tonya66

It sounds like you have such a wonderful support group! You are so blessed!

I'm staying on plan today because It felt so good yesterday when I did, and it feels so good to be back in control!

WTG! :frown:

PS - I'm also going to an ABS, ABS, ABS class tonight at my gym. Its only 15 min long, and it works nothing but your abs. I'm starting now so by June, I might be bathing suit ready for my cruise! I would love to be able to wear a bikini, however, at this point, I would just like to wear a bathing suit and not look like a huge floppy whale. I would like not to have the jiggle going on and be firm and tight.

I would love to buy an elliptical or a really good workout machine, something for cardio, however, I just don't know where I would put it. My house is so full right now with stuff. I think once my kids move out, I will take one of their rooms and turn into a workout room. Not that I want them to move out (they are only 17 & 15 right now). But it does give me something to look forward to - some day. I did two 15 min sessions yesterday on the elliptical machine, and I felt good afterwards. So I am very happy. TOM has arrived, and I feel so bloated, so I haven't weighed, but I know if I stick with eating right and exercising that the weight will come off so I'm not worried and really excited these days because I've finally got mind right, and recommitted myself. It feels so good to be back in control!

I finally received my call from the hospital to schedule my fill - YAY. I am so glad that the doctor that does fills has started doing them more than 1 day a week now. He used to do them only on Fridays, and it would take 2 months to get in to see him. Now he is doing them on Tuesdays and Fridays. From my last two fills, having them done on a Friday and having to go back to the hospital on a Saturday was not working out, so I made sure I got this one scheduled for the Tuesday. So I get to go back Feb. 12! Also, I forgot to mention that something weird happened to my port. I have been having this horrible pain off and on where my port is. I posted some under the complications thread, but it actually felt like my port was ripping away from my side, I figured it was muscle spasms, I get those a lot when I get low on potassium, so I was eating bannans and that still wasn't helping. Anyhow, when I got this last fill, the doctor said my port was laying side ways, it is trying to flip. He was still able to get my fill in by pushing on it, however, last night, I felt some more ripping, so I sure hope when I go for my fill he is able to get one in. The problem he said is that I don't have much fat around my stomach area, and I've lost so much weight, it is a common problem. If it creates problems, they will have to relocate it. I'm hoping I can get this fill in and then won't really need another fill, so I'm a bit worried about having a flipped port. Sula - I've noticed that I cannot lose weight if I go above 1000 calories, I have to stick to around 800 to 1000 in order to lose, anything about 1000 usually stalls me. Even when I'm exercising. BGB - glad to see you online, I've been wondering where you have been. I've started my exercising again, but I would love to have a personal trainer. I'm thinking that in March I might get one. I'm trying to pay our cruise off first, (still owe $5K) and then I can have some extra money for a personal trainer. I would love to be able to wear a bikini on my next cruise (June 29th).:frown: Jen - hang in there, I do think that sometimes our bodies just refuses to let go of our fat. I was watching the Biggest Loser (I'm totally addicted to this show) and these people are working out 5 to 8 hours a day, with personal trainers, and some weeks they may lose 10 lbs, other weeks, 0. The trainer said sometimes the body just refuses to let go. I also have learned from experience that inches usually come before the scale will move. It sometimes takes 8 to 9 weeks of exercising and eating 100 % perfect and then the scale starts moving. So don't give up, I think a lot of us are struggling - it must be the 1 year curse? lol. I have an appointment today with my opthamologist to check my eyes out, I'm hoping my vision has improved even more. My eyes are still pretty dry, but are getting better. I can see pretty clear, just having a slight blurred vision in the distant, but this is common, my DH experienced it to, and by 1 month post op, he was 20/15 and no side effects. He still has a little dry eyes,but he had them before surgery. Well, gotta run...................

I had a hard time turning 40, I was so depressed about it. I weighed the most I had ever weighed and looked like I was 60 instead of 40. I felt like I was 70 too. I am now 1 year post op, and am 41 (will be 42 in August) and I feel better than I did when I was 30. I look better than I have looked in so long. I walk with my head held high and people are shocked when I tell them I'm 41. I'm proud to say that I am a member of the fabulous forties now! Although my last 6 months have been so rocky for me, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm back on track again and I know that I will reach my goal this year and I will be at my goal when I turn 42!

Fill #1 - 3/6/07 - 2.2cc's Fill #2 - 4/17/07 - 3.0cc's Fill #3 - 7/6/07 - 3.5 cc's (I think it was only 2.5cc's because when I went back for fill #4, he could only w/draw 1.8 cc's) Fill #4 - 7/20/07 - filled me back to 3.0 ccs - He should have filled me more! Fill #5 - 8/17/07 - 3.4cc's Fill #6 - 10/08/07 - filled me to 3.8cc's - the restriction I've ever had,but still could eat big bites of food, so I figured I needed to be tighter. Fill #7 - 11/21/07 filled to 4.0 cc's. By the evening could not hold anything down, not even my saliva. PBing all night - horrilble experieince 11/23/07 - Unfill - Got unfill and because of the swelling and all the PBing, doc took my fill down to 3.0cc's. NO RESTRICTION AGAIN Fill #8 - 1/18/08 Went in and the doc filled me back up to just right under 4.0, according to Flouro, it was perfect. Well, by next morning, could not hold down saliva again, ended up back in hospital and the Doc had to take me back down to 3.0. grrrr. Now I'm back where I was in November, barely restriction again. Fill #9 - Scheduled for 2/12 at 8 am. This time I will not let him fill me to 4.0, I will only go to 3.8 or a bit higher where I was at Fill #6.

Fill #1 - 3/6/07 - 2.2cc's Fill #2 - 4/17/07 - 3.0cc's Fill #3 - 7/6/07 - 3.5 cc's (I think it was only 2.5cc's because when I went back for fill #4, he could only w/draw 1.8 cc's) Fill #4 - 7/20/07 - filled me back to 3.0 ccs - He should have filled me more! Fill #5 - 8/17/07 - 3.4cc's Fill #6 - 10/08/07 - filled me to 3.8cc's - the restriction I've ever had,but still could eat big bites of food, so I figured I needed to be tighter. Fill #7 - 11/21/07 filled to 4.0 cc's. By the evening could not hold anything down, not even my saliva. PBing all night - horrilble experieince 11/23/07 - Unfill - Got unfill and because of the swelling and all the PBing, doc took my fill down to 3.0cc's. NO RESTRICTION AGAIN Fill #8 - 1/18/08 Went in and the doc filled me back up to just right under 4.0, according to Flouro, it was perfect. Well, by next morning, could not hold down saliva again, ended up back in hospital and the Doc had to take me back down to 3.0. grrrr. Now I'm back where I was in November, barely restriction again. Fill #9 - Scheduled for 2/12 at 8 am. This time I will not let him fill me to 4.0, I will only go to 3.8 or a bit higher where I was at Fill #6.

I'm staying on plan today because I want to prove to myself that I can do it!

I did it, I did it, I did it! I did go exercise and I was able to do 15 min on the Elliptical machine WITHOUT PAIN! I'm so excited, I have always LOVED the Elliptical, I think it contributed a lot to my weightloss. However, since my knee surgery, I have not been able to do it for very long before the pain would shoot thru my knee and cause me to swell. Well, yesterday I gave it another shot and I even kicked it up some and it didn't hurt until the very end, and it was just a mild pain, I could handle it. I don't want to push it very much more, but I will continue doing it and hopefully each week I can continue to kick it up. I'm just so excited. I think my knee troubles are about to be the past! I just cannot wait until I can really kick my exercise up, like doing squats and lunges again! I love those and so do my ARSE. Well, not really but it does shrink that area. lol. Anyhow, doing the elliptical yesterday was my NSV. I took your advice Sula and made sure that I wore a sweat band as to not get the sweat in my eyes, it worked. I plan on doing the elliptical again today and my weights. Hope everyone else is doing okay. Pilates is fun and I have taken some classes, I can gell it really works my core. After I can conquer my elliptical, I might try and take a palates class at the gym.

Thanks Debbie. I do think I have some restriction right now because I had to slow down on eating my oatmeal this morning. So, I was happy about that. I just need to get over my quest for the perfect sweet spot and quit using the "no restriction" as an excuse. I realized that I am not losing weight because I have QUIT using the band as a tool and started letting the band do all the work. Well, it doesn't work that way. I am living proof, it just can't be done. So, I am really trying hard and I know I keep saying this, but I keep failing but I'm not going to give up! I haven't stepped on the scales because I know I've gained and I'm basically scared of what they are going to say. I am exercising, however, 80% of our weightloss is due to what we eat, and I know mine has not been good. I went to the grocery store and I threw out all the junk in my house. I have threatened to tar and feather anyone who brings sweets into our house, and if they do, they better not let me find them or they are in big trouble. I moved the candy dish off my desk, I brought to work healthy snacks like SF jello, and fresh fruits and veggies. So I am putting a plan into place so I will not and cannot fail. If I get a fill in the next month, GREAT, if not, I am still not going to fall into the rut of eating just to be eating and just because I don't have restriction. I really do think that my mind is finally right, and I'm ready to get to my goal. I've set a personal goal that I will reach my goal weight by June so I better get started in order to reach it. I have also made a rule at my house that I will not eat after 7:00 pm. Anything after that will only be non calorie liquids, like water or some hot greet tea, period. I will exercise everyday, no matter what! It felt so good yesterday to be on the elliptical machine. I was able to do 15 minutes without pain. This is a first for me, I was only able to do 5 min. before the pain would shoot thru my knee and I would force myself to do 10 min, and by the time I got off, my knee was swollen and I would have to ice it down. I'm so excited that I think I'm about to be able to kick my exercise up! Okay, well, better get to work and quit rambling on about myself.

still waiting on the hospital to call so I can schedule my fill! Yes, this will be fill #9 I think. - UPDATE - THEY CALLED (YAY ) MY FILL APPT IS 2/12 AT 8 AM! However, I am eating oatmeal this morning and have had to slow down a bit, so I do have some restriction! I just need something for my head, something to help with my sweet tooth. Anyhow, I'm struggling, and I have got to get control so working very very hard at it. Menu today Bfast low sugar oatmeal coffee/cream Lunch chicken breast 1/2 cup of greens I had planned to eat the above for lunch, however, went out to lunch with my sil who was in town, she wanted mexican, I only ate 3 chips & salsa, and had 1 enchilada, no rice and a bite of two of beans. Not that great, but I feel I didn't do as bad as I could have done. I tried to eat slow and stop when I was full. I left another enchilada on the plate when we left and I didn't get a to go box. I didn't want it lingering around for me to eat! Dinner fish green beans Snack SF jello PS - I DID GO EXERCISE YESTERDAY!! AND WILL DO IT AGAIN TODAY! UPDATE - 10:26AM - just got back from the gym downstairs, took a 15 min break and went and jumped on the Elliptical. Did 15 min, 1.11 miles and burned 140 calories (according to the machine, not sure how accurate they are). I am so excited, I feel like the "old" me is BACK! UPDATE - 3:34 PM - Just got back from the gym downstaris and did another 15 min on the elliptical. 1.12 miles, burned 141 calories. Yay me!

still waiting on the hospital to call so I can schedule my fill! Yes, this will be fill #9 I think. - UPDATE - THEY CALLED (YAY :redface:) MY FILL APPT IS 2/12 AT 8 AM! However, I am eating oatmeal this morning and have had to slow down a bit, so I do have some restriction! I just need something for my head, something to help with my sweet tooth. Anyhow, I'm struggling, and I have got to get control so working very very hard at it. Menu today Bfast low sugar oatmeal coffee/cream Lunch chicken breast 1/2 cup of greens I had planned to eat the above for lunch, however, went out to lunch with my sil who was in town, she wanted mexican, I only ate 3 chips & salsa, and had 1 enchilada, no rice and a bite of two of beans. Not that great, but I feel I didn't do as bad as I could have done. I tried to eat slow and stop when I was full. I left another enchilada on the plate when we left and I didn't get a to go box. I didn't want it lingering around for me to eat! Dinner fish green beans Snack SF jello PS - I DID GO EXERCISE YESTERDAY!! AND WILL DO IT AGAIN TODAY! UPDATE - 10:26AM - just got back from the gym downstairs, took a 15 min break and went and jumped on the Elliptical. Did 15 min, 1.11 miles and burned 140 calories (according to the machine, not sure how accurate they are). I am so excited, I feel like the "old" me is BACK! UPDATE - 3:34 PM - Just got back from the gym downstaris and did another 15 min on the elliptical. 1.12 miles, burned 141 calories. Yay me!

Well, I could eat about 2 oz of meat, and maybe a little vegies. However, I could take regular bites of food and didn't really have to chew, so I figured I needed another fill. I think I might need a tad bit more than 3.8 but not much. At this point, I would be happy to be where I was before.

Thanks Lynn, When I go in for my next appointment, I'm going to have me fill me up to 3.8 and maybe a little more and then stop. Hopefully I can get some restriction because I know I was pretty good at 3.8 just not quite enough. I should have just stayed at 3.8. Until then, I'm going to just try and diet. I've got to get away from the sweets. I moved my bucket of candy off my desk at work, I took it to someone elses desk, I've cleared my drawers at work of all junk, and I have demanded my family not to make any more brownies, cakes, etc in my house. If they make it, they better hide it and not let me know about it. lol. I will be having withdrawls I'm sure this week, but I got to do it!

Happy belated Band Anniverasary my dear Band Twin! I need to take my picture too, I've been so busy with everything I haven't slowed down enough to do it, but I will probably do it this week. You have done great, and we want to see pictures!

Hey all, everyone is doing great. I will have to probably sit this week out, but not sure. I'm going to take it a little easy, I was told no sweating since I had LASIK and they didn't want sweat in my eyes (I asked them about exercise), but I'm thinking I could do some low intensity, so I might just get on the recumbant bike. Anyhow, I'm still hanging in there.

Well, I'm back. Had good and bad things happen to me. My Lasik was Thursday, everything went perfect. I have 20/20 vision already and I expect it to get to 20/15. My eyes are a little dry and having a hard time focussing very long without having to add drops in. Now, my bad news, I'm so frustrated and irritated. I went in for my fill on Friday, and I was so excited because as you know, I've been with little restriction since November. Anyhow, the doc fills me back up to 4.0 and I had good restriction, this is where he filled me up last time, but I immediately had problems afterwards. Well, this time, I didn't so I figure it was okay. Well, to make a long story short, by Saturday I was PBing my saliva and back to the hospital I went. They had to take my fill out AGAIN. I'm right were I started AGAIN! I just called the office to schedule another fill, so I'm waiting on the hospital to call me back. I'm so frustrated. ONe thing I learned for sure, I will not let him fill me up to 4.0 again, it just doesnt work for me. At this point, I will be happy to get back to 3.8 cc's, I think I'm back down to 1cc now, I am just pissed that I am starting all over again!

I had my lasik done on Thursday, things went real smooth. I went for my 1 day follow up on Friday, and already had 20/20 vision. Very happy so far with my results. Now the bad news, I also had a fill scheduled on Friday, so, as you recall, I've been at almost no restriction since November. So anyhow, go in for my fill, again, I get filled up to 4.0 cc's, I should have known better because this is where he filled me last time and I ended up in the hospital. But, I felt good restriction, I could only sip on my water, but I felt thats what I should only be able to do. I actually said, maybe I should get a little out, but then I said, well, let me go eat lunch and if I have trouble I'll come back. So, off to lunch I go, has soft foods, and everything went fine. Well, that evening we went out to dinner, I had soup, and I could tell I was having a hard time with it, one ate about 2 tBLS. I woke up in the middle of the night coughing and choking, and by Saturday, I could not hold down my saliva. Back to the hospital I go and the dr. had to come and take fluid out, now I'm right back where I was in November, with no restriction again. This sucks! I am so frustrated. I just called the office to schedule another fill and waiting on the hospital to call me back. The next fill, I will not let him fill me to 4.0 no matter what. This is twice I've been filled to that and it just make me swell too much. 3.8 is not enough restriction and 4.0 is way too much. So, I'm going to ask for 3.8 1/2. I've decided I cannot wait on the fill, I just have to diet until then. So I've prepared my foods and I will take an appetite suppresant until then. I'm so frustrated trying to ge my fill right, I'm about ready to give up. I don't know if I will ever find the sweet spot, I do know I don't eat as much as I used to, so I'm happy about that. Menu today: bfast egg white omlet with turkey sausage Lunch tuna salad with light mayo Dinner baked chicken snack SF jello

I had my lasik done on Thursday, things went real smooth. I went for my 1 day follow up on Friday, and already had 20/20 vision. Very happy so far with my results. Now the bad news, I also had a fill scheduled on Friday, so, as you recall, I've been at almost no restriction since November. So anyhow, go in for my fill, again, I get filled up to 4.0 cc's, I should have known better because this is where he filled me last time and I ended up in the hospital. But, I felt good restriction, I could only sip on my water, but I felt thats what I should only be able to do. I actually said, maybe I should get a little out, but then I said, well, let me go eat lunch and if I have trouble I'll come back. So, off to lunch I go, has soft foods, and everything went fine. Well, that evening we went out to dinner, I had soup, and I could tell I was having a hard time with it, one ate about 2 tBLS. I woke up in the middle of the night coughing and choking, and by Saturday, I could not hold down my saliva. Back to the hospital I go and the dr. had to come and take fluid out, now I'm right back where I was in November, with no restriction again. This sucks! I am so frustrated. I just called the office to schedule another fill and waiting on the hospital to call me back. The next fill, I will not let him fill me to 4.0 no matter what. This is twice I've been filled to that and it just make me swell too much. 3.8 is not enough restriction and 4.0 is way too much. So, I'm going to ask for 3.8 1/2. I've decided I cannot wait on the fill, I just have to diet until then. So I've prepared my foods and I will take an appetite suppresant until then. I'm so frustrated trying to ge my fill right, I'm about ready to give up. I don't know if I will ever find the sweet spot, I do know I don't eat as much as I used to, so I'm happy about that. Menu today: bfast egg white omlet with turkey sausage Lunch tuna salad with light mayo Dinner baked chicken snack SF jello

Watched the Biggest Loser last night, I love that show! Anyhow, it always motivates me to get my butt to the gym. I've been sick, so I didn't make it this morning. I will try and go down at lunch and do a little something. My lasik is tomorrow and I'm excited! Oh, I started a flkr account for my pictures, I still have a lot to upload but I did get it started. My link is http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyaslife/ I might share the link with my family, and they don't know I had the lapband so I am just calling my experience "a Diet". Eating was good yesterday, I think my sweet tooth is leaving me, or I'm just sick of eating sweets because I didn't crave them at all! 2 more days until my fill! I cannot wait, I'm just hoping it works!

Watched the Biggest Loser last night, I love that show! Anyhow, it always motivates me to get my butt to the gym. I've been sick, so I didn't make it this morning. I will try and go down at lunch and do a little something. My lasik is tomorrow and I'm excited! Oh, I started a flkr account for my pictures, I still have a lot to upload but I did get it started. My link is http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyaslife/ I might share the link with my family, and they don't know I had the lapband so I am just calling my experience "a Diet". Eating was good yesterday, I think my sweet tooth is leaving me, or I'm just sick of eating sweets because I didn't crave them at all! 2 more days until my fill! I cannot wait, I'm just hoping it works!

hope you feel better soon! I have a sinus infection myself, sucks!

I'm so glad that they figured out that it is a leak, even if they can't figure out where the leak is. When is your surgery?