November Bandsters!

[niecyrenee 2]

Why don't you join me and a small bandsters group and SO's in Roatan in the caribbean for a tropical vacation with dolphins!!

That sounds like a lot of fun! I don't know if it would work out this year or not but when are you going?

[AngelaT 2]

That sounds like a lot of fun! I don't know if it would work out this year or not but when are you going?

In June! :) Fun!

[ShaeBird 0]

Hello everyone I have not posted that many things but enjoy reading everybody elses. I was banded on Nov 16 and have lost 30 lbs. I have had 2 fills and I am due for another one on March 5 I am stuck at 30 lbs I have not changed my eating habits I have started walking more so I dont understand. Can someone explain? I am getting discouraged and I dont want to.

[Betsyjane 2]

Hey Denise-Do you like hot or cold places? I have lots of favoirte travel spots for different prices. Here's one...The Lodge at Moosehead Lake Maine. I live in Houston, so I like to go to cool places... Gorgeous lake, lots of New England to explore, lots of Moose to see. Water sports on the lake. A slate mountain to climb, with hard and easy (walking) trails. and the lodge is the same price as a moderate hotel, but there are only a couple of rooms, and then the whole house as the common area. Owned by a couple who used to be in the luxury hotel buisness and sho feed gourmet 4 course meals (not as interesting as pre-band!). Overstuffed chairs with throws, books, outdoor patio overlooking the lake, little presents on your bed, they'll book anything for you that you want to do. I haven't been there for years, so I hope it's still there. It was total pampered luxury at a moderate price! Plus driving the coast of New England is so worth it! We went last time in August so there were no black flies, but before the cold set in.

[Betsyjane 2]

Hey Shae...I went through the same thing. I finally decided I had to do all those things I didn't have to before...more serious exercise, and I started a food log and was shocked! I THOUGHT I was low carb, low fat, but not sooooo, thanks to Protein shakes! I also found that totally eating things I don't normally eat shook things up a bit. Now I'm back to my norm with a few modifications to change out the fats and carbs. I also do better right after a fill... I've decided that my body gets used to things and I need to wake it up with some change whenever I slow down my losses. Sometimes a fill is enough change. sometimes I just have to grab me and shake me and slap me around a little bit. Things tend to creep in on me...not drinking as much Water, eating more carbs or fats, sitting in front of the TV too much, eating with too many distractions, snacking. I think I need to find some way to take an inventory of my habits and foods at least weekly to see if I'm sliding......

[ShaeBird 0]

Betsy thanks for the information. If you wouldnt mind could you please let me know what you are eating. I eat mainly salads with chicken and ground lean beef. I havent really been doing the Protein Drinks. I know I need to exercise more just finding the time between job and kids is hard. I dont eat breakfeast I feel more restriction at that time. I guess I am eating the wrong things and would like some freash new ideas.

[AngelaT 2]

Hey Shae...I went through the same thing. I finally decided I had to do all those things I didn't have to before...more serious exercise, and I started a food log and was shocked! I THOUGHT I was low carb, low fat, but not sooooo, thanks to Protein shakes! I also found that totally eating things I don't normally eat shook things up a bit. Now I'm back to my norm with a few modifications to change out the fats and carbs. I also do better right after a fill... I've decided that my body gets used to things and I need to wake it up with some change whenever I slow down my losses. Sometimes a fill is enough change. sometimes I just have to grab me and shake me and slap me around a little bit. Things tend to creep in on me...not drinking as much Water, eating more carbs or fats, sitting in front of the TV too much, eating with too many distractions, snacking. I think I need to find some way to take an inventory of my habits and foods at least weekly to see if I'm sliding......

BEtsyJane,

9i know what youmean about shaking things up...I had been stuck 190-192.. yesterday for some reason I was able to eat almost anything!!!!! I had Indian food whicj I LOVE...and ate alot more than I have eaten in a while I am sure it went above 1200 calories easy!!! Anyway I got on the scale this morning and I am down to 189.5!!!!!!!:faint: I guess my body just needed a bigger change than I have given it... I vary my diet from 800- 1100 cals a day but it was not doing it!!

Today I have an appt with a trainer at 11:30

[AngelaT 2]

Betsy thanks for the information. If you wouldnt mind could you please let me know what you are eating. I eat mainly salads with chicken and ground lean beef. I havent really been doing the Protein Drinks. I know I need to exercise more just finding the time between job and kids is hard. I dont eat breakfeast I feel more restriction at that time. I guess I am eating the wrong things and would like some freash new ideas.

If you look at our posts from about 3 weeks ago you will see waht we are all eating...hope it helps! Please do not skip any meals it slows down metabolism and keep Protein high, carbs low or low glycemic index ones and eat at least 4 times a day keeping you calories between 800 and 1200 a day to fool your body by varying the number of cals each day!

[Betsyjane 2]

I know! One time when I was stuck, I got unstuck after I ate 3 pieces of Godiva chocolate! Go figure.

Before Breakfast, I try to get in 2-3 glasses of Water. Breakfast is either a scrambled egg or several eggs of Eggbeaters, sometimes with a few veges chopped up in them. On really restricted days, it's a Protein Shake, diluted into two half water half Protein drinks that I sip throughout the morning,(Muscle Milk), sometimes with frozen fruit blended in with it. Mid morning, if I haven't had alot of calories yet, (Like just s scrambled egg so far), I'll have a protein shake, or a diluted half of one. Or for a snack I go to the convenience store and get a 100 calorie low carb chocolate Protein Bar. I can't keep them in the house or I eat too many, so I let the conveneince store be my pantry. Then I slug down water or weak iced tea until lunch. By lunch, I've had 300-350 calories, but sometimes it's mostly from shakes.

Lunch is usually some fish and veges...or beef and veges...or if I'm really craving FAT, I'll eat a fast food burger patty and throw out the bun. Or I'll have a hearty Soup from my local Vietnamese restaurant, and I don't eat the noodle part. Sometimes I get the urge to really pig out, so if I'm by myself, I just keep eating more than I should, chewing up big bunches of stuff (and then spitting it out). Not proud of that, but it helps me get through those occasional urges to binge, when there's really no room or need for it. I hope to wean myself from that in the near future. If I'm out, for example, I might order a side dish from an Asian place, and it's still a massive amount of really tasty food, so I nibble what I can,a nd then keep chewing and spitting for the taste and the feel...until I decide that's way disgusting. Up until that part of the day, it's as much HOW I eat as WHAT I eat. If I eat very slowly and with a zen like trance, I'm actually better off for the whole rest of the day.

Afternoons are hardest for me. I just want to eat! Such a habit! I'm counting calories so if I haven't had many, I might sip on another diluted shake all afternoon, or just have a shake. If I've gotten in a fair amount of calories, I may not have anything, or I might have a protein bar if I haven't had one yet, or I might have a piece of fruit, but oddly, I've really lost my desire for fruits. I might have a sugar free popsicle or two. Or maybe a spoon or two of cottage cheese.< /p>

Before dinner I add up the calories again, and decide what to do. If I've been a real pig and had sufficient calories AND scarfed down a shake, I sometimes call it quits for the evening or have a popsicle....Not my best day. Otherwise, I have some meat and veges again. If I'm craving potatoes, I have overcooked cauliflower mushed up with salt and pepper. I'm much less restricted in the afternoon and evening so those were really disasters for me. All I can say is that counting calories before eating has made a big difference for me. If I've overeaten, I really just don't bother with an evening meal sometimes. Anyway, usually it's some kind of meat and veges either cooked or in a salad. Sometimes I cook from the lap band cookbook and sometimes from my low fat Thai cookbooks, but usually not. My husband fell in love with my Muscle Milk,a nd now that's all he usually wants for dinner, so I'm getting out of the cooking habit to a great extent, although I enjoy cooking. I figure the less food-obsessed my life becomes, the better. Right now I'm calorie obsessed so I figure that's not as bad.....

the wight is coming off very slowly, but I think this new calorie gig is helping...as is stepping up my exercise program. Mostly though I think the trance while eating thing is doing the most good. Slow breathing, no distractions almost a meditative or prayerful state. I seem to hear my band alot earlier, and I'm training myself to push away, smile and whisper back to my band "I'm soooo full!"

[AngelaT 2]

HAd my first appointment with a trainer and it felt good!!!!!!

Today I am down to 189!!! Finally!:clap2: It seems I am always hungry :hungry: lately...maybe it is the rainy weather! I did bump upmy calories to 1400 and it helped me get over the plateau

Have a great day!

[Beckie 0]

HAd my first appointment with a trainer and it felt good!!!!!!

Today I am down to 189!!! Finally!:clap2: It seems I am always hungry :hungry: lately...maybe it is the rainy weather! I did bump upmy calories to 1400 and it helped me get over the plateau

Have a great day!

Way to go Angela!! It is always nice to make it to new digits. My new mini goal is 189. I hope to get there by my birthday.

[niecyrenee 2]

Hey Denise-Do you like hot or cold places? I have lots of favoirte travel spots for different prices. Here's one...The Lodge at Moosehead Lake Maine. I live in Houston, so I like to go to cool places... Gorgeous lake, lots of New England to explore, lots of Moose to see. Water sports on the lake. A slate mountain to climb, with hard and easy (walking) trails. and the lodge is the same price as a moderate hotel, but there are only a couple of rooms, and then the whole house as the common area. Owned by a couple who used to be in the luxury hotel buisness and sho feed gourmet 4 course meals (not as interesting as pre-band!). Overstuffed chairs with throws, books, outdoor patio overlooking the lake, little presents on your bed, they'll book anything for you that you want to do. I haven't been there for years, so I hope it's still there. It was total pampered luxury at a moderate price! Plus driving the coast of New England is so worth it! We went last time in August so there were no black flies, but before the cold set in.

Wow! That sounds amazing! We like to travel to either climate. We haven't decided yet for sure where we are going but we are looking north of us. We are thinking about Wisconsin/Michigan. Something like that. I have been looking into Mackinac Island. It sounds interesting. Ever been there?

[niecyrenee 2]

Today I am down to 189!!!

Angela, that is fantastic! Way to go! :clap2:

[marni 0]

I am feeling a bit discouraged. It seems that I can not get past 25lbs! I have been filled twice now and am a bit confused. I definitely feel restriction and must chew well. However, I can't stay FULL. I never really say, gosh I am Stuffed! Is this right? Do I need more filling? Im afraid it will be really hard to eat anything then. Perhaps I need just a bit more. I am at 5cc's. It seems that on some of you the weight is just flying off!

[swilborn 0]

Don't feel discouraged. Everyone loses at a different rate. Are your getting enough Protein through out the day. I need at lest 20 grams per meal to keep from getting hungery. I drink Slim fast low carb(20 grams of protein) to ward off stomach pains. The more protein you take in the less you get the pains, because it takes longer to process the protein. Are you drinking lots of Water between meals? I don't like the taste of water so I've been using these water flavor packets from Walmart called Fuel Fill. I mix them in a Propel sports bottel. The packet has Vitamins, it seems to help.

I hope this helps and remeber everyone is different.