bluehill

omigod, Boo, running 4.5 miles is AWESOME! Wow, I am sooooo impressed! You have truly demonstrated that regular exercise makes possible a miraculous change in the health and fitness of our bodies!

Hooray for you, Roberta! I like your attitude. NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Julie: A 100-lb weight loss! Awesome! Congratulations on achieving this milestone! You are an inspiration to all of us! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

Betty, congratulations on your 50-lb loss. Love those big round numbers! Eficka, sorry to hear you've been hit by a flu bug. Hope your recovery is speedy so that you'll feel like finishing the October Challenge. You're doing so well! Roberta, I KNOW you can complete the Challenge! There are still plenty of days left, and Curves makes it possible! (Remember, I didn't even start last month's challenge until 9/11) Julie, very exciting that your father can do your tummy tuck! What a lucky girl you are to have a plastic surgeon in the family! I see that you're just one pound away from the magical 100 lb number! You've had an unbelievable weight loss, and I'm interested to see what you'll post as the new goal in your signature. 180?? October Challenge 1) 10/2: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 2) 10/3: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 3) 10/4: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 4) 10/5: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 5) 10/6: 35-min lap swim 6) 10/9: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 7) 10/10: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim 8) 10/11: 1-hr movement class, 40-min lap swim 9) 10/12: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim 10) 10/13: 40-min lap swim 11) 10/16: 1-hr movement class, 40-min lap swim 12) 10/17: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim

Kat, thanks so much for updating us on the wonderful news that your husband is home from the hospital and already taking mini walks. Hooray! All best wishes to him for a speedy recovery, and to you for continued success with your exercise regimen, even when it has to go on the back burner for a bit.

Betty, I'm so very sorry to hear of your son's medical crisis. Please know that I include you and your family in my prayers, and for your son, a good outcome to the surgery on Oct. 26. Kat, still praying for your husband's recovery. I completed the second week of the challenge with a perfect record, Monday through Friday, so I'm satisfied with my effort and not feeling guilty about sitting around on my butt on the weekend. Which I love to do! I'm comfortable in rewarding myself with a couple of days off from exercise. Far better than rewarding myself with food, huh? October Challenge 1) 10/2: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 2) 10/3: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 3) 10/4: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 4) 10/5: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 5) 10/6: 35-min lap swim 6) 10/9: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 7) 10/10: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim 8) 10/11: 1-hr movement class, 40-min lap swim 9) 10/12: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim 10) 10/13: 40-min lap swim

Well that's definitely doable with the lap band. Welcome to the club, Huberslave!

Wow, I am sooooo impressed that you RAN for 3.5 miles, Boo!

Way to go! But you haven't changed your Ticker! It still says you've lost only 20 lbs.

Oh my dear Kat, I am so very sorry to hear of your husband's medical crisis. I will hold you close in my thoughts and keep your husband in my prayers for healing. Thank you for taking the time to let us know what is going on. Please know that you have friends here to offer you support.

Group Grove, that sounds intriguing. Be sure to report back what went on.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Roberta. But as you say, tomorrow is another day, and you'll be back with the program. Your first PB event! I was actually relieved when it first happened to me, because until then I wasn't sure that I even had any restriction. I can deal with PBs fine when I'm at home; but when I'm out, I'm VERY careful to avoid them. October Challenge 1) 10/2: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 2) 10/3: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 3) 10/4: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 4) 10/5: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 5) 10/6: 35-min lap swim 6) 10/9: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 7) 10/10: 1-hr yoga class, 40-min lap swim

Harlito: Great that you're off your diabetes meds. Me too! I used to take Glucophage for diabetes, Lisinopril for blood pressure, and Lipitor for cholesterol. No more! My recent tests showed optimal numbers all round, so I'm now managing everything with diet and exercise. NO MEDS EXCEPT FOR VITAMINS! What a great benefit, huh?

That's awesome, Roberta! You deserve a round of :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

My doctor says it takes an average of SIX fills to achieve the right amount of restriction. I'm on my fourth fill and definitely benefiting, even if it's not optimal. Remember, the band is a tool that can help you immensely, but diet and exercise are still YOUR responsibility.

Roberta: Fantastic that you've reached the halfway mark! Way to go, girl! I really had trouble dragging my ass out of the house today to get some exercise. But in the end, it was the October Challenge and all of you who inspired me, so thanks a bunch, and I do feel much the better for it. I was super-exhausted from a weekend of houseguests and the celebration of Canadian Thanksgiving. I made a big Thanksgiving dinner for 12 with the usual trimmings (turkey, but no Pilgrims). But thanks to the band, I was basically unable to eat! It was one of those times when there was just too much restriction, probably because I had to taste everything as I cooked. Tasting calories don't count, right? October Challenge 1) 10/2: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 2) 10/3: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 3) 10/4: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 4) 10/5: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 5) 10/6: 35-min lap swim 6) 10/9: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim

HOORAY, Yoda and Boo! Way to go, gals!

So far, so good! October Challenge 1) 10/2: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim 2) 10/3: 1-hr yoga class, 35-min lap swim 3) 10/4: 1-hr movement class, 35-min lap swim

I was curious about LapBandit's numbers because she has the largest amount of weight loss among April Bandsters (114 lbs), and I was wondering how much of that has been since surgery.

Welcome home, kat! Sounds like you were superbusy in Texas, so I'll bet you're pleased and relieved to be able to settle into a more disciplined eating and exercise regimen back at home. Join us in the October Challenge thread!

From one old broad to another: Congratulations on completing the September Challenge, Guysis! You're doing fantastic! Isn't it great to be off all Rx meds! See you in the October Challenge...

<!-- / message --><!-- sig --> LapBandit, would you mind explaining what all these numbers refer to?

Way to go, Boo!

Wow, Julie, that would be so impressive, to lose 100 lbs in six months! Your weight loss always inspires me. I didn't begin the October Challenge yet because a) it has been raining all day, and it's Sunday and I like to take the weekend off. But tomorrow morning at 10, I'll be in Movement class, and then do extra laps to extend my swim to 35 minutes. And now, for your amusement, and to kick off the October Challenge, I offer a poem titled "Exercise" that Garrison Keillor read yesterday on National Public Radio. The opening of the poem offers valuable advice on the mind-set of exercise, but from that starting point, you'll see it goes far afield indeed! "Exercise" by W.S. Merwin from Migration: New and Selected Poems First forget what time it is for an hour do it regularly every day then forget what day of the week it is do this regularly for a week then forget what country you are in and practice doing it in company for a week then do them together for a week with as few breaks as possible follow these by forgetting how to add or to subtract it makes no difference you can change them around after a week both will help you later to forget how to count forget how to count starting with your own age starting with how to count backward starting with even numbers starting with Roman numerals starting with fractions of Roman numerals starting with the old calendar going on to the old alphabet going on to the alphabet until everything is continuous again go on to forgetting elements starting with Water proceeding to earth rising in fire forget fire

Larry, a big hug on getting your lap band! I know you're still experiencing post-op pain and soreness, but believe me, you're going to feel better each and every day. So take it easy, watch a movie, read a book, move around little by little, use a heating pad to your heart's content. Be good to yourself! By the time you return to work on 10/10, you'll be a new man -- and a smaller one! The payoff for the post-op discomfort you're experiencing is a BIG weight loss in the first month.