Lapband LaLa

I just hit goal and now I am focusing on maintaining. I have stayed away from frozen meals and fast food, etc. But now I need to be sure of portion control. Anyone use the frozen meals in their diet. SmartOnes, Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice? I had one tonight but I could not get it all down. that's not a complaint...I just want to make sure I get all my nutrition in. It was a Smart One Lasagna.

Wendy's triggers my migranes so I stay away from that at all costs. I have to say PF Changes and Pei Wei have some great choices. I have not had Mcdonalds, burger king, etc. for well over a year so I sure don't miss it!

You are going to hear this over and over in this forum. The lapband is a tool. It's the truth. You must be willing to make the changes in your life to let your tool work. You have to get right in the head to make this work. You can do it. I have faith in you! Find things you love and are different, like belly dancing, water aerobics, zumba....etc. They are fun and you are dropping pounds! It's all up to you. Enjoy the journey. Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is? Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

(Feb 10, 2010) When you are in the middle of your journey and trying to hit your weight loss goal, it is on your mind all the time. That's what you focus on. Once you hit that goal you have to readjust and refocus on just maintaining. There is where I am. There are spots I need to work on to tone a bit more and now how so I eat to maintain? Do I exercise a little less each week? These are the things I have been trying to wrap my little brain around. I just came from the doctor's office to have a teeny little bit of fluid removed. I have not been very comfortable the last week. I fell back on just eating soup because I threw up a couple times since last week's unfill. This now puts me at 5.0cc's in my band. What I was finding was this....I'd go to bed and have acid reflux a lot. I'd eat solids and then the next day my tummy would hurt. So I just did not feel comfy. I was so scared to go in for this unfill today. What if they take too much and I get hungry again? What if I eat more than a cup of food? Will my cravings return? Lord....what a journey! Since I have not been able to eat much in the last few weeks I was too exhausted to exercise daily so I did what I could, but now I am feeling better and have started back on the treadmill 60 minutes each day. I want to return back to my Tony Horton 10 Minute Trainer next week. I do not want the rest of my life to be focus on food and the scale! Anybody else scared of this? OK...I am freaking out a bit but it's only because I am so happy with where I am and I'd like to stay here! On a good note, I have a photo shoot scheduled for late next week and I am super stoked about how these photos will turn out. Keep your eye out for the new me! Also....does anyone eat the frozen meals. SmartOnes, Healthy Choice, etc. If so can you get a full one down? I had one for dinner and I could not even eat half of it! I have not had one in about a year now, to be honest it was not that good. (Feb. 11, 2010)*****This note was added after original posting. I got a list of good frozen meals from my nutritionist. I have attached it for everyone. Enjoy Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:tongue_smilie: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

(Feb 10, 2010) When you are in the middle of your journey and trying to hit your weight loss goal, it is on your mind all the time. That's what you focus on. Once you hit that goal you have to readjust and refocus on just maintaining. There is where I am. There are spots I need to work on to tone a bit more and now how so I eat to maintain? Do I exercise a little less each week? These are the things I have been trying to wrap my little brain around. I just came from the doctor's office to have a teeny little bit of fluid removed. I have not been very comfortable the last week. I fell back on just eating soup because I threw up a couple times since last week's unfill. This now puts me at 5.0cc's in my band. What I was finding was this....I'd go to bed and have acid reflux a lot. I'd eat solids and then the next day my tummy would hurt. So I just did not feel comfy. I was so scared to go in for this unfill today. What if they take too much and I get hungry again? What if I eat more than a cup of food? Will my cravings return? Lord....what a journey! Since I have not been able to eat much in the last few weeks I was too exhausted to exercise daily so I did what I could, but now I am feeling better and have started back on the treadmill 60 minutes each day. I want to return back to my Tony Horton 10 Minute Trainer next week. I do not want the rest of my life to be focus on food and the scale! Anybody else scared of this? OK...I am freaking out a bit but it's only because I am so happy with where I am and I'd like to stay here! On a good note, I have a photo shoot scheduled for late next week and I am super stoked about how these photos will turn out. Keep your eye out for the new me! Also....does anyone eat the frozen meals. SmartOnes, Healthy Choice, etc. If so can you get a full one down? I had one for dinner and I could not even eat half of it! I have not had one in about a year now, to be honest it was not that good. (Feb. 11, 2010)*****This note was added after original posting. I got a list of good frozen meals from my nutritionist. I have attached it for everyone. Enjoy Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

Going to get another slight unfill tomorrow. Going to take all this advise and use it! I can't eat quite a cup of food and that's soup which I've been eating everyday. I need to get more solid foods in me. I miss my meat, but it hurts to eat it right now. I am not stuck according to my doc, just readjusting, which is fine. So I am going to have a little more removed. This week I will continue to workout five days but if I still drop, I will change it to four days next week. I'm sure I will get all this tweaked out pretty good. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and the pats on the back. I am very proud and happy! Now....balance and peace!

I'd like to stay between 160-170. I am hoping that settles naturally as well. I am not so sure about the tummy though. Now I need to focus on that! Sigh!

Naw, who said you have to tell them anything. It's a personal decision. I'm sure if you do tell them they will be cool. Maybe freak out a little bit but then calm down.

So happy for you! And the freaked out feeling is normal. I am still tripping. My husband, son and sister all said they have to keep their eyes on me when we talk because if they turn away they freak out when they look back at me. HA! I don't even recognize myself at times. It freaks me out. My husband shared our Hawaii trip photos with some of his other band members and they asked him who I was! They were serious! I think it's going to take a while for me to get use to this but it sure is FUN! Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

I have so much faith in you! YES YOU CAN DO THIS! Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

Thanks for posting. I won't be a year out until May 21st but I have hit my goal and now my focus changes from losing to maintaining. It's nice to hear from someone who had been banded for three years. When you are first banded you focus so hard on losing, losing, losing and it's important to see the road ahead. Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

I work downtown, so one day I was walking down the street and happened to catch my reflection in one of the buildings. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at myself. I am sure people were tripping, but I just could not believe that was me! I always avoided looking at myself when I was 280 and now that person is gone!

(Feb 8, 2010) I hit my goal weight just last week. 165lbs. I have lost a total of 115lbs in eight months. I have done everything asked of me. Exercise, watched my diet, taken my Vitamins, etc. I got stuck a couple of times along the way. For various reasons. not chewings, food too tough, etc. But I was able to get an un-fill and then fill to get back on track. But now that I am at goal. I am happy to be at 165 and want to stay in this area. I never want to go over 170. But this morning I lost another pound! Ok, so I am not freaking out but I don't want to keep going down either. I know I have to go and get my fill tweaked for maintenance but can anyone share with me their story of this part of the journey? How long did it take for you to maintain? Did you tweak your exercise? (right now I work out five days a week) I'd love to hear from some of you.

I enjoyed reading this blog! You are so cute! Thanks for sharing and congrats!:thumbup: Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbdown: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

I hate to beat a dead horse, but more protein. Try adding Beneprotein to your meals as well. As far as I know you can only get it online. I get mine from Walgreens online. Also try running mashed potatoes if your doc allows, it stays in your tummy longer. Helped me. Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

CONGRATS! Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

Things I asked.... 1. Why did you choose to do this type of surgery? 2. After surgery will I see you again, or only deal with nurses. 3. How long do I have to be on a clear liquid diet? 4. How soon would you like for me to be active again. (exercise) 5. How long will I have to wait until my first fill? 6. What is your fill policy? Do you only fill once a month? 7. What do you expect from me after surgery. Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:thumbup: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! I have faith in you! I hit my goal today, just think of how that will feel for you!

Well....my day is here! As of this morning...I have hit my goal weight of 165lbs!:thumbup: I knew this day would come but until you actually see it, you just don't believe it!:drool: Funny, I thought I'd be jumping up and down and screaming over it, but I am pretty calm about it and happy as a lark. I had to go for a tad bit of unfill yesterday. I am down to 5.2cc's. My body is adjusting a bit and I may have to go in again for another tweak by getting more taken out so I can maintain. It's amazing to me that I don't need as much fill as others. I mean I just assumed we all were pretty much on the same with that but not needing much more than 5cc's is amazing to me. Anything too much over 5.4cc and I get stuck and throw up in my sleep. Which is NOT a pleasant feeling at all.:biggrin: It's scary because I think, what if I don't wake up and I choke?! So now, the major question is....do I need to lose more or should I be happy with what I am now? My initial goal was 170 but then I thought 165 would be better for BMI purposes. Now I am not really sure if I want to stop. What about 160? Plan for the monthly weight gain, blah, blah, blah. Am I turning into one of those skinny bitties who obsesses over the scale!:thumbup: There are some places I feel need to get a little thinner but I am not sure if it's because they are not quite as toned as I want them to be or if it's really just a tad bit flabby. Everyone knows from previous posts I am not exactly happy with where my tummy is but I want to give it a full year before considering anything else. I tried on a size 10 and danced all around the dressing room when they fit. I am thrilled with that....so what is it in me right now that wants more? I am going to have to meditate on that. I mean, I don't want to look sickly! Shape and curves are good.:thumbup: RIGHT???? I am feeling really silly right now...why am I not as happy as I thought I would be? On a different note...my doc left the office where he was. He is on an extended vacation right now and when he comes back he will decide where he will be. Not sure how I feel about that. I love him but I love my nurses too. I bet my main nurse will go with him and if that happens I will move my files with him. Didn't see that coming!:confused: As always....I AM BLESSED! Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:cursing: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

Well....my day is here! As of this morning...I have hit my goal weight of 165lbs!:wub: I knew this day would come but until you actually see it, you just don't believe it!:thumbup: Funny, I thought I'd be jumping up and down and screaming over it, but I am pretty calm about it and happy as a lark. I had to go for a tad bit of unfill yesterday. I am down to 5.2cc's. My body is adjusting a bit and I may have to go in again for another tweak by getting more taken out so I can maintain. It's amazing to me that I don't need as much fill as others. I mean I just assumed we all were pretty much on the same with that but not needing much more than 5cc's is amazing to me. Anything too much over 5.4cc and I get stuck and throw up in my sleep. Which is NOT a pleasant feeling at all.:scared2: It's scary because I think, what if I don't wake up and I choke?! So now, the major question is....do I need to lose more or should I be happy with what I am now? My initial goal was 170 but then I thought 165 would be better for BMI purposes. Now I am not really sure if I want to stop. What about 160? Plan for the monthly weight gain, blah, blah, blah. Am I turning into one of those skinny bitties who obsesses over the scale!:crying: There are some places I feel need to get a little thinner but I am not sure if it's because they are not quite as toned as I want them to be or if it's really just a tad bit flabby. Everyone knows from previous posts I am not exactly happy with where my tummy is but I want to give it a full year before considering anything else. I tried on a size 10 and danced all around the dressing room when they fit. I am thrilled with that....so what is it in me right now that wants more? I am going to have to meditate on that. I mean, I don't want to look sickly! Shape and curves are good.:thumbup: RIGHT???? I am feeling really silly right now...why am I not as happy as I thought I would be? On a different note...my doc left the office where he was. He is on an extended vacation right now and when he comes back he will decide where he will be. Not sure how I feel about that. I love him but I love my nurses too. I bet my main nurse will go with him and if that happens I will move my files with him. Didn't see that coming!:thumbdown: As always....I AM BLESSED! Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:tongue2: Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html

Yeap! Lilith (my band) does not like it unless it's just the soup. I leave rice alone after getting seriously stuck one time. Won't touch it again!

Lilith (my band) does not like any fish or hot wings! She chucks em pretty fast!

Lilith (my band name) growls when she's too tight or getting too full. And when she growls....SHE'S LOUD!

Dr. Metz and his staff are awesome. I had questions before my surgery and he took the time to answer them. I even asked him a personal question of why he wanted to do this type of surgery and he explained his reasons why. All that with a passion in his voice and a smile on his face. As of today (Feb. 1, 2010) I only have two more pounds to goal. Fantastic Doctor and Office! Start Weight: 280lbs Surgery Date: May 21, 2009

I am so excited for you! Feels like the night before Christmas doesn't it? Stay calm, relaxed, and meditate on the future.