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I use to have people say, oh I didn't realize it was lunch time. I would be like yeah right, how the heck do you forget lunch. Today I was sitting in my office working and someone walked into my office and ask, aren't you eating lunch. I was like huh, it's to early then I looked at the clock 12:30 - WOW I had no idea it was lunch time. I also use to get annoyed when friends would eat a small salad or an apple and be like man I am so full. I had an apple and natural peanut butter for lunch and geez I am full. I actually really enjoyed my healthy lunch. I can't believe I am already one of those people. While eating one apple slice I didn't chew enough and felt it get caught a bit, no PB'ing or sickness just a little tightness. Wow I have a band and it's working. Yesterday instead of cooking like I would normally do on a rainy day I got on our elliptical and worked out and it felt good. I am enjoying working out- WTH? I am doing it, I am really doing it!!! I lost 2 lbs in the last week --- YEAH Me!! I am finally becoming the person I always wanted to be and the person who I was always jealous of. I know I will have a day again that I am doubting my band, but today I am thrilled with it. I feel like my band is helping me achieve a life long dream. Thanks to all of you out there who inspire me to keep it up - Missy, carolina girl, jean - thanks for the help and for the post that kick me into action. Bansters ROCK!

Today's the day! Surgery in 4 hours!!! I decided to continue my journey with the sleeve.... Insurance is still giving me an issue but my doctor says don't worry about it! I love y surgeon! wish me luck, say your prayers

Surgery was Aug 15th!!! Everyone was so nice, a lot of in and out with people all asking the same questions (safety First!!!) My boyfriend (marc) and my mom were in the pre room with me up till they wheeled me away which was really nice. I do remember going into the operation room and looking around but I was done from there. I woke up in recover for a few, I was in such a fog. They brought me to my room, I am not sure what all happened or how to explain it. But I freaked out pretty bad, I felt I could not breath from the pain in my side. I could see my mom and Marc I started crying It took about 1 hour to calm me down and for the pain to be comfortable. From that point on I was doing good, I ended up getting up before the night was out and walked the halls. Second day I was up was able to shower by that evening. Doin small walks, clear liquids. Friday (third day) I was released and on the road, We ran into construction on the way home. Made for a rough, long ride home about 3 hours(compared to 1 3/4 hours). Was home comfy and enjoying being home and my own bed. Sat. I made sure I did treadmil SEVERAL times stayed on top of my pain meds and such, showered and was up most of the day. Well Sunday woke up to feeling like a Mac truck hit me. I had WAY over did it Sat. I slept and ate on Sunday nothing more. Here it is Monday doing ok, better then Sunday and decided HELLO I just had surgery dont rush yourself. I was up for 2 hours then napped, watched TV, then showered, decided I would go along for the ride( had to mail a package for my son) O BOY does the road feel bumpy, I did not realized I forgot to take my pain meds and did not realize it had been over 6 hours later and not feeling to hot on the drive back home!!!!!!! I have really cut back on them I did not think I need the full dose. I cut it in half and doing every 4/5 hours. They had me doing every 3 hours. Getting out bed has been the hardest. My tummy looks pretty good, They did have to do 6 cuts, They removed my gallbladder at the same time. Taste buds have changed, I have always hated the taste of diet stuff, the after taste is what I could not stand. My mom made me sugar free jello, pudding, and bought sugar free popcicles. I like the taste of these BUT seems so sweet!!! I was reading and realized I could finally have Tomato soup SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!! and OMG did it taste so good. So I have not had problems feeling full, but did HATE when Marc cooked breakfast and I could smell the bacon cooking..... Has it never smelled so good. I think that is a big thing to get over the next 2 weeks is having the texture of chewing on food!!! I will make it!! I have made an appointment to have my hair done before I return to work, having it colored and cut. At work I don't do much with myself (hair in bun, no makeup, and stay in my office most of the day doing my work) So I will have a new look to go back to work with, with the new ME. I have not told others, except my best friend who works there. Most people know we have been "dieting and walking" daily and that I was going out on medical leave for gallbladder surgery. I had lost 15lbs before my last day. who knows how much more before I return in 2 weeks. I wonder if they will notice. On my surgery date I was 242lbs home from hospital I was up to 254lbs!!!!!!! I weighed myself today 246!!!!!!!!!! So a lot of rambling but I really want to remember the journey and so I wanted to get a lot in over the last few days! If you have any question please feel free and send me a message!!!!

Yesterday I weighed in at my goal weight 123.8 which means I have a normal BMI. YAY! Now on to weighing that dressed!

Yes It here finaly the date all my freinds and family and support pepole are comming both of the trainers i worked with and all my freinds from the gym. I got my cute outfit in hot pink ready to dance in and my new zumba shoes given to me as a gift from penny who is hosting my party. All my freinds have told me that i going to love all my new cloths they got me. I can't wait It finaly a day to cellbrate me that i am front and center and all i done since lap band. It my day. So meny times in life we put other frist. I always do but now it time for me to cellbrate being a onester. I getting ready to shake I have my music picked out the dance ready to go It all about me and me being the star and doing somthing i used to not do but now love. One of the gifts given to me was a rainbow collored barclet. This was the card were this and rember to uses all these things in one day you have a succful day Black - Activty Red- Love ( tell my family i love them) Yellow - Happness (doing things that make me happy)\ Green- Apprate nautre - ( i do this when i walk my dog or just by having flower in my house) blue- Iner Peace ( not to beat my self up over everything) Puple - self decovery Learning something new Black - Nurtrion

Hello! Well, I don't blog as much as I should or would like to. Life is just super busy and super wonderful! I am finally under 200 lbs (this morning the scale said 197!!!). I know this sounds like a lot to many, but I am thrilled. I haven't weighed under 200 for my entire adult life. Starting out at my heaviest at 270...it is a HUMONGOUS change! I really feel great. I have tons of energy. I used to say I wasn't a night person, but...I just might be now. Before VSG, I could go to bed at 8pm and wanted to. Nowadays, I look at the clock and can't believe it is already 11pm and I'm still up and going! I do try to get to bed by 11-11:30pm though. I do like my sleep and need it for health and to rest, due to the great workouts I've been doing. I work out 6-7 days a week. I do something different most every day. Here is a sample of what I have planned for this week's workouts: Monday (today): 1 hr Spinning class and 1 hr Yoga class, after spinning Tuesday: 1 hr Medicine Ball workout; 1 hr power walk Wednesday: 1 hr Outdoor Bootcamp Thursday: either 1 hr Spinning class or 1 hr Bootcamp indoor Friday: 1 hr Spinning class (early morning); 90 min Yoga (lunch) Saturday: Bicycle Ride - 25miles Sunday: Hiking - 8-10 miles I've been following a really healthy plant based diet, 90% of the time, along with doing some yummy green juicing. The other 10% of my diet has included some dairy (greek yogurt and some cheese) and some seafood and a bit of chicken (I just can't turn down a few bites of my husband's amazing jerk chicken). The weight is coming off, whoop whoop, but it has slowed. Now 8 months post-op, I definitely can eat more now than I have been post-op. So, I do have to watch most everything I put in my mouth. I just eat real healthy - no or very minimal processed food, dairy, animal products. In retrospect, it is amazing how much food I used to eat. More amazing is how little food I eat now, need to survive and to loose weight. I have a follow-up appt in September with my doc. At that point I will post before and after photos. Live is GOOD! One Love.

So, I just came from my surgeon and NUT appts. I signed my consent form, and I saw my NUT. Now only thing I have to do is call my PCP tomorrow and get clearance from him. I was given my pre op diet and I asked when can I start it. I almost hit the floor when I was told tomorrow. Hopefully I will have my surgery date by the end of the week, and have to stay on the diet until then. It's honestly not too bad. It consists of 3 protein shakes per day, For my snack a cup of sugar free, fat free/low fat yogurt and a piece of fruit. Plus a sensible meal that is 6 oz of meat, 2 servings of bread/starch 1 cup of veggies, 1 cup of salad greens with two tablespoons of low fat salad dressing. Considering what alot of other people pre-op diets are, this is really great. Well it sounds great, let us see how it is when I start it*lol*

I am 100% born and bread southern girl. I even grew up on a farm. Being from a small community and a small baptist church food is everything. I mean seriously, being southern and southern baptist = we eat for every reason. The southern way is when someone dies you take food, when someone has a baby you take food, we someone has a birthday you have a party with lots of food. The old saying about baptist and fried chicken are not far from the truth. Our church go together all the time for means, homecoming, revivial, bible school, weddings, funerals, heck we had Wed night dinners at church. At home each summer my mom, grandmother and I would work in the garden. At 31 years old I can freeze or can any veggie and make my own home made pickle. There is no fruit I can't make a cobbler with. In the summer each weekend we would make some kind of sweet treat for whom ever may drop by for a visit on Sunday afternoon. Yes, people still lived like this in the last 30 years. I am totally not complaining I had an awesome childhood. I knew how to cook by the time I was 13 and was cooking a full meal for the family at least once a week at that age. I still make my own pickle each summer, I hate store bought and I freeze fresh corn and can string beans and tomatos. I know I am odd, but I am me. All this life revolving about food got me to nearly 250 lbs. Since I was 5 years old my weight has fluctuated up and down. In 9th grade I was already in a size 20. My senior year of high school I lost weight and got down to a size 16, but that was after an accident when lead to months of pain and physical theraphy. I manage to keep the weight off through college, but once I was out I gained that plus some. When I married I wanted to be the little ms suzy homemaker, so I would cook enough for an army because that was what I was use to, but it was just me and my husband. To keep the food and sweets from being thrown away we would eat it, so both mine and my hubs weight went up. Now at 31 years old, I have decided to change. I have had to change my way of thinking. First off I have become the odd one who instead of bringing food to a greiving family I bring paper plates, and napkins or stamps. Since the family send thank you notes the stamps keep them from having to buy them. I have learned when hosting a party one sweet something the rest healthy ( think fruit plate and veggie plate). Instead of drinking the house wine of the south (SWEET tea) I drink water. Instead of frying everything, I grill, bake, broil and steam. This has not and continues not being an easy transition, but it is happening and it is rewarding. Since I began this journey back in April, my husband's eating habits have changes and exercise habits have changed. He is eating better and working out more. My parents even though they are not here with us I talk to them a lot and they are trying my new healthy recipes and I have gotten my dibetic dad to change from gaterade to propel. So my trying to change me for the better are changing the ones I love. So it is worth it. I told my husband once that nothing worth having ever came easy and this is no different. So instead of dreading each change I look forward to the challenge and will meet it head on with the help of my family. I am still a southern belle, but I won't continue all the southern traditions.

Dear food, You have been a source of refuge and comfort for a long time, something to warm me on cold winter nights and to celebrate life's milestones. But sadly, our relationship is no longer working for me. You've become an obsession, an unhealthy and unproductive millstone. So I've decided that it's time to say goodbye. There are some special mentions I'd like to make...good bye massive bowls of spaghetti, blocks of chocolate, cheesy pizza and my old friend, coke. Though over the coming days our parting will be difficult, and I will no doubt long for the days when I would indulge in you with impunity, I am excited to let you go. I will get an opportunity to explore life beyond this obsession. So with sadness but absolute determination, fare thee well, old friends. With no regrets, Lila (I start my pre-op diet in the morning And I am actually feeling excited about it! Wish me luck!!)