gowalking

What a great NSV Bama!

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your honesty in owning up to your part in needing to have the band removed. Good luck to you.

Oh Terry....that is just hysterical! Thanks for the laugh.

Hi Ilene: Are we twins separated at birth?? I too am from NY and Florida. I was banded in January and have lost 92 lbs. I also have been dealing with leg issues. I had bi-lateral hip replacement seven weeks ago and am still on the mend. I exercised in the pool because the pain was too great to exercise anywhere else. That's a good suggestion for you to try swimming. My surgeon just cleared me to go back in the Water and I'm looking forward to doing that again. Oh...and I'm 55 so if we are twins, I feel sorry for our mom....LOL!

Hi Lo. Haha...like that...hi-lo. Just posted that I too am looking forward to seeing family on Thursday and Friday. I've been off the grid for a while recuperating from bilateral hip replacement and anything that makes me feel more normal is good. Celebrating Thanksgiving with the family is a great step in that direction. Have a wonderful holiday!

hooray and welcome to the other side!

That's funny Debbie! Just so happens he is a very good looking man. I'm single, but he's very much married. But I have to say, as a woman, it was very much of an ego booster regardless.

Believe it or not, I'm just going to remember how great I feel and look and remind myself that looking good feels so much better than overeating feels. I'll eat smart and as healthy as possible and will feel great when I get home instead of being angry and upset because I didn't stay in control. It's all a head game and you just need to have your 'head in the game' before you sit down to eat. You are strong and can have a great Thanksgiving. Don't fear the holiday, but embrace the new you instead. Good luck!

Welcome! We are all your buddies here on this site. We'll help any way we can. I know many of the posters here have helped me in my journey and we'll be happy to help you too. Your excitement and worry are very normal...most of us have gone through the same questioning of our decision. Most of us are very happy we've been banded and I'm sure you will be too. Your goal is certainly not too much to ask for and many others have the same goal as you. For me, I have medical issues that made weight loss critical for my quality of life but I can tell you for sure that I was pretty darn excited when I recently posted about buying new clothes in the misses department and not in the 'women's' section. I was banded in January of this year so you will be one year behind me. I don't know how much you want to lose but I've come such a long way in less than a year so know that you may well do the same and find yourself in a much better place a year from now same as I am. Good luck and keep us posted both before and after your surgery.

well isn't that sweet of you to mention me in your post. I feel the same way. I know my success is very much related to the support and friendship I have found on this site. You guys keep me focused and help me more than you can ever know.

OK, here goes. The before pic is from 2008 when I was probably 240-250ish. I started this journey in January at 267. The after pics are from the last couple of days. Just know that my hips are still swollen from the replacement surgery, OK? I just wanted to post though because the tops are from the misses department and not women's sizes. I'm finally out of the plus sizes.

Posting this to inspire anyone surfing the topics on this site. One year ago, I was 267 lbs. and in a very bad place physically and emotionally. I had the lapband surgery in January because I had no other choice. My mobility was in jeopardy, I was in tremendous joint pain, and my world was shrinking because of it. There was way more that I couldn't do rather than what I could do. The big issues have been addressed in that I had the joint replacement surgery I needed once I got below 200 lbs. I've also noted that I'm no longer in fear of things like airplane seats, chairs with arms, theater seats, etc. Well...last night I went to dinner and we were taken to a booth that I could see was tight. As my weight loss is still pretty new, I said a silent prayer and slipped into the seat. Not only did I fit fine, we moved the table closer to me so my dad would have some extra room. When I got up after dinner was over, I looked back at the booth again, and simply said to my mom that a year ago, I'd have never fit in there. She agreed, and then the moment was over. But it still resonates with me. I feel like I have my life back. Not entirely yet....I'm still in a process and not finished by any means. But...again...I feel normal and that is awesome. For all you folks not where you want to be yet, or struggling, this post is for you...to inspire and to let you know that you can, and will succeed.

You can cube it and add it to Soup. My SIL uses it with veggies to make a meatless stir-fry. I'm sure you can look up recipes online and there will be suddenly lots of ideas for you.

Sounds like a great day. Congrats on the weight loss!

Congrats. Can I presume the LI is for Long Island? If yes, I'm your neighbor on the other side of the river here in Manhattan.

Make sure you get the WLS that is best for you. Lot's of doctors are moving away from the band because the money is better with the sleeve, and less post op care. That doesn't mean you should do it though. Get as much information as possible about all surgeries and then go with what you are comfortable with. Most bandsters go that route because it's the least invasive of the procedures. I myself am banded for that very reason and I needed to lose more than 100 lbs. In less than one year, I'm close to my weight loss goal and have met other goals already such as getting off my BP meds, and just recently, buying clothes in the misses department and not plus size. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi Joy....I'm in the same boat as you...hair loss and sagging skin. I hate both of these things....however, I hated being fat more. Please don't question your decision. You can hide the sagging skin with clothes, you can hide the hair loss with the help of your hair stylist or even get a wig. You can't hide fat. Everyone sees it and it doesn't look good. I have an awful turkey neck now and I hate the way it hangs. It's on my list for next year to get it fixed either with a facelift or that lifestyle lift....I'll have to check them both out. But remember...keep your chin up and be proud of the weight loss. Think of the hair and skin issues as our badges of honor. I know it's just mental manipulation, but try it, OK? We seem to be in similar places so feel free to message me if you want to vent. I'll listen and it helps me as well to know I'm not going through this alone. By the way, I think Missy had hair loss issues and her hair is now OK. You can message her as well for some advice.

Boy can I appreciate your knee issues SillyAuntDi. Same thing for me.....both knees bad, no cartilage, torn meniscus, no surgery until I lost weight. Hang in there. I had to lose nearly 70 lbs. before being considered a candidate for replacement surgery and I have lost around 90 lbs. Turns out I needed both hips replaced before even considering the knees and had that done nearly seven weeks ago. Knees are still sore but the pain is much better. I was on mandatory bed rest for two weeks prior to surgery and now I can lift my legs...something I couldn't do for a year or more. I went food shopping today and only sat for a couple of minutes over the hour or so I was in the supermarket. Before the surgery, I was sitting every few minutes and walking home even with the shopping wagon was torture. Good luck with everything and if you have any questions about the replacement surgery, let me know and I'll try to give you some info based on my experience.

How great is that! I lost a newborn calf....LOL!

Same here joy....90 lbs. down and my hair has gotten very thin as well. I've been told the same as you...it will grow back. I too am using Biotin and drinking unjury to get in more Protein. I just got back from the salon as a matter of fact and my hairdresser 'tweaked' my style to cover more of the thinning areas. He also said not to stress and that it will come back but like you, I've looked in the mirror and cried. All I can do is hope they are right. I've been waiting for my hair to grow back for at least four months now and it's not happening yet.

Aww...thanks. Like many of you, I find it hard to see my own progress even with pictures and fitting into smaller sizes. It really helps to get feedback. Gotta get rid of that darn turkey neck though... I'll put it on the list for 2014...lol.

Just be aware that whatever you tell your coworkers, if the weigh comes off quickly, they'll likely figure it out. For me, I told a few close work friends but I'm pretty sure with 90 lbs gone in less than a year, many have put two and two together. Am figuring by next year everyone will be used to my new size and no one will even think about it.