lellow

I thought I had a high sex drive before the band. It was NOTHING compared to after I lost weight. But I do think that's directly related to my own confidence, and my fitness levels. Sex with the lights on? Yes please! Able to get into super flexible postions? Uh huh! Got the stamina to go for ages? I think so! lol! It's a really good problem to have, I think! My partner can't keep up with me, but he sure isn't complaining!

muelle, wanna swap? I lose in my butt first, my midsection last. I gain first in my midsection too, so I even a few lbs will make me look all straight up and down, like I have no waist.

I weigh myself everyday too. Always have. I account for minor fluctuations but this way I know if I'm gaining. And if that scale says the same (higher) weight for more than 2 days in a row, I want to modify my behaviour straight away to correct it. So I'm looking for a good scale too. I moved to Melbourne 4 months ago and my old scales were awesome, but my partner's is rubbish. It has a fluctuation of up to two kgs either way within mins. It's driving me crazy!

She isn't actually 15lbs underweight. She is still within a normal BMI range. I think it's good that she's questioning the way her mind works and is trying to head it off before it goes too far. I absolutely loathed it when people told me I was too skinny. I didn't see it at the time and nothing anyone said was going to make a difference. I needed to process it on my own, in my own head. Just like you can't lose weight for anyone but yourself, you can't gain it for anyone but yourself too. I think getting a small unfill is a positive step in the right direction, Patriceaa. You know what the issue is, now control that as you've controlled your weight all this time too.

Good to hear klariade! The more of you join this thread, the more motivated I feel. Don't know about the rest of you, but it's working for me! Alright I gotta do this - Things I hate about exercising: Having to wash my hair because I sweated like I was caught in torrential showers. My hair is now almost to my waist - do you KNOW how long it takes to get my hair dry?? Feeling like my heart is going to burst out of my chest, and feeling like my legs are like jelly, and having to push myself despite that. Having to dress in work-out gear (nothing fancy - tshirt and 3/4 length leggings, but still) and having to put on my trainers. I think doing those things are my biggest 'blocks' and the hardest thing for me to get motivated to do. Once I'm dressed though, I'm committed to it. Hurting like a mofo the next day. Chaffing. 'Nuff said. Ok that's my whinge about exercise. I won't whinge any more. One of my best friends started exercising with me when I was losing, and in Sept she's doing the Tough Mudder in Sydney and she wants me to do it with her. The idea of a 12km obstacle course is making me break out in hives. But then I think - she kept at it, and now she runs 12km x 3 times a week. If I keep at it, maybe I'll get there too! ...or maybe not.

elcee, I do feel for you with the lack of work. I also have days, like this morning, when I wish I didn't work 10 hour days though. Sigh. And can someone explain to me why, even though I've lost the weight I put on, even though I'm exercising and watching what I eat, my two work dresses today were TIGHT? One wouldn't even zip up! So to commiserate, I went to the Breadtop on Bourke St and bought a bbq pork bun for brekkie. And now I feel worse.

I think the weight insulated my ex-husband from having to worry about other men paying me attention. As I lost the weight (and found a love for clothes and high heels) he would get more and more aggravated as he noticed that other men were looking at me. He started to tell me that I was too obsessed with my weight and that he didn't want me to lose anymore. But that wasn't the only reason we split. I too, found a confidence (and a voice) from losing the weight. I worked hard to lose and it made me feel like I could conquer anything. And suddenly the way he had treated me all those years didn't sit so well with me. I became more assertive, my career took off, and suddenly the dynamic of our relationship changed significantly. So I think it boils down to this: you either have the communication between you and your spouse that will see you through such a huge life change, or you don't. But I definitely think that this sort of weight loss/lifetstyle change can make being married to someone you might view as 'non-supportive' very difficult.

I get that Jacqui! Where I'm working now, I have to go down 15 floors to get a snack. Easy to stay on target during the week as a result. Weekends though? Not so good! I just did my second jog in a week and I think I may have to be resuscitated. I nearly died halfway through this one. Man, am I unfit!

great work on the run, JennK! I love having things to look forward to - I wish *I* was going to Vegas! I hate to say this, but the more I'm exercising, the more I feel like exercising. I LOATHE it when I'm doing it, but afterwards I feel awesome. I'm actually considering leaving work early so I can get a jog in at the park near my place before the man gets home!

I think you should ask her. I never wanted my hubby or kids to hide their food from me. I figured I'd have to learn to cope with going out to restaurants and stuff, so I had to learn to control it for myself. I told my husband as much. For me, it was more about understanding me as I got obsessive about my weight loss. My ex was a personal trainer and at first he was very supportive about encouraging me to exercise, or watch what I eat. But as I got thinner and he was watching it happen, he started getting on my case, saying I was getting obsessed. I probably was, but his crticism made me hide it from him, and made me feel like I was sneaking around rather than sharing it with him.And because I was too afraid to talk about something that featured so much in my life, it became the elephant int he room. It may sound irrational for someone to obsess, but it does take a lot of focus to lose weight. And for a while, she may do nothing but talk about food and weight. Let her play it out. Eventually she'll get more used to the 'new' lifetstyle and it will settle down.

Power walks in muggy Melbourne weather = a very sweaty lellow. Just sayin'

We're all driving AB! Welcome! What did you get done this time? Well, my man made homemade vegetarian pizza last night and I brought two small pieces into work today for lunch. I bet it won't even touch the sides but it'll stop the tummy growling and that's all I care about. Then I'm going for a 3km power walk around the city. I hope it's not raining though....

Oh hell yes, I'm like you, Denise! I'm the type of person who needs the entire plan of action spelt out in full or I start getting antsy. I *am* a project manager by profession, after all! My whole life is about planning! I was actually supposed to see my Dr on the 5 Mar and I harassed his receptionist into giving me an earlier appt. I can't wait any longer. This is driving me nuts! I am coping with no restriction at the moment, and if I had to live without the band, I believe I could, but call me crazy, I want my working band back. I am happy to put in the exercise. I am happy to eat well, but the band stopped the hunger and that, alone, was a godsend. AND I MISS IT!

I didn't have any therapy, never saw a dietician, never saw a nutritionist. I just really, REALLY believe if you want it enough, you make it happen. It was probably not long after I had my band that I realised how little in life you can control. You can't control how others treat you, You can't control how others feels. You can't control how others behave, You can't even control how your body behaves (hungry, tired etc) but the one thing you have complete control over is your head. If you set a goal, and a plan to work towards it, you can achieve it. So get back to basics: plan your meals, take it one day at a time, set the days that you will work out and make sure you do it. Connect with others to hold yourself accountable to your exercise goals, and your eating habits. Set mini goals for your weight loss and plan how you will reward yourself when you get there. Changing your life is about planning, patience and repetition. Chose to start. Starting is the hardest part of it.

Lol elcee, I personally would love for you to contribute here! coachramz and shues138, glad to have you onboard. And coachramz, I agree, I feel more motivation too just by having others around that are of the same mindset. Denise, yeah it does suck, huh? I am telling myself that I'm lucky though - I lost the weight, THEN had issues. I feel for those who have had a slip or a leak right in the beginning. How de-motivating must that be? So that's me - trying to count my blessings! And I have no idea what my dr has planned for the slip or the leak. The last I saw him was at my gastroendoscopy and all he said was that he thought I was leaking from my port, and depending on how much Fluid I'd lost by the next time he saw me, we would have to discuss whether to replace the port or just manage with regular fills. He also said I have a small prolapse, which might account for my ability to eat more, but didn't say anything about how he was intending to manage it. I hope I have more answers by Friday coz, like I said, I really miss my band!

Hey all, good to see you here! I called my dr's office and got my appt brought forward to this Friday. I want to know what his plan is for this leak and slip. I did 2 days on a liquid diet and can't say that it's actually done anything for increasing my restriction at all. I think maybe I need to be refilled back to where my band was before (8.5cc or so) and then see if it's making a difference, coz right now, it's not really. I'm watching what I eat but damn I miss my band and what it did for me. I'm hoping I get to understand the way forward this Friday so that I can get my head around either living without the band for a while, or trying to get some restriction back. I hate being in limbo. In the meantime, have picked up on the exercising. I can feel myself getting stronger again and that's good at least.

well, I couldn't find one, so I started a new one: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/142641-old-timers-3-years-banded-recommitting-to-the-bandster-lifestyle/ C'mon peeps, we can support each other.

I don't know if there is a forum for old-timers but I wouldn't mind joining if there was. I am over 3 years out and, yes, I too started to stray from my bandster lifestyle. It wasn't until my band loosened to the point of not having any restriction, and I found out that I have a leak and a small slip, have I gotten back on the wagon, so to speak. It would be good to talk to others who just want a little refresher on good habits, as opposed to trying to lose weight.

This is the vicious cycle, isn't it? You gain, so you feel like crap, so you eat, and you gain some more, and you feel even worse. So stop that cycle. Now. Every single day is a new day to start again. Pretend this is the first time you've had your band. You're in bandster hell now. Don't think about the weight you lost and gained because it's going to derail you. You had geniune problems and you had to have those fixed. Now you're coming back from that, Focus on the now. Think of what you need to lose today, not yesterday. Straighten up that spine and start doing it. There are so few things in like that you can control. This is one of them. So get control back. P.S I have no restriction either. My band has a leak and I have a small slip. My band's been loose for 12 months now. But it doesn't mean that I don't have the choice to eat well and exercise until that's fixed. You *can* do it.

Of course we are. I reckon we should celebrate ALL NSVs, and this sure sounds like an awesome one!

I lost 130% of my excess weight on the band. If I had to remove the band, I would replace it with another band. Because I know it works. I know the sleeve works too, but better the devil I know and all that! I used to have the biggest sleeve envy, but someone then said to me - but the band has been so successful for you, and I thought, actually, he's right! Why the hell am I knocking something that worked? I ate well, I exercised, hell yes I did those things. Because I figured if I lose it now, the band will help me keep it off. And it did. If you've lost weight before, hunny, this will be a breeze. Be disciplined, lose the weight, get your fills and pretty soon, the band will be 'kicking in' and doing a lot of the Portion Control work for you. And wrt the pregnancy, I have had friends who chose the band specifically because, once they got pregnant, the band could be unfilled so that they could eat enough to nourish themselves and their babies. Once they stopped breastfeeding, they started getting fills again and the band put them back on their weight loss journey.

I really feel for anyone who doesn't have access to good, affordable aftercare, because that really is the crux of how successful your band will be. I think a lot of people think that getting surgery is the whole kit and kaboodle, but it's only the start (I'm not saying that you thought so, btw). Having access to aftercare is absolutely paramount to bandsters. I'm so sorry for your frustrations gwfami. I hope that you find someone good who will take care of your fills at a cost that isn't going to cripple you. It makes me really appreciate how good we have it here in Australia.