You want maximum results? Look here....

[Betsyjane 2]

My Dr. says 3 meals and if there are Snacks, they should be way small and not often. I do better with snacks. Of course I don't need to get in much food since I'm not an exercise fiend like our role model here. I don't think of the snacks as a filling meal, so I don't worry about drinking with them. I drink 3 glasses AM before anything. Then I mostly drink just before I have a meal.

[kareyquilts 1]

Denise: My doctor says not to drink for a 1/2 hour before or after your meal. That works great for me. I think an hour after is a little extreme. Good luck!

[Betsyjane 2]

My dr says you can drink right up to the meal but not for for 30-60 min. after. I think Dr. Spiegel says not for 90 minutes after. It's as much an art as a science I think..... Alot depends on trying it and listening to your band and your body.

[catzintj 1]

i was in the same boat. i was eating well and exercising. then i just stopped losing. after a few months i was getting very discouraged. i started counting calories. i went to doctor and had my homone levels checked. i was already on thyroid med for underactive thyroid. i found out i have too much estrogen. so i now use a progesterone cream. i have estrogen dominance or too much estrogen. too much estrogen makes you store fat. i also take the metaformin for insulin resistance. im now losing inches and i have dropped a 6lbs. this takes time.. i use low weights at gym and do 40-60 mins cardio 4 days a week. i ride my horses, my dirt bike and i hike and sail. im very active. the body builds muscle and it takes a while to see the scales move. check to see if you are losing inches. i think my body wants to stay at 200 lbs. but i fight for the final 20lbs. im tall and big boned so 180 i will look very thin. i think the visceral fat around the organs and stomach are harder to lose. drink lots of Water. it takes 4 molocules of water to one molocule of fat to get metabolized. thats what i read in a chemistry book at work. so im trying to help my body carry the fat away with more water. good luck. cat

[Telly 4]

I don't think I've posted my progression pictures in this thread. I have been exercising since the day after surgery. This post ...has been my guide in my body transformation. I had a Tummy Tuck at around 20lbs from goal weight back in October of 2006 for those who are not aware.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

:waytogo:Telly, Your pictures look great!!

I hope I can do well. Unfortunately, it gets harder as we get older but I am going to give it my best effort. I already have the exercise habit from the past 3 years of going to the gym before I got banded. Now that I am banded, I hope to see some results!

[Betsyjane 2]

Telly, you're fierce! You mentioned that you have exercised every day. Is there some way to tell if on a day that you might gain weight, whether that's fat or muscle? Seems like some of your weight now will be solid muscle! Or do you go more by how you feel than what you weigh? Not that I need to figure all that out yet, but someday I will....... I'm also curious...I have heard people say that you need rest days from exercise. You sure haven't needed it. Any thoughts on that? Teach me, Telly!

[Telly 4]

Thank you ladies!

Betsy,

I lied about exercising everyday... really I do some form of cardio/weight loss exercise at least 6 days per week. You do need to rest, especially if you are weight training. In order for the muscle to form and develop, you must train it and then allow good recovery time such as 1-2 days, so that the torn tissue can recooperate.

My weight stalled for about 2 months which, after taking my bodyfat% (at the same weight for 2 months), according to my inches lost, waist size and pants size, it was determined that though my weight did not change, my body did, meaning I was filling fat space with muscle. I started to build muscle. My bodyfat% last time I checked was in the low 20% but I will want to see what the % is now to determine how many pounds of muscle I have built, based on my previous stats.

I don't look at the scale like I used to. I weigh in once per month now and my weight dips 2-3lbs max. At this point, I am happy with where I am and my ultimate goal is no longer what's on the scale, my goal is optimum fitness.

[kareyquilts 1]

Telly: How do you measure your fat percentage?

[Telly 4]

The gym I go to (Gold's Gym) has an electronic hand held fat% calculator. It takes in information about your measurements, your height, weight, waist size....etc. It is programmed into the handheld and then you have to hold it and squeeze it. Your % is then calculated. Other than that I am not sure.

[rtgirl77 0]

Telly,

I'd like your opinion/advice on some issues. First off, I lost 40 lbs and gained it back, except for 5.5 lbs. I'm back on my bandster diet. In reading what you eat everyday, I would be STARVING. If I ate only an ounce of chicken at dinner, I'd be VERY hungry before I even got up from the table, much less in 2-4 hrs. Secondly, do you have any suggestions for people who need to get started but are out of shape? Cardio wise, I can do maybe 30 minutes on the treadmill and then I get nauseous. I try to do toning stuff and thats fine but I just have no stamina when it comes to cardio. So, did you go from being inactive to working out twice a day? How did you build up to these intense workouts?

Thanks,

Jennifer

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Telly,

I'd like your opinion/advice on some issues. First off, I lost 40 lbs and gained it back, except for 5.5 lbs. I'm back on my bandster diet. In reading what you eat everyday, I would be STARVING. If I ate only an ounce of chicken at dinner, I'd be VERY hungry before I even got up from the table, much less in 2-4 hrs. Secondly, do you have any suggestions for people who need to get started but are out of shape? Cardio wise, I can do maybe 30 minutes on the treadmill and then I get nauseous. I try to do toning stuff and thats fine but I just have no stamina when it comes to cardio. So, did you go from being inactive to working out twice a day? How did you build up to these intense workouts?

Thanks,

Jennifer

I am not Telly but I can tell you what my trainer at the gym told me. It's better to do intervals. You can mix up your routine on the treadmill to get maximum results. walk, then faster, then jog for maybe a minute,then slow it down but move up the incline for a bit, then go back to walking slower,

etc.

I will be curious to hear what Telly says. I think even if you are pooped out and on the treadmill, walking but walking slower, it's still better than sitting on the couch.

[Betsyjane 2]

I have Lupus, and when I don't feel like I can treadmill, I swim.

[tonya66 13]

I FINALLY started this program! I'm ready to get the Maximum results - Telly, I'm hoping to look like you in 6 to 8 months!

[tonya66 13]

***bump****** This is too good to get lost, so I'm bumping it