AngieB

Hey Becca2! I had lots of mixed feelings about restriction and fill levels. I chased my fills aggressively. I had one fill a month for 4 months straight. I kept going untill I felt restriction that did not dissapear. There were good and bad aspect to being so aggressive. It did get me to a good level of restriction quickly, but for me I see now looking back that I was putting to much responsibility on the band. But that is my story. I really believe the first year for me was a learning curve. Like the getting to know you period and knowing what to expect. My success with WL has stalled and I believe if I would calorie count and food log, I would get on my way again. I have just been resistant to doing it. I know kinda nuts, but I for some reason have a hang up. I really never did food logging or tracking when I was in Weight Watchers either. That was more like I couldn't be honest with myself to write down what I was truely eating. Now I can be honest about my food and portions, I don't want to look at my calories...or food bingeing......I am still a work in progress.....don't judge me! Ha! I joke, but really I am honest too. For me I have a unhealthy relationship with food. It has improved but it is still pretty raggity. So, I make sure to note my improvements and keep pushing on. Eventually I will become willing and change my self punishment into self love. Good fortune on your fill and let us know how it goes!

Awh! He is super cute! Congrats Pete on your first race!!!!

Hey guys! So my last fill was in December. That was the fill that put me over the top. I felt restricition that was really to much for me to mentally wrap my head around. At that point I stopped loosing weight too. I have lost inches, which has been nice! So since Dec 2009 I have not lost much. The scale has been staying right around 227-230. I have been walking 2 or more miles a day during the week. Steady pace and working up a sweat. I decided to move my rear to see if I could loose some weight and to get my band to let up. The scale is staying the same, but my band has opened up. So that is cool. It is amazing how the band works. For months I feel good restriction, then bam the band opens up. Like open opens. It is amazing how the band can change. I suppose I lost internal fat around my band or something. It is so strange. I notice that I am chewing less. I am sure the upcoming fill will be a shock to the system. I don't even have to chew well when I eat bread. Anyway, thought I would ramble, it has been a while since I talked about me and my band Hope. Oh, yeah....I gave my band a name. I figure I may as well..... Hope you all are doing good. I am going to enjoy my lack of restriciton for a while. I am going in for a tweak so I don't get back to the super restriction I had for months. Hope you are all well. Angie

Kevin - make sure you are taking your vitamins. Check into some Vit B-12 sublingual tabs. That will help with the energy. Plus make sure you are hydrating yourself.....drink drink drink! Find you juju and get back to the exercise you were doing. Walking or something. Do it! Get back to moving, if you don't it WILL have an impact on your WL. I did not get off my arse for the first stretch and I will tell you from first hand experience it will make a huge difference! So your stamina is down, it will come back. Here are some are a few you tube sights that have a good amount of recipes. Check them out. Rocky's page will have them in with her other videos... Let me know if you want more resources and I will dig up some more.....I did these quick for ya while I was eating my lunch. Some are not crockpot, but good to package and freeze for meals. Glad to have you back and sounds like the gathering was a good time! http://www.youtube.com/user/PouchFriendly http://www.youtube.com/user/rockybarragan Tamale Cups White Bean Chicken Chili - 50# Contest Entry </SPAN> Fish soup My Cioppino</SPAN> Very Veggie Mini Frittatas Tipton Pizza Soup</SPAN> Tomato Pie</SPAN> Enchilada Pie</SPAN>

Honesty is the antidote to my diseased thinking. Anonymous

Tough break up. ((HUGS)) for sure. You will find the right guy. It is hard for our loved ones to watch us have a hard time with the band. Sounds like he has been through a lot of episodes with you. When I have productive burped, my husband has always made sure I was okay. He worries for me. If I were doing it as regular as what your post sounded.....he would not stand for it. I have shared so much with him about my fat girl behavior and band that he would know right away I was in a "danger zone." I don't ever want to get to a place where a PB is normal or a regular occurance....nope! I hope that others who support me would say things to me as well. It is not normal or part of WL and I would be warped to convence myself otherwise. Believe me my fat girl behavior is warped enough! I strive for balance....because I tend to be OCD I have a hard time finding it. At anyrate. He does have some valid points. Getting on your son about his eating behavior will not change him. Show him and let him learn from you. Being naked with out the band makes us vulnerable. I am a bit over a year out and have not had the experience of an unfill. I know it would be tough for me. I love my band, it helps me and supports me. I do lean on it for support and balance. So my heart goes out to you. Anyway, I know what people have wrote to you will be unpleasant and hard to hear. Even though you asked us not to go there, seems some of us could not let it pass.....becuase we understand how dangerous it is. So please don't be offended when we chime in and send messages of concern. If you relationship is truely over....then take the pain from this relationship and learn from it. Think about it from his point of view. Setting alone at the table during dinner because you are tossing your cookies....Sorry for the pain and range of emotions. Maybe you can do your part and see how it changes your life.... ((HUGS)) Angie

That is awesome! Work it! Work it! Ha!

I have 1 red tomato! Yahoo!!! This year I planted tomato x3. Celantro, strawberries, zuccini, peas, and onions! I am going to can some tomatoes and make salsa! Plus I am sure give some away. I love this time of year! It is great for fruits and veggies!

I got to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE. I have a 4 cc band and it has 2.4 cc's in it. I love my restriction level and feel like I am at my sweet spot....whaaa hoo!

I've had my calcuim pill stay in my pouch a few times. Very suprising when it happens. Each time I had to relieve myself of the liquid I drank that wasn't passing. Over all I rarely have an issue.... Know this....there have been people who have gotten a pill stuck and had to have an unfil. So it can happen. I tend to cut my calcuim pills now....cept when I forget. I try to help myself as much as possible so I don't have a horror story to report!

I believe will power has a good role to play in the new band lifestyle. Staying away from sugars in very smart and the dense proteins will keep you fuller for longer. I personal eat a lot of turkey, fish, chicken, and beans. For grains I eat whole wheat bread, oats and flax seed. My veggies are corn, carrots, green beans, broccoli, califlower, brussel sprouts, aspargus, soy beans, ect...As for fruits I stick to berries and bananas. My diet is great until I make my sweet choices....then I completely bomb. I am a work in progress and I have come along way on the mental journey. I've been a HUGE emotional eater. That does not change when you get the band. For me that is my area for change. Personally, I have not had my band so tight I couldn't eat without vomiting or PBing. I also don't keep my band so tight I struggle to drink my liquids either. I have had a few times when my band was tight first thing in the morning due to hormones, even that has been rare. You sound like you are doing really good! Stay focused and keep on keeping on. Band tightness is a personal choice. Only you will know when you need a fill.

Okay here is my personal definition of restriction........ Early satiety - feeling full sooner than normal or after eating less than usual. Currently I am eating 1 cup of food for each meal. B-L-D Having a satisfied feeling for 4 plus hours at a time. I tipically have breakfast around 7 ish, lunch at 12:30 ish and dinner 6 ish..... Feeling full in the pouch/stoma not the lower stomach. (although I have binged on sliders and felt full in my lower stomach - this freaked me out as I have not feel belly full in FOREVER!!) Pouch full to me still doesn't feel comfortable....it's weird. When you realize what "one bite to many" actually means. To me that means learning your new full notification. (Which equal restriction.) My 4th fill removed the hunger from me. I would be a supper skinny biotch if I would only eat my 3 meals a day and not snack/over eat after dinner. Even when I feel hunger it is muted and a softer hunger, not like a Omgoodness, I need to EAT!!! Hope this helps you get a idea of what restriction is.....

I would come to the point where you are comfortable with your currant fill level before getting zip tied any more. Each time you have an issue you are aggravating the band and it's healing process. My best advice is adjust first, then fill. Cutting your food up into smaller pieces may help. Taking time between each bite, putting your fork down. Chewing thirty or more times before you swallow each bite. Those are some of the things I have done for myself.

Hi Vicki - Sorry to learn about your leak. It all depends on where the leak is. Hopefully it will be in the tubing or the port. That would be a easy fix. Band leaks are the least common in the actual band itself. Which is good. Let us know what the good docs at the OCC say.... Sorry to hear about your leak... HUGS Angie

Shelby you are awesome! Way to raise a good amount of cash for the Alzheimer's Association!!! Great time too!

I personally loved the bed at the Marriott and found the stay relaxing and nice.

Have you had any productive burps? Those can cause swelling. Are you stressed....that can cause swelling. Many factors can affect the band. I would suggest since you are having large flexuations, you begin a band journal. Something you can jot down when you are tight, what is happening that day, and if you have had any issues eating. Being proactive will help you identify problems. Hope this helps!

Hey Kevin - I agree with you. Anyone who has traveled to or lived in a larger city has seen "areas" of town that are *clears throat* slums will agree. Every city has crime and some pretty bad. There are areas of Omaha, NE that I don't frequent, as they are troubled areas. I do not go looking for trouble. Common sense goes hand in hand. Also gotten turned around in Chicago before and ended up in a bad area. *shivers* It was scary but turned out well. Glad to hear your fill went well. Hope you are having a good time at your family shin dig!

Kevin!!!! Awesome! I have been thinking about you. I hope you are doing well in your weight loss. Have you noticed it slowing or has it been steady eddie? Let us know what you think of your first fill! Give us an update! Angie

It took me 4 fills to get restriction that did not fade in a week or two....I then wanted to fine tune my fill level and went for a 5th, which they maxed me out on. I was tight for 5 months and have just recently had the squeeze let up. I feel great at my current restriction. I am able to eat 1 cup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! YAY! Fills take time.....you will get restriction when you get there. Everyone is different. Take this time to form good habits, as they will be what holds you through the weight loss. Yay! You have had your 1st fill!!!!! That rocks!

It is important to remember to not "over hydrate" as well. Since you are not a traveler per say drink the normal amount of water you would for a regular day. You have to remember the more you hydrate the more dense you tissue is as it holds water. So if you are guzzling water because you think it will get you a better fill, it may back fire in your good fill hopes. I don't do anything extra special for my fills, other than not to eat before a fill, or if my fill is later in the day eat early and wait on food the rest of the day. I totally agree with Kim on the fill amount. Each of us are different. My first fill was .7 cc's. See the decimal point before the 7?! I didn't even get a full cc. So don't get to caught up in that. Steady as she goes!