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LoseIt!

LAP-BAND Patients
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Blog Entries posted by LoseIt!

  1. LoseIt!

    Need a fill!

    By LoseIt!,

    Y'all know how much I HATE to feel feel down. This week, I have not been losing and this morning on my official weigh in day, I was up .6. (At first I thought I was up a whole pound, so I'm not going to get too upset about just over a half!) Anyway, when I think back to why...
     
    Exercise: I exercised for a total of 3 hours last week. One hour of Jazzercise, 2 - 30 minute treadmill sessions (couch to 5k), & 60 minutes with my trainer. Not bad, but far from my best.
     
    Food: If I am honest with myself, I know that I did not make good food choices this week. I don't think it is about stress or comfort. I think that I'm hungry and I have no will power. The doctor had said that he thought I was close to my sweet spot and might not need another fill for a while, but I think that might not be the case. Typically, I'm not hungry in the mornings. I will usually drink a protein shake in the morning (around 9:30-10:00), not because I'm hungry, but to make sure I'm getting good protein. Today, my stomach was growling (with hunger) by 7:30 AM. I don't want to be so tight that I can't eat, but I do need to be tight enough to curb my hunger more.
     
    Punishment: because I have gained weight this week, my punishment is to log my caloric intake. I HATE DOING THIS! I know some people are completely focused on this and I know that it is probably extremely helpful. But I HATE IT. So, it is an effective punishment and motivator to not have to do it again. Interestingly, I seem to do better when I'm away from home. Pre-band, vacations were weight gain guarantees! However, now, it seems to have the opposite effect. I don't snack much and I find time to work out. So...I will track my calories Mon-Wed. If I'm on the right track by end of Wednesday, I won't track my vacation (Thurs-Tues). When I get back, I will have one week until my fill. Now that week includes my birthday...so wish me luck!! Ha!
     
    Random question: do you all update your avatar pictures? I know that picture is how people here know me, but it isn't me anymore. Do you all leave them or update them??
  2. LoseIt!

    Progress

    By LoseIt!,

    I was having a "fat" day, so I wanted to look at my progress pictures and remember how far I've come. Seeing my "before" photo from mid-January, right next to my current picture from a couple of weeks ago definitely helps me to put today in perspective!
     
    Tomorrow I'm participating in a local Arthritis Walk. I have no idea how long it is. Perhaps I should have checked! Ha!
     
    I'm looking forward to going on vacation next week. I think I have late Spring fever!!
     
    Have a great weekend everyone!
     

  3. LoseIt!

    Managing Vacation

    By LoseIt!,

    I'm back in town after visiting family since Wednesday. I'm proud to say that I lost 3.6 lbs this week...yay!!! So, I am averaging 1.95 lbs lost per week since the surgery. I'm SO happy for that!
     
    I thought being away from home would be more of a challenge, but it wasn't bad.
     
    Wednesday, I flew into Indianapolis and then drove to Louisville. I had a smoothie before I left and ate about 2 oz of chicen and some cheese and pita chips on the plane. For dinner we had ham steak and potato casserole. I also worked about about 40 minutes on the Wii Fit. I enjoy the Wii a lot, but I don't get my heart rate up as high as when I work out in other ways. Still, exercise!!
     
    Thursday, I woke up VERY late (yay, vacation!) and drank a smoothie. My SIL came home from work and we had some homemade chicken salad on crackers. Then we went the YMCA to work out. I did 25 minutes on the stairmaster, then 20 minutes on the treadmill. I would walk one song (3.0 mph) then jog one song (4.0 mph). Not too bad! Dinner was smoked sausage and leftover potato casserole. I also had some ice cream before I went to bed. :smile:
     
    Friday, I had another smoothie when I got up. There is a really cool 2.0 mile outdoor trail near my brother's house, so I went there. I walked one song/jogged one song for 1.5 miles. Then I was pooped. I walked to the 1.8 mile marker and challenged myself to jog just one more tenth. I made it! Then walked the last tenth. Excellent! I had a Deli Creation Cracker Combination for lunch, then some ground beef & bean nachos for dinner.
     
    Saturday was my grandmother's funeral. ALL of the family was there and she looked lovely. I'm sure she would have been quite pleased.
     
    After the service, we gathered at a nearby hotel. The kids were playing in the pool and I notice an exercise room that overlooked the pool. I put on my workout clothes and did my first "Couch to 5K" podcast. I had tried it before a few weeks ago, but I just wasn't ready. I think I am now. My SIL challenged me to jog a 5K around Labor Day, so that is my new goal! That day my walking pace was 3.5 mph and my jogging pace was 4.6 mph. Hopefully I can increase those as I go forward. At the very beginning of my exercise commitment (almost 3 months ago), 3.0 mph WAS jogging!!
     
    I love my family, but one thing I noticed this weekend is that we are a BIG family. My brother and one cousin are what I would call thin. Another girl cousin is "normal", but I know she REALLY has to work at it. A couple of my guy cousins are chubby. The rest (including me) of us are huge. it puts things into perspective for me. I believe that I was dealt these genes and it does make things more difficult. But I know that just means that I have to work that much harder. Did I want to eat a cream cheese danish for breakfast yesterday? Hell yes! But I know that I can't and so it made it easier.
     
    I told most of my family about my surgery. I think that many of them could benefit from it themselves and I thought I could be proof. I hope that next time I see them, I will be one of the skinny cousins! :biggrin:
     
    Have a great week, y'all!
  4. LoseIt!
    Last week I was completely grumpy and in a bad mood. I had several pity parties and woke up with a lovely pity party hangover on Monday. Monday is my official weigh in day and although I lost .8 lbs, I know that without caving in to feeling sorry for myself, I would have done better.
     
    I realize now, that journaling is what I do to motivate myself. If I write several days in a row, I'm psyching myself up. If I don't write at all, it is because I'm down in the dumps. I don't like to write when I'm sad because it makes me face my demons. Ha!
     
    Last week, my grandmother passed away, my uncle was hospitalized, my cousin was arrested, work was tough...all which caused a lot of stress. I think exercising each day kept big emotions at bay, but I could tell that I was cranky. And that just isn't like me. I finally got over it this weekend and yesterday I started to feel better. Plus, I had my support group meeting last night and it ALWAYS inspires me.
     
    It is nice to learn these things about myself. This process has been about MUCH more than weight loss!
     
    AND...yesterday was picture day. I have attached two original pics and two current pics. I love these little motivators!!


  5. LoseIt!
    As we all know, Snow White had seven little friends...Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, Happy, Dopey, Grumpy, & Doc. Early this week, I felt like Snow White. I was feeling thin and pretty and generally princess like.
     

     
     
    Yesterday, I was definitely Grumpy.
     
    Today, I'm deciding between Dopey and Sleepy.
     
    Which dwarf are you today? Or maybe it is a Snow White day for you!!
  6. LoseIt!
    I have a couple of tasks at work that I am responsible for each week. Then there are a few each month and so on. Sometimes, like today, it comes time to do these tasks and I can't figure out where the time went. How could it possibly be time to do this when I feel like I just finished it? It's a never ending circle.
     
    Dieting is a task. Quite frankly, all my life, it was a task of low importance. At the beginning, I would plan my entire week of food, exercise, etc. It would go on like that for a few weeks, until I wouldn't have the time and then suddenly the diet is over. With the Band, I have found that I can break that cycle! Life is getting in the way of my tasks (exercise, calorie tracking, etc.), but the Band is still there for me.
     
    Right now, I'm in a great place! I still got myself to work out at lunch today, but I know that there will come a time when I won't. Something will get in the way. And it will be okay because I have my Band and it will keep me enough in check that I will be able to take a pause and get back to it without failing.
     
    That, my friends, is an amazing feeling!
     
    Side note: my mom has been diagnosed with glaucoma and is having a procedure today to help with it. So, I'm praying extra for her today.
     
    Also: thank you to you all out there for your posts. Each and every one of you are inspiring me to get where I want to be and I can't possibly thank you enough. You guys rock!
  7. LoseIt!
    I remember people saying that they "forgot to eat" or were just so busy that they "never managed to eat lunch." Huh? What? If I EVER skipped a meal, I certainly noticed and that rarely happened.
     
    A. I spent 35 years hungry, I think. Well, when I wasn't stuffing myself, that is. I constantly was conscious of how much food I was eating compared to others. And it was ALWAYS more. Yet, I hardly ever seemed full.
     
    B. I LOVE food. I love the way it tastes. I love textures and new combinations. I just love it. That won't change and I will always want what I want. I would hate it if I didn't like food.
     
    C. These things are facts. They are just who I am and I won't be able to change that. At best, I will have to learn to work around it.
     
    Approximately three months out from surgery, I realize how wrong I was.
     
    A2. The band works. I have been diligent in getting monthly fills and if I'm not at my sweet spot, I am close. Sometimes I'm hungry, so I eat. Other times I'm not, so I don't. It is truly a bizarre feeling for someone whose main focus throughout life was the next meal.
     
    B2. Tastes change. Some things that I used to love (eg. french fries) no longer appeal to me. Funny how they lose their flavor when chewed to a pulp. I thought I would HATE that, but I don't. They no longer taste good to me, so I no longer eat them. It's a "good for you" choice that I am making because of the band.
     
    C2. Pffffft... So not true! This band has truly exceeded expectations. I feel sure that with time, things could change again. However, this is BY FAR the most effective tool I have ever used (diets, pills, programs, etc...) to eat better. I honestly never believed that I would have a day where I ate to live instead of lived to eat. However, yesterday was just that day.
     
    I think I mentioned to you all yesterday that my grandmother passed away. Typically sadness and stress made me want to curl up in a ball on the sofa and eat. But with this band and my new committment to exercise, instead I worked out and ate nutrionally what I needed for the day (along with a little bit of ice cream...but that's okay!)

    Today I hit the 40 pound loss mark. YAY! I hope you all don't get sick of me telling you when I reach the MANY goals I set for myself. Reaching these little goals keep me motivated. 40 pounds lost, 80 to go. I'm a 1/3 done and it feels like I barely started.
     
    Life is good!
  8. LoseIt!
    Exercise. Such a dirty word. There are those who hate it and refuse to do it at all. There are those that don't like it, but use it as a means to an end. And there are those that LOVE it...although I'm guessing there aren't too many of us in that category. Although, I have heard of Bandsters that get very gungho on exercise post surgery and I have no doubt that there are some people that feel that way pre-surgery and their weight issues reside elsewhere.
     
    I fall into the middle category. I don't like to exercise and if I didn't need it to lose weight, I wouldn't do it. Period. That is the honest to God truth. It is time consuming, it gets you all sweaty, it makes my feet, back, knees, etc. hurt. But..
     
    Eight weeks ago, I had been banded for a few weeks and I was entering Bandster Hell and starting to gain weight. That was just not acceptable to me. After the hell of the preop liquid diet, the pain of surgery, and the cash that I laid out...I was NOT going to allow myself to gain weight, temporarily or not. I made an eight week exercise plan. I committed to workout with a trainer twice a week and work out on the elliptical machine twice a week. I also committed to being more active in general. The trainer was an expensive option but I knew that it was the only was to push myself without getting hurt.
     
    I remember that four weeks into my committment, I wished it was over. I had the thought that it was too bad that I didn't only commit to four weeks! In retrospect, I know that if I would have only committed to four weeks, that is all I would have done.
     
    I'm now officially done with my committment and my reward to myself as I mentioned before was a beautiful Tiffany necklace and key. So shiny!!
     
    Today, I do not HAVE to work out. Today, I can go home and sit on my butt. However, after 8 weeks of working out, I don't want to. I lost 14 inches in April. 14 inches, people! I almost cannot believe it. Since mid-January, I have lost 33 inches. I measure my upper arms, wrists, neck, bust, waist, belly, hips, thighs & calfs. I have lost 6.5 inches around my waist! 5 inches in my upper arms! And almost 6 inches in my thighs!! I believe that so much of this is from exercise.
     
    That kind of success breeds more success. So, I'm ready to go match that for May. I don't know if it is possible, but I'm going to try!!
     
    Plus, I found out this morning that my grandmother passed away. I guess that is a whole different type of loss. She lived a long, good life and has been struggling with dementia in the last few years. I know she is now at peace and home with my grandfather.
     
    Instead of wanting to go home and disappear into my sofa, I want to go work out. That is the difference 8 weeks makes.
     
    I hope you all have a wondeful week!
  9. LoseIt!

    Another month down...

    By LoseIt!,

    It is roughly 3 months post op. I had my surgery on 1/27, so I track my weight and measurements at the end of each month.
     
    My ladybug is certainly on the move! I officially lost 8.8 pounds last month.
     

     
    I certainly look forward to measuring this weekend. I hope that the exercising is paying off!!
     
    Hope you all have a great weekend!
  10. LoseIt!

    Change

    By LoseIt!,

    Prior to my surgery, my friends and I wondered how life would change. My best friend, at almost the same time I made my decision to have the surgery, started her own journey to become a Jazzercise instructor. This girl is my best friend and the best friend I have ever had. In my heart, she is my sister. We are routine girls and planners. Our weekday schedule was almost always the same and weekends were left to plan fun things. When she told me she was going to become a Jazzercise instructor, instead of feeling excited for her as I should have, I was selfish and full of dread that our lives would change. I knew that this committment of hers would many times come before me and that made me sad.
     
    A few weeks later, I told her about my decision to have LB. I think she went through many of the same emotions that I had with the additional ones of not knowing anything about LB and with that comes fear. Luckily, we had this conversation in November and my surgery wasn't until January. By the time I had my surgery, she was well on her way with her plans to become an instructor with my full support and I was full of knowledge of band life which I shared with her.
     
    Here we are in April, I'm banded and living life and she is a real-life certified Jazzercise instructor. There have been a couple of times that she has been unable to do things because she has to teach, like last night for our monthly girls dinner. But that's okay. I know that she would have loved to have been there, but she couldn't. And she knows that next month, we will all be right here when she comes back.
     
    One of the big worries that my friends had was that so much of my world revolved around food. How was I going to be happy with this new life? I completely understood their fears, but I knew I could only address them through time and experience. For instance, six of us have a monthly dinner group that I started in October 2004. Out of the 67 months since then, I think we have only missed about 5 or 6 months. Last night was one of those dinners. I definitely didn't eat what I would have normally eaten, either in the selection or in the quantity, but I had a wonderful time! Plus, I'm learning to try new things! Last night, I had some sort of cheese concoction with tortilla chips as an appetizer. It certainly wasn't lo-cal, but it was delicious! And I only ate about 1/2 what I normally would have. I had tamales for my main course and (of course) only ate about three bites before I was full. Now I have a yummy dinner to go home to tonight!
     
    Today, my friends are going to lunch and my boss is picking up the tab. I am not going because I committed to work out today. A friend of mine that works in the building has expressed interest in working out and I'm trying to help her. I know that I could have told her that I have plans today and she would have been thrilled! Ha! But I also know that sometimes you need (and crave) a little accountability. So, even though I've done my two work out lunches this week, I will do another one today. I'm said that I'm missing lunch with my friends. BUT, we have an outing tomorrow and will be able to hang out together all day. AND, we have lunch with a former co-worker on Friday. Skipping one lunch in the grand scheme of things is not that big of a deal, but I can't tell you what a big accomplishment it is for me to do.
     
    So in the end, my friend and I were worried about our lives changing. We were right that they would change, but we shouldn't have worried. We care about each other and will always make time for each other. It was just time to fit in some time for ourselves too.
     
    P.S. She is an AWESOME Jazzercise instructor.
  11. LoseIt!

    15 weeks

    By LoseIt!,

    Tomorrow will be 13 weeks post surgery. Wow...time certainly does fly. Yet, in some ways it feels that it was much longer ago. 15 weeks ago I started my pre op diet. For 15 weeks I have been making more healthy choices than unhealthy choices. I honestly can't remember a time when I was that dedicated to anything non-work related for that long.
     
    Today the anticipation of weighing actually got me out of bed. It is kind of funny, but true. I lost 3.2 lbs. last week which is good, but being that it was a fill week, it wasn't outstanding. Plus, Saturday morning I was down a pound from that and subsequently gained it back over the weekend. Yesterday, I did eat 1800 calories which is high for me. My metobolic test showed that I should be able to eat 2200 calories per day with no exercise and maintain. So, although I ate 1800 calories, I worked out for 65 minutes (25 elliptical & 40 Jazzercise). SO...I just knew that pound was going to be gone. I kind of hoped that there would be more, but I'm not greedy, that one pound would be sufficient.
     
    You all know what is coming here...a great big fat ZERO. That's right, nothing. Nada. Zip. ::deep breath:: My body does this and I know better. But darn it if it doesn't get me riled up. I know it's okay though. I know that I need to continue to follow the rules and it will work out.
     
    All of this got me thinking...15 weeks. I've been doing this for 15 weeks. Yes, I have frustrating mornings like I had this morning, but I also know that it will work itself out. I am working hard by working out. I am working hard (for me) by not eating heavy foods and sweets ALL THE TIME. But I'm not working so hard that I can't continue. That's why I have been able to do this for 15 weeks.
     
    Another reason I have been able to do this is that I can't not. There have been a few days in there where I just wanted a big fat cheeseburger...but I can't eat a big fat cheeseburger. It is just not possible. Flat out...my tastes are changing. I have found that I don't even like French fries anymore because I have to chew them so much they don't taste good anymore.
    It's been 15 weeks and I'm doing well. The band isn't making me exercise, but I am. The band isn't making me order the grilled chicken instead of the fried, but I am (most of the time.) And most importantly, the band doesn't comfort me in the way that food used to, but I'm not letting it get me down.
     
    This is MY journey. MY life. MY band. I can't live exactly as anyone else and they can't live exactly like me. I'm owning this 15 weeks of positive life change. It is MINE!
  12. LoseIt!
    I have to say that the 8 week exercise program I committed to has been great. Althought, I hit a little snag last week. I had to cancel my Wednesday appointment with my trainer because I was feeling weak from my Tuesday fill. Then my trainer canceled our Friday appointment because of an issue on his side. Big bummer. The only organized exercise I got last week was 90 minues of walking. That doesn't come close to the 45 minutes per day I have been averaging. That's okay though. The way I see it, last week was a week that left me full of excuses and I still got in 3- 30 minute workouts. In the past, I would have done nothing AND I would have just stopped. Not this time!! Today I plan to Jazzzercise to start my week.
     
    I had a couple of NSVs this weekend. First, a guy told me I was pretty. I'm not going to qualify that with anything. A guy told me I was pretty and I'm quite sure he meant it. Yay! Also, on the flight to our destination this weekend, I told my friend that the last time I was on a flight the seatbelt didn't fit. The belts on the plane we were on were kind of long so she was shocked, but I told her that not all seatbelts are the same. I had plenty of room. However, on the flight back, I quickly saw that this plane had short seatbelts like I had encountered before. This time it fit! There was a older gentleman across the aisle from me who was having touble. He and his wife couldn't figure out what was wrong with his seatbelt. I knew that they were short and probably just didn't fit. The flight attendant came by shortly with an extender. I heard him and his wife talking about how they couldn't believe it didn't fit and what they were going to do about it. I couldn't have been more sympathetic. It was nice to know that in the four months since my last plane ride, I had made a big (no pun intended) enough change to truly make a difference.
     
    While I was writing this blog entry, something happened that makes me realize how much my life has changed. Today I was scheduled to meet a friend for lunch. She sent me an email and postponed. Shortly after, another friend that I work out with on Thursday's emailed me and told me that her boss had scheduled lunch with her during our next work out so she was planning to work out today. I brought work out clothes for Jazzercise after work, but usually if I work out at lunch & after work, I bring two sets of clothes (I sweat A LOT.) I decided that after last week, I need to make some extra effort. So, I'm going to work out at lunch AND Jazzercise today. I just have to find something to use for a towel. :biggrin: Don't get me wrong, I know this isn't anything earth shattering. But I'm just so proud of myself for being flexible instead of letting myself make excuses. That hasn't always been my M.O.
     
    I have my eye on the prize. This weekend marks the end of the month and it would be SUPER if I could have a 10 pound loss this month. To do that, I need to lose 2 pounds this week. I will let you all know how it goes!!
     
    I hope you all have a wonderful week!
  13. LoseIt!

    Feeling good!!

    By LoseIt!,

    Hi everyone!! I am a day out from my 3rd fill. My doc says that he thinks I'm very close if not at my sweet spot. He told me to make an appointment for next month, but to not feel bad if I have to cancel. That would be awesome! I had lost 11 lbs since my last fill, so I was quite pleased with that.
     
    I'm not a fan of being on mushies for 2 days after a fill, but (a.) I'm tight anyway and (b.) I tend to lose about 4 pounds in two days if I am on liquids. I guess if I don't have to go in going forward, but I hit a plateau, a 2 day liquid diet would be a good trick for me. I will just file that in my back pocket.
     
    I actually had a scale victory this week. I have lost over 35 pounds and am now under 250. Most of my life, when I reached 250, that was the point where I always got serious. I got to that point several times in my life, but I always managed to kick it into gear and lose. However, over the last 3-4 years, that high point number turned into 260. Then in 2010, I gained 25 pounds to get to 285. Wow. Oh well, what's done is done. It's funny now how I feel pretty good about being around 250 having experienced 285.
     
    My next big goal is to go from Morbidly Obese to Obese Class 2. Only 8.2 more pounds. That seems like a "funny" goal, but it is one I will be quite proud of.

    Take care all!!
  14. LoseIt!

    New Attitude!

    By LoseIt!,

    Today is 11 weeks post op and 13 weeks from the start of my pre op diet. At times, I can't believe how much my life has changed in that short time. I almost don't believe it is me making these good choices and sticking to my committments. Throughout my life, when it has come to diet and exercise, that hasn't traditionally been the case. :thumbup: So when I get home at 8:30 on a weeknight and I choose to walk a mile before plopping down in front of the TV, I am still surprised.
     
    I do wish I could have the same focus/committment/success with food that I have with exercise. Now that I am into my 6th week of my Jumpstart exercise program, it is becoming more of a habit and a craving. I feel that now is the time to move my focus to food. ::gulp:: Up to this point, I eat what I want trying to keep in mind band rules. As long as I am losing, regardless of how little or how much, I don't do anything different. If I gain, I make myself log my nutrition until I start losing again. I think that is a good plan for me for the most part. However, I find that I make silly choices sometimes. Like last night, instead of having the 1-2 chocolate squares I would like to allow myself when I'm having a craving (it is that time of the month)...I had 4. Yikes! I also had fried popcorn shrimp for dinner. I didn't eat all of it, of course, but there was obviously an alternative I didn't choose. It is time to focus on making those better choices. I have one week before my next fill. I would so love to lose another 2-3 pound before then. I think by putting this in writing, it might help me commit!
     
    I read someone's blog entry yesterday and she was talking about a book by Dr. Oz (I think) comparing life and the LB journey to a GPS system. If you take a wrong turn when you are following a GPS, it corrects you. It may take you a little longer to get where you are going, but really is no big deal. The LAP-BAND® is my (our) GPS. Before when I would make a bad decision (like eating a bunch of chocolate), I would spiral out of control for days or weeks eating whatever I wanted. Now, I just get back on track. I loved reading that analogy and have adopted it as my new attitude!
     
    Have a great day!!
  15. LoseIt!
    It was a good week all around! After my .4 lb gaining debacle last week, I lost 4.6 lbs this week. YAY!! That mean that I'm averaging 1.8 lbs lost per week since the procedure. I'm quite happy with that.
     
    I worked out EVERY day last week for 5 1/4 hours which is an average of 45 minutes per day. Excellent!! One of the girls I work with has started working out with me at lunch one day a week and she said that I have inspired her to work out more. Another person I met through Group says that I have inspired her to make an 8 week exercise committment. I have NEVER been an exercise inspiration before, so that is just AMAZING to me. My exercise goal this week, is to get in my two lunch work outs and my two personal trainer sessions. It is race weekend at TMS (woohoo!), so anything else is gravy. We generally get a lot of walking in at the track because it is at least 1/2 mile to the car. :-)
     
    Non-scale victories just keep coming. I bought a new pair of size 18W jeans yesterday that I'm now wearing. I was wearing a 20W (or size 3 from LB), so that is great for just 11 weeks! Also, I'm wearing my rings full time again. I stopped wearing them sometime last summer because they were just too tight. Finally, I get comments constantly about how good I am looking. I will NEVER get tired of that.
     
    I'm starting to see muscles forming everywhere. There is fat hanging from them from every which way, but they are there!! I know that as I continue to lose, it will look better and better.
     
    I have Support Group tonight and I ALWAYS look forward to that. I can't wait to see how my new friends are doing.
     
    Have a great week fellow bandsters!!
  16. LoseIt!
    The crazy bloating I had on Monday that gave me a 1/2 pound gain for the week is gone, so YAY! I have two more weeks before my next fill, and I would really like to lose 5 pounds by then. That should be doable.
     
    I've been in a scheduling frenzy lately. I have two musicals, Nascar race weekend at TMS, a friend's wedding in South Texas, a support group meeting, a few dinners with friends, & my fill all scheduled in the next three weeks. May has two more musicals, a trip to Six Flags, a support group meeting, more dinners with friends, & a trip to Florida to see my parents. I love doing stuff!!
     
    I used to hate staying in at lunch, but now I'm learning to enjoy the post-workout feeling. I have a two workout day today, so wish me luck on accomplishing that! My trainer kicked my butt yesterday, but I know that I can still get the 2nd workout in today if I really push myself. Then tomorrow is my full day off from exercise! Plus, my office closes early tomorrow. What a way to start the weekend!
     
    I felt so down on Monday, so I'm glad to be back in fighting form! I hope all my fellow bandsters are having a great week!
  17. LoseIt!

    Bad Beth, bad.

    By LoseIt!,

    Okay, first the bad news for the week. I gained a 1/2 pound this week. Ugh. That is made even worse by the fact that it is only the 2nd week after a fill and I had a two pound loss going into the holiday weekend. Double ugh. Whatever possessed me to eat a bunch of ice cream, candy and cookies? What's up with that?
     
    On a positive note, I have been very true to my exercise committment. I've been thinking that that I have done well with a fitness goal and started to think about what I will do after my 8 week committment is over. I think that I am leaning toward a "Couch to 5K" program. I hate running, but it isn't THAT far and with a goal to achieve...I just might be able to do it.
    Monday-10 min on the treadmill.
    Tuesday-30 min on the elliptical.
    Wednesday-hour with personal trainer.
    Thursday-30 min on the elliptical.
    Friday-hour with personal trainer.
    Saturday-hour of Jazzercise.
    Sunday-25 min on the treadmill.
     
    I'm pleased that I worked out 7 times (every day!), but I'm disappointed that it only adds up to 3 1/2 hours. I would really like to be more at the 5-6 hour range. There is work to be done! :thumbup:
     
    I have four more weeks in my exercise program. So, I will focus on putting in as much time as possible!
     
    I feel better and truly that is the most important thing!!
     
    I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! Have a great week!!
  18. LoseIt!

    2 Months Post Op

    By LoseIt!,

    I am now two months post op. This month I lost 7.4 lbs, for a grand total of 29.4.
     
    This month I reached one of my early goals of losing 10% of my body weight. YAY!!
     
    Later this week, I will retake measurements, so that should be interesting!
     
    I lost around 10 pounds on my preop diet. My goal has been to average 10 pounds lost per month. Jan-10 pounds preop, Feb-12 lbs., March-7.4 lbs. Not too bad!!
     
    I will have new pictures in a couple of weeks so that will be great to see as well.
     
    Have a great Easter!!
     



  19. LoseIt!

    Week #4 - Jumpstart

    By LoseIt!,

    I have finished 3 weeks of my 8 week exercise committment. I lost 5.2 lbs last week and 6.6 lbs since I started 3 weeks ago. In addition to losing the pounds, I also feel better! This weekend, I had little desire to sit around and do nothing which was my favorite pasttime before. :thumbup:
     
    Monday - went to personal trainer.
    Tuesday - 1/2 hour on the elliptical.
    Wednesday - no work out.
    Thursday - 1/2 hour on the elliptical.
    Friday - went to personal trainer.
    Saturday - 1 hour of Jazzercise.
     
    5 workouts for a total of 4 hours of dedicated exercise. Not bad. I had wanted to do more, but with the fill on Monday, I wasn't able to eat much at all and had little energy. This works.
     
    Speaking of my fill, I was super tight...too tight, until Saturday evening. By then I could start getting down water and other liquids without much difficulty. I didn't log anything foodwise last week because I wasn't eating anything. I did well with choices until Friday night. By then, I was so tired of not being able to eat solids that I started in with bad choices. Now that I can eat again, I have started logging again today. I think that I was starting to get dehydrated a bit, but I drank a lot over the weekend so I feel that I'm back to normal.
     
    For some reason, my smoothie tasted horrible to me this morning so I could only eat about half. I might have to take a week or so hiatus from the protein shakes. I was thinking I could do a couple of eggs with some cheese in the mornings. At least for a little while.
     
    All in all, a very good week! This week, my goal is to work out at least 6 times for a total of 5 hours.
     
    Have a great week everyone!!
  20. LoseIt!
    Monday was my second fill. My first fill provided for some restriction, but more maintenance restriction. I could tell immediately that the 2nd fill was different. I drank my water after the fill and I had to do it very slowly and almost concentrate on it.

    After my first fill, by my evening meal, I would be able to eat salads. And after 2 1/2 weeks, I could eat anything. I was doing a pretty good job of not gaining anything, but I wasn't losing.

    With this fill, I spent Monday and Tuesday on liquids. Yesterday, I had a smoothie in the morning which after a cup of warm coffee. For lunch I had about 1/4-1/2 cup of baked potato. For dinner, I had fish. I went to Razzoo's and ordered something that I thought was grilled but it turned out to be fried. The breading didn't go down smoothe, but I was able to scrape most of it off and eat the fish inside. That was it for the day.

    Today, I had my coffee and smoothie. For lunch I again had about 1/2 cup of baked potato. Potatoes aren't my favorite lunch since they aren't high in protein, but it just happened that way. I just had a snack of 1 Wheat Thin flatbread cracker with Laughing Cow cheese. Around 5:00, if I need it, I will have another cracker with peanut butter. Tonight I have a crab cake to try. Hopefully I will be able to eat it!

    I feel like I'm taking small bites and going slowly, but I still feel like there is a knot in my chest (stuck) most of the time. I don't think I could handle it any worse, but I'm okay as is. Last time, I lost enough in a couple of weeks that it loosened up, so maybe that will happen again. One way or the other, I will learn to live and be successful with this band!

    The exercise plan is still going strong. I have decided that as my reward for sticking to my 8 week Jumpstart plan, I will buy myself a Tiffany key. I have really wanted one for a while and quite honestly would have bought one for myself eventually. This way, I will feel like I earned it. :blushing:

    Have a great day!!
  21. LoseIt!
    If you have been reading my blog, you know that I was banded on 1/27, had a good start but stalled after a month. I had my first fill on 2/19, started working out that week as well and gained weight each of the next two weeks. So, two weeks ago, I started what I was calling an 8 week Jumpstart. Basically it was a committment on my part to focus on nutrition and to spend more time working out.
     
    I have completed two weeks of my little program and after losing 1.6 pounds last week, I haved gained 1.2 pounds this week. Sigh.
     
    Recap of the week:
     
    Monday - Did 40 minutes of cardio at Jazzercise and 50 minutes with my personal trainer. I ate just under 1,500 calories for the day, including 100g protein.
     
    Tuesday - Did 25 minutes on the elliptical. I ate 1,600 calories, including 119g protein.
     
    Wedneday - No work out. I ate 1,500 calories.
     
    Thursday - Did 25 minutes on the elliptical at lunch and 40 minutes of cardio at Jazzercise after work. I did have 1,900 calories this day.
     
    Friday - Did 50 minutes with the personal trainer and ate 1,800 calories.
     
    Saturday - Did 60 minutes of cardio and strength training at Jazzercise. Did not track food this day.
     
    Sunday - No exercise and no food tracking. I went back today and tracked the best I could (because I did think I ate a lot and even adding an extra 400 calories for things I might have forgot, I was still under 2,000 calories!)
     
    I took a metabolism test that said that if I was totally inactive, I would maintain my weight by eating 2,000-2,200 calories a day. I would lose moderately eating 1,800-2,000 per day. I felt that my goal of 1,500-1,800 would be sufficient. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't completely on target with that, but by all accounts, I should have lost SOMETHING!
     
    I'm telling myself that a lot of it is muscle and I have no doubt that some of it is. But it is clear that I'm going to have to eat less which gets me to today.
     
    I feel that I have been doing the best I can foodwise, so I'm hoping today will help. I would like to get to a point where I only need 1,000-1,200 calories a day. Although, it is hard for me to imagine woking out with that little...but that's what the doctor's say, right? I will be sure and ask today
     
    Each week is a new one and a renewed comittment. It took me many years to get this way and it will take a long time to get where I want to be. I do not like being negative, so I won't be. I feel strongly that eventually everything I'm doing will kick in and help me, I just have to be patient.
     
    Hope everyone has a good week!
  22. LoseIt!
    I'm not a patient person and I know that. I work at it and I have become better, but there is a long way to go.
     
    I am one of BG's certified scale whores. I'm typically good about keeping things in perspective. For instance, Tuesday morning I was down two and a half pounds. I know that some of that probably isn't "real", so when I was back up a half a pound on Wednesday, I was fine with that. As long as my net weight is down each Monday, the in between doesn't matter so much.
     
    I had thought after losing 12.5 pounds on my preop diet, then losing 6.8 pounds in the two weeks post op (total 19.3 pounds), that I would be a fast loser. I truly thought that I would be another 10 pounds down by the end of February and another 10 pounds down by the end of March.
     
    Yeah, that didn't happen. I've lost 6 pounds in the 5.5 weeks since then. [interestingly, I originally wrote "only 6 pounds" and dropped the "only" after I decided that wasn't so bad. ] Six pounds in 5.5 weeks was disappointing to me this morning, but after some thought, it is not. Six pounds in 5.5 weeks is WAY better than I was doing before surgery...which was packing on the pounds. I promised myself that as long as I was doing what I was supposed to do and if the scale was moving in the right direction, I wouldn't be as concerned with the actual numbers. That is a bit easier said than done, but I'm glad I have a place to talk it through with myself!
     
    As far as my 8 week Jumpstart plan goes, I did work out during lunch on Tuesday, but I skipped Jazzercise that evening. Yesterday was a day off, so we will see how I do today. The goal is 25 minutes on the elliptical at lunch and 40 minutes of the aerobic portion of Jazzercise. I can do it!
     
    On a completely different topic, LB has giving me something else...new friends, in addition to all of you wonderful ladies and gents. I have been attending a local support group and at the last one, I met two ladies that I have since become friends with. One lady and I email several times a day talking about how our LB lives are going. It is GREAT to get another real time perspective and hear what she is going through. Plus, she has great recipes! :eek: The second lady and I have been texting and we ended up going to a concert together last night. They are both wonderful people and I would have never met them if I wasn't going through this process.
     
    Life (particularly life with LB) is an interesting journey!
  23. LoseIt!

    Week #2 - Jumpstart

    By LoseIt!,

    Week #1 was tough, but I feel it was a success. First, I feel better which is most important. Second, I lost 1.6 pounds this week which is the first time in 3 weeks that the scale went DOWN!!
     
    Step #1 - Logging food. I logged everything I ate, every day except for Saturday. I met my 1500 calorie goal for 4 days, only slightly exceeded it for 1 day. Sunday I did get closer to 2000 calories because I had a rum drink that pushed the limit, but as long as I don't do that every day, I should be okay. On Friday, I took one of the metabolism tests where you breathe into a machine for 10 minutes and it tells you how many calories you burn in a day. I burn over 2000 without exercise, so that is good. I just can't let myself use that as an excuse to cheat!!
     
    Step #2 - Stay in for lunch two days a week and exercise. I stayed in on Tuesday & Wednesday and used the elliptical machine. This week, I have scheduled Tuesday & Thursday. This step is very cut & dried, but probably the toughest one for me. I was proud of myself for doing it and I am 1/8 done. :thumbup:
     
    Step #3 - Get a personal trainer & meet twice per week. I met with my new trainer twice last week, Wednesday and Friday. Unfortunately, Wednesday was more of an introduction, so we didn't work out much that time. Still, I'm on track!
     
    So, I went to Jazzercise Tuesday & Saturday, I trained with my trainer on Saturday, and I used the elliptical on Tuesday and Wednesday.
     
    Total exercise for the week: 4 hours. Good, for sure, but this week my goal is 6 hours. My 2nd fill is schedule for Monday and I'm starting to get hungrier, so if I could lose a couple of pounds this week...that would be super!!
     
    A friend of mine from LBSG (LAP-BAND® Support Group) gave me a recipe for enchilada chili that is super awesome! I made it last night and my (skinny) friend and I both gobbled it up.
     
    Enchilada Chili
     
    1 lb lean ground beef (however, I use Turkey ground white, and when I fry it up I put in about a cup of Beef Broth. The meat will absorb the broth)
    1 medium chopped onion ( I also put in a 1/2 of a green or red pepper)
    1 can rotel diced tomatoes (mild or hot) undrained
    1 can enchilada sauce (red)
    1 1/2 cups of green gaint corn ( I use the Mexicali corn)
    1 can chili beans in sauce undrained ( I use Bushs chili beans, I also add a can of black beans)
     
    cook beef or turkey with the onions over med heat for 5 to 7 mins till brown. Stir in tomatoes, enchilada sauce and corn into the beef or turkey boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins. Then stir in beans and cook for 5 to 8 mins. stirring occasionaly. When I serve I put some low fat cheese on the top and add some salsa.
    This makes about 4 servings 1 1/2 cups. Since I measure out a cup I get more.
    Nutrition per serving
    Calories 380, total fat 15g, sodium 1440mg. Total carbs 38g, Fiber is 8g and Protein 29g.
     
    Here's to a great week!!
  24. LoseIt!
    I have been talking this week about my 8 week, 3 point plan (which I have nicknamed JUMPSTART) to get myself moving in the right direction. The right direction being DOWN the scale!

    1. Logging food. I started using Sparkpeople.com from a referral because they have a Blackberry app. It is easy to use and it seems to have a large database of food which makes things easier. I have been logging everything I eat since Saturday.

    2. Exercise twice a week during lunch. I already do Jazzercise 2-4 times a week, but I wanted to add something a little different that wouldn't make my feet or knees hurt worse. We have a gym in my building at work and a couple of coworkers have committed to going with me 2 times each week for 8 weeks. I went yesterday and today and I have to admit that it gives me a lot of energy for the afternoon.
     
    3. Get a personal trainer. I want to increase muscle strength and flexibility in order to maximize the time I do spend on cardio. I signed up with 24 Hour Fitness last night and meet with my new trainer Bruce tonight. I throrougly explained my position and my goals and we seemed to get along very well. I ordered 23 sessions with is 7 more than my plan (2x per week for 8 weeks = 16), but I got three of those free and I thought I could go once a week for several weeks after my Jumpstart program.
     
    I plan to go to Jazzercise tomorrow evening and my 2nd training session is Friday. With my Saturday morning Jazzercise class, that will make 6 hours of dedicated exercise this week.
     
    I'm about 1/2 done with Week #1! I can do it!!
  25. LoseIt!
    My attitude has done a 180 today and there are MANY reasons for it.
     
    1. My three point plan I discussed yesterday which included logging food and exercising more. Planning alone helps me get out of the dumps.
    2. My support group meeting last night which was AWESOME! If you aren't currently attending a support group, I would suggest that you try and find one. Mine only meets once a month, so it isn't a huge committment and it never fails to lift me up. I learn something every time. When I first started, I didn't think that I NEEDED to be part of a support group, but going was one of the best decisions I made.
    3. Updated pics...I'm not sure how much difference you can REALLY tell, but I think it is something. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to get my pictures to upload (it says they are too big) so I will have to figure that out.
    4. I implemented part of my plan and used the elliptical machine in aerobic mode for 20 minutes. [sidebar: I forgot how much I sweat. Bringing a towel, soap, deoderant and a change of underwear would have been a good plan. Oops! Tomorrow.]
    5. I received an email & a text from two wonderful new friends I met at suppor group. How nice is that??
     
    After work, it is off to Jazzercise. Then I have a meeting with the sales guy at 24 Hour Fitness to start the personal trainer part of my plan.
     
    Week #1 of my 8 week Jumpstart! Here I go!!

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