julie.ann

Ready to be thin - I started right away (with pre-op) working not to eat unless my stomach was empty. I hope you will read my blogs from the beginning. High protein helped with hunger too until I had restriction. I thought I was lucky and the band started working early, then after the first or second fill I really started to know how the band worked. It really dimmed my hunger. After fill 4 I KNOW restriction. I have to be CAREFULL. It is getting better now 2 months after my last fill. Work on getting in your protein. Keep your carbs low to keep the cravings away and keep track of everything you eat. I use sparkpeople.com. You can find me on there with the name of NURSEMOM5. Julie - You almost made me cry with your message. Thank you. I blog for me and for others just like you. It is scarey at first! What if it doesn't work for me? What if I am wasting my money? You can do it. Watch the hunger. Learn the difference. That is the most important thing I have learned that I will always know now wether I have the band or not!

I have been thinking about my band and my life. With a 7 hour drive home after my (3rd) fill there is alot of time for thinking. I know that this monster I fight called obesity is a tough one. I have started to look at how it has affected my life. Although my weight did keep me from doing a few physically active things with my family I have found that it was the emotioinal and psychological damage that my obesity caused that hurt the most. I would use my weight as a reason not to go out with my family. I wasn't comfortable sitting on the bleachers watching a game and if my kids were playing I would go to watch them and leave as soon as I could. I thought that no one would want to socialize with me because I was so obese. Sometimes I put it off on others. I judged them as unfair because I just knew that they were judging me. Since I have lost over 70 lbs in this short time I have come to realize that I was holding myself hostage. It wasn't my weight that was keeping me from socializing. It was how I felt about myself because of my weight. It was how uncomfortable I felt in my own skin and how uncomfortable I felt with how I looked. Having the gastric band procedure has helped me change a lot of my habits. It has helped me change what I eat and how I look at food. I have learned that I feel better when I eat healthy food and that portion control is just as important as food choices. I learned that it took me about 3 months for this to become a lifestyle. I have learned that I may lose weight by following the rules, but I will lose it much more quickly and at a rate that I am happy with if I exercise at least 3 times a week. I have learned that I am not perfect and every day is a new day to make the right decisions. I have learned the difference between head hunger and real hunger. I think the one thing that Dr. K told me that has helped me more than anything else is when he said, "Don't eat unless you are hungry." I am a smart person. I know that is the way it should be, but hearing him say it just made it click in my head. Now if I want to eat something I ask myself, "Am I hungry?" If the answer is no I go back to what I was doing. I started that the first day of my pre-op diet and I ask myself that question every day. Sometimes I even find myself thinking, "Boy I wish I was hungry so I could eat that!" This band is not a magic pill. I am working hard for what is happening, but I know without the band it would not be happening. This is the best weight loss tool I could ever imagine! I love going to my fill appointments (and not becuase of the 14 hours I spend on the road in a day.) I love it becuase the staff is so wonderful. You (Natalie) and Mary make me feel welcome. You have since the first day I met you. Even before I met you when you answered my email on a Sunday night! That meant a lot to me, when I reached that point that I just had to do something and reach out to take that first big step to contact your office. When I come in for a fill Dr. K looks and my weight loss and says "Great! Do you think you need a fill?" and then he really listens to the reasons that lead me to believe it is time for a fill. His extensive experience and his low price made this dream for me come true. I never thought, being self pay, I could afford this with a hubby and 3 kids. Dr. K made it possible! So I have to say thank you. Thank you for giving me my life back! Thank you for helping me to take my life back. Julie Ann Surgery Oct. 29, 2008 Start/Now/Goal 285/210/142.5

2-21-09 I weigh 213.8 and just in case you didn't notice that puts a bigger number on the left side of my ticker than the right! I AM OVER HALF WAY TO GOAL and I have lost 50% of my excess body weight! YEAH! I am almost 4 months post-op. I love my band! I hope to be in onderland by April 1 and hit the -100 pounds by my 35th birthday in June!!!! Thank you guys for you great support. I thought I needed a fill. Starting to look for food again between meals. Well my hubby broke his foot and will be off of work for a month (surgery yesterday to put a screw in his foot where he broke it) so I don't think I can afford a trip to Denver. What I noticed picking up a few days a clinic for my practicum is that I didn't get hungry between meals. I think I have been fighting that very conniving enemy called head hunger. I'm usually quick to pick up on it, but I think it was sneaking up on me and that's what the problem has been. I thought I was very wise to head hunger but sometimes it is so hard to tell the difference. So I might not get a fill soon, but I think I will be ok with that. I'll have to see closer to the time if I have any money to go. I am supposed to go two weeks from tomorrow. So we were sitting the doctor’s office yesterday morning waiting for orders to go the hospital for hubby’s surgery. I was sitting there and comfortably crossed my legs. That is has been such a big deal for me. I told hubby look! This is comfortable! I used to not be able to do this. He winked at me :thumbup: and said that getting me to cross my legs was the opposite goal he had for me. He’s so funny sometimes! :thumbup: I told my doctor the following yesterday: Here is an arithmatic lesson. It doesn't look right, but I've found that if you check it....it does equal out the way it is written. 4 months post-op (almost) - 71 lbs = 50% excess body weight = 1/2 way to goal of healthy BMI I may not get down that low, but I hope to be close. Healthy is my goal. I thought I was needing a fill, but with hubby off work I don't think I can afford a trip to Denver besides I noticed the last two days working at the clinic that I wasn't really hungry between meals. I think I have been struggling with head hunger which can be MUCH WORSE than real hunger. But I have to be honest I have been really lucky in my results so far and getting restriction so early. I don't think my results are rare at all, but I bet I am in the top percentage of weight lost so..... um...I guess the word I'm looking for is...... easily? Not to say it hasn't been work. I started spinning class again on Wednesday. My butt is still sore! I read an article that said that a successfull band patient is one that loses 50% of their excess body weight and keeps it off indeffinately. I just need to keep it off. I'm already successful. I think losing any more than another 50 lbs is just gravy. My band’s name is Band Jovi…:drum:...I’m a huge fan!

Was it hard? Not as hard and I thought, but I wouldn't want to do it again. Browse my blog to find out more about my journey. I kept it a secret for most of my journey so far and just about a month ago told some friends. People are now starting to talk about how I did it. A few have wondered out loud if I had surgery.

I know someday I will get PS, but I have another 4 1/2 years until I have my lapband surgery paid off so I will have to wait until then unless something else happens.:thumbup: Depressing to know that it will be 5 years before I can get this extra skin taken care of and my breast will keep sagging until then too. I want the headlights back on bright instead of pointing to my toes. I think I would even be happy with my body now if I could have PS. I think I would be able to fit into a size 10 then (I am wearing a size 12 now) and I never even thought about wearing a size smaller than that. I remember wanting to wear a size 16 and couldn't imagine fitting into a size 14. (Don't get me wrong I would rather have extra skin than 100 xtra pounds!!!!) I am getting to the point where I can tell a difference in my shoulders and face. I look in the mirror now and think, "Wow! Is that me?" I think my double chin has practiaclly dissapeared and I have cheek bones. I even wore a tank top when I went golfing with my hubby yesterday!!! That is a NSV! :w00t: While lying in bed last night on my side my hubby started to "caress" (for lack of a better word) my hip bone. Not like when I started to feel my hip bone when I tried, but it is really THERE! I was kind of complaining about being fat last month and DH tapped my rib cage. I told him that hurt and I rubbed the spot and he said, 'That's because I hit bone, not soft stuff." It kind of surprised me that he was right. Another NSV.....I like the way I look in my swimsuit. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a two piece or anything. It is a solid one piece with a little skirt, but I feel good in it! Who would have ever thought. :eek: This week end has been a bad one for me. I am dealing with a lot with my daughter and I used food. I will be okay. Weekends are the hardest for me. I will be back on track starting now and the scale will keep moving. [ATTACH]126[/ATTACH][ATTACH]127[/ATTACH] High /Surgery/Current/Goal 285.5/ 271 / 182.8/ 142.5 Banded - 10/29/08 Four fills - 4.7cc/10cc

I know what you mean Bella. I talk about this all the time. I know someday I will get PS, but I have another 4 1/2 years until I have my lapband surgery paid off so I will have to wait until then unless something else happens. Depressing to know that it will be 5 years before I can get this extra gross skin taken care of and my breast will keep sagging until then too. I think I would even be happy with my body now if I could have PS. I think I would be able to fit into a size 10 then (I am wearing a size 12 now) and I never even thought about wearing a size smaller than that. I am getting to the point where I can tell a difference in my shoulders and face. I even wore a tank top when I went golfing with my hubby yesterday!!! That is a NSV!

Every time I have gone for a fill I go to the thrift store Unique. It is close to the office and Natalie and Mary recommended it. I haven't left yet without finding something there. The jeans are less than $5. It is huge and you can try it all on. I love going there. I have it saved in my Garmin right beside Dr. K's address. I figure if I am going to drive 7 hours then I better get to shop too.

Tig, You are doing great. It is funny that each one of us seem to have our own little vices that sneak back up on us. It is a life long battle. Keep up the good work.

well to see my food journal you could log into www.sparkpeople.com and my user name is NURSEMOM5. Breakfast - Morning Star Sausage Patty or 3 Pieces of bacon AND 2 poached eggs (egg whites only) OR 1/4cup Southwestern Egg beaters (this is my favorite!). Lunch - Chicken salad (My own quick recipe that only has 3 ingrediants) and 1/2 cup cottage cheese OR Roast Beef and cottage cheese Supper - Stuffed chicken breast (Bacon and American Jack Cheese) I may top it with steamed onions and peppers and a slice of american cheese. Basiclly I put a good source of solid protein with something else. I like to add cottage cheese to my meals to help change textures and it helps the solid protein go down. Besides I love cottage cheese. Drink Pink Limade Crystal Light (Well the wal-mart brand.) It takes care of my sweet tooth most of the time and tastes great without adding calories into my day. I eat a high protein low carb diet. My calorie intake is low, but I'm not hungry. The high protein helps with that. No bread, pasta, rice or potatoes and no I don't miss it anymore. I will splurge every once in a while and have thin and crispy pizza (yes I know that is bread...that's why I said splurge) but regular pizza leave the crust on my plate and I just eat the toppings off becuase otherwise I'll get stuck. Pizza and cookie dough are my two biggest weakness so I know I have to keep them out of the house. If I have to bring cookies some where for school or church I don't make homemade anymore because of that. I keep track of what I eat and try not to eat unless I am hungery...I mean my stomach is empty. That is the tough part. I hope that helps. BTW I lost another lb last night and I have 8 lbs until I am no longer obese!!!!! I did have popcorn at the movies last night and pizza for lunch today, but I have been hitting the gym and watching my portions so I will be okay and will continue to be on the way to my goals.

Well I am 182.8 today. (I have to post it so I will remember next week what I weighed.) My low so far! YAY! To no longer be obese that would mean I need to lose 8 lbs. That will be my goal. Thanks for keep track and good luck to everyone!

I am pretty happy. I weight yesterday instead of today and I am 183.1 YAY. I can't wait to no longer be obese. I have to hit 175 to only be overweight. I should be there by July 4th if not before!

Well today is 7 months since surgery. I have lost 102 lbs and 8 lbs in the last month. That is the least in one month I have lost since surgery. I'm not down about it. I have been eating more like I will for the rest of my life and been straying from my high protein low carb diet that has worked for me in amazing ways. I still haven't told my family and I have managed to keep my weight loss a secret from them. I plan to visit Florida in the last week in Florida and surprise them. I would LOVE to be in the 160's. Can't even imagine that! I guess I will have to stay on track. Well I'm off to go grocery shopping and hit the gym. Have a great weekend!

Well I was going to set out this one, but I decided to go ahead and join. My goal will be to no longer be obese on July 4th. That would mean under 175. I'll weigh in on Saturday.

I am getting more comfortable with my body and especially my sholders and arms. I would love to wear some cute tops with thin straps or something strapless. Can anyone help me out with this? I can't find a strapless bra that is supportive enough. I know I need PS and plan to do it in 5 years when I get my WLS paid off, in the mean time can you help me out?

Thanks I'll try. I've always been very broad across my back. All my life even if I weighed 30 lbs less than my sisters I couldn't fit into their shirts. Maybe that is why I have such a hard time. I figured I would need to wear some kind of corset for support. (Luckily to even out the playing field I never had to worry about my hips.) I'll try this one. Anyone else had good luck?

Only down 25 lbs???? You've done great! keep up the great work. Keep track of what you eat. I love using www.sparkpeople.com for my on-line journal. It is the second best tool I have. Thanks guys for the kind words. BG you are are great support person on here for so many!!!! Life is throwing me some curveballs and I need to remember to be happy for what I have done and what I still will accomplish. 42 lbs to go! I'm still losing...slow and steady now.

I think that I can make a couple of points about this. First let me say I have the Lapband brand and I too wondered about the Realize band for different reasons. Some say you lose faster with Lapband than Realize. I think part of that is because you need more fills. If you have a doctor that is quick with the fills then it may not make a difference. My doctore fills until you feel restriction and then backs off until you can drink without any problems. You may get several cc put in a time. If you doctor only puts in .5 cc at a time then, yes the weight loss may take much longer. As far as the high vs low profile port....when that was my concern until I realized that if I loose enough weight for this to be a problem then it is a problem I would much rather have than the extra weight. I am planning on PS in the next 5 years (after my WLS is paid off) and they can reposition my port then and maybe give me a lower profil port or put in deeper. Neither is going to be a "bad decision". You have already made the right decision by getting banded. Why did I decide to get the LB? Well I decided that if LB would get me quicker results then that might help me keep on track. 7 months later and 100lbs gone, I am happy with my decision. I think I would have been happy either way. I guess only time will tell how things go.

Just dropping in to say YAY! I have lost 100 lbs which makes my Memorial Day Goal!!!! The weight is coming off more slowly becuase I haven't been sticking to my high protein diet like I was. I am still losing and that what matters and it really is more on a lifetime diet. I know I have been eating in a way that will drop the weight off quickly. I have still been working hard, but high protein will drop the weight faster than any other type of diet that I have found. I have lost about 7 lbs this month instead of 10-13lbs. I love dropping the weight fast, but I feel like I am starting the point in my journey that really gets to the real life eating. Sometimes I don't make the best, most nutritious choices, but I have been very rare breaking a single rule until after my first 6 months. Working out continues to be a major part of my journey. I have started a weight training program at my gym. It is giving me variety and that is what I need to keep it interesting. Is losing 6 or 7 lbs instead of 10-12 lbs a month worth the extra here and there that I am eating? I guess that is the question. Everyone needs to aswer that for themselve. I am really happy with how I look, but I know I am not done yet. I saw myself in pictures this weekend. (BSN Graduation) and I was very unhappy with what I saw. I guess maybe I need to see more pictures to get me motivated again. I am still following most of the bandster guidelines most of the time. I am less than 43 away from goal so I could still make my goal of being half the person I was just one year post op. We will see what happens.

Just dropping in to say YAY! I have lost 100 lbs which makes my Memorial Day Goal!!!! The weight is coming off more slowly becuase I haven't been sticking to my high protein diet like I was. I am still losing and that what matters and it really is more on a lifetime diet. I know I have been eating in a way that will drop the weight off quickly. I have still been working hard, but high protein will drop the weight faster than any other type of diet that I have found. I have lost about 7 lbs this month instead of 10-13lbs. I am still following most of the bandster guidelines most of the time. I am less than 43 away from goal so I could still make my goal of being half the person I was just one year post op. We will see what happens.

Put me down for a loss. I have lost 100lbs. Our daughter is being very selfish with bad behavior. (She is 15.) It has driven me to eat today, but back on track as of right now. I love being in the century club. It has really been coming off slow the last month or so!

Just popping in to say 100 lbs gone FOREVER!!!! I decided to do a fat girl happy dance when I lost 100 lbs, but it seems I may have to settle for just a happy dance since the fat girl seems to have left the building! :party: :thumbup:

The best way is to get out there and read some blogs and look through the forums. I am happy to answer your questions if I can.