Hello everyone. I thought I would share my experience from the start with everyone. Today is my first day on my liquid diet, and so far so good. I will be banded on May 1st. I woke up hungry, but quickly made my protein shake and was satisfied. I picked out two really good flavors; banana and orange cream. Can't really say I miss food yet. I was going to take my son for a walk, but it is raining so I plan on using the treadmill. My starting weight is 270.

Thanks. Your words of encouragement and just having you to talk to has helped me tremendously.

I cannot imagine doing this alone. I'm lucky I have the support of my family, but it means something completely different to have the support of someone who has actually done it. Please feel free to email me anytime.

Linda

.Happy to help . Please post about your fill so I know what to expect. I requested the next day off just in case. I have lost 17 pounds since surgery. And 10 on the diet before surgery total 27 yippi ... :)... My feet don't swell. Good bye sleep apnea , good bye high cholesterol . A reason to keep working hard to get healthy.

You are an inspiration to all of us! Thank you for sharing your information.

Linda

Thanks for checking in!!! Just want to say your so awesome Linda!!!

So I weighed myself on the 31st and I weighed in at 254, I was sad, but happy at the same time. I had gained weight and went up to 259 and wanted to cry. So being at 254 is better than 259. I plan on to keep working on my diet and walking. I'm still waiting for my fill and hope that helps me. I will get down to my 240's if it takes all the strength I have. I love taking my dog for walks and when we move I want to get another dog so I can keep walking. I still use my treadmill, but I feel so much better when I take a walk outside. I can't wait to be able to run on my treadmill again just waiting on the docs approval. When we move I plan on going to the mountains where my mom lives and go hiking and during the winter I like to snowboard. I also want to try to do volunteer work to keep myself busy and moving. I miss my family and I'm so glad we are going to be closer to them and can have their support. I still love all the support I get from all of you and will continue to keep posting. I know I might miss a few days, but I still come back and post. I have been so busy with my kids, getting ready to move, and school.

I admire your energy! I think it might be normal to have small setbacks, especially at first. I don't know for sure, I'm just thinking everything else in life works that way. I don't have a dog right now to walk for exercise, but I've been trying to train my cat to walk on a leash. lol Not going well. I'm sure it helps you to stay so busy with kids and being involved in things. I'm going to look into things I can volunteer for on my level of activity in my area... thank you for the suggestion.

I had problems with exercise induced vertigo a bit ago. The doctor agreed. Motion makes me sick. I'm going to try different sorts of things starting this week. I had been exercising an hour a day - seven days a week. I'd ride the recumbent bike, do crunches and push ups. I also do specific leg exercises to strengthen my knee where I had a replacement. Now that the weather is nice, I think I'll do short walks to start with.

Keep going. Even when its hard. I tell myself that every day.

Linda

Just checking in to see how you're doing! I know you have a lot on your plate right now (odd analogy - sorry).

Linda

I seen my dr today and he said I am doing a great job! No fill for me today 27 pounds gone

You are all very inspirational. Hi, I am beginning all of my pre-op tests and unfortunately have the 6 month supervised diet with my doctor. I've been researching and researching and researching and have been spending alot of time here seeing what people's experiences have been.

You are doing great...I am hoping to have the band as soon as I can...

Looking forward to following your progress and to continue to be inspired by you!

Thanks!

You are all very inspirational. Hi' date=' I am beginning all of my pre-op tests and unfortunately have the 6 month supervised diet with my doctor. I've been researching and researching and researching and have been spending alot of time here seeing what people's experiences have been.

You are doing great...I am hoping to have the band as soon as I can...

Looking forward to following your progress and to continue to be inspired by you!

Thanks![/quote']

The 6 months will go by so fast. I had to do a 3 month supervised diet but I was research before I stared my 3 month diet. It took me 7 months to move forward and I was banded on May 1 good luck.

I have always wanted to do the extreme couponing' date=' but don't have the confidence of those I see on the show. I used to do freebies though, and it was fun. Do they have coupons for the shakes and stuff we have to drink?

Linda[/quote']

I have always been a shy kinda layed back person so at first couponing was intimidating, but then I got the hang of it and went crazy. I have couponed in like 8-9 months and lets just say I still have enough detergent, softener, dryer sheets, tooth brushes, tooth paste, mouth wash, deodorant, soap, body wash, candles, shampoo, conditioner, Chapstick, razors, carpet powder, frebreze, hand soap, hair products, pasta, frozen veggies, and I'm sure there is stuff I forgot, but I don't need to shop for that stuff for several more months. I actually will have to give some stuff away since the army is moving us and they will not take food or liquids and we don't want to over crowd our car. I never want to be on that show, I would feel overwhelmed. It took a lot of work to coupon like I did, but it was worth it. The people on the show make it look easy and I read that the show takes them to special places to shop and that some people were using fake coupons which cost 1 store owner 1 million dollars. GNC will come out with coupons and atkins as well as slim fast come out will coupons and Walgreens is know for dropping their prices for atkins and slim fast drinks through out the summer, combine that with a in store coupon and manufacture coupon and it could be free or close to free.

I cannot imagine doing this alone. I'm lucky I have the support of my family' date=' but it means something completely different to have the support of someone who has actually done it. Please feel free to email me anytime.

Linda[/quote']

I have family support to a degree. I mean my husband supports me all the way, but my mom and sister it's a little different. They support me, but always criticize me for everything. I'm happy to be moving close to them again, but don't want to hear negative comments. I know I will feel uncomfortable eating around them and I wish it didn't have to be that way. When I first told them about wanting to get the surgery I just kept getting you can lose it on your own you don't need surgery. My sister and my mom have always been around their ideal weight give or take 20 pounds. I told them I have tried to diet and I'm still the same and the lap band was my last hope and that I was doing it for myself. They eventually came around and supported me, but when I call them I still get lectures on what to eat and to exercise plus the third degree on how much weight have I lost and then the sound of disappointment since I didn't lose more. Just wish it was different, but that's them and I can't change them, just myself and then maybe they will come more around to treating me normal. Thank you for listening and letting me vent. I know my husband is probably tired of hearing me vent...lol....

I admire your energy! I think it might be normal to have small setbacks' date=' especially at first. I don't know for sure, I'm just thinking everything else in life works that way. I don't have a dog right now to walk for exercise, but I've been trying to train my cat to walk on a leash. lol Not going well. I'm sure it helps you to stay so busy with kids and being involved in things. I'm going to look into things I can volunteer for on my level of activity in my area... thank you for the suggestion.

I had problems with exercise induced vertigo a bit ago. The doctor agreed. Motion makes me sick. I'm going to try different sorts of things starting this week. I had been exercising an hour a day - seven days a week. I'd ride the recumbent bike, do crunches and push ups. I also do specific leg exercises to strengthen my knee where I had a replacement. Now that the weather is nice, I think I'll do short walks to start with.

Keep going. Even when its hard. I tell myself that every day.

Linda[/quote']

Thanks. I finally got a hold of my dietician yesterday. I have a appointment with her on the 13th before my fill. She is going to give me a recipe book. I told her everything and came clean about my bad food choices. She told me it was normal to feel more hungry after surgery before a fill and that I should not worry about it to much, because the fills are whats going to help me. She also said to eat protein with every meal and eat the protein first. I felt a little lost for a bit, but I'm glad I finally talked to her and I will have a list of questions for her and my doctor on the 13th. She said I might be able to get a second fill before I move and to talk to my doctor about that, I hope I can. I'm so ready to lose more weight. Lol about walking the cat, my daughter wants to get a cat and walk it on a leash. I want to get a big dog who will push me to my limits by trying to keep up with him/her. My dog is little and I think he is around 9 years old, we rescued him from the pound in 2007 so I don't know exactly how old he is they just guessed. He likes to go for walks sometimes, but most the time he just wants to lay around. Yes my kids keep me busy especially the 2 year old, he is so full of energy. When we move they are all going into sports. Anything to keep them busy and me so I don't think about

food. Your welcome about the suggestion for doing volunteer work, I think it's awesome to give back and help others and anything to keep me busy and not bored helps me to.

Walking is good to start off with and it sounds like you have already been doing good on exercising. My daughter and I want to try the insanity workouts from tv. They seem really hard, but if I keep trying I know I will get better and get good results. I was watching that show I used to be fat yesterday and it inspired me to workout harder and push myself to my max.

That's a good motto to have (keep going, even when its hard). I think I need to leave myself sticky notes everywhere to remind myself to keep pushing through everyday. I'm also going to set a goal weight and make a calendar like on the show I used to be fat and rip one page page off everyday to see if I make my goal weight in the amount of time I plan. I may surprise myself and if I don't make it then I will just keep working on it until I set another goal. One day at a time.

Just checking in to see how you're doing! I know you have a lot on your plate right now (odd analogy - sorry).

Linda

Lol... I didn't even associate plate with food. I understood what you meant, but when you said odd analogy I bursted out laughing thinking of what it sounded like. That was a good one Linda. I had my anniversary on June 4th and it went nice. I weighed myself the next day and I'm down to 253. I wish it was more, but it is what it is and I haven't walked in the last few days. Can't wait to be moved and have less stress, hopefully.

I seen my dr today and he said I am doing a great job! No fill for me today 27 pounds gone

Why no fill? Your doing an excellent job! 27 pounds is something to be proud of.

You are all very inspirational. Hi' date=' I am beginning all of my pre-op tests and unfortunately have the 6 month supervised diet with my doctor. I've been researching and researching and researching and have been spending alot of time here seeing what people's experiences have been.

You are doing great...I am hoping to have the band as soon as I can...

Looking forward to following your progress and to continue to be inspired by you!

Thanks![/quote']

Congrats on starting your new journey. Follow all the insurance requirements and you will be having your surgery before you know it. I unfortunately was told different that I only had to do a 3 month diet and I really was suppose to do a 6 month. So when my paperwork was submitted I was denied the first time. I ended up having to wait over a year. So I learned when in doubt call your insurance company and follow their guidelines and it pays off in the end. Linda is just starting her journey as well, maybe you two can keep in touch to. Keep us posted. Best of luck.

I seen my dr today and he said I am doing a great job! No fill for me today 27 pounds gone

That's FANTASTIC! Keep up the good work, and let us know how it's going. :-)

You are all very inspirational. Hi, I am beginning all of my pre-op tests and unfortunately have the 6 month supervised diet with my doctor. I've been researching and researching and researching and have been spending alot of time here seeing what people's experiences have been.

You are doing great...I am hoping to have the band as soon as I can...

Looking forward to following your progress and to continue to be inspired by you!

Thanks!

Seems like you and I are close to the same place in our journey. Tawnya has been a major inspiration to me. I assume you've had *the class* by now if you're on your way. How was it?

Linda