DizzyLizzy

Thanks for the compliments on the pics, everyone. I have the album set to friends only (not quite ready to share with the whole entire world!)...I thought I had already added everyone on this thread as a friend, but if I missed ya, so sorry! Just add me & I'll accept. And I apologize if I don't address everyone's post. My brain is too unswift to take everything in quickly and process it. But I do read all of your posts, I just have to let all the info marinate in my brain for a while, but by the time I think of something to say, the convo has moved on, or I'll even forget when I get a chance to get on here, lol. You all have such great things to say, advice, funny stuff, and even the more personal stuff, make everyone seem more real, so I appreciate all that you all share. It's nice to have your support as I'm noticing the one adult person I have to deal with every day, my husband, doesn't seem to care how much I've lost anymore. I exclaimed this morning, "I saw 289!" and he just had a look like, "and, so!" on his face. Wondering what's up with that! Yesterday was pretty busy for me at work...month end close. Seems like we finish one and here come the next one. That's the accounting life, it's just one big cycle. My parents are having plumbing problems so they are staying at a hotel and came and picked up the kids for some swimming, so the hubby & I went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. I had half my salad, 4 oz of steak, and {duh duh duuuuhhh!} a roll! Good grief, I did not know those darn things had 227 calories in one friggin roll!. Then the hubby ordered the big ole brownie...man, it was hot & gooey with ice cream on top. I had 3 bites. I had too! Thank goodness, I held myself to only 3! I calculated that at 80 calories that's not too terrible. But the damn roll! I gotta stay away from those things! Well, although still pretty darn cold here in Indiana, the sun is shining bright. Hope you all have a great day!

I posted some photos... just a few as LBT doesn't like bmp pics. Have a good day!

Sweet! Welcome to the club!

Leigha, Glad you're feeling better and can eat again! With my weighing, I promised myself to only record my weight on Friday afternoon/evenings to avoid messing with my head. I've been known to flux 2-3lbs in a day and that's when it's likely the highest during the day. Just like Saturday morning I was 292, but Saturday evening I was 294. Before when I did that and actually logged it, even though I knew why and expected that I would weigh more later in the day, it really bummed me out! So, now I see a good number in the morning, pat myself on the back and hope I can see that number or less on Friday. And I usually see my surgeon on Friday afternoons for the "official" weight, so that's why I chose that day. Pictures, ah yes! LOL! I actually took photos of myself, belly & all the night before surgery and have been meaning to do the same "poses" for the whole then & now effect, but I just have not gotten around to doing it. I will try to at least put something up after my workout tonight so you guys can at least know that I am a human being. :-) I wish I would have taken a before picture of me in the pants I have on now because in November they were pretty tight and now they look like clown pants! Quitting time...yay! Hour drive home..boo! Catch you guys later!

BT, congrats! Besty, my prayers are with you and your family! Despite my garbage feast last night, I saw 290 this morning! Not recording it, but it was nice to see. I will workout and extra half hour tonight, that should get rid of about half of that McDouble! Saw an old classmate at the store last night and he told me I hadn't aged a bit. I blushed! The a couple of weeks ago another old classmate told me the same thing, and a few weeks before that some random little girl told me I was really pretty! Wow! Now, I've heard this all before, but now I'm starting to believe it! :-) Have a good day people!

Oh, I know....now! That was the first time I had a fast food burger I know since being banded and probably a while before that. But the chicken selects actaully aren't that bad for you...I get those all the time if I have to get fast food. I was just craving a burger and it was totally not worth it...lesson learned!

Blah, feeling like an over filled garbage can right about now. I ate a McDouble and 2 chicken strips in one setting, ugh! Feels like it's sitting right at the top of my throat. Lesson learned...don't do that anymore!!!! Start over again tomorrow...good night folks!

I only have .5cc and really have no restriction at all. I can tell the band is there because I'm not scarfing food down and will feel satisfied soon enough as long as I eat slowly, but if I'm in a rush I can put food away! I've still been doing well, though, which is why my doctor wouldn't give me another fill. I lost 11lbs in a month and their goal for me is only 2lbs a week. He did say if I don't lose, I could come in for a fill before my next scheduled appointment, but I lost 2lbs last week, so looks like I'm going to have to wait. I count calories in and out and as long as I plan my meals out for the day, I'm good at getting my 1000 - 1200 calories, 75g Protein, and under 100 carbs a day. It's the weekends I find that I struggle with because nothing is ever planned. But I did do better this weekend...didn't give in to the big Breakfast my husband fixed or the McDonald's he brought home, lol! And I work out 4 days a week now, at least 45 minutes and burn at least 400 calories each workout. So, I'm ok with no restriction at this point. Just glad to not have the problems of getting stuck, etc because I did experience that in the weeks after surgery due to the swelling I still had. I'll just keep on trucking along!

Wow, BT, that's awesome! I don't know how long you have been working on getting that 100lbs off, but I know the feeling. I worked at it for 2 1/2 years and couldn't do it, so good job!!! You'll probably get your band and just melt away! And good job everyone else. It's important to remember, if you slip up, everyday is a new day to make it better than the last! Have an awesome day!

Hey friends! I'm still working with my .5cc in my band, but I guess it's going ok. I saw 292 this morning, down 4lbs from last Friday! I'm not going to log it though, I'll do it this evening fully clothed after dinner..maybe 294 then. I forgot to weigh myself last night...imagine that! But, I did make my goal of 4 workouts this past week, Sat, Sun, Tue, and Fri! Did the whole kit and kaboodle - mile walk, weight lifting, and a little booty shaking for some extra cardio. 60 minutes total with my stretching. And I was back at it again this morning, so I think I can manage to keep this up! AND...the pants I just bought last Friday that fit fine are now a bit loose! Yay! Have a good day everyone!

Oh, I forgot to mention, the ones I have are "New-Whey" Protein shots and they have 42g protein per shot. I don't know if all that extra protein is what made it more thick and not so tastey. But, each shot also has almost 200 calories, so I wouldn't use them too often, unless you have really good restriction and can afford to take in those extra calories in liquid form.

I take in 1000 - 1200 calories a day and I get about 75 - 80g protien a day. Sometimes more sometimes less. I take biotin 5000mg and B-12 everyday, but I was doing that long before I even thought about lapband. Since surgery, surprisingly, my hair is growing faster and thicker than before. Could be from all the protein, but I also stopped putting chemicals (such as relaxers and hair dye) in my hair as well, so that may be helping.

I think they taste weird. Right after surgery, I spazzed out wondering how I was going to get enough protien in on fluids only and bought a BOX, had 24. I couldn't even get through a whole tube it was so thick and gross and super sweet to me. Tried to finish the tube the next day and just the smell grossed me out. I haven't had one since...all 23 of them are still sitting in the pantry.

I don't really care if people know or not. Even if I never told anyone and someone asked what I was doing to lose weight, I would have been honest and told them I had surgery. But, what I don't appreciate is 1. them telling others if they have when I told them that I have only told family and I was only telling them because of the timing of the holiday party and I knew they would ask anyway, and 2. them acting like I'm some freak who can not be anywhere near food because I can't control myself and can no longer eat real good food! I've explained the process to them, how it works, mentioned to them several times that I can eat real food, just not as much, but it seems to go in one ear and out the other. Especially the one who's daughter had gastric bypass, she had a lot of complications and apparently can't eat anything, so she thinks I'm the same way. There is always someone in the office on a diet and it was known they were on a diet and I have never seen any of them behave towards the people who are dieting the way they are behaving with me. That's what pisses me off the most. It's like, oh she had to go to the extreme of having surgery so we must be very delicate with her. NO! Treat me like a regular person! I don't have this problem with my family or friends, just these morons at work!

I was banded 12.22.09. I told my boss because my surgeon is 3 hours away, so there no taking an extended lunch for appointment – I wanted her to be aware of why I was taking so much time off. Well, the time comes to plan the holiday party for our group, which just so happened to be scheduled for while I was on my liquid pre-op diet during office hours. So, in one of our meetings, which only 5 of us were in the meeting, they were discussing where/what to eat and look at me, so of course I’m like, “I really don’t care”. I go ahead and spill it about the surgery because I know questions would be asked as to why I wasn’t eating at the party, or why I didn’t come. So, I’ve only told 4 people here about it..who all knows by now because I know at least two like to gossip. Well really 3 if I count my boss because when I was pregnant with my son, I only told my boss at the time, which is now her boss, and he told her (just to let his reports know that they’d have to make arrangements for my maternity leave..even though I wasn’t due for another 7 months!) but she comes up to me and says, “Tom told me you were pregnant, congratulations, and I hope you don’t mind me telling a few others because I knew you wouldn’t since you’re so quiet!” Umm, ok, I had only been there about 6 months anyway so it’s not like I had gotten really chummy with anyone there yet, but anyhoo, that was 6 years ago…now to my current issue… So, the people that I told about the surgery here, well sit in cubicles in the same area. And the older lady’s daughter had gastric bypass several years back so she thinks she is Jesus when it comes to knowing about weight loss surgery. Anyhoo, I brought in some home made beef stew for lunch yesterday and ate at my desk, and one of them says “ooh, who got that good smelling food? I know it can’t be Liz!” What, because I had lap band all I can eat is stinking dog food? So I say, “yeah, I CAN eat regular food.” And she says, “Well, I though all you could have is protein stuff.” DUH, beef has protein, but I still have to eat fruits, veggies, and other stuff too! Then today, one of the others, while another person who I didn’t tell was standing there asks “Hey, can you have jelly beans?” I said, “Yeah, I can HAVE anything I want, but I don’t want any, thanks. “ So of course the other girl who I didn’t tell is looking funny, so I’m sure if the other didn’t tell already, she did today. And the other day, one had a donut or something and she tried to cover it up, like I was just some starved monster and was going to snatch it from her. And when we all went out for lunch the other day, they were like, so what are you gonna eat, can you have this, can you have that? They seem to think that I’m just supposed to drink protein shakes all day long and starve. It’s just getting on my nerves and I am now wishing I didn’t tell anyone outside of family. I almost just want to get another job where nobody knows so I don’t have to hear stuff like this from these idiots. Just had to vent! I hate stupid people. :smile2:

Good! Let me know what they do for you in case I need to light a fire under my doc’s butt if TOM doesn’t take a break soon. They just told me to increase my Iron supplement for now. I think TOM is gone (crossing my fingers) as there was nothing there this morning. But I thought that it was over yesterday and it started again later, so I don’t know. But it is not nearly as bad as it was a few days ago. Still irritating as heck, and not knowing when it’s going to stop and start is a bummer. My hubby and I were wanting to plan a weekend get away next week, but I’m afraid to make reservations because TOM may show up unannounced again!

Yes! And I'm on birth control pills too, my periods since surgery have started while taking my active pills! My periods since I've been on birth control are normally very light and last only 2-3 days, if I have a period at all. Hardly ever had cramps but this time the cramps were killer. My primary care doctor and surgeon said that it was due to the weight loss...that estrogen is stored in fat cells and when you lose weight the estrogen is released and causes you to "shed your lining" in other words, bleed. They also said that overweight women usually have a thicker build up of the uterine lining, so this excess bleeding may be the shedding of what has built up all this time. They did blood work to check my Iron (I've always been anemic) and it has caused my iron levels to be lower. They are also going to check to make sure my blood is clotting properly (which I'm guessing it is since they drew blood and I hardly bled at the draw site). I don't know what they could do to stop it other than maybe put me on some hormone therapy or stronger BCP, but they just got the blood work today so I should know in the next couple of days what they are going to do, if anything. You should let your doctor know you're having a problem so they can check everything out. Good luck!

TOM and I have been fighting for nearly 3 weeks straight and TOM is hanging tough. It's our 3rd battle in less than 2 months and this time TOM came out swinging! But, I've lost more weight in the weeks TOM has been hanging around than not so TOM may have actually helped me there. But, I still hate TOM because he's just annoying and mean! My husband hates him too!

Yes, I snack. My dietitcian says told me to eat 6 times a day (3 meals and 3 snacks) and total 1000 - 1200 calories a day. More calories than that reduces weighloss and she says less calories that reduces metabolism which also reduces weight loss. My Snacks are a stick of low fat cheese, a protine shake slighly frozen so it's thick, sugar free pudding, or Yoplait light. If I want a crunchy snack, I bought these soy high protien snacks from Newlifestylediet.com. I find it easier to eat better during the week, maybe because I have to plan everything out ahead of time. But on weekends, I kind of go with the flow and get myself into trouble. Just today, couldn't figure out what to eat because I'm just tired of food anyway, didn't eat, got hungry and then ended up overeating and eating poorly, and now I feel like crap. I need to apply the planned 6 feedings that I do during the week on the weekends too! When I eat 6 times every couple of hours I'm never hungry!

Oh thank heavens, my 5 year old boy is healthy weight! (sarcasm) He's the same height as that little girl and weighs 1 pound less. And looking at their chart they say 17kgs at that height is healthy!?!? That's like 37lbs. My goodness is my boy was 37lbs he'd look like a skeleton, he's aready very thin! That's ridiculous!

I've never been a yo yo dieter...never really been on a diet at all until I started seeing my lapband surgeon. My prior weight loss had been mostly due to increasing activity and very slight food modification, never anything drastic. Never tried the fad diets. Well, I tried some OTC pill, but after a week it made me feel weird so I stopped them immediately. I never was a dieter because I didn't want to become a yo yo dieter. I think my weight issue is highly related to hormones. I've been fat since preschool, but most of my drastic weight gain in short periods have been after I had kids and I started birth control and now most of my weigh loss post band occured when I started this extended menstrual cycle! Which may attribute to why women have more trouble losing weight. Damn hormones. Just a thought.

This is just a calculation and doesn't always relate to real life. For instance my calculation is that I need 2887 to maintain my weight. And that was using the multiplier for light activity, when really I'm more on along the lines of moderate. I take in on average 1000 - 1100 calories a day. Even if I ate 1200 calories a day, I am supposed to lose over 3lbs a week based on the calculation. That would be nice, but that definitely has not happend for me!

There seems to be more frustration for those of us who are self paid just simply because we had to pay for it. Nobody wants to pay $10,000+ for something that doesn't work. So, I understand Akward Customer's post, BUT...the band just doesn't work like that. I am a little over 8 weeks out and have lost 21lbs since surgery so that's just a little over 2lbs a week. Some people have lost 4-5 lbs a week, some nothing at all. I really wish I could lose 4-5 lbs a week and I think initially even though I was told over and over again it would be about 2lbs a week, I still expected more. But, now I see that it varies from week to week. I will lose nothing for a couple of weeks, then lose 6 in one week. Everybody’s different, and even my body reacts different on different days. But, I will consider this worth it at this point because before I was losing 3-4lbs a MONTH and that was only on the good months….took me 2 ½ years to lose 80lbs on my own just to gain 30 back in a matter of months. At least with the band, I’m pretty confident that I won’t gain anything that I’ve lost back!

This can be very mentally challenging. I've already had my meltdown. The most frustrating part for me is seeing how well everyone else is doing, esp when you're not doing so well, double esp when you think you're doing everything right or the best you can! You just have to take it day by day and realize that everyone is different, so you really can't compare yourself to others. For instance, I didn't lose much, but all of a sudden the week before last I lost 6 lbs in one week! I didn't change my calorie intake or up my workout, I went on same as I was and all of a sudden it seemed my body gave up the fight in holding on to these pounds. I don't know why, but everybody's body is different! I know how hard the temptation is. I've never been a big sweet eater, but since being banded, it seems the jar full of chocolate minis in the office is calling my name. And I've answered a few times!!! Just had to pick myself up and move on...try harder the next time! Keep your head up, if you slip up, start over and move on. That's all you really can do! Good luck!

My motivation is music. I love music, and I love exercising to some upbeat tunes, especially latin music or those old house beats from the early 90’s. I will blast it and get busy. But, I do hate exercising right now because it’s frustrating that I can’t exercise like I want to. I try to keep up with the beat and my short fat legs just won’t go. Try to get in a 2 mile brisk walk, but I zonk out at a mile and a half. Try to jog a lap, but nearly faint after 60 seconds because my heart rate is going so fast. Try to do an extra rep of weights or crunches, my muscles say heck naw! But, it’s getting better. The more weight I lose and the more I push myself, it gets better. And even when I’m absolutely spent after a work out, I still manage to shake my booty to the beat! Then on top of that, finding the time to fit in a workout. I’ve pretty much stopped watching tv because I’ve only got 4 hours from when I get home from work to fix dinner, check homework, work out, eat my dinner, bathe the little one, bathe myself, and get set up for the next day!!! But, I know I have to fit in that workout at least every other day no matter what. If not, even if I do manage to lose the weight, without working out I’ll look like a half empty sack of bones!