SlimAmbitions

Thanks for your response. We're alike in this regard. Yeah well, I guess I'm gonna have to make the decision to cut back!

I'm just curious. Do any of you love to have a little wine to unwind after a hard day at work but you're wondering whether that practice is slowing down your weight loss? I don't think I can give up wine totally - maybe I'll try only having a sip a few times a week or only on special ocassions. Well, I'd love to hear from anyone on this issue. Here's to me achieving my slim ambitions.

After a four month absence I’m back to blog about my progress – which (sad to say) has not been that great since my surgery. I lost 27.4 lbs on my 12 week insurance mandated, doctor supervised pre-op weight loss program (from 308.4 lbs. to 281 lbs.) I was banded on September 7th and lost an additional 12.3 lbs. in the first 10 days immediately following my surgery – bringing my weight down to 268.7 lbs. From that date to now, approximately 11 weeks – I have regained 4.1 lbs. then lost 6.8 lbs. - bringing my current weight to 266 lbs. While this is a total weight loss of 42.4 lbs. over the course of my almost 6 months weight loss experience pre and post-op (not too shabby), I am concerned that I've lost so little weight post-op since I started eating normal foods. I’ve had 2 fills to date - initially 5cc and then an additional 1.25cc. However, I feel very little restriction and can pretty much eat anything I want, not as much as before I was banded but certainly more than the ¾ –1cup of food that I should be having at a meal. Of course, therein lies the problem. So what am I to do about this lack of progress? 1. I commit to take full responsibility for the foods I choose to eat and the activities I choose to do. 2. I commit to maintaining this blog as an accountability tool which will help to keep me focused on my short, medium and long term health, fitness and weight loss goals. 3. I commit to preparing healthy meals in advance so that I would not be tempted by the convenience of “fast food”. 4. I commit to drinking 80oz of water per day. 5. I commit to exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes at least 5 days per week. 6. I commit to posting my weight (the good, the bad and the ugly) every Friday morning. 7. I commit to attending my surgeon's support meetings. 7. I commit to loving myself at every phase of this journey to optimal health and fitness because - dammit - I’m worth it!

Thank you Crystalapril11 and juliana orozco for your comments and support.

Me 4!

Congrats! All the very best with your upcoming surgery and the next phase of your health journey.

Hello Comrades of the Band. Exactly five weeks ago I started on a journey to lose 150.4 lbs. Yeah, almost half my current body weight, a very daunting prospect for sure. Since then I've whittled off 16 lbs. and feel certain that I will slowly (hopefully not too slowly ) whittle off the rest and achieve my slim ambitions! June 15 marked the first day of my 12 week, insurance mandated, doctor supervised weight loss programme, on my way to being banded. My ultimate goal for these 12 weeks is to lose 45 lbs - so that means I have to lose another 29 lbs in just over 7 weeks. It's ambitious I know, but I will do this. Besides, I have an added incentive to achieve my goal - my work place is having a "Before and After" Health Improvement Competition which began on June 30 and ends on September 30. The three participants that show the most improvement in their BMI, waist, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood glucose and weight measurements will win prizes. Of course, I want the 1st prize and - not to my credit - I'm the largest woman in my work place . So, I should have this in the bag right?! Well, I'm gonna do my best and I hope that as many of you who see my blog will cheer me on. I have to run now, but I will be back to let you know more about myself and to journal about my slim ambitions and every step I take towards achieving them.

I know that the individual prizes are: gym membership (1 month), massage, facial, juicer, indoor grill, blender, wok, sports bag, books on health and fitness and water bottles. I'm assuming that the winner will get the gym membership, among other prizes, but the organising committee hasn't said who gets what. In any event, I'll be happy with whatever I get.

Way to go with your weight loss! You're an inspiration to me. I went back and read all your posts because I identify so much with some of the issues you've blogged about. Your writings help to reinforce for me the fact that others who are/have experience very similar struggles as me - food addiction, emotional scars, depression, etc. etc. etc. - are making a go at losing weight and healing themselves. Not only that, but they're doing a pretty darn good job of it too! (Notwithstanding all the ups and downs and bumps in the road.) Here's to your continued success.