Acadia

Kettlebells offer a great workout. Especially the Kettlebell Swing - a single exercise that works your entire body. To buy more kettlebells look at http://www.kettlebellsusa.com/ I buy all of mine from there and they are excellent. There's free shipping on several, but I've found the men's medium set to be the best purchase: http://www.kettlebellsusa.com/metrixx_3_pack_12_16_20_KG_e_coat_kettlebell_kit_military_grade_chip_resistant_finish.html It will work for you now through to when you're super buff Kettlebells also keep their resale value.

Look on the back of your insurance card, chances are it says something like Behavioral Health and a number. Call it. They'll be able to recommend an eating disorder psychiatrist or therapist.

At two weeks I was able to do my normal heavy weights workout (body builder workout). Crunches were the only thing that I couldn't do easily for about 3 weeks. Your first week stick to walking and things like leg lifts (when standing) - low impact, non core exercises.

Something you all may want to keep in mind - you're not cleared to drive as long as you're on pain medication. So even if you feel great two days later, if you're on pain meds - do not drive. That includes basic pain meds. I had surgery on Friday, was working from home the next day, was done with pain meds on Sunday, worked from home Monday-Wednesday and was back at the office on Thursday after being cleared to drive (and that was my one week post op visit). By two weeks out I was able to work out with heavy weights without issues. I had a non-complicated, easy recovery. But was still so sore the first three days (Fri-Sun) that there was no way I could have returned to work on Monday, even for a desk job. Getting up hurt. Gas pain hurt. Shoulder pain hurt. My abdomen hurt and I needed a towel rolled up to provide pressure. Don't rush your recovery.

That's a good idea with the melting ice.

Any time you use a blender product you'll get a lot of air in your shake. There's no way around it. However, you can make a couple of changes with how you blend your shake - and what you're using in it. To reduce the air, blend the peaches and ice first and blend well, then add the Protein powder and milk and blend for 5-10 seconds. The ingredients you're using in your shake are also much higher in calories than is necessary. With two small changes you can decrease the calories of your shake by 33% and increase the percentage of protein in that meal by 20%. YOUR SHAKE NOW 110 calories - 1 scoop of Jay Robb (25 g protein) 100 calories - 1/2 c canned sliced peaches (0.6 g protein) 102 calories - 1 cup 1% milk (8 g protein) --------------------------------------- 312 calories - that's 26% of your daily intake (33.6 g protein - 43% protein). Fine for now, but may derail you later. FRESH FRUIT AND SKIM MILK 110 calories - 1 scoop of Jay Robb (25 g protein) 38 calories - 1 whole peach cut up (skin too, it's beneficial) (1 g protein) 82 calories - 1 cup skim milk (8.5 g protein) ----------------------------------------- 230 calories - 19% of your daily intake (34.5 g protein - 60% protein), and more protein FRESH FRUIT AND SOY MILK 110 calories - 1 scoop of Jay Robb (25 g protein) 38 calories - 1 whole peach cut up (skin too, it's beneficial) (1 g protein) 60 calories - 1 cup light Soy Milk (6 g protein) ----------------------------------------- 208 calories - 17% of your daily intake (32 g protein - 62% protein).

An unfill of 0.25-0.50 cc can make the difference between you losing weight by eating healthy food and damaging your band and stomach by throwing up and getting stuck all the time.

Keep your calories between 1,200-1,500. Some days you may want to increase your intake to 1,800 calories to help stir your body up a little and get you burning more calories (yes - eat more calories one day every week or every other week to burn more calories). And don't bother with small weights. They're useless. You don't carry your groceries into the house one item at a time do you? If you can carry a watermelon (10-15 lbs), or a jug of laundry detergent (8-24 lbs), or 1 gallon of Water (8 lbs) then you should be using those weights at a minimum when you work out. Lift the heaviest weight you can that will allow you to do 8-10 reps. You will not get huge, but you will burn more fat, build more muscle, and will reduce the chance of having a lot of loose skin. Body weight workouts are really ideal: pushups, situps, crunches, jack knives, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, step ups, etc.

An unfill of 0.25-0.50 cc can make all the difference in the world from eating sliders because they're the only thing that will stay down to being able to eat and enjoy healthy food.

Do what feels comfortable. As others have said, you'll know when you've done something your body doesn't like. Straws are totally fine and can help you drink more - they'll prevent you from gulping but you'll still be able to get a lot of Fluid fast if that's what feels good to you (I know it's the best thing after I've been outside in 90 degree heat or when I've just worked out - sipping would just not do in those situations!) Just be really careful about drinking during or after you eat. During makes food go down faster, and can cause you to PB because you will basically be adding fluid to an already almost full vessel. Drinking quickly after eating can do the same thing. If you're already full or almost full you'll overfill your pouch and it will come back up.

You don't need a prescription for Nexium, just go to the drugstore and get Prilosec OTC - it's a standard suggestion from most surgeons to take it for 6 months after surgery. It helps retrain your stomach to create less acid. You'll feel relief within 24 hours. In the meantime suck on a couple of tums to help.

My first fill was 1.5 and my second was 1.0 and it was too much. Some people get 5 cc in a fill and for people like me that would have me at the ER. Slower is better. Being too tight is horrendous.

If you need the quench from eating hot foods, try keeping a little dish of regular yogurt (at least half fat) or greek yogurt (more like sour cream but high protein) and use that after your meal or between bites. The fat will take the burn away and you won't need to drink. Even a tiny dish of ice cream (1-2 Tbsp) works. But it has to have fat. Or drink some protein shake mixed with a tablespoon of yogurt. All safe, relatively high protein options.

If you need the

You can lose weight without working out, simply because your caloric intake will go down. However, as Grider said, do the little things. Park further away. Take the stairs. Do leg lifts while doing the dishes. Do squats during commercials or while cooking. Little things like that add up. Even starting a little garden will get you moving more (and provide you with great healthy food). Once you start losing faster though when you do more activity you'll get a little addicted to that loss and you'll be encouraged to move more just to be able to get on the scale and see that extra drop. It's a really nice feeling. I've found the FitBit ($99 with free online tracking, charting, etc.) is a great motivator. It monitors your activity level (not just your steps but how active you are), your sleep, and at the site you can track your food. And it's tiny, clips anywhere (I wear mine on the center of my bra) and it shows a little flower that grows with your activity and shrinks accordingly - it tracks the previous 3 hours. If you were super active for 30 minutes it will grow a fair amount the slowly go down over 3 hours until you do more activity. It definitely helps you realise how sedentary we can be.

When in doubt, drink a glass of salt Water. It's a natural cleanser. But it is not subtle. Be near a bathroom. Very near. Expect it to last around 1-1.5 hours. 1 quart (1 Liter) Water - warm or hot. 2 level tsp (not Tbsp) Natural Salt (sea salt - not iodine). juice from a lemon or lime to offset the taste (though I chug it). Mix it together, if it's warm - chug it (it's easier) - if it's hot, sip like tea but make it big sips. You can also dissolve the salt in a shot glass of boiling water then add the boiling water to ice cold water and chug that if you prefer cold liquids. It disrupts the salt balance in your intestines and forces your intestines to release water to balance the salt imbalance and basically you get really fast and strong soft stool.

If my appointment is between 0800-1200 no food after midnight. If it's between 1300-1700 no food after 0600. It helps to have the pouch and stomach clear in case you need to do a barium swallow or any other urgent test.

Sandworms is correct. He has to make the effort. Nothing you say or do will motivate him but everything you say about the old 50 lbs lighter him and his current eating habits will encourage him to rebel. It may seem childish but it's what we all do. Instead of longing for who he was becoming accept what has happened and start to make changes for both of you. Try a new recipe. Grow a small garden to get fresher food. Ask him to go for a walk with you. No agenda, just a walk. Do not talk about his weight gain. He knows he gained weight. He knows he's eating crap food. And he knows it makes him depressed and upset. If it is still bothering you, then you should go see a counselor and learn how to live with this situation. When your husband asks why you're doing it tell him the truth. You want to be supportive but don't know how and the changes he's making affect both of you and you need to learn how to cope. All of which is true. Once he sees you making an effort to better yourself to help the two of you, he will either do the same or your relationship will get worse. Be prepared for the worst. That way you can be pleasantly surprised when things work out.

My first fill I felt about two weeks later. My second fill I felt immediately and was too full. And my fills were very tiny considering some others - 1.5 and 1.0 respectfully. You may not feel your fill now - but you may in 2-4 weeks. Best test - try eating something you were having minor difficulties with prior to your recent fill. For me, I went from having minor difficulties to not being able to eat those items at all - ever. Big change.

You could need another fill because you've lost weight and lost fat under your band. If you are hungry in less than 4-5 hours after a meal, can eat more than 1.5 c of solid food, and are gaining weight then you need a fill. However, if your eating has only recently changed then it's a mental change. Keep a food diary for a week. See what you're eating, the quantities, and when you're eating it. Also - if you keep a food diary and exercise diary for two weeks, and take your weight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you'll have evidence to go to your Dr. with to say that you need a fill.

Previously I hated cold food. If something was meant to be eaten hot that's how I liked it. Now I'll eat pretty much anything cold or at least cool. Unfortunately very few 'hot' foods taste good cold, which helps me curb my eating. Perhaps that's part of the band's plan ; ) I totally get what you're saying though, soup is one of my comfort foods; I know I can eat 2 c of it and it will be hot the whole time.

I only just recently started drinking a tiny bit of 0 calorie carbonated beverage as a dessert. When I'm craving something sweet - it hits the spot, and fills me up. But damn the belches just come right up.

I'm curious why they didn't remove some of your fill during your barium swallow.

Though the pre-surgery diet weight loss can be very motivating, you have to think back to all those times you dieted, lost some weight, thought it would stay off, then gained again. If the pre-op diet was easy for you then you have a super chance of succeeding on the band. Though no one can tell you if it's the right/wrong thing for you to do, my suggestion is to go ahead with the surgery. We're all here because we have a history of gaining / losing / gaining. The band is here to help us lose / lose / lose ... and sometimes gain a wee bit then lose again ; )

With BCBS it is the subscriber's responsibility to get the preauthorization. NOT the doctor. Especially for mental health / behavioral health care. The preauthorization process is there for a reason - if your company has an EAP program then your psychological counseling could be covered - at no charge. This is especially helpful since most counseling requires 3 or more sessions before they'll write the report (which isn't covered by BCBS and usually costs $150-250). This also allows you to have counseling leading up to and after surgery, which is very helpful for a lot of people. Your Dr's only responsibility is to bill your insurance or complete the EAP form. Not to get preauthorization - any office that does that is doing so as a courtesy. They don't have to do it.