http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/ Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Procedure Support en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:30:31 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/styles/lapband/misc/rss.jpg http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11798.html Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:36:46 GMT Another milestone has been broken! Today I broke 350 and weighed in at 349!! Woot! Happy Dance! So this week I lost 3 pounds. I am very happy with the weightloss and am continuing to work at it.

Nicholas and I go for our walks every morning while Karen get's ready for work. Then we get back to the apartment just a short time before she has to leave and we have play time for a little bit. Then we try and go to the pool or a park a several of days a week. Then in the afternoon we usually go over to the mall for a walk around the mall. He's really helped me keep active during this time of a layoff. I am not sitting around and worrying about being unemployed all the time but instead am keeping active with him.

I did change a major thing in my diet. I noticed that when I had a little larger of a breakfast meal I was wanting to eat more throughout the day. So I reduced the amount I would eat at breakfast and as a result I don't eat as much throughout the day. I am getting fuller on less and wanting to snack less. I think what was happening is I was stretch my stomach out first thing in the morning and thus giving myself the "want" to eat throughout the day. I have seen a dramatic difference since this change.

Ok so here are the totals for this week....
Week 37
This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 349 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 93 lbs (37 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 136 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11798.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11577.html Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:23:43 GMT Well another week has gone by and another 2lbs lost! It's great to keep losing week after week even with a couple of tiny set backs I am still happy about my weight loss. I honestly can't tell you the last time I weighed this "little". It has to be about 8 or 9 years ago now or more.

I still contribute the weight loss to eating better and exercise. The walking greatly helps and makes me feel better as well. The hardest part with being unemployed now is keeping up on a good schedule with walking. I think tho that will get a little easier this next week since starting Monday my boy will be home with me and no longer in daycare. So my plan is to get up in the mornings like usual and get us ready for the day with breakfast and all that. Then at about the time that we would normally leave to go to daycare and me to work I will instead put him in the stroller and go for a good walk. It's still cool enough at that time of the morning that we can enjoy it and not be melting in the humidity. Then after our walk I am thinking we'd go to the pool to cool off especially since he likes the pool so much. Then in the afternoons depending on how things are going I am thinking we'll be making trips over to the mall to take a walk there too with a stop off at the play ground on the way back. Should really help me keep up on my exercise as well as give him plenty of time outdoors playing.

The other thing I have to make sure to keep up with is my diet. I don't want to get lax and start eating bad just cause I am not working. So keeping up with a healthy breakfast. Not snacking through the day and making sure to have a decent lunch is very important. Finally continuing to have a sensible dinner to round out the day.

Sounds like a lot of planning and such but I think it's going to help me mentally through this time which is key to my past eating habits. Something I don't want to fall into again. Not to mention needing to make sure I keep a good schedule for my son. We have found all his life he's very much a schedule person. He knows when he's suppose to eat, when we're suppose to get ready in the mornings, what the nightly routine is etc etc. It's kind of funny but also a pain when we want to do something a little different we have to plan it to make sure he'll be ok to go with the flow. LOL

Ok well back to the weight loss and the totals for the week.....
Week 35
This week 2 pounds lost
Current Weight - 353 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 89 lbs (35 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 132 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11577.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11426.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:09:49 GMT Ok I know I didn't blog last week. First off I gained 2 pounds last week but then I lost 2 pounds this week so it is a wash for the last two weeks.

Let's talk about week 33 really quick. On Sunday the family and I were coming back from a reunion at my in-laws and I blew a tired on the freeway on the way back. Scary I know. Well in changing the tire I injured my back and hamstrings. As a precaution to keep from hurting myself any further I did not walk for the week. Thus the two pound weight gain. My injuries did heal thank the lord.

Now for this week I walked on Monday. It felt great. Then Monday afternoon we had a meeting at work which was to inform us that we as employees needed to make a choice. We could either be laid off and go on unemployment or we could take an hours cut and only work 16 hours a week. Well for me that meant dire financial consequences as it would anyone and so my wife and I had to discuss what to do. As a result my stress level has been on high all week. I have hardly slept through the week. Today will be my last day at work but yesterday we learned at my work place that a client may be needing major work done which would bring everyone back to full time and keep us there for several months. So there is a glimmer of hope that the layoff will be short lived.

My diet and exercise has not been the for thought in my life this week. So I can only attribute the weight loss this week to stress. However I am getting back on track and will continue to work on it. It feels so much better to to have lost what I have but I still have plenty more to go. I also will be back on track with blogging weekly and hope you all continue to check in on my blog each week!

Weight loss totals for the last two weeks...
Week 33
This week 2 pounds gained
Current Weight - 357 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 85 lbs (33 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 128 lbs

Week 34
This week 2 pounds lost
Current Weight - 355 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 87 lbs (34 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 130 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11426.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11077.html Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:14:09 GMT So I am a day early this week but that's because we're heading out of town tonight after work for a family reunion tomorrow. So for this week today's weigh in for me is on Thursday. But I have good news. The scale reads 355 lbs! I lost 3 pounds this week. Back on track and very happy about it.

Of course I am back to walking just haven't gotten back up to the speed I was doing before my groin injury. But that's ok I will get back up to the faster pace. I can still tell there is some tightness in the groin muscle and just needs a little more time before I am back to full pace.

Dieting is still going pretty well. The one change I have talked about is eating cereal in the mornings to change things up from just eggs and bacon all the time. So pretty much I rotate now from eggs and bacon one day to FiberOneŽ cereal the next day. It's actually been pretty nice not having to make breakfast every day and I like the change up in foods. Eggs and bacon can actually get pretty boring after a while. LOL

Ok so here are the totals for this week....
This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 355 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 87 lbs (32 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 130 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog11077.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10951.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:59:05 GMT Well this week I lost 1 pound. Not what I would have wanted but with a pulled groin muscle injury I am ok with the loss. On Wednesday I got about 1/3 of the way into my walk when it happened. Stopped me dead in my tracks. I tried to do a couple of stretches and still it was very painful so I... Well this week I lost 1 pound. Not what I would have wanted but with a pulled groin muscle injury I am ok with the loss. On Wednesday I got about 1/3 of the way into my walk when it happened. Stopped me dead in my tracks. I tried to do a couple of stretches and still it was very painful so I continued to the end of the street obviously at a slower pace hoping to have the muscles release and the pain subside but it didn't. So I knew I needed to turn around and head home before injuring myself further. Took twice as long to limp home as it did to get out there. Any way the pain has almost completely subsided and I have gone on walks at a much slower pace to get some exercise but I can definately tell a difference in the level of exercise. So hopefully this will heal back to full strength soon.

So 1 pound lost isn't so bad after with having an injury.
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 358 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 84 lbs (31 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 127 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10951.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10634.html Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:03:04 GMT And the scale reads 359 pounds! I lost 4 pounds this week and it feels great! Let me start off with I didn't start the workout routine that I had planned but still did change up my walking pattern. I have increased my pace even more on the walking now completing 3 miles in 47 minutes down from the 52 minutes it was taking me. It's really helped too I think. I still plan to add a workout routine into my schedule just didn't happen yet. LOL

I had my 3rd fill/adjustment appointment with the doctor this last Monday and it has helps some to keep me full a little longer then what I had been. Before this fill I would start to get hungry about 2 to 3 hours after eating. Now I am going from just about meal time to meal time without getting hungry. What does that do you say? Well it keeps me from snacking as well as keeps me from over eating at meal time because I don't have the hunger. Granted I still cannot eat like I used to and I do feel a little more restriction then I had before the fill but it's still work. I still have to make better food choices and still have to get out and exercise on a regular basis.

A friend ask me the other day what do I eat. Well it's pretty simple actually. For breakfast I have 1 egg usually with a spring of cheese on it and a couple of slices of bacon. Sometimes I will switch out the bacon for sausage or ham. Then I will have a banana or a yogurt when I get to work. That rounds off breakfast. Then for lunch it's usually leftovers from dinners which 9 times out of 10 is a meat (chicken, beef, pork, or fish) and a vegi that is usually steamed. Once in a great while I will allow myself to have a carb meal meaning spaghetti, pizza, or something along those lines. We don't buy bread, rice, or potatoes to have with our meals. Those are high carb low dietary value and so we have cut them out of our diet. Granted if we go out to eat and fries is the side I will have them but again it's not a daily part of my diet and we just don't go out that often at all to eat. For drinks I am pretty much a Crystal Lite person. Ocean Spray and Koolaid both have drink mixes like Crystal Lite now so I drink those also which means I am drinking no sugar added drinks. It's mostly water but a little flavoring goes a long way and has helped me drink more liquids throughout my day.

Ok well I have got the rest of my morning going so here are the totals for the week!!!
This week 4 pounds lost
Current Weight - 359 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 83 lbs (29 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 126 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10634.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10517.html Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:06:31 GMT Well this week I only lost 1 pound. Yes it's still a lose but I keep going over in my head what I did different from last week and it really isn't much at all. The exercise level was the same. The food in take was near the same. My stress level was about the same. So I guess my body just wasn't burning the calories as well this week. Maybe I didn't have enough water intake. I really don't know. But what I do know is that it was not a zero loss and it was not a gain. So even still it's a loss.

I am used to walking the 3 miles now. When I first started it was taking me about 53 minutes total for the three miles. I already have it down to 50 minutes. Doesn't sound like much but it is a good change. At 53 minutes for 3 miles I was walking an average of 3.4 miles per hour. At 50 minutes for 3 miles I am walking at an average for 3.6 miles per hour. So a little bit of an increase. And yeah I know that is the engineer in me to break it down like that. LOL

A couple of plans for next week to change things up. First I have my adjustment (fill) scheduled for Monday. So that should make a big difference in my diet. I have been hungry more frequently and eating a little more then I know I should be. Secondly I am starting a new exercise program. It will be 3 days of cardio (walking) and 3 days of weight training. This should help burn fat and give good exercise while toning and strengthening my body. For a more detailed breakdown of what I am going to be working at look at the link here. http://www.health24.com/fitness/Prog...-2363-2109.asp

Well here are the totals for the week...
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 363 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 79 lbs (28 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 122 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10517.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10381.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:08:46 GMT Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZM6HTwTRt0Y/SjInY6pQGVI/AAAAAAAAB2I/lnoMU9rTBsw/s320/Head-Shot.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZM6HTwTRt0Y/SjInY6pQGVI/AAAAAAAAB2I/lnoMU9rTBsw/s1600-h/Head-Shot.jpg) Well I have started off the next 6 months in the right direction. I lost 3 pounds this week and...

Well I have started off the next 6 months in the right direction. I lost 3 pounds this week and increased my walking to 3 miles a day. My goal for the next 6 months is to lose 75 lbs. Sounds like a lot but really it isn't. That's just under 3 pounds a week which I should be able to do with little trouble.

My appetite has been a bit more this week then what it has been so I went ahead and got my 6 month lab work done this week and scheduled for my next follow-up/fill appointment with Dr. Perez. So that should help with the appetite and even the amount of food I can consume. Don't get me wrong I still am not consuming anything near what I was before surgery.

I had planned on taking a few weeks to work myself up in my walking from the 2 miles a day that I was doing to 3 miles a day. But, when I got out there to walk on Monday it just felt good to keep the pace going and next thing I knew I was rounding the corner at the mile and a half mark and back home for a 3 mile walk. So I just continued that habit this week. Great progress if I do say so myself.

Oh I said I would post some 6 month progress photos. Ok here they are....


So onto another week of weightloss!

This week 3 pound lost
Current Weight - 364 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 78 lbs (27 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 121 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10381.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10254.html Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:57:44 GMT 6 months ago today I had my surgery. It has been a life changing event for me and one that I am extremely happy that I took. I have lost a 75 lbs in the last 6 months and continue to lose week after week after week. This week it was only 1 pound lost but that's ok it was still a continued loss. Some times it's hard to believe that I am actually doing this and how much extra weight I was carrying around.

I am pretty much ready for my next fill. My appetite has slowly crept back up although it still no wheres near what it was before surgery. But I find myself eating more and being hungry sooner. The doc wants me to get lab work done to make sure I am going at this healthy which is very routine at the 6 month mark. So in the next week or two I will get a fill and get an update on how my body is doing :)

In the mornings I get up at 5am and get out the door right away to get in a 2 mile walk. I have got it down to 34 minutes which is great for me. I push myself every day and work on bringing that time down. Over the next month or two I am going to start working up to 3 miles of walking. I have mapped out, yes I know that's the engineer in me, a couple of routes in our area that I can walk to obtain 3 miles. I just need to get up a little earlier to allow for the extra time for that 3rd mile but that really is no big deal.

Well it's time to share those totals and look for sometime after this weekend to see some 6 month progress photos!
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 367 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 75 lbs (26 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 118 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10254.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10063.html Tue, 26 May 2009 13:00:53 GMT Ok so I am late in blogging this week. What can I say? It's been busy and this was memorial day weekend :) But hey the good news I lost 3 pounds this last week. I am working hard on my power walks and really trying to get my speed up. I have been getting a good pace and working up a good sweat. Amazing to say that really cause it's been since my late teens early twenties that I actually liked working up a good sweat.

My diet is going well. I really am surprised at the foods I can eat but not at the amount that I can eat. I have started using the small plates to eat with too. Seems to really help. Whenever I use the big plates I tend to serve myself to much food and can never finish it. I can't tell you how good that actually feels.

So my wife was ever so kind and took me to a discount store and got me a couple of shirts for work. I think right now I am starting to get between shirt sizes. I tried several on from different brands and it's amazing how different they fit from one to another. But it still is wonderful to fit into a smaller size. I think the last time I wore a 4x shirt was back when I was living in Colorado so that's like 8 years ago.

Ok so brass tax. Totals for the week are....
This week 3 pound lost
Current Weight - 369 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 73 lbs (24 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 116 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog10063.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9881.html Fri, 15 May 2009 09:39:43 GMT It's been a good week. I stepped on the scale this morning and really could not remember what I weighed last week. So I got my weight and figured I would look at my blog to see how much I had lost in the last week. To my surprise I lost 4 pounds.

This last week I have been going for a power walk in the mornings. I also have been watching my food a little closer and not eating as much between meals. I know I am suppose to have 4 small meals a day but it's hard to make that work and so I think I was snacking more then actually planning the 4th meal out.

The power walks in the morning are so refreshing. They really help me wake up and get my day started. Unfortunately today I won't be doing my walk. I have been hit pretty hard with allergies or a cold and am staying home from work today too.

So I guess I should get to the totals ;)
This week 4 pound lost
Current Weight - 372 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 70 lbs (23 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 113 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9881.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9813.html Mon, 11 May 2009 12:18:01 GMT Well this week continues on a good note. I lost 2 pounds this week bringing me down to 376 pounds. My goal for the year is to get down to 300 lbs which I am working on. Not sure if I will make it or not but that's not that big of a deal to me as it is to continue losing week after week. It's been a long time since I have been below 400 lbs so long that it might have even been as far back as when I lived in Colorado Springs which was about 8 to 9 years ago.

I have really been enjoying the early morning walks. I tried jogging one day but my body just isn't ready for that yet. I do look forward to the day when I can enjoy jogging but for now the brisk power walks is doing me good.

This week just passed the 5 months anniversary since my surgery. I'll have to take some more updated pictures. Well onto the next week.

Ok so the totals for this week....
This week 2 pound lost
Current Weight - 376 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 66 lbs (22 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 109 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9813.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9645.html Fri, 01 May 2009 12:03:39 GMT Finally! After the last month floating right at 380 I have broke it! Today's weigh in was 378!!! It feels great to finally break into the 370's and continue working my way down that ladder.

Another week of continuous walks at night and some additional exercise. One thing I have started new this week is getting up at 5am and heading out for a power walk. I am doing the same walk we normally do but by myself I am able to power walk it and it feels great too! It's a great way to start my day actually.

I can still feel a decent amount of restriction. I eat less then what I used too. Breakfast is still the toughest to get down but I do make sure to have a high protein breakfast as directed by my doctor. Pretty much every day I make breakfast for Karen and I and I think it's really helped us both think more about our eating and making better food choices. Still a lot more work but we're getting there.

A big NSV I have experienced this last week has been fitting into some old size 50 jeans that I had. I honestly can't remember when I bought them. They have got to be at least 6 years old. It's amazing to think it's been 6 years since I was this size. I am still very large and a big guy and that's what amazes me is that I am this size after loosing over a 100 pounds! Well I am working to get the next 100 off now!

Ok so the totals for this week....
This week 2 pound lost
Current Weight - 378 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 64 lbs (21 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 107 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9645.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9543.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:38:56 GMT Down another pound this week. It sometimes amazes me that I continue to lose week after week. Sure I have a couple of weeks that I have gained but I have lost everything that I gained back and more. I certainly do feel a lot better but now I need to work to obtain my next goal. So I need to get... Down another pound this week. It sometimes amazes me that I continue to lose week after week. Sure I have a couple of weeks that I have gained but I have lost everything that I gained back and more. I certainly do feel a lot better but now I need to work to obtain my next goal. So I need to get back on track with my exercise. I am still good with walking it's the extra routine that I have been struggling with lately.

One thing I am wanting to do is to get up a little earlier in the mornings so I can get an early morning workout done. I feel like my metabolism might respond better if I spread my workouts from all even to one in the morning and one in the evening. So starting tomorrow morning I will be getting my bum out of bed before the rest of the family gets up and get a workout in for myself.

Since I begun my change back in October my diet has completely changed. We don't eat potatoes, rice, or bread with any of our meals. We eat fish a couple of times a week. And most foods I make are either grilled, baked, or broiled. I hardly fry any foods. I steam vegetables pretty regularly and garnish with some shredded cheese. It's pretty amazing how good the foods taste and really how little we miss fast food. Our fast food consumption has gone down from two to three times a week to about twice a month. Our dinning out at a sit down restaurant has gone down also. Even when we do dine out I have worked hard on making good food choices when we dine out. Oh and I drink water like crazy. It feels great to be able to say that I have not had a soda since the middle of October last year.

The tightness of the band I think is at a pretty good place. I am sure I will need some slight adjustment in a month or so but right now I get full pretty easily and if I do eat to fast or to big of bites my body sure lets me know. So it's good to know that the band is working.

If you haven't read the next blog down do so. It's about a non-scale victory I had this last week ;)

So here is the totals for this week...
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 380 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 62 lbs (20 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 105 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9543.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9453.html Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:57:37 GMT So today my wife and I went to Walmart to see if they possibly would have any cheap shorts that I could get to wear for walking and exercise. I had been wearing a 5X in pants/shorts and a 5X in t-shirts. Well before she left she grabbed a t-shirt that my mom had gotten me a while back and it is a... So today my wife and I went to Walmart to see if they possibly would have any cheap shorts that I could get to wear for walking and exercise. I had been wearing a 5X in pants/shorts and a 5X in t-shirts. Well before she left she grabbed a t-shirt that my mom had gotten me a while back and it is a 4X. Karen told me to try it on and see how it fit. It fits great actually.

Ok so then we went to Walmart and they had lots of 3X shorts and did fine a couple of 4X. She had me hold a pair of the 3X up to my waiste to see how it might fit. I did and I was thinking that they might be a little tight still. So we grabbed a few pairs of the 4X and one pair of the 3X and I went over to the dressing room. I took one 4X and one 3X in there. I immediately tried on the 3X and WOW!!! I was surprised they fit perfectly! I couldn't believe it. I then tried the 4X and they fit too but were on the larger size of fitting. So I put all the 4X's back and got a couple more pairs of 3X pants!!!

I can't believe it. After such a short amount of time I am already down to 4X in shirts and 3X in pants/shorts. This feels GREAT!!! ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9453.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9433.html Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:42:10 GMT Another week down and another pound lost. Not as much as I would have liked but still a pound is a pound. I have been struggling a little this week with eating. Not in the amount that I can eat but in what I can eat. I have had a few things come right back up after eating. I am not sure if it's been the food itself, maybe not chewing enough, taking to big of bites, or eating to fast. Probably some of all. LOL Still it's been taking getting some used to with the tightness of the band but I am getting there.

On another note my wife and I have gotten to the point with our walking that we both feel it's not a weight loss tool for us. We are still walking and will continue to walk largely because we really have grown to enjoy our evening walks as a family and it's a solid part of our daily routine. But now we both feel we have to add in additional exercise into our daily routine. What we're looking at now and trying is that right after our walk we put our son down for the night and then she heads over to the gym and I do my DVD workout. We are making sure to get all of our workout in before settling down for the night. Additionally I am thinking about trying to get up earlier in the morning to get another workout in. The hardest part right now is getting my bum out of bed early enough. So we will see.

So totals for the week are....
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 381 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 61 lbs (19 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 104 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9433.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9315.html Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:43:06 GMT Well this week wasn't so good. I gained 2 lbs this week but I really am not surprised. I did better with food and I did get a fill on Monday but my stress level was way up this week. Really that is all I can contribute it too. My fill has restricted the amount of food I can eat. I am back down to eating a very small portion. I have continued to walk every day and the walk is about 1.8 miles long. Last Sunday I took a 3 mile walk but unfortunately I don't have the time to do that every day. Maybe when my walking pace get's a little faster I can but until then my walks are held to about 40 minutes long.

Work stress was extremely high this week. The was the all to real possibility of getting laid off but thank the lord that didn't happen at that things actually are looking up instead. It's amazing how a couple of days can make a difference. My stress level since yesterday has dropped due to the good news that came down the line so hopefully that will help my weight loss this next week.

So here are the totals
This week 2 pounds gained
Current Weight - 382 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 60 lbs (18 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 103 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9315.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9219.html Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:03:07 GMT I did it! I broke the 100 lbs lost mark! I can't believe it. Even when I was getting on the scale this morning I was thinking that I probably had a gain this week and I didn't. Hell no I didn't! I lost and lost a good amount!!! 6 pounds lost!!!!!

I don't know if the loss had more to do with stress or if it had to do with the longer walk that Karen and I are doing now. We're up to 1.8 miles of walking and it takes us about 35 minutes to walk that. I honestly am amazed at how much of a walk we do now as compared to just 6 months ago when we first started walking. It feels great to be walking that far and that we are doing it day after day. When it does rain out we do go over to the Palm Beach Gardens mall to walk. We walk the top level and the bottom level at the mall which equals 1.2 miles. So we will start walking one of the levels an extra time to bump our walk there up too.

On next Monday I go for my next fill. I am more then ready for it. I am hoping to get an aggressive fill. My first one was suppose to be aggressive but actually wasn't. I had my surgery done in Mexico by Dr. Kuri. I have to say he is an absolutely fantastic surgeon and I would recommend him to anyone. Anyway he did not put any fluid into my my band but that was not clear on my post op report and so my fill doctor thought I might have actually had 3 cc's of fluid. So he planned to give me 2 cc's. As standard practice he pulled out to see how much I had in the band and learned that I had nothing in the band. In fact I had about 1 cc of air. So when he pushed the fluid in he only gave me the 2 cc's of solution and thus I really only had a 1 cc increase for my first fill. So hopefully with my second fill it will be more agressive.

So here's my totals
This week 6 pounds lost
Current Weight - 380 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 63 lbs (17 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 105 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9219.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9101.html Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:25:32 GMT Well for the last several weeks I had been struggling with my weight loss. It's been due largely to needing a fill and finding the right balance between exercise and food consumption. Well this week I did much better. 3 pounds lost this week! I am down to 386 lbs just 1 pound shy of 100 since my highest weight! So in another week I will be able to celebrate the next milestone.

One thing I did to help my weight loss this week was to push myself harder in my exercise. It sounds kind of silly at times but really I pushed myself to give myself a better work out and build up a bigger sweat. Of course continuing the walking on a daily basis as this is how I know I can maintain my weight.

I am very happy with this weight loss this week but still look forward to my fill in just a little over a week away now. It will make a big difference for me I know.

Weight Loss Totals

This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 386 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 57 lbs (16 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 99 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog9101.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8930.html Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:09:37 GMT So this last several weeks I have strayed off the path and know it. I slowed to losing a pound a week for several weeks then this last week I stopped the loss and gained instead. Yes it was only a pound but that is one pound that I had previously worked off. I know I didn't go through the last 6 months of pre-op work and then post-op work to lose the weight I have to only start going back words. No I did not. So now it's time to get back on track.

I know I need a fill. I can eat way to much and my appetite returns very quickly after I do eat. Unfortunately I have a three week wait until I my appointment for my fill so what do I do in the mean time? Well I immediately have to be stricter about my diet and make sure that I am getting plenty of protein. The protein will help me feel full longer which I should be doing in the first place. Also I need to continue making sure I drink plenty of water. Also I need to continue to measure my food out rather then eye ball the amounts I eat.

Next, which really will help me get back on track, I need to get back to doing my exercise video tapes. Since I began the whole process Karen and I have been walking nightly. We have continued to do that but now it has become more maintaining the weight and not as much of a weight loss too. So in order to continue the weight loss I have to get back on track with my exercise videos. So I did it. Tonight I did my exercise video with the low impact aerobics workout. Tomorrow night I will continue on with the weight training and alternate back and fourth like I had done before. I have to say it felt great to work up a good sweat tonight. I actually feel more energized after the workout and look foreword to tomorrow nights workout.

So back on track with my weight loss and back to working towards my goals! ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8930.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8890.html Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:20:59 GMT Well this week wasn't so good. I gained a pound this week. So I am at 391 now instead of the 390 I was at last week. I have to work harder to keep losing the weight. I cannot go back to the way I was before. It's been very rough as far as hunger goes. I have to look closer at my diet again. I am not sure I am getting enough protein throughout the day and so I think it's not helping the fact that I need a fill so badly. Now I know what it's like to not need a fill and then what it's like to desperately need a fill. I would call and get a fill appointment for next week but the fact is I don't have the money budgeted until the first week of April. Thank God that is only 3 more weeks away. I just have to get even tougher on myself in the mean time.

The good news is my wife and I are walking further then we ever have before and we feel great with it. Even last weekend when she asked me if I could go and get her some cough medicine I walked to the CVS by us instead of driving.

What can I do about my diet and appetite while I have to wait this short time until I have my appointment for my fill? Well I think I have to make sure I am getting the much needed protein in my diet. I am not sure I am getting enough protein. It's well known that protein helps you feel fuller longer. So I need to make sure to boost the amount of protein that I have with my meals.

Lastly I need to really step it up some more with the exercising. I know the best way to lose weight is through exercise and diet. The more I lose the more exercise I will need to do to continue the weight loss. I was really good about doing my exercise videos nightly but I had since got lazy and backed off from that. I need to step it back up and continue pushing myself with that. I have a goal for the year and I really need to step it up if I am going to meet that goal.

On another note it's great fitting into the smaller clothes that I have. Even a lot of those clothes are starting to become a little big on me. It's hard to believe at times that I have actually lost this weight in just a short amount of time. I look at pictures from this last October and further back to pictures of today and I am amazed at myself. I want to continue that trend too. So I have to get back on the band wagon and keep the weight loss going.

The scale says 391 lbs
A gain of 1 pound this week ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8890.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8796.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:59:03 GMT Well I passed the 3 months mark now losing another pound this week. Not a big loss this week but still a loss. Some times it surprises me that I continue to lose from week to week to week. I have never experience continual weight loss like this. It's great to be putting on clothes that I haven't worn in several years. A big exciting thing too is pretty soon I will be in sizes that I can shop at Walmart for clothes. Yeah I know it's Walmart but hey it's not shopping at the Big & Tall store. For the last 10 plus year that's the ONLY place I have been able to shop and so if I can buy clothes at a normal store that will be a huge change for me. I think I am only about 10 to 20 lbs away from being able to accomplish that NSV Milestone.

I have got to say I directly see the difference between the weeks I work really hard at exercising and the weight loss. I wasn't as stringent this last week and it has shown with only a 1 pound weight loss. So I have got to kick myself in the butt again and get back on track. It's often times hard when other things around you aren't going as well but that can't be used as an excuse for changing your life in a way that will make you live longer and healthier with your family.

Today I am heading out to do some photography and I know I will be able to walk around without getting wore out easily. Just months ago that would have really taken it's toll on me but now I see it in that I can actually enjoy being outside without sweating up a storm and getting short winded.

Well onto another week and continued weight loss.

Current Weight - 390 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 52 lbs (13 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 95 lbs (1yr 1mo) ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8796.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8708.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:43:52 GMT First of I lost another 3 lbs this week. I can hardly believe it's been 12 weeks now and I have lost 51 lbs since surgery. This weeks weigh in came in at 391 lbs. I am on my way down and love that. I have had some big stresses happen this week with cut backs at work and so I wasn't sure how I was going to do with my weight loss. I did cheat a little on my diet but very quickly got back on track. I had originally set a 15 lbs weight loss goal for February which I didn't beat but I did lose 11 lbs for this month so I am still very happy with my weight loss.

As far as my appetite goes I can tell I am just about ready for another fill. I have one scheduled for the beginning of April so I will have to stay strong until then. I can do it I know. Hard work and dedication is helping me a lot in this journey. Sometimes I think the band has been more of a moral support for me then it has been of a physical one. I know it has helped a lot in my appetite but not as much as people might think. Anyway I am grateful for getting the band and know it's been one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

A big NSV (Non-Scale Victory) for me this week is I can now wear my black jeans comfortably. They are a size 48 which is a size I haven't worn in several years. This weekend Karen and I plan to get out into our garage and find the rest of the small clothes that I have saved. It's amazing what I can and cannot wear now.

So what's the totals???

For the week - 3 lbs
For the month - 11 lbs
Since surgery - 51 lbs
Since my highest weight - 94 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8708.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8614.html Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:29:32 GMT Well as I approach the 3 month mark, which is still a week away, I continue to lose weight. It is going slow and steady now but that's just fine. I am happy to with the weight loss and love being under 400 lbs and slowly working towards my next goal of 350 lbs. Another 2 lbs gone this week just goes to show that I do continue to lose the weight and am keeping the weight off.

This last couple of weeks have been pretty stressful and my temptations to emotional eat have been higher then normal. I have been resisting fairly well but for some stupid reason we bought grape juice this week and I just about drank the whole thing in two days flat. One thing I am to avoid is liquid calories and all grape juice is is liquid calories. Sure there is some nutritional value to it but it's more carbs then it is helpful. At least at this point in time for me it is.

Last Sunday Karen and I went to the workout room here at the apartments and I found myself rather lost in there as to what to do. I have never taken any weight training classes and now think to myself that I should have. I look at the equipment and I understand how a lot of it works but I have no idea how to put together a routine. I should probably do some research before I go back there again so I have a solid plan as to what I will do in there. So for now it's getting back to the Biggest Loser workout DVD's that I have been doing.

So down to 394 lbs this week. It just dawned on my that it will be just another 9 lbs and I will have reached the 100 lbs lost mark. It's hard to believe sometimes that first of all that I did weigh that much but secondly that I have lost that much. It's a great feeling to know that I have clothes now that don't fit not because they are to small but now that they are to big. So pushing forward I will continue to do and keep on losing those pounds to live a healthier and happier life! ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8614.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8430.html Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:41:06 GMT This week I broke my first milestone! I weighed in this morning at 397 lbs!!! I broke the 400 lbs mark!!!! It's a great feeling and it came with some hard work too. I lost 5 grueling pounds to being me down and let me tell you it was even weird seeing the scale this morning having a ready of less then 400!

So how did I do it? Well of course with the help of the band. But also through better food choices and exercise. This week I have been working harder at making better food choices. Fish a couple of nights a week then alternating beef, pork, and chicken the other nights to keep a good variety of food in place. Of course all the meals are with some good vegis. Also I changed up my breakfast a lot. I pretty much alternate back and fourth between eggs with cheese and a meat to cottage cheese with pineapple. Both are actually a pretty filling meal for me. Lunches are 90% of the time leftovers from the night before with adding a piece of fruit. Then morning snack and afternoon snacks are usually a yogurt. That's if I do have an afternoon snack. All in all I have been eating higher protein and lower carb.

But don't stop there. Eating right isn't the key to it all. So is exercise! Like I have been doing for a long time now my wife and I get out walking 6 days a week for about 30 minutes each day. It's a great form of exercise and have come to really enjoy our walks and really find them relaxing. But that's not the grueling part! If you read my last blog entry you will notice that I added in the use of an exercise video. That has really boosted my cardio and body sculpting workouts from just the normal walking. I knew I was finally to the point taking it up and notch and it has paid off!

So totals for this week are!!!
pounds lost since surgery - 45 lbs
pounds lost since highest weight - 88 lbs
actually weight for today - 397 lbs
next milestone set - 350 lbs ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8430.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8400.html Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:05:02 GMT Ok so I knew I was ready to up my workout routine so this week I started doing the "The Biggest Loser: The Workout" DVD. On the DVD they have a 6-week workout plan and for the first 3 weeks they have 2 workout routines they want you to alternate through every other day for 6 days a week and then the second 3 weeks you change to the other 2 workout routines again every other day for 6 days a week. The first set alternates between a low impact cardio workout and a body sculpting workout (weight training).

The first night I started off with the cardio workout. Boy did I definitely work up a sweat and felt my heart rate go up. I was breathing heavy and really was feeling the exercises. The great part I found about the video is the trainer (Bob) was very much telling the viewer to only go as far as their body would be ready to go. I pushed as hard as I could because I want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

The second night was the body sculpting. First off I had no idea what they were going to do and first off they said grab your weights. What???? Weights??? Well I don't have weights so Karen told me to grab a couple of cans of vegis. Hey it worked. So the work out was going great until they had you lay down on the floor for some abs exercises. OMG that was hard. I still did what I could but I tell you what today I am most definitely feeling that workout. But hey that's ok because just like the walking that I started back in mid-October it will get easier as time goes on and I am working for something better.

So tonight was the third night and back to the low impact cardio and yes I pushed just as hard as the first night. It feels great to work up and good sweat and know it's not from climbing stairs or short walk across a parking lot.

I am still walking 6 days a week also. I know that is still important to get out and do the daily walk as it will help keep my muscles limber for the harder workouts plus it is a great example even at this young of an age for Nicholas to see his mommy and daddy out walking every day for enjoyment and fitness.

So now it's going to be interesting to see how well the weight comes off and how quickly my body size changes too. Hopefully the body sculpting exercises will help my body shape come down nicely too. ;) ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8400.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8306.html Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:44:54 GMT Week 8 Post Op and another 6 lbs gone! I am now down to 402 lbs and it feels great. This week I had got a fill on Monday so there is a slight bit more of restriction but I am also continuing to push to make the right food choices and continuing to push to walk more and make sure I get healthier. ... Week 8 Post Op and another 6 lbs gone! I am now down to 402 lbs and it feels great. This week I had got a fill on Monday so there is a slight bit more of restriction but I am also continuing to push to make the right food choices and continuing to push to walk more and make sure I get healthier.

Since I have had my fill I have noticed that I do get fuller faster but my hunger isn't lasting any longer then before. I need more protein in my diet to help combat the hunger. It's something I am struggling with. One day this week I had a 1 egg omelet with bacon, mushroom, and cheese but that gets old very quickly. As we do our grocery shopping this weekend I am going to work to get other foods that I can mix up to give myself other food choices for breakfast. I like cottage cheese so I think that's going to be added to my breakfast choices as well.

My clothes are really starting to show a big change. Most of my pants are pretty much to big now and so I am going to have to start wearing smaller pants. I do have a couple pairs of pants from when I was a little smaller but I will still need to get another pair or two. I have two pairs of linen pants that I really like wearing here in Florida but they are starting to make me look like a genie with big poofy pants. LOL So they have just about outlived their life with me.

Most of my shirt are still fitting. They are just loose but that's ok. Shirts usually can last a little longer then pants can when losing weight so that works for me. It expensive to start buy new clothes all over especially when you know your going to continue to lose weight and don't want to spend to much knowing that you will not be fitting those clothes before to long either. So I am just learning to make do for now.

Karen and I have really lengthened our walks which has been great. We're getting close to walking a mile and a half in 30 minutes time. We have a few different routes that we walk through our neighborhood which gives us a different change of scenery. We also have a backup plan for when it rains to go walking at the Palm Beach Gardens mall. We know that walking the mall one loop each floor is 1 mile. So I think at this point in time if we need to go over there again we're going to have to make 3 loops to help us continue to push futher.

Well it's been another good weight loss week and I am proud to say this has been 40 lbs since surgery that I have lost. Can hardly believe it at times! So now it's time to push forward for another great week! ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8306.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8138.html Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:19:28 GMT First off I gained 5 lbs this week. Not lost. Gained. :angry: Medications - Up until last Saturday I had been talking the following medications. Benicar - Blood pressure medication Antenolol - Blood pressure medication Furosemide - Heavy diuretic (water pill) Klor-con - Potassium pill... First off I gained 5 lbs this week. Not lost. Gained. :angry:

Medications -
Up until last Saturday I had been talking the following medications.

Benicar - Blood pressure medication
Antenolol - Blood pressure medication
Furosemide - Heavy diuretic (water pill)
Klor-con - Potassium pill (counter balance to the furosemide)

It's great that I am able to go off these medications now and that my blood pressure is doing so well. My blood pressure reads on a continual basis to be in the middle of the normal blood pressure range. With my legs over the last week I have had a minuet amount of swelling not the measurable amount that I had in the past. I also have not worn the compression socks that I have so I will wear those over the next week and see if that makes a measurable difference.

What I am not sure about is going off the Furosemide. I know that some of the weight I gained this week is water weight but I just don't know how much of that is. It's something I have to work through.

Exercise -
I have to say this has been a decent week for exercise. Of course walking every evening after work but also I have been good also in getting out at lunch time to walk. It feels great to know that I am pushing myself harder with this but I can tell that I still need more. I am going to have to add some additional exercises to my daily program to continue my weight loss.

Food -
I have made some bad food choices this week. There has been a couple of times that I snacked on stuff I shouldn't have and I know that I am eating more then I should. This has to change and is changing starting today. I can tell that I need a fill and I do have a scheduled fill on the 26th. I just wish it was sooner to help me with this hunger that I have been getting. I have to be strong once again and have the will to keep working at the weight loss. I am so close to breaking that 400 lbs mark and continue on down.

Overall -
Overall this week is a wash to me. Off medications and doing good with walking but bad food choices resulting in a weight gain. I have to really step it up more this next week. I have had a steady weight loss since the middle of October. In the middle of October I weighed 465 lbs and today I weigh 415 lbs. So yes that is a total of 50 lbs since then and since my highest weight in January of 2008 I have lost a total of 70 lbs but I have a lot more to go and need to keep focus on what it is I am doing.

I guess this is my two steps forward and one step back week. Now get moving forward and don't let this discourage me is what I have to do now. ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8138.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8099.html Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:08:02 GMT Dec. 5th, 2008 was the day of my surgery. I knew at that time that things were changing for me and that I was going to live a healthier and happier life but even since then things have changed more then I had ever expect or thought would happen. Of course the normal things have changed like my... Dec. 5th, 2008 was the day of my surgery. I knew at that time that things were changing for me and that I was going to live a healthier and happier life but even since then things have changed more then I had ever expect or thought would happen.

Of course the normal things have changed like my diet and exercise but I have already seen a major change in what I can physically do. Before it would wear me out to walk over to the mail box in our apartment complex and back but now I walk so much further and even for enjoyment. When I can I even get out and walk twice a day just to push myself that much further.

A huge change in my life that I did not expect this soon has been my blood pressure. I can hardly believe that it has dropped so much that I am no longer on any blood pressure medications when before I was taking two, Atenonol and Benicar. Now I feel better and really enjoy not having to pay for those perscriptions on a monthly basis and that I know I am living healthier then ever.

Of course clothes have already become loose and some even to large for me to wear anymore. Can you believe it! After 30 days I am already down a size or two in clothes and still losing the weight.

Another big change came as a surprise to me is my wife told me that with the way we are working to live a healthier life and that we are both losing weight she wants to try for another child this fall. This is very exciting to me. I've made no bones about it to her that I would like two children so that our 15 month old son doesn't grow up as an only child. Nothing wrong with having an only child but I still would like to have a brother or sister for him to grow up with.

I just am amazed at how much better I feel both physically, mentally, and emotionally. Life seems so much brighter now and the future does look bright. I am very thankful for the Lap-Band and to everyone here who has been apart of my support in taking steps forward for a better life. ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog8099.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog7776.html Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:41:12 GMT When I was at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana I wrote a little blog on paper that morning that I wanted to share. My last thoughts before surgery..... Dec. 5th, 2008 - 4 am Just a few hours left before my surgery. I feel really good about it. The hospital is very clean. It reminds me a lot of... When I was at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana I wrote a little blog on paper that morning that I wanted to share. My last thoughts before surgery.....

Dec. 5th, 2008 - 4 am

Just a few hours left before my surgery. I feel really good about it. The hospital is very clean. It reminds me a lot of Jupiter Medical Center back home. The staff have all been very nice and accommodating. Not very many of them speak English but there usually is someone around that does. I met with Dr. Peterson yesterday for my medical history and his exam. He was pleased with how small my live feels. First Goal Accomplished!!! So today is surgery. I am Dr. Kuri's first patient of the day. Then the three gals who came for surgery too. Everyone is just so nice. Saara and her friend Leisha are a lot of fun to be around and talk to. I met Saara on the forums. Judy, Saara, Leisha, and I all actually met at the airport and have shared this trip together. This should be exciting to see how things turn out in the long run. In the last few moments before surgery I have been thinking a lot about Karen and Nicholas. I love them both so much. I can't wait to get home to them so that I can really be the husband and the father that they deserve to have. They truly are the reason that I push forward with this and with this dedication. I know Karen worries that I will get thin and then no longer be attracted to her but that is just not so. She is my best friend. She is my lover. She is the best thing that God has given/put into my life in a long long time. She belongs in my life and deserves my love, dedication, devotion, and respect. I love you Karen with all my heart and sole. Today after my surgery they want us up and walking within 2 hours. I intend to do it too. I know that is one of the many keys to success for this. That specifically was why I started walking again just over a month ago. I really want to get to where I can go running again. I used to love running in the morning and hope to be there once again. Well my final weigh in yesterday morning was 442.2 lbs. Never again will I weigh this much. This I swear to you with my sole. BRING ON THE BAND! ]]> Florida Pete http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blogs/44983/blog7776.html