♥LovetheNewMe♥

Speechless! I am so sorry, I am going to pray that this works out for you. I understand how hard you have been working and honestly rules should not change in the middle of the game. Health care coverage has become such an issue in our nation and sadly enough it is only going to get worse. All of the insured are going to continue to have to pay more for the uninsured. I know this does not help your situation but hospitals honestly don't make money these days, we struggle to provide quality care to patients without compromise. I deal with this crap on a daily basis, and honestly 30 years ago I went into this profession to take care of people and make a difference. Insurance companys are a necessary evil. They dictate a lot of our care that is provided, non-medical people calling the shots over medical decisions. I will get off my soap box and again, I really hope this works out for you within the next week. Today with a family, coming up with extra dollars is hard. Keep your head up, you are doing so amazing and this will become a reality for you. You have the dedication and drive to make. Cyber hug :welldoneclap: it

Scales, to weigh or not to weight. The scales can not always be your friend when losing weight. Everyone fluctuates 1-3 lbs daily from water weight gain. When you are doing the pre surgery diet, the goal is really not so much weight loss but shrinking the liver so when they do the surgery your liver is not in the way. In our anatomy the liver and stomach are very close and if the liver is enlarged it can prevent the physician from completing the procedure closed. In the beginning we all want that instant gratification of seeing the scale drop but for the long haul it is about results and a lot of our results are in inches not weight. As far as exercising during pre-surgery stages, your going to feel tired. Even now weighing 175 lbs it takes about 1700 calories just to maintain this weight if I wanted with little activity so if your only consuming 500-600 your body needs all of those calories just to maintain and when your exercising your body goes into starvation mode and holds onto every calorie because it needs it to provide energy to all your organs. Remember your heart is muscle and it needs protein also. Maybe taking a short walk in the evenings once or twice would be good but make it a nice walk, time to relax and center your self. Listen to relaxing music and prepare yourself mentally for the journey ahead. Your dedication to the pre-surgery diet will prepare you for the focus you need once your surgery is completed. Proud of you, you are doing great, the day is closer, only one week left.

Love the story and occassionally we all deserve a "cookie".

Great attitude! Honestly you have unlocked the key, if you have your mind in the right place you can be successful because you want it so bad. Sometimes we can be our worst enemies and stinkin thinkin can be the down fall of our weight loss. Proud of you. Having a family, feeding them and not eating all that they do is hard. I still cook for my family, but have learned that i can eat some of the foods but not all. Your life will change but the trade off is worth it, support from your husband is key. Mine has been great, he went to every pre learning session with me so he would know what to expect, he wanted to support me and he gets to enjoy the rewards. Only 12 more days to go, keep up the good work and the positive thinking. Another suggestion, take a picture now, full body (with clothes of course) and post one on your bathroom mirror and one on your refrigerator. No better reminder of why you don't want to eat than to look at that picture every day. Write an affrimation on the bottom of the picture that says, I will be successful. I know that sounds hokey but the power of positive thinking works, mind over matter. So excited for you can not wait to see the New You!

Agree your doctors an idiot. Eating less than 1200 calories a day can stall your weight loss. You say you are exercising are you losing inches. I stayed at the same weight for months after losing 72 lbs but lost 13 inches from exercising and dropped a size. I got injuried, had to stop exersising, dropped my calories from 1340 to 1200 and lost 3 lbs. Now some say I stopped building muscle and lost fat again, what ever. Also i have done some reading that if you mix your daily calorie intake up every day, one day eat 1200, one day 1000, one day 900, etc it will jump start your weight again. Eating 500-600 calories aday is crazy and it will waste muscle over time along with fat. Good luck and I hope you can start losing again soon. I understand the frustration.

I have been flying since I was banded and yes I notice a difference, I am not able to eat as well the day of flying or immediately on landing. I have to eat very slow or food gets stuck. On the discussion talks there is some feed back from bandsters on flying long distance and this happening. Some people have actually had fluid removed for long flight. So yes for some this does happen.

Kelly thanks for the post. I think you bring up a very good point that I personally see a lot of my friends at work do. The Band can not do all the work, having your band repeated filled to make sure you can't eat is not the key. The key to weight lose is learning how to modify your calorie intake, eat the right amont of calories daily with the right balance of protein, carbs, and fats. A lot of people are looking for the easy way out, honestly in weight loss there is not easy way out, if you under eat and over exercise you will not lose weight but honestly it is about losing fat and building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat so if you exercise and eat well your body will thrive and use the food as fuel and shed what it does not need. I have only had two fills and the second one ended in an unfill. I do not plan to have any more fills becasue I can eat pretty much what I want, some days are better than others. I exercise (or I did before my knee went out) and a eat, 33% fat, 124%carbs and 90 grams of protein aday. I watch my na intake and I exericse 40 minutes of cardio 3 times a week and do weight training 3 days a week. to maintain my current weight I would need to eat 1660 calories aday, I eat 1200 per day sometimes more or less. If I get stuck in my weight I mix up my calorie intake for a week or say, one day I increase my calories, one day I decrease my calories. I rarely eat exactly the same amount every day. I still have fluid in my band and I can eat like this. I guess I use the band as a security blanket but it works. My goal is to be a size 10, I am currently a size 12 and weigh 175 lbs. Honestly my doctor or nutritionist did not teach my how to eat with the band, I figured it out my self by spending hours on the internet reading about weight loss. Bottom line the band is a tool and only a tool, there is no magic wand or fast solution, some of us just figure that out sooner than others. Congratulations on your loss and you look fabulious.

Congratulations!

what kind of shakes are you drinking. Here is a web site that I like there shakes and you can order online, I order the individual varity pack, a little more costly but only 4oz.s, low carb and calorie and high in protien. Also try the isopure fruit flavored at GNC they are 40gms of protein and have a little after taste but you can tolerate them if you get tired of milk based. I hate they myoplex and some of the other mixes, to much whey after taste. The web site is www.bariatriceating.com My favorites are peanut butter cookie, carmell latte and double dutch chocolate. I also like the unflavored pure powder they sale, you can mix it will a skinny carmel machiatto from star bucks and have a protein drink and a coffee. Special rules for mixing in hot liguids but it is yummy. YOu can also mix the unflavored in your cream soups and other liguids post and preop. The protien will keep you from being hungry. This phase will be the hardest, but you can make it.

:welldoneclap:

Arnetta, tthe two bits of advice I can offer you is patience. You may ask why patience, becasue this is what I have needed and used the most in this journey and read and read the blogs and talks on the lap band site. I thought I was well prepared, but what I wasn't prepared for was my feelings about food. I went through a phase early on when I really mourned the loss of food and eating. In the beginning it was hard, I had to learn how to chew, how to slow down, what I could eat, what I couldn't eat. Some of the foods I loved, I could no longer eat. I even when through a period when seeing a full plate of food or watching others eat made me physically ill. One time I even said to my husband, if you are going to eat that fast and that much I refuse to sit across from you. Why am I telling you this, because I want you to realize that when you start feeling like why did I do this, you will know it will pass and one day you will believe it was the best thing you have ever done for your self and wonder why you didn't do it sooner. I truley do love the new me. I love the energy I have, I love buying new clothes, I love the fact that I have more confience in how I look and present myself. I worked for this and every step forward and backwards has been worth all the things I gave up. I don't miss any foods now, I enjoy eating again, I enjoy having an occassional treat. I have not only lost weight but changed my behavior, I have learned to live with my band and have not expected my band to do all the work. I know you will do great, think of all the wonderful energy you will have to enjoy your family. Oh and the presurgical diet really sucks, I think it may have been the hardest part of the journey. I tried to be perfect but I got a virus and had NVD and craved a grilled cheese sandwich and I ate it. Good lick and remember we are all here for you, to support you on your journey. :welldoneclap:

Finally, i got on the scale this morning and they moved. down 1.5 lbs. I was so happy to see a new number. Then I went to work. Why do some people just have to burst your bubble. I was talking to a nurse and we were talking about losing weight and I said, I had been stuck at the same weight fo a while and was frustrated. She said,"You look amazing" I said, thank you. Then I was telling her about hurting my knee exercising and how worried I had been about not losing and afraid of gaining, so when the scales moved this morning and I was down 1.5 I was elated. She says well you know why don't you, you stopped exercising so you are losing muscle. Just what the blankty blank I need to hear. I know she is probably right but it sure did deflate my mood. Sighhhhh! The day ended well, I went to PT and was able to do the eliptical bike, 599 steps in 10 minutes. My balance sucks, the therapist told me I could use my WII Fit and do the balancing exercises and step exercises. Really low impact compared to what I was doing but I was excited. I decided I would stay positive and not let negative comments distroy my mood. "It is what it is" and right now it is slow going, but it is going. Another thing, not sure what is up with my stomach. I keep getting so bloated and so much gas, I know TMI but seriously, why all the gas. I had a few slices of granny smith apple yesterday and I though I was going to die. Seriously I was doubled over with pain and then later it feels like someone is ripping me open. thank you all for your support, I really appreciate all my lap band friends and all the info we share. I learn so much from reading others blogs. Have a great rest of the week bandsters.

Great progress and you look amazing! You have made great progress, you will hit onederland and when you do let us know so we can celebrate with you. I remember that day and it had been a long time since I had seen the scale below 200. Congratulations and keep up the good work,

Well Happy Monday! Just to let everyone know, I am making progress with my physical therapy on my knee. Today I started pool therapy and I actually was able to do steps leading with my right leg. Well of course this was in 4 foot of water but hey, I have been walking with crutches and my knee taped for 3 weeks now. So to me this is progress. I also made it through a whole day at work with out crutches, a limp because I am so afraid of falling but the knee did not buckel once today. The small things that make me happy these days. I still live in fear everyday of gaining weight, I log my food every day, it drives my husband crazy but I want to be sure I am eating right. I had another stuck episode tonight. I have had freguant episodes lately, almost daily something gets stuck. I was having a discussion with my husband tonight and he said he observed that I am going back to bad habits of eating to fast. He;s right, I used to watch the clock and make sure I was chewing every bite. Now I just want to finish when everyone else does, so I eat faster and usually that means I PB at least 1/4 of what I eat and sometimes it really hurts. I guess old habits die hard. Weight is still holding at 177. Hope everyone has a great week.

Donna agree with above you it sounds like your to tight. I have several friends at work and we have all had the band. She is 1 year out and has done well but in the last several months she has had to have fluid removed becasue of vomiting and reflux. I have only had two fills and 1 partial unfill since my surgery last October. After my bad experience with my last fill and unfill I decided to learn to eat properly. I do not regret my band but if possible I do not want more fluid in it. I have lost 72 lbs and have about 25 left to lose and I know it is going to be tuff. Everytime I think I need a fill I have an episode like yesterday and everything healthy I tried to eat got stuck. Can't explain it, I have just decided the band sometimes has a mind of it's own. As far as your question about your diet after your unfill, my doctor makes you go on liguids for 48 hours post any fill, he says there is always the potential for some swelling after an adjustment. I usually do shakes for 2 days just to be safe. I hate throwing up, it hurts. As far as gaining your weight back, I think that is the daily fear we all live with, learn to rely on new habits not entirly on the band. If you do not develop a healthy life style success long term is more difficult and you will always be fearful of gaining weight. If healthy choices become a way of life you will keep your weight off. Remember this is a journey and a life style change and change does not happen overnight, it takes years to change unhealthy behaviors we all have had. Good luck and hope your feeling better and back on track soon.

I guess we all have to learn that the band is a tool not a magic wand. You may think that counting calories or watching what you eat is a waste but you and only you can decide what you want to get out of this surgery. Lapband surgery is a life changing event for all of us, we all ended up with surgery becasue everything else had failed. Remember old habits die hard, we are like all addicts, we need reconditioning and have to believe in ourselves. Change is hard and does not happen overnight. I am 10 months out and have lost 72 lbs. But believe me it did not just fall off, I have had to learn the hard way at times that I can eat just about anything but it is up to me to control my behavior. The band does work, but you have to work with it. Don't be to hard on yourself because we all have had to learn that we are the one factor that makes the band work. It is only a tool, but a tool we have to learn to listen to. Start making healthy choices and STAY away from fast food. It is what helped get us all here! Good Luck and remember we are all here for you.

Thanks for the encouragement, I will talk to the PT on Wednesday, I am hoping that I can develop a new program that will allow me to continue to work out. Today has been a bad day on my feet a lot and the knee just buckels unexpectedly. Hoping the PT will build up the other muscles and stabilize the knee, if not I am ready for surgery (I think) A nurse with a bum leg does not work very well.

That is great news, will be thinking about you on surgery day. Keep us posted and know we are all here for you on your journey.

Totally understand, I have went from a size 24 to a 12 and I still can't believe it is really me. Congratulation, enjou the new You!

Well gang I have been MIA for a while. busy with work and school. Just to update everyone, I am still on track but have had a little set back. On my journey to a healthy me, I had a little set back with my exercise routine. I selected curves as my gym because it had been such a long time since I had exercised and I wanted to start out slow, I lost 12.5 inches my first month and was so excited in my progress, I think I became a little obsessed with my progress and was attending the gym 4-5 times a week, well 2 weeks ago I went to work on a Friday like always and wham............... I started walking across the hospital campus and my knee went out, I tore my lateral meniscus, The past few weeks have been a serious bump in the road, no exercise and I am on crutches. I have to do 3 weeks of PT and than they will decide if I need surgery. I have no stability in the knee and with out the brace and crutches I end up on the floor. I have really been worried that I would gain weight and have obsessed over my calorie intake. I decided not to have my band tightened because I was exercising and maintaining my intake to the 1000-1200 calorie range. I had just finally gotten to the point I enjoyed eating again and not getting stuck. I monitor my calories on myfitnesspal.com but the not exercise is driving me nuts. I am stuck, still weighing in at 177. Hope everyone is doing good.

Keep moving forward, hopefully you will be able to schedule surgery in the next month or so.

Chips are my weakness along with french fries. I have a rule at my house, no chips are allowed in the door. I can not trust myself alone in a room with a bag of them. I always said if they didn't want you to eat the whole bag they would never have put them all in there. If they are sitting in the kitchen, I swear the call my name. I know tha sounds silly but that's how they are for me. And YES, the mental changes or the head hunger is the hardest behavior for us to change and it so hard and every time you think you have it under control, it can slip back up on you. For me I have had to become OCD about something else in order to not focus on food. Like you I had been on every diet known to man and had been successful losing weight but never keeping it off. The old mental thoughts always crept back in and I would find myself with all the weight back on plus more. Don't beat yourself up, keep that thinner picture in front of you and the picture when you were your biggest on your fridge or in your kitchen. There is no better image for me not to eat than to see how big I was 2 years ago. Write yourself an affrimation "I will do this and I "will be successful" Keep this on your mirror in your bath room. I know this sounds silly but it helps me to stay focused and believe in my self. People can tell us all day long how good we look, but we have to change how we fill inside and believe it ourselves. Good luck and remember we are all our here to support you in this journey, we are all in this together.

What about adding unflavored protein powder to cream soups and puddings. I used a protein I ordered from bariatriceating.com called pure. It is unflavored, no taste, no change in texture of the food and 2 scoops adds 24 grams and about 105 calories, low carbs. You can't heat it up but can put in hot foods if yiu tempure the liquids. It really has no taste or smell.

I am super excited today! I shared with everyone I started exercising 3 weeks ago, I joined Curves and dusted the treadmill off and started using it for something besides a clothes holder. I had been so frustrated because I had been stuck since after my last fill and unfill in May. I dropped immediately after my fill but than continued to hover in the 180's, lose a pound, gain a pound. I started logging everything I ate 10 days ago on myfitnesspal.com. I loaded the free app on my blackberry to make sure I would log every morsel I placed in my mouth. Well ladies and gentlemen, it paid off. I got weighed this morning at the gym and I am down to 179!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo, a new set of numbers, I am so super excited, I have been stuck in the 180's for 2 and a half months. I was so excited and motivated I started Power 90 the Original Version, Circuit 1-2 and 3-4 this evening. This is lower impact than P90x or Power 90 Master series but for me it is enough impact. I made it through the 35 minutes and didn't pass out or pull my back out. My husband walked in and said, "Honey please don't have a heart attach, your breathing awfully hard and sweating. I had to laugh. You guys don't know me but I'm a girlie girl and usually don't go out any where with out every hair in place and my make up on. So seeing me work out like this was blowing his mind. He thinks I have become a little OCD and maybe I have but dang it I didn't do all this (have the surgery) to not loss weight and get in shape. I want a healthier me and it is going to take more than just a lap band to get me there. To get to my goal weight of 138 I am going to have to really work at it and if that means I am obsessive, so be it. I really care what I put in my body these days, I have wasted a lot of time over the years abusing my self with fast food and junk. It is time I really took care of me, because I am worth it and I want this not so much to look good but to feel good. Today doing the Power 90, I could barely do jumping jacks, now come on who can't do jumping jacks? My legs felt like two lead pipes and it took everything I had to move it, and balance, OMG.. I think I have the coordination and the balance of a 90 year old. My WII fit tells me all the time I need to work on my center of gravity, seriously! I hate it when a dang computer soft ware program is such a smart A$$, but honestly it is correct, my balance sucks. So here is hoping that I improve my coordination and tone a little doing this, now I don't think I will ever have 6 pack abs. (lol) but at least maybe I can stretch my thighs without hanging onto a chair. I am sooooo glad I did this circuit in the privacy of my own home so no one could see how bad I was, but I think I get "A" for effort. I get my measurements done on the 27th of July I can't wait to see how many inches I have lost since I started working out, I know I have lost some because my shorts are lose in the thighs and waist and my bras are too big again. Dang it I really wish I could keep the boobs, I have more fat on my booty and wish it would come off first. Do you think I could have the fat from my butt sucked out and injected in my boobs than I would be pretty equal. (Just a suggestion) Signing off, have a great week everyone!

This is great, I agree with the not weighing, just go with how the cloths fit. I have struggled over the past few months trying to decide if I needed a fill because I was not losing. Then the band would tighten up and I would get stuck. So like you I decided to go with the flow and let the band do it's work and stopped obsessing about it. Honestly I think your right, live right, and eat clean will get us where we want to be. Good luck and congratulations on your success!