Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Does anyone notice my valentines ticker is not moving!! This is not a good start.

Kimaly.. I am right there with you.. Valentines ticker is STUCK.. I stepped on the scale today and it still said the same friggin thing.. ahhh.. I cant wait till my fill next friday! and I guess the other good thing is that the scale still says 249.... which means I broke 250 and its not a dream!

oh and Kimaly... awesome on the size large pjs!

and Donna.. another 1.5 lbs.. whooo hoo!

Donna.. another 1.5 lbs.. whooo hoo!

Thank you! I'm hoping to break 180 by next Tuesday. I've been focusing on 10lb goals at a time so it won't seem so overwhelming.

Thank you! I'm hoping to break 180 by next Tuesday. I've been focusing on 10lb goals at a time so it won't seem so overwhelming.

WOOHOO! YOU GO GIRL! :thumbup:

Ladies, does anyone know exactly how much food we are suppose to be able to eat at one sitting. I keep hearing all different numbers from a cup to one and a half cups to two cups! I keep telling my doc that I can eat more than one cup of food at a time and they just keep saying not to worry about the amount as long as I am losing weight and not eating to the point that I throw up. I just was under the asumpution that I would only be able to eat about a cup of food and then would be so full that I could not take another bite, this has never happened to me I just force myself to stop eating at about a cup to a cup and a half of food. I have read some of the post that talk about only taking a couple of bits and being full and wish for that feeling. Let me know what you have heard. Great job to all on the scale.

Ladies, does anyone know exactly how much food we are suppose to be able to eat at one sitting. I keep hearing all different numbers from a cup to one and a half cups to two cups! I keep telling my doc that I can eat more than one cup of food at a time and they just keep saying not to worry about the amount as long as I am losing weight and not eating to the point that I throw up. I just was under the asumpution that I would only be able to eat about a cup of food and then would be so full that I could not take another bite, this has never happened to me I just force myself to stop eating at about a cup to a cup and a half of food. I have read some of the post that talk about only taking a couple of bits and being full and wish for that feeling. Let me know what you have heard. Great job to all on the scale.

I have always heard 1 -1 1/2 cups. I eat about that and am satisfied. Your doctor is correct, though, as long as you are losing weight, you are doing fine. Are you upset because you aren't actually FULL, or are you still hungry? I am not always what I would call full, but I am satisfied. I do not want to get to the point where I can only eat a few bites. My calorie count would be too low.

Ladies, does anyone know exactly how much food we are suppose to be able to eat at one sitting. I keep hearing all different numbers from a cup to one and a half cups to two cups! I keep telling my doc that I can eat more than one cup of food at a time and they just keep saying not to worry about the amount as long as I am losing weight and not eating to the point that I throw up. I just was under the asumpution that I would only be able to eat about a cup of food and then would be so full that I could not take another bite, this has never happened to me I just force myself to stop eating at about a cup to a cup and a half of food. I have read some of the post that talk about only taking a couple of bits and being full and wish for that feeling. Let me know what you have heard. Great job to all on the scale.

I was just looking through a Realize band pamphlet and it says that I should be eating 1/2 c at a sitting! It seems like most people here have been saying 1-1 1/2 cups. I'm so tight right now that 1/2 cup is probably what I'm eating but I eat a couple times a day. I'm looking for an unfill soon because 1-1 1/2 c is much more realistic for me.

Mommy, my Doc says 1/2 a cup to 3/4 of a cup and no more although I do hit the cup mark often. But I've needed a fill since the begining of Dec. but I'm having surgery tuesday and was trying to hold off. I'm sure I'll gain a couple of lbs as they are putting in implants. so I'll go for a fill a couple weeks from now.

Donna, That's what I look for 10lbs at a time, it doesn't seem so hard to achive.

Kimaly.. I am right there with you.. Valentines ticker is STUCK.. I stepped on the scale today and it still said the same friggin thing.. ahhh.. I cant wait till my fill next friday! and I guess the other good thing is that the scale still says 249.... which means I broke 250 and its not a dream!

congrats, It's a great feeling isn't it. be proud of yourself you deserve it.:thumbs_up:

Updated pic, me and my daughter Dec.19th, and yes I'm the old one in the black

I was just looking through a Realize band pamphlet and it says that I should be eating 1/2 c at a sitting! It seems like most people here have been saying 1-1 1/2 cups. I'm so tight right now that 1/2 cup is probably what I'm eating but I eat a couple times a day. I'm looking for an unfill soon because 1-1 1/2 c is much more realistic for me.

My doctor wants me to have enough restriction so that I eat 1/2 a cup of protein six times a day. It sounds like a small amount. So far, I can eat a whole lean cuisine at a sitting. I probably need a couple of more fills. If you are pbing a lot.....yes, you might need to get an unfill.

Ladies, does anyone know exactly how much food we are suppose to be able to eat at one sitting. I keep hearing all different numbers from a cup to one and a half cups to two cups! I keep telling my doc that I can eat more than one cup of food at a time and they just keep saying not to worry about the amount as long as I am losing weight and not eating to the point that I throw up. I just was under the asumpution that I would only be able to eat about a cup of food and then would be so full that I could not take another bite, this has never happened to me I just force myself to stop eating at about a cup to a cup and a half of food. I have read some of the post that talk about only taking a couple of bits and being full and wish for that feeling. Let me know what you have heard. Great job to all on the scale.

My doctor's office said about 9 oz of food 3 times a day made up of 4-5 oz of solid protein and 4-5 oz of solid vegetables/fruits at each meal. He said that is to be a guideline but each individual is different and gains and loses differently. He said his best advice is to maintin the band at a comfortable fill level and then forget about it and live my life so long as I am continuing to lose weight, even if it's slow. This is a lifetime modification and not a diet so it's best to learn how to live your life from the beginning.

Butterflies, I want to share the following with you:

Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame (lightly salted) is delicious AND relatively healthy.

1/4 cup serving size contains:

calories: 130

fat: 4 grams; only .5 sat. fat and no trans fats

cholestrol: 0

sodium: 150 mg (not sure if this is high but it says 6% of

daily value)

carb: 10 g; fiber 8g; sugar 1g

PROTEIN: 14 grams

A relatively low cal/high protein/high fiber snack with healthy fats. It only contains Soybeans and Sea Salt.

It also satisfies that craving for chips or popcorn.