tonya66

I understand what the old timers mean when they say "the band is tricky and finicky". My band is loose somedays, and other days it is tighter, in the mornings its tighter than the evenings - USUALLY. I feel loser than I want to be right now, however, I'm going to give it some time with this level of restriction. I go see the doctor June 22nd so I'm going to try and hold off on a fill until then, however, if I start gaining or quit losing, I will be going in for a fill sooner. My doctor doesn't do my fills, he sends me over the hospital and their radiology doc does the fills. Thanks for the compliment, the pants are way too big now, lol. But my hips are big too. I am down a total of 62 lbs now, and can't wait to get out of the 180's, I weighed 175 before I got pregnant with my daugher 14 years ago, and haven't seen that weight since. The weird thing is, I still feel so fat, its hard seeing myself smaller than I am I think. I have horrible body image, my husband tells me that I need to quit worrying so much about my flab or this or that and be proud of how much I've lost and show it off some. lol. Anyhow, hopefully I will start beoming more confident in my self image.

Exercise #1 - 25 min on treadmill (would have done 30 min or more, but the darn thing came unplugged and then couldn't get it to work again - so left) Exercise #2 - LBWO M1 - SF yogurt mixed with lf cottage cheese m2 - coffee & cream m 3 - 3 whole wheat crackers & 3 oz of pink salmon m 4 - grilled talapia and broccoli sald (the last of it - getting sick of it now - lol) Notes - I've started tanning and I tried on a shirt I bought last year on clearance for $4.00, it was way too tight on me, but I tried it on, it fit! I'm wearing it today and I feel so good in it! I guess I feel so good becaue I remember how tight it was on me, and now it slips on with ease.

Exercise #1 - 25 min on treadmill (would have done 30 min or more, but the darn thing came unplugged and then couldn't get it to work again - so left) Exercise #2 - LBWO M1 - SF yogurt mixed with lf cottage cheese m2 - coffee & cream m 3 - 3 whole wheat crackers & 3 oz of pink salmon m 4 - grilled talapia and broccoli sald (the last of it - getting sick of it now - lol) Notes - I've started tanning and I tried on a shirt I bought last year on clearance for $4.00, it was way too tight on me, but I tried it on, it fit! I'm wearing it today and I feel so good in it! I guess I feel so good becaue I remember how tight it was on me, and now it slips on with ease.

Susie - Here are some key things if you are too tight. First of all, when you get filled, usually you are tight for the first 48 hours, the pouch is a little irritated & swollen around the band, that is why usually the doc has you do liquids for 48 hours, then soft foods etc. Are you going to the bathroom 3 times per day, if you are, then you are getting enough liquids in, if not, you might have a problem. Sip on your water all day long - constantly sip on it, take a sip every 10 to 15 minutes (set a kitchen timer if you have to). I have found that my fills really lossen up after 2 weeks, but some tighten up after 2 weeks, everyone is different. If you wake up coughing in the middle of the night, and choking on some liquids, you are too tight for sure. Or if you develop acid refulx in the night, chances are you are too tight. Keep us updated on how it goes. I have 3 cc's in my 4cc band and I think I need more, its been 3 weeks since my last fill.

5Jacks - Yep, we're in the same boat. Whats weird is - today I feel pretty restricted. I guess it comes & goes. I'm going to give it until June and see how it goes. I'm just trying to eat right and exercise. Inner Me - thank you for your compliments. I'm glad I took a before picture the night before my surgery. At times I start feeling discouraged, I can go back and look at my before picture and realize I have made progress. Tulip - I'm hungrier in the evening too. I'm just trying to eat a lot of protein in the evening time, and I eat slower. Enterprise01 - Yes, I worry that I will have my band completely full and feel no restrictions. Even though our band is 4cc's, my doc and the radiology doctor both state it actually can hold 5 cc's. I read all these horror stories about PBing and small bites they have to take, I noticed last night, I eat regular size bites, i have NO problem with food getting stuck. I'm just hoping that I continue to lose on this fill. If not, I will be calling the doctor back. I'm still going strong on my BFL challenge, and have begun week 3! Only 9 1/2 more weeks to go. Not sure if I want to share those pics, I took the before pic in a bikini - YIKES - only because I really wanted to look at my stomach area and see the results after my 12 week challenge. I'm hoping to see some big results. But we'll see. So far, I am very proud of myself, I haven't missed 1 single workout! My goal is to finish this challenge no matter what! We leave for our cruise in 89 days, 1 hour and 14 minutes (I have it on a countdown on my cell phone - lol). So I am hoping to lose another 20 lbs by then.

M1 - apple juice deluted with water and Daily 5 mixed in M2 - Broccolli salad with roasted chicken added in M3 - M4 - roast & spinach M5 Exercise - 5 am - UBWO (upper Body Workout), I will try and do an additional cardio this afternoon. Exercise #2 - Yay me! Jumped on the treadmill, 30 min, 3.4 mph, 3% incline, 1.68 distance, 240 calories

M1 - apple juice deluted with water and Daily 5 mixed in M2 - Broccolli salad with roasted chicken added in M3 - M4 - roast & spinach M5 Exercise - 5 am - UBWO (upper Body Workout), I will try and do an additional cardio this afternoon. Exercise #2 - Yay me! Jumped on the treadmill, 30 min, 3.4 mph, 3% incline, 1.68 distance, 240 calories

What your feeling is normal, I felt the same way before my surgery. Since surgery, I still go out to eat and socialize, I just don't eat as much and I have to eat slower, but thats okay. I wouldn't trade my band for anything!

M1 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 3/4 cup M2 - coffee with cream m3 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 1 cup M4 - sugar free/fat free ice cream (not the best choice, need more protein!) M5 - Notes - wt 188.4 - Major sweet tooth, TOM must be getting closer, I think I'm due around the 14th. Didn't get up in the am to exercise, raining cats & dogs, will have to do it tonight. Exercise - 20 min on Elliptacal (HIIT) 186 calories.

M1 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 3/4 cup M2 - coffee with cream m3 - Brocolli salad with chicken added in - about 1 cup M4 - sugar free/fat free ice cream (not the best choice, need more protein!) M5 - Notes - wt 188.4 - Major sweet tooth, TOM must be getting closer, I think I'm due around the 14th. Didn't get up in the am to exercise, raining cats & dogs, will have to do it tonight. Exercise - 20 min on Elliptacal (HIIT) 186 calories.

Okay, I had a fill 2 1/2 weeks ago, I am up to 3.0 cc's in a 4cc band. I had GREAT restriction and actually thought I could be too tight. Now I don't feel the restriction so much, yes I have a little but tonight I way overate at some friends house. I'm worried that something weird is going on. I know the doc that gave me my first and 2nd fill was amazed at how my body just adapts to the fills, I think I will call the doc tomorrow and go for another fill, or at least let him look at me under flouro. Something weird is going on, I force myself not to eat as much, but tonight, I ate way too much.

Eating - I started off the day eating good clean food, for breakfast I had about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of brocolli salad (made with broc, light mayo, splenda, grapes, sunflower seeds, cheese, red onion, delish) Lunch - more of the brocolli salad (I think I will add some diced chicken to it and take it for lunch tomorrow - it is really good) Dinner - had dinner at some friends house - here is where it gets BAD. I think I might even need another fill, I can't believe I was able to eat all this: 3 slices of FRIED fish 1 heaping TBSP of coleslaw 1 heaping TBSP of potatoe salad Then, here come desert - 1 fairly decent piece of itallion cream cheesecake from cheesecake factory - baaaaad Notes - I know I did bad, but according to the BFL plan, I can have a day that I eat whatever I want. But I felt too guilty about all this food, plus I was miserably full - I sure hope I didn't stretch my pouch:cry - I felt so bad, I came home and went to the gym Exercise - 45 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.2 speed, 304 calories, 2.30 distance

Eating - I started off the day eating good clean food, for breakfast I had about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of brocolli salad (made with broc, light mayo, splenda, grapes, sunflower seeds, cheese, red onion, delish) Lunch - more of the brocolli salad (I think I will add some diced chicken to it and take it for lunch tomorrow - it is really good) Dinner - had dinner at some friends house - here is where it gets BAD. I think I might even need another fill, I can't believe I was able to eat all this: 3 slices of FRIED fish 1 heaping TBSP of coleslaw 1 heaping TBSP of potatoe salad Then, here come desert - 1 fairly decent piece of itallion cream cheesecake from cheesecake factory - baaaaad Notes - I know I did bad, but according to the BFL plan, I can have a day that I eat whatever I want. But I felt too guilty about all this food, plus I was miserably full - I sure hope I didn't stretch my pouch:cry - I felt so bad, I came home and went to the gym Exercise - 45 min on treadmill, 3% incline, 3.2 speed, 304 calories, 2.30 distance

Exercise - 20 min of HIIT (on Elliptical machine - results said I burned 200 calories) Wt - scales read 187.6 this morning - Yay. I have officially finished week 2 of the BFL challenge - only 10 more weeks to go. Sunday is supposed to be my "Free Day", according to the program, I can eat whatever I want and do no exercise. I really don't want to do that, so I will just see what happens tomorrow. I probably will go to the gym and spend 30 to 45 min on the treadmill reading a book or somthing, this to me is a great stress releaver and it is my "alone" time.

Exercise - 20 min of HIIT (on Elliptical machine - results said I burned 200 calories) Wt - scales read 187.6 this morning - Yay. I have officially finished week 2 of the BFL challenge - only 10 more weeks to go. Sunday is supposed to be my "Free Day", according to the program, I can eat whatever I want and do no exercise. I really don't want to do that, so I will just see what happens tomorrow. I probably will go to the gym and spend 30 to 45 min on the treadmill reading a book or somthing, this to me is a great stress releaver and it is my "alone" time.

Exercise - Did Lower Body Workout (45 min) 30 min on treadmill

Exercise - Did Lower Body Workout (45 min) 30 min on treadmill

Enterprise01 - so sorry to hear about the stress - I know life gets all shook up when we have a lot of stress. Sorry to hear about your little kitty, that alone can cause a lot of stress. Hang in there, but please remember, the most important thing in this is YOU. You must take care of yourself, the work will AWAYS be there, and you deserve to be fit & healthy, so put yourself first and get some sleep :notagree

To be honest, I really don't know, I don't count them at all. I try and eat something every 3 hours, something small. I know the lab band rules are 3x's a day, but 5 mini meals seems to be working for me, so why change? I usually have 1 egg for bfast, or protein shake, around 7 am, then around 10, I might have 1/2 container of SF yogurt & 1/2 container of lowfat cottage cheese (I mix these together - yum), lunch, I eat usually a salad (dressing on the side, and I dip my fork in dressing before taking a bite of salad - save 100's of calories), Then around 3ish of 4ish, I have either a string cheese or the other 1/2 of yogurt and cottage cheese - dinner is usually a little bit (1/2 cup) of whatever we are having. Once I stop losing weight, I might need to make adjustments to my diet, but for now its working and I'm totally satisfied with it, so I'll stick to it. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I'm headed to bed, its been a looooong day. night everyone. PS - you guys are too kind with the compliments. thanks so much!

Telly - thank you for your kind words - I agree lusingjusme is such an awe inspiring inspiration. I read her online journal too, and I read the disclaimer. lol. The first pic is my night before surgery, the 2nd pic is my 3 mos post op. I was recently release to start lifting weights, so I'm going at it with all my energy & strength. I can't wait to see my 4 month & 5 month pic, I expect to see major changes!

PS - I still got the big hips, but working on those! But I think I'm improving!

Edie - good for you! Maria - GREAT NSV'S! Be careful with your asthma, glad you getting better! I thought I would share my progress phote with my January Band sisters & brothers! By the way, where are all the guys? Marjon9 - you haven't been here in ages! All you lurkers, you gotta let us know how your doing! The first picture is the night before surgery, the 2nd picture is my 3 mo. band birthday pic. Can you see a difference?

After todays exercise (which will be my LBWO), and tomorrows cardio session, I will have completed 2 weeks of the Body for Life Challenge - which leave me 10 week sto go or 70 days. I will complete this challenge! I'm excited about not missing any workouts, eating pretty clean for the most part. Things I need to work on - 1) Need to plan my meals better (if you don't plan, you plan to fail) 2) Need to make sure I do my carido in the am on empty stomach - burns more calories this way. 3) Need to plan my workouts so I know what I'm going to do before I go the gym - this will save some time. 4) Going to try and add 2 extra cardio session my 3rd week. 5) Will work on getting some additional supplements (Betagen - helps build muscle)

After todays exercise (which will be my LBWO), and tomorrows cardio session, I will have completed 2 weeks of the Body for Life Challenge - which leave me 10 week sto go or 70 days. I will complete this challenge! I'm excited about not missing any workouts, eating pretty clean for the most part. Things I need to work on - 1) Need to plan my meals better (if you don't plan, you plan to fail) 2) Need to make sure I do my carido in the am on empty stomach - burns more calories this way. 3) Need to plan my workouts so I know what I'm going to do before I go the gym - this will save some time. 4) Going to try and add 2 extra cardio session my 3rd week. 5) Will work on getting some additional supplements (Betagen - helps build muscle)

Eating was a bit off today, major chocolate cravings, broke down and had a brownie, but everything else was clean. Cardio 20 min of HIIT 5 extra min Total cardio 25 min