newdicarlo

Popcorn--I eat a 100 Calorie pop bag as a snack. i don't have issues with it getting stuck.

Erin18--I'm sorry to hear you are feeling this way. I have a history of depression--is this something in your history, or are you just down in the dumps? It sounds like you don't have any avenues to get professional help, but maybe talking it out would help you. have you tried journaling or blogging to get your thoughts out in the open? Even if you are the only person that reads it, sometimes this can make people feel better. do you have friends or family you can talk to? As a last resort--even with no insurance, there are a lot of great pharmacy benefits out there for generic drugs through Wal-Mart and lots of grocery stores and retail pharmacy chains now ($10 for a 90 day supply). If you have no other recourse and need medication, yes, the Dr appt is not cheap(can you go to a clinic or do you have Medicaid or Medicare benefits?), but the medication can be affordable if you get on a generic. And hospitals can't turn you away if you can't pay. If you are feeling suicidal, please please please consider a hospital.

I'm down 102 pounds as of last week...I'm less than 2/3 the person I used to be!

When I am physically finished, the food needs to go away because if it doesn't I will eat more. it doesn't matter that I am full, mentally I will look at it and say I can't waste it or just one more bite won't hurt--and that last bite will cause me pain and pb'ing if I don't watch it. Even my husband gets grossed out because I'll have to run to the sink and put it down the disposal before I touch it again! it's purely mental.

Rice of any kind, bread of any kind except maybe toast if chewed with other food, dry meat like white meat chicken or turkey, well done beef and pork, many breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, etc. pretzels, vegetables like broccoli and potatoes, dry crackers like Triscuits...but I can eat salad, pasta and popcorn which many people cannot. it's a learning process for everyone cause everyone is different and everyone level of restriction is different...

Name***********Starting****Current******Goal******ToGo Adjua.....................347...............337...........240.............97 Astrasmom.............254...............254...........170..............84 Babe......................265...............265...........199.... .........66 Band_Groupie........172.5.............165............158.............. 7 BetsyB..................226.6.............221.6.........109...... ......112.6 BobbieND..............224...............220.0..........150..... ........70 Brigette.................198...............198.............150.... ........48 crzytchr.................217...............217..............180.... ... ....37 DANA36.................233...............233..............160...... .....73 daqui26.................274...............274..............200...... .....74 destined4thinness...215.5.............215.5..........150............65 .5 ericanda1973..........198.5............198.5...........130......... ...68.5 HummingBird..........204...............196..............150........ ....46 jenibeni.................224...............221.5............165....... .....57.5 Jennih...................232................232..............130.... .......102 KDEE....................240................240...............150...... ......90 Lisa65...................174.5............168...............145..... ......23 Liz........................193.4............193.4............155...... ......39.4 lotzasunshine.........247...............246...............175........ ...71 newdicarlo.............187...............180................135...... . ...45 ol55andahalf..........184...............184................144...... ......40 RandaPanda...........194...............187................150........ ....37 scoutmama............270................270...............180........ ....90 skinny31................261................261................185..... .......76 SNDYCNRD.............207...............204................140......... ...64 TARASGIRL.............305...............298.5...............225....... . ....73.5 TeriLu....................215...............215................150.. .... ......65 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... ......94 Tabithan...............244...............234................190....... ......44 unshackled............277...............277................180....... ......97 Valerie.................190................190..................150... . .......40

Are you getting in all of your water? At least 64 oz a day? Not sugar-free sweetened drinks, but true water? I found that Crystal Light was hindering my weight loss and switched to water only with an occasional (once a week) flavored sugar free drink, and when I did that I noted that I wasn't necessarily hungry, but I was always thirsty. Maybe this is part of the issue--not necessarily hunger, but thirst?

OK, so today is day 5 of the pouch test and, I am not following through with day 5. I've been really working out hard, and having some issues with changing my anti-depression meds (I know, TMI), and it just wasn't worth the last day, I'm sorry to let you down! I did lose three pounds though and I don't feel like snacking. I do feel as though I'm back on track and not craving sugar and carbs so that is a really good thing. I hope to keep on the weight loss track cause that 6 week plateau was pure hell!

Name***********Starting****Current******Goal******ToGo Astrasmom.............254...............254...........170..............84 Babe......................265...............265...........199.... .........66 Band_Groupie........172.5...........167.5..........158..............9. 5 BetsyB..................226.6.............226.6.........109...... .......117.6 BobbieND..............224...............221.6.............175..... ........49 Brigette.................198...............198.............150.... ........48 crzytchr.................217...............217..............180.... ... ....37 DANA36.................233...............233..............160...... .....73 destined4thinness...215.5.............215.5..........150.............6 5.5 ericanda1973..........198.5............198.5...........130......... ...68.5 HummingBird..........204...............199..............150........ ....49 jenibeni.................224...............221.5..............165..... .. .......57.5 Jennih...................232................232..............130.... .......102 KDEE....................240................240...............150...... ......90 Lisa65...................174.5............174.5.............145..... ......29.5 Liz........................193.4.............193.4............155..... ..........39.4 lotzasunshine.........247...............246...............175........ ...71 newdicarlo.............187...............184................135...... . ...49 ol55andahalf..........184.................184................144...... .. .....40 RandaPanda...........194...............191................150........ ....41 scoutmama............270................270...............180........ ....90 SNDYCNRD.............207...............207................140......... ...67 TARASGIRL.............305...............302................225........ ....77 TeriLu....................215...............215................150.. .... ......65 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... ......94 Tabithan...............244...............234................190....... ......44 Valerie...............190...............190................150....... ......40

were you nauseous when you were vomiting? it sounds like a tummy bug to me with that true vomiting...

I weigh every day. I can't resist it. But, yes, I do lose in spurts--sometimes 3-4 pounds a week and nothing the next week or ten days. Happens every month, always goes up at that time of the month and since I know it, it's OK. but, I do average about 10 pounds a month, most of them lost within the same two weeks or so.

I posed a few questions to a family friend who is a fitness expert and got back the following response (sorry, it is a bit long, but it could help) my questions are in bold, her answer is the rest. Weight loss and weight lifting go hand and hand. I am living proof. Muscles burn fat. If you are lifting, you need to eat appropriately. The reason we gain is obvious...we eat more than we burn. If we eat too many calories we store it as fat. If we eat the right amount and are lifting weights, the muscles we are creating will burn excess fat. Don't over eat and you don't have extra fat. Hi there! I have exercise questions for the exercise experts… I was told that I should be doing half cardio, half heavy weights, low reps for muscle building and boosting weight loss—does this sound right for wanting to lose weight? Here is what I did to lose my seventy some odd pounds of baby fat: Weight Watchers to start. I lost 25 lbs with them. THen, I joined my gym. My initial training I did on my own was like so: Sunday, four mile easy walk and abs Monday: 30 mins. cardio(biking, hiking, running, walking up hill) Anything to get my heart rate around 135. Trained (aka lifted weights)Back and Biceps Tuesday: Trained chest and triceps Wednesday: off or cardio Thursday: Trained legs Friday: trained shoulders and abs Saturday: 45minutes of cardio I did three sets of exercises or eight to ten reps each set. I alternated cardio. I followed this for another twenty pounds (at this point, down 45lbs!!!)then I hired a personal trainer. The best thing that has ever happened to my health. Here is what he did with me: Sunday is always a rest day. Always. You can rest hiking at a park or riding a bike, but don't get the heart rate up too high. Just take it easy. Monday:Chest and Tris, cardio Tuesday: back and bis, cardio Wednesday: cardio and abs Thursday: shoulders, cardio Friday: leg day, cardio Saturday one hour cardio and abs. I always separate my cardio and training by at least four hours. By the time I finished my three months with Scotty, I was down another 35 or so pounds. I lost track. The more muscle I gained the scale stayed put, but I still shrunk in size,hence, the body sculpting. So hitting a plateau while lifting is ok. The muscles are still doing their work by burning fat. You will still lose inches, just not pounds for a while. NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU WEIGHT LIFTING IS NOT GOOD FOR DROPPING WEIGHT. Alternate your work outs so that every six weeks you do a different routine. ie; six weeks of heavy lifting, six weeks of plyometric lifting, six weeks of light lifting and so back to heavy. Just to complicate things, here is what I do now: Sunday: I walk my dogs two hours a day (mostly b/c the guy I walk w/ is hot)an hour in the morning and at night. Some Sundays I'll do cardio for fun. Monday: I will start my rotation with CHest. I teach a Boot Camp at night. I do not do the same thing every Monday with weights, as I stated, it's a rotation. Walk the dogs 2xs Tuesday: Train Back. This takes me about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Dog walk 2xs, again, he's hot. Wednesday: 530am Boot Camp, 9:00 Abs and 9:15 one hour Spin class. I try to squeeze in my lower back and traps. Dog Walk 2xs THursday: Shoulders and Boot Camp at 530pm at the J Dog Walk, 2xs Friday: Leg Day or lower back and traps Dog Walk 2xs Saturday: Leg Day Dogs boot camp I sometimes will go for a run, but I teach so much that I use that as my cardio. I rotate my lifting chest, back, lower back and shrugs, shoulders, adn legs. I lift a warm up set at a lighter weight for fifteen reps. Then, I lift three sets of fifteen reps a piece. If by the time I get to 10 I am not struggling, the weight is too light. If I get to ten and am struggling and cannot get to fifteen it is too heavy. I want a struggle to get to fifteen, but do not want to hurt. This is where you use common sense in lifting. Only you can tell you what is a comfortable weight to lift and what hurts. I never do the same thing week to week. I use my classes for my cardio and sub regularly for others when I feel I need more cardio. The walking is theraputic and great for maintaining weight or increasing weight loss 2. If the above is true, what should I be doing and how often? See the above answer. 3. Is it recommended to split cardio and weights and do them at different times? Keep four hours between cardio and weights. If time does not allow it(and most times it doesn't!) and you need to do both together, then do weights first and cardio second. ALways make sure you are eating some protien/carb with in thirty minutes of working out. Feed those muscles!

I'm on Day 4 of the test and have lost...2 pounds. Which doesn't seem like a lot or enough to me for what I am doing, but I was on a month-long plateau and trying to get back on track from the holidays, so I'll take it!

Hi Sarah (Go Tigers), Is your insurance not covering anything on the band? I went to Dr. Van Wagner in St. Louis and I believe he offers a payment plan, his part of the surgery is only about $3500, the surgery center is a bit more, but it's worth a look--and you wouldn't have to go to Colorado...although you may be dead set on that Dr. too, which I can understand...

I've flown twice round trip and did experience a little tightness but it went away within a couple days. I'm at my sweet spot now, so I hope I don't get too tight for two upcoming flights in Feb and March. No issues with metal detectors or anything though.

I've also noticed this in my face--I'm getting so many compliments on my skin now, it's amazing. Not sure if it's the increased water intake, the change in diet or the fat cells pulling together, but I'll take it either way!

Ha! you guys are so funny! Amazing how a 12 sounds so small to some and would be other people's "fat clothes"...coming from a size 24 I'd say a size 12 is damn good! We should all be proud--damn those pounds, let's talk sizes!

I'm on the second day of the 5 day pouch test to get my weight loss going again--down a pound since yesterday, something is working!

Yep, I think you are too tight too. You should not be drinking your meals with the exception of maybe breakfast. You should call your surgeon and see what they say, you might need a tiny unfill.

Ok, so I've been rather down on myself because I fell off the wagon over the holidays. I didn't exercise for 10 days and didn't really watch what I ate, I grazed a lot. So I busted my tail and worked out really hard last week, watched what I ate and the scale reflected....nothing. I have remained at the same weight for about 4 weeks. This, for me, is a disaster as I was losing 10 pounds a month on average for 9 months! So, I started the 5 day pouch test today to get back on track and jumpstart the weight loss again. Tonight I decided to try on some clothes I got on clearance for an upcoming trip in two months, and lo and behold, the dang size 12 skirt went on and zipped up and was snug, but 12? 12??? Haven't seen a 12 in oh.....about 12 years! Hope the silly thing fits in 2 months! If not, I'd rather have wasted the 9.99 than have it be too small!

I had to do a full week of CLEAR liquids, no protein shakes, no soups except broth. And worked full time. I had one egg with a sprinkling of cheese on days 3, 4 and 5. I lost 16 pounds that week and surgery went fine.

I have Anthem and they did not require the 6 month Dr approved diet. I submitted paperwork last January 3 and had approval in about 2 weeks.

I had my "Last Meal" ummm, maybe a dozen times before being banded? It does happen, you aren't alone, you only have a week to go. Don't go crazy, try to make healthy choices where you can, but just know that it's normal. My last supper lasted oh, a month, but I lost 16 pounds on the week-long clear liquid pre-op diet, and it was a great jumpstart--I just remembered thinking "I didn't use any willpower before this pre-op diet, I'm using it all NOW" and trust me, I needed it, but those last meals made the pre-op diet doable for me because I knew I hadn't missed out on anything I wanted. I was starting the hard work.

I also prefer morning because I get weighed and because I'm tighter. I'd rather experience the "most tight" I'm going to get right away instead of regretting it the next morning!

At 285, I was a full C. I've had two children. With a 95 pound loss, I'm a B. Last week when working out in my living room, my sports bra rose above my ta-ta's. Thank goodness I wasn't in the gym that day...I don't even fill out the sports bra anymore...