solaa5

All, I have a BUNCH of size 14 clothes that are too big for me to wear. I live in Maryland and would be able to mail clothing to you...they include a couple of The Limited work suits, dress pants, jeans (DKNY), some size 8.5 shoes (Nine West, BCBG, Enzo), and tons of tops and sweaters. If you are interested in these items, please email me at solaa5@yahoo.com. If you don't mind paying for the shipping, you can have the clothes for free. I am paying it forward because I know how difficult it is to redo your whole closet - and with the economy so tight, every little bit helps. Regards

Hi Nymps: It's been ages since I logged on. Life has been crazy busy so that's my excuse. Anyway, I dropped by and decided to catch up with all the threads I have missed over the past few months and I wanted to share some of the things I have learnt during this weighloss journey. 1) Being banded does not meant all your problems are gone - especially the emotional ones. I don't know about all of you, but even with the pounds coming off, I still feel like a fat girl. I still forget that I am getting smaller when I go shopping and even though I have dropped a few sizes, I still find myself picking up my size 16's. Losing weight in this was is also helping me slowly let go of the image I have in my head about what I've always looked like. 2) The gym is my best friend - whao, that is so true. I hate exercise, but I have learnt to love how my mind and body feels after a good workout. It is also the thing that keeps me from gaining weight on the weeks I am at a plateau and eating chocolate icecream and cheese cake because of my cycle. It's been a relationship that I intend to maintan for the rest of my life. I go at least five times a week and I am gaining so much strenght and building killer muslces. 3) The band truly is ONLY a tool - it's no wonder we have to go for fills time and time again. Since my surgery Nov 1st, I have had only four fills (my doc is very conservative and spaces fills out between 8-10 weeks). I am sure we all know that we can "eat around the band" if we really try, however, the idea is to make better food choices, listen to our bodies and get back on track when we fall down. Bottom line, we still have to do all the hard work. 4) Dieting was banded right along with my stomach - I refuse to go on another diet and that is the decision I made when I was banded. No more Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins etc...since my surgery, it's been about great food choices, (not always, I'll admit) and excising. Some valuable changes that I made for the long run, that I can live with including giving up soda's or anything with high frutose corn syrup, going organic and eliminating all hydrogenated oils and fats from my diet. 5) I am Human - most of all, the biggest lesson I have learnt is that I am human...go figure...LOL. But this is crucial in helping me realize that I am not perfect, and somedays, when I feel down and under because of a decision I have made, I can forgive myself because after all, it's part of who I am. Now, I am halfway through my journey. My goal is to lose 80-100 lbs and so far I have lost 40lbs, and by November, I hope to have reached that goal. If I am not there yet, that too will be O.K...as long as I don't gain anything, which has not happened, yet. Actually, when I went for my last fill, this past Tuesday, I was a little bit disappointed that I had only lost 1.5lbs and before I even begun to grumble, the nurse at the office said, "worry, you are still on track because you have not gained anything back." That was enough to reassure me that the band was the best decision I have ever made.

Hi y'all... Banded on Nov 1st...so far, lost 30+lbs...work out at least five to seven times a week, try to eat right...the weight lose is going slow...but I am fine with it because at least I am not gaining and my clothes fit SOOOOOOOO much better, since I am toning my body (hence the fact that I have not lost all that much). Anyway, I have not had my cycle since December. Bariatric doc says it's not the weight and they did all these tests to make sure I am not malnurished. OBGYN also did a gamit of tests and she too says all is well, except she thinks lack of cycle is related to weight loss. Anyone having the same issue? Any thought's would be great.

Hi all, I just wanted to get some opinions on how many people who've been banded actually exercise as well? I know (from this site) that in addition to the band, many people diet, either WW or Jenny Craig or Atkins etc. But how many people are seeing success because of exercise too? Also, who is just relying on the band alone? Meaning, no exercise or diet? Any two sense would be appreciated. Thanks

Hi all, I am Solaa and I am 29. I was banded 11/1/2007. I have so far lost 25lbs. I am a slow loser but I am O.K with it becuse I know it will be long term this time around. I too am looking forward to having babies and being a "skinny bitch" or a "preggo cute chick" some day. I work out five times a week, two days with a trainer, and what I have noiced helps me with the head hunger, is exercise. I love shopping and sleep...not in that order, but either order is five with me. Nice to meet all of you... Solaa

Longhorn, you and I think alike. I want this to be a life long change all around, not just in my clothe sizes and of course, we all want to see the scale move lower every time we get on it, however, that is not the ONLY reason most of us got the band. Truth be told, we got this band because we wanted more than just to lose weight, although losing weight would be the most rewarding part of the experience. Like you, I have always been a slow loser, and since I lift weights heavily at least three times a week with my trainer, my weight does not come off quickly, instead, I am focusing on how losely clothes fit me these days because that is what will give me the "true" illustration that I am losing weight. I am trying to do most things right. I exercise five times a week without fail, I don't drink and eat with my meals anymore, I try and pay attention to my real physical hunger instead of my head hunger, I focus on the long term success of my band, and finally, I deal with the scale. I only weigh myself once a week, on Saturday mornings before I get dressed to hit the gym. Either way, whether I have lost some or nothing that week, I am still just as motivated to go and work my ass off. I know that the success of this band will depend on me and how hard I work to get to where I want to be. Sometimes I cannot stand the complaints and griping people make on here, especially those who have not come to the realization that they have to "work" at succeeding in this journey. In order to lose weight, you have to eat less than you burn...and thanks to the band, that part is almost done for us, but we still need to put in an effort for all the other stuff... Just how I see things...

Holly- I had my first fill yesterday and I feel bloated. I am gassy and really frustuated. This afternoon for lunch I cheated and had some rice Soup...which was fine, although I only ate about half a cup before I was full and felt like I was gonna throw up...and the gas was unbearable. I am resorting to shakes for the rest of the week, until maybe Saturday...although I had scrambled eggs with cheese this evening which went down fine. I have a feeling what we are experiencing is restriction. I hope it keeps on this way because my surgeon only allow fills every 8 week...which means it won't be until March 4th before I can get my second fill...yikes, hope I survive...

Longhorn, thanks for asking how it went... The fill itself was easy and had no issues. The nurse put in 4cc's and made me do a mini crunch before she started so she could locate the port. She gave me a shot that numbed the area and before I knew it, I was done. I have always known my doctor is very conservative, I just didn't know how much until this visit. It has been 8 weeks since surgery and he is making me wait another eight weeks (March 4th) before my second fill. He says that since I don't have that much to lose (started out needing to lose 100lbs-now 75lbs) he wants to make sure I am losing about 1-2lbs a weeks so my skin can stretch back without any problems and also so I can maintain my weight at goal long term. After he explained this, I didn't feel so bad that my fills were so far apart. What thrilled me about the whole visit was that both he and the nurse could tell in my face that the weight is coming off and assured me that I should rely more on the way my clothes fit rather than what the scale reads...of course, I know all this, but it's just nice to hear the experts voice their opinions.

I thought Optifast tasted so awful. Unjury is so much better. I ended up making my own shakes by buying a brand from my local organic store with soy milk which helped me feel more in control of my shake intake.

Finally, I get my FIRST fill on Tuesday and I am a nervous wreck. Why, I can't quite tell...although I am hoping all will go well. It's been a long time coming since I was banded with many of you on 11/1/07. I am however looking forward to getting weighed because I know my doc's scale always gives a number less than the one I have at home. Wish me luck...