Band_Groupie

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OK Andrea, are you sure you're hungry? You're losing at about twice the rate I am! Congrats on the 9 pounds...awesome!

Salty- Congrats on the banding! Great first blog...keep sipping! -BG

Eeee Gaddds GF!!!! Enough with the dieting!!! You know they don't work, well...not for long anyway! No one was more anxious than me to get going on the WL...as professional yo-yoers you know what I mean...we're either losing big weight or gaining it. Those stupid 6 mo. were the longest I've stayed about the same weight and it was HARD to do! I remember shoveling in the Halloween candy last year and I could hardly gain a pound...now I look at the Halloween candy and I gain one LOL (and no I haven't had one piece of it this season, proud to say). Enough with the WL...practice the other things you'll need to do...get on a tracking site and start counting calories (even if there are a LOT of them lol), count protein, I made a game out of trying to stay the same weight (it's kinda like dieting), start a spreadsheet to track you WL down the road, but for goodness sakes don't lose a drop more...DON'T diet yourself out of being eligible for the surgery! I felt lame coming here and talking about how I was trying to stay the same weight while others were struggling to lose. Trust me...for anyone here to go to the extent of getting WLS they had to hit some kind of bottom...and if asked, I'm sure most of us would have tried to keep our weight stable if that's what it took to get the surgery...but then, I'm biased because I was there. Oh, and don't count on the purse...my Nazi Nurse made me take that and my jacket off (I would however have throttled her if she'd asked for my boots). Now, eat up...I promise you it will come off later. -BG

You're doing great! Keep at it! -BG

WELCOME to LBT! and congrats on the banding! You're mourning the loss of my (and your) BF...food. You'll learn to put food in it's proper place in your life...nutrition. I still love good food and the head hunger is an ongoing battle, but not having the gnawing hunger helps a LOT!!! Hang in there...Bandster Hell will end (not you- love the name, but the period you're in now)! -BG

Take charge GF! It's your health and you need to do whatever it takes to get there. My PCP didn't support my getting the LB, told me 'Your not enough of a metabolic nightmare'...LOL, but that didn't stop me. Fax the paper over or get over there...you're going to run into lots of hurdles in this process so learn now that you're the one that matters and don't let others attitudes get in the way. You're right...It's a frustrating, hard process for a lot of us here...keep coming back here to vent anytime! I think they make this so hard to strengthen our willpower and resolve to get the band -BG

The photos are remarkable! You're a true inspiration, especially as I started at almost the exact same weight and age you were (can I ask how tall you are?...trying to set a good goal weight)! OK, and I've got to know...HOW DID YOU GET YOUR LEGS TO LOOK LIKE THAT AGAIN? How can I get my cellulite dimples to go?? Remarkable, simply remarkable! Great job! -BG

Girls, girls, girls! Thanks as always for the support! Mechelle- I need someone to come drag me out!...good job on the protein! Kathy- You can come cook for me and I'll...well, I've got mad cleaning skills! Lena- You're always the voice of reason! I can't help it...it's my 'almost OCD' talking. You're right I pay for my mistakes and I need to learn that lesson. Kay- Your rockin' your band...hang in there gal! Xavier- ROTFLMAO! But haven't you heard?!!!....it IS a magic band (and GF...I still believe)!!! Arb- Yeah the head part of this, why we got fat to begin with, and why we find comfort in food is the part they don't prepare us much for so good for you for getting help. It's hard when you can no longer say that hunger is the problem...ummm, that's leaves...me? Stay the course, and we'll get there!!!

What a difference a day makes! See that grin on my face?!! I woke up to a loss this morning...180 lbs. for the first time in a long time! Yeah baby...I'm headed back to the 70's (let's hope soon!)! I had a follow up with the Urology Specialist today downtown at Magee Hospital (the one who put me on Vesicare...working great still BTW!). I first saw a nurse who I'd not met before. After 'suiting up' and leaving my sample, the doc finally came in. She started with 'I saw you walk by my office and didn't even recognize you!! I had to ask the girls if I had a new patient today they forgot to tell me about!!' Then she went on and on about how great I looked and asked me all kinds of questions. The best part was when she must have looked up my age. She explained to me that they just had a group of medical school students in yesterday and in medical school they teach the students to describe the patient's (I think she called it) apparent age...do they look older, younger or about their actual age. She went on and on about how much younger I look than my actual age (just the thing that someone who just went through the trauma of turning 50 needs to hear). OK, I'm gloating here and she was probably laying it on thick as she complimented me at least a dozen times...I was embarressed actually, but it made my day, make that my week. I can count the number of NSV's I've gotten from people outside my family on one hand (sad, but I expected that as people generally see you lose slowly and I've lost weight before), so I'm allowed to revel in this a moment. OK, gloating over...but I've still got that stupid grin on my face! I had a little bit of a down day yesterday, but today turned me around...I'm Doing A 180!!!

Great blog...family is what it's all about isn't it, and why we need to be around longer for them. I have two nephew's with Down's Syndrome and they are the most loving kids (sis and her DH adopted them). You're inspiring! -BG

YAY!!! You did it...2 pounds is a great first step and off to the band you go. I'm surprised your doc/NUT didn't give you a list of things you can have. Do you know if you're allowed only clear liquids or 'full' liquids (anything you could drink through a straw)? I was allowed only clears and some skim milk, so that meant: broths, SF popsicles (they come in tropical flavors now), I added K2O protein powder to water and Crystal Light, and I liked the peppermint decaf tea that some recommend to help the gas, and I put SF chocolate in the skim milk since I'm not a milk drinker. You won't be hungry the first few days/week, but keep pushing those fluids. Good luck tomorrow! -BG

Amy, just wanted to say congrats on all the good news!!!! Don't forget to check your insurance policy and make sure it doesn't change next year (seen a few here who were blindsided by a change to their bariatric policy in the next year). I think everyone goes through mourning the loss of food like losing a friend. The sooner you start realizing this for what it is the better off you'll be, so the fact that you're pre-band and dealing with this is a good thing (I've seen people here get depressed about this just post-op, which is even a harder time to start this). Good luck to you! -BG

Great positive attitude...I'll check out the group later. -BG

Ahh weighing less than DH and new jeans...what a great week! -BG

Find some new things; make a WL spreadsheet, create a list of things to take to the hospital, a list of things you'll need at home, start looking for new recipes...I looked for some things like this to keep me busy and gathered input from peeps here to help me feel like I was doing something besides the 'non-WL diet'! -BG

Mechelle- One day at a time! A diet ends...a lifestyle doesn't...there's always a new day and a new chance to get it right. Don't beat yourself up, just try to make the small changes, we all have bad days. I woke up depressed about this today and although I'm not happy at the same weight I'm happy with having a plan to help me get through...focus on one change at a time (right now I'm tracking it all but I'm focused on the water). ld- you guessed my 'one new thing', stay tuned.

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Ditto this. If you noticed, all three of the seminars I went to (different hospitals) showed the same chart ofWL rates for RNY vs LB with 3 years out...the RNY'ers lose it the first year and the LBers continue into year 3 and they end up at about the same loss. I always wondered what that chart would look like 5 or 10 years out.

I started with a low BMI and am now at about 27 and have more to go (66# down). I've heard that low BMI'ers generally lose a higher % of our excess weight. The weight loss slows for most people the closer you get to goal...usually around 30# from goal it will slow down dramatically during this period of Goal Limbo, and for us low BMIers we're in this period a higher % of our WL time simply because we didn't have as many pounds to lose so we get to Goal Limbo faster. OT Sidenote: For those that need insurance approval and are close to the minimum BMI: 11/10/08 I peed my pants! - LAP-BAND

My doc allows carbonation, bread and pasta in moderation. I used to always say that I could live on bread and chocolate, but I don't have either very often and don't miss it, probably because I know I can have it whenever I want (I don't feel deprived or on a diet). The 'toasted' does help it not to get stuck as gummy things like fresh bread and gooey pasta can get stuck more easily so chew well. I just made a cassarole for the family with extra chicken, pasta and peas and I fish out mostly the chicken/peas in my small serving, but there was a little pasta in there.

bella- Come here to vent anytime, we've all been there...zero restriction sucks. Your WL is amazing though given that! So sorry to hear about all the surgeries! I thought water aerobics was supposed to be the one thing people could do even with minor injuries...and it caused one?!! You know you don't need another surgery and doc is right if you're vomiting a lot a tighter band might cause a slip even. Andrea- I gave up eating regular yogurts and switched to greek yogurt 0% (much thicker and loaded with protein). I love the Fage, but it's easier to find Oikos near me and it's fine. I don't eat it first ever as it's a mushy and will slide right through (so after the solid protein unless I need a mushy after a fill). I use it like sour cream (on taco's, on chili, to make dips with veggies, etc.) and often with SF preserves. Here's a thread here with more ideas: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/greek-yogurt-ideas-please-103219/

Everyone is doing so well (JT glad you're healing well)! I'm at 182, up .5 from last Friday; thought it was a whole pound though so I was a little happier when it was only .5. My weekend away did me in...came home to a 5 pound gain. Have a great weekend all!!

ld- Wow cool student section and neat story! ...and I'm still up a pound sigh. DanBar- LOL! No, but some beer! I'm always amazed at the things people choose argue over here...I will not get sucked in...not...not...not...

You look great (time for a new avatar)! -BG