5.0junkie

Do I need a hall pass?

No one person can be dethroned unless I see them as an unfit judge. As a matter of fact it's belief that a panel of judges would be more beneficial. One for visuals and another that's willing to work hard and get their hands dirty. I'll let KAATNS and Bayou decide who does which job as I can't show favoritism

As the originator of this thread I do hereby declare miss bayou girl as the official judge. Only in a visual sense though...... All other matters of judgement shall be at the sole discretion of the judge.

Well my journey this year hasn't been that accomplished so it seems that most of us are on the same page. I actually had lost about 45 pounds but I went in for a fill in February and then actually gained 10 pounds after the fill. Not sure why because my eating didn't change but it came back on almost over night. I've been the same weight ever since. Changed my habits and diet several different ways but nothing changed. Just the same three to four pound fluctuation. Not sure what the next step needs to be. The good thing is my reflux is absolutely gone which is the original reason I even got the band but it would be nice to have some weight loss. I survived the holidays and contribute that mainly to my band so it does have its positives but I am getting to the point of frustration of constantly trying to figure out a technique that might work to shed some pounds. Aside from hitting the gym for hours a week I'm not sure what other avenues to pursue.

Figured since its been a while Id stop in and say hello. Are any of my favorite ladies still around??

Guess it's my turn to check in!!! It's good to see everyone posting again and it's wonderful to read about all the updates. It is quite extraordinary to read the postings and see just how different every experience is. I myself have been stalled for several months but am so happy it's a stall and not a gain. My one year was Friday and while I have been down a total of 40 pounds, I am down a total of 30 as of today and have been able to maintain that for several months. I actually go on Monday for another fill and hopefully that will kick start things again. For the first time I've spent the last couple of weeks logging my intake and was quite shocked when I saw what the end of day results were. I consume less calories than I should and am now wondering if I've been hurting myself so I'm looking forward to showing my report to my doc and seeing what he has to say about it. My biggest downfall is exercise. With 14 to 16 hour work days, two kids, two businesses and just life getting in the way, I have still yet to find the drive to put myself first or have the energy to even think about it. While I can't check in with some amazing story or tales of huge results, I have no regrets and am still looking forward to what tomorrow holds.

Hello ladies! Just checking in to say I haven't forgot about this thread. Been living the crazy life and just haven't had much opportunity to post updates. All is well here but have been stuck for months at my current weight. Still just fighting the good fight and trying not to get discouraged with the process.

To generalize it, for me its carbs that kill me. Before this whole process started I had someone tell me that our bodies get addicted to carbs just as it would any drug. When I started the presurgery diet it became apparent to me that I was going through a carb detox and it sucked but once it was over so were the cravings. I went for months after the surgery with no bread, sweets, chocolate, ice cream or any other sinful pleasures. I had no desire for any of that stuff either. Then when the new year hit and some goodies were being passed around I wondered if I could eat it or if I would get stuck. I never got stuck and then it become a game a curiosity of what can I eat and what can I not. Well now that the game is over I'm back stuck on the carb addiction which leads to cravings and cravings lead to thoughts of "it's only a small piece." If I could have the will power again to drop the carbs I know the rest would become easy again. I don't know about the rest of you but for me I got tired of always preparing meals for me or having to pack a lunch or just always having to plan for what I was going to eat. My life is crazy enough that I didn't want to have to complicate it any more with always thinking about meal planning. I've learned though that the extra five minutes a day it takes to plan or prepare a meal doesn't anywhere equal the disappointment of seeing a gain on the scale. Now if I can just kick these carbs and cravings again......

Does anyone else think sweet tea is the devil? I actually don't eat too terrible. I have definitely slipped up from my early days but it seems early on the hunger was fended off for longer than it is these days. I still eat plenty of Protein and drink plenty of fluids but these last couple of months if I slip up on one meal I will gain two or three pounds. I've been exercising more than ever and nothing is changing other than my shortness of breathe is not as short as it was this time last year. 10 to 15 miles on a bike three times a week has actually become more fun then work. It's nice to be able to enjoy physical activity for once in my life so if the band has done anything for me it's definitely that.

Glad to see you ladies still posting! I've been absent from posting but still read and catch up from time to time. Seems like we are all experiencing the same situations of loss and gain. I've been stuck at the same weight range since my last fill in February. I'm scared to get another fill because I feel restriction now but I do think that one more fill would put me closer to green. I've been experiencing several restrictive episodes. Not really full on stuck but definitely episodes where things hurt when passing. It seems its time to learn again to slow down and take smaller bites.

This is awesome!!! Congrats on the achievements of your journey.

Thanks Jim for reminding me how much I miss that dark nectar of the gods!!!

I've been stuck. Ever wonder what drowning is like? That's how I felt. Couldn't breathe and couldn't swallow. I learned a very hard lesson that day. Shoveling groceries down my neck like I did pre op is a no no post op. I wouldn't be as concerned with what to do when it happens as much as I would be concerned with how to prevent it. Small bites, lots of chewing and time is what it takes to prevent in most cases. Take your time and enjoy your meals. Chew chew chew and you shouldn't have any issues. You do not want to be stuck but if it happens the best thing to do is remain calm and just understand what your body is going through during an episode. Had I not read up enough on the postings from the members here I would have been freaking out when I got stuck. Don't freak out if you get stuck and don't be hard on yourself if you get stuck. Just move forward and use it as an experience to learn from.

High Five Ladies!!!!

Just with myself, Georgia and Arch that's 115 pounds gone in 4 months. Pretty awesome

I'm still trucking along but have stalled loss wise. Certain foods are just way too tasty and even better in bulk!!! I've been holding steady at around 45 to 48 down which is good but I would definitely like to hit another goal soon. I'm thinking it may be time for a food scale instead of just guessing. Looks like I'm going to have to try Debbie's advice there and see how that changes things up. All in all things are great band wise. Life got busy and started to take over my personal journey so I need to get back on board in that matter. I have spent years focusing on every body else's needs and never my own. I finally did something for me in September and just need to put that closer to the front of the priority list. Sure am glad I have you ladies for support and strength.

I've been absent but not gone! Things are starting to slow down for me work wise so I should be able to show up now and then again. I've missed you guys. How are my favorite ladies doing?

Sounds great Alex. Seems that there are many lost souls who could benefit from a more easily found search button. This site is packed with a very vast wealth of information that many don't even realize exist. Looking forward to the new iOS version for sure.

To answer your question, no, we are not setting ourselves up failure. Do people fail, sure, can a body reject a foreign object and create a failure, sure, do we set up for failure, absolutely not. I see that you can manage a google search. How about trying to search for info on the band other than looking for the idiot side of it. I'm glad that you chose to have WLS and that you are trying to make a difference in your life but just because you made a decision for you doesn't mean you have the right to ridicule the decision I made for me. I won't bore you with the reasons as to why I got the band but I will tell you that "reversible" was not at the top of my list for my decision making. Maybe the few of us that are surprised by your original post are missing the point of the post. Maybe its because you are new to being on the post op side and are trying to make a name for yourself. Let me just say, you have made a name for yourself with me and my buddy 2much. I assure you, we will never forget your name.

I think on the iPhone/iPad app, you should add a "search" bar above the "last 3 days/last visit/participated" on the current page. I think the search feature would get used a lot more if it was on this page as well.

I started this thread a while back as to help settle some of the questions and false truths that were floating around. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/288795-out-on-the-table/ I absolutely love my band but it is more involved than the sleeve for sure. It's that involvement though that I think gives the band a leg up over the sleeve for me because I have an actual "tool" to work and can make tweaks and adjustments to dial things in just right for me. There are days that I wish I had done the sleeve for the simplicity of just being done with the process but then again the process is what gives me strength to make my band work for me and helps me to not give up on my new lifestyle. It's so easy to revert back to old ways and having follow ups and fills keeps me right in line and helps me mentally not fall off the band wagon. I don't think you would regret either choice but instead of trying to decide which surgery is right for you, I would suggest you decide which lifestyle suits your personality the best because both surgeries do offer different lifestyles.

So I've been reading up on states not wanting to accept Obamacare. Oklahoma is a huge advocate against it along with several other states but I have found that South Carolina is actually passing a bill that will completely nullify Obamacare. It passed the house in April by a wide margin and is up to pass in the senate in January which they already believe it will. This will be huge if it passes and will make great strides towards other states passing "freedom of health care protection acts." What I find funny about South Carolina passing the bill is this, South Carolina is also the state in which the Civil War started. I find that very interesting....

Georgia, I know a second fill will bring you much happiness. Just hang tight and survive till it happens. Carrie, so happy for you. You're doing great and have come a long from where started. Seems like you've settled in to band life quite well. Vida, glad you're doing better. Had us worried there for a bit. Sorry to hear you're sick though. Hopefully once the cold passes you will be better than before. Take it easy and keep us updated. Debbie, thank you for you blogs. Read and love every one of them. So proud of our September team!

After my second fill I can definitely understand how the band works now. Things are way different than before. Had my first real stuck episode today and now I have a whole new understanding of the old saying "never bite off more than you can chew." I am finally down 40 but need motivation towards getting things moving. These joints just hurt too much still post workout. My mind is more capable than my body I think when it comes to exercise so when I do work out I push to hard then burn myself out. Need to find some balance and time cause I'm learning quickly that diet alone will not make me lose weight. I'm still eating right but Sweet Tea has gotten the best of me. I've slowed way down on my protein intake too so I've got to get back on that again. I'm staying around 70 grams but need to get back to my 120 range.

Congrats Sharpie and what an inspiration. Pic looks great! Tell that boyfriend that we appreciate his dedication and service to our great country.