gowalking

I'm still not always thinking like a thin person. I took out my jeans this morning and just before I put them on, a quick thought went through my head that they wouldn't fit. I knew they would but I still recall easily that fear or unease every time I'd put on my pants when I was obese. I always feared they wouldn't fit and that fear is still there obviously. It's especially hard now beacause the jeans are really small and I don't realize that I'm small alot of the times. Still working on body image issues though it is getting better. The other random thought today is that we really really need to not obsess over the scale. I admit I weigh myself daily. I do it because it helps me early in my maintenance phase. Having said that though, the number cannot determine our outlook for the day either. I went out to dinner Wednesday night and again last night. Wednesday night I had grilled fish, a couple of shrimp, veggies and a little bit of couscous. When I got on the scale in the morning, the number was the same as it had been for several days. I was a little surprised since I've been very compliant. So last night, we went to a restaurant that's supposed to have the best Pasta in all of NYC. My sister in law is leaving for Beijing on Wednesday for work and will be gone for a year. She wanted her last meal in NYC to be her favorite food so we headed to Porsena even though pasta is my trigger food for sure. Well...I stayed in control but ate more carbs than usual. After all...it was the best pasta in the city. (It was really good..lol) I also had a little bit of dessert and two glasses of white wine. So I got on the scale this morning and figured I'd be up at least a pound if not more. I lost almost a pound instead. Just shows you that it's only a number and the numbers can move without rhyme or reason. I'm not feeling like I dodged a bullet today, nor do I feel bad if the scale doesn't go down or stay the same when I'm being especially compliant. I focus on the NSVs instead. The best one last night was not that the food was terrific (which it was) but I walked home from the restaurant. I went across town and had no real issues doing it. A year ago I was bed ridden and days away from my hip replacement surgery. Walking home from the restaurant was better than any number on the scale. OK, sorry for rambling...have a great day, and a great weekend everyone. For those who Celebrate Yom Kippur, have a good holiday and an easy fast.

Thank goodness candy isn't my trigger food. Oh boy do I feel for all you sugar addicts...

I can only add to what others have said. I decided on the band because it wasn't permanent and could be removed if necessary. I'm fairly certain this is the reason why people choose the band over other WLS because the band is also alot of work for most. What I mean is that there are fills, and the 'green zone' can be very elusive at times. But...if you are dedicated and compliant, the chances are very good that you will find the success you are looking for. I was morbidly obese at 267 lbs. on a 5'1" frame. My BMI was over 50. I am now 123 lbs. I used to wear a size 26 slacks and a 4X top. I'm now wearing 6/8 slacks and mostly medium tops. Oh...and I look terrific in dresses again and wear them quite often though I do need support garments because of the excess skin. I'm 56 and it is what it is. I'm healthy and that's more important than wrinkled skin. I'm also vain again. I wear makeup every day, have shoes to match my outfits, and get my nails done every week. I take care of myself and it makes me feel great. My co-morbidities are under control. I no longer need a cane to walk around and I have the ability to move around in a way I wasn't able to for many years. I'm enjoying my life again. Whichever surgery you get, my thoughts are with you and here's to wishing you a very successful journey to good health. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

Just saw this thread again today and thought I'd post an update as my response above is nearly a year old. For those who are not aware, I'm just days away from my one year anniversary on the hip replacement surgery, down 140+ lbs. and walking just fine thank you. Heading to Myrtle Beach with my kids and granddaughter in a few days and she and I have plans to walk the beach to look for awesome shells. Never could have done that pre-band. Oh...and get this. May be heading to China over Christmas with my brother and niece to visit my SIL who is working there for a year. China was always on my bucket list and there were plenty of times I thought I'd never make it as heavy and immobile as I used to be. If the timing works out and I do get over there, I'll be posting so many pics that you guys will be begging me to stop..lol! I can't say enough what a miracle this lapband has been for me.

Listen ladies...there isn't much you can do about the hair loss. I went through it and I know how devastating it is. I was horrified the day I realized my scalp was showing. I did my best to cover it up, started to take Biotin, Iron, and upped my Protein with unjury powder. Eventually it did start to come back. Then I did the best thing ever. I had my hair cut short. Not only does it hide the thinning hair by making it less noticible, but between the weight loss, no more glasses, and the new short hairdo, I really look so much younger. In fact, I have a picture of my granddaughter as a baby with me holding her on the couch. Right next to it is the same picture set up of me and her on the couch that was taken only a couple of weeks ago. These pictures were taken ten years apart and I look better now than the picture of her and me when she was a baby. Hang in there...it will get better, I promise.

You are correct VSGAnn. I was told by my orthopedist that no amount of further weight loss will make my knees any better. At this point, the damage is there, and all the weight has done is make the load bearing much better and the pain less. But I will need knee replacement as well...the weight has just given me more time...which is no small thing as I am just a year out from bi-lateral hip replacement. I'm more than happy to put off the knee replacement for as long as possible. For some of us, we can avoid surgery but for others, it is inevitable...

I guess you really can find everything on youtube...

Look online for wig stores near you. Just remember that wigs, like anything else, come in varying degrees of quality and the better ones are considerably more expensive. (Had a friend who lost her hair from chemo and went wig shopping with her)

Rant away Alfie. You know what you need for successful long term weight loss. Your friend means well but doesn't understand. I was in such a bad state prior to my surgery that you would also presume I would have 'the mindset' to lose weight. I tried for a year and lost a total of 25 lbs. After a year being banded, I lost around 100 lbs. Now, 9 months later, I am mobile where I was once bed ridden. I went from a size 26 pants to a size 6. I am planning a trip to China...something I thought I'd never have the ability to do. I'm wearing makeup again...dresses, shoes with heels, and I get manicures again. I look and feel better now at the age of 56 than I did ten years ago when I started having knee issues. I swim and bike at the Y. I am normal again. There is no way I could have done any of this without having WLS. Hang in there.....remember you are doing this for your quality of life. I see that you are from NY. If you are near NYC or the surrounding suburbs, please feel free to come to our face to face support group meetings. If you want info on them, just PM me.

It is worth bothering labwalker. You know why? Because like you said, it's a small but vocal minority. As a fellow successful bandster, I think it's our obligation to stick around so other folks who want to be banded same as us, have our experiences to draw from. When I was still waiting for surgery, and terrified of what the future would bring, I found this site and read everything I could from successful bandsters. I am so grateful to folks like Missy and CG who helped me every step of the way along with many others. I'm paying it forward and all of us who understand that bandsters choose this procedure to avoid more invasive procedures need advocates on this site. Please don't leave. Liz

Congratulations. We are working on a support group meeting later this month. Pre-surgical folk are more than welcome to join us. Hope to see you at a future get together. Liz

Ken's looking real good Lisa. Tell him I said so....unless he'll be impossible to live with...lol!

Not at all. In fact, that's why I weigh daily. I need to know all is OK because I haven't found my 'normal' yet.

You can add me to the list. I had both hips replaced at the same time a year ago and my orthopedist has already told me that my knees are a mess and even with all the weight loss, I have damage and like mrsto, will need both knees replaced in the future as well. I take exercise class in the pool at the Y and I do laps as well. I also ride an eliptical bike. I can't run or jog. Don't stop exercising, but do find something that will be easier on your joints. Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of joint disease/pain/arthritis* *yes...I'm being sarcastic..lol.

How much weight do you think you need to lose for the dress to fit? If not much, you may want to make it a Halloween costume but if you need to lose a more significant amount, it might fit at Christmas. Also..as the other poster said, everyone loses differently so all you can do it try to wear the outfit but know that you just might not be able to. I was able to wear a pretty dress to a wedding that took place around 7 months after my surgery. I had another dress the same size that I never was able to wear. The window on sizes grows shorter as you lose so know that it's really a crapshoot. Good luck with your surgery and keep us posted.

I discovered anew, the joys of hummus. Yummy with veggies or a lo fat wrap torn into pieces like a pita but way less calories.

Have an easy fast Arlene and a good holiday. Liz

..yet another form of discrimination as far as I'm concerned. As Lisa noted, why is WLS any less important than any other type of preventative care?

Great news! Please keep us posted.

This is a heartbreaking thread. I hope that most of the folks who posted here and have been off the forum for a while have found the success they were looking for. I had my share of rude comments as well but nothing was a bad as my own self hatred for what I had become. I try to never forget how hard the struggle to eat well can be and I refuse to become a judgemental 'former fatty' same as I try not to make faces when I pass the smokers when I head into my building at work. I remember when I was one of them...huddled around the ashtray in all sorts of weather sucking down the smoke. I don't always feel it, but I try as much as possible to have compassion for those who remind me of sadder and more difficult times in my life. Besides...one should never judge a book by it's cover anyway. I've started dating a gentleman who is on the heavy side and during a conversation about struggling with excess weight, he looked at me like I had just grown another head when I told him I understood how difficult the struggle is. He just presumed I never had any issues as I'm pretty small now. In time, I may show him what I used to look like. For those newer posters who have recently added to this thread, you just hang in there. I never thought I'd ever be a normal size again and I'm there and enjoying my life more than I have in a very long time. So will you.

Thanks for this post. What a good belly laugh I got from it.

Same here Terry. Thinking of you and wishing you well.

I love normal! It's the best!!

Congrats and welcome!

You go ahead and get them nails done. You never know who's paying attention. One day last week, one of my coworkers saw a new color on my nails and said to me that I had such pretty hands and my nails always looked so nice. I keep 'em short and don't do crazy colors but it really is a very feminine thing to do and makes me feel put together. Same thing with the makeup. It's not vanity...it's all about caring for ourselves. In fact, get the toes done too...LOL.