Leaderboard

Well I'm totally committed (or my husband would say I need to BE committed!) to exercising. I know that the scale staying at 18lbs lost for a week was because I needed to get up and shake what my momma gave me! I am doing Zumba on Tuesdays/Thursdays, but I was searching for something I could do at home. Low and behold, I bought the Just Dance 3 for the Wii. HIGHLY recommend! Everynight when my hubby goes to bed I get my controller strapped on to my wrist and I go to town. I'm sure if anyone was videotaping me I would go viral instantly because I'm sure that is a funny site to see! It actually lets you keep track of your week and your "sweat points". Not sure really what that means, but I'll take it! NSV of the week: Going back to work and having two boxes of Krispy Kreme GLAZED donuts on the table and not even having a desire to eat one!

6 months and a week ago, i had no health problems even with a 47 BMI - BUT i felt so disgusting. I hated clothes. I wore things just to hide myself. I knew I had a pretty face but that all others saw was the fat. Today, 6 months after surgery and 88 pounds later, I feel INCREDIBLE. i am all about what i'm wearing, my make up, I feel just plain unstoppable. I want you to know that yes there can be complications. I have experienced none so far (truly this is thanks to GOD and following my surgeon's instructions) - but they can happen. I am very, very sorry I did not do this 10 years ago (I'm 38). But i cannot dwell on that. This is a LIFE CHANGING thing if you let it be. I truly wish all of you the best of luck in your decision and if you have the surgery - the best of luck on your journey. It TRULY is a journey. God bless us all!!!!

This journey is different for everyone and we all have our individual struggles as well as our individual triumphs. My main reason for lapbanding was basically to lose weight in a healthy, but fairly quick environment. On my own, I quickly lost motivation and patience when the scale didn't move, or didn't move enough and then quickly resorted back into the comfort of food/drink. There has been alot of discussion lately on what is an acceptable or average weight loss per week/per month. I just have to say that 1 lb a week is UNACCEPTABLE to me. My surgeon practices at one of the country's best hospitals and assures me I can do 20-30 lbs a month if I stick to his rules, so I am! I am averaging 5-8 lbs now a week. Since my surgery December 15th, I have lost 27 lbs. Overall loss is 38 lbs. I could have done 1 lb a week without having surgery and spending a small fortune. I know this is a TOOL, but it needs to do its job when I do mine - the perfect partnership. I feel absolutely no restriction right now, so it is pure will-power - something I have never had, but I am not going to risk hurting my lapband by overeating or eating the wrong things. I know in time I will feel the restriction and it will provide some support to my own will power and I can rely on the band a little more each day and not feel I am alone. Please remember, this is a different journey for all of us, but the desired result is the same - a healthier, happier YOU! God Bless and stay the course! Leslie

So Im going to tell you my pleasure of what makes me feel really good i like to sit in the shower sometimes hot sometimes cool and i like to think of the future of how i want my new style to be when im thin how i want my makeup should i save for a boob lift or buy the things i always wanted at the mall or just walking thru the mall without feeling out of place going to a spa gym etc and feeling good craving that cool feeling at the beach having romance feeling cute and fun having energy looking good naked waking up rubbing a flat stomach feeling that fresh breeze after sweating at the gym those are outta thousands of stuff i wanna experience<3

For protein powder drinks, you can get Pure Protein 100% Whey for $17.00 for a large, large jug at Walmart. One scoop with 1 cup skim milk, 1 splenda and a handful of ice blended in your blender make a nice, chocolately shake that tastes great at about half the price of the isopure. However, I too really enjoy the Isopure clear protein drinks in the bottle, especially grape. I drink at least 1/2 a 20 oz bottle daily to boost my protein intake (I am just 16 days out from surgery). They are expensive but you can shop around.

Well no one seems to have a ticker any more so its hard to tell where people are in this process. I dont want to sound mean but it just looks like you are on a diet and I just no longer believe in that! I didnt get the band to eat like that...I have pretty tight restriction and eat very small quantities of any and every food...I dont log anything or look at calories and I dont really exercise...your plan sounds like torture I could never keep up with! Not sure what your band is doing for you!

This is what I'm doing for pre-op it works down 10lb in 6 days. Goodluck.

Hey! I had my lapband surgery in 2008 in Nov. I had lost about 50 lbs in a year and a half. I think that's slow! Anyway I then lost about 75 lbs. by the summer of 2010 and had a penniculectomy(more than a tummy tuck) as I had a lot of hanging fat! I weighed 236 when I had lapb. so at the time of the stomach surgery probably weighed 160(can't remember exactly). I had many, many stiches across my lower abdomen and drains on both sides. I had virtually no pain, just discomfort trying to sleep and etc. After about 1 month the swelling was gone and I then lost about 25 more lbs. During the time b/f the stomach surg. I had may 4 or 5 fills. Then about a year ago in this coming up April, my band seemed to tighted. I was having indigestion almost constantly and I would throw up my food, etc. I went to my surgeon and he took almost all my saline. I then gained about 20-25 lbs. Very discouraging!!! Then I began to get a little at a time put back in and I have lost about 10 of those 25 lbs. So I went from being in a 6 to some 8's and mostly now 10's. That is great considering I was wearing a 22 at the beginning! But it was also very depressing for me. I loved the 6!!! MY friends and family thought I looked too thin and sick though and think I look much better and healthier now. I am trying to exercise each day doing something. Also in the last 2 or 3 weeks I think my band has tightened again b/c it's very easy for me to get indigestion if I don't eat just about a palm full of food at one time. I'm trying to live with this though b/c I don't want to have saline taken out b/c I know I'll eat again too much a gain weight. I think from talking to friends that had the surgery after me that it's just going to be a struggle all the time. I'm trying to live with it. I do know I would not change the fact that I had the surgery. I don't ever want to be big again. like right now I have indigestion adn I've only had to eat this morning about 1/4 cup of sugerless cereal and about that much milk and my vitamins. Usually when I start out with indiges. I'll have it all day long. It's miserable!!

This just goes to show how individual- from both a patient and surgeon perspective- this journey is for everyone! We're all comparing numbers to help us feel like we're in the "right" area of where we think we should be, but there's a lot more to it. People have different amounts of fat around their stomachs and different sized stomachs, so 10ccs may put one person on a liquid only diet while another person with 10ccs can still eat pizza. With my band almost full, I could still have anything I wanted. Also, I sometimes wonder if getting multiple tiny fills is a method used by some doctors to make more money off insurance companies/patients for those who are paying a considerable amount for them. My fills are only about $10, so I don't think my surgeon wants to see me that often (kidding!).

I was also feeling really gross about my appearance. I was tired of hearing "you have such a pretty face". In my head, I was hearing "you have such a fat ugly body". Its only been about 5 weeks since my surgery and since then I've lost a few lbs, hired a personal trainer and work out 3 x per week. Even though its clear that I have an incredibly long journey ahead of me, I'm feeling so psyched that I've finally started the journey. It feels so good to be doing something about my fitness and my health instead of just feeling horrible about myself. I was not expecting to feel better about my appearance before losing a significant amount of weight but here I am feeling great just because I'm taking action and doing something about it. I'm not sure how I'm going to feel after the first "dreaded fill" but I'm up for the challenge. I already feel more confident and attractive and wore 2 dresses to work this week that I have not been able to fit for OVER 2 YEARS!!