This is a pretty sweet forum! You guys rock, so much progress and motivation!
Alright so I've had a life long battle with my weight, tried a bit of everything from a very young age. Tried powder chocolate shakes from the time I was 10. I thinned out throughout middle school and early high school years. By the time I was a senior (2003) I weighed in at about 280. I wore a size 32 dress, that was hideous to my moms wedding when I was 16 in 2001. Started Atkins in 2003, lost 5 pant sizes (didn't have a scale so no idea what my weight was) went from a 26 Women's Plus to a 21 ladies Junior. Then life happened, I began working at a daycare, cooking and eating what the kids ate. Shortly after worked as a Care Provider for a youngish quadriplegic. The eating didn't stop, I ate out nearly every day, if I didn't, I made quick to eat boxed pasta - rarely any meats because they weren't affordable, skipped lots of meals. I did "curves for women" during this time and tried to limit the amount I ate. I did lemon water fasting. I was about 293lbs. I started full-time in college Fall of 2004, working fulltime. Then on top of all of that since sleep was "overrated" at my age. I decided to open my own online (and party) sex toy business. Other than a few sales, it didn't go far, as I didn't have the time to put into it. Feeling overwhelmed, I thought doing online courses would be easier. Boy was I wrong. I was so overwhelmed that everything but the full-time job collapsed.
2006 comes along, I was probably still about 290ish lbs. I began working full-time in a call center (sit down job) and still working part time at the care giving job. I then started The Six Week Body Makeover diet plan, started walking daily as I took on a newspaper route, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I was losing weight like crazy, eating a ton and with my daily workouts I was toning. At this point I don't know what happened.
FastForward to 2008, desperate for help weight has jumped to 354lbs. I couldn't walk 10 feet without breathing heavy, I'm sure I had sleep apnea, I was in misery, none of my clothes fit. My double chin rested on my chest. I hated myself. My primary care physician suggested weight loss surgery and I hated him for it. I didn't believe in surgery to remedy my weight problems, I was going to do it on my own. I don't know what prompted me to go to a seminar for LapBand, or what further prompted me to go through the motions of getting all the dr. clearances or having the surgery other than I thought it would be a miracle weight loss program.
I had the surgery March 28, 2008. I lost 14 lbs, pre-surgery on a liquid diet to shrink my liver. Surgery was a success. I immediately lost 90 lbs total literally within 2 - 3 months, then nothing because anything healthy made me puke (If I didn't chew chew chew). gravy and sauce on everything became my comfort crutch. I yoyo'd about 30 lbs for three years and then finally I've been able to maintain 270 for the last several months just by eating like a normal person and mild exercise. Like a bike ride in the cool of the evening during the summer or a long walk with the dogs. I'm done with being 270, Its now time for me to be healthy and take control of my life. Forgetting the band rules and doing a strict low carb diet. I'm excited to see change!
Woot! You all Rock, I'm excited to see everyones Journeys and hope you enjoyed reading mine. Feel free to ask questions. I could write a novel out of my dieting experiences.
Welcome and congrats on your progress so far and your recommitment to losing more!
What kind of healthy things couldn't you eat? My boyfriend has the lapband and I've had to rethink some of my standard meals because he can't stomach them. It always fascinates me what will fill him up in no time and what he can just eat forever, so I'm curious what does it to you! Even something as simple as PASTA SHAPE gives him problems. I don't get it because you're chewing it! But he absolutely can't eat spaghetti but he can eat penne and linguini and rotini.
Welcome and congrats on your progress so far and your recommitment to losing more!
What kind of healthy things couldn't you eat? My boyfriend has the lapband and I've had to rethink some of my standard meals because he can't stomach them. It always fascinates me what will fill him up in no time and what he can just eat forever, so I'm curious what does it to you! Even something as simple as PASTA SHAPE gives him problems. I don't get it because you're chewing it! But he absolutely can't eat spaghetti but he can eat penne and linguini and rotini.
I have a really hard time with all breads, most meat especially chicken breast, which I chop into tiny bites now and slather it in butter, it seems to help it go down a bit. Undercooked pasta, but I can eat most pasta without trouble. I have trouble with stringy veggies like celery, broccoli and asparagas (which I love and still eat). I also have trouble if I eat too fast or too much. (I drink with my food, which is a big no-no for LapBand) I think thats how I can eat more than most bandsters. I find that I prefer crunchy things and liquidy things. So thats where the seriously high carb and high processed food managed to sneak into my diet. Like Cheetos and Ice cream. Sometimes I have trouble with pop, from the air bubbles. This is how my addiction to sauces and gravy's started. They just help things go down easier.
I have a really hard time with all breads, most meat especially chicken breast, which I chop into tiny bites now and slather it in butter, it seems to help it go down a bit. Undercooked pasta, but I can eat most pasta without trouble. I have trouble with stringy veggies like celery, broccoli and asparagas (which I love and still eat). I also have trouble if I eat too fast or too much. (I drink with my food, which is a big no-no for LapBand) I think thats how I can eat more than most bandsters. I find that I prefer crunchy things and liquidy things. So thats where the seriously high carb and high processed food managed to sneak into my diet. Like Cheetos and Ice cream. Sometimes I have trouble with pop, from the air bubbles. This is how my addiction to sauces and gravy's started. They just help things go down easier.
How is your boyfriend doing with his band?
He is 6'3 or 6'4 (Depends on what leg he stands on!) and use to be 410lbs. He now weighs 260. So the band worked very well for him but he does not follow it AT ALL. He eats the same old crap as before just less of it. Though he can't really drink soda, like you said, from the carbonation. He can't really eat breads (Though he'll make a valiant attempt and usually wind up throwing up). But if he loves something enough he'll just sit there for an hour and eat it. I've been trying to break him of these habits but there's only so much I can do before being a nag! After all, it is his body lol.
He wants to lose 50 more pounds and then start shopping around for plastic surgeons for a body lift. Poor guy has a lot of skin issues, but I love every inch of him.
It's really super interesting to me to hear the differences of what people can and can't tolerate with band! Ice cream can cause him a problem but he can eat popcorn or mashed potatoes literally all day long without having an issue.
I assume your band isn't filled too much? I know he had a bunch of problems with what he could and couldn't eat when his band was too tight.
I assume your band isn't filled too much? I know he had a bunch of problems with what he could and couldn't eat when his band was too tight.
That is definitely interesting, actually my band is filled just right. I puke a lot, actually just puked today while I was munching on Salad. It becomes amusing after awhile, I ate at my desk and my office is a long walk to the bathroom. I didn't make it. Made it about halfway, luckily I found a garbage can in my travels.
My friends, know to let me sit on the outside in a restaurant just in case I forget to chew my food (which I frequently do, as I get distracted). They also know to order me a water to go with my diet coke, as the water will help the food go down. Band eating is a whole new world, I've had the band for almost 4 years and still am really bad about - doing the band diet. Although the band diet according to my surgeon is literally 1 oz of pureed food 3 times a day and as many protein shakes as I need to keep from being hungry (I tried them all and none taste good enough for me to stick to it). Atkin's though is working as long as I chew my food good. Also, the first month I took Phentermine *which seemed to help the appetite, but not the mood swings - I'm a happy bubbly person and it made me irritable and hate everyone*
Good Luck to him! I wish you and him the best! *PS, so cool that you are so supportive*
My Story * Slimfast - LapBand - Atkins
