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I think your post really spoke to me. I had WLS at the hospital I work and and a lot of co-workers know I had it. So I know when I go back to work after taking a month off, I'd better show a loss. I feel that pressure. Here is the plan I'm following : -800 to 1200 calories a day -60 grams of Protein a day minimum -64 oz. of Water a day minimum -no non-natural sugar -no more than 20 grams of fat -no more than 100 grams of carbs -no white carbs (sugar, flour, rice, bread and potatoes) -no sugar alcohols (aka, sugar free candy) -no use of straws -no chewing gum -no caffeine (at least for the 1st 6 months) -no carbonated drinks Well, I am loosing consistently. But now I find I feel like a failure if I'm not 800 calories a day or less. I never go under 700. I log everything that passes my lips on thedailyplate.com, and measure everything.

I tried this Saturday .... good. The chicken was tender and the skin crisp (not that I could eat any of it... my band and skin do not agree!) The heat cooked out fat from the chicken and then the fat in the pan was a little smokey, so I cleaned my over afterwards; but better it than me, right ??? Thanks for the receipe. I've never hear of Thomas Keller, but I will look him up.

I've been doing a lot of reading about Smartlipo. I've got arms that make me sooo frustrated. Even at 150# my arms never budged more than an inch or two. I have a hard time believing that Smartlipo will tighten all the lose skin. Hoping someone has some experience or knows someone who has.

Meaning that I don't really want people to comment. I'm down 50 lbs. I've noticed my clothes, shoes, watch, etc are loose but otherwise, I don't really "see" the difference. There have been a couple people mention it but I only told a few people about it, for this very reason. I didn't want to be harassed by people wanting updates. Weight is such a touchy (depressing, upsetting, emotional) issue and I really think people, big and small, don't know how to tactfully handle it, especially with all the fad diets that people do. Weight goes up and down so fast. You wouldn't say something to someone that had gained alot of weight (at least I hope not) since you last saw them and I think this issue is in the same category. Most of have lost and gained, lost and gained, that alot of people who don't know about the lapband think we're just on another down swoop. Having given my ten cents, MM, you look great! For you, there's no way people couldnt notice. They do, they just aren't sure if you want them to acknowledge. If you do, you may need to mention it to sort of open the door for them. Anyway, congrats! Keep up the good work!

MM--I am sorry! One thing way to think of it, is that she MUST have carried it worse than you! I mean obvisouly if she looses just 10 and someone notices that is saying something! :confused: You must be just one of those people that didn't look overweight and no one notices.... Not being mean, just tryint to help....

I tried this recipe because it's Thomas Keller's. There's a reason Keller is the number one chef in America. This is the most basic recipe in the world, yet his techniques make all the difference. By far, the best roast chicken I've ever had. I'm so sold on this recipe and so is everyone I've make it for. You've simply got to try this as the breast meat is so moist that I could eat it with no problems. Make sure you do it EXACTLY as per the instructions. Dry the chicken and then dry some more, inside and out. You won't be disappointed. I added the thyme to the cavity of the chicken and didn't baste it with juices as it was so moist it didn't need it. Thomas Keller's recipe and commentary: One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional) Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better. Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird. Now, salt the chicken — I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper. Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone — I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip — until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the midddle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

I think my biggest thing is I want to loose enough weight that I can officially say I lost a whole person in fat... I'm tired of feeling like I've been piggy backing a 200lb man around everywhere I go.

I have always had large arms, but after I gained tons of weight they just got huge. I have to remind all docs/nurses to use the largest blood pressure cuff or they'll get a false high reading. That being said, I have lost almost 4 inches off of each upper arm. There is definitely hanging skin/fat still, but I'm also developing my muscles and I am pretty sure I can wait a few years after hitting goal to assess how bad they really look. And I usually don't wear anything sleeveless so it won't be the end of the world if I just keep wearing cap/short sleeves to camouflage the wobbly upper arms. I've still got a ways to go, but I feel SO MUCH BETTER and the arm thing doesn't bother me nearly as much now as when I started. I think we all tend to obsess over the little things that we are just sure will be awful in the early days - saggy cheeks, wrinkly belly, batwings - but this is such an involved process and your whole world is changing so much, that in my case, I'm no longer really that worried. I'll deal with it if it gets bad enough to bother me, but so far, I'm thrilled overall and I know it may still get better even years down the road. I think that my upper arms and the wrinkly part of my neck are the two places I mind the most, but we'll see once I hit goal how much they really bother me. I've seen the surgery required for reducing upper arms, and I am not sure I'd want to go to that extreme but it really is going to be a waiting game to see how I feel in the end.

New Day Ahead - I think loose skin is a worry for everyone. Look at it this way, your arms will be a lot smaller after you lose the weight. You can do exercises to tone the underlying muscle, but a lot is going to depend on your age, amount of weight you need to lose, genes, etc. Once you lose weight you will feel better, move more, do more, etc......a little loose skin isn't going to keep you down. From reading the boards, plastic surgeons usually require you to be at your goal weight for at least a year before they will consider doing plastic surgery. I'm not at goal, but if my loose skin bothers me I will likely look into a plastic surgery consult. Best of luck to you on your journey.

My arms are already holding me back from wearing smaller sizes, like everything fits but my arms are still too big. I will probably have plastics on them at some point, but I have a little hope for them. I have noticed this month they are tightening up a little. I purposely slowed my weight loss down a little because I was dropping too quickly and getting super flabby really fast, now that my skin has caught up, I am going to speed my weight loss up again.

Sugar alcohol, from what I have read, comes in many different varieties. It is hydrogenated sugar, and cannot be absorbed by the body. Because it cannot be absorbed by the body, it can ferment in the intestines, and may cause digestive upset in people. Some of the "sugar alcohols" do have a caloric value. I am not a chemist, but this is my understanding of how they function. Basically, they are a form of chemically engineered sugar, and as such are used in the category of foods considered to be "highly or overly processed". I don't believe that it's a great idea to use those products...if we truly want to change our health for the better with loosing weight, why would you want to ingest chemicals? IMHO, in the long run, simple unprocessed foods are healthier. Many on the forum have written about their "sweet tooth", and I am a self confessed chocoholic. I would think it healthier to have 1 small piece of the real deal than to use the chemicals. Your mileage may vary...best wishes to you as you continue your journey!

I would love to swim off my loose skin and fat, but unfortunately where I live if you're not military you have to pay a gym membership to swim...unless you go to the beach. They really need a YMCA or a rec center in this town.

My family Dr. had checked my thyroid out a couple of months before my surgury. I lost the first 15 really fast and just kept loosing and gaining the same weight (4 lbs) the rest of the time. I guess for some reason I was already at a platue. Now I feel like it will come off fairly fast. Don't know why I feel that way, but I do. :wink2: Thanks for your replies

My NUT says to always peel the apples as the skin can give us some serious discomfort. This goes for a lot of fruits.

omg i didnt think about loosing weight from you nose!!!

Hello everyone. I haven't been writing much lately but I do read a lot of your thoughts, feelings, goods and bads. I enjoy keep up with everyone. In one week will be 2 years for me and my life change, The Lap Band!! I love it and it treats me well when I treat it well. Yesterday, I thought I was good and got stuck at lunch. I had cucumber and lump crab meat (both plain). Weird. Over the past year I have been around the same weight but lately up 5-10 pounds. I can not buy me nuts anymore. I eat too many. I also, don't exercise enough. At a breakfast/lunch restaurant in my town the owner had the band 5 years ago and after working from 5am until 3pm every day he walks 5 miles a day up and down hills. He is great, I am not that great at all. My Fitbit says a do 4-5000 steps a day. I feel that is great but my doctor wants 10,000 a day. I have never down that. I belong to many FB groups with WLS as the main topic. One woman is doing her own non surgery plastic surgery. She showed a picture of her bat wings and 6 months later(yesterday) she has wonderful muscles from doing weight lifting. Her stomach she said is getting flatter but she still has thigh skin. She should be a poster woman for all of us that have 'skin issues', me included. She made me want to try weight lifting. Start small with baby steps. I read some where about using the 16oz bottles of water and use them to start. They are less money than weights, just in case you don't like doing this. Everyone have a great day. Enjoy this wonderful summer. Arlene

Whenever the do surgery, even laprascopic, superficial nerves in the skin get cut. You can have odd sensations as a result until the regenerate.

I have had only one fill to date - last september at my check up! I really am doing great with it. We have had a few weeks were I didn't loose weight- inches yes- weight not, but I have slowed to about 5 lbs a month now. I am very happy and pleased it has gone so well. I had budgeted one ever 3 to 4 months. However one of the women banded with us- made it to goal and she never ever needed one at all! So it is so different for each person and doctor etc.

I am only 28 and exercise 5 to 6 days a week and I still have a ton of saggy skin, so I don't know how much age has to do with it. Also for me the bedroom is a very scary place, with clothes on I feel amazing and great about the work I've put in to get to where I am now. Get me undressed and alone and it is not the same story, apparently I have body issues I never knew about. Also I am a bit more fragile than I was before so when my husband was home briefly we had to re learn how we could both enjoy ourselves in new ways. It's a fresh start and we all kinda have a new learning curb for our new bodies. Don't give up and don't feel bad. However I would go to the doctor, I struggled with no sex drive severely after having one of my children and it wasn't a hormone thing is was my head having a hard time adjusting to my new rolls in life and new prioritys. The doc gave me some meds to help well I went to counseling to help sort everything out. Keep at it and keep lines of communication open with your partner that way they know what's going on and don't blame themselves.

Anyone here understand this. I am still not over the fact that mine is so high, even after losing so much weight it hasnt really dropped. Can anyone tell me if huge amounts of excess skin would make a difference and how does the scale tell how much it really is?? Blahhhh:rolleyes:

It seems to be getting better by the day, so I'm thinking it's muscle related. If it gets worse again, I will call. I'm starting to wonder if that's where my port is? My left side is fine, no aches at all. Can you ladies touch and feel your port under the skin? I can't seem to feel where mine is. I thought I knew right after surgery, but apparently I have no clue. Lol! I remember the surgeon saying it would be right up around the bra line area...higher up than I've seen others. I think he does that to hide it better as the weight drops.

I've done that too minus the hot sauce lol. When did yall do canned spinach? I was thinking about it last night and it seemed to fit all the requirements? Canned....soft... no skin... no seeds...

I just spoke to alma w/ready 4 a change and she was awsome...i'm hopeful to have my November date...yay! Just need my finances to come thru...help! Lovin the skin i'm in...

thank you, I need 2 knee replacements decided to do this first and thensee how the knees go. I will remember what you said no nutrients don't consume .congrads. on your weight loss, hope i do as well..hopefully this site and lap support at docotrs will help a lot I am sure... I also have a hard time getting around have to use scotter at stores, cannot walk a distance, or stand very long.. doctor says for me to loose 30 lbs before using step machine at the Ymca because of my blood pressure... so I use a floor pedal bike at home for starters, can't wait for it to warm up so I can use my pool.. should be April... Hopefully hubby will support after surgery, but he is not going to stop me, I take care of my motherinlaw who lives with us she is 83 and in a wheelchair on some days and a walker the other, also is on dialysis 2 times a week so I have o get better to take care of her better and hubby has a pacemaker defib. so I am needed by both of them.. have to do this for many reasons health being the first and looking and feeling better after that... so thank you for your support and advice !!!!

I am losing inches. I lost about 2-3 inches since my last appointment. My size 13-14's are no longer in my closet because they were too big, I now have 11's and 12's but those are starting to get a little loose. So yes I am seeing a difference in inches. I also do lift weights, 2xs a week for about an hour. I am getting really close to goal. about 25 to 30 pounds, give or take so I suppose it gets really hard at this point, the weight doesnt just fall off at this point? Idk?