BabyGotBack

I can't believe I haven't written in my journal since the end of February!!! I had a second fill to 2.4 cc's. Not much change in restriction. I am going for fill #3 next Saturday. I have lost 25 pounds and have 20 to go. I am cutting the 20 pound goal into two 10 pound goals. The first 10 pound goal I'd like to complete in at least a month, so by mid August. If my new fill is still holding, I will lose the last 10. I have started swimming, but need to step it up and add weight training. I am still at a size 12 mostly in part to my booty. They are starting to feel looser. I am going back to the bandster rules after rebeling against them all these months. I am eating hard protien first then veggies. If I have a sweet craving, I am eating a sugar free fudgesicle or sugar free popsicle. I am ready to get the rest of the weight off!!!!

I can't believe I haven't written in my journal since the end of February!!! I had a second fill to 2.4 cc's. Not much change in restriction. I am going for fill #3 next Saturday. I have lost 25 pounds and have 20 to go. I am cutting the 20 pound goal into two 10 pound goals. The first 10 pound goal I'd like to complete in at least a month, so by mid August. If my new fill is still holding, I will lose the last 10. I have started swimming, but need to step it up and add weight training. I am still at a size 12 mostly in part to my booty. They are starting to feel looser. I am going back to the bandster rules after rebeling against them all these months. I am eating hard protien first then veggies. If I have a sweet craving, I am eating a sugar free fudgesicle or sugar free popsicle. I am ready to get the rest of the weight off!!!!

Thanks for the encouragement!!! We have about the same amount to go to hit goal!!!! I am hoping to hit goal with fill #3 helping me. I hope I finally hit the sweet spot.

Congrats!!!! You are an inspiration!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2:

I know what you mean. I have gotten that from people before. They just don't know where I have come from either or that I spent a large part of my life near the 220-240 range and was on my way back up. I had no control over my eating and was gaining every week steadily up!!! I still don't feel like a thin person. I get shocked sometimes when I look in the mirror. I tend to still dress in a way that hides me. But it is a journey I am glad I am on!!!

I just wanted to thank you for fixing my picture!!!

Hi Tracy! After the wedding I started working for my mom. Long story short, I am not working anymore. It is so hard to work with family. So, I am going to have more time to check in!!!! I hope my next fill gives me my sweet spot!!! I am going to stay around town so I can make sure I am where I need to be. My last fill, they had me do the "toast test" where I was able to eat a piece of dry toast. Then, they had me go to a taco stand and have carne asada. I should have asked for a little more, but I opted to sneak up on the sweet spot.

Wow Sunshine!!! I am still waiting to hit the sweet spot. I am at 2.4 cc's in a 4 cc band and have never had good restriction. I am going for my third fill next Saturday. I am a little scared but I know I need to get my head used to the idea of eating so little and chewing well, which I don't. I gulp down what ever I want. Did you feel restriction at 3 cc's? I am wondering where they will fill me to and how I will feel? I want to lose 20 more pounds. Audree:clap2:

Hey Denise!!! You are probably just fluctuating. I know for me I definitely need another fill. I have never truely had good restriction. I guess the sweet spot would feel more like I did right after surgery. I just need to get my head ready for that, eating smaller portions, chewing. I can eat anything right now, as much as I want. I also have been swimming. I want to step up the exercise to lose the rest. I am going to be checking in more often. I was working too which didn't give me much free time, but I am not working anymore.

Wow!!! What a move!! I am in the same boat with you in that I stopped losing for a few months, even yo yo'd a few pounds. I can eat pretty much anything. I get stuck once in a while, but only pb'd once. I am going for my 3rd fill next Saturday. I have 2.4 cc's in my 4 cc band and have never had a lot of restriction. I have lost 25 pounds and have about 20 to go. I have heard a lot about how the social drinking and eating is in Japan. We had Japanese exchange students live with us from Japan for about 4 years so we got to learn a lot of the Japanese culture. It must be a culture shock too. Hopefully you can find a doctor there to do your fills. They do eat a lot of fish too and veggies. They have some good Udon soups just maybe with out the noodles. I am back for the support too. Keep in touch!!!:clap2: Audree

Does anyone post here?

Where are all the lower bmi bandsters that aI started out with??? I know I haven't been posting lately, but where did everyone go???

I currently have 2.4 cc's in a 4 cc band. I didn't eveer really have any restriction with this second fill. I am going for fill #3 next weekend. I have been at the same weight, yo yoing a few pounds for the last few months, so I am looking forward to losing again. I could always eat anything I wanted. I only had restriction right after surgury.

I had such an awesome NSV (non scale victory) the other day. We were at a friends for Fourth of July and someone told me if I could teach them all how to be skinny like me????? I am at 165 now, down from 190 pre surgury and from 240 my all time highest weight. I am going for my 3rd fill next weekend. I have 2.4 cc's in my 4cc band and do not have any restriction. I get stuck occasionally though. I have not really began a good exercise program yet. I have been swimming at least every other day. But I want to start jogging and weight training to tone my arms. My arms and thighs need the most help. But I think because I have lost it slower, my skin didn't suffer. My goal is 145 or so. I think I need to see how I look at 155. I like to look on the curvy side. Thanks for starting this thread!!! Audree:D

Yeah, I do notice that I haven't heard from any of my old buddies! I am going to be checking in at least a few times a week. I started drinking black tea. It is supposed to help with weight loss too, so I am going to give it a shot. I go for my fill next weekend. How is everyone????? Audree

Before I was banded, I asked a lot of questions. I saved all the info on my journal if you want to check it all out! Dr. Ortiz was awesome and the fills are awesome!!!

I went back to the banster rules of hard protein first then veggies and am down 2 pounds!!! Anyone want to start again!!!

Congrats Denise!!!! The same thing happened to me!!! I finally lost 2 pounds after gaining a few!!! I have gone back to the bandster rules of hard protein first then veggies. And if I have a sweet tooth, sugar free Fudgsicles!!!

You are on the right track!!!! Congrats!!!!! Make sure that you are chewing your food to mush. Also taking a bite equivalent to a baby spoon size. Keep with the solid protien as much as possible. If you need to go a bit mushier, eat fish. Also to loosen the band, drink hot tea if you are too tight! Audree

I got banded by Dr. Ortiz in January. Actually, that is considered a lot for the first fill by American doctors standards, but Dr. Martinez is more aggressive. I noticed my fill kicked in 2 weeks later for some reason. Just stick to the banster rules of hard proteins first then veggies. I am barely doing that now after plateauing a few months!!! I also drink a lot of water and Crystal Light. I am going for my 3rd fill July 14. It normally takes to the 3rd fill at least to get good restriction is what I have heard. I know we don't want to hear that and a few bet lucky and get really good restriction right off the bat. It is a process in the right direction. I have lost 25 pounds since January but that is 25 pounds I wouldn't have lost with out my band. I'd probably weigh more than I did at 190 when I started!!!! Also you don't want to go to fast or else the skin sags. Slower is better and stays off more permanent. Let me know if you have any questions!! Audree

Hey guys!!! Thanks Sunshine for checkin in on me!!! I am doing well. Was stuck yo yoing from 167 to 170. I decided to listen to the bandster rules and have hard protein first. I am back down to 165!!! I am going for fill #3 on July 14. I am currently at 2.4 cc's and can eat anything I want as much as I want. I will check in at least a few days a week. I guess since I wasn't moving and yo yoing I stopped checkin in. But I can't forget my banster buddies! I have been exercising at least 4 times a week swimming. I need to get my butt to the gym to kick it up!!!! I will keep you posted on how I am doing. But one piece of advice I have is to review the bandster rules and do them. I was eating ice cream and stuff like that. Instead I invested in a few boxes of Sugar Free Fudgsicles when I have a sweet craving and drinking only Crystal Light or water only. I snack on beef jerky and keep mostly proteins and veggies/salads. That has helped the weight to start coming down again. Take care guys!!! Audree

HI Paula! Congrats on getting banded!!!! The good thing about being a lower bmi is you get to see results faster. I didn't lose slow and I am maintaining well. Take care!!!! Audree

Well, I guess it can be a combination of things. I do a shake for my breakfast meal, a protein bar at lunch time with another shake (easier for me at work) and come home to a very nice dinner. I do take vitamins and an appetite suppresant called Total Control. It does take the edge off. They also have protein water like a Crystal Light type thing, protein chicken cream soup, soy nuts and protein bars for mid day snacks that are supposed to fill you up. I have tried the soy nuts and like them and the lemon chocolate bars. I will probably buy the others later too. Herbalife is not just a weight loss thing. It is supposed to help with health conditions and detoxing the colon. I feel really good and have a lot of energy. See if this gets me off the stupid platueau I have been on!!!!!!!!!

<p>Hey guys!</p> <p>I am just checkin in!</p> <p>I am doing good. I was up to 170<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/confused.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Confused" smilieid="11" class="inlineimg" /></p> <p>but now I am down to 166 again. </p> <p>Sucks!!! I know I am retaining water and need to up the water intake. I also got on my elyptical machine for 20 minutes this morning.</p> <p>I am doing Herbalife shakes and one good meal or two smaller veggie and protein based meals. </p> <p> </p> <p>I definitely do not want another fill. I get stuck on the food if I eat too fast and pb'd once. I am just going to do this the old fashioned way with the help of my band, eating less, exercising more, taking good vitamins and supplements and drinking more water.</p> <p> </p> <p>How are you all doing???</p> <p>Baby</p> <p> </p> <p>PS. I tried to uploada picture, but it says the file is too big. Does anyone know how I can shrink my picutes??</p>

<p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Hi Sunshine!!!</p> <p>I am at a standstill too and even gained a few back!<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/faint.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Faint" smilieid="236" class="inlineimg" /></p> <p>I am going to supplement what I did with the band and do Herbalife.</p> <p>I started yesterday. I have two health shakes and one very nice dinner. Vitamins, supplements, etc.</p> <p>Hopefully it kicks me back into weight loss mode. </p> <p>I will keep you all posted!!!</p> <p>Baby