Rebeccaabrooks86

That is great progression! Dont get down about it. Remember, you didnt gain that weight over night and you wont lose it over night (:

I can definitely see a difference in the scale between weeks where I get in at least 3 days at the gym and weeks where I only get there 1 day. If you can even get those 30 minutes of walking in every day, you'll see and feel the difference. Keep up the great work!!!

I am 4 months out from surgery and have lost 20 lbs. I felt really badly about this until I started looking at it a different way. That's a little over a pound a week loss! So even if I'm on the slow side, I'm on the right track! And since I'm getting closer to the green zone and exercising, the weight is coming off a lot faster. Hang in there!!!! ????

1. 228.8
2. 228.8
3. 224.6
4. 223.4
5. 225
6. 12/6- 222.0 Goal for December 216

So I realized since my surgery I've lost an average of 1 lb per week and if I can keep that up I'll be at goal on my one year anniversary. Since starting my 4:3 fasting and doing the pouch test this past week I lost 4 lbs and am getting a fill next week and meeting my nutritionist. I had really been down on myself for losing weight so slow but now I feel like I'm on track and I'm so thankful for all of you and for this site!

I had a tiny fill of 0.1 cc and I'm on 48 hours of liquids. My nurse is the greatest. She was thrilled that I had lost over nine pounds since my last visit. But it's been 3 months, I said! She said this is when it gets harder.
I always take two Tylenol caplets during my fills to make sure I can swallow pills before I walk out of the office. That went fine.
I lost the Thanksgiving gain already and a little more. I checked against my home scale when I got home. It feels good to be making progress again.
My fasting day of Thursday will be skipped this week because I'm on liquids Wednesday and Thursday.
Have a good day everyone!

It's 4am, Thanksgiving morning...sitting here having my first cup of coffee.< /p>
The gym opens at 5, they close at noon.....and I plan on being there when the doors open.
Do I feel motivated? Do I feel like I have the energy? HECK NO!
It's my day off, it's freezing outside....I should crawl back into my warm bed and enjoy my day off from work.
Then enjoy a lazy day of food, family, and football.
But I'll go....I have felt this way many times before, and have always come up with good excuses not to before....
I say this because it is easy for everyone to find some reason not to exercise...not to be active....and I have found a few truths I want to share.
1) I know, regardless of how I feel now at this moment, I will find the energy once I start. It comes from somewhere and the more I do it the more energy and motivation comes out. So regardless of how I feel at this moment, it will change once I get out there and start doing it.
2) I also know, as a reward, that I will feel much better throughout the rest of the day after I have a good workout. Otherwise I would feel like crap and lazy.
3) Feeling better, healthier and energized within, will come out and project itself to others around me today....in this case family and friends. Some of which I have not seen in a year. There are some things you can't cover up.
Bring it! Looking forward to all that great food and drink....the fun..the fellowship....the football!.....it's going to be a great day!
It's my favorite time of year......
So that's my frame of mind this morning....what's yours today?
Incidentally, I expect a pretty good gathering there at 5 am....I'm not the only one.
As a side note, I'm 2 months shy of 63...when I first started working out in earnest, just before my surgery, I had numerous medical issues that I could and did use to hinder me....but I worked through them and overcame and defeated them.(with all of my Dr's blessings)

You have the power to banish this bad experience from your life forever. Once you lose all your weight go back to the same place and jump into that pit for all your worth! Make a point of having someone take a picture when you do and proudly display it in your home front and center. The very thought of conquering your demon should give you inspiration to get down to the weight you want to be in no time. Turn that lemon into lemonade!

Next year my Husband and I will Celebrate our 20th year together, and to celebrate with all of our family and friends we have decided to have a Recommitment Ceremony. Yes, we are going to get Re-Married...


We are going to take our Vows again and freshen up on our agreement we took to one another two decades ago. Sometimes a “fresh start” rekindles those words spoken when they first occurred can remind us exactly what they meant to us.
But what about the Vows we took when we first took the plunge to seriously consider Weight Loss Surgery? Do you remember what you told yourself you would do way back when? Be truthful with yourself, are you still bound to these vows?
I remember mine, and the most distinct one for me was that I would NEVER go back to the old me. The obese me, the one who had no hope, who was miserable and feeling lost and scared of my own future. There were several others such as, I promise to work out and become fit for a stronger body. Even telling myself that no matter what, I would not let the scale dictate to me how amazing or awful a person I am. For the most part the scale often told me I was quite amazing (Ha!). I suppose maybe I did listen to the scale back then because it was fun to watch the weight melt away. During those times when the scale didn’t cooperate I used other means of measuring how well I was doing. I checked to see how my clothes were fitting; I kept a running measurement of every part of my body – even my neck and my wrist! Even a quarter inch loss in those areas made me feel better. Then there are the awesome side-by-side photos. Pictures don’t lie! They never did, and that’s probably why a lot of us hid from the cameras Pre-Op.
As the years go by Post-Op it really does become easier and easier to forget how we got to our goals and how we have maintained. It becomes easier to tell ourselves that indulging more and more is acceptable and before you know it the pounds creep back up. You will blink your eye and all of a sudden your clothes become tight and you notice a little comfortableness about yourself.
I personally have made a Re-commitment to myself not so long ago. I am 50 (and 1) Days into a No Sugar eating plan and I am back to regular routine workouts. Another agreement that I am re-committing to myself is that I will never again ignore the scale. Yes, it’s true I don’t allow the scale to make me feel bad about myself but it is a necessary tool to remind me that I need to make sure I don’t keep going up, or I will be like the mountain climber on The Price Is Right and yodel my way right off the chart cliff. Let’s just say my Re-commitment has done me well and I am more than on my way back to the champion I was a year or so ago. It feels good to take back the control and be reminded that my life depends on me keeping my promises. I needed this in order to take my future health serious.
Every day is Day 1, until you successfully make it to Day 2.
What were your most outstanding Vows that you recall? Are you still following them, or can you Re-commit to them? If you find yourself needing to Re-Commit, don’t wait! Take this moment to truly reflect on just how well you really are doing. Can you make some new commitments even?
This time write them all out on a piece of paper and make a contract with yourself to uphold the Vows of health and fitness with yourself, and sign it and date it. Read it aloud and if necessary show someone that you trust. Read it out to them and be upfront to them about what you are doing. Of course only you can ensure that you are upholding your end of the bargain to the healthy person inside.

Caffeine is a part of daily life for millions of Americans. Some people limit themselves to a single mug of half-calf to help them wake up in the morning, while others depend on the drug at all times of the day. There’s the morning cup of coffee to wake you up, the travel mug on your morning commute as you fight traffic, the morning coffee break to help you focus, and the afternoon pick-me-up soda.


For most people, this drug is about as harmless as a drug can be. It wakes you up, keeps you mentally sharp, and even helps you burn a little extra fat. There aren’t many serious health risks, as long as you don’t have too much.
For weight loss surgery patients, though, caffeine is a bit of a bigger deal. Find out what it can do to your body, how much is safe to have after surgery, and where to find it.
Caffeine and Your Digestive Tract
Caffeine is an acid, and it can irritate the lining of your stomach pouch or sleeve. This is true whether you have the lap-band, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass. One way to prevent symptoms is to make sure you don’t have your caffeine on an empty stomach. However, that’s not really possible when your weight loss surgery diet doesn’t allow you to have beverages at the same time as solid food! Limiting your consumption is the best way to avoid trouble.
Caffeine and Acid Reflux
Acid reflux occurs when acid from your stomach comes up into your esophagus or throat, causing symptoms like heartburn or an acid taste in your mouth. Acid reflux is considered gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) if it persists. Weight loss surgery often helps with GERD, since obesity is one of the main factors. However, you can still get GERD after weight loss surgery, especially if you have the lap-band.
What does all this have to do with caffeine? Coffee and other source of caffeine are among the foods beverages that make acid reflux worse. There are plenty of other risky foods, such as citrus fruits, spicy foods, fried foods, and garlic. If you do choose to have caffeine, just be watchful for signs of acid reflux and ask your doctor if you think there may be a connection between caffeine and your symptoms.
Does Caffeine Dehydrate You?
Staying hydrated is a big deal after weight loss surgery because it’s so important and so tough. It helps keep you full and healthy, and you can only do it if you plan carefully and pay attention to your Fluid intake.
Coffee and caffeinated diet iced teas and other drinks may seem like a great alternative to Water, which can get pretty boring. Unfortunately, caffeine is a diuretic. That means it increases the amount of water your body loses. That means it helps dehydrate you.
It’s not a serious problem if you don’t have too much caffeine and if you’re drinking plenty of other liquids, especially water. If you’re already struggling to hit your 8 to 10 cups of water a day, though, you might want to think seriously about skipping the caffeine so you don’t get dehydrated.
Caffeine and Your Nutrient Status
One of the most serious problems with too much caffeine for bariatric surgery patients is that it interferes with nutrient consumption. This comes at a time when you’re fighting hard to give your body the nutrients it needs through healthy eating and supplements.< /p>
Caffeine reduces your body’s absorption of two key nutrients: Calcium and Iron. Miss out on your calcium, and you’re at risk for developing osteoporosis and a high risk for bone fractures later on. Skip the iron, and you could get anemia, making yourself tired and weak. If you do choose to have caffeine, make sure it’s not at the same time you’re taking your nutritional supplements.
How Much Caffeine Is Safe?
There’s no single recommended amount of caffeine that’s best for everyone. The right amount for you depends on a variety of factors.
How it affects you.
The type of surgery you have.
Your surgeon’s recommendations.

A good amount for many bariatric surgery patients who can’t face the thought of quitting might be a cup in the morning to get you awake.
Cutting Back on Caffeine
If you’re addicted, cutting back on caffeine can be challenging. You can get some headaches, feel groggy and cranky, and get constipated. These symptoms only last a few days, though, and you can use them as motivation to take good care of yourself. That’s because healthy behaviors like getting enough sleep, exercising, and drinking enough water can help reduce withdrawal symptoms.
If you’re trying to have less caffeine, it’s helpful to know the sources. Everyone knows about coffee, but there are plenty of other places where you might find caffeine.
Hot and iced coffee and coffee drinks.
Hot and iced tea.
Diet and non-diet energy drinks, including 5-Hour Energy.
Some over-the-counter Migraine, pain, and cold and flu medications.

Caffeine has a lot of uses in everyday life, and it’s not necessarily a bad drug. But, after weight loss surgery, it can be a problem if you have too much. If you love your coffee, ask your surgeon how much you can have to make sure you don’t harm yourself while you’re working so hard to get healthy and fit.

I had a delay in my first fill. Down 27 now... such a long way to go. Goal is 8 for this month. Gonna be hard.

One of the more common stories I hear from people who want to lose weight is this one:
“I’ve successfully lost weight a few times in the past and each time it started with this big boost of motivation. I can’t explain it…I was just super motivated and stuck to the plan, and I lost the weight. It almost seemed easy. Now, I just can’t seem to get started. I wish I could figure out how to get back that boost of motivation.”
As a psychologist, I wish I had the secret of how to unlock that boost of motivation that so many of my patients’ desire…but their previous and future success is not due to just an initial boost of motivation. Motivation is only one piece of the puzzle, and quite frankly, not something that most overweight people lack. Think of it. What overweight person isn’t motivated to lose weight? It’s not a lack of knowledge. Most overweight folks can think of 101 good reasons to lose weight and many could write a diet book. It’s certainly not laziness. Overweight folks are some of the most eager and hard working people there are! They try and try and try and try. In my experience, one mistake that many overweight (and other) folks make is waiting to feel motivated in order to get started.
Consider the little vignette above. The person in this story (and many stories) is wishing they had that special missing ingredient that got them started in the past. They don’t know what it is or where it came from. All they know is that when they had it, losing weight was much easier. Well, I’m a psychologist and make a living studying and trying to understand human behavior and I can’t always explain it either. But I’m also going to tell you that you don’t have to figure it to be successful.
Sometimes the cause of that initial boost of motivation is easier to define. Maybe there was a major incident and you heard yourself saying “that’s it…I’ve had it!” and you were off to the races. Patients have told me countless stories of such events that were their “that’s it, I’ve had it” moment. One gentleman told me he couldn’t tie his shoelaces and had to ask a co-worker to help him and was terribly embarrassed. Another woman told me she sat on a chair and it broke beneath her. Yet another gentleman told me that his doctor (not so kindly) told him he’d be dead within a year if he didn’t lose a significant amount of weight. In fact, I can recall seeing one of my ex-girlfriends after she lost over 30 pounds and I vividly recall hearing myself say “that’s it, I’ve had it!!” and went on to lose over 50 pounds. Many of you probably have your own such stories. But the real question is, “What can you do when you DON’T have that kind of a moment?” How do you create your own motivation?
As I said earlier, that “moment” and the boost of motivation that followed does fully explain your past weight loss successes. That “moment” may have helped light the fuse, but it did not provide all of the fuel that kept the flame of all of your hard work and perseverance going. I wasn’t thinking of my ex-girlfriend’s success all the time. The gentleman who couldn’t tie his shoes wasn’t thinking of that awful moment all day, every day. Try to recall back to what you were doing for all of those months when you were successfully losing weight. Was your behavior exactly as it is now? Were you eating the same foods you are now? Were you eating the same amounts of food? Were you as focused as you were then? When you lost the weight, were you living your life exactly as you are now? Probably not. So here is the punch line:
Rather than wishing or waiting to feel that big boost of motivation to get started, why not start by doing all of those things that you did when you were successful losing weight in the past.
Consider this. If you don’t do those things then you’re not really doing what you need to do to lose weight…you’re just waiting to do something. Don’t hear this as criticism. Just a few moments ago I said you’re not stupid, lazy or any of those things. But you’re not doing what’s in your best interest to meet your goals.
Every day I speak to overweight people that admit that they have poor eating habits. They eat on the run. They don’t prepare meals. They don’t sit down at the table to eat. They eat too much fast food. The list goes on and on. And when I ask them what they were doing when they successfully lost weight in the past? They shopped for food. They cooked more often. They read food labels. They avoided fast food. They monitored their portion sizes. They didn’t eat Cookies out of the box. They sat down at the table for meals rather than eating carbohydrate Snacks out of the box while standing in their kitchen looking at the clock (we’ve all been there!). So, here is what you can do. Sit down with a pen and pad and try to recall each successful weight loss effort you’ve had in the past. Some of you may have one or two; others of you have four or five. If you have none, imagine how you would advise someone in your situation to lose weight. What would you specifically tell them to do?
On the pad, make a list of all of the specific behavior changes you made when you were losing weight. When you lost all that weight were you writing down everything you were eating? Put that on the list. Were you exercising? Put that on the list. Were you bringing fruit to work with you for a snack rather than hitting the vending machines? Put that on the list. Were you having yogurt and some granola for Breakfast rather than an egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel every morning? Put that on the list. I think you’re getting the picture. Then, start introducing one or two of those behavior changes each day. Within a week or two, you’ll be doing all of the things you need to do to get back on track…even without the big initial boost of motivation to do so. By the time you notice that the motivation to get going wasn’t initially there, it will be there in the form of excitement that you got the ball rolling yourself.
Is my suggestion the answer? Perhaps not the entire answer, but it certainly is a big part of the answer. You know that somewhere along the way to losing weight, you will need to DO many or all of those things you once did to lose weight. So rather than waiting for that big motivation boost to come along to carry you through to making all of those behavioral changes, why not make some of those behavioral changes now and maybe the motivation will show up along the way?
Do I think this is easy? No…of course not. Wouldn’t it be easier to make all of those changes if the motivation were there from the starting line? Of course it would. But maybe that big boost of motivation isn’t necessary. Maybe the best way to proceed is to put the cart before the horse…the doing part BEFORE the motivation part. I know…it sounds a little strange. But if you don’t…you’re not really trying to lose weight. You’re waiting to try to lose weight.

Didn't meet my goal wt. for the month which was 236lbs but I did lose 7lbs at least the scale if moving in the right direction.
November 1 - 245lbs
November 30 - 238lbs

There is a significant amount of variability as to how much weight people lose following weight loss surgery. Research indicates that up to 20% of patients fail to lose the expected amount of weight following surgery. While there are surely surgical and medical explanations for this outcome, patient behavior has also been shown to play a role. Therefore, it is important for anyone having surgery to anticipate and understand factors under their control to improve outcome.


I often tell patients, “The surgery does what the surgery does.” What I mean by this is that weight loss surgery almost certainly will affect how much food you can eat, but may do little to change what you eat. Weight loss surgery does not make you suddenly crave healthier and less caloric food. You have to make those choices for yourself. Additionally, while losing weight may make it easier for you to adopt a more active lifestyle, surgery itself will not make you suddenly fall in love with exercise. So making health behavior changes in addition to having surgery remains critical. So what specific health behavior changes have been shown to improve outcome?
1. Document what you eat – Many people strongly dislike writing down what they eat but there is evidence that this helps people after weight loss surgery as it does with non-surgical approaches. The reason is likely that documenting what you eat gives you valuable information about your behavior and allows you to make changes when necessary. Consider that your actual weight is the end product of what you eat, so weighing yourself gives you the results, but not the information necessary to make changes. For many, weighing themselves is a pass-fail exam. Either I’m a good boy or a bad boy. Consider that you can’t actually change your weight…you change what you eat and/or exercise, and that is what helps change your weight.
Many people seem to have little or no objection to weighing themselves so why do so many people despise writing down what they eat? Writing down what you eat is the truth teller. It forces you to acknowledge what you are doing. To avoid seeing the truth, you can either change what you eat or stop writing it down. Unfortunately, many people choose the latter. The good news is that in the smartphone era, there are literally dozens of apps and other technological devices that can make documenting your food and activity level extremely easy. If you do a little research you can find one that is right for you.
2. Exercise – You probably saw this one coming as well because it makes sense. Regular exercise is a way of burning calories and losing weight that does not involve changing what you eat. Given how difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off, it would be silly not to take advantage of one of the few methods known to work. Ironically, it might not work the way you would expect. Many people who lose weight through exercise notice that it helps them not just by burning off calories, but also by affecting their food choices. In other words, when you discover how difficult it is to burn off 250 calories on a treadmill, you may think twice before having that chocolate bar afterwards. Not everyone finds this effect, but for those who do, it can make a big difference.
When deciding what form of exercise to do, consider that you don’t need to become an Olympiad or a marathon runner. Many of the positive effects of exercise have been documented with just walking 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. If rigorous exercise is enjoyable for you, that’s great. But any time spent engaged in activity is beneficial...especially if you would otherwise be sitting on the couch watching all of those tempting food advertisements on television!
3. Stress Reduction – An increasing amount of research has documented a relationship between stress and weight gain. The obvious connection is that many people use food as a means of comforting themselves from distress, commonly called “emotional eating.” An interesting new discovery is that is that some people who report high levels of stress gain weight even when their calorie intake is unchanged. How is that possible? There is the suggestion that stress hormones and other chemicals may affect how our body metabolizes food and stores food. So even if you’re eating the same foods and the same number of calories, what your body does with those calories can vary.
If you’re going to be successful in reducing stress, you need to begin by discovering what “pushes your buttons” and take steps to change. One first step could be to document the things that you find to be stressful. Sometimes just writing down your problems makes them less frightening now that they’re just words on a page. For other people, writing their sources of stress naturally leads them to write what they might do about them. Another good idea is to investigate some simple stress management techniques. Many refer to them as relaxation or meditation exercises. As discussed earlier, there are a number of excellent smartphone apps and other technology-based methods of relaxation that you can explore. No one is better than the rest so just find one that works for you and begin to incorporate relaxation/meditation into your daily routine. If reducing your stress requires more than practicing relaxation techniques, consider speaking to a psychologist or other mental health professional to get the help you need.
4. Get some sleep – Here’s another suggestion that you’ve probably seen in the media recently. There is growing consensus of an obesity-sleep connection. Like exercise, the benefits of sleep are more than meets the eye. The obvious connection is that if you’re up longer, you become hungrier and are likely to eat late at night. This interpretation is not wrong, however, new research suggests that people who get 7 or more hours of sleep tend to maintain lower weights even when people with fewer hours of sleep consume the same amount of calories. How is that possible? Again, it’s not just how many calories we eat…but what our bodies do with those calories. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people are so busy between their work and social lives (not to mention all those tempting television shows) that sleep is not a priority. Just know that making sleep the last priority comes at a cost.
Consider how we train children to sleep. We create a nighttime ritual to ease kids to bed. There’s dinner, wind down time, then bath time, maybe reading a story or two in bed, and then lights out. Many adults however have a terrible routine. Eat a big dinner at 9pm, catch up on emails and pay bills, watch television for an hour or so and then fall asleep on the couch and stumble into bed at 2AM only to have to wake up three or four hours later. Try to change your sleep habits by changing your nighttime ritual. Eat an earlier dinner. Try to pay bills and check your emails at another time. Use the evening as wind down time. Rather than fall asleep on the couch, watch a set amount of television or Internet time and then turn it off and “put yourself to bed.” Begin by trying to go into bed a half-hour early every night for a week and see how you feel. If you notice some improvements in your level of energy, mood, appetite or other factors, see if you can make it permanent.
5. Join a Support Group – Some research has demonstrated that patients who participate in support groups lose and maintain more weight than those who don’t. Of course it may depend on the content of the group and who attends, but adding a social element to your weight loss and weight maintenance goals seems to help. This may relate to the accountability factor discussed earlier. If “we’re all in it together,” there may be more of a commitment to stick to your goals to help out the group. Or perhaps it motivates you not to be the one group member who is falling behind. Either way, participating in support groups seems to have benefits both in terms of weight loss as well as emotional well being after surgery.
There are other suggestions of course, such as improving your diet by reducing carbohydrates in favor of lean Protein and a more plant-based diet. However, for many people, changing their diet can push all of those emotional “diet” buttons; so before you make those changes (or in addition to making those changes), strongly consider some of the changes recommended above. There is evidence that the benefits are additive. For example, many people find that when they exercise, they sleep better and in turn these changes help them manage stress better. The key is to acknowledge whether or not some of the factors above are problem areas for you and to begin making small changes. Sometimes small changes can lead to big results!

Hey are you still on here? I'm from essex!

I love your determination Just Watch Me. You are always such an inspiration to me on the boards. Try to be kind to yourself, it is Thanksgiving week. I hope I can lose 5-10 lbs before my next fill so I can be down in the two teens and be on my way to Onederland. No matter how slow I've been losing. I think with the 4:3 fasting days it'll help me get where I want to be ????

If you click on the bottom of the screen (there's a big + sign) it gives you the option to add exercise.

@Rebeccaabrooks86
Thanks so much for your help I found it.

@Kerry5570 my surgeon have me walking minimum a mile a day. He also has me in the gym minimum 4 days a week. Exercising definitely helps with weight loss and toning.

This sweet note lifted me up tonight. Thank you!

Almost in Onederland!!

Weird day Friday after Thanksgiving. It started great, and at 1pm I had my usual moderate lunch of hummus, celery and a Protein Bar and then nothing afterwards, because I moved my fasting day to Friday. At 8:30pm I had two sudden, unexplained, non productive waves of stomach nausea with convulsing and lots of saliva. Nothing in me except Decaf coffee with cream.
I feared I was getting a stomach bug, so I went to bed early and by morning I was fine. It was scary because I have not vomited since being banded eight months ago.
It could have been worse. I was afraid of a band slip, but it was fine today. I had a late breakfast and ate some turkey and potatoes without problems.
Weird, weird, weird!!!

I had a one pound gain this week. Grr! I have a fill appointment Tuesday and maybe a tiny fill is in order. I lost two pounds all month. More walking!! More protein!!! I love Onederland and I'm not going back!!

199.2 11/30/2014

246.7.....11 lbs.
Goal for the end of the year....238