cheryl2586

72 degrees in Florida today

I know winter puts a damper on most when you don't belong to a gym and even if you do who wants to venture out in the cold, but there are ways to exercise and keep yourself motivated during the winter months. I have three walk away the pound cd's. The 1 mile, two mile, and five mile. I do the 1 mile in the morning because it's only 17 minutes and gets your day started, then I do the two mile at night. I also turn on the tv to one of the best music stations and dance the night away. When I was younger I used to go out dancing at least three nights a week and kept my weight down. Take the clothes off your treadmill, stationary bike, or any other equipment you have and use it. Dancing burns a lot of calories. Use your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend and burn some calories. There is no time like the present on this first day of January to get yourself in the exercise mode and get moving. Not only does it relieve stress but it makes you feel invigorated. So who is with me to some good old hard working fun exercise? I am going to start today off with 30 minutes of heart pounding, good feeling, get me motivated for the day EXERCISE. COME AND JOIN ME.

I love hummus too. A great snack.

Betrayal comes from many aspects of our life. From friends, family, spouses and children. Everytime you are betrayed by people you love it hurts. So why with the band do you betray yourself by eating things you are not supposed to and in the long run feeling guilty and hurt by your decisions. Life isn't always easy and we have enough stress without letting the band stress us more. It's supposed to help us feel better about ourselves not feel miserable. As the new year approaches, stop betraying yourself with the band. Follow your instructions that you were given and even if your weight loss is slow, a pound loss is a loss no matter how you look at it. I betrayed myself for years with tons of food, feeling miserable, feeling overly full and depending on food to get me through rough times. I stil have rough times, but I don't use food as another means to betray myself. I use it to make myself feel good by getting rid of the horrible self image I had when I was almost 300lbs. Sometimes it's not easy dealing with problems without the comfort of food but I have learned to stop letting meaningless things get on my nerves. Happy New Year with a new attitude about band life!

Mine is on the left side as well.

Agreed. Forgiveness of others is so much easier then forgiving ourselves. We are always not good enough, don't have what it takes, always make mistakes, can't do it right yada yada yada the list goes on and on. Its hard for the soul and mind when forgiveness of yourself is not included. Life is about learning even if it is later.

Why should you feel guilty about eating something. Isn't that the way we used to feel before being banded. Over eating on Sunday before the start of your Monday diet. If you are eating something that makes you feel guilty then why over indulge and eat it. This journey is about learning new habits not holding on to the old ones. Being made to feel guilty about any decision in life whether it is about food or anything else is a very bad feeling one should never have. If you are about to sit down and eat a chocolate bar or a piece of pie but after you eat it that guilt trip settles in, then why put yourself through that process over and over again. One day I sat down and I was looking at my snacks for the day and when I entered them in on Spark People (because I like that site much better then My Fitness Pal) holy toledo, even though I was only eating a thousand calories for the day, at least 350 to 400 were in snacks. Not that the snacks were bad because it was 100 calories for greek yogurt, 170 for a protein bar and so forth, the guilt of what I ate snack wise floored me and made me feel guilty. I never wanted to feel that way again about food. I don't want to feel guilty so that is why I do not eat high calorie snacks anymore. Some apple slices, craisins, low fat cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs and so forth. I keep my snacking calories under 250 so I don't have to feel guilty. I love anything with sugar but I can't eat it because I can't just have one and then the guilt settles in. Pleasure should never be compared to guilt or associated with guilt. You make your decisions to eat things so why feel guilty. We have all failed at something in life whether it be having an aweful relationship with food, family, mates, children. I don't want my eating life to be full of guilt because in all reality in this part of the game I am eating to fuel my body not fuel my mind on taste. My mind played enough aweful things in my life as far as my relationship with food goes. Think before you eat and ask yourself "is this going to make me feel guilty after I eat it"? If the answer is yes then get rid of it. You don't need guilt to be in your life over something that won't matter in ten years. TTFN

Eggs are not always a good option once you get a fill. I eat mine with ketchup which may not be appealing to others but its the only way I can get them down. Maybe some greek yogurt or sometimes in the morning people are too tight and need to drink protein shakes. You may still have a lot of swelling from the fill. Try some liquids for a few days and protein shakes. Freeze some gatorade to keep your electrolytes in balance. In the morning your band is always tighter. Drink warm fluids to help relax it. It just takes time with some people after a fill because some of us like me have sensitive stomachs. I have swelling for up to three weeks after a fill. I would wait on another fill though to see how this one goes. You may need to take it slow with fills.

You need to eat major protein in the morning. I would leave the fruit alone for a couple of months.

This seems to be one of the most popular questions in the forums. Weight stalling is normal but there are things that your body needs in order to continue to lose weight that some never think are important. Sleep is a big factor in weight loss. You need a full 8 hour nights sleep in order to lose weight. Why? Because while you are sleeping your body is revitalizing its self and removing toxins from your body. When you don't get a good nights sleep your weight loss can slow down or stop completely. Water intake. In order to help flush fat out of your body, you need to consume large amounts of water daily. 64 ounces or more. It also helps with water retention when you are drinking enough water. Your bowels need to move. If you are not having bowel movements on a regular basis that is added weight that needs to come out. Take something to help relieve the constipation because protein causes constipation. Stress. If you are stressing out over not losing weight you are only making it that much harder to lose any weight. Stress has been a key factor in no weight loss. Salt intake. If you are eating a lot of lunch meats, soups, and other things loaded with salt you are retaining fluid. Not enough protein. If you are not eating the recommended amount of protein and filling yourself with carbs then of course you won't lose weight. Protein is vital in burning fat. If you're not eating enough then your weight loss will stall also. Exercising too much. If you are burning 800 calories a day exercising and only consuming 800 calories then you will not lose weight. Your body will hold on to every ounce of fat because you are not giving it enough fuel to function. Exercise in moderation about 30 minutes every other day. Your body needs a recovery period from exercise. You don't need to go to the gym 7 days a week to lose weight. Lastly plateus happen and sometimes they last for weeks or months but this is not the time to throw in the towel. Its the time for your desire to lose weight to shine. Eventually your body has no choice but to drop the pounds it is holding on too.

I agree. I hate when people squeeze in to clothes that don't fit them. Its really ugly and makes you look unkept I agree. I still wear long shirts even in a 14 because of my belly.

Most people when dieting want to do everything fat free but I do not. Our bodies need healthy fats in order to funciton properly. I buy full fat mayo made with olive oil not the crappy mayo. I also use full fat salad dressings but only a small amount and yes I use real butter. Fat free, well it does not taste good either at least to me. If I am eating a lot of salads I will buy the Walden Farms Italian which is calorie free, fat free and sugar free. I will use the Chipolte Ranch and Italian and the Balsamic Vinegar which all taste good to me. Some of their dressings are really blucky because how can anything taste good with no calories or fat in it. I try to keep my fat intake to a minimum of 35 to 40 grams a day though. Your body craves fat and when you do eat it, it helps with keeping you satisfied. Yes I do eat a piece of bacon once in a while with eggs. I also on occasion take a teaspoon of olive oil, which doesnt taste so great but it does help getting in good fats and helps with hair and nails also. The benefits of olive oil are endless. I don't believe in a fat free diet intake. We need good fats just like we need good carbs and large amounts of proteins for our bodies to work properly.

I am maintaining also and its impossible to eat like that anymore. I just can't. Congrats on everyones success this year.

I never thought the day would come, that I could eat and not gain weight but it has. I have been very strict with my lapband but did have some goodies over Christmas because I love to bake. Waking up and stepping on the scale to see it not go up was a great feat in its self as I remember always gaining 10 to 20lbs from Halloween to the new year. I cooked a lot of food for Christmas but I put so little on my plate of everything. A spoon full is satisfactory to me now not 4 helpings. It's funny how things have changed for me in the aspect of food. I don't love it anymore, its just a need to keep living. It's what keeps me healthy now and not what makes me miserable. Every time I ride past a fast food joint, I cringe. It somehow sickens me to think I use to like that crap. How eating a six hundred calorie burger with 3 days worth of fat in it made me happy. I enjoyed my turkey this year because if I never could cook anything in this world, I make the most to die for turkey that is perfectly moist and seasoned all the way through. My desert yesterday was some sugarfree jello with whipped topping and I enjoyed it because I got real whip cream to put on top of it. I ate some chocolate and it really didn't taste so good to me because I haven't had sugar in ages. I don't eat sugar anymore. I hardly eat meat either but it tasted good. Today I return to my journey of eating normal again and knowing I won this year it didnt' beat me.

Whoo hoo girl you go.

You are doing great. Don't get discouraged we are in your corner.

Good for you going back to your wls. They are your support when needed and are there to help. I hope you get back to your old self real soon.

You may be too tight or it could definitely be the stress. If its has been cold one day and hot the next barimetric pressure also has a lot to do with the band.

You may be on a calorie restricted diet but maybe you're not eating the right things. I cant see only losing 20lbs since June if you're doing everything right. Calorie deficit means your body has no choice but to lose weight. You're not telling us what you are eating so we can't help if we don't know what you're eating.

Hell yes every ounce of it is worth it. It's so little to give up all the crap that was killing us. I often think what I really saw in all those greasy fast foods I was eating and how much I hate that these places are killing the public. It is worth it 150% It is worth the few years I spent getting to goal to look in the mirror and love myself not feel like a disgrace. Yes it is totally worth it.

Of course you have every right to know how much is in your band. You should always know that number. What if something happens and they need to take it out? You won't even know if they have taken out the proper amount. What if you decide to change doctors and you won't even be able to tell the other one how much is in your band. I would tell him I want to know how much is in there and how much you are putting in there. You have every right to know how much fluid is in your band.

I concur you should call your doctor. He will or his office will let you know what they consider full liquids. Hospitals vary on their diet menus.

Well you dont have to worry cause they closed down. No more Twinkies.

Well I aint gonna lie I rode my bike a whole one minute today lol. I hate it and it hates me. My joints hurt for weeks after exercising but I do work in a hospital so I am constantly walking about 5 miles a day lol or more depending on the patients we get. I do part a long distance from stores and do what I can do but arthritis is not my friend on any occassion.