MyNewLife

GREAT post Sabrina! Carrie

Hi Shelby~ For me I will have this done, just want to take care of some other things first. I HATE my arms and its very hard to find shirts that dont have that little sleeve. I dont wear sleeveless or the little sleeve. I have ALWAYS had big arms and now the arm flab is so bad. I think for my self, I would rather have the scar. I have heard from several different people that the scar becomes not that noticable, almost like a silver line???...hmm not sure. I have also heard of a new procedure, sorry but I dont know what it is call, but it is wear the can remove fat and tighten the skin through laser??? That would be GREAT, no scares. Carrie

AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for posting. You are truely an inspirtation and there are alot of "newbies" that are going to love hearing your story. CONGRATS to you on your life changing experiene. Carrie

For me, I think I take bigger bits than anyone who has posted. Also it really depends on what I am eating. I try my best to take the small bits, but sometimes I forget or get comfy with that particular food that I am eating. For Example, if I am eating steak or chicken, I know to take smaller bits, for steak, about half the size of a bit that I would normally eat, but like cindylou said, I tend to swallow pieces at a time, not the whole bit. Sounds wierd. Ok now say ice cream...(my big no no food) I eat ice cream no different that I nornally did before banding, I try to eat smaller bits of everything, because that is what you are suppose to do, but sometimes you get comfy with your food. I also think, in my opinion, how resricted, tight, your band is.....Some people stats that it takes them 30 mins to eat their meal, It does not take me that long, and again it depends on what you are eating..... Carrie

Sabrina, I have this left shoulder pain and at times it is worse than others. My shoulder pain is when I am very hungry (not stomach hungry)usally always after 4 pm, very seldom in the morning time. Its weird, I dont get stomach hungry any more, when Im REALLY hungry, my shoulder always lets me know. If I am not in the "mood" to eat something, a cup of coffee will always to the trick for me. It stops the pain as soon as I start drinking it. Thanks for sharing!~ Carrie

Sabrina, I agree, you have an AMAZING attitude and drive, you have encouraged and helped so many of us......You will be back down in NO TIME! Carrie

Hi! B- 1 cup Coffee (8:00am) and South Beach Diet Protein Bar (9:30ish) L- Crab Salad - S- Nada - Crab Salad didnt go down real well... D- ??? Possible protein shake 20 oz water so far No exercise tonight. A friend of mine passed away from Breast Cancer, will be at funeral home. BREAST CANCER SUCKS!

Angie, Just wanted to say you are doing GREAT! Carrie

You look Amazing in your pictures. I just love looking at everyones progress.!!!!! Thanks for sharing with us! Carrie

Your welcome, You will have many days that you will have restriction and then none. Honestly I did not have good restriction until my second fill, I had them two weeks apart. I am trying to focus now on eating my 1 cup of food and not basing what I eat on "restriction". I catch myself eating until I feel "restriction" instead of eating the amount I am suppose to. Carrie

Angie!!!! That is AWESOME and I LOVE that you took a picture of it! Thanks Carrie

Holly, You look wonderful! Thank you for sharing your pictures. Carrie

Hi Lea~ It stands for Non Scale Victory!........These are AMAZING to us and trust me you will have many Good Luck to you~ Carrie

I think I am so hung up on trying to get the "proper" calories, dont want to eat to little, dont want to hold on to my weight, dont want to eat to much, not over 1200-1500 calories. I think I am going to to take the advise that someone gave me and that is to eat when im hungry. Im gonna do this and stay off the scales for a couple of weeks and see how that works.... Carrie

I wanted to bring this one back up, alot of great info about this. This is one subject that I just cant get down. The calorie intake from person to person, I am sure is different. I just wish I could find that magic number! I understand alot of us here are 1200 calories a day and some are different. Alot of us has been told 800 a day and some higher, just confusing to me! Carrie

I agree with that, I need to stay away from them, like you said I can not eat that much "food". I catch myself when I do eat the "slider" food, I eat alot of it and I just dont want this to stretch my band. Sometimes I catch myself eating alot of the slider foods and thinking it is ok, not going to hurt my band because it is going to "slide" through. I know it adds the calories, just trying to make sure its not hurting the band. Does this make since? I think I am confusing myself...lol Carrie

OK.. I have a question, I know most of us can eat more on some days vrs others.....I have a question as far as "slider" foods. Lets take salad, or popcorn or ice cream, or chips and dips....These are sliders for me. How much do you eat of these.....I know this is a crazy question, but are we only still only suppose to be able to eat 1 cup? I am trying to stay away from these foods, because they go down to easy for me and I can eat ALOT of it. I would like to know, do you eat how much ever of slider food that you can eat or do you stop at 1 cup? Being that I can eat alot of these, does this mean I need a fill? Carrie

I too Agree with Nicole. It is very dangerous to be too tight. The weight loss may be great right now, but the damage that you could do in the long run is not worth it. Please do some research on this subject. Take Care Carrie

Thank everyone! I am just thankfull that it is not 5 lbs a month the other way and if it were not for this band, it would be! Thanks for the name Cindy, thats pretty cool. I will have to google that one. I also have to remember the Operation Size 10, and I have to remember that it is not going to happen over night. I think I just go through stages, and Im sure it is because I have started to REALLY research my Plastic Surgery in March. Im sure it is a combination of all. Lisa that is Awesome that your sister complented you on your figure! I know when my sister tells me something "nice" that I must be doing something really good, because she ihas the "model figure" in our family, so it makes me feel really good! Again, thanks every one for the "Roadside Assistance", .....Red, I just LOVE that!!!!!! Carrie

Also, I am sorry I did not write this with my post so I wanted to post this as well.....Sometimes I get stuck in the fact that my glass is ALWAYS empty, trying to change that attitude about myself! Things I did not expect...... I did not expect to "find" myself again. I think I have smoothered myself in food and my own unhappiness, I forgot who I was..... I did not expect to become the biggest "Health Nut" that I know! ME a "Heath Nut" ..."WHATEVER!!!!...but its true! I never expected to look at someone elses plate and think "WOW that is alot of food, are they really gonna eat all of that" I never expected to ask for a "to go box" with EVERY kids meal I order, when I order them. I did not expect to be able to exercise and uhmmm...shhh ..kinda like it! I NEVER thought I would be able to wrap a towel around my self, even the "normal" towels, dont have to buy beach towels any longer! Did not think that would be a big deal, but that is an AWESOME feeling! I NEVER expected to be able to wear Size 12 Jeans in Nine Months! I NEVER EXPECTED to be able to do this, make it through the pre-op, make it through the 21 days on liquid, But I did and Like Shelby said, if we can do it, anyone can do it! I could go on and on, but the biggest one yet is, Honestly I never EXPECTED that I could be this HAPPY with MYSELF! Good Luck to you! Carrie

Hi Aimme~! Yes this is normal! Your going to to go through what we call "Bandster Hell" Until you get your first fill, honestly you are pretty much on your own. I did have restriction, as far as not being able to eat alot, however there are some people that have really struggled during this time, and some have gained. My advice to you would be weigh your food and count EVERYTHING that you eat and drink and Drink ALOT of water! Eat LOTS of protiens and always eat them first! Good Luck to you! Carrie

Hi Deena! I feel like I already know you, better late than never...lol I choose to do the shakes for breakfast and Lunch and Lien Cusine for Dinner. I had GREAT results. I did start a little early because I was SO scared that I would not loose the weight required. I did the pre-op diet for 17 days and lost 16 pounds. The first three days were my hardest but after that, I can honestly say it was not that bad for me. I was however working ALOT of hours at work, so that kept me very busy and my mind off food. I HATED protein shakes, so I drank slim fast as my shakes. I have found a protien shake now that I love, it is called max protien from GNC...Chocolate, taste like choc milk. I would also suggest that you take one chromium pill each day and I took 2 fiber pills at 9:00am and 2 at 3:00pm. This help SO MUCH with my hunger pains! Dr. Miranda suggested that and it was a life saver! Anyways, good luck to you and please keep us posted! You will do GREAT! Carrie

Hey Everyone! I was just curious. I have heard that you will hit a weight that your body "likes" and it is hard to get past this. I may be jumping to concluision, but I think my "band" is getting very comfy at where it is, and we are not getting agreeing on this. I have had the talk with her, but she is not listening ...lol.... I just seem to have slowed WAY down the past two months or its just that I aint seeing that freaking scale move as fast as I want to see it move. I am about 5 lbs a month in the past two months, but again each month that number seems to be dropping, I was about 6-7 lbs a month. Carrie

Good Monday to Everyone! So far so good today! B - 5 Whole Wheat Crackers (very thin and crunchy) with a thin peice of Turkey lunch meat S- South Beach diet Protien Bar L- Shrimp Etoufee (was more like a Gumbo, made it last night, recipe from Sparkpeople.com YUMM, low calories and lots of veggies) S- plum D-TBD - Most likey will be Shrimp Etoufee CRAVED Ice Cream last night, went to bed instead...Today is Monday! I get my hair done on Mondays and it is SOOOO hard to drive past Marble Slab (Ice Cream Shop) EVERY monday without stopping. Have not stopped in like 3 weeks, going to try very hard to pass it up today as well, my Ice Cream Craving has not went away! 2- cups coffee Water, :-( No water today, going to work on that the rest of the day~! Carrie

There is really not a before and after pic section, not that I am aware of. Everyone just posts there pics in the Photo Gallery at the top of this screen. Carrie