CoachCher

I am a little over four years out; so honestly I don't miss Pork Chops. Trust me it was the worst episode ever. I have never forgotten that feeling or the experience itself. As far as Elephants named Bob hopefully they are not as mean as the ones named Earl *LOL*!!

Please join Cher and Jeff as they welcome Dr. Garth Davis to the show June 11, 2008 [/url]Dr. Garth Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas in Austin where he was the Student Government President. He was also awarded as the most outstanding student at UT. He went on to Medical School at Baylor College of Medicine and graduated in the top 10% of his class and was inducted to Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. BIG MEDICINE offers a behind-the-scenes look into the controversial world of bariatric surgery. Chef Leslie will back also to share with us another amazing "WLS" friendly recipe. Date: 06/11/08 Time: 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT/5:00pm PT Where: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thewlscoaches Call-In Line: 646-716-9413 We hope to "Hear" you there!

Good for you!! I have adopted that philosophy with myself and with my clients. Our brain gets energized if it thinks we are playing viruses working. Just another way to use mind over matter!!

When a craving strikes ask yourself Am I stressed out? When you're under pressure, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which signals your brain to seek out rewards. Comfort foods loaded with sugar and fat basically "apply the brakes" to the stress system by blunting this hormone. When you reach for food in response to negative feelings such as anger or sadness (like potato chips after a fight with your spouse), you inadvertently create a powerful connection in your brain. Its classic brain conditioning; "The food gets coded in your memory center as a solution to an unpleasant experience or emotion". Stimulate happiness "Women especially have a profound emotional reaction to music". Create upbeat playlists to listen to whenever a craving strikes. The songs provide a distraction and an emotional release. Wait it out "People give in to cravings because they think they'll build in intensity until they become overwhelming, but that's not true," Cravings behave like waves: They build, crest, and then disappear. If you can "surf the urge," you have a better chance of beating it altogether Choose the best distraction "What you're really craving is to feel better," You've heard the trick about phoning a friend or exercising instead of eating. But "taking a solo walk won't help if you're feeling lonely," Instead, identify your current emotion--bored, anxious, or mad; by filling in these blanks: "I feel ____ because of ____." Then find an activity that releases it. If you're stressed, channeling nervous energy into a workout can help; if you're upset over a problem at the office, call a friend and ask for advice. Ask yourself "Have I been eating less than usual If you're eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day or restricting an entire food group (like carbs), you're putting your body in prime craving mode. Even just 3 days of strict dieting decreases levels of the appetite-reducing hormone leptin by 22%. Do This! Lift any bans--safely Plan ways to enjoy your favorite foods in controlled portions. Get a slice of pizza instead of a whole pie, or share a piece of restaurant cheesecake with two friends. Don't "eat around" cravings; trying to squash a craving with a low-cal imitation won't satisfy your brain's memory center. For example, if you're craving a milkshake, yogurt won't cut it--especially if you've been depriving yourself. You may even take in more calories than if you'd just had a reasonable portion of what you wanted in the first place. Munching five crackers, a handful of popcorn, and a bag of pretzels, all in the name of trying to squash a craving for potato chips, will net you about 250 more calories than if you'd eaten a single-serving bag Are you getting enough sleep? In a University of Chicago study, a few sleepless nights were enough to drop levels of the hormone leptin (which signals satiety) by 18% and boost levels of ghrelin, an appetite trigger, by about 30%. Those two changes alone caused appetite to kick into overdrive, and cravings for starchy foods like Cookies, potato chips, and bread jumped 45%. Do This! Have some caffeine; it can help you get through the day without any high-calorie pick-me-ups. It won't solve your bigger issue of chronic sleep loss, but it's a good short-term fix until you get back on track. Portion out a serving, you probably don't have the energy to fight it, so try this trick: Before you dig in, dole out a small amount of the food you want (on a plate) and put the rest away. Are you a creature of habit? You may not realize it, but seemingly innocent routines, such as eating cheese popcorn while watching TV, create powerful associations. "The brain loves routine". The thought of letting go of these patterns can cause a fear response in an area of the brain called the amygdala. "Once the food hits your lips, the fear response shuts off in a heartbeat." Do This! Eliminate sensory cues; smells, sights, and sounds all act as powerful triggers. Watch television in your basement or bedroom so you're far away from the kitchen and the cupboard full of Snacks Picture yourself healthy; try the "stop technique": Every time the food you crave pops into your head, think, Stop! Then, picture a healthy image (say, you're lean and fit). After a while, your brain will dismiss the food image and the craving will subside. "One of my clients did this four or five times a day, and within 2 weeks, she stopped turning to sweets every night after dinner." Shift your focus; Australian researchers found that distracting your brain really does work. When a craving hits, divert your attention to something visual not related to food, like typing an e-mail. Passing up one bag of potato chips and 1 pint of Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream per month can help you lose 10 pounds in a year

Mary you can do it!! One day at a time, don't try to be a hero and incorporate every change all at once. If you find one tip on the list you really like then focus only on making that particular change. Once you have that tip down move on to another tip, before long you will be a creature of habit. You are deserving of these changes, you are worth it!! I wish you the best of luck.

I'm glad you found it helpful. Let me know if you need any help, that's what I'm here for!!

That is goal to make this an annual event. I am also hoping to turn this into a Regional event as well. So hopefully I'll be hosting one closer to you next year.

Hi Janine, I am a Life & Wellness Coach and I specialize in LAP-BAND Patients. My own LAP-BAND journey makes me passionate about helping my fellow LAP-BANDERS. I couldn't agree with you more about helping others and can't help ourselves, I have a Life Coach myself and trust me she has been a God send to me. It took me 3 and half years to get to this point. I became complacent during year two and focused on other areas of my life. Then I had my light bulb moment to get back on the bandwagon and do what I set out to do. So here I am at year four working on the last 30 "UGH" but it will happen I believe that with all my heart.

Hi my name is Cher I'm 41 and I'm still taking my journey. I was banded 05/12/04- I started at 246, size 22 and I'm 5'2 As of this morning I am at 166, size 12 and still 5'2 ( oh how I was hoping to gain some heigthth with the weight loss) My goal is 136, trust me the last 30 pounds are kicking my butt! I got banded for two reasons, vanity and health purposes. How can that be? I was sick of being fat and being stuck dating losers I also wanted to do something good for myself, so I took the leap of faith and had this wonderful band placed in me. Like everyone else I had tried every diet known to man, sure I would experience success but like everyone else it was short lived. I would gain the weight back and of course they would be bring buddies with them. I hate those pound buddies, don't they know they are not welcomed guest. As a result of my journey my life as changed from the inside out. I am now a Life and Wellness Coach. I now help people who are pre-op and post-op enjoy their LAP-BAND journey. Being a buddy to those in need is my passion- so if you need support, suggestions, encouragement or just someone to listen I would be honored to be your buddy. Even being four years out still has it challenges, so really you guys help me as well. I am looking forward to this new adventure!!

I am so thankful for this band and the choices I now make. I have been dating post- op and I know within a couple of weeks or so if this is someone who is serious or someone just looking for a little something something. I don't stay in a relationship if it dosen't feel right, now that is priceless for me!! Facing your issues are much easier because you start to lose your shame and guilt as you lose the weight. Be kind to yourself during the journey because you will have some good days and some not so good days. I wish you the best of luck on your wonderful challenging journey.

Hi, I'm in Lewisville and would love to be your buddy. Please let me know how your doing and if you need anything at all. Best of luck as you embark on this wonderful challenging journey!! ((HUGS)) ~Cher~

Val, Honestly to me is sounds like you are not getting in enough calories. Your body thinks it is in starvation mode so it is holding onto everything you put it in. By working out 5 days a week you should be able to off set any "Extra" calories you may have. My typical calorie count is between 1200-1600 a day depending on how much exercising I am doing. When I am doing a challenge (working out six days a week) I consume 1600 calories a day. When I'm not doing a challenge and working out 3 days a week I cut my calories to between 1200-1400 a day. I hope this helps. ~Cher~

Hi Becky, When you click on the pay now button, it takes you to the front page of Paypal. Over on the left it says "Don't have a paypal account" you can click the continue button and it will take you to the page to enter your information. Let me know if that helps.

Update on The 2008 National AGB Conference. I have located the hotel and blocked off the rooms for us. I have also created a blog where I will be posting all updates. Please visit the blog at... 2008 National AGB Conference

Update on The 2008 National AGB Conference. I have created a blog where all the updates will be posted. Please visit often for updates. 2008 National AGB Conference

I am meeting with 2 Hotels tomorrow and Friday. The information I have provided to them so far is about 250 people plan to attend and we will need between 100-150 rooms. Depending on which hotel gives us the best deal, that is who I am going with. I need to know how many people plan on staying at the hotel, especially if your local. Once I sign the contract I will be locked into the room count and will be responsible for rooms not used. Please use the poll I have included so I can get an idea of how many people will be staying at the hotel. The room rates that have been discussed with each hotel is $99.00 a night. This includes singles, doubles and quads. Dates Oct 3-5 2008 Friday Meet and Greet- Cash Bar, appetizers and Clothing Exchange Saturday- Conference- Guest Speakers, Chef, PT and Nutritonist- working lunch then break out sessions Saturday- Fall Fling- dancing and cash bar Sunday- Closing with Successful Bandster stories

Dr. Garth Davis is going to be on "The New You" Radio Show on June 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm CST. Please join Jeff and I as we interview him. You can also call in and ask him questions live or join our interactive chat room and submit questions there. This would be a great way to actually speak to Garth and ask him any question you desire. You can sign up for a reminder using the link below. It's going to be an amazing show, so be sure to join us.

Thanks Janine!! I am working out anywhere from 3-6 days a week. Some weeks I do better than others. If this surgery had only been around in my twenties I would be at goal :confused_smile:

Jazlady, What an amazing gift you are going to provide. Thank you so much for your generosity. I will have a place set up for you, don't worry about that.

Hello Forthysomethings, I am 41 and have been banded four years now. I can honestly say this is the best life decision I have ever made for myself. I hope each one of you have an amazing band journey!! Start weight 246 Todays weight 166 Goal weight 146 The last twenty are the hardest to lose "UGH"

Hi Juli I have a list from the ASMBS and will be sending postcards to them as well. Thanks for the suggestion, great minds think alike :wink2:)