JuneAct2

Don't be intimidated! Get in that pool! That is the best exercise you can do! No joint damage! Great resistance, too! And, 12 pounds in 3 days is NOTHING to be frustrated about! You're doing great! Besides that, you're still healing for the first 6 weeks. Any weight loss at all is great because most don't lose, and some even gain a few pounds. Be patient with yourself!

More details would help, but for now, make sure you're getting enough calories in. If you've just had surgery, you're still on liquids and that could be part of it. Take it slow for a few days. Your body has been through a shock and it's not sure what to make of it! If the dizziness is severe, call your doctor and let them know. They may want you to go back home for a few more days. I hope you get to feeling better!

I think my approach to exercise is similar to my approach to being banded. I got my band so I could eat in moderation, like normal people. I will exercise in moderation, too. There was a time in my life when I was thin, fit, and healthy. But to stay there it required 20-25 hours per week in the gym or running. It consumed my whole life. I may catch the "bug" again, but if I don't I'm happy with what I'm doing. I got tickled at the pool yesterday. I hadn't been swimming in a long time. I made 5 laps and was feeling pretty proud of myself, until I heard these two old guys talking about swimming 20 laps!! And they were 25 years OLDER than me!! But, it makes me want to do better! I did good today. I walked hills at the lake for about a half hour. These are serious hills where you reach forward and steady yourself on the ground ahead of you! Tomorrow I have to mow the yard. That's about 2 hours of pushing a mower! So, that'll be my exercise for the day. And, like most of you...I will not get up early and go to the gym! I am NOT a morning person! Ya'll have a good weekend!

In my experience, I lost great for a couple of weeks after a fill, then it levels off. Part of that is because after a fill I'm back on liquids for 2 days, then mushies for 2. My last fill put me at great restriction, so I believe my weight loss will be about 1-2 lbs. per week from here on out. Of course, that also depends on me choosing the right foods, and exercising. I hope this answers your question.

I know from my experience, my attitude about the "bad yummy foods" changed. I'm almost 6 months out, and over halfway to goal. I have good restriction, so when I want to eat something in the "BYF" category I just take a bite or two. I don't have room for alot of it, and I don't feel the need to eat the whole plate, plus dessert! And, looking in the mirror at my healthier, leaner body is motivation enough to keep my on track. Good luck!

Gamy, you're actually right on track! You've just given your body a tremendous shock, what with feeding it ONLY liquids, then letting the doctor cut on you, then MORE liquids. It's perfectly normal for the weight loss to stall about now. Just be patient. At 5 weeks you are still healing, so don't worry too much about losing. Also, most doctors want their band patients at least walking, even if they haven't released you for strenous exercise. Call and ask! Moving will help kickstart your weight loss again. It sounds like you're doing great with your portions, and if you're eating protein first, then your veggies, you'll be fine. Best of luck to you.

Taps, same here. I was a self-pay for my band (my husband gave it to me as a gift), so I don't want to waste it! I am determined to lose the extra weight! I do okay with the cardio part, but I haven't done as much body work as I need. I plan to get with one of the trainers at the gym for a run through. And, I'm going to start swimming laps 2 days a week. Those will also be my sauna/steamroom/hot tub days! Melissa, good for you! I wish I could convince my body to wake up that early! It rebels violently! Taking the baby out is a great idea. When my daughters were little I'd put the baby in the bike carrier. We would ride several miles every day. I was in good shape back then! Way to go on the measurements! I need to go re-measure at the gym to see where I am. Keep posting!

I hope you are saying you CAN eat anything, not that you ARE eating anything!! Did your doctor not talk to you about what to eat post-op? Most of us were on liquids/mushies for a few weeks after surgery. Your band needs time to heal in place before you start solid foods. That said, you probably will be hungry until you get a few fills and get some restriction. Like someone else said, the band is just hanging there kind of like a belt around your pants that's not been cinched up. The fills will eventually cinch it up but until then, it's going to be willpower. Check with your doctor about what he/she wants you to be eating. Best of luck to you.

I agree with Mac, water aerobics will be the best. Even if you're not ready for group exercise, just walking in the water or using a float and kicking your feet gently will help, and the water takes the pressure off your back. Also, talk to your doctor about physical therapy for your back. That would be supervised, and thetherapist could make sure you're doing the moves correctly so you don't further injure yourself. Good luck.

Welcome everyone! Heartfire, I wish I could trade places with you and have room to walk outside. I live in a small town where walkers are target practice for motorists! Gloucester, that's great! 2 lbs down! And you did a good amount of exercise. Mac, I think this is a great place for the newbies and pre-ops to start. Once they are comfortable posting here, they can branch out and run with the big dogs so to speak. I do venture into some of the threads if something looks interesting, but not often, as I generally don't have anything to add. Bignik! Get your behind to the gym! We're going to hold you accountable now! I did join a different gym yesterday, so I did 25 minutes on the elliptical, then got on the treadmill for another 30 because it's positioned where I can see the rest of the gym. I wanted to scope out the machines. They have all new equipment and I wanted to look at it first, then I'll go when it's not so crowded and figure out how to work them. Once upon a time I did get excited about exercise, but as my girls got older and harder to corral, I let my program slide. Now, they are grown and out of the house, it's time for me to be first again.

Yes, it does get better. The next couple of months may be hard, but after 2 or 3 fills you'll notice you're not as hungry. For me it was gradual and the loss was kind of slow, but now I'm doing great. Right now I'm down 38 lbs. I've had 5 fills and this past month I lost 7 lbs. You are still healing so be patient with yourself, and do the best you can with your eating plan. Get some exercise, and be sure to drink plenty of water. The water helps ALOT with slowing the hunger. Wishing you all the best!

Don't get discouraged. You were banded just 3 days before me, and you're doing fine. 23 lbs down is better than 23 up! And, you've only had 3 fills. My 4th fill made all the difference in the world! This isn't a diet! It's a lifetime change that will take some time to reach your goal. This takes some perserverance at first, but it gets easier...I promise! I got stuck at 25 lbs for about 5 weeks, then starting losing again. Give your body time to adjust to the new you! A few things to keep in mind... Drink lots of water. Stop drinking 1/2 hr before mealtime. Eat lean protein. No junk! Don't waste your meal on crappy food. Make sure you are taking small bites and chewing very well before you swallow. Wait 1/2 hr after eating to start drinking more water. Track your calories for a couple of weeks to make sure you're not eating too much. Ask your doctor for guidance on what and how much he thinks you should eat. Now the bad news...you have to exercise. You are changing your life now, and adding exercise is the next step. Join a gym, or work out at home. Get out and walk everyday at a pretty good pace. Don't kill yourself, but do put some effort into it. That will help firm things up and you'll start to look better and feel better. At our age the weight is going to be harder to lose than some of the younger ones, simply because our metabolism isn't what it was 20 years ago. So, be patient with yourself. Stick to your program and the hard work will pay off! :Banane35:I wish you all the best!

I DID notice that! I wondered what was up with that! But, I am glad they made the change. Maybe the International Shar-pei Association complained?!

I am very glad to have my band! It's now my best friend! But, do a forum search and you will see several threads devoted to exactly that topic...would you do it again?! Read everything you can find, then ask alot of questions. I have had only one person say "you don't look that big...you didn't need surgery". Of course, this was AFTER I'd lost the first 25 lbs. I told her I don't look that big because it's WORKING!!! :tt1:

Olene, I'm not sure I'd get another fill right away. Do you know how many calories you are getting? You need to make sure you're getting enough. It doesn't sound like you're raiding the frig, so another fill right now might make you too tight. Also, make sure you're taking tiny bites. Cut your food into pieces the size of a nickel, and chew it until it's the size of a dime. Then wait between bites to make sure each bite has gone down before taking another. This has been the hardest part for me. But, when I slow down and do it right, I don't have the shoulder pains you're talking about. Hope this helps!

LOL!! I kind of did that to my husband when we first talked about me getting the band. He was going to put out corn for the deer and I stopped him. I had him put a sack (40#) under each arm and go walking around the yard with me for about 10 minutes. (he thought I was nuts) Then I explained that THAT is what it's like for me to carry the extra weight. He fully understood why I was tired and achy all the time. So far, I'm down 33 lbs. and he says it's the best $10K he's ever spent! We are already doing things we haven't been able to do in years!! And, since ya'll mentioned it...:redface:the sex is great now!! Good luck to you!

Getting out of the shower and realizing the towel wraps ALL THE WAY AROUND!!!! YEA!!!!!:tt2:

I wouldn't recommend it! Not because I'm "old", OR because I'm a mother, OR because you're underage...but because you will have a new lap-band that hasn't settled into place yet. You will still be healing, and most likely not be eating solid foods yet. When prom night rolls around, you will not have had much to eat for the past 6-8 weeks. You won't be eating much that day/night, then you'll add alcohol on top of that. It will take a lot less alcohol to do way more damage than ever before. If you drink to the point where you throw up, then you risk damaging your band and having major problems. You made the decision to have the surgery so that you can be healthy. Don't take a chance on losing all that for a night of drinking. It's just not worth it. And, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to drink later, when you are completely healed. Have a happy and safe prom night!

The thing is...you're not ON a diet anymore. You are learning a whole new way to eat. The first few months you have to have a good eating plan. You sound like you have restriction so you're going to have to find a way around the psychological part. We are all having to deal with that same hurdle! It's hard sometimes. Some things that worked for me were 1) Using smaller plates, bowls, and utensils. 2) Eating better food. If I can only eat a few bites then I want those bites to be absolutely delicious...no junk! 3) Make mealtime more festive. Dress up the table, dress up the plate. Make mealtime about more than just the food. 4) Follow the band rules. Protein first, and chew, chew, chew. I found that I do better if I cut my bites (the size of a nickel) instead of biting. That way I can see what I'm putting in my mouth. Then chew, chew, chew...Wait! Let that bite go down completely before attempting to eat another bite. If it feels tight or uncomfortable...stop! Don't eat another bite right away. You will eventually adjust to the new way of eating. Just be patient with yourself and your band. Good luck to you.

I'm glad you called your doctor. If you can't get fluids down and keep them down, you are too tight. And, from my own experience, being dehydrated makes it worse! You shouldn't lose all your restriction from a "slight" unfill, but you will feel almost immediate relief from your symptoms. Then in a few weeks you can go have that small amount put back in. Be patient! This is a lifetime change, not a quick fix! Good luck!

Okay, let's first give these guys credit for "seeing with their hearts" and not seeing the extra weight. Then knock them on the heads for being just a little selfish and worrying about their next meal and who's going to make it for them. And, then hug and reassure them that they're not going to go hungry after you're banded. You'll still be there to cook for them...so long as they agree to take care of themselves for about 6 weeks while you're on the liquid part of the diet. Men (and women, too) are mostly afraid of change. Especially when you're changing something that the two of you probably shared in the past. And, things will change. You will still eat food, just not as much. And you will eat slower so you'll still be able to sit down together and have a meal. It will take you as long to eat your small plate as it does for him to eat his larger plate of food. I was banded in November 2008, and to date I've lost 33 pounds. I cook more than I did before, and I cook better food. I decided before I had surgery that if I was going to be eating alot smaller portions that I wanted those portions to be the best I could get. I still eat normal food!! My husband thinks I'm a gourmet genius, and sexy, too. I am alot more active than before. I feel better! I look better! Being alive feels good again! I wouldn't change it for the world! Keep talking to them. Show them posts from this forum. Answer all their questions as best you can. But, if you know this is right for you, then do it! They'll be surprised in the end how good things can be. Wishing you the best!

They are called Boudoir Portraits. Google it and find photographers in your area. There are studios that do exactly what you're talking about...tastefull undressed or partially dressed, whichever you prefer. Some will even do nude photos!! Good luck!

Keri, This thread got a little OFF TOPIC! You were banded a couple of weeks after me. I got stuck for over a month before the scales finally started moving again THIS WEEK! Go over to www.livestrong.com/dailyplate and log every bite you take. Also log your water intake. You'll be amazed at what you see. Make sure you're eating the right amount...not too much, but also not too little. And, vary your calorie intake up and down every few days...keeps your metabolism confused. You say you don't get to work out much. You'll have to find a way to incorporate physical activity into your day even if it's not a structured workout. Do the best you can, then don't worry about the rest. The weight will eventually come off, just not as fast as you'd like. You can do this!

Shar-pei's everywhere are totally offended now!

It's perfectly normal! And it may take another couple of weeks before you see any more weight come off. You've probably just started or will start solid foods and that slows down the loss at first. For the next couple of months it's up to you to follow the band rules. It gets easier after you start getting fills and get restriction. Just don't get discouraged. This is a lifetime process, not a diet. Hang in there!