Ms skinniness

I had a friend of mine who went to Dr. Garcia in Mexico and he did a fantastic job. She has lost over 140 lbs since june and looks fantastic... As far as the staple line, the staples are healed over and won't come out. They are very tiny indeed....... Scars don't really bother me either......They are very small and will fade in time..... Oh and BTW has anyone ever told you that your fears do lie to you. I'm a therapist and believe me, our fears do lie......we all have similar or the same fears and we did it anyways. The majority of us are happy and healthier and skinny to boot! Now it's still a lot of work on our parts too because the sleeve is just a tool......

I have watched YT videos and it does make since, the part that scares me is increasing my calorie intake to 1823 and then eating 15% lower, will it assist in losing a lb? Will I be hungry when I cut out some calorie? When I look at individuals that have anoxecia and they are eating less than 300 calories a day, they are losing weight, muscle weight too which is totally unhealthy, so now that I've stated this, this plan does look good to keep muscle mass. I didn't her what KiKi's diet consisted of either. Do you fill full eating like this? Has it been hard to cut back on calories? Sorry for the questions but my inquisitive mind wants to know..... LOL Thank you FYE

I am finding myself with Water retention in the AM;s and ran across this so I thought I would share this every one. Thursday, January 21, 2010 How to Deal With Water Retention: Part One 1:03 PM | Posted by Martin Berkhan In an ideal world, weight loss would be perfectly linear. You'd lose weight in a predictable manner, seeing small but consistent changes each passing day. But this is rarely the case, which my experience has proven me many times over. If you've ever been on a diet and tracked your progress with the scale or the mirror, you're probably familiar with water retention and long weight loss plateaus. Even though your diet is on point, nothing seems to be happening. Stalling at the same scale weight for weeks is not unheard of - I've experienced it myself. Fortunately, these phases are followed by rapid weight loss seemingly over night. This delayed weight loss is often referred to as the "whoosh"-effect. Nothing for weeks...and then whoosh, 2-4 lbs lost over night. What triggers a whoosh? No one knows, but Lyle McDonald offered a hypothesisbased on something his old exercise physiology professor said. So what's the big deal here? The issue with water retention is the frustration it brings while waiting for the whoosh. Waking up every morning to see no progress on the scale can have profound effects on your motivation to maintain your diet and training regimen. Why put in all this effort when nothing is happening? Doubt creeps up. Maybe you're eating too much? Maybe you're not doing enough cardio, maybe your carb intake is too high? So you cut calories and increase cardio in the hopes that it will get the scale moving down again. If we're talking water retention (and not an actual stall), this has the potential to actually worsen the situation. Dumbfounded you watch as your weight creeps up even higher despite your ambitious attempts to set things right. So at times like these, it's no wonder that people are likely to say "screw this ****" and go off their diet for a day. Or two. Or a week. In the worst case it triggers a binge that sets them back several days or weeks. Not good. Given the negative impact of water retention on your morale, knowing the causes for water retention, and how to deal with it, can be very useful when you find yourself in this situation. Water retention - what is it? Water retention (or edema which is the term used by the medical establishment) is a common, concrete phenomenon that occurs during calorie restriction. It's not just some trivial vanity issue unique to the fitness crowd. The magnitude of water retention varies; most often it's mild, but enough to obscure your fat loss results on a short-term basis. Sometimes it's more prominent, giving you the impression that nothing is happening for weeks. More severe types of water retention are a common characteristic of malnutrition and life-threatening starvation; it can be so extreme that people will appear to lose no weight at all, as greater amounts of fluids accumulate under the skin. Jewish doctors often observed this phenomenon in the Warsaw ghettos during World War 2. Water retention can take many forms, such as swollen watery tissue or as an accumulation of fluids in the stomach, chest, lower body and in between joints. You might notice it in the form of fat that feels "squishy" or in the form of red strech marks when waking up in the morning. You can also notice it on your ankles when taking your socks off in the evening; the pressure from the socks leaves an indentation, which might be barely noticeable (no water retention) or big enough to fit half of your thumb in (an extreme example as told to me by a competitor after three days of post-competition binging and gaining 35 lbs). The latter is called pitting edema. During starvation, inadequate nutrition depresses the pumping mechanisms within the cell that keeps excess salt and water out. The cell deteriorates and the distinction between in and out is lost. However, for the average Joe out there, water retention is more often related to daily shifts in water and salt intake. Lessons from The Minnesota Experiment In the Minnesota Experiment during World War 2, men willingly embarked on a semi-starvation-like regimen designed by Dr Ancel Keys. Yes, that's the same Keys who "discovered" a connection between saturated fat and cardiovascular disease - a controversial figure. But I digress. The objective of this study was to observe the effects of semi-starvation and to establish guidelines for properly refeeding war prisoners (this is critical, since refeeding victims of starvation can lead to cardiac arrest due to massive mineral and electrolyte fluctuations). His findings were later published in two books: The Biology of Human Starvation: Volume Ihttp://www.assoc-ama...=1&a=0816672342 and The Biology of Human Starvation: Volume IIhttp://www.assoc-ama...=1&a=0816672334 A lot can be written about this fascinating experiment, but at this point I want to highlight some curious happenings related to the topic at hand. First of all, this wasn't quite starvation per se. The men were getting 1500-1800 kcal per day, while engaging in moderate amounts of daily activity, and that's not too far off from the usual diet fare today. The main difference being that this was done in a controlled setting lasting six months, which is longer than most people would endure a dieting stint. At the start of the study, the men were losing weight linearly, dropping about 2 lbs per week. However, after some time the weight loss became erratic and unpredictable. No longer was it linear, but rather it occurred in "bursts" with long periods of plateaus. The researchers overseeing the experiment noted that water retention was noticeable in most men and in some cases quite severe. Half-way through the study the men were allowed a relief dinner to Celebrate their progress. One big meal of 2300 kcal was served; roasted chicken, potatoes, gravy and strawberry shortcake. That night everyone got up more often than usual to urinate. The next day they discovered that they had each lost several pounds. This was not a one-time occurrence. When the experiment was over and the refeeding phase began, the men continued to drop weight at an accelerated rate until calories were increased substantially. What I want you to take away from this is the following: * Refeeding can cause rapid weight loss, a whoosh. This seems counter intuitive, but it's a phenomenon observed in the scientific literature and retold by many dieters. My clients experience this, and so do people embarking on diet regimens where planned carb refeeds are integral parts of the plan (for example, The Ultimate Diet 2.0). * In my experience, the more severe and rigorous the diet, the higher the likelihood of retaining water. In simple terms, higher calorie deficits usually result in more erratic, non-linear weight loss. This is not a proven fact, but rather a hypothesis based on what I have observed throughout the years - and it has some backing if we look at the weight loss curve observed in starvation and studies like The Minnesota Experiment. * The hypothesis has credibility if we look at the hormonal response to starvation diets. "Starvation diets" in this context simply mean any diet approach that results in a very high weekly caloric deficit created through diet and/or exercise. This is perceived as a significant stress to the body, to which it responds with chronically raised levels of cortisol. Some cortisol is great, but too much of it is very bad; and studies suggest that cortisol increases in a dose-dependent manner related to the calorie deficit. Prolonged elevations of cortisol can lead to massive water retention. If you've ever been treated with hydrocortisone, a pharmaceutical form of cortisol, you know what I mean. * The above makes me wonder if the myth of "starvation mode" is actually perpetuated by extreme dieters who find themselves not losing any weight on starvation-level caloric intake (due to severe water retention obscuring weight loss). While some metabolic slowdown occurs during any diet, it's never so profound that it completely negates a substantial calorie deficit. For example, during The Minnesota Experiment the researchers noted a 15-20% reduction in basal metabolic rate at the end of the study (it was actually 40% compared to the start of the study, but this was due to a higher body weight; a large percentage of the drop could be explained by the simple fact that they weighed less and not due to any hormonal impact). Now you know a little bit about the erratic nature of water retention and the impact it can have on your body weight and diet adherence. In part two I will get a little more practical and tell you about some effective strategies that can help you deal with it if it rears it's ugly head. Also, feel free to comment, e-mail me or share your own strategies if you have found something that works for you.

FYE I'm curious, I just calculated the TDEE and mine came up to 1823. Now I don't eat that much calories so I'm wondering why is my weight fluctuating so much. I was down to 143 lbs and then my weight skyrocketed to 147 lbs. This is so frustrating. I too want to eat more if it will help me lose the weight and have more energy. BTW you are doing fantastic! CONGRATS!

At his point it is what it is and now you have a choice to make. Do you add additional stress to your plate by being angry and fighting or do you move forward to a more wonderful healthy lifestyle. You did this for them and no one else and there is really nothing your supervisor can do to you. I'm so proud of you taking this step for a healthier new life style...... CONGRATS!

Ok it's time to get back on track.......No more grazing,, get back to protein, protein, protein, sip, sip, sip, and exericise! You can do this.... No going back to bad habits now! How was that?

Your hair is absolutely beautiful!

There are a lot more issues under the table that haven't been addressed yet.... It's not just you, it's usually a break down in communication and feelings that haven't been discussed. This is scary stuff......... Rock that body and enjoy what you have!

I see you as a beautiful model! You look fabulous.....

Awesome new pic! Love the three of you.......He is hot by the way, but you'll even hotter with your great big smile.....

A hot firefighter? Wow that's the best NSV yet! Is it time for a new pic?

I think your right. when i eat chicken or something really dense, I'm not so hungry.....today I have been grazing on horrible stuff, so I am going to make sure I have some good chicken, tuna, or nuts that will fill my tummy.

I have noticed that after dropping the majority of my weight, the wind could actually blow me over. I sometimes still lose balance and when I start to walk, my legs feel like they are attached to rubber bands. So I have been working on my core muscles to tighten them up. Interesting about how we have a habit with walking with our legs spread apart to accomandate for the excess fat we had on our thighs. LOL Now it's just plain fun being hot and sexy.........

Thank goodness that I have a nice warm body sitting on the BIG LOSER'S BENCH next to me! Welcome and Cheers to a quick recovery! Walk, walk, walk, and sip, sip, sip, when allowed too.......

I have struggled with my weight for years and intuitively knew that I needed to get a lap band surgery to help get my weight down. I seen my son gain weight as a young adult and knew that I needed to be a good role model for him. I did talk to my PCP at Kaiser and he told me my BMI was too low and prescribed diet pills. I hated the feeling of the diet pills and after 1 week, I would still get hungry. So I refused to take them and about 1 year later was talking with my PCP and asked him if he could provide follow up appointments after I went to Mexico for my surgery. He then was willing to diagnoses me with diabetes and that opened up the door for my surgery. However, and I'm so thankful, at the orientation I learned about the sleeve and that it was permanent. So I chose the sleeve. During the required options class,I also got an ephiany that I really didn't need to eat much food either. Now that was a big switch for me and I cut my meals into halves. I love my sleeve, I just hate my bounce up at times. now I am working on getting my exercise in because I still want to lose about 5 lbs. But otherwise, my BMI is really good.

Thank goodness they don't make twinkies anymore......HoHo's either....I'd be a real gonner than....LOL ' Ask yourself if you really want that carb or is it head hunger. Mine is pretty much head hunger so I try to avoid those carbs... For me, the best thing is to just plain out right not buy them.....Eat something that has protein. I usually eat nuts or a piece of fruit. then get busy and do something physical to get your mind off it.... Look how well you've done up till now, keep going, you are going to reap the benefits... You can do this....

I had pretty much gottin most of my protein in and I still lost 33% of my hair.... The good news is, it grows back. I take biotin and silica and my hair is growing like weeds..... Love it....

This is so scary for you......It does feel like that but it will get better when they isolate the problem and they will take you off tpn. It takes a while to find the problem but when they do, you will heal....Keep us informed to how your doing......sending healing energy your way.

It's so good to hear your doing really good. Especially good enough to go sweat your booty off! LOL Welcome back I've missed you!

their rationale is that we are eating very small portions that we are required to take supplements. They're afraid that we will deplete our vitamin reserve and it will affect our health......That's all I can think of, but I haven't heard directly any no's to donating blood......It would probably make me really tired and sleepy though.

An interesting thing happened to me yesterday that really shook me up. I was walking into Macy's yesterday and seen a reflection in the mirror of my daughter and me and at first I loved the body image I seen and then I noticed my face. I so totally freaked out because I looked or look like my grandmother....I was treated very poorly by this woman and I can't stand the loose skin on my face. I've been telling my DH that I want to get a face lift and he keeps telling me no, he likes the way I look. It makes him feel better about himself because he is 12 years older than I am. It makes me angry and I am telling him I'm going to do it anyways. the bottom line is, I hate the way my face looks........those past feelings and the reminder of my grandmother is so sad and depressing. I don't like this emotional baggage.

This is a life time journey and not a race. Each and every one of us are unique in our weight losses. It's pretty much a miracle that we have improved our lifestyles, health and eating habits. I have surpassed my surgeon's goal at weight loss, but I haven't reached my goal yet. I don't consider myself a slow loser by any means and my heart goes out to Coops who hasn't reached her surgeon's goal yet and I know how frustrating that is for her. I love how she is determined to make that goal and is making the appropriate changes to kick her weight loss into gear. She is my hero...... I am not at goal, but am working hard on eating healthy and small portion sizes. We will will struggle with our head hunger and our weight will fluctuate, especially when we are learning to deal with our head hunger. LOL But this is our learning curve and we still are determined to stick to it. Some give up and go back to his/her old eating habits because they don't have the ability to self discipline themselves and get a little more organization going. But they will eventually go back and let go of the lbs by going back to basics if they choose to. This is a new way of life, and yes, we can stretch our stomach out if we eat way too much. Maybe not to where it was before, but even a little makes a big difference. Cheri thank you so much for your postings, they have been so helpful to me. Most people on the site are so loving and caring that this is like a family to me...

So your surgery actually saved you from a lot of pain and suffering........ CONGRATS on your new tummy!

When eating chinese food out, you really don't know what they put in the food.....It has a lot of fat, sugar and salt. I had completely forgot about this and last night my daughter and I had Chinese food. This morning I woke up, weighed myself and have retained water...... Won't do that again...... No more Chinese food for me unless I make it myself and I know exactly what's in there.... I check all labels now on processed foods and 95% of them have added sugar and are loaded with salt....

I am so hungry at times and I'v started grazing......am working on not grazing and working on increasing my water intake also......I have lost 1 lb after refocusing myself and staying away from the sugars etc.....