PhotoNut

Oh my ! The language! :lalala: Vines, you should start writing a book on your band journey with your hubby. The contrasting progress and your health issues would be of great interest to a LOT of people. That would give you something to do while youre propped up and cursing like a sailor. *grins*

I totally agree with Fabfatgirl. Everyone needs to remember something very important. Each of us is different. Our stomach sizes and body reactions will be different. Some of us have different bands. Some will be too tight at 1cc while others might need 2.5. In my opinion, it is best to sneak up on that sweet spot. Being filled too tight can cause real problems.. from not being able to drink to slippage, or even errosion. Do not base your fill request on someone else's. Talk to your doctor about how much you can eat, how often you get hungry, etc and then based on your band size, you doctor will determine how much fill you need. Don't be in too big of a hurry, you'll regret it. Also, it sometimes takes a few weeks for a fill to really 'settle in'. Well, that's the best way I can think of to describe it. I had my first fill three weeks ago. The first week after that I was starving. I could eat so much more than I could prior to the fill! Within 2 hours, I ate two meals totalling 1 1/2 chicken breast, 1 cup of applesauce, and 1/2 C of green beans! But now, at three weeks out I am really starting to settle into things and I can't eat a 1 cup of food at one sitting. There is also the issue of band size. The Inamed recommendation for first fill in a VG band is 4cc. Those of us who have the 10cm bands can only hold 4cc. Big difference. Check out the comparisons of the bands and how fills affect the restriction in each band on this thread: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15216

Welcome back! There's a whole lot of baby bandsters around now. The ones that were newbies when you were last here are moving along now. And YOU! Wow, so close to goal! You could get there by July for sure. I'll be cheering for you!

What's everyone doing today? *covers Randy's mouth* You don't need to answer this one. Let's get together at the same time and exercise or do a chore around the house or something constructive. I need the daily motivation!

Wow! I'm so thrilled for those who have checked in so far! Even those of you who gained a bit are remaining positive, you understand what's going on and are keeping yourselves on track. I'm very proud of everyone. Part of the key to success is having this group to share our victories and our struggles. So if you're slipping, get your butt on here and tell us so we can encourage you. Sometimes all it takes is to come out in the open with it to start turning things around. Don't hide alone in your frustration, ok? Paula spent three weeks feeling like crap about her binges, and when she came to LBT and told everyone what was going on, she was encircled by friends who have helped her get past it. That's what we are ready to do for anyone here. I hope that spoke to someone in the group. Not sure why, but I had a feeling that needed to be said. So far, Mychevygirl is the big loser this week. Weighing in at -9 pounds! Everyone keep her in your thoughts and prayers. While jumping through the hoops to get her surgery, she is also going through a very hard time with her father who is in the hospital. DeAnn, great job on your loss this week girl! Gloria37 - very happy to hear your news, that's no small thing! Txblue_eyedqt - You keep going like youre going and you WILL be cheering in that short skirt before you know it! NaturalBeauty - Are you doing ok? Do you need an unfill? Heather - Isn't it funny how what goes around comes around? *grins* Skbishop - Girl.. you knock em dead at that reunion and we're going to want pictures!! Mystjin - Youre doing great and getting closer to bandland everyday! To update your ticker, just go back to tickerfactory.com and if it remembers you, all you have to do is update your current weight, click finished (or next) and then recopy the bbCode. If it doesn't remember you, you'll have to make it all over again with your current info. The best me and Kim8 - Yay both of you for working out! It will pay off! Good luck with that fill today Kimmers. And Kathy, it has to be muscle! So many of you are on the verge of breaking 100 pound loss, and many of you are so close to Onederland you can taste it. I'm so happy for everyone! My weigh in this week: C 260 (-47 pounds total, -5 this week) Yeah baby! :rockon:

LOL! Randy.. slow and steady wins the um.. no, that's not the phrase I'm looking for. Ah! Practice makes perfect! Keep on Rockin' :rockon:

Up until about a year ago, I was a software tester. But now, my wonderul husband supports me while I am persue my life long dream of having a career as photographer. When I'm famous you all can say you knew me when. :photo:

No words of wisdom, Kabeera, but I will say that your's is the second story I've heard tonight about God paying the bill! God is so good! I'm so excited for you! In the last post I saw from you, you were just going to start checking into things, and now look! You're all set up and on your way! I'm very happy for you.. very happy indeed!

Welcome to LBT, Shackdog! Glad you found us. Spend some time browsing through all the different forums. There is so much great information here that you'll have a hard time pulling yourself away to get any sleep!

Woohoo! We just got home from the support group. We met Veritas, ran into a long time friend I hadn't seen in several years who is getting the band, and made a couple of more friends who will be joining us here at LBT. *waves hello to Denise, Richard and Linda* Loved Veritas.. my kind a people. Smart and quick witted! Idaho be represented yet!

Leener and Mini - Now comes the first retraining.. sip slowly, stop when you feel full. You won't stretch your pouch with liquids, they pass through pretty quickly, which is why you don't drink with meals (when you get to that point). Skim milk has 9 grams of Protein. Mix up a shake with 1 cup of that and you'll get plenty to eat.. might take you a few meals to get it all in though. The only thing you really need to be careful of right now is getting not sick and not lifting much. So sip slowly, pay attention to your tummy and you'll know when you've had enough. Stick closely to your Dr's orders about food, and if you are unclear on any of it, call the office and ask.

Kristin youre doing great. I didn't get out and walk until week three! I was told by my surgeon that we can exercise right away.. just avoid stomach straining for the first six weeks. I watched that web cast of the lap band surgery and the surgeons on there said the same thing as my doc did. If you haven't seen the video, check it out. It takes about an hour and isn't too gross. No surface cutting or anything, but you get to see the band and port placements. (Tricia loved it.) Plus there are a lot of questions asked and answered during the video. It was a live webcast, but what you'll see is the recorded version of it. Here's the link: http://www.brighamandwomens.org/surgerywebcast/default.asp

*holds up the spy-type magnifying glass to Jack's profile* Nope, no mention of a vacation. When last seen Jack was giving wonderful advice to people with no mention of plans to be away. <TABLE class=tborder id=post181774 style="MARGIN: 6px 0px" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=thead style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Forum: Lap-Band Fills 03-06-2006, 03:44 PM </TD></TR><TR><TD class=alt1>Replies: 3 Oh Boy Now What Will I Do? Views: 131 Posted By Jack re: "How am I going to NOT GAIN!! If you... re: "How am I going to NOT GAIN!! If you pay close attention to your satiety level, and follow Bandster Rules, it is likely this will not be as big a deal as you are concerned... </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Sounds like a wonderful girl's time, Vines. Sorry to hear about the leg. Does that come and go? And.. Girls with curls? What do they say about them? Red Lobster *drools* Of course the things I like there would kill me to eat now. I won't go into details *cough*bread*cough* but dang I used to like that place! *cough*shrimp fettucini*cough* Enjoy and make good choices, Mary!

Yeah.. but, but, but... How in the world will I eat enough if I'm tighter? I seriously feel like I eat a lot and rarely get over 800 calories in per day. Got any suggestions?

Awww come on over to the other thread Papillon. Its the same one that Heather started, and it's not just for March. It's an ongoing club for encouragement and butt kicking. hehe Seriously, please check it out. We just started a new thread because Heather needed me to keep up everyone's weigh-ins, which means I had to initiate the thread in order to edit it each week. *grabs you hand and pulls you along* Come on you.. you'll really like the group!

I took my pills right away with no problem. I take Effexor which is in a capsule, so it disolves. I also take synthroid which is tiny. I guess it would depend on the size (yes, it does matter) and how well you are able to swallow Water now. And you're welcome for the song. *grins*

I think you're right Kimmers. Sounds like you need that extra restriction. Everyone who's getting a fill .. let us know how it goes ok? I have a scheduled follow up with my doc next Tuesday and I just know he's going to say I need another adjustment. But I don't want one. Isn't it ok to be hungry every 3 hours if you're not even getting in 1,000 a day?? *sighs* I do NOT want to be overfilled darnit.

Did y'all know you have to pay for those now?? Insane. How much can 6 peanuts cost?! Sorry.. didn't mean to get offtrack. *grins*

Pugmum - No worries! It's so easy to misread text. Thank you for the apology. *hugs*

Do you have tow coverage on your car? Call your insurance company and tell them your car quit running (you dont have to tell them it quit when you turned it off) and you want it towed to your house. Easy peasy. *grins* Hey, I'd do it!

Conquer Even Your Nastiest Cravings! by Bridget Kelly eDiets Senior Writer Do you eat healthful, balanced meals all day long until 4 p.m. or so, when a sudden and irrepressible craving for rich, dark chocolate or salty, crunchy chips strikes? Does your mind consistently wander to that pint of coffee-chip ice cream, tucked away behind the frozen broccoli, an hour or so before bed? Lately, a popular theory attests that craving a particular food means you must be deficient in one of its ingredients. For example, you might believe that hamburger hankering is due to your need for the Iron in red meat. But what's really behind those seemingly uncontrollable cravings, and how can you get a handle on them before they wreck your diet plan? While some cravings may indeed relate to a need for certain nutrients (as you'll see below), employing this reasoning as a blanket justification for nibbling on foods that are packed with fat and calories will only result in one thing -- weight gain. Many doctors and nutritionists dispute the claim, citing a lack of good evidence, and raise a solid point: If you're truly deficient in iron, say, why not crave other iron-rich foods, such as spinach or black Beans? When it comes to food cravings, researchers believe there are other biochemical and psychological processes at work. And they agree that understanding the cause behind a certain yen is the key to prevention. So follow these basic strategies for staving off any kind of craving, then identify your specific food lust and learn how to stop it in its tracks! Dodge the desire: Be a grazer. Nutritionists suggest that eating several small meals throughout the day (or three meals and a few light, low-fat snacks) can help to prevent cravings later in the day. Choose high-Fiber, low-fat foods to keep hunger at bay longer. Go cold turkey. Some research has shown that completely giving up a particular food can result in losing a taste for it. According to Elizabeth Somer, M.S., R.D., author of Food and Mood (Owl Books), the longer you go without eating a particular food, the less you'll crave it. Get distracted. When you feel a craving coming on, do something that will get your mind off of it. Go for a walk or make a phone call. After 10 minutes, you may notice that the craving has passed. Fast fixes for the top four cravings Although we all have our favorite must-have foods -- ranging from pickles to pastries -- there are some common threads when it comes to the provisions we pine for. Here, identify the type of food you desire, then read on to conquer that craving. The craving: sweets If visions of Cookies and ice cream dance in your head, what you may be craving more than the sugar in these foods is the fat that provides their texture, taste and aroma, according to Somer. Several studies have shown that fat and sugar may release endorphins into the brain (neurotransmitters that can produce a feeling of pleasure or euphoria). This hypothesis may explain why people crave that sweet, creamy taste -- it produces a pleasurable feeling. The solution: Guess what? Good old-fashioned exercise also appears to boost levels of endorphins (they're the same substances credited with the so-called "runners high"). So next time you feel like biting into a chocolate-covered ice cream bar, lace up those walking shoes or hop on your bike instead. You'll get the same pleasing feeling and the benefits of doing something good for your body. If you're on the job or unable to get immediate fitness gratification, you can still get the creamy taste and texture you yearn for from low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit. The craving: salt According to Somer, many women experience salt cravings related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) since fluctuating levels of estrogen can interfere with the normal salt concentration in the body. Unfortunately, cravings for salt often result in the consumption of foods that are not only high in sodium -- dangerous for anyone with hypertension -- but also heavy in fat (think chips, French fries, pizza). Some studies have shown that people who are deficient in Calcium crave salt more frequently than those who are not. And Somer suggests the desire for salty foods, such as chips or pretzels, may have more to do with the wish to crunch than the actual salt. The solution: Try upping your calcium intake (which will also benefit your bones) with low-fat dairy foods or leafy greens. And reach for crisp, fresh, munch-able foods, like baby carrots or bell pepper wedges -- they make great stand-ins for that pretzel or chip crunch. If you can't forgo the salt, eat just one serving of low-fat, whole-grain pretzels. The craving: carbs Cravings for simple carbohydrates are most frequently associated with times of stress. The explanation behind this relationship? Carbohydrates found in such foods as crackers, breads, unsalted pretzels, and animal crackers have been shown to help boost levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, shown to produce a feeling of calm and well-being. The solution: Anything that relieves stress can help to inhibit these cravings. Try deep breathing techniques, yoga or simple exercise instead of resorting to the refrigerator. When you feel the need to feed, go for Snacks of complex carbohydrates, such as yogurt or vegetables, which can help fend off cravings for simple carbs. The craving: chocolate They don't call them chocoholics for nothing. While it could fit into the "sweet and creamy" category by most definitions, chocolate's complexity and the fact that it is the most commonly craved food among Americans, according to Somer, earns it a class unto itself. Chocolate is the most difficult of foods to explain. According to researchers at the University of Arizona who last year conducted a review of the current research on chocolate cravings, the sensational combination of the fat, sugar, texture, aroma and several ingredients with addictive properties similar to those in psychoactive drugs, are most likely responsible for chocolate cravings. The researchers also suggest that these cravings can be a result of a magnesium deficiency. The solution: Uncompromising chocolate addicts may balk, but keeping other magnesium-rich foods, such as raw soybeans (a.k.a. edamame), on hand can be a quick fix. In cases where the longing is not due to magnesium deficiency, there's not much else that will fulfill cravings for chocolate, Somer says. She suggests sipping a cup of warm, low-fat cocoa, or plunging fresh fruit, like whole strawberries, banana slices and melon wedges, into fat-free chocolate syrup -- both of these approaches will add up to a lot less fat and calories than your average chocolate bar. The way you respond to food cravings just might make or break your success at weight loss and maintenance. Veering off from your eating plan occasionally will not be earth-shattering, but if you make a habit of giving in to your eating impulses, your moments of weakness will certainly catch up with you. The good news is, if you remember these tips you just might be able to conquer those pesky cravings. It will pass. Believe it or not, you can simply wait out a craving. Sometimes we may even mistake a craving for actual hunger. Playing the waiting game will help you distinguish between the two. If you still want something 20 minutes later, chances are you really are hungry. If you allow yourself a little time to take a pause before giving in, you may find the craving will disappear altogether. Get your mind on something else: take a walk, write in your journal, play a game. You may be pleasantly surprised to find time has passed and the craving has subsided. Drink up. A glass of Water, that is. While some suggest this is another method of "stalling" like the wait-it-out method above, you may find that drinking water satisfies your craving in and of itself. Sometimes we can mistake dehydration for hunger or cravings. Your body is telling you that you need something, and you assume it's food... take a chance and sip some H20, it may be just what you need. Give in... just a little. The bad thing about cravings is that when we give into them, we are giving in to an impulse. When you act impulsively you have lost some control. Which means you probably lose control of how much you eat, too. Take a moment to think about what you are doing. Try putting some scale. Never allow yourself to sit down with an entire carton of ice cream or a whole bag of chips. Take out a serving and put the rest away. Better still, purchase small portions to begin with. You will probably find that the first few bites actually squelch the craving anyway. Then, if the food is not already in your hands, you probably won't go back for more. Keep it real. You're a smart cookie. If you really want a chocolate chip cookie, that reduced fat fig bar is just not going to do the trick. Don't try to fool yourself. That's right, go for the "bad" choice. Remember "all things in moderation." Allow yourself to indulge in what you really want (just watch your portion size!) and you will not feel deprived. If you do not grant yourself this allowance, you are more likely to eat that fig bar and the chocolate chip cookie, because the former didn't really satisfy your craving.

Jenna! LOL!!:pound:

I will walk a minimum of 1/2 mile every day. (I did! Thank you to all my LBT buddies that kicked my butt today.) I will drink 64 oz. of Water every day. (So far so good.) I will write down every bite I put in my mouth - quantity, calories, Protein. (Yup, keeping up on this.) I will take on one achievable project in my house per day. (Nothing yet, but walking gave me energy. I think I'll go do the dusting. - Well I faffed around too long. I have to eat now and then go get cleaned up for tonights support meeting. Dusting tomorrow!) I will NOT sit on my arse all day doing nothing but fighting head hunger out of pure boredom! (Bored all morning, but not much hunger today. I think I've been too lethargic to care about eating! LOL)

Wow.. this thread gave me chills! What a fantastic idea! Too often we get hung up on the negative and forget the positives. Thanks Robin! And congratulations to everyone in the 100+ Club! Heather - you'll be on there very soon girlfriend! I just looked through the GFG Club members list and there are 6 people on there who are 15 pounds or less from hitting the 100 mark. Your list will soon be growing Robin!