sbb1222

About 7 years ago I put aside a pair of pants that I loved, proclaiming that I would wear them again someday! They sat buried in a dresser drawer, packed, unpacked, repacked and unpacked through 5 moves! Always in the back of my mind the thought was there, why am I holding onto these? My weight sky rocketed through the years and I finally had lost hope that they would ever fit again. Today, I wore these pants to work (amazingly enough they are still in style) and bittersweet as it is, this may be the only time that I get to wear them as they are a touch too big. I cried for a few minutes this morning. Tears of accomplishment, tears of pride, tears of letting go. I think the hardest part of this journey is the mental challenge! Today though, the proof was in the pants!

It is an amazing feeling! Sometimes, I feel as if I am bragging an that is not how I want to come across, it just blows my mind somedays!!

I haven't posted pictures of progress because it took me this long (almost 11 months) to find an almost full body shot of "before"!

Checking in at an even 168! Getting there : )

This surgery has made in my life is phenomenal. I don't often remember how unhealthy I was, a I don't remember ever allowing myself to get that unhealthy. It happens one bite, one day of not exercising at a time. It all adds up. It seem likes it happened overnight, when in reality it was a six year period of my life that drastically went further downhill each am every day. My family doctor is not a big advocate of cholesterol-lowering drugs; however, when my surgeon's office requested I be put on them prior to surgery as my cholesterol was through the roof, he obliged. Very shortly after the surgery he took me off of the pills, telling me he wanted to see if I could lower it on my own. I received my blood work results today. I am officially back in the great zone! My cholesterol has dropped 52 points! My good cholesterol is great, my bad cholesterol is great! I just have to take a moment and remind myself (and all of you) how worth it this surgery is! It has completely changed my life back to the better, back to the healthy lifestyle! I didn't have the will power to do it on my own, I needed a little help, and man, has it ever been the biggest help. I firmly believe it saved my life!

Checking in at 169.5. Small loss, but I will gladly take it! TOM and my birthday being this past weekend, even a small loss is great!!

I was told the other day by friends that I need new clothes (we have always promised each other brutal honesty) because, well, ALL of my clothes are too big. So, I went to this cute little boutique over the weekend and looked around. I remember always looking before and sales people would always acknowledge me, but must have always assumed I was shopping for someone else. The sales girl this weekend asked, "can I start you a fitting room?" Momentarily I was taken aback, but answered, "sure, why not!" As I started to hand her XL or L sized clothing, she said, "these are not going to fit you." And there I was, back in that place again, back to the what the heck am I doing in this store?? Then she followed up with, "these will be way too big on you." I can not tell you or even begin to recall the last time someone said those words to me. Stubborn me still felt it necessary to try them on. She was absolutely right, they were huge on me! All of the above are major NSVs, but the one that stood out the most, I didn't recognize myself in the mirror! I had to take about 30 glances back to realize it was me, rocking out some of the cutest size Medium clothes that I have ever seen! Our brains don't seem to catch up as fast as our bodies do! So, with that NSV, I am hoping that it Willard it easier to get rid of my "bigger" clothes! I have piles an piles ready to be donated and something is holding me back, some cruel psychological trick! NSV rock! They really do wonders for the self-esteem! Just thought I would share for two reasons, one being: Invest in clothes that fit, it makes a world of difference! Two: if anyone needs size 20 down to 14 clothes, 98% of them major name brands (mostly GAP and American Eagle) please let me know! I have to let go of them someday, I can't keep holding on for security! I have to embrace the new me!

Name, real or screen~ sbb1222 Goal weight for August 31st~ 163 Weight on August 1st~ 170.2 Dietary goal for August~ Protein, Protein, Protein Exercise goal for August~ tone up the arms Personal goal for August~ Enjoy the sunshine Date banded~ 9/27/12 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 71 pounds! Favorite End of Summer Activity~ Evenings on the deck

My goal was 170, I was 170.2 this morning. I will take it!! August is going to bring kicking the 160's butt!!!

I have been awful at checking in this month! Down to 171.6. I will totally check in again on the last day because I am determine to hit my goal!!

Checking in at 173.2. Totally forgot to check in last week! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Name, real or screen~ Sbb1222 Goal weight for July 31st~ 170 Weight on July 1st~176.6 Dietary goal for July~ eating on a schedule (struggle to get enough calories in, in the summertime) Exercise goal for July~ lower body toning Personal goal for July~ slow down, enjoy each day for what it is Date banded~ 9/27/12 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 66 lbs Favorite Independence Day Activity~ picnic with friends Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

176.6 today! 1.6 away from June goal, could still happen! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

I am just under nine months out from surgery, and today I hit the goal that my surgeon set for me at 18 months out! I never in a million years would have thought my daily life would have changed this much! I always thought aches and pains in my early 30's was normal! Now, I know how wrong I was! It is exhilarating waking up and having energy! If anyone has any doubts, please read all of these success stories on here! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Checking in at 178.4! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Does anyone else get as excited as I do, when the scale enters a new group of numbers? Like going from the 180's to the 170's, today that happened to me! It feels so good! Every time it happens is like a huge victory, over and over again! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Down a whopping .2, but it is a loss and I will take it!! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Checking in at 180.2, down 1.2!! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Name, real or screen~ Sbb1222 Goal weight for June 30th~ 175 Weight on June 1st~181.4 (woo hoo, the cruise and TOM bloating is gone today!) Age~ 33 Dietary goal for June~ Drink more Water Exercise goal for June~Tone up Personal goal for June~ to embrace the weight loss instead of nit picking the way my legs look now Date banded~ 9/27/12 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~59.4 pounds Favorite Summer Activity~ my pool/deck and the revolving door of friends who come to visit! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Checking in (2 days late) a little up, boooo! Up to 183.6. Just returned from a 6 days cruise and its that TOM, so hopefully it won't last! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Still at 182.8....at least I didn't gain, right!!

I don't know how to eloquently word this, as I do not want anyone to think that I am unhappy with my Lapland decision, with the weight loss that I have worked for or that I have self esteem issues. I am fairly comfortable in my skin, am happily married, have a phenomenal child and amazing friends. I have never been made to feel bad about myself or my appearance by anyone in my life, even at my heaviest when I hated to look in the mirror. Here is the issue, I find the more weight I lose, the more critical of myself I become. I have never been crazy about being in a bathing suit in public, but have always done it as we travel a lot with friends and friends are over every summer weekend in our pool. However, we leave for a vacation on Saturday, where we will spend a week pretty much in bathing suits. My goal for this vacation was to fit into a size 14 J Crew bathing suit that I bought as my goal. It fits!!!! BUT I find myself now disgusted by how my legs look in a bathing suit, 55+ pounds ago, I had zero problem with how my legs looked!!! I find myself zeroing in on "problem areas" such as my legs or the area between your arm and armpits that I never thought twice about when I was heavier. I am terrified that after hitting my long sought after goal, that I have become too critical of myself to even enjoy it! Has anyone else experienced this? I mean, shouldn't I be ecstatic going on my first vacation in years in Onederland! Shouldn't I be amazed that all of the things that I couldn't do on vacations in years past due to being overweight, I can do with no problem now? Did anyone else find themselves getting MORE self conscious with weight loss, or am I nuts? Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Checking in at 182.8, down 3.8 pounds!!

Sorry, typo, totally! 184.4, down 2.1 pounds. Yay!

checking in at 185.4, down 1.1 pounds. Yay!