Leepers

Wow. Scary!

It's like quitting smoking. A lot has to do with self control. Sugar is addictive. When you eat it all the time, you want it all the time. I too, get sweets cravings around that TOM. I've found that a banana and a small glass of pure oj can satisfy me. Yes, they have sugar too, but fruit is a naturally occurring sugar. So much better than the junky, refined sugars in cake and cookies. I watch my calories in MyFitnessPal and it helps me stay away from those types of foods.

So glad you had your aha! moment. This can be a long process and who wants to be upset the whole time? I just got over a two week plateau. I was irritated, but I knew if I just kept at it, I would get past it. Best wishes for your continued success!

Click on your name at the very top right of the page. There should be a link that says "my tickers." Best wishes on your success!

My surgeon begrudgingly told me a glass of wine would be okay here and there. I drink about every other weekend. Like she said before me, you just have to consider how many calories you are pouring down the hatch. Check with your surgeon again. He may have some reason in your health history or medications that he may not want you to mix with alcohol.

That is freakin awesome! You should be so proud of yourself. I am inspired by you! My hubby and I go to the gym together too. It is something I've dreamed of for many years and now it's happening. Ive mainly been a treadmill person, but I've just started trying the elliptical. I'm going to use you as my inspiration to keep at it.

I like the top one. I've been thinking about another tattoo also. Just can't commit to what I want.

I hadn't really planned anything. I do think I would like to go to an amusement park and ride some roller coasters. I want to be in shape enough to take a trip to the Grand Canyon and be able to do some of the hiking trails.

Black beans are healthy, naturally occurring carbs. And a great source of protein. I eat as many beans as I want.

Name it after a favorite celebrity or singer. Like Oprah. Or make a play on the name. Like Doctor Fill. Lol. Barack Obanda.

I've been thinking about this a lot. And then, the other day, I bought a book called The Body Book, by Cameron Diaz. I know, I know. Cameron Diaz? Skinny, pretty, actress? But it is a really good book so far. Very easy to read. She breaks nutrition and food down into simple, easy to understand categories. Explaining how your body uses food and the types of things you should be looking for in the foods you eat. And why you should avoid processed, junky foods. It really makes you think about the quality of the fuel you are eating every day. How, when you feel tired and cranky, that so much of that is cased by poor food choices. I know a lot of what she's said (even if I haven't always followed it) and I have learned a lot too. Just saying, if you want read something that will help give you reason to eat healthier, this is a good book. If you have a smartphone or a kindle, you could download the sample for free to see if it's something you may like. Happy Eating! P.S. I wrote a new entry on my blog today. Click on "my blogs" over to the left under my pic and info if you'd like to read it.

This weight loss site/forum is a living and evolving place. You have your lurkers. You have your new people that ask a question and never come back. You have your new people that visit and post often and try to absorb all of the info and support offered. You have your people in between that are in the stages of losing. And then you have your veterans who maybe only need to lose 10-20 pounds or have reached their goal. When I got a lapband, I didn't really do a lot of research on the other surgeries. RNY was totally out for me as it seemed too radical. I didn't consider the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of cutting my stomach. I felt the band was reversible, it was a chance I was willing to take. Now, I DO NOT feel there is anything wrong with having the first two surgeries. They just weren't for me. Looking back, if I knew I would end up being as committed to this journey as I am, I may have considered the sleeve more seriously. If you read up on the lapband, it says that the majority of patients will lose 60% of their excess weight. Meaning, if you're 100 pounds overweight, you could expect to lose 60 pounds. Leaving you 40 pounds overweight. BUT...there are plenty of people who reach or closely reach their goal weights. What is the difference between those who don't lose hardly any weight, those who only lose about 50-60% of excess weight, and those who reach a healthy, suggested weight for their height and build? We all know why some people don't lose weight. Or lose weight and gain it back. They eat around the band. They make very poor food choices. They either were never really committed or lost their commitment somewhere along the way. Those who lose 50-60% of excess weight. What causes them to stop losing at that point and not continue on? I imagine there are many reasons. But I suspect that these may be the people who depended solely on the band to do all of the work for them. Those who did not commit to eating healthier as a habit and did not commit to exercise. They depended on the band to make them eat less, but still eat high calorie foods with low nutritional value. (Now, this is just speculation, but I'm probably close to the mark.) And the veterans? The people who have almost or have already reached their goal? Don't you see the common theme among them here on the forum? THEY USED THE BAND AS A TOOL TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR DIET AND EXERCISE. These people are not the ones on here saying, "I feel like such a failure because I ate a double helping of chicken alfredo with breadsticks followed by a piece of chocolate cake." NO...these are the people on here saying, "I make healthy food choices every day. I watch my portions. I listen to my band. I exercise 4-5 days a week. I may have a piece of chocolate cake, every now and then. But it's more then than now. And I only eat a small piece, and then I'm back on track." Those are the people who inspire me. I have lived most of my 40 years on this earth eating mindlessly. Not caring about what I have been putting into my only vessel on this earth. I have lived an eating life based on convienience and overeating. I do not want to do this to myself any longer! This is MY body! I have to take care of this gift. I need to fill this body with the fuel it needs to exist and be healthy. I'm just trying to point out, to you and myself, that success depends on committing to a new way of living and eating. We cannot continue on the same path we had been on before. We have to take the new path. It is not the easiest path. We will get roughed up along the way. But I believe it leads to a place of beauty. A place where our bodies and our minds can live in harmony. This place is called, "Healthy." I hope we see each other there.

Is it paid time off? Then I would ask for at least a week. I took two, but I have a physical job. If you're not being paid and want to get back, then Monday would probably be ok.

You are on the general weight loss board. The site has started incorporation some of the threads on the right hand side recent topics with lap band threads. I kinda like it.

Plateaus are bound to happen. Just getting through one myself. I have a hard time with this same subject. I eat anywhere from 850 to 1200 calories a day, plus exercise 4 days a week. I looked back at my calorie intake the weeks I lost big and I ate closer to 1100/1200 calories the whole week. I don't know if I really believe in starvation mode, but it may be true. Also, the week leading up to my period is really hard to lose weight. Once I start, the weight starts dropping. So don't forget about hormones. Just keep doing what you're doing. 33 pounds is awesome! That's the weight of the large bag of dog food I buy every month. Crazy! You're doing great.

You poor thing! I'm glad you got another doc if this one was so unwilling to work with you. Unfortunately many surgeons are total a-holes. But sometimes the nicest doc can be a really crappy surgeon. I'm sure everything will turn out fine for you. I'm glad you're not letting them deter you from your goal.

I'm very interested in this. I would love to help organize or lead or co-lead. I'm in Louisville, KY.

Luckily, I did not have to do that. But don't worry. You can do it! Do you have a smart phone? Download MyFitnessPal app. It's an awesome and easy way to keep up with what you're eating. Best wishes!

I agree with Cheryl. Learning to deal with hunger is hard and yet very important. When I was in the mushies stage, my surgeon said grazing was ok. It's when you hit the solid food stage that you want to try three meals a day. Will you sometimes have to have a HEALTHY snack between meals at first? Most likely. But hopefully they will taper off as you get fills. I have somehow learned to ignore hunger. It's the cravings that are a battle for me. Stick with it, you can do it.

Possibly what you're running into on this forum is human nature. The majority of people did research and knew that there's a risk of complications. But, like most humans, we want to think this can't happen to me. And we are embarking on, or have been on, a new journey in our lives. It is such a mental game that we are afraid to let even the smallest amount of negativity, however well meant or tactfully said, enter into this new little world. Most people on here already have a band and don't want to worry about what could go wrong. I do empathize with your situation and I think you do have your place here. There are sub-forums for complications and you should be able to post your journey and your story. Unfortunately, tone of voice is hard to convey through the written word and people can take what you say in ways that you may have not intended. I hope everything works out for you healthwise. I can't imagine having the problems of complications and the uncertainty of being able to maintain all your hard efforts. Best wishes to you.

Very inspiring! Good for you, getting back into the swing of things!

I drink the Ensure High Protein shakes. They say, "suitable for lactose intolerance" but one of the ingredients is milk protein. They're really good. And larger than other shakes, so a little more to drink.

I don't think you should worry about calories until you're on regular food. Some people don't worry about calories ever. I do use MyFitnessPal, as it helps keep me in line. What I worried about most during mushies was trying not to start eating crappy carbs again. Like mashed potatoes, Mac n cheese, etc..

I wish I had the answer for you. 95% of the time, I'm doing great. But recently, I have been fighting a lot of cravings and head hunger. It is a real mental battle. The band is not going to ever stop us from eating crappy foods. That's the reality. I try to focus on my goal. Like, I'm a few pounds away from 250. And if I give in and eat that extra stuff, I'm gonna have to wait that much longer to get there. Some people go ahead and have a small amount of whatever it is they're craving and then move on. I'm too scared right now to do that. I'm really trying to stay low carb and sweets free. But, I do look for alternatives and a lot of the time they help. I'm nearing that TOM, and I've been having really bad sweets cravings. Someone had Krispy Kreme donuts at work and it took all of my willpower to pass them up. So when I got home, I ate a banana and a glass of pure O.J. The natural sugars in the fruit and juice really went a long way in helping my cravings. Have you had much weight loss yet? To me, seeing that weight come off is the biggest motivator of all. There is a quote on here a lot, "NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS." Best wishes.

I guess because I've been doing so well with my weight loss. And we discussed the fact that I could tolerate almost all foods except bread and that it would be nice to stay that way. The band definitely makes me eat slower. So we decided to wait. I think the issues I'm having now don't really have much to do with the band. I'm having head hunger and strong desires to eat junk. I don't know if this is a fight that will ever go away. I can only hope...