Jachut

Forgotten when I last posted... Sunday DH and I walked 15kms. So last night, had an easy recovery jog - ran 10.5kms in - wait for it - the scintillating speed of an hour and a half, lol (I can run a sub 60 min 10k). Gosh it was nice though, didnt get out of breath the entire way. Knees really shot this mornign though after a 12kms walk, a 15kms walk and a 10kms run, so I did my circuit today sans any tough lower body work - seriously, i dont really NEED to do basic leg exercises like squats, my quads and hammies get more than enough work. I didnt run on the treadmill either, just put the incline up to 9 and walked at 4 mph in the intervals. Did pushups, arm and back work, lots of work on the glutes (even some side skipping up the treadmill incline) and plenty of core work). Not sure tomorrow, might have a rest for the next 2 days I think.

Without getting into the whole debate about free weights vs machines, I think you're WAY better off doing your ab work without a machine. A gym ball is the best equipment, because it requires you to stabilise yourself on the ball as well as perform your ab work - which means you strengthen your entire core - visible abs, lower back, internal smaller muscles and obliques. There's so many things you can do on a ball from crunches to planks (resting on your elbow). Planks on the ground (where you get into a push up position, down onto your elbows, lower your butt so your entire body is straight and HOLD for 20), side planks, both of which you can do resting on your knees first for an easier version..... the list is endless. Try googling for ideas and you tube usually has great visual demos of common exercises. Even basic crunches lying ont he ground with your knees bent is going to be more effective than a machine you're not comfortable using.

It built up more gradually for me. I realised how tired I always was and how unhealthy I was feeling and with 40 fast approaching, I realised I was going to be one of those fat, frumpy out of shape middle aged women and my youth would be gone forever. The "Oh My God" moment was realising just how futile and stupid dieting is and that weight loss surgery WOULD be my answer. That I COULD do it, there was nothing to stop me and all I had to do was be brave enough. Since I have been banded, the changes I have had to make have been fairly moderate. It has REALLY shocked me just how much those little habits add up, you dont necessarily get to be fat by being a complete pig and eating three Big Mac's in a sitting. Just that extra couple of things a day adds up over the years.

I think everyone probably thinks this and should have a darn good go at it. You have to be happy that you gave it your best. But most people here have decided to have WLS or have already done so..... Well, I gave it my ALL many times before surgery and once more for good luck before I finally decided to get a band. I gained about 2kg on that attempt. However, statistics do say that about 99% of people will not lose the weight - or more specifically will not keep it off - someone has to be in that 1%. And until you are completely happy that there isnt a valid alternative, WLS is best postponed.

I cant stand her. I dont think her actions are motivated one iota by wanting to help others, its entirely narcissistic look at ME, listen to MY opinions, worship ME stuff. She's a pain in the arse.

Maybe I'm kidding myself, but I dont think so. I just dont really have "issues". Oh, I tend to eat inappropriately, boredom being a main factor and I love those sweet carbs. But what person DOESNT have some bad eating habits? I truly believe I was fat because I simply cannot eat as much as the next person without gaining weight. I *only* moderately obese at a BMI of 35 as I simply never did the sort of eating that would take me further. I ate basically healthy foods, with too many extras, simply because it was an enjoyable thing to do when I went out, when I went to the shops, when I was with friends. What I ate made me fat, but it didnt make many of my friends fat. The higher alcohol intake you tend to have when you're young and and at uni and first working made me fat, it didnt make others fat. I gained appropriate weight in pregnancy and lost it so i cant blame that, but after the babies were born and I spent long hours at home, I ate more Snacks and did less exercise, so I gained a bit. I also believe that breastfeeding (which I did for six years in total) caused me to gain a fair bit, it never worked as a weight loss tool for me. That's all there is to it, I simply needed to eat less. I really havent had to change a long with the band, I just eat less than I did but basically in the same way. I had no trouble adjusting to that. I have managed to break a few bad habits and increase my exercise. I'm very lucky really. There simply has been nothing to really deal with. I have a childhood, adolescence and early adulthood as being "heavy" but not obese, and I tended to diet a lot to try to get skinnier, and I think that was detrimental as well but I dont really have self esteem issues, bad memories of my youth, traumatic experiences related to my weight other than just not feeling attractive.

Um, probably becuase she LIKES it? Why do you assume there would be any other reason? I really like club soda and ice as a drink. I vastly prefer it over still Water. Its also great half half with white wine to reduce your calorie and alcohol intake. I can handle carbonation fine though and my doctor doesnt believe it needs to be avoided.

You have to start with what you can do, depending on how strong and fit you are, but what I eventually built up to over about a year is running five times a week. In an average week, I might go for two longer runs (10kms each) do a shorter interval run (one with bursts of sprinting or some hill training), 2 hour long circuit sessions (weights with treadmill) and maybe a couple of walks with my husband (that tend to be 6kms or so). I'm pretty active. You dont necessarily need to do that much but it got me well past my goal and keeps me there.

We can always rely on Jack for the tough love/tell it like it is without EVER being offensive or confrontational. He's really said all there is to say and I'm glad you've taken it on board. The very fact that you have means that in the long run you wont be an excuse maker, but will succeed. There's an awful lot of people who would turn that into a full on fight and refuse to see what needs to be seen, but you havent. You have to think outside the square, find ways to avoid the problems and stay on track. I mean, if you're so stressed at work that you cant eat much solid food, there is no reason not to take healthy vegetable Soup, Protein shakes etc. None at all. And if you cant walk outside in the cold and the dark then you need to take your exercise indoors. DVD's, buy some dumbells, barbells and google circuit training, get a treadmill or elliptical if you have the roomn or finances, join a gym near work if that would suit better, there really is ALWAYS a way that you can come up with something. You just have to want to do that, and be in the frame of mind to do that, more than you want to make reasons not to.

I'll sing the praises of exercise too. I was lucky, I lost fast and well from the word go with my band, but bear in mind a LOT of people need to find good restriction before they really lose. My DH was banded back in June and is really only now starting to lose weight regularly with his band. What's changed? Good restriction with a fill that I had to push him to go and have, which has finally meant that although he eats very healthily he is eating little enough to lose and he has finally realised that he has to exercise or he is not going to lose.

Dont get too excited, lol, it wasnt a weight loss story, it was about the clothing exchange service. No mention of WLS at all.

Mine's a Nordic Track C2050 - you're sounds exactly the same as mine RedTulip.

I find it creeps back in periodically for me too, and a fill is not always the answer. I always manage to get on top of it again, before weight gain gets out of control and exercise helps a LOT to avoid putting on weight when you eat a bit more than normal. This is what maintenance is for me. Keeping on top of my bad habits, not anything as negative as a constant struggle but to think that I'm cured and never have to think about my diet or exercise is complete fantasy. In reality I have to work on it every single day and will have to do so for the rest of my life. If I let myself just go, I will eat when I'm not hungry, I will choose poor foods much more often etc. I will never be "fixed" but with my band I can manage my situation. Recommitting is necessary periodically, definitely.

Christmas day we did an 6km walk, nothing boxing day and then today DH and I walked 12kms. I need him to go back to work so I can stop walking and get back to running.

That's the clinic I attend, but even so a lot of information I've found for myself, not been told. And I had 3 weeks liquids, 2 mushies, then solids!

I can see it around the hips. Take heart too that the first weight loss, whilst its very exciting, really doesnt change you as much as your last 20lb will. Sad but true. I can lose 5lb now and I'd be down an entire dress size, it took me 35lb at first! Also, your body just doesnt change the way you imagine it will and the way before after articles lead you to believe it will. I've gotten to goal and I'm still basically the same shape as I was fat. I have fat in the same areas, its just smaller and smoother all over. But definitely the same body.

Kossde, I love your attitude. That's exactly what I was like, I"d go bull at a gate at something and burn out. I really really held myself back when I started running and took it SLOWLY. It took me a year to run a 10K, when technically you could start as a newbie and train for that in 3 months. I have NEVER had a serious running injury, anything that's stopped me exercising. And now I am rewarded for patience by being ble to go out and burn 7 or 800 calories in a session without having to drive anywhere, meet any timetable, get wet, spend money etc. Its fantastic.

Oh yes - definitely. I dont have weather issues to deal with. In fact heat is more of a problem than cold in Melbourne. I use the treadmill more in summer than I do in winter.

My DH did not stick to the pre op diet. He was honest about it, but the surgeon said he'd go in and take a look and that in his experience, less than 1% of people had livers so large as to prevent surgery. Its better to shrink it of course, but if you dont, the likelihood of not being able to have surgery is not high - UNLESS your surgeon cancels it just on principle. DH got his band, no problem, his liver was fine anyway.

It does get better - I never even think about buying that sort of food anymore. But it was hard at first.

Well, the band takes care of the eating issues for me, but I've never really found Christmas a tough time, maybe I'm sad, lol, but we just dont go to that many functions. Its basically one or two gatherings and Christmas day for us. So given that I cant overeat with a band, there's no real issue. Nonetheless I've planned my exercise out very carefully. I've had a real blitz during December, i've been working really HARD with high intensity stuff six days a week. So when we head down to a friend's beach house after Christmas for a week and I dont have my weights and treadmill and stuff, i can head out for a nice gentle jog along the beach every morning and have a relaxing recovery week. I am so glad I'm a self motivated exerciser not reliant on the gym. It is just so easy to go out the front door and have a run that I can keep my exercise routine on tradck very easily. Exercising that way means the time issues etc dont get to you so much.

I get real comfort in the idea that not only have I greatly increased my odds of living until a ripe old age, but those will be QUALITY years.

I like it but always felt that I needed a cardio session afterwards. So I do something similar myself at home, with sprints on the treadmill between muscle groups. It *is* basically light weight, high rep strength training so you will need to also do some cardio. But if you hate strength training like I do, lol, the music, the group atmosphere and circuit style format of it makes it fun. I cant stand standing round resting between sets etc in the gym. My advice would be once you've done a few and gotten used to it, use the most weight you possibly can and still make it through.

I think 12lb is great too. I started exercising the day after my surgery - just walking, but I never missed a day. I did about half an hour - 3kms or so of brisk but not really strenuous walking. By about 3 weeks i was back to normal and was able to powerwalk and by 3 months I started running.

I can see both points of view here. Firstly, I thought ick, why? Because I agree with Jodie, that's not what the band is for. But then, if you're that tight (which is really too tight) and you'd rather do Medifast for a period of a few weeks and lose a bit and loosen up, rather than have an unfill, why on earth not? Why muck around with your band filling and unfilling. At least you will have some reasonable nourishment and a bit of fast weight loss. Believe me, I've thought of going REALLY tight and doing this just to get that last 10lb off but I suspect that when I finished, unfilled and began to eat again, I'd regain EVEN with a band. Because the trouble with Medifast and Optifast is that it's not healthy weight loss. Those super low carb diets cause a LOT of Water weight loss as your body depletes itself of glycogen and you DO lose muscle as well on them. When you eat again and rehydrate you're quite likely to see rebound weight gain on the scale. Its arguable that you'd lose just as much fat by doing a more moderate diet of solid food, but avoiding the huge water loss factor. Heck, this is even why people fail to lose in the first few weeks after surgery - they come off this diet. The fact that they're on a liquid post op diet is enough to prevent great regain, but for many people they think why arent I losing? Reason being, you've already depleted your body entirely by the pre op diet and once you start putting carbs back in - as you do with the varied liquids you can have post op, bang, weight loss stops or goes in the opposite direction. Fat loss is probably continuing but the fake readings the scale was giving you are evening out. And I think this ooh good I'm tight I'll starve myself and loose tons of weight attitude is best left in our old pre band lives. This is a lifestyle, for keeps now. But really, nothing is going to hurt you for a short period of time. And Im not bashing because I can understand exactly why you would think of it. I did to, what I've just said is more the reasons why I talked myself out of it, not that I dont think you should do it.