kimaly

3 year anniversary! I've lost 163 lbs and gained a life. Best decision I made! Looking forward to weing less than 150 and running a 5k in September.

163lbs is Amazing!!!! Congrats!!!

so nice to see people posting on this thread again, As far as the new forum I dislike it also and rearly come on anymore, It bites because I miss everyone. Reading everyones post I can see the journey goes on. Sorry for your loss Crzytchr I know all to well losing people we care about never gets easier. Thoughts and prayers.

Yep Melisa, sometimes I just feel like I'm so tired of it and I just don't have anything left to fight with, That's when I'm thankful for all of you, I know ya'll understand when others around me can't. sometimes I think they just see the weightloss and know I have a band and are under the impression the weight just fell off. Oh how we know better LOL and they don't get that it's never ending.

I'm well, still up 10 and down 10. Drives me crazy Just got the pool opened today so if the weather willing maybe that will help. I sure learned this past year that this is a never ending battle. There's no getting to the end and winning the game, it's just the way you have to live your life from now on. It took alot of ups and downs to realize that. hope I'm not depressing anyone and glad all are well congrats to those that are having their follow up surgery.

Tflynn, I do the samething gain 10 to 15 then struggle to lose it just to regain it again. It's a pattern I am working hard to breal. I started using Lose it to track my food, and low and behold I lost 2lbs this week. I sure hope this helps. just hang in there you'll get there.

Cynthia, sorry to hear about your trouble. Hope this works for you so you don't need another surgery. Nice to hear from you. You look fantastic

I think the sleeve is a good idea. with that said Happy Mothers Day to you also.

Hey Blaze, sure nice to hear from another Butterfly. Glad your doing well. Size 2 Wow! you go girl. For me alls well, I quit smoking and gained back about 15lbs and now i'm in the process of relosing it. got about 5lbs left but I'm getting there. Once again thanks for posting, I can never find this thread anymore unless someone post LOL Have a great one!!

Here's a recipe I got off the biggest loser it would be used in phase 4(6wks/maintance) I thought it was really good

2 teaspoons canola or olive oil

3 cups sliced portobello mushrooms (about 2 large portobellos, stems and black gills removed)

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

3 cups 1 1/2-inch asparagus pieces, from about 1 pound (see note)

1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

3 (1/2-ounce) slices nitrite-free turkey (or pork) bacon, cooked until crisp, drained well, and crumbled

1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they just start to soften and release their liquid. Add the shallots and cook for another minute.

Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes longer, or until the asparagus is just crisp-tender.

Drizzle the soy sauce over the veggies and sprinkle with the bacon crumbles and cheese. Toss well and serve hot.

MAKES 4 (1/2-CUP) SERVINGS

Per serving: 60 calories, 1 g total fat (<1 g saturated), 20 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 7 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugars), 2 g fiber, 6 g Protein

No trouble with fish or shrimp as long as I remember to take small bites and don't get greedy

I started out with the small sips but not I can drink like I normaly would. But want to add I was never a guzzler so it works out for me. I still have trouble with just plain Water. I make sure I get plenty of no calorie fluids but I am ashamed to say I rarely get my srtaight water in. It's been almost 3yrs for me and I'm still having to remind myself of the band rules.

For me not so good with the lettuce, I'm almost sure to get stuck. But if your getting stuck on everything and you are taking small bites and chewing well it's most likely you may need to get a bit taken out. Good luck and I hope it gets easier for you soon.

Congrats!!!! Checked out your Blog and you look FANTASTIC!!!!

Sorry if this makes you mad because that is not my intention but I call them like I see them. You are blaming everything and everybody but the band cannot and will not do the work for you. I'm sorry you have had a tough time but even in the (as you call it) yellow zone you should be able to control portion size and your choice of foods. Your right about no more diets and the reason for that is because you are suposed to make a lifestyle change and make healthy food choices AKA no more junk and potion control. No one can promise you weightloss they can only give you the tool to help YOU with it. Sorry to sound so tough but when people get the band and act like their magic wand is broke and the rest of ours is working it kinda pisses me off because I have worked very hard for every pound I have lost and still struggle to keep it off everyday. That's just the hand I was delt so I have to play it, You can't just fold when it's to hard. Their are a lot of people on this forum that would be willing to help you and support you when you are struggling. You just have to reach out to them and don't be so hard on yourself when things aren't going as well as you would like them too. And would like to add if your Doctor made you those promises I would find a new one because That's absurde to make a promise like that and I wouldn't have trusted him from the begining. I hope it gets better for you and think if you could find that happy medium between red and yellow you'll be ok.

I realized I was at my sweet spot when I was comfortably full at about 1/2 cup and could space my meals apart at least 4 hours, I have Breakfast at about 9:00am lunch about 1:00pm and dinner about 5:00pm. If I follow that and don't miss meals I find little need for snacking. Most of the time if I want a snack it"s more in my head then in my stomach. I also have a 10cc band but my fill for the last year has been at 6.2, You can't really go by what others fills are at when they reach their sweet spot because it:s not gonna be the same for everyone.

I woundn't think so, the fluids should be going right through. Maybe you could just try to slow down a bit when you drink. Not as big of sips and give it time to run through.

For me the worst of it is my inner thighs, Oh and I think it took a toll on my face. I keep telling my DH I gain a year in my face for every 10lbs I lose.

Slowcooker refried Beans

Original Recipe Yield 15 servings

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 3 cups dry pinto Beans, rinsed
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 5 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• 9 cups Water

Directions

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the Water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

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Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 139 | Total Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg/carbs 25g/Protein 8.5g

I put them in 1 cup servings and freeze.

An AMAZING job!!!!

You don't depress me, I am thankful for the input. Please don't feel ashamed, if we could do this without the band we would have never have gotten it. It's a life long journey with ups and downs. The price of insurance is outragous.and the price of meds is crazier. I think if they want health reform they need to control how much Doctors, Hospitals and drug companies and pharmacy's can charge. working class people might be able to afford medical if they weren't getting price jacked. Just one of my meds is $154.00 That's just crazy.

I hope your job keeps you and gives you full time, you deserve it. Happy New Year to you also, It's gonna be a good one because I refuse to let it be anything less. lots of love sent your way. And once again thanks for the help.

Well I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. As for me it was great. I didn't make the Christmas goal so I guess I'm extending it to a Valentines goal. Which I have all intentions of making. The other night I woke up because I felt like I was drowning in stomach acid. I was gaging and trying to catch my breath and it happened again the next night but with the addition of coughing. Have any of ya'll had this happen? It didn't happen last night so I hope it was just a fluke because I lost my insurance and only have a fill Doctor here because i had my surgery in Mexico. I sure hope my band isn't gonna start acting up.

Thanks for sharing I needed that, I'm with you . I;m gonna get back on track and back in the mind set, I know it's all up to me. Tomarrow is a new day and a new start:D So make some room because I'm jumping back on that band wagon feet first!!!! I got side tracked in my thinking, Seems like I forgot this was a lifestyle change when I hit goal. So came the gain.

Well, I have 2 weeks to hit my Christmas goal. 5 lbs, I could do it if I could stop stuffing my face with the wrong foods and moved my butt. Hummm, Why is it we know what to do but just can't seem to do it? What a cycle I've gotten myself in.

Thanks on the Congrats he is to adorable. Well I can now say I will start working a new job Sat. at Sams PT to start but I have to do what I need to do enable to get us insurance. I gave notice to my Boss Monday that Friday will be my last day. Today I am off because I am going to have a test at the hospital to make sure my tubes are completely closed from the Tubal I had done 3 months ago. ( it is a new way they do it were they scar the tubes instead of cutting them it is completely permanent). If I am not to drugged up I will try to post more tonight

Hey Ladies - I hope everyone is doing well. I wanted to let everyone know her that my sister just gave birth on 12/01 to my beautiful nephew 7lbs 8oz 20 inches long. I saw him yesterday and he is so adorable and tiny. Compared to my son who was 9 lbs 11oz and 22 inches long. Do you know they lowjack babies now. No lie he had what look like a pager that blinked and was attached to his foot.

On another note Arlene if you do start WW let me know what they suggest now. I am trying to eat right but it is hard being wide open.

Im still having trouble finding this site when I want it. Nothing new for me to report how about everyone else?

Thank you for sharing, It the spot last night. I thought it was really good!!!!