Nobody's Girl

Im a cowgirl. I work at a cattle ranch and teach horseback riding lessons. Im going to school to become a college biology professor thou.

Hi! Im Shelly from Nacogdoches. I was banded in Mexico in August and I'm very happy! Are there any support groups in Nacogdoches or Lufkin?

I was banded one day before you and have only lost 20 lbs too. I am very happy with my weight loss! 20 lbs may not be much, but it's more than zero! You just have to stay positive and remind yourself how lucky you are to have the band, that it is working, and that you are losing weight! We are all so lucky, we need to be thankfull and proud of what we have acheived, no matter how little.

Mine was buying that next pants size up. (Again) (And Again)

Yes I think that we are discriminated against, but I also think that it is engrained in all of us. Whether or not we realize it or admit it, I think that we all have some small degree of prejudice engrained in us. For example, I never thought of myself as being biased one way or another (especially being over weight myself). Until one day I was watching someone’s picture slideshow online. In one picture there were a group of people, and one was very overweight. I didn’t take a second look at her. In a later picture there was a group of friends together and there was one very pretty girl who looked like she was having an especially fun time. I thought to myself, wow, I bet she would be a really fun friend to have! I later learned that that was the same woman as the earlier picture, after she had lost weight! Imagine how terrible I felt! I never realized it until that point, but I am somehow prejudice against fat people sub-consciously. And I think that everyone is to a point. It’s so sad :-(

I am guilty of sefl-sabotage. Not because I am afraid of the changes that come with losing weight, but because I just love food and eating. I miss being able to eat food, it makes me feel good. I sabotage myself by drinking water with my meals so that I can get more food down. I don't know why I do this, but it has halted my weight loss, and I need to make a goal to not drink while I eat so I can get back on track.

Cinch that sucker up! Everything will be okay!

I was in the same boat with you. I was 60lbs overweight and wanted to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand. I'm very glad I had surgery, it is helping me to make life changes early that will be usefull to me for the rest of my life. I think it is a good idea to take care of a weight problem before it gets out of control, it's easier that way.

I used my student loans for part of my surgery and took out a loan for the rest. Its coming back to bite me in the butt already, but I am glad I did it.

I'm from Minneapolis but now I live in East Texas

I also have a non-traditional scropbook. I included pictures of beautiful women who are my "thin"-spiration. When ever I am frustrated I look at thoes pictures and am reminded of why I want to do this. I also have a page of all things I WON'T miss about being over weight (low self-esteem, fat pants, etc). And I have a page of things I want to do once I lose weight (wear a bikini, ride a bike, etc). Any time I do one of the things on my list I cross it off and take a picture and write a little blurb about it in my scrap book.

Mine told me I didn't need the surgery and that he didn't want me to go thru with it. But I did anyway. He still tells me that he wishes I didn't have the band. He says he is embaressed that I can't eat a normal amount when we go to a restraunt. But you know what? I don't care. I had this procedure for me, not him. It's really none of his business. In fact, it kind of makes me mad that he isin't happy for me. I mean, here I am going through a life-changing surgery, I'm losing all this weight and he doesn't even care. Can't he tell that I am miserable being overweight? But it doesn't matter because I am happy and thats all that counts to me.

I am 20 and just had the lap band. I love it so much, it changed my life. I think that having the band at a young age is good because you can avoid some of the health problems that result from many years of being obese. Also, nipping a weight problem in the bud young in life will help your self-esteem to rise and stay that way. Just ask the folks on this forum if they would have had the band at a young age, had they had the chance. They all say yes. And look at it this way, right now you are dependent on your parents (and I'm assuming they will be paying for the band), you should have the surgery now instead of having to pay for it yourself later in life (it sucks, believe me). And finally, if you decide that you don't like the band or it doesn't work you can have it unfilled or even removed... but believe me, you won't want to do that, you will love it so much!

Yes I can feel mine, you can even see the little buldge of it under my skin :tongue: The first few months after banding I loved to feel it all the time. I can still be caught with my hand up my shirt on my belly feeling my port several times a day. I do it with out thinking about it. When I put my hand on it I feel happy and proud of having my lap-band. Its my secret little pick-me-up! lol!

I have a terriable habit of drinking while I eat. For me it makes the food go down SO MUCH easier. When I feel uncomfortable, like food is getting a little stuck, i just drink some water and it goes right down. When I don't drink with my meals I eat about 60% less. I really need to get back on track with that.

Carol- Do you live in the Hill Country? If so, you are so lucky! Last easter I rode my bike out there to do the twisted sisters and fell in LOVE with the area! I will have to hollar at you next time I head out that way. Truly a biker's paradise... and a cowgirls paradisse too!

Ive got the healthy lunch thing down pat. I while back I posted a thread detailing my lunch ideas, it might be helpful to you. Heres the link! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/my-lunch-ideas-check-out-78263/

Not sure if you've seen it, but I posted a thread a while back giving my lunch ideas, this might be helpful to you. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/my-lunch-ideas-check-out-78263/

I use ground turkey or venison anytime I would use ground beef. ie In Pasta sauce, in lasagne, hanburgers, in Soup, etc. Note- Ground turkey is still high in fat. I use the ground turkey BREAST meat instead. It only has 1-2g fat/serving. Venison has similar fat content.

Not sure if this will help... My band is pretty tight and I am not able to eat much in my normal life. I live alone and go to school so it is easy to watch what I eat and eat small amounts. However, when I go to visit my family (who are all awesome cooks) I always end up eating way more than I should. After a few days of stuffing myself at every meal, I can fit so much more in my stomach than I would be able to normally. I dont know if this is because of stretching or what. Anyway, how I fix that is when I go back home from visiting my family and return to my normal eating habits, I go on a liquids-only diet for a day or two. This seems to get my band back to its old size so that I won't be able to eat such large amounts anymore.

Whenever I feel something getting stuck I wait a few minutes to see if my body will throw up on its own. If I dont throw up the problem food naturally, I stick my finger down my throat and make myself throw-up. Works like a charm! I know I'm probabaly not supposed to do this, but I only have to maybe once a week. And in my opinion it is much better than being in such pain for a long time.

To not buy any new comsetics, lotion, perfume, shower gel, make up, etc until I use up all of the half-full bottles that I have cluttering up my bathroom cubbards.

No breakfast. And no pasta. Pasta even got stuck in my band when it was completly unfilled, so I haven't even TRIED it now that my band is filled. Bread, tortillas, cakes, and stuff like that gives me trouble as well.

B- fruit juice L- Half of a yougurt, half of granola bar D- 3 celery sticks, with peanut butter and raisins (ants on a log) yesterday B-Naked juice L- baby carrots, peach cup D- fat free hot dog, hot chocolate

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. GREAT book for EVERYONE, really makes you think (unless youre afraid of that kind of thing) :biggrin: