IndioGirl55

Tonya - 12/7/12 - That number looks so far away - but I know it's around the corner - OMG - I will be 57 yrs old going on 58

I have BC Ca - and i was required to go to a center of excellence - it was in the wording for bariatic surgery to be covered.. You gotta ck w/your carrier to see what they require - I didn't have to do any supervised diet - I just gave my surgeon had my history of diets.. I can tell you from what I have read on these boards - Every carrier is different just like every surgeon is diff - ck w/your carrier and see what they require.. Good Luck

I agree with WASABB - Kacee - I don't have to be accountable to anyone other than myself (well besides God but that's a whole nother issue ) Outside pressure isn't what some people need - I am a rebel and if you tell me not to eat a cookie - well - I will just to spite you - I think this is the reason I am fat to begin with - my Mom was always trying to control my food - so I would steal it and eat without her knowing.. IMHO i think some people are very public - some very private and like me a little of both.. I did this for me and no one else.. I am glad that telling worked for you - but what works for you doesn't always work for someone else and calling it a COP OUT for others isn't reality... Do you really truely think that in the long run - 5 yrs from now telling is going to keep you from going back to your old habits.. If that were true you never would have been fat to begin with - if accountablity is what keeps you honesty today - the band is a lot more drastic than WW for example but it's all the same - lifetime lifestyle change - time will be the only real truth in this subject... Lets all ck back in 5 yrs and see where we are at then - who has maintained and who has put it back on For me - it's one day at a time...

Jackie:clap2::clap2: for getting your exercise in - As for feeling Christmasy - I have found as I get older I don't feel the excitment that I use to - it has become such a chore. I think it's cuz they bring out all the xmas stuff right after Halloween and all the commercials - they stuff this crap down our throats.. Back in the old days it was diff - It's like is last just too long - maybe thats it. Ruby - I think is a great way to handle our pity parties - cuz we all have them - we all get sad and depressed - this is normal - sometimes life can just weigh us down.. Salsa - I understand 1 cookie is too much 20 not enough - Glad the scales moved:) - I can understand not wanting a job that had so many hours - I could have had my own insurance agency - but i didn't want the headach - its some much easier working for someone else... Kristin - My 1st fill felt it right away - the 2nd fill didn't feel it for a couple of days - what i have come to realize (from reading on this site)- the band is a fickled thing some days tight some days tight - it has it's own mind Well Gang - TGIF !!!! We are suppose to have rain & wind today - I will take the rain as we need it here in the desert - but dislike the wind. Gotta finish my Xmas shopping this weekend - just a few things to get... Well not much to report this morning - I gotta get to work - ck with you all later..

Manatee - Me too - as we all know, bypass & bander do gain their weight back if they go back to their old eating habits - this (the band) is not a guarentee... We do know that with property restriction it will help with portion control - time will tell... I pray that I will stay focused and truely learn this time around that this is a lifetime lifestyle change...

Thanks Peaches - This board is my salvation... It is my distraction when I want to eat .... We are all in the same boat - some days i'm strong and you lean on me - then there are the days where i am weak and need to lean on you., This is the BEST SUPPORT GROUP IN THE WORLD..... Good day - Good food choice 1200.... :clap2::clap2:

Justin If you haven't ever tried to change you eating habits before then I would suggest that route first - IMHO the lap band is like a last resort when all other methods have failed. It's not the magic cure to our food issues - and i just am getting a vibe that you aren't ready. I wasn't scare beyond words but I am twice your age.. You are still young and maybe 304 and 6'1 you feel good - but the damage you are doing to your body is bad... You are overweight and need to get ahold of that problem now - not in 30 yrs like a lot of us here.. We didn't have the benefit of this surgery when we were your age - all we had were diet pills and found they don't work in the long run... My best to you on this journey - read all you can and ask tons of questions - It will all work out as it should in the end....

Sunshine Thanks - I am working very hard - I eat healthy 98% of the time and i exercise 4 to 5 days a week.. As i stated in the beginning of this thread my concern will be keeping the weight off - I think we all can lose the weight but it's the keeping it off that will be the real answer... the 1st time I joined WW i was 206 and at that time it was my heavest - I got down to 165 for just a minute with the help of diet pills - gain it all back over 2 yrs and then some - Parents died in 92 got up to 230 - did medifast - got to 195 or so - get more diet pills lose a little - but always gained it back. I think I have it that this is truely a lifetime lifestyle change - and the tool is great for me - cuz it helps control my portions cuz I wasn't a junk food eater or sweets all the time - i just ate too much of good foods and never exercised... I remember once I started dance classes and lost 20 lbs without changing what i ate - so I know for me exercise is a big help along with the portion control... I'm sorry for your hardships - I understand those and what they can do to you.. It's good to hear that even with slips the band keeps you from rolling all the way to the bottom of the hill

Hemi - We are a great group if I do say so myself - I found this site right before my 1st visit with the lap-band Doc 5/07 and haven't left since. I was on another board but like this one so much better and was invited to another once i was here - tried it but this is the greatest group - My suggestion is to read all that you can - ask questions and you will figure it out...

Justin - Have you ck'd back and seen everyones replies???

Welcome to bandland Tony (??) ant stands for tony??? It gets better as each day goes by I was banded on a Tuesday and by Thrus felt ok - better on Friday and was back to work on Monday (desk job) your port site hurts the longest - about 2 weeks What's your doc's food plan, I had 10 days full liquids but included creamed Soups and I made soupy mash potatoes and that helped - I was hungry day 3 or 4... but got full on a small amount of food...

My Sis lives in Ceres - about 100 miles from you... My second fill took a day or 2 to get tight - I am suppose to be on full liquids for 1 week then 1 week mushie then 1 week soft - but i usually do abour 4 days liquid and then very soft - but i eat very soft food 99% of the time.. Hope you got to your sweet spot...

Sunshine I understand what you are saying - I wish I hadn't told anyone (but a bit of a problem - cuz my supervisor is a social friend too and I would have hated to lie to her as to why i needed all the time off for doc appts & surgery) The reason I wish I didn't tell anyone is that I don't like or think that they think that it's all the band's work that made me lose weight - I am doing the work - I am eating healthy and exercising - as we all know if you keep your old habits the weight isn't going to come off - I feel that all my work is discounted in some ways when they know I have been banded cuz they don't understand - I explain but they get that look in their eye...

Ok Gang I saw an underwriter who hasn't seen me in a couple months - Oh you look so good - don't you feel different No - I'm still Janet... I feel different cuz I have more energy. But I am still me - fat or not as fat - I still see the same person in the mirror just less than 4 months ago... It like i am suppose to be a different person cuz i have lost some weight.. I don't know how to explain it - It was a great compliment and i took it at that - but - it was like I'm suppose to be diff now - and i'm not - I was trying to explain to this thin person that even at 250 i didn't see myself as fat as I was - saw myself at about the weight i am now - it's like jackie said - oh size 18 isn't that much bigger than 16 - I know that i am looking pretty good - But I do beleive we are the same person fat or skinny - ya we might be a little more self conifident thinner but I was/am a cocky - and sometime over confident person fat too.. I am me.. Are you guys understanding what i am trying to say..

Marcy - I have never done it on purpose - but when i have pb'd on 1/2 container of pudding - ya - I quit too.. I am going to check w/my accountant - I was covered by insurance but all the copays and program fees added up to a pretty penny - but I don't know if it's going to be more that 7.5% of my adjusted income - Can't hurt to try...

Kristin - Where in California??? Anywhere close to me & Phyl - we are here in the Desert - Palm Springs - Indio - Palm Desert. Most of the gang is in a diff time zone than us - Dini is Ireland ... How did the fill go...

Salsa - I don't know if you are doing it wrong or if we are - I try and fight it - but sometimes it just won't go away - my problems is nights as you all know - so at 9 p.m. 12 a.m I am not going to get on the computer or clean out a drawer for distraction - so I eat low calories - I am allowed 3 meals and 2 healthy Snacks - I save my snacks for night. I am opposite of you - It's when I am home and doing nothing I want to eat - as long as i am involved in whatever I don't think about food - that was the bad part of being on vacation - i was go go go and didn't stop for Breakfast or lunch - where as at work i do... like right now - am in a big project (we could lose an account) and it makes me want to snack . but I have nothing to snack on so I just don't... Don't you teach teenagers - how about teaching 1st graders - I think I wouldn't mind the younger ones as much - not so mouthy.... But it in the end whatever works for you... That's what you have to do.. and if you do like me - i don't have stuff that i am going to over do it on - 1 or 2 sf pudding are enought - now if it was brownies - they would be gone - i get stuff i like but don't LOVE - that's the difference - if i LOVE its gone - but if i just like it I can leave it alone pretty much. Jackie you can rant and rave all you want - and yes you gotta keep the exercise up - we will not fail...

Jackie - I understand your feelings - but employers and the corps with the big bucks are not going to decrease their salarys for the increase cost of doing business - heck my office just laid 5 people off 11/1 - do you think the owners cut back - nope - it's on the backs of the little guy. The cost of gas - minimum wage - insurance all going up - chain of life - I don't see how people (families) on minimum wage make in anyhow. Does the whole family use the Y or just you??? $127 = $10.58 a month. I pay 20 just for me at power of fitness... xoxox Janet

Hemidrone It depends on YOU how fast you lose weight - there are people here who have lost 100 in a year or less. I am 4 1/2 months out and have lost 54 The band is only a tool (just like bypass) it's the food choices you make and exercise - this is a lifetime lifestyle change If you are ready to use the tools - I would go for lapband as it is less drastic - we don't dump which isn't throwing up for all but just getting phyically sick from eating sugar.. but after 2 yrs the #'s show weight loss the same - You might lose faster with bypass but if you choose to eat correctly and exercise since you are a man - I bet you would lose quickly with the band.... Good Luck on your Journey

This is the band that has been in use since July 07....

I find that it has worked so far.... What I am afraid of is the long term It's not about getting the weight off but keeping it off. Yes right now I am still losing - I have got it "life time lifestyle" change. But in a year or 2 from now - that's when the questions is really answered.. It's not the band that is making us lose weight it is all the work that we are doing - cuz even with the band and proper restriction we still have head hunger issues - we can still make bad food choices. I can lose weight and keep it off for a while - so for me to be able to keep it off for the rest of my life - that's when I will know that it has worked.

Salsa - When I get this way i try to find the lowest calorie food to eat I will eat single serving 100 cal popcorn, sf yogurts 60 cal - sf puddings 60 cal - I can eat bread and I buy lite (40 c a slice) and will have toast with glass of o.j. - If i were you I would buy those 100 c snack packs but only bring a couple to school with you and nosh on those very slowly when you are hungry - and there always are the standards - carrots & celery. Graham Cackers too I think they are low in calories add a little Peanut Butter and eat slowly... Drink Water or crystal light... I get hungry at work -but I don't have anything to really snack on - so I don't - my prob is nights and that's when i do the above - plus I will eat extra veggies that i made for dinner and have as leftovers.. How about sf hot choc... that's good too.. Good luck GF - Head Hunger is the worst - too bad they can't band our heads:p

Denise - with your deterimnation you will succeed - look at how close to goal you are... I too limit my carb - but I do eat them but in very small quainities... I am lucky that I can eat as much as I do and still lose weight - I guess I haven't screwed up my metabolisam that bad..

[quote name='peaches9;644754 am going to TRACK every cal that goes into my mouth... even if it is a wee cheat...I am making that COMMITTMENT here as I KNOW you will all keep me honest and accountable. Have a great SUNNY Day today whereever you are.Just Peachy Peaches - Good to hear from you... You didn't waste the $$$ - I just don't think you are there mentally with making good food choice - it can take awhile sometimes - you are doing the right thing by tracking your food - I still keep my food log - 4 1/2 months - I too put down the bad stuff. Can't remember (I know you understand) but can you exercise? I think that's what gave me 2 lbs this week - while I was on vacation I went to the gym every morning and walked 3 miles - i find I can only get about 2 or 2.5 now that i am back to work and going in the evenings. I really don't miss what I at before - but for me it was more about quanity that what I ate - I guess I am a lucky on cuz after my 2nd fill i had good restriction - I still have pretty good restriction go back to dr on the 19th - don't know if i will get another one or not - maybe just a tad.. Good food choicies even if you don't have proper restriction... You can do it - just look at all the weight you lost prior to surgery - go back to that eating plan I to have a problem Son - as you must have guessed cuz I have my GS.. I have told him I will pay for rehab - but not to bail him out of Jail - so it's his choice - Yes it hurts and it's so very hard to give tough love (why does it have to hurt us so much when we are doing the right thing?) I'm not the best in being a Disciplinarian - and to think of your kid in jail is really tough... Kristin - fingers crossed...