What can happen in one Year?

This is what happened to me

I was banded on June 29, 2009 it was a beautiful sunny Monday. I actually got a call that Friday and my surgery was rescheduled a month early. Go figure how does that happen? Today is one year from that glorious day. I can not believe where the time has gone!!! I am in awe of what my body and I have accomplished together in a year. I can say for sure, I have never been as Happy, as I am today!!!! Or can I remember ever being this healthy and thin. Yes, I said it. I am THIN. I am NORMAL. I am HAPPY.... and I LIKE IT...

Living with a Lap band has changed my life. The changes were small in the beginning and with change came many new and exciting experiences and huge weight loss my goal of being able to go skiing again with my family came true as well.

I can remember not wanting to let go of my food ways. The OLD HABITS the amounts of food, the types of food, I thought about food and still do all the time. Well, I found other things to do like blogging because I do not eat at my computer. It was a gift to be able to write my feelings and share my thoughts. I even got some responses and made new blogging friends. Nancy, I love you and all of these people even though I do not know who they are. We all had one thing in common.

I would not be where I am today if it were not for their wisdom and their support along my life journey with LB. Thanks to everyone out there I appreciate your comments and suggestions, this site is so helpful.

My bandversary!! Yes this is it. I so wanted to be able to say I lost 100 pounds. I have actually lost 103 pounds as of this morning. Yes, I waited to see if I could make my personal head set goal. I am OK with this and have been for a few months now weight loss has slowed down. Maintenance is a little tricky I have gone up and down and given this, I still have done quite well. My body has a set weight it wants to be and I just need to listen to my own body now and again and continue to make the best choices.

Fifteen days after my surgery I took my daughter to Disney World. We ran around the park for a week. I felt great I had no problems. I had a little pain in the upper most incision but that was it, felt like stretching pains only. I never had so much fun in my life I felt like a little kid again. I had this new rebirth kind of feeling. I could eat anything I wanted, but I didn’t. I followed the rules. I stopped drinking liquids with all meals and never ever had any kind of soda. That was very hard for me. I used to drink soda 24-7. I had a little withdrawal. It passed quickly, took about 5 days. Then I didn’t even think about it. I sometimes miss it a little today. Although I will not drink any.

I found my body just did not need the amounts of food I used to eat. I started eating less and less, I just needed less. I also ate vegetables and foods I did not like before like proteins and yogurts. I only ate junk before and this was why I weighed in at over 250 pounds before surgery.

My first fill was about one month July 29 exactly four weeks out. I had a little fluid placed in my band it was called a primer during surgery. My fill Nurse was the aggressive type. I could feel restriction about four days after my fill. I am not sure why it took so long to kick in, but it did.

My second fill came on August 26, again four weeks from the first. Four days later I felt the restriction again. It feels like if you take another bite you know you will not be able to swallow it. It is a full feeling a push away from the table and call it quits feeling. Now I did not always push away like I was supposed to. Yes, I have a food addiction and the food calls me by name and I love the taste and smells and the chewing I love it all.

If the feeling comes STOP EATING and STOP NOW do not pass GO as you will never be able to collect the 200 dollars. Because you will be stuck over a bowl or over a zip baggie in solitary confinement until it passes. By the way I have on hand in my purse even today a LARGE ZIP TOP BAG. I never leave home without one.

I was feeling good by my second fill. I felt comfortable with how much and what I was eating. I was following all the Bandster rules like there was no tomorrow. l was going to be the best Bandster out there. I was afraid to make a mistake and I stayed way away from all those foods everyone has trouble with. I must admit at first I missed bread the most. I choose not to eat white bread or anything white for that matter. The Lack of nutrients in white, I like nutrient dense foods today and lots of color and textures.

I eat Real Food, Not too much, Mostly plants with Proteins first. It sure does work for me. I wanted to be small so I eat small and it has worked for me. Yes, I did and do have HEAD HUNGER all the time. It needs to be controlled. Mind over matter helps. I practice mindful eating and I go real slow my fork goes down to rest while I rest, talk, and participate in the dinner conversation. I also listen a lot more at meal times.

My third fill came on the 4th of October. I put off an earlier appointment I just was enjoying life and felt good doing what I was doing. My nurse was aggressive again and I was as tight as I ever wanted to be. I have learned the new meaning of tight I MEAN TIGHT. My stress also had a way of tightening my band as well.

I am not sure how I lasted as long as I did being so TIGHT. I was a little depressed when I could not eat the foods I wanted to eat. I had food withdrawal and I was sad at the lost of my comfort in food. There was NO MORE COMFORT in food any more, those days are now gone.

I had to eat to keep myself alive. I counted calories and had to make sure I was keeping to 1,200 calories a day. If I did not I felt lazy and slow and had no energy. I wrote everything down I was eating. I prepared all my own foods I hardly ever ate out. I found a blog with amazing recipes “Thanks Lena” and I tried almost all of them. My food became interesting and I enjoyed eating my own cooking because I knew what was in it.

I created a goal back in Psych 101 that I wanted to go skiing when I lost enough weight to be able to do it again. Last time I skied was 21 years ago. My family loves to ski and I was bound and determined to do it this winter. I went skiing 10 times it felt GREAT!!

November came and went no fill needed, friends and family started to notice I was losing weight. I found it hard to take the complements at first I was sensitive and then I got real used to hearing people tell me how good I looked and to be careful not to gain it back. LOL I never told anyone. They have no idea. I pray I never gain it back.

December I started skiing and passed on the fills I was doing just fine. Losing and feeling great with every bite of exercise, I just loved the new found energy and fresh outdoors. The exercise was fun once again.

February busy winter skiing and traveling, March kept busy as it flew by.

April came in like a lion and I was hit with mega amounts of work and stress like no other. I had not had a fill for 5 months and my band began to tighten all on it’s own. Stress can cause the band to tighten. I got myself all worked up and was unable to relax. The muscles got the best of me. I started to have acid reflux at night time and while prone, it was a scary feeling. The food was coming back more often and I was uncomfortable so that I got a slight un fill in the end of April. I figured I was fine and one week later I was asking for another un fill. I had about four weeks where I was much more relaxed. It was a nice break. I was normal and just kept doing what I had been doing all along. I am glad I did not gain and all stayed the same.

The band is a fabulous tool. I felt like I was on vacation and then I said enough of this and lets go get a slight fill in May. I am now at what I am feeling is my sweet spot. It took a while to get here but when you are here all is well. It is all about the proper adjustment and feeling your best. I can go out to eat today and feel just fine. I make healthy choices I have had lots of practice. I know I can live the rest of my life in happiness now.

May has been a good month to look back at how far I have come on this Happiness Journey. I have never been happier in my life. I can buy clothes from any store and all the clothes fit. I wear color and lots of it. I used to only wear black and have only one outfit to wear. Now I have ten or more to choose from. I love my new wardrobe. I am so Happy to be me today. I trust this tool I know I can work with it. It does keep me honest, and most importantly I must be honest with myself I am the only one that matters.

I am wishing myself a Happy Bandversary with many more to come.

Best wishes on your Happiness Journey

imaluckydog