JulieNYC

I expected that, but thanks for confirming it, Telly. I'm with you, in that I just want the pannus gone. I'm sure my result will be great, but I'm not adverse to a revision later, if necessary. I just want it gone as quickly (albeit safely) as possible.

Welcome, Delta Dawn and Schel! I'm so glad you're joining us. Delta -- tell us more about where you live. As a southern girl (I'm from Mobile, Alabama) I can barely stand winter in NYC. I can only imagine winter where you are! You and I started at exactly the same weight and within a week of each other. My "real" fill was in early June as well, and I've been riding it as long as I can. We have a lot in common....

Schel, If it helps, it took getting me to 10.0 in my VG before I felt enough restriction to curb my eating behavior at all. Get that fill and don't let anyone make you feel bad about your progress. Just do what it takes to turn your appetite off. None of us could do it without that. And I'm with Kat -- join us over on the April Bandsters December Challenge thread. We'd love to have you join us for the exercise challenge!

In my experience, this varies by surgeon. Mine plans on doing muscle revision even though I may, in the future, have a child. It's definitely something to discuss with your surgeon. I'm glad to see that this thread is so active. I'm trying to get to the 180s by early April so I can have a TT and Mastopexy. I'm changing jobs in May and can take April off, which is why the rush. My surgeon (who is also my Dad -- not as awkward as it seems and the free thing is a major bonus) says it's not necessary to be at goal (I don't even know what goal is for me) but that I may need a touch up later if I lose more than about 25 more after surgery. At 180, I doubt I'll lose that much more. I expect to come out of surgery 10 lighter and I just can't imagine wanting to be less than 150. Time will tell. If anyone has links to PS websites (and photos) that they find informative, I'd appreciate it if you'd post them or PM me. Thanks!

Drs. Fielding and Ren at NYU have been known to take on some patients banded in Mexico for fills and follow-up. I'm not sure what the criteria are, but you could call Tammy (one of the very helpful staff) at 212-263-3166 to find out.

Kat, I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt. I'm incredibly impressed that you were able to work out yesterday with all that going on. Way to go. Boo, I hadn't thought of walking on an incline. Duh! OK, I'll give that a shot. If I never get on a bike again, though, it'll be too soon. Hate that. Not sure why. Repressed childhood trauma perhaps (ha!). As for the "running" it's definitely jogging with walk breaks at this point. I'm only at the stage where you run 90 seconds, break, run 3 minutes, break, repeat. It's just not that challenging. I'm never sore from it and I really don't think it'd be too much to add a 4th day. Then I'll add 2 days of cross training (walk on incline, elliptical and stairmaster, maybe). I'm itching to drop these next 40 lbs and be in Onederland. Exercise is the best road to that goal for me. I feel motivated right now. I think there's something special about the looming 230s for me. They're starting to feel close enough to Onederland that I can actually start to think about what that will be like. 6 months ago I was dreaming of 299. So hard to believe....

Christmas Goals A1ikou...............240...............XX Aza....................299...............XX BPM..................230...............37 candy444...........299.................09 Elisabeth.............275.................16 Ericsmom...........250................12 Indianlight...........280.................-1 WOOHOO!! Josette................340.................25 JulieNYC............235...................5 Koala.................275..................24 Ladydi................270 .................33 LapBandit...........250..................7 Libra...................270................0 (woohoo!) Mariguita.............290.................XX NatesMommy.....275.................XX Waterlily1072.....275..................23

Welcome to November, April Bandits! It's nearly the holidays and we're all going to meet our weight loss goals with the help of our November Challenge. Speaking of, the terms are as follows: (1) Complete 17 or more exercise sessions (counting only one session per day, if you're the type to do more!); (2) To count, each session must be at least 35 minutes in duration; and (3) Consume at least 64 oz of Water (or whatever your personal goal for water intake is) at least 6 days a week. We can do it! Let's check in with each other often this month, as the holidays make it so easy to check out on diet/exercise until the New Year. Here we go....

Susan and Bluehill, I see that the three of us are within about 5 lbs of each other. We've got to really cheer each other on to Onederland. I'm with you, Susan. Gotta be there by March 1. We can do it. Boo, question for you. My "couch to runner" program only wants me to run 3 times a week. I've been doing the elliptical machine or meeting with my traininer for at least 2 more days, but I could do more. I'm thinking of running more often. I guess I'm asking for your layperson-runner advice on running 2 days in a row. Do you do it? Obviously I'd go back to 3 days if anything was hurting.

Lapbandit, you look gorgeous in your dress! Christmas Goals A1ikou...............240...............XX Aza....................299...............XX BPM..................230...............37 candy444...........299.................09 Elisabeth.............275.................16 Ericsmom...........250................12 Indianlight...........280.................5 Josette................340.................25 JulieNYC............235...................6 Koala.................275..................24 Ladydi................270 .................33 LapBandit...........250..................7 Libra...................270................0 (woohoo!) Mariguita.............290.................XX NatesMommy.....275.................XX Waterlily1072.....275..................23

35 min of elliptical yesterday and I'm down a pound this morning. I hope to get in a run this afternoon after I get back from the theater. Going to see Kristin Chenowith's new play -- The Apple Tree. It's so nice to go to the theater and not worry whether the seats will be too snug. Happy Sunday all.

Kat, Thank you for thinking about our group enough to ask your more advanced group about our struggles. That is so kind and thoughtful and I loved their thoughts about us. They're right -- if we stick together as a support group, we can lean on each other in the hard times and those who aren't struggling can pull the others toward success. We're all going to make it! I can't believe your granddaughter is having an Elmo party for her 2nd birthday! My goddaughter had an Elmo party last year for her 2nd birthday and I made her a dress with an embroidered Elmo on the front of it. I wish I'd have known and I'd have sent it to you! Betty, Yes, the scale finally moved this morning! Woohoo! I lose in chunks -- sometimes 3-5 lbs and sometimes even 7 or 8 lbs in a few days (then nothing for a couple of weeks), so keep your fingers crossed for me that it's a big chunk! I'm counting the days for you (and you too, Kat) to be lighter than your husband. That's SO amazing. You're going to feel so dainty!

What an awesome idea Bluehill. I'll follow in turn. April Bandits November Challenge: Eighteen days of exercise completed (35 individual sessions of 35 min. or more). Weight loss for the month: 11 lbs.

Betty, I'm so proud of you for meeting the challenge! Way to go. I think at 180 and in a holiday month, a 2.5 pound loss is INCREDIBLE! Can you believe you lost this month and didn't gain? Over Thanksgiving, nonetheless? That's phenomenal! On to December. I feel energized.

What a wonderful post, Bluehill. I look forward to continued discussion in a new December thread. Boo, 90 minutes!!!! You're an exercise GODDESS! Way to go. You deserve to meet the challenge for sure. Way to go. That's just amazing. Susan, do you have a special thing planned for when you reach goal? Maybe a trip to Paris is in order. It's such a beautiful city. You deserve to see it! Anyway, what's going on with you this month? I feel out of touch with you and I so look forward to hearing about your WLS journey....

Roberta, can you work out today? If so, can you make it for an hour? I think we would all support that as being two sessions, if you really want to meet the challenge. If not, I totally understand. Take care of yourself and your asthma. It's a scary disease sometimes. I'm feeling a little better about food today. I had some chili and a banana for breakfast (100 cal protein chili that I buy in little packets from NutriSystem, oddly enough). Half way through the banana I said to myself "I could probably quit eating this now and be just as satisfied." So I threw the other half away. I love it when I can do that.

I have a challenge for you, Boo. Tomorrow, the last day of the November challenge, I vote that if you can push yourself to run longer (or farther -- your call) than you've ever run before -- even if just just by a few minutes (or a quarter mile) -- that extra push will qualify as your 3 sessions and you will meet the challenge. Julie-NYC is throwin' it down. Goooo BOO!

358 in April, 244 today. Wahoo!

I'm probably at core in the "lose as much as YOU want" camp, because the healthiest thing for you is to have a normal BMI. That said, what do you think about taking a "pause" at 160 for a while? 90 lbs is a huge difference. Maybe if you tell your husband that you're done losing for a while and focus on things other than weight loss (the holidays is a good time for that), if, in a few months, you slowly lose a few more lbs, I doubt he'll even notice. I guess what I'm saying is he's probably just getting used to the new you. If you let him have some time for that, a few more lbs isn't going to make a difference in the way he sees you, even though it may make a big difference in the way you see yourself. Good luck.

I completed the challenge this morning. I got up early and ran because I'm going to the theater tonight and I knew I wouldn't make it to the gym if it wasn't this morning. I waited for the endorphin release you promised, Boo, but it didn't come. It usually does, but it didn't this morning. I DRAGGED through it. Maybe next time. Wink. I'm meeting with my trainer tomorrow night, so I'll exceed the challenge by one session. Not a stellar result, exactly, but pretty good for a month with a major trip and a holiday. Here's to December!

OK -- I need to do a little self-reflection in a public way, so here goes. I've not been following the bandster rules for over a week now. I've been eating crap alongside my healthier food. When I was in France, that was one thing, but it actually started a couple of days before that and I haven't stopped it yet and I've been home for 2 days. It's not been dire -- I haven't gained any weight. But I haven't lost any either and I really need to get my FOCUS back. I'm stress eating. I'm stressed over changing jobs, I'm stressed because I'm in the middle of buying an apartment (which has me poor and that's always stressful) and I'm stressed because I'm starting to be more skinny than fat and I don't know what I'm going to do with myself once I'm skinny. Anyway, I just wanted to post to say that I need motivation to get back on track -- good meal planning and routine exercise. And water! It's been a week since I had my 8 glasses and that's no good. Grrr. Hope yall are all doing better than me! Take care,

Bluehill, I'm so sorry you're having a rough time. I've had 2 major depressions in my life and I know how it feels to want to disconnect. Stay in touch with us if you can. If you can't, please consider short term medication if you haven't already. It helped a ton for me both times. In any event, we're all so proud of you for completing the challenge. You're doing great.

My doctor's goal for me is to get under 200. My goal is to get to 180, have a tummy tuck, then see where I am. I'll probably wind up 150-160 -- something like that. The band was the perfect tool for me. I don't keep it very tight and it turns off the head hunger and the need for mass quantity without limiting the types of food I can enjoy. I'm so thankful for it.

If it were my daughter, I'd go to a surgical consult. That's not to say I'd necessarily advocate the band for my 12 year old, but I would at least check it out with her. My reasons would be that, first and foremost, I think almost everyone here (if not literally everyone) knows that your daughter is in for a life-long battle with her weight. I was a math major in college. When you look at the statistics on how many people can actually lose weight and keep it off without surgical intervention, it's astonishing. Almost no one can do it. (Approximately 2% of those with 50 lbs or more to lose can lose it and keep it off for ONE YEAR, so what must the numbers be for 70 years? Next to none.) If my child had diabetes, I wouldn't hesitate to get her an insulin pump if that was the best tool. I see the band as the same thing -- the best tool for the job of lifetime weight management. I don't see any reason to delay solely because of age if (and only if) it is what my child wanted. Thus, I'd at least go to a seminar. Make sure she knows that it's just an option and that you want her to know about it. Not that you expect her to have it, or that you want her to. It has to be her decision. You're just informing her. I don't know where you're located, but Kelly Ann is correct. Dr. Fielding at NYU is one of, I believe, two doctors in the U.S. that bands 12 year olds. His office number is (212) 263-3166. Ask to speak to Tammy. The other U.S. practice that I know bands adolescents is NWWLS in Washington State. The Mexican surgeons mentioned already are beyond excellent as well if that is closer/easier for you. Not knowing your daughter and her maturity level, I can't say whether it's the right thing for your family. I just think that for all of the wonderful advice on this thread, there hasn't been enough talk about the fact that getting banded really might be a great option for her. Best of luck to your family.

Kat, congratulations on finishing the challenge! Woohoo! Way to go! As for the December challenge, I think we should leave it exactly the same -- 17 workouts for 35 minutes. We'll kick it up a notch in January, but I think the holidays throw enough of a wrench into our lives that to ask for more or longer sessions in December would be a disincentive. If I'm underestimating our group, just give a yell and we'll change it up for sure. I'm up for anything. Susan, I'm so excited that you've got less than 100 to lose. That's AMAZING. Just think -- some docs use the 100 lb mark as showing that you're eligible for WLS. So by that standard, you're not even eligible for the band by your current weight! What a great milestone. My personal goal is not 100 lbs away, but by the medical charts, I could still lose 100 or even more (I'm only 5'2), so that milestone is still a way off for me. To all those who are sick this November, heal up and we'll be looking forward to you blowing us away in December. Boo, I'm really impressed that you're still trying to meet the challenge even though you're sick. That's AMAZING. Don't feel like you have to run though, if you're not up to it. A 35 minute walk counts too. Eficka, I'm off to read your thread.... France was glorious. Too much wine, too much cheese, too much chocolate, but no weight gain. I weighed exactly the same this morning (to the tenth of a pound) as I did when I left. I guess that's the power of the band. And I went to the gym this morning and will be 100% back on the diet tomorrow (when the cheese that I brought to work to share with my colleagues is gone). Take care all,