Christmas - Outta Town - Too Tight

I track everything in a spreadsheet since being banded. It has allowed me to figure out a lot of things about my band. For one thing: before my period I am tight!!! So much so that I have to stay on liquids and can only eat a soft meal in the evening. This usually only lasts 4 days max (varies from 2-4) and an unfill is not an option. (I only have about 1.4cc in my band and would be too loose the rest of the time.)

I was out of town for Christmas and got really tight. I didn't have my spreadsheet and like a doofus swore it had not been enough time since my last period. So, I was freaking out!!! Yes, it still happens even a year out. I thought something was wrong with my band. What an idiot!!! Sure enough, 3 days later there is my friend. No band issue - whew!!!

The really tough thing though is no one in my family knows about my band. So, I had to lie and say that I wasn't feeling well --- some sort of stomach bug - ha! I certainly didn't gain any weight from Christmas as a result as one of the days I was on liquids was Christmas. Yep, I missed out on all the good food and it sucked! But oh well. Nothing I can do about it. I have learned the hard way NOT to fight my band. It always wins. At least I lost a pound :D

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 167lbs
Overall loss: 67lbs
Lbs to goal: 18lbs

I'll Take It!

I weigh in on Wednesday - this is the weigh in from last week. I was too busy with work, etc. to post it. My goal until the beginning of the year is to maintain. Isn't it funny though that sometimes that works in your best interest? No pressure, expectations, etc. and I lost 1/2 lb. Not much, but I'll take it! 19 pounds to go. Yah - I will probably be counting them down because I am getting so close, so please bear with me!

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 168lbs
Overall loss: 66lbs
Lbs to goal: 19lbs

Doctor Visit

The doctor visit wasn't in regard to my band, but female stuff. The reason I'm posting about it is because I had to weigh in on their scale in my clothes. For my official weigh ins, on my scale, I am always naked (Yikes!). Drum roll please...I weighed in on the doctor's scale at 169.5!!! That is my last official weigh in on my scale with no clothes at the doctor's office! That is cool---I consider my self to be firmly in the 160's and not going to be visiting any of the higher numbers again!

Today was also my weigh in day - the scale showed 168.5. So, I am down 1/2 pound since I last weighed in. This is fine by me. My goal for the holiday season (Thanksgiving - New Year's) is to maintain. So far, I continue to lose. I made a deal that if I lost weight that the new weight became my new 'maintain' weight. This does make it a bit more challenging, but I am up for it. I have had all the holiday treats so far, but even though I could eat more (for me treats easily go around the band) I am making good choices and only having some.

I've been catching up on some of the blogs, but haven't had time to post any comments. There are some very impressive results! Keep it up!

A year later...

Well, on November 16 it was my band-iversary. My stats are:

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 169lbs
Overall loss: 65lbs
Lbs to goal: 20lbs

I thought I'd try and think of some questions that people might have. If anyone wants to know anything, please feel free to ask in the comments. No question is off limits as I hope people get some value out of this.

How many fills have you had? Two. 1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25. I stuck with the second fill for quite some time, but honestly it was too tight. I had an unfill and think that right now I am at about 1.4cc. I have remained at this point and plan to. For the most part, I consider it to be my sweet spot. Except during my period when I get really tight and some days have to stay with liquids and soft foods. Lesson: track your body. That way you can find the trends. If I had not been doing that, I would not have figured out that the tightness was corresponding to my period.

Are you upset you aren't at your goal weight? Nope. Because it was my choice. I was not exercising as much as I should/could have been and not always eating the right thing. But this works for me. Why? Because how I am living is reality. Not always eating right and not exercising all the time. I will get to my goal weight. It will just take longer. My current weightloss is at a pace of 1.llbs per week. That is really good for any weightloss plan. The best thing - I KNOW I will keep the weight off as I know it can easily be maintained. With the effort I have been putting in, I have been continuing to lose weight.

What are you going to do next? I am going to keep going as I have been. I plan though to join the weightloss hysteria in January. I find that when everyone around you is dieting it makes it easier. So, what the heck? Gonna join in on the madness and look to lose the 20 remaining pounds.

What size clothes are you wearing? Generally, a 12. Clothes are so inconsistent it depends on the clothes. I think I'll be an 8 when the last weight is gone as I fit in a 10 now, it is just tighter than I like. This might sound big to people reading this, so I'll stress that I'm 5'8". I will definitely be considered thin at an 8 and might think I'm too thin smaller than that. In college I was a 6 and looking back at pics - looked too thin. So that's the scoop. Shirt wise - totally depends on the shirt as my boobs remain to be on the bigger size. (That is also fine with me - ha!). Generally I'm a medium.

What do you eat in a typical day? I always start with a venti non-fat latte from Starbucks that I sweeten with equal for breakfast. It helps loosen me up, I get protein, and a good calcium fix. For lunch, pretty much whatever. If I'm tight - which you can tell over time - I'll have something soft. For dinner, I'm loosest then and eat pretty much anything. I pretty much stay away from pasta and bread. I can eat it, but honestly it isn't something I have to have in my diet and have pretty much gotten used to not having it. When I do, it might be a bit of pasta or crackers. Dry meat has to have sauce. Chicken breast is tricky.

Do you drink soda? Nope, not supposed to and totally got used to it. So I don't. I paid $20K (self-pay) and it isn't worth the risk even though there are a lot of mixed reviews on does it or doesn't it pose risk to the band.

Was it worth it? Yes, it was. I stress though that I would only recommend it as a last resort. I felt I was there. I could get the weight off, but just couldn't keep it out without exercising and watching what I ate ALL the time. Now, I live a life of moderation on everything and the weight stays off. I have consistently remained the same or lost weight.

Have you had any problems? Yes. You'll see in the beginning of my blog that shortly after my surgery I swore my stitches in my port popped. Everybody told me no way and not to worry about it. When I went in for my fill, it had. So it is on it's side. Right now I do not plan to get it fixed, but think that it might be necessary. When I am at my goal weight I think it might be noticeable.

Have you pb'd? Yep. When I was too tight, a lot. Now, I pretty much know how and what to eat depending on the tightness of my band. When/if I have problems, it is around my period. I have learned sometimes it is best not to fight it and let it happen. This seems to work for me and then does not lead to repeated pb's or irritiation. (BTW - What is a pb? Simply put - throwing up. It seems to be a nice way of saying it for bandsters.)

What rules do you follow? Eat slowly. Take small bites. Don't eat first thing in the morning. When I feel full - stop. Don't drink with meals. No soda. That pretty much sums it up. There aren't a lot of them.

I really can't think of anything else. Please let me know if you are wondering about anything.

What the hell? (and, I'm baack!)

First, what the hell? Where are all of my links to all of the wonderful blogs that I have not been keeping up with????? waaaaaaaaa!!!! I have reloaded the page and done everything to get them back, but absolutely no luck. I cannot believe it. PLEASE if someone can help me (and is still checking back for posts that never appear), please please please tell me how to fix it!

Yes, I'm back. Why? Not sure. I was watching TV tonight and thought how it would be great to see how everyone was doing. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check in (see above - hint, hint - need help!).

I can't even remember what I weighed the last time I wrote, but I am thinking I am about 8lbs down since then. I haven't done a lot of exercising (sporadic at best) and have not consciously been dieting. All of this does not make great bandster progress. That being said, I am overall very satisfied with my progress. I am down 61.5 lbs down and am 23.5 lbs from goal.

I am feeling the desire to get back in gear though. Maybe that is what triggered me to post. Make it real by posting it out here. Well, time will tell. Stay tuned...

Doc Visit at GP

So, I had said quite some time ago about my hair loss. It has kind ebbed and flowed (ha), but never stopped falling out. The hairdresser again said I had lost a significant amount and she didn't like how much was coming out when she did her magic. The last doc appointment for the missed period had all the 'female stuff' come back normal. Made an appointment with the GP. (Note: I have a TON of hair---I'm lucky. Absolutely no one but the hairdresser and me notice it. Just thought you might be wondering.)

The appointment was today. She was a really nice doc. I haven't had a GP for a long time. She was really impressed with my weight loss and actually got mad at me for being down on myself for holding steady---kinda refreshing. Granted I acknowledged that I wasn't putting in as much effort, but she didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing as long as I was holding steady. In fact, she told me to quit being so hard on me about that as well.

Anyway, she is running a bunch of tests. Just to be sure there aren't any of the basic issues iron, extensive thyroid, etc. Anyway, she expects that everything will come back normal as I am in the 'capital of bands' --- so named by me --- and she has quite a few patients that have lap band. Turns out that all of hers have lost hair. Some more than others. My immediate fix - I am switching to liquid pre-natal vitamins. Nope - not pregnant - she recommended it as it is better absorbed in liquid form and there is more 'stuff' in them. She thinks this will help.

Cost me about 20 bucks for 30 days of the vitamins - not so cheap. So my plan is to use it for 30 days and then switch to a liquid multi-vitamin - cheaper, but better than the chewable. Guess I could research where to get the liquid pre-natal too. I just went to a health food store up the street and I highly doubt it was as cheap as online or in a chain store. That's my story. Weigh in isn't until Wednesday.

Amazing How I Forget

Man, I sure forget how to use Blogger when I don't use it very often. That is the title reference. Although, you could say it also applies at times to 'ben the band'. I get comfortable and decide to try to eat something that doesn't work, I get lazy and eat 'easy' stuff, and of course on the exercise front (I forget how much I should be doing it and how it will get me to goal).

The unfill continues to work well for me. I did miss a period though. I don't ever remember missing a period, but did at my past cycle. Nope, no pregnant - checked that! ;) Did go get checked out and preliminary tests such and pregnancy and thyroid were checked. All came back A-OK. Eventually, many weeks late, my friend arrived with a vengeance.

My hair is still coming out more so that is normal - hairdresser agrees. I am going to my primary physician on the 10th and will be having more tests run. I am wondering if I have some sort of deficiency going on. I'll report back when I have the results. I have not been taking my multi-vitamin religiously; although, I swear I have been getting in enough protein. Who knows - sick of guessing. Just going to find out once and for all.

On the loss front, was still at 178, then ballooned up to 180. I know I did not gain weight - there is just no way. My period came later after that weigh in and I will not weigh in again until Wednesday. Since cramps from hell were around and bloating was outta control (rings were stuck to hands!) I know there is a whole lotta water retention in that number. I REFUSE to worry about it. Just going to keep eating as I should and see what the next weigh in brings.

Why no loss? NO EXERCISE. Yep, if I want to get to my goal, I am going to have to exercise. There is NO excuse. I should be doing it and I am NOT going to get to goal without it. I need to come back and re-read this paragraph daily and kick my ass into gear. No promises are going to be made at this point. I wanted to get it out here though why it is my weight loss is so slow (right now non-existent).

That's it for now. Take care all! Keep losing.

Long Overdue!!!

Wow! Where to start. The weirdest thing happened to me. I got TIGHTER over time. Yes, most people say they get looser, but not me. I had only had two fills and was only at 1.8. A couple weeks ago, I recognized it was too tight. I had to eat mainly soft foods and right before the unfill only was able to keep liquids down. Not what I expected. So I asked, yes there are some people like me that get tighter over time. So, I had an unfill. Down to 1.4. My first fill took me to 1.2. The second to 1.8.

Advice: If you think you might be too tight, you probably are. It's important to deal with it. My weightloss pretty much stalled. I feel much better and still have plenty of restriction.

What else? I passed my 6-month banding anniversary. It was pretty uneventful. So much so that I completely forget until I was really looking at my spreadsheet that I track my weightloss on.

I (obviously) have not been posting much nor have I read the blogs I used to read daily. Why? I've just been busy. Work, fun, etc. I feel better about myself, so I have been doing more 'stuff'.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 178lbs (I maintained all of May - Why? Too tight. Stalled my weight loss. Seriously. How do I know? Since the unfill, I am losing weight! Only 3.5lbs since I last posted, but I'll take it!)
Overall loss: 56lbs
Lbs to goal: 29lbs

Note: I still plan to be at my goal weight by my b-day in December. That will be a couple weeks after my 1 year bandiversary.

I'll try not to let so much time go between posts. Hopefully some of you are still stopping by.

Hectic Week!

I forgot to weigh this week! I remembered, but was already at work. Since I only weigh in on Wednesdays, I decided that I will just wait until next Wednesday to weight in. Oh well, I haven't been very focused because I hate, hate, HATE my job. I need to try and figure out what to do about it. Either I have to accept it and get over it or start looking for another one. Quitting and not ever working again sure sounds great, but unless I win the lottery just not very realistic. (I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job. Dang - that feels good!)

Have any of you run across monk-e-mail? It is hilarious!!! Here is a link. I recommend trying it out. My friends and I have been sending out tons of them. Believe it or not, they limit how many you can create in a day. Yes, I've maxed it out -- I'm a dork. Go try it!!!

To Only1 - I'm Sorry!

Only1 - I have been reading your blog - although I have gotten behind on all the ones that I read---I am slowly catching up. I read yours today and felt sad when I read this post. I thought that I had responded to your comments on my blog and that I had put a question in there to you that was asking why I had to put my email address on your blog to comment. I am totally and completely anonymous on my blog - not even my best friend knows about it. It is only for me. Therefore, I am scared of using my email address anywhere that could somehow link back to this blog. Please know that I have been following you and am pulling for you too! I will continue to do so and please continue to comment on my blog (if you want) and I will be sure to respond that way. You are a courageous woman and I think of you often. Keep in touch. For those of you reading, please stop by and say hi to Only1.

Two Week Post

I normally at least post on Wednesday - my weigh in day. Things have been hectic, so I didn't get around to it. Here's the scoop that covers two weeks: (170's here I come!!!)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 181.5lbs (loss this week - 1/2 pound)
Overall loss: 52.5lbs
Lbs to goal: 32.5lbs

Fast Food: Taco Bell

Fast, yet healthy. I'm not kidding you. Taco Bell now has "Fresco Style". Essentially the good stuff - sauce and cheese - is substituted with a "Fiesta Salsa".

I had 2 Beef Crunchy Tacos. A bit high in fat (15 grams), but overall 300 calories. 13 grams of protein. Not the best, but for fast food I give it a thumbs up. Plus they get extra points for a website that has a nutrition calculator! It's cool, you can build your meal and get all the scoop at a click of a button.

Edgar

I'm bored, so I adopted a pet. Doesn't everyone need a purple hedgehog? I named him Edgar...

If you click him once, he will jump up a little. Do it again and he jumps higher. A third click and he jumps and rolls. Very cute. You can click the more button and a strawberry appears - feed it to Edgar. He is always hungry and is one of 'those' that never gains any weight.

adopt your own virtual pet!

Another Find: Quick Breakfast

OK, if you haven't guessed yet, I do not cook. I know how and I like to, but cooking for one person especially with a band is extremely difficult. Before trying to make like a 4 person meal lasted for days. Now it lasts for weeks---well, spoils and gets thrown out. So, I now hunt for things that are good to eat, easy, and small. Here is the latest find:


The All American South Beach Breakfast wrap!!!

(200 calories, 9g fat, 620mg sodium, 26g carbs, 15g fiber, 2g sugar, 19g protein = 4 Points)

Here's how the box describes the wrap: scrambled egg whites, reduced fat mozzarella, and nonfat cheddar cheeses, tomatoes, apple wood smoked bacon, and a cheese sauce in a wheat tortilla.

I was skeptical of the tomatoes - cause I just really don't like cooked ones, but with all the cheese and the bacon, I said bring it on!!!

It is wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla which I ate a couple bites of without problem, but I did that after eating the insides. And let me tell you, it was YUMMY! It actually had flavor! (I figure it was more like 125cals or less since I didn't eat much of the tortilla.)

Overall this is a keeper. There are also other flavors which you can find more info on here. I bought them at Walmart. A little under 2 bucks.

Happy Easter!! And, I did get new panties while I was at Walmart as well. Yep, a lazy cook and cheap! Cheap panties until goal, then maybe I'll splurge...but probably not.

Fast Food: Popeye's Naked Chicken Strips

Yep, I had fast food last night. I went to Popeye's. I had scoured all the websites of the fast food joints within 5 mins of my house and boy did I strike it rich. Popeye's has these chicken strips that don't have any batter or skin. They are marinated and spicy. YUM!

3 strips of which I could only eat 2 has 170 calories. 29 grams of protein. 5 grams of fat. Word of warning though: do NOT get the meal. If you do, you are going to get one of their yummy yummy bisquits. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist, but maybe you are stronger than me! ;) (BTW - That little tiny bisquit has 240 calories!)

I had the green beans as a side - only 40 calories. But they also have collard greens - going to have those next time (50 calories). Cost me less than 5 bucks. Sorry, no pic of the chicken. Guess they figure since it is naked and all that it isn't appropriate. You'll have to deal with a pic of the beans.

Panties

It's weird, but my panties all fit strange. My preference is bikini style. But lately I've noticed my panties fit like granny panties. You know high up on waist/hips. This is not a good look as they are now sticking up over my pants. I am going to have to get new ones --- I think I am down at least 2 sizes.

I have been holding off on getting new clothes. I just can't get myself to buy them when I still have 34.5lbs to go. Fortunately, I still have some in my closet that will work for now. I also have a bunch of clothes that are too big to wear, but I can't just seem to donate them to Goodwill. There's really two reasons:

1 - I have to say that I keep wondering if in the long run the band will work. I have read similar comments on other blogs of people that have had WLS. I believe it, but I don't --- it's hard to explain. I think this is normal though.

2 - Some of the clothes are just too dang cute/nice. That sounds bad and selfish, but dang it, when I'm honest I think that is part of the problem!

For now, I need to get the big clothes out of the closet. I think that will be a good first step.

Weekly weigh-in

I am feeling a rant coming on - directed at myself. I might decide to post it, but not sure. Yet again, I am trying to adjust my attitude!

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 183.5lbs (loss this week - 1/2 pound)
Overall loss: 50.5lbs
Lbs to goal: 34.5lbs

My latest find is another option for dreaded water. I keep trying, but water is just not my thing. Plus ya know 'they' say that green tea assists in weight loss. I've had two of the flavors - Blueberry Green Tea and White Cranberry Apple Green Tea - both are no carb, although they are sweetened with sorbitol. What is sorbitol anyway?

Fifty is special

Yep, I hit 50lbs today. It's funny how 50 is so much more special than the 48 just a week ago. Why is that? It is only 2 more lbs, but for some reason it is just way better! Another milestone in this journey. Here's the stats - with more information than normal in case anyone is interested:

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 184lbs (loss this week - 2 pounds)
Overall loss: 50lbs
Lbs to goal: 35lbs
Starting BMI: 36.6 (obese)
Current BMI: 28.8 (overweight)
Average weight loss: 2.5 lbs/week
Weeks since surgery: 20 weeks
Inches lost: Don't know!!! Should have measured!!!

I want JUICE!

Yes, sometimes I just really want to drink juice. The problem is that even a small amount has a lot of calories. Liquid calories - so they go straight through the band. So, I've been searching for juice-like products that are low in calories. Here are my finds:

• Snapple - diet cranberry/raspberry - not my favorite, but it had a cool pic.
  
• Diet V8 Splash - Berry Blend
  
• Diet V8 Splash - Fruit Medley
  
• Ocean Spray Light Juices - Love them all. Especially the ruby grapefruit.
  

That's my list so far. Anyone have other suggestions?

No, No, NOOOOOO!

I can't escape it! That stupid commercial. I am trying to enjoy the basketball tournament and what keeps coming on? Big Bucking Chicken!!! arrrrrrrrrrrghhhh. All I can say is Buck YOU Burger King!!!

On a separate and exciting note, although the NCAA tournament is still going on, the b-ball pool I'm in is over. I'm the winner!! Yep, me a girl. There are about 50 people in it. Won myself nearly 200 bucks. Pretty sweet...but the sweetest part is going around to the guys reminding them that me - the girl - won!

Wow - I'm not obese anymore!

My bmi is now 29.1, so I am officially overweight and no longer obese. My starting bmi was 36.6. This was a milestone that I hadn't even realized I achieved. Thanks to the blogger that reminded me with the post - can't remember which blog - but if you want to figure out your bmi the calculator is here. Go ahead - you might be surprised and be doing a happy dance too!

What did I hear?!?

I was watching TV and went into the kitchen when a commercial came on. I couldn't believe what I heard, so I went back. It was Burger King's commercial - 'Big Bucking Chicken'. I'm sure you can guess what I thought I heard without spelling it out. Can't say that I'm a big fan. I can picture all these young kids going around chanting it and saying, "But Mom, I heard it on TV. What's wrong with it?" Now that I think about it, that King that they use in the other commercials creeps me out too. Oh well, they lost my business anyway when I gave up fast food.

This week's progress

It's amazing what eating on plan can do! Results below:

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 186lbs (loss this week - 1 1/2 pound)
Overall loss: 48lbs
Lbs to goal: 37lbs

Template change

Due to feedback (OK complaints) from friends that all the black was too hard on the eyes, I switched my template. An advance warning that this is not the last change. I am messing with it myself which is highly unlikely to produce the results I want and looking for a reasonably priced designer to possibly take a stab at it. Know anyone?

Why the band?

Today I received the following comment:
only1 said...
Was there a reason you chose the band instead of the RNY surgery?

I don't think I ever wrote on this topic and it is an important one. For me it was a simple decision:

• All my 'guts' stay the way they were originally.
  
• There are no absorption issues.
  
• It is reversible.
  
• The long-term weightloss has been shown to be comparable.
  
• It is adjustable.
  

Everyone has his or her personal reasons for their choice of WLS. These were mine. For others RNY is the preferred choice and I respect everyone's choice regardless of what it is. For those of you that have had or are considering WLS, please chime in here, everyone's perspective is appreciated.

This just in!

Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk ice cream can still be eaten. Anyone that expects the band to stop junk food eating read this: almost all junk food such as, but not limited to, ice cream, chocolate, and many other yummy things - WILL NOT BE STOPPED BY THE BAND!

You still have to make good choices. Yes, you eat less (of most things), but 'crap' still gets through. I made a choice to have the ice cream...and mmmm, mmmm, that ice cream was good!

Note to self: I'd be losing more weight per week (see 1/2 pound below) if I chose not to eat ice cream.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 187.5lbs (loss this week - 1/2 pound)
Overall loss: 46.5lbs
Lbs to goal: 38.5lbs

Hair club for women?

Yep, I am losing hair. I do not believe the 'you're not getting enough protein theory'. I know I am getting plenty and in fact when I was on a diet of protein shakes (very very high protein) I still lost a fair amount of hair.

Unfortunately, I have lost 50+ pounds of weight multiple times. If I lose it quickly, such as I am now, I have lost hair along with it. In fact, it has always been around the 4-5 month timeframe --- I'm over 4 months now. So I just keep reminding myself it will grow back (it always has before--fingers crossed it will again!) and try not to panic. Fortunately, I have a ton of hair, so I am the only one that notices. I keep asking my best friend if she can tell because she would be honest and tell me!

But how do I know for sure the root cause of my hair loss phenomena? Well I am a big goober and have spreadsheets for my 'diets'. Lots of them. In fact, if I would have had something other than 'being fat' as my issue when I got the band, I would have been all set for proving my attempts to my insurance company - this was not enough for how the policy is written. I tracked everything each time. The diet plan, what I ate, weight, how I felt, what happened, etc.

The bottom line: If I have to lose some hair to get to goal and finally lose this weight once and for all, that is fine with me!

Eating is work

Eating used to be a pleasurable experience. For me, the cold hard truth of having the lapband is that eating is now work. I have to think about what I am going to eat (make band-friendly choices) and think about eating consciously--chew, eat slowly, and listen to my body. It is not the mindless activity it was before. This is good and bad.

It's good because of the effort that is required, I just don't look forward to it. I think the emotional eating has seriously been tackled --- of course, this means that I keep candy and ice cream out of the house --- the band isn't going to help with that although I have found (contrary to what I have read other people saying) that I can't eat as much of it---I just get full.

It's bad because of the effort that is required, I just don't do it (sometimes). Or I just pick at my food. I am particularly challenged at lunch time at work. My job tends to be stressful. My experience is stress tightens my band. I recently learned not to force myself to eat if this is happening. Why? PB big time. If I am not sure, I will take a bite or two and see what happens. So what do I do instead? I will eat a protein bar very very slowly, have a latte, or some soup. Yes, except for the protein bar - soft food. But reality is that you can't squeeze food past a tight band and getting food down is important (for me) or else calories consumed for the day will not be enough.

In case anyone is thinking - hmmmm, you might be too tight. I know this isn't the case. The band is a strange little thing. You have to learn how your body deals and reacts to it. It is definitely not a science. Over time I have put together what happens with me. On days where stress is low/manageable - no issue (as long as I follow bandster rules) - so defintely not too tight. There are times during my cycle that I am tight as well, but I am getting a good sense of when this happens. It just takes time and patience (with some PBs thrown in) to figure it out.

In fact, I am still learning...

I love the 80's!

180's that is! The past two weeks I had held steady at 191.5. Although I hadn't exercised, my eating had been about 90% which should have translated into some sort of loss. Because of my 'lovely' job, I really wasn't sweating it (seriously) - plus there was TTOTM to factor in. Bottom line: 3.5lbs this week, so officially in the 180's.

The really cool part is that I had assigned myself a goal of 189 this week. I wasn't sure I was going to hit it and ended up pleasantly surprised.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 188lbs
Overall loss: 46lbs
Lbs to goal: 39lbs

What a Week!

Where to start - it's TTOTM, I seriously hate my job, I haven't been going to the gym, nor have I been eating well. Overall I would describe this week as YUCKY! Weigh in was uneventful - I stayed the same. Why? Not eating well, not going to the gym, and TTOTM (oh, and I hate my job). No big surprises there. There is a lot of 'stuff' going around in my head, but I just can't seem to put it into words at the moment. Maybe in a couple days - or at least I will have some sort of dribble to post that someone might find entertaining.

Another Recipe: King Ranch Casserole

I am guessing many of you have had King Ranch Casserole - at least if you live in Texas. It is easy, yummy, and now proven to be band friendly. Although the standard disclaimer applies - just because it was band friendly for me, does not necessarily mean it will be for you, but I encourage you to try it! ;)

• 2 cups cooked diced chicken (I use the canned chicken breast - easy)
  
• 1 can Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies)
  
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the Healthy Request to reduce calories)
  
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the Healthy Request to reduce calories)
  
• 1/2 can chicken broth (sometimes I use this and other times I don't. It is kind of optional)
  
• 1 package corn tortillas - cut in pieces (I cut them in half and then in strips)
  
• Cheddar cheese - Put as much or as little as you want (can dramatically impact calories)
  
• Olives - optional - if I have sliced olives around I will add these
  
• Onion - optional - again, if you have an onion around and feel like chopping it up into small pieces, you can put this in as well
  

Mix the Rotel, soups, and chicken broth together in a bowl. In a casserole dish (I think it is 13x9), layer half of the tortilla strips. Follow with half the chicken, then soup mixture, then olives, onion, and cheese (you can leave the cheese out of this layer if you want less calories). Repeat. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes - until it is all bubbly. Serve.

I estimate it at 350 calories for a 1 cup serving. Depends on a lot of variables though (olives, cheese, low-fat soup, etc.), but I am all about the rough estimates as I just can't eat a lot of food in one sitting.

Serving suggestion - throw some green beans in the microwave and you have a complete meal! The leftovers heat up really well in the microwave and make a great lunch.

PS - THANKS for all the comments on my previous post. I just LOVE comments. :) If you haven't checked out Jessica's - I encourage you to do so! She Googled the elevator conspiracy and left additional detail. Thanks Jessica!

Does it work?

The close door button on the elevator that is. Have you ever noticed that without a doubt the open door button works -- because you can hold the door open with it, but the close door button is a different story?

Here's my theory - you want the door to close and you push the button. The door doesn't close upon pressing it, so you press it again. In my case, I push the button continuously. If the button really worked, upon pressing it once the door would immediately close. Seriously people, I am not kidding you. The next time you are in an elevator try it. Does it really close right when you hit the button? (Please report your findings as I am limited to the same elevator every day.)

Here's the real scoop: It's there so people like me --- impatient people --- don't get pissed off that there isn't a button to close the door. It makes you 'feel' like the door is closing. Man, is this a stupid post or what! This is what I was thinking this morning...Oh yeah, one last thing - why does the open door button work then? It's a safety thing, so that has to work. In fact, now that I type this, the close door button could actually be a safety risk! Even more to ponder.

Today was my weigh in day. The surprise - I lost 1/2 pound. I'm surprised because I have not eaten well, had an evening of drinking, and didn't go to the gym. I am trying to focus on how much I 'could have' lost if I had been going to the gym in the hopes that it will get me back there.

A little note on the fickleness of the band - yesterday my band was loose. I ate 1/2 of a burrito from On the Border last night for dinner and some chips. No problem at all even though it was a tad more than I should have eaten. Today - I am tight as a drum. I attempted to eat lunch - salad and soup - no dice. I attempted to eat dinner - no dice. It truly is weird how much difference a day can make. (Hmmm, maybe my band is really smart? It knew I had more food than I should have yesterday, so it tightened up today to compensate? What is it with me and the conspiracies?)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 191.5lbs
Overall loss: 42.5lbs **notice** exactly half way to goal :)
Lbs to goal: 42.5lbs

Holy Falling Garage Doors!

I got the crap scared outta me! I came home and pulled the car in the garage because the neighbor behind me had his car broken into the other night. Well the garage door made a bunch of noise when it was going up, but lately it has seemed to do that (huh, this should have been a clue). Pulled the car in and pressed the button to close it.

It went down part way and then went back up, but not all the way. First I figured the cat had gone out because it is a nice day and there is that auto sensor thing. Then I looked and said to self, "hmmmm, don't think that is it. The door isn't all the way up." So, of course I figure well I will just release it and close the door manually and call someone to come take a look at it.

Yeah me on this one - I decided I would go ahead and pull the car out before I close the garage in case I can't get it back up (again, a yeah me on this one). I then released the garage door from the opener thing -- sorry, it's not like I know the technical name for this stuff, especially 'cause if I did I wouldn't have messed with it. I start pulling on the door (hello dummy!!! it's not moving very easily - hint, hint). I keep pulling and then all hell breaks loose!

One part of the door comes down, the other is up, roller thingies fall off, it looks like the actual door is falling apart (!), and the top part starts falling IN. I freak and jump outta the way. The door stays hanging there and I am totally freaked out!

Turns out that a couple months ago I had the garage door guy out here, because my stupid cat ate the wires (seriously) on the sensor things and they needed to be fixed. So I only had to dig for about 10 mins (yes, the house is messy) instead of 45. I find the number and call the garage door guy. I say, "I am having a garage door emergency." That is really what I said. The cats have a door into the garage to do their business and I can't leave the house with the garage door open -- work now becomes an issue.

I describe to him the best I can what happened and I am thinking - holy crap, this is going to cost a ton o' money. Luckily, he heads right out this way. It is still light out because I left work early to go to the gym (more on that later). He takes a look and I say, "how bad is it?". He just says, "All ya gotta do is pay me 129 bucks." Me: "Really?" Him: "Really". Me: "Well all righty then, I am one happy camper."

He goes on to explain that what happened is his most common call. The garage door came off the tracks and everything gets discombobulated (I love that word and that I got to use it in my blog!). He replaced a roller, pushed the rail thingies back into place, sprayed some lubricant on things, and voila - working garage door!

Whew! I am sooo relieved. Although, I could have used the excuse to stay home tomorrow! ;)

As far as the gym, welllll didn't make it there this weekend. And not making it tonight either. It is too late now.

Go Figure?!

Yep, you read that right! All my laziness has paid off ;). I lost 2.5lbs this week. I am 1/2lb from the halfway mark. That is exciting, but I can honestly tell you that it isn't going to knock me out of my funk---at least not today. My most recent excuse: I haven't been getting home from work until late. Yes, I know lame...Then again, the 180's are getting close! I'm going out on a limb: I am heading back to the gym this weekend.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 192lbs
Overall loss: 42lbs
Lbs to goal: 43lbs

Still Not on Track

Nope. Still haven't gotten back on track. No exercise since Wednesday. My excuse today is a sick stomach. I am wondering if chicken is on my banned list. I can eat it in soup, but it seems that everytime I have chicken breast it just doesn't work. Today it was moist, marinated chicken. I was sick afterward, but this time it went on for a long time. Pardon the gory details, but PB, foam, you name it, I had it. By the end of the afternoon, my tummy was not happy nor was I.

I can honestly say that today was the first day that I seriously wondered if it was worth it. (The funk gets funkier.) Right now I don't have an answer. None of this is easy and the weight is coming off slower than the last diet that I was on. I am trying to remind myself that I have always been a "champion loser", but keeping it off has been impossible. Always gaining it back with friends, this tool is to stop the cycle. Only time will tell. Maybe I am having delayed after surgery depression? ;) Can that happen 3 months later?

A bit of a funk

It's TTOTM. It has kinda put me into a funk. The weather isn't helping either since it was 85 on Thursday and dropped to 40 on Friday. Today is even colder - like 28. Now don't get me wrong that is far from cold compared to places like the Midwest and I know that. It has just had a big effect on me. I don't want to leave the house and am curled up on the couch with a blanket. I highly doubt that I will make it to the gym today.

As far as yesterday, it was my 3-month bandiversary. With cramps and all, I didn't get to the gym. In fact, I was feeling like I was going to kill someone unless I satisified my cravings. So, I ate a pint - yes, a pint - of ice cream. I didn't eat much else, but still it wasn't really on the plan. It was a conscious choice and I didn't feel guilty at all. We'll see what effect the ice cream and the lack of exercise will have on the scale, but right now I just don't care. Told you I was in a funk...so much for the attitude adjustment.

I was reading a blog - honestly can't remember which one and it referenced this site that would make your blog into a word cloud. Mine is the pic on this post. Kinda interesting. If you'd like to do yours, click here.

So close...but no cigar...

Official weigh in day. The good news is that I dropped 2.5lbs. The 'bad' (disappointing anyway) news is I was .5lb from hitting the 40lbs lost mark. Oh well, I WILL look at the positive - I am down 39.5lbs. Tomorrow is my 3 month mark. I'll post more then. I'm just not in a good mood today -- rough day at work. (BTW - elliptical today - 35mins)

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 194.5lbs
Overall loss: 39.5lbs

Whoa - I'm a S-T-U-D!

OK, probably a bit of an exaggeration, but I am on a roll with the exercising! Let's recap...

• Saturday - 50 mins elliptical
  
• Sunday - 50 mins elliptical
  
• Monday - 45 mins elliptical
  
• Tuesday - 50 mins elliptical
  

I thought about why and I have to tell you that knowing that I am going to be reporting it on my blog has seriously helped. Monday I didn't want to go (welllll, do I ever really 'want' to go? NO, but you know what I mean.). I told myself that I'd have to put on my blog that I didn't exercise and there was absolutely no reason for me to not go and put in 30 mins. And then I get there - still hating it - but there are so many people around that I feel pressured to work out longer than 30 mins. All of this works for me - even if it is mind manipulation :)

Today wasn't a struggle to go though. I just asked myself - would I rather get the weight off or sit on the couch. Getting the weight off won. I hope to have more of these days. I am going to a wedding on June 3 and plan to reward myself with a cute new outfit for the event. That's about 16 weeks away, so I am targeting an average of 1.5 pounds per week to be solidly in the 170's then.

Man oh man, I am hoping for a loss tomorrow. I am 3 lbs shy of the 40 pound mark and feel like I am due for a big drop. I really want to hit 40 pounds because the 16th is my 3-month bandiversary. Please oh please weight loss fairies - please make a stop at my house and carry away some of my weight!

Looking for a Little Crunch?

Well, my latest find that I MUST share is by PepsiCo's Quaker division - Quaker Soy Crisps! They are de-lish. Salt, crunch, low-calorie, AND protein.



I have had the White Cheddar flavor and give them a big thumbs up. I have the BBQ, but haven't tried them yet.

Here's the scoop from the BBQ bag - the White Cheddar is probably pretty close.

• 110 calories per serving
  
• 18 crisps!!! per serving
  
• 4g fat
  
• 15g carbs (4g sugars)
  
• 6g protein!!!
  

Sometimes a girl just has to have a crunch and these are way better for me than the dreaded potato chips. These are definitely good for that scenario without breaking the calorie bank.

Weekend Activities

I made it to the gym both Saturday and Sunday - Yeah! I put in 60mins on the elliptical both days. I belong to 24hr Fitness - cardio equipment is upstairs and weights are down. While I was plugging away on the elliptical, I was gazing downstairs at the weights. I realize that I need to add weights to my routine. I had a good weight routine that I need to try and locate in my pit of an office. It is the basics that I need to do to work out the core muscle groups. BUT if anyone knows of any websites that have good workouts, please send them my way.

Overall my eating and exercise has been excellent. The ridiculous part is that I am not getting to my goal on liquids. This is ridiculous because prior to the 'attitude adjustment' overall fluids were good. Sometimes I wonder if I am doomed to not be able to get all three of my goals going at once, but I will NOT give up.

I have been reading a ton of blogs. There are a lot of good ones out there. So many that I am working on a BlogRoll - assuming I can figure it out - that I plan to add to my blog. Up until this point, I have just been trying to remember where they are - I know I could use my Favorites, but I just haven't.

I have to admit though that I have developed some Blog Pet Peeves...I hate blogs that I can't figure out how to navigate through them easily - I just find it to take too much effort and move on. The other thing - blogs that launch music when you view the blog. I find this to be the most annoying thing that can be put on a blog. I am there to read what is posted not to hear a bunch of noise. Seriously, even if I like the music, I find it irritating and immediately close the blog. Just my two cents...

Yikes - Tight!!!

Man oh man - all of the female bandsters that say that they get tight during sometime of their cycle are so right! I am only at 3 months since my surgery next week, so I don't have a lot of data to go by. I can tell you that today and yesterday I have been tight! It has been hard to eat, so I am back to soft foods.

Going to stick with that for a day or two as there has been quite a bit of pb'ing and I bet that has also added to the tightness. For any future bandsters (females) - learn from me and start tracking your cycle and how tight you are from the get go. It will be extremely helpful as you go through your journey.

Today has been a bad day as far as the attitude adjustment - not enough food, not enough water, and no exercise. Oh well, tomorrow is another day, right? Since it is Saturday I have absolutely no excuse not to go to the gym.

NSV(?) - My close friends that see me all the time don't really seem to notice the weightloss much. Well, today one of my close friends hadn't seen me in a week and she was shocked at how thin my face was. It was pretty hilarious as I haven't really lost much in the past couple of weeks, but shows how a little time apart from close friends/family helps make the weightloss noticeable.

NSV(?) - I can wear jeans to work on Friday. I pretty much wear the same pair every week - for obvious reasons - it's the only pair that fits. Well, I'm not sure if it was because it was the second wearing or what, but they were falling off! This is good and bad. Good because I seem to be shrinking, but bad because I know I haven't lost enough to fit into the next size down so baggy butt will have to stick around for a while. But let me stress, I am not complaining ;)

Down 1/2 Pound

OK, well so much for the rant. I did lose a half pound. It is just so weird how weight just bounces up and down. Technically I could rant, since I lost less than 1.5 pounds (per my earlier post), but I did such a good job yesterday that I don't feel the need. :)

I did get to the gym today for a workout - 50 mins and 4.1 miles on the elliptical. Eating was OK. Behind a bit on the water, but I'll catch up before bed. Short post today.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 197lbs
Overall loss: 37lbs

PS - Serena - Glad to hear I'm not the only one that does the weight previews! ;) I was warned that depression could be possible after the surgery. Have you talked to your doc? Maybe some anti-depressants for a bit might be helpful?

I Like This Show!

Love Monkey - And believe it or not it is on the 'old people network' aka CBS. I am trying to remember the name of the show that the lead character was on. This show reminds me in a way of that show. Was the name of the show 'Ed?' - no, that isn't right, but I can't remember the name. He was a lawyer that owned a bowling alley...

This show he is in the music business. I'm not going to get into all the gory details. I just thought that I would share that it is a pretty good show. I am a music person and the show has good music in the background and features cool musicians on the show now and then. For example: Anna Nalick, James Blunt, Ben Folds and others...

Long and short of it is if you are bored on Tuesday night and looking for something to do - give it a try and turn it on. Tuesday - 9pm CT - CBS

A Preview to Tomorrow?

I sure hope not! Yes, I did it again. I stepped on the scale before my weigh in day (Wednesday). The news was NOT good. Up a 1/2 pound. What the heck is up? I am working out, eating right, and drinking water!!!! aarrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhh!

I know be patient. Well it sucks! I'm not officially up 1/2 pound until tomorrow, so maybe miraculously I will lose weight by tomorrow morning. Regardless, I am going to do things differently. I am going to track every single piece of food that enters my mouth to ensure that my calorie estimates are right. Maybe I am off, but HELLO? No way enough to actually GAIN weight!!!

Just a warning, this WILL be a recurring theme. Because the weight is not coming off fast enough. I will promise though that on weeks that I lose 1.5+ pounds that I will NOT whine. Look forward to those weeks...

*comments*

Craig T - I don't think you are the only one! ;) Some days the bars don't fill me up either. PS - I am not a Cowboys fan. I am convinced they are a love/hate team. You love them or you hate them. I am a hater. Also, I tried to get to your site, but couldn't get there?

Serena - Girl, I am so with you on the 'maybe tomorrow'...lol. As you can see, my attitude adjustment was short lived...and I hope/plan to get it to kick in again tomorrow. Today though I am going to wallow in my frustration. I checked you blog and you haven't posted in a bit. How are you doing?

Ramblings...

First and foremost, the Superbowl was very disappointing! I know the Seahawks weren't 'supposed' to win, but it didn't stop me from wanting them to. *sigh*

I am so tickled at how popular the Taco Soup recipe was. I will post more recipes as I stumble across them and determine that they are WLS friendly. I am thinking that I will try making a modified King Ranch Casserole---less corn tortillas and more chicken. It might not be until the weekend though that I get to it.

I did go to the gym today - 50 mins / 4 miles on the elliptical. Felt the workout on Saturday and Sunday today. Still planning on going tomorrow though. Just need to take a dip in the hot tub to get some of the soreness out. (Yes, water in and on target for food as well. Attitude adjustment is in gear today.)

Discovery of the day - I needed a meal replacement that I could eat at my desk yet still be good for me. Enter Zone Perfect All Natural Nutrition Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter. Pretty good - not very peanut buttery, but overall I give it a thumbs up for lunch on the run. It kept me full which is the most important part. It was a tad bit high on saturated fat and 13 grams of Sugars might be too high for some.




Calories: 210
Calories from Fat: 60
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: <5mg
Sodium: 330mg
Potassium: 110mg
Total Carbohydrate: 21g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 13g
Protein: 16g

On the topic of bars, I don't think I have published the other bars that I like. Sometimes I have one for a late breakfast, a lunch, or a snack. I prefer these to the Zone Perfect, but not as much protein. Less sugar though, so might be a good choice if you have to watch your sugars. They are the South Beach Diet High Protein Cereal Bars by Kraft.

This chocolate one I can only eat as a snack. I can't eat sweet in the morning. It is pretty good. Fixes me up when I have a craving.

The peanut butter one is my favorite! It seems like I am eating something that I am not supposed to.

Cranberry Almond also gets a thumbs up. I always have to make sure I chew this one or else the cranberry and almond bits can be tricky in the morning.

And the 4th of the 5 flavors is Cinnamon raisin. I usually switch between this one and the peanut butter.

They all are 140 calories and have 10g of protein. The specifics vary between bars, so I'll let you check them out if your interested. BTW - Wal*mart has been the cheapest place I have found them. In fact, I just stocked up because there was a $1 off coupon on the box. (I love those coupons 'cause I actually use them!)

Mmmm, mmm, good - Taco Soup

I had taco soup at a mexican restaurant here in Texas. It was really yummy! By looking at it, I figured it had to be pretty easy to make and has a lot of protein. In searching the net, it seems that the recipes are pretty standard. So, I made a big pot yesterday. It is AWESOME! I had to post the recipe here for anyone that is interested.

1 pound ground lean ground beef (I used ground sirloin - leanest I could find)
1 onion -- chopped
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix -- (small)
1 pkg Taco seanoning Mix
1 can kidney beans (I used the ones with jalenpenos for added zing)
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn
1 can Rotel
1 can stewed chopped tomatoes
1-2 cans chicken broth depending on how soupy you want it - I used two cans

Brown meat with onion, drain excess fat, add all ingredients, simmer to blend flavors. Estimated calorie content is 100 calories per cup

PS - Go Seahawks!

Attitude Adjustment Needed!

Yep, I definitely need an attitude adjustment. I am not working out enough. I worked out today and yesterday, but other than that I have been making up excuses. Nope, not really even making excuses, just not going.

I am also struggling with eating. I am just NOT hungry. I know, what a problem to have, right? But as I have posted before, if I don't eat a minimum of 1000 calories, then I don't lose.

And don't forget the water - I haven't been hitting my 8 glass minimum either.

Yes, an attitude adjustment is needed. I honestly didn't think this would be a problem until I could fit into all of the clothes in my closet. I'm not even to that point yet.

I am posting this to get it all out there. I HAVE to do better. I did NOT pay all of this money to not get to my goal. So, I am drawing a line in the sand right now!

• I will drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day.
  
• I will workout a minimum of 4 times a week for 45mins per session.
  
• I will eat all of my meals and get in 1000 calories.
  

I WILL HIT MY GOAL OF 149!!!!

PS - GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Jessica - I'm glad you like reading my blog! Do you have a date yet for your banding? BTW - the pictures that I use are from trips to Maui.

Another Week

Well, 11 weeks have gone by since my surgery. Overall things are going OK. Since the fill, I have had a hard time eating. Same old story - eating too fast, seem to be getting a lot of air, and not stopping soon enough (too much food).

The past few days have been good though. I have concentrated on eating slower and eating less. I'm talking like a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of food. This seems to be working well. The key - eat CONSCIOUSLY - make sure that I am 110% engaged in the activity. This is the only way things are going to work without problems.

I lost 1.5lbs this week - not as much as I hoped as I had gone up a 1/2 pound the week before, so it is really more like 1 lb. Then again, I haven't been consistently getting in my water and workouts have been sporadic at best.

Not much to post. Mainly because work has been hectic and I haven't been in the best of moods the past couple of days. I've got to get caught up on reading everyone's blogs as well.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 197.5lbs
Overall loss: 36.5lbs

RMR - Resting Metabolic Rate

Well, I figured since I 'flaunted' around RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) that I should go ahead and prove my theory. There are many scientific calculations for your RMR. They vary a bit, but I just took the least amount for my purposes. (If you want to find a calculator, simply Google 'calculating resting metabolic rate' and a bunch of calculators will come up.)

What is RMR? It is the amount of energy (calories) that your body requires at rest. In other words, if you don't do anything but sit around and breath, this amount of calories are required by your body to function.

There are things that affect your RMR - the amount of muscle you have (this is why you want to preserve as much muscle mass as possible - in fact, adding muscle mass would even be better!); your age (boo!); your sex (of course, guys burn more. mainly because they have a higher muscle mass naturally); climate (the colder the climate - the more energy the body needs to keep warm - but hello, who is really exposed enough to the elements for this to have a real impact?); small regular meals (supposedly).

Oh, I should mention that RMR is also referred to as BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate. There is really no difference. So use whichever one you want. But I see some differences? There are like 5 different calculations that are commonly used to determine RMR / BMR - therefore you can see up to a 50 calorie swing depending on which calculation is used.

Using one of the calculators, my body at its current weight requires 1634 calories at rest. Remember that is with no exercise - this is your body at rest.

1634 RMR/BMR x 7 days = 11,438 calories expended per week

(**Assuming 1000 calorie diet/day on average**)
1000 calories x 7 days = 7,000 calories consumed per week

Calories In - Calories Out = Weekly Deficit
7,000 cals per week - 11,438 cals per week = -4438 calorie deficit

Translation - 4438 divided by 3500 calories in a lb = 1.3lbs

Bottom line - I should be losing at least a lb a week. My overall average shows this weightloss.

Bad news is that as you lose weight your RMR / BMR goes down -- assuming constant muscle mass. Why? Well it all boils down to there is less of you to support at rest. It takes less calories to support 150lbs than 200lbs. What to do? Any combination of: Eat less, move more, gain muscle mass.

Hopefully someone found this interesting! :o) It was a good exercise for me to remind myself that as long as I am patient - the weight WILL drop off.

Whew!

**Thanks for the comments Rhonda and Jessica!**

Everything was A-OK. They did a fluoro with me standing up to check the position of my band and it was right where it was supposed to be. I then did a barium swallow and it just whooshed on through! What a relief!

I figured while I was there that I might as well ask if I could get a fill to avoid having to make another trip. Since everything looked OK and they saw how the barium went on through they said yes. I asked for a small one as I had lost well between fills (9.4lbs), but eating a tad bit more than recommended and getting a bit more hungry between meals.

As I’ve said before, I plan to ‘get away’ with as few fills as possible. Not that I am trying to be the hero or trying to diet, but want to increase restriction only when I need it. I know that I will need it eventually and will ride the wave until I get to that point.

Here’s the specifics on my fills:
1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25
Loss between fills (using doctor scale): 9.4lbs (1.88lbs per week average)

Today was my official weigh in day. Not good news. Up .5 lbs. Why? I attribute this to less exercise and not drinking all my fluids. I also don’t think it is a ‘real’ weight gain. There is no way that I ate 1750 calories above and beyond what my body needs to maintain my current weight. What to do? Get my exercise in, drink enough fluids, and eat my meals as planned. Next week will be better.

Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 199lbs
Overall loss: 35lbs

Unofficial weigh in stats – doctor’s scale:
Starting weight: 234lbs
Current weight: 202.2lbs
Overall loss: 31.8lbs

Appointment Tomorrow

So, I called and explained what happened. I go in tomorrow for fluoro just to make sure everything is OK. Of course, wouldn't you know it, a little relief mentally and I seem to be feeling better. Ate some harder stuff for dinner without a problem. Oh well, better safe than sorry. I'll speak to them about getting a fill tomorrow.

Tomorrow is also my official weigh in. I haven't been getting in all of my water or exercising as much as I had in previous weeks. Oh well, I'll report in tomorrow.

Uh oh - tummy not good!

On Saturday I ate something that did not agree with me. What was different about this time was the vomiting. It lasted longer than normal and it felt 'deeper' for lack of a better way to describe it.

I had liquids and soft foods on Sunday and Monday until dinner. At dinner, I attempted to eat very very moist chicken, but no luck. I am keeping down liquids and soft foods no problem. What could be the problem? Was it the vomiting? I think I am supposed to be close to my period? I am stressed out!

I plan to call tomorrow to see if I can get in to get it checked out on Wednesday. Can't on Tuesday -- too much going on at work. One more day won't matter because I can drink and eat soft foods. I swear it will just be hard psychologically. PLEASE let it be irritation, swollen stoma, or something easy like that. As long as it isn't a slip.

What I did find out is there is not a lot that I can find about a slip. All I was able to locate was that it is a possibility, but not what the symptoms are. So, that's my story for now. Keep your fingers crossed. I will call tomorrow.

Ta Daaa! It happened! :o)

I weighed in at 198.5! Yippeee! Can you believe it? That is a 4 pound loss this week?!? Stats: 35.5 lbs down. That's my update for now.

Some responses to comments...

Jessica - you crack me up! ElastiGirl got on your nerves...lol. I have changed the link on the side. Keep up the diligence on working toward your goals. I'm with you on the scales - I use my home scale as my 'official' weight because I weigh heavier on every other one. I wonder what I'd do if I weighed less? ;)

Rhonda - My fellow Texan! Yes, please feel free to include a link to my blog if you want. I guess I broke protocol and should have asked you if I could include yours on mine. Hope it is OK?

First - you are doing awesome! Keep up the good work! Try not to get discouraged - I know it is easier said than done. I think you just need to try some tweaking. Here are my thoughts...

In regard to your question, and these are just my thoughts, prior to getting another fill, I would make sure your calorie intake is a minimum of 1000 calories a day. If not, I'd increase it to 1000 and see what happens with your weight. The standard response applies - it works for me and might not for you, but I think it is worth a shot prior to getting another fill. By the way, I was banded 11/16, so we are close together on our journey. (Are you getting hungry between meals right now? Are you exercising? -- these are also things I would consider before getting another fill.)

My typical day consists of: venti non-fat latte (210 calories); a Post CarbWell breakfast bar (140); lunch - it varies - but it is likely 200 - 250 calories (estimated); snack sometimes if hungry - 4-8 lowfat wheat thins and laughing cow cheese (135) [this usually depends on how big my lunch was]; dinner - again something around the 200 calorie range - I'm lazy so sometimes this is just tuna (a can with fat-free mayo) or a cup of Wolf Brand Chili - the turkey kind with beans that is something like 98% fat-free. All in all it is around 1000 calories that I am eating. Some days a little more and others less.

Things that I find that work for me:
Venti non-fat latte - expensive, but it gets in calcium and protein at once and is hot so has no problem going down in the morning
Post CarbWell cereal bars - lots of flavors - these are cheapest at Walmart
Low-fat wheat thins
Laughing Cow or any other kind of lowfat cheese - i find these are easier to control the portion size so I use them. You can find this in different flavors as well - I have just been getting them at Albertsons
Tuna/Salmon
Wolf Brand Chili
Texas Caviar - love the stuff
Lean Cuisine / Weight Watcher frozen dinners - these are a good size and are relatively inexpensive, so I have been trying these and seeing what works. I'm not so tight, so in the evenings I am pretty open and this allows me more flexibility on what I eat
Green beans

Please let me know if you (or anyone else for that matter) has any questions. Most of the time this really seems to be like a science experiment that we all have to figure out!

Will it happen???

Yep, I cheated. I stepped on the scale yesterday - or the day before - can't quite remember and was 200 lbs. BUT it wasn't my official weigh in day - that's tomorrow. I will be pleased to weigh in at 200 and will be happy with that, but will be ecstatic if I weigh in under 200!!!

I can tell that I have lost weight. I didn't feel like I had lost, but now I can feel it. It is a great feeling.

I worked out 4 times last week and on my way to the same this week (twice so far). I have been hungrier, so again I am starting to think about getting a fill. But I don't want to get one unless I really really need it. This is a bit of a different approach from posts I read on the Yahoo! boards, but seems to be working for me. I do not plan to get a fill until I am not losing any weight or I am starving---OK, maybe starving is a bit of an exaggeration :)

Well, I have been thinking about how much 'stuff' I should put out here. It would be more interesting for anyone reading if I put more, I think. So, here is the story that has been bugging me and will maybe get outta my head if I put it here...

On Saturday night, I went out with a guy friend of mine. Seriously, he is a friend -- he's gay ;). Anyway, I have not been drinking for obvious reasons. Well I had a couple glasses of wine. Needless to say it hit me pretty hard because I haven't been drinking. A guy I used to see was there. We didn't exactly part on good terms. Well, the liquid courage set in and interesting conversation ensued. In the end though he did apologize for lying - that is my pet peeve. Nothing will ever happen between us again - it was just nice to clear the air.

But as the conversation went on, this guy started throwing 'his friend' under the bus. This friend is also my friend, so I started getting mad. This other friend was out with his girlfriend - romantic evening and all. I knew that. But did that stop me from calling him? Uh no. Me and the friend I went out with CONTINUED to call him SEVEN times. Bwaaaa. This did not go over well. As everyone knows: drunk dialling is NOT a good thing.

So the next day we felt bad. My friend was mad at me of course. I think he is starting to get over it. Lesson - STEP AWAY FROM THE PHONE!:)

Weigh In

Drum roll....down 1.5 pounds! I'll take it. Now I am convinced that I was not eating enough. I increased my calories as I put in my previous post and the weight is coming off again. Whew!

So, I know how to work this thing, I just need to keep doing it. AND eat slower! AND chew a bit more.

That's it for now...Officially down 31.5 pounds. Average of 2.9 per week.

Need a Fill?

Not much has been happening. I was supposed to go out of town on business for the week, but it ended up being cancelled. That was OK with me. I was not looking forward to the lunches and dinners. I feel more comfortable being able to control what I eat right now as I am still getting the hang of things.

I have been going to Jazzercise. Tomorrow is my weigh in. Stayed the same last week, so if I don't lose at least a pound tomorrow I *might* consider a fill. I will need to review the questions in Jessie H Ahroni's book - Laproscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding -- Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery - and answer those honestly to determine if I am doing my part. I'm not going to worry about it today and will address it tomorrow.

I am somewhat worried though (ha! didn't I say I wasn't going to worry?) on waiting too long to get a fill. So, with all of what I have said above, I might go ahead and schedule a fill for a couple of weeks from now and cancel if needed. Geez - this adjustment business is tricky! I know they would give me one if I want it, but I don't want to get too tight. I am still learning how to eat slower and chew more. I don't want to be tighter and end up sliming/pb'ing more.

Things I'm pondering...
I am making healthy food choices in good portion sizes and am not getting hungry in between. Good = no fill
I can't eat white bread, fibrous vegies (haven't tried), and no large portions. Good = no fill
I might be struggling to lose. Will know this tomorrow. Based on the two items above, I should probably increase activity and monitor food intake more prior to getting a fill.
I am NOT gaining weight. Fingers crossed - will know for sure tomorrow, but don't think so.

No Loss!

Well, today was my official weigh in day and I stayed the same! *sigh* Let's be real --- I am not eating enough to not lose weight. Plus I have added exercising --- Jazzercise. So, the reality is my body is just not letting loose, but it will. I am confident.

I am wondering if I am not eating enough. For ME - stressing ME here, if I do not have enough calories in a day, I do not lose weight. I have been sliming quite a bit and have PB'd a couple times as I am still trying to figure things out. Believe me I do not do it on purpose and try to avoid it all costs, but some days things that are fine one day are not on another. It is strange. I am working on figuring out in the first couple of bites whether or not I'm going to have problems---but I am still a work in progress.

If I estimate my calories today and my estimates are normally high - 200 breakfast; 400 lunch (Definite over estimate); 300 dinner. Total 900, but honestly I think it was more like 800. I need to get up to around 1000.

Overall still working and learning.

I Did It!

Yeah me! I went to Jazzercise tonight. I didn't want to, but knew that in the end that I would feel good about going. So just got myself dressed and off I went.

It's back to work tomorrow. It is the first day back for me since my first fill. (I was off on vacation.) Lunch should be interesting. I have a hard time sitting there while others are eating without continuing to pick at my food. I am going to HAVE to break that because it always leads to eating a bite too much and then...GOLFBALL!

I'm going back with my hair 'all did' and 31 pounds (unofficially - Wednesday is weigh in day) less. Should be interesting to see if I get any reaction to either. I think the weight loss will depend on what I am wearing. Oh well, not gonna worry about that. People will eventually notice :) --- people will definitely notice the hair though ;)

Overall my calories are still a bit low. I think I got in 1000 today if I'm lucky --- but that is pretty good. But I think being on vacation is a contributing factor to this issue and will be fixed when I go back to work....how you might be wondering? Welllllllll, I have been sleeping in so late (sometimes til noon!!!) there just aren't enough hours to get the food in...lol

New Year's / New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve - well, I thought I was supposed to spend time with my best friend---hang out at her house, etc. Tried calling her, but could never get a hold of her and my phone never rang either. It did NOT start out the day well as I was looking to her for support. For some reason New Year's Eve was not an evening I was looking forward to --- friends are married or coupled up, I didn't have any 'real' plans, etc. It all boils down to I felt downright lonely.

I did get my hair straightened though. So that was the last step in a week long process...lol. Started out with a cut - cutting off over 5 inches! A color AND highlights. And finally the straightening - japanese thermal straightening. It makes my hair straight as a board. A lot of people think I am crazy to straighten my curly hair - especially considering the time and expense, but I had done it for the first time 10 months ago and figured 'what the hell' I'd do it again.

So, as time ticked away on New Year's Eve, I thought about going out with some other friends. Tried on clothes and everything I tried on I HATED. Either too tent and awning (baggy) or too small. It was not a nice experience and put me in a worse mood than I was already. I felt SOOO fat. And yes, I did try to rationalize it by saying I used to weigh 30 pounds more and that only made me feel worse - go figure.

I honestly think that New Year's Eve was harder for me than Christmas. Oh well, I went to my friend's house for a couple hours and then was home by 10:30. Flipped channels and of course started feeling hungry. Was I hungry? Hell no. It was all in my head. I made myself some sugar-free hot chocolate and had that instead. I think I fell asleep before midnight.

Today - I stepped on the scale. Holding steady. This is OK as I tend to hold steady and then drop. The big thing that would make a difference is exercising. I haven't been doing much of anything. That changes tomorrow...

My goals for 2006:
Exercise a minimum of 3 times per week.
Get fills when/if needed.
Eat bandster meals consistently.
Drink my liquids everyday consistently.
Be at goal on or before my year bandiversary (November 16) -- I thought a lot about this and this is reasonable as I have 55lbs to goal.
Date
Widen my circle of friends