Kime-lou

Congrats I would love you be able to say the say things next June!

You are still early in the game. You may want to try talking with your nutritionist, they can review you food journal (another great thing) and make recommendations. Make sure you are getting the Water you need- water is very important. Also look at your salt intake. Next, if you are working out daily, you may be gaining muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat so you could be losing fat, but adding muscle so the scale will now show the difference. In time though it will show and you will be better off.

My mother says I have never been very patient, I was even born a month early. I believe the reason I have never been successful at weight loss was my lack of patience. Most of you can likely sympathize with working really hard to lose weight and after a couple weeks only a pound or half pound and finally you say forget it where is the pizza. This has been the case with me each time. With the band it has been different. My bandversary is Dec. 22 and will be 6 months. As of right now I am 45 lbs down and feeling good. Of course I wish I was down more. I have tried to be realistic in these months and eat healthy, but not totally limit myself from things I love, because I know that isn't possible to do forever. Therefore, I will highly restrict myself with things that I know aren't the best for me. For the last two months though my weight loss has slowed. Last month I only lost 2 lbs and so far this month only 2. I have started back working out and counting my calories to make sure I am using more calories than I am taking in. At one point I had a goal of getting to the 160's by April 1st. My husband and I are taking a trip to Disney, I've never been and my husband hasn't since he was a kid, so we are excited to get away. However, it's Dec. 13th and I am sitting at 199, which is great - finally below 200- but I do not thing it is possible loose 40 lbs in 4 months or rather possible for me. My first month I lost 20 lbs, after that it slowed and my best month since was 8 lbs lost, which was Oct. I do not want to discourage myself my setting a goal that is likely unattainable. So, I have decided that I am going to stay on the lapband path taking one step at the time and I will reach my final goal of 140's when I do- it may be a year from now, but I will get there. I must keep my motivation up and stay strong. During the holidays I must admit I am finding it harder that before. Last night I made 4 batches of snickerdoodle party mix- my hubby had a work Christmas party today and wanted me to make it. So, I made it. I sent him to work with half of it and I bagged up the remainder and gave it to coworkers as gifts - after all if they gain a weight it will just make me look smaller (evil I know- jk). I do not want to tempt myself with treats that are not healthy. For once in my life I want to give my body what it needs rather than what it wants!!

You are going through a really tough time right now, so don't beat yourself up to much. Honestly, I can't imagine dealing with what you are right now. Today is a new day and do your utmost to stay strong.

CG- I am envious of you!! Don't know if it's your want power or your plication, but you are rocking this thing. I discussed doing the plication with my doctor, but he didn't feel like it was warrented. While he does do the plication and band he normally does this on larger patients (300+), since at the initial meeting I was in the 230's he wanted me to really think about it. I chickend out on the plication and just went with the band, maybe I should have done the other.

I have been doing this for years making baby meat loafs - a time saver. Done the mac n cheese to and added some ham bits this is great for lunch boxes and for a quick meal on the go. I am doing the meatloafs tonight (I add shreded carrots to my meat loaf- adds some texture and sweetness, plus it gets another veggie in my ultra picky hubs).

Not easy to change engrained habits, but it can be done with dedication and consistancy. However, it is nice to actually like the new way of eating. I don't miss pigging out and feeling as stuffed as a thanksgiving turkey.

I get fills with floro, so I have to drink the thick white stuff. At my first fill I passed out due to the vagas nerve. She pushed the fluid back in to fast and I got dizzy, hot, light headed, nausous and passed out in a chair. It only lasted a second or to and then I was fine. She said it was common and from now on they would need to push the fluid slower.

My doctor actually told me that once I got home from the hosptial I could take the bandage off that the glue and stir stips would hold it he just but the gauze and tape on to keep any excess blood and dranage from surgery from getting on my clothes.

Totally with you on this one! I go through the same thing when my hubs ask me where I want to go and eat. He got so made when he wanted to take me out for my birthday and I didn't want to decide where to go, I finally just told him this italian place that I know he loves. They have great chicken catatorrie (sp?) they serve without pasta- just chicken and veggies, but they serve so much I have to get a box and bring half home. I love it- totally awesome not to be consumed by food!!!

Yep, at first it was really bad. I would see just a small amount on a plate and thing geez I will be starving in a little while- nope. Now I see the small amount on my plate and I think yeah, but when we go out to eat and they bring a huge plate of food- I think holy crap I can't eat that much and go ahead and ask for a box. Honestly it's great because use to go to a resterant eat and appetizer, the dinner and then dessert. I am lucky now if I eat the dinner, most of the time I get the meat down and leave some veggies- some places I just get a box and put half the food in it from the get go- just depends on where I am and what I order.

Missy is right- you have been through a lot. It is totally normal for this to happen. Some people don't lose at all the first month, but most either slow the loss or gain a little once going back on normal foods. Just try to take a deep breath and stay relaxed- stress makes you produce cortisol and that will make you fat hold on tight.

Cheryl- what would you recommend for a good quick breakfast. I already get up at 5 am and am at work by 6:45 so I have 0 time to cook. I use to do cereal, but that just doesn't work well anymore.

When we are little we believe that anything is possible-- santa can visit every house in one night, the tooth fairy brings us money for our teeth, the Easter bunny, ect. As little kids we see the world full of wonderful possibilities just waiting for us. However, as we grow we begin to loose the rose colored glasses and become jaded by the reality of the world we live in. Happily ever after doesn't exist and things aren't always perfect- now I am not say things can't be good because they can be, but not every moment of every day and not every relationship is perfect all the time. As a kid I never imagined I would become so large. I was so small until I turned 5. As I began to gain weight I would ask my mom sometimes why I was fat. She would just say I would grow out of it, after all my cousin did. I accepted that and went on. Well puberty came and went as did the teen years and I was still fat. I never grew out of it. What I didn't know is that my cousin put forth a great deal of effort in her preteens to shed the weight- all I knew was that she went from fat to skinny in what seemed like a summer and became a beautiful girl. That wasn't to be my story. Now that I have admitted that I have a food problem and needed help, got banded and begun my journey- it is hard to belive I will ever reach my goal. The first 5 months the weight seemed to fly off 45 lbs- awesome, but now the loss has slowed almost plateaued and I find myself begining to worry that I may never reach my elusive dream weight (140). I know that I should believe in myself, my band, my doctor and nutritionist, but it's hard when every other attempt I have made to loose weight has failed. Realistically I know it is different this time, I am not on a diet with a fixed end date, I am changing my life style one day at a time. I am making new habits, healthy ones that in time I hope will stick. Some things have been easy like giving up pop (soda), not drinking with meals, drinking water, even eating less at a meal. Some things though haven't been as easy, letting go of my salty snack of party mix (that stuff is addictive and it is my major weakness), not baking so I won't eat the sweets, not eating steak (just doesn't work well with my band). Slowly, but surely I am making a change to a better way of life that in time hopefully will become habit. However, there is still that little voice of insecurity in the back of my head saying you won't do it, you will gain all that weight back, you are destine to be a fat girl forever (insert menacing laugh here)!! I fight every day to squash that voice and to believe that I will make it. After all I have lost 45 lbs and I am moving more and eating less. So for now I am going to keep saying I believe in me, until I do!!

For those of you who drink a Protein shake in the am, how long does it hold you? Since my last fill I am tight and in the mornings I don't really feel like eating something solid, so I decided to give the Protein shakes another try. For the last two days I have drank the Slim Fast High Protein, it has 180 calories, 20 g of protein, 2g of carbs, 2 g of Fiber. The shake taste pretty good and it doesn't give me indigestion like other protein shakes have done so a plus plus. However, about 2 hours after I drink it I am hungry. I drink it around 7 am so by 9 I am starved, but I don't want to eat my snack (greek yogurt) until 10 so that will last until my lunch at 12:30-1. How do the shakes work for you?

Thanks for this post, it is nice to know that even the successful banders stuggle and aren't perfect 100% of the time.

I could eat anything I wanted until my last fill that I think got me to the perfect restriction. Now any soft breads or pastas will get me stuck in a heartbeat (things like spagetti noodles or soft loaf bread). I don't have a problem with toast as long as I take small bites and chew well, also the lean cuisne and smart ones pizzas go fine, but again small bites and chew. Rice doesn't give me a problem, but I haven't tried dry white rice - I eat brown rice and it isn't cooked dry and sticky. All in all I try to keep the bread, Pasta, and rice to a small amount a day. I eat a little and when I do I try to make sure it's a complex carb (whole wheat).

I went to school for and hold a degree in addiction counseling. You would think someone who has taken these classes, learned ways to help clients cope and recover from addiction could herself fight her own addiction. Just like the difficulty people have admitting they are addicted to drugs and alcohol I had difficulty admitting I was addicted to food. Just like people who abuse drugs and alcohol try to validate their addiction I have tried to validate mine. But, the truth is an addiction is an addiction and there is validation for it, it is a problem that must be overcome in order for us to become a better more effective person. I have been over weight since I was 5 years old. Before that I was very thin and tiny- everyone always talked about how cute I was. Then the month before I started school the pounds started packing on. Apparently this was the start of my emotional eating and it never went away. As each year progressed my waist line expanded. By high school I was wearing size 22 jeans and was picked on all the time. My self esteem was low and I spent a lot of time alone- the only lead to more eating. I would frequently eat behind my families back so they wouldn't know how much I consumed and then tried to block it from my mind. As a senior in high school I had an accident that required surgery and then months of physical therapy. During that time I lost weight- down to 201 and a size 18. I remained at that size until the last 2 years when my weight balloned up to 247 and I knew something had to change. 5 high school friends have had some type of weight loss surgery with varying degrees of success, but all have managed to loose weight and keep it off. I decided that maybe this is what I needed to get control of my addiction. Likely if I could have controlled my addiction I could have lost weight without the surgery, but I couldn't. I was a slave to food. June 22, 2012 I had my lapband put in. The first week was hell - I felt like crap the entire time. Once I was back on mushy food I started to feel better and gain energy back. I began working out and counting calories and did great. I really felt like I had things under control. In October my Grandmother passed away after a long illness. She was one of my best friends and always someone I could count on. During that time I stopped counting calories due to being away from home, eating things I didn't prepare, and not being where I could get on the internet (my family lives deep in the country of Virgina) and I also stopped working out. When I got back home I though surely I had gained - well low and behold I had lost 3 lbs- WOW. In my screwed up mind this gave me permission to stop working out and counting calories. I know- WRONG thing to do. However, I have continue to lose steadily, but I know this is not a good way to do things. I do move more to burn more calories since getting my fitbit, but I know that can't take the place of the workouts I was doing. This passed weekend I had my first of serveral Christmas parties. I did pretty well, I help my portions down and ate only two cookies (my mom's homemade Christmas cookies - they are small tea cakes). My BFF's mom brought her homemade party mix and gave me a bag to go home. Here is the problem, this party mix for me is like putting a bottle of beer in front of an alcoholic. I love it- so yummy. She gave me a gallon zip lock bag of it. I brought it home and told myself I would only eat one handful a day. Well, it's been 3 days and half the bag is gone. I screwed up!!!!! The salt content alone in this stuff had increase my water retention- I have gained 3 lbs since Sunday- which isn't possible since I am not eating much. (the party mix has been my breakfast and my snacks) I feel like my face is puffy- I know I am retaining. I feel like crap, I can't believe I allowed myself to fall back in to a pattern that is negative. There are so many awesome people on this site who have been so strong and wonderful since surgery and are kicking butt. Why the hell did I think I could allow myself to do this and not have a negitive consequence- insanity. So, today, I am back on the game. I am going to be accountable to myself. Back to counting calories, back to the workouts, back to eating only what I need to live. The party mix as much as it pains me, but go to the garbage. This morning, I have had a Slim fast protein shake (not bad 180 calories and 20 grams of protein and taste like a yohoo). To my suprise I drink it two hours ago and I am not hungry. Now that I have retriction maybe I can do the shakes for breakfast. This afternoon I will get on my elliptical for 30 min. I WILL get back on track. I will not allow insanity to set in. To those of you who have been my support and encouraged me thank you and I am sorry for allowing my old ways to creep in. Thankfully, I didn't allow them to hang around long enough to do any major damage. Today I admit that I am an addict and I can not do this alone. I must be accountable to myself and others.

No, not in that area. However I was told that due to the tubing (the line running from the port to the band) floating around in there it can hit nerves and things and cause odd sensations or pains. So it could be that putting Fluid through the tubing cause some irriatation to the nerve that the tubing is touching and that is causing pain. Just a guess, but it never hurts to call the doctors and ask.

I had both surgeries at the same time. My surgeon is both a bariatric and genral- so he does both surgeries. My surgeon explaned what they did to me and basically he fixed the hernia where it will not redevelop and the way he sews the lapband in that should not be a problem either. Most people who are obese have a hiatal hernia- very common.

Sounds like you may need to find a new doctor. Mine loves the band and has been putting them in for 10 years.

I have touched on this before but I want to talk about it more. I got a fitbit a few weeks ago and realized how lazy I was. Since then I have tried to increase my steps and general movement daily to burn more calories and here is what I have done: @ work I walk to other offices when I need to talk to someone rather than calling. I take the long way to the bathroom and break room to get my snacks or lunch. Instead of rolling my chair I get up and walk to get things in my office. I fidget- shake my legs, stand when on the phone @ a store I park further away (ok unless it's raining- I don't like being wet) Walk as fast as I can between sections I need to go to or take the long way around the store. @ home Again take the long way to the potty or kitchen We have our master on the first floor, but I go upstairs everyday to check it (I have pets) I work out when I have time (busy time of year- have gifts to wrap) When I sit down to watch a fav show (like NCIS) I pick up my hand weights and use them while I watch or during commercials. Dance around the kitchen while cooking (the hubs just loves this- I find him watching from the door laughing) Dance in the shower while washing my hair Pace when on the phone I park my car in the garage and walk back to the mail box rather than stopping at the mail box. Play with my dog (tug of war kills my arms - she is STRONG) All these things add up to more calories burned and they put me in a better mood. I mean who won't laugh at themselves when they are dancing in the kitchen to Christmas carols or dancing in the shower. I feel better and am happier on the days I do these things. We all can increase our movement in some way even if we can't workout. As you do more movement the easier it gets to move and the more you can do and it turns into a wonderful cycle. So do it - MOVE!

Like above stated Water excercise is great if you have a pool you can go to. If not movement itself is movement and as he does more it will get easier. Fidget, lift legs in the chair, get some hand weights to use while sitting ( I do this now along with excercise to build my arm muscles - muscle burns fat). Also, look at his carb intake- if you can cut all carbs except for complex carbs that will help (complex carbs use more calories to digest than simple). Make sure he is getting is Protein in and water (crystal light /propel / ect flavor packs help if he needs taste). Plus the more he drinks the more he will have to potty and he will move more. Like my Grandpa use to say- You can always find a way if you WANT to.

I read an article yesterday that said if your hunger goes away in 10-20 mins you likely aren't really hungry. If you feel weak or dizzy then it's real hunger and you need to get something. I am lucky and am able to eat on a schedule of Breakfast-Snack-Lunch-Snack (sometimes depending on how I feel)-Dinner

Protein shakes make me feel like crap- they don't satisfy my hunger and they give me indigestion. Therefore, during the week I eat about 3/4 of a cup of Special K with a 1/2 cup of 2% milk - this holds me for about 4 hours. On weekends I will do oatmeal, or eggs with cheese. If I wake up tight I will eat a cup of greek yogurt.