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Carlene! Thanks for the recipes, they look wonderful. I'm going to try the chili in my pressure cooker. I can't wait 4 hours!

Okay, I haven't had kids yet. I know the docs recommend waiting until after kids, but why can't I just get another tummy tuck later, too? Also, I want to get the tummy tuck in February, but I have this bike trip in Spain planned for September (about 7 months after surgery). Is this going to be a problem? NewSho, you mentioned continued swelling after surgery. Will all the biking be a problem? I bike at least 100 miles a week, does that cause problems with a TT? How soon after were you able to really start exercising?

I'm a size 14 or 16 (depending on the brand) but I want to eventually get down to a 10 or 12. I'd be okay with where I am now if I had a tummy tuck, I think. I started off at a size 28.

Carlene, any chance you could upload your soup recipes as an attachment to a post in this thread so anyone can get them?

Leatha, it only hurts because your muscles are sore after. I HAVE to get myself there because I have the trainer there that I'm paying. When money's in the balance, I suddenly have a lot more motivation. One thing that worries me a tad, though, is whether the vibrating platform is somehow moving my band. I need to run this through my band doc.

This has been an interesting thread! But despite being a republican, and having voted for Bush, I'd still like to see a Democrat congress. For one, I thing things work out better when there's a bi-partisan congress/presidency.

Yes, I got a personal trainer a few weeks ago and we work a lot on this new machine called the PowerPlate. It's a vibrating platform and ALL your muscles respond to the vibration, allowing you to work out in a lot less time with the same (sore) results! He still works me an hour, 3 times a week. He KILLS me! But I'm so excited about the results. I always thought cardio was the way to go, but I've come to find that the added muscle has given a boost to my metabolism that I never thought would return. So here's CHEERS to weight training.

I'm also single and VANITY was #1 for me in my decision. I never, ever dated before. It's embarassing to tell this, but I had never been on a real date until last year. A few months ago I really started dating - REALLY started dating. I mean, like sometimes more than one date a day. And NOW I'm dating the most incredibly good looking, funny, smart, active, religious, gentlemanly man I've ever met. It's shocking the heck out of my family - LOL. Oh yeah, vanity was #1 for me. But as a side-note, I really am getting into sports in a big way. I'm running a marathon in June, and bike EVERYWHERE I go. I got back from Guatemala last week where we hiked up a volcano to 14,000 feet, slept at the top and hiked back down the next day, kayaked all day, biked all day, and did so many other things that I would never have dreamed of doing when I was over 300 pounds. This band has changed my life.

Telly Your doctor said to wait until 6 months before you lost all the weight? I'm about 6 months away from being "ideally" where I want to be. Right now I'm a solid size 16, but if I got rid of a lot of my stomach I'd be a 12 or 14. I really don't want to be smaller than a size 10-12. I like being curvy. I want butt filler, a tummy tuck, and some lipo around my waist. Is this something you'd suggest doing right now? Who did you do your consultation with? I haven't had kids yet, but I plan to. I just don't want my future husband to be disgusted by my "flap".

Thanks you guys. I know we can ALL hit our goals. We just can't give up. There is SO MUCH we have to gain by hitting our goals. The man I'm dating doesn't like skinny women. He doesn't like them obese, he likes 'em curvy. This is my only fear in hitting my final goal. But I'm not NOT going to lose because of that reason. This is for me.

I officially hit the 100's when I weighed today! 198! It's all very exciting. My life has changed SO dramatically from losing so much weight. I couldn't get a date to save my life before. Now I'm dating the hottest man alive! Not only is he incredibly sexy, but he's the last true gentleman, he's religious, he's funny, he cooks, he kisses like an angel, and he's ripped like you wouldn't believe. Can you tell I'm twitterpated? And all I can say is that none of this would have happened were it not for this band. It has saved my life, both literally and figuratively.

I had mine done here in the States and put $13,000 on a loan from the bank. THEN I immediately got a credit card that had 0% for 6 months and 2.99% for the life of the transfer after that and asked them to "up" the credit to $13,000 because I was transfering a loan over. I'm sure it dinged my credit a little more than if I'd just gotten the credit card, but I didn't care. This was the lowest rate I could find. By the way, the 2.99% life of balance card is an American Express Blue Card, in case you're interested.

Whoa Telly! That's hot. Your new bellybutton looks exceptionally good. I've seen many ladies who have had tummy tucks but their bellybuttons look scary. Your doc did an excellent job. I got laser hair removal done on my abs/chest/around nipples/chin and neck the other day. I didn't have a ton of hair, but I still wanted it gone! But you know, despite having to bear it all in front of the doctor, the thing I was MOST embarassed about bearing was my nasty sagging stomach. So your pics have inspired me. When I hit 170 pounds, which isn't too terribly far from now, hopefully, I'm goin to Mexico!

Vines, I totally forgot about this, thanks for reminding me. I'll ask Tuesday before class. Incidentally, I did talk with a PA about this subject. He tends to think the low calorie has to be quite low for a long time for the body to truly start favoring burning muscle for fuel. He did say that sometimes if you lower your calories drastically for a week or so, however, your body will hold onto water. But I'll ask the docs in my program.

Kirsten, Even though there are some on this board that haven't PB'd. It's HIGHLY likely that you will. Do everything you can to avoid it because it's not so good for your band, but in all probability, it will probably happen at some point anyway. Just to set your mind at ease about it, though - it's really not that bad. Some people make it out to be this terrible event, but honestly, it takes up about 2 minutes of your life, most of the time, and I don't think it's painful, just a little uncomfortable pressure.

I didn't PB for about 3 months after I was banded. Of course, I had nearly no restriction for about 3 months. Now I PB around once a week. I'm curious as to what other people constitute a PB as. I count it as spitting up slime (for me it's sort of like "coughing" up slime).

I really think if you WANT to lose the weight, you'll find the time to throw in exercise at every possible moment. For me, usually this means following the path of most resistance - taking the stairs, walking across campus instead of driving, every 3 hours take a 15 minute break where I power-walk at work, ride my bike to work (it's only 8 bike miles to work), sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair, etc. In addition, I'll do an hour of exercise a day. But recently I've picked up a sweet tooth habit. This has slowed my weight loss to about a pound a week. The sweets make SUCH a difference!

Thanks, Chrispy, for your kind words. You're going to do great!

I have to agree. While I don't believe I have overall self-hate, or ever have, I have always hated how I looked. People tell me I'm pretty, but I always think they're trying to be nice. Even now, I'm a size 16 miss or a 14W, I still feel like the biggest person in the room and no guy would be attracted to that. There has to be a phase shift somewhere.

Oh, THIS is my number one problem. I think "If he's attracted to me (a big girl), there must be something wrong with him and I don't want him." I kept on WAITING and WAITING to date, because I wanted someone good looking and I felt like I needed to be skinny to be good looking. I'm slowly getting over this, but it's still a problem for me. I seriously need counseling over the whole dating issue.

S1M1, I think most of us have been in the same situation, with the fear of losing our friend, food. Personally, I didn't think I had a food addiction until after I was banded. Then I KNEW I had a food addiction. Having a food addiction while dieting is like telling an alcoholic they can only have a drink in moderation. That's what we're up against. But the band makes this process SO much easier. So many new bandsters get the idea that the band will do all the work. You HAVE TO WORK! I still have to watch what I eat on a daily basis. The band just makes that whole process so much simpler. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I typically eat until I'm FULL. That's usually a full Lean Cuisine meal. I'm not just satisifed, I'm full. I'm not stuffed, though. I may have a stretched pouch, who the heck knows. I guess I just won't stress about it unless I stop losing weight.

How do you know if your pouch has stretched a little (besides flouroscopy)?

That's TERRIBLE!

Laura Have hope dear! PCOS is INCREDIBLY common among obese women (probably more so than actually know they have it). PCOS and metabolic syndrome go hand in hand. The good news is that you have a band and as you lose weight that metabolic syndrome could very well disappear along with your PCOS. And like Shawn said, there are certain medications that doctors can give you to help you get pregnant and alleviate some of the symptoms of PCOS. I have PCOS. It makes me grow hair in places girls shouldn't grow hair. I don't have periods, ever. I've lost 100 pounds and my periods still haven't come back. But I haven't really pursued it a the doctor's office. There are many things that can be done to help.