SueBee01

I agree with the head hunger issue! Still deal with it after a year and a half! It was really hard to learn to only eat when hungry, not on a schedule of three meals and two Snacks and desert all the time which is what I grew up with! Don't feel like you have to eat all the time. It is different for everyone too. My NUT always says only eat when you are hungry, eat healthy and love what you eat! So I DO!

For me, I wasn't hungry at all right after surgery.. I guess I was too swollen inside to feel it. I did however have cravings for food. I think the biggest fight for me so far has been distinguishing between head hunger and physical hunger.. as well as cravings. My doctor told me that when your stomach rumbles and growls it's not hunger pains.. it's actually gases passing through your intestines as well as your intestines shrinking! I always thought that meant I was hungry. Just do what your doctor told you to do and you'll be golden. The first few weeks/months post-op were the hardest for me in terms of understanding how to properly eat and what I was feeling, etc. You'll get through this! We're all here to support you! Best of luck!

I wish I would have done that! I do find myself still seeing the old me. My excess skin still has me looking at it as big! I am going straight to the size 12 now and most of it fits nicely. Try them online!
I love TN! We used to live in Asheville, NC and go to TN.

Ohh A topic I love!! I have lots. Hard to say in numbers. I have more covered areas. Left fore arm done, I only covered my top left arm because I am having an arm lift - after the lift I will cover the scar on both arms with tats - left arm is lilies and hibiscus. I have my entire right calf covered with a huge weeping willow tree and a pin-up girl looking fairy. I have my neck covered by all different stars. half my back with 2 big fairies (yup got a thing for fairies!) Then I have several smaller ones, thighs, ankle, ring finger. I also have a dragon on my left breast that will soon be distorted because of a breast lift - not really upset about this, I got the tat 20 years ago and would like to have it covered anyway!

i have a hard time deciding what to order at dinner .... how and hell am i going to decide on a tat that will be on my body FOREVER.... I like them... except when they are on a womans upper chest or neck. Sorry if i offended
I admit... i'm chicken-****..... But i am going to get my belly button done.

hubs new ink..inner forearm, wrist to elbow

I don't have one......yet! That is the reward I am giving to myself when I reach my goal weight. I have already designed it. It will represent my being set free from my weight loss struggle!

I have 4 tattoos. A very tiny heart with a vine going through it on my right breast, a lavender rose going through a heart and a butterfly landing on the rose on the left side of my back, and a moon and shooting star on my left ankle. I got all them when I was very young.
My only recent one I got 2 years ago. It's a butterfly on the inside of my left forearm but the body is an orange awareness ribbon. Under the butterfly is the word "Believe".
Funny enough, the butterfly on my left forearm is half the size it was when I got it. It's shrank right along with the rest of me LOL!

Ahhhh. Now I love them too...I find them incredibly addictive. However, due to my job I can't get them anywhere that they would show including the legs, arms, back of the neck, etc. If I could, I definitely would get a sleeve. I do love them. But you know what? The pesky buggers are expensive too! My centaur was about $700 and took 6 hours to do in one sitting (lots of detail). I'll have to see if I could take a pic of it and update it as my avatar so you could see.

I hope that you are successful. After so many years of trying, regaining and trying again, I am happy that I chose the band as I too am a food addict and it helps to control how much I can eat. Now I am more focused on eating healthier and exercising. My band is helping with the Portion Control.< /p>
Good luck to you.

Im doing the 2 week pre surgery thing right now myself, feel the same because im losing but know in the end I know I'm addicted to food and will just yo-yo again. My thought is that at least with the lap band my portions are controlled so I have no choice but to control my eating. But good luck to you!

So after much thinking I decided to postpone my surgery which was supposed to be on August 26th. Doing this preop liquid diet I found it relatively easy to starve myself (basically what the preop diet was). I figured if I could do that, why couldn't I just follow through controlling myself without the surgery? I never really gave it a honest chance, I may say I have but I never did. I figured I owed it to myself to honestly try before going down the surgery path.
Now I know everyone on this site is very adamant about the surgery because of their success (for good reason) and I was shocked how many people honestly said basically "just go through with the surgery, you'll probably fail dieting yourself."
I feel something different this time, maybe it was the thought of surgery right around the corner that shocked me, but I feel a determination that I never had.
So to everyone on this site good luck and to all those who said I'd fail, I'm hoping to prove you wrong
See you all at the regular clothes store!
If I see in a month or 2 this isn't working I'll probably reschedule surgery

"we are suppose to be keeping our metabolism going constantly"
Not all nutritionists subscribe to this method. My nut certainly didn't advise this way. Keeping our metabolism going by eating more food seems to be counter-productive? Keeping our metabolism going with activity makes more sense. I still have a snack around the 2-3 hour mark but not to keep my metabolism going. I just feel like I need it and I keep it low-cal and healthy. Like Noel, I prefer to not have my band so tight I can't eat regularly.
BTW-Most of the docs who advise to eat every 2-3 hours are selling books. Most bariatric docs I've read state you should eat when hungry.
tmf

I choose not to have my band so tight that I can't eat breakfast. I eat every two to three hours and it's fine. I don't think any doctor would tell you that you have to go five to six hours without any food. I have done well. You can't do what everyone else is doing. Just do you.

i eat when i am hungry
when i do eat (since the band/plication wont allow me to eat much) i load up on protein/veggie/fruit in that order but focus on Protein as that is my fuel....the Protein is my gas that keeps me full....so if i am hungry, i eat. if i am not hungry, i don't eat......

I am 52 and was banded 11/2 years ago. No problems, just wish I did it many years ago. I have lost 165 pounds and have reached my goal. Am here if you have any questions. You will do fine.

I am 52 and was banded 11/2 years ago. No problems, just wish I did it many years ago. I have lost 165 pounds and have reached my goal. Am here if you have any questions. You will do fine.

I am 52 and was banded 11/2 years ago. No problems, just wish I did it many years ago. I have lost 165 pounds and have reached my goal. Am here if you have any questions. You will do fine.

Depending on how young your kids are you may want him longer. You just need to take your pain meds as prescribed. The only problem is you can't drive while you take them. Also, no lifting for a couple weeks so if you have little ones that may be a problem. Otherwise you will be fine after a couple days of being home. Just remember, no major activity for six weeks.

WASA crackers are good too for the crunch.

I love Veggie Straws. I get the crunchy salty without all the fat and calories of chips. They are 130 calories for 38 sticks, which is a lot of straws lol.

Hi there- yes, Lady, it stinks! And of course, today I step on the scale and see 229.5. So I know it's just "environmental," not me, LOL. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I TOTALLY wanted some ice cream last night but didn't do it, even though we have a bunch left. I will be successful!
I'm really tired, too- been getting plenty of sleep, not sure why. Probably if I stepped up the exercise I'd get more energy....
This weekend we're going to a watermelon seed spitting contest- yes, I live in the south, LOL. We are considering also getting a dog- some sort of big dog DH wants. Sigh. We'll see. I have made it perfectly clear that I'm not at all going to get up earlier than I already do to walk it, etc.
Everyone hang in there, it's Friday! LOL
Nicki

Nicki, you and I are in the same boat. I actually had the scale go up a pound ... You know that's not right when I've been sticking so well to plan. But I do know that I ate some rather salty foods yesterday, so I'm thinking it will even out tomorrow ( it better!!) But I did even better today with eating.
I'm super sleepy for some reason tonight, got a lot going on this weekend so I guess I'm thinking about that...
So I will just say goodnight to all and wish you a great day tomorrow.

I lost weight at a fast pace and had Hair loss. I told my surgeon and he and my nutritionist put me on a Vitamin regime for three months and it stopped falling out and grew back. I am at goal and have no problems. The head hunger is the hardest thing to deal with and learning that your taste buds change, you are no longer on a schedule to eat. You have to learn to only eat when you are truly hungry as now you are eating to fuel your body not your emotions! I was 51 when I was banded and was over weight my entire life. For the first time in my life, I am at a normal weight and BMI and I am now 52. It is exciting and really motivating to go through all of the changes during this journey.

That is great. I would continue on the liquids for the 24-48 hours to make sure and slowly work to mushies. If you have any further problems, I would get some out.