vicki12345

I eat everything I cook for my family - just a lot smaller portions. Last night I cooked a good Southern meal for my family - pintos, potatoes, country style steak and gravy and cornbread. I ate a spoon full of everything (including a very small slice of cornbread) because I like it and I wanted it. My spoon fulls probably added up to about a cup of food. This seems to be working for me. My one year band anniversary was Aug 24 and I'm down 70 pounds. Still have about 30 to go and it will probably take me another year to get it off but I'm satisfied.

My husband and I eat out a lot and we always split meals. I give him about 2/3 and I take 1/3 of the meal. I eat mostly anything except I do try and leave the bread and pasta alone. It sure is a lot cheaper now for us to go out to dinner.

I take Zumba once a week and really enjoy it. I am 58 and some of the steps were hard at first but the more you come to class you eventually pick it up. I am always sweating after a class so not sure how many calories I am burning but I'm moving and that is what counts. I also swim 2 times a week and do arobics 1 time a week. The Zumba classes in my area are either $5/hour or you can buy a coupon book for $20 that includes 5 classes. Try it - if you like music and like to move, you will enjoy.

I had horrible neck and back pain after my surgery. I even went back in to the Doctor because they thought something had slipped. It turned out the protein powder I was mixing with Crystal Light was giving me too much sugar alchocol and it was causing gas pains. As soon as I switched Protein drinks, it went away and I've never experienced the pain again.

I had my first fill in November 09 - I went from 2 cc's to 5 cc's. After that fill I couldn't keep anything down. My weight loss slowed down to almost nothing. Everytime I went back to my Doctor he suggested that I needed to have some removed but I didn't want him to do that. So needless to say I suffered till two weeks ago with throwing up either slime or food every time I ate. If my husband and I went out to eat, I would have to have him stop so I could hang my head out of the car 2 - 3 times on the way home. Not good. Two weeks ago, I went in and had the doctor remove some fluid. He removed 2 cc's and I have finally been able to eat. I have not thrown up since the un-fill and am able to eat things I haven't ate in a long time. So far 1 fill and 1 un-fill. I go back in Aug and guess I'll see what he does then.:tt2:

I was banded Aug 24, 2009 and I'm down 70 pounds. I still have about 30 to go but it is very slow. I exercise 3 - 4 times a week and plan on increasing it another couple of days. I have more energy and looking forward to doing some of the things I have put off for years because of my weight. I feel and look better than I have in years. I'm off all precription medicines. I always take my Vitamins every day plus Vitamin D and Calcium. I just started taking Biotin because someone told me it would help my hair. I'm looking forward to losing the last 30 pounds no matter how long it takes. It feels so good now to go into a department store and go to the misses and not the plus sizes.

I would love to have a face lift. I've lost 70 pounds since Aug 24, 2009 and love the way clothes are fitting now - but when I look in the mirror I wonder who that old woman is looking back at me. The face will be first on the list. I'm 58 but not dead yet.

My husband and I usually split meals when we eat out. He gets two thirds and I get 1 third of the meal. If it is a hamburger or something that normally requires bread, I just take the bread off. At home, I eat the same as everyone else - just on a very small plate. If it is something that I can't tolerate, I just skip it.

I had the same problem for months. I couldn't keep anything down but fought having some taken out. I finally broke down and had an unfill last Friday. For the first time in months I can finally eat a little. So I'm wondering the same thing, how do you tell when you reach your sweet spot. Obviously at 5 cc's it was too tight, now at 3 cc's I fill like I could over eat. Maybe 4 cc's will be the charm

Great news Ginny, I have found that eating is enjoyable again since my 2 cc unfill. I have found that I need to be more watchful of the amount I take in now - I don't want to start to gain.

I just had an unfill on Friday of 2cc's and feel a lot better. I had not been able to keep anything down since November - sliming all of the time when I ate. Since the unfill on Friday, I have not had the sliming or things not staying down at all. Definately an unfill is needed.

I was starting to wonder the same about myself. Sometimes one bite of food and I would start getting the feeling that it was not going to stay. I was beginning to think my body had just got conditioned to throwing up.

Ginny, I would go to my doctor and demand he take some out (and not all). It is not a good feeling going out to eat and having to make my husband stop on the way home 3 times so I could hang my head out of the car and let go. When I went yesterday to have an unfill, my doctor told me I had 5 cc's now and he took 2 cc's out. I feel a lot better. Go for it and be strong.

I went to my Doctor yesterday and he removed 2cc's of fluid. Today I have been able to eat and not throw up. This is the first time since last November. Hopefully now my weight loss will increase. I have been counting success in ounces instead of pounds. I have currently lost 70 pounds since last August and have about 35 more to go. Thanks for all of your responses. I shouldn't have waited this long to have some taken out but like others, I didn't want to risk the chance of starting to gain.

I love the Premier Protein Shakes from Costco. They have 30 grams of protein and I have one for breakfast every morning.