tonya66

Lisann - I did start it Monday, I'm on day 3 now. Its hard getting out of bed at 5 am, but so far I'm doing it. My eating has been pretty good, not following the BLF eating exactly, one reason with my band, I can't eat as much as they want you to, however, I am trying to eat something every 3 hours. I'm pumped up about completing this. When you start, keep us updated on your progress. I'm keeping my menu, my exercises and my daily thoughts and stuff in my journal.

Paulax - I'm what you call a "career dieter". I've been low carbing for 6 years, (off & on) and I can only get down to 190 lbs, that is the lowest, then I get discouraged and gain back up to 235, then back down to 190 etc. I've been doing this for YEARS. Now I have the band, and I'm down to 193, the doubts are building up, will I get below 190? I have that unbelieving sensation and I have even "tested" the band, I would stuff my face then race to the scale to see how much I gained. I am playing horrible head games with myself - so weird. I am to the point that I am forcing myself to stay off the scale - (so far I've only made it 1 day, lol, but this is huge for me). I just wanted to pop you a line to say I know how you feel and I can tell you, that even though one part of me doubts I'll really break the 190's, another part of me KNOWS I will do this, and I know when that happens, tears will be streaming down my face. So, I do know how you feel and your not alone. I must start thinking positive too!

I've tried 3 times to add you to the list, but when I go back and hit edit, it closes me out and knocks me off the internet. I know they are enhancing this site, so maybe it is a glitch that is still being worked out. Consider yourself a member of our team, when the system is back up and running and all the glitches are worked out, I'll add you to the list. You will be on the first page, look under my name and you'll see the list. Hopefully I can update it later today or tomorrow. Welcome!

Your doing so good! Happy Anniversary! WOW!

Keep us posted Kellie - Your doing great to lose the weight you have lost with NO FILL.

Yes, it was tight, but it has loosened up and I'm doing fine with it, I actually think I could be just a tad tighter, but I'm going to live with this for awhile and see how I do. I'm having no problems getting food stuck or anything. I'm at 3.0 cc's right now in a 4cc band. I think I probably need to go to 3.2 or so, but I'll wait and see how I do and if no loss, I'll go back in for another fill.

I can see a big difference in your pics! Your neck and face are much thinner - your beautiful, I love your hair color!

M1 - 1 oz of chicken, 1 oz of light swiss cheese M2 - coffee with cream M3 - 1 cup of salad with grilled chicken strips (2 oz), dressing on side M4 - 3 oz of yogurt, 2 oz of cottage cheese M5 Exercise LBWO - 5 am - 3 min warmup Quads Leg lifts (machine) 12 - 10 10 - 10 8 - 15 6 - 25 12 - 20 Leg Presses - 12 - 90lbs Hamstrings 12 - 10 10 - 20 8 - 20 6 - 25 12 - 25 (leg curls machine) 12 - 30lbs Calves 12 - 50 10 - 70 8 - 90 6 - 110 12 - 90 12 - 90 lbs ABS Crunches - incline Machine Ab crunches - no weights Exercise #2 - 3:15 pm - 27 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.3 to 3.4 mph, 1.46 distance, 213 calories Notes - Today was really hard getting out of bed, I've been tired all day, I just realized that the reason is I didn't sleep with my cpap machine last night, I will make sure I sleep with it tonight!

M1 - 1 oz of chicken, 1 oz of light swiss cheese M2 - coffee with cream M3 - 1 cup of salad with grilled chicken strips (2 oz), dressing on side M4 - 3 oz of yogurt, 2 oz of cottage cheese M5 Exercise LBWO - 5 am - 3 min warmup Quads Leg lifts (machine) 12 - 10 10 - 10 8 - 15 6 - 25 12 - 20 Leg Presses - 12 - 90lbs Hamstrings 12 - 10 10 - 20 8 - 20 6 - 25 12 - 25 (leg curls machine) 12 - 30lbs Calves 12 - 50 10 - 70 8 - 90 6 - 110 12 - 90 12 - 90 lbs ABS Crunches - incline Machine Ab crunches - no weights Exercise #2 - 3:15 pm - 27 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.3 to 3.4 mph, 1.46 distance, 213 calories Notes - Today was really hard getting out of bed, I've been tired all day, I just realized that the reason is I didn't sleep with my cpap machine last night, I will make sure I sleep with it tonight!

You started out a lower BMI than I did, so I am apt to lose weight faster (I was fatter - lol) But i know what you mean about being stuck and needing some mojo, I started the BFL challenge and was on the website looking at before & after pictures and it really got me motivated to do some serious exercises/training. I'm on day 2 of 84! I'm also trying to cut out the bite here and the bite there syndrome I'm going thru. I seem to nibble a lot and I catch myself doing it. I gotta get out of the 190's or I'll go CRAZY. You go girl, go and shake your thang to the exercise video! Remember too, that sometimes when you pump up the exercise, your body stalls for a couple of weeks, then all of a sudden, you will have a drop in weight, its happened to me on several occasions. Just stay focusses & determined and you'll get there, we all will :clap2:

I love cruises - this will be my 10th one, and I've already planning one for 2008, we're just trying to decide if we are going to do the Hawaii cruise or the Eastern/Southern Carribean cruise. Once we decide that, I'll book one. I have found the best place and best prices are on cruisecompete.com. I booked my last cruise thru them and got it about $100 cheaper than anyone else, I called CArnival and they said they couldn't even match that price. I asked them how they can give me such a good price when Carnival coudn't, they said because they were a cruise broker and not a travel agent and could give discounts for port charges, etc. Anyhow, I think you get the best food, and can see a lot more for your money with a cruise. Thats my opinion anyhow.

Thank you ALEX! We love our journals!

M1 - Protein shake made with 6 oz of apple juice, daily 5 & pinnaple protein powder M2 - Coffee with a little bit of whipping cream M3 - 3 whole wheat crackers, 1.5 oz of salmon M4 - Grilled, skinless chicken thigh, salad M5 - Not good - dug into the SF cookie dough - ate 3, then had 2 minerature dark chocolate bars out of my candy dish. GRRRRR Exercise - 20 min of Elliptical (HIIT) Notes - wt 193.4 - I am having a hard time staying off the scales, I think its time to have DH hide them again. I am just so close to getting out of the 190's that I'm obsessed with the scales, I really need to see that 189 for sanity reasons. I cannot keep going on like this and still seeing the 190's! grrrrrrr. However, I will say that yesterday I had on a pair of capris that I bought last summer at this same weight, they were tight on me, well yesterday I tried them on and they are actually too big! So, I might be the same weight, but I'm smaller in inches.

M1 - Protein shake made with 6 oz of apple juice, daily 5 & pinnaple protein powder M2 - Coffee with a little bit of whipping cream M3 - 3 whole wheat crackers, 1.5 oz of salmon M4 - Grilled, skinless chicken thigh, salad M5 - Not good - dug into the SF cookie dough - ate 3, then had 2 minerature dark chocolate bars out of my candy dish. GRRRRR Exercise - 20 min of Elliptical (HIIT) Notes - wt 193.4 - I am having a hard time staying off the scales, I think its time to have DH hide them again. I am just so close to getting out of the 190's that I'm obsessed with the scales, I really need to see that 189 for sanity reasons. I cannot keep going on like this and still seeing the 190's! grrrrrrr. However, I will say that yesterday I had on a pair of capris that I bought last summer at this same weight, they were tight on me, well yesterday I tried them on and they are actually too big! So, I might be the same weight, but I'm smaller in inches.

Thanks so much Gigi! We are going on a 7 day Western Carribean cruise, my family (DH, son, daughter) and my DH's sister & brother in law, and mother, so its a family trip. We usually cruise 1 x per year. This will be interesting to see how I do with the band and cruising. My 2nd fill was really tight in the beginning, but it has loosened up and I am having no problems. I actually seem to have bigger problems with liquids than I do food, I think I take too big of drinks, but working on that.

Dee - thanks so much! And ONLY 1.5 gain on a cruise! You rock! And with no fill? Wow! You know the average weight gain for a 7 day cruise is 10 lbs, so you did great. I was nervous too on my first fill, but it wasn't as bad as I imagined. I know how frustrating it is to be stuck at a weight, I'm stuck in the 190's - I want out so bad! I haven't been below 190 in over 10 years, I think about 14 years.

I keep telling myself that, I keep saying next January I will be a whole new person. I lost fast in the beginning with the pre-op diet and all, so now it is going slower for me. I'm really not too worried about it, I just want out of the 190's and then I can hang in the 180's for awhile. I guess for me its a test to see if I can get out of the 190's, once I'm out of the 190's, I know the lap band works. I'm playing mind games with myself I guess. lol. I know I will have a stall the next few weeks because I'm changing my eating habits to go with the Body For Life plan. So, I'll be eating more frequently, not necessarily more, but more often I guess. So we will see what happens, I'm going to stay off the scales and only weigh on Mondays.

I just saw your pics! Amazing results in just 2 mos, congrats!

I know my grandmother has very thin skin and the doctor states it is a lack of Protein.....just a thought - how is your protein intake? I haven't heard of this before, and so far I haven't experienced any problems. Ouch - sounds like it hurts - I sure hope it clears up.

Thanks for sharing. I wanted to watch this on tv but missed it. It really shows the struggle of obesity, the sad thing is, unless you've experienced it, you just won't understand. The people who have never had a weight issue thinks its so easy for us to lose weight, they have no clue. This program I think educated people. I thought it was interesting too that only 5% of gastric bypass patients get to a normal weight, I didn't realize it was that low.

That is GREAT - to go on vacation and still LOSE weight! Congratulations and it sounds like you had a great vacation. I can't wait until my vacation August 4th (106 days to go and counting!)

Congrats on a new BF - thats always exciting and fun! No, we have not gotten together, but I'm up for it. Maybe now that the weather is getting nicer, we can plan a luncheon some place - anyone have suggestions? I would love to meet fellow Oklahoma Bandsters.

Okay, I have to brag - or tell someone because I'm proud of myself. I got out of bed this morning at 5 AM and did my upper body workout. I started the 84 day (12 week) BFL (Body for Life) Challenge today. I tried to talk myself out of getting up this morning - but I didn't. I finally got up and headed to the gym. I had a good workout and feel so good. I only have 83 more days to go. Sad note, my scale is refusing to let me get below 190 - GRRRRR. I have had this struggle all my life, I get down to 190 - 195 and just bounce back and forth. I usually get discouraged and give up and eat then go back up to 235. Now that I have the band, I'm hoping it will allow me to get below this mark. I was 192 last week, this morning back up to 195 - damn it. Anyhow, I'm going to stay off the scales the rest of the week, and hopefully by next Monday the scale will drop again. Hopefully my BFL challenge will allow me to break this weight. I just had to share my exciting news!

Melanie, Thanks so much for sharring your story. I am trying to learn from successful bandsters like you. The band was only a tool, you did the work and you should be very proud of yourself! I'm so impressed!

It is getting stuck where the food passes thru the band into the lower stomach. Usually this is caused by too big of bites. or taking a bite too close together. The question I have for you, how much can you eat? Can you eat more than a cup of food? Are you hungry before 3 or 4 hours? These are the questions that will determine if you need a fill. Take smaller bites, and wait a minute between bites. After my 2nd fill, I had to learn this - the first fill I was able to take regular bites, but still had to take some time to chew. After the 2nd fill, I had to take smaller bites and wait between bites. The slime helps the food pass thru the band. Again, the key is how much are you eating? You might need a fill. It is a learning process with the band, you will learn what it can and cannot handle. You should be eating for about 15 to 20 min and no more than a cup of food. After that, you should be full for 3 to 4 hours even up to 5. Here is what an experienced bandster told me before I was banded. She said look down at the bite of food you are eating now, after banding, and your bite will be half that size, after your first fill, it will be even half of the that size, then after the 2nd fill, even half again (about a 1/4 of regular bites - baby spoon bites). And that is so true, I'm on my 2nd fill and my bites are small. The fullness you felt BEFORE being banded, you will not feel that again, or you shouldn't because if you feel that - you're probably way overeaten and would feel miserable. You should eat until your not hungry, not full. And the previous full you felt was way down at the bottom of your stomach, now you will feel it at the upper part, so try not to strive for that "full" feeling, but strive for the "no longer hungry feeling". We are all new at this and learning everyday, so ask questions, that is what this forum is for. I've learned a lot from experienced bandsters and so glad they are willing to share their experience and pointers with us. We will never learn if we don't ask.