Positive people unite! This thread is being created for the sole use of positive people to give positive reinforcement to others in the group that we care about. We know that we may disagree on some issues but we will offer constructive criticism, objective suggestions, we will always give kind support even when delivering the occasional (but necessary) kick in the pants.

Mark:lol::thumbup:! "Mark" and I started farming on Farmville on the same day, I have like 30K points he has over 300K. But his farm is full so maybe he will be back soon. And by the way, Elfie is there on FB too. I wish you would join us. You don't have to farm or even be in Elfie's mafia if you don't want to.

Betsy--I am with you on the slow loss not adding up like it should, but a 1900 deficit! WOW! That is great. I have been hovering around 900-1200.

I did lose 1 pound plus the "3" real or imagined BB ones. I am getting up the courage now to go run the first day on week 3 of C25K. It involves running for 3 min straight. I'm scared.

Karen--How was your performance yesterday? Was your sore throat gone? Lets have a BB report!

Katie--Glad you feel better, optimism is a great thing, I think attitude is 90% of making the body band work.

Annie--I would save the BB for later in your journey. I think it is for really fine tuning the program. Heck, your already getting a head start on me by exercising this early in your process. I was stubborn and didn't start until a couple of months in.

Hey Leigha--thanks for asking! My throat held out surprisingly enough to get by. I just had to break my sets up in 2 songs in a clip, not 4, but I have absolutely NO voice right now (hope it comes back because we have another gig this Saturday LOL---gotta love wedding season!)

So, BB update--I am steady burning 2400-2450 calories per day, and maintaining a 1,250 calorie deficit. Still at 167 (as I was last Thursday), so no fluctuation yet. I barely ate anything yesterday because I didn't feel too well, so I need to be cognizant of my intake--if mine goes too low, it's not good--I need to maintain around 1100 with the way I'm working out. The display thing is so cool though. On Saturday, my hubby and I were taking a break at the wedding and eating and he's watching my display jump 2 calories, then 4 LOL. I told him to watch what happens when I start singing and moving around--he was amazed. SO very cool! I love this thing so much! Let's hope I can keep losing. The only thing that peeves me is the nutrition thing. I'm not sure how accurate it is. Daily plate has EVERYTHING. It's just nuts how few things I eat seem to be in their database. Other than that, how can I talk crap on something that took me out of a 9 week plateau?

Saw you ran 3 mins without stopping and struggling to breathe! Girl, you are SO my hero! Good for you! You are just amazing...

Going to catch up on everyone else's posts now. Yesterday was freaking nuts and I didn't get to log on too much.

:wub:I am 18 days postop. I am so grateful for the surgery and also the removal of a hematoma that was a complication from a previous surgery ( the hematome, about the size of a baseball) I have lost 12.5 pounds since the day before surgery. I am eating about 1100 to 1400 calories. This may sound like alot to some but I know if I eat less than that my body thinks it is starving and holds on to the weight.

I excercised to "Zumba" today for a full 20 minutes. It is a totally fun latin dance excercise dvd. I felt I hit a mini goal.

I am hopeful for 1.5 to 2 lbs a week on average. If I loose 6 lbs a month I will be at my goal by my band aniversary date. My first goal will be 170 and my second goal will be 140. I don't want to loose too quickly. I have seen people loose too quickly and they look horrible and unhealthy. Eating a balance of fats, carbs and protiens will keep my hair and skin healthy. Being over 50 that is so important to not let the weightloss age me anymore than I already am.

My restriction is very comfortable right now. I am about 3 cc's and I go for a fill in 1 week. I am not sure I want too much of a fill I will need. My attitude is this band is a tool. I will not look at it as a "cure". I am grateful I can sit down with a small meal and not be hungry afterwards. Wow! that is awesome. One of the main things that has helped is not eating until I am physically hungry. I am finding other activities when I have head hunger or deal with the root of the head hunger. That is such an important difference than before. Well that is all for now!:thumbup:

Best wishes for all on this journey!

Lee Anne

WOW, I've missed a ton in just a few days! ITA with everyone else--I've sooo missed the smart a$$ element to our thread, so welcome Ron! Just so you know, I literally spewed water after I saw the diagram of the dog. Holy funny!!!!

Katie, Willowcast and Mandze -- welcome to all of you! So glad you've joined our crazy little thread :-)!

HB-- How are you feeling? Any issues today after the fill? I am scheduled to go in on Thursday but I don't know if the doc is going to give me any because I don't feel anything LOL. I mean hunger pains here and there and I can still eat more than I should, but I'm not crazy ravenous like I used to be. Could I be at the sweet spot? Again, I will never figure this out! Congrats on the size 14 and I'm sorry to hear about your hair. Did you get it fixed yet?

Lee Anne-- Zumba is so much fun, isn't it? I do those dvds every now and then when I want to change things up.

Bobbie-- I have heard the fitbit is a great rival to the BB. Actually, the woman who lives on the BB facebook page, Elizabeth Sherman, is testing the Fit Bit and doing daily comparisons of it to the BB. I hear that they are close :-) I saw you had an awesome first day at work. SO glad to hear it!!!

Betsy--1900 calorie deficit? I thought I was a bad a$$ at 1250! You go, girl! So, I take it you are absolutely loving your Bugg :-)

Denise- So glad you're having a good time with your sister in Sedona!

Anne-- hang in there. You will see onederland before you know it. I promise :-)!

Lee Anne, I really like your outlook. :thumbup:

Welcome to Kate, Ron, Mark

Welcome Lee Anne--agree with Leigha--you have a great outlook and understanding of the journey

Karen--"Eff" Mr. Plateau lol good for you. I can't wait to use my BB--I had a fill today so I decided I better wait to when I was back to normal eating

Way to go Betsy on the calorie deficit.

My second fill went okay. My port is still awkard, but not as deep, so still some soreness, but nothing like the first fill attempt. I got 2.5 ccs for a total of 5.5. I am hungry, so that was not a good sign sweet spot wise, however, I went in ravenous because I had had no food--just shakes. Hope for more restriction at least

I have a question--I seem to lose better when I have a protein shake versus solid food for breakfast although I get the same amount protein. I did not do shakes for breakfast last week and I did not lose. I drank one for breakfast and lunch today and dropped a pound since yesterday when I weighed at the doctor's office? Is this just coincidence? I noticed it has happened before and have read other posters have had the same experience.

Edited May 18, 201016 yr by shadst8

Katie- good for you on running 3 minutes. When i started I could run 30 seconds. I got up to 4 minutes but then I stopped getting on the treadmill for almost 2 months. When I got back on last night I could only do 2 minutes. So I learned a lesson, I stop and so does my progress.

My 2nd fill was really "the one". These last 2 tiny fills have just been "maintence fills" to tweek things a bit.

I played it safe today with yogurt and stuff, so I'm not sure if it did the trick yet. I am so close to 90 & 100 lbs lost I can taste it!

Shadst8, I had a little giggle at your expence......sorry.......tee hee. "Mark" is really Bob. People were calling him by other names like Brian, Mike, & Mark. We all had a good laugh about it for awhile.

I'm not sure about the shake vs. solid for breakfast. Most of the time I drink a shake for breakfast just because I can't handle solids early in the day.

Edited May 19, 201016 yr by Humming Bird

My 2nd fill was really "the one". These last 2 tiny fills have just been "maintence fills" to tweek things a bit.

I played it safe today with yogurt and stuff, so I'm not sure if it did the trick yet. I am so close to 90 & 100 lbs lost I can taste it!

Shadst8, I had a little giggle at your expence......sorry.......tee hee. "Mark" is really Bob. People were calling him by other names like Brian, Mike, & Mark. We all had a good laugh about it for awhile.

I'm not sure about the shake vs. solid for breakfast. Most of the time I drink a shake for breakfast just because I can't handle solids early in the day.

Yeah when I went back--I laughed too--truthfully had skimmed the thread--hard to keep up now!!:w00t: Heck Bob/mark/brian has been gone so long--he may need a welcome to thread again!

It has only been in the last week or two when I have zero restriction that I have done solids. Go figure--drinking shakes anyway since just got fill, so it does matter "As the lapband turns..."

Edited May 19, 201016 yr by shadst8

Good morning everyone. Well its 3 am and I have been up for 2 hours. This is not exactly what I want to be doing right now, when I have to get up and go to work tomorrow I am really going to pay for this. I am having major stress and its really affecting my sleeping but there is nothing I can do to change the things that are stressing me so I don't have any solutions just complaints.:laugh:

Hey Leigha, Well here it is 2:30am MT and I'm reading your post. I too am a non sleeper when I'm stressed. Have a cup of tea and relax. I have to work in the morning too. I start solid soft foods tomorrow (today) and am a little nervous about it. Silly, I know, but again fear of the unknown. Hope the tea helps.

Katie

Leigha, I hope your situation works out for the best. Life is just so full of stress sometimes. I too am dealing with a stressful situation right now that I have no control over. These are the times when I used to pack on weight. The loss of sleep ..... then the being tired from it all ....... then eating for energy.

Katie, when I started soft foods yogurt and cream of wheat really helped me. Just go slow and things will be fine.

Leigha, HB, Katie--it is a stressful time? I have not had a good night sleep in a week. I am an Assistant Principal--between budget cuts and shifting of administrators, so I definitely can relate

Been 2 days since my fill--so very tight this morning--having to drink my shake slowly--the first tiny sip gave the signal pain! This tightness is new--but the band is a soap opera!

Leigha, I hope that whatever is bothering you eases up, and that today is easier than last night was!

Katie, Don't be scared to eat, it will be fine. Just remember even if you don't have restriction, pretend you do. Only eat small portions, cut everything up into very small pieces and chew, chew, chew. The sooner you learn these habits the better it will be. I relied on cottage cheese a lot during that stage. (Make sure thats on your Dr's list first)

Shammah--Don't get me started on the sad state of our education finance situation in this country, we would have to move to the rants forum for that my liberal side gets really bristly when I think of how we treat our educators. My stepson is a teacher and my other stepsons wife is a principal and between the budget cuts and the assorted BS I don't know how y'all do it.

Crystl--I hope your situation resolves itself soon. Stress sucks.

Today is going to be one of the worst days I have had in a while. I do 2 things to support myself, I have rent houses and I have a small car lot where we sell cars but we also have a rent to own program for people who can not get financed.

Well I have a young couple in one of my rent houses who started the month with a hot check, then it was I will pay you tomorrow, 2 more days, my bank account is messed up my husband gets paid Friday and so on until yesterday when I finally said no more, then the girl tells me that her husband moved out, she has no job, no car, her family lives 2 states away, and she has 4 kids under 5 years old, no money and has nowhere to go. And today I have to go and give her the eviction papers. I cant afford to let her live there free, I still have to pay the house payment, taxes, and insurance. I cant support me and her too. :thumbup:

Then I have a girl in one of my cars who's insurance is due to cancel today, because of the way the cars are titled if she is in a wreck and someone is hurt they can sue her and us so insurance is vital. I could literally lose everything if someone is driving one of my cars without coverage. I have been calling her all week and she wont return my calls so I have a feeling that she isn't going to pay so if not I have to go and pick up her car tonight. I like what I do because in East Texas there is no public transportation and we help people who have no other options on getting a car but when it comes down to this it really sucks. :thumbup:

So basically I have to be an ogre today. :laugh:

Katie, Don't be scared to eat, it will be fine. Just remember even if you don't have restriction, pretend you do. Only eat small portions, cut everything up into very small pieces and chew, chew, chew. The sooner you learn these habits the better it will be. I relied on cottage cheese a lot during that stage. (Make sure thats on your Dr's list first)

Thanks Leigha, That's exactly how I plan to proceed. Don't know if I have restriction or not, but have been abiding the rules of 1/2 cup serving, and today the "chewing" starts. And your advice to "pretend I do have restriction is great". Ultimately I am a rule follower and so it shall be. It is a long weekend here in Candada and we fly Victoria, B.C. this afternoon, and I know that when eating out, soup is always a posiibility. That's probably what I'm most concerned about - is not being in the comfort of my home for this next transition.

Good luck with your day. Things like this are never easy. I have been an employer in my company for 28 years, and there are always situations that are far more difficult to handle than others. I can tell that you really do take it personally and to heart and it has an emotional toll.

Have a great weekend everyone..........

Katie