yellowrose88

I believe it would help if you went back to "Square 1", "Step 1"...and begin by measuring your portions. You understand the poor choices you are making, and that's a major piece of the success puzzle.
You have to get back in the front of your thinking that you need to focus on lean Proteins and basic Fiber carbs for meals, and measure what you are eating. If you get hungry between meals, start drinking your fluids you should have daily...there are many FF/SF choices out there. I prefer Water.
Distract yourself with projects, a book, exercise...whatever will help refocus your thoughts away from food that doesn't involve eating...
It reads to me that you have strayed back to some older behaviors which contributed to your obesity...it only takes your focus and motivation to reverse this trend.
Best wishes...

Glad everyone is doing well.. I also haven't posted for awhile.. I was on vacation to meet my new grandson,which was awesome! I lost 7 pounds while I was gone, so that was good.. I'm down now between 156 and 157,the scales keep changing between those two numbers daily, but still real happy where I am.. My dr. goal for me was 150, so I don't have to far to go for him, but have a feeling it's going to take awhile, since the scales have been the same for almost 3 weeks now. My goal for myself is 140, so 16 pounds to go for me. I'm taking things real slow, still watching and writing down everything I eat, I exercise 5 day's a week now instead of 6 and keep my calories the same been 600 and 800 . I purchased my first size 8 jeans over the weekend, one fits fine, the other a little tight, but I'm happy.. Just like yellowrose88 I danced all over the fitting room and talked about it for 2 days, to hubby... Real happy where I am and where I'm going!!

I just wanted to touch base and give a quick update! It has been a while since I posted under February Bandsters! I am feeling wonderful and very excited. I now weigh 176lb and had to buy some new pants. Yes I bought a size 12 and was grinning like a fool in the dressing room. The feeling was AWESOME! I was feeling really down the last couple of month but since I broke the 180 mark it seems I am back on track and feel great! A talk with the good doc brought my spirits up as well.
I am just taking one day at a time. I still keep a food diary which I know really helps me. I am running 3 times a week and do some sort of exercise every day.
I hope everyone else is doing great!!

Sorry to hear. My husband was very sensitive about this. For the first week him or my boys wouldn't eat in front of me it is kind of funny now but we are all eating healthier now because of me being banded. If it is really bothering you then you need to be honest with her.

I'm 5'4 started at 264 waring a size 18/20 now 169 and in a 12 which are just starting to get loose but not enough to go down a size..

Stay strong and clear of the donuts! Someone is always bringing items to work and I just stay clear of out kitchen area all together.

It really depends on you. My doctor told me whenever I feel ready. It was a little over a week.

It really depends on you. My doctor told me whenever I feel ready. It was a little over a week.

Today I got on the scale and I am down 70 pounds in 5 months! What took me 15 years to put on is now gone in a matter of 23 weeks! I have made it over the half way point....oh how I love my band!!!!

Checking in at 236. 2 lbs away from 50 lbs lost since surgery!

Saw my dr/p.a today and NO fill needed.. So right now I have 2.5 cc in my band and don't need to go back now until Sept.. She said if I need anything or if I feel like I need a fill to go ahead and come in, if not see you in Sept..
I lost 20 since my last visit, which was on the 20th of april.. So my totals so far are 71 pounds from my heaviest which was in Nov and 57 pounds from my surgery..
I have noticed that my wt was slow coming off at the beginning but really has moved quite fast these last few weeks.. I'm sure in a few more weeks it will slow down again, so we will see.
My advice to ppl, is just don't give up.. If you do what your dr's tell you to do, the weight will come off.. Just eat right and excercise!! I have not gone off track once.. I eat my portion size and no more.. I excercise 1 hour 6 day's a week.. When I feel hungry, I move, go outside, read, take a bath, brush my teeth, do anything other then focusing on my stomach and before I know it it's meal time.. I really don't have very many of those day's thanks goodness!!!
Wishing you all much success!!

Yes baby!!! 199 this morning!!
Went to take a picture of the scale....but if I hold the camera I weigh 200.......Have to wait until tomorrow to get the picture.

I guess the third try is a charm...I met with my surgeon yesterday, and for the first time in 3 appointments, I did not get sent to the ER!

I am scheduled for my first band adjustment on June 6. He wanted to do it on Thursday, but I will out of town for the weekend, and neither one of us thought that it was a good idea to do my first fill and then have me leave town.

I know that it is beyond time for this first adjustment, but I am a bit apprehensive, as I have read of so many incidents where the adjustments were difficult or left the patient unable to keep anything on their stomach.

I still have more medical testing to get done, but that could go on for months at this rate...so my official mantra for this journey is to be "Onward"!

I was updating my ticker today after my appointment and I am more than half way to my goal. Wow I can't believe it. Also started Week 5 of C25K.

Thank you everyone ever so much for all you insipring and up lifting encouragement. Im going to start focusing on me and not worrying about everything and everyone else. You guys are awesome

When this aunt isn't making unkind remarks to you does she get her jollies from pulling the wings off butterflies? Honey,if you will pardon a usually dignified older lady's language, f**k your aunt and the mule she rode in on. Toss the scale into the closet for a couple of weeks, use the mirror to reflect a smile and pride in your accomplishment, and concentrate on "hell yeah, amazing job."
To quote Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." She also said, "When you know to laugh and when to look upon things as too absurd to take seriously, the other person is ashamed to carry through even if he was serious about it."
Next time the Wicked Witch of the East makes a nasty remark to you, laugh outloud at her. She really is ridiculous, you know.

Met my may weight loss goal early 4 pound loss this week that's 40 9 weeks post surgery and 100 pound including pre operation 6 month diet . Feel like a new woman however another 100 to go 261 today x

This is the hardest part. We have all been there so we feel your pain! Please be patient and you will feel normal again! Even better…

During pre-op I was told bite size should be about the size of a dime.

As of yesterday i have lost a total of 100LBS !!!
very excited very happy.... and look soooo different
I cant believe i did to be very honest. Never in a million years if you told me post op that i would be 100lbs liter... i would have laughed in ur face !
I started out at 306
Surgery day i was 294
and today i am 205.6
=]
i have a 10cc band with 5.2cc
I DO NOT EAT LIKE I SHOULD BE!!! If i ate better I would have lost a lot more than I have.
1st 6 months i walked a lot and i jogged on the treadmill for 30-60 mins 4-5 times a week. I have stopped working out really just walking with the kids in the stroller.
NOW THE BAD! I have lost over 1/2 my hair!!!!!! i can not stress this enough EAT YOUR PROTEIN! take some Biotin right away !!! i have the 5,000 mcgs that i am taking 2 a day of.... i have to go see my doctor next week for the 1st time in like 4 months so i will let you know what he says about the hair issue! but if you haven't had ur surgery yet or just had it START TAKING BIOTIN to HELP......

Banded February 15, so today marks my 3 month follow up with 40lbs lost so far. Feeling ecstatic!! Every day isnt grand, but the days that are makes up for the ones that arnt. It's still such a learning experience, but I'm loving it. After hearing a couple people on the forums talk about C25K I'm proud to say I'm on Day 2, Week 1. After the first day I wanted to scream!!! I couldnt believe I successfully completed the first day, I thought for sure I wouldnt be able to run 1 min, and really thought doing it 8 different times was out of the question. Being banded was the best thing I could of done for myself!!
Best wishes Bandsters!

Yippie! I had to go shopping last night for new clothes for work, and was quite happy to see I am in a size 16 now! I started off as a 20 (probably should have been a 22, but I was in denial, lol), and while the scale hasn't moved as quickly as I would have liked, it is nice to have this happen. Made me feel really, really confident!

I'm a goal setter, so when I began this journey, I set two major goals, and then broke it down into many smaller goals to keep me motivatived and moving in the right direction. Nine months ago today I had my lap band surgery. When I started my preop diet, I was at my all time high of 306. I've really had to push hard the last week - but I'm thrilled to say that I've achieved my first major goal today. So, nine months, and 107lbs later, I can finally say that I made it to Onderland - I'm at 199.4! It's an amazing feeling, even though I know I still have a long way to go - but I can tell you for sure, no one is going to bring me down today!
The timing of this could not be more perfect - everything truly happens for a reason. I have to admit that I was one of those folks who thought I would be cheating by getting a lapband, and that it was taking the easy way out. I rejected it for years. Then my cousin opened my eyes when she got her band, and I started to look seriously into getting the band. One of my main reasons for having this surgery was to lose weight and be able to go out and get a new job, and not let my weight hold me back. I've always sold myself short, and settled for less just so I had a job. Well, on March 28th, my company announced that they were closing the plant I worked in by May 28, making it time to get a new job. They said that as they transitioned our work to new plants, they'd be needing fewer people, so they'd be making cuts all they through. Well, I almost made it to the end - last Friday was my last day, so I am now officially looking for a new job - and can you believe I'm excited about the opportunity? I have no doubt that I can and will do better, and looking at all the things I'm capable of is more exciting to me than you can possibly imagine. I would have thought I'd bury my head under a pillow and gone into a minor depression - but no - I'm looking forward to something new! They're giving us outplacement services, and I've talked to my consultant about my history of accepting jobs for less than I should, and told them I do not want to do that again. They've looked at my skills, accomplishments, and abilities, and they all believe that I should be able to get a job with a 30% increase in pay! It may not happen as fast as I want it to - they're expecting that fall is a reasonable time frame for me to expect a new position. I'm goning to work hard to beat the odds and find something sooner, as things will get pretty challenging for me financially by fall. But with a part time job and unemployment, I should be able to make it through the full 99 weeks worth of unemployment if I have to - but I'm praying I don't need more than 30 weeks!

A new member asked for ideas for daily menus, and that reminded me that I used to post a week's worth of dinner menus once a week on another online forum. I'm going to start doing the same thing here (though I can't promise it'll be every single week, due to my work schedule), and I invite everyone else to post their menus on the thread.
I eat the same things for Breakfast most days, and lunch is almost always leftovers from the previous day's dinner. Occasionally I have to work nights, so I don't cook dinner on those days (it's "every man for himself" then). Here's a week's worth of dinner menus from my vast archives (saved because I'm writing a cookbook called Menus Made Easy).
Some of these are from recipes in my cookbook, Bandwagon Cookery. I noted the page # beside those dishes.
SUNDAY
Roast chicken w/ lemon & rosemary
Baked onions & cranberries p.136
Cooked greens (spinach, kale, turnip)
MONDAY
Crab cakes w/ lemon sour cream sauce on the side (light sour cream, grated lemon rind, onion powder) p. 278 & p.145
Green Beans - roasted - p.314
Mashed sweet potato
TUESDAY
Tex-Mex chicken casserole (using leftover roast chicken)
Grapefruit & avocado salad w/ cilantro p.188
WEDNESDAY
Baked cod w/ a "crust" of crushed pretzels (with more of the lemon sour cream sauce on the side)
Asparagus
Brown rice
THURSDAY
Steak - herb marinated - p.259
Grilled potato wedges, summer squash & zucchini (basted with Italian salad dressing)
Tomato salad w/ reduced-fat feta cheese - with lemon Salad Dressing on p.184
FRIDAY
Baked tofu w/ spicy peanut sauce p.293
Korean-style cooked spinach p. 313
Barley cooked w/ chicken broth
SATURDAY
Parmesan polenta topped with spaghetti sauce (with cooked ground turkey or beef in it)
Green salad with lots of veggies - with roasted red pepper salad dressing p.187

I thought I would post a litlle about where I am at, 3 months after surgery. First off I still Love my band and have I do not have any regrets. My surgery date was February 16th, 2012. My starting weight was 232lbs. Since surgery I have lost 38lbs. WooHoo! It feels amazing and its starting to look amazing too! Along with that victory I have had those amazing Non scale victories that just make this whole process worth it. One of my NSV's was Shopping in the Juniors section and purchasing a size 13! (now they are loose 11 here I come )
As for my Lapband, I believe i have a 10cc LapBand, i am currently filled to 6cc. I have had two fills so far and have just experienced what restriction feels like. I am still getting used to what foods work for me and what do not. So far this seems to be a new process each fill. I feel that the Lap Band has been a success so far for me because I have changed my life style completely, I realize this is forever, I do not deprive myself like I am on one of my old hardcore diets. I eat healthy as a lifestyle now, not a 4 week diet. When I am craving something that is higher in calories than normal I will allow myself a bite if it is something my band will even allow and I stop there and move on with my life. My biggest motivator is knowing that these 38lbs are not coming back and that this is just the beginning!
I know this website can be full of issues which we all run into at some point or another, but I just wanted to post my progress so far because nothing motivates me more than reading others stories and learning how they are living with the lap band.