MamaMichelle

Hello all, Thanks for taking a moment to look at my blog, !! Let's see I am 26 and live in Las Vegas NV, I do website design for a living so I am on the computer all the time!! I got my lapband on Feb 28th 2008 and couldn't be happier with my results so far and I can't wait to see what the future holds for me... That's all for this post, I post a lot on the fourms so we will see how often I can get on here to share what's new in my life!! Love you all!!

Go For it Girl!! Also if your camera has a timer you won't even need her to come over and take the pics for you, that's what I do. You may have to play around with the height setting for me I set my camera on top of my TV, hit the timer and then I have 10 seconds to move into place. I sometimes get some funny ones of me trying to get to the right spot but that's also why my arms are cut off in a lot of the pictures, oh well better than making someone else stand there to take them, lol...

Girl I am right there with you I've got muscular thighs anyways (before you count all the fat on them) and a booty too... Here's where I started, this is a side shot of me at 247: But it seems like it really is shrinking: My advice is to go to go small enough that you won't be in it for 2-3months that way it's not like you're an 18 now and you get a 16 that ends up fitting in 3 weeks!! Just go to a store like Ross that has cute and cheap dresses, grab some size 12's and some 10's a few 8's maybe even some 6's and try them all on, it really is super fun... lol You'll never know what might fit (at least fit well enough at this point to take some pics in) and then take some pics once a month on the same day (I use the 28th as that was when I was banded) and I promise you'll be amazed by the results !

Evette- Bring your dress to the lake and we can take some pictures of us in our goal dresses on YOUR birthday looking like stuffed sausages (or streetwalkers as I call it) and then we can take new pic on MY birthday in the same dresses looking slim and trim!

I started as a 22 in Jan and was in a size 20 when I had my surgery in late Feb.. After being banded I went down a size each month even when I was only losing 7-10lbs a month (March- size 18 April- size 16 May- size 14) Currently I have been in a size 12 for a few weeks but I'm thinking I won't reach a size 10 till I am around 160-170lbs.. My weight is more evenly dispersed which is good I guess for dropping sizes but I'll never have those skinny arms and legs like some of ya'll out there... I never really thought of a goal size the smallest I recall being was an 8 in high school when I weighed 140ish, and that was with 2hrs of drill team before school and lacrosse practice after school, I still have a lot of muscle so I don't know if I'll be able to weigh much less than that but when I went to the store to try on new goal dresses I got an 8 and a 6 off the rack and tried the 6 first which I was able to get on so I didn't even try the 8... so for now that's my goal size on paper! I figure my body will settle where it wants to and if I want to keep losing I can use the band (and a lot of exercise) to get me in the smaller sizes... So I would be happy as a 10, excited as an 8 and over the moon ready to pose for playboy if I ended up a size 6 (lol, not really on the playboy thing sorry WillT but you girls know what I mean)

Here's a recipe for a 5-0 Cosmo from Diet Ocean Spray (It's a 50 calorie Cosmopolitan) 5-0 Cosmo™ 3 ounces Diet Ocean Spray® Cranberry Spray Juice Drink ¾ ounce Absolut® Raspberri® Raspberry Flavored Vodka Squeeze of lime Lime twist, garnish Shake ingredients (except the lime twist) until cold in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with lime twist. Makes 1 serving that’s just 50 calories. Per Serving: Cal. 54 (3% DV), Fat Cal. 0, Pro. 0 g (0% DV), Carb. 1 g (0% DV), Fat 0 g (0% DV), Chol. 0 mg (0% DV), Sod. 19 mg (1% DV), Vit. A 0 RE (0% DV), Vit C 5 mg (8% DV), Vit. E O mg (0% DV), Calcium 0mg (0% DV), Iron 0 mg (0% DV), Folate 0 Ug (0% DV), Zinc 0 mg (0% DV), Pot. 0 mg (0% DV), Dietary Exchange: Fat 1

Hedi = Hottie!!!

Yea for us!!!

Wow 100lbs in 6 months what a great achievement, you need to get him posting on the boards too!!

I am using spark people too!! Kimmie was the one that posted about it the other day though I had read about it in people magazine in their "I lost 100lbs" issue last month... Here's a link to my spark homepage: http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp at the bottom left corner it says View my food and exercise log, you can click on that to see what sparkpeople are eating and what they are doing for exercise... Here's a link to my food log for today you can scroll through the arrows to see other days: http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_tracker....e=6%2F16%2F2008

Congrats Amber, I can't believe it's been a month since you were banded, congrats on you success you are doing so well I know you'll reach all of your goals!!

You can also bring those little crystal lite to go packs with you to add to the bottled water they give you, I like those a lot better than I liked juice.

You may want to limit that Vodka to just one because many people find their tolerance for any alcohol is really lowered after being banded, maybe it's the fact you're not eating much but it's really the case with me. I've always been a light weight but last night my husband and I got in our jacuzzi and I added a little bit of Malibu to my crystal lite and yea I was sloshed on the equivalent of 1.5-2 shots worth... Have fun!!

Hey Arlene, I had a similar situation on my 2nd fill at the OCC, though Dr. Romero pulled out exactly the same amount of fill he put in me on my 1st fill... I know it's possible that some evaporated but I have also heard of saline not getting pulled out so when you go in for your 3rd fill (or possibly an unfill) they may pull out more than the 1.4 you think you have. I know the fill centers want you to do clear liquids for 48hrs and if your fill was on the 13th it looks like you did that and are now on to real food, at the OCC when you have your 2nd fill (and beyond) they want you to eat real food the same day as your fill and see how you feel (so you can get an unfill if there are any problems), I did that and took 5 bites of salad that were too big (and probably too fast) and got sick and PB'd it all back up... The next morning I tried to eat 1/4-1/2 a banana again probably not as slow or as small of bites as I should and I PB'd all of that up too.. So that morning before I flew home I got a .3 unfill and while I had restriction for about a week after the fill/unfill now I don't have much restriction at all... Basically all the restriction came from swelling from the PB episodes... I think when you're able to "get away" with eating semi normally for so long when your first fill isn't enough you think you don't have to follow the rules as closely after your second fill which is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO wrong. For me had I followed the slow eating and tiny bites rules (that I knew) the salad would have gone down fine the band would have done it's job and I would not have gotten sick that night, so I wouldn't have been swollen the next morning the banana would have gone down fine and I would still have 2.3ccs instead of 2.0ccs and wouldn't be needing a 3rd fill... So my advice is that if you are able to keep down water take it easy maybe stay on liquids for a few more days if you've been having PB episodes you're probably still swollen and tight from that. If after a week you're following the bandster rules and are still PB'ing once a day then maybe you do need an unfill... Hope you feel better

Here are my results: A high score (7-12 points) shows that your expectations about weight loss are more realistic, and you are more likely to reach your goal. I took it and scored a 9... Each question you scored a zero for represents a misconception or unrealistic expectation that might be adding unnecessary stress to your weight loss efforts. I got a zero for questions 6, 7, and 10. #6 seems to be the big problem according to the last paragraphs above, you know it's not that my life really has that many problems but I guess many of the problems I do see come from me having a lower self esteem about the way I look.. So even though I am getting good results, and I am happy about how far I have come; I'm still not loving the way I look now so I feel that when I do get to the point where I look like I want to I will be happier and less insecure so my worries/"problems" will dissapear as well... #7 for me is bad because I have gotten this far with minimal exercise eventhough I tell myself everyday I NEED to do it, usually I don't. So far I have been able to get away with it but I know the point is comming where I'm going to hit a plateau and the exercise is all that will get me weight loss to keep going. Something I really need to work on! #10 is a perfect example of why I got the band, I was always able to lose weight in the past (between 20-40lbs) but at some point I would stall out, get frustrated and go back to my old eating habits and of course regain the weight. Again my brain hasn't quite realized that the band is going to help me not fall off the wagon so I answered how I honestly felt. Very eye opening survey, I hope others find it equally as interesting!!

Is Weight Loss Stressing You Out? Take the Weight Loss Expectations Quiz -- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert There’s no doubt about it: trying to lose weight can be a stressful thing! There’s nothing like trying to stick to a “simple” weight loss plan for bringing you face-to-face with the frustrating complexities of human nature and the limits of our rationality and will power. And even when we do manage to do what we know we should, often our bodies seem to operate according to a different kind of math—where a 3500-calorie deficit doesn’t always equal one pound of weight lost. The unfortunate part is that this constant stress can make losing weight more difficult than it needs to be. Research shows that chronic stress can affect your metabolism, promoting fat storage, and increasing cravings for sugary, high-fat “comfort foods.” There are lots of things you can do to manage this stress, ranging from yoga and meditation to a hot bath or a pleasant walk in the park. In this article, however, we’ll focus on how certain (very common) expectations about weight loss can cause stress, and how you can adjust your expectations so that you’re not stressing out about your own weight loss (or lack thereof). The Weight Loss Expectations Quiz To find out whether your expectations about weight loss may be increasing your stress levels, take the following brief quiz. To benefit from this exercise, your answer should reflect how you honestly feel most of the time, NOT what you think the “correct” response might be. Indicate whether you think the following statements are true or false. 1. I have taken a careful look at my eating and exercise habits, and I have a good idea of what I need to change and how I want to do it. 2. I have accepted the idea that I need to make permanent changes in my lifestyle to lose weight and keep it off permanently. 3. I will feel successful only if reach my weight loss goal. 4. I know that it took time to gain weight, and I believe it is best to try to lose the weight slowly. 5. I am working on weight loss now because I really want to, not because someone else thinks I should. 6. If I can manage to lose the weight, I think many other problems in my life will be solved. 7. I am willing and able to do a significant amount of physical activity on a daily basis, including planned exercise. 8. I can lose weight successfully with no slip-ups. 9. I am ready, willing, and able to spend enough time each day planning and tracking my food intake and exercise activities. 10. If my weight loss slows down or stalls out, I usually lose my motivation and stop my program. 11. When I am having problems sticking to my plan, I usually get on the message boards or the phone and talk about it with other people. 12. I have many stressful situations in my life right now, but I’m determined to be successful at weight loss. Scoring the Quiz Look at your answers to questions 1,2,4,5,7, 9 and 11, and give yourself 1 point for every True answer, and 0 for every False. For questions 3,6,8,10 and 12, give yourself 1 point for every False answer, and 0 for every True. Add your total points up to get your score. A high score (7-12 points) shows that your expectations about weight loss are more realistic, and you are more likely to reach your goal. Each question you scored a zero for represents a misconception or unrealistic expectation that might be adding unnecessary stress to your weight loss efforts. For example, a zero on Question 11 (you don’t talk to others when you have trouble sticking to your plan) may indicate that you tend to keep problems to yourself, which can add even more stress to the difficulties you are already having. Scoring zero on Question 8 (believing you can lose weight successfully without slipping up) may mean that you are unrealistically expecting perfection. Slip-ups are inevitable, but they also help you learn from your experience. Expecting to be perfect creates more stress when things don’t turn out as desired. Plus, you will learn less about what does and does not work for you in different circumstances. Likewise, a zero on Question 12 (determination for weight loss despite high stress in other areas of your life) may indicate that you don’t fully appreciate the difficulties of trying to lose weight, or the importance of modifying your weight loss expectations when other aspects of life become difficult. Sometimes, just holding your own and not gaining (or regaining) weight is a very significant accomplishment! Finally, the most important concept—if you scored a 0 on Question 6 (believing that weight loss will solve many other problems in your life), you may be expecting more than weight loss can deliver, setting yourself up for problems both now and after you reach your goal. At least two negative things can happen when you start looking at weight loss as the “magic” solution to everything. First, this puts an awful lot of pressure on the daily ups and downs of your weight loss journey. Every slip-up or bad day, every weight plateau, becomes magnified in importance because, in your head, it is linked to so many other important things. You can imagine how much extra stress you generate if going over your calorie budget or skipping an exercise session has come to mean that the career or the relationship you want is that much further away. Second, the belief that you have to lose weight before you can start living the life you want only keeps you from creating that life right now.*** When healthy eating and exercise are just a small part of what you do to care for yourself, you’ll likely decrease stress and progress towards your weight loss goal. A big part of making a successful lifestyle change is putting your weight in meaningful perspective—and you can start doing that right now!

I was 226 on the day of surgery and 202 on the day of my fill so 24lbs in those 6 weeks before my 1st fill!

Congrats sweetie, I hit a 2-3 week plateau after my 1st fill and luckily I've been steadily losing 1-2 lbs per week (about 7-8lbs a month) since then... Keep it up!!

Can't wait to see the new dress, I love the new avatar you're so pretty!!

I had a salad, boring I know but I am a Cesar salad junkie so it was what I was really craving!!

Congrats Lynn, so happy that things are picking up for you!! I too had a weight loss stall for 2-almost 3 weeks after my 1st fill and then one day things just started back on the right track, slowly losing 1-2lbs a week (about 7-8lbs a month) keep up the good work sweetie!!

Congrats sweetie, you deserve it!! You're looking great and the others are right you'll be shopping for a new goal dress soon!!

The others are right, Oprah had no clue about the lap band and for someone who I assumed gets all the info about a show she is going to do before it airs (and when she reccords the voice over segments) she really had no clue and kept asking kind of dumb questions that had already been addressed/answered. You're right Jann she is usually all about the healthy eating and diet but she has been known to do some "fad" diets now and then, when I was looking up Optifast before surgery I read that she did the program in the 80's and lost a ton of weight... I think she also just started a 21 day liquid/detox diet or something so obviously she's open to alternative weight loss solutions, she just take Dr. Ortiz's offer to get a lap band free (not like she couldn't afford it, lol) and stop with all the yo-yo diet plans that haven't worked for her in the past. I am thankful for the show it is what convinced me to make the appt with Dr. Ortiz and I couldn't be happier with my results so far!

I am in the middle of a little cold, who would have thought I'd get one in the middle of summer but whatever.. I think that the sinus drainage is making me feel fuller or may be irritating my band a little because I am tighter in the last few days than I have been since the swelling from my 2nd fill went down. I have heard people on other boards saying colds really effect their bands, not to the point they need an unfill like poor Kris in Cancun but they have to stick to liquids for a few days while sick... I guess we better get some answers and advice before flu season rolls around later this year!

What an awesome victory, you're right about your hands shrinking though as I was diving the other day I noticed my wrists looking slimmer and my wedding rings are really lose so I know I'm losing fat in my fingers... lol sounds icky Anyways way to go JANN!!