NJGirl32

I am not telling anyone (except 1 friend and my hubby)-that's it. I like it that way. People have asked me how I lost the weight and I tell them low carbs and watching my portion size-which is the truth. ARe you really lying by saying your excerizing, eating smaller portion, etc.? No, you are not. It's totally up to you, but you shouldn't feel obligated to say anything. And if you do say something, be prepared that it will spread!

Well, I made the BIG commitment and joined a gym with my 19 yr. old daughter! I have NO idea where to even begin! I guess the treadmill and excerise bike is a good way to start, but I am also thinking of doing the beginning circuit fpr toning. What was your exercise routine when you join and were still on the heavy side and out of shape?

I also agree that everyone is different and what one person can eat another person might have problems with-it's a real learning experience! For me, pizza is a great big no-no! Every time it causes me to get very sick and it's simply not worth it! I avoid bread, although sometimes I take a teeny, teeny piece. I have found that doughy breads are not good for me at all. Oddly enough, thin crisp types are fine. I could eat hard taco shell, but not a soft one. I can eat mashed potatoes, but not french fries. I haven't done salads or fruits like I use to-but in small amounts I can. You'll learn what works for you and what to avoid.

I really admire you wanting to not rely on the band as your main tool for losing weight, but why couldn't you have done that without having surgery? Was the surgery necessary? I am just curious about it since you haven't had a fill. Do you feel any sort of restriction or is it just an empty band sitting there in case you need it? I like your post about behavior modification-and it's really a thought provoking question that I have been thinking about recently. If I am being completely honest I must say that eating is not a pleasurable experience for me anymore. I can't eat much and when I do I need to do some PBing or run the the bathroom several times. Today I was thinking that I am starting to think of eating more as a chore-no joy in it anymore. Is that behavior modification in a strange way? Is my brain reworking it's outlook on food? I don't know-all I know is I use to enjoy going out to eat and eating-now there is so more more thought about what to order, what might happen, chewing, no drinking while eating, taking small bites-so much thinking!! Before I use to eat mindlessly, now it's a VERY mindful experience. I know if the band comes out I will probably gain it back. I have been on hundreds of diets and gained it all back eventually. So, I really don't know what the answer is....

Match.com is where I met my hubby. I have heard of a lot of couples finding success on match.com. Go to a sight that you need to pay for-then only serious men will be there-ones truly looking for someone special. Free sites attract all kinds and I wouldn't suggest going on them. Don't limit yourself to chance meetings in this computer age. Meet in a public place and for a drink/coffee. Don't spend months emailing only to find out you are not compatiable-try to meet after a brief correspondance. You will go through a lot of duds though-but he is out there-that special someone!

Definitely be honest-he needs to know this info in order to judge the anount of fil needed. If you don't feel any different in a week I would call and try to bump up your appointment a week or 2 earlier. Your next fill should make a big difference! Good luck!

I went through the same feelings thinking maybe I am one of those people who this just won't work for- BUT my last fill put those fears to rest! I have 4.5 in a 10cc band and it makes all the difference in the world!! Once you are properly filled you will feel completely different. I simply can not eat anywhere near what I use to eat. Even if I really want to eat by band prevents me from doing so. It can take a while though-that's something I didn't realize before being banded. I thought the weight would simply just drop off each month and quickly. You will absolutely get there and then you'll have an entire new set of worries like: If I eat this will I get stuck, am I getting enough proteins/water in? Hang in there-your next fill should get you a lot closer to your sweet spot!

I haven't heard of that for the early stages of the lapband, but it's probably getting you prepared for the upcoming months. It could take me 45-60 minutes to finish a meal 3 months post op. I would think 30 minutes should be fine to finish 1/2 cup of food! Good luck

I am in the same boat as Xavier- I can only eat small amounts but I am okay with that for now. This morning I was hungry and my daughter made bacon and eggs. I had maybe 2 slices of bacon and could only eat 1 spoonful of eggs. It seems that some days I can eat a small meal and other days I can only eat a spoonful. I definitely need to putthe fork down between bites and give the food a chance to settle before attempting another bite. I had 1 week where it seems that everything I ate just didn't settle right in my stomache and I could feel the slime starting. I found that when this begins if I walk around the house it helps the food to work it's way down. It's certainly a big learning process! My advice-small bites, chew, chew, chew, put the fork down and stick to 1 type of food. My new favorite thingto do is share a meal at a restuarant and maybe order Soup beforehand.

WOW!! Now that IS quite an accomplishment!!!!!! Congrats! I hope you treated yourself to something special - you deserve it!

What great news!! You should feel so proud of this amazing accomplishment!! Under 200 is my next goal - I have 12 pounds to go and hopefully by the end of October I'll be there! 4ccs in my 10 band is good for me-I can't imagine needing a fill for a while since I can't eat much. I went to the doctor's this week-my family doctor-and the nurse put the scale weight in the 150 spot (she had to move it to 200) but I thought-wow-she thinks I weigh under 200! It's all good!

Hi Everyone, You guys really inspire with your brave step to being thinner-you are all heroes in my eyes who have taken control of the beast! I am not scheduled for the LApband until the end of JUne (hopefully sooner if all goes well). My question to you is how much has the band improved your sex life? When I first met my husband it was great (7 years ago) then we both put of a lot of weight-I put on more than him but easch of us have 40+ since we met. Needless to say our sex life took a nosedrive. I am hoping I'll feel more sexy- or thinking maybe studd just slows down when you get older? We both are in our late forties. Thanks for any insights!

Truthfully, you will feel hungry until you have the right amount of fills. IT took me 3 months to reach this "green zone" and to where I felt the band was doing it's part. Each fill helped a little though. Be patient and in the meantime practice eating small portions. Make sure you are getting the correct amount of protein in each day because that helps with hunger. Also drink water-lots of it! Good luck to you!

Since my last fill I have been tight. I would say I can manage 1 meal per day (like a lean cuisene or a light lunch). Forget mornings-oatmeal or a protein shake is the only thing I can manage. Also, bread is a big no-no. I can see how people can gain weight being tight because you get really hungry and junk seems to go down just fine (soft serve ice cream, candy, etc.). I tried sharing a lunch with my one friend who knows about the band. We ate lunch twice and shared the plate-it was AWESOME! It was more than enough-actually both times it almost looked like a full plate. I went out with my hubby and the same thing, we ordered 1 meal and shared it. I had 1/4 of it and he ate the rest. From now on that's what I plan on doing even if I have to pay a sharing the plate fee! People at work are starting to notice the weight loss. My daughter told me I looked skinny in my yoga pants and my hubby even called me skinny mini! At 212 I am not skinny, but it sure beats this time last year when I was 258! My next goal is Onederland-I just can't wait!! I have been a slow loser with the band, but as long as I am losing I am not complaining! I haven't exercised in a month-very bad and I plan to get back to it ASAP. I have pain in my left side under my ribcage and I am starting to think it may be something other than a pulled muscle (maybe a hernia?). The doc told me to come back tomorrow if it didn't get better-well it's not better so I will be seeing her. No fills for me this month-never thought I would ever get to a point that I would skip a fill opportunity!!

What does a slip feel like? How would you know if you had a slipped band what are the symptoms?

OMG!!! Congrats!! I don't know how you do it, especially with 4 yr. old triplets! You'll be one busy Momma!! Enjoy this time, the weight will come off next year-just try not to overindulge and you'll have less to lose. God Bless you and your family!!

Thanks everyone for your replies! It hurt enough that I wentto my family doctor and she said no vital organs are on the left side. She thinks it just may be a pulled muscle. Cindy-that was sucj a nice tribute to your dad. We never forget our dads do we?

For the last 4 days I have had pain in my upper left side (right under my left boob-maybe in the ribcage). It hurts and thankfully my husband has a pain killer for me when it gets too bad. I can't imagine what it is. I know once we get the band we tend to think everything is band related!! At first I thought it was gas pains, but it hasn't gone away. Did anyone else experience this?

The port is where the incision is right? This is higher than any of my incisions. I also have lots soreness in my left shoulder, but I figure that's unrelated to my left side. I didn't know whether to call my family doctor or wait until I see my surgeon on Thursday. I heard of flipped ports and band slippage, but I can still eat (not a lot though)so I don't think it's that-it could be just old age! lol

What a great success!! Congrats to you!! You reaffirm my belief that nothing is impossible and it's never too late to dream big (or small in your case)!!

Mimi gave good advice- don't push solids at this point. Stick to Soups and mushies and Protein shakes. You aren't 'clogged' because if you were stuck believe me you would DEFINITELY know it! Take small bites of food and chew it until it's like baby food. You are probably swollen too. If you can't eat solids after a few days call your doctor. My last fill was tight and still is-I can eat solids, but in very liited amounts and it takes me a while to finish. Good luck!

I honestly don't think you have a leak. They use special needles that help to avoidbthat very thing. You have lost a good bit of weight and the fat pad under your band may have diminished and thereby the band simply is not tight. Sounds like you are due for a fill! Good luck to you! I'd also have to disagree with the oster that said it's 80% you and 20% the band. I would say that might be true prior to feeling restriction, but once you feel restriction the band REALLY kicks in! I couldn't overeat even if I wanted to and there's no way I can eat Pasta or bread and that didn't happen until my 4th fill! Hang in there-your almost there!

SO true!!!!!!!!!

I recently found out that muscle actually doesn't weigh more than fat! A pound of muscle and a pound of fat is a pound no matter how you look at it. However, muscle takes up less space (volume) than fat/ So a 180 pound woman with muscle would actually look a lot thinner than a 180 pound woman with fat-does that make sense? As far as the scale being a disappointment you can't always go by the scale. After my vacation it said I gained 4 pounds- no way did I gain that much-2 days later it said I lost 4 pounds.

Bobbie-you haven't failed until you stop trying and it looks like you are ready to roll up your sleeves and conquer the hunger monster head on! This time you may want to think seriously about setting up some sessions with a therapist to really gain some insights to the root of your addiction. Set up an appointment for a fill too! I know for me that when I am filled properly I simply can't eat a lot of food. Keep all of your fill appointments. Take small steps and before you know it you'll be losing and gaining confidence and feeling good about yourself! Read the quotes below my ticker. Keep positive!! Wishing you strength and a healthy journey!