starting BMI over 50? come on in!

mmcbelle · 03-04-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valstar

Hi Mary,

...I want to know how you measure % lean body mass and body fat. ...
Val

Hi Val,

My trainer takes several measurement with a set of fat calipers and does some math and gives me a number.

I also have a set of fat calipers that I purchased at GNC, that give a fairly accurage measurement that I take at my belly within 1% the trainer measurements. Here is a web site to the brand that I purchased. They are only about $8.00: Accu-Measure Body Fat Calipers

You take your total weight and multiply that by your body fat %. This gives you the lbs of fat you have on your body. Subtract that number from your total weight and you the resulting number is lean body mass.

Thanks for asking!

Cheers,
Mary

mmcbelle · 03-04-2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilin_apple

Hi all!!!
I go for my 4th appointment since my Band was placed on Nov 7th. This is suppossed to be my 3rd fill but I am not sure if I should get one. I would like to know from people who have had their bands for a little while or longer when they said that was enough of a fill for now? I have an AP Band that can hold a little over 10 cc's and I have about 5.5 cc's in it now. For the first time when I had this last fill done on Feb 7th until about Feb 21st (2 weeks) I was having trouble eating anything until around 7 pm at night. Now that I am able to eat throughout the day over the last week I noticed the amount is getting a little more each day. Right now I can eat either 1-2 pkts of oatmeal for breakfast. OR I can have about 1-2 cups of salad and about 3 oz of meat OR instead of just meat about 1 cup of a meat /pasta combo.
The other day I was able to eat 2 small frozen burritto at one sitting but that is not the norm.
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know because I am worried, I leave for Hawaii on Mar 13th and I don't want to be back at how I was after my last 1 cc fill for two weeks throwing up almost every day when stuff would get stuck for 45 minutes at a time.
By the way does anyone else get food stuck too???

Hi April,

This is the question I was asked at my last aftercare appointment that led them to suggesting a fill. Are you hungry, my answer was yes, are you searching for food, my answer was yes. They suggested a fill, so I had my sixth fill of .2 ml. Now I was also at a plateau that broke with a 9 lb loss the following week. For the last three fills, it takes me more time on liquids and soft mushies before I can move to hard foods (a month on fill four - additional personal stress added to the issue). I think from what you are saying about your intake that they will recommend a fill. Seems one of the things they look at is how much in a sitting you are eating and I keep hearing 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I know that seems very small, but sometimes it is a blessing to be able to eat that amount.

I have always had problems with eating in the morning. If it weren't for protein supplements, I would starve until the evening some days. Often the only hard meal I can have is in the evening. I think they will recommend a fill based on my experience.

I only skipped one follow up appointment (after fill four mentioned above) because I was still on liquids four days before the fill. Didn't seem like I needed to get a fill and did not want an unfill, I knew stress was my problem.

Rarely do I get stuck, but when I do I can contribute it to one of two things. I ate too fast or too big a bite without chewing enough. It wasn't until this last fill that I had to really consider my bite size/chewing and even drink size. Up to now I could guzzle water and this fill, I had to begin to sip water. I also went back to using a baby spoon and seafood fork as my eating utinsels. It helped me to get it together better. I always had read about a bandster bite, but never saw anyone put it into words that built a visual for me. After this fill, I discoverd that my bandster bite is the size of an almond and I chew that particular food about 25 - 30 times before I express all the air from my mouth and swallow. Just when I think I have this expereince mastered, I keep getting new experiences.

You have to consider your personal situation and the advice of your after care medical professionals and make the right decision for you.

Best wishes and enjoy your trip to Hawaii,
Mary

Angelyco · 03-04-2008, 03:16 PM

Hey all!

I'm just starting my journey and have my first appointment March 18th. According to the last time I was weighed about a year and a half ago, my BMI would be 66, but I'm fairly sure I've gained weight since then, so it's higher than that. My ultimate goal is to get down to 150--a BMI of 24.5 or so, but at this point, I'm hoping to get down under 200 with the band.

I'm glad I found this thread, it's so disheartening to see people starting at 230 lbs and saying how much weight they have to lose! That would be vanity pounds for us!

Cerrin · 03-05-2008, 09:30 AM

I will take thos vanity pounds about now. Grrr I am kinda stuck at a plateau. Very frustrating.

**losingjusme** · 03-06-2008, 08:18 AM

hi guys... thanks for your thoughts.

things went really well. lots of info in the PS threads (29Feb) and my blog. just too much to type - and ummm, cant remember it all ;)

smilin_apple · 03-06-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmcbelle

Hi April,

This is the question I was asked at my last aftercare appointment that led them to suggesting a fill. Are you hungry, my answer was yes, are you searching for food, my answer was yes. They suggested a fill, so I had my sixth fill of .2 ml. Now I was also at a plateau that broke with a 9 lb loss the following week. For the last three fills, it takes me more time on liquids and soft mushies before I can move to hard foods (a month on fill four - additional personal stress added to the issue). I think from what you are saying about your intake that they will recommend a fill. Seems one of the things they look at is how much in a sitting you are eating and I keep hearing 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I know that seems very small, but sometimes it is a blessing to be able to eat that amount.

I have always had problems with eating in the morning. If it weren't for protein supplements, I would starve until the evening some days. Often the only hard meal I can have is in the evening. I think they will recommend a fill based on my experience.

I only skipped one follow up appointment (after fill four mentioned above) because I was still on liquids four days before the fill. Didn't seem like I needed to get a fill and did not want an unfill, I knew stress was my problem.

Rarely do I get stuck, but when I do I can contribute it to one of two things. I ate too fast or too big a bite without chewing enough. It wasn't until this last fill that I had to really consider my bite size/chewing and even drink size. Up to now I could guzzle water and this fill, I had to begin to sip water. I also went back to using a baby spoon and seafood fork as my eating utinsels. It helped me to get it together better. I always had read about a bandster bite, but never saw anyone put it into words that built a visual for me. After this fill, I discoverd that my bandster bite is the size of an almond and I chew that particular food about 25 - 30 times before I express all the air from my mouth and swallow. Just when I think I have this expereince mastered, I keep getting new experiences.

You have to consider your personal situation and the advice of your after care medical professionals and make the right decision for you.

Best wishes and enjoy your trip to Hawaii,
Mary

Thank you so much for all the information! I really really appreciated it. I did get a little fill...he put in .3 cc's and I am now at a total of 6.5 cc's. I am back to liquids again, I didn't think it would be this bad again but it was.
I am really having to think even when I drink water. I can only sip, yesterday I took too big of a sip/gulp and it hurt like CRAZY...I ended up slimming and the water came back up. I managed to get down about 4 ounces of supper watery cream soup that took me an hour and a half to drink. But I was concerned yesterday because I only managed to get down about 16 ounces of fluid.
The part that sucks the worst is when I have to take my back pain medicine...I even tried breaking the pills into ity bity pieces but it still gets stuck....last night part of it came back up because it hurt so bad.
I will take your advice to heart and I am going to look into getting baby utensils and placeware, like bowl and plate....maybe that will help me.

By the way how long have you been banded? I noticed you are around half way to your goal! That is awesome....CONGRATS!

mmcbelle · 03-07-2008, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilin_apple

...

By the way how long have you been banded? I noticed you are around half way to your goal! That is awesome....CONGRATS!

Hi April,

I was banded 7/23/07. Thanks, I am pleased

.

Have a great weekend!
Mary

insubordination · 03-08-2008, 06:50 PM

I thought this thread had died but I was subscribed to the old one. Good to see it's still here. Now I have 8 pages to catch up on.

Cerrin · 03-10-2008, 01:07 PM

Do any of you ride a Bike? I am wanting to get on my old bike and get going but I dont want to break the thing because of my size.
Any sugestions?

Angelyco · 03-10-2008, 01:09 PM

I used to ride my bike around 340 or so, it didn't hurt the bike at all, but it hurt my butt something fierce with so much weight on that little seat! That was the only reason I stopped using it.

mmcbelle · 03-13-2008, 09:12 PM

One century this week. I just wanted to share that I have rid myself of 100 lbs of excess weight. I discovered the achievement this week. Finally past the half way point of this journey.

Just a shout out to my PT Jonny, without his help I would not have made it here in this time frame and with this level of fitness.

Another item to note: I finally have a healthy HDL cholesterol. After it being 35 at its highest, my latest bloodwork (taken last week) has me at a healthy 41. Exercise has made all the difference.

Cheers all,
Mary

**losingjusme** · 03-13-2008, 09:17 PM

Mary,

WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! congrats and welcome to the century club!!

insubordination · 03-14-2008, 06:45 AM

That is brilliant and sounds as though it was done through sheer hard work. It's incredible considering you were only banded in July.

Cerrin · 03-14-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelyco

I used to ride my bike around 340 or so, it didn't hurt the bike at all, but it hurt my butt something fierce with so much weight on that little seat! That was the only reason I stopped using it.

Thanks I am taking my bikes into the bike shop this weekend to ask them and get a tune up on them.

I asked in the biking forum but they mostly just chit chat in there and not about biking. it is really frustrating. I was trying to ask biking questions in the biking forum and all you get is flirting and idle chit chat.
GRRRRR
ok thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

I want to go biking and am willing to buy a bigger seat and stuff but I dont want the tires to pop because I am too big. I think it would be great to be able to bike to the store and stuff.

Angelyco · 03-14-2008, 04:23 PM

Mine was a mountain bike (with the wider tires than 10-speeds with the curled handlebars) and while my tires were noticeably flatter when I was sitting on it, they didn't pop, even going up curbs and stuff. You'll be fine! I don't know about the skinny tires, though.