meschultz

Hey everyone.. it has been awhile since I have posted I hope everyone is well.. I just had to stop by because I am always reading that people do not have a lot of before pictures because they always tried to avoid the cameras.. I just have to say we MAY have been heavy and maybe not the most picture perfect people, BUT we are just that PEOPLE and we deserve to have pictures and memories.. The good part about everyone here is we are doing something about it and ONE DAY.. we can look back and go wow... Look at me then and look at me now.. I ROCK.. I did a good thing and be glad you have picturoes of all those memories you have made with friends and family.. Our minds might not always be with us, but pictures can help us remember things we may have forgotten with out them.. I recently lost my both my grandparents in 2008 and all I can say is I WISH I had more pictures of me with them.. and I was not even camera shy.. I take thousands of pictures every year.. Some I am not readily going to show off, but TO ME they serve as a memory and will one day help me appreciate more and more what I have done for myself, my life, my child, and my family.. I was happy with my life pre band and I am sure I will continue to be happier and happier with it everyday now.. Sure I look forward to the day I can take a picture and not have to worry if to much roll is visible, but right now I will appreciate every available moment I have to capture memories I am creating with the wonderful people in my life.. I hope all of you big or small, secure or unsecure will begin to do the same thing.. ANYWAYS.. BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE... SAY cheese AND SMILE IN 2009 .... :mad2::crying::laugh:

Mlejeune... Thanks.. i am very proud of myself.. it has not been super easy, but not really hard.. mainly just staying focused.. I have had a few bumps this passed month with everything going on so I am glad to be getting back on track.. Welcome to the Challenge.. Glad you are joining :wink2:

Fran, Welcome to the challenge.. I am sure you will be successful in your loss.. I think most of my loss has been luck ha ha now the real work begins.. Although my doctor tells me it should never be hard.. It may be work, but not hard.. I am getting ready to go in for my 3 month f/u appt and hope to be down a few more lbs.. I am looking forward to this weight-loss challenge.. I am hoping it will help me be successful at reaching my goal :huh2: I just bought and elliptical and treadmill so I am hoping that will help me get on the exercise band wagon again..I fell off in Dec when my grandfather passed away and I have just had a heck of a time getting back into my routine.. Well hope this helps.. I am glad you have joined me :glare: We will do fantastic !!

Cleo's Mom... Not a problem with the info.I am glad I can share. As far as this time of the year I don't think I can begin to imagine how hard it must be..We lost my grandmother in Jan this year and my grandfather has been in ICU for about 2 weeks. So what once was my favorite time of year is kind of hard to Celebrate this year, but I am continuing to wish for a Christmas Miracle the my grandfather will get better and even though it is our first Christmas without Grandma I know she is with us.. Keep your head up and I hope you have a blessed Holiday Season.. I know measuring food kind of sucks, but it really is the best way to work it.. First I started out using a small plate.. Second I pick out what I want to eat.. for about a month before being banded and about a month after I would measure all my food and sometimes still do :thumbup: I would just take out my 1 cup measuring cup and fill it up with all I want to eat and then put it on the plate. If I am having chicken I just cut up the amount of chicken really small for how ever much I want and then I usually only have one side typically consist of a vegetable.. and fill the rest of the cup with that.. Once you have measured your food for a while you will start to get a fill for what 1 cup of food looks like. surprisingly enough it is more then it sounds.. I try to make things that are easy some nights we will have chicken and others Pasta .. It really just depends, but just make your measuring cup your best friend for awhile.. Did your doctor never tell you to only eat 1 cup of food a day??? As far as the fills go they should not be scary.. the day of my fill I have to do liquids only and then the next day I am on mushies again for 24 hours so that your stomach has time to adjust to the change. then I usually start the next day off with just eggs and work up from there. Each fill brings a new experience with eating.. You learn to take smaller bites and eat slower and chew well because you know in your mind you don't ever want to feel the pain of being stuck again... Well happy holidays.. i am going to try to get my little man in bed so Santa can stop by.. :sad:

Cleo's mom... I am sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. I think maybe you need to change your mindset about the food. If it never tasted good on the 6 month diet then it sounds to me like you have physcd your self out about it. I think you need to make yourself your most favorite food and just keep tell yourself how good it will taste and go at each meal like that and hopefully you will be able to start enjoying food again, but not to much.. Only enjoy 1 cup worth :thumbup: As far as restriction goes if you use your band right you will get there.. I know it is harder for some people then others because my sister has a different doctor then me and her doctor is very stingy on giving fills for whatever reason. I personally think it was because she was self pay and they are free for a year and he does not want to give away a lot of free ones, but who knows.. My sister has had 3 and she really does not have a lot of restriction where I have had 3 and mine is pretty good, but again everyone is different. I also think if you consistently eat more then a cup you will start expecting more food then that and so you will never be full. that is why i measure ALWAYS so make sure my mind knows this is what you are getting to eat so enjoy it.. and I do.. and if there is a meal that i just dont enjoy I make sure the next one is something I really really like.. I usually start out my day with eggs and bacon, my lunches are all over the place most common is chicken salad or cheese and crackers, and my dinners consist of chicken and maybe a small side.. and then when i go out to eat it gives me more variety.. I always make sure I have room for protein first.. You will do good.. I promise.. Just keep track of your food and write down how it made you feel and what time you ate at so you can go back and look at what made you the fullest... when can you get your next fill?? My doc says to call when I feel hungry..

It is never to early to start exercising. Just make sure you dont do the wrong ones too early... The best exercise right now is walking like Nazzy suggested.. I like Nazzy walk two miles a day and you would not believe how much that works. It is a nice relaxing exercise.. I am getting weights for christmas and will start working on toning then.. Congrats on the weight loss so far.. keep up the good work and just remember it is not going to fall off over night. As much as we all wish it would.. it wont..

Cleo's Mom... Being honest.. Yes I still enjoy food.. You have to have a totally different out look on life and why you are doing what you are doing and it really makes it easier. I am lucky to be going through this with my husband. I no longer eat just to eat.. I eat for the nutrition and energy..I do not deprive myself of what i actually WANT.. if I want McDonalds (which is rare) but if I did then I eat McDonalds.. I just make sure I am only having 1 cup of food. Yes I eat out my family and friends just understand that I will eat A LOT slower then them and we just converse. It is nice not to feel rushed.. I don't really ever worry about left overs because my hubby and I always share our meals and if there is more then two cups it is usually not much and we just leave it behind.. As far as keeping my food warm. Most of the time it will stay warm, but there are somethings that tend to cool quicker and if I am having one of those things I will reheat if needed or just eat it cold...These are all things you get used to it.. One thing we have to remember is that our bodies were never meant to eat just to eat.. Eating was always for nutrition..Even before you find your sweet spot if you follow all your doctors recommendations you will get to a point where you say "wow" I cant believe I used to eat all that.. Or How the heck did that person clean their plate.. It is pretty amazing the food we consume that is not needed.. My biggest problem is still learning how to grocery shop..I always buy like I used to eat so I tend to waste a lot of food, but I have started just having gatherings so I know people will eat the food ha ha Nothing about the band should be extremely hard, but it is not easy either.. My doctor once told me this should not be hard and I just thought he was crazy, but the further and further I get into it I realize how easy it really is.. I think about how I probably would have given up and fallen off the wagon if I was on a regular diet by now.. It is funny how just knowing this band is in me that I am more inclined to get up and go for my walk, or exercise, or even not take that last bite.. I give my best wishes to everyone.. Let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you..

Freska .. I love it... it has been a lot of years since I have seen my " cootie" as you refer to it ha ha.. Anyways, I agree that will be an interesting day to see it again.. ha ha.. But my main reasons for having lap band is my health.. I want to make sure that I am here to see my son through most of his life and to see my future grandchildren and hopefully great grandchildren. One wish my grandmother always had for me was to loose weight and be healthy.. Well I sat with her in her ICU room in Jan 08 and watched her take her last breath and was so sad that I failed her...Well its never to late because I know that she is supporting me and so proud that her baby grand daughter has lost 63 lbs in 3 months.. This lap band serves so many purposes and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to have it.. I am already noticing a difference in my health and I can fit in to seats I used to not be able too and I can wear some smaller clothing .. All and all everyday is exciting and new and it is a wonderful journey I am glad to be on with my husband and my sister.. I am love stepping on that scale and seeing those numbers lower and lower in fact I think it is starting to become an obsession..ha ha One bonus I look forward to seeing myself at my goal weight..Good Luck to everyone.. Best wishes..

Kristyn...... Congrats on your weightloss thus far... The sweet spot is so different for EVERYONE.. it is hard to judge when you will hit yours based on everyone else, but to give you some insite.. i am almost 3 months in and have last 62 lbs and have had 3 fills. each fill thus far has lasted me about 2 weeks.. my band right after my surgery was the most restriction i have had so far and that was just from being swollen, but my mottos is I only eat 1 cup of food 3 times a day NO matter what and I only have 1 snack per day.. by doing this over the last 3 months my body is adjusting to only eating this much so It does not expect more food until about an hour before i would normally eat my next meal..Sometimes it is hard for me to tell when I need a fill because I have become so good at ignoring the hunger ha ha.. But usually when I "think" i start feeling it sooner I will start writing down exactly how much I ate what time it was and then I will write down the time when I start feeling hungry. I do this for at least a few days and then I make my decision.. My first and second fills did not last long, but this thrid one has been pretty good. I have learned I was not taking as small of bites as I thought I was and now I take the smallest bites EVER ha ha I will admit sometimes I get over zealous, but I have only had the feeling of "stuck" once and I did not throw up I just sat and let it work its way down. Anyways, I would just make sure to track your food and eating times.. 1 cup of food should last you about 4 hours. My doctor said it is normal to feel hungry about an hour before.. I wish you the best of luck and hope you find your sweet spot soon.. I am hoping to have reached mine as well.. take care Happy Holidays

I had a problem for about 2-3 weeks after surgery with itching on my legs and I did not realize how much I was itching until I started to bleed. My has subsided and the only time they itch is usually right after i get done walking about 2-3 miles.. I just make sure to keep lotion on the areas that bother me and that seems to help.. Good Luck and Good work

missy.. I dont smoke and never have, but when I moved from liquids to food i also started gaining a few lbs back. I think it has a lot to do with on liquids you are only consuming about 500 calories a day and when you go to food it is considerably more.. I would suggest you measure your food and do not eat more then the amount your doctor advised. It will be tough until you get a fill, but the bad news is sometimes your first fill does not provide you restriction.. I am on my second and am finally getting some restriction, but I dont know that it is going to last much longer. They say it can take about 5 fills in the first year to reach your sweet spot.. OF COURSE every person is different and you may find restriction with your first fill, but dont get discourage or give up hope.. Just make sure the food you are allowed to eat is filled with protein it will help to keep you full longer... Good Luck and best wishes..

Hey Everyone.. I just wanted to stop and say hi.. How is everyone doing since being banded??? I am down 57 lbs. I am so excited. I cant wait to loose more I love watching the weight fall off... Well I hope all is well with everyone :sad_smile:

patunia... throwing up could make your band slip, but from what I hear it is usually more then once to do it.. If you are this concerned you should probably go in to see your doctor.. As far as your diet I would suggest you eat more meat then vegs.. My doctor and most people I know who have had the band have been instructed to eat meat first and then veggies.. as far as your weight everyone is different and it takes time for everyone. You need to be 150% commited to this.. My doctor has me on a meal plan of 1 cup of food 3x's a day and 1 small snack if I have to have it.. Thats it.. He said no other snacking at all.. I have found even if you justify one cookie as on cookie.. it makes it easier to justify two later..I would just suggest you start following a food plan and journal what you eat everyday also if you are able to exercise ago make sure you are doing that at least 3 times a week.. My husband and I walk 2 or 3 miles at least 4 nights a week.. if not more.. I know when I follow my plan I loose weight and if I don't follow it I tend to gain weight or stay the same.. WEll I wish you the best of luck.. If you want this it will work.. It is not suppose to be hard, but it is not super easy either.. best wishes.. keep us posted