No eating on Rosh Hashana and Sukkos

[Tova 0]

I used to drink Myoplex, but found it too thin of a texture. I do my shopping in BJ.

My husband is an out of town Rav, so between congregants and family that is always coming my house has revolving doors!! My guests dont say anything to me about my eating habits, and "no news is good news" - I just dont make a fuss and always get up and serve or do alot of talking!!!

I dont believe in unfills before Yom Tov or simchas. I discussed it with my doctor after I read an article in a Jewish paper about it and he asked me what I felt and I said that I definitely do not agree with this - I feel that it defeats the purpose of learning new eating styles.

I started out with a size 20 and am now an 8/10. It's great shopping in normal stores and looking good in my clothing. Another great thing is being able to share clothing with my sisters and sister in laws

Keep up the good work, this is soooo rewarding

Tova

[rdk211 1]

Hi, Tova, Amy and all the rest. I hope we get some more "kosher bandsters" on here soon.

I have a great NSV today - amazing how simple things can make your day, no? I went to the hosiery store and asked the lady for my size - Queen Petite - so she couldn't find it, and she got the manager. The manager found it, but said to me "out of curiosity's sake, is that for you?" so I said yes. She said - Look, do what you want, but there's no way that's your size. You are a size 2 Plus (the next category down) I was so flattered. I bought both sizes, tried it on at home, and she's right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How silly that a pair of pantyhose can be so exciting. I guess at 30+lbs down, it's starting to affect my clothing sizes of all kinds!

I used to drink Myoplex, but found it too thin of a texture. I do my shopping in BJ.

//My husband is an out of town Rav, so between congregants and family that is always coming my house has revolving doors!! My guests dont say anything to me about my eating habits, and "no news is good news" - I just dont make a fuss and always get up and serve or do alot of talking!!!//

Wow, Tova, you're a kiruv rebbetzin! Very impressive. That was always my secret dream. But I like what I do as well. (I'm a social worker)

I dont believe in unfills before Yom Tov or simchas. I discussed it with my doctor after I read an article in a Jewish paper about it and he asked me what I felt and I said that I definitely do not agree with this - I feel that it defeats the purpose of learning new eating styles.

I agree. But I am nervous about shmura matzah. My dh says I really can do machine shmurah if I want to. We'll see. It's all a learning curve.

I started out with a size 20 and am now an 8/10. It's great shopping in normal stores and looking good in my clothing. Another great thing is being able to share clothing with my sisters and sister in laws

You're a size 8/10?????!!!!!!! Can you hear me drooling through the computer?:thumbup: I'm so thrilled to be fitting in to size 18 (I was 22 when I started) that the thought of size 8/10 is beyond belief. How long ago were you banded? Any tips for those of us losing slowly (like yours truly!)? And you are right - this is hard work! For anyone who thinks being banded is the "easy way out" - means that they haven't been banded.

rdk:laugh:

Keep up the good work, this is soooo rewarding

Tova

[abrenner 0]

RDK,

Mazal tov on the downsizing of your pantyhose!! I can imagine what a true kick it was.

What is NSV? That's a new expression to me. I may know what it means once I hear what it stands for, but I haven't seen it written that way to know.

Keep on keeping on! I lost a pound since my fill on Thursday - yay! I'm hoping I can keep going and not need another fill, but if I do, then I do.

Best,

[rdk211 1]

This is too good a distraction from my dissertation! I need to get back to work! But this is MUCH more interesting.

RDK,

Mazal tov on the downsizing of your pantyhose!! I can imagine what a true kick it was.

No pun intended, huh???:eek: It really was a kick! I have a grad school reunion - just a couple of good friends and myself, not a formal thing or anything - anyway, the reunion is tomorrow (we meet every 3 months) and I wonder if they'll notice. I lost 30 lbs since I last saw them, but they say ppl. can't totally tell till 50 lbs. when you are losing mega-weight.

What is NSV? That's a new expression to me. I may know what it means once I hear what it stands for, but I haven't seen it written that way to know.

and NSV is a Non-scale Victory - like "I succeeded in finishing my treadmill routine" or "I didn't eat my favorite Cookies even though my neighbor kept insisting."

Keep on keeping on! I lost a pound since my fill on Thursday - yay! I'm hoping I can keep going and not need another fill, but if I do, then I do.

Wow - every pound down I consider two pounds - the pound I lost and the pound I didn't gain during that time.:thumbup:

the way I see it, fills are not the worst thing in the world. They hurt for about a second, there's a week of liquids and then I do a three day progression through the stages, which can be annoying, but I want to hit that sweet spot! I think this next fill will be the magic one cuz I'm pretty tight. BUT, I can eat 8oz. at a time, which is 4 more than I should be able to eat.

Personally, I definitely feel the appetite suppression, I get stuck with refined carbs (which is probably a good thing - only thing I miss TONS is sushi) so I don't eat them - no big loss, I can still eat whole grain stuff, but I would like to feel full after 4oz.

How about you? Does the band live up to your expectations?

Are you doing any excercise along with diet?

rdk:smile:

Best,

[abrenner 0]

This is too good a distraction from my dissertation! I need to get back to work! But this is MUCH more interesting.

ROFL, I hear you. I'm supposed to be transcribing meeting notes and have much done, so I'm playing a little. I'm not used to being at work yet - only the second full week since HH's over.

I have to say that I knew I had some restriction after the first fill because four times in the month (about once a week) something got stuck and I had to PB. The first time really upset me. The last one something was just stuck and I needed to get it out - and then in a few minutes was able to go back and finish my dinner.

That said, there is no doubt that the restriction as a tool is working. Not at the sweet spot yet, but this could be it. Today is the first day I'm on soft food after my fill, and I know that with full liquids and water/ice chips I can drink and eat and not get full very quickly.

What I just noticed yesterday with the pureed food, and I thought might be a fluke until today, is that I don't feel hungry after I've eaten about 4-6 ounces, and THAT is a first. I CAN keep eating. So today I made a significant effort to stop. Now I'm counting the hours to see how long it holds me. If it works for more than another hour, we did it.

Then the onus is going to be entirely on me - to learn and discipline myself to STOP EATING based on measuring my intake, not on how I feel. IF that works at 4-8 ounces per meal, I'll lose weight. And I'll feel very good about myself.

My biggest challenge all these years with not being able to lose the weight was feeling hunger too quickly after I ate - sometimes as soon as 20-30 minutes after eating a hearty meal. Banding has made a significant difference, even though I could, up until my fill on Thursday, eat about two full cups.

Yesterday was just about a cup or less. Today I stopped myself at a cup. I CAN do more, I just didn't. I don't feel as full now, two hours later, as I would if I'd eaten more, but that is likely to be part of my retraining as well, right?

Ah, the lovely middle age Ashkenazi female body (post kids and post meno). Gotta love it!

Thanks for explaining what NSV was.

By the way, if your friends are anything like the people in my life, they are going to notice the difference in your size.

[Tova 0]

RDK and abrenner -

we seem to have started our weight loss journey at approximately the same point. That being said I had surgery 18 months ago. I have lost around 5 pounds a month, which to me is fantastic and my doctor is thrilled.

You seem to be going in the same direction, just remember to add exercise and weight training (I do that twice a week) it helps you firm up as you lose, so you dont look that flabby.

I started out in a size 20. It startles me every morning to see myself in a 8/10. Just stay focused and you will soon be there.

[rdk211 1]

funny how our journeys seem to coincide. As abrenner said, the heredity of the middle aged ashkenazic female body (though I'm in my early thirties - is that REALLY middle aged? I haven't even made a bar mitzvah yet)

Well, tomorrow is the day of truth - I weigh myself daily but only "count" the weight I record on Tuesdays. I've been showing a loss all week, but it wouldn't be the first time I suddenly didn't have a loss on a Tuesday. :laugh:

RDK and abrenner -

we seem to have started our weight loss journey at approximately the same point. That being said I had surgery 18 months ago. I have lost around 5 pounds a month, which to me is fantastic and my doctor is thrilled.

Did you ever plateau? Overall, I have lost an average of 1 lb a week but it's really less if you factor out the first few weeks of mega-loss. I think I lose like 3/4 lb a week. I don't mind not losing faster - I'm desperate to see results, I wish I could just fast forward to your size 8/10, Tova - but if I see a gain, I really get upset. However, if I see a loss - even if it's .2 of a pound, I'm happy. As long as the trend is down, i'm a happy girl. What seems to happen is I lose like .5 or .25 of a pound a week for a while, then suddenly, one week, a 1 or 1 and a half pound loss. I think I just fluctuate in terms of retaining Water a lot. So I don't despair if I have a minor loss. But if there's no loss - or a gain - I can get really upset.

I am going for a fill on Monday, let's see what the MD's official scale says.

You seem to be going in the same direction, just remember to add exercise and weight training (I do that twice a week) it helps you firm up as you lose, so you dont look that flabby.

I've always been an excercise junkie, even at my highest weight. I do cardio 6 days a week - I aim for an hour a day, sometimes more - and for some of my elliptical minutes, I strap on 5 lb. weights on arms and legs. It's unfair but true - my body is just strong and really needs a lot of excercise to make an impact.

My next project, mid-December is going to be to hire a personal trainer. I interviewed one, but she will only come out for two people. Well, my neighbor is willing to participate, but not till after some deadlines at work, after the holidays. This trainer only will travel to our homes if she has two back to back sessions on the same block, three times a week. I hope my neighbor is ready to start soon, cuz I really, really want to learn how to use weights correctly. I feel like weight training is the missing puzzle piece in resetting my metabolism to be faster.

I started out in a size 20. It startles me every morning to see myself in a 8/10. Just stay focused and you will soon be there.

Do you just stare in the mirror and admire yourself? :thumbup: I would! I just had my sheitel re-cut today, it's a really flattering style, particularly with my weight loss which is showing in my face, and I just didn't want to take it off because I was so thrilled to have this cute, trendy style looking good on me. I've never been vain, but this was so exciting! My mother said, imagine how much better it will look in ten more pounds!

It sounds like you went from a size 20 to an 8/10 in a year and a half. WOW! Do you plan on losing more? What's your goal weight, or are you at it? How tall are you?

rdk:regular_smile:

[Tova 0]

First of all, I think you have to realize that you didnt gain this weight overnight and so you will not loose it overnight. That being said, alot of baby steps added together becomes some very large steps. I believe that a slow steady pace is healthier and more successful long term.

I loose weight in spurts. 1/2 a pound or nothing one or two weeks and then 5 pounds the next. The bottom line is a healthy weight loss per month.

I used to exercise 5 days a week, but my schedule now does not allow it. I workout twice a week now and meet a trainer once a month - she gives me weights to do until the next time we meet. This is al money well spent!!!

It's funny that you mention changing the style of your sheitel, I was thinking about it, even though I love the way mine looks on me now - it looks better than it did before I lost all this weight!!! I am a little conservative and hate change. I guess when you start reaching "senior" ages you fall into a rut and dont want to change what isnt broken!!!

At this point wahtever I loose is great, I am very happy the way I am now, but want to loose another 10-20 pounds as a buffer. Yes, I know my hips!!! I am 5-4 and havent weighed this little since being pregnat with my first 19 years ago!!! I have to keep on pinching myself.

Keep up the good work - you sound like you are doing great

Tova

[abrenner 0]

Tova,

I totally agree and in my brain and heart know that it will take time to get the weight off. I think what I am responding to (and I can't speak for RDK of course) is that I'm tentative about "owning" the fact that the band is working yet since I'm not yet sure I hit the right level of restriction. Learning to retrain my eating habits to make the most of the tool is something that I am ready to embrace as well.

If I can lose 75 pounds in a year, that would be MORE than my expectations, and such a thrill, I can't even put it into words. I'm down another pound today - almost 1.5 since my fill last week! That is very good, I know.

I can't imagine wearing clothing from the regular racks again. I have almost everything from about 30 pounds ago still in a closet so I have them to look forward to - they are 16's. The last things I got in regular (versus plus) sizes. Even getting back into them will be a gift.

That said, thank you so much for your support and encouragement.

May I ask a personal question? When you two work out (Tova and RDK), do you wear pants under your skirts? I know some frumsters who do, and hope you don't mind my asking.

Thanks again. If you live on the east coast, would you consider going to some or all of the upcoming 2009 conference they are planning? I think I will go.

Best,

[Tova 0]

Before I had surgery I was afraid to expect too much. I really count my success by every 0 that my weight goes down to. I was a the nutritionist today and a new 0 came up!!! I am officially down 80 pounds. (I got a fill on Monday) In my life I never dreamed of beong ithis low, I am actually pinching myself!!! Set for yourself mini goals.

The best thing I did was keep a big box in my bedroom and every time I put on something that looked "frumpy" on me it went into the box. Boy, did I give away alot - quite a few boxes!!!

As for exercise, I go to an all women's gym and wear leggings and a short sleeve t-shirt. I need to feel comfortable and be able to move around without restriction.

I actually would love to get together with some frum bandsters. Maybe in the summer when I am more flexible we could work something out.

Tova

[rdk211 1]

Hi, Amy. Sorry it took me so long to respond. I am swamped!

Tova,

I totally agree and in my brain and heart know that it will take time to get the weight off. I think what I am responding to (and I can't speak for RDK of course) is that I'm tentative about "owning" the fact that the band is working yet since I'm not yet sure I hit the right level of restriction. Learning to retrain my eating habits to make the most of the tool is something that I am ready to embrace as well.

Amy, I agree. I just had my third fill and am not sure if I'm at my "sweet spot" yet. I know with my other fills I could still be hungry after a 6 oz meal of 4 oz. Protein, 1 cup salad, which made me think I need another fill.

Meanwhile, I am losing (well, not this week, but in general) but I also do 2 hrs. to 21/2 hrs. of excercise a day and really work my diet, so is it the band or not? I've never succeeded on a diet past 25 lbs. If I get to 50 lbs, then I'll really feel like this is doing something.

If I can lose 75 pounds in a year, that would be MORE than my expectations, and such a thrill, I can't even put it into words. I'm down another pound today - almost 1.5 since my fill last week! That is very good, I know.

WOW! KEEP IT UP!:smile2:

I can't imagine wearing clothing from the regular racks again. I have almost everything from about 30 pounds ago still in a closet so I have them to look forward to - they are 16's. The last things I got in regular (versus plus) sizes. Even getting back into them will be a gift.

That said, thank you so much for your support and encouragement.

May I ask a personal question? When you two work out (Tova and RDK), do you wear pants under your skirts? I know some frumsters who do, and hope you don't mind my asking.

can't speak for Tova - I used to wear pants under my skirt at the gym. Now I work out at home, so it's less relevant. But I do tend to wear a shorter, more swirly skirt than I would normally wear, and a T-shirt. When I swim, I just go in my bathing suit. I can't stand the feeling of a wet coverup.

Thanks again. If you live on the east coast, would you consider going to some or all of the upcoming 2009 conference they are planning? I think I will go.

I'm not going, but I'd love to get together at a different time. I have TONS of work to do and can't spare teh time for the conference.

Best,

RDK

[rdk211 1]

Hi, Tova and Amy

I hope we end up attracting yet more frum bandsters, it would be fun to have a larger group.

Sorry I didn't write back in a while - I've been swamped with family stuff. My mom is moving from out of state to my neighborhood, and I've been SUPER busy helping her move. I can't wait to have her living here, but she has literally NEVER moved in her life, so this is a big deal. The packing has been intense, and taking a very long time.

I am FRUSTRATED! Up 2 pounds in two weeks, AFTER a fill, totally due to not being at home, so no ability to excercise, plus my mom's house already has the utilities cut off, so we have to eat out for Breakfast lunch and dinner. Even being careful - even being on FULL liquids only - I am gaining. Sigh. Can't wait to be back on my normal schedule.

First of all, I think you have to realize that you didnt gain this weight overnight and so you will not loose it overnight. That being said, alot of baby steps added together becomes some very large steps. I believe that a slow steady pace is healthier and more successful long term.

I loose weight in spurts. 1/2 a pound or nothing one or two weeks and then 5 pounds the next. The bottom line is a healthy weight loss per month.

Tova, you really are right. The problem is, thinking of these 2 lbs I put on now, it will probably take 2 weeks to take them back off, just to get to where I already was!!!! I'm mad at myself and impatient.

I used to exercise 5 days a week, but my schedule now does not allow it. I workout twice a week now and meet a trainer once a month - she gives me weights to do until the next time we meet. This is al money well spent!!!

How much did you spend on your trainer and where did you find her? I am planning on hiring someone as well, but I think the woman I spoke to is pricey. Also, you must have her come a minimum of 2 hrs. per week or she won't come to where you live. For me, traveling to a gym is NOT an option. I need to squeeze every productive second out of my day, so I can't go out. I guess you pay for convenience.

It's funny that you mention changing the style of your sheitel, I was thinking about it, even though I love the way mine looks on me now - it looks better than it did before I lost all this weight!!! I am a little conservative and hate change. I guess when you start reaching "senior" ages you fall into a rut and dont want to change what isnt broken!!!

Tova, you're 39, right? Be smart - while you are still young and relatively flexible, make a point of changing your look. Otherwise, you end up like my mother - totally locked in to styles and things that are no longer available, which means you spend an inordinate effort trying to look out of date! My mother has to order her lipstick from a specialty retailer because it's the only color she is comfortable wearing - so I make it a point to keep updating. Recently, I switched from snoods to the new style bandana tichels, when I realized most stores near me don't even carry snoods anymore! I forced myself to break out of my comfort zone, and I am actually happier.

I have a cute NSV related to this. The new style "bandana tichels" are flat to the face, which tend to be only flattering on very thin faces. Snoods have a knot on top, which adds height to the face, which is slimming. So one of my neighbors told me "I see you got a new tichel. It's so funny, on most people, they make them look fat, but it's so slimming on you." I was thinking, it's not that the tichel is slimming, it's that I've lost 30 lbs, but it was cute that she thought it was flattering.

So, be smart, Tova, update your sheitel! I'm so happy with my new style.

At this point wahtever I loose is great, I am very happy the way I am now, but want to loose another 10-20 pounds as a buffer. Yes, I know my hips!!! I am 5-4 and havent weighed this little since being pregnat with my first 19 years ago!!! I have to keep on pinching myself.

Keep up the good work - you sound like you are doing great

Tova

Before I had surgery I was afraid to expect too much. I really count my success by every 0 that my weight goes down to. I was a the nutritionist today and a new 0 came up!!! I am officially down 80 pounds. (I got a fill on Monday) In my life I never dreamed of beong ithis low, I am actually pinching myself!!! Set for yourself mini goals.

The best thing I did was keep a big box in my bedroom and every time I put on something that looked "frumpy" on me it went into the box. Boy, did I give away alot - quite a few boxes!!!

As for exercise, I go to an all women's gym and wear leggings and a short sleeve t-shirt. I need to feel comfortable and be able to move around without restriction.

I actually would love to get together with some frum bandsters. Maybe in the summer when I am more flexible we could work something out.

Tova

Tova, can you eat any breads?

Rdk:smile2:

[Tova 0]

HI RDK _

First of all my sheitel - I wear long and layered something I didnt do years ago when my sheitel had to be 80's perfect and sprayed!!! My sisters who are 8 and 16 years younger than me wear the same style, so I guess I dont look too senior. As a matter of fact I havent looked this young in years!!!!

That being said, thanks for the encouragement, maybe when I buy my next sheitel.

Secondly, I go to a gym and pay a trainer there, who works with me once a month where she changes my routine. It is actually the best investment I have ever made, besides my gym membership. If I would have to exercise at home it would never happen, since when I get home from work I am soooo busy BH.

Thirdly, I dont eat bread as when I do it gets stuck or doesnt allow me to eat anything else - Protein.

Last, I had a difficult weekend, I vomited 4 times over Shabbos and went to the emergency room on Sunday morning after speaking to my doctor. they took out 2cc, which leaves me now with 6cc. I went back to the doctor today and he said that in 2 weeks he will give me a small fill. At this point it is up to me to make sure that I dont over eat and that I at least keep my weight within a few pounds, since I definitely dont feel any restriction.

I guess we all have our ups and downs, but the most important thing is to be more on the ups than on the downs. I am sure you will loose the weight you gained fast once everything with your mother setlles down and you are back to a "normal" routine

Tova

[need2lose2 10]

Hi. Is anyone still here?

I am going through all the tests (cardio, pulmonary, nutrition, etc). Once everything is in, i guess they'll send all the results to the insurance company and then give me my date! I'm so nervous. What makes me most nervous is getting 'stuck' or vomitin.

How are all of you doing?