Iulizbug

Ditto...I can eat as much fat as I want and as long as there is no carbs I don't gain....Kind of an Atkins diet I suppose. If I do want to drink I MUST exercise or I will plateau or probably gain. So if I want some wine I make sure I hit the gym so I don't feel guilty drinking it..Now I know why I got so darn fat--my FAVE foods are bread, rice and Pasta. Thank goodness for the band! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/169/160 5'7''

I agree...Paul is cute!! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/172/160 5'7''

Mom of Many that was beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing. It really does help to know that we don't have to go thru this journey alone ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/172/160 5'7''

Lets not have a day like yesterday again. Giving everybody a hug and hoping we can all get along today....:confused: ~Liz~

Congrats Ms.Sabre!!!! :clap2: You have done incredible so far. Keep up the great work!! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

I am originally from Southern Indiana but went to college for two yrs at Univ. of Kentucky in Lexington. I loved it there....good memories. Used to drive to Lville and Clarksville on the weekends. There are lots of kind ppl in Kentucky. I live in FL now so I am far far away from my KY friends... ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

Congrats on the superb weight loss Jamisonma!!! Keep up the great work! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

I have noticed that I lose about .2 of a cc every month or so. I have had 3 fills so far and two were two months apart. Each time I had lost .5 of a cc and was hungry again and ready for another fill. I was averaging 10-12 lbs weight lost a month so I could see why the band was loosening up around my stomach. I am hoping since I am still fairly tight now that when I get to goal I won't have to get a fill for a while. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

I am almost at goal. I would like to be at 160 and a size 8-10 and I am at 173 and in a size 10-12. It has happened much faster than I thought it would and I think the band is a Godsend. I'm averaging 2 lbs a week, some more, some less but the weight loss has been consistent. I am looking forward to getting to goal in the next couple of months and then just focusing on maintenance for a change. I will get to eat a little bit more!! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

It is so comforting to read everybody else's stories and know that I was not alone. I sure felt like I was. I remember waiting until my days off b/c hubby wouldn't be at home and I could have an all out gorge session all alone. I would order a large pizza and wings and then go thru the drive-thru after drive thru afterwards. I would always make sure to toss everything in a dumpster before hubby got home to try to hide the evidence. I remember how much $$ I was spending right before my band--it was very expensive. Whenever hubby and I were together I would eat what he ate but be so freakin' hungry that a couple hrs later i would sneak off to get a large f.fries from McDonlds. I feel so relieved that I am not helpless anymore to my addiction. Thank goodness for this incredible tool. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

(H) 241 © 173 -1lb this week goal:160 -68 total ~Liz~ 03/10/06

It depends on what dose you are on. My doc wanted me to be on Wellbutrin XL 300mg but I was WAY too awake and agitated with that high of a dose. There is an increased chance of seizure with the higher dosages as well as insomnia and paranoia. When I went back to the 150mg I felt MUCH better and knew that it was right for me. Everybody is different and it could be that Wellbutrin isn't even the right anti-depressant for you. It worked well for me to curb my nicotine and food addiction but I also knew that Paxil and Prozac made me eat and sleep more so those were out. Call your doctor and explain your symptoms immediately. The side effects you are experiencing are nothing to mess around with. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

It was the best thing I could ever do for myself. I am not sorry in any way shape or form. If I didn't do the surgery I know I would be steadily gaining weight still and my confidence would be even lower than it already was which was pretty low. I am now almost at goal and sooo much happier and it hasn't even been 6 mos yet!! How cool is that?? I would say go for it if you are ready to help the band help you. It isn't easy so I am not going to sugarcoat it but it is totally do-able with the band. It helps immensely with the hunger--you need to be willing to exercise and make good food choices and you are set. Good luck to you. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/173/160 5'7''

I worked at the concession stand selling shaved ice and hotdogs at our country club when I was 15. Once I turned 16 I took cpr and first aid and got to lifeguard. Much much better. I think I made like $5.50 an hr doing the concession and $6.50 lifeguarding. Back then I thought I was rich... ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

You look absolutely stunnnig!! By looking at you in your pics you never would of guessed that you ever were heavy. BTW you look about 130lbs--what an inspiration you are to us!!!:clap2: I hope I can be where you are eventually, thanks for sharing the pics. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

This has happened to me. I was very heavy in high school and went I went to college I lost a bunch of weight and had lots of guys asking me out. Since I had never dated in h.school at first I loved being seen as "pretty and cute" instead of fat and dorky like I was used to growing up. But I learned very quickly how shallow most of those good looking people are and grew sick of it fairly quickly. At first I played the dating game and then realized these people werent' the type of guys that I wanted to be dating anyways. They would make lousy boyfriends b/c most of them see women as objects and would leave at the drop of a hat if I gained an ounce. I found that out firsthand--it was so hurtful. I gained only 20 lbs the summer I was 20 and my boyfriend of 6 mos dropped me just like that. Like he hadn't even known me at all. So anyways, after that I realized what I was looking for and it got easier to find my perfect match. I am very happy now and my current boyfriend has been with me at my thinnest and my heaviest and stood by me the entire way. That is how I knew he was a keeper--I gained 100 lbs and he loved me just as much as when he met me thin. He just wanted me to be happy. So now that I have gone thru that I know how to react when men hit on me. And they do. I am 15 lbs from goal and for the past 2 mos I have noticed a dramatic change in mens reactions towards me. But I expected it and realize how shallow most of these men are. They are visual creatures I realize but many of them don't really care to get to know what is underneath. So my 2 cents for those that have not experienced that is to be very careful when dating once you have or are changing. There are many many good fish out there it may just take a while to find the one right for you. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

How have u been doing Beachee? Is everything going well?? Let us know how you r doing when you get a chance. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

Even now that I am fairly restricted there are days where I cannot get anything down and then others where I feel fairly wide-open. I have learned to just work with my band instead of against it b/c its gonna do whatever it wants to anyways. My caloric intake varies from 500-1700 depending on if my band is loose or tight that particular day. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

BW spiders are real creepy. I was at camp in the Ozarks in Missouri when I was 13 and remember coming back to my cabin and opening up my sleeping bag to go to bed and finding a whole nest of BW spiders. All spiders still freak me out to this day. And now that I live in S.Florida I am sure that they are much more abundant than up north. eeek...I am getting the chills just thinking about them now. :phanvan ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/175/160 5'7''

I am just amazed with your progress Telly and Melody. You two are an inspiration--you have lost SO MUCH in such little time. Thanks for showing us what can be done with the band when you really want something bad enough. Keep on keepin' on.... ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/174/160 5'7''

Thanks so much Melody and Elisabeth--I really appreciate the encouragement. You both are doing amazing and should be so proud of yourself. I am proud of myself right now b/c my boss just called me telling me that they are having pizza Hut pizza and wings downstairs :omg: and I told him thanks but not thanks..lol--I am too close to goal to blow it now!! I WILL STAY STRONG!!!... Have a great Day March bandsters. ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/174/160 5'7''

Yes, I definately feel the same now as I did before surgery EXCEPT that I am not obesessing about food all the time and it is wonderful. I have much more energy and a strong desire to exercise and try new sports and activities whereas before I would try to come up with excuses to avoid them. No regrets except doing this sooner!! No complications to date~ ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/174/160 5'7''

Yeah, earthquakes would be bad. I have never dealt with those but living in South Florida I have dealt with a lot of hurricanes and they suck too. Having to secure our house, hit the highway and deal with horrible traffic and dealing with the outrageous flood/house insurance fees aren't fun either. Every once in a while we will get a nasty tornado too. Oh and we live in the #1 city in the country for lightening as well......BTW I still love my beaches so I guess I can't complain! ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/174/160

It has been a good week! Getting closer and closer to goal and its getting super exciting to know that I am almost there. Keep up the great work everybody!! (H) 241 © 174 (G) 160 (-4 this week) (-67 total) ~Liz~ 03/10/06

Hi guys! Can't believe I am almost at goal. I may be there at 6 mos but probably more realistically in October. Still, I am just shocked at how fast the weight came off. Not saying I didn't have to work for every pound but I just feel SO SO much better now. I am down 67 lbs since surgery and have 14 more to go. I started in a size 16-18 and am now in 10's and 12's. I couldn't be happier. Just wanted to see how the other March bandsters are doing... ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/174/160 5'7''