Bama53

So I had the PLEASURE of flying for the first time since losing weight! Ohhhh the NSV's were COUNTLESS! Well not countless cuz you can bet your sweet bippy I noticed every single one!! Starting with the preparation...no anxiety about taking up too much of the seat next to me! Then going through TSA and the agent does a triple take of my I.D. so I tell her "It's okay, you can tell me that looks NOTHING like me!" ... and she says "It doesn't! I mean I can sorta tell it's you but...." so I said "I've lost 110 pounds!" She was sooo nice and told me how amazing I look and congratulated me! That was one TSA experience I enjoyed....probably the only one in the history of TSA. Anyway...then there was the removing of the shoes that I used to loathe because tying my shoes used to be a big chore...NOT ANYMORE!! I can take those puppies off and on and tie them NO PROBLEM!! I do it for fun sometimes! Well not really but I could if I thought it were fun. I couldn't wait to board the plane! When I got to my seat it was sooo awesome to see extra seat on both sides of my ass!!! Not a chance there was gonna be any of me spilling over into the passengers seat next to me! Then the seat belt...I heard the angels singing when I clicked the buckle and had to pull it tight...soooo much left over belt! I took a picture! LOL This was THE best trip of my life. I spent 4 days in Vegas enjoying the spa in a bathing suit with ZERO thoughts about my weight. It felt AMAZING to truly be able to relax an enjoy myself. Negative thoughts used to consume me...everything I did brought about thoughts about my weight. I'm so happy to be living without those thoughts anymore. I can do anything! I FEEL amazing and that is priceless!

Debbie - Even though you haven't lost any weight in 3 months - your body is still changing - that's why she noticed Congrats !!!!

I had a real strange one the other day...was out for a few drinks with people from work....sitting in a booth...a friend sitting across from me kept staring and studying my face....
Finally she said, that she never noticed before how "thin and distinctive" my nose has become since becoming skinny????
My Nose? Looked in the mirror and sure enough....not only has my face thinned, but my nose isn't fat anymore!! It is thin!

So when i shower i normally grab one of 3 towels to use.. they are the EXTRA large beach towel.. but last night as i was behind on laundry i had to use a normal one.... It covered EVERYTHING.. I could not believe what i was not seeing.....

OK folks...here's the god's honest reason why I chose the band. I expected it wouldn't work. I was sure it wouldn't work. Nothing worked so why would a friggin' piece of plastic work? I was getting the band so that I could remove it in six months and continue my downward spiral towards being wheelchair bound and likely suffering a premature death.
So...when people talk about being in the right frame of mind to tackle this process and be successful, I was so not one of them. I was awfully cranky during the pre-op phase...and then sick and tired of the monotony of post-op liquids. Thinking about having to watch every little thing that went into my mouth was overwhelming for me. I used to scarf down two bowls of spaghetti without taking a breath. And then I'd eat Cookies and candy and still not be satisfied. Awful...just awful.
Well....guess what happened? I realized not long after the surgery that I was no longer ravenous. I didn't trust myself to eyeball my food so I weighed everything. And when I was done eating it.....I didn't feel hungry. I didn't feel full either...but I didn't feel hungry. And holy mackerel...the weight started to come off. The knee pain didn't get better....and now my hips were hurting bad as well, but I kept thinking five more pounds, then five more...then yes, five more...and I'll feel better. Well it took 70 lbs. off to finally find out that I needed both hips replaced. The orthopedic surgeon told me he had no idea how I was even walking..that's how bad it was. I knew that by the skin of my teeth, I barely avoided that damn wheelchair.
I had the surgery in October and there's barely any hip pain. That alone is a miracle. Unfortunately, I have residual back issues and continue to see a sports medicine/pain management doctor whom I've been a patient of since the summer of 2012. Today he said something to me that felt so good. He knew what I looked like at my heaviest because I started going to him six months before being banded. While we were talking he asked me how much weight I had lost in total and when I told him I was down 115 lbs., he said that he can't even remember me that much heavier and that he's gotten completely used to seeing me at this size. All I could think of was how much I hoped that would really be my new normal and that eventually, no one would remember the old me and then I could finally bury that fat bitch once and for all.
So what's the point of this story? Easy... if I can manage to be successful at this, well so can you. No excuses. Have a great night everyone.

Co-worker walking past me in the hall "GWAD, you are skinny!"
Thank you Lap Band, and thank you to all who have provided me support over the last year.

Had a male friend who had not seem me for awhile and had always ben super thin who has now put on a little weight tell me I was so skinny not really true but nice to hear, especially from another alpha male.
A terrific incentive not to give up.

Google 'Once a Month Cooking'. You may not want to cook for an entire month but you can use some time on your weekend to prepare in advance for the week ahead. While the food is in the crockpot or oven, you have 30 minutes to work out.
Here is some tough loving... "If you want to do it, you will. If you don't, you will find excuses." Please don't hate me. I'm trying to motivate you, not upset you...
I really had to push myself to start exercising but now that I have, I'm telling you, the mental high that comes from working out is awesome. It makes you feel so good about yourself!

I don't think that exercise was any of our favorite things to do that is why we were obese. Eating and sitting and not moving. If you have a sedentary job as I also do now the weight is not going to come off like that unfortunately you have to make time. When I had to get up at 4:30, I got up at 4 and walked on the tread mill for 20 minutes. I know you probably want your sleep but you wont realize how good you feel after doing it. Just do it, no excuses.

I dont have your difficult schedule, so I dont know if these ideas would work, but......... could you cook extra casseroles on weekends and make extra salads, and have hubby just heat a dinner up 2 times a week, then you could exercise while he "cooked dinner". ? That and exercising on weekends ( by yourself or at the park with the little one ) would give you exercise 4 days a week ! Try googling"freezer cooking" or "hobo meals" and crockpot cooking. Also maybe have your nephew do some gentle stretching/ yoga with you at night
? This might make both of you relax for better sleep and less stress. Good luck !

I have to say that since I committed to exercise, I have so much more energy. I had lots of excuses not to. I work all day, most nights after work I take my daughterscto dance on the other side of town and don't make it home until after 9 pm. Weekends are super busy catching up on things that weren't done during the week. Then I realized I wasn't helping anyone, mainly myself by not exercising.
Now, I am at the gym while my daughter dances at least two nights a week and I am at the gym first thing Saturday and Sunday mornings. I feel better, I sleep better and it has done wonders for my stress level. The laundry will be there tomorrow and my husband is capable of handling dinner a couple nights a week. In the end, I can't take care of anyone if I don't take time to care for myself.

Buying a treadmill or elliptical for your home would cut out travel time to and from a gym. Plus, if only a 15 minute window of opportunity opens, you can do 15 mins of cardio. If the next day, only a 10 min window opens, then you only do 10 mins that day.... Don't want to buy equipment?????.... Get out and walk for that 10 minute window. If there's a will, there's a way!!!!
However, if you're not motivated or if you're overwhelmed by being out of shape.... That's a whole other ball game. I can only share with you that I looked like a beaten pup for the first six to eight weeks that I started exercising..... For me it was pure agony. Moving a 327 pound body is torture. But, I'm stronger than I realized, bc I persevered. Now, I exercise six days a week. I found my will.... I found my way! Best of luck to you!

got tired reading your daily to do......
please note any movement you do HELPS
and it is possible to lose without doing exercise but if you can exercise, it will most def
help out more.......to answer your thread question, you MAKE time..you find it.....10 min here or there
(walking, marching in place, stepping)......you are worth it
Killi...let me ask you do you have laundry every day? Do you vacuum and clean the cat box every day? Those are chores that seem to me aren't done every day...but they are also labor intensive chores that you could turn into exercise if you wished. Pump up the volume, put more clothes in the basket or a weight and carry it at a good clip up and down the stairs while the wash is washing walk up and down the stairs a few times. While your vacuuming do a little dance give your self some love...beep bop a loo ba...you can do this!
Dishes cooking all these things can be made fun and high energy! No reason to be stressing it. Park that car far from the door I know it's cold in the morning but hey a brisk walk will get your blood pumping! When your on that 30 minute break eat for 20 and then take a walk around the building inside or out up and down if you got some stairs.
You don't have to sit and do 101 crunches or 50 dead lifts to be exercising you just have to want to move your body!!
Once you do you will be motivated to do more and more and find more and more time for it and you.
OK so you say...ah what does she know....I have 5 kids, one who is special needs so I know! I work full time 9 hours a day and it takes me nearly 2 hours to get here and get home at the end of it. I am out of my house more then 12 hours a day, my chair has a buzzer that alerts my boss every time my butt lifts from the chair. Only kidding..but it feels like it most days. He's only looking for me when I'm not in it don't cha know?!
You can do it, play a game of tag and chase the little guy around the house! He will sleep better and so will you! You can do this!!!

Holly molly i'm doing this as i type..and i can feel the burn.... what a great suggestion for us office dewllers.. i also do the go to the furthest bathroom for my bio break it's in the far back corner of the building up a flight of stairs... you should see me when i really need to pee... do the shuffle.. comes to mind.

I'm glued to my desk most of the day too...
I'm not sure if you're stuck on a lot of telecons - but when I'm stuck on telecons, I'll stand up and move in my cube
When you get a potty break - do a couple of extra squats before going back to your desk. Say 5 squats for 4 bio breaks is about 20 squats overall. Maybe even standing calf raises. Can you find a bathroom a bit further requiring you to walk further?
I actually 'pinterested' desk exercises last night...
Chair dips to work triceps.
Sitting down, lift one leg and hold it for 30 sec, switch legs. This should work your quads.
Walking on your lunch break helps too.
Some others that I've read last night... Put your hands under your desk and push (pull??) up. do the same but pushing down on the table.
Take a hand and put it on your inner thigh and push in then repeat pushing out.
Home stuff - When you've grabbed something for dinner - do a bicep curl. Even though canned green Beans isn't much weight it's better than nothing. As you're cooking or even brushing your teeth do some calf raises or leg raises. I've marched in place in the shower lol.

Try to prepare enough food so that you can have leftovers a few times during the week or a meal or two hubby can manage himself? Take that time and walk for 30-60 minutes during these times. Make sure you take advantage of the two days off on weekends and walk or bike up to an hour a day.
There are many exercises that can be done in your home during down times using bands: http://www.band-exercises.net/
There are many other videos on youtube that offers quick exercising routines for people in your position. The bottom line is this. If you enjoy the exercise you'll do it more often, so try to find something that you enjoy? For me, it's biking, tennis and racquetball.
tmf

I feel for you. I can't imagine how hard it must be to balance job, kids, hubby too. But, it sounds to me as if 30 minutes away is just what you need. How about after dinner, let hubby put away food and do the dishes and watch the kid while you take a short walk around the block? It would be a great time to be alone, sort out your thoughts, and get in some physical movement. I know, by that time, you're probably really tired, but if you can just do it anyway, you may find you enjoy it. Pick two days during the week so hubby will know when to expect it.
Lots of people have lost the weight without exercise so don't beat yourself up if you can't do it right now, but it would probably be so good to have some time for you. Best wishes!

Killi...let me ask you do you have laundry every day? Do you vacuum and clean the cat box every day? Those are chores that seem to me aren't done every day...but they are also labor intensive chores that you could turn into exercise if you wished. Pump up the volume, put more clothes in the basket or a weight and carry it at a good clip up and down the stairs while the wash is washing walk up and down the stairs a few times. While your vacuuming do a little dance give your self some love...beep bop a loo ba...you can do this!
Dishes cooking all these things can be made fun and high energy! No reason to be stressing it. Park that car far from the door I know it's cold in the morning but hey a brisk walk will get your blood pumping! When your on that 30 minute break eat for 20 and then take a walk around the building inside or out up and down if you got some stairs.
You don't have to sit and do 101 crunches or 50 dead lifts to be exercising you just have to want to move your body!!
Once you do you will be motivated to do more and more and find more and more time for it and you.
OK so you say...ah what does she know....I have 5 kids, one who is special needs so I know! I work full time 9 hours a day and it takes me nearly 2 hours to get here and get home at the end of it. I am out of my house more then 12 hours a day, my chair has a buzzer that alerts my boss every time my butt lifts from the chair. Only kidding..but it feels like it most days. He's only looking for me when I'm not in it don't cha know?!
You can do it, play a game of tag and chase the little guy around the house! He will sleep better and so will you! You can do this!!!

thanks for the mention GF...your a sweetheart but we all know that
let me add to this (i cant) thread of inspiration..
you CAN if you WANT to.........i believe that as it was what i had to do..

This topic is inspired by a post Carolina Girl made on her blog today. It was about people saying I can't. It reminded me once of something my dad told me his marriage counselor had said to him. I've carried it in my mind ever since. The quote goes:
There is no "can't" for adults. There is only "I won't" or "I don't know how."
Think about it. Either you just won't or you don't know how. Either do it or find out how.
And my quote for this journey:
Do something. Anything. Just do SOMETHING!

hey wendy
WLS is major weight loss surgery....if they put someone to sleep, its major...sorry to disagree with you there.
Yes larger BMI can and do lose faster at the beginning..we got more to lose..not fair but it is what it is..
promise you and everyone else on here, the majority would not have wanted to start well over 300+..like i did
a loss is a loss...no matter how big or small
we all will lose 1/4 pound at a time the same way we gained it..
let your body heal, get your mind set right and know this.. if you lose INCHES, no matter what the scale says or does not say, that is a accurate record of it you are losing or not...
all the best

Congrats on everything! Life is good!

Had surgery 09/19/13, which I thought was never going to happen because of Insurance. Have lost 56 lbs and have 53 to go, so I am past my halfway point. Will be below 200 in 9 more pounds. Able to wear my original wedding band after over 10 years Been married for 35 years in June and have a very supportive husband and family. Found out I was going to be a Grandma (1st time - only child) Flew up to PA Monday nite to surprise my daughter and be with her and her wonderful hubby for their 1st ultrasound. Saw the hearbeat - Wow!! I feel sooooooo blessed! Oh what a feeling!!! Hope all is going well for everyone.

After weight loss surgery, you need to plan your meals ahead of time. You always want a high-protein, low-calorie option to be available at meal time. You might find yourself carrying your own prepared food with you to be sure that you have the food you need. Sandwiches are good “go-to” option, but not just any old sandwich will do! This article can help you build sandwiches that are good fits for your meal plan.< /span>


What is Wrong with the Sandwiches You Used to Eat?
A typical workday might have started off with a trip through the drive-through for a Breakfast burrito or sandwich, or a bagel and cream cheese sandwich at work. lunch could have been a brown bag Peanut Butter and jelly sandwich or a trip to a nearby restaurant for a sandwich, burrito, or burger. Where might these options leave you?
Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant or biscuit from a drive-through (600 calories with 42 grams of fat)
Bagel with cream cheese (500 calories with 70 grams of carbohydrates)
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (600 calories and 40 grams of sugar)
Club sandwich (1,000 calories and 2,500 milligrams of sodium)
Chicken patty sandwich (60 grams of carbohydrates and 1,100 milligrams of sodium)
Beef, bean, and cheese burrito (900 calories and 40 grams of fat)

Your breakfast and lunch sandwiches could have added up to over 1,500 calories. Add in beverages, sides (hash browns, fries or chips, anyone?), and Snacks, and you could have been at 3,000 calories by lunchtime!
These Choices Don’t Work After Weight Loss Surgery!
Needless to say, these options do not fit into your weight loss surgery diet.

First, some of those sandwiches have more calories than you are supposed to be eating in a day, not to mention that some also contain more saturated fat, sodium, and sugar than you should have in a day.
Second, those sandwiches emphasize starchy breads and fatty Condiments, not the lean Proteins and nutritious vegetables you need to stay full and nourished after weight loss surgery.
Third, they can cause complications. Doughy Bagels and fried chicken, for example, can cause obstructions in lap-band patients; fatty sausage and sugary jelly can cause dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients; and these low-nutrient foods can fill you up and cause malnutrition.

Luckily, this does not mean that you need to give up the convenience of sandwiches and the pleasure you get from biting into one. There are plenty of ways to make sandwiches that are weight loss surgery-friendly: low-calorie, high-protein, convenient, and delicious!
Protein Fillings for WLS Sandwiches
Start by choosing a lean source of Protein, just like you do when you plan all of your meals. These are some healthier options compared to what you might have chosen before weight loss surgery. Don’t forget to measure your portions if you are making your own sandwich, or eyeball your portions if you are ordering in a restaurant.
2 scrambled egg whites (30 calories)
2 ounces of canned light tuna (60 calories)
2 ounces of chicken breast, lean ham, turkey breast (80 calories)
2 ounces of fat-free cheese (90 calories)
½ cup cooked Beans or 1 vegetarian burger (120 calories)
2 ounces of turkey or vegetarian bacon or breakfast sausage (130 calories)

Load up on Vegetables and Fruit
Vegetables and fruit are the next food groups to add to your meals. Vegetables especially are low-calorie, so add more if you want a bigger sandwich. Try classic combinations, or get creative. You can also experiment with herbs such as fresh cilantro, basil, and dill. These are some ideas.
Lettuce and tomatoes with meat and cheese
Grilled eggplant, zucchini, and/or bell peppers with beans
Cucumbers and sprouts with fat-free feta cheese
Diced celery, carrots, onions, and Water chestnuts with tuna
Spinach and mushrooms with egg whites
Pear or apple with fat-free cheddar cheese
Cantaloupe with ham and/or fat-free cheese
Blueberries with egg whites

Breads and Alternatives
Most bread is high in carbohydrates and low in protein – clearly not what you need for your nutritious weight loss surgery diet. Besides adding calories and carbs, bread can cause obstructions in lap-band patients and make gastric bypass patients sick or overly full. When possible, skip the regular bread.
Bagels
Tortillas
Subs
Croissants
Biscuits
Regular sliced bread

Instead, choose whole-grain, high-fiber, low-calorie breads, and consider open-faced sandwiches, with the filling on 1 slice of bread, instead of regular 2-slice sandwiches. These are some good options.
Reduced-calorie bread (45 or fewer calories per slice)
Light English muffin (50 calories per half)
Mini whole grain bagel (60 calories per half)
Low-carb tortilla (50 calories per small tortilla)
High-fiber, light wrap (90 calories per wrap)
Also, look for creative, non-bread alternatives.
Lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps or cups
Egg roll or wonton wrappers
Sheets of dried seaweed
Grilled eggplant
Your fork (skip the bread and just eat the filling)

Keeping Condiments Under Control
The condiments that you add can make or break your sandwich, both in terms of nutrition and taste. Skip the full-fat Mayonnaise, dressings, dips, sour cream, and butter, and be wary of high-sugar jam, barbecue sauce, and honey mustard. Instead, consider the following condiments.
Salsa
Fat-free mayo, dressing, dip, or sour cream
Regular mustard
Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
Hot sauce
Shredded fat-free parmesan cheese
Reduced-calorie, trans fat-free margarine

Some Breakfast Sandwich Ideas to Start Your Day Off Right
Egg whites scrambled with spinach, mushrooms, and fat-free feta cheese on ½ English muffin
Cottage cheese and strawberries wrapped in lettuce leaves
Shredded fat-free cheese and lean ham toasted on a slice of reduced-calorie, whole-wheat bread and topped with salsa and tomatoes
Egg whites cooked with turkey bacon and broccoli in a small, high-fiber wrap
½ whole-grain mini bagel spread with fat-free cream cheese and topped with canned salmon with diced celery and water chestnuts

Lunch Sandwiches
Lettuce wrap filled with diced chicken breast, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and bell peppers, and soy sauce or light Asian dressing
Dried seaweed sheet rolled around tuna salad made with fat-free mayo, chives, and celery
Pinwheels made by layering slices of turkey breast, lean ham, and fat-free cheese slices, spreading them with mustard, and rolling them
Bean burrito with black beans, fat-free cheddar cheese, salsa, and fat-free sour cream on a small, high-fiber tortilla
Chicken breast with sliced apple and light vinaigrette between slices of grilled eggplant
Tomato sauce, fat-free mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms on a light English muffin
Toasted Rueben sandwich with low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded cabbage or sauerkraut, lean corned beef, and fat-free Thousand Island dressing on a light English muffin

Are You Ready for Some Sandwiches?
You can eat these sandwiches at home, or make them ahead of time and carry them with you in a reusable container. As a weight loss surgery patient, you should own plenty of reusable containers with tight-fitting lids. If you do not already have some, they are worth the investment so that you can carry healthy foods with you wherever you go.
We hope that you enjoy these sandwich ideas and that you are inspired to make some of your own healthy, high-protein sandwiches!

Had surgery 09/19/13, which I thought was never going to happen because of Insurance. Have lost 56 lbs and have 53 to go, so I am past my halfway point. Will be below 200 in 9 more pounds. Able to wear my original wedding band after over 10 years Been married for 35 years in June and have a very supportive husband and family. Found out I was going to be a Grandma (1st time - only child) Flew up to PA Monday nite to surprise my daughter and be with her and her wonderful hubby for their 1st ultrasound. Saw the hearbeat - Wow!! I feel sooooooo blessed! Oh what a feeling!!! Hope all is going well for everyone.