JulieNYC

Hi PigsAreFlying, You might want to check out the "Passing For Thin" thread. It addresses all of the questions you asked on this thread, at least the psychological ones (for example, why I buy size 6P pants and still see a fat person when I put them on). It's not all roses at goal -- we still have head issues and struggle with food issues. But the negatives don't control my life anymore. The band is the best thing I've ever done for myself. Take care,

I know, Boo, I don't get it either. I know a big component of it is not running too fast for my fitness level. If I run at a 9:30 pace or even a 10:30 pace, I simply cannot run more than 3 or 5 miles, respectively. But if I slow it down to an 11:30 pace, I haven't found my limit yet -- it's somewhere past 18 miles! Hopefully it'll be past 26.2 miles, haha. It can be hard not to "over run" in the first 5 miles or so, but if you can force yourself to slow down and know you're in it for the long haul, adding distance really just isn't that much of a challenge. Who knew! My PS is November 8th. My marathon is November 4th. I know that's pushing it and I don't care. I just want it done. It's mostly a work-timing thing. If I have PS on November 8th, I can take 2 weeks off and the end of my 2 weeks puts me into Thanksgiving weekend, which essentially gives me 3 weeks off. It's a huge surgery, so I need as close to 3 weeks as I can get. Normally I would only be taking 6 weeks off running, but since I'm planning inner thighs for 6 weeks after the outer thighs, I probably won't really be running again until the spring. I hope to do a walk with Betty before then though. So, this winter it'll be Dawn that we're cheering along to half marathon victory! Speaking of half marathons, I have another one a week from today in Queens. I'm going to intentionally run it slower than I ran the last one. It took me longer to recover from the Chicago half than it did for the 18 miles I did yesterday. I feel 100% from yesterday already, where it took me about 3 days to feel completely normal after Chicago. I'm at work because we've got an INSANE case going on, so let me get to it. (Have I mentioned how much I hate working weekends?!!?) Have a good day, all.

I made it through my 18 miles uneventfully and kept an 11:15 pace. Anything under 12 min for that kind of length is just fine by me. Didn't think I'd die at any point either, so that's a coup. Dawn, I'm sorry you had a tough run -- part of the sport, I guess.

"Wheeet-whheeew" (That was my attempt at spelling out a whistle, phonetically).

Juli, I was just where you are! It happened for me a little later in the journey, but it was still just as you're describing. Basically, I got to 199 and just quit trying because I was sick of tracking calories, making time to exercise, etc. I knew I wanted to lose at least 50 more lbs, but I had come such a long way and I was just tired of the diet mentality. So, I took about 2 months off. Part of it was conscious, part of it wasn't, but for about 8 weeks, I didn't watch what I ate and I exercised some but I didn't log it or pay it much attention. The GLORIOUS part of this is that I didn't gain weight. Pre-band, I'd have gained 40 or 50 lbs in a heartbeat just by setting down the diet reigns. And, one day, losing weight became important to me again, so I picked back up the reigns and lost about 10 or 15 lbs before I needed another break. I guess my point is that this is a marathon, not a sprint. It's life, not a diet. If you need a break, take one. The band will help you maintain until you're ready to make the effort again. Stay involved in the LBT community while you're on your break though. That'll help you stay sane, in terms of overall life/food choices and might provide you with some motivation once you've had your break.

Woohoo! Way to go Dawn on the new weight! You rock!! A new decade is something to celebrate. I know you'll have a great run tomorrow. Speaking of runs, I got in 4 miles this morning. I'm slated for EIGHTEEN tomorrow morning and, to be honest, this is the first one I'm scared about. 18 miles just seems like a really long way. It's funny -- I've not been intimidated by this marathon training at all until this point. 18 miles. Geeze! Betty, I'm going to research some walks for us and see if there's one you might want to do with me. When I'm recovering from PS this spring, I'll have to take some time off running, but a good walking goal might be perfect....Particularly if it brings me to the PNW!

Better go buy some size 8 jeans, Dawn. If other people are telling you the 12s are too big, that means you can probably skip the 10s!

I wore a belt today (brown, wide, braided), for no other reason than it was a fashion accessory that looked good with my outfit. Wearing a belt feels like passing for thin. Which is a good thing, because I've been feeling fat.

OK, I'm in LOVE with the BB watch. It makes such a difference to me to be able to see where I am calorie-burn wise in the middle of the day (I can't plug in my BB at work). Wow. I'm re-motivated. Woohoo!

GOOOOOOOOO BETTY! Betty, you're going to do fine. I predict you don't have a leak and that you're just in an adjustment phase where you realize how much work maintenance is going to be. Ugh. Would setting a long term fitness goal help -- like maybe an Avon Walk, or a mini-triathalon? I find that if I'm working toward a goal like that, life feels less like a diet. Dawn, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and the scale gods tomorrow. I know you'll do great. I think you're already thin though.... Boo, how's the ankle today?

Diane, I was EXACTLY where you are. I had 9.5 cc's in a VG band and I thought I was perfectly adjusted -- maybe a LITTLE tight -- but fine. If I didn't eat after 6, I was fine, but if I did, I had to take a zantac and sleep on at least 2 pillows or I'd wake up uncomfortable. The thing is, I thought that was NORMAL. Then my doc convinced me to get a SMALL unfill based solely on my esophagram (I hadn't confessed to the sleeping thing and I'd convinced myself it was fine because, after all, I was fine if I didn't eat late). He took out .5. Now I have almost no loss of restriction in terms of getting full and staying full, but as long as I don't go to bed within 45 mintues of eating (which wouldn't be good anyway), I can sleep like a baby, flat on my back with no pillow if I want to, with no issues. i'm with your friends. Get a tiny unfill. Don't be scared of it -- it'll be good for you, particularly going into PS.

I don't think you need fussing at, I think you need another fill. Not that you said this, but in case you're thinking it -- don't "not" go to the doctor to get that fill out of a concern that you may have gained, ok? If you've gained, it's because your fill level isn't right and you need to get that fixed to best use your band. Meanwhile, sure -- make the best possible choices you can and remind yourself you'll feel better if you don't overeat. Hang in there!

Awesome! I know just what you mean. Now I seek out a mirror several times a day to make sure my outfit is properly adjusted, etc., where I probably went 10 years avoiding them before. I love my band too!

Well, Diane, I think even my advice is going to be conflicting on this one, but I'll tell you where I came out on it. First, I have a friend who slipped because she didn't get an unfill, had PS, had a lot of Fluid retention and wound up needing a new band on top of her new TT. So, that scared me. I will say though that (1) she was an early band patient (i.e. techniques have improved) and (2) she has EXTREME fluctuations with her monthly cycle, that indicate that she's more sensitive than most to retention issues. So, I thought I'd probably get an unfill when I had my PS because I thought my doc would encourage me to, out of safety. I didn't want an unfill and I was scared of an unfill, having sat at the same fill level for over a year and knowing I was perfectly adjusted. As you know, once a fill is taken out, you never get back to exactly the same feeling. You can get close, but probably not exactly back, for better or for worse. So, I went to my band doc thinking he'd advise an unfill for my PS and I was wrong! He actively discouraged it. He said it wasn't necessary, even though I have some fluctuation during my cycle (nothing severe, but I do have tight days) and that I could always have an unfill in the post-op days if I needed it. Given his advice and my own hesitation to mess with a good thing, I didn't have an unfill. Post-op, I could always get down liquids and a TINY bit of solids, but my band was definitely tighter than norm -- even tighter than the tightest days of my cycle. There was a day or two where I toyed with an unfill, but after about a week, I could eat normally again, so I didn't ultimately get it. Ironically, I got an unfill a month later because the results of my annual esophogram showed that my band wasn't emptying fast enough. In hindsight, now I'm not oh-so afraid of an unfill. That said, I wouldn't do it differently if I had to do it over again, and I'm not planning an unfill for my scheduled PS in November (unless I'm at goal and still losing, which has nothing to do with PS, but with finding the right long term band fill for maintenance). Confusing advice, but I hope it helps.

Thank you for your kind words!

Berry, (1) Think about your fill level. Do you need a fill? I find that if I'm not filled enough, I have all the issues you describe (the "willpower" issues). A good fill takes away 90% of that problem for me. (2) Are you drinking with meals? If so, take the one, simple step of stopping that. It's a small thing and it makes SUCH a difference in allowing the band to bring us to satiety. I find that when I'm stalled, it's often because I've slipped back into that bad habit. (3) Stop beating yourself up. What's done is done and the band doesn't have a time limit. You're not a band failure -- you just need to make the most of your band from this moment forward. Taking this control will make you feel great! Hang in there.

For the vast majority of bandsters, those noises decrease dramatically over time. I still get them sometimes, but very rarely -- like less than once a month. In the beginning I remember being embarassed about them too. If you just say to people, as if it's funny, "geeze, I don't know WHAT is up with my stomach today" they usually laugh and don't focus on it any further. That's what worked for me, and it's a fairly short-lived problem, I promise!

I took a week off but didn't need it and worked half-days form day 3 post-op. I felt 80% on day 5, but it took a full 6 weeks for me to feel 100%. Though I was completely functional during that time, I was TIRED. I required a lot more sleep (maybe 9 hours rather than my usual 7) for at least a month post-op. Good luck! BTW, it was TOTALLY worth it.

Juno, I've been following this forum for about 18 months and the question "am I too tight" is often asked and, in my experience, the answer is always "yes" if you're asking the question. I have a pretty strong opinion that the problems that come with banding (slippage, erosion) are largely from people who keep their bands tight. This is completely understandable because we all want maximum weight loss. Ironically, tight doesn't equal fast loss, but I definitely understand the impulse. I think it's healthiest for your band, now and long term, to back out just a LITTLE fill. A tiny bit and I think you'd be at your sweet spot. Plus, a tiny bit too loose is better than a tiny bit too tight. Others will disagree (i.e. prefer a little too tight to a little too loose), but that's where I come out on it! Good luck and think about that tiny unfill.

That's just PERFECT!! Way to go!! I'm so happy for you! The key now is to not overdo it. Only run 2-3 times a week and keep it to intervals like what you did (you could build up to 6, maybe). Coast with that for the next 30 lbs of loss or so, then you'll kick it up a notch when your body starts to get bored. Until then, your main goal is to not get injured. WOOHOO!!!!

My marathon is November 4th. I got in 5 miles this morning -- tomorrow's a break....

Hi HungryForChange, thank you for your kind words. I'm not sure if you mean my before TT picture or my before band picture. Here's before band: http://www.joyfulhandmades.com/Before.jpg Here's post WL (most of it, at least) but before TT (the one on the right): http://www.joyfulhandmades.com/BeforeAfter.jpg I didn't post nudes of post WL but before TT, but if you email me, I'll send them to you if you will keep them in confidence. Take care,

Interesting question. I can forget for moments, or chunks of a day, but never for a whole day. Mostly, I'm aware of it more than I thought I would be at 18 months out. I guess that goes to show how important food was to me. I used to be that aware of needing the food. Now that background noise is my knowledge that the band is there, if that makes sense. Once I get my port replaced with a low profile, I hope I'll forget about the band for longer chunks of time than I do now (though I still am certain I'll think about it every day). My port is uncomfortable at this juncture. I'm going to the doc on Monday to see about that -- woohoo!

I find I have to shake the magic bullet while pulsing it when I'm making tuna. Shake it like it's a martini shaker. I use about 2T of LF mayo along with a couple of pickles and it comes out really smooth. Good luck!

I'm staying on plan today because I can, thanks to my band.