Hello everyone...I am being banded on April 10th. I am so excited! Seems like it's been forever to get to the countdown, but I think it'll be here before we know it!

Anyone else scheduled in April? We need to come up with a group name!

Carol

So much stuff goes on in the post ............you ladies are busy!! Just wanted to add that Muscle Milk has become a really good source of protein for me. It is even available in Lactose free. The protein is high and the carbs/sugar are relatively low. It is also very convenient as I am often running out the door with no time to spare.

Hi Numbrgirl!

Good to see you pop in. We are a chatty bunch! Please join in anytime. We've got some new cooking/recipe threads going, so add to it if you've got some good recipes to share! Your weight loss is awesome! How are doing/feeling?

Hello to everyone....It's late, but I'm back from all the hiking! Oh what fun! It was a beautiful area and I wanted to just stay! We had some challenging hikes, but nothing I couldn't handle. I felt like all the time I've put into the gym was for nothing though. My legs hurt and I kept thinking that the incline on the treadmill should have made this seem easier. Well, maybe not so much! LOL I have a LOT of work to do in the gym, that's for sure!

Hope you all are having fun...weekend is only half way done!

~C

Hey guys! Hope you've all had a great weekend.

Turler, sounds like a great time! I love to hike. Also, don't beat yourself up. Walking or hiking outside is always harder than it is on the treadmill. It's just different. I realized that a couple of weeks ago in P.E. when we had to run a mile. On the treadmill, no problem, but outside was a different story. It's not climate controlled, it's hilly, it's a harder surface, etc. That's why I've started training outside now since it's cooler out. You did great!!! Try training outside when you can as it will keep your body on it's toes!!

Numbergirl - I love muscle milk. It's my favorite. Although the last time I thought I'd try something different. I got Cookies n cream. should have stayed with chocolate. It's taking me forever to get through the canister because I don't really like it, but I'm going to drink it by-golly! It's too expensive to waste!

Well, I'm ready for the start of the week. I'm ready to kick this plateau's butt!! I'm ready to get this weight off for good! I was hoping to be down 70-75 lbs by my 35th b-day in December, but I don't think I'm going to make it as it's only 7 weeks away. I've got to really buckle down and get serious.

Hope you guys all have a terrific Sunday!!

Just ran across this article with Jillian from The Biggest Loser. I love that show! Thought I would share it with you guys. It's very positive!!

5 things I learned from Jillian Michaels - Healthy Living on Shine

Hey everyone! Just wanted to check in with my fellow avengers!

How's everyone doing? Loss is still stalled for me and boy is it aggrivating!! I did slow down on gym trips during September but I've been back in there for the last 2 weeks.. at least 6 days a week and still NOTHING! Maybe it's the PCOS. I need to find a family doctor to run some labs and make sure everything else is ok.

How's everyone else doing? Still keeping up on the exercise? How much fill do y'all have? Are you at your sweet spot?

Just ran across this article with Jillian from The Biggest Loser. I love that show! Thought I would share it with you guys. It's very positive!!

5 things I learned from Jillian Michaels - Healthy Living on Shine

Thanks! That was eye opening. My first reply EVERYTIME to someone who says something about my weight loss is..... ALWAYS..... I've got a long way to go. UUGGHHH

SBG- Hi! Looks like you're doing pretty darn good! We have been talking a lot on here about plateaus lately. Many of us are experiencing a change in the weight loss. We are frustrated and impatient. Most of us are going to the gym regularly, but are finding that we aren't losing. We are trying to pay attention to our calorie intake as it's possible we aren't getting enough! Isn't that the strangest thing to hear? None of us are used to needing to get MORE calories!!! LOL

Stick around...we are very supportive of each other!

~Carol

Numbrlgrl~ I haven't tried Muscle Milk but I just might if I dont get more protein in/more calories. Thank you for the suggestion.

I have added 2 glasses of milk a day now to see if it helps. I managed to lose 3 pounds this week!! WTH happened? I haven't done anything but eat more... Now I just have to make sure my brain doesnt keep trying to increase my intake of food lol. I think I am at a good spot now. I got about 1100 calories yesterday.

Turler~ great to hear you were able to keep up with your hike. I would of never been able to finish a hike a year ago! Congrats :biggrin:

Bea~ My goal was to be 75-80 down by the end of the year and I am pretty sure I wont make it either. We are making some valiant attempts though. We should get close to that goal and just congratulate ourselves for doing as well as we did! I joined the end of 2008 challenge to help motivate me.

SBG~ I go through plateaus constantly in my journey. Seems I go 3 weeks with no losses then a few weeks with losses. Most recently tho I realized I was only getting 600-800 calories. Once i upp'd the calories to 1000-1100 I began losing. I lost 3 lbs last week.. I am hoping to continue the trend. Just be sure to get all your fluids and protein!

Hey Grace! Glad to hear from you. I think we are all experiencing a plateau at the moment. It seemed to hit between 40 and 50 pounds. I haven't lost anything in over 6 weeks, more like 8 (I've gained 1.5 pounds and then lost it again). I've been trying to shake things up and get it moving again. My phys ed instructor put me on a week of rest from exercise and told me to up my calories. I think it's working. At least I don't feel fatigued and have a lot more energy. I wasn't giving my body what it needed with all the exercise I've been doing.

I have had 3 fills, well actually 4 if you count the very small unfill due to illness. I'm at a pretty sweet spot right now. I expect to stay here for a while. I think I'm somewhere close to 6 cc in a 10 cc band. I've forgotten now.

If you are interested, some of us have been journaling so we can all see what the others are eating, exercising, etc. Feel free to check it out. The link is below. Good luck and keep in touch!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f179/our-journal-april-avengers-77585/index6.html#post1036983

Good Morning everyone! well I am at 211 and have Onderland in sight! Uggh when I am excited I lack patience so I need to step back and calm down haha. I want to get there so bad that I have become obsessed with the numbers.

I am hitting the water hard today because I had wine again last night uggh!! Why do I do these things lol

So how was everyones weekend?

Okay...that's it! I'm officially discouraged! ARGH! I upped my calories, and I've now gained 5 pounds!!! WTH??????? Why oh why? I'm trying so hard not to be bummed, but I just am. I have lost patience and I don't know what to do to get things rolling again.

Brandy- Good job girl! Will you coach me? Send me a list of your food? Help????

Okay...that's it! I'm officially discouraged! ARGH! I upped my calories, and I've now gained 5 pounds!!! WTH??????? Why oh why? I'm trying so hard not to be bummed, but I just am. I have lost patience and I don't know what to do to get things rolling again.

Brandy- Good job girl! Will you coach me? Send me a list of your food? Help????

I wish I could say that I have this band thing figured out but I really dont lol. I think the plus for me is that I am not a sweet eater so I don't have to fight the urges to eat ice cream and such. I was a volume eater and usually of crappy fried things and such. I could get a big mac at mcd's supersized combo and eat the whole thing :biggrin: so the restriction for me is the key. I eat meats and cheese as my staple.

Carol have you logged your food for a few days recently? I would log it and be sure to be careful to log every bite even if it's just a taste. I would like to see your log. If you want you can post it here like I did and we can all take a look.

Yeah, see that darn logging thing is part of the problem. I hate to do it, so I don't. I haven't logged anything. Maybe I would surprise myself.

I noticed though lately I am drinking my calories. I don't like the pressure I feel when I eat. I can only eat a few bites of something and I'm done, but I'm still hungry. Does that make sense? Maybe that's the whole point of this thing, I'm not sure, but I don't feel satisfied. I'm scared to get a fill since you all know what kinds of troubles I've had with fills.

Over the weekend we went out of town to go hiking. Friday night we went to a Pumpkin Show. I did have a piece of pumpkin pie and ice cream. But I don't think that should put on 5 pounds.

~C

Turler - I know how discouraging that is {{{HUGS}}}; however, there may be a perfectly good explaination. Here are some possibilities...

**I don't know where you went hiking, but if you went up in elevation that could be it.

**Did you drink margaritas? The salt and sugar makes me swell up like a balloon. I never get on the scale within three days of drinking those little gems.

**Have you been drinking enough water? You need to flush your system.

**Are you too tight? I ask because you said you could only eat a bite or two before it feels uncomfortable.

**Is it time for TOM? If so, enough said!

I hate to say it, but Brandy is right. You probably need to log maybe for just a few days to a week so you can really see where you are getting your calories from. I was amazed at how many calories I was consuming with my coffee throughout the day, like over 100 everyday. So, when I realized that I switched to a lower calorie creamer. Problem solved. Don't look at it like a chore, consider it another tool to get you back on track. Also, if you raised your caloric intake (I don't know what it was to begin with), you might want to see if it's too much with your level of activity. This journey is a puzzle, you have to keep trying pieces to see if they fit. If it doesn't fit for you, change it up. What ever you do, don't starve yourself.

I'm so glad we all stick together in these situations. Isn't it amazing how similar all of our experiences have been? We've all hit a plateau, so at least we are not alone. Sending you all good thoughts today!!

That sounds about how I was after my last fill in July... I could only take a couple bites and it was uncomfortable. For some really weird reason in the last week my band opened up and to me it feels perfect. I can't explain it but I can eat about 3/4 cup of food now if I eat slowly.

Drinking the calories is a big no no we know that. But we all do things that were not suppose to do out of convenience. Really just log for a couple days and see what you need to change. I hate having to be accountable.. But since the band it makes it easier to be accountable lol

I think you'll be okay having a piece of pie now and then :biggrin: