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...Redeeming Journey...
 

Desire

It's been a busy few weeks. The week before last, I was out at Camp Keystone in Starke, FL for our youth Junior Soldier Camp. I had a great week of walking and enjoying nature as well as getting a good meal 3x's a day with the choice of salad as a meal in itself or something to go along with my meal. I did well and ate what I knew I could and kept away from a lot of what I knew I couldn't. I was proud of myself as I began to take my Calcium Citrate pills again (for the first time in almost a year) that week and now I am able to take them faithfully! Last week I came home to my Day Camp Kids and felt so glad to be back. While I was away though I had many moments to think about what is going on with me and to admit some things. I kept reflecting on my "Desires". Coming back home I thought that I'd be ready to get right in there and go after those things that I wanna start focusing on...nope, it's actually a greater struggle. I have to pray often and consider what will help me change the mindset that I am stuck and can't move forward. It's almost as if I need someone to take me by the hand, grab my running shoes, put my buds in my ears and go until I sweat to death! Why do I need someone to do that for me when I was the one that got me to where I needed to be in the first place? Why do I need someone to challenge me to do something that I have always been able to do on my own? Why can't I get up and get motivated to go to the gym? Why can't I do all that on my own anymore? Why doesn't it matter as much as it had before? Why haven't I been able to make this a huge priority in my life anymore? I keep asking these questions and I know that I won't see the answers or the results until I am 100% completely ready. But here I am, I am at the point of desire to do something better for myself...to fight the struggle...to beat the wanna and just do it! I know that initially I had a wonderful support system; I had my team of Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses, Dieticians, therapists, friends and family. I now have an anxiety med, a great distance between my family (a sister that I moved here to be near and haven't seen in almost a year now due to her own life's circumstances) and almost a year and a half without working out when I had been doing it up to 75 minutes daily. Where is the joy that I had? Where's the love of a new life gone? I need it back!!! I need the desire back!!! I have had lots of time to process all of this and lately it has been heavy on my heart. I need to find the right person, the perfect scenery and make it to my destination...rejoicing together along the drive. So I pray tonight, I pray for the person God has planned just for me, the place to enjoy and the results to show the best I can possibly be. It is my desire, a strong, deep desire, to be back on track physically. I lay it at the altar Lord, I leave it before You...striving for Holiness, moving from the burden of the sin to accept staying where I'm at to the reality of what is right and what I need to do to feel better. Holiness is my desire...
Redeemed36

Redeemed36

2
TD41's Blog
 

Feeling great overall but....

Hi All, It has been an amazing journey with the sleeve. I cant believe I have lost over 50 lbs and in a few short weeks I will be 8 months post-op. I feel great overall but I noticed last month my tail bone started to hurt. I cant explain why but if I sit a certain way it throbs and is uncomfortable. I am not sitting around all day but would like to know if anyone has experienced this that is almost 8 months out or longer. Also a new pain entered my life this morning I have a sharp pain in my right shoulder and it hurts when I swallow. I don't know why this started today but I really need this pain to go away in my shoulder and throat. I felt good yesterday so I don't know if I slept wrong, if its gas related or something more serious. Please share if anyone has experienced achy tailbone, pain when swallowing, and shoulder pain. Thanks Be Blessed TD41
TD41

TD41

2
SolracSpree's Blog
 

Things are looking up!

This post will jump around and might be confusing but I got lots to mention over the past 2 weeks!   So last I posted some days ago. I was put on a new Antibiotic. Well its working!!!! :::: cue streamers, dancers, strobe light:::: Looking at it today I estimate it will be healed by next week   I got the abdominal support. Awkward. I look pregnant and it makes me feel pregnant and I only wear it around the house. LoL   I am completely moved into my new place! I didn't have to lift much - my mom would slap me with her eyes every time I did (like only my mother can do). And I love it. We are on the 3rd floor, so much more space and a 24 hr gym My poor dog FLIPPED out at the wooden floor. He had to be practically dragged up the stairs. But after 3 days he is good now.   As far as my band goes. I am doing better. I am no longer counting calories but making good calorie decisions. I found I obsess when I count the calories instead of eating when i'm hungry and just remembering portion size. I do not not count carbs either.     And I'm losing I weighed 248 going into surgery. I am now at 233. All with no fill. I am happy especially since I didnt loose anything from week 2-4. I lost 5oz during that time to be exact lol. Looking at my weight history this means I weighed this much back in 2009. That makes me excited. Soon I will be how much I weighed in high school   As far as food. I can eat anything it seems like. No problem getting stuck, not one. I can not eat berries plain. I tried eating strawberries and raspberries, that didn't sit well, but I can eat them on cereal or yogurt. Gulping water (which i've done accidentally) didn't hurt either.   I have been dealing with pain in my abdomen. Not where my band or port is but on my right side. Its odd. Some episodes of nausea. Some of this I have to give credit to my gastroparesis, it causes random and unexplained pain.   Now I am ready for a fill. I feel encouraged. I am losing weight with no fill but I am hungry every 2 - 3 hours. I think with a fill I will be on a great track. I am going to tell my doc I dont think it will take much. I am amazed at how much my stomach is adjusting to lesser amount of food over time.   Doc appt on Tuesday, we will see what they say about...welll....everything   :::continues to party with strobe lights and streamers::::
SolracSpree

SolracSpree

1
LadyDiva618's Blog
 

So long size 20... Hello size 16!

I’ve been so lazy since being on vacation from both jobs but not too lazy to not workout. Thursday was my 3 month bandversary! I can’t believe it been 3 months since I’ve been banded. So what have I learned? I learned that God has blessed me with the best support system in the world. I learned I am getting much better with time. I learned how to be sociable again. Also I learned its okay to have a cheat day. So how did I celebrate my 3 month bandversary? I went shopping! I am not going to lie to you guys I’ve been avoiding shopping like the plague. It’s all mental for me. I remember going shopping and I will find a very cute outfit but it never came in my size. So I decided to save myself from the embarrassment and shop on line. I can’t do that now because I am over 50 pounds lighter. Yesterday was one of those days that I really wish my best friend Lesley was there with me. She would have told me to get over it and be proud of the fact that I am 50 pounds lighter! Anyway I started slow. I grab a size 14 and a size 16 pair of pants to try on first. The 16 fit fine but the 14 I was able to put on but wasn’t able to button up. It’s okay tho because I have a new goal now. Anyway so I tried on a size XL shirt it was a little too big so I garb a large and the large fit! I didn’t cry on anything but it was overwhelming. So I just brought the shirt and a couple of accessories but next time it will be different. I had a follow up appointment with my primary doctor. Last time I seen her I was weighing 236 pounds but yesterday I seen her weighing 214 pounds! She told me that she was very proud of me and she knows that I can do this. Also I no longer have high blood pressure and I am not longer morbidly obese just obese. So that is an improvement. Today I ran 2.5 miles and I am tired. I need to clean out my closet and get rid of my size 20 clothes and 1X shirts so I can make room for my new clothes. I don’t see that happening today so let try again tomorrow. Life is good and I am loving my band! Thanks for reading.
LadyDiva618

LadyDiva618

4
Musings on the journey
 

Weeks five and six...cooking, clothes, and returning hungers

This week I had my 6 week postop appointment. I am down about 43 lbs total, including my 2 week preop diet. After hitting 40 lbs down at 4 weeks, I went up & down the same pound for about a week. After 3 or 4 days, I stopped weighing myself every day & just waited about 5 days or so before weighing again. When I did, I was down 2 pounds & another one came off before my follow up appointment. I think my body was adjusting to having more solid food. At week 5, I was finally able to start cooking again & enjoying the kinds of food I love. I'm still focusing on softer foods, but being able to cook good food & start sharing dinner with my husband again has really boosted my outlook. In addition, I can tell my clothes are getting too big & I'm starting to pull out clothes I haven't worn in years. I found a really cute knit pencil skirt online at Target & I bought both a 3X and a 2X (Target stuff runs small on me). The 3X fits great now & the 2X will fit before too long. It's perfect for somebody with a bountiful booty & the hubs loves it.   A new cookbook I am exploring right now is called Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. It's a paleo cookbook, and Melissa also has a great blog called The Clothes Make The Girl. The paleo style of eating seems to fit in really well with our postop guidelines, so I decided to check it out. So far, I have really enjoyed everything I have tried from the book. She includes a sections on staples of a paleo pantry & ways to cook ahead the simple parts of a meal (meat, veggies, etc) that you then can use over a whole week with many variations. I found Well Fed on Amazon, along with several other paleo cookbooks I'm thinking of trying now.   Over the last couple of weeks, I have had several social things to go to, plus a couple of times where I have had to be away from home for a whole day or overnight without much access to decent food. I've had to plan ahead for eating properly, and I've also had to get over my nervousness about social or party eating. I've been surprised at the things I've been tempted by & the things I have NOT been tempted by. One party was hosted by a friend who is a very good baker, and his parties always include some yummy cakes. I expected to be pretty tempted to have a bite of cake, but I wasn't. It was so weird, but I was happy with cheese & some olives & hardly looked twice at the cakes. However, last night we were at another friend's house they put out some Triscuits. OMG, I absolutely HAD to have a damn Triscuit. I was actually distracted from the conversation because I kept glancing at the Triscuits. Seriously, I'm obsessing over a Triscuit?? WTH??? I ended up eating 4 over the whole evening & they were yummy. I also had a little wine, but I didn't even finish one glass.   I have noticed that I am starting to feel hunger again. A couple of times, I have been very hungry & my first 2 or 3 bites have been either too big and/or taken in too fast. Each time, I have thrown up right away. I need to do better about keeping it slow & small no matter how hungry I am. I am also struggling to take in 64 oz of water a day. I carry my bottle around, but forget to drink from it. The most I usually drink is 36 to 48 oz, and I know I need to do better than that.   The other thing I'm noticing is that I'm "hungry" to get out and do more stuff now. My knees are feeling much better, and I am so much more enthusiastic about going shopping or to the grocery store or to a party without worrying about pain from standing or feeling like I am stuck in a chair while everyone else is mingling. Call it hunger for life, but that's the other hunger that's coming back & I am so grateful to feel it. Life is for living, and although I was never a person who withdrew from life, I certainly felt restricted in what I was physically able to do. My next NSV outing will be to go to our big farmer's market on a Saturday morning. Maybe next week? We'll see!
southernsoul

southernsoul

2
jojo60's Blog
 

Newbie...and soooo hungry!

Hello everyone, I'm new to blogging here, but have been reading for several months. This site is wonderful. I was sleeved on July 8th. I had a pretty uneventful operation.....I felt very good when I woke up, never did feel sore or sick. I'm very grateful but my worry is......did the Dr not take out enough of my stomach? I know that sounds silly. When I awoke from the operation, I was hungry....growling in my stomach hungry. I've been on the pre-op diet of protein shakes 2 weeks prior, so I know that empty in the belly feeling. I'm just about 1 month out from surgery and have lost about 30 lbs. But more often than not I'm just so hungry. I've been faithful to my diet, but at times I just want to eat anything that I see. I can down a whole cup of yogurt or a protein shake...I feel slightly full. I have read that so many people take a sip/bite of something and they can't or don't want anymore. I was so hoping that the cravings would go away. Why am I not full...have I stretched my stomach already? I haven't eaten any solids yet and won't for another 2 months....I'm determined to keep on track...but I'm just so afraid that since I feel so hungry all the time that something is wrong. Is anyone else going thru this? Thank you.
jojo60

jojo60

3
My journey
 

Huge Fight!

Week four...   My band and I have been fighting all week. It has been horrible!!! Starting on Monday, which was the first week where I started eating "soft" food, I began to get heart burn. And when I say heart burn, I mean the most horrible, awful, painful heart burn I have ever had. Well, I had gotten heart burn just a few times before, and it is never fun ... but this was something truly miserable. One day I even resorted to taking a prescription pill for heart burn which was the size of a horse pill. Well, I should have known better than to swallow that monstrous thing, but I was desperate. And sure enough, it got stuck. It was painfully scary. It was the first time something got stuck, and I was so scared and in so much pain, and I hated my band so much.   A few days I couldn't eat anything because I had absolutely no appetite and it just burned so much. I went to bed with heart burn and woke up with heart burn. I took prilosec and I took zantac, sometimes it worked, but mostly it didn't work at all. I had my first fill appointment on Friday, so I waited until then to see what was up.   I went in for my fill and asked my doctor what was going on. He said it is very rare for people with lap band to get acid reflux because the acid from the stomach has a hard time going up to the esophagus because the band often prevents things from going up. He said that heart burn feeling I had was from the new foods I was eating - he said the food was probably resting on my esophagus and causing discomfort and irritation. He said I probably still had some swelling in my stomach, which is causing some restriction, and so I needed to eat extra slow and extra small bites, and wait an extra long time between bites.   That all made sense to me. I felt like I was already taking small bites, small portions, and waiting between bites. But since then, I have been doubling my efforts to eat diligently, and so far ... NO HEART BURN!!! I'm so happy. It takes me 45 minutes to eat a half cup of food ... which is kind of insane, but I think it will get better from here. Right?!?!?!   And ... 12 pounds down so far!!!! This has been a bleak week, but things are looking up!
colorado_chick

colorado_chick

1
lellow's Blog
 

1st Aug was my 5 year bandiversary

And I missed it!   I may have a brand new band in but I still consider the 1st August 2008 to be the first day I became a bandster.   And despite the ups and downs, it has been a game changer for me. It transformed my life in so many ways that I can't even begin to articulate. Not just in my weight, my health and my prognosis for my future health, but in my confidence, my view on life, my career and my value in myself.   Happy bandiversary to me! It's been an amazing 5 years and here's to many many more to come.
lellow

lellow

3
Roo101769's Blog
 

Hurtin' for Certain

Today is a bad day physically. My right leg is in a great deal of pain. My knee feels like it has an extremely tight band wrapped around it. I can barely bend it and walking is very difficult. And my calf is radiating pain down to my foot. ( vascular) Yesterday I felt pretty good overall and I was able to go grocery shopping. I spent extra time looking at things and reading labels, which kept me on my feet longer. So needless to say I am paying for it today. I do not fathom how people live with chronic pain for years. While my knee has been pretty bad for a few years now, it was manageable. I could stay off my leg, ice or apply heat and take meds to keep the pain down. But since I can no longer take my anti inflammatory medication ( due to taking warfarin) the pressure and pain has gotten out of control. And add to that my new pain from vascular swelling...It is more than I can take almost. I am at the end of my rope so to speak. If I do not get this weight off and get some relief I could very easily end up much worse off. I would either become a pill popper with pain meds ( I can take those, just not the stuff that will actually HELP my leg!) or a cripple. Neither is an option as a single parent of a four year old. That is my main reason for turning to bariatric surgery. I need it. I have so much empathy for those who have pain that there is no cure or treatment for. Losing weight won't "cure" me, but I have no doubt it will vastly improve my situation. On the plus side, I have been making changes I need to for success in my future. Yesterday I started eating a lot less, making sure it was full of protein while low in fat, calories and carbs. This is how life will be post op, so might as well get used to it now. And any weight loss I achieve from changing now is just a step closer to where I need to be!
Roo101769

Roo101769

5
My New Life
 

And it begins

I got the call this morning that will change my life forever - I'm approved for weight loss surgery. It's scheduled, in pen. I'm not turning back now. It's time. Time for me, time for change, time to get healthy. No more size 20 pants. No more hiding in cover ups when I'm in my humongous bathing suits. I'm done with the way things are and so happy to be on this new road.
smryan

smryan

2
Barbiedoll77's Blog
 

Beauty and Strength by Barbiedoll77

Beauty and strength are two words no one ever thinks about using together. These are the words that come to mind when I think of myself. A message taught by an counselor, who talked about inner beauty, rather than the typical outer beauty, that most of us think about when we hear the word "beauty". She taught us that inner beauty was more beautiful than outer beauty, made us compare ourselves to the ordinary palm tree. Why? The palm tree may be somewhat ugly on the outside, compared with the other trees, but on the inside, the palm tree is strong and beautiful. The palm tree seems to be a plain and simple tree, until someone can see it up close and get to know more about it. She made us realize that we all have inner beauty, which makes us who we are, and that we dont always have to fit in with others. We also share the same trait called strength. A palm tree will extend its roots into the ground, and wrap its roots around a rock, to support it during storms, so it doesnt break. We can do the same thing, when our roots are planted in Jesus Christ. My strength comes from Jesus Christ. How about you, my friend? One might not ever realize how much they have in common with everyday objects, until they are forced to think about it. With all the storms of life, We never realized how strong and beautiful we are in our own special way.
Barbiedoll77

Barbiedoll77

0
Barbiedoll77's Blog
 

The Metabolic Woman

Started writing my Weight Loss Journey story today. My inspiration comes from the notes I have been saving from over 2 years ago, when I started this roller coaster journey from fat to fabulous. This is for all the haters who think I gave up and chose Weight Loss Surgery over Diet and Exercise. This is for those who thought I was lazy and I got the easy way out. I am here to tell you, WLS isn't the easy way out. From my personal experience overall, it's just as hard or harder to keep yourself eating clean, as you would if you just cut calories and exercised every day.   WLS doesn't cure the cravings. WLS doesn't cure the emotional eating. WLS doesn't cure the the way we mentally see food when we get stressed out. You still have to control your feelings with something other than food just like any other day with or without surgery. So what's the point? the point is,, WLS teaches us how to control our eating by portion control. I am still very happy with my decision to go with the WLS. If I could do it all over,, I would do it !! BEST decision EVER !!         My name is Barbie Ann Hancock-Capehart. I am 35 years old,, and I live in Chattanooga, TN. I have recently accomplished one of my many goals. I have lost over 105 lbs. with the RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery,, Eating clean,, weight training,, and walking. I know many of you,, are thinking,, yeah,, okay,, you got the "easy way out" because you chose the surgery as your weight loss option. I am here to tell you,, it's NOT the "easy way out" !! It takes just as much hard work and dedication to prepare yourself mentally,, psychically,, and emotionally for this new way of life.   As a young lady growing up, I soon realized I had a weight problem. Not only was I overweight, but I was also taller than most kids my age. I have always felt like the "Big" kid among my peers. I can remember the first time my mother sat me down and discussed dieting with me. I was 13 years old. And this was the beginning of my weight loss journey. My weight loss journey is like many others. A lot of happy times,, and a lot of sad times. But,, mostly a lot of disappointments in the first few years,, leading up to my weight loss surgery.   It seems like I have spent my entire life on dieting and exercising !! It all started when I was 13 years old,, with walking,, running,, and biking. Then later on,, in my twenties,, I joined a gym in my hometown,, and became a fitness freak !! I worked out every day,, 2 hours a day !! but,, no matter how hard I worked on my body,, the weight just seemed to linger.   I have tried it all. Weight Watchers.. L.A. Weight Loss.. Phen-Phen.. Redux.. you name it !! I lost weight,, but it would always find me again.   I have tried many,, many weight loss programs and every kind of diet pill known to woman. Nothing ever seemed to help me much,, after I developed Type #2 Diabetes at age 29. After finding out I had Type #2 Diabetes,, all my hopes to be skinny went down the drain. No matter how hard I exercised or how I ate,, Diabetes was determined to keep me from accomplishing weight loss.   What I didn't know back then,, is that I suffered from being a metabolic body type person. I suffered from extreme abdominal fat. No matter how much I exercised and counted calories,, the weight was impossible to lose. And we all know what happens to a person when he/she gains weight in the abdominal area,, he/she is a good candidate for Type #2 diabetes and high blood pressure as we age.   And that's exactly what happen to me. I developed Type #2 Diabetes at age 29. Along with high blood sugars,, I gained an excessive amount of weight. my insurance company did a health evaluation of me and to my surprise,, I failed. My A1c Levels were 14%. I was told I had the body of a 65 year old woman with heart disease. I wanted to die. How could this be?   After many years of failed diets and countless gym memberships,, I just gave up. I started to emotionally eat myself to my death into an obesity graveyard.   I started investigating the whole weight loss surgery idea. I did a few months of research on the internet,, and read a few articles by CBS NEWS and ABC NEWS on the reverse effects of diabetes from weight loss surgery. And I was shocked and amazed over the fact that so many people who had type #2 diabetes were no longer on their medicine after the surgery. Surprisingly,, There's over 86% resolved Type #2 diabetes after the surgery.   My friend recommended that I attend one of the Weight Loss Surgery Seminars offered through our local medical hospital. I gave it some thought,, and decided to sign up to check out my options. I attended my first weight loss surgery seminar on my birthday 02/02/2011. As I look back now,, this was definitely a sign that everything was going to finally work out for me. I gathered a lot of information and signed up for a free consultation with a surgeon.   Later the next week,, the office called me for my first meeting with my surgeon. I was thrilled that I could get in so quickly! The first meeting was scary for me. I was extremely nervous and I was shaking from head-to-toe. The nurse weighed me at 275 lbs. with a Body Mass Index of 48%. The surgeon came in,, and introduced himself. He immediately started pressing hard on my belly and looked me in the eyes,, and said,, you have a metabolic body. I can do surgery on you,, but you will need to lose 40 lbs before surgery. Do you have a problem with that? I was like,, no,, not really,, I will do whatever it takes,, sir.   I started on the insurance process the next day. My insurance would approve me if I would attend weekly support group meetings and educational services offered through the hospital. I am so grateful for these classes and meetings. You learn so much about the surgery,, nutrition,, and a lot about you. I learned so much about myself. I learned that I was an emotional eater. I would use food for comfort whether I was happy or sad. It was a lot of hard work done on my part. Teaching myself how to control my emotions without using food to comfort myself was a challenge. But,, loosing the 40 lbs was the absolute hardest of all. Especially,, when you are insulin resistant,, and your blood sugars kept you from losing weight anyways. Within 12 months,, I lost 35 lbs,, and I was approved for weight loss surgery,, but later denied,, due to circumstances unknown. I am not sure why my insurance turned me down,, but I think it had to do with the fact,, that it took me so long to lose those 40 stubborn pounds before surgery,, and I missed my 12 month deadline after approval.   I was furious !! but then later,, I was sad and depressed. All my hope was lost and I thought my life had ended. I contacted my insurance through an appeal letter for Weight Loss Surgery. I explained in great detail,, why I must have this kind of surgery. Along with my letter,, I mailed pictures of me throughout my weight loss journey to show a timeline of where I was today with the excessive weight and the Type #2 diabetes. With a few calls and another doctor push,, a few weeks later,, I was APPROVED once again,, but I had a DEADLINE. I had to get the surgery done within 90 days of approval letter. I was so excited !!   I visited my surgeon to set up an surgery appointment the following week,, to only find out that he wanted me to lose a few more pounds before surgery. WHAT?!?! I don't have much time left,, I need to get an appointment for surgery ASAP !! Why are you doing this to me?   I agreed to lose a few more pounds,, because I wanted the weight loss surgery. I got my surgery appointment and left the surgeon's office. Feeling anxious and somewhat worried about whether or not it was worth all this hard work,, I sat down and prayed for God to bless me.   And He surely did. With a lot of hard work and dedication,, I lost the extra weight within 30 days.   My surgery was scheduled for May 9, 2012. Weeks leading up to the actual surgery was absolutely terrifying to me. This was my first ever surgery,, and I was afraid of dying. I joined a online forum for weight loss surgery patients and quickly gathered all the information I could before surgery. I prepared myself,, along with family,, with everything needed before and after surgery. I had everything packed and ready to go !!   The weekend before my surgery,, my hubby and I went for a Sunday stroll on the Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga, Tn. And I ate my last REAL meal that day. and was preparing myself for the liquid diet the day before surgery. It was sunny and hot. All I could think about was the surgery and how much healthier I was going to be in the following months. It was always a struggle for me to walk the ENTIRE length of the bridge without gasping for air. And I couldn't wait until I could walk the ENTIRE length of the bridge without having a stroke.   The morning of my surgery,, my surgeon popped in the room,, and said,, are you ready for the beginning of your awesome new life? It begins today,, ya know? With tears in my eyes,, I said,, yes sir,, I am ready. I don't remember much about it. I remember the nurse and surgery techs praying for me before surgery,, and the nurse holding my hand to calm me down,, but not much after that. Other than the fact,, my surgeon waking me up,, screaming you made it through surgery !! hahahahahahahahahahaha !!   Within hours after surgery,, I was up and walking down the halls. I was extremely sore in the abdominal area. my stomach felt like I had done 2,000 burpees/crunches. My first meal was lime jello and a banana Popsicle. yummy ! It tasted like pure heaven.   My surgeon let me go home the following day,, because I was doing so good with walking,, eating,, and drinking. When I got home,, I continued my walks every 10 minutes with sips of water. It is very important to get as much water as you can,, so you don't have to return to the hospital to get a feeding tube. I was determine to stay at home,, so I would get up very early every morning and start my water intake process.   Within 3 weeks,, I had already lost nearly 30 lbs. I had so much energy !! and the best part of it all,, I was completely off my Type #2 diabetes medicines,, and I was controlling my blood sugars by diet and exercise. Within 6 weeks,, I was back on my workout schedule with walking and light weight lifting. I hired a personal trainer to help me smooth over the rough spots in my workouts by weight training 2 days a week with interval cardio training. By the end of August of 2012,, I had already lost over 60 lbs. And by the end of December 2012,, I have officially lost over108 lbs.(including the 40 lbs. I lost before surgery). My pant sizes were a size 20 and now I can say I am a size 12.   I have been controlling my Type #2 diabetes with diet and exercise for almost 8 months now,, and I feel absolutely amazing !! I only take Vitamins/Supplements daily for keeping my immune system up and active.   My hubby and I went back to the Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga, Tn a few weeks before Christmas 2012. I was amazed over the fact I could actually walk the entire length of the bridge,, and I could also walk a few blocks downtown and back without feeling extreme pain. It was awesome !! I competed in my local fitness club's "Holiday Hustle" this past December of 2012. I didn't win top prize,, but I feel like a winner in many other ways !!   As for 2013,, I am looking forward to sharing my weight loss journey with others who are considering weight loss surgery as their alternative to losing weight and learning how to eat to live,, rather than live to eat. I don't think of weight loss surgery as giving up and choosing a procedure to lose weight,, I think that weight loss surgery is a gift from God,, when He sees we are worthy of learning a new way of living. I had weight loss surgery for my health,, not for cosmetic reasons. Sure,, who doesn't like to look good in a new dress,, or feel confident in ourselves? I know I do. But I would rather have good health over a new dress anytime. This surgery has taught me portion control along with eating clean.   And eating clean is definitely the answer !! You can't consume very much sugar after weight loss surgery,, or you will get a condition called the "dumping syndrome". And believe me,, You do not want to eat too much sugar or greasy foods,, or your new stomach will get very angry at you !! I usually consume 1,000 calories daily,, with at least 70-100 grams of protein daily. You would be surprised how small your new stomach is,, and how you can fill yourself up with only a child's plate. I always eat my protein first,, and then my vegetables. Protein and liquid intake are the most important after weight loss surgery. But,, it can take a person up to a year,, to be able to eat all that protein in a day. I drink protein shakes in between meals,, so I can get my requirements in.   As for weight training,, I train with a personal trainer twice a week. I have been weight training for almost 15 years now,, but never realized my full potential until I hired my own personal trainer. She keeps me motivated and helps me believe in myself. I never feel alone and helpless when I am training with my personal trainer. And I have met so many people along my journey who inspire me to be the BEST I can be always. When I train,, I think about how good it feels to accomplish a simple run on a treadmill and how good I'm going to feel and look after the workout. Words cannot express the happiness I have now. It's almost like a dream. I have accomplished SO much in 8 months !! I am thankful every day for the "tool" God gave me to accomplish these goals I have made for myself. Now,, I want to train even harder !! I know I will never be a fitness model or whatever,, but I would like to accomplish my goal of competing in a 5k and maybe a bench press competition in the near future. I never want to give up ever again.
Barbiedoll77

Barbiedoll77

0
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

5 Weeks Post-OP Still Teaching Myself to Eat Slowly

Even this far out from surgery, I still have problems eating slowly - especially if it is something that goes down easily like peanut butter. By accident I found a way to train myself to eat slower.   It's chicken! My stomach doesn't seem to like ground up chicken and I can feel the gurgles and gas building after a bite or two. So I figure, why not use that to my advantage? So I'll be eating more chicken. Knowing that I have to stop eating after a bite is going to force me to lay the spoon down between bites.   Anyone else have a food or foods that cause them to have stomach gurgles and gas?
joatsaint

joatsaint

16
The Funny Side
 

Eating Again and Why I feel like and Outcast

Some of you know my story and others of you may be reading my blog for the first time. So I will summarize my pre-surgery eating habits so that you may understand the title for my entry. Before Hernia Repair and Lap Band surgery, I had a VERY limited diet. I was in pain when I was hungry and in pain when I ate. I also had a habit of regurgitating food in my sleep. Nausea, cramps, burning/stabbing pain all symptoms I was used to on a regular basis. Food getting stuck....yea that is an understatement. You name it I had it. Most foods agitated my condition, the list looking something like the following: carbonated/ caffeinated/alcoholic beverages, fruit, fruit juices (not even orange juice), products with tomato paste (spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, etc), raw vegetables, soup of the non creamy variety, cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, candy bars, and so forth. You are probably asking yourself the following: WHAT ON EARTH COULD YOU EAT? Well that's simple: starch mostly. Rice, pasta, bread, potato, oatmeal, ice cream, pudding, jello, mushy veggies, and most meats. My life was a daily chore of figuring out what food to eat that would cause me the lease amount of pain. Yes, I had meds but it was like taking sugar pills: no effect. Well, Life has changed for me in more ways than one since then. I sleep better, I experience no pain outside of hunger and the occasional gas/air dilemma (burping hiccupping etc). MOST IMPORTANTLY: I EAT WITH NO PAIN. For the first time in THREE years, I had a few bites of lasagna and a few bites of salad. Everything stayed down and hours later I was still pain free. My mom and I almost cried. These two food items alone would have caused me several hours of pain in my pre surgery days. It took this experience to show me just how SICK I've been for many years. What you EAT and DO NOT (OR IN MY CASE CAN NOT) EAT greatly effects how well your body operates. I feel better, I sleep better, and hopefully I will experience fewer illnesses in the future. I have a new lease on life because I am now able to eat a healthier diet. BUT it is still a struggle. I not only have to learn how to eat, I also have to retrain my mind not to fear pain when I eat. In many ways, It makes me feel like an outcast in most lap band groups. While many are fighting their way to portion control and healthy eating, I am fighting my way through fear and years of a non healthy but very restrictive diet. This is the true reason, I share all of my experiences. I know I cannot be the only one with this journey. It also the reason, why it is painful to me when others beat themselves up about eating food (healthy or junk wise). If you only knew what it was like to go so many years without being able to eat. It is not something I would wish on my worst enemy. Anyways, I am on my way to a better/ healthier life and I can't wait to see where it takes me. I wish the best to all of you. May your journey be one full of success and happiness.
tigers1998

tigers1998

2
Adrienne21's Blog
 

band anniversary

Today is my one month anniversary for being banded. I don't know if I reached my goal of being 299. I won't know until I go to the doctors office. which is on the 13th of august. I don't care what the scale says. I know I have lost weight because I can fit my 30/32 pants and they are a bit loose. so yay to me. lol I am going to start exercising more and start shedding these pounds so I can start feeling better. I need to boost my energy level. I still feel like I have a lack of energy. I have to go now because my lunch is finally here. good day everyone.
Adrienne21

Adrienne21

2
SkinnySizeMe
 

And So My Journey Begins

And So My Journey Begins..Today is August 1st, 2013. I have been on my pre-op diet for 1 week now and am down from 230lbs to 219lbs. My highest weight being 233 3 months after my daughter Gianna was born. I was diagnosted with PCOS at the age of 21 after years of searching for an answer to my irreguar cylces. From then on My weight continued to climb from 145lbs and creeped up to 185lbs pre-pregnancy. Seeing as I had Pcos my only option at a sucessful pregnancy was IVF. It worked on our first try and my husband and I were expecting Twins in mid October 2010. A few months before my due date I went into the hospital not feeling well and the next day my twins were delivered by emergency c-section. My son was alive for 7 days until he passed away with kidney malfunction. My beautiful daughter Christina Marie stayed in the Nicu for 5 weeks and came home with us on an apnea monitor. I had gained a good 50lbs and been diagnosted with pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes..A few weeks after pregnancy my weight leveled off at 210 lbs. When my daughter was 5 months old we tried again, and once again successfully conceived my daughter Gianna who is now 21 months old. I had gained another 50lbs with that pregnancy despite normal eating habits. I lost 30lbs 3 weeks after effortlessly, but the last pesky 20lbs wouldnt budge. (Partly due to Pcos, Partly due to my love of carbs) So here I was at 233lbs. How did this happen, how did I become "The Fat girl", the fat wife, the fat mother. All of the things I never wanted to be. I am truely blessed with a great husband, two gorgeous healthy daughters and have never been happier but at 233lbs I felt like I just wanted to hide under a rock. Everytime I saw a picture of myself, it was as if I was looking at a stranger. Who had I become. I tried the Atkins diet and stuck to it religiously for a month only to see a 1lb weight loss. i carried on with it a bit discouraged but managed to lose another 9 lbs over the course of 5 months. In June 2013 my husbands friends wife came over who had had the lap band. She said she couldnt be happier with her results and the band in general. That was it, that was my ticket, my way OUT of this unrecogizable body. So I quickly set up my consult my Dr Barkan at Winthrop. He recommended the sleeve for me. My mind was already SET on Lap band. I left a little confused and scared of what my options were. The lapband seemed simple, easy, you were out of the hospital same day. After MUCH research I was alarmed by the horror stories of the band. I told my mom and husband that I had decided to do "The Sleeve". My husband was very supportive and my mom was a bit scared for me. Seems a bit drastic she said. "Just eat smaller portions like if you had the sleeve." Well why didnt I ever thnk of that. Of course I did. Nothing has worked and that was that. I immediately scheduled all of my pre-op appointments to get the ball rolling. I wanted out of this body as soon as possible. So here I am 1 week into my pre-op diet. I have broken out of the 220's and well on my way. I am hoping by surgery I will be at 215lbs. MY EXPECTATIONS. I expect to lose very slowly as I always have been a slow loser (Except on this starvation liquid diet : ) If I can be back where I was before my first pregnancy before the year ends (185lbs) ( 4 1/2 months)30lbs I will be thrilled. I expect this to be a long road but this road will not end the day I hit my preferred weight. It is a life long journey. This is NOT a golden ticket to effortlessly be thin over night. It will take will power and exercise to win this battle. I can vaguely see a future where I am a healthy and fit mother and wife. Where I take pride in my body and that confidence reflects on my 2 daugheters and teaches them to be confident young women with healthy self esteems. Where I feel confortable "being" with my husband wihout getting angry and frustrated with myself. I want to be a runner, a gym rat if you will. I can see it all in my future as I sit here in tears. Tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of hope and tears of gratitude to be given this opportunity to become the self that I have always wanted to be, the self that I image deep in side, the self that I knew long ago. It is now Day 7 Of The Rest Of My Life!!
supermom223

supermom223

8
MaggieGT's Blog
 

Vacationing in Colorado

Hello Fellow Banders, I'm in Colorado for a much needed vacation. I have been getting 12,000 to 16,000 steps in. I'm loving hiking in the mountains and along the alpine lake. I even have gotten some tennis in.   I'm not sure how I'm doing on my weight since this is a different scale than at home or the doctor's.  It weighted me 3 lbs more than at home, So I just adjusted everything to that and set my goals accordingly. I weight-in 12 days from now and my best guess is that I need to lose 7 lbs or 2000 cal deficit per day. With this level of activity, I'm burning 3000 to 3500 cal/day. I just need to keep it up and keep my calories at the 800 to 1200 range. I think this is very doable. I am so thankful to God for my continued good health. I would like to honor him and myself by for once and for all get my weight to normal. Good Journey, MaggieGT
MaggieGT

MaggieGT

1
STEPS TO A NEW ME
 

Day One - Prep Op Diet

It's day one of my quest for a new me! Went grocery shopping last evening for liquids.... and more liquids - must be prepared and have a variety of items on hand to get my though these 14 days pre-op diet!   Had some coffee this morning (had to have that) driking water, and just taking it step by step - hour by hour.   I am scared of surgery, scared of complications which makes me super obedient to follow all of docs rules to a tee, so I have no doubt that I will do fine through these 14 days.   August 15 is my band date, let the countdown begin!!!!!
rpattilo1972

rpattilo1972

2
Roo101769's Blog
 

Mad at the world....

I woke up today in such a bad mood. I have no idea why but I am super cranky. No good reason to be really. In fact, I should be pretty happy. I have hope for my future, something I haven't had in a long time. Yet my mood is crummy. Before I went to bed last night I started my new journal. Maybe the feelings I was writing about churned up and caused my poopy mood. Or maybe it is a stage, part of the process. When someone dies there are stages of grief. While this process is not to be compared with someone dying, it is almost as dramatic and life changing. Maybe part of letting go of my old life and way of thinking is going to cause all kinds of mixed emotions. I guess this is what we cover in the psych evaluation, I'm getting ahead of myself! LOL I will say the longer the morning goes the more I feel the emotions leveling out. Crazy head playing games with me. I do sort of feel today truly starts my new journey, my new life. I am committing myself over to change, what has to be. I cleaned my kitchen shelves and fridge last night in preparation. Sort of symbolic I supposed, a cleansing to get rid of the old and bad ways. I tossed or gave away foods I would not or could not eat in my new life. My struggle will be my daughter. She is only four and is very fit and healthy. I have worked hard to make sure she maintains a good weight so that she doesn't have to struggle as I do. While eating healthy will benefit her, I cannot deprive her of every last thing she enjoys just so I am not tempted. It is going to be a fine line. Anyway, my new (forever) way of eating starts today. I did the whole "before" pictures this morning.. Have to say- YUCK! I think it will be a bit easier post op to eat this way as I will physically not be able to eat much. If I fill the space with what I have to, then there won't be room for junk. Right now there is WAY too much room and I know it will become difficult. But I can and will do this. No other options, no backing out. My body is near a breaking point and I have to change now. I have been having a great deal of pain in my leg the past week. Last night it was so horrible I could barely walk. I am crippling myself with all this fat and I cannot do that anymore. So time to have a good cry, yell into a pillow, then put on my big girl pants and suck it up!!!!
Roo101769

Roo101769

4
abbygirl's Blog
 

Sleeve Today - Gone Tomorrow

Yep D Day is here aka operation day. I am not nervous. This shocks me. Could be e premedication I've taken but I haven't felt nervous at all. That doesn't mean I haven't had moments of "worst case scenario" syndrome but for the most part I am good!   My appointment is for 7:30 but have to be there one hour before to get IV, gowned oh yhea and pay the anesthesiologist (thank you spell check).   Through this whole journey to today I have had my husband supporting me the whole way. Thank you darling.   Nope I'm feeling good and looking forward to being on the other side - recovery pain and all.   Good luck to all being sleeves today- see you on the other side.
abbygirl

abbygirl

3
Kime-lou's Blog
 

A New Attitude.....

Work has been crazy lately, life has been crazy. I am busier than ever, but I am doing pretty well. There are times when I get down and out, but for the most part I feel stronger than I was 5 years ago.   This past weekend I went out of town, up to Ohio to visit my MIL. I realized on this trip, going through airports, going to new places, walking down crowed streets, taking city buses, that I am not nearly as self concious as I once was. What a great feeling to walk down the street or into places and hold my head up. Going into resturants and ordering, I don't feel self concious about my order. I just don't worry nearly as much about what people think of my outside. I lived life from 6 years old until 32 now always worried about how people view my outside.   When getting back to work this week, another big thing happend. In years past I would never stand up for myself- I was meek and quiet especially in confrontation. I HATE confrontation. Due to my job I often have confrontations with parents who want me to bend rules or plan out break them for their child. I hated it when I got in confrontations with co-workers. Well, my secretary screwed up majorly while I was out of town. I decided that I was not going to be the one to call the families and apologize for the problems. I took the forms back to her, told her what was wrong and to contact the families. She went off, she yelled, was very rude. In times past I would have hung my head and walked away. This time I looked her in the eye and told her she needed to calm down, that yelling at me because she screwed up was not acceptable and I would not take that. She cried left work, came back the next day and acted as if nothing happend. I stood up for me!!! What a great feeling.   I am becoming more outgoing and confident in myself and my skin. I have never know what that was like. It's a glorious feeling. I realize that my no means am I a tiny girl. I wear a size 12/14 comfortably. I feel normal- like a typical person, not shamoo on legs.   I feel like at 32 almost 33 years old I am finally coming into myself and it's all because I made the choice to get the band and use it. I so wish everyone who has ever felt meek and awkward due to their weight could feel like I do right now. It is liberating. I makes me want to go out and when I see a large person tell them you don't have to live like that anymore. There is hope, there is help- you just have to use it to choose it.   So this morning despite my feelings of not having lost enough, I am doing the happy dance and being thankful for how my life has changed due to my band.
Kime-lou

Kime-lou

1
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

My Favorite Mexican Food

One of my favorite Mexican foods. I've been eating this stuff for about 4 weeks straight.   I got all the ingredients at Walmart. It cost about $4 for 2 days worth of meals (4 - 6 meals in my case). It's very filling and sticks with me.   1 lb of chicken breast. 1 pkg of Taco Bell Taco seasoning. (I tried other name brand taco mixes and the store brands, Taco Bell tastes the best and is just as cheap. There is a Taco Bell chipolte version as well, but I liked the regular version the best. )   1 can of gebhardt refried beans w/fat. (I tried the non-fat version and I like the fat version better. It only has 2grams of fat per serving.)   Salsa or Picante or Taco sauce to taste 1 pkg of your favorite shredded cheese.     I grill the chicken breast and run it through my food processor. Mix the taco seasoning with about 1/2 cup of water and mix it thoroughly. I mix it in my protein shake shaker. Toss the chicken into a pot or pan and add the taco seasoning. Bring it up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.   Mix the chicken and beans in a bowl. Add some salsa if it's too thick for your taste.     Spoon some of the mixture into a bowl and top with cheese and salsa.  
joatsaint

joatsaint

6

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