Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[IndioGirl55 32]

Bunny

Here's my 2 cents on our bands being only a tool..

Even when you get to your sweet spot you will be able to eat certain foods (candy - liquid calories(shakes juice alcohol) - Cookies - chips - ice cream in unlimited quantities..

Our bands will never be able to make our food choices - that's up to us.. Also our new full is a diff kind of full - it doesn't mean you are satisfied..

I can eat my dinner be physically full - but my body craves more food - I want the taste - My brains says you ate 4 oz of meat and 1/2 cup of veggie - that's not a lot of food.. - But if I really think about my stomach I am full - but it doesn't mean satisfied.

ALWAYS eat your Protein 1st (meat chick fish) then - sit and contemplate your stomach does it feel full - do you feel the meat in your pouch - are your full orl just mentally hungry. If you are still hungry - move to veggies - to me veggies are free (low calories) - till you get to your sweet spot - eat extra veggies if you are still hungry and for me I only allowed starches (rice/tato/pasta) at dinner for the most part - I sorta followed the old fashion WW way of eating (exchanges)

It's up to you to change your eating habits - it's up to you to eat healthy foods (lower fat, less carbs, less sugar)

Also - I am a big advocate of exercise - for the 1st 8 months I walked 4-6 days a week on a treadmill - then I move to weight training 2 x a week and treadmill 2 x a week..

You do have to rely on self control - You have to understand that you are a food addict - you have to learn how to deal w/your emotions in diff ways - instead of stuffing they away with food..

I don't keep candy in the house - I don't keep trigger foods in my house - if you were an alcoholic would you keep a bottle of booze on the kitchen counter.. We are no different.. Except our drug of choice is food..

Bordom is a big food trigger for me - so I will get up get on the computer come here - or play farming on FB - go clean out a drawer - wash my face - just something other than eating..

I also am a firm believer in keep a food diary - I gave myself a calorie budget 800-1200 during my weight loss phase - and I always budgeted those calories to make sure I had something to eat when those night time muchies hit.. I'm a nite eating - I saved my calories for evenings - ate sf choc pudding - sf fudgesicles - 100 cal snack pack popcorn..

If after 2 weeks you don't feel your fill - call the doc an make another appointment.

But till you get to that sweet spot and even after - your food choices are up to you.. Your band isn't going to lose the weight for you - You are the one who has to do the work.

I say that I did 75% of that work by making healthy food choices and exercising and the band did 25% of the work by providing restriction.

Like my signature say - Healthy Eating + Exercise + Band = Success (in that order)

Also - I have always eaten more than 1/2 cup of food - I normally eat 1 to 1.5 per meal..

They haven't invented a band for our heads just yet

The band doesn't cure our mental issues w/food and that's where the majority of our issues lie - Being a little hungry isn't going to kill us - we know where our next meal is coming from next meal - and we can wait out those hungry pangs..

[grizzlyrider 0]

That's funny, I agree with almost everything IndioGirl55 says with

the exception of 2 things. First I am the opposite, I have the feeling of being satisfied rather than full (and I am so happy about that, feeling full makes me feel like I have eaten too much like the old days - feeling satisfied feels good) and I don't track my food at all. Been there done that for years (with no success!) So you see there are many ways to do this, you have to find what works for you!

[BUNNY7 3]

Bunny

Here's my 2 cents on our bands being only a tool..

Even when you get to your sweet spot you will be able to eat certain foods (candy - liquid calories(shakes juice alcohol) - Cookies - chips - ice cream in unlimited quantities..

Our bands will never be able to make our food choices - that's up to us.. Also our new full is a diff kind of full - it doesn't mean you are satisfied..

I can eat my dinner be physically full - but my body craves more food - I want the taste - My brains says you ate 4 oz of meat and 1/2 cup of veggie - that's not a lot of food.. - But if I really think about my stomach I am full - but it doesn't mean satisfied.

ALWAYS eat your Protein 1st (meat chick fish) then - sit and contemplate your stomach does it feel full - do you feel the meat in your pouch - are your full orl just mentally hungry. If you are still hungry - move to veggies - to me veggies are free (low calories) - till you get to your sweet spot - eat extra veggies if you are still hungry and for me I only allowed starches (rice/tato/pasta) at dinner for the most part - I sorta followed the old fashion WW way of eating (exchanges)

It's up to you to change your eating habits - it's up to you to eat healthy foods (lower fat, less carbs, less sugar)

Also - I am a big advocate of exercise - for the 1st 8 months I walked 4-6 days a week on a treadmill - then I move to weight training 2 x a week and treadmill 2 x a week..

You do have to rely on self control - You have to understand that you are a food addict - you have to learn how to deal w/your emotions in diff ways - instead of stuffing they away with food..

I don't keep candy in the house - I don't keep trigger foods in my house - if you were an alcoholic would you keep a bottle of booze on the kitchen counter.. We are no different.. Except our drug of choice is food..

Bordom is a big food trigger for me - so I will get up get on the computer come here - or play farming on FB - go clean out a drawer - wash my face - just something other than eating..

I also am a firm believer in keep a food diary - I gave myself a calorie budget 800-1200 during my weight loss phase - and I always budgeted those calories to make sure I had something to eat when those night time muchies hit.. I'm a nite eating - I saved my calories for evenings - ate sf choc pudding - sf fudgesicles - 100 cal snack pack popcorn..

If after 2 weeks you don't feel your fill - call the doc an make another appointment.

But till you get to that sweet spot and even after - your food choices are up to you.. Your band isn't going to lose the weight for you - You are the one who has to do the work.

I say that I did 75% of that work by making healthy food choices and exercising and the band did 25% of the work by providing restriction.

Like my signature say - Healthy Eating + Exercise + Band = Success (in that order)

Also - I have always eaten more than 1/2 cup of food - I normally eat 1 to 1.5 per meal..

They haven't invented a band for our heads just yet

The band doesn't cure our mental issues w/food and that's where the majority of our issues lie - Being a little hungry isn't going to kill us - we know where our next meal is coming from next meal - and we can wait out those hungry pangs..

Thanks so much for putting all that effort into helping me over this bump! It seems that counting calories is a useful tool as well, which I may start trying out. I was on an equivalent weight loss club called Weighless, based on weighing all food and consequently getting Portion Control. I lost a lot of my weight on three occasions but slowly regained it - this all over a 20 year period. I gained a huge amount of knowledge about food groups and healthy eating and that truly changed my attitude which I'm grateful for. My challenge now is having under nourishment fears due to the tiny amount consumed - I'm still battling to get my head around it but I'm confident I'll get there. I take Vitamins daily. I've also started a new food diary today which I know will help. I will keep soldiering on!!! Thanks again.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Bunny

I think most of us could be nutritionist - due to all the knowledge we have about eating plans - the problem is that the whole lifetime lifestyle change thingie has never reallys resonated with us..

That's the light bulb moment - the ah ha moment - This is truly about making a lifetime change in our eating - that our "normal" eating is what got us fat in the 1st place..

I know a lot of pple don't want to weigh measure count calories - but as fat chicks we aren't truly aware of the amount of calories that we are consuming - we think a serving size is 16 oz steak - it's 4 ounces - we don't really know what 4 oz looks like - we don't know what 1/2 cup looks like..

I weighted and measured foods for the first 3 or so months until I could eyeball a serving size - I still pull out my scale even now - especially w/pasta..

I still read labels before I buy/eat anything - It takes me forever to grocery shop - I will want say a candy bar - I know that my fav reese pb cups - reg size has 230 cal - if I want brownies - I look at the box read the calories - then say to myself - will you be able to stop at 1 or 2 - nope - so back goes the box.

weighting & measure & keep a food diary are learning tools imho - I kept a food/exercise diary for the 1st yr (till I got to goal) and even now if I have put on a lb or 2 - I start writing down what I eat - There are so many things that we don't think adds up - (those little snack candies - a handful of chips - a glass of OJ) but they all add up -

Eat your Protein - I supplemented mine w/pt drinks in the beginning - there are clear pt drinks that are like crystal lite - 70 cal 15 grms pt - then eat your veggies - drink v8 juice too.. White bread - potatoes - rice - Pasta - potato chips - ice cream - candy - have any real nutritional value - that's sorta how I choose what I eat - is it feeding my body.. I need energy to exercise - I choose good carb (complex) I eat veggies all the time (lunch & dinner)

You do have to find what works for you - put it's scientifically proven that pple who log their food are more successful...

[phyllser 3]

I know a lot of pple don't want to weigh measure count calories - but as fat chicks we aren't truly aware of the amount of calories that we are consuming - we think a serving size is 16 oz steak - it's 4 ounces - we don't really know what 4 oz looks like - we don't know what 1/2 cup looks like..

I weighted and measured foods for the first 3 or so months until I could eyeball a serving size - I still pull out my scale even now - especially w/pasta..

I still read labels before I buy/eat anything - It takes me forever to grocery shop - I will want say a candy bar - I know that my fav reese pb cups - reg size has 230 cal - if I want brownies - I look at the box read the calories - then say to myself - will you be able to stop at 1 or 2 - nope - so back goes the box.

weighting & measure & keep a food diary are learning tools imho - I kept a food/exercise diary for the 1st yr (till I got to goal) and even now if I have put on a lb or 2 - I start writing down what I eat - There are so many things that we don't think adds up - (those little snack candies - a handful of chips - a glass of OJ) but they all add up -

Eat your Protein - I supplemented mine w/pt drinks in the beginning - there are clear pt drinks that are like crystal lite - 70 cal 15 grms pt - then eat your veggies - drink v8 juice too.. White bread - potatoes - rice - Pasta - potato chips - ice cream - candy - have any real nutritional value - that's sorta how I choose what I eat - is it feeding my body.. I need energy to exercise - I choose good carb (complex) I eat veggies all the time (lunch & dinner)

You do have to find what works for you - put it's scientifically proven that pple who log their food are more successful...

As you well know, I HATE to journal, weigh and measure my food!! However, as you also know, I am BLESSED to have a husband who understands the importance of Portion Control. HE weighs and measures my food.... not necessarilly veggies, but ALWAYS pasta, on those rare occassions when I eat it (I LOVE spaghetti, but I'm content to have the sauce & meat on french style green beans). I can't tell you how much time he spends rewrapping meat/fish when we go shopping because that's when he weighs my portions. So pretty much everything is in the freezer in appropriate portion size, especially for me. He will have a larger piece of steak for himself... sometimes, but often has the same portion size as I do. As much as he sometimes frustrates me in other ways

:biggrin::thumbup: (because part of that is he is a "control freak"), he has been instrumental in my success thus far!!

[BUNNY7 3]

Bunny

I think most of us could be nutritionist - due to all the knowledge we have about eating plans - the problem is that the whole lifetime lifestyle change thingie has never reallys resonated with us..

That's the light bulb moment - the ah ha moment - This is truly about making a lifetime change in our eating - that our "normal" eating is what got us fat in the 1st place..

I know a lot of pple don't want to weigh measure count calories - but as fat chicks we aren't truly aware of the amount of calories that we are consuming - we think a serving size is 16 oz steak - it's 4 ounces - we don't really know what 4 oz looks like - we don't know what 1/2 cup looks like..

I weighted and measured foods for the first 3 or so months until I could eyeball a serving size - I still pull out my scale even now - especially w/pasta..

I still read labels before I buy/eat anything - It takes me forever to grocery shop - I will want say a candy bar - I know that my fav reese pb cups - reg size has 230 cal - if I want brownies - I look at the box read the calories - then say to myself - will you be able to stop at 1 or 2 - nope - so back goes the box.

weighting & measure & keep a food diary are learning tools imho - I kept a food/exercise diary for the 1st yr (till I got to goal) and even now if I have put on a lb or 2 - I start writing down what I eat - There are so many things that we don't think adds up - (those little snack candies - a handful of chips - a glass of OJ) but they all add up -

Eat your Protein - I supplemented mine w/pt drinks in the beginning - there are clear pt drinks that are like crystal lite - 70 cal 15 grms pt - then eat your veggies - drink v8 juice too.. White bread - potatoes - rice - Pasta - potato chips - ice cream - candy - have any real nutritional value - that's sorta how I choose what I eat - is it feeding my body.. I need energy to exercise - I choose good carb (complex) I eat veggies all the time (lunch & dinner)

You do have to find what works for you - put it's scientifically proven that pple who log their food are more successful...

What you're talking about is raising our level of awareness in our lives - and only I can do that. I have designed a 'week-at-glance' food diary form so I can look at yesterday, plan today and think about tomorrow. I printed out again and so have recorded todays eating.

I love the idea of also have an exercise diary.... mine wouldn't have much in it at the moment unless you count 'carried my grandchild across the parking lot" This is going to be my great challenge!!!! It's hot, hot, hot and very humid where I live in as we're moving into our summer months. We have a pool so once we've skimmed all the insects and other wildlife - the place is teeming with them as it's sub tropical:eek:, I will venture in.

Off to have my first weighed dinner thanks to you of 56.5grams of chicken and 1/2 cup of veg. Love google that makes conversions easy! Warm wishes to you.

[BUNNY7 3]

That's funny, I agree with almost everything IndioGirl55 says with

the exception of 2 things. First I am the opposite, I have the feeling of being satisfied rather than full (and I am so happy about that, feeling full makes me feel like I have eaten too much like the old days - feeling satisfied feels good) and I don't track my food at all. Been there done that for years (with no success!) So you see there are many ways to do this, you have to find what works for you!

I relate to what you're saying but I just don't trust myself yet or maybe I don't trust that I'll actually lose this weight eventually. I loooooooooooooooooooong for that feeling of just being satisfied and even full. Don't particularly feel either at this point. Thanks for dropping me a line. It help me not to feel so lonely in this. There is no support group in this country.

[BUNNY7 3]

Phyll, how wonderful having such a great supporter. My husband is so sweet but isn't sure how to help and I'm not sure what to ask! I sound so ditzy!!!! As my daughter remarked today - Mom, you sound confuzzed - confused and puzzled. Precisely!!!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Bunny - Just realized South Africa - How Cool - I live in the Desert too ;0) Southern California - most pple don't recognize the town Indio - but most pple know Palm Springs Ca or Palm Desert Ca or Rancho Mirage CA (President Ford)

In the summer it's 110 - but lucky - mostly dry heat - I go to the gym - it's too hot to walk outside..

WTG on your food diary - It's a great learning tool - you won't have to do it forever -

Phyl - Yep your DH is a sweety !!! (Bunny Phyl & I are both Lucky 7's banded 7/07 and she winter here in the Desert - We are more than just internet friends ;0)

Well drive by - just got home from spending the day w/Phyl - shopping ;0) then her sweet DH made us dinner ;0) = got to get ready for work tomorrow

Hugs everyone

[WENDY ANN 0]

Hi all, you are such and inspiration! I am doing the 6 months before being banded, for insurance purposes. The 2nd dr visit I lost 10 lbs. I am on my way with a goal by christmas of 25 lbs gone. Found out last week my hubby for the past 34 years is now a diabetic. Guess what? I have him on my low carb diet. He isn't as strict as I am. He is watching his sugar and has been good so far. We both are mid to early 50's. He can and will retire early. He also has been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. He wants to see the country while he can. We want to be healthy and live longer so looks like a lifestyle change for both of us. We can do it together. I should be banded in March sometime. I have a few more appointments to keep then we will be more ready for banding to happen! I love all your stories and get so charged up with every reading. Thank you all!

[Aliengirl 0]

Hi All, I just had my first fill (adjustment per Dr.s Office) on Wed the 11th. I am down 22.5 lbs in 6 weeks. I am hoping that I start to feel retriction too, but until tomorrow, I am still on liquids. I too have a problem knowing what portions to eat, sometimes I feel that I am not eating enough. I do know that I love, love, love my lap band and am so glad I went thru it all to get it.

I hate, hate, hate to excercise, but I am trying to do it. It has finally cooled down here in New Mexico, so walking is not so bad. Need to start working with weights.

I have control with food but not will excercising. Thank goodness for my husband pushing me to do it. He is losing weight along with me and he is looking good!!!!

Thanks everyone for all the advice on here, it is a great tool and I love to read them all!!!!

[kll724 3,055]

Hello all, especially Wendyann and Aliengirl,

Congrats to both of you on your weight loss journey. I, also, had a fill on Wednesday. I am on liquids until Saturday. I am on maintenance, but had no restriction. I am better, now. I had only 1 1/2 cc before fill (had to have everything removed in August due to problem). Now, I have 3.7 cc. 4 was too much, Water and barium did not go down. I guess I will find out tomorrow if I am too tight.

Well, anyway, welcome to the newbies and hi'yall. Karen(kll724)

[Aliengirl 0]

Hello all, especially Wendyann and Aliengirl,

Congrats to both of you on your weight loss journey. I, also, had a fill on Wednesday. I am on liquids until Saturday. I am on maintenance, but had no restriction. I am better, now. I had only 1 1/2 cc before fill (had to have everything removed in August due to problem). Now, I have 3.7 cc. 4 was too much, Water and barium did not go down. I guess I will find out tomorrow if I am too tight.

Well, anyway, welcome to the newbies and hi'yall. Karen(kll724)

Thanks, my first fill was 6cc and so far so good. Only on liquids for 48 hrs so tonite I get something soft. I was surprised that the Dr. put that much in.

[BUNNY7 3]

Hello everyone. Getting my second fill on Tuesday next week. Had my first one 3 weeks ago with no change so am looking forward to the greater restriction. I've been away on an art weekend at the coast and really felt like it was preband time. Forgot about not drinking carbonated drinks and was sitting there with the gals, sipping a delicious G&T (gin and tonic) as the sun was setting and enjoying the gorgeous sea air. As I finished it I remembered!!!! Well the good news is there was no sense of blowing up like a blowfish and it all just went straight through without a problem!!!! I need a problem so hopefully Tuesday is the day when I get a few ; )

Hope you all had a great weekend - mine was just wonderful! Back to reality now ....

[WENDY ANN 0]

Aww, Bunny7. I love an ocassional soda. Infact I'm having one now. I will have to flatten all my soda in a few months. LOL!!!! Hubby made me a diet Pepsi and Tortuga rum Yummy!!!!!