Charelle

I'm going in for my very first fill on Saturday, November 14th. Oh my goodness....SOOOOO excited!! I know having restriction after a first fill is unlikely, but hopefully it will get me back into the band mentality as I'll finally be OUT of bandster hell!! #-o Can't wait...

Sorry to read about your brother!! I'll definitely keep him & the rest of your family in my prayers.

A quick fix for me: 1 cup nonfat milk 1 - 2 tbs fat free peanut butter 1 scoop protein powder 1 container fat free chocolate jello (the kind that's pre-made in those little plastic cups) crushed ice I put this all in my magic bullet & have it for breakfast every morning. Not sure on the exact calorie count, but I'm getting my proteins in early & it tastes kinda like a peanut butter cup! (except the 'unflavored' protein power kinda makes it not exactly like one. ) Plus, it's really filling.

:lb10:

Thanks, Carrie! I have to admit that I love learning about your journey and look forward to following in your footsteps!! I'll be thinking of you on the 7th, then! Thanks for letting me know. The progress you've made in a year is amazing and taking that thought with me keeps me moving forward. YOU ROCK!! =D>

Thanks, Debbie! I'll take any words of encouragement I can get!!

Hi Ashley, How have things been going since your unfill?

It's so weird. I've never been a sweets person either. My brother & sister live for it! It was always a sore subject around my family because whenever I'd say that I never really crave ice cream or candy, they look at me like, "Yeah right!" For years I had to keep explaining that I just ate a lot of food...not necessarily food that was bad for me. Grilled chicken was/is a staple in my house. Never fried anything. BUT, eating 2 chicken breasts didn't help the waist line at all!! I'm almost 5 weeks post-op now, and I have been craving sweets!!! How backwards is that?!?!?! My weakness - Nestle Lil' Drums!!

I know, right?!?! HUGE temptations!! I did feel bad for Dina's husband though. She seemed to be pretty hard on him about eating the burrito & even mentioned that she was disgusted?? Just six weeks earlier she was eating the same thing!! I did like the realization that Shay made...saying how she was setting a bad example because she used to order all that bad food, so that's all her step-kids know. Restaurants....BOOOOO!!!! Our ONLY form of entertainment seems to be restaurants! We try going to a movie....but then have to eat dinner before/afterward. Bowling...we need to order from the snack bar. I am cooking at home a lot more...like Danny said on the show... it's the only way to control what's going in your mouth. And he lost 12 lbs!! WOW!! This "re-training" is no fun, but I know it's all for the best...not only for myself, but my family too!

I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! I use the commercial breaks to get in some cardio in. Unfortunately, it's the ONLY show I do use the commercial breaks to do cardio!! This season is a little bittersweet for me. Of course I can't believe that Tracy is still around, but what's weird is that she looks very similar to my sister-in-law!!! So, I always get so frustrated when she makes these decisions about the game and I want to dislike her, but feel guilty because she looks so much like family!! EEK! It's very motivating to see how everyone is changing physically. I especially love the end of the show when they show how the player voted off is doing now.

( I SOOOOOOOO wish I was part of the "I did awesome this week" club!!! Alas, Bandster Hell is...well....HELL!!! I'm a grumpasaurus because I feel like I have no self control! I've been doing "okay" with the portions. I'm not eating 1/3 of what I used to eat...maybe 1/2 though. BUT, I'm eating crummy foods!! ARGGGG!!!!!! So, I slapped myself in the face (not really) to snap myself out of it earlier this week. The first week & a half (since the 8th) I've gained 5 lbs.!! BUT, I was having constipation issues and last weekend I decided to get myself back in gear. I lost 1 lb so far....so I'm getting there... Last weigh in (2 weeks ago): 209 This week: 213 The lower 200's is a scary place for me. Around 209 is where I always seem to get with every diet I've tried but haven't been successful in getting under the 200 mark....but I'm SOOO close!! I always get to this point then start gaining again. Now I'm bummed because it's happening again!! This time will be different, I know. AND, my body's just getting used to food again, so I knew I was going to not lose as much. I think I'm going to try to go back to Slim Fast & Lean Cuisines more often until fill time. My fill won't be until Nov. 14th, and there's a Vegas trip on the 7th....so wish me luck!! EEK!!! Oh! and CONGRATS to all the "losers" this week!!! You all are so inpirational!!! I'm going to keep on truckin!! I'm SOOOO going to get a membership into the club!!!

HAPPY DAY 22!! I was scared too, but quickly got over that in a few days!! There was no pain when I started eating, but now that I've been on solids for a week, it's VERY hard not to get back into the habit of overeating or eating foods that are bad for me.

I've been unsuccessful in really finding anyone around the area. I'm from Ventura Co., so I'd love something closer to home. I think the Fill Center in Huntington Beach doesn't offer flouroscopy, so I'm going to just bite the bullet & get my fills done in TJ. It's a 4 hr. drive, but I feel more comfortable with the flouro done with my fills. I'll keep an eye on this thread in hopes that someone else knows of one closer. *crossing fingers*

Hi Odette, I did the option of 2 shakes & a lean cuisine for 2 weeks. The Slim Fast Optima kept me pretty full for a while. Make sure you pick up some Gas X strips, because those tended to make me gassy. The Lean Cuisines, I made sure, were foods I really thought I would enjoy because I knew I'd have to stick with them for a couple of weeks! I DID CHEAT! I have to put that out there....but the next day, I started again. Or, if I wanted to go to lunch with co-workers, I chose a healthy meal, then had a shake for dinner. Load up on the salad greens and spray dressing also. That gets filling. Also...the metamucil helped a lot with hunger in between the meals. GOOD LUCK!!! You're almost there!!!!

Hey Mon, I was a little scared! I was afraid my stomach wouldn't really agree with "real" food, but did okay! The chewing...WOW....that's something to get used to!! THANKS! How the heck does anyone manage to chew 30 times before swallowing?!?!?! I swear...at chew #15 or 20, half the bite has slid down my throat already! Maybe I'm taking too big of a bite.... It feels SOOOOO good to be in the land or "normal eaters" now! My co-workers have been calling me a party pooper for the last 5 weeks or so because of the pre/post diets. Now, I can finally accept a lunch invite and get out of the office for a bit. Not doing that too often & sticking to a third of my normal meal will be a challenge. I'm trying to eat slow & steady now, so as not to get to the point to where my stomach would allow me to eat that much again! Can't wait for that fill!!

HAPPY DAY 22!!

Thanks, Carrie! I SOOOO wish this band made me dislike Mexican food, but no such luck so far! Trying to not mindlessly graze on chips & salsa will be hard!

YAY for day 22!!!!!!!!! I made egg salad with 2 hard boiled eggs, some lite mayo & a touch of sugar & put some on 2 small dinner rolls. I finished the dinner rolls, but there was still half the egg salad left, but i felt satisfied, so thank goodness I had the will at the time to stop! For lunch, I'm having chicken salad on 2 small dinner rolls again. Hope that goes well. AND THEN....for dinner....MEXICAN FOOD!!!!! WOO-HOO!!!!!!! THAT'S what I've been waiting for!!!

Last week: 211.6 Last week's goal for this week: 209 This week: 210.0 This week's goal for next week: 209 I START SOLIDS TOMORROW!!!!!!! WOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!!! With that said...I hope to still lose 1 lb. Wish me luck!!

You know, up until these last 5 days, I was perfectly fine! My husband feels bad on a daily basis that I'm making meals for him & my daughter while I'm on liquids. I didn't mind AT ALL though! For some reason...these last 5 days are killer!!!! Great job on the 13 lbs.! Since going on full liquids, my weight loss has dramatically slowed down! I also have cravings for the bad food...I think right now I'd settle for about anything! Only a few more days!!! I can't wait for you to check back in on Thursday with what you had!! I'll do the same.

Everyone's stories are great! I'm so glad to see that I'm not alone in my thinking, when I'm like, "What the heck, people! I just lost 20 lbs!!" The few people who know, I feel like they just say that it looks like I'm losing weight to motivate me. The people that don't know...that's what I'm waiting for! I'll keep trecking along. I think I'll list that as a NSV that I'm waiting for. How sweet that day will be!!

WOW, Jessica! Great job on the weight loss in only one month!!! WAY TO GO!!

Thanks everyone!!! Man, I can't wait! Even simple things like a scrambled egg sounds SOOOOOOO tasty right now! I'll probably wake at the crack of dawn just to get my morning breakfast ready!! WOO-HOO!!

Oddly enough, Jessica, that's been on my mind!! At the beginning of the 21 days, I thought for sure I'd be craving everything under the sun that's BAD for me. BUT (along with some bad food) I've actually been craving some good things also!

Hello everyone, As the days tick down to eating "real" good again and I come to the acceptance that the weight loss will slow down/stop for a bit, I had a question: How many pounds down were you when people started noticing that you've lost weight? (Or actually mentioned it to you?) I'm down about 20 lbs. from a month ago, but nobody has said anything, and while I fit in them BETTER, I'm still wearing my regular clothes. I guess I imagined that 20 lbs. would make a huge visual difference, but I guess not on my body! I don't know if people don't want to offend the "big girl" by discussing my weight, or if it's really not noticable. I'd LOVE to hear your stories!