Band_Groupie

My sis sent me this and being a Columbus native, I really enjoyed it (grew up in Worthington, DH and I graduated from OSU, and we lived in Highland Lakes up north before moving to Pittsburgh). Enjoy... You know you're from Columbus (Ohio) when: The fact that the German Village Oktoberfest is in September (and not in German Village...) seems perfectly normal. You beam with pride that we're the hometown of Wendy's, White Castle, Rax Roast Beef, Bob Evans and & Donato's. But you wonder why we're the 8th fattest city in America. You remember very vividly City Center & Northland. You know how to pronounce Scioto and Olentangy. You go to The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield just to see and be seen, and you've been rained on there at least once. You see nothing unusual about a street being called East North Broadway. You live in the suburbs but your backyard was actually a cornfield last year. That complex on the corner with the CVS, Blockbuster and Kroger? That was a cornfield last year, too! As you lament the loss of all those cornfields, you see the infinite wisdom of Dublin City Council, who spent over $60,000 on a field of 10' concrete corn ears. You know all of the 4 seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction. You drive 3 hours to see Red White & Boom for 15 minutes...and 4 hours back. But you live 12 minutes away. You know what a real buckeye is and have a recipe for the candy ones. You take it for granted that screaming "O-H"...anytime, anywhere...will get a reply from a stranger saying "I-O"! You don't consider it terribly strange that The Dispatch covers national and international news in a page or two...but requires 6 pages for sports (and 3 of those just for the Buckeyes). You consider going to the Zoo in winter VERY normal...and we're talking real winter...ice and snow and stuff...not just the month of December. And you stopped noticing Jack Hanna's lisp years ago. You have a Buckeye necklace. You think 45 degree weather is justification enough to go through the car wash! You call it pop. Soda is for weirdos. You get chills when you hear Carmen Ohio. You know that Wyandot Lake is NOT a body of Water, and Mad River Mountain is not really a mountain. You say Kroger's...although proper english would be Kroger. You can see a building downtown...but you can't get there due to 500 million one-way streets! You consider this weather pretty much normal: Monday: 30 degrees Tuesday: 70 degrees Wednesday: 45 degrees and humid Thursday: -10 wind chill Friday: 80 degrees and sunny You take it as a matter of fact that if you don't like the weather today...stick around, it'll change! Though there's not a snowball's chance...the guys like to pretend that all those Victoria's Secret models actually live here, just because the company's based here. One out of every 5 cars has something Buckeye on it. You remember Flippo and Luci's Toy Shop Your big Christmas event as a kid was seeing the window decorations and visiting Santa at Downtown Lazarus You were surprised that there is ANOTHER Hoover Dam in the country You know full well that people drive 10 mph with the first dusting of snow and 65 mph with 2 feet of snow You've never even stopped to question the fact that a bunch of businesses close down on every OSU football game day. You know what The Hospital Curve is You think the standard protocol for a tornado warning is...to grab lawn chairs and head for the front porch. You drive down 670 with your windows open to smell the fresh bread from the Wonder Bread factory and the cinnamon rolls from the Kroger bakery You think there's nothing strange about the city of Westerville being Northeast of Columbus You're fully confident that the word Columbus should always be followed by Ohio

OK, I’m not a particularly vain person. My primary objective in getting the Lap Band is truly for getting healthy. No, I don’t like what I look like fat, but if I had the health and energy that I did when I was thin and I knew it would stay that way, I’m not positive I’d be doing this. I might catch some flack for this, but after looking at million before and after pictures, I’ve gotten a little scared. I’m not talking here on LBT, as I really haven’t looked at all that many pics here yet, but on OH, where they are easy to scan through and are on every page…most people look great, fabulous even…some you wouldn’t even know them if they were standing next to their former selves, and so many of them have new hairstyles and sexy clothes, you can tell how this has changed them inside as well. But then there is a group of people, all older, yeah, they’re thin, but they look SO MUCH OLDER! OK, I’ve reasoned this out…maybe it took them years to lose the weight and they ARE older now. Or maybe they’re all RnY patients that lost so fast that their hair thinned and losing so fast was hard on their bodies (no offense RnY’rs, this was just my silly mind talking)…see I’d been reasoning out why I won’t look like that because I’ll be losing slowly with the Lap Band. OK, maybe I’m vainer than I thought, otherwise why would I be ‘reasoning out’ any of this. But then I saw this story on the ‘Today Show’ yesterday. A study on identical twins and factors for aging…and guess what the conclusion was for weight?! If you’re over 40 don’t lose too much weight or you’ll look older, or as they put it ‘Gain a pound, Lose a Wrinkle’ (so the opposite is true as well). No, they don’t want people to gain weight to look younger, it’s just a conclusion of the study that for people over 40, the extra fat fills out our wrinkles. Remember, I'm turning 49 7/8 this year, and I’ve always been told I look younger than my age (OK, maybe that’s something people tell you when you’re fat…like you have a nice smile), but I really don’t have any wrinkles other than a few crows feet when I smile. So time to get real about how I’m going to look thin again...yes, I already knew I won’t be going back to that 130# blushing bride…get real…that was 26 years ago…so what is my face going to look like deflated…Like an old deflated balloon? Now ontop of all those other LB diet things (like head hunger/emotions) I have to get real about I've now got to get myself prepared for sudden wrinkles! Fabulous.:toetap05: Here’s the segment if you’re interested: Today Show Video Player

Hi all you April Bandsters! We have our own April '09 Forum here. This will be our 1st Master Thread to chat, share dates, diets, feelings, etc. When it starts getting too long (loads too slowly) we can start a 2nd and so on. Sherry (Sissyh1006) has started a list with all our surgery dates, so she'll be along soon and you can give her updates. If you want a "Bunny Bandsters - April '09" signature line (see below) then click HERE (feel free to change anything). On LBT go to 'User CP' (in the top banner) then down to 'Edit your Signature' (on the Left column). Now copy the PICTURE of the Bunny signature with the peep and paste it into the edit your signature box. Can't wait to meet you all! -BG

Hello my lovelies! This week is my 'Celebration Week', so drink up you groupies, and keep the party going all week! - My Birthday (I'll be 53). - Our 30th Wedding Anniversary (we'll be leaving for London in less than two weeks…Cheers!). - and…drum roll please…My Third Bandiversary!!! I can hardly believe it's been three years! It seems like just yesterday that I was getting banded, and yet it also seems like I'm now the same person I always felt like inside...only happier. I'm swamped getting packed, so I won't repeat myself, but here are some thoughts I had on the past year HERE I just wanted to stop in for the big party (get your hugs here) and to tell you thank you all for your continued support and friendship! Pics- a pair of pants I found in the back of my closet (too small on me when I got banded)...excuse the pre-shower scary face. See you all in a few weeks! -BG (lap Band Groupie)

Congrats...*happy dancing*! Nothing like an approval!!! -Lap Band Groupie Just 'Band_Groupie' here on LBT. Come visit me on my blog: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

It's the nature of our tissues to be different day to day and am to pm. Even stress can effect it. I'd love to see the amounts of your fills. Some have a big difference with as little as .1cc, especially when you get near the half full point/5cc (over that I noticed a huge difference and was overfilled, unfilled and then in between, now perfect). Your Doc should be doing tiny tweaks at this point. My hunger is gone, over 100+ lost, middle of a Normal BMI. Best Wishes! Lap Band Groupie (Band_Groupie on LBT) Come visit me at my blog: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

Hang in there sweetie...it will all average out, I promise. Most of us have wrecked our metabolisms with diets and starvation. Water retention and TOM also changes your weight monthly. I also had plateaues along the way of over 5 weeks+. It will all average out if you're doing the right things. If you're not hungry between meals, then the Band Is doing it's part and it should be just the competive edge you need to do the rest. I'm under goal (over 100 pounds lost) and just under the middle of a normal BMI. The Band works. Keep the faith! -Lap Band Groupie, just Band Groupie here on LBT, and my blog at: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

Ditto Holly! I still eat everything...in small amounts, and love food even more...I love savoring it now, not just stuffing it in. Hang in there, it gets better! -BG

You're right, the journey is different for everyone and we all have to find what works for us. I lost less than the 1.5 pounds/wk the average Bander loses, but it's a lifestyle change for me and something I can live with forever (no deprivation). You're doing great! One thing: "Ever seen Biggest Loser? You can lose weight quickly and not be flabby as long as you excercise to keep the elasticity in your skin." Exercise does nothing for your skin, only the underlying muscle (and toned muscle underneath can help you look better even with loose skin over it). Skin elasticity and 'bounce back' of it is a matter of genetics and age. Lots of TBL contestants and even winners have had to have PS for their excess skin. Exercise to get healthy and fit, but have realistic expectations on excess skin depending on your age. Keep the positivity and you'll do great!

If you didn't see 'Dr. Oz' the other day, the topic was 'Can you really have an addiction to food?' I know, you're all screaming 'YES!' right along with me. It was interesting as the polls of people were pretty split as were the expert's opinions. The Nutritionist's view was that over-eating is behavioral...driven by emotions, learned behavior, and will power. OK, umm, as a yo-yo dieter now skinny b*tch I can personally tell you that anyone who has ever lost big weight dieting has WAY more will power than the average skinny b*tch...When did they ever white knuckle off 50 pounds while starving and shaking waiting for the next meal (I still wonder why I don't get the shakes now on this teeny amount of food). Anyway, the Doctor's view was that there are certain foods (four of them...at least at this point) that trigger the release of natural opiates in our brain that make us feel good and want to come back for more. I think it's a combination of both addiction and emotions. One study used a medicine that is used to help heroin addicts from overdosing by blocking receptors in the brain that the heroin attaches to. They gave it to chocolate addicts and found that 'chocolate hijacks your brain chemistry, triggering the same receptors that heroin affects'. Great...I'm officially an addict. Apparently those around me knew this before I did...Here's a present I got from my SIL for Christmas this year: You can read the Doctor's article and see the three other foods that are addictive on the Oz site HERE. Come follow me on my blog HERE

Congrats Bander!!!!

Lost 105 pounds, but I'm most proud of the fact that I'm smack dab in the middle of a Normal BMI now (yes, I know BMI isn't the end-all-be-all). I never thought I'd be this successful with the LB (lost 50 pounds so many times before). No more diets, nothing is off limits. I love my Band!!!!

That it would be so successful...well, no, if I knew that, I may not have done all the work it took to get there. So probably, how much head work it would take. A big part of success for me, meant making the mental changes needed along the way. Things like dealing with head hunger and dealing with the changes in the mirror take a lot of mental work to handle in a way that will make you successful.

Trust me, you'll learn to except a little loose skin for how great you'll feel skinny. Sorry, but the skin is effected by exercise at all (age, genetics, and how much weight you've lost from what areas are the factors). I've lost over 100, and at 49 (52 now) it's not too bad (can wear a modest bikini/skirted). We're all built differently. -BG

Be carful with the 'stucks' as you're not fully healed yet. LOL, I've been known to brush on a little nail polish before posting that pic (oh, and don't grab the camera until the weight registers first...I'm blonde). -BG

I shoot for >60 grams a day (more when I was starting out), but in solid protein form (except breakfast...a mushy, I add protein powder to my oatmeal). It got me past goal (I'm in the middle of a normal BMI now), with very little exercise. Keep it up! -BG

Lap Band- Definition: A fickle, fickle WL tool...but an AMAZING WL tool! -BG PS (you're both normal...and soon, your weight will be too!)

Congrats to you Bander! Feel better soon (you'll turn the corner soon). -BG

Glad your Doc did the unfill as you should NOT be throwing up at all especially when you're still healing. I got a anti-nausea pill from my Doc to use at home, which I've used a few times (especially right after surgery). Your symptoms sound like my migraines (dehydration can bring these on too). Feel better! -BG

Yep, usually 1-3 days depending on your Doc. I always looked at is as a way to lose weight and reset my thinking as with each fill you'll have to relearn how to eat again (chew more, eat less) as you get more restriction. Learn patience and set your expecations now so you don't get disappointed (I think the avg. is 4-6 fills before the sweet spot). We're all in a hurry, but getting it off slowly is the best for you...remember that. -BG

Good job for being so smart while you're young! My only regret is not doing it sooner! -BG

Good Job! -BG

So glad you're doing so well...Bandster Hell can be tough, but restriction will come with time, I promise! Keep it up! -BG

GREAT job! It's such a learning process isn't it!