LeighaMason

Good for you! Attitude is everything with this.

The day before my liquid diet started I drove 40 miles for a hamburger. Not just any hamburger but one of the best in Texas, eventually when I am at goal I will probably eat (part of) another one but I knew it would probably be a year or so before I could so I took advantage of it while I was able.

Can you guess where these pictures were taken? Guess on the first picture or second or third Or do you have to wait till the fourth? 5th? 6th? 7th? This is the New Cook County Correctional Center, Chicago, Illinois. Our military should have it so good! Once again, the taxpayer gets stung. It also shows that in most cases the quality of life for prisoners has improved considerably from what you might expect. And I always thought prison was for punishment! Who was the US Senator who helped arrange the funds to build this beautiful "punishment center"?.... none other than Barack Obama. No wonder he sees nothing wrong with the wasted spending in his so-called "Stimulus Plan". I am only including one picture for size reasons.....but here is the truth. "Although the structure pictured in these photographs is a prison it is not located in the US (and has nothing to do whatsoever with President Obama's tenure as an Illinois senator) Its the Justice and Detention center in Leoben, Austria"...Snopes edited for space considerations 1.bmp 2.bmp 3.bmp 4.bmp 5.bmp

Being that I live in the south, I receive about 3 republican propaganda emails a day, here is one from today. We need to get rid of this guy as soon as possible!!!!!!! >> >> FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!! >> Truth is not defined by majority vote >> >> We become like the God we worship >> >> I think this explains why Our Country is in such a Giant MESS >> >> >> Be sure to read the bottom part, scary. >> A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very interesting >> statistics from a survey by the United Nations International Health >> Organization. >> >> · Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years after >> diagnosis: >> U.S. 65% >> England 46% >> Canada 42% >> >> · Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received >> treatment within six months: >> U.S. 93% >> England 15% >> Canada 43% >> >> >> · Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it within >> six months: >> U.S. 90% >> England 15% >> Canada 43% >> >> · Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within one > month: >> U.S. 77% >> England 40% >> Canada 43% >> >> · Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million people: >> U.S. 71 >> England 14 >> Canada 18 >> >> · Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are in >> "excellent health": >> U.S. 12% >> England 2% >> Canada 6% >> >> >> · I don't know about you, but I don't want "Universal Health care" >> comparable to England or Canada... (I am going to assume by England they mean United Kingdom) WHO (World Health Organization) 2000 Ranking for Health system attainment and performance: United Kingdom 18th Canada 30th United States 37th I don't know about you but I would rather be included in a system ranked 18th or 30th instead of 37th.

There is a trainer in the car business who says "under promise and over deliver", I think this is what your Dr is doing. He wants to keep your expectations down so that if it is slow at first you don't get discouraged and give up. If he under promises you 50 pounds and the you over deliver on effort and lose 100 you are happy. If he promises you 100 and you only put the effort out to lose 50 then its his fault. I am a firm believer that getting the band to work is 100% attitude and effort (excluding any medical problems that can arise).

Patty, I was wondering about you, I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. We obviously like to disagree with your political stance but we still want all the best for you and your family.

Wait till you get back, I got a fill about a month ago that just kept getting tighter and tighter, after 10 days I could barely drink a protein shake. I had a small unfill and I was so much better. If you end up too tight it could ruin your whole vacation (not to mention being too tight and throwing up is a major cause of slippage). You have the rest of your life with your band, it is a marathon not a sprint.

Bob Are you at your hundred mark?

My stepson has a masters degree in coaching, he told me that for weight loss I should stick to a 65% rule. Walk on the treadmill or use the stationary bike and keep my heart rate at 65% of resting. For me at 40 years old, that is 117 bpm. He said this uses slow twitch muscle fibers which burn fat for fuel. Cardio is 80% of resting heart rate and burns sugar that is already in your bloodstream for fuel and this helps prevent weight gain. He said you need to keep your heart rate in this zone for 1 hour for results. Maybe try substituting this for your cardio for a week and see if it gets you better results.

Congratulations on your new wife and your new life!

I think I set my goal somewhat high just because I had a hard time believing that this would work, now that I am getting close I am finally admitting to myself that I would love to be 125-130 but I would have been happy with 150.

Bob you always know the technical stuff, when I was new here, I found a post from you that told me how to do my ticker! OK everyone here is Rufus, this picture shows exactly how spoiled (on the couch!) and nosy he is. That is my son Mason with him.

I am going to post my dogs separate my favorite picture of Jace, is on this computer but my favorite of Rufus is on my laptop, anyway here is Jace our white lab, he is an actual duck hunting dog. He loves hunting just as much as my husband and his son does.

OK, I have heard the whole debate on if exercise increases your weight loss or not..Here is how it is working for me. (silent conversation with myself) Yea, I am so proud of myself, I just got home from riding the stationary bike for an hour at the Gym, which of course I logged in my lose it! program, oh cool, 300 calories burned, thats great, I'm hungry now, oh look its 3:30 time for my afternoon snack anyway, lets see what I have to eat that is healthy, oh good, left over fillet Mignon, I love steak, I better log this before I eat it, HOLY CRAP!, what do you mean 213 calories for 4 oz of steak!, thats 45 minutes on the bike, wasted, I'm not eating that for a snack!, I don't care how good it tastes, I'm going to find something that is better for me, Oh look, see my old standby, Protein shake by EAS, 110 calories, 17g of protein, OK that I can live with..... So everything I think about eating is judged by its relation to the bike, "If I eat this I would have to spend XX minutes on the bike to burn it off, is it worth it?" Most of the time the answer is no. Brings a whole new perspective to "oh its only 300 calories" So my answer is even if the exercising isn't helping directly by burning off fat, it is helping in my eating.

I am going to disagree with btrieger, I think you should continue to look into the band but you need all the facts before you make a decision. You need to start with a information seminar and then a consultation with a surgeon. You need to go to support groups and listen, both to the successful and the unsuccessful bander's. Be extremely truthful with yourself. Mentally, can you only eat 3 small meals a day, with 2 small Snacks (once you have restriction)? Will you be willing to give up junk food and only eat quality food that meets your nutritional needs? Will you be willing to exercise? Are you willing to spend time and money getting the aftercare from your health care team that you will need? Are you going to be willing to journal all your food to make sure you are getting enough nutrients? This is a full time commitment. As far as the pain goes, it varies by individual. But think of it like labor. Would you be willing to go through it if you come out on the other side with something precious? (Your health instead of a baby) Sorry but I was self pay so I cant really help you with the insurance part. But before you decide, study, study, study.

Congratulations on your decision! I understand the 20 year journey, I am glad you are getting ready to gain a new tool to use. Good luck and keep us posted.

Welcome to our forum, we are glad your here, posting that is since you have been here for a while. Congratulations on your decision, I hope you do well. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you.

This thread should be required reading for anyone who wants to have the lap band. This is what happens when you expect to just have it installed and presto! your skinny. I think the OP feels she was lead into this with commercials that trivialized the importance of aftercare. (I wonder if this is more what she means as a basis for the lawsuit instead of a medical malpractice type lawsuit?) The first statement in the original post is most telling: "Had I gone on this site b4 my surgery, I would NEVER have had it!" Lap band is not for everyone. If you are not interested in following the lap band lifestyle of eating small portions of quality food, exercising, and having regular visits with your health care team the band is not for you. This doesn't mean to give up on your weight loss journey it just means keep looking for the tool that is right for you.

Melissa, Welcome to your journey. I read somewhere that a journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step. We all have to start somewhere, congratulations on deciding to take the first step.

Hi everybody, Yesterday was beautiful here in East Texas, sunny and 65 degrees! I have big news, I have decided that I am going to start riding my motorcycle again. It has been in storage for a year and a half because I felt I looked so fat when I was on it (my official excuse was I don't have time). I had a larger bike that I sold and then I bought this one about 2 years ago, one day I rode by a glass building and saw how fat I looked on it and I really haven't rode it since. It has less than a 1000 miles on it, but as soon as I go and get the plates renewed on Monday (rain) and take it Tuesday (sunshine) to get it inspected I am going to break it out and start riding again. Its going to be sunny and 75 this week! Thank you! It actually snowed here this year, twice! It has only snowed here (and stuck) 2 other times in the 18 years I have lived here. I have decided we can all just go vacation at everyone else's house! Chicago, Philly, the Mountains, San Diego, Costa Mesa, and the good news in since I just live in plain old East Texas nobody will want to come here, I can just freeload off everyone else. :smile2: Bob, I think your 100% right, if I think positively, positive things happen. Of course, sometimes negative things happen too but not as much. Do you think this is what other cultures really mean by Karma? OMG your dogs are so cute. I bet they can get anything they want with those eyes! 2good--I read your profile, your really are doing well. 6 more pounds for your 100! Plus your BMI into the 30's! Congratulations! I am happy for you. Betsy--Stinkeye, yep your from the south. Gloria--Happy Anniversary! HB--I now, because of Bob, I have this mental picture of you trying to bowl with one hand on the ball and one holding up your pants, I'm glad you had fun. Cocco, Jen, Liz and Illumination--Hi y'all! Anyone heard from Elfie?

I hate to say it but have you had a pregnancy test? I couldn't even smell coffee when I was pregnant. If that isn't a possibility have you tried hot green tea or hot regular tea instead?