lellow

I love a good challenge! And after putting on weight during my holiday in S'pore I need the motivation! I'll say 10lbs+ by Valentines day, so 169.8 to 159!

Thanks for all the congrats everyone. Sadly though, by the 31st of Dec, I had gained 1.7 pounds (from the Christmas festivities and lack of good food choices) and therefore was 0.8 of a pound over goal on New Year's Day. Since then I haven't gained or lost, so am back at 169.8lbs. I honestly tried to make good food choices, but often would get to someone's house for dinner and have not one serving of vegetables on the table! Almost everything was fried, and almost all the dishes were carb-based (rice or noodles, as per Asian food staples). I never realised how much fatty and calorie-loaded food my family ate. My 2 and a half year old son also refused to be babysat by anyone, and no one was keen to watch him for me, so getting structured exercise was impossible. I managed just one trip to the gym in all 10 days. I also broke a toenail right to the quick, and it throbbed for 5 days, so couldn't wear my sneakers for a quick run around the block, even! So all in all, this trip was a write-off as far as trying to lose. What I'm completely amazed by is that all I've gained is less than 2 pounds. Anyhoo, I'm home now, and I'm back on track, and the scales will NOT be going UP again anytime soon!

Hi all, posting from Singapore where all everyone seems to do is eat, eat, eat!!! I was good all these days, even managed to go to the gym, and even had a half and hour walk/run (my knees are killing me now!) but yesterday my brothers took me and my little sister for a day out, and spent the whole day visiting restaurant after restaurant to try all these different foods. Because it was over the course of the day, I ate slowly, but still seemed to eat ALL day. I know I've completely blown it, and have eaten WAAAY too much, so I'm coming on to admit that I was bad, and to start today new, back on the wagon! Lol! Otherwise, am seriously enjoying myself. If I don't gain from this trip, I'll be ecstatic. I suspect I will have gained a bit though.

Our last weigh in of the year! And a good one for me too. :tongue2: Last week: 77.7kgs This week: 76.4kgs Loss of 1.3kgs (2.9lbs!) Considering I ate more than I usually do because of Christmas, I'm stoked that the fill seems to have kickstarted things in a big way. I'm only 14lbs or so from goal now! I am also leaving tonight for Singapore, and am just aiming not to gain while away! A loss (however slight) would be amazing, as I'm not sure how I'm going to get my exercise in while away. See you all when I get back, AllStars!

Just wanted to quickly come on and update that I've reached goal! 181lbs to 169lbs before New Years and Im 168lbs plus change as of today! Good luck to everyone still striving for goal! You can do it! And even if you don't, you're down however much you've lost, and that's a success in it's own right!

Hi, I'm about 15lbs from goal, and have a PS appt for excess skin (stomache mainly) on the 21st of Jan 2009. I have been sitting here trying to think of questions I'd like to ask him, but aside from how long before I can do the surgery, and how long before I can return to work, I can't think of anything! For those who have been through it, is there anything specific I should be asking the surgeon?

I agree with MacMadame. I usually find that I can't drink Water within 30 mins of having a meal - I just don't have the room for it. I also can't gulp water down now, it gurgles down. I have recently had a fill though. I don't know if I'm at my sweet spot either, but I can still eat solids, so I figure I'm not too tight. In my mind, too tight is when you can't stomache anything but liquids.

Hi all, I am leaving for Singapore in a few days and while I'm bringing my laptop with me, I'm not sure if I'll manage to get an internet connection. So this will probably be my last update on the challenge until I get back on the 7th of Jan. With Christmas and packing, I don't think I'll be online between now and when I fly off. I'm just 0.2lbs away from my goal of a 12lbs loss! I am hoping that it will go and stay off while I'm over in Singapore with all its yummy food! Will see you all in the New Year! Merry Christmas everyone and may your new year be everything you hope it will be!

I started exercising two days after surgery - just a slow walk for about 4kms. It was a tad long though, I was a bit shaky when I got home! But two days later I did the same walk, a little faster, and was fine. I started cycling 2 weeks after surgery on a stationary spin bike for 20 minutes at a time at around 45-50rpm 3 times a week, managing about 15 to 20kms. I slowly built up endurance and now do 35-40kms (40mins) at 55-60rpm 3 times a week, with an hour powerwalk at least once a week. I think 12lbs in two weeks is really great, and a lot to be happy about!

Yesterday I was talking to someone who was commenting on my weight loss, and they said that they supposed it was good I had lapband surgery because it meant it gave me the willpower I didn't have. OMG was I angry with that!! I went onto a full on rant about how willpower is something I have a LOT of, thank you. I need willpower to make good food choices when faced with easier 'silder' foods that won't get stuck. I need willpower to get on my spin bike 3 times a week and cycle until I'm pouring with sweat. I need willpower when I go out to dinner and watch everyone gorging themselves while I move food around my plate. I needed willpower to have undergone this surgery, put up with the pain, the excrutiating 'stuck' episodes and the fills. I look at what I'm eating now and I know that very few human beings could eat as little as I'm eating on willpower alone for the rest of their lives. THAT is what the band does for me. It makes me eat less. It controls my hunger. That's all. And that's ALL I need it to do. Because to be thin, I need to eat a fraction of what normal people eat. Less than my 3yo eats. The band does that part. The rest, I take care of. I put in the willpower. I put in the effort. And I refuse to allow anyone to take that credit away from me!

I eat when I'm starting to get hungry - at this point, it's usually 3 times a day as each meal lasts me at least 4 hours. My surgeon's instructions have always been 'eat when hungry' and he doesn't prescribe 3 or 4 or 5 set meals/snacks. I think most Aussie Drs do this. I exercise at night (35-40kms on a spin bike three times a week) but my body seems to be happy on what I'm eating because I'm not needing more food than I'm having at the moment to sustain the exercise.

I actually didn't have any hair loss until this last month or so. I thought it was because of my last two fills (and eating quite a lot less now!) I was actually planning on getting some Biotin today. I started with lots of hair, so it's not super noticeable that I've lost a bit lately, but I want to catch it before it gets too bad. :smile:

okay to get back on topic, I, like Jachut, eat whatever I want, just less of it, as instructed by my Australian Dr. I eat white bread, I eat rice, I eat Pasta, but I also eat meat, and veg and I even sometimes have a cookie if I feel like it. I don't count calories (so no, I have no idea how many calories I comsume a day), I don't weigh my food, my band controls my portions for me. I exercise 4 times a week at intensities that ensure I'm sweating buckets and panting from being out of breath, and with this approach I've consistently lost 3kgs (10lbs) or more a month. I also never feel like I'm on a diet, and I know I'll be able to sustain this for the rest of my life. I don't feel deprived of anything either, which I love about being banded. I have lots of energy and IMO, the way I eat makes me feel like a 'normal' person, in that I am not constantly avoiding certain foods. The best part of the band, too, is that in not avoiding any sorts of foods, I've lost interest in many of them, effectively killing off most of my head hunger. :tounge_smile: Knowing that I could have fried chicken or chocolate if I wanted to, I tend to think 'oh I'll have it another day when I'm really craving it' and usually, I don't end up craving it!

I actually only suffered a loss of energy in the days right after surgery. But as soon as I started on mushies, the energy returned, and now I actually have more energy than I've had in over 20 years. Even after when on liquids (after a fill) I can still ride 35kms on my stationary bike. Nope, I definitely don't suffer from a lack of energy. Though I do know of some banders who do.

yep. At a course I went to recently, everyone was complaining about how stuffy it was, and I was shivering! I know it's because I've lost 45lbs of insulation though!

Mine was 35, but was 37 when I decided to get banded. I'm less than 5 months banded and have lost quite consistently, and hope to make it to the surgeon-set goal as per my ticker over the next three months.

Lol accountess yes 'arvo' is aussie slang for 'afternoon'. We shorten heaps of words! My Dr actually said yesterday that he considers me a huge success and he would love all his patients to be doing as well as me. I got a 0.5cc fill (more than I asked for) but am doing okay on it. I'm on liquids for a few days, and then the real test of whether I'm managing it will begin.

Last week (and the two weeks prior to it) 78.5kgs This week: 77.7kgs Loss 0.8kgs (1.8lbs)!!!! Yay plateau broken!!!! Fill this arvo at 12 noon too. :huh2:

Finally broke my plateau! Down just over a lb only but I'll take it! It means it's going in the right directon. Plus I have a fill tomorrow! Brad, thanks, matey! I also hope I'll be at goal by the end of summer. And you're right I can't believe how much things have changed for us since August. I actually have an initial consult with a PS in late January, too. Very excited about that - I have quite a lot of loose skin, even from prior to my weight loss, from having 4 (big) babies. :shades_smile: Well, to recap on the challenge for me: 0.4lbs from my first set goal of 10lbs, but 2.4lbs from my revised goal of 12lbs.

Great job Brad! You rock! You've got to tell us what your surgeon said after you've been to see him. In fact great job everyone! I reckon us All-Stars are an amazing bunch. :blushing: I realise that despite my moaning about plateauing, since my last visit to my Dr on the 6th of November, I've lost 9.7lbs. That's just under 2lbs a week, which is right on track for me to be honest. :mad2:

I can't manage structured exercise 5 times a week unfortunately, with my work, family and study schedule. I do 40 minutes hard cycling 3 times a week (about 35kms) and a one hour power walk on Sundays. To be honest I don't think I could pry more exercise in even if I wanted to, so anything I do in between is 'incidental' exercise - walking to the shops instead of driving, taking the stairs whenever I can etc. I quite enjoy my 'off' days too I have to admit.

I've actually had my fill moved up from Feb to this Friday because I've been getting hungry sooner, and can burp again (which is my first sign of less restriction). I'm hoping it will help with my plateau too. I'm definitely eating more now than 2 weeks ago, though I have been making good food choices. I still have 3.7lbs to lose to get to my goal. But having stood still for two weeks, I'm wondering if I'm going to make it.

For me it was finding out my younger brother is severely diabetic. And he weighed less than me at the time. Then finding out his wife is due to have a baby soon, and knowing he's wondering if he will see his child into adulthood. Finding out he wanted WLS but would have to self-pay. Yet I had health insurance which meant I only paid a fraction of what it would cost him.

There you go! If 85% of all patients are losing 60% of their excess weight at a minimum, that's some success rate for WLS if you ask me, I think the slippage rates here are 1%, and erosion less than 1% here in Australia. I wonder if it's to do with surgeon skill.

Another Australian bander here and I have to admit, I also don't count calories. I eat whatever I want, just a lot less. I eat all foods, including bread and Pasta. I don't do the 'protein, veg, then carbs' things at all. I have lost all cravings for ice-cream, cola and other fattening slider foods, but I do occasionally have highg calorie foods like fried chicken and fries (small portions as my band dictates) so I generally don't feel like I'm ever on a diet. Australian surgeons are always available to you. My fills are largely covered my Medicare and I don't worry about calling my Dr for a fill/unfill. I call when I need to see him and he books me an appointment, period. Australian generally have great after-surgery care. They don't feel deprived, they don't feel like they're dieting. Many of us exercise, because it's made clear to us early on that the band will help you lose 60% of your excess weight on average, but the other 40% is up to you. And it seems like that approach works for Australian patients, with approx 85% of Australian banders losing a minimum of 60% of their excess weight.