Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

This weekend, I took time out of my gluttony to try some new yoga programs, and I have ADVICE!

My top three, four actually, are GAIAM products.

1. Rodney Yee and Suzanne Deason, AM/PM YOGA FOR BEGINNERS - 20 minute easy routines for morning or evening. I've been doing the Rodney Yee AM session for probably 8 years on and off, and I still love it.

2. Rodney Yee and Colleen Seidman (his foxy wife), YOGA FOR BEGINNERS. Again, two 20 minute routines, but a bit more energetic than #1. There's also an excellent 40 or so minute long segment where they explain the poses in detail - it can be used as a yoga routine itself.

3. Suzanne Deason, YOGA CONDITIONING FOR WEIGHT LOSS. This is a 50 or so minute session with Suzanne and three other women demonstrating the poses at different levels of challenge; you can watch just, say, the woman doing the session with the poses modified to make them as easy as possible, or you can watch all four levels of difficulty at the same time. This is a good session, a little demanding at no matter which level you choose; afterwards, unlike the 20 minute sessions, you really feel like you've DONE something.

4. Suzanne Deason, AM AND PM YOGA CONDITIONING FOR WEIGHT LOSS. This is new for me, and I like it. It's a kind of extension of #3, except instead of a 50 minute session, Suzanne offers two different 25 minute sessions. They're carefully modified so that they're not too challenging; there's a bonus practice where the poses are executed without modification, and the focus is on the breath.

Those are my four favourite, and I recommend them highly. I'd suggest starting out with #1, doing Rodney's 20 minute AM session until your body gets used to it, then switch to Rodney's 20 minute AM session from the new YOGA FOR BEGINNERS DVD, which is a bit more challenging. Once you start to get comfortable in that, switch over to YOGA CONDITIONING FOR WEIGHT LOSS, start with the easiest version, and, as you feel more comfortable in the poses, gradually move up to harder versions. And if you want, grab #4 for a taster of #3 when you only have limited time.

I've also been looking at some Body Wisdom DVDs, and I'm not liking them so far. YOGA FOR INFLEXIBLE PEOPLE is slow-moving and set inside a yoga studio - all the GAIAM videos are in beautiful places like the beach in Hawaii or in a national park etc. BEGINNERS & BEYOND YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS is shot in the Caribbean or Hawaii, but I think even the beginners level is kind of hard for people who're significantly overweight - the flow is pretty quick there. I still have to try ESSENTIAL YOGA FOR INFLEXIBLE PEOPLE, which is shot on a beach somewhere.

No, really! You haven't had enough of me yet!

Here's a Sparkpeople thing about the benefits of walking that I found interesting:

Add Steps to Subtract Pounds

Researchers from the University of Tennessee asked overweight women to clip on pedometers to track their steps. They divided these women into two groups. One group was told to aim for 10,000 steps a day (the common recommendation considered to be "active"), while the second group was told simply to walk briskly for 30 minutes, most days of the week (a common--but minimum--fitness recommendation). The study found that the step counters averaged over 10,000 steps daily, while the minute counters averaged between 8,270 to 9,505 steps on the days the DID meet their 30-minute goals, and merely 5,597 steps on the days they didn't exercise for 30 minutes. The researchers conclude that setting your goals in steps (rather than minutes) may be the best way to increase your overall activity.

Action Sparked: If you're having a hard time getting into a regular fitness routine, using a pedometer may help motivate you. It's a simple way to track your progress, and you can easily continue to beat your past records (even if only by 5, 10, or 100 steps). Tracking your steps is another way to gauge your activity level--especially for the average deskbound worker. (People with active jobs, such as servers, may exceed 10,000 steps at work alone, but should still plan structured fitness activities.)

Exercise Extra: Walking less than 5,000 steps daily is considered sedentary, 5,000 to 9,999 is considered low to somewhat active, and 10,000 steps or more is active.

Weekends are so tough for me. Not being able to check in here and read how everyone is doing and so many things going on..

I NEED to get back on track. another week of no weight loss. I do have restriction, but eat past it at times and then pay the consequences. but will try to keep positive. Heading to the gym tonight, work off a bit of my snacking from the weekend.

My daughter moves out this coming weekend. so my place will be mine again. don't get me wrong I love her dearly and my grandson, but I do want my house back...

Great to see how well everyone is doing.

Fenton, Central Park at night... not sure I would do that..

Happy Monday to all!

Thanks again to everyone for keeping me in their thought and prayers.

We think we finally have a diagnosis for my mom. Multiple system atrophy. Not good but it opens doors for more care, which is what is needed.

Surprisingly I have not gained and possibly lost a lb. I weighted myself at the hospital and in clothes I was the same as before leaving. So if you take away a lb or two for clothes I think that is pretty good.

Specail K just got one and Im sure there are others here who have them. Is anyone else still using it? Fenton I thought you had one?

Ajoneen, nice to see you here. We're all thinking of you, and keeping you in our hearts and thoughts. I hope it helps you to know that and to check in; life has thrown you a cruel curveball, and I think it's great that you've managed to not default to bad lifestyle choices.

And that's all it is: a choice. Stay strong!

BodyBugs: I have one, but I'm not using it.

I think they're good, but I HATE the monthly charge that kicks in, and never signed on for that. The thing is useful mostly for charting your calories burned during the day; that said, I'm not sure how accurate it is. WHat's more, I think the food logging software is kind of crappy.

At the end of the day, I feel that I'm just as happy watching my pedometer, doing my best to do more than 3 miles a day, and watching my weight with weekly weigh-ins. Perhaps when I get down to a less absurd weight, and need get into a more micro-manage-y headspace, I'll finally subscribe to the online service, but I don't know.

Thanks Fenton for posting the article about pedometers. I just ordered one from ebay, and I am really anxious to see how I measure up!

Amanda- congrats on holding steady even during a tough time. You go girl! It can be so hard to be away from home and off routine while dealing with a stressful situation.. Keep up the good work! My thoughts are with you and your family.

So I finally got a call back from my doctors office and have made an appointment for February 5 for a fill. I think this is what I need to get back on track?? I always feel hungry, and I'm wondering if it's because I've stretched my pouch or if it's time for a fill? It's been since August since I've had a one... I hope I'm doing the right thing.

I weighed myself the other day and the scale said 210lbs

Ugh.. Up 18?! How the heck have I done this to myself?! I was horrified to see that number. It will be sooo embarrasing to go into the bariatric office and weigh in:( I am watching my intake and feel like I'm doing okay.. I think I will join the Friday weigh in crew and be accountable for where I'm at and where I'm going:)

Ok, I'll stop rambling! See you all on Friday!

:)Kerri

Kerri - it's easy to slip off the rails and gain. I think I gained a good bit a while back, and had to work my way back down.

Weighing in Fridays will keep you honest. No one here will judge you - we've all been there at some point or another. What's more, if you try to go up in weight, you get a date... with THE CLAW!!!

So don't go up in weight.

I bet you can get back to Onederland really quickly, btw...

Let's see how long it takes you.

Well, I give the Bodybugg folks credit for getting on the site and clearing the block that was on from me saying I'd had lapband surgery on my medical questionnaire thing. They had blocked me activating my device until the nutritionist cleared it and that was done today. Unfortunately, I took the cable to synch it to work today along with all the other stuff and left the cable at work and now I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try to synch for the first time.

Fenton, I hope I'm not too disappointed in the food tracking part. I've been paying $9/month for MyFoodDiary now for 2 years because I liked it so much for food tracking. I was going to turn that off and just pay the $14 for the Bodybugg website when the initial 6 months ends. We'll see.

Well, it might be that I'm too lazy to track like that - I wished they'd let you just enter calories per meal, but I dn't think you could. It's probably too powerful, rather than too weak.

Thanks for checking in Amanda, a diagnosis will at least lead to a plan. Plans, I can work with, the unknown, not so much. Still praying for you and yours, I hope all is still well.

I feel you Kerri on the whole 'To Fill or Not To Fill', that is the eternal question. I had my last fill 7/31, and have been good for months. But the last 45 days or so, I have noticed that I could eat way more than I should. Way more than I care to admit to you kind folks. But less than 1cc later (last Thursday), I am living in a Band new world. Restriction rules!!!!

Have you looked into Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test? I have not used it myself, but I have read great things about its ability to diagose or rectify a streched pouch. Again, this is 3rd party info, I am just hoping that you find something that gets you back on track. Your Doc can also diagnose a streched pouch with a Fluoro...

I am also joining the Friday Morning Weigh Crew for an adjustment, lol. They will keep me honest!

And besides that, who really wants to deal with the wrath of THE CLAW......

I did the five day pouch test program after the holidays and found it to be very effective at getting back on track.....

I am in deperate need of a kick in the A$$. Can't get myself motivated to eat the right things. I have restriction, but making poor food choices.. H-E-L-P

Lynn! Snap out of it!

Before you put anything in your mouth, ask yourself the nutritional value and the calorie hit - is it REALLY worth it?

You've got three or so more days before weigh-in. You know what you have to do, you know we'll be watching your performance - don't disappoint us!

You can absolutely do this.