LJCBF

Xmas day workout Calorie burn

Congrats on the 50lbs! Thats a SUPER big milestone. Regarding your Xmas quandary - I guess I am alone on this... but I can not eat a little of this or that and minimize bad food choices by saying I am not going to deny myself etc... It causes me excessive mental anxiety and physiologically has negative consequences on my energy/sleep and CRAVINGS. The sooner I was able to seperate happiness and fullfilment from FOOD the happier and healthier I became/become. Everyone is different with a different story and different consequences suffered prior to surgery - so it's not a "one size fits all" situation... as you can see on LBT, success abounds with differing approaches. Consider it is ok to just follow your food plan as you would on any other day - we are in a life or death struggle : ) I applaud that you are thinking and planning before the event and looking to the advice of others with the band and success. Hope in your future is Power in Your Present! Lee

Very inspiring we are all in this together. I LOVE your use of the word FREEDOM ... When I was 450+ pounds I felt (and was) imprisoned in my Body in able to do much of anything - connected to oxygen ... I would think ... Geez even people with a Life sentence in solitary get out of their cell to walk around/exercise an hour or so a Week... Yet I CAN NEVER escape the prison of my broken body for even a minute Life is different now !! Freedom is awesome : ) Lee

Kwamke - That's great! What's working for you ? Lee

Surgery April 2009 Inches LOST on waist 37 Pounds Lost 263 so far The band is a useful TOOL but not a magic pill

Great! I am on my way this morning ... A huge help is a HR monitor - not only tracks cal burn but helps with intensity of exercise and safety of knowing how far to push yourself. Good luck ! Lee

Running is the best (most in shortest time) calorie burn - period ! I started by walking , 3 doors down the hall in apt complex and increased a little each day. It's important to walk as you would run - purposefully... Use the hips, pick your feet up shoulders back and MOVE not just stroll. January 12th at Disney WorldI will RUN my second 1/2 marathon (have also done multiple Triathlons) so yes running Does Work. Hope in Your Future is Power in Your Present! Lee

Really really awesome!! I suggest taking good notes on what you are doing ... For example how many hours of sleep, workout schedule, how many times you eat out, what specifically you are eating including portion etc... This will help later - trust me ; ) If exercise is a part if this success look for new ways to push the envelope and keep it fresh ... Maybe group fitness like Spin class, LA Boxing, bootcamp , power yoga Zumba etc... Thanks for sharing your success - you are providing hope. Hope in your future is power in your present ! Lee

Barblox, Love this post! The power derived from " going anyway" permeates all decisions around food AND other parts of our lives. "Small wins" add up and impact us significantly just as "small loses" do. Kudos! Hope in your future is power in your present, Lee

After

Joy, Many of us found that anxiety kicked up a ton following the surgery.... For many of us it's because our food - the main way we "dealt with life" was removed. This of course is good but it makes for challenging times. Know that you are not alone and that if you can focus on the task at hand (developing a new life) it will improve. Exercise - starting small, frequency is key EVERY DAY FIRST THING IN MORNING over quantity will help the mental game - which is 70% of the "battle". Read my sisters blog www.300poundsdown Hope in your future is power in your present! Lee

That's a huge job (mom of 3) and another full job so I'm sure you find yourself running as low on energy as you do time. Finding more time may not be possible but finding more energy is possible. You must chose to start your day one hour earlier with exercise. Is an hour too much ? Ok then start with 10 minutes of exercise... Pop a Leslie Sansone walking DVD in and don't even put on shoes. Then add 30 seconds every day - 7 days a week. You may ignore this but it works! You will start each day with Victory and the energy you need to make the day better AND the exercise you require. I did it to the tune of losing over 250 lbs and my sister has almost lost 200 lbs. IT WORKS My sisters blog www.300poundsdown Hope in your future is power in your present! Lee

Goals... dreams... HOPE! You are right to have them and even "righter" to make them tangible like buying a few items for the future. We are driven to surgery by PAIN... but it's HOPE that propels us down the post surgery path to VICTORY. Pain is not enough to do the daily work that leads to major life changing weight loss... 200lbs plus. So I encourage and applaud you... HOPE is the fuel you require : ) I have lost over 250 lbs and changed my life, reversing a death sentence (COPD/Diabetes/High Blood pressure/Sleep Apnea) and my sister has lost almost 200 and still on her way. Read her recent blog post on exactly this subject... she is looking back at her start and dream list etc... http://www.300poundsdown.com/2012/12/disney-world.html Hope in Your Future is Power in Your Present, Lee

Hi CG, How are you progressing? We are half way thru the crucial stretch between Halloween and New Years. Each decision we make today impacts greatly in the future. Lee

Select a healthy way to Celebrate without cake. "Fake" cake or ice cream etc... For Me always leads back to the real thing. Good luck and happy bday! Lee