OH Juli

Productive Burp or Belch. You bring up what will not go down. Rather like a cat with a hair ball. It's no fun. It's to be avoided and it's certainly not pretty. Most people feel them coming on and run for the potty. There are stories of them happening in odd places and at very bad times. HTH.

Dumping happens because the piece of intestines that processes sugar is removed in GB. The body doesn't know what to do with the matter and treats it like poison. Essentially someone poops and pukes like they have food poisoning. If you've ever had it, you know what I mean. You probably have a bug. You have all the sugar processing parts in your body still. Get some fluids and feel better. Also, tisk, tisk, about the sugar. Perhaps it's better to believe they will make you sick forever so you stay away from them, no?

I'm a strength training junky. I run a bit too. w00t I'm starting yoga. I was drastically over weight for easily 15 years. I am nearly half the weight I used to be. There's not jack that would make that skin fit this body. I can't wear a size 32 pair of pants and pretend they fit. I'd have to take them apart at the seams, recut the pieces and stitch them back together again. That's what plastic surgery means to me. Just making the outters fit the inners.

This is all very different for many... I was told you should be losing less than a pound a month. Most your losses should be done. But there are all kinds of reasons to have surgery when you deem it necessary. If I wait a year my insurance and time off wont be covered due to changing jobs, so I'm jumping the gun a little. Is there a trade off? Probably, but those are decisions one makes individually with the consult of a doctor and your own personal needs.

Tyanna, Yeah for your SIL. I look forward to meeting him and seeing you again in a few weeks (I saw that on the other thread). Sometimes we struggle so hard for it to be just like it was when it was new...you know once you are married a few years behaving like newly weds just doesn't happen. Well because you're not newly weds. But that doesn't mean you're not in love. Same with the band. Even when the newness has faded there are great ways to relate to your band that supports positive results. Sometimes getting out of our own way to let those new ways develop is the hardest thing, don't you think? Happy New Year to everyone!

I get the manic part of wanting to over eat. Nothing more thrilling than getting the plate clean. LOL. I say that in a twisted way, but I do remember those days. When I went in for my inital consult and it was determined that I was a volume eater the nutritionist said to me, you will do very very well with the band. It's the snackers who tend to keep putting food down continually that struggle. Who knew? You'll be amazed at how differently you feel about food. It really does stop becoming all consuming, sorry for the pun. But honestly, it has made all the difference in the world for how I react to food. Don't get me wrong, I still love food. I'm a cook by trade, so it's a huge piece of my world but I've transferred much of how I inneract with it to other behaviors. Come to my house and I'll feed you! it's sick, but it's the truth. Also, Monkey, I ascribe by the not extreme rules too. I actually have thought of my band as bumpers on the bowling alley. I try to shoot down the middle but if I get off track it keeps me from rolling into the gutter.

I didn't mean to imply you didn't have a strong will. You are right, anyone who has battled their weight has discipline. What I should have said it's different for different people; how strong the tool is for keeping food at bay. Different people "wear" it differently too. Some keep it super tight, some not so much. But you probably already know that since you've been on these boards for some time. What I was trying to say it's been my experience that if you look at the extremes of personality types with the band, you have on one side of the continum, the "I'm going to beat the hell out of my fat. I'm going to take this opportunity and do everything I can to get this weight off of me. This is my most extreme attempt, I'm having surgery and this tool is the going to be the difference between now and all my other attempts. I will be at goal!" Then on the other side you have people who say, "Oh I'm so sick of being fat. I want to have surgery to get the weight off. If the band is the difference between before and after, sign me up..." then months into it they are the ones who haven't met their goals because IMO, they are pretty passive about the whole experience. They will give you ample examples of how it's everything but personal choices that got in the way too... Then there's most everyone else who sits between the two. Or perhaps this is a better reply which is accurate for me: I used to be a volume eater. I could consume piles of food before. I simply can not now. I still eat some crap food but the band allows me to eat 2 oreo Cookies not a sleeve of them. If I make 2 eggs and toast for Breakfast I typically throw away half. The band makes it easier. Indeed. I would have never been successful without, and I don't wear it super duper tight. When my weight stands still which it does it's because I make less than optimal choices, but I don't or haven't yet gained weight and that's pretty freakin' sweet.

If I may... Your discipline is the thing you need to measure, not the band. It will work only as well as you will allow it. If you go into this saying I have mostly everything I need to lose weight but I need some support when the tough times happen, the band will work beautifully for you. If you go into this saying I'm going to test the band at every opportunity because that's how I behave, the band, well I'm guessing will not be a good a tool for you. I expect there are other ways of saying this...but it's about you and your committment to transforming your life. Doing something drastic like having an WLS says that you are there on many levels. Framing the use of the band in how it will support you the best way possible will go far in how well you succeed with it. So quick and dirty, you can and will cheat with the band if you want to.

I heart BG, in a totally straight way.

Hi Sisterfriend. Hop on the November 08 site for people who are in the same boat as yourself, well more current to your situation.... Or hop all over there's much to learn on this site and lots to share. Good luck!

Social networking site. Mini blogging. Random thoughts shared with many people... This is a great demystification post on it. BTW, also about my most favorite motivational blogger ever too. Twitter demystified and debunked

Here's something, I went for a pear, peeled of course, instead of something like pretzels or cheese. It's a little slow going down, but yeah, I feel like that's a reasonable choice as far as food goes. As an aside, no desire to hyjack, but anyone twitter?

My world too. Vodka, that's okay, right?

I'm loving the energy and humor on this thread. It's motivational indeed. And I have to say I feel far more sane looking at the rest of you scale additcs. I only get on once in the morning, well sometimes in the evening, and sometimes before and after I poo, but that's not very often, and I'm always naked, I even take my glasses off which means I have to bend over to see the numbers. Good thing I live alone for the most part. I'd hate to walk in on someone naked, bent over the scale, with their butt toward the door....

Barb, Look at you with those amazing goals! You go girl. Take a few minutes and remind yourself of other goals you met head on so you can pull on those past successes to get you through those challenges. You're gonna blow 2009 out of the water! Woot!

I forgot the other fantastic thing I say when I get, "you look great" or some variation on that-- "Thanks, can I tell you I feel amazing!" It takes it off of how you look which is just icky to talk about at times, and focuses on what is really important, how you feel! XO

Rock on naked bandsters. I'm on day two as well. Feeling less of a call for the sugar and other bad for me things. w00t. I ran yesterday too eventhough my iPod was dead. It's charged now and I'm running again this afternoon!

Hi COlady. Aint that some stuff? Who'd a thought it would be like this? But it is. You know, there's is a transformation that's taken place but you're head hasn't caught on just yet. But then again there are some really profound things that remain the same. Good things too. Like you've got the same heart that cares deeply about things you cared about before. And you have the same eyes that reflect all the sweetness you shared before...regardless of the packaging some things don't change and for that we can be happy. But then wow, some things are starteling different. May I suggest that you find a place that's free of distractions and really remember what 300+ pounds was like? Go to a place where other people won't bother you and focus on what walking was like, or for me it's carrying laundry baskets. Climbing the stairs, bathroom stalls that were too small... Remember how it felt then think about how you feel in your body. This isn't about how you look, that will come. But think about how you feel. I'm sure there's a difference you can measure. Good luck.

This reminds me of a joke: "All men want to see women naked, right? Okay men, do you know what you need to do? Move the scale into the living room, because no woman will step on the scale with a stich of clothing on!" Isn't that the truth and my scale is in the coldest room of the house. And who said we can't weigh daily or even 3x a day???

This is going to sound way more snarky than I intend it to be, and basically I'm a nice gal, read my other posts, but what's in the quote is an excuse to not follow through. "Supposed to be fat?" Pish-posh. No, no, no. You are not supposed to be fat. You are supposed to be fit and healthy. If you watched that show and came away with a sense of, "Damn, I've been doing this wrong all along, if I get to 500 pounds I can be hospitalized and disabled and that's the purpose of my life..." then you are supposed to be fat. -disclaimer-I'm not saying the people on the show are supposed to be fat but that they are futher away from getting well than you, Oblong. Look at what you've accomplished so far. You have a date, you have done your research, you have defended your choice to the important people in your life. You know this is a tool that will spark other amazing changes in your life. And really I quoted you because the other piece, the "I fought my body my whole life" spoke to me. I did too. I've joked that my hair and my feet are the only two things where my body didn't disappoint me. But with the band, I own my body now. I do things like run and jump rope. It's freaky and cool and you'll be doing it too. So breath deeply. Freak out all you need to. We're here for you. Girl, you are just weeks away from being banded. It's an amazing thing. and you will do really well.

First of all, take a deep breath. No really. Inhale, exhale. You're fine. You are not a failure. May I suggest you stop looking for the motivation you once had, because that time is in the past. Look for some motivation that fits you today and will work for tomorrow. It might be like what you had before but it could be something new. I too got stuck looking for that "new car smell" that feeling of how it was in the beginning, but the car's not new, it's going to smell different. This isn't the beginning, it's going to be different. That's reasonable, no? So between here and February what can you do that will make you feel a little more at peace? Can you just be at peace with your restriction level, knowing it will change in a few weeks? Can you do things that promote good banding behavior, like drinking Water or exercise and give yourself permission to let the other stuff go until you get that fill? I dare say you probably need to look at all that is good, find one or two things that you can say have been improved since you've been banded and focus on those. Don't worry about what is missing right now. It will come. Good luck.

What everone else said. "Thank you" always works. "I'm working hard, I appreciate you noticed and said something." "How nice of you to notice." If you have not bought new clothing that fits, be prepared because when you do people will really start commenting. It's lovely and part of what you are working on. Being uncomfortable is normal, but it's something you can handle. Also, if you don't like the spot light quickly change the subject, ask the person something about themself so they stop talking about you.

You are wise to research well before being banded yourself and allowing your daughter to be banded. If you haven't considered doing some mental health work along side getting banded it might not be a bad idea, well because I believe there is alway something to learn about ourselves when we go searching. Good luck to you and your daugther.

Hi there all you banded babes! I just caught sight of this thread and while I'm not down for the 5 day pouch test, I've got my reasons, I'm down for getting serious before the first of the year. Today is as good a day as any, right-o? My goal is to get as far away from processed food as possible. No more chemicals and dare I say it, reduce my caffiene. I don't know if I'm setting myself up for failure or if I'm cleansing my body. I just know I feel better when I'm eating better food. So I'm detoxing right along side you all. Why wait until Thursday?! I do believe I'm going to run today as well. E-gad. Run!

Hi my sickly Marchies. I say that with a smile. If it's not one thing it's another, no? I hope you all a good 2009 with improved health and continued weight loss. Gwen, I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with your balance and are having bad effects from eliminating carbs from you diet. Jeni, Ugh, stomach and asthema, and wisdom teeth. How super unfair is that? You'll be getting better soon, I'm sure. Keep your spirits up as best you can through out the duration. You'll be 100% soon. I'm doing what I never thought I'd have to do again and that's make a new committment to eating better at the new year. I thought all that was behind me with the band. However, if I look at it from a positive POV, I'm going from good to better. Not horrible to slightly improved. I really want to remove all processed food from what I eat. The biggest challenge will be the hazelnut creamer from my coffee. Isn't that something? Not candy or Cookies, because as much as I do like me some sugar, I know that can be put aside for long periods of time. The coffee always gets me! Wish me luck. I'm wishing you all a wonderful winter season. XO Juli