Hey All...need Some Advice.

[beane007 3]

Hi everyone. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts about their successful stories of weight loss and how the lapband has improved the quality of your lives! I too am having a lot of success...I do need some advice though. First, I have a couple of questions. I see that a lot of you have those little bars at the bottom of your posts. It tells you how much weight you lost and how much you have left to get to your goal. Where can I find this? Also, I like the one that shows the date you had surgery...where can I find this one?

About the advice that I need. I was banded on May 23rd, 2012. I've lost 62 pounds so far with my starting weight being 360 being 5'9''. (YAY I'm under 300 lbs!!). I am only 25 years old and a lot of people have been telling me that I won't really need to worry about my skin hanging. I do however notice significant changes occuring. My boobs were a lot bigger and they have lost weight as well as what I call the "kangaroo pouch" area. lol. My mom and other friends and family think that because I am still under 30 years old that my skin has elasticity and that I will be able to avoid skin tightening surgeries, but I am losing weight so fast! I really do want to loose weight and keep my skin tight, so what exercises will help me achieve the goal of not having hanging skin in my arms, legs, kangaroo pouch area, and boobs? I want my skin to be real tight-please keep this in mind when giving me advice. Do you think that because I am 25 I am young enough that my skin will go back to normal?

I have a band that holds 15 ccs and I am at 5 ccs right now. I have an appointment set up for next Thursday and I wanted to get a small fill because sometimes I find myself eating more than what I want to eat. I also can eat things they want you not to eat. I have chicken tenders when my friends and I go out and sometimes I eat a few french fries. For the most part I have been eating hard boiled eggs, chicken, and cheese usually.. I don't eat large portions, this I know for sure because look at how much weight I am losing. For instance tonight I went out with friends and I wound up eating 2 chicken tenders out of the six that were served. I also had 6 french fries. I still sometimes think this is too much because I thought we were only supposed to be able to eat like 2 tablespoons at a time...Am I eating too much?

Also, I find myself having problems being able to eat in the morning, or rather everytime I take my first few bites of a meal. I get an uncomfortable feeling sometimes even when I am only drinking my diet green tea. I think maybe I try drinking too fast or maybe I am eating too fast, but I thought that since it is only liquid it should go down easy and not give me problems. Sometimes I wind up throwing up the liquid and then I try drinking again and things are fine. This doesn't happen often, but I don't enjoy throwing up so any suggestions? I also cannot burp AT ALL since the surgery. Weird right? Is this normal? Whenever I try to burp after drinking something or eating a meal I usually wind up regurgatating whatever it is that is in my stomach so I just don't try to force the air out. I just sit with that uncomfortable feeling of having gas inside my stomach that I know I want out but can't get out of else I will throw up. Is this weird or have any of you experienced this too?

Anyway, I am proud of my weight loss. I am not too worried about the uncomfortable feelings I sometimes get while eating or drinking. I think I am doing pretty well with things since my surgery and I am very happy that I am moving in the right direction. I hope some of you that have been doing this for awhile now can give me some extra insight and tips (especially about the skin thing and exercises I can do to help prevent myself from having to get skin removal surgery!!).

[judych 225]

Hi everyone. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts about their successful stories of weight loss and how the lapband has improved the quality of your lives! I too am having a lot of success...I do need some advice though. First, I have a couple of questions. I see that a lot of you have those little bars at the bottom of your posts. It tells you how much weight you lost and how much you have left to get to your goal. Where can I find this? Also, I like the one that shows the date you had surgery...where can I find this one?

About the advice that I need. I was banded on May 23rd, 2012. I've lost 62 pounds so far with my starting weight being 360 being 5'9''. (YAY I'm under 300 lbs!!). I am only 25 years old and a lot of people have been telling me that I won't really need to worry about my skin hanging. I do however notice significant changes occuring. My boobs were a lot bigger and they have lost weight as well as what I call the "kangaroo pouch" area. lol. My mom and other friends and family think that because I am still under 30 years old that my skin has elasticity and that I will be able to avoid skin tightening surgeries, but I am losing weight so fast! I really do want to loose weight and keep my skin tight, so what exercises will help me achieve the goal of not having hanging skin in my arms, legs, kangaroo pouch area, and boobs? I want my skin to be real tight-please keep this in mind when giving me advice. Do you think that because I am 25 I am young enough that my skin will go back to normal?

I have a band that holds 15 ccs and I am at 5 ccs right now. I have an appointment set up for next Thursday and I wanted to get a small fill because sometimes I find myself eating more than what I want to eat. I also can eat things they want you not to eat. I have chicken tenders when my friends and I go out and sometimes I eat a few french fries. For the most part I have been eating hard boiled eggs, chicken, and cheese usually.. I don't eat large portions, this I know for sure because look at how much weight I am losing. For instance tonight I went out with friends and I wound up eating 2 chicken tenders out of the six that were served. I also had 6 french fries. I still sometimes think this is too much because I thought we were only supposed to be able to eat like 2 tablespoons at a time...Am I eating too much?

Also, I find myself having problems being able to eat in the morning, or rather everytime I take my first few bites of a meal. I get an uncomfortable feeling sometimes even when I am only drinking my diet green tea. I think maybe I try drinking too fast or maybe I am eating too fast, but I thought that since it is only liquid it should go down easy and not give me problems. Sometimes I wind up throwing up the liquid and then I try drinking again and things are fine. This doesn't happen often, but I don't enjoy throwing up so any suggestions? I also cannot burp AT ALL since the surgery. Weird right? Is this normal? Whenever I try to burp after drinking something or eating a meal I usually wind up regurgatating whatever it is that is in my stomach so I just don't try to force the air out. I just sit with that uncomfortable feeling of having gas inside my stomach that I know I want out but can't get out of else I will throw up. Is this weird or have any of you experienced this too?

Anyway, I am proud of my weight loss. I am not too worried about the uncomfortable feelings I sometimes get while eating or drinking. I think I am doing pretty well with things since my surgery and I am very happy that I am moving in the right direction. I hope some of you that have been doing this for awhile now can give me some extra insight and tips (especially about the skin thing and exercises I can do to help prevent myself from having to get skin removal surgery!!).

hi beanie007..... First of all i just want to say how proud i am that you have done so well.... its a magnificent achievement so far and you should be really proud of yourself. I cant give you any advice on loose skin, perhaps someone else can do that.. im going on 66 and my skin isnt going to bounce back, not the way i would like, lol, but hey, im not complaining. lol. REgarding the difficulty that you experience at the beginning of a meal?a lot seem to have this... and i do at times as well. some do have a few sips of a hot drink to help relax the band then??and just wait a little while??

in fact, i must try that. but, mostly, it seems that if you wait the discomfort out then you can continue with your meal. that happens with me.

it must be difficult not being able to burp through your meal. i find everytime that if i put my hands on my head and push my chest forward, and wait , the wind will come up. this is worth a try.(you would need to give this a little time to work though ) theres nothing like having wind in your pouch to give you a lot of discomfort, i know. its one of my problems.

AS for having the very few bits of chicken and chips? i do that as well... i dont see anything wrong with it, and obviously its not interfering with your weight loss... i wouldnt worry too much about that. it does show you that you can eat more of a variety, with a great deal of moderation, but you can do it.

that in itself must be a comfort. i wouldnt worry about it being the']'wrong food'' . Obviously its not hurting you.

I cant think of any other advice to give you, other than the hands above the head ..... but i am impressed with your efforts. you are doing magnificently. I congratulate you. hugs judy

[beane007 3]

Thanks Judy. I am definitely going to try to do the hands above the head thing. I appreciate your help and support.

Kristine

[PattyGirl66 1,243]

Hi Kristine,

You weight loss numbers are impressive in such a small amount of time. Whatever you are doing is working for 'you'. We all lose weight differently and at our own pace. Its wonderful you can still mingle and go out with your friends and eat at fast food places and you are still aware of the calories/fat you are eatting. I mean think about it since when did you or any of us sit down and eat 2 chicken strips and 6 french fries and stop? You seem to have a lot of will power and contro, good for you!

Keep doing what you are doing, it is working. Don't worry about extra skin you are very young and more than likely the skin will bounce right back

Congrats on your weight loss and continued success!

-Patty

[beane007 3]

Congrats on joining us in our lapband journey's Patty. I see you got your surgery on July 25th. How are things since the big day? You've lost 40 lbs already!! I'm very happy for you. I appreciate your support and I totally agree. I never would go out and eat two chicken strips and 6 french fries before! This is really a great tool to help us all accomplish our goals. I am so happy I did this and I look forward to losing more weight over the next year. Good luck with your Journey and if you need any advice on anything let me know. I will try to help you out if I know the answers to your questions. Take care!

-Kristine

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

Hi everyone. I really enjoy reading everyone's posts about their successful stories of weight loss and how the lapband has improved the quality of your lives! I too am having a lot of success...I do need some advice though. First, I have a couple of questions. I see that a lot of you have those little bars at the bottom of your posts. It tells you how much weight you lost and how much you have left to get to your goal. Where can I find this? Also, I like the one that shows the date you had surgery...where can I find this one?

About the advice that I need. I was banded on May 23rd, 2012. I've lost 62 pounds so far with my starting weight being 360 being 5'9''. (YAY I'm under 300 lbs!!). I am only 25 years old and a lot of people have been telling me that I won't really need to worry about my skin hanging. I do however notice significant changes occuring. My boobs were a lot bigger and they have lost weight as well as what I call the "kangaroo pouch" area. lol. My mom and other friends and family think that because I am still under 30 years old that my skin has elasticity and that I will be able to avoid skin tightening surgeries, but I am losing weight so fast! I really do want to loose weight and keep my skin tight, so what exercises will help me achieve the goal of not having hanging skin in my arms, legs, kangaroo pouch area, and boobs? I want my skin to be real tight-please keep this in mind when giving me advice. Do you think that because I am 25 I am young enough that my skin will go back to normal?

I have a band that holds 15 ccs and I am at 5 ccs right now. I have an appointment set up for next Thursday and I wanted to get a small fill because sometimes I find myself eating more than what I want to eat. I also can eat things they want you not to eat. I have chicken tenders when my friends and I go out and sometimes I eat a few french fries. For the most part I have been eating hard boiled eggs, chicken, and cheese usually.. I don't eat large portions, this I know for sure because look at how much weight I am losing. For instance tonight I went out with friends and I wound up eating 2 chicken tenders out of the six that were served. I also had 6 french fries. I still sometimes think this is too much because I thought we were only supposed to be able to eat like 2 tablespoons at a time...Am I eating too much?

Also, I find myself having problems being able to eat in the morning, or rather everytime I take my first few bites of a meal. I get an uncomfortable feeling sometimes even when I am only drinking my diet green tea. I think maybe I try drinking too fast or maybe I am eating too fast, but I thought that since it is only liquid it should go down easy and not give me problems. Sometimes I wind up throwing up the liquid and then I try drinking again and things are fine. This doesn't happen often, but I don't enjoy throwing up so any suggestions? I also cannot burp AT ALL since the surgery. Weird right? Is this normal? Whenever I try to burp after drinking something or eating a meal I usually wind up regurgatating whatever it is that is in my stomach so I just don't try to force the air out. I just sit with that uncomfortable feeling of having gas inside my stomach that I know I want out but can't get out of else I will throw up. Is this weird or have any of you experienced this too?

Anyway, I am proud of my weight loss. I am not too worried about the uncomfortable feelings I sometimes get while eating or drinking. I think I am doing pretty well with things since my surgery and I am very happy that I am moving in the right direction. I hope some of you that have been doing this for awhile now can give me some extra insight and tips (especially about the skin thing and exercises I can do to help prevent myself from having to get skin removal surgery!!).

sounds like you are doing a great job and being a youngster compared to me, i wouldnt worry about alittle skin sagging..would you rather be over 300 again or have some sagginess? i'll take the sagginess.

also, eating too fast or too big of bites could make you uncomfortable feeling. just slow down and take tensy bites. also i rarely burp myself so i dont knpw if that is so unusual.

anyhow, all the best to you. your doing great.

[cfurrey 53]

Kudos on the awesome weight loss! I too have problems eating in the morning! I usually wait till about ten if im hungry to try and eat someone told me to drink hot coffee but that really upset my tummy! I talked to my nutritionist and she says try and sip on stuff and if not hungry dont worry! So thats what i do i play it by ear! They say allot of bands have a mind of their own! Picky picky lol continue what ur doing because its working amazingly!

[honk 780]

I have lost about 170 pounds and have very limited skin sag. Probably the "worst" is under my chin where I used to have 3 chins. I am 42.

As to being only able to eat 2 Tablespoons. Who thinks up this stuff. No you need to eat 3 oz of solid Protein per meal. PLUS non starch veggies and some fruit. That is WAY MORE than 2 tablespoons! Sorry, but this mentality drives me nuts and I think is bad advice for new bandsters.

Eating out with friends is a normal social activity. My question would be how often? Is it weekly? If so I would recommend finding lower fat options. For example a baked potato with salsa would be a much lower fat/cal option.

[running_scared 125]

I'm with Honk. You should aim to eat between 1/2 and a cup of food at a meal. 1/2 a cup is 8 tablespoons, just for reference.

And good job on the loss! I'd say you have good restriction now, and maybe don't need another fill just yet, but see what your doctor says.

[beane007 3]

Thanks everyone! I am so excited to come back online and find people giving me helpful advice. Good luck to you all!

Kristine

[thetxdiva 20]

Hi! My name is Megan I am 26 years old and started out my journey at 342 pounds. It was a very scary reality check to come to the realization that I was as big as I was, when I finally got on a scale to face my dreaded number. SCARY SCARY! I have lost 62 pounds, and my surgery was April 24th. I am glad to hear you are having such great luck with your diet.

I however do stay away from all things fried, and I really do watch my carbohydrate intake. I eat a lot of Quinoa (as a carby item), and some Cous Cous as it is a much starchier side dish. I am not scared to go out to eat with my friends. As tempting as the fried food choices are, I always go for baked or steamed foods. You can always find extremely flavorful foods, but they are much better for you and your goals. I know as a young woman, I also fear for the "skin sagging". I actually find myself becoming more fearful of this when I read other peoples struggles throughout their journeys. I am constantly reminding myself that everyone's journey is different.

My mom has been a major factor in the back of my head. When she was in her 30s she weighed about 255 pounds. She 105 pounds naturally and has kept it off for 20 years now. She is an inspiration to my journey (although I could never readily admit that to her as my weight has been a dreadful issue in regards to our relationship since I was a young girl.) Regardless, she lost her weight through diet and portion changes, and she worked out like a HORSE!!! She has done Jazzersize, then taught Jazzersize, owned her own Jazzercise center... and to this day you would not think she was the mother of 3 girls. She has no skin issues, and I highly believe that this is due to her intense need for working out. It is something I am desperately trying to motivate myself to do at least 4 days a week.

Motivation, motivation, motivation. I am slowly seeing changes in my body. My face has definitely changed. I am seeing my abdomen shrink. As much as I love seeing the weight fall off (such a relief), it is also scary for me. Almost as much as being obese is scary. My outer protective shell is melting away. Now it's just me. I have a goal to reach 155 pounds, as this is the middle range of my healthy weight at my height. So total goal would have been to lose 187 pounds. It's a large goal. So I have broken it down to 50 pound increments.

I just want to say i am excited to see someone with relatively the same stats as me. And I hope you don't mind that I follow your weight loss story.

I hope to see more from you!

Meg