Maincat

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but I'd just like to say that we in the UK are thinking of the people of the Gulf Coast/Cuba at this testing time. I really hope that the measures taken mean that loss of life is kept to a minimum and that property damage is low. Hope all turns out well.

I heard that BMI is a pretty rough measurement of obesity, due mainly to muscle weight v fat weight, so I Googled and discovered the Waist/Hip Ratio. It seems that For women: an ideal figure is 0.72 or less and For men: an ideal figure is 0.89 or less. Go on, get a tape measure. I can wait.:thumbup: I would say that BMI is the better known and more widely used measure, but has faults. Any views welcome.

There are so many possible reasons that people put on weight. Over eating, lack of exercise, medical conditions.. the list goes on. I had a similar start point to you in terms of weight. My wife has also lost some weight as I have, without making the conscious effort to do so. My family have been wonderfully supportive on my journey. She certainly didn't need to lose weight, but says that she feels better for doing so. Although your sentiment is worthy, you may have gone about it in the wrong way. If she is not unhealthy, has a normal range BMI, exercises etc, then I think leave her be. The motivation for losing weight has to come from the person him/her self.

Hi there, I would take your doctor's advice on this. I wouldn't have thought that there is a problem, but with rugby being so much of an impact sport I can't be sure. I cycle, so I can't compare. I haven't seen anything that bars people from doing sports, but the last thing you want is a problem with the port or band - or tube becoming detached.

Hi there, The nerves and doubts are perfectly normal. You are about to take a really big step towards changing your life and any change can be stressful. But, it is worth it. Your weight loss journey will transform your life in so many ways. Stay focussed on that and try to remain positive. The band will prompt you to make changes to your lifestyle and eating habits. It will not do it by itself. I'm sure you know that. This is a great week for you. Go for it!

Hi there Marienola, Welcome to the forum. I'm sure that you'll find lots of positive encouragement here, as well as information. I'm approaching the end of my weight loss journey with my last target being six pounds away. During the journey I've been through a range of emotions but I've always tried to stay positive. You'll find that sometimes you hit a plateau that can be difficult to deal with, but with time and work from you the weight will come off, along with other medical issues being dealt with along the way. Give yourself a reasonable time scale to lose the weight. I gave myself a year. You'll probably lose a lot of weight quickly at the beginning, then it tapers off. Did I mention stay positive? You'll also have NSVs (Non Scale Victories) along the way. Mine had a lot to do with clothes fitting, dropping sizes, people saying how good I looked... I'm sure you'll have those too. Take loads of photos! Good luck with your weight loss journey.

Hi all, Weighed myself this morning and I've reached my first target of BMI 24.9. This means I'm now in the 'normal' BMI range and has given me a great lift in morale. It's taken 42 weeks from the banding operation to get here (44 weeks since pre-op). My next target is to get to 80kgs. I don't think that I will set any other targets after that, except to maintain the weight at that level. To everyone, thanks for your support. To those setting off on their journey, you can do it too! Believe in yourself, stay motivated and go for it.:party:

Thanks again for all the posts - it's great to read them. I know it's an old expression, but really, if I can do it, anyone can. If you're going through a slow or demoralising patch, keep with it and the weight will move in time - probably sooner than you think. Take strength from NSVs and don't get too hung up on scales. Give yourself a reasonable time scale to lose the weight. I gave myself a year. I'm very fortunate to have a great support network, including all my family and friends. Above all stay positive and have fun losing weight.

Thanks for all your posts. It is a good feeling to make a target. For the first time yesterday I felt confident about my appearance in public, when I was doing my voluntary work at a hospital. I wore their uniform (medium size) and it was just a little too big!

My port and tubing was changed, but I did not have a new band. Why swap the band if the port is the problem?

Totally agree. They are the best people to give you information, advice and reassurance. I wouldn't deny the part emotional issues can play, they are very important. At the very least, see your GP.

Guys plateau too! I've hit many plateaus during the last ten months. Try to take the longer view. I lose around 7-8 pounds a month, including the day to day plateaus. Try to stay positive and motivated.

Hi there, Of course you can have the spreadsheet. It is downloadable from my blog - address below. It is available in Excel .xls and .xlsx formats. When you get to the blog, scroll down to near the bottom and you will see a weightloss icon. Click on that and you should see the files. Any problems, please let me know. Hope you find it useful.

Hi BernieDoc, Welcome to the bandster club. I remember eating soup for several days after I got home. The discomfort does soon go and you'll find that you don't know the band is there except for the job it's doing. These are very early days for you and you may find that you lose weight quickly for a while. That usually tapers off and you go into a steady loss stage. Good luck - you'll find a lot of support on this forum.

So sorry to hear about your daughter. Good luck with your banding. I'm sure you'll find that the weight loss gives you relief from your aches and pains - it did for me - and that, given time and work from you, you'll enjoy a whole new quality of life.

That's great Arran. I meant to ask, where are you having your operation? I've PM'd you but forgot to ask. You will always find support here, no matter what your feelings are. One idea is to keep a diary of how you feel about the operation. Take loads of photos and/or movies of yourself doing even the most ordinary things. I've also got a spreadsheet that I use as a weight loss diary. You may also want to consider your exercise as you lose weight. Think about what you can do that is sustainable over time. I use - wait for it - Mr Motivator videos, an exercise bike, my road bike and some weights. Works for me. Finally, get your loved ones and friends on board. I'm wonderfully supported by everyone who knows me and it feels like a shared weight loss journey. Look forward to your new life and I'm sure everything will be fine.

Well done on your 100 pound weight loss. It's a great feeling when these milestones are reached. Different people lose weight at different rates - 16 months is fine. Others are slowly or faster, it doesn't matter so long as it's gone!

Well done! It's great to have unexpected NSVs - they give you such a lift in morale. I haven't been swimming for years and years. I really ought to try it again. Well done on your weight loss.

Here are my latest images. Before November 2007, after August 2008. 118 pounds between them.

I'm near target weight now. I'm in medium clothes, people make lovely comments about my weight loss, I feel better for it.. but.... I still sometimes see the fat me in the mirror. I don't want to, but I do. Why is that? Am I alone in that?