Texasbandit

I cannot stress it enough, ladies please don't be afraid of strength training. The weights will not make you bulk up!!! I lift 4-5 days a week on top of my cardio which is 5-6 days a week. Heavy weights. People ask me all the time why I lose quickly and I'm not pudgy. I have genetics on my side too. So far I've technically lost 57lbs since feb of this year. I use to be 317 and now I'm 260. I have no lose skin as of yet!

Hi everyone! Ive been so busy these past months with the holidays and everything. My T-giving was hard work, but I feel great that everything was healthy and low carb, low salt food. I actually lost 3lbs and I dunno how. So far, I'm happy with my weight loss and I have my 4th fill on the 8th. I am finding I'm getting stuck more often, but I still dont feel hungry. I'm working out 5-6 days a week, but recently I've had a blow to my routine This week my husband had another episode. He has congestive heart failure at 25. He was born with a heart problem that no one thought would degrade this quickly. He has a ICD defibulator inplanted already for 6 years. Since August things have went down hill. This weekend he went back to the hospital. We are being told that he needs a transplant. So they shipped him off to a transplant center which is kinda far away from where we live, but closer to his family which makes me feel better. However, no children are allowed which sucks. We have a 19 month old. They said in time if he gets off of being bed ridden then he can go to the visiting area and see him, but for now no. He has a week worth of evaluations to see if his system can take it then onto a transplant list. People always talk about the physical and him getting better, but mentally he isnt doing so well. He is depressed and misses us. Especially his son. My God, our son is our world. He is a daddy's boy. We are trying to work out the visits and have someone there to wait with our son while I see him. He's gonna be in the hospital for a while, months even. So I'll try to fix up his room when I visit this weekend with something Christmas like. I just hate to see him so sad. He wants to give up, but I tell him he cant and its normal to feel that way. My hubby is normally full of life and jokes, but now he is grim and cranky. I worry so much. I'm having to work so we can pay the bills. It sucks being here, when I just wanna be at the hospital. I have so many things to do. I just try to take it slowly. One thing at a time. As for my diet, well I've stuck to it and I'm proud of that. Thank god im not an emotional eater. When I get depressed I don't eat. So here I am just trying to hang on.

I'm hanging in here. Just doing it one day at a time.

I have the same problem! I cannot eat certain things like spinach. Yet tortillas I have no problem.

Happy holidays everyone!!! I've lost 3!!! I dunno how. However I cooked everything for thanksgiving. It was low carb, low sodium and sugar free. I took a break from working out for 3 days. I also had a horrible slime episode from eating too fast. My 4th fill is on 12/08. I'm also winning the biggest loser contest at work. That's an extra 250 for me!!! My kidneys are doing ok. I worked out today. I want insanity for Xmas. It's a work out DVD program that I heard is great. Do you guys do Christmas dinner too? We just do a Christmas breakfast.

Hi everyone. Well grumpy sour puss Texas bandit is here to update: It's been a rough couple of weeks. My hubby, due to medical reasons, cannot drive anymore so that has disrupted my normal workout routine for mornings. I am still trying to feel my way thru this. I bought some dumbells to use at home and I still walk for an hour on my lunches. Friday-Sunday I hit the gym, hard. I still feel like I can and should do more, but I just dont see how it's possible with my schedule. I cant work out after work either. I gotta pick up my child from his sitter.I wish daylight savings time wasnt here either. I cant even go walking after i pick up my hubby. I dont feel safe at night by myself walking. Despite all that I am losing weight steadily now since I've been on my kidney meds. My dr, doesnt know how long I have to be on them, but at least for now I dont blow up if I eat anything salty. My diet has been really good. I try not to beat myself up too much, but I do aim for prefection. I do under 1200 calories a day. I got my 3rd fill on 11/08/11. I can feel restriction a little more. I have gotten a bit stuck a few times, but no vomiting. I just need to slow down and stop talking and eating! LOL! I've lost 38lbs since 08/28/11. I feel better and look great. Family holiday pictures are in two weeks, so I'm really trying to lose another 5lbs or so. I havent been this thin since I was about 22 so 12 years ago. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a size 16!! From 3x to XL. I've done more clothes shopping and went thru my closet and tried on everything and bagged up everything that is too big and looked stupid. I just keep thinking all of it is gonna stop one day. I feel that one day I wont lose anymore. I know its a crazy stupid fear, but does anyone else feel like that?? I just feel that one day the scale wont more. I weight myself everyday still, but I dont go crazy if I gain one pound. I honestly havent had the wild swings up and down since I've been on my pills. I just dont feel I can get down to 230! That is my goal for now. Can I lose another 38lbs? I'm finding it hard to believe for some reason. Maybe its cause I've never been thin in my whole life? I dunno.

hey we are the same weight! im 5'11. great job!

alright ladies, hello. Hope you are all doing well, Yes salt will cause the bloat. Some people can fight through it and doing gain that much. I eat salt and puff up like crazy then constipation doesnt help either! I'm still fighting the good fight. Working out hard and eating good foods. My fitness pal has saved my life! I got a fill last week and I dunno if I'm at a good tightness. I could use a bit more I guess, but I'm still eating less than 1200 calories a day.

HI! i have my 3rd fill tomorrow. I got banded 09/02/11. I am steadily losing thanks to my PCP doctor and my kidney pills! I'm at 268 now!

Well that was a pain in the ass! Last Thursday I thought what was a pimple started to bother me a little, I figured it might be a spider bite and treated it with some cream. The next day it got bigger. By Saturday I had a fever, chills and sick to my stomach! Sunday I got tired and felt worse. The boil got bigger and bigger. Monday I saw my doc and was told to see a dermatologist. So Tuesday I went. I've been in so much pain I couldn't even walk on my leg!! The dermatologist did a culture and came back as staph. I was admitted in the hospital where they cut and drained it. My thigh and hip were swollen so big. I've been home and back to work. I haven't gained anything really, I'm 272. So back to the drawing board!! I did eat terribly some days, but only cause I was too sick and tired to cook. So I thank god this didn't steer me off my path!!

When I got banded all things cold hurt bad!! My doctor said I could eat anything really after 4 weeks, but raw spinach gets stuck if I don't chew really really good! It makes a lump in my stomach. I just cant stop eating a spinach strawberry salad!

ok I had a totally freak out moment at walmart on Sunday. So far, I havent really bought any new clothes or anything since me weight loss. yes, I am a saggy clothes wearing mess. I dont have any spare money. My hubby has been in and out of the hospital for 2 months now and money is tight. Soooo... I went to walmart on Sunday to get a few things to eat and wondered over to the clothes section just to see what they had. I had a serious crazy moment. I was looking at pants in my usual plus size section and pulled a pair from the rack that said 2x, but then stopped and looked long and hard. These pants were huge. Thinking it was the brand I moved on to another pair. Size 20, ummmm....huge. I went thru about 6 racks of pants and then it hit me, I cant fit this stuff anymore. Am I that small? I dont feel that small. I feel like a fat moo cow. How can this be? I ventured over to the jr's section and saw a size 15, It looked about right, but no way I'm that little. just no. So i tried them on. I stared for about 10 min first and I'm sure the other customers thought I was mental as I muttered to myself and stared at pants for a long time! lol! Went to the dressing room and to my shock I could fit a size 15. A SIZE 15!!!!!!!!!!!! That means In stretchy pants I can wear a 14. 14!!!!!!!!! WTF!!! How can i be that small. I'm still not convinced. maybe its walmart, I dunno. I snatched up the cute sweat pants with princess on the legs. Size 14 then rethought it. What if they dont fit? So I got the 15/16. I got home and my husband wondered what took me so long. I couldnt explain. I tried on the 15/16's and they are a bit big, but still fit great. I guess i could have gotten those 14's! Oh well....maybe next month! tee hee! So do i have body issues?? I just thought maybe I was trippin. I dunno., This has really shook me to my core. I dont understand. I still see myself as huge. Will this always be even if I get down to 200lbs???

After doing everything that I could to lose weight and going nuts I went to my primary care physician on friday to have a checkup and blood and urine work. So.......drum roll please! Tah dah! There is something wrong with me. My kidney's!! I've never been so happy to have a health issue ever! So It wasnt me. I havent cheated on my diet. I'm in the gym 6 days a week and busting my butt. I have a great restriction and under 1000 calories. I explained to my doctor what was happening and how crazy I was going by not losing. I weighed in at 279 on my appointment. So i took a urine test. Nope, it wasnt me. I have a condition where my kidneys does not process salt. I eat a low sodium diet and everything, but still my body holds onto salt and causes water retention. I am waiting for my blood work to come back to see if I have to see a kidney specialist. In the mean time my wonderful doctor gave me temporary meds to flush my system. I feel great!!! I am down to 271 today! I actually had a semi- cheat. I ate one slice of pizza and no bloat, no gaining 3lbs!!! I've lost 2 inches in my waist too and dont feel like a puffy mess. I feel like a weight has been lifted and i'm in a much better mood now. After all these years I wonder why no one found this. So it's not my metabolisim! yeah!!!

what level are you on? I was eating solids one month post op. I know Jello has those mousse things too. they are soooo good. sugar free too. Also try a company called big train. look them up. They sell brownie and cookie mixes that are low carb, sugar free goodness. One cookie is 60 calories and 5 carbs. I baked a batch just this week.Taste just like the real thing.

OMG you know I jiust realized that when they did take my blood work at true results they did say that my liver and kidney enzymes were elevated. I did ask why, but was told cause I was over weight. Obesity causes a fatty liver and my HBP could be the reason why they came back elevated, but it wasnt anything to be concerned about. So i just moved on. I may actually make my goal for 10/31 which is to be 270!! at 271 now I'm the thinnest I've been in about 7 years. i've been working so hard since being banded. I now feel like this is working for once. I just hope that my kidneys are o.k. I know my dad had kidney failture at an early age, but he recovered. I thank god for my PCP listening to my whole story. She was so proud i've lost so much weight and felt bad I was so frustrated. I've had her as a doctor for less than a year. Most doctors i've had didnt do much and referred me to a nutritionist.

hi, have you talked to your surgeon yet? Do you keep a food diary? I cant live now without one. I use myfitness pal to log everything to see how many calories I'm getting. Are you drinking lots of Water? I have a checklist that I went over and over through and tried everything before finally going to see my regular doctor.

Im down to 271 since friday!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully today I will hear something about the blood work.

Helllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm back B******! read my blog! Finally figured out why I wasnt losing! Anyhoo. I had my first slime yesterday and I spit up. It was scary, very scary. I was eating a ceasar salad that had some hard chicken on it. I was on the phone and eating and going waaaay too fast. Well after a few bites I felt a lump in my chest and a sick feeling. I ran to the bathroom and long strings of spit and slime started to come up. I tried to burp and i felt a pain in my band. I spit up some of the chicken and felt a little better. I was dry heaving for a bit then I waiting till I felt better. So much for my work luncheon. I'm just glad I didnt puke on my boss!

I never in my wildest dreams thought having a lap band would drive me nuts. If I would have known what I know now I would have never ever ever gotten this surgery!!!! I am weak, tired, stressed and miserable.I'm usually a calm, funny, rational person. But this journey has defied logic and tested my already thin patience. In the past I could always lose weight. Granted very slowly and I would stall for a few weeks, but it's been almost a month and my weight has gone from 275 to 279 and back down. I cannot get past 275!!! I've upped my calories and nada. I dont know how much i should up them or for how long. All I know is that something about this lapband is causing my body to rebel. I track what I eat on myfitnesspal and I work out 5-6 days a week and today I'm working out twice a day. I change my workouts every week. I dunno whatelse to do. I'm at 1000 calories now and feel stuffed. I have never ate this good or worked out smarter and harder in my life. I lost 60lbs doing less before this stupid band, so why isnt this working?? No caffeine, no sugar, low carbs, low calories. I have never ate so clean! No Soda!! No F****** Soda! When have I ever given up soda? oh thats right, NEVER!!!!!!!! Not even low carb bread, woooooooooooo lord i've been good. Not even my low carb candy or pastries! NO LOW CARB COOKIES!!!!!!!!! I've never dieted without them!!! I have to see my surgeon next week for a follow up. What am I gonna tell him? "hey I lost inches". I dont even wanna see him. My last fill the PA made me feel like I was lying and that no way I could weigh so much and be working out and eating healthy. No matter what anyone says pounds do matter. Its the stuff of contest, doctor visits and what people go by when they ask you about your progress. No one asks what size you are or what inches you have lost. I dont even know if i've lost inches. It doesnt seem to have changed in a month. I've been told its water weight maybe. Ok but for how long? My period will be here in 2 weeks then I will be bloated again for about 12 days. So in between being bloated due to my time of the month and other mysterious bloat, when am I losing fat??? It seems for 25 days out of the month I'm bloated due to weight lifting, time of the month, or a cheat day. Each causes a week worth of bloating. So where is the break from this??? I'm not even trying a cheat day again since the last disasterous 6 day, 4lb gain! Im heading to my regular doctor, but I dont know if she will find anything. 4 months ago I had a blood work up and everything was fine. I just give up. I tap. I know when I am beat. i cant take any more discouragement. To stall is one thing, but to gain? oh hell to the naw. I want this band out, O U T!!!!!!!!!!! I'll wait a year or so to have it removed, but I dont know what it's doing or how, but I know this thing is stopping me from losing. I did so good when I was on my own. Pregnancy was the only thing that derailed me after a whole year. I'll stick to MFP until 10/03 then if I dont lose I'm off there too, but good bye friends on here! I must save my sanity. I'm tired of reading of peoples success and looking at my failures on the scale and in the mirror. I'm tired of explaining over and over again that I'm not hungry, on 2nd fill, eating right, working out and no one knows. I've drank enough water, I shouldnt yo-yo my calories, which causes me to binge. I'm done!

1. My gas pains lasted 5-6 days. Some people it last a little longer. But yes it goes away. 2.I take pills. I have a horse pill. I use to break mine in half, but at 4 cc's I don't have any issues of anything getting stuck. 3.I've never felt my port. I got lots of belly fat. Or are y talking about from the inside? I eat and drink but don't feel anything unless I eat too fast. 4. I'm in a plateau and I guess you have to wait it out? I dunno really. I've upped calories, work out and even water fasted. No one knows why a person not even close to goal just stalls. My surgeon