Dragonwillow

I recently read that the southbeach diet had the least amount of rebound effect. (basically that people were less like to gain back as much of their weight with it.) Weight watchers is one too, if you have ever been a member or know anyone that has they have TONS of info in all that stuff they give you. (WW is the one I have had the most sucess with in my 22 years of dieting) Melissa

Oh have fun at the beach...don't forget to wear your sunblock. I just watched this plastic surgery on a man recently that had terrible skin damage. I wish pale would come back into fashion...lol...cause thats me. I have two looks, pale or lobster red. I prefer the pale...will have to tell you of the time I thought it was a grand idea to sunbathe nude (couldn't sit for a week). Melissa

I've had real trouble loosing since they diagnosied me ...and a bit before that when I was just having endless symptoms of crazy things. (thats what it felt like anyway) Course I'm not sure how high my effort has been either. One of the things with hypothyroid for me is...i'm too tired to care LOL. Its getting better though....and now I have the camping pictures of me for motivation ....oh horrible horrible pictures LOL. (big old baggie clothes, no makeup, hot and sweety, hair pulled back...need I go on) Melissa Going to renew my efforts to loose some weight before banding this next week.

My insurance did pay the intial, but I had to call up the behavorial services division and get "permission" to see a psychitrist. I had to see someone that was in network too. Melissa

My dog during the last snow

Me and my two girls.

Hi Aimee, My initial consult with the surgeon is on July 14th (so very close to yours). I too have some pretty lofty fitness goals. One of the reaasons I have decided to have lapband surgery is that I have been working out for a year and 1/2 now and have not dropped any weight or just yo yo'd some weight. I have gained quite a bit of muscle in the process though. I had already started the ball rolling when I found out I was hypothyroid....but with a little over 100lbs to lose, I think the lapband is still needed. I can't seem to get eating and exercise under control at the same time, I'm hoping the lapband will aid me in this. I wanted to do a marathon about 3 years ago, but started having knee promblems during training at about 18 miles. I'm hoping that after loosing most of the weight I'll be able to revisit this and try to complete a marathon. My summer program is very relaxed...and not too structured (kinda go with the flow). But the rest of the year I do 2hours a day 5 days a week at the gym. 60-70 minutes cardio (elliptical is my favorite) and 45-60 minutes weights. On weights I try to mix it up, but my favorite routine is to do decreasing weight sets in groups of three on each machine...rotating upper and lower body days. Somewhere under all this fat there is some great muscle (I make hubby feel it regularlly LOL), just got to get rid of the fat layers on top. Melissa

I just had the psych consult this last week. I have never been to a psych for myself before, and its very unnerving for them to write down what you say LOL. Other than that, he just asked me about the surgery, why I wanted it, why I though I had a weight promblem and what I hoped to accomplish with the surgery. He did say I will probally have to come back and take a questioneer thing, but insurance most likely wont' pay for it...so not looking forward to dishing out another 150.00. I'm poor ya know. (the only stress I could think of was MONEY ) lol...so then he tells me this! LOL Melissa

I have hypothyroid, and while it can't take much of the blame for me getting to this weight, it apparently can take part of the blame for not being able to lose weight. Any bandsters out there that have hypothyroidism...and how have you done with the band? I am on a small dose of armor thyroid hormone, (t3 and t4) and think it will probally be increased a bit at my next appointment for this in a couple of months. I'm hoping between the band and my exercise routine the weight will finally start dropping! Melissa

What a great idea...can you send it to email in a word or excel format so I can print it out. It might be a good idea if you tend to get "relaxed" on previous diets (i know I'm guilty of that) to take this test every month on you banddate. That way you have to be honest with yourself and stay true to the rules! Melissa

Congrats! You will soon be on the losing side! Melissa

Diane I have my endoscopy next thursday morning. How was it? Do you have a sore throat today? Melissa

She should be back in her room sucking on ice chips by now. I bought protien powders and stuff to try for the pre op diet today. Man that stuff is expensive...and somehow ended up with a GNC customer club card. And the CIB isn't that much cheaper! I have a 13 yo girl and a 5 yo girl. The 13 yo will probally drop us as fast as she can, especially if she can get a friend to go with her. There is a merry go round in the food court just so all the moms are prepared (kiddies always beg to ride that) Think I might pull the old stroller out of storage to go, especially if we might be up to walking some laps. Melissa

The Image line of treadmills at Walmart are very high rated, and have many features of the higher line treadmills. I had one until recently and sold it. It was just taking up room, and I never used it. I'm a gym junkie...so prefer to go to the gym, on the other occassions I just walk outside. The treadmill for me was so bulky to have around, and the kids wouldn't stop climbing on it. Some of the things it is important to look far are (belt size...bigger is better) (motor speed the higher end motor usually the more stress it can handle ...i recomend no less than 2.5hp) Check its weight limits ...some treadmills aren't meant to handle more than 200lbs. A muscular man can easily weigh in this range. A feature I like is different programs pre programed..that allows me to some days do a harder workout than others. Sams club and costco and places like that usually have one treadmill at a time. They are usually pretty nice though. I would check it out and compare to some of the other treadmills in your area. I also recomend actually getting on the treadmill and try it out. One of the things I DIDN"t like about mine is that the handles were so close to the front and I tend to walk at the handles and my shoes would squeak on the front end of the treadmill....this doesn't happen at the ones at the gym...so assuming its just the way the one I had was made. I had the Image 10.0. Other than that one annoyance it was a great and relativly quiet treadmill. Melissa

Good luck Angie! I will be thinking of you tomorrow. I say stay overnight just to get the rest. With 3 little ones they are all going to want mommies attention no matter who is there to help with them. Or at least that is my experience. Melissa

My 13 year old was trying to be helpful in the only way 13 year olds can be while on vacation recently. She was going to buy me a shot glass just to eat ice cream out of it. Wasn't that sweet...heheh NOT. Melissa

Congrats, I hope everything goes great! Good luck! Melissa

I don't know if it will effect how they look afterwards after a boob job. I can tell you this. I nursed both of my children (way too long) and my breast have deflated and headed south. (lol) My breast also seems to be the first place I loose weight, so figure after I'm near goal they will have to be unrolled from my bra and somthing will ahve to be done about them. I joke about what nursing did to my breasts, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. If you are interested in breastfeeding future babies it something I would certainly discuss with your plastic surgeon. They have come along way over the years, but it used to be it could effect your milk supply if breast tissue was cut or moved in a lift or implant. Now with the tummy tuck I was advised by my plastic surgeon that it was best to wait till you were done having children. Key word best. The worst that I think would happen is that you have to have a re"tuck" after child birth though. (but this could happen with any weight gain or loss...a friend had a tummy tuck then lost more weight and needs a revision tummy tuck now.) Melissa

The instructions I got from the nutrtionist include 3 meals and 2 Snacks. So V-Queen said...eat a healthy snack (try to make it protien). This will keep you from getting overly hungry and also protien helps hold off hunger. I'm still just book learned though (pre band here) Melissa

Welcome Dianne, I too am off of 485 but the opposite end . I live just a few minutes from where 485 and 85 cross going towards Gastonia. I'm also going to be wroking with Dr. V. I'm getting prety excited. It looks like there is enough of us banders popping up in Charlotte area, maybe we can get the official lap band meeting started back up at presby. Dr V's office used to have one, but participation was low so they cancelled it, but there was a note that it could be restarted if intrest was there. Anyway, welcome to the group Dianne. Melissa

The 8th will be fine for me. There is Jeepers there,but there is also the go cart place that has a play area in it in the top. I don't think there is a fee for it, but not sure, I haven't been since it first opened. Also across from the mall area is a chucky cheeses with the play equipment. There is also a McDonalds, but I can't remember if there is a play area there. If we can get out without the kids that would be great too. My endoscopy is scheduled for next week (the 7th). Thats the last of the tests I think before my visit to Dr. V. I stopped by there today, because I lost my sheet of things to do, and spoke with Erin. But on the new sheet some of the things I have already schedule are marked as (wait till surgeon requests) things. Hmmm, They must be requiring less testing? I will be out of town from the evening of the 14th until the 17th (girl scout trip) But can pretty much meet any other time.

I live near the new 485 exit near the airport. I work out at the y near arrowood road. We have another in charlotte and Kim in Concord, I believe. I haven't had my surgery yet, still doing the pre tests, my consultation with the surgeon is on July 14th, so hoping to be done with tests by then. Can't wait to meet all of you. Melissa

My 13 year old was on Lexapro for awhile for anxiety and depression disorders. She is now off all medicine (thank goodness) and seems to be doing fine. But the reason the doctor chose it was that she is overweight and he didn't want to give her something to cause her to gain. I haven't tried it but a couple of the ladies at the gym swear that yoga helps with anxiety. Worth a shot. Melissa

Yeah, and isn't it funny how we see things differently than other people. I didn't remember him as being fat. I remebmer he played the saxaphone, and that he always seemed to be smiling. Isn't it strange that he remembers himself as being the biggest kid and always unhappy? I've been packing for camping all day (we are going camping at stone mtn in the morning.) And I unearthed some old vhs tapes that were video of my child hood. The five year old wanted to watch them...so I put them in for her. Two things I noticed, I wasn't fat (though I was always on a diet) and that I have a very heavy southern accent. I sounded like a little hick. LOL The more I thought about how I was always on a diet during my teen years the madder I got. I finally had to go walk it off, blamming my mom for my insecurities is easy but useless. Gotta deal in the here and now....and I have numerous scales and tests that confirm it this time...hehehe I"m fat! LOL. Melissa

I think the band might be like the secret plastic surgery the stars use. They can quietly go off and have it done, and we all know how well the scars can heal, so its not really noticable. Besides they have their pictures "touched" for magazine pictures. That clear flawless skin we see in magazines is the results of professional makeup and photo touch up. I watched the view, I was very disappointed with the segmant on the wls. They talked about the "emotional" issues mostly with wls. And the one lady that had the band talked about how everyone turned on her. To be honest looking at the before and after picture, and listening to her talk about likeing to go out and "socialize" I think she might have turned a bit "wild" compared to her old self. I personally don't think I'll go wild, but my husband has already comminented in a joking manner that I'm going to be dangerous. Before my last daughter was born I had lost down to around 210, my lowest adult weight. And I admit I was starting to feel a bit full of myself . My husband loved all the self confidence that was emerging..and loved the fact that I wanted to dress a bit more appealing. (rarely wearing the huge t-shirt collection I tend to prefer) And I joke with my 13 year old that I'll be stealing her clothes. (not likely since she likes those 'punk or goth" look stuff). I really wish they would give the coverage to the lapband that it deserves though. Any of you want to go on "i LOST it" when you are done? It seems like at least one of the two people featured on there everyday has had gastric bypass. (I actually saw a old highschool classmate on I lost it, if anyone watches the show he was the long blonde haired nudist LOL) Melissa