tonya66

I think I have this unrealistic image of what I'm going to look like when I lose all my weight (Yes, I'm thinking I'll look like a Victoria Secret Model). I keep looking at myself in the mirror - yes, naked, and waiting for the image to appear, and it hasn't. I find it a little disappointing. However, clothed, I feel good. I think I look "ok", I know I still have a lot to lose. And I am hoping I can afford plastic surgery down the road. I am exercising in hopes to avoid so much lose skin (now I see in the post above, that ain't going to happen, lol). But I feel better exercising and it helps with the weight loss so I will continue. I think the BID is something we will always deal with, we've been overweight for a long time and will see ourselves as a fat person. I'm trying to deal with that myself, trying to overcome the negative feelings I have. I think I will always have to work on it, but I am happier now, and I would not trade my 248 lbs self for nothing! Ladies, stand up and be proud of yourself, we are women, hear us roar! - We might have some flab, we might have some sagging skin, but by god, we are healthy and living our life to the fullest.

I love to read everyone success story after a year! It gives me some real hope for my Bandiversary next year. You have come a long way! I also admire you are a roller derby girl! That is so cool!

Wow - 16cc's. I'm shocked it didn't burst! It all depends on what type of band you have to know how many cc's. Mine is at 3cc's and I have a 4cc band (or 10 cm band that will hold up to 5cc's). I know many who have 10 cc band and have more than 7.5 cc's, so not sure if that statement is accurate. But again, I'm sure it depends on what type of band you have. Be proud of your 40 lbs lost. I know without the band, I would have gained weight like I have done every year. 40 lbs is a great loss - and your only 1 year out, who knows what you will do the 2nd year! By the way, Happy 1 year Anniversary!

I hear so much about people having slipped bands, do you know what caused it? Do you have PB eppisodes a lot? Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Lee Ann - hello, I can tell from your story you are very strong and determined person. You should be very proud of yourself! When will you be banded or are you banded? I love my band and it has helped me with the issue I have had all my life, yo yo dieting. I've only had the band for 4 months, however, I feel like it has been with me a lifetime now. I have adjusted well with the band and so happy I did the surgery. I will add that I remember my first issue and how I realized I was overweight. I remember in 6th grade, I overheard a couple of boys talking and they were trying to decide who was the fatest girl in the class, guess who won - ME! I remember being crushed and started the "starvation" diet then. I wouldn't eat, I had no clue about healthy eating, my parents were both overweight, so I just assumed I looked normal. Anyhow, that started years of yo yo dieting for me, I am now 40 years old and finally learning to eat healthy, I exercise now - 5 or 6 days a week, and I focus on my health. Its not easy, so in order to get my exercise in, I have to get up at 5 am to exercise, I have too many duties in the evening time, so I get up earlier in the morning so I can exercise. Just wanted to drop you a line and say welcome to the world of Banding. Its not always easy, but is so worth it!

I understand what the old timers mean when they say "the band is tricky and finicky". My band is loose somedays, and other days it is tighter, in the mornings its tighter than the evenings - USUALLY. I feel loser than I want to be right now, however, I'm going to give it some time with this level of restriction. I go see the doctor June 22nd so I'm going to try and hold off on a fill until then, however, if I start gaining or quit losing, I will be going in for a fill sooner. My doctor doesn't do my fills, he sends me over the hospital and their radiology doc does the fills. Thanks for the compliment, the pants are way too big now, lol. But my hips are big too. I am down a total of 62 lbs now, and can't wait to get out of the 180's, I weighed 175 before I got pregnant with my daugher 14 years ago, and haven't seen that weight since. The weird thing is, I still feel so fat, its hard seeing myself smaller than I am I think. I have horrible body image, my husband tells me that I need to quit worrying so much about my flab or this or that and be proud of how much I've lost and show it off some. lol. Anyhow, hopefully I will start beoming more confident in my self image.

Exercise #1 - 25 min on treadmill (would have done 30 min or more, but the darn thing came unplugged and then couldn't get it to work again - so left) Exercise #2 - LBWO M1 - SF yogurt mixed with lf cottage cheese m2 - coffee & cream m 3 - 3 whole wheat crackers & 3 oz of pink salmon m 4 - grilled talapia and broccoli sald (the last of it - getting sick of it now - lol) Notes - I've started tanning and I tried on a shirt I bought last year on clearance for $4.00, it was way too tight on me, but I tried it on, it fit! I'm wearing it today and I feel so good in it! I guess I feel so good becaue I remember how tight it was on me, and now it slips on with ease.

Susie - Here are some key things if you are too tight. First of all, when you get filled, usually you are tight for the first 48 hours, the pouch is a little irritated & swollen around the band, that is why usually the doc has you do liquids for 48 hours, then soft foods etc. Are you going to the bathroom 3 times per day, if you are, then you are getting enough liquids in, if not, you might have a problem. Sip on your water all day long - constantly sip on it, take a sip every 10 to 15 minutes (set a kitchen timer if you have to). I have found that my fills really lossen up after 2 weeks, but some tighten up after 2 weeks, everyone is different. If you wake up coughing in the middle of the night, and choking on some liquids, you are too tight for sure. Or if you develop acid refulx in the night, chances are you are too tight. Keep us updated on how it goes. I have 3 cc's in my 4cc band and I think I need more, its been 3 weeks since my last fill.

M1 - apple juice deluted with water and Daily 5 mixed in M2 - Broccolli salad with roasted chicken added in M3 - M4 - roast & spinach M5 Exercise - 5 am - UBWO (upper Body Workout), I will try and do an additional cardio this afternoon. Exercise #2 - Yay me! Jumped on the treadmill, 30 min, 3.4 mph, 3% incline, 1.68 distance, 240 calories

5Jacks - Yep, we're in the same boat. Whats weird is - today I feel pretty restricted. I guess it comes & goes. I'm going to give it until June and see how it goes. I'm just trying to eat right and exercise. Inner Me - thank you for your compliments. I'm glad I took a before picture the night before my surgery. At times I start feeling discouraged, I can go back and look at my before picture and realize I have made progress. Tulip - I'm hungrier in the evening too. I'm just trying to eat a lot of protein in the evening time, and I eat slower. Enterprise01 - Yes, I worry that I will have my band completely full and feel no restrictions. Even though our band is 4cc's, my doc and the radiology doctor both state it actually can hold 5 cc's. I read all these horror stories about PBing and small bites they have to take, I noticed last night, I eat regular size bites, i have NO problem with food getting stuck. I'm just hoping that I continue to lose on this fill. If not, I will be calling the doctor back. I'm still going strong on my BFL challenge, and have begun week 3! Only 9 1/2 more weeks to go. Not sure if I want to share those pics, I took the before pic in a bikini - YIKES - only because I really wanted to look at my stomach area and see the results after my 12 week challenge. I'm hoping to see some big results. But we'll see. So far, I am very proud of myself, I haven't missed 1 single workout! My goal is to finish this challenge no matter what! We leave for our cruise in 89 days, 1 hour and 14 minutes (I have it on a countdown on my cell phone - lol). So I am hoping to lose another 20 lbs by then.

M1 - apple juice deluted with water and Daily 5 mixed in M2 - Broccolli salad with roasted chicken added in M3 - M4 - roast & spinach M5 Exercise - 5 am - UBWO (upper Body Workout), I will try and do an additional cardio this afternoon. Exercise #2 - Yay me! Jumped on the treadmill, 30 min, 3.4 mph, 3% incline, 1.68 distance, 240 calories

What your feeling is normal, I felt the same way before my surgery. Since surgery, I still go out to eat and socialize, I just don't eat as much and I have to eat slower, but thats okay. I wouldn't trade my band for anything!

M1 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 3/4 cup M2 - coffee with cream m3 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 1 cup M4 - sugar free/fat free ice cream (not the best choice, need more protein!) M5 - Notes - wt 188.4 - Major sweet tooth, TOM must be getting closer, I think I'm due around the 14th. Didn't get up in the am to exercise, raining cats & dogs, will have to do it tonight. Exercise - 20 min on Elliptacal (HIIT) 186 calories.

M1 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 3/4 cup M2 - coffee with cream m3 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 1 cup M4 - sugar free/fat free ice cream (not the best choice, need more protein!) M5 - Notes - wt 188.4 - Major sweet tooth, TOM must be getting closer, I think I'm due around the 14th. Didn't get up in the am to exercise, raining cats & dogs, will have to do it tonight. Exercise - 20 min on Elliptacal (HIIT) 186 calories.

Okay, I had a fill 2 1/2 weeks ago, I am up to 3.0 cc's in a 4cc band. I had GREAT restriction and actually thought I could be too tight. Now I don't feel the restriction so much, yes I have a little but tonight I way overate at some friends house. I'm worried that something weird is going on. I know the doc that gave me my first and 2nd fill was amazed at how my body just adapts to the fills, I think I will call the doc tomorrow and go for another fill, or at least let him look at me under flouro. Something weird is going on, I force myself not to eat as much, but tonight, I ate way too much.

Eating - I started off the day eating good clean food, for breakfast I had about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of brocolli salad (made with broc, light mayo, splenda, grapes, sunflower seeds, cheese, red onion, delish) Lunch - more of the brocolli salad (I think I will add some diced chicken to it and take it for lunch tomorrow - it is really good) Dinner - had dinner at some friends house - here is where it gets BAD. I think I might even need another fill, I can't believe I was able to eat all this: 3 slices of FRIED fish 1 heaping TBSP of coleslaw 1 heaping TBSP of potatoe salad Then, here come desert - 1 fairly decent piece of itallion cream cheesecake from cheesecake factory - baaaaad Notes - I know I did bad, but according to the BFL plan, I can have a day that I eat whatever I want. But I felt too guilty about all this food, plus I was miserably full - I sure hope I didn't stretch my pouch:cry - I felt so bad, I came home and went to the gym Exercise - 45 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.2 speed, 304 calories, 2.30 distance

Eating - I started off the day eating good clean food, for breakfast I had about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of brocolli salad (made with broc, light mayo, splenda, grapes, sunflower seeds, cheese, red onion, delish) Lunch - more of the brocolli salad (I think I will add some diced chicken to it and take it for lunch tomorrow - it is really good) Dinner - had dinner at some friends house - here is where it gets BAD. I think I might even need another fill, I can't believe I was able to eat all this: 3 slices of FRIED fish 1 heaping TBSP of coleslaw 1 heaping TBSP of potatoe salad Then, here come desert - 1 fairly decent piece of itallion cream cheesecake from cheesecake factory - baaaaad Notes - I know I did bad, but according to the BFL plan, I can have a day that I eat whatever I want. But I felt too guilty about all this food, plus I was miserably full - I sure hope I didn't stretch my pouch:cry - I felt so bad, I came home and went to the gym Exercise - 45 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.2 speed, 304 calories, 2.30 distance

Exercise - 20 min of HIIT (on Elliptical machine - results said I burned 200 calories) Wt - scales read 187.6 this morning - Yay. I have officially finished week 2 of the BFL challenge - only 10 more weeks to go. Sunday is supposed to be my "Free Day", according to the program, I can eat whatever I want and do no exercise. I really don't want to do that, so I will just see what happens tomorrow. I probably will go to the gym and spend 30 to 45 min on the treadmill reading a book or somthing, this to me is a great stress releaver and it is my "alone" time.

Exercise - 20 min of HIIT (on Elliptical machine - results said I burned 200 calories) Wt - scales read 187.6 this morning - Yay. I have officially finished week 2 of the BFL challenge - only 10 more weeks to go. Sunday is supposed to be my "Free Day", according to the program, I can eat whatever I want and do no exercise. I really don't want to do that, so I will just see what happens tomorrow. I probably will go to the gym and spend 30 to 45 min on the treadmill reading a book or somthing, this to me is a great stress releaver and it is my "alone" time.

Exercise - Did Lower Body Workout (45 min) 30 min on treadmill

Exercise - Did Lower Body Workout (45 min) 30 min on treadmill

Enterprise01 - so sorry to hear about the stress - I know life gets all shook up when we have a lot of stress. Sorry to hear about your little kitty, that alone can cause a lot of stress. Hang in there, but please remember, the most important thing in this is YOU. You must take care of yourself, the work will AWAYS be there, and you deserve to be fit & healthy, so put yourself first and get some sleep :notagree

To be honest, I really don't know, I don't count them at all. I try and eat something every 3 hours, something small. I know the lab band rules are 3x's a day, but 5 mini meals seems to be working for me, so why change? I usually have 1 egg for bfast, or protein shake, around 7 am, then around 10, I might have 1/2 container of SF yogurt & 1/2 container of lowfat cottage cheese (I mix these together - yum), lunch, I eat usually a salad (dressing on the side, and I dip my fork in dressing before taking a bite of salad - save 100's of calories), Then around 3ish of 4ish, I have either a string cheese or the other 1/2 of yogurt and cottage cheese - dinner is usually a little bit (1/2 cup) of whatever we are having. Once I stop losing weight, I might need to make adjustments to my diet, but for now its working and I'm totally satisfied with it, so I'll stick to it. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I'm headed to bed, its been a looooong day. night everyone. PS - you guys are too kind with the compliments. thanks so much!

Telly - thank you for your kind words - I agree lusingjusme is such an awe inspiring inspiration. I read her online journal too, and I read the disclaimer. lol. The first pic is my night before surgery, the 2nd pic is my 3 mos post op. I was recently release to start lifting weights, so I'm going at it with all my energy & strength. I can't wait to see my 4 month & 5 month pic, I expect to see major changes!

PS - I still got the big hips, but working on those! But I think I'm improving!