2 year anniversary

Hi Everyone: My 2 year anniversary was yesterday. I am down 170 pounds and working on wrapping my head around it. My outter journey may be over but the inner journey is a continuing effort. I'm grateful for this wonderful tool !!! To all that are just starting out or struggling , YOu can do it!! Deborah 2/7/05 332/162/166

My goodness Deborah, you have done great! What great success. Good for you! Congratulations--you have lost half of yourself!

Yea!, good for you, way to go!!!

Congrats!!! What a big accomplishment - you must be so proud!! ~ Monica

That's so wonderful! I'm only 2 months out and have only lost 50 pounds. I have so far to go! Can you give any advice as to what you did to lose your weight? thanks

you are doing great keep it up!! . I found an old post with the basics of what I did at the beginning. I Have not kept up with the exercise and I no longer eat the frozen yogurt(found I could not limit it after a while) after my first year I stopped keeping track in a food diary , however I still keep track in my head of the 60 protein grams. I also go to 12 step meetings and work the program this has been a major support for me. I attend at least 4 meetings per week. Deborah 2/7/05 332/160/166 To the people who are interested: > > > > I want to preface by saying that this is what I choose to do and > what > > works for me. Not a criticism of what anyone else does. I do > > not feel I am deprived or on a diet but rather having limited > choices > > make it easier for me to make the choices I have to. I consider > > myself a food addict and the more structure the better. > > Also, I attend at least 1 support group per month that is > facilitated > > by a bar iatric psychologist who is kind enough to donate his time > to > > help people like us, and am a member of 3 other boards I frequent. > > Also, 332 were my highest weight in Jan 05- I was banded 2-7-05. > > @321.4. > > > > > > This is what I do: > > As far as food is concerned I am following the food plan from the > > Cleveland Clinic where I was banded, I cannot put the forms > online, > > they are copywrited. I eat lean protein and non-starch veggies > only > > no other carbs. I eat 3 MEALS PER DAY. 64 oz of water/crystal > lite. > > Do not drink during, 30 minutes before or after meals. No red meat > > (allowed after 6 months but I am not a red meat eater anyway). > Since > > I had so much weight to loose I started at 332 bmi over 50, carbs > > should not be added until I loose 75% of my excess weight or 1 > year > > at that time this will me discussed with my nutritionist. People > with > > bmi under 50 should not add carbs until at least 50% of excess > weight > > is lost. Take a multi-vitamin and calcium citrate. > > > > This is my own thing: > > I weigh and measure my food (as a result I have never pb'd) and > keep > > a daily food diary/journal my feelings - tracking protein grams > and > > calories (the calories are optional but I wanted to know) because > of > > what I am eating I average approx 60-70 grams per day of protein > > and 600-700 calories per day, again calories ok to be higher > > depending on your choices of protein/fats, eating home vs. in a > > restaurant. Some days its more some less depending on my choices > but > > this is the average. I don't worry about the calories, more > important > > is the protein grams. A typical meal is 3-4 oz of protein (ground > > turkey breast, chicken, fish, tuna, low fat cheese, eggbeaters, > tofu > > etc.) and 1/2 cup of veggies like green beans, spinach, squash > etc.) > > This is approx 1 cup of food I could eat more according to the > plan > > but this is the most I am able to. I also like to cook so I make > > crust less quiche with egg whites, eggbeaters 50% low fat cheese > and > > veggies. > > > > There is a cookbook called: Eating well after weight loss surgery > by > > Pat Levine, a bandster. The food in there is great and there is a > > good variety. She has serving sizes for all WLS types and times- > > depending on the dish, I can eat the "others" portion for people > > w/out surgery. > > > > I have one treat I allow myself - frozen yogurt- called only 8 it > has > > 8 cal per oz and is made with fructose. I was never an ice cream > > eater, so this was a good choice for me. I have limited myself as > far > > as I need to eat my protein and drink my water first. This keeps > me > > from over doing it. And I do this a few times per week. > > > > Exercise: I was walking 2-3 days per week approx 1 hour 2-3 miles > and > > taking 3 water aerobics classes 3 days per week. For the last 8 > weeks > > I have been able to exercise due to illness and don't know when I > > will be allowed to start back I hope soon I can't believe I miss > it! > > > > I have a vg band - the 10cc and it is filled to 4.5. (I have had 1 > > fill on 4-15) > > > > though this post was about food and exercise- there is more to it > > than that. What has helped me is that having this band has given > me > > the HOPE I never had before. Hope is an amazing thing and this is > > what > > helps me stay with it. Knowing I never ever have to be alone in > this > > struggle and that when I get to the end of the "weight journey" I > > will still have the support of other bandsters to help me with > > the "life thing" which for me will be the biggest challenge. > > > > For those frustrated with slow or no weight loss I had a 4-week > > stretch at the beginning that I lost no weight at all. > My nutritionist > > told me not to change a thing since I was sticking to the plan > given > > to me. Sometimes the body needs time to adjust. Not long after, > the > weight did start dropping. So, Hang in there!!! > > > Also it may be helpful to keep a journal of your food and feelings > I > > have done this from first day of food, it keeps me honest and also > I > > have a record for my Dr. > > > > I hope this gives you some ideas and has been helpful. > > > > If anyone wants to talk you are welcome to call me in Tampa 813- 962- > > 7151. > > > > Deb > > 2/7/05 > > 332/259/160

HOLY COW!!!! (ummmmm,,,no pun intended) What an inspitation you are for me. I have lost 70 pounds so far, with just over 100 yet to go. You give me great hope! FANTASTIC JOB!!!!!!