tonya66

Hello all, just swinging by to check in. I've started a controversial diet, but its working and I love it! Because of my esophagus surgery, I pretty much ate ice cream every day!!! I gained up to 178.9. Being on this new diet, I'm down to 168.9 this morning in 10 days! So I'm happy about that.

My sugar cravings are leaving me finally, and I've stuck to the diet like glue and haven't cheated once. I will be on on it for 40 days, then you do a three week maintenance phase, then a three week break phase, and then you can start another round if you have more to loose, if you have less than 20 to lose, you do 23 days, if you have more than 20, you can do up to 40 days. I think my next round I will be pretty close to goal!

Anyhow, its a doctor supervised diet here, but its so expensive I decided to do it on my own and ordered the stuff online that I take. And I will say, it is working! Its expensive, but its working. I have absolutely no hunger, its like when I first got the band. Anyhow, just thought I would share that with you guys.

Sula - hang in there, my eating got way out of cotrol, I was ready to throw in the towel and just except me and my weight for what it was. But I couldn't bare to see the scales keep going up. So I am trying something a little different. Have fun on your trip!

Confused - I hate being overfilled! I finally convinced my doctor to quit taking all the Fluid out each and every time, when he does that, it messes with the positioning of my band. And now that he has quit doing that, I'm finally getting some real restriction. Being overtight is just as bad as not having a enough fill IMO.

Tonya...I am thinking you are so tiny...you just don't look at yourself through accurate eyes. You're what, a size 8? That is tiny...isn't size 14 now the norm?

Sula, your too kind. Yes, I'm a size 8, however, its not a true 8. It depends what designer I buy, I have even bought 1 size 6 bants. But lately I noticed my size 8 are a little tight. I think if I went to try on clothes today, I would fit more comfortably into a size 10, I just feel so fat and bloated.

Your right, when I look at myself in the mirror, I see all the imperfections, and I know thats a self image problem.

Also, I have read somewhere that the average size of a woman is a size 14. But I also know that 50% of Americans are overweight, so I don't think a size 14 is healthy. I know that for me, a size 14 I was still on my diabetic medicine.

I also still have sleep apnea and need to lose probably another 10 pounds in order to get off my cpap machine - another reason I am desperate to lose. I have also noticed lately, my sugar levels have gone up, so another reason I need to get down my weight.

A lot of the reasons I want to lose are vain, I will admit that, but a lot of it is also health. I'm not a spring chicken any longer and I can see what diabetes has done to my mom. She is very very very unhealthy and only 16 years older than me. She just turned 60, but acts like a 80 year old woman. It really makes me sad and makes me realize that I do not want to end up like her.

Okay, enough about me, how is everyone doing with the new year?

I just had my esophagus surgery and its going good. A little hard to be on all liquids, but I'm surviving. Thank gawd for Protein shakes. I've gotten addicted to Jillian Michaels Protein Shakes, they are really good.

Hope all is doing well and everyone, check in!!!! Let us know how your doing, good or bad, we want to know and we want to help.

Hello all, I'm pretty much being a slug as well. I'm having a minor surgery on Thursday so I've been using that as an excuse not to exercise this week.

I won't be able to eat for about 7 days after my surgery, so I'm hoping that will help me lose some weight! lol.

I'm having some polyps cut out of my esophagus and my esophagus stretched. So, I will have to be on liquids for 7 to 14 days, depending how much swelling I have.

Anyhow, because of knowing that I'll be having surgery, I seem to be eating all the bad stuff.

I need to focus!!!!! I ran into a friend of mine the other day who had gastric bypass, she was so tiny and looked so good, made me a little jealous! Also made me realize I need to get my butt in gear and quit screwing around!

Confused - good job on running and lifting some weights! Keep posting and telling us about it, maybe you will get us all motivated.

Juno - so happy for you and your band babbies! I'm glad your almost ready to exercise again. Give yourself some time, they don't call it labor for nothing you know.

Sula - When I "used" to have TOM visit me, I always was so tired and so run down, there is no way I could exercise when TOM was around. So it will be over soon, and then you can jump back into the swing of things!

Okay, I better get to work, just wanted to check in with everyone. I'm really going to try and do better at checking in, it holds me accountable to post.

I hate working out anymore because after I run my legs seem bigger then what they were before, in other words my thighs on my jeans don't fit my thighs. I have now been told though that I have to get back into exercise. I had a fill last week, and they filled me to full, so I had to go back the next day to have an emergency unfill. I was so sick thought I was going to die. Now I'm so unfull, that food tastes so good, I have been eating everything that I'm not suppose to. I got a small refill yesterday. Was told to exercise not only my body, but to also exercise good judgement on food, and not to rely so much on my band. I hate being loose, I was at a good spot, and with a small bump of Fluid it would have been a great spot, but instead of a bump I got overfilled. So now I have to start all over again to get to that really good spot, I'm visiting numbers that I hated the last 3 times I seen them...so I guess I'm exercising again starting tomorrow. Ok my pitty party is over...thanks for listening.

I read something about that same thing, Jillian Michaels from the biggest Loser said when you work out a certain muscle group, you will seem bigger the next day, because your muscle absorbs Water or somethig like that, but it only last a few days and then you will see the reduction start, so don't give up girl!

It seems when you get overfilled, (I've been there 3 times now), it takes forever to find that good spot again. I've been trying to find it for over a year now and still not there. grrrrrrr. I told myself after my last fill - fill #20, I was not getting any more, but I'm now leaning toward just one more. I really am getting close again to that spot! Now that he quit taking all the Fluid out, and just adding some, it seems to be working.

Anyhow, my pitty party is over too!

Confused..keep working out. You inspire!!

I did my annual third year weigh in and measurements and am not happy. I'm down about four pounds total in the year and the measurements weren't showing any reduction. Just tells me I need to get serious. I know we all struggle but I don't know why it has to be so hard. And then I tell myself, is it really hard or am I resistant to doing the "right things?" Arggg...gotta get this figured out!!

And then this morning, I was thinking of that great big long list of January 2007 bandsters and wonder how many of them have made their goals and/or what their struggles have been. Would love to hear from them. That was a big list!

Hey girl, I feel your pain!!!! But you know what, here is the way I look at it, PRE band, I would have been BIGGER, I never have been able to maintain ANY weight, I always got bigger. So with that being said, I have to count myself as a success.

Even though I'm not at goal, and I can't believe its been three years now and I'm not at goal, I really thought I would be at goal by now. I still am happy.

In the three years, I've lost a total of 83 lbs, I have gone from a size 18/20 to a size 8 (tight at times, lol), but I am wearing a size 8!! I started the journey at 248 and am down to 165, would like to be 145, so I'm about 20 lbs from goal. Which is where I was last year. So I know how frustrated you are, I feel that too. In the past year, I'm where I started, still weighing what I did last January!

So, lets make this year our year! Lets quit playing around and get 'er done! The key is consistancy, I know its something I am lacking - I get inspired, I work out --- a lot, however, my eating is what is not consistant. I eat good, and then blow it for a few days. Not that I eat a lot, but I eat the bad stuff! I eat too many Lindor chocolate truffles out of the candy dish, I eat too many chips, and I snack out of bordom sometimes when I'm not hungry. These are the things that are hindering me.

I too would love to hear from any January Bandsters, how is everyone else doing?

Here they go again, on Jan 5.

Place your bets: The Biggest Loser - NBC Site

Frankly, last season was a bit of a bore after the Tara Machine and Ronfather, but hopefully it returns to form.

The great thing is that the show only takes 15 minutes to watch, once you skip the crying

Yes, it was hard to beat the Tara Machine. I'm looking forward to this season, hopefully there is a little more excitement!

Guess what, my daughter (17 years old) take a health and Wellness class, she got to workout with Danny from the Biggest Loser, he was there with her class! She was so excited! He looks great and so much younger, such a nice guy!

For some reason I'm not getting any emails when there are new post to the this thread, so I thought, I better just mosey over here and see whats going on, and wow, lots of action on the thread and I'm missing out! I don't like to be out of the loop! lol.

Things are going slow, we had lots of snow in Oklahoma, so that put a damper on the exercise for a few weeks, eating got bad too. But, back on track with my exercise and eating.

Its amazing how quickly you can gain weight by not paying attention, I haven't weighed, but I can tell my clothes are tighter, and I REFUSE to go up a size, I'm in my size 8's and I will not go buy any bigger sizes, nope, just won't do it. So, I have to eat right and exercise or I will have to go to work naked!

I had a great workout last night, and felt good afterwards. I'm so ready for spring, I just absolutely HATE winter, with a passion I hate it! depresses me too!

I hope all is doing well, Sula, how is your finger doing?

..but I am going to work hard and lose weight..eat right...exercise!!

Has anyone watched the ad's for that Insanity workout? It is so tempting, but I don't think I'm there yet. Tonya..you might be able to do it!!

Me too!!!! Work hard to lose the rest of the weight and exercise is my main focus for 2010. New motto, in 2010, we will win!

I've seen the insanity workout, not sure I could do it either, looks intense!

Hello gang!

Happy New Year to everyone. DH and I have had quite the exciting holiday. As some of you know, I was due with my 2nd band baby in Feb. Well, he's here early! I developed a case of severe pre-eclampsia earlier this week, and the docs decided the best thing was to deliver now. So, I had a c-section Wednesday morning. Vincent Michael was 3 lbs 3oz and 17 inches long. He's doing great for being underweight (thanks to pre-eclampsia). He'll most likely be staying in NICU for another 5 weeks. We're still having some trouble getting my blood pressure under control, but I'm hoping to go home tomorrow. It's been a long week!

Looking forward to getting back on the "band" wagon with you guys!

Maria

Maria - Congratulations!!!! 3 lbs is good for as early as the little guy was. I'll be praying for his little body to get stronger and stronger so he go home with his family.

Hello all, hope everyone is doing good. I'm doing good on my exercise, just not so great at eating, need to focus now on my eating, I do pretty good all week, but weekends seem to throw me for a loop!

I'm going for my final fill today, this will be fill #20, and I'm fed up with it, I'm done after today. If I don't get restriction then so be it. I will have to live with what I have.

I've been exercising 6 days a week and have lost 5 lbs that I gained, I've lost 2 " off my waist, and another 2" off my hips. I'm hoping to lose another 5 lbs by my 3 year anniversary and this will put me into the 150's.

Well, I'll keep you guys posted on my restriction level, but I've pretty much given up on ever getting to the "sweet spot". Don't get me wrong, I do have restriction, but its not enought and I can't seem to get any more than what I have. I guess I should just be grateful and move on.

Confused - the nike sports band sounds cool, is it similar to the body bugg? I've been wanting a body bugg but just haven't broken down and bought one yet, they are $200. ouch.

Talk to everyone later.

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! I'm 32 weeks preggo now, so things are getting down to the wire. I think I'm up about 25lbs this time -- not bad. I had hoped to not gain as much, but whatever. This pregnancy has definitely been easier than my first. I am just now starting to have blood pressure issues, so I'm on restricted activity (nothing strenuous, no stairs if I can help it, etc.). Other than that, things are good. How goes it with you guys?

So glad your doing good! Can't wait for the baby to get here and we can see some pics. Take it easy, don't want the bp to be going up! Wow, can't beleive your already 32 weeks! 25 lb gain is not bad at all. Keep us posted on your delivery!

Sula,

I had the same problem, I realized that I needed to recommit myself. So I did just that. I made a plan and got a workout partner and have stuck with it now for almost 4 weeks!

I have one more fill scheduled and after this next fill, I'm done with fills. I give up! If I don't get good restriciton with the next fill, I'm not going back. So I'm hoping I get some restriction. They have tested me and tested me and no leaks, so not sure why I keep losing restriction. But I do have enough that I don't over eat, so I'm thankful for that.

I can't beleive we are now approaching THREE years with our band!

PS - I can't wait until May of 2010. That when the Finale will be I think. I want to see the progress Shay makes!

Glad to hear Kevin. I've recommited myself as well to the lap band eating. I've been tracking my calories for the past few weeks, been going to the gym 6 days a week. I haven't weighed, but will on the 14th (2 week mark). I also took my measurements so I can see if I'm losing inches.

My clothes feel looser, and I feel better, so I think it is doing me some good.

Glad to hear you and your family are doing better with the horrible flu bug.

I just joined your challenge too! I actually began on 11/30/09, so I put that date as my start date. I haven't weighed yet, and not going to weigh until my 2 week mark which will be 12/14/09.

I've been exercising 6 days a week and eating around 1200 cal for the past two weeks, I better see the scales move, or that scale will be thrown out the window!!!! lol.

Thank you for being here. After weighing in September 30 @ 497lbs. and getting my fill I dropped to 484lbs. by october 21. I'm pretty stoked about the 13lbs. Fitday has helped show me Aveage of 1,400 cal 39% Protein and burning over 4000 calories a day.

This is only just the beginning, I just need to keep focused.

God Bless. Kevin

Just checking on you, how are you doing?

I think Rebeca looked kind of trashy with the blond hair and not in the good way.

I'm glad Danny won too because I have disliked Rudy since he voted Shay out.

I totally agree about your Rebecca statement. I thought she looked trashy, although she has done great in weightloss, she just didn't look classy. She would have looked a lot better if the dress had been a tad longer, her makeup not so dark and her hair not blonde. When she was on Jay Leno she looked great! I also figure her and Danial must have broken up since they never mentioned them dating. She said on Jay Leno they were dating and that she fell in love with him, he was her best friend. I take it just from the show not talking about it, they must have quit dating.

I'm glad Danny won too. They had a huge watch party here in Oklahoma that I wished I would have went to. Him and Rudy looked awesome!

The one who surprised me the most was Julio, he really did good. I wasn't impressed with him when he was on the ranch, seems he always gave up etc, but he did very good, I didn't recognize him at all.

Amanda looked good, Tracy looked very old. I didn't like her dress either, made her look like a high school prom queen wanna be. Abby looked good, everyone really did well on their weightloss. Liz didn't do as hot as I though she would do.

The new season starts Jan 5th, looking forward to it!

Hello everyone, just swinging by to say Happy Monday.

I finished 1 week of exercise (made it 6 days this past week for a total of 8 hours at the gym!). I had clean eating all week, had a few Cookies yesterday, but besides that, I did great on my eating.

I managed to stay off the scale ALL WEEK, I am not weighing until next week. I'm happy with myself for staying off the scales. I'm hoping to see some progress, so we'll find out next week.

I am scheduled for ONE MORE fill, 12/28, i've decided no more after this one, if it doesn't work, I'm going back to my surgeon and let him know that something is not right. My surgeon and fill docs are different doctors and I haven't seen my surgeon in quite some time. So we'll see what happens with my next fill.

I hope everyone is doing good.

Sula, congrats on the insurance news! I know you are so excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladyroz - Wow, congratulations on your tremendous success! You should be very proud of yourself!

Confused - Stress can cause a lot of emotional eating, I do know that for sure! A fill should help you out though.

As for me, still pluggin away, I've been at the gym pretty much every day since Thanksgiving. I put my scale up, I took my measurements and I am staying off the scale until 12/14 (about a two week progress). I'm focussing on exercising and making good food choices.

I'm eating around 1000 to 1200 cal a day, I've been keeping track of everything I put ini my mouth. I have a journal I carry with me everywhere. This past week I was at the gym 3 x's at 5 am and 3 x's in the evening. So I'm proud of myself for doing that. I'm hoping the scale will budge when I finally weigh in about 9 days. :w00t: My plan is working out 6 days a week, 6 days of cardio and 3 days of strength training. I also am eating 4 to 5 mini meals that consist of 200 to 300 cal.

I do feel my clothes getting loser again, my size 8's were getting pretty tight and I was moving back to a size 10 so I got serious about my weighloss again. No more playing around for me!

I will try and check back in, life has been so crazy at work. Its our year end, so I've been so busy and no time to surf the net these days. It will slow down in January. I have been keeping my journal updated, but thats about all the time I've had.

I finally have some restriciton again, still not quite enough, but I do have some. I have ONE MORE fill appt on 12/28. This WILL be my last! It will be fill #20 and I'm done with them.

One thing I have figured out is my fill doc takes the fill out EVERYTIME to recheck it, he has done this almost everytime, and then he puts back what he took out and adds about .2 cc's more. Well, I always tell him I feel like I have less retriction after the fill. Weird I know, but thats how it felt. Well, after doing a lot of research, I find this is a common problem. A lot of band patients complain about this. In other countries they have quit taking the fill out like that unless the doc suspects there is a problem becuase when you take the entire fill out, it can reposition the band a little and then the restriction level changes. Well, it makes sense to me, because it always screws me up. The last few times he has not taken any out, and guess what, I'm getting that good restriction again. I'm glad he finally listened to me. I feel like I have a band again. I can eat chicken, steak, bread etc, but not much of it. I can eat more than 1 cup of food or more than 4 to 5 oz. I do find myself getting hungry after 3 hours, so thats why I feel like I need to be a tad tighter. Not too much tighter, but a tad. But I do know that I don't eat near like I was and I don't find myself grazing for food every hour like before. So I'm grateful for the restriction that I do have. I'm so close to that sweet spot!

I hope everyone else is doing good.

My thing is regarding the large weightloss, how are they going to KEEP it off. The Wednesday special that showed "where are they now" did not show near the contestants that have been on the show for the past 7 seasons. I would have liked to see everyone one of them, how much they have kept off, and how they do it, and who has gained their weight back etc.

I don't find it hard to believe that Danny lost 59 lbs, after all he was losing 15 lbs a week for 7 weeks straight. The least he lost was 10 lbs in those 7 weeks.

But can he keep it off? Has he made life long changes? What is he doing to be able to maintain for the rest of his life? These are things they need to think about not just the game. I know for Danny now, its about the game, he is a finalist and $250K is up for grabs. I know if I were in his shoes, I would be doing everything possible now to lose as much as I could to win the money. Now its not just about the weightloss, its about the money too.

Wonder who will win, Amanda or Liz? Win as far as a finalist, not the whole thing. I don't think either one will win the grand prize.

I was jumping up and down when I saw Tara come join them - she's still my favorite Green Machine :tongue2:

Me too! Tara was the bomb!

No, it was actually Danny who lost 59 pounds in 60 days. Rudy lost I think 45? or 43lbs? Which was still good. Rudy is the one who works 12 hours a day - he is having a hard time fitting in the exercise, but he obviously is doing it because he has lost over 40 lbs.

Danny is the one that keeps losing double digits - EVERY WEEK, so it really doesn't surprise me too much he lost 59 pounds.

Not sure if anyone went online - but they have a video - a clip, of Danny revealing a secret to Jillian. They didn't show it on tv, but evidently, he couldn't sleep in his own bed, he was too heavy and couldn't breath laying down flat. So, he had a black recliner next to the bed that he had to sleep with. He took the nice leather recliner chair out to the curb and put a sign on it "free, found a new life". Good for him!

I'm rooting for Danny, he is from my hometown here in Oklahoma! I hadn't really decided who I was hoping to win until last night, but after seeing the show, I'm hoping Danny wins.

I ended up voting for Liz last night, mainly because I think she can show America its never too late to get healthy. IMO. Amanda was on my nerves last night, too much crying. I know, its an emotional time, but it seemed everytime they showed her she was crying. Running, she cried, the very first clip, she was crying, blah blah blah. I guess I was not in the mood for cryers last night, I wanted to see DETERMINATION, FIGHT, and the attitude "I CAN DO THIS".

Can't wait for the finale to see how everyone has done.

Did anyone catch the clip of Danny's coming home party? They showed Sean - the youth pastor in the crowd (he's from Oklahoma too) and he sure didn't look like he has lost much.

Anyhow, this is the first time that I'm actually excited to watch the show this entire season? I guess because its the finale.

Oh by the way, I enjoyed the NYT article. I was wondering what happened to Ryan, the first season winner. I've watched the show since then and he used to have his own website, but since has taken it down. Now I know why.

I posted a thread about this exact issue a while back.

In Australia they no longer believe in drawing the Fluid out when they do a fill as it affects the pressure and can cause problems. They now just do topups unless they have a reason to suspect the band is leaking.

elcee - can you send me the link to your post? I would love to read it. I tried to search for it, but could not find it.

Thanks!

I know this sounds kinda crazy but i had a fill two weeks ago because i was finding my self looking for food between meals i had pretty good rectriction before this fill i had to be very carefull to eat slowly or i would get pain. I had a .25 fill two weeks ago and now it seems like i have hardly any restriction. Is this possiable? Or maybe i just didn't get enough and it didn't make a difference. Is it possiable that when me gave me my fill when he took all the Fluid out of my band and then put it back in plus the fill that band isn't as tight. Has anyone had this happen? I have a appointment in two weeks i am going to ask him and get another fill.

This happens to me ALL the time! I finally convinced the doctor to quit taking any Fluid out and just adding some, he started doing that the last two fills and I'm finally getting some good restriciton again.