gowalking

Just read your blog Debbie. Firstly congrats on the engagement. Second, good for you regarding making it through the holidays. I can related...I did alot of eating out and other 'social' food events. I did the same as you....enjoyed what I ate but worked on making good choices and not overeating..and did just fine this first year of being banded. I hope to make this a truly permanent change so that next year, heck, ten years from now...I can say the same.

I'm going to contact a couple of gals who live in Brooklyn to see if they're interested. I don't know how to get them on this thread so I'll message them and if they're interested, I'll tell them where this thread is located.

Now I know why I'm not married. I'd just beat the crap out of him... Just kidding!! LOL!

I'm in New York City. I know a face lift is totally out of pocket and I'm not sure what the cost is. My lapband surgeon has patients who've had plastic surgery and I have a name from one of them. It's a start for when I'm ready.

I haven't had it yet, but it's on my list. I have a real turkey neck now and while the clothes can hide the loose skin everywhere else, (and it's everywhere), I can't hide my face and I don't like what I see...lines by my mouth, bags under my eyes, and the neck as well. I'm hoping to meet with a plastic surgeon late this year and try to get this done in 2015. How about you? Are you investigating surgeons yet?

You're absolutely right not a coincidence at all. I'm 5'1.5 (can't forget that.5:)). Friend me so we can support one another to our goal and beyond. OK...just 'friended' you.

As have I Jim... as have I. Eighty pounds lost in the early nineties and I swore I would never be fat again. Eventually I gained it all back and then some.

Woo Hoo!! I can post here now. I'm close in terms of numbers...13 lbs. from my goal (set with my primary doc) but I reached my personal goal once I lost around 65 lbs. As soon as I got near 200 lbs. I could move forward on my hip replacement surgery. I had that surgery in October and though I'm still not pain free, I'm so much more mobile than before and can walk for several blocks where I once was only able to walk a block and then was in so much pain, I had to stop and sit. I was basically unable to walk or even get out of bed just prior to the surgery and now I hope to be able to visit London (on my bucket list) and sightsee without worrying about pain/endurance. I may not get there in 2104 but I'll do my very best to get there in 2015. My goal for 2014 is to scuba with my son this summer when we take our family cruise. Last year I couldn't even get off the ship. This year I expect to be able to shop again, and go on other excursions. I'm concerned at this point that I won't be able to maintain now that I've lost the majority of the excess weight but as long as I keep these goals in mind, I hope to keep my head in the game and not backslide.

I don't think it's a coincidence that we follow a very similar food plan (also per my nutritionist) and have lost a similar amount of weight. In fact, I suspect based on your BMI and mine, we're about the same height as well.

What a spectacular weight loss in such a short period of time. I know my loss has been very good and faster than many others but you have surpassed me. Keep up the good work! My challenge at this point is to really think beyond the weight loss and to making sure I maintain it.

I too gained an awful lot of weight after stopping the smoking..not the 10 or so lbs. that most people gain...I gained more than 60 lbs. and I was already overweight to begin with. I am lucky in that I don't have any urges to go back to it but I do worry about what new addiction may surface. Fortunately, I'm not much of a drinker but I do know that it's easy to substitute one bad habit for another. If you can, please try to stop smoking now before it becomes more difficult.

This weight loss thing we are all going through is full of observations and insights and I noticed something on New Year's Eve. I went out to dinner with my sister and a friend. I ordered the steak and my sister ordered the fish. I was surprised she ordered the fish...it's not her go-to food. But then again, red meat is not what I eat much either but heck, it was New Year's Eve so I decided to go for it. So...I cut off about 3 ounces of meat from my portion...it was probably about 10 ounces in size but I can eyeball portions pretty well at this point. I finished the piece I cut away and enjoyed it thoroughly. My sister finished her fish and asked me if she could take some of my steak. I said she was welcome to it and after we were finished with dinner, she said that she wanted 'surf and turf' as her meal and knew that since I ordered the steak, she would order the fish and have both knowing I would leave over plenty. I thought afterwards that this is what I'm looking for. I want folks who know me, to know that I'll always leave food over. I want this to be my new normal because as long as I leave food over, I am in control of what goes into my belly. For me...this control is so powerful and feels so much better than the fleeting pleasure of overeating. Can you tell that I'm in therapy now to help with all these changes to my body and we're discussing my need to feel in control...lol! I'm seeing alot of posts about body issues and I'm right there with you...my head is not where my body is. I still feel like the biggest one in the room, and the fat girl is still front and center. I'm hoping with time and help from the therapist, I can see what others see now...a normal sized person who will always be a normal sized person.

It takes a strong woman to admit her self sabotage. This strength is what will make you win the battle and be a success. Very proud of you.

Can I suggest you use myfitnesspal? I found this invaluable in terms of understanding how many calories and sodium and protein and sugar foods have. I know my success is in great part due to using it all the time.

Very timely post B-52. We just booked a family cruise for July and I had to check my passport to see if it included my middle name. The picture is of me 100 lbs. heavier so now I'm also curious to see what reaction, if any, I get from the ship personnel when they look at it.

What a great post Terry and this is why I don't want to hear ever again how folks on this site are not supportive. Your response is exactly why we have this forum and why I stay. Your advice to this poster was spot on and I couldn't have said it better.

Wow Donna. I am in awe of you for being so strong and resiliant. I hope you know that you are a success right now and being at goal is just icing on the cake.

OK then. Let's try to get something going for sure.

A friend of mine told me I should post this for both the newbies and the veterans to show you all that anything is possible. Many of you know my journey but for those who don't, I was banded January 14th, 2013 and at that time was morbidly obese and suffering terrible pain from joint disease in both my knees and hips. My surgeon had told me six months earlier that at my current weight, I was not a candidate for surgery and I needed to be under 200 lbs. or I was going to wind up in a wheelchair. I was very successful with the band and in six months, had lost enough weight to be considered a surgical candidate. By that time, my hips were so bad that I needed both of them replaced and I spent the two weeks prior to surgery on constant bed rest because I couldn't have any more cortisone shots and the pain was so bad that I could barely get to the bathroom and back. I was on a double dose of Percoset round the clock and even that didn't diminish the pain. For those of you with bad osteo or rhuematoid arthritis, you can understand what I'm talking about. And for those of you who are still dealing with 'regular' joint pain...I am your worst nightmare in terms of how bad it can get. Fast forward nearly a year since the lapband surgery, and subsequent hip replacement surgery, and just take a look at the pictures attached. I'm the gal in the middle...with no deer antlers (mine got wet and droopy), but there I am at my Water exercise class...moving and doing, and standing and in only post op pain. I look at this picture and want everyone on this forum to understand that no matter where you are in your journey, you can improve your life and get back whatever obesity took away from you. It is possible, I am living proof of that. I am one of the success stories, and anyone else on this forum can also be a success story. If you are doing well, wonderful...keep it up. If you are struggling...get the help you need and get back on track. You can do it!! I've also attached two other pictures of me....one from Christmas last year, and the selfie I just took today. Yes...that's the same girl...just 100 lbs. less of her. I hope you read this post as many times as needed to inspire and help you to reach whatever goals you've set. I'm not perfect, and I'm not stunning...I'm just a normal, somewhat flabby middle aged woman who got her life back. Next week, we are going to the travel agent to make plans for a family cruise...and this time, I know I'll be able to not only get off the ship, but do whatever the kids want be it sightseeing, snorkeling, swimming in the ocean...or almost anything. Thank you lapband and thank you for reading this. Happy holidays to all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Love....Gowalking.

I have read many inspiring stories on this forum, but yours is the best ever, many congratulations you look fabulous.Thank you for your kind words.

I suspect so. I left Monroe in 2002.

Me too. I lived in Blooming Grove. It was really nice there but I worked in NYC and the commute was just too much for me. This was before the train went into Penn Station via the Secaucus transfer and the bus was the only way to get in.

go into the photos tab and you'll see pics posted there. I've got some before and after photos there along with many others.

Just make sure you are following your doctor's protocol for what to eat and when. If you are not sure about said protocol, call the office and get specific instructions. You should not be guessing at this..not now, nor months from now either. Eventually, you'll know what and how to eat but right now, you should have a detailed list so you can follow the doctor's directives to the letter. Good luck and congrats on being a bandster.