TamifromAL

Loved: Little Miss Sunshine Borat Dreamgirls Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest The Prestige 16 Blocks Running Scared Thank You for Smoking Liked: Da Vinci Code Over the Hedge Monster House The Illusionist Snakes on a Plane Clerks II Akeela and the Bee Slither Hated: Silent Hill A Scanner Darkly The Devil and Daniel Johnston Found a list of 2006 movies here: http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/moviesofyear.mv?moviesof2006+ByTGross Tami

What the heck is horefrost? Not a term we're familiar with here in Alabama! Love your "beach bunny" ticker, Karey...very clever! Tami

Mim & Lauri, I weigh every day, and tried to get out of the habit, because I always heard you should only weigh once a week. Then I read an article in Reader's Digest that said that daily weighing is a good thing. I think that their point was that if it's a habit, then you're always aware of the direction you're heading. It's easy to put off weighing if you think you aren't doing well, but that's probably when you need that reminder the most. But, we still need to be realistic about it. We will always have temporary fluctuations in our weight, and we shouldn't get down emotionally when the scale goes up. (Easier said than done!) Tami 1/3/07: 20" elliptical 10" walk with dogs B: Coffee, S&L, LF Creamora; 1 c. Kashi; 1/2 c. 1% milk L: CPK lettuce wrap (split); 1/2 Chinese chicken salad D: 3/4 of a chicken breast fillet; about 1/4 c. snow peas; 1/4 c. black-eyed peas S: SF, FF yogurt 1/4/07: No exercise B: Coffee, S&L, LF Creamora; 1 c. Kashi; 1/2 c. 1% milk L: Moe's Southwest: Inside of a chicken burrito; tortilla chips (3-4) D: Mexi bean bowl w/refried beans, black beans, taco-seasoned lean ground beef, enchilada sauce, LF cheese, lettuce & tomato; whole-grain tortilla chips (4-5) S: SF, FF yogurt <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I've been loosely following Dr. Oz's advice since a program on Oprah last summer, before the book even came out. His recommendations on that show were to avoid the following five ingredients: Sugar High-fructose corn syrup Saturated Fat Trans fats Enriched, processed flour The book, of course, goes into a lot more, but that's the main part. I haven't finished the book, because I always fall asleep when I go to bed and pick it up! (I seriously need to put it in the bathroom, which is the only place I can get in some good reading time, ) Tami

OK, let me get this straight. The validity of ones opinion is determined by how fast you lose? :rolleyes Hmmmm....based on my 60 lbs. in 4 months, my opinion is worth more than yours! :bounce: Just kidding, of course. For the most part, I agree with your advice in this thread. But, I disagree about the quantity of food being limited to 1/2 c. per meal. I eat about 1 c. per meal. Plus, I won't argue physiology with you ('cause I don't even know if I spelled it right!), but I disagree with your assertion that you will not lose muscle mass as long as you eat enough Protein and exercise. You *can* eat too little. I'm not sure about the "starvation mode" theory, but I believe that eating too little just slows you down. If we eat *enough* healthy, whole foods, and limit sugar and fat, and get in some physical activity, most people will lose weight. Some people say, "If I could do that, then I wouldn't need the band.", But the band just makes it a little easier. A member on another board posted something this morning that is my thought for the day: "The band is like cruise control. You can drive without it. It's a tool that makes driving easier, but that doesn't mean you can fall asleep and let it do all the work. You still have to steer the car in the right direction." Tami

losingit07, welcome to the band-wagon! I've always heard that beyond the first week of liquids only, that we aren't expected to lose during the healing phase. Any loss before you have some restriction is a bonus. Dr. Miles told me to avoid sugar and products made from processed, white flour. I also avoid saturated fats like butter, and trans fats, which are in many packaged shelf items in the grocery stores. Stick with modest portions (about 1 c. food per meal, 3 meals per day plus one or two small snacks), and drink at least 8 glasses of Water per day. If you do all that, and get in a little exercise, you probably will lose weight even before you are restricted. Good luck! Tami

I hate appliques, cutesy sayings, and sweatshirts with Tweetie Bird and Winnie the Pooh. (OK, I'll admit the last couple were Walmart, and well, what can ya expect??) But, my question is why, oh why, do they expect that all plus-sized women have arms like an orangutan? I'm 5'7", and have average-length arms, yet I almost always have to roll long sleeves. Uggh! Tami

:clap2: Can I quote you on this? Ooops, I already did! Tami

Me! I had the same experience after my second fill. I have a fill appointment scheduled next week, but I think I'm going to cancel. I don't want to go through that again, at least not yet! Congrats on one-derland! Tami

Shell, I'm sorry about your frustration. I was going to respond on the other thread you posted, but figured I'd bring it back "home"! I just wanted to say that I disagree with the person who told you on the other thread to eat 1/2 cup of food at a meal. I don't see how you can get enough nutrition eating that little, unless you're eating every 2-3 hours, and that doesn't seem right or necessary with the band. I eat about a cup of food per meal, 3 meals/day plus one snack. Other than holidays or special events, I avoid sugar and white flour products. Most of my carbs are in the form of veggies, beans, or whole grain products. I don't look at it as "dieting" per se, but eating good, healthy, *whole* foods. I'm glad to hear that your IBS is under control. But, if you're headed the other direction with constipation, you might want to consider a fiber additive product like FiberSure. I try to use it at least once a day. As far as your level of fill is concerned, there seems to be a lot of different opinions on that, and I respect that others are different than mine. But, after my second fill, I couldn't eat breakfast and really struggled with meat and chicken. For me, that was just too much fill. I much prefer to be able to eat breakfast and solid protein. So, on the flip side of that, I have to deal with a *little* more hunger between meals. I manage that by drinking water, coffee, and green tea. I know that what works for one person may not work for someone else. Just keep your chin up, and eventually you'll find what works for you. Good luck! Tami

I am far from an expert, having only been banded 4 months. But, from what I've read here and at other band sites, pouch dilation usually happens when you have a good amount of restriction, and over-eat repeatedly. If you're not all that restricted, food will usually pass on through the stoma rather than stretching the pouch. I have never heard of liquids doing it, and wouldn't be concerned about that. I'm curious about why pouch dilation occurs instead of PBing. I've never PB'd, and it makes me wonder if my gag reflex is lower than normal, and if that might then make me more of a candidate for pouch dilation if I over-eat. So, I pretty much just stick to a cup of food or so at a meal. Tami

I actually made it to the gym today, and my arms are so weak I can barely type! It felt good, though! I'm gonna log my food and exercise here, if that's OK with you guys. I figure it will help me keep up with it, and add a little accountability. 1/1/07: B: 1 c. Kashi Go Lean Crunch, 1/2 c. 1% milk, coffee w/lite Creamora L: 1 c. Mexi beef stew S: 2 oz. smoked gouda Venti NF Latte w/Sweet N Low D: 4 oz. teriyaki chicken (I need to eat more veggies!!) 1/2/07: 15" walk with dogs 20" elliptical 30" Cybex, upper body & abs B: Coffee, LF Creamora, S&L; 1 c. Kashi; 1/2 c. 1% milk L: 1 c. Mexi beef soup; 1 oz. queso blanco S: 2 kashi granola bars D: 3 oz. shrimp; 1/2 c. green beans; 1 T. slivered almonds; 1 tsp. butter S: SF, FF yogurt 1/3/07: 20" elliptical 10" walk with dogs B: Coffee, S&L, LF Creamora; 1 c. Kashi; 1/2 c. 1% milk L: CPK lettuce wrap (split); 1/2 Chinese chicken salad D: 3/4 of a chicken breast fillet; about 1/4 c. snow peas; 1/4 c. black-eyed peas S: (planned) SF, FF yogurt

Some of the challenges are part of the groups that are for bandsters who had surgery during the same month. For example, I'm taking part in a St. Patty's Day challenge as part of the September bandsters group. Tami

Sandy, to be honest, I just signed up at 3fatchicks for the weight loss ticker. I was having trouble figuring out how to do multiple tickers at tickerfactory. The one at 3fatchicks is really basic, and limited to weight loss only. Tami

:omg: Cory, good grief, that's amazing! Congrats on an incredible first 4 months! Mim, congrats on reaching onederland! I can't wait to join you! I prefer to stick with Monday weigh-ins. It helps keep me from going too wild over the weekend. Lauri & Mom, my hubby's in the auto biz, too. He's a consultant/trainer. He travels *a lot*, so we like to say we're still on our honeymoon even though we've been married for 26 years. Not much chance of getting sick of each other when we're only together 2 days a week, usually. (By the way, ummm...the "honeymoon" has really gotten spicy with weight loss! hehehe) Tami

Happy New Year! Welcome back, MOM, and thanks again for organizing the Christmas challenge. And congrats to everyone for your lost weight, gone and never to return! Mim = :first: :clap2: I assume we're starting the next challenge today? I'm up two pounds since my Christmas Day weigh in. I've had an awful time getting back in the groove after Christmas, but I'm ready to knuckle down and get to it. I have to admit to being a little concerned about actually losing 25 lbs. by St. Patty's Day, though. When I subtracted 25 lbs. from my current weight and saw 188, my immediate response was "No way!" I have a feeling that this next 25 lbs. will be a lot harder for me than the last 25! But, I do have some extra incentive for this challenge. We're going to Cancun for spring break the week following the challenge. Good timing, huh? I've been uploading songs to my ipod for the last two days so I can take it to the gym with me. I got my iPod for Christmas last year, and I'm just now learning how to load songs. Does that show my techno ignorance or what? It's going to be a pleasure to listen to *my* music for a change instead of my 16-year old's! Good luck to eveyone in the new challenge. Let's get busy! Tami

Wow! Congratulations! You are doing awesome. My goal for the New Year is just to get into the regular exercise habit, and you've already got that going! Tami

Gonnabethin, here's a link to a site that can help you determine whether you need a fill or not: http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm It was written by Jessie Ahroni, who wrote a great book on lap-bands, called "Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery" (avail through Amazon, if you're interested). Personally, I prefer to be a little on the looser side, and be able to eat breakfast and healthy, solid foods. Lisalee, I was just looking at an older message of yours about quitting smoking. I just want to sympathize! Been there, done that, but NOT while dieting at the same time! Good luck. BJean, I know you're limited on exercise because of your knees. Do you have any exercises that the doc or physical therapist want you to do? If you can't do aerobic exercise, maybe just work on "core" exercises (abs/back) from the floor, and upper body work with some light weights, sitting in a chair. Or even stretching or yoga. Tami

One thing I'd recommend is getting to a stable weight and staying there for a while before having plastic surgery. And, you might want to get a bit below your goal weight, too, because you won't be able to exercise for at least 4 weeks following surgery, and will be swollen/retain Water for several weeks to a couple of months afterwards. Tami

I think this is going to be a fun challenge, because many in the group are just now getting to a good fill level. I'll bet our percentage of weight loss will be even greater than for the last one (especially since we don't have to deal with holidays!). Sandranoelle, of course you count your recent gain! Haven't you watched the Biggest Loser? It's always good to start with a couple extra pounds that drop off quick! :biggrin1: (Tami--justifying potential gain this week!) Tami

1) Do any of you use baby spoons or forks for smaller bites? Not me. 2) Do all of you NOT sip Water when eating? I don't drink while eating at all. I wait an hour after eating before drinking. 3) How much alcohol can get you buzzed now that you are banded? Since I only drink before eating, and it's on an empty stomach, I do get buzzed fairly quickly...2 glasses of wine, or 1 martini. 4) Who can still eat fast food? I usually opt for Taco Bell if I have to eat fast food. I eat taco salad, pintos and cheese, or the inside of a beef burrito. 5) Who can still eat bread? The only bread I've eated that didn't bother me was Pepperidge Farm Thin Sliced Wheat Bread. And based on recommendations here, I toasted it. 6) Do any of you do Atkins? Not me. I don't low-carb, but I stick with whole grains. 7) Do any of you do Weight Watcher's program? Not me. I hate counting points or calories, and weighing and measuring. 8) Does sex count as exercise? I think anything that gets you active is a bonus, but I've heard that the "calories burned" figure for sex is not as high as people have been told in the past. I guess it depends on your technique, how long you go, and how often! Above all, have fun! (Sorry, couldn't resist that.) 9) Anyone have problems with chewing/swallowing/digesting nuts? Nope. I keep raw nuts in the shell in a small basket out on the counter. If you have to crack the nuts, it slows you down. Nuts are very healthy, *but* you have to limit the quantity. I usually eat no more than 7-10 almonds, or 4-5 pecans or walnuts. 10) What about cheese? I stick with low-fat cheese, and avoid melted cheese unless it's mixed in with something else. I had trouble choking on melted mozzerella before being banded, and don't want to chance it now! 11) Anyone already noticing their skin sagging? Yep, but not too bad yet. But, I sort of think of sagging skin as battle scars in the battle of the bulge! 12) Any good snack ideas out there besides veggies? I am burned out on them!! I like non-fat, sugar free yogurt, nf sf pudding, a *few* raw nuts, turkey Jerky (but it's salty, and can cause you to retain water), and once in a while if I'm craving Peanut Butter, I'll have a tablespoon or so on a rice cake. 13) Any good tips period? Write down everything you eat. Even though I don't think anyone wants to weigh and measure forever, do it in the beginning, and periodically after that just to learn about portion sizes. I've found that journalling helps "keep you honest", plus serves as a good reference for later. If you plateau, you can go back over your journal and maybe try something different. 14) How long should it take to lose 10 pounds if you are doing everything correctly? For me, about 5-6 weeks. But, I expect that to slow down as I lose weight. Tami

Well, I learned something over the past couple of days. Not only does wine contain those "liquid calories" we're supposed to avoid, it also greatly reduces my ability to control my eating urges! Considering everything, I'm darn lucky to report a one pound loss for this past week. I still have a party on Wednesday, and another on Friday! If I don't gain this week it'll be a miracle! Can we please, please, please start our new challenge as of Jan. 1?? On the positive side, I'm halfway to goal! :clap2: Woo hoo, it's hard to believe! I cleaned out my closet for the second time since banding, and gave away two huge bags of too-big clothes. It felt great, knowing I'll never be that big again! Tami

What would you guys think about doing an exercise challenge instead of pounds lost (or maybe both). That's one area that I'm slacking in, and could use a boost to get me moving! We just finished Christmas Eve dinner, and I don't EVEN want to get on the scales tomorrow morning! But, it was good, and it was *worth* it! While I was eating, I was thinking about an episode of Seinfeld, when Elaine wouldn't have sex with anyone unless they were "sponge-worthy" ('cause they stopped making the birth control sponge). Anyway, I kept thinking, "yep, this food is *definitely* pouch-worthy!" Merry Christmas! Tami

Hi Sept. bandsters! I haven't seen a post in a couple of days here, so I guess everyone is up to their eyeballs getting ready for Christmas. I know our Christmas challenge is almost over. Thanks to "Mom of Many" for all your work keeping up with our stats. I think the weekly updates are a good way for us to keep this group going. Would ya'll be interested in another challenge after this one is over? If so, what kind? Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and a very Merry Christmas! Tami

Hey, we can learn a thing or two from some of our slim friends. I realized just recently that I now eat just like my petite friend, Terry. She always takes tiny bites and small portions. She's a bit of a gourmet, in that she won't eat unless it's something "worth" eating, but on the other hand, she never deprives herself of something that she really wants. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have those tendencies *without* having surgery? Tami