lisacaron

I set my tracker with silent alarms to alert me when it's time to have that next meal. I stalled my weight loss because I was not eating enough Protein and calories daily. I can become so engrossed in something that I will forget to eat. Sometimes it's because I'm not hungry but other times it's because I have worked through the feelings of hunger and when I finally come up for air I'm starving and food at that point never goes well for me. So now I set the silent alarm at 12:30 to be sure I eat lunch. At 3 to be sure I get my butt to the gym. If I am "hungry" after I'll grab a snack and if not I'll wait till dinner which can be a long stretch till 7:30-8 for dinner. Heck I even set it during the week to let me know to shut it down and get to sleep!

It really is a sad reality that people judge based on the visual appearance of a person. It is why we get "dressed up" for an interview. There are very few companies that allow their employees to be individuals, though that demographic is changing. These days you may see top designers that come to work in jeans and tee shirts. Top executives of social media companies that arrive to work in jeans and flip flops. The rebellion seems to be an outward appearance from rigid to lax, however when it comes to the physical attributes of a person's face body and hair, not much seems to have changed. People look at an obese person as if they are sick, and since obesity has been classified as a disease...are they right? Obese people are looked at as lazy and people that can't control themselves, and if we have food addictions are we addicts akin to a drug addict? Since that is the type of response we get from others. I don't like to say it but it really is a thin line (no pun intended), and in PT's case I say Good for you! Stand up be pretty and proud of yourself and take them for all they got!

Excellent! Let us know how you are feeling!!

I agree with Leepers! Don't take any chances, get to your PCP ASAP! If it is band related they will be able to advise or at least to rule out cardiac related issues. You could also go to the hospital that your surgeon belongs to where they know how to treat a bariatric issue and they will be able to determine what is going on. Let me tell you my friend from my own personal experience being young does not mean that could not be your heart Leepers is 100% right. I had an attack at 17 after extreme circumstance, so PLEASE do NOT wait to get to a Dr.

Right on Cheryl. My husband likes to tell me to stop playing Witch Doctor and call the real doctor! Usually it's because I have a cold or like now a stuffy nose! When it comes to my band and even my nose and these incessant allergies I call and/or go see the doctor. Great advice!

So I'm confused...your surgery was scheduled by your doctors and by the hospital and now they are canceling the whole thing? The whole thing seems fishy to me. You go after them, and get to the bottom of it! Maybe also let your insurance company know what's going on so that you don't have a problem with them and starting a new place AND so they can flag that hospital and surgery group as NO good! I'm pulling for you, give 'em Hell!

Lucy, today is your day! Your closest support group is right here at your finger tips. Give yourself a chance, make a plan and like Nike say's Just Do It! That has really been the only thing that worked for me. I can come up with a million excuses to not do something, and NO one would fault me or think less of me for it...but I do and that's the only thing that counts. We have to be tough on ourselves and push ourselves to excel we know we can do it we just have to do it. Carve out the time, I always said I have NO time to cook, I get home too late, no one appreciates it, I'm tired I work 12 hours a day I drive over an hour to get home..it's dark I'm sick...blah blah..All of those are TRUE every single day! BUT this year I vowed to MYSELF that I would stop eating out so often...and so far it's January 8th and I have cooked every single meal at home! My kids sit down to the table to eat and are happy, (they are all over 18 mind you) my husband is happy and he helps me with the shopping and will start the meals up on the days he is off from work. So all my excuses....not one of them could hold water! I bet if you start doing something for yourself you will soon see that neither do yours Start today....Just Do It!

Great site thanks for asking CC and Jean thanks for responding!

Try making yourself accountable by logging food into an app. like My Fitness Pal. Put some reminders or alarms on your phone to remind you to log your food. Come onto the site and let us know what's going on with you...what your eating that's good, bad or down right ugly and you will be sure to get lots of comments with support and advice and even a tisk tisk when needed! Your in the right place!

Go to your profile settings under My Tickers and there you can choose and set them.

Welcome. I can see from your very direct thread that you have your mind set and that is a good thing. Just like the commitments you have made in the past the band will take 100% commitment. As Go Walking stated you will still be able to eat things like pizza and Hamburgers but if they are not conducive to your plan, and they are going to cause you other health issues that are not band related then by all means cut them out of your diet all together! If you have some kind of cardiac issue that is not a bad thing to do. Being banded is not a walk in the park, but you are used to toughing it out as an ex, Navy, Marine, and Army solider this is one more battle for you. Get ready to gear up and hit the ground running! See ya on the battle field!

My advice to you is this....take some time to yourself. To really sit with yourself, and ask yourself what it is that you are looking for in a relationship? What do you want from another person in a relationship? What do you expect from them? From your self? What are the qualities that you would love in another person? Not just the physical, but the emotional, spiritual and over all essence of that other person? Do those qualities that you are seeking, balance you? What do you bring to the relationship? What are your strengths and equally what are your perceived weaknesses? (I say perceived because not everyone will think it's a weakness but you may feel that it is for you.) When we are honest and clear with ourselves about what we want, what we expect from others and more aptly from ourselves it will be easier to spot and connect to those things. Trust me it's not a matter of size, at my heaviest weight ever I met and married the love of my life. Today I am losing weight for health reasons and to make the quality of my life, our lives better. You are strong amazing women and men. Take a good long look at yourselves and you will know that to be true and so will everyone that you choose to spend your time with.

I too turn to Protein bars when I want that feeling of having something sweet and easy. Love the Muscle Milk idea PT I didn't know they came in all those kind of flavors! Good to shake things up once in a while I think if you get bored of eating the same things all the time that mess you up also. Variety is the spice of life, or so they say!!

I too am tight in the cold weather. Actually my tummy feels odd when I am out in the freezing weather we have been having. I noticed it the last couple of days while driving into work. Then again our temps here have been extreme during this polar vortex thing. Really not loving this winter weather. I am much more a summer gal!

Welcome to the banded life! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

I would give the doc a call and have some Fluid taken out. With the band you should be able to eat solid foods and not be bringing ANY foods back up. I'm sorry about the person you met at the lab, not everyone that has this surgery is ready to be fully committed to it. I know it's hard not to listen to the negative comments, for some reason they stick in our minds sharper then the positive ones. I'm glad you came here for support, and didn't just listen to this persons negative feed back. Please do give your doctor a call about the fill and see if you can have a tiny bit removed so that you are not bringing up foods that is never a good sign. Until you are able to make it into the doctor stay hydrated and go back to mushy foods or Protein shakes so you don't hurt yourself.

Usually at the first visit the doctor will review your medical history. Check your BMI and let you know if you are a candidate for this type of surgery. They will most likely let you know what if any requirements there are before you have the surgery including testing that must be done prior to scheduling the surgery. For me there were pulmonary tests, cardiology testing, sleep apnea studies if applicable, x-rays, barium swallows, gastrology testing, as well as general physical and blood work. Your insurance company may require you to do a supervised weight loss program prior to the surgery being scheduled. You can find out by contacting them if you are going through insurance. If your self pay you probably won't need to worry about that. Do lots of research on the surgery and as Bandista advised write down and ask questions. Best of luck to you!!!

I agree with the above posters. If you are not comfortable eating and drinking then you might need just a tiny bit of the fill taken out. Remember that you can always go and have it put back in as you need it.

I'm looking for a good weight lifting and core training program to follow. One that starts you out slow and steady....any suggestions? @ DJ I agree with what B-52 and Karen said speak to your doctor before you start or go back to any kind of exercise program to be sure that all your wounds are healed. Just because your incisions are healed on the surface healing beneath the skin is still on going. You don't want to hurt the muscle or the fascia that the port is connected to. That seems to be one of the last things to fully heal.

Hi Marki, Welcome to the site. You will find all kinds of wonderful supportive motivational and inspirational people here. My thoughts and prayers are with your son, and I hope that 2014 will see you both healthy and happy! If you have any questions, just shout them out you'll get a myriad of answers. I've had several surgeries over the course of my life time. A couple major to remove some bad organs...but the lapband has been the biggest life saver of all in my eyes!

I agree with what you wrote Alex. Breaking down our long term goals and mapping out a plan to achieve them is a great motivational tool! Be sure to reward yourself for achieving even the smallest of goals you set for yourself with something non- food related! Building the rewards into the plan is like double motivation for me!

PT and CG you ladies are on a roll today! I have to say that I have been blessed on this journey. I have lost weight before and heard the haters, and hated on myself and gained it all back enough for 2 of me. I learned a lot from those experiences, and I learned that I have to be true to myself. I am not perfect, I am about as imperfect as a human can be and I love that about me! I make mistakes, I cry, sometimes bleed or bruise, get back up and do it again better and more aware every time. So to those haters I say THANK YOU because you have taught me some very valuable lessons! Since pre-op I have lost nearly 50lbs. it's been slow and some months have been no loss, but I am not complaining because...NONE of it has come back! I have not gained one pound of it back and the scale keeps moving in the direction I want it to move. I'm not always happy to see it be stuck on a number, but I remember that I feel good and I'm doing something right so I keep on going! So I say let the haters hate if they must, they don't hurt anyone but themselves! Once you get past those kind of people in your life you attract only loving supportive people to be around, and today that's who I have and choose to be by my side and I feel so grateful and blessed to have them!

Yes the sad but true fact is that we have to watch what we are putting into our mouths. Not only so that we don't choke on it or get stuck from it but so that we keep losing weight and stay nourished. I didn't choose to have other WLS because I didn't like the malnutrition component to them. I already have mild Crones that causes some malnutrition already. Due to that I have always had to watch what I am eating, and most times found that eating the easy to digest sweet carbo-loaded items was the easiest and less painful. Since surgery though my digestion is so much better, but now I am watching what I eat for band, weight loss and nutrition reasons. I don't "diet" if I want to have a cookie I do, but maybe one or two if they are small and not the whole container (thank you band!) It has taken me more then a few months of no losses to get it into my head that I need to have a plan for eating. I suddenly find myself cooking more, bringing my own lunch to work and getting in some exercise. It's taken me a bit...but I'm working my mind around it all finally.

We were on the same wave there for a sec CG! I posted almost the same exact message at the same time! Healthy and Happy!!! If we could add a little warmth to my day out there now that would be bliss!!!

It is a sad reality that people judge. They judge you if your overweight, or if your blond and perky too. So I am always happy being me, no matter my size. Being healthy only increases my happiness...and that is what motivates me every day!