Cangel76

7 months ago, when I started this journey, if you asked me how much I thought Exercise would play in this, I would honestly tell you, just a little. I mean I figured three days a week at the gym and smaller meals should be enough. Well, for some it might be, however, EXERCISE plays such a huge roll in all of this. I had a day off yesterday due to the terrible weather, so here I am today, went back to the gym and I thought, "Wow I missed this." Since going to the gym I have started loosing the inches. Sure weight coming off is nice but I want to loose the inches. The inches make a huge difference, it makes you feel better to see the clothing sizes going down. The thing that keep me motivated is the gym and keeps me drinking my fluids. I just feel better, who would have thought it would have become such an addiction 4 weeks out.

Congrats on your weight loss and your life lessons you learned, your own worth and value in this life

That is awesome, I am so looking forward to getting out of the "woman's" sizes

The carbonation can expand the stomach and cause band erosion from my understanding. IF you have diet soda and it's flat you can drink it but remember it's empty calories.

I am out of size 24, 22, 20 jeans. Well the 20s I will still wear with a belt. I am so thrilled to have bought two size 18 jeans at a high end consignment shop and they fit. They fit perfectly, I do not even have to suck in at all. I am sooo thrilled. I am soooo freaking thrilled but very sad that the gym will most likely be closed tomorrow due to bad weather. I feel so good though, I think I was size 18 when I met my husband.

Today I am happy to report that I am no longer in 24's, or 22's even 20's, Okay I still wear 20's but need a belt. I am in size 18!!!!!! I am thrilled and needed to share with someone else other then my husband. Though he did comment on how my butt is shrinking. LOL

I won't scold you, I had the stomach flu and had the same drop in pounds. I gained half back with in the week. However, it was a little quicky drop.

I would love to do Zumba, I am afraid I will be the only fat lady there. Is it hard and is it making a difference in your weight loss. Does it get the Cardio up? I really need to be sure I do the right exercises for me and I do Cardio every day. Anyway, peoples thoughts on what they are doing would be great. I used to love Tae Bo. LOL

First of all, big hugs. I think we all fall into these moments where we find our bad habits back again. I think it is a normal part of the process. The thing that makes before different from now is that we RECOGNIZE it. We know we aren't doing the right thing so we stop and have to, instead of feeling guilt and becoming paralyzed by it, accept it and make changes the next day. I had Mexican the other day and it was sooo good, but that was it, it was good but it wasn't good for me. I realize that has to be a once in a while thing not an every day thing. There are just certain foods that I love and I have been doing my best to avoid them, but, one day at a time, we need to accept that no matter how perfect we want to be, we are never going to be PERFECT. We are always going to make mistakes in life and falter, four lbs, you can get that back off with a little drive and ambition. So good luck and don't beat yourself up too much.

That's great, good luck. I had a few nights of insomnia a few weeks after surgery. Good luck on your continued journey.

Congratulations that is awesome!

Good luck Mrs. Wison. I am sorry your husband said those things to you. You are right, you need his support, however, like you said, you have to live for yourself. If you don't get this weight off, then you won't be living as long as you would like to period. The worst part of the surgery was the gas, however, if you listen to the doctors and walk a lot, it will pass. The first few days weren't as bad as 3 through 7. Just do what you feel is right and remember, you only have one body, you need it to keep working for you, if other's can't respect your choices with what you do with your own body then do they respect you? Surgery is scary, we all get scared, but it's a chance at a new life. At some point we have to decide. Good luck and wish you the best, no matter what you choose.

Thanks, I think once you are fat for a while, it is hard to see yourself as NOT FAT, no matter how many size clothes you go down. It takes a while to believe things are working. I don't know, just a guess. LOL My problem is I have always seen myself as thin, or felt thin, even when I was fat. So now that I am seeing myself as fat, it is odd because I still feel thin. I am not sure if that makes any sense at all. LOL

First of all CONGRATULATIONS: Second of all, the doctors that I know do not want to over fill. My doctor said that the average weight loss should be around 1.5 and 3.5 lbs a week. Loosing faster then that prevents the skin from bouncing back, can cause gallstones, hair loss, etc. The doctor is not just looking out for your weight loss but for your overall health and well being. You are doing great, now if you are getting hungry quickly and nothing is leaving you feeling full, then talk with the doctor about getting a small fill. Remember, if your body is loosing weight on the amount of food you are able to eat, then you are most likely meeting your nutrition requirements and at a point that your body is happy at. Eventually, as you loose more weight, you will probably need another fill. I have the opposite problem, my doctor wants to do a fill. I have lost 18ish lbs in the last 3.5 weeks and feel great. I don't want to loose any faster then this. I am good.

The scale can be your enemy or your friend, it just really depends on your mentality. As far as weight loss, 2lbs a week is the ultimate goal in the long run, however, right now you could have lost 2lbs or 5lbs. You won't feel different for a while. So don't beat yourself up. Glad you are still feeling full since surgery on just liquids. If you want, wait until you go to the Doctors for your post op, it will be a surprise then, like a present. Good luck. As far as proper nutrition, make sure you are getting your Protein, it promotes healing and prevents hair loss and other ailments.

The doctor wants to do another fill today. I am debating because since the 3cc I am loosing weight. I do get hungry but it is usually my fault. I have lost appx 5lbs since my last visit. I just can't see getting a fill, I would like to give it two more weeks. What would you do? I have been going to the gym faithfully five days a week. I take Saturday and Sunday off. I do weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think that is enough, I do want to go Saturdays and Sundays too but I think at some point the gym becomes another unhealthy obsession so I am reminding myself that it is okay to rest my body. Yesterday my daughter had friends over and we had all kinds of snacks out. I didn't eat one thing, I was soooo proud of myself. I am working hard at loosing this weight. No snacks right now for me. I feel good and think I will be moving down to a size 18 soon. That means I am not too far off from a size 16 and that thrills me to no end. I haven't been a sixteen in probably 8-9 years. I am working hard at this, this isn't, "band in, miracle cure" sort of thing, I am literally working my butt off. At the gym I work off between 270-450 in calories depending on how long I stay and going about two miles a day at the gym. I hope to keep myself in this mind set. I know sometimes it can be hard, there are days that the personality kicks in and I think, "One day off is okay." However, it is that exact thought that leads to the next day off and the next day off. I did one of my out loud moments that I am known for and I growled at the weights. The guy next to me laughed and I looked at him and was like, "was that out loud?" He nodded and I kind of shrugged. He looked at me and said, "I think that some days too." I looked at him and he was fit, tone and muscular and I said, "Does it get easier once you are fit?" He shook his head, "No, it's the same thing. You have to remind yourself that in order to maintain this, you have to keep at it." I growled again and he laughed.

Everyone here has been through fills. I had 3cc fill two weeks ago. I don't neccessarily feel full on a 1/4 cup of food but I get full faster. I don't feel as hungry through the day though there are times I am starving. I saw the doctor on Tuesday and I was down 5 lbs since my last fill. Would you get another fill or just wait and continue to see how this goes?

Well girls and guys, I made it. I made it to the under 200 mark which I have not been at in, I don't know, five years maybe, maybe a little less. I think the hardest part for me is I am not seeing it yet. I mean, other people see it a little, but I am not seeing it yet. So my next goal isn't a weight one, it's an out of the Plus Sized clothing section one. This will take some time I fear. LOL I am still in 20s.

Welcome Brenda. I wish you the best of luck in this process. There are a lot of changes that come with being banded. With your PCOS you had an even larger uphill battle with getting the weight off once it is on. Congratulations with the lovely support you have from your husband and keep us posted on your progress.

Congratulations on starting this new journey. I am 34 with two kids so I understand the realization that the kids need you, not just today, but for a long period of their lives, even into adult hood. My fear also was the kids always having a fat mother who couldn't do anything with them. Your three hundred was probably like my 234 on my 5' frame. It was just too much and time for a change. I actually tried to get on Biggest Loser a few times but was afraid to leave my kids. So this was the next alternative, so here I am and I wish you the best of luck through the process of relearning food and how it relates to our bodies now.

Great job everyone! We all have to do the best we can adding the work out in. I work out every day and there are days I want to take a break but then I think, if I make an excuse for today, tomorrow will be even easier to make an excuse and the pattern will just continue. I have been going five days a week and I feel really good. I hope you are all feeling great when you work out too. Even if it is just walking!

I had a single incision lap band procedure. I thought I had another infection, which left me out of commission for two weeks prior, so I went to the Doctor. GOOD NEWS>>>> I didn't and the Doctors scale said 199. I have officially made it there this afternoon. Now I know how finiky weight can be and that can go up, but I was so thrilled to land there today. My goal was to get there before my Birthday January , 2010. I don't have much restriction so much of my weight loss is the gym five days a week, pushing myself on the eliptical and really working hard. I am watching my portions and trying to keep fluids up. I feel hungry sometimes but not too often. I am down 35lbs since starting this proces, I am down 18lbs since surgery November 2, 2010. I can not say how wonderful it is. Just waiting for the inches to start melting off.

I thought I had another infection starting in my belly button so I went to my Doctors. I got put on the scale and was down to 199. The doctor is so thrilled with me. He asked me what I was doing and I said, "I work out five times a week, just the elipitical and sometimes weights." I am so thrilled because I wanted to reach this by my birthday January 5. I am feeling great, though I think I need a good massage. LOL I can't wait to get into smaller pants soon. So exciting AND even better, I have no infections, just a surface infection, nothing to worry about. SOOOO HAPPY. All of the working out is paying off.

Congratulations, for me it was sitting in the tub the other day with out my but sticking to both sides. I had wiggle room, I thought it was pretty cool.

When I was in the hospital it took me about 5 hours before I peed. I wish you the best of luck. The first time I went was such a small amount and then it was like every half an hour. Good luck, hope they don't have to cath you.