puddin

I'm a cycling freak. I do like 100 miles a week, and when i got started I thought the gel seats would help - they didn't. A SMALL seat and a padded pair of bike shorts are finally what did it for me. Larger, gel-filled seats make your thighs rub against them, making it not only harder to pedal efficiently, but hurting your inner-thighs. A good pair of padded bike shorts will cost around $50-$70. Well worth it - for me, at least. If what you have is a mountain bike, however, perhaps less pedaling, a gel seat, and a padded pair of shorts will do it for you. But I know you have to work up to your butt not hurting any more. Beginning of bike season I always have a sore butt for a few days, but it goes away quickly.

Karey, here's the spa that I'm going to: http://www.premiermedispautah.com/. I'm doing the facial treatment, and then in 6 months I'll do my underarms. Good luck!

Oh Brenda, sounds like you're lovin it! I'm going to find a guy who loves me like that. 2k diamond earrings? Saweet. And you are a trophy wife. You're hot, babe So you did ab workouts? Okay, I feel better about starting those on week 8 then. My abs haven't been funny for the past few days. They'd been tight and swollen before. Now they're okay, so in a week I'll start the ab workouts, but light. I'm back up to running at 5.5 mph, but my knees are paying a price. I can do 5.5 mph for 20 min, take a 2 min break at 3.5mph, and then go back to 5.5 mph. I go 3 miles every day. Then I'll alternate biking with swimming (and weight training every other day). So I'm gettin like 2-3 hours of exercise in each day, in preparation for the tri in June. It doesn't feel like too much now, honestly. It did at first, but I slowly built back up to it and now it's all good. And running is actually easier without that flap of stomach skin! I feel... lighter. Except with all this physical activity, I seriously eat more. I'm much, much hungrier, for some reason. So I'm only losing like 1.5 lbs/week. But I can do that! I've got 18 pounds I want to lose. The goal weight keeps getting lower and lower, which is a bit of an obsession. When I told my trainer I wanted to lose 18 more pounds he's like "hun, that's just vanity. You look perfect already." But I truly want to be in the most optimal shape I can be in. I don't think 140 at 5'9" is unrealistic or unsafe. And lianna, sorry you have to wait! I was super impatient. But think of how much freakin fun it will be when you have it. And yeah, it gets addictive. Instead of thermage, I'm having Titan treatments, the same as Thermage only a bit newer and less painful. There's a spa by my house that, for $2,500 will do 3 Titan procedures to help tighten your skin by rebuilding collagen (1 every 4 weeks); 3 IPL treatments to treat both red and brown spots caused by sun damage (1 every 4 weeks); 6 Laser Genesis treatments to help improve skin texture, pore size and fine line wrinkles (1 every 2 weeks); as well as 6 microdermabrasion procedures (1 every 2 weeks). Pretty freakin sweet. I'm doing it!

Brenda girl Good for you! I'm so excited you can finally get that ass to the gym and kick some of it. Feels good, eh? Do you find that when you run there is a lot of pressure in your legs? The pressure has slowly subsided for me, but still somewhat there. What is your trainer having you do? No ab workouts, right? Apparently I'll be able to do abs in a week and a half (week 8). How's your swellling? I still have quite a bit of swelling, but it is SLOWLY going down. Yesterday it was like a kick in the face, though. I looked like I was 5 months along. I got on the scale and I was 3 pounds heavier than 2 days earlier. I've GOT to be retaining mad water. But I did a lot of cardio and a bunch of running. Yeah, 6 weeks can certainly wear down those muscles. I can only run at like 5 mph for now. I take a 1 minute break at 3.5 mph every 10 minutes for 3 miles. Hoping to be back up to 5.5 mph without breaks soon. My goal run time is an 8-9 minute mile for 6 miles come triathlon time in June. Tony can help me with that. The boy can run a 5-minute mile. His average speed is a 7-minute mile for like 13 miles. He's a cheetah! Okay, are you LOVING that flat stomach of yours? I am so silly with it. I swear I do a strip tease in front of the mirror every night. I even put on my straw cowboy hat LOL! Shhhhh. Don't tell anybody.

Thanks ladies! I decided after the last text to the ex that I would text NO MORE, no matter what he texted me. He wants to get together before the tri and do some bike runs together - this is how we originally met. He's acting all innocent, like nothing's going to happen. But THEN he's like "so where are you staying in Edmonton? Who are you doing the tri with?" These are his questions to find out if I have a boyfriend right now. He IS the jealous type, so I didn't privy him to that information. But it doesn't matter. It would never work with him right now, the way we both are. BUT, despite the fact that we had sex and we both don't believe in having it before marriage (in a big, big way), we can both repent. He may just turn out to be a good person one day - but it will take time for him. He IS a good person, but he has addictions. We fit perfectly together, if only he didn't have a sexual addiction and physical feelings for a woman he had an affair with while married. I think he sorta hated me after because he thought I was a morally strong girl (which I am), but I had a weak moment (er, at least a weak weekend). He was good for a full year - no playing "solitaire", no women... nothing... until I came around. So I think he can change, I do. But it will take time for both of us. I can't control myself around him and he can't around me. I did tell him I lost 30 pounds and had a tummy tuck since I last saw him (8 weeks ago). But see, since he arrived in Houston tonight he hasn't texted. I have a feeling he will be strong as well and not contact me any more. He's stronger than he gives himself credit for. Oh dear, I have set myself back a full month, I think!

You know, I'm clinical, I really am. I need to remove said ex from my phone. I accidentally sent a text to him (meant to send it to the person next on the list in the address book), and we have a conversation going again. Damn. It's like old times, too. He's all funny and sweet and charming again. He's acting like he never killed me inside. I bet he has no idea... Oh girls, I need to get confident before June - that's the goal! This is bigger than me. I'll see this ex in June at the Edmonton Triathlon. I don't want to fall for him again! It took 5 weeks for me to stop freakin crying every day over him. I still love the jerk and wish I didn't. In the back of my mind I want to find someone I like a lot between now and then so I won't fall for him once again. Maybe I'll see him and decide "what the heck was I thinking???" I sure hope so. You know, Mystic, I like that advice. I don't THINK I'm putting out the "hello I'm looking for a husband" vibe, but it's possible I am. I actually keep thinking "Let's get this date out of the way so I can get on with my dating hiatus." I'm DEFINITELY not the jealous or clingy type. But I am picky. It's also possible I'm going after men that are out of my league LOL. How the heck do you know what your "league" is??? It's just that I'm attracted to who I'm attracted to - and that just happens to be only very good looking men. It's sort of setting myself up for failure, I suppose. But I don't know how to get past it.

Okay chocolate, I am so very, very worried about you now. Maybe because I know what happened the moment I lost all the weight. I never really dated, either. Then I started dating, and, after about 6 months of it, finally found someone to fall in love with, but didn't know how to handle it. Here's the thing: Don't you sell yourself short for ANY man, NO MATTER how good looking he is. My ex was the first really good looking guy to show interest in me. And he was so athletic and funny and we shared the same personality and sense of humor... so I let him take the most precious thing I had because I thought he loved me and, in a weird way, it made me feel more secure to be with someone so good looking who seemed so attracted to me. But men can be pigs (sorry fellas). The good ones are the ones who respect you for maintaining your integrity throughout everything. I even think my ex would probably still be interested if he hadn't gotten what he wanted from me. I was thrown off his pedestal and he didn't respect me any more. Chocolate, this can cause so much incredible heartache. I don't want you to fall into the same trap just for a little physical affection. We women just can't handle it, especially if we're emotionally at the teenage dating level. Before this happens, please make goals and boundaries for yourself. Don't ever, ever let yourself think you're "strong enough" to resist it, because none of us are. Just make personal boundaries and stick by them! You'll be so much happier if you do... truly! Since breaking up with Kori, I've been out with several men. One I really, really like (it's Tony on my flickr photo page), but I have since set those boundaries for myself. For example, we were lying on his bed watching a movie the other night and he was like "wanna share a blanket?" So I did, and we started to cuddle. But when he started to rub his face against mine, I knew that was the "sign" and didn't let it get any further than that - especially since we were both lying down on his bed with the lights off. If Tony's truly quality, he'll respect me for those boundaries.

Dynamo It truly is in the eye of the beholder. I thought my ex was drop-dead gorgeous, but my sister could take him or leave him. But I am not attracted to her fiance in ANY way and she thinks he's the best lookin' man on the planet. But see, I'm not going to pretend that I think I'm ugly. I think I'm pretty. But I think there's something about my personality that might be turning men off. I don't know how to pinpoint it or how to change it, so I overcompensate by trying to make myself prettier. Perhaps there really IS nothing wrong with my personality and I'm simply impatient. I seem to think that the first man I really like since my breakup (a mere 8 weeks ago) should want me back just as much! I suppose it doesn't really work that way. There have been several men SINCE my ex that have been more interested in me than I have been in them. It just takes time to find that "connection". I have noticed a lot of people looking at me. About 20 pounds ago I still had "big girl" mentality and thought "keep starin at the freakshow, okay?" But I have come to realize that they aren't staring at a freak show. The guys look at me because they think I'm pretty. I really, really don't know how to handle it, besides just strut my stuff. I'm very much like a teenager in terms of relationships, only I skipped like 20 steps with my ex and have to pay the price for it now. Well, that, and my thinking is not like a teenager. I don't fit. Even the therapist I'm going to says that. It was very, very unhealthy for me to go as far as I did with him - a man who used me terribly. So the therapist is helping with the issues surrounding the breakup. I just wondered if anyone else on this site was able to overcome these issues somehow, and what was done to do that? Right now I'm TRYING to take a dating hiatus and learn a little more about my own self-worth, sans the man.

I needed, honestly, about 7 treatments, and I'll possibly need an 8th (we'll see in about 4 weeks). It's a stubborn area.

I'm with ya on the stress issue. I missed mine right before my tummy tuck. I'm sure it was the stress of the whole issue now. Stress can do funny things to our bodies.

I was always chubby (and teased for it) until I hit Jr. High and shot up like 5 inches to my current 5'9" frame. The boys liked me for the first time ever. I think I was around a size 9 in 7th grade. But by 9th grade I was chubby again, well, at a size 14, and the boys stopped liking me. Right now I'm about as skinny as I've ever been, really, and it's weird to have the boys liking you again. I swear I'm dating retarded. At least I have some guy friends now who can give me advice on this whole messy issue.

I've probably beaten this horse dead in other threads, but this is a new one and you may not have heard it: I lost only 60 pounds in my first 8 months or so. A few of those months had plateaus. I can relate to the discouragement, for sure! I was self-pay as well, and heck, why the heck did I go with this band thing if I was only going to lose 60 of the 150 I had to lose??? Long story short: I changed my attitude one day. Not sure how, but one day it just changed. I realized the amazingly primitive discovery of calories in-calories out... oh my I just wrote this long post but the less-than symbol screwed it up and half of it got deleted. I'll do my best to remember what I typed: Ahem. So I started counting calories. Made sure I had at least a 1,000 calorie/day deficit. I monitor my calorie burn by using the BodyBugg (my saving grace gadget, costs about $400 but it's well worth it). I pre-made food and then portioned them out into suck-n-seal baggies, wrote the calorie & Protein content on the bags, and stuck them in the freezer. That way I always had something on hand to just boil right in the bag when I got hungry. I also got very hooked on physical activity. I learned to love jogging and biking, and then I learned to love swimming and hiking and kayaking and skiing. The world got so much bigger! I eventually got so hooked on physical activity that I had my band loosened a tad. I can eat about 1,800 calories a day now, but I still burn about 2,300 on a fairly lazy day. So I'm typically still losing between 1-2 pounds per week. I just make SURE I get that deficit in every day. If it's 10:30 at night and I have 300 calories left to burn for the day, I get my tail out the door and go jogging! I know calorie counting can be a pain in the butt in the beginning, but it gets a lot easier over time and becomes no big deal after awhile. The beauty of this system is that it allows you to cheat when you want to. You realize pretty quick it's not worth the extra calories, but if I'm at a birthday part and want a little ice cream, I know I can simply work out a little harder that day or the next, or cut down a little on other calories. Good luck to you. This discouragement will pass. You'll lose again if you keep up the good work. I promise.

Sara Thanks for the book advice. I've actually got two of those books but haven't read them yet. I'll make some time for them. I have to work on my confidence levels right now. Cosean, To be honest with you, I didn't think the lower body lift was all that painful, but pain isn't a huge deal to me. I used to get kidney stones every 6 months or so. The Tummy Tuck was NO BIG DEAL compared to that. On a scale of 1-10, I'd say it was a 3. It was more of a pain in the butt than anything. And you are going to be immobile for a long period of time. I'd plan on 3 weeks of immobility, and that's without any complications.

Jane, I think we share a similar personality. I am a very focused person. My therapist calls me "intense" (yes, I have a therapist now, and I highly recommend we all get one LOL). That intensity can lead to obsession. Occassionally this is a good personality trait - we can become very good at whatever we set our minds to. But many times the "all or nothing" mentality ends up hurting us. For me, right now, my focus is on completing the triathlon in June. And it's okay because I have to follow a certain workout schedule to be able to complete it. But my focused personality trait has also moved onto other things that aren't healthy, things like having to look perfect and finding perfect-looking men to date, and feeling like a failure if I'm not able to do both. Of course, getting rejected for a prettier woman has played a part in that, but nonetheless, other people wouldn't be nearly so obsessed with looking perfect. It's an endless pursuit that will never be satisifed. I'm starting a new thing called NLP - Neurolinguistic Programming. I'm trying to "talk" myself out of this obsessive personality trait I have and into a more easy-going, care-free person. Anyone else done this?

Brenda, wow! I've seen pics of the boob lift before, and sometimes the line down is prominent. It's awesome that yours is that fine. I have never, ever had big boobs, so mine just need a "fill" LOL. I suppose that's on the list for after the triathlon, perhaps. My ex was going to pay for them, but now he's gone dammit. My scar on the front is pretty thin all over. I had brazillian bikini laser hair removal so I couldn't hide it if I wanted to, but I'm not too worried about it. The scar will be visible my whole life, I'm sure, and will only be seen by my husband, so it doesn't bother me too bad. As far as Tony goes, I'm going to leave any additional texting in his ball court. He was not conversational in his last text like he usually is, but he DID text back, so I assume all interest isn't lost. If he doesn't text me in the next couple days I'll text him and ask if he wants to go see a musical next week with me. He has the most beautiful singing voice - got a full-ride music scholarship to Pepperdine, and I know he'd appreciate the musical. I mean, we WERE friends before anything else. In fact, I had him in friend zone for an entire month while I've been 'recovering' from my breakup. I think as soon as I took him out of friend mode it kind of freaked him out. And... also... I hate to put it this way, but he IS disproportionately better looking than me. He may want to remain in friend mode. Anyway, I'm just going to ride this one out, like I said. This is one crazy game, dating.

Brenda - so you had 5.7 pounds removed? That's perfect! You must have definitely had a smaller stomach than I did. I had 4.5 pounds taken off the front and 5.5 taken off the back. I had a rather large midsection. Brenda, are you allowed to go to the gym yet? I went in for a follow-up yesterday and my doc said "your scabs are gone so anything goes right now." So I'm allowed to do pretty much anything except for ab work. So I ran today and it took everything out of me. I can't believe how out of cardio shape I am!! When did your doc say you are allowed to do weight training? Okay, on the love front, here's how it's going, and I need SOMEBODY'S advice: So Tony, the fella I really like and went out with again LAST Wednesday (but he never called back and I assumed I'd never hear from him again) finally texted this morning with a "Happy Valentines." Thinking that perhaps this was a mass text I waited a few hours and then responded with a "You too, Tony." A few moments ago he responded with "Thanks!" Here's my question: Do I respond to his "Thanks"? I'm dating retarded, I swear. Do I wait for HIM to send another text, striking up a conversation? Or do you think he's waiting for me to do that? I'm confused on this. This guy's sort of an enigma to me. I feel like if I make the wrong move it's over.

Kebsa I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend with the 1,000 calorie comment. There are certainly exceptions to the rules. There is another bandster on this thread who has Lupus and can't lose weight on 1,000 calories a day. I was speaking in general terms and I'm sorry. I SHOULD have said, "For me, 1,000 calories or less a day would be a bit obsessive." But I'm with y'all on the Biggest Loser bit. But if they're able to maintain that weight loss, more power to them. I have a feeling they're getting the financial backing to be able to sustain that kind of weight loss. It takes a lot of money to lose and keep weight off.

Sweetie, I had mine done here. Telly had hers done in Mexico. And thanks!

Was I one of the people you were thinking of when writing this post??? I have to admit that I am obsessed with exercise now. I'm not obsessed with counting calories, though I DO count them. I allow for fluctuations and don't deny myself typically. I'm definitely not obsessed with weighing myself, but I do have a goal. Here's the thing: We are DIFFERENT from normal, skinny people. At least I am. I can't NOT pay attention to the calories that I eat, or I'll go overboard. Since my band is fairly loose (because I need the energy to exercise), I eat around 2,000 calories/day now. It's just the way I have to do it. If loving exercise is what you've come to know, then I say embrace it. I came to love it when I hated it before. This new passion has freed me in so many ways. I can see the point though about the weighing/calorie counting obsession. There are some on this board who go below 1,000 calories/day. In my opinion, this is definitely unhealthy obsession that just can't last. For me, it was about making lasting lifestyle changes.

Katie You're doing better than I was at 5 months out, that's for sure! It took me about 8 months to lose that much. I hit several plateaus in the beginning. The last half of my banding experience has been the successful part, so don't lose hope! Okay, the only thing I know to suggest is to count calories. I'm serious about it. I don't usually deny my sweet tooth, but it sure is easier to hit my calorie goal if I don't eat that extra piece of chocolate. The less I eat of it, the easier it is to just say no. But I'm with Jacqui on the banana idea. usually around 3 I'll eat a banana and a low-fat mozarella cheese stick. Equals about 140 calories and gives me my Protein and carb fix.

Oh hun, NO reason to be embarassed. I'm all about surgical/laser intervention. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me - especially given the price of a face-lift. You're gonna look like a star!

Kim - You know, it's amazing how being large forces you to exaggerate parts of your personality to be visible. Since I've been heavy my whole life, like you, once you've stripped off the extra layers of fat, it's almost like stripping the layers of your personality as well. I blogged about the whole invisibility issue once and called it "The Joy and Discomfort of Becoming Visible." I'm sorry to tell you that it just gets harder as the weight comes off. But the bonus is that you'll finally find out who YOU are. I was in personal limbo for about 5 years, spiritually, physically... everything. I wasn't progressing in any way except for professionally. This has been a very turbulent time in my life: Lifestyle change, losing the weight, starting to date, getting engaged, getting un-engaged, extreme heartbreak, lower body lift, sister getting engaged, changing jobs, moving, breaking my religious and personal beliefs, repentance, personal and familial re-discovery, dating, dating, dating. All those changes have added up to be some incredible stress. But Kim, it's all good stuff! It has to happen sometime, and what a wonderful way for it to happen for you - with losing weight!

WHOA! I'm so excited about that! The doc said you can see results, but minimally, right after. So I'm excited for your 6-month results. Can I ask how much you paid for it?

Hi Josette I was out for a week and a half. Had it on a Friday and returned to work 1 week and 5 days later (on a Wednesday). Should have been a full 2 weeks. I have a desk job, though. Wouldn't have been for 3 weeks if I had a job where I had to walk around. And if I had to walk around all day, I'd be doing half-days for a little while. You can't really stand up completely straight for 3 weeks. You look like Darwin's Progression of Man chart, starting out as ape. I am nearly 4.5 weeks out now and can stand up straight and even go to my spinning class. I ran for 5 minutes today as well, but it took everything out of me and I could FEEL the swelling to go my legs in the craziest way. Caused a lot of pain. Um, yeah, they told me not to run until week 8. Silly Georgia! Anyhow, you get back pretty quick, unless there are complications. Apparently TOTAL recovery time can be up to 6 months. Swelling can actually last that long. The nurse told me, however, that the majority of the swelling should be gone in 3 months. I am still very swollen, but have gone down a size since 2 weeks ago. I fit into size 8 Express jeans on Saturday. I'm hoping, perhaps, to get into a 6 after all the swelling goes down and I lose another 15 pounds. I don't think 145 is an unreasonable weight, though my family is worried about this obsession with it. I still have a little back fat and some leg fat and a little on my arms that could definitely use some shaving off! Hey, as far as arms go, have any of you heard of Thermage? My laser hair removal doc was telling me about it last Friday. It's new. Apparently it denatures the Protein (cooks you) and forces the damaged cells to create collagen, which will shrink your arms/legs/face or whatever right up. Well, it takes about 6 months after the 1-time treatment for the full effect to show. But the photos looked very promising. I'm thinking of having my arms done in about 6 months. He says my arms might cost about $2,000, but that's certainly cheaper than brachioplasty (which he said I didn't need) and doesn't create any scars.

I agree with Karey on this one - get a 2nd opinion. I went to 3 docs, all of which said "lower body lift" when I JUST wanted apron removal, and only two of them actually DID the lower body lift. When I was quoted the price for aproon removal and then the TT there wasn't a significant difference in price. I went for the full lower-body lift (which includes a TT) because I thought why NOT get the full flat-stomach benefit with such a small price difference. But there is a much longer recovery time. But we're used to a little patience when it comes to our bodies, right ladies?