HarleyGirl

Nice to see everyone checking in. Doing okay here....my band still works, if I let it! I've learned the fine art of eating around it and have let things slip away at times. Weight has stayed within ten pounds or so, it fluctuates. I make myself face the scales and that's usually the reality check that I need to get back on track. My biggest problem is and always has been exercise. The weather is starting to break and I will try it again!

Nice to see some activity here!! I still start my mornings with a protein shake....I still find, even after three years that I'm pretty tight in the mornings. Sunday morning I went out for breakfast and paid for it all day....I was super-duper colossal stuck for the rest of the day. I generally don't/can't eat until afternoon. Lunch is usually just protein....tuna, a few slices of cheese, some sliced turkey, chicken....whatever. Dinner varies greatly.....Del Taco .99 bean burritos are a staple...I know, tacky, tacky, tacky....high protein, high fiber, fairly low in fat and I can eat dinner for $1.06! I packed on fifteen pounds over the holidays (YIKES).....I've managed to get ten of it off.....but the last five is sticking. I'm sure once the weather finally breaks and I'm out more, it will be easier. It was a rough winter.....I'm looking forward to the change of the weather...and well, just change!!

Hey, I just looked at my "joined" date.....it was three years ago this week that I really started the push for all of this....wow, what a journey it's been! I miss this group and the support.....would love to see some folks pop back in!

Hang in there, my friend! It's tough.....and this IS the tough part....we're well through our "honeymoon" with our band and solidly into the part where you have to work at the relationship! I've been going upward a bit....noticing my jeans are tighter, more muffin at the top.....BUT I'm working on it! I've come too far to let this get away from me! I'm kind of a new agey girl and really believe in the Law of Attraction, found this recently and have incorporated it into my 'program'. I started it Thursday.....yesterday at work....donuts, pie and coffee cake all over the place and I it WAS like during the honeymoon, I stayed away completely.... It's all about energy meridians....reprogramming our "tapes". Give it a look with an open mind, at the very least it can't HURT anything!! http://www.thetappingsolution.com/free_eft_ebook.php http://efttappingtechniques.com/eft-videos/jack-canfield-quotes-about-eft/

Just a check in.....the holidays kicked my ass. I ate like a beast.....fortunately, I only gained seven pounds.....but I am finding it hard to get back on track. I've managed to get 4 pounds off.....I freaking hate winter. It's depressing and it's hard to get out and I find myself reverting back to old habits. Been having lots of problems with reflux, too. I know it's from eating badly.....the last couple of nights I've been more careful, not eating after 7pm, drinking a lot of water...and the reflux has been better, so I know I can control it. I had a guy come in to work the other day and we started talking and he told me he was getting ready to have lap band surgery, so I told him that had had it done. It did me good to talk to someone who is just starting and wanting it so badly, made me appreciate what a gift I already have....and that I really need to get back to working it.

CONGRATS on your coaster rides! That is so awesome.....what a wonderful feeling to be able to participate in one of those rites of summer that we've missed before.....good job keeping up with the 'kids'!!!!! I loved this article and thought I'd share it with you guys.....it's all about learning to treat food for what it is and stop giving it so much power in our lives.....easier said than done, but I liked this a lot! http://www.healyourlife.com/author-john-parkin/2010/07/lifeshelp/get-healthy/have-that-frickin-chocolate-bar?cache=1

I still try and journal, just to keep myself accountable and keep track of intake. I'm not as rabid about it as I was at first...after this long I've kind got a routine down pretty well. I really had to learn that "full" feels different than it did before....and it feels different for me from day to day. Some days I'm super restricted and can't eat much of anything (today) and some days I can eat pretty much anything. It's weird, but it has become normal for me. I'm working on maintenance right now.....if I lose five or so more, that would be stellar....but if I don't I'm happy staying right in this neighborhood. Saw my ex over the weekend and hadn't seen him for a while....that was worth it all....just saying.

goal weight today!

I'm a little over two years out.....no significant problems at all. Like you mentioned, some inconveniences...usually my own fault....but not a second of true trouble.

I believe very strongly in the Law of Attraction, so for me....I never allowed myself to believe that it wouldn't work. It does work, it will work.....believe it and you will see it! Two Easters ago I was a size 20.....this Easter, I'm a size 6....it will happen for you!

Hoping everyone is having a lovely Spring and a delightful Easter! I passed my two year mark on the 18th....what a feeling! This morning.....the second number was....a FOUR....never, ever did I think I'd be in the 140's.....I also realized that I only weigh 15 pound more than my 17 year old.....we can actually share clothes.... Anyway, it's been quiet....I hope that no news is good news!

It's good to hear from you, Jonathan. I've wondered how you were doing. Sorry things have been stressful, I understand that. I was very pleased that my band didn't allow me to resort to old habits when I went through my divorce. I believe I mentioned it before, but in times of stress my band becomes a sphincter and I'm lucky to get much of anything through it, so it makes stress eating impossible. Do whatever you need to do to get the support you need and make your band work for you. The planet is a better place with you on it, get yourself healthy!

It has taken me almost two years.....but I hit 100 pounds THIS MORNING.....I was very, very, very happy to see that number this morning!

I did it, i did it, i did it! 100 pounds gone!!!!!!! God, does that feel good.....i was so happy to see that number on the scale today!

These last few are going to kill me....I swear up one, down two...up two down one....grrrrr......

I am almost two years out and 100 pounds down.... I LOVE to cook, I love to bake....and I still love those things. I have found that my tastes have changed a bit...and amazingly, when I bake Cookies or something, MOST of the time one cookie really is enough. I find that I enjoy them so much more, I take time to really taste them. I'm so much pickier about texture, taste and how food looks. Before, I was all about quantity... I still like making full fat, glorious comfort food....but I do that a couple of times a month and the rest of the times are like today...with a very tasty, meatless lentil Soup that has made my house smell sooooo good. It's high Protein, high Fiber, low fat and TASTES good....whatta concept! I miss things, of course. There are days I would sell my soul for a giant philly steak sandwich....but I have a closet full of lovely size 6/8 clothes, I have a normal blood pressure, I have normal cholestorol levels, I have very little acid reflux (and I KNOW when I'm going to have it and it's my fault for eating too much to late at night), I have SELF CONFIDENCE in myself and my body...I embrace my own beauty and sensuality which is something I could NEVER have done without losing the weight....a philly steak is nothing compared to all of these things.....

I'm stuck on the last ten as well.....up one, down one, up one, down one....I guess there are worse places to be stuck than where I am.....I'm pretty content....I just would like to be in the 140's for ONCE in my adult life! Just battling the winter/February blahs here....I'm so ready for Spring. Just so tired of everything being gray, I crave COLOR!

Mine started DURING surgery......nice.

Well, my two year anniversary will be March 18....I started at 252, so very close to you! This morning I weighed 153 pounds and just zipped up size 6 jeans.....so be nervous, that's okay...but know that you're starting something wonderful!

Here are some pictures of my new baby.....I need to take some more, he's grown so much! Paige Berhow Ansley's Photos - New Baby.... | Facebook

I'm in the new puppy bunch, too! I got him in a round about way after my ex bought him and then decided he didn't want him, but I am just crazy about him. He's a little miniature pinscher and so full of energy! He gives me a lot of smiles....when he's not pissing me off...he's a busy little guy! My last fill has put me at a really interesting restriction point. I really think I'm on the border of being too tight, I have to be super careful.....but that's what it's about. I've dropped three pounds in the two weeks since the fill, I'm happy with that.....nine more to go to my doctor's goal for me! I'm going to make it, which totally amazes me and is something I never thought I could do!

I haven't read all of the other responses, so I may be re-stating thing that have already been said....BUT it is scary....like you, I was always big, chubby, husky, thick, fat, whatever you want to call it....it was 'normal' for me. I've gone from a size 20 to a size 8 (sometimes 6) in a little under two years. It's been a lot of work and so the change is something that I really feel like I've EARNED. There are things about it that are still surreal to me....I catch myself in a reflection of a store window and it doesn't seem like me.....BUT, I feel so much better physically. Emotionally, it has given me a different kind of confidence. I have always been a very self-assured person, but it's different now, I feel like my outside comes closer to matching my inside. When someone tells me I look good, I believe them instead of thinking they're just saying it to be nice..... I'm babbling, but the bottom line is that it's a gift you give yourself.....a gift of health, a gift of confidence, a gift of a different kind of beauty, just the feeling of getting out of bed in the morning is better....my feet don't hurt, my knees don't hurt, my hips don't hurt.... Life is good, go get it!

Long time, no post, huh? Thought I'd pop back in action and work on getting the last twenty freaking pounds off. Things have been pretty chaotic for me. I know way back when that I mentioned I was going through a divorce....well, I went through a divorce and lived to tell about it....more or less! Christmas was rough. My daughter decided to spend the day with her Dad, which on an intellectual level is FINE, but on an emotional level was really hard for me. I'm damn near fifty years old and I've never woke up alone on Christmas Day. I did have friends that really stepped up and got me through it though! As for weight, I've been treading Water. No gain, no loss. Not complaining, I'm in a decent place and of course, very happy with my progress. I went to the doctor and had a very small fill today just 1/3 of a cc...just a tweak. Just had a Protein shake and could really feel the difference, so we'll see. The doctor was very nice. He wasn't my usual doc, so uncomfortable at first. He also does tummy tucks and when he looked at my belly for the port he said, "I'd never make any money if all of my patients came out like you have." I showed him my lower stomach that I am unhappy with and he said, "If you want my honest opinion, save yourself $5K, you look fine." It really helped my battered ego. I haven't started dating or anything yet....just working on me for a while. Looking forward to re-connecting and checking in more often! I've missed my shamrock friends!

they allowed me to put plastic retainers in my piercings, no problem....just no metal....so you might want to ask.

Well.....my divorce was final this week. I am proud to say that I have NOT resorted to stress/binge eating during this difficult time. I haven't lost any more weight, but I haven't gained either. I'm quite sure, pre-band, this would have resulted in quite a jump in the scales. I'm feeling good.....very hopeful about my future....and yes, even hopeful about my ex's future. We both deserve to be happy and it just wasn't going to happen together...... Anyway.....going to give myself a week or so to 'digest' all of this....and then back at it hard and heavy to get the last steps of this journey FINISHED!