stept04

What are you getting into? A new journey to help your health and live longer. I know that is what happened to me. I am off all my pre-band meds and it's supper
Buying clothes in "normal" sizes not plus departments. That is fun. Fitting into plane seats etc.
You are doing great by taking the first baby steps to improve life's qualities.

I started at age 42- 210 pounds- got surgery right after my 43rd birthday and have lost 43 pounds as of Sunday. It is the best thing I have done for myself in years!

I agree with mrsinto.and as a side note a friend of mine had her TOM cramps get better after she was banded so there seems to be a connection I've heard other people post about having worse cramps too. I don't have one anymore so I can't speak from experience. But definitely check with your Doc to be sure everything is Kosher.
~~~Stephanie

Ok, I just turned the age of retirement. I feel more energy now than I did in the beginning. It wasn't a matter of being lazy I just physically could not exercise. I needed a mobility cart just to go food shipping. I'm happy to say I'm walking with the aid of the shopping cart. I've been disabled since 1980. I weighed less back then but my energy was high. I was walking with a cane but often did not need it. My exercise consists of about 15-25 min a day walking with my cane. My ultimate goal is to hopefully be cane free someday. Every little bit of exercise helps even if it's only 15 minutes of walking. The weight will come off. If you are still at a standstill contact your doctor or nutritionist. Maybe you have to adjust your caloric intake. I do better at 1500 calories than I do at 1200.

Gwen - I'm long past having periods, but you should call your OB/GYN and tell him/her what's going on. Most likely, it's due to all the recent changes your body has (and continues to) go through. But you should definitely call and explain that you've just had bariatric surgery, etc. Only your doctor can really put your mind at ease.
Many years ago, I was taking tons of diet pills, speed.....and anything else I could get my hands on. I was swinging from the chandeliers, but happy being in a size 3 (really?). Anyway, I skipped a period or two during that time. Our female reproductive system is sensitive to major changes in our bodies, but definitely check it out with your doc.

The last time I lost 90 pounds, I went to places like Marshall's and Ross. I picked up pants for less than $20, and tops for $10. I did this as my size dropped down, until I got to my end.....which was a size 6. Then I went and bought clothes at Macy's or other places. Marshall's was still fine, but the wardrobe world opened up, being in a single digit size. NOW, this time around, I go shopping in my own closet I've got everything from a size 6 to a 22. My goal isn't to get back into the 6's, but I'll be happy as a clam to be a size 10.

With all the coupons and discounts at Kohls, you can buy a ton of stuff for less than $100!

I agree with the posters above, all very good suggestions.
What I've also started doing it buying a season in advance. For instance, whatever winter stuff that's in the store in July is from last season. They want to get rid of it before this year's stuff comes in this fall. So, I've been buying clothes as I see them in deep discount this summer. I've been buying a size smaller than I currently am because I know I'll be smaller by then. I recently bought 5 really nice sweaters for about $50 total. Just one of them would have cost me close to that if it weren't on sale.
...and this winter, I'll be buying summer stuff on sale the same way.

Thrift stores and the clothing exchange on this website are perfect. Don't invest a lot of money in clothing right now! If you go to the mall, check the clearance racks first, your size will be changing at least monthly and you don't want to throw away money on things you'll only get to wear a couple of times.
I've only spent about $50 on clothes but that was enough for 15 pieces. Shop wisely and buy interchangeable pieces, you'll look fine - no one knows that it didn't come out of your own closet.

Goodwill, Plato's Closet, Kohl's with a 30% coupon...

Only almost 50, wow you are a youngster.

Take it from an old 58 year old, It is hard to get motivated.

Having the band for almost six years and not at goal yet would be a logical reason to get discouraged. Yes there are those days that I feel discouraged but then even though I gone up and down in my journey.

Here the kicker, Nothing else I have tried in the last 31 years has kept weight off not to mention over a hundred pounds.

Having been as close as within 25 pounds I got cocky and even though meal time were within most of the “rules” it was the snacking and eating after 9 o'clock that got to me and stopping any semblance of an exercise program I worked my way back up to 250. I recommitted myself in January, 2013 and started my slow weight loss once again.

You can get discouraged but please do not stay that way. Do not let the old ways win. This new journey demands a new you.

I am not in any way associated or have anything to gain by the following. The SparkPeople website has a lot of videos so that you can decide what type of exercise program you can do if you are able. Go to http://www.sparkpeople.com/ and then to “Articles & Videos” and then to “Video” and there will be many choices some you can do sitting on a chair like the “12-Minute Seated Core Workout” http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=42 . “11-Minute Chair Cardio Workout” http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=38 “9-Minute Seated Arm and Shoulder Workout” http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=39 .

Years ago when I thought "clean eating" was for me (which it wasn't!) I read that nutrition is 80% of losing weight. The other 20% is comprised of genetics and exercising. Exercise is more about cardiovascular health which, of course, is very important. What you eat will make you lose weight. I think this should be your focus. Are you eating too many carbs? That's my downfall and that's when I don't lose weight. Calories in, calories out makes sense, but what makes up those calories is more important. This is my opinion from all the diet books I've read.

Due to some medical issues I do not exercise. So considering my lifestyle sedentary (minus raising kids and a farm lol) I deliberately eat less calories to compensate. I am in the 800-950 calorie bracket. This was after I did some serious food logging to track calories and my body's response to it. At 1100-1200 lbs I gain. You may just be at your sweet maintenance spot. The equation is simple fat lost= calorie intake - energy output. The trick though is to fix one variable (calories or exercise) than determine how much of the other variable is needed to sustain if for the results (weight loss) you seek

Ok Stephanie....two months post banding and at a TEMPORARY standstill....so you're having second thoughts and discouraged....it happens A LOT! Do not get discouraged!
Only a couple of months ago, you mentioned how you couldn't exercise at all...now you're walking twice a day. Thats a good start!
You are not too old...look at some of the VERY successful folks on here in their 50's, 60's and even some in their 70's now who've turned their life completely around. We are in our 40's....We have a LOT of life left to enjoy!
If concentrating on staying at some magic calorie number is causing you grief, STOP doing it! Concentrate on healthy foods, follow your surgical team's recommended "types" of foods, and eventually your band will help with the portions After all, THAT is why we had surgery....because we ate too much.
Just hang tough until you get to that point. You don't have to be perfect. Just NEVER, ever give up! I know you can do this...one day at a time.

Hey Stephanie...is there a type of exercise that appeals to you? Biking or swimming perhaps? I'm very similar to you...a few years older but I weighed about what you did when I started...267 to be exact. I know you read my posts and are aware that I cannot exercise because of the arthritis and all I can do is swim in the pool....and it's not like burn calories swimming...it's let me just move around with no pain kind of swimming. I also stay around 1,000 to 1,150 calories. I've been amazed by the weight loss...76 lbs. as of yesterday. Maybe talk to the doctor or nutritionist....are you too high on the sodium perhaps and keeping Water weight on? All I'm saying is if I can be successful, there isn't a reason in the world that you can't have the same success. Believe me....I'm not special in any way and there's nothing different I'm doing than you are.... Stay strong, keep up the good work and keep us all posted on your progress. Best wishes...

The thing is muscle is what burns fat, it also gets your metabolism going. If you want to burn fat it is important to exercise. I go to 24 hour fitness, I just had surgery last Wed and will be going back to the gym tomorrow. I will not be able to do strength training right now, but the treadmill and bike will do for now. I get my gym membership for $13. a month through my insurance. You should check with your insurance and see if they have a wellness program. A 45 minute workout could be all that is standing in the way of your next loss! Good luck!

I am 50 and have been keeping my calorie count between 1000 and 1200 calories a day. I have also been walking for 25 to 60 minutes a day. Presently I am losing about 3 pounds per week. Stick with it. My incentive every day to do my exercise is that if I do not exercise I do not get my evening snack. If I want it, I make myself work for it. It has worked for me so far. Good luck.

The metabolism definitely slows as we get older, no doubt. But, unless there is another medical issue at play, we can still lose weight despite it.
You definitely can lose weight without exercising, but you will lose slower and won't lose as much in inches because you're not replacing the fat with muscle.
This is just my experience, but I deal with fatigue due to having MS. MS fatigue is much different and more severe than "normal tired". So much so they give us drugs to combat it. But, I have found even with the MS fatigue, exercise helps alot. Your body releases endorphins and adrenaline when you exercise and these will give you a boost of energy. When I am really exhausted and dragging, that is when I know I need to exercise most because it helps so much.
Best wishes!

It's hard to work out when you are tired. I go through the same thing. Some days I'm motivated and some days I'm not. Having a workout buddy can help sometimes. I know for me weightloss is about 80/20 diet/exercise. It's great when I can get that extra 20% boost from exercise but it's hard to motivate myself to do it. I also agree about the metabolism thing. Damn it slows down the older we get! You're on the right track. Keep trying and you'll find something you can stick to and enjoy.

I too went through a little depression after I was banded, never did figure out what it was but when I posted about it on here it turned out I was not the only one who had went through it. I think I remember some body mentioning it could even have something to do with the anesthesia. It can have all kinds of after effects. So hang in there you'll probably figure it out or it will go away on it's own. Of course they say if it last more than a couple of weeks you should seek medical attention. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.
~~~Stephanie

I have been so lazy I was hoping to be able to lose some weight without exercising and I did 18 pounds that is it my body won't respond any more I only eat 1200 calories a day but it still won't let me loose I guess without exercising. Boy am I lazy I so was hoping for say 50 pounds and then exercise, not. So I started the other day walking 15 min twice a day. I think part of me is afraid to find out that won't work either, but I'm giving myself a week or two to see if I respond to it at all. I'm almost 50 and I'm afraid my metabolism is shot, but I've heard of others around my age losing so I am hopeful still. On the fence though on being very mad about this whole thing with being banded and whether or not this is going to work, I've put a lot of money into this. I don't know if finding my green zone will make a difference, does it. How does that work? Won't I still be eating the same amount of calories? Or should I be eating less? I think I am just tired of concentrating on staying at 1200 calories which is not a lot of food. And I have not been losing so I'm tired. But I have not been doing what I am suppose to do either. So I have to start. So I'm venting I think. Thanks for listening.
~~~Stephanie

Don't stress...it will happen even with this little blip. I was all ready for my surgery...it was set for October and wound up not having it done until January because the hospital was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and was closed for those three months. Was it frustrating? Yes. Could I do anything about it? No. And now here it is July and I'm doing great, lost 76 lbs. so far and the three month delay is just a fading memory. Good luck and hang in there.

Wow!!! Well Congrats on your completion of your 6mos of torture!!! I'll have my 3rd appointment with the nutritionist on Thursday...halfway there...halfway crazy!! What helped you not go just bonkers waiting for your 6mos to be up? What type of insurance do you have, if you don't mind? Also, what is the pre op consultation?? Is that the beginning of your pre op 2 week diet?? Sorry for all the questions, but it feels good to hear from someone that's on the same road as me... and not being banded in like two weeks like a lot of other people on here (No offense to them).

I've been there and yes it sucks - big time! But there is a reason for everything, so you must take it in stride. The time will go faster than you think and before you know it, you'll be at day 1 after your surgery moaning "what the HE- - did I do to myself!" LOL Day 1 is the worst - after your first week you'll be VERY happy about your decision.