6 Month Retrospective

Gaffer:

What a transformation! You really do look younger in the after shots. Keep up the great work!!

You look great. Congrats on your journey! Your son is gorgeous.

Andrew, congrats on your success thus far! You have been such an inspiration to me and many others on this board. You look like such a happy daddy. I'm so thrilled for you and your family as you find the new happier, healthier and improved you!! Enjoy the journey!!!!

:whoo::clap2::D;)

Very inspirational Gaffer. You look really great and happy, not to mention HANDSOME!

Thanks for sharing.

You lost 100 lbs in 6 months. OMG! Amazing you look awesome. Tips please......

Crispo
TLBC 10/19/07

For me during the initial 6 months I was really diligent about my exercise and going to the gym. There is no real secret to it other than the combination of the Lap Band, the correct fill and working one's butt off at the gym. Also being aware of your diet is important. I was always aware of what I call soft calories which are those that dont contribute to the weight loss and the feeling of being full. These are things like ice cream, booze, chips and other poor food choices.

I am not going to tell you that I did not partake in these foods because I have and still do, but what I am doing at the gym makes up for that. For me I found that with the amount of exercise that I was doing I could be more liberal with my food choices.

I dont claim that it will work for everyone, but it worked for me.

The only other tip that I have is that I always start the day with a good quality protien shake, not a slim fast or carnation instant breakfast but rather one from a body building store with plenty of protien and very low in carbs. If you are having trouble finding one let me know and I can steer you in the right direction. I personally prefer the NxCare IsoXP Chocolate, it tastes good and does not give me gas.

Good luck in you banding journey.

Andrew

Great tips Andrew - thanks - how much protein is in the IsoXP? I think this is something I might start for morning as I cannot eat before about 1030 and if I miss that time, I am really hungry by noon.

Cindy

Oh my God , you look great ! well done !

Welcome back Yasmina. How are you doing?

The NxCare IsoXp has about 45g of protien per scoop when mixed with water, and about 60 when mixed with milk. I modify mine a little by using a smaller scoop, so with the milk it is about 50g of protien. I mix it with 300mL of skim milk.

Some people on this board say that the body can only absorb about 30g of protien at a time, but I have never been able to find solid evidence to back that up so I think it is a myth. I dont worry about getting too much protien in one serving.

Also consider that they NxCare IsoXP is a whey isolate which is a higher quality, more digestible protien. I have found that cheaper whey blends give me wicked gas.

Here is the nutritional info on it here, as well as place to order it online. It may look expensive, but the big 6lb bucket last me forever, and I dont think I could find a cheaper breakfast that is that high quality. I drink mine in the car on the way to work.

NxCare IsoXP Whey Isolate -- Chocolate

Andrew

Hey Andrew, I don't know how I missed these pictures! But you DO look awesome, and you've done so well, congrats :) Keep it up!

All agreed! You are doing great Andrew and looking awesome too. You are an inspiration to everyone. You have made this band work for you!! Congrats not so big guy! lol

Miss LeslieLee you are doing awesome yourself girl!!!!

Sounds like you are working it too Leslie. I looked at you avatar & did not recognize you.

Andrew

Hi there and thanks for giving me a bit of a boost today. I needed one. I have been feeling a bit down lately and not really doing as well as I had planned in the weight loss department. Who knew you could miss a teenage boy so much!! Empty nest sucks!

Anyway the up side is that even though I feel I haven't lost much this last while, I am so happy to have not really gained. I know that at times like this before I have really packed on the pounds. Emotional eater for sure. lol pick any emotion and I could eat with it!

I know the weight won't come off a pound a day but I still wish it would...lol and even with the band there is a ton of hard work that needs to be done. It really is a tool to help with weight loss, not a magic wand that we can wave and have our weight fall off and live happily ever after.

I am thankful and greatful to have such a tool, it really does watch out for me when I am wanting to binge because I miss Matt or I feel some other emotion. Without it I would likely be past my highest ever weight of ...... -=drum roll please=- big confession here..... 267 pounds. That is what I weighed when I decided to try Jenny Craig and I lost about 45 pounds only to regain to 255 and realize that I just could not keep on doing this to myself. I needed to find a way to make this cycle stop.

Soooooo, Here I am! Where there is a will there is a way! Long live the Band!!

-=jumps off her soapbox and takes a bow=-

lol where did all that come from.....

thanks for the ear