BrandNewLisa

I just wanted to stop by and say hi to all of my fellow Shrinking Shamrocks. I still read on a semi-regular basis, and am always excited to see all of the new developments in everyone's lives. Welcome back to the old faithful's, this board has missed you, more than you know. I hit my two-year mark on 3/31, I was the caboose on our little train. I must say that the last two years have been the most amazing of my life. I am still me, but so not me. Every day is brand new, and I look forward to every one of them, the good and the bad. I bought 4 pairs of size 10 jeans the other day, from a clothing store that I have never been able to shop in. No Lane Bryant or Avenue, go figure! I don't think I have been in a 10 since I WAS 10. I have a social life that does not involve an internet connection, and I am saying and doing things that continue to take my breath away. Despite the fact that my weight loss has led me into and out of the most passionate yet soul-crushing relationship of my life, I still thank God every day for how fortunate I am to have been granted this amazing opportunity at a second chance. I lived, I loved, I learned, and am a better person for all of it. What I gained from that experience is worth so much more than what I lost. Two years ago, I would have been in front of the computer, with a glass of wine, instead of out in the world meeting him. Feeling the pain is so much better than, well, feeling nothing. I spent years feeling nothing, and it is so very good to just FEEL! Sorry for my random drive-by emotional dump postings, but it is so freeing in a way to speak to those that truly understand the baggage that we carry into our new, thinner lives. I wish you all the very best, enjoy the new you's.......you've earned it.

Thanks guys for the comments. I am still soldiering on, trying to not think about all the flab beneath the clothes. In clothes, I look hot. Naked, not so much, lol! Hope, I agree with you, to a point. Invisible is easy, no work. But I have found that I rather like being noticed, being seen. I feed on it actually, it gives my spirit sustinance. I pay attention to my hair, make-up, clothes, to how I am perceived every single minute of every single day. It has been ages since I even CARED how others saw me, prolly because no one actually did, and I am honestly grateful for that. I think about ME all the time, right now, me is what it is all about. For so much of my life it has been about everyone and everything else, I like it being about me for once. Yay me! And yay us! Damn, I can't wait until I get some PS poppin off, I will really be trouble, lol!

Hey strangers, rarely posting, always lurking, and still so proud of all of you! Potatie, I can so FEEL you on this. Right now my head is a mess, an absolute mess I tell you! For the first time in my life, I feel like I am being seen, you know? I am a Recruiter, and I work in a plant that produces nutritional product (PediaSure, Ensure, EAS, Similac, Isomil, Alimentum, and the like). So, suffice it to say, I work around 85% men. And they are big time noticing the changes. I get compliments, people who have not talked to me in 2 years go out of their way to say good morning. A few female friends that work in other locations of the same company have heard about the 'HR girl who is totally hot'. They claim that they are referring to me, but I can't yet accept that. There are also at least two guys who have an obvious crush on me. Ok, it feels funny to even say that, crush on me? No way, exactly what parallel universe would we be in if that actually happened? The attention is hard to deal with, mind-bending really, but moving on with an actual relationship has been even harder. There is a guy that works where I work, that I have been crushing on for well over a year, hard! Trust me when I say that the man is hotter than the surface of the sun, lol! One day, I must have been smelling myself something fierce (well, I DID look cute that day!), and after flirting for months, I gave him my number. Yeah, you heard me, I put it out there, yay me! Huge step considering I have the self confidence of a pre-pubescent teenager. Well, he called, go figure! We are dating, nothing serious, just having an amazing time, lots of fun. But I am in my head so much of the time that I can't even enjoy it. Every time he doesn't call or text when I think he should, I am convinced that he has opened his eyes and wondered wtf he was thinking, I mean sheesh, this girl used to weigh almost 360 pounds! And ummmm, female sidebar, I am PETRIFIED of how he feels about the skin. We, well, have obviously went there, and he came back for seconds, and thirds, and thirteenths, sooo.....lol. But I keep thinking that one day he will touch the wrong thing and go 'ewwww, wtf, am I sleeping with a shar-pei?'. It keeps me from fully enjoying the entire experience, and I am so pissed about it! I know, intellectually, that it is in my head, but dam it, my rather ample flap-tastic gut refuses to listen to logic! I am sorry for the amazingly long post, but no one in this world could understand like you ladies can, and I just needed to vent to people that can feel what I am going through. My friends keep saying 'He is there, so duh!', but it is so much bigger than that for me. This man, literally, was my Mt. Everest, and I don't know how to accept the fact that I, Ms. Super-Obese, have reached the peak. If any of you are dating, how in the hell do you do it and remain sane???

I am SOOO right there with you April! Although I don't post much, I try to read regularly, and the fab stories about all of the skin removal going on made me feel like a loser, lol. I still have a good 50 lbs or so to go (not sure what my goal weight should be, as I have always been overweight and I have no concept of what normal for my body is!). I attended the PS seminar given by my practice, and I know that at bare minimum my arms need done. But sheesh, I swear I would lose 20 lbs. tomorrow with skin removal alone! I got a fill this morning, trying to jump-start the loss. I have been stuck at about 220 for a month or two, losing and gaining the same 3 lbs. And can I tell ya, what a difference .3 cc's make! I am on liquids for the day, but I can tell the difference already. Here's hoping that this breaks the plateau! I just wanted to take a moment and say Congrats to those of you who have achieved this lofty goal. You guys are my inspiration, every. single. day. I am proud of all of you and your hard work!

I just wanted to say hi to everybody! I haven't posted in a long while, but I have been lurking in the background. I am with Kathy, it amazes me that the posts have turned towards the ps reconstructive phase, we have come so very far!!!! Personally, the stuff that I can dress does not worry me much. However, my arms.... Sheesh, my arms! I swear that if I catch a strong breeze that I will go airborne! The skin is bad, so very bad on my arms, the PS estimated that I had 7-10 pounds of skin there alone.... I have been avoiding posting, as I am hitting a plateau at 230ish, and I can not seem to move. I am attempting to push myself out of my comfort zone right now by posting and reading, which I tend to avoid when things are not going as I planned. I am just so happy for all of you, everyone seems to be moving forward. You guys inspire me every single day, keep it up!

K, evidently the skill of posting pics is eluding me right now, so I shall try again tomorrow. Sorry!

Of course that didn't work. Let me try again. First two are me before surgery, the second two are me last week, attending the swearing in of my bff. Way to go Judge Beatty!!!!

I have been lurking for a week or so, just reading. I want to post comments to everyone, but I need to post these pics before I chicken out. I have been a cameraphobe for most of my life, fat repels cameras if you didn't know. I hope this works.

Hmmmm, agreed SugarBean, I have noticed that a few of us have been much MIA the last few weeks.... Where are you guys?????

Scrappy, that is absolutely AMAZING!!! I am sooo very proud of u, and I can't wait until I am where you are!!! I actually attended a Plastics seminar last night, on Bariatric Reconstuction. It was defintely informative, and I am looking into several options, even tho I am nowhere near goal. Again, you go girl!!!

Amen Sistah, preach it!!!! lol

I am an Onsite Recruiter for a temporary staffing agency. I recruit specifically for one client, and I keep offices at each one of their sites. So basically I give people jobs!!!!

Amazing Teri, you look fabulous! I have plenty of before pictures, unfortunately. I am totally going to take some new during pictures soon, so that I can share.

Kathy, you look amazing! I am so proud of you girl! Can't wait to see you again. And welcome Andrew, you have stumbled on a fabulous group of people here. Stick around, you will have a blast! Fenton finally has a bit of testosterone around to balance us out, I bet he will be stoked, lol.

Any word on an exercise thread for March 08 bandsters? I find that I tend to be more accountable to my fellow March Bandsters, so I would love a place to let u all know if I fail or succeed. Let us all know!

Evidently I can not keep a promise. Tomorrow is a new day, I try again then!

Ugh, I totally feel you Harley. Even though I am trying so hard to be vigilant, I am totally slacking right now. My weakness isn't food, it is just getting my azz in motion. I continue to eat very well, small portions, Protein first, chew, eat slowly, blah blah blah. It doesn't take much for me to stick to the food program, I think it is because I am at a really good restriction level right now. And I have trained myself in the rights and wrongs of food, which is a huge accomplishment, considering my love of all things food and taste related. What can I say, I am a cook! lol But I can not for the life of me keep a regular exercise routine. There is always an excuse to not do it. I can tame the food urges, but can't get my azz on the treadmill? Man, I suck sometimes. Tomorrow, I promise to be better. Here's hoping that I can keep a promise! And Kathy, what a wonderful tradition! I really wish that I could offer some input, but pre-band, I was petrified of flying. Asking for the seatbelt extender was an absolutely mortifying experience. Doesn't mean that I wouldn't fly, but just that I only boarded a plane when necessary, such as for work purposes. I can not wait to hear all about your heli ride, I bet it will be soooo exciting, and validating all at the same time. Enjoy, and I demand pictures!

Nice try Fenton, but no such luck. Get your azz into the Friday weigh in thread and post, no matter what the loss or gain! In for a penny, in for a pound, you know the deal! We are here to support, the good, the bad, and the ugly. So take the lumps, let the CLAW take a few chunks, and start over tomorrow! I do not Celebrate my Bandiversary until 3/31, I am very much the caboose on this train. But every day I think back to what I was doing this day last year, and it was all preparation for the band. Every. Single. Day. Sometimes I wake up and still can't believe that I actually did it, you know? I can't wait for my one year, I had the Lap-Band surgery and braces put on in 2008, it was definitely a game changing year for me. I was actually sad to see it go, but for once, the future excites the hell out of me.

aJoneen........................0 75 pounds LOST! Bandana....................... 0 95 lbs lost BrandNewLisa............-1 80pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000..................0 Desdemona...................0 Fenton...........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl..................-1 85 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril.................0 Kpodski........................0 Lynnt1215................. 0 NurseNiki...................0 Nycm00.......................0 Potatie.........................-2 100 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend..... 0 150 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK...................0 Sugarbean..................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! Sharona......................0 stellabella...............-2.6 HALFWAY TO GOAL! Tess415......................0 Thin2bme............... -1.2 100 POUNDS LOST !! WestCoastMom........0 Wishin4......................0 73 pounds gone!! -1, Woot for movement, any kind of movement!!!!!

AMEN SISTER! I am nowhere near where I thought I would be at almost the one year mark. I just knew that I was going to be the model lap-band patient. I was going to blow all of the charts out of the Water, piss and vinegar all the way! But we are human, in every way. I have to just thank God every day that I lose, and do not gain. And if I gain? It is what it is, every day is a new day. So let's just start again tomorrow. Ajoneen, you have done amazing things in such a relatively short period of time. As a group, we need to learn to Celebrate our successes, no matter what they are. A failure today can be a success tomorrow. Take the joy in the little things, the rest will follow. Happy Bandiversary!!!!!

Must be an old list, cause I am not on it. Eh, nothing lost, nothing gained this last week, so give me a big fat ZERO. Ugh, at least it isn't a gain!

Yay gabbygal! Someone at my job has taken to calling me 'Slim'. And I TOTALLY get off on it, lol. NSV's rule!

Hope everyone is doing ok. It has been rather quiet lately, but I assume that is just because we are all out living life! I started doing yoga a few weeks ago. Who woulda thunk it? I can 'mostly' get in to all of the positions (it is pretty freakin hilarious I am sure to watch me try!). I am doing it at home, to avoid completely exposing my naughty bits in public. I am way more confident now, but not that confident! I found a beginners Podcast online. And I must say, that I am totally addicted. My muscles feel like I get a huge workout in just a half an hour. And it has to be the physical equivalent of Xanax. I feel all super loosey-goosey when I am done, it is absolutely amazing. I don't hate it. Actually, I like it. Alot. And as with any form of exercise, the fact that I like it alot is huge. I have been doing it almost everyday, and I don't have to make myself do it. I am hoping for a difference in my losing. I am losing very unevenly, alot on the bottom, nowhere near as much on the top. I feel like a fully padded linebacker most days, lol. I am also noticing the skin, especially on my legs and arms. My doc claims that I am 'young', skin should rebound at least some. But I have been overweight my enitre life, I fully expect to have excess skin. But to be completely honest, it scares the hell out of me. I can not afford more surgery, at least not for a long while. So whatever may help, I am all about trying it! If you guys have any toning tips to help with the skin issue, please feel free to share. I would love to hear any ideas that ya'll might have!

Nice NSV lafsalot! NSV's pretty much rule my world right now. Someone called me 'Slim' twice in the last 3 days, lol. 'Slim', really? I will take it! And collar bones are WAY HAWT,lol. Yay for bones, who knew that we had em??? And how cute is it that the new Marchers have a name?? Sheesh, I remember when.......

Ewww K-Pod, you definitely deserve that vaca! I have never left the US, so I undertand your enthusiasm about traveling abroad. I hope you have a blast! Everyone has been pretty quiet this week, hope all is well. I just wanted to let you guys know that I have collar bones. Who knew?