JustWatchMe

I'm at green and yes I get hungry, but a protein meal will keep hunher away for 3-4 hours. Hunger means it's time to eat!

Sorry to hear it Julie. Feel better. My surgeon's support group has a guest speaker tonight. The plastic surgeon is back. This will be good. She talked last year and now that I've lost a bunch of weight boy do I have questions !

I just tried it for the first time in three days and it's a little better but still slower and jumpier than it used to be.

Got my two miles in. And most of my stairs. Feels good to get that oxygen in the blood.

Great message.

All great advice above. I will add: Stop TV eating. Give up carbonated beverages. Practice not drinking with meals or for half an hour afterward. Good luck!!

Bandista, I won't !! This morning I went through the fridge and took to the curb all of the foods left from my daughter's week at home that nobody needs or wants. Sweets, dips. Gone. I brought hummus for lunch today and restocked my desk with nuts. Can hardly wait for my two mile walk at lunch. Very warm here today but dropping again tomorrow. Great posts so far. Keep 'em coming, Warriors!

No you don't. Good for you. I'm sorry about your godfather.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Thank you all.

Today is my one year bandiversary. I am at the lowest weight I have been in decades. I started at 302 and today weigh 194. I've lost 108 pounds and have just under 50 to go. Almost all of the weight so far was lost in the first 7 months. Then I bounced around with the same five pounds up and down for the next five months. This past two weeks I became energized again and I now believe I will make it to my goal weight this summer. Life with the LapBand is incredible. Although the band doesn't stop me from overeating (that's my job) or from choosing high calorie foods, it does help me to stay satisfied on less food for several hours. In other words, the hunger that always derailed all of my previous dieting attempts is solved. The band takes care of hunger between meals. All I have to do is ... everything else. Everything else means choosing solid Protein and passing up carbs. Limiting alcohol which is pure sugar and has the added side effect of allowing me to feel it's ok to nibble while I drink. Everything else means no snacking between meals. Snacking wakes up my hunger. Everything else means no tv eating. Ever. Everything else means walking. Taking the stairs. Every day and lots of times a day. Everything else means saying no to helpful people who suggest just one bite won't hurt. I know better. Everything else also means ... ... Working on the reasons I turn to food instead of to people. ... Seeing a therapist twice a month. ... Going to OA and to CoDA. ... Believing in success and never letting go of the goal. I didn't get WLS to be prettier or sexier. I didn't even really get it because of all of my health problems -- high blood pressure. sleep apnea. GERD. Debilitating osteoarthritis. Swelling in my feet and legs. A dozen different medications to take each morning. Horrible lower back pain. I got WLS because my life had narrowed to unbearable dimensions, where I found myself at age 53 in an emotionally abusive marriage with a raging narcissist. Marriage counseling failed. I ate every night into what I call my food coma. If I had my food, all the chaos around me would temporarily go away. Until it didn't. I knew that I could never get myself and my college age girls out of that environment while I kept eating. I had to stop. I couldn't stop. But I had to stop. I looked into WLS and started the process. My husband was coldly critical but didn't say much. I didn't ask permission. My daughters were very supportive. I got my surgery. I started exercising. I dropped weight quickly and felt better immediately. A few months later, when his rage escalated, I took my girls and the dog and left him. I haven't looked back. My divorce is in process and it's the most painful thing I've ever done. He continues to try to manipulate the three of us from afar and has stalled the divorce at every turn. It's costing me a fortune. It's worth every penny. I stopped losing weight five months ago. Last week my divorce therapist and I talked about this. My identity as a wife - poof. My identity as a mom - fragile with my girls away at college. They don't need me every day anymore. My identity as a daughter - in extreme flux since I'm living with my mother right now. She has control and anger issues herself, and that's a daily struggle. I spend a lot of time outside of the house. It's time to focus on my new identity. My head is back in the game today. I'm making better choices. I'm making new friends and finding social things to do instead of living like a hermit. I'm working on the underlying psychological issues that allowed me to live for years as if I didn't matter. I know that without WLS I would have never stopped eating. If I'd never stopped eating, I would still be on that couch, waiting to die. I am proud of the changes I made in the last year. It is so much more than going down in size. I have truly recovered my self. The self that I buried under food all of my life. I'm scared witless about finding a new house and starting over. I'm scared to make decisions for myself. I was told my whole life that I didn't know what was best for myself. I don't believe that anymore. Today I know better. I know that I made a good decision getting my LapBand and I made a good decision leaving and filing for divorce. I will make good decisions when it comes to a new home and taking care of my new body. I see threads on here often asking if WLS changes a relationship or harms a marriage. I'm one person who got WLS because I needed the strength to do what I knew I had to do. Happy surgiversary to me. My whole life has changed and I couldn't be more grateful.

Debbie, you're the definition of success. I'm awed and amazed and inspired. Keep it up girl!!

@@bacon! Way to put me on the spot! lol. Ok I really liked the 6 mile challenge for the week so i want to do that again PLUS you each have the following assignment: Each day this week post one thing you are happy and proud of that you have changed in your life or achieved since WLS. One each day!! It can be weight related or not. I will start. I am happy and proud that I now actively recognize and fight the urge to say "no" to new experiences. Instead I stop myself and say "yes" so much more now. (Like accepting a challenge. lol) Love you guys!! Let's hear it from everyone. You are all warriors!!

Well I've never had aloe juice before so this is a new flavor. It's different. I think I like it. I made two gallons. Lol. That's only because the aloe came in a one gallon container so I bought enough cranberry to use it up, and well. .... Anyway I'll drink it. I need my Water and this will do it. Off to the airport.

That cranberry aloe sounds delicious. I'm stopping at Trader Joe's this morning and hopefully they will have those two ingredients. Yesterday food was on plan and NO Snacks at the movies! Woo hoo! Helps when I go with a human being. I didn't walk yesterday so I'm glad I met the weekly challenge early. Hope to walk tonight. My daughter's boyfriend is coming over for lunch and then I'm taking her to the airport to go back to school. I'll miss her. It's been a nice week. I'm headed into my CoDA meeting now. Had church this morning and Breakfast with my mom. Balance. My court date got postponed because NSETBEx's lawyer has a trial conflict. It's a mixed blessing. Dragging things out again, but on the plus side, I don't have to go to court a day after my birthday or miss an important work project installation. I've been driving around looking at homes but since my calendar was so full this weekend I wasn't able to do any open houses. Hopefully next Saturday. Next Sunday I'm having guests for lunch and visiting. Trying to keep social things going instead of isolating. Today I commit to Protein for the rest of the day plus that new cranberry drink and some walking in the early evening. Have a good Sunday, everyone.

Congratulations!! Welcome to the other side. Post often. This site is a lifesaver for me.

Thank you, everyone. You all give me strength and hope.

Food was on plan yesterday. I had more alcohol than I planned. Today going to the movies after lunch with a friend. I commit to no crapcorn and I'll bring a bottle of water. Also plan to walk the dog.

Congratulations on your weight loss. Welcome to the Century Club!

YES!

Congratulations

I would add: McDonald's. Scrambled eggs. Sausage. Bacon. Yes, I eat bacon. Subway. Soup. Wendy's. Chili. Thanks for the tips!

You go girl! I went to my 10 year HS reunion during the twenty minutes I was thin at age 28. It was amazing. I danced with a guy I had a crush on years before, and we won the twist contest. (He's an amazing dancer and I just reaped the benefits of it!) On my way out of the party I met my future husband. Although that relationship has had a recent turn, back then it was a very happy ending to a very happy evening! Enjoy every minute!

Thank you, Liz. Back atcha.

Change things today. Not tomorrow. Right now, get up from your desk or computer or wherever you are and go walk up and down the stairs twice. Get a big glass of Water and drink it. Plan supper and make it Protein heavy and low/no carb. I was in a slump for FIVE months. The holidays were three months ago. Don't let that turn into five for you. The only way to change is to change now. Finish today strong and make an appointment with your doc and NUT for a back on track visit and plan. If you can, get outside and walk when you get home today. Think of all the reasons you had WLS and all the benefits you've already gotten. Think of where you could be one month from today with doable changes if you start *right now*. This is how I am breaking my slump. Never ever ever give up on yourself!