Freebigbennow

Hi Lizzie,....I went to get a fill today and it involved weighing in and measuring , you know the whole nine. Anyway I did not think I was doing as well as I should, but I am. I have built up enough muscle mass from exercising that I need to lose less weight to have a normale BMI(they recommend 22).Ten less pounds as a mattter of fact. So you are probably building up muscle mass that just weighs more than the fat it is replacing. Congratultions on losing the dress sizes. I WENT FROM A 52 IN THE WAIST TO A 48. I am still huge but I can seee some light at the end of the tunnel. Jusst to be going down instead of constantly up is a blessing in it self.

Thankyou for your support. I gave upthe CL tea. I have not had anymore since the last bout withthe kidney pain. I mostly stick to water and coffee. I seem to do o.k. with just those two.

white meat chicken is the absolute worst. I have tried putting barbecue sause on it so maybe it wil slide down. the only thing that works is just chewing and chewing and chew some more. I have had trouble with the albacore tuna also. I do o.k. with the regular cheap tuna. I only wish I could have one peice of bread get stuck. Just one!:welldoneclap:

The only three things I used to drink were Diet Coke and coffee. Occasionally a glass of water. I hve managed to get away from the diet cokes although to stop drinking coffee would suly result in a loss of my job, because I would never make it on time. I have had diet coe twice I thnk in my six weeks sice being banded. There was no pain but I felt the need to burp and could not. IT IS something to note how much less I drink now since Istopped drinking diet coke. I do thnk there is something in it that makes us thirsty. I swear I was drinking a gallon of diet coke(fountain drinks) a day.:rain:

there weight go up after a visit to the gym. On days I go to the gym the next day I gain a pound or half a pound. If I skipp a couple days in a row, those are the days I drop a pound or at least the half pound I gained after going to the gym. I know I need to exercise and I am sure there is some explaination. I just was wondering if anybody else noticed it. I just started back on the wait machines a couple weeks ago. I do the machines about 30 minutes then either the treadmill, ellyptical or the bike for 30 minutes. Sometimes a combination of the 3. who knew the exercise bike would hurt so much? my god I though my thighs were on fire (lol). Tomorrow I am going to try some free weights I really need to build upper strength. I think the muscles in my upper body will help hold everything else up (lol) when I start falling to peices.:faint:

The one or two local doctors here that perform the surgery don't want to do the fills because I had the surgery in Mexico.

lost 24 pounds since being banded on October 25th. There was a period of two weeks were I did not lose anything I was stuck at 21 pounds lost. Here in the last week I somehow managed to break the plateau and lost 3 more pounds. Thank God!!!!!:bandit

:hungry:Hi I am getting a fill this Thursday at the Fillcenter in ST. Petersburg Fl. I ws just wondering if anybody out there has used them. I am kind of nervous about a place who makes money filling LapBnads wanting to promote repeat business. They my underfill intentionally just to have you come right back and spend money for another. Of course there aren't alot of options for me m, most local doctors have told me no because I had it done in Mexico. Help Anyone?>:help:

I went back to the weight machines right at 4 weeks. It seemed likeI was killing myself on the treadmill. Plus it is easy for your body to plateau using only one method of exercise. I am not near where I used to be befor the surgey, but I have only used the weights 3 times in the last 5 days since being at 4 weeks. I also got brave and got on the eliptical machine the other day for the first time. Of course I was too heavy for the 350lb maximum weight limit prior to surgery. It didn't kill and it ws kind of different so I won't get bored withthe treadmill. NOw situps I think I will wait a little while longer for them.:hungry:

an increased sense of restriction when you finish exercising? I am only using the treadmill for cardio and to burn calories, since I am only three weeks post-op. When I get done with my 40 or 45 minutes on the treadmil I feel as though water will make me sick, my stomach just feels so tight. Not an adversion to water, just that's usuall what I drink during/after aworkout. I have never been able to eat anything right after a workout since being banded. Anyone else get thatt way.:hungry:

:girl_hug:on my birthday in December. The nurse said alcohol will iritate the stomach lining in the band and cause increased restriction because it will swell inward since it cann't go out with the band holding it. ON December 20th it will just have to swell shut!!!LOL After all this diet and exercise I will definitely get loose on my birthday

So far I have heard that ther are two foods that most bandsters cant tolerate.... red meat ....and .....Lettuce. The red meat I can understand, especially if it is tough, but what is the deal with lettuce?:phanvan

:faint:I haave been dying to get back on the weights because I had made such progress prior to surgery that I don't want ot lose it all do to inactivity. However my doctor said only lift 5 pounds the first week and add five pounds a week after that. I lift pretty heavy so I am afraid I may hurt something. How did you feel after the weights. I think I will go back to the weights after 4 weeks out. I am jusst over 2 weeks out and only useing the treadmill. I would be interested to heaar from others who are using wweights soon after surgery.

There is always clam chowder! Manhatten style if they got it since it doesn't have the white cream sauce.:hungry:

For sharing everybody. I thnk it's safe to say try new foods at home first before I go to a public place. I was at a restaurant today and I would normally start my meal with a salad, but I have never had a salad since being banded a figured I better try it at home first. I don't care if there are 10 different foods I can not eat I am glad I got the band . It feels fantastic to be full on such a little amount of food. And at night when I used to be ravenous I no longer have to eat my self to sleep. WOW!!:hungry:

There was another thread called " so this is bandster%^&*". On that thread I suggested that people stay away from carbs. They make you hungry. I questoned the use of mashed potatoes as a mushie, I was rediculed. I emphasized the benefits of protiens making you feek full linger and I was called a jerk. All because at the time I had been banded three days. NOw it seems there was some truth to it all after all. Somebody told me " lets see if protien and water keeps YOU full when you are three weeks out" Well I am on my third week now and I can drink a tall glass of water, eat a 3 oz can of tune and viola FULL! Not that I don't empathize with everybody. This site is great!! I have learned so much it's invaluable. I just was hurt by all the slander. Maybe it was because i was a guy it was a girl thing I didn't understand(smile). Thanks Ladies. YOur friend "Ben the Jerk":rolleyes:

Lap happy how are you getting filled so soon. I am using fillcenter and they refuse to give you afill untill at least six weeks. I kind of wish I could get one on the 23rd like you. Actually that was the day I was trying to schedule for. Then when I told them I was banded on the 25th of October they told me I had to wait six weeks. Do you think your stiches and everything inside has healed? I don't know I am just asking.

I was banded 2 weeks ago and am doing prett good I think. But I was just scrlling through here looking to see if anybody had trouble sleeping. My thing is I used to eat right before I went ot sleep and the feeling of being full used to be like a sedative to me. Did anybody used to do that. My favorite bedtime sleep aide was a bowl of cereal. I haven't had a good bowl of Captaiin Crunch since starting me pre=opdiet 4 weeks ago. I have found that turnig the t.v. off and reading a book helps, but I sure miss that nice full feeling where it makes you want ot lay down a just sleepit off. Any body remember that?:notagree

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMEEn!!!!!!!

This is the first time I heard somebody mention headaches. I had one today and am not generally proned to headaches. I thin it may have been fromnot eating enough. I also felt pretty weak and layed down for a nap. So are the headaches a symptom of not getting enough fluids or food or what?:rolleyes

back to the gym myself. I am going to try it Friday. I was banded last Thursday the 25th. So after a week of rest I think I should be o.k. at least getting on the treadmill for 30 minutes a day. I will stay away fromthe weights though, since they said lifting can cause you stiches to pop and your band to slip. I think they said wait 4 or 5 weeks for the weights. I had just stared going to the gym 4 weeks before having the operation. I know I will have to get used to it all over again.

This is getting somewhere. I like a good discussion not whining. I don't know about you , but I paid thousands of dollars that I worked haard on my feet for to have the band. Now that I have it I guess I am just .... well I don't know gratefull I guess you could call it. Whatever ma come will pass. I have read over and over on this site a lone. The band works if you follow the rules. It really works. I don't know if any of you remember the DReam away pills, tried them. Or how about the grapefruit diet? Didn't work ether. And didn't my mom and I look quite stunnin in our bodywraps(lol). I don't know I am just way to grateful to finally have something that finally can and will work to complain. Yours Truly Big Ben THE JERK:)

H I was banded 4 days ago now. Don't take any pain meds and figure why blow thousands of dollars worth of surgery on 2 bucks worth of food. By exercising I meant just that , walking. No I am not a M.D. . But I did read alot before I was banded and happened to pay attention to every word my doctor and his staff said. For example liquids only for two weeks. Why, it can break the stiches holding the band in place. Exercise, only waling for 4 or 5 weeks. Lift only 5 punds the first week and 5 more every week after. Pain in shoulder( which I have had none) , gas. Pain in chest , FULL. Protien and water will keep you full. Carbs and fat will keep you hungry. I may be a jerk , but you can learn alot from a dummy.:kiss2:

Is this what I have to liik foward too. Come on guys how can I be motivated by posts like this. I I was banded 3 days ago. I try and stay ful on water and zero calorie liquids. Come on .... mashed potatoes? What kind of diet is that? I would beg to suggest more exercise if the wait is not coming off fast enough. I have only lost eight pounds but I lost those in the gym before surgery. There is know way you can burn off colories exercising and NOT lose weight. Sorry I am a jerk, honesty is all I have left to lose.:faint:

I was banded and I can't wait to starat losing weight. I dream of weighing 1 anything. I cant ever remember weighing less than 200 lbs. It is rough. I am in some pain but I do believe the sacrifice will be woth it all. good luck to evrybody on this path to success.:clap2: