JulieNYC

Bluejay, Don't give up too easily on the insurance. You have to have a fighter attitude though, so bulk up for the fight! Start with your surgeon's office. Speak to the person who handles the insurance, tell him/her what you have and explain that your PCP has denied support and you need a recommendation for a PCP on your plan. They'll have one for you -- they want you as a patient so they have motivation to help you. You've really not exhausted what you need to exhaust before you give up on having insurance pay. One PCP is really not the end of the road on that....hang in there!

Holy crap, Dawn -- a 9 minute pace? Good lord, I can't even see you that's so fast! OK, details about the race, let's see. Well, there were 10,000+ finishers, so it's a pretty big race. It felt like a big deal with all the people, the medical stations, the bands, all the organization that went into it. We went to the expo the day before, which was really fun. I bought a lot of crap I don't need, but wanted. Example -- a t-shirt that says "the race starts at mile 20." Love that. So, the morning of the race, we got up at 5:30 and were at the start by 7. It started on time and the first 3 miles were truly a warmup. I was running with my SIL and a close friend and we ran together for the first 10 miles. My other friend met us at several points along the course to cheer us on, which really motivated me. The last 3 miles, I full on sprinted because I saw that we had a shot at finishing in under 2:15. I felt GREAT until mile 11 or so. 3 miles is a lot to sprint, so I didn't feel very good for the last mile, but I knew what I was doing and I knew I could finish at that pace, so I did -- and with 32 seconds to spare! At the finish line, I cried a little. It just seems so monumental from where I sat a year ago. My stomach was a little wonky for the rest of the day, but nothing severe -- just a little unsettled. I would have been 100% fine if I'd not pushed myself at the end, but then again, I guess that's what a race is for. Overall, it's a race and a distance I would do over and over again. It's long enough to be a real challenge, but not so long that you can't function/need substantial recovery. I ran 9 this morning, for example, and that was fine.

I was a 48D/DD, now I'm a 36B. Might be getting an aug when I get to goal -- we'll see. I just want to be a C. I don't care to ever see D-land again, but B-land is a little sad.

Because my weight is up a couple of pounds -- I know it's from the heavy exercise this weekend (I ran a half marathon) and the water retention issues from that, but I'll just be on edge until I get back to my lowest weight. So, the best way to do that (and to have no guilt) is to stay perfectly on plan.

Losing, At what weight do you think you'll be comfortable trying? It doesn't take much running at first to really see results -- like 30-45 second intervals with 5 min of walking in between. I was 250 when I started and I'm only 5'2. Definitely don't do it if anything hurts, but I think you may be closer than you think (if not ready now)....

Woohoo Paulax!!! You can do it!! (I'm planning a thread just like this one when I get to 10 lbs). GO PAULAX!!!!

Spunky, Thight lift (outer) isn't supposed to be QUITE as bad as the TT. Don't worry -- once you get some distance you might feel differently. I remember for about 5 days thinking I'd NEVER do another procedure. Then the pain fades and the desire to continue improvement takes over! And, if it doesn't for you, that's ok too -- you'll find the right balance for your body. I'm sure your TT is great! Speedy recovery.... Take care,

Just letting yall know I'm back from the half. I beat my expected time by a lot. I finished in 2:14 (that's a 10:22 pace for 13.1 miles)! It was a great day and more details later. For the moment, so glad to be back in my apt and ready to sleeeeeeppppp.

My opinion is the question has nothing to do with the band, per se, so it's really your decision! Meaning, it's empty calories, but there's nothing about being banded that changes your choice whether the benefits of alcohol outweigh the calories. You can absolutely still have it and since you're cutting your cals from food, still lose weight. You'd just lose faster without it, which would be true without the band as well (again b/c empty cals). But if you want to have it, it's completely your choice! You may find that you want it ndow, but you get kind of addicted to losing weight and that the payoff of losing weight faster will, at some point, outweigh your desire for those calories. Good luck. You're going to do fine.

Yes, that would probably be enough time. I had an extended TT and a BL (which is more surgery than a regular TT and an aug). I took 3 weeks off, but DEFINITELY could have gone back at 2 weeks without hesitation.

Yes, this very well could be on of those days for you. It was for me -- moreso than surgery day. You're going to do great!

This is the most beautiful and poignant post I've ever read. Thank you, Wasa, for those thoughts, and thank you Rabid, for eliciting them. Wow.

Dawn, I think we have to dip a couple of pounds into "too skinny" then put them back on to arrive at our final deal weight. I think that's the way it goes and the only way we recognize what "ideal" is. Of course, I've never seen you, but I can't imagine that's much lower than the mid or high 150s for someone your height, with no plans for PS and with your running muscles. I'm going to try and take my own advice here, but just keep in mind there's a such thing as too thin, even though we never actually thought we'd face that problem. We've got to keep on high focus reality goggles when looking at ourselves and not just be happy for all downward scale movement. YEA, carb loading day! I love carb loading day! (wink)

Name.............Chall. Start Wt......Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme..........273......................275. .............238................37 faithmd................303.....................300 .3.............283................16.7 mpalen.................229......................22 9.............200................29 want2beme...........225......................225.. ............195...............30 mcgreen...............236..................... 236.............210................26 wombat712...........179..................... 179.............155................24 Suzzzie. ...............346......................346....... .......315..............31 Chris_NJ...............284.......................2 84.............250...............34 Cherrybomb...........311......................311. ............291..............20 legster..................261.....................2 61..............235..............26 Desertbunnee.........232......................207. ............180..............27 areellady...............232......................2 32...............212.............20 sweethot143..........197......................197. ............175..............22 gweniper...............253......................25 3...............223.............30 Jeni 85..................237......................237.. .............207.............30 dacer123...............243......................24 3...............223.............20 momlambert..........207.......................207. ..............185.............22 Rainer..................298....................... 294..............258.............36 glindab.................277....................... 277..............250..............27 Soniacan..............198.5....................198 .5.............175.............23.5 ladydi..................233....................... 233...............208..............25 argon...................162...................... 162..............142..............20 jazzystouch...........246......................246 ....... ........220...........26 BabygotBack..........164.....................164. ...............145.........19 Denise...................170.................... 170............155.............15 marcar35...............277....................277. ..... .......257..............20 Ariel ....................207......................207. ..........182..............25 lisa_in_toronto.......180......................180 ...... .......160............20 josiebies...............188......................1 88.... ..........165............23 DonnaD...............185.........................1 85.. ..........170..........15 hf2havefun...........240.........................2 40.. ..........210..........30 Amelia40...............270........................ 270 ............240..........30 METALBAND...........187........................187 ........ ......167..........20 luvinke..................225...................... ..225.... ..........195..........30 JulieNYC................155......................149.................136............13 wen.....................288......................2 88.... ..........255...........33 LeslieLee...............216.....................21 ...............186...............30 robgoblin87............279.....................279 ..............250..............29 Babygrl1234...........215....................215.. ..............190................25 Stacy73...............259.....................259 ..................230............29 aussie_jode...........212...................212... .................190...........22 chickatee.............203................203...... ........175......................28 katalin.e...............230................179.... ..........150..............29 Whosyadaddy........388................388......... .....335..............53 Becky42................253................253..... ........220...............33 sdakotaRN..............254...............254...... .........225.............29 jadrad7.................224................224.... ............200..............24 eclipse..................215................212... ..............199............. 16 Thirteen pounds to goal!!

The scale was flickering between 149.8 and 150.0 this morning. I blew my breath out and got it to stick to 149.8 -- I'm claiming it! Thirteen pounds to goal. I'm really seeing the end here. I may actually change my goal in about 5 lbs because I'm not sure I want to lose 13 more, plus the 10 from the thigh lift. I'm really comfortable with the size of my upper body right now and since surgery is going to take care of the legs, I might stop short of that. With all the training and the buff muscles I've built (haha), I think I might look better in the low 30s/high 20s as a final, post-surgery weight than anything lower. Anyway, it's carb loading day in prep for the race, so YEA! Wink.

Name.............Chall. Start Wt......Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme..........273......................272. .............238................34 faithmd................303......................30 3.............283.................20 mpalen.................229......................22 9.............200................29 want2beme...........225......................225.. ............195...............30 mcgreen...............236..................... 236.............210................26 wombat712...........179..................... 179.............155................24 Suzzzie. ...............346......................346....... .......315..............31 Chris_NJ...............284.......................2 84.............250...............34 Cherrybomb...........311......................311. ............291..............20 legster..................261.....................2 61..............235..............26 Desertbunnee.........232......................207. ............180..............27 areellady...............232......................2 32...............212.............20 sweethot143..........197......................197. ............175..............22 gweniper...............253......................25 3...............223.............30 Jeni 85..................237......................237.. .............207.............30 dacer123...............243......................24 3...............223.............20 momlambert..........207.......................207. ..............185.............22 Rainer..................298....................... 294..............258.............36 glindab.................277....................... 277..............250..............27 Soniacan..............198.5....................198 .5.............175.............23.5 ladydi..................233....................... 233...............208..............25 argon...................162...................... 162..............142..............20 jazzystouch...........246......................246 ....... ........220...........26 BabygotBack..........164.....................164. ...............145.........19 Denise...................170.................... 170............155.............15 marcar35...............277....................277. ..... .......257..............20 Ariel ....................207......................207. ..........182..............25 lisa_in_toronto.......180......................180 ...... .......160............20 josiebies...............188......................1 88.... ..........165............23 DonnaD...............185.........................1 85.. ..........170..........15 hf2havefun...........240.........................2 40.. ..........210..........30 Amelia40...............270........................ 270 ............240..........30 METALBAND...........187........................187 ........ ......167..........20 luvinke..................225...................... ..225.... ..........195..........30 JulieNYC................155......................151.................136............15 wen.....................288......................2 88.... ..........255...........33 LeslieLee...............216.....................21 ...............186...............30 robgoblin87............279.....................279 ..............250..............29 Babygrl1234...........215....................215.. ..............190................25 Stacy73...............259.....................259 ..................230............29 aussie_jode...........212...................212... .................190...........22 chickatee.............203................203...... ........175......................28 katalin.e...............230................179.... ..........150..............29 Whosyadaddy........388................388......... .....335..............53 Becky42................253................253..... ........220...............33 sdakotaRN..............254...............254...... .........225.............29 jadrad7.................224................224.... ............200..............24 eclipse..................215................212... ..............199............. 16

And best of all, you're not smoking!! So proud of you. Way to go on the 1 1/2 tacos too -- I still can't do that (stop at a reasonable amt of MX). Mexican food is my downfall.

You're completely right -- running is the simplest and most efficient exercise. You have to do it quite a bit before you start loving it, but you WILL start loving it, at least if it's moderately OK for your body. My best advice to you is to try it in small doses and see if you can tolerate it at your current weight. If you can't, wait a few lbs and try again. Never run 2 days in a row and increase your distances SLOWLY. You want to stay healthy so you can run for a long, long time to come. Injury is the enemy. Also, check out the "couch to 5K" training program on coolrunning.com (under the "training" tab). It takes you from walking to running by doing different intervals until you're running a solid 3 miles without a break. When I did it, I was about 250 lbs and I tripled it, meaning I did each stage 3 times instead of one time. So if it was an 8 week program, I took 24 weeks to complete it. But I lost a TON of weight during that time.... Good luck. Running is GREAT. Bandsters who run get thin. Go for it.

You probably know this, Cindi, but just in case someone reads our exchange and is confused, there's only one VG band (caveat -- my entire post is only about Inamed bands approved in the US -- I don't know much about those used abroad). Some docs refer to it as a 10 cc band, some as an 11 cc band, but it's the same band (only how much it holds is in dispute) and it is 11 cm in length. The small bands are 9.75 and 10 cm bands in length, both of which hold 4 cc's of Fluid. Then there are the AP bands, which are similar to the VG in design and come in 2 sizes. So, all in all, 5 Inamed bands, but only one VG.

Oh yeah, scale moved -- forgot to scream... SIXTEEN POUNDS TO GOAL -- WHOOT, WHOOT!!

Name.............Chall. Start Wt......Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme..........273......................272. .............238................34 faithmd................303......................30 3.............283.................20 mpalen.................229......................22 9.............200................29 want2beme...........225......................225.. ............195...............30 mcgreen...............236..................... 236.............210................26 wombat712...........179..................... 179.............155................24 Suzzzie. ...............346......................346....... .......315..............31 Chris_NJ...............284.......................2 84.............250...............34 Cherrybomb...........311......................311. ............291..............20 legster..................261.....................2 61..............235..............26 Desertbunnee.........232......................207. ............180..............27 areellady...............232......................2 32...............212.............20 sweethot143..........197......................197. ............175..............22 gweniper...............253......................25 3...............223.............30 Jeni 85..................237......................237.. .............207.............30 dacer123...............243......................24 3...............223.............20 momlambert..........207.......................207. ..............185.............22 Rainer..................298....................... 294..............258.............36 glindab.................277....................... 277..............250..............27 Soniacan..............198.5....................198 .5.............175.............23.5 ladydi..................233....................... 233...............208..............25 argon...................162...................... 162..............142..............20 jazzystouch...........246......................246 ....... ........220...........26 BabygotBack..........164.....................164. ...............145.........19 Denise...................170.................... 170............155.............15 marcar35...............277....................277. ..... .......257..............20 Ariel ....................207......................207. ..........182..............25 lisa_in_toronto.......180......................180 ...... .......160............20 josiebies...............188......................1 88.... ..........165............23 DonnaD...............185.........................1 85.. ..........170..........15 hf2havefun...........240.........................2 40.. ..........210..........30 Amelia40...............270........................ 270 ............240..........30 METALBAND...........187........................187 ........ ......167..........20 luvinke..................225...................... ..225.... ..........195..........30 JulieNYC................155......................152.................136............16 wen.....................288......................2 88.... ..........255...........33 LeslieLee...............216.....................21 ...............186...............30 robgoblin87............279.....................279 ..............250..............29 Babygrl1234...........215....................215.. ..............190................25 Stacy73...............259.....................259 ..................230............29 aussie_jode...........212...................212... .................190...........22 chickatee.............203................203...... ........175......................28 katalin.e...............230................179.... ...................150..............29 Whosyadaddy........388................388.......................335..............53 SIXTEEN pounds to goal!!! WhootWhoot!

Terri, how's it going with the no smoking? I'm thinking about you a lot and sending good vibes your way!

WoootWhoot!!! Way to go!

Boo, Take care of that ankle. Don't run on it until it's 100%, OK? Cross train for a few days. I want you to run forever and not battle an injury! I know it's hard.... Today, I meet with my trainer. Tomorrow, I have my last run before my 1/2 marathon.... Catch yall in a few hours,