Success!

Yes, today was a success. I stepped on the scale this morning after my morning pee, and I was down another 2.4lbs. Finally! I say this because I have been battling with the same 2 lbs 238-240 for over a week. Today I finally saw a drop.

I have been reading alot and trying to stay focused. Today, while golfing, my sister and mom and I discussed exercise and caloric intake. It seems I may be overdoing the exercise thing. I have been working out as though I was still eating the calories I used to. Of course, with the band, I can only seem to get in about 1000...maybe.

So, it appears I need to drop the cardio for burning fat and do cardio for heart strengthening. I need to work more on the weight lifting and muscle building. Does anyone else have thoughts on this? Am I working out too hard by trying to get my heart rate up to 141-151 as my trainer told me months ago? Should I work more on endurance rather than the heart rate?

Oh, and one more thing... I have had really bad knees for a long time. the other day, I went to the dr and asked about some X-rays I had back in Dec '07. He said good news, it is not arthritis like I thought, but there is some damage. Patellofemoral syndrome. He gave me a few exercises to work with in order to try and get some healing. Oh, to be thinner and have my knees pain free... I can just picture it in my dreams.

Time for Beach Volleyball... I am having so much fun with this. Hopefully someone will take some pics and I can add it to this posting.

Eating Habits, How did I get fat?

Habits...We all have them. What makes us eat certain things? What makes us eat too much? What gives us cravings?

I would often eat even though I was not hungry. I think that all the dieting I have done over the years made my stomach immune to what hunger really was. I also think my "I'm full" signal has been damaged as well, as I never really have that feeling. The only thing I remember from growing up and even as an adult was being "stuffed" after a large meal. I can't say that I ever knew that I was "full". Even going to a chinese food restaurant would get me to the stuffed feeling but I just knew that it wouldn't be long til I was feeling very empty again after that type of food.

I was also the garbage can when we were growing up. We were always taught to empty our plates. "think of all the starving children in the world"...Ok, if someone didn't finish their plate I would always offer to finish it for them. I wasn't huge as a child, just not a tiny petite thing either.

I just really want to know how to get past the head games I play with myself. I can stick to a plan for a month or two, but for a long time, well that seems to be out of reach. So far, with the band, I am able to limit myself...

I have a bad habit of crackers in the evening. I have been working hard to break it, but so far,I have failed miserably. Even with my band, I can eat 2 stoned wheat thins with a slice of cheese. I don't snack during the day so I am allowing myself to have this snack and counting the calories on "sparkpeople" tracker. I think this is a healthy way to eat, not denying myself something, but eating with a limit. What do you think? I would really love to hear what others have to think, banded or not.


This morning on the local news here, there was a discussion about overweight people and a study done with those who track all their food and those who do not. Did you know that the highest rate of success is those who do track it? I think that this stands to reason since those people are the ones who know exactly how much and what quality they are putting in their mouths. This makes me all the more determined to keep track of my "input" somehow, someway. I may not track everything everyday, but I will sure try hard. So, it is the end of my day, after a stamp class and now it is time to cool off in the pool and then hit the sack. Time for some beauty sleep.

quick update

Oh my goodness... I can't believe it has been that long since I posted! In the meantime, I made a little trip down to Arlington Wa and had another 2cc added to my band. It has been good, at least for the first week... I am really working hard at finding the right foods to eat.

I read constantly about people "cheating" but as I posted earlier, a diet is a way of life. If one chooses to put the wrong thing in their mouth, that is their choice. Diets can be adjusted base on the day/week/exercise, etc. I will not judge as I too have done what I consider a "cheat", eating something that is not healthy or high in calories, in a moment of weakness, put something in my mouth only to regret it moments later. I can only make my choices and live with them. Working on making Healthy choices now. I am not testing my band to see how much I can eat, but really working on testing to see how little I can get away with. This was one of Dr. Ortiz's points in his message here. My MD was really impressed with that and said to keep it in mind all the time.

I have 6 kids and a very active husband. My oldest 2 have moved out and the other 4 are still at home, wanting food on a very regular basis. They are all boys and are into football, rugby, skiing/snowboarding so they are also very active. Their high calorie diets are necessary for them to survive. We are working on high caloric, healthy eating so that they won't have the same issue as I do.

I mentioned my fill. I have lost 5 lbs since the fill and even though I haven't lost more this past week, I am still losing inches. I have taken up beach volleyball on Friday nights on my kid's team, and loving it! and have started golfing with my daughter, sister or mom depending on who has a day off at the same time. In order to burn extra calories, I carry my bag (humungous with wayyyyy too many clubs in it) I am also either walking 5 km or going to the gym for 2 hours, 3 days a week. So, while the scale is not dropping majorly right now, I am finding my clothes falling off.

I never thought I would say that! It is such a good feeling. My journey started at a size 22 and now I am comfortably wearing a size 18, almost ready to take a step down to 16... will wait until they fit good, not tight.

Photos

I had the boys take some more photos the other day... I don't really see too much difference, but they say there is. I will have to believe them.
here they are:

See original photos here:
http://lapbandval.blogspot.com/2008_02_24_archive.html

the Band is my friend

Truly! Last night was pizza night. I have not been hungry so I see this as a Band thing. I had 2 eggs for breakfast, a porkchop sliced over a small caesar salad for lunch and at dinner, I had only one slice of pizza. I felt good... however, later I got into a bad habit that I have... went to the leftover pizza and tried to eat another. Guess what? it got stuck. my band did not like it and made me give it up... oh yah! not pretty, but what a reminder that it WORKS!
So, this morning, I step on the scale and I have dropped more weight! what a bonus. I have been hovering between 248 and 250 for a couple of weeks. this morning the scale told me 246.4 (this was after I drank a cuppa coffee...)
EXCITEMENT here!!! til next time!

A renewed Strength

Today I am feeling a little more excited again. I went for an hour walk last night with my little grandson and while it was a little hard on my legs, I really enjoyed it. I hope to incorporate a little more walking on the days when i dont go to the gym. Today will be a gym day though as I am not working today.

I think also a big factor in my mindset is that I am using this site to assist me in making better food choices. I keep track of my foods and water consumption and throughout the day, I can see where my choices are doing me good or harm.

You get to earn spark points for the different things you do there, which also helps with the "reward" part of "dieting"... which is another thing I want to comment on. There is a great discussion forum there and if you have the time to read, there is a wealth of info including things that you might be thinking about but never "thought" about. Does that make sense? hahaha

anyways... The word "Dieting" we use it in a bad connotation. But in reality, it is the essense of life. Every living being on this earth is on a diet. Your "diet" is what keeps you alive. What a revelation! Now, time to analize what each individual diet consists of. My diet has obviously been wrong or I wouldn't look the way I do. That is why I am on this journey.

More tomorrow... and please leave a comment if you have anything to say about dieting!

ps... i added a photo of my son and I dancing at his wedding last week. I don't see a difference yet, but others have commented.

It's been awhile!

I haven't posted her for a while. bad bad bad... I really need some motivation again. The lapband is working somewhat, it keeps me from "overeating" in one sitting. It however does not help me with what i put into my mouth. This will have to be me and a choice I have to make.
On April 24, my sister and I went back to Tijuana for a fill. I had 3 cc's put into my band and immediately felt the restriction. However, now 2 weeks later, I almost feel no restriction. This is not good. I am not able to get back to TJ and am scared to death of having a "blind fill" which is offered in Calgary. I will also look into some places I have heard about in Washington State. That is within a drivable distance.
I have gone back to Spark People website and am keeping myself busy with tracking my foods and exercises. I am hoping to create the motivation once again that I need to get this weight off once and for all. It certainly isn't "just falling off" like I have heard happen to so many people.

Here is my tracker once again...