Leepers

No workout. Poor Health choices at happy hour but happy as a clam. I will workout tomorrow.

After a highly stressful day yesterday I wasn't able to sleep. But somehow I managed to go workout today and workout. As a result I feel better. Glad I went. And it helped with my stress level and emotional rollercoaster. 2 more workouts this week and I will have met my goal. I can do it!!! :-)

Stopped in at Target after work yesterday. Got a couple of new things to work out in. A new sports bra - its reversible. Workout capris - not reversible, and a tank top with built in support - which is not enough support for my girls. LOL. The tank top is a bit snug in the tummy, but the sports bra fits perfectly and the capris fit nicely too. I'm gonna have to double up on the bra with the tank top. Both are a Target XXL, which is an 18/20. I'm much more certain I'm an 18/20 on top than I am on the bottom. Although some of my 24s are now loose. I'd be willing to bet I'm nearing 22 territory in the bum area
 
I also got in the mail via Amazon, a protective armband for my phone (a Galaxy S5) so that I can lift weights without sticking my phone down my sweaty gross bra (because I cannot workout without my music at the gym. Gym music is universally horrible - unless you go in the morning and then they play classic rock or 80s. Most of the time its all "EDM/technofest/I just took a Molly, yo" when I go in there after work). The armband fits around my arm (yay), and is blue with a reflective strip around it in case I ever exercise outside (which if you knew me you would know that this is laughable since I generally do not do nature because there are critters and bugs and hair frizzing humidity).
 
I plan on really working on my arms tonight. I am wearing this woven top today and the arms on it are tight. Everywhere else on the top fits nicely. But my arms are going to be a real challenge. It seems a disproportionate amount of fat decided to deposit itself in my tricep area. So the more I can do to firm up the muscle and tighten the skin the better. As much as I contemplate plastics in the future, in the present, I am of no financial means to afford them. So rather than worry about financing them, I am just going to hit my tris hard with kickbacks and dips and whatnot.

A new small NSV for me. I needed a white belt for my summer white jeans and shorts. Being that I had a massive huge waist I bought an xl. Too big and they didn't have a smaller size, so took it and had holes made. Was in Kohl's the other day and bought 2 size large belts and they fit and past the first hole.
My weight has not changed in about 1 year but I guess inches are changing which is wonderful for me. Yesterday I wore a size large maxi skirt from Gap and I looked great. I don't know how to down load pictures, that is why you never see any of me.
Needed to share. Thanks for listening.
Arlene

Happy Marathon Monday from Boston. We are BOSTON STRONG!! Info about Boston. The Marathon is always run the closest Monday to April 19th, that is Patriot's Day. In MA it is a holiday and also school vacation. Our spring vacations are not around Easter but this week only.
 
The wheel chair racers started, then the women and finally the men. They have all started. This is a very important day in Boston. For WLS people, every day is an important day, why? because we are all running with our new journey.
 
I am far from a perfect Bander. I eat wrong but my band does say, Arlene, stop eating. This past week I had two stuck dinners. Ate too fast and too much. But I am the marathoner and I will not let this stop my journey. I have been too good with the gym either and my legs were tired yesterday. I thought I would do 5 minutes on the bike. My friend was there, so we talked and before I knew it, I did 11 minutes. It felt great!! Today is my MIL's 91st birthday and we are taking her out for Japanese food for lunch. One of the steak house restaurants. I will have shrimp, a filet, veggies and a little rice and I will feel good about my choices.
 
Well, I hope everyone in WLS land has a wonderful Patriot's Day. That was when the battle of Lexington and Concord happened. In June we have Bunker Hill Day. In March was evacuation day which was also St. Patrick's Day. Boston has a lot of history days. I went to Boston public schools and those were no school days.
 
Enjoy the spring day.
Arlene

I have been missing for a while! But I am back. Glad to see that most of my friends are still around and doing well. What a journey. My dad passed away( cancer), two months later my brother was shot while breaking a fight, and I miscarried my baby two day after his death. It was just too much. But, if it was not for my wls, you best beleive that life handed EVERY reason to stuff my face. I THANK GOD that I was sleeved. I had to find healthy ways to cop with all the emotions that came rushing at me for months. My sisters, husband, and friends came me going. I can honestly say, I made it.
 
Now, things are looking better. Got a small promotion at work. And today I weigh in at 199.2 LBS!!!!! from 348 lbs. I am loving life. I am grateful for life and for the people around me. I am keeping my stress level low. No drama here. Will not allow it. Period.
 
Later friends.

We had our 3rd support meeting tonight. It usually runs from 4:30pm - 6pm, but we had a bigger group & did a round table (a few minutes with each person), so we didn't get out until around 6;30pm. I enjoyed listening to everyone's story & hearing about their triumphs and struggles.
 
During our 1st meeting back in January we decided everyone would bring at least one bariatric friendly recipe to each meeting, so 6 months down the road, they would gather all our recipes & create a little book for everyone. We put our names on each so we get credit, and they're going to have the NUT confirm nutritional the values. I happen to be the type of person that likes to cook & try new recipes as time permits, so I brought 7 or 8 recipes with me
 
We talked about protein bars & which ones everyone liked. The winners were Quest protein bars, which also have a very high fiber content (17 grams in the White Rasberry Chocolate flavor I ate earlier) with 190 calories, and Pure Protein which averages around 200 calories but has a lower fiber content.
 
Someone else chimed in about PB2, which I've heard of, but didn't know anything about it until tonight. I guess this is a powder peanut butter that you add a little water to.. I guess it turns into a slightly grainy peanut butter. Traditional peanut butter contains about 180 calories, while two tablespoons (approximately 12 grams) of PB2 powder, and contains just 53 calories. I hear it tastes OK, just not sure I want to try this.
When it was my turn to speak, I talked about the fact that I've been getting really diz zy & light-headed almost on a daily basis. I thought it was an issue with my not meeting my protein requirements, which I thought was supposed to be 60-70 oz. The registered dietician asked me how much I was getting & I told her my average was probably 50ish. She said anything over 40-45 oz is perfectly acceptable. Remember, I'm on maintenance not in the beginning phase. Then she asked me about my fluid intake. I told her around 30 oz per day. It's something that I struggle with daily!
 
B-I-N-G-O! More than likely, I'm getting dehydrated & am at high risk of having low potassium levels as well. I need to have at least 64 oz per day (actually we all do) and because I drink of 6-8 oz of chai tea (that has caffeine in it), I'm dehydrating myself more. She suggested I try 6 oz of V8 juice every day for a week. She thought that would help keep me more hydrated & boost my potassium & sodium levels. I thought V8 had a higher salt content, but she thinks my body needs it. She suggested I only do it for a week to get myself going then focus on getting those liquids in.
 
Note to self: Gotta keep up with those required fluids to reduce potential issues with constipation AND more importantly, avoid the chance of getting hospitalized as a result of dehydration. So not worth it!

I go in on April 2. Really trying not to freak out. I just keep reminding myself what my life was like before I gained weight and what my life is like now. I want my old life back, cuz this, this isn't living. ...right?

Today I'm two weeks out from surgery. I feel so much better even from a week ago. Today I had to go back to the clinic to have a nurse examine the incision sites and get a date for my first fill. All of that went well and the nurse was pleased with my progress. I am too!
 
I'm struggling a bit with hunger and apparently that's normal. I eat approximately every two hours or so, though my caloric intake is good and I track everything on myfitnesspal. I track even a dash of pepper or salt. All of it.
 
I have upped my protein level. According to the literature I received from my clinic, about 65 grams is good, but that doesn't keep me sated at all. I hover near 90 grams a day. I'm still very low fat, very low carbs, very low sodium.
 
I exercise, but truthfully - not everyday. I'd say I'm at 5 of 7 days and it's all been walking.
 
I'm still going to a therapist who I adore and yesterday we spoke about body image and the pain that causes me to this day. Shame, guilt, frustration. Coupled with my weight is that I'm very tall and you stand out when you are obese, let alone tall. I want so much to figure out how to reconcile all of this because I'm convinced it's one of many keys to my weight loss.
 
As a child, I wasn't given the freedom to discuss my feelings. If you were angry - you couldn't express it, if you were unhappy for any reason, you just didn't say it. Those feelings must be dealt with and it's unnatural to not express them. My anger formed my depression.
 
I'm so grateful I'm on my way to learning about why I do what I do, and how to better care for myself. I may sound down, but I promise, I'm not, I'm pleased I'm working away on me.
 
Nancy
 

Hi all!
 
I'm back from my 8 day retreat in the valley of the sun! After suffering through a BRUTAL Chicago winter, I was excited and relieved to get out of town for a LOT of rest and relation. Notice I did not say a little r & r. Nope. Other than checking with the office a few times during the week, I focused on nuthin' but sun, golf and partying.
 
I was freaking out about my weight before I left on this trip. I had tried like heck to break the 180 barrier before I got on the plane. That didn't work out. I left about 2.5 pounds over that mini goal. Well, this made me freak even more during my vacation. I knew there was no way I could follow my plan. Everyday was filled with nice breakfasts, wonderful lunches, outstanding dinners and, of course, adult beverages of every variety. I was in trouble.
 
Instead of throwing in the towel and going on an eating and drinking binge, I decided to go with the flow. But ... I was smart about it. I used smart food choices all week. I really limited any breads, potatoes and pastas. I ate fish as much as possible, even in the fancy steak joints. I steered pretty clear of sweets and deserts. I ate protein bars and SkinnyPop for snacks when available. I tried to make sure I ate something healthy about every 3 hours. I walked as much as I could. Even the seven rounds of golf I played using a cart, still required me to walk about 3.5 miles each round.
 
This brings us to the adult beverage portion of our story. Did I abstain from beer, vodka and wine? Hell no. I was on vacation with a bunch of adults. It's part of the deal. It's part of enjoying life. Did I over do it? Hell no. I had 2 beers during the week. I've been hankering for a frosty Corona with a lime for months. So I had a couple. I had a few vodkas and soda every day. No sugary juices or mixes. I had a few glasses of fine wine during the week. So, yes I imbibed. But no, I did not drink like a sailor on a three day leave.
 
I got on the plane coming home resigned to the fact that I would probably hit 185 on the scale on Monday morning. Anything over that would piss me off. I didn't want to start my week back to work in a bad mood, so I decided to not weigh in for a week. This would give me time to lose those vacation pounds and ease my fat fears. But, I couldn't do it. I had to know. I pulled out my fancy fitbit scale this morning and jumped on. Ready for a deserved kick in the nuts. Imagine my surprise when my friendly fitbit scale told me I weighed 181. 3! Less than when I left. This is a SCALE victory.
 
My fancy fitbit scale gave me more than just good news on my weight. It showed me that I can go on a vacation and enjoy myself like a normal thin person. It gave me a glimpse into my future. Someday I will move to the maintenance side of this project. And this is will be my life. As long as I make healthy food choices, drink moderately and stay active, I can maintain. This is what normal people do. And that's what this whole journey has been about. Being normal. BTW, is it normal to crave margaritas? I'll have to ask a skinny person.
 
See ya soon.
jt
 
Fat Fanatics! Email your comments and questions to:
 
mccgolfer99@gmail.com
 
I will answer all questions and, who knows, your pithy comments might make the blog!

http://www.stuff.co....r-says-shes-fat
 
Dear Mum,
 
I was seven when I discovered that you were fat, ugly and horrible. Up until that point I had believed that you were beautiful - in every sense of the word. I remember flicking through old photo albums and staring at pictures of you standing on the deck of a boat. Your white strapless bathing suit looked so glamorous, just like a movie star. Whenever I had the chance I'd pull out that wondrous white bathing suit hidden in your bottom drawer and imagine a time when I'd be big enough to wear it; when I'd be like you.
But all of that changed when, one night, we were dressed up for a party and you said to me, ''Look at you, so thin, beautiful and lovely. And look at me, fat, ugly and horrible.''
At first I didn't understand what you meant.
''You're not fat,'' I said earnestly and innocently, and you replied, ''Yes I am, darling. I've always been fat; even as a child.''
 
In the days that followed I had some painful revelations that have shaped my whole life. I learned that:
1. You must be fat because mothers don't lie.
2. Fat is ugly and horrible.
3. When I grow up I'll look like you and therefore I will be fat, ugly and horrible too.
Years later, I looked back on this conversation and the hundreds that followed and cursed you for feeling so unattractive, insecure and unworthy. Because, as my first and most influential role model, you taught me to believe the same thing about myself.
With every grimace at your reflection in the mirror, every new wonder diet that was going to change your life, and every guilty spoon of ''Oh-I-really-shouldn't'', I learned that women must be thin to be valid and worthy. Girls must go without because their greatest contribution to the world is their physical beauty.
 
Just like you, I have spent my whole life feeling fat. When did fat become a feeling anyway? And because I believed I was fat, I knew I was no good.
But now that I am older, and a mother myself, I know that blaming you for my body hatred is unhelpful and unfair. I now understand that you too are a product of a long and rich lineage of women who were taught to loathe themselves.
Look at the example Nanna set for you. Despite being what could only be described as famine-victim chic, she dieted every day of her life until the day she died at 79 years of age. She used to put on make-up to walk to the letterbox for fear that somebody might see her unpainted face.
 
I remember her ''compassionate'' response when you announced that Dad had left you for another woman. Her first comment was, ''I don't understand why he'd leave you. You look after yourself, you wear lipstick. You're overweight - but not that much.''
Before Dad left, he provided no balm for your body-image torment either.
 
''Jesus, Jan,'' I overheard him say to you. ''It's not that hard. Energy in versus energy out. If you want to lose weight you just have to eat less.''
That night at dinner I watched you implement Dad's ''Energy In, Energy Out: Jesus, Jan, Just Eat Less'' weight-loss cure. You served up chow mein for dinner. (Remember how in 1980s Australian suburbia, a combination of mince, cabbage, and soy sauce was considered the height of exotic gourmet?) Everyone else's food was on a dinner plate except yours. You served your chow mein on a tiny bread-and-butter plate.
As you sat in front of that pathetic scoop of mince, silent tears streamed down your face. I said nothing. Not even when your shoulders started heaving from your distress. We all ate our dinner in silence. Nobody comforted you. Nobody told you to stop being ridiculous and get a proper plate. Nobody told you that you were already loved and already good enough. Your achievements and your worth - as a teacher of children with special needs and a devoted mother of three of your own - paled into insignificance when compared with the centimetres you couldn't lose from your waist.
 
It broke my heart to witness your despair and I'm sorry that I didn't rush to your defence. I'd already learned that it was your fault that you were fat. I'd even heard Dad describe losing weight as a ''simple'' process - yet one that you still couldn't come to grips with. The lesson: you didn't deserve any food and you certainly didn't deserve any sympathy.
 
But I was wrong, Mum. Now I understand what it's like to grow up in a society that tells women that their beauty matters most, and at the same time defines a standard of beauty that is perpetually out of our reach. I also know the pain of internalising these messages. We have become our own jailors and we inflict our own punishments for failing to measure up.
 
No one is crueler to us than we are to ourselves.
But this madness has to stop, Mum. It stops with you, it stops with me and it stops now. We deserve better - better than to have our days brought to ruin by bad body thoughts, wishing we were otherwise.
 
And it's not just about you and me any more. It's also about Violet. Your granddaughter is only 3 and I do not want body hatred to take root inside her and strangle her happiness, her confidence and her potential. I don't want Violet to believe that her beauty is her most important asset; that it will define her worth in the world. When Violet looks to us to learn how to be a woman, we need to be the best role models we can. We need to show her with our words and our actions that women are good enough just the way they are. And for her to believe us, we need to believe it ourselves.
 
The older we get, the more loved ones we lose to accidents and illness. Their passing is always tragic and far too soon. I sometimes think about what these friends - and the people who love them - wouldn't give for more time in a body that was healthy. A body that would allow them to live just a little longer. The size of that body's thighs or the lines on its face wouldn't matter. It would be alive and therefore it would be perfect.
Your body is perfect too. It allows you to disarm a room with your smile and infect everyone with your laugh. It gives you arms to wrap around Violet and squeeze her until she giggles. Every moment we spend worrying about our physical ''flaws'' is a moment wasted, a precious slice of life that we will never get back.
 
Let us honour and respect our bodies for what they do instead of despising them for how they appear. Focus on living healthy and active lives, let our weight fall where it may, and consign our body hatred in the past where it belongs. When I looked at that photo of you in the white bathing suit all those years ago, my innocent young eyes saw the truth. I saw unconditional love, beauty and wisdom. I saw my Mum.
Love, Kasey xx
 
This is an excerpt from Dear Mum, a collection of letters from Australian sporting stars, musicians, models, cooks and authors revealing what they would like to say to their mothers before it's too late, or would have said if only they'd had the chance.
All royalties go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Published by Random House and available now.

I'll be 8 weeks post-op tomorrow, and here's what I've learned about my sleeve thus far. Note to self:

Alas, my eyes are still (literally) bigger than my stomach!
I should take what I think I can eat, and cut it IN HALF
I've learned that my stomach cannot handle a lot of protein when it comes from any meat. For example, I can barely eat 2-3 oz of pork, chicken or steak (even with a sauce so it's not dry). I can, however, seem to be able to eat ground beef / turkey & pork. Hummm?!?!
Since I'm not meeting my daily protein requirement, I think I'm going to change my focus to more dense protein (yogurts, cottage cheese, egg whites, beans, lentils, quinoa, flounder, ricotta cheese, and, of course protein drinks / bars, etc...). Protein isn't something you should take lightly. It's important to the overall success of our health. See my note below.
I've noticed it helps me get more fluids in when I drink a 16.9 oz bottle of Propel first thing in the morning. I start drinking it on my commute to work & finish it off within 2 hours. Yes, it takes me that long. I still struggle getting in all my fluids for the day, so drinking a bottle of Propel flavored water in the morning helps me move along.
I've never been one to eat many veggies, but I discovered that I really enjoy eating spinach. I found a spinach souffle in the freezer section that I split in 1/2 as a serving. I then cook an egg with it & have it for breakfast or lunch.

Note to newbies: Please make sure you meet those protein & fluid requirements. If you don't, you're taking a chance of getting light-headed, and feeling faint from time to time. Yes, this happens to me more often than not. That's why I blog & talk about it; so I can keep track of what I need to do, and to help others. Weight loss is GREAT, but it's nothing if you can't stay healthy.

Hello there,
 
Ugh, it's SNOWING AGAIN here in Ontario Canada. Oh well, I can't fix that.
 
Today is my one week surgiversary and I'm pleased to say that I've lost 5 more pounds this past week. I'm very pleased with that.
 
The day before yesterday I started taking lessTylenol for pain - and being lazy I hadn't gotten any more after I ran out.
 
Yesterday I walked the longest yet - too long in fact for being 6 days out. Over an hour and almost four miles. I staggered home and was exhausted by bed time yesterday. I woke up around 2am in a lot of pain, and at last the pharmacy has just opened and I've returned from buying the tylenol and taking my double dose.
 
During the night I tried taking 2 tylenol pills. That was pretty awful, and while they didn't come up, I'm not certain they ever went down. I'm really sore today. I'll stay with the children tylenol double dose for as long as needed and today I'll take it easier, though I can still use the treadmill downstairs for a short stint.
 
I like the walking, and was so pleased I found out how far I could go, although next time outside walking, I doubt I'll try for an hour or more. I have a tendency to overdoing it, to pushing myself, and it's one way that I'm not nice to myself. All things in good time Nancy is what I think.
 
Tomorrow I get to move to more 'foods'. I cannot wait as I'm truly sick of shakes.
 
Thanks to all of you for your support!
 
Nancy
 

Last night I got the wild idea that I would look up Lab Band Vlogs on YouTube. Big MISTAKE. HUGE! The first 20 or so results were all negative. The first lady I watched to understand why she hated the Lap Band and seemed to make it her personal mission in life to discourage the world from this evil thing called the lap band. As I listened I heard excuse after excuse as to why her band failed. She said she threw up everyday and that nobody told her about PB's. Then she went on to say later that she never got restriction and could eat a plate full of food. Two things. 1)If you over eat you are going to get sick.2) If you're having PB's you have some sort of restriction. She talked about never having restriction again, then told a story of how she almost died (rolling eyes) because she was over filled and couldn't swallow her own saliva. Ok... so we can all conclude she had restriction. She also confesses she's a binge eater. Another red flag. You have to commit to eating smaller portions and having the will power to stop eating when you're full. In my most humble newbie opinion this lady was either not educated on how the Lap Band works, and if that's the case shame on her surgeon, or she just thought it was going to fix all her eating issues. She also kept using air quotations when she said the Lap Band was a "tool". She said she hated when people said that. MY GOD WOMANIT IS A TOOL. NOT A MIRACLE CURE!
 
I was so sad to see all the comments of gratitude for her being so brave to post such an honest video. Uhm... that was not an honest video that was an angry woman who failed to follow band 101 rules. It actually made me angry. I considered the video an EPIC FAIL. She made broad sweeping generalizations saying that the only people that the band works for were people who replaced one vice for another. She used the example of transference of food binging for exercise. They just swapped one for the other.
 
I have to say that I realize that there are risk of complications with the band and that it doesn't work for everyone. But, from what I've read most of the time if people are truly honest they failed the band the band didn't fail them. AND... If you're band isn't working talk to your doctor be persistent there could be something mechanically wrong with your band... but you have to be diligent in taking care of your band. It's high maintenance, but I have to tell you, knowing that every month I have to go in and see my Dr. and be accountable for my weight loss and how I've been treating my band makes me mind my P's and Q's.
 
I've been stuck at 230 for two weeks...but... I've lost another jeans size so my body is losing inches. I love my band. If I was brave enough I would start my own Vlog on YouTube.
 
Just a side note. I always here the soup Nazi's voice in my head from Seinfeld when I want something I shouldn't have. He says, "No cookies or cupcakes for you!".
 
Happy Hump Day, Ya'll!

So as it turned out the prescription drugs I was prescribed for pain were absolutely useless. I didn't sleep for nearly 48 hours and had tons of anxiety and quite a bit of pain. After talking to the Doctor and the nurse I went to liquid children's tylenol. I had reservations about this working, but in face, it does. I doubled the dose as told to and it works. I'm now trying to take less of it. I have since spoken to others who have had the same problem. Once I started the tylenol I was able to sleep with ease.
 
I'm now able to spend a least a small portion of time on my sides which I couldn't tolerate at first.
 
Yesterday I was out and decided to push myself to walk the full 30 minutes. I was so pleased with myself when I finished and really it wasn't all that bad. Today I'll repeat that. I have a dog that loves to walk, and this week I'm dog sitting another dog.
 
I'm trying to up my protein by continuing with the shakes and chicken broth.
 
Rhodywoman sent me information on a book called "The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook" I recommend the book too. I'm interested in discovering the psychology of binge eating and compulsive overeating and why I have lived with those for so long.
 
It's a beautiful bright sunny cold day here in Ontario. I wish you all happiness today.
 

The first new day of the rest of my life began yesterday. My appointment to be at the surgery center was 9:00 Am...I got there at 8:32 Am, hungry, nervous, anxious, excited for the future...all the norm (so I was told). Everyone from Susie the front desk assistant to the pre-op nurse, Natissa (I think that was her name), to Julie-OP nurse, surgeon Dr. Shawn Stevenson (very nice and comforting), the Anesthesiologist (I want to say Ted but can't remember....was a funny guy) to Carrie my post-surgery nurse....ALL were very comforting and made me feel like I was very special the whole way out the door. Hah! Everything went accordingly. I woke up with a really sore throat and a huge gas bubble in the middle of my chest (which I was forewarned could happen). Those were the things I noticed the most and then I felt the pain of the incisions, so Carrie asked if I needed pain meds/drip and I said YES PLEASE! So she loaded me up with Demerol which helped, but that darn gas bubble was the worse. All I could think about was letting out one great big huge BELCH but nothing, nadda, zip, nuel, zero. Ugh! So I continued on.
 
Carrie told me I could get up whenever I felt like it. I told her I wanted to do it then so off to the bathroom we went. Thank goodness she accompanied, I felt like a little baby needing to get dressed. I probably should have waited a bit longer, but in all the information/tons of reading done pre-op, I had it in my mind that they want you up and moving ASAP. I was bound and determined to be superwoman....for about a minute!
 
By then my beautiful daughter was by my bedside asking me how I was. I think I told her okay/fine or something of the sort OR I may have vocalized rather loudly how much I just wanted to BELCH. She laughed. Since I must have been impressive in my superwoman state of mind, Carried started preparing me to leave. She removed my IV and made sure I had plenty of sipping water for the bubble pressure. She checked all my vitals and then said I was good to go if I wanted to leave. That's when the nausea kicked in BIGTIME! Unfortunately since she had already removed the IV, I had to wait to take the meds that I thankfully had filled the night before and brought with me. So my daughter left to pull up to the exit and Carrie wheeled me to the car, helped me and waved good bye telling me to make sure to take my meds right away and call if I had any problems. My daughter immediately stopped at the first convenient store and got me some water for my meds. I took them immediately and I believe the nausea went away shortly afterward. I wasn't thinking right because I forgot that the nausea meds were dissolving tablets that melted on your tongue. Oh well...it helped.
 
Homeward bound in the middle of noon-rush hr traffic...one hour later we arrived home. First thing I did was get my GAS-X strips and took one for the intensely insane gas issue. It really hurt and my throat felt like I had strep or something similar. Water was my best friend beside the Gas-X. Eventually I let out a little "urrp" enough for my daughter to laugh at me. She's usually the one that does the loud burping and I'm constantly after her to use her manners (best she can) to be as lady-like possible. But now I know when you got one of the bubbles in the midst....LET IT OUT! Of course I burp...everyone does, but it feels SOOOO goood. Matter of fact - as I'm writing this one just came out...yippee!
 
So the rest of the day pretty much was a blend of trying to lay down, but getting back up, doing some walking, doing the lung thingie, taking meds, back to bed, walk a little more, do another round of lung exercizing, try to belch again & again, sip some water to ease the throat soreness, etc., etc., etc. I also took a vitamin C and Fish Oil caplet to get some nutrients in since I'll be living off of broth for the next week. I was very careful to take them each slowly. Was successful, felt no pressure/pain in swallowing them.
 
I thought for sure I'd want to sleep all day & night, but I had the worst insomnia bout...I just couldn't get to sleep. I didn't feel so much the pain of the incisions as the gas pressure as it started to move under my left breast and back area. It's still with me today; not as bad but it's there.
 
Today - my incisions hurt and I feel stiff and groggy/sleepy. I finally went to bed about 6:00 AM (I think) when I finally fell asleep until about 10:00 AM. While laying there waking up, I thought I don't feel any pain (nothing excruciating) so maybe I could forego the pain/nausea meds until later when I truly needed them. But as I got up to pee...my body immediately told me I wasn't SILLY for thinking I didn't need to take my meds FIRST THING! I'm also hungry...enough to start the broth thingie. So I took my meds, regular meds (Nature Throid for hypothyroidism) and my daily multi-vits/supplements. I'm a big naturopathic healthcare nut when it comes to vits/supps. I've never been able to do well at following a good healthy eating plan, so the vits/sups help as back-up. I see a Naturopathic Doc (ND) regularly which was part of my reason to finally do something about my weight. She's been wanting me to lose weight for the 5+ years I've been seeing her and although I've lost weight at times, I never kept it off. Sadly, I'm heavier today than I was when I first started seeing her. Ugh! But that will be another blog for another day. I'm getting tired and my broth is getting cold, so off to bed I go, hoping to get some much needed rest. I will check back in with you later. Thanks for stopping by. Nighty nite....

Hello everyone!
Today is day 3 of my pre op diet. Well...first let me give you my daily menu:
breakfast: 1 scoop protein powder and 8oz milk
morning snack: sugar free jello
lunch: 1 scoop protein powder
afternoon snack: sugar free jello
dinner: 3 oz chicken, turkey, or fish with 2 cups salad or 1 cup cooked veggies. 1TB of dressing or oil
and water.....water.....water......did I say water?
 
So its the third day, I have had a headache now for three days to match. I think its the lack of carbs, maybe a carb withdrawl. Im not supposed to have caffeine, today I just poured a cup of coffee, and used a dash of my milk that was for my protein shake...I need to rid myself of the headaches, I cant deal with it all day. Im a bit tired and my brain is foggy. Ive read this happens on Atkin type diets from lack of carbs, and supposedly passes. PLEASE PASS QUICKLY.
 
Once you get over the idea that you aren't going to eat you start to forget about it.
All doctors have differet preps prior to surgery. What are yours? What about post op?
Post op I am a week of the same diet I am on now and then followed by two weeks of pureed foods, then gradually into regular foods.
 
When I did my pre op diet for the band it was similar to this, but no dinner, only liquids and one "cream of.." soup, strained a day. I dont remember being this lethargic or the headaches.
 
I had my pre op appointment on Tuesday. I lost four lbs, which was nice. I also met with the exercise physiologist, who gave me post op instructions, the nutrionist, who gave me 4 one ounce cups to show me what I will be drinking/eating (4 cups is the total quanity to equal a half cup, for each is 1 oz) we practiced how I should sip after surgery, take a sip, breathe out, swallow slowly. The reason for this is to expel any gas from the tummy. Otherwise you get painful gas, and have to be BURPED, OMG!
They also gave me a spoon, to remind me of the size bites I should eat..funny, my 7 month old has the same one!
 
I met with my surgeon, he is awesome, he went over the procedure from the moment I am checked into the hosptial. Reassuring me of statistics and my safety. We discussed the dreaded drain that is used after surgery, the good news is, its taken out before I leave "phew" the bad news is...OMG THEY PULL IT OUT WHILE YOURE AWAKE!
 
Finally I met with the nurse who showed me how I will inject my Heparin, 3 shots a day for two weeks, to avoid any clots. Yikes. I hate needles but I definitely dont want to suffer a stroke, embolism, or DVT. So, I will comply. I left with my prescriptions, my shopping list...and here I am today.
 
I will keep you posted! I have to schedule my pre surgical clearance appt with my primary care doctor, and get some blood work too. Report back later. Take care!
 
Jen

Yesterday I had my lap band put in.
 
But before all of that, I want to back up and tell you about the last days of the pre-op diet. I have to say that I battled head hunger and maybe real hunger the entire time. I actually looked forward to SlimTime. Some days were very tough, and others seemed to sail by and that was great. I weighed myself at home using my scale because I won't always be weighing myself on their scale and I'm so pleased to say that I lost 15 pounds on the SlimTime, I was ecstatic. In any case - onto surgery
 
I had my surgery at Smart Shape or otherwise known as the Surgical Weight loss center in Mississauga, ON on March 5th.
 
I was in a tiny panic as traffic was absolutely awful, and I thought I'd built in travel time, but as it turns out - no. I was 10 minutes late, and the team was thankfully very gracious about it. I still waited probably 1/2 an hour. The staff there are the best, so caring, thorough and wonderful. I was taken into a room that had a heated comforter for me to be under, and I changed into the gown. I met with the nurse, we went over my medications, took my blood pressure and weight. Then I met the dietician and my care coordinator, both who are inspirational and very kind.
 
Dr. Cobourn came in and we shared a laugh or two, and then the anesthesiologist came in, and we went through allergies and I told him how much I hate needles. He had a look at my veins and was hoping to put the iv in my hand. I told him that in previous surgeries that had been tried with no success he asked to try it anyway and I said yes.
 
I was then led into the surgery room, and really, I never ever look around the room, I never ask questions, I just closed my eyes and spoke only when I had to speak.
 
After trying my hand he gave up and used my arm. He gave me a relaxant of some type, and then told me it was time to go to sleep. He asked me to take two deep breaths after putting the mask on me, and next thing I knew I was awake in recovery.
 
I had no nausea - YAYYYY and everything went as planned. I could hear the nurse talking on the phone to my beloved. I was eventually sat up in the bed, then asked to dangle my feet over the side, and then asked to get dressed. They had a hard time finding someone to go down with me to find hubby as the nurse couldn't leave as another patient was in the recovery room.
 
I don't really remember the ride home. I slept most of yesterday but did get up and watched tv last night with hubby. I had a hard time sleeping last night. Maybe because I'd slept all day.
 
Today I'm okay. I've walked a bit and will walk more. I want to feel better quicker and I know for me that as soon as I get out of a chair and moving a bit that that will help.
 
I wish I could call all of you and thank you individually for all of the support I've received on this website. I'm truly grateful. I had a far better idea of how I would feel, of what to expect because of you!
 
Nancy
 

This weight loss site/forum is a living and evolving place. You have your lurkers. You have your new people that ask a question and never come back. You have your new people that visit and post often and try to absorb all of the info and support offered. You have your people in between that are in the stages of losing. And then you have your veterans who maybe only need to lose 10-20 pounds or have reached their goal.
 
When I got a lapband, I didn't really do a lot of research on the other surgeries. RNY was totally out for me as it seemed too radical. I didn't consider the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of cutting my stomach. I felt the band was reversible, it was a chance I was willing to take. Now, I DO NOT feel there is anything wrong with having the first two surgeries. They just weren't for me. Looking back, if I knew I would end up being as committed to this journey as I am, I may have considered the sleeve more seriously.
 
If you read up on the lapband, it says that the majority of patients will lose 60% of their excess weight. Meaning, if you're 100 pounds overweight, you could expect to lose 60 pounds. Leaving you 40 pounds overweight.
 
BUT...there are plenty of people who reach or closely reach their goal weights.
 
What is the difference between those who don't lose hardly any weight, those who only lose about 50-60% of excess weight, and those who reach a healthy, suggested weight for their height and build?
 
We all know why some people don't lose weight. Or lose weight and gain it back. They eat around the band. They make very poor food choices. They either were never really committed or lost their commitment somewhere along the way.
 
Those who lose 50-60% of excess weight. What causes them to stop losing at that point and not continue on? I imagine there are many reasons. But I suspect that these may be the people who depended solely on the band to do all of the work for them. Those who did not commit to eating healthier as a habit and did not commit to exercise. They depended on the band to make them eat less, but still eat high calorie foods with low nutritional value. (Now, this is just speculation, but I'm probably close to the mark.)
 
And the veterans? The people who have almost or have already reached their goal? Don't you see the common theme among them here on the forum? THEY USED THE BAND AS A TOOL TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR DIET AND EXERCISE. These people are not the ones on here saying, "I feel like such a failure because I ate a double helping of chicken alfredo with breadsticks followed by a piece of chocolate cake." NO...these are the people on here saying, "I make healthy food choices every day. I watch my portions. I listen to my band. I exercise 4-5 days a week. I may have a piece of chocolate cake, every now and then. But it's more then than now. And I only eat a small piece, and then I'm back on track."
 
Those are the people who inspire me. I have lived most of my 40 years on this earth eating mindlessly. Not caring about what I have been putting into my only vessel on this earth. I have lived an eating life based on convienience and overeating. I do not want to do this to myself any longer! This is MY body! I have to take care of this gift. I need to fill this body with the fuel it needs to exist and be healthy.
 
I'm just trying to point out, to you and myself, that success depends on committing to a new way of living and eating. We cannot continue on the same path we had been on before. We have to take the new path. It is not the easiest path. We will get roughed up along the way. But I believe it leads to a place of beauty. A place where our bodies and our minds can live in harmony. This place is called, "Healthy."
 
I hope we see each other there.

This weight loss site/forum is a living and evolving place. You have your lurkers. You have your new people that ask a question and never come back. You have your new people that visit and post often and try to absorb all of the info and support offered. You have your people in between that are in the stages of losing. And then you have your veterans who maybe only need to lose 10-20 pounds or have reached their goal.
 
When I got a lapband, I didn't really do a lot of research on the other surgeries. RNY was totally out for me as it seemed too radical. I didn't consider the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of cutting my stomach. I felt the band was reversible, it was a chance I was willing to take. Now, I DO NOT feel there is anything wrong with having the first two surgeries. They just weren't for me. Looking back, if I knew I would end up being as committed to this journey as I am, I may have considered the sleeve more seriously.
 
If you read up on the lapband, it says that the majority of patients will lose 60% of their excess weight. Meaning, if you're 100 pounds overweight, you could expect to lose 60 pounds. Leaving you 40 pounds overweight.
 
BUT...there are plenty of people who reach or closely reach their goal weights.
 
What is the difference between those who don't lose hardly any weight, those who only lose about 50-60% of excess weight, and those who reach a healthy, suggested weight for their height and build?
 
We all know why some people don't lose weight. Or lose weight and gain it back. They eat around the band. They make very poor food choices. They either were never really committed or lost their commitment somewhere along the way.
 
Those who lose 50-60% of excess weight. What causes them to stop losing at that point and not continue on? I imagine there are many reasons. But I suspect that these may be the people who depended solely on the band to do all of the work for them. Those who did not commit to eating healthier as a habit and did not commit to exercise. They depended on the band to make them eat less, but still eat high calorie foods with low nutritional value. (Now, this is just speculation, but I'm probably close to the mark.)
 
And the veterans? The people who have almost or have already reached their goal? Don't you see the common theme among them here on the forum? THEY USED THE BAND AS A TOOL TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR DIET AND EXERCISE. These people are not the ones on here saying, "I feel like such a failure because I ate a double helping of chicken alfredo with breadsticks followed by a piece of chocolate cake." NO...these are the people on here saying, "I make healthy food choices every day. I watch my portions. I listen to my band. I exercise 4-5 days a week. I may have a piece of chocolate cake, every now and then. But it's more then than now. And I only eat a small piece, and then I'm back on track."
 
Those are the people who inspire me. I have lived most of my 40 years on this earth eating mindlessly. Not caring about what I have been putting into my only vessel on this earth. I have lived an eating life based on convienience and overeating. I do not want to do this to myself any longer! This is MY body! I have to take care of this gift. I need to fill this body with the fuel it needs to exist and be healthy.
 
I'm just trying to point out, to you and myself, that success depends on committing to a new way of living and eating. We cannot continue on the same path we had been on before. We have to take the new path. It is not the easiest path. We will get roughed up along the way. But I believe it leads to a place of beauty. A place where our bodies and our minds can live in harmony. This place is called, "Healthy."
 
I hope we see each other there.

This weight loss site/forum is a living and evolving place. You have your lurkers. You have your new people that ask a question and never come back. You have your new people that visit and post often and try to absorb all of the info and support offered. You have your people in between that are in the stages of losing. And then you have your veterans who maybe only need to lose 10-20 pounds or have reached their goal.
 
When I got a lapband, I didn't really do a lot of research on the other surgeries. RNY was totally out for me as it seemed too radical. I didn't consider the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of cutting my stomach. I felt the band was reversible, it was a chance I was willing to take. Now, I DO NOT feel there is anything wrong with having the first two surgeries. They just weren't for me. Looking back, if I knew I would end up being as committed to this journey as I am, I may have considered the sleeve more seriously.
 
If you read up on the lapband, it says that the majority of patients will lose 60% of their excess weight. Meaning, if you're 100 pounds overweight, you could expect to lose 60 pounds. Leaving you 40 pounds overweight.
 
BUT...there are plenty of people who reach or closely reach their goal weights.
 
What is the difference between those who don't lose hardly any weight, those who only lose about 50-60% of excess weight, and those who reach a healthy, suggested weight for their height and build?
 
We all know why some people don't lose weight. Or lose weight and gain it back. They eat around the band. They make very poor food choices. They either were never really committed or lost their commitment somewhere along the way.
 
Those who lose 50-60% of excess weight. What causes them to stop losing at that point and not continue on? I imagine there are many reasons. But I suspect that these may be the people who depended solely on the band to do all of the work for them. Those who did not commit to eating healthier as a habit and did not commit to exercise. They depended on the band to make them eat less, but still eat high calorie foods with low nutritional value. (Now, this is just speculation, but I'm probably close to the mark.)
 
And the veterans? The people who have almost or have already reached their goal? Don't you see the common theme among them here on the forum? THEY USED THE BAND AS A TOOL TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR DIET AND EXERCISE. These people are not the ones on here saying, "I feel like such a failure because I ate a double helping of chicken alfredo with breadsticks followed by a piece of chocolate cake." NO...these are the people on here saying, "I make healthy food choices every day. I watch my portions. I listen to my band. I exercise 4-5 days a week. I may have a piece of chocolate cake, every now and then. But it's more then than now. And I only eat a small piece, and then I'm back on track."
 
Those are the people who inspire me. I have lived most of my 40 years on this earth eating mindlessly. Not caring about what I have been putting into my only vessel on this earth. I have lived an eating life based on convienience and overeating. I do not want to do this to myself any longer! This is MY body! I have to take care of this gift. I need to fill this body with the fuel it needs to exist and be healthy.
 
I'm just trying to point out, to you and myself, that success depends on committing to a new way of living and eating. We cannot continue on the same path we had been on before. We have to take the new path. It is not the easiest path. We will get roughed up along the way. But I believe it leads to a place of beauty. A place where our bodies and our minds can live in harmony. This place is called, "Healthy."
 
I hope we see each other there.

This weight loss site/forum is a living and evolving place. You have your lurkers. You have your new people that ask a question and never come back. You have your new people that visit and post often and try to absorb all of the info and support offered. You have your people in between that are in the stages of losing. And then you have your veterans who maybe only need to lose 10-20 pounds or have reached their goal.
 
When I got a lapband, I didn't really do a lot of research on the other surgeries. RNY was totally out for me as it seemed too radical. I didn't consider the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of cutting my stomach. I felt the band was reversible, it was a chance I was willing to take. Now, I DO NOT feel there is anything wrong with having the first two surgeries. They just weren't for me. Looking back, if I knew I would end up being as committed to this journey as I am, I may have considered the sleeve more seriously.
 
If you read up on the lapband, it says that the majority of patients will lose 60% of their excess weight. Meaning, if you're 100 pounds overweight, you could expect to lose 60 pounds. Leaving you 40 pounds overweight.
 
BUT...there are plenty of people who reach or closely reach their goal weights.
 
What is the difference between those who don't lose hardly any weight, those who only lose about 50-60% of excess weight, and those who reach a healthy, suggested weight for their height and build?
 
We all know why some people don't lose weight. Or lose weight and gain it back. They eat around the band. They make very poor food choices. They either were never really committed or lost their commitment somewhere along the way.
 
Those who lose 50-60% of excess weight. What causes them to stop losing at that point and not continue on? I imagine there are many reasons. But I suspect that these may be the people who depended solely on the band to do all of the work for them. Those who did not commit to eating healthier as a habit and did not commit to exercise. They depended on the band to make them eat less, but still eat high calorie foods with low nutritional value. (Now, this is just speculation, but I'm probably close to the mark.)
 
And the veterans? The people who have almost or have already reached their goal? Don't you see the common theme among them here on the forum? THEY USED THE BAND AS A TOOL TO HELP THEM MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR DIET AND EXERCISE. These people are not the ones on here saying, "I feel like such a failure because I ate a double helping of chicken alfredo with breadsticks followed by a piece of chocolate cake." NO...these are the people on here saying, "I make healthy food choices every day. I watch my portions. I listen to my band. I exercise 4-5 days a week. I may have a piece of chocolate cake, every now and then. But it's more then than now. And I only eat a small piece, and then I'm back on track."
 
Those are the people who inspire me. I have lived most of my 40 years on this earth eating mindlessly. Not caring about what I have been putting into my only vessel on this earth. I have lived an eating life based on convienience and overeating. I do not want to do this to myself any longer! This is MY body! I have to take care of this gift. I need to fill this body with the fuel it needs to exist and be healthy.
 
I'm just trying to point out, to you and myself, that success depends on committing to a new way of living and eating. We cannot continue on the same path we had been on before. We have to take the new path. It is not the easiest path. We will get roughed up along the way. But I believe it leads to a place of beauty. A place where our bodies and our minds can live in harmony. This place is called, "Healthy."
 
I hope we see each other there.

We're in a new office building & have see-through windows in conference rooms, with the exception of a frosted window strip going through the middle of the window walls so you can't see the people when they're sitting down around the table.
 
So, I'm walking down the hall, passing one of the conference rooms & check out the reflection of a thin figure going by. I actually stopped myself in my own tracks realizing, "Holy shi*, that's ME!!!!!!!!!!!"
 
I don't mean to sound conceited in any way, shape or form, but I actually looked nice. I can't believe I didn't even recognize my own reflection.
 
It's taken me 1 1/2 years to get here, but guess what, I AM FINALLY HERE!!!

Welcome back! It's time for more girthy grins from your formerly portly preacher. So let's get right into it and see what's happening in the world of Johnny.
Frankly, I'm dealing with another debacle.
Last week, I finally got around to finally moving my old suits into storage. Did I say finally? I have been slowly paring my old wardrobe from my closet. It has not been easy. It's not the actual moving of clothes that's hard, it's the sorting of the clothes that's the killer. What to throw away and what to keep. It's a mess of epic proportions. After all, I am dealing with about 5 levels of clothing.
To clear it up for our new readers, a "level" of clothes is / was the particular items I had that fit me in various stages of rotundness. At my worst, I was busting out of my Level 3 wardrobe. That consisted of several pairs of slacks and a couple of over sized shirts. God forbid if I ever had to invoke Level 4 emergency protocols! That was just a moo moo and a pair of furry bunny slippers. The world was not ready for that.
As I have lost weight, I have moved rapidly through Level 2 (comfortable fitting FAT wardrobe), Level 1 (loose fitting fat wardrobe and some trousers and shirts from an old closet, circa 1995), a new transitional Level A wardrobe (some new clothes and a myriad of FAT clothes that were taken in), Level B wardrobe which consists of all new transitional clothes and some old shirts that have been severely altered.
Needless to say the the move downward through the levels requires me to set up shop in my closet and endlessly try on pants and shirts. Discarding the "absolutely don't fits", keeping the" fits OKs" and waffling on the "in-betweeners". Because this chore is not related to work, sports or sex, paying attention for any length of time is quite cumbersome. So after about an hour, I got bored and just keep the items I hadn't gotten to yet. This caused a little bit of a logjam. But I FINALLY got it done.
After last weeks wardrobe purge, my closet looks pretty empty. Now I have discovered I have only a handful of pants that fit, a few jeans and three Jos. A Banks Sunday go-to-meetin' outfits. I'm in trouble here! I may have to invoke reverse Level C emergency protocols, if I don't get some new trousers in a hurry! I have taken the new pants I bought back in November to Giovanni the "crack tailor" to get taken in. I call him the "crack tailor" because it seems like I am there every week with a fistful of cash to get my fix. I hope these pantalones hold me for another month or so. I really don't want to buy new slacks because I am right on the edge of another downward move in the waist size. Giovanni hopes I continue the tailoring route. I also learned that even if your tailor tells you he can take 9 inches out of your waist, that doesn't mean the pants are going to look right. I may have started a new fashion trend ... 3 belt loops in the back about an inch apart from each other. We'll see if it catches on.
Truth be told, I made a few wardrobe mistakes along the way. First, I got way too many slacks, suits and sport coats altered after the first 30 pounds or so. My body was changing so fast that I never even had a chance to wear most of the items. Secondly, I took about 20 shirts in and had those taken in as well. Giovanni can take in the sides, but he can't redo the neck. So I ended up with a bunch of dress shirts with big necks. And the sport coats? He took in the sides, but he couldn't move the shoulders. So I ended up looking like a character from Miami Vice. Big wide collars and shoulder pads. I had to say good bye.
I am just ranting about this because it's aggravating and time consuming. But we have to put this in the "good problem to have" column. Yup. It sure beats going the other way. I suppose it's rewarding to see the new clothes I bought in the fall hanging off me already. With another 25 pounds to go, I'm certain I'll being doing at least a couple more wardrobe purges. Only this time it won't be fancy custom suits made by my former haberdasher. You know him? Omar the Tent Maker. If you go see him, tell him Johnny sent you. And also tell him I am no longer in need of his services.
SOOOO LOOONG FOR NOW!
JT
Fat Fanatics! Email your comments and questions to:
mccgolfer99@gmail.com
I will answer all questions and, who knows, your pithy comments might make the blog!

As February is winding down I've started looking back at myself last year at this time. If you've read my story you know last March I had serious medical issues and was in the hospital for over a month, on dialysis and heavier than I'd ever been. Its INSANE!!
 
The good thing about that negative situation is the positive changes that have taken place in my life since last year. I'm on my way to looking like I feel on the inside. I feel so much more healthy on the inside and can't wait until people can see what I see when I look in the mirror. I've lost tons and some days I even feel thin at a size 16 now. It's all relative. Some of you may not feel like sz 16 is thin but coming from where I was, believe me... its a big- noticeable change! My daughters told me last week that I no longer had MOM butt. I guess my arse is no longer flat and long. It's got some shape. That's high praise coming from them. LOL!
 
I'm now looking forward to my trip to Vegas in April. Girls Trip! Woot! Gotta lose 9 more lbs to reach the smaller goal I set for myself when I had my surgery in September before I go... but, I'm sure I'll do it! I'm knocking on wood here because I haven't met my goal yet... but, my journey has been great. My weight loss has been constant and after making it through "band hell" I've never grumbled at my band. Instead, my band has been the best investment I've made in myself... EVER!
 
Finally, It's true what they say. If Mama Ain't Happy. Ain't Nobody Happy! My entire family has been impacted in a positive way due to my WLS. Without sounding like a complete cliché. I'm a better Me!
 
Happy Thursday, Peeps!