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[greythope 0]

Tai 68 your trip sounds lots of fun! I am sure a British wedding will be lots of fun with a full day livations and lots of fun people. Or hopefully anyway. I am picturing Four Weddings and a Funeral type affairs. Got your hat yet? :cool2: I love Amsterdam. The Dutch are so helpful and friendly. Avoid the icky part of Amsterdam (red light district etc). There are so many other things to see. And of course the Heinekin Brewery!

Thanks for the pep talk guys. Ironically the band and its success is the least of my worries. I still have some restriction, clothes are getting loser, wedding ring isn't tight, and my trousers were like clown pants today. I just worry about if there are any internal complications going on because of toddler lifting and general living. But I do feel better now and we went swimming after work which is always fun. My friend who also has the band advised me to learn to be a cowgirl. (wicked laugh sorry if I offend anyone with that statement)

Going to bed soon, hopefully I will have a good rest. I am drinking some herbal tea that is supposed to bring on sleep. I'd prefer an ambien but I don't have any and it would probably just made me do that sleep eating thing!

Which I actually have a problem with but I made sure and keep the house stocked with 10 calorie popscicles and Jello.

And hooray me. I can't believe I haven't had a carbonated beverage in 3.5 weeks!!!! I feel like I should get a medal for that. I have been drinking diet sodas since I was 8 years old!

Cathy I am jealous onederland is close for you. Anything under 200 is a nice place for me. I guess I am lucky I have a big frame even for a short person. (remind me I said that when I get there and am whining about my weight still!).

[tai68 0]

Grey - I hope you are feeling better today!!! Thanks for the suggestions about Amsterdam...I know there is much to see other than the red light district - although I'm sure my husband will want to check it out (what can I say, I married a perv). I do enjoy the visions of "4 weddings and a funeral"...might just have to purchase a lovely hat for the occasion!!

Oooh and I know what you mean about no carbonated drinks!! I lived on diet rock stars and monsters for so long that I was sure I would die w/out them but lo and behold, after 3 long weeks, I am still alive!!!

I have finally been able to sleep on my stomach again but when I wake up in that position I get a little freaked out thinking that it can't possibly be good to have any pressure on my port and incisions. I have been taking a soma most nights because of the pain in my back...but this is not band related. I just have a really tricky back and prior to surgery my sciatica flared up - good times!!

Today I go in for my one week check up. God willing, the doctor takes the few staples that are still left OUT cuz they are starting to create a rashy area around the incisions. I need to make a list of questions to ask because every time I get around the doc, I seem to forget them.

Oh, and speaking of forgetting....has anyone else found that during these first few weeks (pre op and post op), that their thoughts don't always complete themselves or get lost?? Yesterday I was back for my first day of work, in the middle of a meeting and went to make a comment and them completely blanked out over what I wanted to say. I felt so exposed and idiotic. Fortunately, I work with very cool people, but still.

Thats it for me this morning...gotta jet off to work. Hope everyone is doing fantastic and that the weather is fabulous where ever you are!!

[greythope 0]

Tai I was working from home a bit the first week after surgery and looking back I sent a few emails that didn't make sense. I also did defensive driving online and at one point was seeing double!

feeling a lot better this morning. I swam a bit last night and my wee man slept through since we tired him out in the pool also. I tried some herbal tea that was supposed to bring on sleep but I don't think it worked. I will try it again tonight to see. I just don't understand it. I have almost no caffeine at this point and never after lunch. I have to wonder if feeling better and having less weight means I am less tired?

I need to start reading something really hard to get through. Maybe time to pull out one of those 1000 page classics I keep trying to make myself read to prove that work and baby haven't robbed me of my brain power :biggrin:

My scales are so weird I have no idea about weight loss.

[Great2BThin 5]

Good morning. Looks like a lovely day here today. I can't believe over the holiday weekend I hit my one month 'bandversary'. Time sure flies, though while on liquids and mushies at the time it sure seemed to drag. I'm down 29 lbs since my 1st consult with the dr. + the 10 before I saw him, so am very close to the big 4-0. I hope to hit it by Monday when I go in for my first fill. Not sure I will though as my volumes of food have definitely gone up, must closer to 8 oz instead of 4 and calories are approaching 1000. But I feel great, have a very positive outlook, am beginning to exercise. In fact, just got a newsletter from the dr.'s office for July and there's a trainer near me starting a bariatric exercise program for $15 week. I am thinking of doing it, it wouldn't be one on one personal training but it would be training geared for the bariatric patient. I just emailed my surgeon for the clearance to begin since I am not 6 weeks post op yet.

I haven't noticed being any more forgetful that I have been since I hit the 40's (now 50). I call them my senior moments. LOL

Have a great day everyone!

[cathychatts 1]

Finally! Time for an update!

I am doing good and posted on the fills thread about my struggles with eating too many "slider" foods. I am doing better now. I know the eating thing is a learning process for me. heck, if I had been "good" at the diet thing I guess I wouldn't have needed the band. So I will stumble and fall and get up and walk! The important thing is to keep the faith and keep on working!

tai: I think you trip sounds devine! I loved the museums in Amsterdam and London! Especially the Rijks museum!

Have a great time!

It is good to see Apples checking in here. I envy her lake house! Maybe someday I will find one! LOL

Long, it looks to me like you are doing GREAT! Did you ever try the bike? I can't wait to get on mine again. It has finally been raining here in Tennessee, so I can't complain about the weather, but I certainly can't ride with all the thunderstorms lately! I have gotten caught in a couple of really bad storms.

Grey: I am looking forward to onederland! I am not quite 5'2" so I have quite a bit to loose. My doc says 130 will be ok. Right now I am just trying to get under 200! Like I said, 10 lbs away!

Hope you all have a great day and keep on doing the good stuff!

[Great2BThin 5]

I did sortta try my son's bike, hubby got it down, tires pumped up, etc. But it's so high (son is 6'8 and hubby is 6'6) that I couldn't get my leg over it, and with the seat in the lowest position it was still high. DH leaned it way over so I could sit on it however, but I felt too wobbly and high to try riding. I did check out a women's bike at costco I really like, it's a comfort bike or something and I fit on it good. I also went to the gym and pedaled a stationary bike to see how it affected my knee and as long as I had the seat adjusted right it didn't hurt it at all. So I am hopefuly to get one soon, but not sure the wallet is. I also looked at Walmart where they'd be cheaper, but maybe not as good of quality but they all looked rather young to me. What kind do you have??

[TX Diva 1]

I just purchased a bike from Walmart. I did some research online at Walmart, Target, and Overstock.com before I went to the store. I'm not ready to go to the local bicycle shop yet and spend more than $300. I tried on several bikes before going with the Schwinn Sidewinder. It's a part of their line that is created for women. It was $150, so it was one of the midpriced bikes.

I haven't ridden it much because I didn't get cleared from the doctor to ride it until just recently and now we have thunderstorms. :wink2: It seems very sturdy and it's easy for me to get off and on. It has more gears than I wanted, but I'll just have to learn!

[Kiki220 0]

HI Everyone

So after a month on this site I figured out how to insert my ticker thing that I had made when I first joined. So now I will upset it weekly as I lose.

[vzghj3 0]

Hi All! I can't wait for my first fill on July 23rd!!! I've been doing really well with eating properly and actually hit 20 pounds lost since my surgery. Except the last few days my old sweet tooth has kicked in. A dougnut yesterday and a piece of pie today. I know it's much better than the old me who would of ate three doughnuts instead of one, but I really don't want to get into that mode. I'm at my lake home for the summer and have lot's of visitors who bring these tempting treats. I know I just need to get the will power back and not necessarily deny myself these treats, but keep the portion sizes small or substitute for something else. But easier said then done! Well that's all for now. :wink2:

[cathychatts 1]

Darn! :tt2: There we go again, another one with a lake house! I want a lake house! Apples and now vzghj3! I am so jealous! Maybe I can find someone who will get me one when I get my new body! LOL:smile2:

TX Diva: I bought my bike from Walmart about 5 years ago. I don't know what brand it is, but it was about $125. I would love to have one with out any gears and pedal brakes! Like they made when I was a kid! I hate the gears, I have never understood how they work. :mad2: I just put it in the middle and pedal on!

Long: you have to have a bike that fits. I have knee troubles also and it is one thing I can do and not aggrivate the knees. I have a gym membership and hope to go there again in the fall. Too bad we don't live close, we could ride together. :thumbup:

Kiki and vz: glad to see you posting on here. It is a great place and saves opening all the threads.

Gotta go work now.... the state does pay me to teach...

[greythope 0]

ITA agree on the bike fitting thing. I used to do long distance riding and when I was training for a two day ride (MS150) the first year I did it my pedals were just slightly off and seat slightly too high. I ended up hurting my knee and had a hard time with it because of course me being me I refused to let something like that bother me and rode through the pain / took painkillers!

The next year I had minor adjustments at a bike shop and it made all the difference and finished in a better time and was able to do the more difficult course on the second day.

Then I got fat AGAIN and had a kid and didn't have time to ride anymore....

But the trainers at the gym tell me the bike really is the best exercise.

I would go for the costco one. It will be of better quality and costco has an AMAZING return policy.

Cathy the gears really do help. The little ones are for climbing, the bigger ones for flats. The idea is to get the best efficiency out of how much you pedal. Imagine a manual car - you wouldn't want to try to climb a steep hill in 5th just like you wouldn't drive down the freeway in first. You'd burn the car out that way. Think of yourself as the car. If it's too easy to pedal or too hard to pedal try changing gears.

OK now I am DYING to get back on my bike. This weekend I will get my fun bike sorted out and go for a spin. It is such amazing exercise and you feel like a million bucks afterwards. I have done a lot of different exercises but cycling is the only one I could do for an entire day without my body 'breaking down' and get the bicycle equivalent of a runners high. And anyone can do it. When I did the MS150 I noticed that no matter how old or fat you are you're guarenteed to see someone older or fatter on the ride peddling away! I even saw a guy with one leg doing it!

I am all good today and feeling very pleased with myself. It's so wonderful to have a single portion of oatmeal with berries in it for Breakfast and feel satisfied. Long may this last!

[Great2BThin 5]

Good afternoon. I am so excited to report I hit 40 lbs gone today!!!!!!!!! (now for the disclaimer, lost 10 while researching surgery before my consult but I count them cause I lost them).

After all this bike reading I decided to give my sons bike another try. I backed the car out of the garage, shut the door so no one could see me, put my cell phone in my pocket in case I fell or did something stupid and gave it a whirl. I got on much easier this time by swinging my leg over the seat instead of trying to reach it over the bar. I went in 2 circles in the garage and still know how! LOL His seat kills my, um, let's say private area and it's not a bike I would ride much but just wanted to see if I could do it and if the tires would hold me. Now to convince DH I need one. I'm sure he'd be fine with it but I feel so guilty with all the money I have spent and wasted on exercise equipment and gym memberships in the past. But this time I am doing it, 40 lbs worth of doing it so far!! :smile:

[greythope 0]

Good afternoon. I am so excited to report I hit 40 lbs gone today!!!!!!!!! (now for the disclaimer, lost 10 while researching surgery before my consult but I count them cause I lost them).

After all this bike reading I decided to give my sons bike another try. I backed the car out of the garage, shut the door so no one could see me, put my cell phone in my pocket in case I fell or did something stupid and gave it a whirl. I got on much easier this time by swinging my leg over the seat instead of trying to reach it over the bar. I went in 2 circles in the garage and still know how! LOL His seat kills my, um, let's say private area and it's not a bike I would ride much but just wanted to see if I could do it and if the tires would hold me. Now to convince DH I need one. I'm sure he'd be fine with it but I feel so guilty with all the money I have spent and wasted on exercise equipment and gym memberships in the past. But this time I am doing it, 40 lbs worth of doing it so far!! :smile:

You could always do what my husband did with getting a bike. He bought a used one from a bike shop. He didn't pay too much for it but was able to get properly fitted to the seat and pedals.

Your bum is going to be sore for a few rides but you'll get used to it. Make sure and get a seat designed for a woman. You could try the exercise bike at the gym to get yourself more used to it.

40 pounds - COOL! That is 8 bags of sugar. Enough dog food to feed four greyhounds for a week and a half. 10 more pounds than my 21 month old I can barely lift anymore! You go girl!

[Great2BThin 5]

Thanks Greyhope for the visuals of how much 40 lbs is, because right now I still have trouble seeing I've lost it. Did just have some progress pics taken though to compare, need to get those out of the camera.

I am doing the bike at the gym and that seat doesn't hurt too bad. This one on my son's bike hurt more in the front and I also think it's from leaning over so far to the handle bars, when i get my bike it's gonna be one you don't have to lean so far on. They called it a comfort bike for women. Sounded good to me!

[greythope 0]

No problem! Next time you're at the store throw a 40 pound bag of dog food over your shoulder and imagine that weight on! We have a similar goal weight and I know we'll get there!!

Thanks for inspiring me to get my ass back on my bike hopefully soon. When I rode my bike before the weight just fell off!