Hi folks....here it is....the new thread for our May Crew July Chat.

Happy 4th of July to everyone!!! I wish everyone a safe and fun holiday!!!

Hey Marci,

I usually care less about popcorn, but, every once in a while, for some strange reason, I get a terrible craving for either popcorn or kettlecorn.

A couple of weeks ago, I found the 100 calorie bags in the grocery store. They are great. They are really low calorie and just the right size to satisfy a craving without having a ton left over to tempt me. I especialy like the kettlecorn. It also satisfies when I am craving something sweet.

:clap2: :clap2: NSV'S ROCK MY SOCKS!!!!:clap2: :clap2:

Didnt it feel awesome! im finding all kinds of old clothes that fit! I LOVE IT!!!!! :clap2:

Way to go Marci! I love being able to wear clothes that I thought were too small!:clap2:

Well, I've decided not to weigh again until this Saturday, I seem to be stuck on a plateau for the last week or so. I will update my challenge info next week.

I am supposed to get my first fill on July 18th, but I was hoping that I wouldn't need to. If my weight doesn't go down by a couple of pounds by then, I guess I'll go ahead with it. I think I'm just afraid of the fills because I'm enjoying being able to eat what I want just in smaller portions and I don't want to experience a PB! The following are the criteria that my surgeon's office provided to help me decide if I need a fill... 1. Have your food quantities increased?( I don't feel like my quantities have increased much if any, but I may need to make smarter food choices. 2. Are you staying full after eating for at least 3- 4 hours? I do seem to stay full for ate least 3 hours, but I seemed to be getting tempted to snack. 3. Are you losing weight? We will see on Saturday! I think my TOM has had me all out of wack too! How are you guys that haven't had your first fill yet doing?

Guess what?! I rode my bike for a mile last night and swam 40 lengths of my pool! I also did some standard water aeorobics exercises! I felt great afterward, though a little winded. My goal is to be able to swim a mile in my pool (thats like 115 laps) so I'm going to try to increase by 10 laps daily! Wish me luck everyone!

I hope you guys are all doing well, it seems like we are all coasting right along. Good luck again everyone!:cheer2:

Kim ~ WhooHoo on the NSV!! :welldone:I don't think I've lost 2 sizes yet, but then again, I haven't been shopping. Still wearing my baggies. There seems to be a lot of us with the TOM this week. I just started yesterday and it should have been this past Sun. I was getting a bit concerned. So far, I've stayed the same. Reality is I could eat a HUGE chocolate bunny or anything chocolate for that matter. This is the hardest time for me b/c of the sweet & salt cravings I get with the TOM. chicken salad helps with the salty cravings. BTW, great job on the swimming too!! You inspire me. We joined the Y last week and the boys start swim lessons next week. I plan to work out while their swimming with the teacher.

In answer to your question about calories, I am getting around 1000 daily. I was using the FitDay.com, but I was getting tired of entering new info everytime I ate a meal. I wished they had a more thorough food list. Plus with 2 little ones, I barely get my shower in let alone post everything I eat. I should make time for that though...it is important.

Marci ~ :wow2: Good for you girl....keep it up!! I barely remember size 18. I WILL see it again someday soon. Also, CONGRATULATIONS on your anniversary of 27 yrs. Do I understand you correctly that your anniversary is on the 10th? We were married 7 yrs on July 10th as well. The kids & DH are recovering from strep, so we put off date night and will do it another time. Such is life with kids.

Violetflame ~ Welcome to the May Bandsters Group!! You will find this a great place for support as well as the entire site of LBT!!! :welcome2:

Dearies:

I have not had time to post but I really wanted to tell you all about my nsv. I shopped in the cutie boutique across from the coffee shop! Regular size clothes!!!! OK stretch XL clothes-but from the cutie boutique. My first fill is scheduled for July 18-toooo excited.

Really nervous!

Good luck to all.

Well, it's Thursday and I am doing my challenge check-in. So, here it is:

Challenge Start Weight: 276 Current Weight: 270 September 13 Goal: 255

That's -4 pounds this week and -6 total.

The scale actually read 269.6 this morning which is thrilling to me. The last time I saw the 260's was about 5 years ago which was the last time I dieted. I hit 265 after about 6 months of dieting then I was done and put the weight back on.

Ok, I'm off to Water aerobics now. Have a great day everyone!

Happy Anniversary 3Loves! It's always great to find someone who shares an important date with you.

I talk to my patient coordinator last night and we decided that I didn't need the fill I was scheduled for today. Yippee! I wasn't looking forward to it at all and since I'm still losing my1-2 lbs a week.....sometimes I lose 3 weeks at once, then nothing......they were happy with my loss and told me to schedule my next fill for the end of August. So I will just keep on keeping on and hopefully my loss will be nice and steady.

Kim -- I like those guide-lines. I asked myself each of those questions and here is what I came up with.

1. Have your food quantities increased?

No, I'm eating about the same as I have been for the last month

2. Are you staying full after eating for at least 3- 4 hours?

Oh, yes! Sometimes at work I will go 5-6 hours without being hungry. Of course I'm pretty busy too, but I don't feel like I'm going to pass out if I don't eat.

3. Are you losing weight?

You bet! Not massive quantities, just slow and steady. My patient coordinator was thrilled with my loss, so I am too.

I'm glad you posted your guidelines. Now when the end of August rolls around, I will be better able to tell if I'm ready for my second fill or not.

Well, I just got off nightshift and I'm tired. So I'm off to bed! Have a great day.

Just checking in for the challenge. Weighed in this morning at 248. Only a loss of just under 2 pounds this week. Ack!!! Will be working out extra hard tonight!

Keep up the good work!

Thanks justduckie!! It gets sweeter as the days go by. Here's to many more years of love and fun with your DH. :confused:

Kim ~ I agree with Marci, those are great questions. I'll file those away for future use. I still don't have a fill b/c it's slow and steady for me too.

WTG Murphles :clap2: I bet that felt awesome. Can't wait for those XL clothes!!

Hey LindaV ~ How do you like the Water aerobics? How long have you been doing them?

Great job ladies on the challenge so far. It's my TOM and thankfully, I've stayed the same at this point. Hope to report a loss next week. Did I mention that I HATE the TOM?? It's the devil I say!!

LindaV, Thanks for the invitation to join you for the support group. I was out of town getting my second fill so just now read your post. I am now filled to 1.0 cc and sure hope it makes a difference. When I weighed in at the doctor's office yesterday I was exactly the same as the month before. At least I am consistent. I'm crossing my fingers that this month the scales show me something new - and I don't mean higher!!!!!!!!!!

Hope

Well, I had my first fill today..with Dr. C! It went really well and I got 1.5 cc. Ive lost almost 20 pounds since surgery..I was so amazed. I havent weighed myself..not once since surgery. I cant believe im only 15 pounds away from 250. I just cant believe it. I havent been 250 in years. I almost cried.

Hey Hope - Glad to hear you are back and your fill went well. Hopefully a little more restriction will help to get the scale moving again--DOWN OF COURSE! The Idahobandsters are planning this month's Soup night. When we have settled on a date and location, I'll let you know.

3Loves - I have been doing deep Water aerobics since 2 weeks after my surgery so that's about 2 months now. I feel like I get a much better workout than when I walk because I am using many more of my muscles. I love being in the water because I weight so much less. The part I like the least is getting out at the end -- I feel every ounce of my 270 pounds right then, but, it gets easier to haul my ass up the ladder every week. My trips to the nutritionist prove that these workouts are building muscle as well as helping me lose fat. I try to go 4-5 mornings a week.

GreatDame,

Congratulations on the great progress! I don't know how you manage to stay off of the scales! I have to have my husband hide mine. Lately, I try to weigh in the morning and that's it. It's great on weeks when I'm losing but maddening on weeks when I'm not. Since being banded, I'm probably more of a slave to my scale than to food :phanvan.

I think it's time to have hubby hide it again!

I got filled on July 12 - after messing around with 198-200 lbs since May 22! (With the exception of one day in there where I dropped to 196) I weighed 196 yesterday and today I weighed 193!!!!! I think I finally broke that cycle. It has to be coincidence that my weight went down so fast right after the fill. My body hardly had time to know I got a fill when it dropped that weight. Anyway, whatever the reason, I am greatly encouraged to see the scales moving again. Hope I don't go into another slump like that for a while!

Hope

Yup....I have that problem too....."Scale Slave". BTW LindaV, I may try the Water aerobics. I took my boys to the Y on Fri just to look around and such and the pool looked so inviting. I love the water. :biggrin1:

GreatDame ~ Great job on the 20 lbs. Don't hold back the tears....you deserve happy tears....how exciting!! :eek:

Hippo's Hope ~ How's the fill going? Any words of wisdom to share?