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Third day of getting up early, driving to work and getting home late. I'm getting pretty tired. Had to use puffy eye cream this morning. Big meeting with customers this morning but after that I can be in my office semi-relaxing at desk work for the rest of the day. Then its workout time with my gym buddy! That I'm actually looking forward to. I am alternating between working out at home in the morning and at the gym after work. After a week of it I'll figure out whether it works for me. Im trying to get those calories to between 1000 and 1200 slowly. I've been on 600-800 for almost three weeks and I'm kind of used to it. I get in my protein and water so I'm not doing badly I just know the weight loss won't continue at a starvation mode. Even though I bring a whole bunch of soft foods to work I can't seem to get them in. Its much tougher at work than it was at home. This will be a good thing when I really get hungry! Oh my gosh! Today is 3 weeks! 3 weeks ago today I had my surgery! Happy Birthday, Band! And like having a baby, the initial days of discomfort are fading fast.......

Thanks for the reply, sounds like your schedule has worked great. I'm at 4 weeks Post Operative and I currently do not have a exercise plan. My job is physically demanding, constantly working in the yard and I do walk a food bit, but I'm eager to put a plan into effect. I appreciate the information, sounds like its time to get those tires pumped up on my mountain bike and hit the trails!

Day 6 of my pre-op diet has been difficult. With weird noises coming from--well, everywhere, sugar lows, weakness, headaches, and even envy as I watch my family munch down on mint chocolate cookies and milk, it has not been a good day. I'm almost watching the clock until I can say 6 down, 8 to go. It has always been difficult for me to diet. My stomach rumbles telling me that it wants food, any food, all food, and quick. I've always been able to lose 20-30 pounds as I diet, but eventually I would quit and then gain back everything plus some. I will not repeat that cycle this time, because I am not going to stop until I make my goal, and then my new way of eating will be habit and I won't go back. I am more committed to this plan than I've ever been to any of the other myriad of diets I've done. So while doing all the reminiscing of diets through the years, I am reminded of one in particular. One of my doctors graphically explained weight loss in the following way: He said it comes down to the basic fact of less calories in than you burn, and that he has never seen a picture of a prisoner of war who wasn't skin and bones. He showed me a couple of pictures even, and gave me a chapter of text to read where some POWs were starving to death, yet they still had to drag themselves to the local coal mine for 12 hour shifts with nothing but a handful of rice for the entire day. Then they drug themselves, step by step, sometimes crawling, sometimes pulling or pushing one another, back to the prison camps where they were lucky to get a small amount of water and another handful of rice. If they searched for a morsel of something else, or complained that it wasn't enough, they were tortured even more. Often these POWs prayed that they would pass during the night, knowing that their frail bodies just could not continue on. Others prayed for help to sustain them just one more day. As we are struggling through with our limited shakes or various different diets, I am reminded of those POWs and how they survived on a handful of rice for days, months, even years, all the while working hard labor in their camps. Tonight when I am hearing my stomach rumble, I'm trying to be thankful for what I have. With that in mind, 700 calories doesn't seem so small when compared to the lives of our brave prisoners of war in history.

:faint: Feb 15th - total weight loss 18lbs very hungry. eating too much. It seems to just go through. I see Dr. Woodhead tomorrow. Hope he changes me to pureed.

Every year for Christmas, my wife and I invite our families over for Christmas Eve and we all exchange presents, talk, but most importantly, eat. That last word made me really nervous this year for a few of reasons. One, the week of Christmas, I was still on mushy food. Two, I know I'm not supposed to be eating sweets (even if they're mushy). And three, I don't want to ruin other people's holidays just because I can't eat, you know? I'm the one who had lapband surgery, not them. And you know what? For the most part, I worried over nothing. This year a lot of people made sugar-free deserts. My wife made a sugar-free peanut butter pie that was terrific! Someone brought a bean dip with cheese and salsa that I mixed together and ate with a spoon. I even had a couple of Christmas cookies that the kids made (don't tell Santa). Instead of two or three plates of food, I only had one, and instead of half a two-liter of Diet Coke, I had water. And you know what? Everybody still had a good time. Everybody ate what they wanted to eat and no one made a big deal out of what I was having. To tell the truth, everyone was walking around so much with their plates that I'm not sure anyone even noticed, or cared. I think people (co-workers and family) are losing interest in what I eat on a day to day basis, which is pressure off of me. I didn't have lapband surgery to become the center of attention. Quite the opposite, actually.

That question actually came up at one of the seminars I went to. The surgeon said that if you get a stomach virus and throw up a lot for a day or two will be fine.. no problems with that. Chronic vomitting (like buliemic type) can cause the band to shift. As far as your wanting to throw up, maybe its just your body adjusting to the changes and maybe a form of healing. I would think that if it happens a lot you should call your doctor just to be sure! I hear that if you drink or eat too much or too fast it can cause you to throw up, especially in the early stages. Of course if your food isn't chewed well enough it can cause you to throw up as well cause it cant move downward but in your case, you aren't eating food food yet, right. How are you feeling other then that?

It is hard. And it's SUPER hard when you compare--it's also human. When I was in WLM, I was losing SO SLOWLY in comparison to everyone else around me. And the last 20lbs took as much time to lose as all the other initial weight. I think a 120lb loss is phenomenal so please give yourself proppahs for an amazing journey well done!! I also understand having a laser focus and being wigged out when the scale is up rather than down! Please stick around and post a lot here so you can get involved and we can all work to support each other. Especially during the crazy craving holiday season! Also, please go fill out your profile so we can see where you started, how old you are, when your surgery was, what kind of surgery, how tall you are, and even a ticker in your signature! Do you plan, weigh and measure your food? What is your daily food intake look like. Are you drinking any alcohol or caloric beverages, eating protein bars, having a lot of protein drinks? Hang in there! It IS hard!!!

I had my surgery on 10/29/08. Starting 2 weeks b4 my surgery I had to be on a full liquid diet and that lasted until 2 weeks after my surgery and then to musshy food. Between 10/15 and 11/10 I lost 24 pounds. I have maybe lost 2 lbs since then. I actually gained a couple and since Jan 1 have lost maybe 3 lbs. I have had 2 fills - one on 12/1 for 3 ccs and one on 12/28 with 2 more cc's. At first after the last fill - i felt restricted but that was probably because of the fill causing swelling or something right after. I watch what I eat and I want to start journaling online - need a recommendation on that. BUT I AM frustrated with no weight loss. Not to mention I need to start exercising. For the last 5 days I am having what I believe to be Gall Bladder pain and it hurts down by my port as well. Please someone tell me that I am not going nuts. I mean based on how I am eating I would think I would be losing weight. I am Diabetic - but my diabetes AC1 test took me from 9 to 6.6 which is excellent - so that is good news. I am Insulin resistant. I need a buddy or something. My mother constantly asks me how my weight loss is going - like it should just be falling off. I have been trying to tell her that I am not at restriction - so this is just me doing this. My band holds 11 ccs I think and I am at 5. I just need some guidance from someone who has gone thru this as well. Vitamins I could take - besides the multi or something. I got my Wii Fit out of the box and will start using tomorrow morning. Help!!!!! I need help and cannot wait to help others once I have this down - but I do not have it down. I do not eat to the point of stuffed. I am now rambling........ Help!:cursing:

l started this post a couple weeks ago. Apparently I'm bad at this. I responded to my Stupidity spreads like herpes entry in case anyone is interested. I don't know if it sends out notifications to posts you've responded to when a new reply is made. Turns out I can't be the food police and the people who do these things and look for ways to cheat aren't going to be successful and that's just how it is. So what's new with me? I made it to wonderland. I am 198 (clothed) as of yesterday; official hospital weigh in. that's 83lbs down from my highest weight. I really thought I'd be more excited. I think it's partially because I got a cold at the same time so I felt like complete ****. It's been almost 2 weeks now and I'm stick hacking out stuff. I do feel so much better than I did, though. When I'm completely well, we're going to DDR to celebrate. Or more specifically, I am going to DDR until my legs give out! Oh how I love you DDR. For those of you who don't know what DDR is, it's the rhythm game Dance Dance Revolution. Most people know what I'm talking about when I say, "the game with the arrows you have to step on." I have it for PS2... er had. Apparently we sold the games, but we've still got the pads. Hopefully someday we can turn them into hard pads and get the games again. I would love to have my own DDR machine, but I don't have the extra 5K to buy one, nowhere to put it, and I hear the pads need constant maintenance, which I would have no clue how to do. I used to be really good at DDR. Well, good for me. Both of us were. My bf could do most of the songs on Heavy, and I could do most of the songs on Light and a few on Standard. The last time we played before this most recent time a couple weeks ago our general consensus was: I used to be able to do this. Having lost all this weight has made a big difference between then and now. I'm just below where I was at my DDR prime. It's always been a dream, goal, fantasy of mine to be able to do Cowgirl on heavy. Here is a great video showing a guy doing Cowgirl on heavy on doubles. My goal is to do it single player, but I feel that this particular video shows exactly how hard this song is to do with all the galloping and fast steps. Most of the other videos on youtube don't show the foot movement so well. I am nowhere near this yet. I just can't move fast enough yet. But some day, even if it kills me (!!!) I will do it! September I went though one of my totes of old clothes I had been saving to fit back into. Mid October I had the bf get down my next tote. I wasn't expecting to fit anything in it, but I'm so glad I had him get it down. A lot of the things fit and some were too big. I'm extra happy as well because if I had gotten to my red pants and had them be too big, I would have been disappointed. While going through my clothes, I separated everything into keep, clothing exchange / GoodWill, and eBay. If it wasn't for my credit card bill from being off work for a month, I would probably be too lazy to eBay anything. I'm the kind of person who never carries a credit card balance and now I have an outrageous (for me) one. I still need to take pictures of everything and post it all. I'm so bad at putting things off. I wonder if it would be ok to post a link to my listings here once they're up? The Red Pants OMFG my red and black pants fit OMFG!!! Now that was just f**king amazing! That's exactly what I said too, "O M F G!" The smile on my face could not get any bigger, it was so awesome! I got these pants back when Torrid made quality clothes that actually fit and didn't make plus sized women look like ugly clowns; about 8 years ago. I wore them on our first date. I still have the top I wore with them. One of the first thoughts through my head besides pure joy was, "ok, I'm done losing weight. It can just stop now and then when these pants wear out, then start again." lol. That is how much I love these pants! The fabric, the style, the cut, everything about them I absolutely love and they don't make pants like them anymore. I have my 3 month (12 week) follow up appointment on Monday. I have heard from others that it's a waste of time and that some people just make one on one appointments with their surgeon. I'm hoping that it's free. Last night the BF made butternut squash potage. It's fantastic! It was so yummy and filling and it made me regular if you know what I mean. Which is why I'm sharing this. It's probably not something we should eat, but it's delicious, easy to make, and as mentioned, has other helpful benefits as well. And if you're anything like us, not something we'll eat often anyway. He happened to see the recipe and we happened to have leftover squash. That's the link to the video. They make it with pumpkin. He doubled the recipe, caramelized the onion and squash instead of just browning, used chicken broth instead of water, no bullion, substituted the heavy cream with fat free half and half, and I'm pretty sure he cooked it longer so it would thicken up more. Cooking With Dog has a bunch of great recipes. One of our favorites is Mapo Tofu. I haven't had it since surgery, but I'd like to. As I mentioned in my other post, I'm doing a 5k on the 12th. I haven't been training for it. I've been so lazy. =/ We were really good about walking most days of the week after surgery but then it rained early October and I got lazy and have only exercised like twice since then. I know I can do the 5k, but I will be more sore than I would be otherwise, and that's not fun. Bestie and I did the same one last year together and I did the same thing, didn't train. Ugh, I wish I wasn't so lazy when it comes to exercise. I want to exercise but I can find every reason not to. Needless to say, I won't be beating my best time. My goal should be to finish. But my real goal is go finish and not be last. That's always my goal. And to beat my previous time, which isn't happening this time (repetitive much). After that 5k I'll decide if I want to do the one on Thanksgiving. I really want to, but it really depends on how I feel after. If I have enough money I'd like to do the one in the city north of me and the one in the city south of me. There's something about 5ks. I just want to do them! We want to do Bay to Breakers again next year. He wants to do it so he can pig out at our favorite Thai restaurant (like we did last year). That's not a motivating factor for me anymore. I want to do it to do it. And hopefully be more prepared and possibly beat this years time. Plus I want to get the pictures from it so I can have before and after pictures as well. Which is one of my motives for my next 5k as well. >.> I had this idea earlier today. I have no idea if it will even work. It's to do a 5k a month every month next year. Of course idk if there are that many 5ks near me. My current goal is to be able to walk 3 miles every day like it ain't no thang. And then to add a mile each Sunday (our designated long walk day) until we're up to 10+ miles. I would love to get up to at least 13 miles. I want to try the Nike Half again. But I want to really be prepared for it unlike last time. I've even made a training schedule, but haven't been sticking to it. I think a good goal for the end of the year is to have 3 miles be easy. Maybe be up to 4 miles on LWDs. Besides all the excuses I can come up with, the rain is a real detour. I know I can go to the gym and walk or use the treadmill at the parents house, but walking long distances on the treadmill kinda sucks. There's a 5k / 10k / half marathon happening a week before B2B that's put on by the same people who put on the 5k I'm doing on the 12th. I really want to sign up for the 10k. I'm confident that I can be up to that distance by then.... if I start training now like I want to but can't seem to. But idk if that's a good idea right before B2B. It's a mostly flat course. So it shouldn't be too hard. Unlike that wretched hill at mile 2.5 during B2B. If you want a challenge walk/run/whatever half a mile at 12% incline on a treadmill. It's brutal. We went monthly to the city to walk it to get ready and I practiced a few times on the treadmill. I really want to get one of those arm things that you put your phone/mp3 player in. I got a smartphone, so I have a bunch of good music on it now, but my workout clothes don't have any pockets. And while I could stick my phone in my bra, I don't want to do that because I don't want my sweat to mess it up. I usually don't wear sweaters when I workout because I get too hot. Any recommendations on good arm music things (idk what they're called)? I have Wii Fit Plus, Just Dance 2 & Summer Party, and Zumba for the Wii but I haven't been playing them. I do have one complaint about the Just Dance games. My right arm gets SO tired and my left arm is just fine. It's really annoying! I like exercising both sides equally. Those games don't allow this since it only picks up your movements in your controler hand. See, I have no excuse not to exercise. I have plenty I can do without even leaving my apartment. I'm probably just going to need to make a weekly excercise schedule based on when I work (I don't have a regular schedule, my company sucks in that way) and the weather. I should go to the gym after we go grocery shopping tomorrow after work. I feel like I'm rambling now. Time for bed.

Hi K I am not in your area - in tassie, but I was banded on 3rd sept....... I have found this a great site to read what others have been through and where they are at now. SO far so good at my end - I am about 6kg down in week 4. Would have liked more off by now - but I am being realistic and getting anything off has to be better than a gain!!! Also i was not in the morbidly obese range to start with and was well aware that having less to lose would be reflected with a smaller initial loss. I am onto mushie food - ah heaven!!! the food processor has become my new best friend. Last night I got brave and had some spag bog with the Pasta chopped up very finely. That was really good. WEll I hd better go as it is time for my daily walk...........Looking forward to seeing how you progress. Sal

two weeks out and melba toast/crackers??? that sounds pretty advanced to me. My advice- don't drink! Get up walk around, take a hot shower (that always helps me). It will either go down or come up- but you will be miserable in the meantime. When it does, stick with liquids for 48 hours as your stoma is probably pretty swollen. If it does not resolve in a couple of hours you may need to contact your surgeon- or whatever they have you do at 1 in the morning. though I do not wish to contradict what your surgeon says, being more conservative could not hurt. My surgery center's protocol was liquids for 2 weeks, mushies 2 weeks, then regular foods as tolerated. And crackers were not on our mushies list. I will be online for a little while longer if you want to PM or ask anything else. Let us know how it goes!! Good luck.

So, I got a speeding ticket this morning. Isn't that super awesome!! :thumbup: Honestly though, I was going 76 mph in a 60 mph zone, so I totally deserved it. The only thing that makes me mad about the whole thing is that that motorcycle cop is there EVERY morning and I KNOW BETTER! Oh well, it is what it is. I'm feeling much better today! The respiratory infection has faded for the most part. Jazzercise was tough last night, but I definitely felt better when it was over. It is nice to be in enough shape that I don't feel like I'm killing myself the first day back after a break! Today I'm taking it up a notch and I'm doing my 2 mile hill run at lunch and Jazzercise tonight. I only have a non-running lunch work out tomorrow (maybe the bike?) so I should be able to push it out today. I was hungry yesterday. After breakfast, it didn't take too long until I was hungry for lunch. We went to Mi Cocina to meet my parents and I was worried that I would need to eat too much. But my mom & I shared a nacho plate and I ate three nachos with sour cream and guacamole. So, not too bad. In fact, it held me until very late in the afternoon and I didn't get hungry until about 4pm when I had some greek yogurt. I was a little hungry when I went to Jazzercise, but it wasn't horrible. When I got home, I fixed goodies for dinner. (My niece's favorite meal is what she calls goodies, which is bascially a collection of snacks, like apples, pretzels, peanut butter and cheese.) I had just less than a 1/2 c of potato salad, a boiled egg, 10 crackers and 5 pieces of cheese (roughly 3 oz, I think.) I finished the potato salad and egg, but I left 2 crackers and a piece of cheese. I didn't seem to have any "restriction" in the sense that there was no issues with anything going down, however, I did have "restriction" in the sense that I was full after eating a reasonable amount of food. So, I did well yesterday. The trick is stopping when I'm full. I've not been good at that historically and is something I need to work on. So, goals for the week...drink water! And stop eating when I'm full. PS: My new item of the day that I'm wearing...electric blue flats with a row of sequence around the top. Very flirty, but practical too. Have a great day!!

I have started my soft foods phase and I seem to be gaining not losing. I have gained back 3 pounds since my 2 week post -op weigh in with the doctor. I am wondering if I need to go back to just drinking shakes,soups and water. I have gone back to work so I am not able to walk as often as when I was off from work.:omg: I also seem to be getting hungry where I never really felt that during my 1st 2 weeks. I admit I have been eating more veggies than protein(creamed spinach, and steamed spinach):cry just seemed like I was really craving veggies. I have had some sliced turkey breast from the deli and canned tuna.Mostly get my protein from the shakes or isopure drink.

Back to work, no pain, nothing to report. Stil conserned about being able to drink 2 cups of broth, slim fast and staying hungry. Searching the web looking for information on what types of foods will I be able to eat and what to avoid. People talk about being banded, but no one talks about what foods they are eating. This liquid diet has caused me to lose weight, Weigh in with the Dr on Thur and post what his scale claims I lost since I was last on it before I was banded. Family did not want me to be banded so no support coming from there. It's Taco's tonite and even with my door closed I and smell the meat cooking. I'd feel a lot better if I could just take in some of the meat.

I'm trying to...note my signature...the first unfill was because of the not eat all day...but gorge all night. I didn't know about "starting over"(follow the procedure for your given procedures for after surgery or after a fill). That might of helped if I had followed it. But I kept irritating it with food. You might also just have too much there are some of us who just don't need a lot of fill. I know down at 1.0 I was having bad acid reflux keeping me up all night...I did everything except the start over thing until all tests were exhausted...but by then it obvious I needed an unfill and rest. I am trying to do things right this time....I just had my second fill Thursday. However, today I begin to go to mushies...so I am not on solid food yet.

LOL Viv... I rent her out on holidays I've tried to duplicate her recipe and it doesn't even come close. However, I do make a version if Giada's from the food network that is quick and yummy too. Brown Butter Risotto with Lobster Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis : Food Network Best, Lauren

I will have 1-1/2-2 weeks of Clear liquids and then third week through 5 or 6 it will be Full liquids then Pureed, Soft, etc. I was told expect close to 2 months before eating actual solid foods. I would imagine popcorn kernels and hulls would be extremely hard on the belly.

I probably wouldn't. My book says 9 weeks for things such as nuts and higher fiber foods. I was probably 7 months out when I first had it.

Just... in the exact same position I was when I left off here years ago. I am STILL around 320 pounds... and i am STILL TIGHT and have restriciton problems constantly. But instead of trying to fix it with prednisone, I just deal with it. I choke every day. On food or water. I think.. ill just start off with a food journal. I just gave up cookies yesterdaty or so I tell myself, we shall see. I gave up candy 10 months ago, and have had NO candy since. Which is mindboggling. I have not done a food journal for months. I got to see where I can make changes. See if what I THINK, is really the Truth. Tuesday April 12th 11am. - 2 pills and one gulp of 100% Grape Juice. 12:45pm- 4 tortilla chips 2:30 - One inch section of granola bar ariel handed me and I took. 3:30 -Now.. and Im hungry. but... ya. I can still feel that granola bite, in my throat. 5:00 = 3/4 cup mashed potatoes with gravy (from this dinner thing, i fed the meat to the dogs) 20 ounces 1% milk, with nesquick 7:40 - eating Rye chips right now. hey. I should go to fit day.

Here is my complete list of NSVs (non-scale victories) today. Since I am not seeing any change in the scale, I decided that I needed to review my progress, to see how my life has changed since March 14th, 2005. Because I was so distraught earlier this week because I listened to the damn scale, I decided I needed to list them all in one place. If you are not currently tracking your NSVs, I really want all y'all to start tracking them. Besides, when we are all invited to the Oprah show we need to have some evidence besides what the scale says, right? My most important NSV is that I haven't died from respiratory failure. 03-27-2005, 11:04 AM I finally have an NSV! my rings fit again! And I don't have the terrible edema problem I developed over Christmas any more! Woot! Two NSVs for week two! 03-29-2005, 08:18 AM This is a gi-normous NSV. I haven't used my inhaler in five whole days! As many of you know, I have terrible acute and chronic asthma. Five days before my band installation, I had to be taken to the ER via ambulance. My asthma was one of the main reasons I got the band, that whole prospect of death by respiratory failure just didn't appeal to me. (..."I want a death by misadventure) My book bag doesn't seem as heavy as it was before I was banded. (and I do almost all my walking with that book bag) It doesn't hurt to stand at the sink when I do the dishes anymore. I believe it is because I can get closer to the sink because my tummy is smaller. I've lost an inch from my waist! Speaking of inches lost, I've lost a total of 11 from my entire body. 03-30-2005, 06:29 PM another day, another NSV! I ran up a flight of stairs this evening. I didn't even realize what I had done until after I had done it! And my had my 20 pound backpack on. I wasn't even winded when I got to the top either! New crop of NSVs 4/5/05 Okay, one of the women in my math class wanted to know how much weight I’ve lost. “You’re looking good! How much have you lost?” My purple robe fits me! My jeans slide off my butt! New NSV 5/7/5 Monday will be my eight week bandiversary. All my pants have been very baggy, so today I tried on a pair of pants I haven't been able to fit for 4 years and I could button them! Size 22 black jeans. 05-10-2005, 07:44 AM Sunday night I woke up because I was laying on something hard. I figured that I must have rolled over on a book or something like that. (I sometimes fall asleep reading). I felt around in the dark, but I couldn't find anything that didn't belong in my bed. The hard thing? it was my ribs. 05-19-2005, 11:20 AM the other day the weather was on the wet side, so I zipped my jacked. Just like that, without even a second thought, zuup up the zipper went. And then it hit me. I. Zipped. My. Jacket! No wiggling, no struggling, no thought! Holy weight-watchers Batman! 05-24-2005, 11:56 AM I got a great NSV Sunday night when I got home. My sweet son wanted to know how I was doing, with the band. We've been apart since I got my band 10 weeks ago. He said I looked really good, and that my face was full of life, and that I was glowing. Then I had to chase him down the stairs and out the front door, and around the truck. I RAN down the stairs, I RAN around chasing him until we nearly collapsed laughing! 06-21-2005, 10:09 PM Today I wore a pair of jeans I haven't been able to fit into since 2002. Today I walked 15 minutes to and from the restaurant for lunch, and I wasn't winded, and I didn't need my inhaler. Today I took a walk with my son and he had to tell me to slow down (of course the silly boy wasn't wearing any shoes...) Today I went grocery shopping after work, and then DID NOT collapse on the sofa all night. 06-23-2005, 11:23 AM Another day, another NSV. Today, not only am I wearing for the first time, a shirt I got for Christmas, but I RAN FOR THE BUS. Yes, you read that correctly, I RAN for the bus. It's not like there wasn't another bus in 5 minutes... but I RAN. Me! and I wasn't winded either! Heh, sure, I'm happy with all my NSVs but a part of me is wondering when I'm going to start having some weight loss! 06-26-2005, 09:40 AM And here I was, worried that I'd never have any NSV when I started this journey... Today, I needed a belt! Now, I'm not in any real danger of pulling a Jonathan in the grocery store, but my pants are uncomfortably loose. I didn't even think that was possible! So, I dug out an old belt that I haven't been able to wear and it fit! 1 notch down, 13 more to go! 07-13-2005, 08:29 PM Major NSV time! I had to get a pair of Khakis for my trip to NY this weekend. I was told "brown khakis" which don't really exsist... Anyway, I digress. I tried on a pair of 22, thinking they might fit. Nope, too baggy. I tried on a pair of 20s! They were on the baggy side! I got a pair of 18s, and they fit! I fit into a size 18 today!!!!! Okay, I didn't buy them because they were not pretty, but I could put them on! Oh my gawd, oh my gawd, oh my gawd! A size 18! I haven't been able to squeeze my pretty little self into a size 18 since my baby was small! Oh sure, my jeans aren't a size 20, but still! It looks like I'll be bringing some clothes to the Las Vegas Bash after all! 07-28-2005, 10:17 AM Okay, I apparently gained 3 pounds but I lost another notch on my belt! Woot! Maybe the best one of all... This morning I realized that I will never go hungry again. (it's a wolves thing) 08-07-2005, 11:28 PM This weekend at the Beach I discovered that forgot a jacket. So I had to buy a new one. I picked up a 2x and it fit fine. A little roomy but that's okay. Wait a second... The sleeves are a bit long. Let's try the XL. I know, I know, an XL? That’s crazy talk. Hey! This XL is pretty roomy... but the sleeves fit. So, I had this totally insane idea... What would happen if I try on a Large? oh, it's never going to fit, it won't even zip up. Nah.. I'm too fat for a LARGE. oh my gawd, she's actually going to try to put on a LARGE jacket??? What, is she nuts? Is she a glutton for punishment? No! She's the proud owner of a powder blue fleece Long Beach Washington jacket!!! SIZE LARGE 8-11-2005 I am not hording food anymore. 8-14-2005 I just realized that on my cross country flight to Syracuse NY I did not need a seatbelt extender. Not only did I not need one, I actually had wiggle room in my seat. 8-21-2005 Well, my NSV has to do with my hording. I gave 2.5 big black lawn & leaf bags of clothes to the help house. I was going to bring them to the bash, but I felt that they were more needed here. I got rid of them while packing to return to exile. 8-22-2005 back to school, and I fit into the desks so well my tummy doesn't even touch the table! No squishing into the desks! 8-25-2005 I just realized that I didn't have any trouble with the change in altitude or the change in heat this year. For the last 2 years going from temperate Seattle to the extremes of Pocatello were very hard on me. A week after being here I ran up 2 flights of stairs in the COB without being terribly winded or needing my puffer. I also have been handling the heat just fine. Of course, having an AC sure helps... 8-30-2005 I had to go buy a big skirt for my Middle Eastnern Folk dance class... Yeah, they don't want us to call it "belly dancing" here, they feel it has "negative connotations." Yeah, what ever, it's belly dancing. :mad: I went to several stores trying to find a skirt that would match the requirements, let alone worry about the size thing... So at the 4th and final store I found one, a cocoa dip-dyed skirt. The biggest one was a LARGE, so I wasn't too hopeful. But I was brave and went to try it on. IT FIT! I just bought a size LARGE skirt. Not 2X, not XL, but just LARGE!!! Mind you, when I bought my Large jacket, I really suspected that the label was wrong, that it had been marked Large in error at the factory, an that it was some sort of cosmic joke on me. Sort of like that pair of size 18 pants that I was able to fit into (didn't buy but that's a different story). I felt that was in error as well. Maybe it wasn't an aberation, maybe it's the truth. I feel like I have no restriction at all. I still haven't lost any more weight, but I'll take my size shrinking. My other NSV is a medical one, and has to do with my leg skin graphs. In about 2001 I had a revision of one of my skin graphs from my motorcycle accedent. Every day since the revision, I had to wrap my leg in an ACE wrap to give it support so it wouldn't blow-out. I had such bad edema that if I didn't wrap it, it would buldge out quite a bit because of the nature of the graph. I stopped needing to bind my leg a couple of months ago. I simply don't need to any more, no more edema problem. 9/1/2005 My knees doen't rub together when I walk anymore. My belly roll is squishier and hangs a bit lower. This is an NSV because it is proof that I am loosing fat. 9/12/2005 This past weekend was the Bandster Bash in Las Vegas. I had to tighten the airplane seatbelt. Sure, I've lost 3 pounds since 2/29, but I'm trying soo hard to not focus on that. Focus on needing to tighten the seat belt. At the Bash this weekend, I got several pieces of clothes. Okay a whole new wardrobe. When you wear your own clothes over and over, it is really hard to notice any difference. I mean really hard. I've been working my way into several pairs of pants that I haven't been able to wear in years and they are size 22. Yet at the bash, I found size 18 pants that were comfortable. What gives with that? Anyway, I have a few pairs of size 18 that are comphy. 9/15/2005 I've been looking at my body fat % and my current Fat Free Mass. If I don't put on any more muscle mass, and stay current where I am, I only need to lose 55 to 70 pounds, not 70 to 100 pounds. I think that's counts as an NSV. Of course, if I can manage to put on 15 pounds of muscle like NanaHarly (Pat in Virginia) did, then I only need to loose 35 to 50 pounds! Woot! I know what I'm going to focus on! I was tallking to my DH on the phone and I casually crossed my legs. HOLY SH*T!!!! I CROSSED MY LEGS!!!!! 9/17/2005 As of today, I have had 46 NSVs. That amazes me. Today's NSV is that I dropped a .5% in body fat. 9/27/2005 I had an NSV this weekend of a sexual nature. Let's just say that I'm not as bulky.... My forearems and calves have amazing definition. My low belly is shrinking, and starting to gain some definition. 10/1/2005 My 50th NSV is that I am no longer The Great Crystal Dam in the bathtub. There was room on both sides of my hips in the tub! At this rate I'll have to invest in some rubber duckies... 10/2/2005 Spoke with my mom on the phone last night. She said it has been years since my voice sounded so strong. She said there wasn't any breathiness at all. I guess after years of severe asthma, I'd developed a sort of wheezy -breathy sort of way a speaking. 10/22/05 I had a fitness assessment done yesterday. While my aerobic fitness score wasn't very high, 22 out of a scale of 20-50 (needs work), my over all fitness level fell into the Fair range, and my blood pressure is in the Fit range. (mind you, I've always had good BP, except for the first few weeks I'm back in SE ID due to the altitude and heat change) 10/27/05 I am offically no longer Morbidly Obese, but simply Obese. Today my BMI is 39.6, so I might not even qualify for the surgery, if not for my co-morbidities, which are all under control. My second NSV for the day is that I have been invited to dance professionally at a Greek restaurant here in town. It will be fun to be able to put on my resume that I'm a Professional Belly Dancer. 11/5/05 All my pants are starting to look like giant clown pants, none of them fit in the butt or thighs anymore. If I didn't have this damn thick waist, I would really be in honest size 18 jeans. My black leather jacket is going to have to be retired soon. It's rediculously large on me now. The sleves alone now hang past my finger-tips and it looks like I could smuggle a medium sized ham in each shoulder. So I tried on my big winter coat, and now it really is my huge winter coat. It's about XX too big. It's fully reversable a suede stadium jacket, with lepord fake fur on the other side. I love this jacket, but next year, some other lucky bandster gets to love it. It's important for me that last winter before I was banded I couldn't zip the black leather jacket up. There was a 2-3 inch gap that just wouldn't meet. While the stadium jacket fit, it was pretty snug. Not any more! 11/10/05 Lastnight I was using my laptop. In my lap. This means that I HAVE A LAP!!!!! Woot! 11/14/05 When I sit on the floor or in a hard chair, I feel the bones in my butt. Not only my tail bones, but other bones (probably my pelvic bones?) as well. 11/17/05 Okay, time to bump the thread. Last night while Iwas talking on the phone to an old friend from high school I again casually just crossed my legs. Without thinking about it. I know I've done this before, but it's a mind thing I think. Other NSVs include belly dance stuff. My DH won a few auctions on ebay for me, a couple of B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L belts, a gorgous silk veil and a pair of harem pants. The pants looked impossibly small, even with an elastic waist. I just knew that they were NOT going to fit, but being the glutton for punishment that I am, I attempted to put them on anyway. They fit! They are too shere to wear without a skirt, so that will have to be next on my list of things to get. The other victories around dancing are some of the skinny ones are asking me for help, since they cannot get some of the moves quite right. I'm also getting really excited about dancing at the restaurant. I'll do that once I get home after Thanksgiving, and I complete my costume. I still need a top and a skirt I mean, I just bearly broke out of MO, and I'm going to be a fat professional dancer. What am I thinking? I mean, what am i thinking, other than I'm dead sexy and a fine belly dancer. 11/19/05 Okay, Thursday I passed up free donuts, and this weekend I've been busily working in my yard now that I'm home. Raking big fat soggy leaves, clearing flower beds, and the like. DH is amazined at my level of energy, and so is son. I guess I'm a little amazed too, since for the last several years the only energy I've had at this time of year has been spent trying to breathe or something aerobic like reading or playing video games. I've gotten used to a more active lifestyle in ID with all the walking and PE/dance classes I attend. I routinely walk up several flights of stairs with my heavy bookbag, where this time last year I was using a rolling bag, and needing to take the elevator because my asthma was so bad. 12/09/05 Well, tonight I make my semi-professional debute again! We had our dance department dance review Wednesday night, and pix will be forthcoming. We were great, several people told us that we were the best group on stage, so that was awesome! I went out on stage, in front of an audience of maybe 300 or 400 people, and I OWNED the stage. I wasn't the slightest bit nervous, and I'm quite amazed at that, believe you me! I made eye contact with many of the audience, and I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time. Not only did I look like I was having a great time, I WAS having a great time! The next NSV is my costume... my top was a crop tant top that I've added bead work too to make it sparkle. But the important part of that sentence is CROP TOP! Yes, that's right, I was wearing a belly shirt on stage, exposing my ample belly to the public, with my surgery scars clearly visible! And I did it on purpose! Okay, this next one isn't an NSV, not really, and it properly goes on the "Skniny Bitches" thread, but here it is We had just come off stage after doing our two numbers and we were all still amped up on adrenalline. We were talking about how we had done, bla bla bla. A group of ballet dancers were there, I mean, right there and one of the skinny blond said to another skinny blond the snottiest comment I've heard in a long time. Okay, all the ballet dancers were skinny blonds, but that's besides the point. She said, in a loud voice "well, at least we weren't shaking our Bon-Bons." In the snottiest possible voice mind you. So, I simply said, with sugar in my voice, "well that's because you can't shake your Bon-Bon." And then I smiled so sweetly at her. (then she said that I was probably right, and the group of them walked away) So, I suppose that makes me a fat bitch, but I just decided that I wasn't in the mood to take crap from anyone. So, the next part of the Bellydancing NSV is that I'll be dancing againg tonight at a local restaurant, and yes, I'll be dancing for tips, so Big Paul, you'd better leave now so you get here in time, and yes, you'll probably need to take out a second mortgage So, finally, I'm doing this when I weigh 240 pound and not waiting until I get closer to goal. I'm doing this at size 22/24 and not when I get to my goal of 12/14 12/22/05 I'm less invisible. Last year at this same time I felt so invisible when walking through the halls at school. Now guys hold the door open for me, and men and women smile more at me. Perhaps they just needed a couple of years to get used to me, or perhaps I am more self asured and confident. Confidence attracts confidence. This time last year I could not breathe. I was in and out of the hospital and making near daily trips to the ER, having several nebulizer treatments every single day. Since I've been home just about a week, I've used my inhaler much more often than usual of late. I've used it 3 times in a week. This is a weird NSV, but I finally have doctors seriously trying to figure out why I'm not having the sort of weight loss I should. I guess I had to go on the Supermodel Diet for a month before they would take me seriously. 1/4/6 Today I went skiing for the first time in 5 or 6 years! Woot! It was a lot of fun, and I fit into my ski pants from 5 or 6 years ago. I'm so happy! Okay, this was a MAJOR NSV for the DH too because he went skiing too! Spudboy and I had to talk him into it, but he did it! I'm so proud of him! I didn't use my puffer once while skiing, but was wicked cold because my gloves weren't good ski gloves. Oh, and I didn't have a water proof jacket either... So, 3 for the price of one. 1/13/06 I just got back from several days in DC, for a scholarship symposium and job fair. I have a conditional job offer for when I graduate, if I can obtain a security clearance! Woot! That's an NSV, since it would be a major job! I have a whole string of NSVs, the very most important one is that I went to DC WITHOUT AN INHALER. What's more, I didn't even need it. This is super significant because this time last year, and for several years prior, I couldn't go anywhere without at least 2 inhalers on my person. I had an inhaler in every single piece of clothing that had a pocket. Last year this time I had spent 10 days of the Christmas vacation in hospital, don't know how many trips to the various ERs. I didn't even realize that I didn't have an inhaler until the puddle jumper from Salt Lake to Pokey, AFTER my trip was almost done. I was constantly being mistaken for a much younger woman, and when I would talk about my son, people assumed I was talking about a baby or a very small boy. Oh if they only knew! 1/18/06 In class yesterday I realized that my belly wasn't even touching the desk in two of my classes! 2/7/06 I had two NSVs this week. One is that I went to a party where I only knew one person. Big deal? Yup, big deal since I am terrified of groups people. It's not like they are spiders or kittens or something like that, but I have avery difficult time with groups of people I don't know, I'm very shy. (yeah, who would believe that?) But I went to the party, and I was charming and talked to everybody. I don't think my husband would have recognized me.... The other NSV is that I've accepted that I'm not going to lose weight. Not until this Cushing's thing has been addressed or resolved. But because I've accepted it, I don't have to stress over it. I don't have to beat myself up any more. Oh wait, one more NSV, I need to take my watch to the Jewlers to have one of the links removed from the band! 3/5/6 Well, I haven't had that many NSV's lately, or if I have, they have been lost to me. I need links removed from my beautiful watch, and I can wear more of my rings. I have to stop wearing one of my rings because when my fingers get cold (winters in SE ID are COLD!) it flies off my finger! Woot! So, 3 NSVs for Feb 06!

LOL. Chocolate as medicinal -- I love it! I think chardonnay should be in the same cateogry, isn't it??? I've been logging food since the week after surgery and I have found that at night, when I'm "treating" myself, I forget to log the "treat". Jeez. My excuse? I have already shut the computer down? LOL. Good luck to you and Jax!!! I'm anxious to hear how the relationship works as I'd like to "share". LOL. Have a great day!

You can get back on track you have to want to. You are not a failure you just gave in to food temptations. You need to soul search yourself and find out exactly why you did not succeed, what put you in that position and then start over. Start from the beginning wiht liquids. Do the whole before and after all over again. You can get to your goal but you have to want it. No one but you can do this. Its all in your mind to do it.

So when the Dr warns of throwing up too much is he talking about PBing? What is too much. Is it only throwing up if stomach acid is involved? I PB almost every day. I had my band installed March 20th 2009 it is now June 24th 2009 and I have lost 84 pounds. I have so many questions. What is normal. How do I know if I have slippage or have streached my pouch....How much food am I suposed to able to eat? am I loosing weight fast enough? Can I loose it faster? What about extra skin? Oh by the way I need to update my signature. Also how do I attach my ticker from the ticker making website?

Hey all, I love my rice and at the same time, the bane of my weight problems. After the procedure, I wasnt allowed to eat bread, rice, and Pasta - since they expand with moisture - not to mention high carbs. I'm looking for something to substitute rice...and I was thinking about couscous...is this a good idea or am I out of luck? I'm 3 weeks postop close to 4 and Im still on pureed foods...today I brought my kids to a japanese restaurant (God, I miss sushi!), I had my usual miso Soup, but I got adventurous and order a baked black cod on miso and rice vinegar sauce - I passed on the cup of rice it came with and just worked on the fished...chewed the hell out of it and my kids were done while I ate mine for a good 30 minutes, lol...they were so annoyed at the slowness...but yeah, I miss the rice a lot...

yeah, i am going to my surgeon tomorrow. it is not bloated in the morning as much as at night. and yes, i am keeping a food log on what makes it bloat. last night i had a chicken enchalidia. that made me bloat. i just want to see if anyone else is having issues with water weight or stomach bloat. need some suggestions. i know, drink lots of water, log your food, exercise. etc. i just want to know if this is happening to anyone else. and ladies, it seems like i carry water weight one week before and one week after my monthly. never had that issue before either.