itsjustducky

Give it up Barb, it's mine now! Ha ha :thumbup:)

I love iced tea and have recently really been into the mint kind. :wub: To make it, I take 2 bags of Tazo "Refresh" and brew them in a tea cup for approx. 3-5 min, then I pour the tea concentrate into a pitcher of cold Water and add ice. It's really good, and also makes it a lot easier for me to get my water in (it totally lives up to its name, and is perfect in the warmer months)! :thumbup: Sometimes, I add fresh mint leaves and ice to the glasses before I add the tea, but this step isn't required (it just makes it a bit more special). Since you're looking for a fruity tea, however, try doing the same with other types of herbal teas or infusions (they have countless types). One fruit tea that is especially nice iced is Twinnings "Herbal Unwind"--an orange and honey flavored one. :tt2: I personally don't like sweet tea, but if you do, you can always add Splenda or some other type of artifical sweetener. I'm thinking about trying out a splash of juice or some frozen or fresh smashed berries in plain teas to make them fruit flavored, but I haven't experimented with it yet. I'll let you know how it comes out, but I'm sure it should be good, since both ingredients are yummy on their own. :thumbup: Just a side note--don't try adding any lemonade to the mint tea (I had some left over and tried it the other day--it's gross, ha ha)!

I love berries, mango, cherries, and melon, and luckily, these seem to work the best w/ my band :crying: I do live in Upstate NY, however, and apples are huge here in the fall--I swear I've gone apple picking since I could stand, ha ha Unfortunately, though, the first time I ate one post-band, I felt terrible and ended up PBing :frown: It took some behavior modification--doesn't everything--but now I know that if I want to eat some apple, I need to peel it, cut it into sections, and then chew it really well. Or, I can make a baked apple by sprinkling a bit of cinnamon and sugar on it and heating it in the microwave for a few minutes :wub: I find that the decrease in volume of fruits and veggies is what really gets me, though. After dieting my whole life, it's still hard to readjust to the idea that they may not be the best things for me to eat I'm not sure if it's the Fiber or what, but fruit and veg is especially filling for me post banding :sad: On a side note: Unlike some others here, bananas seem to be a hit or miss for me :huh2: While I can eat them w/ cereal or yogurt, it's almost impossible for me to get half of one down by itself :redface: I agree that it all depends on the person and their particular band, but I'm sure you will be able to eat at least some fruit with your band :smile2:

My doctor's nutritionist suggested that I remove the seaweed covering (or order a variety that doesn't have seaweed on it). I guess it is very resilient and doesn't break down much w/ chewing, so it really poses a problem w/ the band. :Banane01: I would suggest ordering sashimi (just the fish), as some others have mentioned, or if you prefer rolls, some sushi places have a different type of wrapping material (I think it's made out of dried tofu) that is much more band-friendly. :purplebananna: These days, I too leave some of the rice beind, but the other stuff is yummier anyway, ha ha. :laugh:These tips have been a great help for me, as I have tried eating it the normal way w/ bad results :success1::Banane33: Best of luck!

This is why I :smile2: Purell :tt2: This baby is getting a good coat of it, and then it's going on my shelf :ohmy:

I totally agree with you guys Spanx are marvelous and I would rather be healthy with a bit of saggy skin any day! I have tried diet after diet my whole life (my parents even brought me to specialists as a child to see why I was so heavy :frown:) and the band is the only thing that has let me loose any amount of weight successfully. If, and when, I have to deal with saggy skin, I will gladly cross that bridge. :thumbup: As of now, only my upper arms are sagging, but I'm sure there will be more to come...:biggrin: Even though it bothers me sometimes, I guess I can look at it as a sign of success. After all, the band is helping me become a smaller, healthier person, and that is a great feat. :smile2:

Since this thread is a bit older, I'm not sure if anyone will see this to answer it, but where can I get a free two week pass to try it out?

Hi, I'm looking for a good beginner workout and I think that Curves might be a good choice. I have a few question, though, like do you have to be there at a certain time (like a workout class) or can you come and go when you need to? What is the workout like? I've heard it's a circuit and you switch from one thing to another, but what kinds of exercises are involved--cardio, lifting, etc? Also, do you use machines or do stuff like jumping jacks? Thanks for all the info ladies!

I haven't lost much weight, but I have noticed my arms showing some signs of flabbiness and want to nip it in the butt...what kind of exercises do you guys think might be helpful? I was wondering if doing some arm raises w/ 5lbs weights could be helpful...I know it's a pretty conservative approach, but I already have some. Unfortunately, I don't have a gym membership yet--of course, I know I should get one, but since I'm not in the best shape, I think it might be wise to wait until I've lost a bit more.

ONE POUND TO GO!!!!!

Name.......................... Start Wt....... Current....... Goal....... To Go

3ShotRoc..................... 345.............. 263............ 220........ 43

Alabubba..................... 464.............. 464............ 400........ 64

Alleycia....................... 255.............. 217............ 198........ 19

Annieemmm................. 200.............. 198............. 170....... 28

Ashleyrenee................ 240.............. 240............. 199........ 41

Barb12590.................. 173.............. 156............. 155.......... 1

Betelnut..................... 295.............. 273............. 245........ 28

Bklyn1984................... 317.............. 241............. 230........ 11

Blaze21...................... 200.8........... 187........... 170...... 17

Blklab70282................. 241............. 241.............. 220........ 19

ChickyAbby................. 314............. 314.............. 270........ 44

Clcort......................... 236............. 200.............. 200........ 36

CountrygirlNY.............. 253............. 217.............. 182........ 35

Crzytchr2004.............. 237............. 230.............. 210........ 20

Ewiedbingcott ............ 215.5.......... 211.2............ 198........ 13.2

Fab by 50.................. 215............. 204............... 175........ 29

Fordgal88.................. 199.............. 175.............. 199........ 24

Hdsantoni.................. 252.............. 198.............. 190......... 8

Htaylor1021............... 210.............. 206.5............ 185......... 21.5

itsjustducky................368...............368...............328..........40

Jazma....................... 261.............. 261.............. 235......... 24

Jeni 85...................... 170............. 170............... 158......... 12

Jennyt71................... 245............. 197............... 170......... 27

Keepingfaith08........... 225.............. 225.............. 190.......... 35

Lalaredd................... 240.............. 190............... 150......... 40

LessJess................... 228.............. 202............... 199......... 3

Letsgetitstarted......... 229.............. 211............... 199......... 30

Libbyjane1976........... 283............... 283.............. 250.......... 33

LilMissDiva................ 251.6............ 247.6............ 227.......... 20.6

Liz_hager................. 158............... 151............... 145.......... 6

LisaRT..................... 254............... 248............... 225.......... 23

Long2BThin.............. 192............... 183............... 169.......... 14

Loveislovely............. 191............... 187............... 169.......... 18

Mair....................... 222............... 220............... 199........... 21

Mamacj.................. 316............... 269............... 233........... 36

Melody_Mary_42f..... 277............... 231............... 170........... 49

MsNickelback.......... 172............... 165................ 149........... 16

Nicolerose.............. 365............... 288................ 260........... 28

Nursemelly............. 245............... 203................ 185........... 18

Onehotmama.......... 272............... 237................ 210........... 27

OneHotMomma........ 285.............. 282................ 250............ 32

Pbpuniser............... 212.............. 212................ 182............ 30

Peachwood............. 251............. 251................. 230............ 21

Picklesix................. 197............. 175................. 170............ 5

Sexylips................. 238............. 238................. 199............ 39

Sadie77................. 277............. 250................. 220............ 30

SillyGoose.............. 258............. 238................. 228............ 10

Simone.................. 182............ 176.................. 160............ 16

Ukcatsfan.............. 340............. 340................. 300............ 40

Workingmom........... 214............. 214................. 175............ 39

ZiggyLove.............. 226............. 202................. 180............ 22

Health4life..............279.............222.2................195..... .. .....27.2

WAY TO GO!!! I'm just thankful to break the plateau!

I'm signing up too I'm just getting back on track, so 40lbs. is probably a bit of a stretch...but, I'm striving for it anyway! Hope we all make our goals!!!

I had really bad dizzy headaches for a bit when I was having issues w/ my band and ended up w/ a mega esophagus. It's probably b/c I couldn't keep much down, but once I got unfilled and was actually able to eat, the headaches subsided. Other than that, the only time I get headaches is when I haven't eaten in a while. If I know I'll be busy, I try keeping a Luna bar in my purse and it seems to really help.

Oooo...guess I'm the new winner

I've always had irregular periods (skipped periods) too, but after being banded and loosing some weight, I became pretty regular. :biggrin: I'm not a medical professional, so I'm not sure if this will happen to you, but I've heard that your periods can be influenced by your weight. :biggrin: Apparently, just as gymnasts can loose their periods b/c their too thin, plus sized women can loose them b/c their overweight. Go figure :tt2:

I said maybe...:biggrin: I mean after putting in all the work and loosing all the weight I want, I'd at least like to be proportional, ha ha :biggrin: I don't exactly care if I have a big chest or not, as long as I look good :biggrin: Even if I don't get implants, though, I'm not opposed to getting a lift--do you think I'll need it? :tt2: I mean I'm only 25, and they don't look like they've lost any gusto so far, lol, but I still plan on loosing a lot more weight.

Thanks everyone--reading this thread has been so informative. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things after having to be unfilled and gaining a bunch of weight back...ugh =( Anyway, I've been a foodie my whole life and I love cooking, so trying to stop thinking about food has been a real issue for me. I think I will try therapy, though...what kind of stuff do you guys discuss? Do you have any tricks to pass along? Thanks =)

I agree... saying you're on a diet is a good way to get out of stuff like that. Plus, you can always offer to be the DD--a great way to justify not drinking & make your friends happy :tt2: If you really don't see them letting up or minding their own business, you can always say you have a stomach ache or just order club sodas w/ a twist of lime and tell them you're into gin and tonics now, ha ha = p I understand how you feel about your privacy...I haven't told anyone except family about my band--not because I'm ashamed, but because I'm a private person and don't feel comfortable letting everyone know the ins and outs of my private life. Hope you're doing better now that you've had your band for a bit!

I agree, sliming is the worst =( I think that using Condiments and making sure to chew really well can make a big difference, though. Did you have ketchup or mustard on your burger? Sometimes, if my band is tighter than normal, I cut meat up into small, bite sized pieces and toss it in the condiment. Of course this workers better w/chicken in BBQ Sauce, but if you think the ketchup or mustard taste will be too strong, then you can toss a little bit of low fat or fat free mayo with it before tossing the meat in. Hope this helps you in the future =)

Hopefully you're feeling better by now, but for future reference...My doctor said that if something doesn't go down, try walking around a bit to see if it will settle. If not, then try drinking something--small sips really slowly. Hope this helps! It really stinks when this happens =( I know that I had some shrimp for dinner last night and my stomach was bothering me all night--I ended up having to PB a few hours later, but then that was the end of it =/

For mushies I like: Soups, tuna or chicken mixed with light mayo, egg salad, mashed potatoes, low cal pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese (if the curds are too big, I mash them up a bit), and sugar free pistachio pudding mixed with cottage cheese.

Hey all! I just found this thread... talk about showing up to the party late, ha ha Anyway, I think it's great that there's a place for all of us trying to break the 300s. I'm sure onederland will be great when it's time, but right now I've got my eyes set on a nice little place on twoterville's beach!!! I've got 30 lbs to go, so it's time to get packing and buckle down. Good luck to all my fellow bandsters!

I wish I could say that my band has fixed this for me, but I still seem to get acid reflux pretty often It's weird, b/c it seems to come and go with me, and when it comes, it's fierce. Since I have always had a bad stomach, I have, fortunately, learned to cope a bit... I'm religious about taking my Nexium, and when I'm having a bout, I make sure to sit up and drink milk or eat yogurt.

PS--While my band doc said I could probably stop taking my meds after surgery, my stomach didn't seem to agree, ha ha! As always, remember to listen to your body and try not to push yourself too hard.

Hi FSC, I just found your thread and I'm so sorry to hear about your ordeal. I hope you are feeling better now and I look forward to seeing your updated pics All the best!

Good luck w/ your surgery & thanks for letting us all in on your experience = ) I can't wait to see the after pix!

I know what you mean, it's frustrating when you have to try on a bunch of different sizes to find something that fits. No offense to SJP, but I think it's nearly possible for such a tiny person to know what it takes to make great clothes for us larger gals. We have curvier frames and problem areas that skinny people may never have to consider--upper arms, anyone?

It is interesting, though, that the same size can have different measurements depending on if it's a misses or a womens--btw, why would they even bother making a misses 22? I try to look on the bright side, however, the more weight I lose, the more options I'll have and the better I'll look and feel no matter what I'm wearing