Savannah26

I'm so close Onderland, I can taste it. Tip toeing on 202 lbs. today. It's exciting knowing that I should be there within a few days, hopefully. Keeping my fingers crossed. Everyone is doing good - keep up the good work!!

Wow - what an awesome week!!! I am finally in the green zone, both physically and mentally!! I have lost 7 lbs. in the last week! I have never done that - ever. Definitely was the motivation I needed to keep my head in the game. Now only 7 lbs. away from ONDER(FUL)LAND. I am so excited and never been this motivated before in my life. I have failed to meet the goals that we have set in this group throughout our journey - but no more. I bought an a wesome costume for Halloween (wicked Renaissance Dress with corset) which is super sexy. It fits now and looks good, but the corset can be drawn in another 8 inches, which would look great! My goal is to be less than 190 lbs. before Halloween so I can cinch that corset up even tighter. OK - off my Cloud 9 for now. How's everyone else doing?!?!?!? :wub:

Hi everyone!!! Haven't checked in for over 3 weeks, was on a two week vacation stretch, now back to work for 1.5 weeks, and trying to play catch up. So incredibly busy! Just finally took time to read all of the posts - can't even begin to try to comment on everything I wanted too, so I will just say this.... everyone is awesome!! I didn't meet my birthday goal either, with the vacation mindset and on the road eating every meal for 10 days. i actually ended up gaining 6 lbs - which I knew I probably would. I spent the last 4 days of vacation with my favorite cousin and daughter - both of which have horrible eating habits, which I gladly adopted while with them. It was fun while it lasted, but I felt horribly guilty once I got home and saw that gain. It took me a few days to readjust my mind set and I am so happy to say that all 6 lbs. are gone now, actually after just 1 week of back to mindful eating and back to my daily routine. I know that without the band - those 6 lbs. plus lots more would be here to stay. So, I hit my 6 month bandervisary on the 31st - down 35 lbs. total. It is no where near some of you, but I will take it. I am much more motivated now and am finally in the green zone - even getting stuck on a regular basis to remind me that I need to act like a banded girl!~ I feel like I am finally on the way to start my accelerated weight loss - at least I hope so. Doing some things differently and hoping for better results. Anyway, I am still at work and ready to go home - looking forward to being more active in our group and sharing more in the future. Love to you all! <3

Hi Ladies! Just got back from a beach trip to Hilton Head and I'm leaving for another 11 day vacation starting Thursday. Lucky me - two vacations, back to back. Great for the mind, but bad for my body. I went with a couple of friends and we were all in vacation "eat whatever we want" mode. So I gained a few pounds over the weekend. I'm back on track today, however I will be vacationing and eating out for 11 days straight, I know I will gain a few more pounds. I am such a slow loser, but a fast gainer. Does not seem fair! Anyway, MY birthday goal, which is only 9 days away, is to drop the extra few pounds I gained over the weekend and not gain anymore on the next vacation, and hopefully drop 2 more pounds (total of 4 pounds in 9 days???). I want to get down to 213 and I am at 217 today. Maybe it's liquids for me for a few days to kick start a loss. Anyway, I will check in to see how everyone is doing with my birthday goal. Let's hope the birthday girl meets her goal. Oh, almost forgot my NSV ....... I really liked one of the vacation pictures taken of me, so I posted on Facebook and received LOTS of awesome comments and likes. Made this soon to be 49 year old grandmother of two feel wonderful. Can't wait till I gt to goal and start posting some full body shots!

Decided to finally post a picture!!! Big step for me since no one know that I have the lap band except my daughter and cousin. So, if anyone see me on this website, hopefully it means that they have a lapband too and we can chat! Have a great day everyone!

Hi Everyone! Well, I guess I need to set a birthday goal for 7/26, since it is my birthday afterall - lol. I have been one of the slowest losers - sigh. I seem to only lose about 1 lb. a week. I had set a goal of 5 lbs. by my birthday, but with my history, not sure if that will happen. On top of that, I have two (count 'em) 2 vacations planned for the last part of July. I'm going to Hilton Head for 4 days, leaving this Friday. Then go back to work on Tuesday for 2.5 days, then flying to Maine and taking a 10 day road trip back with my daughters and grandchildren. We are totally doing the eastern US touristy thing, stopping in DC (Smithsonian Institute), New York (See Lots of stuff), Vermont (Mt. Vernon), West Virginia (Family visits), then through Gatlinburg, Tennessee and back home to Georgia. That is also my birthday treat for myself. However, 10 days on the road may wreck havoc on trying to eat healthy and drop those 5 lbs. Going to try my best to be very active while doing all of the sight seeing so hoping that will help offset my intake. Congratulations to everyone who has lost so much weight and having all of the NSV's as well. You ladies are my heros and I can't wait to get to onederland - only 15 lbs. away. Seems so close, yet so far away!!

Hold up - it is my birthday that is next - July 26th. I think / hope that I am finally in the green zone. I am starting to see the scale moving after literally about 6 weeks at the same depressing weight. I need to think about a realistic goal, but would love everyone to jump on the bandwagon with me! I bought a new scale last month because I didn't like what the old one was telling me - lol. Actually, the old one fluctuated so bad that I would weigh myself multiple times but couldn't tell what my true weight was. I just had to settle on the number that came up the most times. My new scale (Health-O-Meter) has been great and accurate. I now weigh 215 lbs. and I stepped on the scale Saturday night before bed (and after a July 4th feast) and the scales said 225 lbs.!!! I freaked out in disbelief that one meal / one day caused me to gain 10 lbs. Then the scale error'ed out - whew. I weighed again and it said 190 lbs. Yeah right, I wish!! So I am reseaching how to fix it - I have reset it, changed the batteries, and it is still wigging out. I was distraught that I couldn't get an accurate weight this morning. Hopefully I can resolve whatever issue it has tonight! Any suggestions?

It is a very personal decision - I chose not to tell anyone except my daughter and favorite cousin. I didn't tell my family or my best friend or anyone else. It was definitely the right decision for me. It has allowed me the time I need to learn how to live as a banded person without having to deal with the constant barade of questions regarding how much weight have you lost. Most people do not understand that the lapband is not bypass surgery. With the lapband, your weight is 1-2 lbs. per week - IF you are lucky. With bypass, the weight appears to fall off. I began to prepare everyone by letting them know that I was on a diet, trying to lose weight and eat healthy. I have ALWAYS eaten very slow, so they are used to that - lol. None of the above is untrue - you have to diet and eat healthy and exercise, along with the lap band to see any real results. By the way, I checked in the hospital at 7am and was on my way home before 2pm. The surgery was very easy and so was the recovery. I took 4 vacation days, stayed with my daughter during that time, returned to work on Monday - no issues. Take plenty of Gas-X to prevent / help the gas pain from surgery. Good Luck! Stay on this website - it provides awesome support for our journey!

Hello Ladies - just wanted to say that I LOVE THIS GROUP! Everyone here is awesome. It would be great if we all stayed in this group long term and eventually could cross paths one day. Just saying!

Glad you did good!

Good luck - this is a journey for sure. I understand the weekend mentality. I eat so dang healthy during the week and am very disciplined, however, I usually go out to eat every weekend day with family, friends, etc. and am so busy that I wasn't getting in any exercise. This past weekend, I did sweaty home projects (cleaned the garage, back porch area, built some shoe shelves) and was too busy to think about eating. I did go out to dinner Sunday night with my Daddy, but I kept my calories way under budget, then ended up losing like 3 lbs. just over the weekend - a total a 6 lbs. in the past week. It was my best week ever!! You can do this - you got this. We are all here for you and each other. Keep us posted!

I had a <final for now> fill last Monday (10cc in 11cc band) and have been doing so good this past week, decreased calories even more, increased physical activity even more, did lots of sweaty home projects this weekend and..... I lost 6 lbs since last Monday - holy cow! I have been teetering on 219 for literally the last several weeks and have only averaged losing 1 lb. per week since surgery, then BAM, 6 lbs. in one week! If only every week were that great with instant satisfaction. I am just praying that it stays off - hate the pound fluctuations on this journey. I think I can honestly say that I will never be in the 220's ever again though! Praying that I can hold on to 213 and lower going forward! Thank God I think I found my sweet spot, finally. On another note, my Daddy took me to dinner Sunday night and he doesn't know I had surgery. I guess I lost my mind for a minute, because I took a small bite of garlic bread, forgetting that I am now at 10cc's in my band and holy moley, I got to finally experience what a BAD stuck episode felt like. I tried to disguise it while clenching my fists under the table as I sat there with a smile on my face and unbelievable pain in my chest. I got up and said I had to use the restroom. Lord have mercy - it felt like it took forever for that stuck feeling to subside. I was so thankful to be reminded that I cannot do that again! It's nice to feel my fill though!~

I don't think my last entry actually posted, so this may be duplicated. Anyway, NO it doesn't hurt - at all. My doctor doesn't use any numbing medicine either, which freaked me out because I have a huge needle phobia. He has me lay down on the table and put my hands behind my head, then lift my head up, which tightens the stomach, making it easy to find the port. He locates the port, puts the needle in and extracts a little Fluid to ensure he is in the port, then pushes it all back in. Easy and less than a minute - no biggie. By the way, if they offer numbing medicine, I wouldn't take it - that's two sticks and the numbing medicine burns. It's not bad at all. Good luck - let me know how it goes.

It does not hurt - at all!!! My doctor does not use any numbing medicine either - which freaked me out when I heard that. I have a huge needle phobia. However, it was so easy. My doctor has me put my hands behind my head and pull my head up, which tightens your stomach so he can feel the port. He locates it and puts the needle in, sometimes he has to wiggle it a little to hit the port - none of it hurts, I promise. He will extract a little fluid to ensure he is in the port, then pushes it all back in. It takes less than a minute - no biggie. Good luck - let me know how you do.

Nicole/Just Do it - Congrats on the 16's Nicole! JDI - I thought the same thing - I weigh about 218 and am in size 14 jeans, which are a little loose - yeah! Guess I need to see how many inches I have lost since the scale hasn't moved much lately - lost a total of 30 lbs. (but only 16 since surgery on Jan 31st) - depressing. I just had a fill Monday - hopefully my last fill for a long time as I am now at 10cc in my 11cc band. Yes, that is correct. I have asked for my doctor's help since the weight is not coming off like they advertise (1-2 lbs. per week). I average less than 1 lb. a week which is crazy. I am drinking plenty of water, eating protein, keeping under my calorie allowance, but definitely need to do better on the exercise. My doctor asked me to log everything I put in my mouth and send it to him in 2 weeks, so that is what I am doing. I've been at 218 lbs. for the last 10 days. I am struggling with exercise - I prefer to stay busy doing home projects, so I am choosing the sweaty jobs. Does sweating make you lose weight???? Thoughts? Suggestions?

Hi Smalltown - so very glad you started this thread. I was banded in January and am in the same boat. I haven't lost much - averaging less than 1 lb. per week. I called my doctor, who is very agressive with fills, and went in to day for another fill (my 4th). I have 10cc in an 11cc band. Yes - that is correct. I am so disappointed that I am on the below average side of losing weight. I know that exercise is required for me to lose apparently. I stay so busy, but that doesn't count as exercise. I asked for my doctors help. He wants me to log every thing I put in my mouth and send him the log every 2 weeks. I am hoping that this final fill along with extra accountability and forcing exercise will finally be what I need to be successful. I could use some prayers too! Good luck to everyone. :wub:

Chrissy - congratulations!! I saw your wall post earlier. That is awesome - so proud of you! I can't wait to get there too!

One more thing - I had suregery on a Tuesday and just took vacation the rest of the week. I returned to work on Monday just like normal. The surgery was such a piece of cake (ha ha) that no one needed to know that was what I was doing on my vacation!

I only told my daughter and out of state cousin - that's it. No one else will ever know. Last summer when I started this process, I went on a diet, started exercising, and eating healthy. This is what I told people - which was all true. Losing weight is such a slow process with the band and people who do not understand the whole tool concept. I don't want to be judged for my decision or for the contents on my plate. Just telling people I'm on a diet does that. I had surgery 4 months ago. I am a slow loser and have only lost 17 lbs. since surgery and 13 lbs. before, so a total of 30 lbs. Just this week, I have had someone compliment me every single day regarding my weight loss and slimming down. That is so much nicer than the other invasive questions people tend to ask if they know you had WLS. I don't regret my decision for a second! Love it!

Yeah - so nice to see everyone online today!

One time at Band Camp.....lol Where is everybody at? It's so quiet in here... echo, echo echo OK, enough of that - wanted to share another NSV this week, being that I received three unsolicited sincere compliments about looking like I've "lost alot of weight and really slimming down" - one each day since Monday. Just a reminder that NO ONE knows that I had WLS. Hoping tomorrow is even better as I am going to see a friend that I haven't seen in 30 lbs. - lol. Again, since my weight loss has been considerably slower than most everyone else, I was really needing that motivation. I actually worked out till after midnight last night and got up at 7am and worked out again. My mind is finally where it needs to be in this journey.

Are you diabetic? Perhaps it was due to low sugar?

I did that once right before surgery and a couple of times afterwards. I am normally a very outgoing, happy person - we all can just have a bad day. This too shall pass. Trust me!

I love the EAS Carb Control drinks - Rich Dark Fudge is awesome. They have vanilla, strawberry and milk chocolate also. Walmart sells them for $4.74 for a 4 pack. I have one for breakfast with a piece of WW string cheese everyday - 160 calorie breakfast. Love it!

In my opinion - the sooner the better. It typically takes multiple fills to get restriction, so if your doctor thinks you are ready, I would definitely welcome that. My doctor is very aggressive, which I love. I am one of those patients that didn't feel any restriction until I got to 9cc in my 11cc band, and I am going next week for another fill. He gave me 5cc on the first visit, 2cc's on 2nd and 3rd visit. So, at 4 months banded, I have received 9cc's (almost unheard of). Lots of doctors only give 1/2 cc at a time, once every 4-6 weeks. By the way - my doctor doesn't use any numbing agent, which I was freaking out about, however, it didn't hurt at all. I so look forward to my visits. Good luck!