Hey... still here too! Do much more reading these days than posting!

I am doing great, during the week! I find weekends I lose complete control. (Which worries me since I am off for the whole summer!!)

I am down in the 170's which I haven't seen since before my first child 10 years ago. I also am down from a size 20 to a 12!!!! Yah!!

I just think of how great I could be doing if I didn't screw up every stinkin weekend!!!!

OH sorry I went to the water park with one of my friends and got stuck for over an hour on 1/4th a corn dog. slimed and PB for over an hour. Then I thought it was done sat down on a recliner to rest and PB all over myself. ewwww
Right down the swim suit. I had to sneak off to a family bathroom to clean up.
Thankfully no one saw me. I was discusted.

Not sure if early summer is a busy time for people or if we're all finally working with the band...but doesn't seem like many have been out here lately. Cajun, how are you doing?!

I am ok. I am looking for a new job......so I am super stressed. And I am turning 30 this week!!! AHHHHH! I have been stress eating the last week. I need to re-focus!

How have you been?

where has the time gone, I cant believe that I will soon hit my six month anniversary. I have struggled these last three months, not eating well, gorging on junk food (if thats possible) not exercising. and of course not losing weight. I want to hit the the 230's by the end of this month. I will take 239 as long as I'm under the big 240.
I honestly feel like I'm not eating enough, my body needs food. I don't write everything down, but I have a protein drink every morning, I have about a cup of food for lunch, most days its nothing. and for dinner, its like what ever.
lately I have been eating chips, cupcakes, cookies. damn I need to get back on the Atkins diet and eliminate all carbs.
I have starting walking again. 7 out of 9 days so far, 45 minutes at a very fast pace.
I havent weighed myself this month, I will wait until the end of the month.
everyone stay stong. we can beat this.

Hi everyone. I was banded on 12/21 and have lost about 16 pounds with the band (plus about 40 on the pre-op liquid diet). I keep going up and down stuggling with my food/exercise. I have 9 cc's in a 10 cc band and haven't reached my sweet spot yet. Last week I was so disgusted with myself I decided to do the 5 day pouch diet this week for a fresh start. I'm on my second day of liquids and needed some encouragement so I looked through the threads and found this one. I can't tell you how much strength I have gained from all your postings.

I need to stop looking at others' expectations and be patient with myself - I only told a couple of people about the band but I feel like they have an expectation that the weight is going to come off quickly/steadily. These lifestyle changes are a killer. I'm amazed at those who lose quickly but need to learn to be okay with following my own path. I try to keep reminding myself that slow changes mean = lasting changes.

Thanks again for this thread. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this learning curve.

Have a blessed day!!

PS: I also read a great book, "The Beck Diet Solution" by Judith Beck - the book is about retraining your brain by taking your relationship with food out of the emotional and putting it into the cognitive. I liked it so much I ordered the workbook.

All Heart ~~

I hope you find all the encouragement you need here. It hasn't been an easy journey for any of us. Some have lost quicker than others but we have all struggled with our own demons.

Have you tried to find a mentor on the mentor thread? It might help to have someone to talk to every day and use as a sounding board. Having someone here would maybe make it easier for you since you haven't told many people about your band.

As I get closer and closer to goal I start getting more and more nervous. My big problem was never losing the weight.....it was keeping it off. I could drop 30 pounds....but then I gained 50. Now....stress is beginning to kick in. So, even though we may be in different legs of our journey's we can help each other.

Are you tracking your food? Are you eating solid protein or eating softer stuff, like cottage cheese, because it's easier? Are you getting your liquid in? How's your work-out routine (and that means whatever you have chosen it to)? When do you seem to struggle the most? For me, it's when I'm not up and moving around and with summer vacation here and more idle time at home I'm having some serious issues.

I sure hope we can support you through this. You can do this. You CAN be successful.

Thank you Stephanie for the encouragement and validation. Congratulations on your weight loss. I can't imagine what it must feel like to approach goal weight - being obese since age 7, I know I will probably need counseling when I get past 1/2 way there.

As far as my food, the weeks I struggle are the weeks I don't record my food - no brainer, I know. I didn't realize it but I do eat a lot of soft proteins like cheese and deli turkey - partly because I know they go down easy and partly because I hate to cook. Sometimes I eat frozen meals like Lean Cuisine but even they are soft. I've read a lot on this web site about eating around the band but never make the connection. Guess it's time to break out my George Forman Grill.

As far as exercise, I'm working up to 4 days/week at Curves and have the bariatric weight loss surgery exercise video for the days I have too much pain in my knees for the machines. I really like the idea about the mentor - I'll give it a try.

Thanks so much for all your insight and feedback!! Have a blessed day.

I have heard great things about that book as well. I think I will order a copy.

Sometimes all it takes is opening your heart and really looking at the issues. Knowing what they are is a huge step. I am completely with you on the soft protein issue. It is so much easier to eat shaved turkey and cottage cheese. It's so difficult to cook all this stuff for the family and then not eat it. But it is grilling season and there are so many different ways to cook the goodies out now. Experiment.

I've never been to curves but it is a huge step to get out and do it 4 times a week. Don't downplay that success. That is HUGE!! Take where you are and go from there. If you normally do 8 reps, tomorrow try 10 on that one machine that is kicking your butt. Instead of going around once, see if you can do it twice. Push yourself a little harder on the cardio one day and ease up on that the next and push the strength. Push yourself to get just a little bit better each day. Encourage yourself though. You have started a great workout routine. You should be very proud of that.

I know that the weeks that I log my food I drop pounds. On the weeks that I don't log, I've usually sat still. I don't exercise as much, I don't drink my water, I don't follow the rules. It seems like if I let one slide all the rest follow suit pretty danged quickly. I don't remember if I told you about my philosophy of calories. I spend them like I do money. I have 1000 to spend each and every day. If I go over I'm in debt. The only way to get out of debt is to work and I then make myself work those extras off. I'm thinking of making it "count" a little more for me though to make it harder when I overspend. I think I'm going to set up an overdraft account....with real money. And then when I am overdrawn I put money in my charity account. When I have 20 or 25 bucks I will send a check to my favorite charities. I donate anyways, don't get me wrong, but this way my over eating will have a positive take along with the negative one.

I hope you find a good mentor. I know that the people you talk to on here every day can be the God send you are looking for. I am right now spending 4 days with a group of 4 other ladies I met on LBT that have mentored me since my beginning. They adopted me and have been the reason behind my success. The power that each of us have is amazing. Tap into it!