Lower BMI Bandsters!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Audree, I am always glad to see you here. It sounds like you have a pretty tight fill. Going on liquids sounds like a good plan. Some days, it's Protein Drinks for me too. I seem to be able to get Protein Bars down pretty well too, if I chew well. Crunchy things seem to go down easier.

I hope you do start posting regularly again. I miss you when you aren't here!

[bandiva 0]

Hi Audree. I had the same reaction, it took a couple weeks and then the gates of hell slammed shut! Nothing would go down easy. I seem to be at a good level but I havn't had a fill since Mar 15. I am taking very good care of my body and mind and that seems to help alot as well. Glad to hear from you, you look amazing. I will post some pics too!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Audree, I am always glad to see you here. It sounds like you have a pretty tight fill. Going on liquids sounds like a good plan. Some days, it's Protein drinks for me too. I seem to be able to get protein bars down pretty well too, if I chew well. Crunchy things seem to go down easier.

I hope you do start posting regularly again. I miss you when you aren't here!

I am glad to see you here too!!!!

I did notice crunchy things go down easier, like tortilla chips and salsa!!!

I was able to have some garbanzo Beans and cheese and just chew well.

I probably got in like 800-1000 calories or so I'd say?

I need the support and do so much better when I have some type of accountability.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!:clap2:

[BabyGotBack 0]

Hi Audree. I had the same reaction, it took a couple weeks and then the gates of hell slammed shut! Nothing would go down easy. I seem to be at a good level but I havn't had a fill since Mar 15. I am taking very good care of my body and mind and that seems to help alot as well. Glad to hear from you, you look amazing. I will post some pics too!

Yeah, I really had restriction today, 2 weeks after my fill. I was barely able to get anything down. I did eat some garbanzo Beans and cheese and that went down better. I got about 800 or so calories in. I am at 3 cc's and I am hoping this fill will get me down at least 10 more pounds if not the 20 I want to lose. I'd like to stay at this fill level. I wonder if I am tight this way because the fill kicked in 2 weeks after or if it is because I am supposed to start my period in any day now.

Any way, I do like the level of restriction and getting stuck so I am forced to stop eating. I was eating like a little pig, anything and everything I wanted, as much as I wanted. With the band, I only gained 4 pounds....:faint:

So, I hope I keep on losing. I did go down from 169 to 165 so far.

So, what are you doing to take care of your body and mind?? Any suggestions??? I am definitly not taking care of my body. I do swim at least 4 times a week and have been tanning about 10 minutes a day. But, I know that I need to really step it up in that area, add some strength training to tone up my thighs and arms.

Keep in touch!!!! I am going to be posting here daily again. I need the support to keep on losing.

Have a good evening!!! Audree

[munchkincan 0]

Hi my name is Nancy. I am scheduled for surgery on August 1. My BMI is 30.9. I am excited and scared and hope I am doing the right thing. I am self pay so I really need this to work for me. It was great to find a forum for lower BMI folks. I hate to tell how much I weigh and what my BMI is on the chat line. I feel like I am ignored after I answer that question. It will be nice to find people who will talk to me and answer all my questions and calm my fears. Thanks so much for this sight.

[munchkincan 0]

How does this sight work. If I post something how will I know if anyone answers me? :help: I have a lot to learn about how these sights work.

[celestemcnair 0]

Hi Nancy. Yes, I know how you feel about having a lower bmi. I just got banded 6 days ago and the others in Monterrey that were also getting banded couldn't believe I was accepted to be banded but as soon as we all went to pre-op and they heard my bp was 170/110 and they were all normal, they got past it and understood. They had to give me bp meds to take before surgery to get it down. Good luck on your journey.

[BabyGotBack 0]

How does this sight work. If I post something how will I know if anyone answers me? :help: I have a lot to learn about how these sights work.

Hi!!! Welcome to the group!!!! I felt like that too, like people ignored me when I told them how much I weighed. So, I made this thread!!!!

What some people don't realize is the pain we go through is no less. I have always stuggled with my weight my whole life. My highest weight was 240. I grew up in a family who looked down on obesity and was made fun of. I could not eat with out people making comments. Then laughing at my attempts to lose weight and then throw it in my face when I failed, yet again...:faint:

I know that I was on a vicious cycle, on the upswing in my weight. I had maintained in the 180-190 range, but was binging and gaining daily. I would have for sure been in the 200's again by now.

I am so glad I did this.

Feel free to post questions! Everyone here is very helpful!!!

Audree

PS.

At the bottom of your posts, there is a section that asks for thread subscription. I suscribe to a few threads then I track them and read them easier through the quick links at the top of the page, go to suscribed threads and read that way.

[BabyGotBack 0]

Also, at the beginning of all threads, there is a blue bar that says Thread Tools and you can suscribe there.

[BabyGotBack 0]

How to Lose 22lbs or 10kgs in 28 Days Without Starving or Training Like an Olympic Athlete!'

By Stephen Smith BSc

If you seriously want to lose 22lbs or 10 kilograms in 28 days then you must perform all of the principles exactly as recommended. Unlike the recommendations in my book, ‘Look good, feel great!', where you can pick the principles you want to use and ignore the rest and where you can even modify the principles to suit your lifestyle, these principles must be followed exactly as they are outlined. If you want extraordinary results, then you must be willing to put in an extraordinary effort!

I realise that some people may be thinking, ‘But it is impossible to lose 10 kilograms of fat in a month!' I agree- it is! However, the truth is, it is impossible to only lose fat on any type of weight-loss program. You will always lose a combination of fat, Water, stored carbohydrate and some muscle.

Furthermore, most people who want to lose 10 kilograms in the first place are generally retaining excess Fluid anyway, so a system that helps get rid of the excess fluid is certainly going to accelerate their results.

Perform 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise morning and night.

Yes, you read that correctly, morning and night- 2 sessions a day… every day! No excuses. We're all busy, we all feel tired some mornings, but if you're serious about getting amazing results, then you must be willing to do everything necessary.

When we talk about aerobic exercise, we're talking about exercise! Not walking around the shops, doing the gardening or doing housework. It must be exercise, which means your breathing rate increases, your face goes red, you sweat, you get tired- simple!

Some examples of aerobic exercise include: walking (pounding the pavement at a brisk pace- not dawdling), cycling (stationary bike is ideal), swimming, rowing, stepper, cross-trainer, aerobic classes, boxing, etc.

Use ‘thermogenics'.

There are several very effective thermogenic supplementson the market that can accelerate your progress towards your goal. Those containing caffeine, green tea extracts and an extract from a plant called coleus forskohlii are the most effective. They will boost your metabolismand promote the release of fat from the fat stores. ‘Scorch' by MAN Sports is a good example. It contains a combination of 7 powerful herbal ingredients specifically designed to boost your metabolism, burn body fat and increase your energy.

Unfortunately though, thermogenics are not ‘magic pills'. You can't expect to take a couple of thermogenic capsules and then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results. Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program.

Take 1-2 capsules twice a day; once prior to your morning exercise session and once with your lunch. Don't take them later than 4:00pm in the afternoon because they may keep you awake at night.

Before using thermogenics, see your doctor first and obtain their approval.

Do not eat anything for 30 minutes after the completion of any exercise.

As a result of using the thermogenics combined with the exercise, your metabolism will remain elevated for some time after the exercise session is finished. This means your body will burn fuel at a faster rate than normal.

Any exercise causes the body to use carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) as a fuel source. This means that after the exercise is completed the carbohydrate stores in the body are low and the body will be forced to use fat as its fuel.

If a meal is eaten immediately after the completion of the exercise session, the blood glucose level will rise, inducing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. One of the effects of insulin is to stop fat burning in the body. Therefore, wait 30 minutes (but no longer because cortisol will rise) before having your next meal.

Perform a weight training workout 2-4 times a week.

Lifting weights is the most under-estimated way to lose fat fast! Now, before you start saying, ‘But I don't want to get big muscles!' or ‘I don't want to look like a man!', consider the following.

The main purpose of lifting weights when your primary goal is to lose body fat is to preserve the muscle massyou already have. You see, muscle is the ‘engine' within which the fat, or ‘fuel' is burnt and maintaining or even increasing your muscle mass slightly will help ensure your body fat is burnt off efficiently.

If you don't lift weights, your body will quite happily lose both fat and muscle as you drop the kilos. Lifting weights forces your body to maintain your muscle mass, therefore keeping your metabolism elevated and turning your body into 24-hour-a-day fat-burning machine!

Incidentally, it only takes two 30 minute sessions a week to obtain the muscle preserving benefits of lifting weights.

Have 5-6 small meals a day.

One of the most common strategies people use to lose weight is to skip meals. Whilst reducing food intake is certainly an effective way to lose weight, having fewer meals is not the way to go. Many overweight people say, ‘I don't know why I'm overweight, I only eat once or twice a day!' Unfortunately, this is exactly why they are overweight.

Having a mild calorie restriction is effective because if you consume less calories than you burn each day you will lose weight- simple! However, skipping meals forces the body to invoke its ‘Starvation Mechanism' because it thinks it is entering a famine. As a result, the body slows the metabolism to preserve energy. It also increases cortisol output and cortisol is the most powerful catabolic hormone in the body, which means it goes around the body breaking down lean tissue, particularly muscle. A loss of muscle slows the metabolism even further. Skipping meals also results in an increase in appetite, which forces you to eat larger amounts of food when you do eat. In addition to all these factors, the body also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), so when you do eat the food gets stored as fat. All of this results from simply skipping meals!

By having a small meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your metabolism stays elevated and your body will happily burn fat all day long. Unfortunately though, most people are conditioned to having large meals and they automatically assume they will put on weight if they have 5 or 6 meals a day. The fact is, the ideal portion sizes for most people are actually quite small and in order to lose weight fast it is essential that you never feel full from a meal but you do feel satisfied.

Also, most people find it difficult to have a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day because they are so busy with work and/ or family commitments. Here are some suggestions to ensure you get your 5 or 6 meals a day.

• Plan and prepare your meals the night before

• Use Meal Replacements (protein shakes or bars)

• Select foods that are quick and easy to prepare and consume

Ensure each meal contains Protein.

Protein is a component of all cells and makes up over half the dry weight of the human body. Furthermore, the human body is a dynamic structure, which means it is constantly building up and breaking down tissue. Just imagine a bath full of water. At one end of the bath the plug is pulled out and at the other end the tap is turned on full. The water level in the bath doesn't change but there are ‘new' water molecules entering the bath and ‘old' water molecules leaving the bath all the time. The human body is exactly the same. If the body breaks down more tissue than it builds up, then it is said to be in a catabolic state. This results in the metabolism slowing down due to the loss of muscle tissue.

Having a portion of high-quality protein every few hours throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids- the building blocks of the body. This prevents the catabolic state, promotes an anabolic state (tissue building) and therefore keeps the metabolism ‘fired-up'.

If only carbohydrate or fat is consumed for a meal, for example a piece of fruit (carbohydrate) for the mid-morning meal, then the body will still enter a catabolic state because it doesn't have the building blocks (amino acids) to re-build body tissues. Protein, as its name suggests, is of primary importance.

Reduce your intake of high-density carbohydrates.

Most high-density carbohydrates like bread, Pasta, rice and cereals cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. This invokes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn stores the glucose. The body stores glucose in the muscles and liver as glycogen and once these sites are full, the remaining glucose gets stored as body fat. Not only this, but insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat for fuel (burning fat).

So if you want to maximise fat loss, you need to keep insulin to a minimum and the best way to do this is by reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrates without cutting them out altogether. Cutting them out totally is a philosophy of many low-carb diets on the market. However, these are very hard to sustain long-term and may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Each day, have a small amount (1-2 serves) of high density carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereals); a moderate amount (2-3 serves) of medium density carbohydrates (starchy vegetables and fruits); and a large amount (5-6 serves) of low density carbohydrates (fibrous vegetables). [For a complete list of carbohydrates, see pages 136-138 of the book, ‘ Look good, feel great! ]

Do not have a Treat Day.

Since you are expecting an extraordinary result, it is essential that you put in an extraordinary effort. Accordingly, for the next 28 days you must follow the plan exactly as it is outlined without deviating. This means you can't allow yourself to indulge in any ‘forbidden foods'. This also means avoiding alcohol for the entire 28-day period. I know this may be hard for some people but let's face it, it is only for 28 days!

By committing to the plan and disciplining yourself to see it through, you are ensuring that the results will follow. Plus, the disciplines you create to help you achieve your physical goal will have a ‘carry-over benefit' to other areas of your life as well.

I wish you the greatest success in achieving outstanding results!

* Before using any nutritional supplement, speak with your health care professional.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->

[Mischievous1 6]

Hey guys!

I just wanted to check in with all of you.

I am going to be checking in at least once daily again, like I used to when I started this thread. We had a really good group here for support.

Then my oldest step daughter got married in March and I got a job, long story short, I stopped posting here since. I just started up again a few weeks ago.

Well, I came back, as I have seen a lot of others have also who had not been in lately, for support.

I had tried to get by on my own, without support, not following the bandster rules and not losing weight, even gaining a few back!!:faint:

I am hoping to really resurrect this thread to be an active one like it was. I for one, definitely need the support on a daily basis. I can't forget that I am banded and need special support from others like me, who understand me and what I am going through. Things another person who is just dieting can't relate to.

For one, I could hardly eat today at all. I got a couple bites of oatmeal for Breakfast, lunch was a few bites of egg and turkey sausage, but got really stuck. dinner was a struggle to get food in. I know I needed to get some calories in since I had only had about 150 calories for the day and it was dinner time. The cool thing was I felt good and didn't feel hungry, but knew I needed more calories.

It was a struggle to get in a few bites of ponsit (a filipino noodle dish) and some chicken. I chocked on every bite, but managed to eat it without pbing.

I am on liquids for the rest of the evening. I am a few days till my period. It is so weird how one day I feel open and one day like today I could barely eat. I am also 2 weeks from my fill and have heard the real restiction can take 2 weeks to kick in.

Take care and hope to hear from you all!!! Audree

Hang in there Aubree, have you tried Soup lately? It sounds like it may be better if you can't get the food in...btw: you really inspire me, i've been feeling really ticked off lately all these other May bandsters are losing like crazy and i'm stuck on 229 (I go up and down 3-4 lbs) but when I look at how long it took you to get where you are at I realized that I need to quit being so impatient and look at the whole picture.

I have been using my bodybugg faithfully for the past month and I've had a couple of not so good days, but at the rate i've been going I should have lost about 10 lbs and haven't...it's discouraging, but in the past week i've been watching my measurements and i've lost over an inch off my waist so I know something is happening....plus my BUTT feels smaller and my husband says everything is smaller (but you never know if they are just saying that you know) thank God for husbands who tell us sweet things like that!:nervous

Anyway you look so great and I love watching you progress so I hope you are feeling better soon.

TTFN,

Renee

[Mischievous1 6]

Hi my name is Nancy. I am scheduled for surgery on August 1. My BMI is 30.9. I am excited and scared and hope I am doing the right thing. I am self pay so I really need this to work for me. It was great to find a forum for lower BMI folks. I hate to tell how much I weigh and what my BMI is on the chat line. I feel like I am ignored after I answer that question. It will be nice to find people who will talk to me and answer all my questions and calm my fears. Thanks so much for this sight.

I felt the same way before I was banded! Afterwards you then feel like..."did I really do this" and it's surreal...but I have to admit I am glad I did this and you will hopefully feel the same way too, you have a great group of people here who will support you and help you, just keep asking questions and make sure and check in on a regular basis and let everyone know how you're doing as they will start to worry!!

Renee

[Mischievous1 6]

How does this sight work. If I post something how will I know if anyone answers me? :help: I have a lot to learn about how these sights work.

Do you see how I hit the "quote" button? that shows i'm answering you...also once you post something I believe it automatically enters you into that thread, then when you login at the top in the blue bar click on Quick Links and find subscribed threads and go to where you left off last and see all that has happened since you last visited....hope this helps.

[munchkincan 0]

I am not sure when you posted this I still have not figured out how these things work but just wanted to let you that there are plenty of Dr.s that will band you at a low BMI. If you are self pay you should have no problem finding one. I talked to 4 Dr.s here in Houston and everyone of them were willing and happy to band me. I am self pay and by BMI is 30.9. My surgery is scheduled for August 1. Dr. Hadar Spivak is my Dr. Dr. Felix Spiegel is another very good Dr. in the Houston area. Good luck to you.

[BabyGotBack 0]

Hang in there Aubree, have you tried Soup lately? It sounds like it may be better if you can't get the food in...btw: you really inspire me, i've been feeling really ticked off lately all these other May bandsters are losing like crazy and i'm stuck on 229 (I go up and down 3-4 lbs) but when I look at how long it took you to get where you are at I realized that I need to quit being so impatient and look at the whole picture.

I have been using my bodybugg faithfully for the past month and I've had a couple of not so good days, but at the rate i've been going I should have lost about 10 lbs and haven't...it's discouraging, but in the past week i've been watching my measurements and i've lost over an inch off my waist so I know something is happening....plus my BUTT feels smaller and my husband says everything is smaller (but you never know if they are just saying that you know) thank God for husbands who tell us sweet things like that!:nervous

Anyway you look so great and I love watching you progress so I hope you are feeling better soon.

TTFN,

Renee

Thanks Renee for the words of encouragement!!

I just decided that this would be a journey. As long as the numbers were going down, I'd be happy, even if slowly. I have been on a month plateau, even gained 4 pounds due to eating like a pig.:hungry:

But, I know that without my band, I'd have gained 25 pounds or more instead of lost.

I am doing a Protein Shake day today. I feel pretty tight.

My husband said something really sweet like that the other day, that he could feel my bones for the first time. I don't think a few pounds would do that, but it made me feel good!:clap2:

What is BodyBug? I need to do something in way of daily exercise. I just don't feel like doing anything but swimming. I also was not taking my Vitamins, but got my liquid ones today. I hope it helps with energy. My energy levels are really low, but than again, I am eating a lot less than I was. Protiens first , so very low carb.

I hope to see you around!!!!

Audree