smpin1176

So how are my November bandsters doing? We are almost at our one year surgaversary!!!! How did that happen so quickly?? I would love to hear how everyone is doing??

So how are my November bandsters doing? We are almost at our one year surgaversary!!!! How did that happen so quickly?? I would love to hear how everyone is doing??

I am nearly one year out. The only ones who know are my husband and one of my siblings. I told no one else. My kids don't even know. I have always been private about it. I feel it is my decision. I don't need any one else judgments. Everyone has to make the decision as to what they are comfortable with though

Hi, I can feel your pain about falling off the wagon. I hit 100 pounds lost about 14 months post op. now at 21 months post op I am only about 70 down. I have not been on this board in a loooong time. I had also stopped logging my food and my exercise went way down because of an injury.
I'm making today the first day of my new journey. Already logged Breakfast, and came on here to some much needed support. Seems like we are in a similar place. We know what worked the first time around...we just need to get back to that place.
I wish I had more advice for you, good luck!

Too many reasons to list. But the superficial side is the clothes. I constantly stop in my favorite store to try on the next size smaller. Even if they don't fit because I know one day they will. Like today!!!

i found out i was going to be a grandma and it got me started to do something (serious and forever)........and this little angel is now what keeps me going.....just turned 2......i hope her is as proud of her meme as i am of her...

Too many reasons to list. But the superficial side is the clothes. I constantly stop in my favorite store to try on the next size smaller. Even if they don't fit because I know one day they will. Like today!!!

Too many reasons to list. But the superficial side is the clothes. I constantly stop in my favorite store to try on the next size smaller. Even if they don't fit because I know one day they will. Like today!!!

Too many reasons to list. But the superficial side is the clothes. I constantly stop in my favorite store to try on the next size smaller. Even if they don't fit because I know one day they will. Like today!!!

Too many reasons to list. But the superficial side is the clothes. I constantly stop in my favorite store to try on the next size smaller. Even if they don't fit because I know one day they will. Like today!!!

Congrats!!! It is soooo worth it!! My weight loss is just now slowing down and that is ok. I am now getting fills. It was the best decision I have ever made for me!!

@@Alex Brecher. I was looking over when I post and I noticed I usually center the page on the post area only. Rarely do I even see the titles at the top of the page listing the forum topic or room. I know absolutely nothing about programming but I was thinking.....If you could list the forum room right after the "how many minutes ago'' line in every post. .......ie: " posted 9 minutes ago in The Man Room" It would be more visible when reading each post
I know I've mentioned it before, but just thought I'd re-approach it with more of a suggestion than just complaint. I know this still doesn't solve the replying to the Recent topics section without regard to the room posted in, so I'll leave that dilemma up to you.

Banded June 2010. Rid of 168 pounds!
(sorry if this is a repeat for some of you but thought i should post this in this forum too to
help/motivate more people)
So the truth is the way I had success was to get real with myself. The first year I completely failed my lapband. I lost a little and then gain 30 pounds back. I didn't exercise at all and tried to tell myself walking the dog counted as good cardio. I also didn't count any calories that first year. I ate crap and tried to blame it on my band not working properly. I was very uniformed and thought the band was magically supposed to work. I didn't understand that I needed to get to that "sweet spot". The second year I decided I had to do it and get informed. I read these bariatric pal boards and searched for the secrets to everyone's success. The answer? No big secret, actual real exercise and counting your calories! I got a little cruiser bike and actually rode it 15 miles a day 7 days a week starting the day I bought it. I had always wanted a bike like that and said if I got one i would use it. That day I also started counting my calories religiously...right down to a stick of gum. I stuck with 1200 calories for the first year and then actually had to up my Protein calories once I started doing even more exercise. When it got too cold I tried zumba and fell in love with it and did it 7 days a week. Then I upgraded to twice a day zumba for several months. Then I did the Insanity program and zumba every day for 3 months. I slowly but surely lost steadily that whole time. The majority of my calories was always Protein. 90 grams at least. And when my weight was stuck and I exercised more, i upped it to 120 grams of protein and lost even more. With that amount of protein i felt full, and there was only enough calories left for my veggies, then fruit the sometimes some carb foods. My band is a realize band and if i remember correclty it is at 10.2 in an 11cc band. I almost have to have the darn thing closed shut to feel any real restriction. I havn't had a fill in a year. (acutally i had it to 10.7 for a almost a year until this january when i started randomly having really bad night reflux so decided to just get a tiny bit out). I made little goals as I went along.. If I had a trip planned, I would say, ok I just have to lose 10 more pounds by then. Or I just want to weigh what I was when I graduated college, and the what I weighed when I first got married, and then I just wanted to be smaller than my husband ( that was an awesome day the day the scale said I weighed less than him!). And the it was I wanted to be what i was when I was 21, and then the ultimate was what i was when I was in my teens!
As for extra skin, yes i look dang good in tight workout clothes but naked is an entirely different story. I will be very honest here and many people here can relate. I struggle daily with my body image. While I may look tiny and muscle packed with clothes on ( I'm at 19% body fat), without clothes my skin is soooo wrinkled. My upper arms are super bad and I am pretty self conscious about them. I wore tank tops last year but vowed not to this summer as i swear all i thought about was people staring at the saggy skin. My upper and lower stomach and pubic region have a huge amount of extra skin that gets in the way when i exercise. I can actually hear it flapping about when I workout dang it! My chest is completely non existent, just flaps of skin which will require a lift and augmentation. My inner thighs and butt are the least saggy out of everything but will require a lift if I really want the complete packed. The good news about some of this is my legs and butt have actually gotten better with working out once I added weight training. I was so overweight for almost 15 years and so i just don't have time (or age) on my side for my skin to shrink back. My goal is to concentrate on reducing my body fat just a little more and have my arms, chest and tummy done this fall as a reward for keeping my weight off for a significant amount of time.
The best advice is to get very informed and have a plan. Don't kid yourself, real exercise and a diet plan is the key to success with the band. Exercise is my best friend now. I actually want to be a personal trainer and nutrition counselor. Many people have asked me how I did it and I have to say I was sick of being what I was.
You can do this!!!!!

Enjoy...
This list is filled with sizeable options enjoyable enough to devour guilt-free without any diet damage. And while most of these Snacks pack a nutritious punch, a few are clearly set out to satisfy that sweet tooth (see #23!). But hey, at 100 calories or less, it’s worth the splurge.

1. Mini PB&F: One fig Newton with 1 teaspoon Peanut Butter.
2. chocolate Banana: Half a frozen banana dipped in two squares of melted dark chocolate.
3. Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours.
4. Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey.
5. Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon.
6. Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden.
7. Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping.
8. Stuffed Figs: Two small dried figs with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat ricotta stuffed inside. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Oats n’ Berries: ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup fresh berries.
10. Dark Chocolate: One block, or three squares.
11. Nut-Stuffed Date: One Medjool Date filled with one teaspoon natural unsalted almond butter.
12. chocolate Milk: 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate Syrup.< /p>
13. Cinnamon Applesauce: 1 cup unsweetened applesauce. Or, try this homemade version!
14. Citrus-berry Salad: 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.
15. Maple-pumpkin Yogurt: ½ cup non-fat regular yogurt (go Greek for extra protein!) with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup… like this!
16. Chocolate Pudding: One 4oz package. Try a fat/sugar free version or a homemade one!
17. Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Five strawberries dipped in two squares melted dark chocolate.
18. Tropical juice Smoothie: ¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice.
19. vanilla and Banana Smoothie: ½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth.
20. MYO Banana Chips: One sliced banana dipped in lemon juice and chips.html" rel="external nofollow">baked.
21. Baked Apple: One tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender.
22. Fruity Waffles: One 7-grain frozen waffle toasted and topped with ¼ cup fresh mixed berries.
23. Skinny S’more: Two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate.
24. Cinnamon Graham Crackers & Peanut butter: Two graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon Peanut Butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
25. Cereal and Milk: ½ cup rice krispies with ½ cup skim milk.
26. Milk n’ Cookies: Five animal crackers with ½ cup skim milk.
27. Warm Spiced Cider: 6 ounces apple cider with sprinkles of cinnamon and nutmeg, warmed.
28. Citrus Sherbet: ½ cup lime sherbet (about one standard-sized ice-cream scoop) with ½ sliced kiwi.
29. Café Latte: 8 ounces steamed skim milk with 1 shot espresso.
30. Jelly Beans: 25 of ‘em! Although we don’t recommend these.
31. Marshmallow Pear: ½ pear diced and topped with 1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff.
32. Protein Shake: One scoop Protein Powder with 8 ounces Water (choose from tasty powder flavors like Cookies n’ cream and chocolate peanut butter!).
33. M.Y.O. Popsicle: 8 ounces lemonade frozen in an ice pop mold, or use a small paper cup as a mold.
34. Apple Chips: Munch on ¾ cup of kinds like these, or use this recipe!

35. Carrots n’ Hummus: About 10 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons hummus.
36. Pistachios: A couple handfuls— about 25 nuts (Crackin’ them open will take more time and avoid grabbing 25 more).
37. cheese n’ Crackers: Five Kashi 7-grain crackers with 1 stick reduced-fat string cheese.< /p>
38. Dippy Egg: One
with ½ slice whole-wheat toast, sliced (to dip in yolk!).39. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes: Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
40. Curried Sweet Potato: One medium sweet potato (about 5 inches long) cooked for six minutes in the microwave and mashed with 1 teaspoon curry, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
41. “Cheesy” Popcorn: 2 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast— it’ll taste like real cheese!
42. Guacamole stuffed Egg Whites: Halve a hardboiled egg, remove yolk, and stuff the empty space with 2 tablespoons guacamole (avocado, lime, cilantro and salt).
43. Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta: 3 oz polenta (about the size of a deck of cards) cooked with 1 ½ cups Water and topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and a handful spinach.
44. Soy Edamame: ¼ cup boiled Edamame with 1 teaspoon soy sauce.
45. Dijon Pretzels: Two pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
46. Crunchy Curried tuna Salad: ½ cup canned tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and two ribs celery (chopped).
47. Greek Tomatoes: One Tomato (about the size of a tennis ball) chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon feta and a squeeze of lemon juice.
48. Shrimp Cocktail: Eight medium sized shrimp boiled and served with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce.
49. Smoked Beef Jerky: About 1 ounce— look for low sodium versions!
50. Cheddar and Tomato Soup: ½ cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese.
51. Kale Chips: ½ cup raw kale— stems removed— baked with 1 teaspoon olive oil at 400° until crisp.
52. Sweet Potato Fries: One light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes.
53. Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and three slices of cucumber.
54. Turkey Roll-Ups: Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard.
55. Mixed Olives: About 8 olives.< /p>
56. Antipasto Plate: One Pepperocini, a ½ inch cube of cheddar cheese, one slice pepperoni, and one olive.
57. Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
58. Choco-Soy Nuts: 3 tablespoons soy nuts with 1 teaspoon cocoa nibs.
59. Wasabi Peas: About ⅓ cup of these green treats.
60. Balsamic Veggies: 3 cups raw peppers (any color!) dipped in 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction.
61. Cheesy Roasted Asparagus: Four spears (spritzed with olive-oil spray) and topped with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°.
62. Cucumber salad: One large cucumber (sliced) with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar.
63. Spinach and Feta Egg-White Scramble: Three egg whites scrambled and mixed with ½ cup raw spinach and 1 tbsp feta cheese. Cook in frying pan or zap in microwave until egg whites are no longer runny (about 1-2 minutes).
64. Crunchy Kale Salad: 1 cup kale leaves chopped with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
65. Chick Pea Salad: ¼ chickpeas with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ¼ cup diced tomatoes.
66. Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob: One small-sized ear brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéed minced garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil, grilled until tender.
67. pretzels & Cream Cheese: 15 mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese.
68. Bacon Brussels Salad: Seven brussel spouts thinly sliced and mixed with one piece lean bacon, chopped.
69. Rosemary Potatoes: ⅓ cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary.
70. Spicy Black Beans: ¼ cup black Beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek yogurt.
71. Caprese Salad: 1 ounce (hockey puck sized) of fresh mozzarella with ½ cup cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.
72. Goldfish: About 40 fishies…try the cheddar kind!
73. chips n’ Salsa: 10 baked tortilla chips with ¼ cup salsa.
74. Mini Ham Sandwich: Two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf.
75. Lox Bagel: ½ whole-wheat mini bagel with two thin slices of lox.

76. Chocolate Trail Mix: Eight almonds, four chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon raisins.
77. Apples and Cheese: 1 non-fat mozzarella cheese stick with half of a baseball-sized apple (any variety), sliced.
78. PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter.
79. Cottage Cheese Melon Boat: 1 cup melon balls with ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese.
80. Carrot and Raisin Salad: 1 cup shaved carrots with 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
81. Tropical Cottage Cheese: ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup fresh mango and pineapple, chopped.
82. Blue-Cheese Stuffed Apricots: Three dried apricots with 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese.
83. Rice Cake and Almond Butter: One rice cake (try brown rice!) with 2 teaspoons almond butter.
84. Sweet n’ Spicy Pecans: Five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
85. Apples n’ Peanut Butter: ½ an apple, sliced and dipped in 1 teaspoon natural peanut butter.
86. Chocolate Hazelnut Crackers: Four wheat thins dipped in 1 teaspoon Nutella (or other hazelnut spread).
87. strawberry Salad: 1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic.
88. Cacao-Roasted Almonds: Pop in eight almonds like these!

Check with your surgeons office, they are all different. I had my first fill nearly two weeks ago and no restrictions for me before hand. However, I have a friend who sees a different doctor in the office and she has restrictions.

So happy for you. Our dates are very close. I am loving my band as well. I have 2cc's but no true restriction. I have learned to be conscience of everything I put in my body and work through the head hunger.......this has been the greatest issue for me. Loving my band!!!!

So thrilled for you!!! Some of the first steps to a healthier you. Keep up the amazing work!!

I KNEW that was the problem! LOL

Hi KyBrownEyes, I am doing great. My weightloss has slowed a little. Just in time for my first fill. I have lost two lbs since that magical .5 cc was put in this past Tuesday. I am not sure if it really was the fill or me being more conscience of eating more Protein again. Which ever it is I am glad to see the scale moving down. 43lbs now since surgery. I was told I am not typical. Heck, I have been told that all my life So glad I have my band. Life if good!!!

Oh my goodness Bandista!!!! What a difference!!! So proud of you. What a difference in your mid section and legs!!! You are doing AWESOME!!!! Keep it up!!!

Oh my goodness Bandista!!!! What a difference!!! So proud of you. What a difference in your mid section and legs!!! You are doing AWESOME!!!! Keep it up!!!

Oh my goodness Bandista!!!! What a difference!!! So proud of you. What a difference in your mid section and legs!!! You are doing AWESOME!!!! Keep it up!!!

Oh my goodness Bandista!!!! What a difference!!! So proud of you. What a difference in your mid section and legs!!! You are doing AWESOME!!!! Keep it up!!!

Mine is Lola

I just like the name so Lola it was......ha. She is making me a happy lady