salsa1877

Thank you for all the congrats. We will be taking the plunge on April 5th. That is the day after my PS consult so we will be up towards the Washington/Oregon border so that my family can make it down to be the witnesses and officiators. My dad became ordained last night online and said that he was going to perform a Shinto ceremony so that he could buy samurai swords!!! I don't think there will be any actual ceremony just lunch and paper signing. I have NEVER wanted a big wedding because I don't like being the center of attention so that would have freaked me out. My BF and I both play World of Warcraft so I think we are going to wear matching World of Warcraft t-shirts to highlight our nerdiness!! He was actually making jokes about it this morning so he must feel better about it today. My Protein bar is called Pure Protein and it is 190 cal and 19 grams of protein. I like it and so does my BF. The choc/peanut butter one kind of tastes like Reese's PB cups with a little more texture. THey don't smell good though. I get them at wal-mart for 6 dollars a box for 6. Well I have to go plan my menu for next week. Putting it together is like doing one of those logic puzzles. I am so picky about not overdoing the carbs (believe me they scare me more that an ax wielding psychopath!) so I really have to plan. Right now it is as hard as trying to figure out how you were going to get in all that protein with so few calories at the beginning of this lap-band journey. It was tough at first, but eventually we got the hang of it. Just a rearranging of the rules, but still the same concepts. Chat later!

It is funny how sizes change, but I just use the size that I usually fit in. My 10s are getting big but I refuse to call myself a size 8 yet though I have tried on several pairs of 8s that do fit. Just a little too scared to say that I am in single digits!

My doc and I originally came to the 150 pound mark even though it would still be technically "overweight", but I am fairly muscular...even when I was really fat. However, I am at 162 right now and my doc, my nutritionist, and the nurse practitioner have to take a second look at the scale because they don't believe that I weigh that much. I would love to get into the 150s and I know that I will get there with Plastic surgery, but the number we choose shouldn't define who we are. Some of us have upped our goal weight, others have lowered it, and others hit it right on. I am finally becoming comfortable with how I look. The number the scale gives me is just ONE aspect of this whole journey, but it is not going to dictate my life. My nutritionist now just wants me using all the lessons that I have learned in the last 7.5 months to start eating a more balanced meal (not just protein as I pretty much have been!) It took a lot of courage, several boxes of kleenex, and intense internal reflection for me to realize that the number on the scale did not define me. If I lose more weight, fine...if I stay the same, fine...as long as I don't gain...I am TRULY happy with who I am. I think when you get there, then you are at goal.

This may sound crazy, but you may be too tight. I have found that the tighter my band the less healthy stuff I could eat. I have had to have 2 partial unfills because I couldn't handle eating CRAP foods just so that I could eat something. I have also found that when I am looser but able to eat nutritionally dense foods that I stay fuller much longer and don't have as many cravings trigged by CRAP foods. Just my 2 cents.

So to answer your question my BMI is currently 27 and my belly is horrendous. If you were to see my pictures there was no way in the last 10ish pounds that all of that was coming off!! (They are posted on the monthly boards: August 07 Plastic Surgery if you are really interested in seeing what major belly flab looks like!) It is also starting to hurt my back. If I don't wear a girdle like undergarment my back is killing me by the end of the day.

Nope I was a fat, science nerd! Now I am thin, science nerd!:crying:

So I won't scare you with my saggy skin pictures, but I will tell you this...I will take my baggy/saggy/look like jabba the hut's sister's skin over the 90 pounds that I just shed. As for what causes it, my doc said that it is a lot of different factors: age, health before surgery, muscle tone, # of pregnancies (for tummy area of course!), rate of weight loss, amount of exercise. Probably the best way to prevent it is to slowly lose the weight with lots and lots of cardio and weights while you are losing. Unfortunately some of us (ME, ME, ME) had everything going for them in terms of the factor and could still win at least a casting call if they were to recast the role of Jabba the Hut in a new Star Wars movie. Looks were definetly a factor in getting the band, but more so it was for my health. My mom died at 53 from a major heart attack and suffered from heart disease, joint diseases, diabetes, sleep disorders, and intestinal disorders due in part to her weight...I was just over 50 pounds away from her weight when she died and I knew what my future held. So skin be damned, I took control of my life. Good luck in your choice, and congrats on taking the first step and doing your research. The more you learn the better off you will be!

I wasn't sure what made me want to cry more...the new BEFORE pics or my GORGEOUS new pics. I decided if there were going to be tears, they were going to be tears of joy. Look at my face...I don't even look the same to me! I am normally not one to toot my own horn, but DAMN I am looking good! Can't wait for the tummy tuck, so that I feel this good about my WHOLE self. 7.5 month pics.bmp

So I did go to my nutritionist today because I had NO idea how to transition into maintenance. In reality...I am at goal. Yeah my ticker says 2 pounds to go , but I will lose that in PS so if I lose it before then great...if not okay. I am happy where I am at and I know that maintenance for me is probably going to be a lot like losing. My nutritionist said that now that I KNOW what foods are healthy and I KNOW how much to eat, now I need to start shifting to a little bit more balanced meals, but that in reality nothing much is going to change. This is what she has given me as a guide. 70-80 g Protein 2 servings fruit 2-3 servings vegs 2 starches (1 starch = 10-15 g carbs) 2-3 fats She said in reality the only thing missing from my diet was starches and fats. But as I have mentioned in other posts carbs scare me more than an ax wielding psychopath. As for whether or not I am going to have to add MORE food to my day...we don't know. This is a waiting game...If I can't stop losing weight (my doc doesn't want me losing any more and wants me stable before PS) then I will have to add...If I naturally plateau so be it. If I gain...WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY! THen I will know once and for all that carbs are EVIL! There will always be foods that I will avoid: sugar, white flour, fast foods, junk foods. But then again I have grown to love the healthy foods more. I really am not missing the crap I ate before. Well we are certainly in this together. I am glad that someone else out there is where I am...I was beginning to think I was the only guinea pig out there. I may be a scientist...but I didn't want to be the test rat!

I have to echo what the others have said. You really can't compare yourself to anyone else. There are a lot of people that would kill for 62 pounds gone. However I do attribute my success to 1. Exercise: I work my butt off...infact I have been told several times now by several different medical professionals that I need to back off the amount of time I spent at the gym. I have been fairly steady with the amount of exercise that I have been doing from the beginning. However even though I was VERY FAT when I started this journey I have always been muscular, so that helps in burning off even more fat. 2. My diet. If I shouldn't eat it...It wasn't in the house. I have that luxury as I don't have kids and my BF was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO supportive that he just wouldn't bring stuff into the house and leave it where I could eat it. Didn't hurt that I became lactose intolerant after surgery and couldn't eat ice cream! I allowed myself to have small pieces of goodies...but not at home. Only if I was out at a restaurant. On top of that I followed every bandster rule almost to a T only breaking them on VERY rare occasions. I had specific times when I ate (6:30, 10:30, 2:30, 5:30) and I didn't eat anything else. I was an Atkins girl so I went mostly low carb...but that is just because carbs scare me more than an ax wielding psychopath! Getting Proteins was easy for me and I NEVER drank those AWFUL Protein drinks except after fills. So while this is all great and my neurotic, obsessive, controlling ways worked for me, I will guarantee that they would drive some to the point of insanity. So I have to agree with your doctor that you are right on track. Besides your weight is A NUMBER...and I am pretty certain that you are more than 1 single number. I am at 162 now...2 pounds away from my HIGHER revised goal because I am excited and elated over what I look like. I don't care what the damn scale says. If it doesn't think I am skinny enough that it can shove it cause my size 8 pants say a totally different thing. We were consumed by food, and now we are consumed by the scale. It has taken me a lot of long nights, boxes of Kleenex and 10.5 hours of talking to myself while driving in the car to realize that if I NEVER lose those last 2 pounds or I NEVER hit 150 that I have done an amazing job and that I am proud of myself. So in my opinion...keep doing what you are doing with the food and maybe pick up the exercise...but do it for size or for health...not for the scale.

Okay I have to join the loggers now! Bring on the ax...oh..wait...not that type of logger! Dang I was looking foward to wearing the orange vest and hard hat! So my nut. wants me to stop counting calories and focus on getting in more variety of food. I am supposed to be getting around 1500 calories and she thinks that is completly do able if I just eat healthy foods in the manner that we have layed out. She has given me the amount of servings of each type of food(fats, starches, fruits, vegs, protein) that I should strive to get each day. So I am supposed to log that for a week and then send it to her so that she can do a complete nutritional analysis of it. I am supposed to follow that for a couple weeks and then see what it has done to my weight. If I am still loosing than we add, if I stay the same then we keep it as is. If I gain...I start crying and ask for my 95$ back! Just kidding...she really doesn't think I will gain. IN fact she thinks I am still going to lose. We are going to adjust the diet slowly in hopes of matching my body's natural equilibrium point. So I pledge to log (not trees but foods!) all next week!

Whew...I am back and home to stay for a while. 10.5 hours of driving today. I did a whirlwind tour of western oregon and Washington before heading back to hell...uhhh...I mean Central Oregon. Don't let anyone tell you it is beautiful over here. ALright the mountains are pretty but everything else is brown and dead. Enough ranting about my lovely home. I read all of the posts and honestly don't know where to begin. If I forget anyone I apologize, but you can't go back and check the last three pages to see if you forgot anything. Steph- Sorry to hear about your son. However it is a blessing that they diagnosed it early. I dated a guy for 4 years who was diagnosed in the middle of our relationship and he was 26 at the time. That was hard for him to swallow. He refused to stay on his meds, but when he was on them, he was wonderful to be around. As I am sure peaches will agree, meds are the key. I know that stress is a big food trigger for me, so I am glad to see that you have made a new resolve. You can do this and we will be here to help. Lynette - good job with the exercise and the calories. THe exercise will become more tolerable as you go along...or so it was for me! Now I miss it when I can't do it. Peaches - You can overcome those Easter Monsters...after all aren't bunnies supposed to be cute and cuddly. One day at a time. When is your surgery again? Did I miss it? This has been a crazy few days for me! Ruby - I know who I am hiring when my property management company goes off the deep end. We had some crazy happenings when we moved into our new place and for the most part they took care of it. Though we did have to argue to get more of our deposit back from the last place. We went through the same company when we switched apartments. I knew I liked you though. Way to put them in your place. And as for off topic rants...I feel like I talk about my weight way too much anyways so sometimes it is nice to have other issues to listen to and weigh in on! Lindaa- I am not sure if I was supposed to comment on something you wrote, but I wanted to say hi anyways. You always have such nice things to say! Jackie - I didn't get to comment on your new picture I don't think...but I think you look simply beautiful. I am glad that you got to go out on a date with DH. My BF and I don't have kids (thank goodness, he is a big enough one that I don't need any more) but I think that we wouldn't be as close if we didn't go out like we did when we first started dating (almost 3 years ago). Phyl - I love the hair. It is sooooooo cute and spunky. Glad to see that your internet is back and working. We missed you around here. Janet/Mom - I am glad to see that your doctor thinks you are doing well. I love the new avatar and your picture was beautiful as well. I know I need to have blood work done, but that is going to have to wait until I find a primary care physician, since my ins didn't cover my doc/surgery. I need to get in and have my yearly exam before my tummy tuck. Glad you got to spend time with the GD during Easter. I hope things are going better with your son. I keep thinking about you. Alright on to my news. 3 things. 1. Went to the nutritionist today and she refused to believe that I weighed 162. She thought for certain that I was 145 AT MOST. She made me stand on her scale to prove her wrong. That made me feel good. We talked about what I had been eating and where I need to go now. She said since I know what good foods are now that I don't need to keep track of calories, but instead just types of foods. So now I really am going to have to keep a food journal. She gave me the types of foods that I need to be eating (by nutrients: fruits, veg, starch, protein, fat) per day. She totally understood my fear of starches so we started small on there and she said that I could count my beans as starch! Her biggest concern was that I was not getting enough fat. So now I have to have three servings of fat a day. She said that I could start off with 1 and then gradually get to three, but that I needed some healthy fats daily. I thought I was getting plenty just in the foods that I was eating, but she said that since I was using mostly fat free or reduced fat that I was probably not getting enough. So when my BF goes to work tomorrow I am going to sit down and plan my meals for next week and try to get everything in. She said I don't need to count calories any more, because I still am not able to eat enough to start gaining weight IF and ONLY IF I continue to choose the healthy foods. She also said that she is hoping to SLOWLY get me to maintenance so that we can try to find what works for me to stop losing weight. She doesn't think I will stop for another month or two, but does agree that I should try to be stable when I go in for the tummy tuck. 2. I posted pictures on the brag thread with my new hairdo. Also I was going through pictures on our digital camera and came across some hideous before pictures. I cannot believe the difference. I seriously don't look like the same person at all. I really can't believe I was ever that HUGE. HOLY CRAP I WAS FAT! It is slowly starting to sink into my thick brain how much I have lost. About damn time! 3. My BF job situation has gotten us to the point of marriage. Okay stop scratching your head and I will explain. He really needs a break from the job and looked into taking a leave of absence. However the job will not let him do so unless he is caring for a family member. So after discussing the fact that I will be having major surgery in July we thought that was an option. Then talking to my dad (my financial advisor) we realized that we could save THOUSANDS of dollars in taxes if we got married because there is such a difference in our pay. SO the romantics that we are NOT have decided that perhaps marriage would be a good option after all. We are totally committed to each other so the only reason that we haven't taken the plunge is because we didn't really see why we needed a piece of paper to say that we loved each other. I know that a lot of you are religious and I hope that doesn't offend you. We are not religious people but completely respect those that do believe. I just had really bad experiences at church growing up (no one would believe me when I reported that my mom was abusing us) so I kind of stray. But alas I will let you know when I get to swtich from typing BF to DH! Alright well this post would be the equivalent to me posting 3-4 times per day for the last 6 days. I am not going to apologize because as my band mom has said many times...sometimes you just have a lot to say!

I wasn't sure what made me want to cry more...the new BEFORE pics or my GORGEOUS new pics. I decided if there were going to be tears, they were going to be tears of joy. Look at my face...I don't even look the same to me! I am normally not one to toot my own horn, but DAMN I am looking good! Can't wait for the tummy tuck, so that I feel this good about my WHOLE self. 7.5 month pics.bmp

Alright so I did 1 hour cardio Monday, Tuesday and today. I didn't even come straight home after driving for a total of 10 hours today...instead I went straight to the gym. My legs needed some stretching. Tomorrow I am back in for cardio and weights.

Nana-If you look on the August 07 board that we normally post on under the Plastic Surgery thread I posted a picture of my awful belly rolls and I have found that "Assets" from target work really well for me. So you can see that if they work for me, they will most likely work for anyone! They are as easy to get on as nylons and go from mid thigh up to my bra. There are several different varieties but that is the type that I need. I have found that they are actually helping my back, because my belly/skin rolls are really starting to pull on my back.

I was back at the gym and it felt FANTASTIC! I did an hour walking yesterday and then 2 hours at the gym today. I will be out of town again tomorrow through Wednesday but the friend I am going to visit should be a willing jogging partner. Yeah and I can eat again. Actually I feel like I just felt right after my first fill...NOT HUNGRY! It is an amazing feeling. I love it! We will see how long it lasts!

I guess there are benefits to only having 2 biological family members that I really talk to...no Huge holiday meals being a major one. We did stop at a restaurant on our way home today and I had part of a Mexican omelette and 3 bites of hash browns. But I couldn't wait to have home cooked healthy food. I was going to cook a ground chicken meatloaf but we didn't have the ingredients and I wanted to eat so I could take a nap so instead I made tuna casserole with white beans instead of noodles. OMG it tasted heavenly. I love my level of fill right now. I am not hungry. I seriously feel like I did after my first fill. ZIPPO for hunger. I am forcing myself to eat some fruit right now, but I could care less about it. I probably will go for the 2 pounds but at the same time, I want to kind of prove to myself that if I don't lose those 2 pounds it is not the end of the world. I KNOW I can lose those 2 pounds...what I don't know about myself is if I CANNOT lose those 2 pounds and still be happy. Does that make sense? I know what I am saying, just don't know if it is clear. I am really trying (for the first time in my life) to not define myself by a number. I am a hell of a lot more than a number. Well I just did 2 hours at the gym tonight and I feel soooooo good. I hadn't been since Tuesday (doc didn't want me to overdo it) and frankly I didn't feel up to it, but it was nice to be back. I am going to try to go tomorrow and hopefully convince my friend to go jogging with me on Tuesday so that I can keep at it! Janet I know what you mean about watching other people eat. It grosses me out. This weekend my brother, his girlfriend and my BF were eating pizza and just watching and listening to them made me want to run out of the restaurant. I had a chicken ceasar salad with dressing on the side because for the first time in 2 weeks I could eat something healthy and not experience pain. The pizza didn't even smell good to me. THen I walked by Cinnabon and got nauseous. I don't do well with sweets any more. I do think that I would actually get sick if I ate a candy bar. I get my "sweet" craving taken away with my protein bar, and even then I go for the not so sweet ones. Sweet (with the exception of doughnuts and frosting) were not my problem. My biggest problem were fast food hamburgers and just too much good home cookin'! Well I had best get going. I need to do some finance stuff. I think I found a way that my BF can take a leave of absence to take care of me while I have my surgery and take 6 weeks off of work. Maybe that will put him in a better mood!

I am SOOOOOOO much better, thank you. I have been able to eat and am starting to get my energy back. I went for a walk yesterday and now that I am home I am just getting ready to go to the gym. I posted somewhere on here that my fill level is actually lower now than it was when I went in to get my fill. My doc is happy about my level and I am happy that I can eat so all is good. You are doing great on the exercise front and if the scale isn't moving but the inches are...that to me is better. I mean I am at a size 8 now and even though the analytical and ANAL part of my brain tells me to lose those last 2 pounds...it doesn't really matter! A size 8! Holy crap there are not a whole lot of people that small. It has taken me a long time to realize that the scale is not the be all and end all of life. It is a number and I am certain that you and I and everyone else is more than just a number. So instead of getting down Celebrate the fact that you are working out, eating right and becoming healthy. The stupid scales will eventually catch up or "down!"

Pizzi - I am back and you have not posted since FRIDAY! I am checking on you! Going to meet with my nutritionist on Wednesday so I may be back to joining this challenge for a little while!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you have all strayed far from the Cadbury Creme Eggs and the other not so healthy choices. We could always eat the carrots that we stick out for the Easter Bunny! So I can finally eat again. The sad thing is that I know have LESS in my band than I did when I initially went in to get the fill. When I went in 2 weeks ago I was at 1.8cc in a 10cc band. THey filled me up to 2.6cc and when I went back in and she checked what I had I was down to 2.0cc. So she removed .3 to a 1.7. Then the doc checked the flow and said that he was okay with the flow. I did make an appt with the nutritionist (may have already told you that) for Wed. We are on spring break this week!!!!!!:wub: I lost 9 pounds according to their scale and when I stepped on the scale here I was at 162. Only 2 pounds away from revised goal. On their scale I was 163 and the doctor was not happy. He wasn't mad at me, just not happy that I couldn't get in sooner so that I hadn't lost that much. He told me I DEFINETLY need to go into maintenance now. In my brain I would really like those last 2 pounds but he said if they come off, they come off... but for now to focus on maintenance. I think I am finally coming to the realization that I am at a good place. I tried on several pairs of pants this weekend and I fit into 8s now, so I am happy. I am not going to buy clothes however until after plastic surgery. I don't want to have to buy a whole other wardrobe in 5 months! As for my BF going part time, he didn't get the position so now we are waiting to see if something else comes up. He is getting pissier by the day about his job and it is frustrating because he won't take any risks to try much new. He just keeps complaining that he wants to go back to the other side of the mountains because there would be more opportunities...but when I tell him to just look for jobs then and see if he can get something over there and that we would work out the logistics later, he just shrugs his shoulders. FRUSTRATING! Now I just got a text message from him about them messing up his time so I have NO IDEA what is going on. I will check back later tonight. I am leaving to go visit some friends tomorrow for a couple of days, then going to my nut. and I will be back Wed evening.

2 Pounds away from revised goal!!! My doctor was not happy about the rapid weightloss in the last 2 weeks and wants me fully going into maintenance. I am NOT supposed to TRY and lose these last 2 pounds. If they come off, they come off... but right now I need to focus on maintenance. I think I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I am at a good weight even if it is still considered "slightly overweight" Afterall I am essentially in size 8s now. Tried on several different pairs of pants this weekend and the 8s all fit! I did book an appt with my nutritionist on Wed of next week so hopefully I will learn how to eat correctly for maintenance. Name: Frangipani Weight loss from day of surgery: 81 lbs Total weight loss: 87 lbs Name: Candle Weight loss from day of surgery: 81 lbs Total weight loss: 95 lbs Name: Salsa Weight loss from day of surgery: 88 lbs Total weight loss: 88 lbs Name: Pammycakes Weight loss from day of surgery: 88 lbs Total weight loss: 90 lbs Name: Ceradad Weight loss from day of surgery: 80.5 Total weight loss: 100.5 Name: KarenG. Weight loss from day of surgery: 78 Total weight loss: 78 Name: NanaRenan Weight loss from day of surgery: 45 Total weight loss: 65 Name: TexasBecky Weight loss from day of surgery: 88 Total weight loss: 98 Name: SPEBSQSAlady Weight loss from day of surgery: 55 Total weight loss: 55 Name: Brandottie01 Weight loss from day of surgery: 20 lbs Total weight loss: Name: Bergdorfblonde Weight loss from day of surgery: 28.5 lbs Total weight loss: 28.5 lbs Name: Gometros Weight loss from day of surgery: 52.9 lbs Total weight loss: 74.9 Name: Pizzicato66 Weight loss from day of surgery: 74.5 Total weight loss: 76.5 Name: Valstar Weight loss from day of surgery: 52 lbs Total weight loss: 57 lbs Name:Gweniper weight loss from day of surgery: 48 total weight loss: 82 Name: purplegirl1818 weightloss from day of surgery: 73.5lbs total weight loss: 90.5lbs Name: LessNLess weightloss from day of surgery: 51lbs total weight loss: 57lbs __________________

Alright I am not flaking out on exercise, but I am on doctor's orders to not exercise until we can get some of this fill out because I am really dizzy, light headed and feeling like I am ready to pass out because I have not been getting any kind of nutrition lately. So I am taking the next two days off of work and going to the doctor to get all fixed up but then I will back with a vengence. So I too will be away from the computer for a while. Everyone else keep up the good work. I am actually missing my workouts!

HOLY COW! You guys look like a million bucks!

Popcorn is the only solid food that is going down for me right now...and frankly I am getting sick of it. I have had like 4 bags (the 100 calorie ones) a day for the last 5 days. Ugghhh... Thank god I will get in tomorrow though. Janet you are better than I for going to the gym. Actually my doctor suggested that I not go because he doesn't want me getting too dizzy and passing out. But I am very proud of you for going. Oh and I made an appointment with MY doctor's nutritionist for next week so that I can get an idea of how to start transitioning slowly into maintenance. I need to go into it slow for my mental health. I am really glad that I avoided the worst part of this cold. It was really bad up here for a long time. I think almost every student had it. It hit me for a couple of days but nothing like it hit some of the teachers. Dinner is the most important meal for me to. For me though I think it is because it is the only meal of the day that I eat at home. Everything else is eaten at work. Plus it was where my BF and I used to have good conversations now. Sigh...I miss that. I may or may not be back on tonight, but if you don't hear from me I will be gone until Sunday. Geesh then I will come back and have to read for 5 hours to get caught and then I am leaving again from Monday -Wednesday and will have another 5 hours of reading!!!

I am with Candle on this one. My therapist doesn't want me logging anymore. She thinks I am becoming obsessed. Well you don't need a degree and 100$ an hour for me to tell you that! But I have to say that my constant logging and calorie counting did get me to where I am today. I still measure my foods, but again I am supposed to get away from that too. Dang I seem to learn the rules and then they go and change them on me. I don't like this nastly little trick they are pulling. I am going to meet with my nutritionist 1 week from today because I have no idea how to transition into maintenance without freaking myself out! So I am sure that I will be back to logging food once I go on that program! I will bug you if I don't see a post every daY!