NJGirl32

Wow! What a shopping trip! I fit into a size 12 skort!! A fricken size 12!! Really? Who is this girl? I range from a 14-16 and have been getting into 14s lately so there was a cute red skort on sale - but only a size 12 left. So I figure why not? It not only fit-but it wasn't tight either! I think at the weight I am now I don't need to lose as much to go down a size-whereas when I was heavier I could straddle a size for a much greater weight range. SO I headed up to the bras- and I am a 38C-Whoa! I think this time last year I was a 42D or more. It's hard to go down sizes (mentally). I still gravitate to the bigger sizes. Last year I was a 22-this year a 14 and that adorable size 12 skort! To all of you starting out-just wait until next summer comes-you will feel and look so different and yes, it will definitely be worth it!

It seems you are eating sliders in the morning and for lunch-I am guessing this is making you hungry in the evening. Try packing some snacks that aren't mushies or liquid. I do know they go down easier and are a lot less trouble to deal with-but maybe you need to be eating a little more substance througout the day. You might be hungry and eating too fast or too much becuase you really haven't had any solids, I pack a yogurt, nuts, granola, banana, and snack throughout the day. This week I packed some watermelon-thank God no one was in my office because my stomache sure did make some crazy noises! lol Sounds like you are doing an awesome job-congrats!!

Awesome! What a great accomplishment by taking your life in a positive direction! I have lost 60+ and just realized that I really need to get new underwear-wow-really? I can't remember the last time I was a size 7 in underwear! lol Today I bought a bra- a size 38C- couldn't believe it fit perfectly-my other bras could have been used as bicycle helmets for simease twins! lol Keep up the wonderful work!

I have a big decision I need to make and I hope you can give me some opinions. I have a great job that I love and I only work 10 months a year (education field). I love my boss and she gives me a lot of freedom and respects my input. I also run a summer school in July for my district. I start at 8am and I finish at 3:00 everyday. I make great money too. Sounds great right? I wentto school to get an advanced degree and certs and now an opportunity has come around to be a supervisor. I applied and it seems I am the front runner. I would work 12 months a year and work until 4:30 everyday. I am guessing I'll make about 14k more a year. It would be a great career move and an exciting, though very busy job and help me gain administrative expperience. But having 2 months off in the summer is hard to give up! My kids are older now so I don't have little ones at home anymore. What would you do? I have asked everyone and they all seem as stuck as I am. I will need to make a decision very soon! All input is appreciated!!!!

Cindy you made me smile! lol Keep in mind that my goal weight is 175! lol I think I have lost only 10 pounds in the last 3 months so it's slowing up. I am at 192 now-so next month I might get another fill-but I still have restriction. How are you?!

OMG!!! Tried their chicken soup while at the mall and I am in love! It was so good and a little spicy too! Next time I go I am going to get a few extras and freeze them! I didn't use the ag of toppings to save on calories. Thanks again for the heads up!

Just read your blog-love it! I want to try the chicken salad and the soup!

I am going to read it now-I like fast food but can't do most of it. Wendy's chile works and so does taco bell- i order just 1 taco and it goes down great. Also McDonald's chicken wrap-minus the wrap. It's really hard because I can't eat much for lunch. I met my firend for an after work drink and appetizer. We order the nachos with beef and that went down great too. I am always looking for something that I can handle. Most times when I go out to eat I whine up bringing most of the food home.

MMM My last fill was in August-this past month I haven't lost anything and maybe gained 2 pounds. The last 2 days I have been hungry- you said they holidays left some temptations and I drank more than I usally do=empty calories, plus too much junk in the house! The crap is getting thrown out this weekend or put safely dar away! I am scheduling another fill-I think it's time. Good luck to you!

Same thing happens to me-this happened several weeks ago and it's one reason I don't go on much. I think if you right click an area up top (the gray area) then click compatabilty view button to uncheck it (if it is checked) it helps.

Oh you just aren't at that zone yet-hang in there I know it's so frustrating. There is no way ever I could eat a chick fil a sandwich-my band simply would not let me even if I tried. There are plenty of foods I wish I could eat but my band would not agree with it and I would be PBing in the bathroom. It took me about 3 months and 4 fills until the band finally did it's magic. I haven't had a fill since August and have been losing slow and steady since then. You will absolutely get there!! They never tell you it could take 3 months post surgery or 4 fills until anything happens! Good luck to you and may this year be life-changing for you!!

It's been a while since I posted-actually I have been having trouble with LapBand's webpage (it overlaps posts and makes it hard to read the posts).,but I just wanted to drop by and say hello! What an amazing holiday season for me! I have been hovering around the 190 range which is SO amazing since the week before surgery I weighed 248 and a year before that I was 258! I loved the way I look. I can remember this time last year avoiding all mirrors in department stores and now I love trying on clothes. I brought my camera to all holiday celebrations and gladly put myself in photos without hiding behind people! My daughter bought me victoria secret PJs in an XL and the pants are baggy-how cool is that? My self-confidence is back and I am so glad that I had this surgery. I know some people count calories, exercise,, and record every morsel-but I do not-hoestly I do not do anything. Truthfully, if I did I would probably lose faster because at this point I am losing 5 pounds a month-but I am ok with that-really! I really can't eat a lot anyway. I am trying to make friends with my band. I avoid problems foods like breads, pizza, and unfortunately fruit. When I go to a resturant (which I do gfrequently) I order a seafood item and maybe soup. If I know I am going to dinner I will avoid eating until that time-with the exception of a snack. I simply can not eat in the afternoon and then eat at dinner. Today I have an appetite-for the first time in a lonnng time I was ablet to eat a small omelet and I had a brownie. I am wondering if I may need a fill? But I have wondered that so many times since my last fill in August. I am just about 15 pounds from my goal of 175-I can't wait to get there! Life is really good being thinner-I have more energy, I go out to social functions much,much, more and I look forward to them. During the holidays I have had wine and drinks at parties but now that the holidays are over those extra calories will stop and hopefully the scale will dip into the 180's! Wow! That would be amazing. I wish you all a happy, healthy, and thinner New Year!!

My understanding is that they unfill your band completely and see if it settles into place-this could take several weeks. I am not sure if you wentt a Center of Excellence but I believe they now stitch the band in such a way to try to avoid a slip. Lots of people have had slips on this forum-consider it a bump in the road not the end of a journey. Wishing you well!

I posted on this before but this month it happened again so I did some research. Last month I couldn't keep anything down 2 days before my period-it was crazy! I mean I had yogurt and had to pull over on my way to work. Then after I got my period I was back to normal. This month same thing but it lasted longer into my period. I thought I had a slipped band because I was PBing and simply could not get any solids without PBing or just feeling stuck. Today I am back to normal! I can eat!! I found an interesting article about banding and that time of the month. Before you rush to the doctor's for an unfill you may want to wait a couple days (if it's that time of the month). I never had this problem until I lost around 40 pounds and the article actually addresses that-it's worth a read: http://www.beyondtheband.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9:lap-band-and-your-period&catid=3:news&Itemid=19

Thanks for the input! Jachurt-you really hit a nerve with me-I do get bored at home! It's not like my summers are action packed-I'm usually cleaning something! lol I got the call from HR and they would like to offer me the position. Tomorrow I go in to find the exact details. I amm going to take the job. One thing I really didn't factor into the equation initially was that it's the kind of work I really enjoy and find extremely challenging. I feel best when I am productive and making an impact-which I think I can do with this job. It's a big gamble because I have a great job now-but I do get restless and I thin I could benefit from a change. I will gain adminstrative experience which could open doors for me in the future. After 20 years teaching I am ready to try something different. Thanks again for the replies-they really did help!

I have found that my "Draino" is wine! Seriously! Especially red wine - small sips helps unclog you or prevents you from PBing. The key is small sips and you can actually feel it declogging. Now I realize this might not be a good solution for work, but in the evening it would work

LMAO!!! Cindy you are crazy girl! lol

Thank you all for your input-I really appreciate it. One thing that stands out is job satisfaction-I like to be challenged and I would be charge of 10 people. I also have a ton of ideas that would improve our district. Also, I am in my 2nd marriage and very happy, but if the marriage should fall apart (it happened to a couple I know recently who I thought would never get divorced)-then this job would help out a lot. Also, God forbid, if anything happened to my Hubby -I would be in a better finacial state. Ahhh...but those darn summers off!!! Even during holidays I would have to use my vac. days. It's a tough decision! I was told I was the front runner and would probably be offered the job (from a very reliable source). At age 48 I really do need to consider the big picture-whatever that means. A side note-over the last 8 years 3 supervisors have come and gone in this same position, so there's not a grat track record.

I LOVE my band too! I have to totally agree with everythong-I mean everything B-52 said! I don't measure, count calories, or any of that stuff. My only worry for Thanksgaiving is also that it will be noticable how little I actually eat! There certainly was a learning curve for me-but now I am learning. I also have coffee everyday and drink socially. I feel great-I remember this time last year I hated looking at myself in a store mirror. I can remember going up an escalator and not looking at the mirror. Now I am in the dressing rooms smiling and loving life-also on the dance floor! I love going out now!

Nope it hasn't. I feel super sexy but I think my husband's libido has flat lined. He has back pain and is on meds so maybe the pain killers play a part. Does it bother me? Yes! I thought one reason is took a nosedive was me gaining so much weight (although he has gained too) but I think we just got into a rut. I am still hopeful though!

But what if you don't fail? What if you finally get control of your weight issues for once and for all? What if you succeed? What if for the first time in your life you feel in control and confident? What if 1 year from now you are a completely changed person, happier and healthier. You can focus on the negative what ifs-but don't forget the positive what ifs too! My favorite quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing Enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Thanks! Even my other neighbor said "You're looking good!" Sometimes it pays to take out the trash and recyclables! lol As for my mother-well-maybe I expected too much? She did say I looked like I lost more weight. Then later said I must have lost about 20 pounds since the last time she saw me. I guess I was expecting a little more "Wow." We wentto Red Lonster and of course it happened-I got sick and needed to PB/Slime. I wen tto the bathroom 2 times - that held me off until later. She doesn't know about the surgery (I didn't want her to worrry) so I was playing hide the food on my plate. I sort of made it look like I was eatingthe brad and salad, but just mushed it around and separatedi it..

Lots of NSVs to report! 1. This morning I am taking out the trash and my neighbor (who I rarely talk to) comes out of her house saying I look great and saying "You lost a lot of weight!" She actually came out to compliment me-or being a nosey neighbor (which she is) she may have wanted to make sure she wasn't missing something! lol 2. My 25 year old daughter had to go out and her jeans were damp out of the drier so I let her borrow a pair of jeans that I just bought (size 16)! 3. Pretty much every day at work someone comments on my weight loss. I am a teacher and went to a school I use to work at and one of the students even said "Wow, you lost so much weight!" I am off today and will be visiting my mother who lives about an hour an a half away. She hasn't seen me in 2 months and that is the time that my weight loss has become more noticable-she doesn't know I had the surgery. It will be interesting to see what she says. She noticed I was losing weight in Aug/Sept. but now it is a lot more noticable!

This is a no brainer-yes go for it!!!!!!!! You will have plenty of options for adventures in Hawaii!!! I look at it this way-if it were me I have 2 choices- ...be fat in NJ or be fat in Hawaii-I;d sure take Hawaii in Feb,!!! You will probably have NO trouble fitting in a plane seat by then either! I fit into them at 250-when I was 260 it was tight but I didn't need an extender (I am 5'6). Believe me there are all shapes and sizes in Hawaii too-not just a bunch of hula dancers! lol

The funny thing is when I looked at Alex's link on finding the green zone there was a chart and it said you are in the read zone if you are eating chips, ice cream, and candy! I was like WOW! -how did he know what I was eating!! I think we are in the red zone which may be causing us to eat foods we can get down easily. I am still losing, but I have to really watch those food items.