littlefroggy

I registered for the Race for the Cure 5k... very excited but now also nervous. I have been loosely doing the Couch to 5k program for a month, but am still not running 1 mile without stopping to walk. Now I looked at the real 5k training schedule and it's 5 days a week! 3 miles, on Tues, Thurs, Fri, 2 miles on Wed and 4 miles on Sun.... OMG! What did I get myself into????

Thanks for adding me!

I'm at 196 now... so you can change that in the post! Hopefully I can lose 1 lb by Saturday!!!

I went in for a fill 2 days ago. She unfilled me to check and see how much I had in me and to check for leaks and things. Then she added only a little more because I already had really good restriction. (I had lost 20 lbs since my last fill.) Now I have NO restriction... none. zip. zero. zilch. I called the office and she was like, you need to come in ASAP. So I will go in again next week. Hopefully I won't gain any weight this week. However, not having first bite syndrome has been nice! Anyone know what could have happened? I'm thinking the saline just didn't get into my port?

Another Update.... I have met and INCREDIBLE woman. We have amazing CHEMISTRY and we want the same things out of life. She is accomplished in her career, intelligent, family oriented, totally is into me as much as I am into her and things are just fantastic. I totally attribute it to the band, because without it I never would have been comfortable enough to put myself out there. So, this has been a success story!!!! Yay for the band!!!! (Oh and we met online, despite living in a gay mecca! Since both of us are more family/career oriented, we never would have met at a bar!)

I have had some serious problems with PBing from fast foods like nuggets. The only fast food I eat now is taco bell. I eat the mexican pizza, or just a regular taco. That usually is fine. I also like Taco Time and like their crisp burritos. Even a soft tortilla is bad on my stomach now. I definitely avoid all kinds of breads, including hamburger buns.

I really don't miss fast food... however, i do eat at taco bell in an emergency. A crisp taco seems to be something cheap and easy for me to eat if I need food and can't get something home made or from some place else.

I'm glad she posted those photos.... as someone who is still in the process of this journey, I appreciate that there is art that depicts women other than the skinny minnies.

This isn't my entire WL because I didn't track until I got down to 241. But is shows my progress since then. You can see there are a lot of plateaus and even some gains. This is a better graph than the one from ticker factory because I only update that when I lose weight. This one I update weekly, gain, lose or stay the same. Usually when I haven't lost for awhile, I will wake up one day with a 3-5 lb loss. But most of the time it's a pound a week or so.

I only see the scale move every 2-3 weeks. But it's usually 5 lbs or more. YOu're fine. It looks like you're eating well and doing fine. So just keep at it. Are you working out? I have had to adjust my calories as I work out more or I am not getting enough calories to actually lose weight.

I can drink beer, but won't do it again unless it's some special beer. I preferred other drinks even preband. But I was surprised that it did not upset my stomach. I recently put some mike's hard lemonade in the fridge with the lid off and let it go flat. OMG it was GOOD!!!! I don't want to drink carbonation, but I have had martinis, wine, cranberry vodka, screw drivers, etc. Some how I have started to drink MORE since being banded, because I am socializing more. However, I can only have half a drink and I'm totally drunk.

Getting the band was the best thing I have ever done in my life. I'm serious. This has changed the way I feel about food, think about food, how I see myself, how I see my body, what I know I can do and what I know I will be able to do in the future. I would never go back... I just wish I had done it sooner!

There are free programs, but i looked and like calorieking.com They track Protein, Fiber, carbs, etc. in each food. You can also get a mineral and Vitamin report on the foods you're eating. I really like it a lot. Plus you can track all your exercise and everything in it.

I didn't feel it with my first fill. You just can't eat big quantities. Stick the the half cup or whatever your doctor suggested. You don't need more than that.

Since I started, I have cut my time from 25 minutes to 16! it's time to add more distance! running feels SO good! I love it. And I'm not sore anymore.

My doctor's office has a poster that shows if you are eating a lot of slider foods (chips, chocolate, ice cream, etc.) You're too tight. Get a slight unfill and see if that helps.

I'm still sort of trying to figure my body out here... I broke a plateau by adding calories, so now I'm up to between 11-1200, alternating with some lower days 800, and some higher days 1600. That worked for a month and I lost 15 lbs in ONE MONTH! But now for 3 weeks I have been the same. I added in some more exercise and when I looked at my calorie intake, I am only only getting about 700-800 after my exercise calories are deducted. Should up my calories even more? the problem is that I can't really eat that much food!!

How careful are you with this? I have a lot of food that will expire this week (chicken salad, a prepared chicken dish from Trader Joe's) and a few other things. I don't want to get food poisoning and risk vomiting and doing something to the band... however, I also don't want to waste food. Any thoughts?

Well, I never paid much attention before this thread. I used to go daily (preband) but now go every few days. I know it's because I don't eat enough veggies and fruits- but I try so hard just to get in the rec. Protein. Anyway.... so this was weird. Half floated and half sunk.

Thanks Jaqui, That's all good advice. I think I want to get to a 15 minute mile, and then start increasing. At this point, I'm feeling like I'm doing a lot. Fortunately, the running is not my only exercise. I'm also still swimming and going to the gym. I need to map out the distance for the 5 k and figure out a route that works for me. Once I do that, I'll add the rest of the distance. The other thing I was thinking was that I could run for 15 minutes, turn around and go back... that way at least I'd be getting in a 1/2 hour. Then I could test the distance. I'm mostly interested in distance though... since I'm preparing for a 5k.

So I am SORT OF following the couch to 5k idea. I'm starting by walking/running. I have run 5 times now, and run 1.2 miles, which is to the end of my street (before it turns into a hill) and back home again. I'm running very early in the morning while it's still dark. I see all the delivery trucks dropping things off for the restaurants so it's kind of fun. Anyway, what is a GOOD time for a mile? Yesterday my 1.2 miles took about 17 minutes. That only burns about 170 calories. I was hoping it would burn more, but I guess not. Eventually I want to be able to do the 5k, so I need to build up to that. I have until May. Anyway, is that a good time??? Training Calculator for Runners: Runner's World I found this, which calculated that I am running a 14 minute mile. Any tips or pointers on going faster? Or is this a decent pace?

I posted face pictures a couple weeks ago, but since then finally someone has taken my pictures of my body. First picture was this summer, weighing about 270 (just started the pre-op diet). I think I am barely squeezing into the size 24 pants. The new picture was at 205 and in a pair of size 16 skinny jeans!!! (oh and excuse the red eye!)

I've noticed this too, and a lot of people say the same thing. I don't have any advice, just get in as much Protein as you can.

I seriously need to see if sex is better after the band... no luck so far though! Still single... but I am DATING... so you never know!