Taz

That's just AMAZING. Justin have any tips for fellow male bandsters? Taz

Oh awesome! Please do. Taz

Nope. Not for another couple of weeks. You still have time to continue to BLOW thise challenge out of the water. Wanna make it more challenging? Let's see who will blow past 20,000 steps this weekend! Taz

Did he mention anything we should be doing to reduce the scars? The incisions are fully healed for me, and I am wondering if I should be rubbing vitamin e or something on them to help them fade a bit. Taz

Ya. I've got very little restriciton right now. It's all through mental control that I am not eating like a pig. I am making better choices, concious of the experiences I will have when I get my first fill in a few weeks. Weight loss has slowed a bit since I went on solids though. Only averaging about 3lbs a week instead of the 5lbs I was getting before. But its going down... so thats a good thing. Taz

Now come on, what fun is that? :-) Oh, ok. The next challenge will help to make walking fun for those that just don't like the mundane of walking on the sidewalk, or even down the beaten path. And for those bandsters with families, this challenge will get everyone involved. And trust me... they might actually enjoy it without realizing they're exercising!! You'll have to wait until Dec 1st to get the full story. But its just in time to help battle the holiday pounds. Taz

You know, although you look great in that dress, you know what does it for me? It's seeing that smile. That makes all the difference in the world. You can see how happy you are with you progress, and more importantly.... yourself. Great job. You deserve it. Taz

Look at it as a positive. You won't be eating much food while your mouth recovers ;-) Taz

LOL Man you have bad luck don't you? Don't give up. Keep at it! See if the store will take it back. It's only a few days old... should be under warranty. Taz

Hey, you're doing all the work. Well, for your challenge atleast. I think its great to motivate each other and drive each other's success. The pedometer, like the band, is only a tool. You got to be motivated and driven to make it succeed. You are doing awesome... and you should be proud. I already have an idea for next month's challenge. But its a secret until Dec 1st :-) Taz

We simply bought bottled water. Right across the street from the hotel is a convienance store with lots of options. Same with food. Better yet, the hotel has two great restaurants that were safe. Rather enjoyable actually. Taz

Ok, so how are you doing NOW? Now being on solids, have you found the cravings go down after getting your pizza, blueberry muffin and tacos? I found day 19-20 was my tipping point where the craving was unbearable... which made day 21-22 a refreshing change. Now that I have been eating, it hasn't been too bad. Curious to know how you are doing now. Taz

Was good wasn't it? Congrats on holding fast until you could eat!! Now you just got to try to eat 1/3 what you used to eat. Taz

Very good point Mona. Moving is moving. Count every step. I know on my pedometer, it shows full daily count plus your most recent "steady" activity. So you can always keep your daily count, and then track your actual walking steps as you need to. Check to see if your pedometer has that feature. Taz

Awesome news. Way to stay commmited and pick up another one. Good luck with the treadmill work this week! Taz

Way to go! Thank you so much for sharing. And for keeping up with the challenge. You are doing great!! Taz

Depends how much you plan to spend. Take lots of small dominations of US currency (1's and 5's). You won't need a lot of money though. Nope. Dr. Ortiz wants you to heal first. Then they put the fill in 6 to 8 weeks later. I did. I had a duck taco and some ravioli at the nice patio restaurant outside. My wife had an amazing lasagna. The whole meal was like $30. Great price, great food. Only problem was... I gained a couple of pounds!!! Not something you want to do before the surgery. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have eaten the night before. But that's just me. I can't recall how much it was. But whatever the cost, it was well worth it. Yes it does. Both in the room, and outside at the pool. I was able to use my iPhone in Wifi mode, and use VoIP to call home so I didn't get killed on cell roaming charges. No clue. Some women down there swear by it. Most people say Tijuana isn't the safest place to travel. While we were there, there were 4 shootings and some gang violence. So we stayed close to the hotel, only venturing out during the day. Some people like to shop, but that's not my thing. Then again, it was nice just to lounge by the pool. Think about healing. Relax and don't stress. Focus on "tourist" stuff another time... like when you are going to get a fill. Taz

Get healthy. When I went in for my surgery, I just got over a cold. I thought I was done coughing, but after they made me do some deep breathing tests I started hacking up a lung. Worse yet, for almost a week after the surgery it was insane as everytime I coughed it HURT around the port and the main incision really bad. I was so scared I may have damaged the band. But I have been assured the coughing has not caused problems. Everything seems fine now, but boy how I wished I didn't have tha cough after surgery. Taz

Way to go girl! Looking fab. Keep it up! Taz

Thanks. It needed to be said. Although I am no longer serving, I appreciate that you take time to remember. Taz

Ya. I have looked at a lot of the recipes, and they sound delish. Problem is, many don't have calorie break down or list tips and tricks about preparing them for bandsters. Sometimes I swear the delicious recipes I find here CAN'T be healthy to eat! Was looking for a bit more structure. Taz

Right now I am having NO troubles with any breads. Although I am being VERY careful not to eat to much of it. Only the occassional bread or bun. Before your first fill, many people have little restriction. I am in that catagory, not feeling any restriction unless I eat fast... in which case I feel a weird feeling in the upper part of my stomach. YMMV of course. Taz

Can anyone recommend a good cookbook I can buy that is focused on bandsters? Something specific to good quality foods that are lapband safe. Would prefer if they also include calorie counts in the recipes. Taz

Thanks! Almost did it again today. Fell short when it started pouring again. *sigh* Taz

Time to hit the dentist Trav. You know whats going on. You know the pain you're in. You don't need it while battling with the band. Taz