Kittycat

W-WATCH WITH WONDERMENT THE CHANGES IN ALL OF US!!! I can't wait to see us all when we reach goal and how hot we are all going to look!! Cool eh!!!

AVOID KFC LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!

As everyone else has said, drinks tons of water..it flushes out all of the impurities and you will lose weight. I cannot drink alot of water per day, but since that is the only thing I drink now, I am doing better than I used to.

Thanks, I will usually eat chicken with a dipping sauce to help it down, but this time I didn't and oh man, I paid for it...KFC is taboo in my world now!!!

Take deep breaths and try to relax...this time if will be under fluro and everything will be fine. If you go in anticipating the worst, you will stress yourself out and be tense. Good Luck!!!

OMG!! Today we had a picnic at work, everyone brought a dish and as a member of our Smile Committee, we ordered KFC chicken. I ate one small peice of chicken, no skin and it starting getting stuck, took two bites of macaroni salad, hoping to slide it down and it got stuck!! I got up and walked around and around and then thought I better head to the washroom. When I got there, I projectile slimed everywhere, really gross. I still felt stuck and continued to walk the halls and went back to the boardroom where all of my co-workers were eating. I took a small sip of water and felt an air bubble develop, ran back to the washroom and projectile slimed again!! All of my lunch came up. I felt 100% better, but wholly cow!!! I ate small bites and slow, I guess the chicken was a little dry or two greasy (KFC can be that way), but I have officially swore off KFC for good now!! Sorry to be so graphic. Lesson learned, stay away from fried chicken!!!

Thanks to everyone, you are truly the best!!

Yes unforunately the elasticity is less as you age and it also depends on how long you have carried the weight. I have been overweight for 10 years now and my stomach, legs and arms will no doubt having hanging skin, so exercise your butt off and keep a tummy tuck in the back of your mind!! Best of Luck!!

Hi Vix, glad you made the decision. Actually it will be much easier to recover from your knee surgery with some weight off, I know when my mother-in-law was scheduled for knee surgery, her surgeon advised her to lose some weight which would make the recovery much easier. So you are doing the right thing!! Best of luck!!

Wow, good for you!! It does take mental training to stop eating...when I go to a restaurant I find they give you way too much food and although I get full very quickly, there is still food on my plate..and I want it!! But self-control needs to kick in and push that plate away or cover it will your dirty napkin and get rid of it. It's tough at first, but you can do it!!

Health reasons and anesthetic. Some doctors, including the OCC (from what I have read) insist you quit before surgery. My surgeon did not insist, but I did cut down before surgery. Quitting smoking and going on 4 shakes per day (no food) was not an realistic option for me and my doctor understood that. I would have been homicidal by day two. Best of luck and follow your surgeons directions!!

Hi Ackovach, Julie is right, I was banded in Canada and had a different post op diet schedule. 4 days of clear liquids, two weeks non-clear liquids (creamy soup stage) and two weeks of mushy/blended foods. The OCC provides a 21 day plan, mine lasted 5 weeks.

Yes, when I was on the post-op diet, I lost alot of weight about 20 some lbs...liquids will do that to you. I gained 7 lbs post op, but it went and then some after about 4-5 days. Good Luck!!

Your on sweetie pie!!!

Okay you guys, can you please send some of the heat up to Canada, Ontario specifically, we have had nothing but rain and wicked thunder storms all summer. My entire week at the cottage was rain, rain, rain..one day of sun and a high of 76 degrees, cooler in the shade. We have literally had no summer. We usually get over 95 degrees by August, not this year. PLEASE SEND THE SUN AND HEAT OUR WAY!! THANKS!!!

Thanks Jessica, wow less than two weeks to go!!! Whoot hoo!! Are you excited? How are you doing on your pre-op diet? Take care!

I am sorry to hear this..I know you were counting on it and were excited, but don't dispair, there are many other ways to lose weight. Try doing the diet plan we use, high protein (which will keep you fuller, longer), lots of veggies and water, avoid starches, sugars and fats and you will be successful. And if you still have weight to lose after you are 18, go for it on your own!! Best of Luck Sweetie!!!

BRAVO!!!!

I have to agree with Donna, why would you want to use it. The band is a tool and if you choose foods wisely, should be all you would need to lose weight. I had considered Xenical in the past, but heard horror stories about how you are constantly experiencing diarrhea and no thanks! It probably would not hurt the band, but it could potentially give you a very sore bum!

Hi there, the hardest part was the pre-op diet, drinking 4 shakes per day that tasted like crap. I was banded in Canada, so the pre-op diet was different than they put you on for surgery at the OCC. Once I had surgery, the post-op diet was manageable. I was on clear liquids for 4 days then creamy soup stage for 2 weeks and then mushy foods for two weeks, again, a different plan than the OCC. I lost 12 lbs pre-op and not sure how many post-op, close to 20 lbs I believe and now I had finally hit the 40 lbs gone mark, I have a long way to go but I am more than 1/4 way there in just 3 months!! You have made a wise decision, one of the best things I have ever done, it's a lifestyle change, but so worth it. I do exercise using my gazelle and leg magic machines and of course walking and did some swimming (or lounging in the pool) while on vacation last week. I need to step it up a bit to increase my muscle mass and avoid loose skin. Let us know when your date is set and best of luck, if you need anything at all, we are all here for you!!

That's amazing Jena!!! You are doing fantastic!!!

G-GREAT EXPECTATIONS...new body, new clothes, new outlook on life!!!

Thanks Julie, my laptop died, I am using my son's...I need to get a new one and then I will post new pics!!

I hit the 40 lbs mark this morning, whoot hooo!!! And even after a week's vacation!! The best things about losing 40 lbs: 1) Walking from the cottage to the pool this year and not being winded. 2) Struggling to keep my bathing suit on (now too big). 3) Being able to wear a bathingsuit wrap instead of shorts and walking comfortably without getting rub rash. 4) Fitting comfortably in the lounge chairs at the pool and not struggling to get in them. 5) Starting to feel like me, not a "fat" person. Thanks to everyone who helped me reach this mini-milestone, I couldn't have done it without all of your support!!! Here's and cheers to the next 40 lbs coming off!!!

I am 45 and credit most of my weight loss to-date to protein. I have been losing the recommend 2-3 weekly and so far I have been doing okay, slow and steady is good for me, I am willing to do it for however long it takes...and then I'm gonna get a tummy tuck!! LOL!! I do think age plays a factor in weight loss and also if you are heavier to start, the weight may come off faster at first. Best of Luck!!