills + no exercise = size 10 138 pounds + band diet + exercise = size 6 or 8 So if you are doubting exercise, remember there are benefits even if the scale is not moving. :wub:

I found it free on the activetrainer.com web site, they were offering it free. I have posted each day since I started so if you want to follow the plan you can use the instructions from my blogs.

Day 7, This is what I was suppose to do: 20 seconds "on", 10 seconds "off" for 8 rounds. 1 minute rest between 8 round sets: Push ups Squats Sit ups Tuck jumps This is what I did: Ride bike to park .99 mi 5-8 round sets of 15 each so a total of 150 push ups 150 squats 150 sit ups 150 tuck jumps Ride bike home .99 mi finished in an hour. I just wish I could jump more than 12" off the ground, I am glad I cant see how dumb I look doing the tuck jumps. See there is a benefit of not being at the gym where you can see yourself in the mirror. I was just finishing up when a guy I know walked by, I said Hi to him and he nearly jumped out of his skin, he had no idea who I was until I spoke. That is the second time that has happened to me this week.

Just remember each month you fill out is worth $1500 that's pretty good pay for a journal!