Hello Junbies ......

I haven't seen a June Band Crew thread yet so thought I would start it .

I'll be banded on June 9th in Texas. I'm getting very excited about it. I know that the band is just a "tool" to aid in my weight loss journey and it will take a lot of hard work on my part to make it successful. I've been overweight my whole life with the earliest memories being around age 4. Although no one else in my family is overweight, I am extremely fortunate to have full family support in my decision. I know that there are many people who's family doesn't offer the support they need. I would love to meet other pre-bandsters being banded in June to walk with me to the banded side of life and offer each other support.

I wish you all the best.

Melissa Lea :hippie:

Pre-bandster 240 lbs

June 9, 2006

Spivak

self-pay

Sounds good....keep me posted on when you might go.

How are everyone's scars? I bought some of those scar sheets. I should have done that right after the surgery, but I never did.

Socalgal

You may have done yourself a favor by not tending to your scars so quickly. It's scar tissue that keeps the port in place. From comparing notes, Barbara465 and I think we may have too much scar tissue.

All the best with your total unfill. Since so much of this is a mind game--I'm sure you can keep steady and probably continue to lose. Please keep us posted on your unfilled portion of the journey. We'll try to watch your back.

Barbara, I've been using a little lotion (cocoa butter) on my scars--at this point I think scar tissue may no longer be my friend--I know I have lots around my port that may be the cause of it shifting instead of holding it in place.

:update:

Sunday (today) is the first day of our 3rd week of the challenge. Please post your stats on your signature line, pm me or post a message (always nice to read posts) for stats from last Sunday 10/8 - Saturday 10/14. Sorry I'm not much of an inspiration thus far--illness and a chaotic household have held me back. Hope to do better this week. THE POINT IS--JUMP IN ANY TIME, or simply let us know how you are doing without stats. We all learn from your posts.

Regina 7 4 3 (14) - Total Points 24

Housecatgirl 7 2 7 (16) - Total Points - 29

Barbara465 7 4 3 (14) - Total Points - 32

Pinkylee 5 7 3 (15) - Total Points - 31

Gen Ant Us 6 4 0 (10) - Total Points - 24

Cathy 4 4 0 (8) - Total Points - 21

I'm pretty sure that internal scar tissue and external scars are totally different beasts. I was just referring to the outer look of people's scars. I doubt using a cream or an adhesive scar patch have any bearing on internal scar tissue.

I am dropping out of the October challenge. It's just too much for me to track right now. I think it also goes back to comments about not obsessing over the band as well. I'm gonna chill for awhile and see if it works. That said, I've eaten nothing so far today. I tried earlier and I guess I'm still too swollen. I've been drinking water and I took my liquid vitamins and calcium. I'll try again at dinner.

Okay fellow junbies I must confess because i just feel horrible...I have eaten a total of 4 boxes of World's Finest Chocolate covered Almonds.....i didnt really eat much during the day ( we were camping) alot of the things everyone was eating I couldnt because my band just wouldnt let me but it sure let those candies slide on down.....i will never do that again...maybe 2 pieces but not 4 boxes....I feel so ashamed and cant take it back. I can just kick myself!!! I know that i shouldnt be feeling sorry for myself because i am the one that opened my big mouth and shoved it in. I guess i just have to exercise extra hard this week and drink extra water..I may go get a fill tomorrow....anyone else want to share and out of control story? Hopefully next week will be better.

Thanks for letting me vent if any of you read this!!

Cindy:

I had nachos for lunch and loaded potato chips for dinner and 2 (two) glasses of wine. I was out with kids and DH and lately when I'm eating out, most everything sticks but chips or nachos. I'm not much of a drinker and wasn't able to drive and had to sleep over at DD's.

Nachos is my Sunday evening treat--and you guessed it, we had nachos for dinner tonight. No telling what this will do to my weight. This a.m. nothing, but who knows.

I doubt calorie count was so high. I can't eat more than a few ounces, but the salt and fat can't be too helpful.

The wine--I'm glad I had it. Last time I drank too much was probably 1998 or something. I feel much better today about all the chaos created by the install of our new flooring. I also am motivated to "eat healthy" the rest of the week.

Cindy, it's too late to feel bad. Enjoy the binge for what it was--a lapse in good judgement, perhaps being unprepared, or just the need to kick back. The point is, can we get back on track tomorrow?

Let us know how you did and I will do the same. Honest.

ok Here is my update for the october challenge:

1200 Calories per day = 7

water = 4

excercise= 4

Not great but I tried..... have a good week everyone...

Well my friends I had a PB sticking weekend!!!!! The only good news is that I seemed to recover between episodes and it didn't hurt as long as I did with other over fills. Friday night I was able to eat refried beans and chili con queso, but Saturday nothing. I had about 1/4 c of soup both Saturday and Sunday. Not much water. I had more PBs than ever before.

Today I was able to get down a boost. I am now sipping water. I went to work today in a terrible rain storm. I figured it wasn't a good day to try going to the surgicenter for an unfill. Now maybe I won't have to. If I can recover from this I will try to keep going.

I sipped Aloe Vera juice on Sunday, but it made me PB. I'll try again when I get home to see if it helps. I lost 3 lbs and I'm claiming them. They are not going to come back.

My hair continues to fall out. I can run my hand through my hair and see all the strands gathered on my hand. No one can tell, but I know. Hopefully this will stop soon.

I feel some are getting discouraged. I hope not. We must continue to fight this fight. It was never going to be easy. We've got to keep going. I ordered some clothes that arrived on Saturday. I bought smaller sizes and some I didn't expect to get into yet. I was surprised that I could wear two pair of slacks already.

I didn't do well on the October challenge since Friday. I haven't even had 1 bottle of water from Friday until today. I am going to try to get my water in today so I don't dehydrate.

Hang in there everybody. We can do this. Its just not going to be easy.

Barbara, I feel your pain!:omg: I was starting to be able to eat a little last week and then a couple of days ago I started back at tight, tight, tight!:eek: I am really trying to hold out cuz I know the band will eventually loosen a bit on it's own...it is also getting close to my TOM.:think The pain in my chest is almost always there!:faint:

I did the race for the cure yesterday and finished the 5K in just under an hour...I was walking but sorta fast.

Oct. Challenge stats: Calories: 7 Exercise: 7 Water: 2

Socalgal3, the challenge is to help not overwhelm and we applaud your decision. Quite frankly I was ready to call it quits after last weeks worry over port shift and an upsidedown household. Hopefully, you've been able to get something down.

Cindycam, Are you under control today? I am so much better today,

but tried to skip an afternoon snack. A few olives or something would have helped. DH was home early due to street flooding. Our early dinner was spaghetti and meat sauce. I ate more than I wanted to. Was hoping to save some calories for later. I would really like to bust out the next five pounds to get to Onderland. At my rate, it might be two more months and yet I feel so close. Exercise was more intense today. I'm going to plan a little better and see what happens.

Thanks for updates. They are in the post with updates flag.

Glad to hear fills, while not easy, are manageable. Just think how much better we are at handling them vs. our first.

Have a nice evening everyone

Barbara, are you soaked in North Houston? Our street is ok, but entrance to subdivision is a lake.

Well, I did not have a very good weekend. I had my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary party and I was busy and stressed. I know those are no excuses but I gave in. Somebody had a big bag of double stuffed Oreos and I was weak, too weak. They went down so easy and I ate way too many of them. Oreos are the devil. I was so mad at myself. But the good new is that I got cleared for exercise today, so I plan to workout tonight. Hopefully I haven't gained due to the oreo mishap. I have also been slacking on my water since I have been up and around , which is what I thought would happen. I hope to do better on the challenge. the bummer is that I don't have proper scales at home, so I won't know if I have gained until my Dr.'s appointment.

Leila, My prayers are with you, good luck with everything.

October challenge update week of 10/08/06:

Cals under 1200: 6

64 oz.water: 4

Exercise:0

Glad to say I got home safe and sound. I left town at 3:15 so I got home before downtown flooding. I think the worse is over now. My neighborhood is just fine.

Also happy to report that I opened up and was able to eat today. I got in a boost, 50 oz of water, 1/2 c of soup, and 4 peanut butter crackers. I also had refried beans and chili con queso for dinner. I'm so happy this reversed itself and I didn't have to go for an unfill. Maybe I can continue on an even keel the rest of the week.

hi everyone,

i am a prebandster and i have a question about some of the struggles you guys seem to be having... i am trying to be prepared as much as possible for this experience so the question is.... when you think you eat more than you should like in gen ant us example with the oreos or maybe with snacking too much through out the day - are you drinking water to push those snacks down or still just eating till you fill the full feeling in your pouch? it sounds like all of you eat such small amounts that i cant imagine the snacking or a few oreos (compared to the whole bag i can currently eat!) can be adding on pounds. i can see it slowing the wt loss but not adding pounds.... can you guys give me some insite on this??

Kym

I've never been a fast loser. Liquid calories or empty calories don't get burned as efficiently as protein or high fiber foods. If I "binge", it would be maybe 3 cookies. (cookies aren't my problem) My nacho fix is about 10 chips. Seems like a lot when it takes 20 minutes to eat them, but it counts as a meal for me along with queso.

Most "lapses" have never made a permanent gain for me. I stay under 1200 calories, exercise 45 minutes at least 5 times a week unless ill and drink lots of water and calorie free liquids. I doubt my once a week nachos (400 calories) are causing my weight loss to be l/2 - 1 pound a week. I think it's just me.

Many of us struggle to lose even though we really stay with the program. You have no guarantees on how fast or slow you will lose.

Staying under 1200 calories on healthy days and above 1000 on days when nothing wants to stay down is my best bet on food consumption, but in reading numerous posts, those most successful bandsters have an exercise program and remain faithful to it. My slower loss may be due to my age as much as anything.

Remember--there are not too many sedentary bandsters that are fast losers.

Genn

How did you manage to host a party? Are all your bo-bo's healing nicely.

I hope the oreos are leaving you as fast as you ate them. I'm back on track after my nacho and chip fix. It spured me on to increase exercise intensity. I'm feeling much better.