linds&herband

When I was banded a year ago, I started the c25k right after my doc gave me exercise clearance. I finished the program in 11weeks (I repeated a couple if weeks) and finished my first 5k race at 35mins in September 2012. I lost 40lbs during the process and after a long winter, I've started the program again to increase my speed and hopefully lose another 40. Even though I completed the program a year ago, starting it back up is still a lot of work and very difficult. Although it gives you incriminates of walking and running it is very challenging to say the least. I carry all of my weight in my lower half. Being pear shaped and 50lbs overweight, I still have trouble with keeping motivated. I can hear that inner voice telling me I can't. "You're too heavy to run. You look ridiculous. You're too fat." Sounds nuts but that's the inner fat person refusing to let you go. And that's the only thing holding you back. We are designed to run. It's possible.

Seafood has been a great ally during my journey. Especially shrimp. Depending on how it's cooked, low cal and yummmmy. I've never had any trouble with shrimp, clams, or crab meat. I hate fish, but I'm assuming its flaky texture would be ok. Crab legs are probably the best for banders in my opinion. Think about it, it takes so long to crack open the shells therefore you feel full sooner. It's easier to listen to your body when you can't mindlessly eat. Cut it small and chew chew chew. Like someone said the stingy foods when you chew tend to be the hardest to get down. For example pineapple has never agreed with my band however everyone is different.

Hey fellow banders! My name is Lindsay and I am approaching my surg-iversary on April 19th. Starting this journey at 290lbs, I have successfully lost 75lbs and my goal is to be in onederland by July. My long term goal is to be a curvy 145-150lb bombshell. I like to keep that 5lb buffer just in case. It's been a slow, but steady weight loss since my surgery. Frustrating, exciting, and challenging all in one. Some days it's the best decision I've ever made and somedays I second guess myself. Did I choose the right surgery for me? My friend just got the gastric sleeve and boy did we go head to head when she announced her choice for wls. She's committed to the argument that my surgery will ultimately fail me, and I think that she was looking for fast results without considering the future. I chose the Lapband because I've never had trouble loosing weight. Rather, I had trouble with maintenance and loosing motivation at every brick wall. Considering my ripe age of 24, I thought the band would offer me more control over my body. With a sleeve stomach or gastic bypass theres more room to stretch out over time, the band offered adjustments. Having kids wouldn't terrify me as much because my band will be there to back me up at postbaby. Its hard to stay optimistic sometimes when I see her creeping up on my weightloss markers faster than I did post-op, but I try to remind myself why I choose the band. But it's hard not to wonder if I chose the right path. Do any of you ever think what if?

Thanks everyone! I'll keep trucking along. Every day is a clean slate. It's been a long strange trip trying to figure out how to live with the band and after 11 months I think I finally understand how to work with it and use the tool to my best advantage.