gowalking

I cut my hair short because I was going through some physical issues and needed to change things up for my own sanity along with suffering from hair loss, which started when I was about 7 months post banded. And..also because I knew that I was small enough a year ago to accomodate a short hairstyle. I've had nothing but positive comments with my new short hair. I love it this way...and I love your haircut as well @ga_crystal.

Many of us with weight issues have some type of body dis-morphism in that we do not see what others see. We look in the mirror and often do not see how large we are and when we start to lose weight we do not see that either. Pictures help alot when you can't see what others see. Also..no matter the reason, if someone tells you that it looks like you've lost some weight, just say thank you..and get used to it. It will happen more and more as the weight comes off. As far as myself, I am less than half my size now and am still struggling with seeing what others see. I've been called skinny and that is hard for me to hear because I have NEVER been skinny and the fat girl still lurks in my head. You can also do a search on this topic in that it is brought up quite often.

I was trying to figure out what to eat for lunch and nothing was appealing...not my go to foods like hummus or salad or tuna, etc. Then I thought I would like a little bit of hummus, a piece of cheese..so, I made a platter of nibbles for lunch. I had a hard boiled egg, a tablespoon of hummus with cut up sweet pepper for dipping. I also had a bunch of red grapes and a baby bell cheese with some crackers. I'm not sure what the calories or Protein totals were but I know it wasn't empty carbs or something else not good for us from a nutritional standpoint. And...most important, it was delicious.

Aww...thank you. The 150 lb. goal was my doctor's idea. She said she would be thrilled if I got down to that weight. I kept eating the way I had been since being banded and the weight just continued to come off. It's stabilized at around 115. I haven't been this size since I was a young girl. Even when I got married, I was 125 lbs. and looked really nice so this is really an amazing accomplishment for me. Now...to keep it off. That's the real goal.

The pool does have a chair lift and stairs for those who need help. Unfortunately, this lady just did not fit in the chair and I knew she was concerned that the chair wouldn't hold her. As far as the stairs, she just couldn't manage them without assistance. It was like trying to get someone paralyzed out of the Water. She couldn't do much of anything to help herself. I think the people helping her were not being insensitive...it's just that they had to move a very large person who wasn't able to move herself and it just wasn't pretty. All I could think was how terrible to be so large that you are basically trapped in your body and can't do even basic things. I never got that immobile, but I wasn't all that far from it. I will keep an eye out for this lady and see if she continues to use the facility. I do hope so.

If anyone would have told me two years ago that these legs belonged to me, I wouldn't have believed it. First of all, they are small enough to cross...second, there are heels on those feet, and lastly, check out those fishnet stockings..lol! It's a far cry from the pants I wore every day because my body looked awful in a dress, the wide shoes I had to wear because my feet were so swollen, and the flats I could only wear because my hips and knees were way too painful to even think of wearing any kind of heel. Ok, back to work...

Welcome Louise. Glad to have you here on the forum. As others have said, high BMI is only one consideration. As you can see, my BMI was over 50...in the morbidly obese range and I am now in a totally normal BMI range having gotten gastric banding. Keep us posted on your pre-surgery process.

Oh please...that's cute. I take no offense and I'm a girl, so there.

That's a great NSV! I can especially related as I can wear pantyhose now and my thighs no longer rub together. I hated the rash I would get at the end of the day or evening from the friction...and let's not forget the sweating getting in and out of the pantyhose as well. These days it's no big deal anymore and going to the ladies room is just a quick pull them down and pull them back up. The little things are so so so important.

..and yesterday, a neighbor was outside and saw me coming home from the Y. I stopped to chat with him a bit and he said that I was very inspiring to him. I thanked him but felt awkward...I don't take compliments all that well...probably just because I'm not used to them. But these comments are telling me that everyone...and I mean everyone, is aware of my transformation. Even people who are peripheral in my life but who see me on a regular basis.

Echoing what others are saying. Haven't had a Protein drink since I started mushies. I've lost more than 150 lbs. on dense protein, veggies and yes...small amounts of carbs.

I'm starting to see more posts from folks with stalls, or gaining some weight back, or I'm 'X' pounds away from goal and I want to kindly remind everyone that weight is a number. It's the way the medical community determines success/failure with weight loss surgery. It should not be our way of determining success or failure. Stop getting on the scale. Focus on the non scale victories. We have them daily. You just have to be aware of them. Even with myself being in the maintenance stage, I still have NSVs. I just am not always aware of them and then when I am, it's as good as the first NSV. I've been on this forum for more than two years. I provide my stats just so other morbidly obese folks can see that WLS works. No other reason. I don't weigh myself anymore. I know by what I've eaten, how I'm doing. I know by the fit of my clothes, how I'm doing. I know I'm successful because I can walk again when I was almost wheelchair bound. I know I'm successful because I am healthier than I've been in almost 20 years. I know I'm successful because I look people in the eye again. I know I'm successful because I care about how I look again. I know I'm successful because I am actually out there dating again. I know I'm successful because I can take trips with my family and not be a burden. I know I'm successful because I can put my leg up on the bench in the shower and shave my legs again. I know I'm successful because I can sit in a chair with arms. Shall I go on? Do you get it now? As the weight drops...quickly or slowly or in a non-linear fashion, we experience all types of NSVs. Focus on those. Enjoy your lives, you are making choices to be better. Even if you falter, you can get back on track. You have the tools so know that every day is a new beginning and today is the day to pay attention to how much healthier/happier you are now than before. Have a good day today and be kind to yourselves. I'm heading out in a couple of hours to see my new grandson born this past Thursday. I can get on the train with no problems, climb the stairs at the train station without worrying if I'll make it or not, not worry about how big the hospital is because I can walk without pain, and hold the baby in my arms and know that I will be the most active grandma this kid will ever know. Come look for me....I'll be the little lady in the park climbing the monkey bars with her grandson in a few years. That my friends, is success.

It took me a while to figure out what was flattering yet age appropriate. I remember very well, a young woman who I asked in the dressing room, what she thought of a dress I had on. She wanted to know why I was so covered up with such a small pretty shape. Again...we do not often see what others see. Bring someone you trust with you to shop. Or spend a little more and go to a store with real salespeople like Lord & Taylor or Nordstrom who can help you pick out clothes.

It's starting to warm up here in NYC as well Julie. About time I say. Here's the nice thing about the change of seasons....a good reason to change out the wardrobe and pick up a few new items...

I had to start seeing a therapist because I didn't recognize the person I saw in the mirror. This was a combination of body dis-morphia and loss of control...two hot button issues for me. I'm getting better at recognizing myself but it's still a process. I've also segued into issues surrounding the root causes of my obesity and how I can work on staying the size I am now. I fear self sabotage and I know that it's easy to eat around the band if that is your goal. Not to worry @CanyonBaby....you are absolutely not alone in the things you feel and think when you look in the mirror.

What great responses. And I agree that if weighing daily is what helps, then do it. I just meant that we should enjoy the successes along the way rather than just focusing on the end goal only. Every day there is something to appreciate even if we've stalled or gained some weight back and that's what I hope people take from my post. We should enjoy the improvements we see whenever we notice them. Whether we are 5 lbs. from goal, or 105 lbs. from goal. For me, the amount of weight I've lost has meaning..not necessarily what I weigh. I lost 150 lbs. and in the process, gained my life back. For this I am so very grateful and I wanted to remind folks who may be struggling to know that there are several measures of success, not just a number on the scale. Thanks again everyone!

What the hell?? Now I'm down to a size 7. The weather is finally starting to ease up here in the Northeast so last weekend I started changing over back into warmer weather shoes and OMG....the 7 1/2's are falling off my feet. I don't get it. I know my feet got narrower and I already went down from an 8 1/2 to 7 1/2 over the course of two years but I didn't expect to go down another half size. Some of these shoes are really nice and I don't want to get rid of them. I tried cushions and other things to be able to wear them, and some of the shoes still fit, but many do not. How in the world did my feet go from an 8 1/2 to a 7? The only good thing is that I've spent so much money at DSW that I got a pair of shoes for free. I hate to think what I've spent on shoes these last two years. Oh, and for those folks who doen't see the scale move and get discouraged...take it from me...no weight change does not mean no change in clothing sizes. I've been fairly stable at the 113 lbs for a while now...and have lost a total of ten pounds in the last six months...not much, right? Well, I've noticed some of my clothes are getting loose on me again. I have several medium tops with short sleeves that I suspect I will need to replace for this coming season. I know I need some new jeans....my size 6 black jeans are falling off me and I just bought them about three or four months ago. So remember that the scale is just a number and you can't live and die with it. Use your clothing as a better indicator of how you are doing in the weight loss department. Have a great Friday and a great weekend everyone!

@@ThruChristICan, it's not a battle but a choice. Do your homework, talk to your medical professional about your situation, and what you are most comfortable with, and then make the choice that is best for you. The most important decision you made was to look at the option of WLS, whichever one you decide on. Good luck.

The prices are really high at the Midtown store. I went to the Talbots outlet in Deer Park on the Island and the prices there are much more reasonable. You should check it out if you can get out there.

Believe me...it will make your head spin once you get into regular sizes. I was there last week taking advantage of the one day sale and spent five hours trying on stuff. I'm still not sure what size I am...plus I have to learn that size is secondary. I can be anywhere from a size 10 to a 4 in a dress, and an 8 to a 4 in slacks. So when I see something I like, I often have to try it on in a couple of sizes to see what fits better. Guess what happened yesterday. I was in Talbot's on Madison Ave. and meandered on to the third floor. This was the only floor where the lady asked me if I was looking for something for myself. I said yes and she told me I was on the plus size floor and needed to go up to the fourth floor where the petite's were. She knew just based on my size, that I was on the wrong floor unless I was purchasing something for someone else. I wanted to run up to her and plant a big ole kiss on her..

chances are pretty good that you will put some of it back on. best advice I can give you, is don't get on the scale for a while. focus on healing, learning how to navigate with the band, and generally stay away from anything that might sabotage your commitment. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

I don't get stuck but I do know that when I eat out, I don't always pay attention to the amount of food I eat and with the band, sometimes one forkful can mean the difference between satiety and uncomfortably full. So I figured out a little trick. I take off a band sized portion of whatever I'm eating, cut that food into small pieces and when I've finished it, I'm finished. I don't graze anything else on my plate, or start to nibble on the bread...nothing. This way I don't have to focus on the food but I also know I've done my best to prevent anything untoward.

I do lots of shopping as well. I used to buy too much because I still had the 'if it fits, get it in every color' mentality. Then I bought too much because I was so excited to go into smaller sizes. Finally, I'm starting to realize that I can shop anywhere..not just in 'women's' sections so I can be much more discerning now so I try to only buy what I love. I'm getting there, but thank goodness I live alone because my closets are ready to explode. Oh..and along with the new clothes, are lots of new shoes, bags and purses, and fashion jewelry. Thank goodness my food bill is so much less money..

Every time I hop into my bed, or cross my legs, or bend down, curl up, stand up, etc, etc, etc, I am reminded how as we get larger, we compensate in how we move. I know I didn't realize for a very long time, the changes I made as I got heavier and heavier but I am hyper aware how much easier it is now to engage in any type of movement. Everything we do is different because it's easier the smaller one gets. It's so wonderful that I hope the feeling never goes away. Right now I'm constantly reminded of my weight loss because of this and I don't ever want it to become something I take for granted.

I always liked hummus but now it's a staple of my diet. Three ounces along with a 100 calorie wrap and I'm good for lunch or even breakfast. Quick and easy.