kagoscuba

Map out your day, once banded, and you will be able to lose. I do not follow all rules of the band (I eat about every two waking hours), but I still lose. Your schedule will differ from mine, but the concept is the same: Know what you are going to eat the day before you eat it and stick with that. Here is a sample schedule from my day: 5:20 - out of bed, drink a sugar-free Red Bull 5:40 - on bike 6:40 - end of ride, time for a shower 7:14 - Drop son off at school and begin commute - Eat a Quaker Oats Breakfast cookie and bottle of Water 8:30 - Arrive at work, with meals in small cooler type lunchbox 8:45 - Eat one yogurt and one sugar free pudding - bottle of water 30 min after 10:30 - eat Clif bar - water 30 min after 11:50 - lunch - tuna salad and Soup 2:00 - Yogurt and sugar free pudding bottle of water 30 min after 3:30 - Red Bull - time to wake up. 5:00 - Start commute to gym - eat a Clif Bar and drink bottle of water on way 6:00 - arrive at gym 7:30 - leave gym 7:45 - arrive home and have some type of fruit and water...if it is a cheat day I may have a little full-fat, full sugar ice cream...moderation is key - never buy more than a pint at a time, then tell yourself not to finish off the pint that week. :cool2: In bed by 10:00 - non-essential chores get done on weekends.

Congrats on the Tri!!! 1:47 isn't too slow. As long as you finish in under 2 hours, that's pretty commendable. Heck, finishing at all is good. My bike riding and running are coming along, but I have not started to swim yet. I'm not scared of swimming, as I used to lifeguard and I still am in the ocean a lot, but I know I'd better get at least semi-serious in the next couple of weeks. The second sprint I signed up for gave me a bit of a surprise, after I looked at the small print...the bike portion is 18 miles! That's only 33% more than I was expecting.

I don't know if you have the same opportunity as I do to bring food to work, but this is my typical day: 5:20 - out of bed, drink a sugar-free Red Bull 5:40 - on bike 6:40 - end of ride, time for a shower 7:14 - Drop son off at school and begin commute - Eat a Quaker Oats Breakfast cookie and bottle of Water 8:30 - Arrive at work, with meals in small cooler type lunchbox 8:45 - Eat one yogurt and one sugar free pudding - bottle of water 30 min after 10:30 - eat Clif bar - water 30 min after 11:50 - lunch - tuna salad and Soup 2:00 - Yogurt and sugar free pudding bottle of water 30 min after 3:30 - Red Bull - time to wake up. :tongue2: 5:00 - Start commute to gym - eat a Clif Bar and drink bottle of water on way 6:00 - arrive at gym 7:30 - leave gym 7:45 - arrive home and have some type of fruit and water...if it is a cheat day I may have a little full-fat, full sugar ice cream...moderation is key - never buy more than a pint at a time, then tell yourself not to finish off the pint that week. :smile: In bed by 10:00 - non-essential chores get done on weekends.

Thanks everyone for your kind words!! :thumbup: Only one more day of sub-tropical temps here in NJ, thank goodness!!

I was banded last September. On Sept 27th of this year, my one year anniversary, I will be doing my second triathlon. The band may not work for everyone, but it has helped me not do one thing: binge. That's what killed every diet I ever tried. I was a huge portion eater, not a grazer. Maybe that's why the band helped me.

So, it is Africa hot here in NJ. I had a scheduled 5k race I was not going to miss because of a little warm temperature. I ran the Mountain Top 5k, which by its name I should have realize had hills, not matter the fact the race website said it was a nice flat course. It was 94 degrees at 10:30, when the race started, and the humidity was so high, I think I saw fish swimming through the air. I ran the first mile in 8:26 and was feeling pretty good, but I bonked because of the heat and ended up at 32:16. This was only slightly better than my last 5k time of 32:38, but the diference was I noticed I was finishing with people who looked like runners, rather than the casual or first time runners. I ended up 48th out of 104, which made me happy, then when I got home and checked the web I found out I placed 2nd in my age group for men! This euphoria was short-lived, because I found out there were only 3 men in my age group, but placing is placing baby! :tongue2: I waited until 6:50 p.m. to do my long Sunday bike run, for both heat and rest and did 15 miles in 75 minutes. I got home, downed some water, went to the scale, and yep, down 7 pounds for the day. :smile: Of course, this will mostly all come back, but it felt good to see that needle dip. Only a little over a month left until my triathlon, and I can't wait.

I'll take a hit for the metrosexual males out here. We certainly DO have goal outfits. Tuxedo I wore on my wedding day - check; size 34 jeans that I almost forgot about - check (barely...breathing is another concern). Getting rid of all of my triple XXX shirts and being able to fit into XL and even L shirts - check. Wearing a form-fitting cotton stretch thermal with jeans and being able to pull it off without feeling like a clown - check. Actually getting into a pool this Memorial Day without a shirt on - check (probably, if the weather holds out). :blushing:

I haven't tried steak actually. I've eaten plenty of foods with lean ground beef in them, like my homemade chili. However the WORST PB I've had so far came with beef stew. I was in pain and coughing up for a good 20 minutes, at work no less, during that little episode. I figured if I can't get down a overcooked piece of stew meat, how in the world can I get down a piece of steak or even a small filet? chicken and fish are my main staples now. My wife loves it. Every weekend she gets fresh cooked fish. :blushing: Routine has been my key to success so far. I bring the same thing (with different flavors) to work every day for my Breakfast, lunch, and Snacks. With my exercise schedule I cannot eat only three times a day, so I cheat a little and eat five times a day to keep my energy up on my exercise days.

So, after posting a lot for the first couple of months I went away, but I did not forget all of you! :thumbup: In the meantime, the band has been doing exactly what it is supposed to do - make me think about what I am about to eat. With enough resolve and resistence to pain it is true you can eat just about anything, but I have more of the former than the latter. I haven't had a soda or a steak since the day before surgery, and other than the occassional longing for steak, I'm ok with it. Beer, well let's not get out of control. I will take the hour to sip a beer. :w00t: It's just that I'm not having the beer's five friends as well any more. I was allowed to start exercising one week post-op, and I've been good about it so far. I ran my first 5k in almost two decades last month, and I have another 5k on June 8th. That 5k is actually just a "training" run though, as it is preparing me for my biggest challenge so far: a triathlon. I am doing the "sprint" variety which includes a 500m swim, 20k bike ride, and 5k run. Considering this will probably take be close to 90 minutes to finish, I'm not sure where the "sprint" part is. :sad: I cannot wait though. The band has freed me from self-doubt and awakened the competive spirit that longed to get out and have some fun. I've got 6 more pounds to get to my first goal (weight in tag is incorrect: I'm 205), and it has truly been the hardest to get to. The first 60 pounds were a cakewalk. :blushing: The inspiration has not just been for me too. My aunt and nanny have also decided to get the lap-band after seeing my success, and they are well on their way too. For those of you on the fence about getting this done, I'd suggest hopping on over. :mad:

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping for the "stealth" port, because it is pretty unsightly now. I also feel like there is pressure on it all the time, and also while not painful, it is uncomfortable to have things press on it.

Anyone here care to discuss their experience with a low-profile port? My port is becoming VERY noticeable, especially when I exercise. It looks like I have an "outtie" belly-button just below my rib cage. :rolleyes2: My doctor many months ago mentioned something about a low-profile port. Before I go back to him, I just wanted to see some experiences here. Did your doctor replace it free? What it an in-the-office procedure, or will I have to go back to the hospital? The more weight I lose and more fat I lose, the more uncomfortable the port gets. All in all not a bad problem to have. My sig is a little out of date. I'm actually down to 205 now.

most triathlons won't let your wear music anyway. safety first. personally, I hate running without my tunes.

Yep, some of us have the triathlon bug. In September I weighed 265 with a BMI of exactly 40, hypertension, and sleep apnea. Today I weigh 205 have dropped 6 inches off my waist, and I've competed in my first 5k since leaving the military 13 years ago. I'm signed up for th eNJ State Triathlon in July (Sprint distance), and I cannot wait. I'm riding and running now, and in June I plan to add swimming. Tonight was a 40 minute Fartlek (speed session) that I did for the first time. I think I was less tired after the 5k!! By July I should be well below my initial goal of 199 pounds...perhaps at my final of 185. If nothing else I plan on being able to say: I am a triathlete. It is better to finish last than not to finish at all, and it is better not to finish than never to have started. (from Triathlon site)

Try Muscle Milk's protein chocolate pudding. It has 20 grams of protein and tastes pretty good.

"Can you tell me how you went about doing this - I would definately like to persue this." Sure thing. I had my doctor and anesthesiologist both submit a request for payment, from the insurance company, after I had already paid them. The insurance company, in turn, paid them, then they cut me a check to reimburse me. I submitted for the hospital cost. The weird thing about this was the hospital charged me $13k, which I paid, then the insurance company only paid the hospital $1900 (saw the activity on my ccount), but I got reimbursed my entire $13k from the hospital billing department. Not sure how all of that worked, and I really don't care right about now. :eek: As far as I know no "special" paperwork was done. All the submittals to the insurance company were done like we had no idea I'd ever been denied coverage. We played ignorant, and it worked out.

So, I started my journey as a self-pay. Horizon denied me, saying I did not have five years of written proof I've been obese. This was true, as I did what I call a typical "man-move" and hadn't been to the doctor in about ten years, other than for "emergency" type issues, and since I had a PPO, I did not have a regular physician. Anyway, I stayed stubborn and submitted to the insurance company anyway. Slowly they paid some things, and then last week they sent a check for the hospital, which was a nice $13k check!! :eek: So I've gone from a 100% self-pay for a $22k procedure to about $1.5k out-of-pocket. Sometimes it pays not to take no for an answer and be persistent. :thumbup: I'm not saying this will happen for everyone, but there is hope.

make33 - I'd agree on bench-press. I've lost 50 pounds and I haven't lost a pound of strength on any of my exercises. In fact, some exercises I'd been avoiding for years I can now do, due to the lower amount of weight I'm carrying around. Exercises like dips, pullups, and core building exercises are a lot easier, when I'm not carrying a "6 year old" around anymore.

How soon did you start exercising after surgery? 4 days after surgery I was doing the elliptical for 20 minutes. A week later I was up to 1/2 hour. 2 weeks after surgery I was doing abdominal exercises. 4 weeks post-op I was cleared for lifting weights and unlimited exercise. What kinds of activities? Right now I do 6 days a week of cardio on either a treadmill or elliptical for 1/2 hour at lunchtime. On Wednesday I double cardio and do 45 minutes on the elliptical at night. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I do weight training for 45 minutes to 90 minutes, dependent on the workout for the day. In addition, I do abdominal exercises daily. Were you active prior to surgery? Not very in the year preceeding surgery.

True, I am pro-choice, and also I was trying to be the "devil's advocate" on the whole banning of obese people suggestion. I did call it facist and I did not condone the suggestion; however, I do understand it. On a weird level it does make sense, but implementation of it would have to be balanced with civil liberties, which would mean it would and SHOULD fail. People who have never been fat probably don't see the harm in such legislation. A lot of them just think, "eat less, you lazy ba$tards, and we'll welcome you in no problem." Of course we all know it is not that easy.

My point was, if a bar can refuse to serve drinks to someone who is obviously impaired (they didn't have to drink there; they could have come to the bar drunk already...happens all the time), then why is it such a stretch of the imagination for a restaurant to refuse to serve food to someone who is obviously well fed already? I understand the logic, even though I don't condone it. Even another example is the fact casinos can and do refuse to allow addicted gamblers into their casinos, once they are put on the "do not allow" list.

"if this was to pass, then i would recommend legilation to prevent alcoholics from being served drinks in a bar or restaurant...same difference, different addiction" Um, this already exists. Not for alcoholics, but it is illegal in many states for a bar to serve drinks to someone who is obviously impaired. I'm actually not that upset by the "turning away the obese" legislation. From a personal freedom standpoint, yeah, it is facist. However, of all people, we should know the benefit of having a temptation removed. the band doesn't work for me because of some magic. It works for me because the food that caused me problems in the past - Pasta and bread - I am physically incapable of eatnig now. There is no temptation and I don't feel deprived, because I know it is impossible for me to eat those things. If I knew it was impossible for me to go into a Mickey D's, then I wouldn't miss that either. That's the difference between dieting and the band. You can always slide on a diet. You really can't on the band, unless you gorge on ice cream or high-calorie drinks. I didn't have an issue with those before the band, so maybe that part is naturally easy for me.

I am SO STOKED. I got on the scale this morning for by bi-monthly weigh-in (personal not medically directed) and I had the proof...down 50 pounds!!! I can't believe how I feel. Losing the weight has liberated me. :regular_smile:

My favorite moderately priced Australian wine is Penfold's Koonuga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet vintage 2004. Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet : Koonunga Hill Range : Penfolds Wine Collection I bought a case for my wife, as a holiday present, and it is already gone. :rolleyes2: In NJ, it is about $12 a bottle.

Every time I read one of these stories (about 1-2 a year here in NJ) it pisses me off to no end. How can this happen? It seems absolutely unfair. Your thoughts? Hunterdon man loses appeal to cut child support by Ralph Ortega/The Star-Ledger Thursday January 24, 2008, 4:14 PM A Hunterdon County man who discovered he was not the father of a 10-year-old girl, was denied his appeal to lower his child support payments, according to an opinion handed down this week by the state Appellate Division. An appeals court on Wednesday affirmed an October 2006 decision made by state Superior Court Judge Stephen Rubin in Flemington against the request made by the man, identified in court papers only as W.S.Y. Jr. to protect the child's identity. W.S.Y. claimed that a paternity test proved he was not the biological father of the child, whom he thought he had conceived with his then wife. He went before Rubin seeking disclosure of the identity of the child's real father, appointment of a mental health counselor to address paternity issues, and reduced child support, including reimbursement for support previously paid retroactive to the child's birth. The opinion, referring to the child by her initials, F.Y., states that the appeals panel was satisfied with the way Rubin made his decision against the requests. The judge "conducted a thorough analysis of the appropriate best interest factors and concluded, by clear and convincing evidence, that the issue of paternity at this point in F.Y.'s life is not in her best interests." W.S.Y's attorney was not immediately available for comment.

"I do have an issue if the fetus has any chance of life outside the womb to be disposed of. Who are we to play God and say a baby only has a 1 in 4 chance to survive, so they don't get the chance." I agree. However, the difference between us, is I am pro-choice. I have stated in another thread, though, that once the fetus is biologically capable of living outside the womb, the choice is now taken from the mother, except in cases of danger to the mother. I consider conception as the "potential for life" not as life itself. If not, then I am a murderer, as my wife and I had multiple embryos created for IVF, and not all of those were allowed to grow. Of course, not all of the embryos that were implanted grew either, so I guess they weren't part of the "plan" either...oops gone into TMI land again. :frown: Met another mother who had two embryos implanted, and both split, and she had two sets of identical twins...talk about getting your money's worth!!