LeighaMason

I started by walking on the treadmill for an hour 3 days a week and I was losing 2 pounds a week then my loss slowed down, so then I started riding my bike to work (5 miles 1 way) 2 times a week back to the 2 pounds a week loss then once again my weight loss slowed down, then I had a 21 day plateau so I started the Couch to 5K and lost 2 pounds this week. So it looks like running is going to be it for me for now, if I don't exercise I do not lose weight.

These are all great ideas! I am going to offer one more, have a back up plan (this is for after you are back on regular foods), if you have to have something have a greek yogurt and a cheese stick, or cottage cheese with fruit, they may make you go over on your daily calories but they are a lot better than other things you can choose.

Kerri, I do not want to be negative but I don't want you to have unrealistic expectations. My band stops the physical hunger and it takes me an hour to eat a can of tuna BUT I can eat a full bag of chips, a full box of fruit loops, and a gallon of ice cream all at one time with no problem and I am at full restriction. All these things go through the band with no problem, slide right through into my big stomach. The band will not stop you from overeating these foods. (the donut, maybe) If you are expecting for the band to stop you from eating these foods you will be really disappointed that you went through this for nothing. You need to talk to your Dr., if these are the foods that have made you overweight, there might be a better answer than the band for you. Good luck.

I'm glad your feeling better!

Sorry I am just learning on the spreadsheet thing. Try this link instead. Memorial Day Challange Plus as demonstrated above I cant spell!

I use EAS AdvantEDGE carb control shakes. 17g protein, 110 cal. and 4 carbs. You could have up to 7 a day or just mix them in with what you are using now.

I had my last fill on 4/19 and I thought they had punctured my band because it was like they had taken the band out! I was starving and I could eat anything then on Sunday 5/2 my restriction magically returned! So be sure and wait 3 weeks between fills to see what is really happening. ETA: (Karen I have 5.7 in my 10cc band. So maybe the next one is the one for you!)

I used Dr Kim in Colleyville, TX (Dallas suburb) it was $10,200 and included all pre-op testing and 6 months of fills.

I have been walking on the treadmill and outside for an hour at a time for 3 miles and riding my bike to work and home twice a week which is 5 miles each way but after Sunday's 30 min. intro into the CK program, I can barely walk (OK thats an exaggeration, but my thigh, hip and calf muscles are sore!) It was hard to do but I had no idea that apparently it requires a completely different set of muscles. So I am resting them till Wednesday when I will do round 2. :thumbdown:

Try a bike store, my husband is over 300 and he bought an off the shelf bike at a local bike shop. It was probably $350, by the way you should try craigslist. They have lots of bikes listed here.

I am going to officially declare my band fickle. I was worried about having a leak since my fill on 04/19 I have been hungry and could eat anything so I scheduled to go in and have it checked this Thursday but starting yesterday I am so tight it is taking me forever to eat. Yesterday morning I ate a Greek yogurt at 10, lunch (2oz of meat a couple of grilled bell pepper slivers and grilled onions) at 3pm and it took an hour to eat then 1 chicken wing with 3 zucchini strips at 8pm and I was full. Only 765 calories and didn't make my protein goal (only 44.4) Today a green smoothie, 1 chicken wing, 3 pieces of zucchini and I am still stuffed but somehow I am going to have to either drink a shake or eat a yogurt or I am going to miss my protein mark again. I haven't had a stuck issue or done anything to irritate it so I give up on trying to predict what it is doing. And I am going to cancel the appointment to have my saline drawn out and measured. I am afraid it might get messed up so I am leaving well enough alone.

I made a spreadsheet, just enter your name goal weight, current weight and weigh in weekly. http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvNmQs-0j3LkdFMyM2JHSW4zbEN6dnhWa1VtWmRmSlE&hl=en By the way, today starts week 2.

This morning I thought of a saying that we have in the car business. "If it was easy everyone would do it."

This makes me think of a saying we have in the car business. "If it was easy everyone would do it." Way to give yourself a pep talk, I really have to do that sometimes. :thumbdown: Its very effective.

You are also the one who inspired me to start running and train for my own 5k. Thank you.

I am down 1 pound for the week. Better than nothing. :thumbdown:

PM Elation she has the second code for you, I have an iphone so I didn't get it.

I'm not sure but they are on sale now for $199 and you can use the code to save $15 from that. Plus I ordered it Friday afternoon and they shipped it that day, mine should be here Wednesday.

Waynoo don't leave! I love it when someone disagrees with me, especially if they can give logical reasons why they believe what they do without relying on rhetoric and catch phrases. I love to hear both sides when its not just some copy and paste paid advertisement. :thumbup: Here is my question, If the credit bureaus have access to know that these SS#s are for dead people and they are able to stop them from using them to get credit, then why wouldn't the IRS be able to know that the SS# is bad and that person shouldn't be paying in? My answer is because they want the funds to be paid into the system without the possibility of them owing to someone later.

Sawyer--I started the Couch to 5k program today, and its all your fault! Thanks for the inspiration. :thumbup:

These "stolen" SS#s are sold to them, usually from government officials. They are mostly from deceased people. When they try and get credit such as a car loan the SS# comes back as belonging to a deceased person and the loan is not granted. I see this every week on the car lot, where I see everyones credit unless they pay cash. If they take them into a federal office they risk being arrested so no they don't try and get food stamps, housing, etc. with them. And by the way if an illegal is working under your SS# the withholdings are deposited into your SS file like you paid them in which increases your benefits when you retire. (This happened to my father in law)

Here is my plan on maintenance. I was worried about it too since my Dr never really gave me any guidance. I have to eat 800-1000 calories a day and work out at least 2 times a week to lose 1-2 pounds. So after I get to goal I am going to keep working out (I hope) and raise my calories to 1200-1300 a day. Then I am going to weigh myself every.single.day. If I gain more than 5 pounds I will go back to 800-1000 calories until its gone. (I have a daily fluctuation of about 3 pounds due to Water, salt, etc. So I will not change anything unless I gain 5). If I continue to lose I will go up to 1400-1500 calories a day until I find what my body needs to balance my weight. If I cant get as many calories as I need I can always do a slight unfill which will allow me to eat more, but I have found that as I lose weight, the fat under my band goes away and my band gets looser anyway. In the past when I dieted I was starving and I knew when I stopped what I was doing that I wouldn't have the strength to start back. (Adkins, diet pills, ww, etc.) So I never could maintain. It was like an alcoholic once I started eating "normal", I couldn't stop. Now I know I never have to stop what I am doing, I will eat like this forever but just add a few things to up my calories. I hope this helps.

I also wanted to add, the so called "party of the constitution", the so called "patriots" are the ones violating our constitutional rights once again. You either support our constitution or you don't. You either think its the basis of the greatest democracy in the world or you don't. You don't get to pick and chose the parts you want.

I would like to point out how many illegals work using fake ss#, their employers deduct taxes out of their checks and then match it and send it to the government. They can never collect on these taxes they have paid into our Medicare and social security system as well as 941 federal taxes. Please enlighten me on this, other than not being able to turn them away at the hospital if they need urgent care what other "government help" do they get?

I must be your twin, well your taller twin (5'5") I started at 195 BMI 32.4 and my goal is 130 BMI 21.6. That is 65 pounds. I was banded 10/20/09 and I want to be at goal 7/4/10. So I have 9 weeks to lose 16 pounds so I better get busy!