How is weight loss for people over 50?

[NM Sunshine 1]

IndigoGirl, I appreciate your insight and know that wine or hard stuff, I am right back into my addiction. Like you say I have a double whammy because I also use food for a friend. Food and booze. Since I found out about the LapBand and the super success people have, I have begun to look at both addictions and am ready to fight them. I'd give about anything to be slim.

[southerngal_07 0]

Thank you so much. I am going for it. I may have to wait until after the first of the year but I will do it god willing. I am really wanting to get started on it asap.

[LadyHR 0]

Hi, everyone:

I have been traveling a lot lately and haven't posted but have now read all the past ones. I always gain so much by the sharing everyone does.

For those of you who haven't been banded yet - I am so pleased with my decision to get the Lap Band. I admit I was pretty miserable for a couple of weeks before my first fill as I was "really" hungry and could still eat a lot. But since my fill, this tool is working wonderfully! I still think about bad things I would like to eat (ice cream) but most of the time I'm simply too full between meals to snack! The Band makes this so easy -all I have to do is to make fairly good decisions about what I eat at meals. (I eat my share of Pasta though). I have lost 3#s per week since my fill and I'm very happy with that level of loss so I'm not even considering getting a second fill at this point in time. I can usually eat about 3/4 cup of food at a meal except Breakfast when I usually only eat 1/2 cup of yogurt or cottage cheese and it fills me up until lunch. I hope this lasts!

I don't believe I will miss not being able to eat a lot at Thanksgiving because now I feel "Thanksgiving full" if I eat one bite too much at a meal and that's not a comfortable feeling!

I love all the ideas given for dealing with the "head" hunger. I have to admit that peer pressure is working for me - I told everyone I know about the Band and they are all watching and asking me how it's going. It's great to have such a large cheering section but I definitely feel the pressure to do well. The money also weighs heavy for me as I was self-pay - I figure it's costing me $150 per pound lost if I reach goal!

Good luck to all of you and continue to post - this site is a great support group.

[southerngal_07 0]

Thanks Crabcake. I hear what you are saying and I plan to go ahead with the surgery just as soon as I can. You all are so uplifting and supportive on this site. I don't know who started this forum but they certainly did a great thing. I will have to stay on and communicate with all of you to inspire me on when I get the surgery.

[crabcake 0]

WHAT A GREAT DH YOU HAVE CRABCAKE !!!!! HE REALLY LOVES YOU.. YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH AN GREAT MAN...

Thanks IndioGirl...I think so too!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi, everyone:

I have been traveling a lot lately and haven't posted but have now read all the past ones. I always gain so much by the sharing everyone does.

For those of you who haven't been banded yet - I am so pleased with my decision to get the Lap Band. I admit I was pretty miserable for a couple of weeks before my first fill as I was "really" hungry and could still eat a lot. But since my fill, this tool is working wonderfully! I still think about bad things I would like to eat (ice cream) but most of the time I'm simply too full between meals to snack! The Band makes this so easy -all I have to do is to make fairly good decisions about what I eat at meals. (I eat my share of Pasta though). I have lost 3#s per week since my fill and I'm very happy with that level of loss so I'm not even considering getting a second fill at this point in time. I can usually eat about 3/4 cup of food at a meal except Breakfast when I usually only eat 1/2 cup of yogurt or cottage cheese and it fills me up until lunch. I hope this lasts!

I don't believe I will miss not being able to eat a lot at Thanksgiving because now I feel "Thanksgiving full" if I eat one bite too much at a meal and that's not a comfortable feeling!

I love all the ideas given for dealing with the "head" hunger. I have to admit that peer pressure is working for me - I told everyone I know about the Band and they are all watching and asking me how it's going. It's great to have such a large cheering section but I definitely feel the pressure to do well. The money also weighs heavy for me as I was self-pay - I figure it's costing me $150 per pound lost if I reach goal!

Good luck to all of you and continue to post - this site is a great support group.

3 lbs a week :clap2:!!! - I sure wish that will happen to me when i get my fill CONGRATULATIONS :clap2:

[claramae 0]

Indigogirl---Thanks for leading me to this thread. I am busy reading and reading. Tomorrow(Aug 20) I will be 1 week on liquid diet. I have lost nearly 9 pounds. Tomorrow will also be 1 week from my surgery. Thanks again for the lead. Clara

[claramae 0]

debbi171--My name is Clara. I just discovered this thread and it is just what I needed. I will get my band on August 27. I will be 59 in October. We are also a self pay. I need to loose about 120 pounds and to join Weight Watchers with much weight to loose, it would be like chipping at Mt. Rushmore with a Dairy Queen spoon. Wish me luck, as I do you too. Talk later, Clara

[southerngal_07 0]

Claramae, I have not gotten my band yet. I am just in the planning stage but I want to get one as soon as I possibly can. I will be a self pay also. It has really been interesting and I have learned a lot by reading all of these post. I wish you good luck. Let us hear from you. I need to lose 85-90 pounds.

[phyllser 3]

IndioGirl... Love your new Avatar!!.. You are a very nice looking lady.. Just look at those rosey cheeks and beautiful smile..

I can hardly wait until I get my band. October seems like eons away, but in reality it will be here before I know it.

Hubby and I will be on the road traveling while I am on my pre-op liquid diet, so that should be interesting.... :car:

We live full time and travel in our motorhome and will be traveling from California where we are spending the summer to our home base in Colorado for the surgery. We will be stopping and visiting kids, grandkids and other family along the way. We will be staying with my daughter and granddaughter during my recouperation. We will be there through Thanksgiving and I'm hoping that I will be able to have a taste or two of the turkey and dressing by then... :hungry:

I am planning on waiting until after Thanksgiving before I get my first fill, so hopefully that will allow me to have a small, but nice meal...

Nicnacnut:

We are RVers also, but not full timers. We recently bought a condo in WA state and we spend the winters south, in Indiogirl's "neighborhood", in Desert Hot Springs CA. I have been concerned about my followup care because we'll be gone so much, but just trusting it will all work out. Welcome!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I have been stuck on a plateau for a long time. I had a horrible pb episode the other night. I have always been told to stay on liquids for 24 hours

after a pb. I wasn't the least bit hungry on liquids, so I have been on liquids ever since.

I think it's going to be my answer to breaking through this plateau.

I am the same as everyone else. Once I get started on something sweet,

it's next to impossible to stop. Right now, I am feeling the same way

about food. I might as well stay on liquid Protein if I am not hungry. If I

eat something, I will just want to eat more.

I was a self pay too, and I think $10,000.00 is just too much money

to only lose 40 lbs. I lost 22 lbs the first 4 weeks on the liquid diet,

so maybe this is the answer for me to break this plateau.

[debi717 0]

Good luck, Clara.

I'm doing fine. I'm down 47 lbs and I'm feeling so much better. Everything is easier, and I still have a long way to go. I'm amazed by how much of a difference 47 lbs can make.

I really don't have any problems. I PB once in a while, or I get that golf ball feeling when I don't wait long enough between bites, but nothing that has been terribly difficult to live with. It's been a lot easier than living with those 47 lbs I lost.

Before I got the band I used to read the posts about PB'ing and sliming... scared the hell out of me. I have found the band is not difficult to live with and PB's and sliming are not nearly as dramatic as some of the descriptions I've read. I certainly try to avoid them because repeated episodes are not good for you or your band, but once in a while is normal.

My toughest challenge has been to rest a minute or so between bites and swallowing. If I don't do that, I get that golf ball feeling in my chest. If I take my time, I'm absolutely fine, plus I fill up quicker and am satisfied with a lot less food.

I don't post often because I don't feel like I have much to say that will add anything to what's already been posted by others, but every now and then I feel moved to throw in my two cents.

Glad to read that so many of us 50+ people are doing so well. It's really encouraging.

Debbie

[IndioGirl55 32]

Indigogirl---Thanks for leading me to this thread. I am busy reading and reading. Tomorrow(Aug 20) I will be 1 week on liquid diet. I have lost nearly 9 pounds. Tomorrow will also be 1 week from my surgery. Thanks again for the lead. Clara

You are welcome - I LOVE THIS THREAD !!!! The more the merrier..

Nicnacnut:

We are RVers also, but not full timers. We recently bought a condo in WA state and we spend the winters south, in Indiogirl's "neighborhood", in Desert Hot Springs CA. I have been concerned about my followup care because we'll be gone so much, but just trusting it will all work out. Welcome!

Phyl - Can't wait to meet you in person and won't someone like Dr. Bobby see you when you are here for the winter????

I have been stuck on a plateau for a long time. I had a horrible pb episode the other night. I have always been told to stay on liquids for 24 hours

after a pb. I wasn't the least bit hungry on liquids, so I have been on liquids ever since.

I think it's going to be my answer to breaking through this plateau.

I am the same as everyone else. Once I get started on something sweet,

it's next to impossible to stop. Right now, I am feeling the same way

about food. I might as well stay on liquid Protein if I am not hungry. If I

eat something, I will just want to eat more.

I was a self pay too, and I think $10,000.00 is just too much money

to only lose 40 lbs. I lost 22 lbs the first 4 weeks on the liquid diet,

so maybe this is the answer for me to break this plateau.

Denise - I wish I could make those scales move for you... I agree w/you if our aren't hungry say on liquids - Does your Doctor have any kind of advise or help???

Good luck, Clara.

I'm doing fine. I'm down 47 lbs and I'm feeling so much better. Everything is easier, and I still have a long way to go. I'm amazed by how much of a difference 47 lbs can make.

I really don't have any problems. I PB once in a while, or I get that golf ball feeling when I don't wait long enough between bites, but nothing that has been terribly difficult to live with. It's been a lot easier than living with those 47 lbs I lost.

Before I got the band I used to read the posts about PB'ing and sliming... scared the hell out of me. I have found the band is not difficult to live with and PB's and sliming are not nearly as dramatic as some of the descriptions I've read. I certainly try to avoid them because repeated episodes are not good for you or your band, but once in a while is normal.

My toughest challenge has been to rest a minute or so between bites and swallowing. If I don't do that, I get that golf ball feeling in my chest. If I take my time, I'm absolutely fine, plus I fill up quicker and am satisfied with a lot less food.

I don't post often because I don't feel like I have much to say that will add anything to what's already been posted by others, but every now and then I feel moved to throw in my two cents.

Glad to read that so many of us 50+ people are doing so well. It's really encouraging.

Debbie

Debbie - You do have something to say - we all essitenally same the same things in different manners - and for others reading it may be the way that you say it make them go "Ah Ha" I love reading EVERYONES 2 cent :biggrin1:

Good Morning Gang - Hope you all have a GREAT day !!!! Will ck back later... Janet

[phyllser 3]

"Phyl - Can't wait to meet you in person and won't someone like Dr. Bobby see you when you are here for the winter????

Good Morning, Janet!

I'm looking forward to meeting you, too. Do you have a support group there that you attend? I am hoping that Dr. Bobby may see me if I need something while we're down there. Otherwise I'll have to fly back to Seattle.

I've been enjoying all your posts the past few days. We are ALL in this together and you express so many feelings that we all are having!

I've been retaining Water the past week or so... too much sitting in the car or the RV, so my weight loss is stalled and its so discouraging. I dropped 3 lb. this morning, so hope I'm beginning to get rid of some of that Fluid.

[pjanes54 0]

Good luck, Clara.

I'm doing fine. I'm down 47 lbs and I'm feeling so much better. Everything is easier, and I still have a long way to go. I'm amazed by how much of a difference 47 lbs can make.

I really don't have any problems. I PB once in a while, or I get that golf ball feeling when I don't wait long enough between bites, but nothing that has been terribly difficult to live with. It's been a lot easier than living with those 47 lbs I lost.

Before I got the band I used to read the posts about PB'ing and sliming... scared the hell out of me. I have found the band is not difficult to live with and PB's and sliming are not nearly as dramatic as some of the descriptions I've read. I certainly try to avoid them because repeated episodes are not good for you or your band, but once in a while is normal.

My toughest challenge has been to rest a minute or so between bites and swallowing. If I don't do that, I get that golf ball feeling in my chest. If I take my time, I'm absolutely fine, plus I fill up quicker and am satisfied with a lot less food.

I don't post often because I don't feel like I have much to say that will add anything to what's already been posted by others, but every now and then I feel moved to throw in my two cents.

Glad to read that so many of us 50+ people are doing so well. It's really encouraging.

Debbie

Debbie,

Your post helped to calm my pre surgery jitters today, thank you. Your comment about your experiences not being quite as dramatic as some really hit home. When I read a lot of the experiences it seems as though there are many negative, quite a few positive posts, BUT, I am guessing that the MAJORITY of bandsters are not at either extreme, but in the great big middle portion of people that don't have major issues or "PERFECT" experiences. They handle the petty, minor, annoyances and bothers and go about their day and don't think it is anything more than "dealing" with their choice. I am hoping that most of us will fall in the middle of the band scale and adapt our ways and don't think that what we do each day is anything to write home about!! But, it is important to relate the positive. Yes, your message is needed to add balance to the extremes. It was a message I needed to hear today, because my surgery is Thursday and I'm just a nervous wreck.