F_it

Hi! Id suggest letting some air out, just enough so that its still firm and bouncy but has more give when you lie/sit on it. that should make it easier to balance on while you get the hang of it! As you learn to use your body to stabilize yourself better you can gradually pump more air in. Fitness/yoga balls are so awesome, and fun! I used to use one instead of a computer chair at home lol. Crunches feel so much better on them and there are soooo many more exercizes and stretches you can do with a ball that make you feel so aware and in control of your body. Happy birthday, what a wonderful gift! Have fun :-)

Thanks ladies! :-)

30 minutes:8-10 of the hottest songs on your playlist 3 ten minute bouts of energy that will make you feel proud for at least 24 hours One rerun of [enter fave show here that you can totally watch while working out] The time it would take you to eat [enter something you used to eat that led you to gaining the weight you want to get rid of]. One makes you feel heavy, ugly, ashamed, stressed. The other (workout) will make you feel strong, sexy, proud, relaxed. Make a choice. The time it took you to look at a few forum topics here. How about you get out of your head, stop letting the thoughts trip you up with excuses and PUT THOSE SNEAKERS ON. You can do it, so who's stopping you? Good luck

Im learning to shut that voice down too. Mine is a scared voice that always looks for pathetic excuses and thinks of worst failure scenarios. Heres to successful rewiring! :-)

I was looking for a forum section geared towards bandster workout habits, would appreciate being pointed to the right direction if it exists.. I used to love swimming most of all, sometimes with little arm weights and flippers for a more intense workout, when the gym pool was quiet.. Would do an hour or two but a lot of that was at a more relaxing pace just enjoying the flow of Water (im a Cancer, will spare you the corny metaphors of how water makes me feel zoned out etc lol). Last year I got a severe case of bells palsy that paralysed one side of my face including my eye and since then I have recovered but the eye that was affected has become more sensitive and not as effective in closing the eyelid so I havent been back to swimming since. Im also a little worried about the chlorine causing hairloss which is already a concern as I lose weight. So this year Ive started getting a little more serious about the elliptical workouts, my second fave form of exercize. I used to do about 20-25 minutes at low resistance a couple times a week when I wasnt finding excuses. These days Im doing at least 45 minutes, targeting fat burning heart rate zone, alternating intensity, 2-3 times a week. A killer playlist and a fierce attitude (new for me) goes a long way!

Hi! Im 32 and got my band in 2012, I subscribed to this post so I can look up all the mfp names once I install the app :-) good luck with your healthy lifestyle!

Really great advice and I agree we need to learn to push ourselves, and stop letting those negative thoughts distract us from what we want.. Lisacaron says just do it! (And Im really not a vulgar person but hear me out) I say get out of that place in your head that holds you down with all those excuses, doubts, fears, and say "F*** it!! Im doing this now!" P.S. If you are someone who rarely swears like me.. It really feels powerful to say it out loud and get the sneakers on! :-) Good luck!

I have looked at bmi charts as a general guideline, but at 5'7" ive set my ultimate goal to 175 as a realistic target. I am genuinely large boned (there are ways to measure your wrists and elbow joints to figure that out but I know some people dont agree that theres such a thing as a genuinely large boned person) and have always had a more muscular build that hides how heavy I really am by 30-40 pounds. Of course at my highest of 275 pounds my build and bone structure could only go so far in helping. So really I tend to think of my goal in terms of size and not weight. At 275 I was a 18-20 US, now at 230 Im a comfortable 16 and I'd like to be a fit 12. If I reach that at 175lbs great, if not I'll keep working on the weight until I fit the size 12 in a way Im happy with. Wish you all the best!

Hi Imckelvy, I had my band in 2012 and had a huge stall too, im 5'7 and started at 275 so I feel I can relate to your similar stats..( more on my profile if youre interested ) Its not easy going through the decision of having wls only to feel defeated by it, but the truth we have to acknowledge to move forward is that we are really only defeated by ourselves.. Youve got some wonderful and informative advice here and agree that you might want to consider a) making sure you arent pbing because you are doing something wrong (like drinking hot tea to try to unstick a stuck episode - i learnt the hard way what a disaster that creates), and b ) having a tiny .25 - .5 unfill to relieve any irritation while you reassess your eating habits. Id also only go for a taco minus the shell/tortilla, maybe try the filling on a couple salt crackers instead. I stay away from chicken and meat that isnt melt-in-your-mouth tender. I resist the huge urge to drink at meals, and only have a tiny sip of water if I really need it. Its a learning process you have to tread through carefully, write notes on what works and what doesnt until you get the hang of it. I know you posted this a while ago so I hope youve found progress since, but I just wanted to say that I felt for your frustrations and please dont give in to the visuals of failing, block out that fear, refuse it and give yourself the priority you deserve.

If you are chewing small bites thoroughly than technically you should be able to do chicken and even meat otherwise you MIGHT be too tight if even soft chicken or scrambled egg is causing problems..IMO the issue isnt whether a food can get through a band with proper restriction since all foods are chewable/mushable , its just how long you have to actually chew chew chew before its actually at a suitable consistency, and in some cases you decide/realize that a specific food (like in my case grilled chicken/meat) just isnt worth the jaw effort lol. Im sure other people will have different experiences and takes on it which is a good thing.

Hi healthydnp I imagine it took some courage to actually write that post if you were feeling defeated. That in itself is a step forward. I had a hard time motivating myself to workout when I was in a bad place in my head too, but if you consciously block the thoughts and start moving (for some bizarre reason Ive suddenly discovered that verbally telling my negative thoughts to shut up while i get on the elliptical machine actually works!), I think youll find that the exercize will help you reevaluate your diet.. Good luck!

Hi junebug36, I tend to have irregular cycles and Ive gotten into the habit of letting that tightness tell me when TOM is near.. extra water, cinnamon tea, fluid/mushy diet, and a light workout help. Good luck!

I aim for variation when it comes to protein intake. Plain low fat yoghurt is a favourite and works any time of day. When I want to jazz it up I turn it into a tzatziki with cucumbers/grilled veggies.. Or i go the other direction and make frozen yoghurt. I cant do grilled chicken/meat anymore unless i chop it up finally and turn it into a warm salad topped with a yoghurt based sauce. Chicken broth based soups are great and you can experiment so much with what to do with that broth.. I also like hummus type dips, and experiment with adding things to the beans base, like avacados, tuna, or chicken zapped with the hummus through a processor. Smoked salmon and avocado sprinkled with coarse salt and lime juice, with or without crackers is really satisfying. I still do chocolate protein shakes in the morning but not religiously, and I do take a shot of whey protein after workouts. Good luck experimenting!

Hi tiffanynco, Only you can decide what you need in order to reach a healthier lifestyle. If you feel the preop diet is the boost you needed, maybe you could consider getting a second opinion from another surgeon before making the decision. Good luck!

Congrats chellechi! You look lovely, good luck with your journey and dont let the pace of weightloss detract from celebrating your victories!