TXAmy07

Good luck!!!! I can't wait to hear how the first of our group does! Please update us when you can!!!!! :thumbup:

I am not banded yet (one week from today, AHHH!) but I wanted to jump in and say that I was a member of Curves for a year and a half until my local one closed. One of the things I liked about it is that it is not intimidating like other regular gyms. There are people there to help you with the equipment, and the women that are there are very normal people. You don't see (at least, at mine) super competitive very atheletic body builder type: just regular average women that want to work out in a group-type setting. They usually make it fun for everyone by having stuff like weekly trivia questions with prizes, themed days, you get shirts for every 100 work outs you get, they put your name up a lot of times if you lose the most weight or inches that month, etc. Another really cool thing that most Curves have now is Smart equipment. They give you a little wrist band that has a plastic "key" type thing. You are registered in their computers with your height, weight, and cardio/strength "norm" (they set you up with that so it's customized for YOU and YOUR strengths and cardio norm and not just a standardized number given your info). You put your little key into each machine as you go around the circuit, and it tells you if you are doing the machine fast/hard enough or not. When you finish your circuit you can check their computer and it will tell you what areas you didn't do too well on that day, how many calories you burned, etc. Now, the bad part..... Sometimes I REALLY dreaded having to chat it up with the people there. Not that they weren't all lovely ladies but sometimes I just want to work out without having to talk about the weather or what my weekend plans were or whatever. If you are very social, or go with a friend or co-worker, or you're just super quiet and don't care if everyone else thinks you're a B... then I wouldn't worry about this part. I loved it because it was close enough to where I work that I could go on my lunch hour, and I didn't get too sweaty not to be able to go back to work afterwards. Go in and ask for a free week - I know at mine the manager gave people free weeks all of the time just to try it out. Good luck!! I bet you will like it. :biggrin:

I did 45 minutes on the tread-mill today, yeah!!

Wow, that REALLY stinks....... I was born premature and had underdeveloped lungs and as a result had asthma for a lot of my childhood that had me in and out of the hospital. So while it's been a while since I have had anything as bad as you (I don't get attacks any more, I just have a smoker's cough as a result of the asthma nowadays - something I am praying will go away after weight loss) I can sort of relate. At least, to the whole feeling of that stuff. Anyways, I am sorry to hear this. I'm glad to hear everything went okay as far as the scans though - at least now you can put the thoughts out of your head. And yeah it SUCKS to think you're this close and it could be delayed... but don't think that way yet! You never know... When is your pre-op appt? Can you just call the surgeon's office and get their opinion? I know it's easier to say this but it IS better to be at 100% for the surgery. Then again, I also know you were venting so that's all I will say on that. :thumbup: The Bandito tribe will be crossing our fingers for you (yes, I totally just spoke for the group :laugh:) for good news!!!!! Let us know what happens. Amy

My surgery is on a Wednesday and I am going back on Monday. I'm in marketing and so it's an office job. There are only a few people that work out of my office and they are all sales people that are only there Monday's and Friday's. Two of them know what is going on, so I know they will be able to make excuses for me if I need to close my office door on Monday and be alone. I doubt I will though - I am sure the Mayo Banditos will bounce back with no problems!

What a cruel world. I JUST got this email from my boyfriend: I would loose all my points SERIOUSLY?!?! I hate "like" too. I noticed my 2nd grader using it a lot and when I tried to figure out how she picked up on it, I noticed that *I* say it too... So we started watching when we use it and we've both pretty much stopped. It's like, so annoying to like talk to someone and that's all like you can even like concentrate on!

OK seriously, "nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers" is something I have never heard and it is probably going to be the cutest thing I have heard in a while. That is CA-YUTE and I plan on using it as soon as I can! Also I was thinking wow, 10 days away - that is close! Then I realized you are only 2 days before me and that was even more scary. It's normal though, and that's why we have each other - our fellow BANDitos to lean on for support!

You're right, Tapshoes - I typoed on that one. It is couldn't. I was so into venting it that I was in a rush to get the thought out! :w00t: And Jaffa Steve: Nope, I don't think I am superior - as I stated in my original post (and Tapshoes pointed out) I was just expressing a pet peeve. I think that's the entire point of a pet peeve... You can't (and don't have to) explain why it bothers you, it just does. That's what makes people interesting. Although if I didn't have pet peeves I probably would be living a "charmed life", but oh well. Maybe in the next life. Specifically and pacifically is a good one! I used to work with someone that did that constantly. Keep 'em coming!

I am not posting this out on the "external" forums because I am curious to see what OUR group is experiencing. Especially (but certainly not limited to) those that have already started the pre-op dieting. I have noticed that I am much happier in general since beginning the pre-op diet. I can't figure out why - if it's because I am eating healthier and I am in this "eating to live, not living to eat" mode (someone else said that recently and I loved it so I kind of stole it just now, was it you Ann?) and I am not eating all the processed crap that I was, OR if it's just because deep down I know I am 3 weeks away from the first day of the rest of my life? Has anyone else experienced any of this? I feel less stressed and more happy and maybe a little more energy. I am digging it! Amy

Well, I had mine this morning! It was a lot of info and I wish I also had taken a recorder or another set of ears. I already got all the post-op info in the same packet as my pre-op stuff so I already had that but he went over stuff like what to expect the day of, told me to keep up the pre-op diet but I am doing well, etc. Then I asked the questions that you guys advised and wrote down everything. I am sure he was thinking "ok lady hurry up" but so! I wanted to make sure I got everything asked and written down! Something I ALMOST walked out of there without asking is: where do I go the day of surgery? Sounds like an easy question but I have to be there at 5:15am and there aren't going to be TOO many people around to ask. So luckily I remembered that! I will have skin glue so I will be able to take a shower whenever. I get my first fill after 5 weeks. I have to walk every 1 to 2 hours the day after surgery, and drive after about 5 days. Now this is feeling more real - it's one think to read the information here or on a piece of paper but it's another for someone to look right at you and it's YOU that is having all of this done! Ack!!! :thumbup:

Lima Beans actually sound like a WELCOME CHANGE. I will ask them tomorrow when I go if that's ok. Asparagus is good, I have done that but not as much as green beans and broccoli. The past couple of days I've switched my dinner and "lunch" around and done a salad for lunch and oatmeal or toast for dinner. So that's been kind of nice, it's just eating the same thing and having no real choices that sucks.

I looked it up once but I honestly can't remember the difference. The Realize holds more cc's, I'm sure about that... but the other one is more common. I think the way it is built is a little different? My surgeon said he just does the regular one so I didn't read up on it much. Do a search in one of the main forums and I'm sure you'll find tons of info. I'm curious as to what you find out and what you decide, tho so let us know. :rolleyes2:

I started feeling better after probably day 2. It was sooo much mental stuff - going from being like "YES! TIME FOR LUNCH!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD SHALL I HAVE TODAY, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS! :thumbup:" to, "hmm I need to make a quick shake and keeo working" or whatever. So by day 3 I was over being excited about my "endless possibilities" and I was moving on with it. I have lost 13 lbs since I started the pre-op, for a total of 40 since I started down the LB road so I am trying to use that as motivation. One of my friends that I haven't seen in a couple of months that has no idea I am doing this saw a new pic on facebook and said something to me about having lost weight, so YAY! You can totally do it though! The pudding is a GREAT idea. I like doing a little bit of a banana and/or some frozen strawberries in my shake. I did peaches and they are OK too. Keep us updated!! Amy

Nice! Those are good questions! I am glad I asked. I am kind of nervous! I'll let ya'll know how it goes though.

That is terrible!! I am so sorry! I was also thinking about that the other day - what if something happens or you get sick or something. That really stinks. :smile: But... Hallelujah has a good point, it is a good opportunity to get closer to your goal... Even though it still sucks.

Okay cool! So you start pre-op tomorrow then? I am excited for everyone to start so I'm not alone out there. :smile:

Hey Shaun, you're May 6th as well, correct? John - I'm not sure about squash, I've thought about that but I thought for whatever reason it had to be green on the INside. I will ask on Thursday though because I love squash and your wife's cooking of it made me want some even more! Ann - good thinking on the peas! I will look for those as well as the green Beans with the onions and peppers in them.

Nice, John!! Keep us updated! :crying:

Thanks John!!! Today was hard for some reason, I don't know why. I was really hungry and none of my "choices" sounded good. Oh speaking of that - how many green vegetables can everyone think of? I have to do lean meat and a green vegetable for dinner. I don't really like green peas, I thought I liked spinach until I ate the required amount (1cup) and now the thought of it makes me gag... Broccoli is ok but it's getting old, and I love green Beans but even THEY are getting old! Ann - when do you start your diet?

Skinnybyrd, I wasn't told NOT to - I don't see how it could be a bad thing. I haven't been, but I was actually thinking about it today. I might hop on the treadmill for a bit tomorrow. I just registered for a cruise with my bf and a friend this June, which is something I've never done and I DO want to lose as much as I can before that... So even more motivation!

I am not doing that particular diet, but I will tell you that the first day was HELL. I seriously wished I could lay down and never wake up. I came home from work and laid in bed because I had NO energy - and all I could think about was eating. Then the next day I had a little more energy. Then the third day I felt pretty normal... Then the fourth day I wasn't very excited about eating, it was more that I was having a protein shake because I was supposed to do that. Sooo now it's been 2 weeks this coming Monday and I am doing just fine. I am used to it, eating is not this big fun event any more but it's actually OK. I think 99% of it was mental for me. And trust me, if I can do it you can too! As a random side note: Do a google search on why stomach's growl... it's all mental! It growls because your mind is used to eating a certain amount at a certain time and it tells your stomach to start churning the acid that it uses to digest your food... And when your stomach is empty, the "growl" you hear is the air as the acid churns. When you're full it still "growls" but you can't hear it as much because the acid is churning around the food you just ate. Pretty crazy! Good luck! Keep us updated! -Amy

I love this!! I just got done eating out with my boyfriend, bff and her gf - we went to a steakhouse and I was sooo good, I didn't eat ANY of the bread that the waiter kept us stocked with, I asked which was the leanest cut of steak that I could get w/no butter on it, AND I got green Beans and a salad with no dressing with mine while everyone else got potatoes and big fat steaks with melted butter!!!!!!!!!! It was hard, but dang it. I am committed to this ONE meal at a time. Keep these coming, ya'll! I think these are good for us all to read and to congratulate ourselves on.

Hi guys, I am being banded on May 6, and thinking about booking a 5-day cruise to Mexico the last week of June. Has anyone traveled outside the country that soon after being banded? I realize it's not REALLY "outside" the country since it's on a boat but I just want to be reassured that I'll be good to go 6 weeks after! I am hoping I will already have the "hang" of things so that I can fully enjoy myself and not be worried. Thanks! Amy

BETHANY!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you! Congrats!!!!! Make sure to post your date once you get it, down in the May 2009 forum! YAY! OK Kristi... you're up now. We're waiting on you, girlie! Oh PS, sorry about not responding to your exercise post, I didn't see it before now. I guess it doesn't matter at this point though huh, because you are already APPROVED! (And to answer the question, I have NO idea anyways... the doctor I did my 6-month diet with is one that my surgeon refers patients to and so he already knew how to note it for Cigna - I never even saw the files) -Amy

Thanks guys! I am pretty excited. Before my whole "journey" thus far I probably wouldn't have ever done this... but I am kind of looking at it as my REWARD - and I am nervous about being around all that food but I can handle it! Oh and PS, I wont be flying. I'm driving to where the ship leaves from. Amy