Thought I would ask what is most helpful in this journey right now. Hopefully, I can find some insight!

It changes every week for me, It seems, but lately I have been having a slice of toast with p. butter in the AM...this takes me quite some time to eat and has a lot less calories than the oatmeal and the milk. I started losing again..yipeee...

Thanks all for the insight! It's always a great help to know what motivates others during this journey.

mbanja, thanks for the idea of the physical therapist. There are not a lot of Water aerobic facilities around. I am looking into an arthritis program, as they will have a heated pool. There is one about 1 hr. drive away, but i'm trying to find something closer, as I work 6 to 7 days a week...and it's just very, very tough right now when you are supporting a family and trying to keep up with everything.

Pre-Packing all of my daily meals during the week and exercise. I sometimes stray on weekends but not by much, and at least 5 days a week are strictly controlled. The weekends are tougher as the days are a lot more hectic than at work. I never thought I'd say that until I had three kids ages 5 and under.

Also try hospitals. One of the hospitals around me has a fitness facility with a heated pool. I think it is mostly for the doctors, but my hubby is an employee of the city and membership is extended to him. If there is anything like that around you, you could see about getting a membership. I really hope you find something closer. Or maybe this would be a good excuse to get a pool! LOL!

It is only very early days for me and what is helping me succeed is having supportive people around me who ask how I am every day and say how great I am looking already. Since the surgery and not being able to eat all the foods I was craving (potato chips, hot chips, chocolate and pizza) I have now stopped craving them. The protein shakes with some freshly made peanut butter from the health food store give me my fix of sweetness and fill me up till my next meal. I have a puppy that needs to be played with a lot so he is helping make my initial exercise fun - I am teaching him to walk on a leash. I write down everything that I eat throughout the day and I am feeling a sense of pride when I read back through the different days and see how well I have been doing. The other inportant thing that is helping and I know will continue to help me to succeed is knowing that I am not alone and that I can come here and read how others are going.

For me it's exercise. I haven't had a fill yet but for the most part i've eaten what i'm supposed to. There have been a couple of times I have eaten something I shouldn't have, but exercising 5 times a week has helped the scale keep going down.

One thing that has helped me a lot is a supplement I take called QuickSLim30. I began taking it when I was first banded and lost 25 pounds right off the bat. A lot for a lower BMI. I stopped taking it and plateaued. I started taking it again and began losing again. I have lost 40 pounds now. It has helped curb my appetite and raise my metabolism. I have 3 cc's and ca'nt get another fill since I pb and slime a lot. But I wasn't losing.

Between my band and the QuickSlim30 I am 5 pounds away from my goal!!!

Audree

One thing that has helped me a lot is a supplement I take called QuickSLim30. I began taking it when I was first banded and lost 25 pounds right off the bat. A lot for a lower BMI. I stopped taking it and plateaued. I started taking it again and began losing again. I have lost 40 pounds now. It has helped curb my appetite and raise my metabolism. I have 3 cc's and ca'nt get another fill since I pb and slime a lot. But I wasn't losing.

Between my band and the QuickSlim30 I am 5 pounds away from my goal!!!

Audree

Audree...Wow...I am impressed. I am definitely going to look into that supplement. I have been wondering about maybe taking one, but really was not sure which one and how safe they were or if they even work.

Thanks Audree.

EXERCISE..............eating 5-6 small meals a day. Prepreparing/packing my daily meals. Seeing the scale move in the right direction!

Maryrose-Are there any colleges or universities in your area? I take water aerobics through the continuing education department of my local university.

Audree...Wow...I am impressed. I am definitely going to look into that supplement. I have been wondering about maybe taking one, but really was not sure which one and how safe they were or if they even work.

Thanks Audree.

It is definitley safe and works!

One thing that I have found that I have to do is to make sure to portion out my food on my own plate. For example, I went to a Greek restaurant with my boyfriend and we shared an entree. We both just ate from the same plate. I didn't eat very much much because I wasn't certain how much I had consumed. After we finished eating I realized that I had only 5 bites of food and I felt totally jipped. Now if we go out to eat I always ask for a SMALL plate for me and portion out my ~1 cup of food. Now I don't feel jipped but don't over eat either. The other thing that is helping me succeed is eating the right kinds of food and if I want something sweet I eat a protein bar that I found that is high in protein and lower in sugar than most!

The fact that I am not hungry anymore definitely helps. That and I feel truly guilty if I don't go to the gym.

Head hunger can really interfere with not being hungry. My daughter always said "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" when she was losing her weight. When I am craving something, I try to get busy doing something else, and remind myself that whatever I am craving will be eaten in about 30 seconds and I won't feel any better.

The three- six mile walk/run I do five to six days a week.

My restriction is ok.

For me - its real simple....If I follow the Band rules, I am successful, when I don't, I"m not....

1) eat Protein first

2) eat slow - eat for no longer than 20 min

3) listen to your body, when your full, stop eating

4) No drinking while eating

5) no liquid calories (I am not too faithful at this one)

6) Exercise 30 min a day

7) Eat good low fat/grilled protein and veggies

8) Stay away from sugar

9) Stay on top of your fills

10) And not get discouraged when the scales don't move, take measurements instead.