bluehill

Thank you, Betty! I can't wait to get back to some "normal" activity, including exercise. Although I do have to go slowly on that...

Dear Amourette and Eficka: My thoughts are with you as you work through these life disappointments. They may feel bitter now, but there are positives to the experience as well, in terms of self-growth and understanding. Embrace that, and you will reap the benefits. I'm finally off IV antibiotics, and the PICC line was removed from my arm. So now I can take a proper bath and wash my hair. Hooray! And better yet, the doctor gave me the word: I'M GOING HOME ON FRIDAY!!! I can't wait! It's been a very difficult month, although some very good aspects, like the valuable one-on-one time with my daughter (21). But home is the best. And waiting for me will be a brand new staircase, stained to match the other natural woodwork in my 1910 house in the New England woods.

I feel that I'm working with the Band successfully (down 105 lbs in 10 months) in two important ways. Although I have not yet achieved optimal restriction -- by which I mean that I am still able to overeat -- I try to make wise food choices, i.e., the only thing I "allow" myself to overeat is salad. I eat a high protein, low carb, low fat diet, and I exercise portion control by using a kitchen scale when I'm at home and eyeballing it when I'm not. Do I ever screw up? Of course. Do I lose it when I screw up? Nope. The other thing I do is exercise. I didn't even start until Month 5, but I'm here to say that it makes a major difference. And gives you that extra push toward success. My thing is movement/stretch class, yoga class, and lap swim. But really, anything will do, just so long as you do it regularly. My goal is daily. I'm not there yet, but I sure am addicted to my yoga class. If you haven't yet added exercise to your rule book, er playbook, I highy recommend it. Start with 20 minutes a day and then increase gradually.

Hello, everyone. Since I'm using my daughter's (college) laptop, my computer time is extremely limited. But I wanted to let you all know that I continue to improve. I'm still holed up in my daughter's bedroom. The visiting nurse will be here shortly to change the dressing on the PICC line in my arm. Mostly it's an endless round of sleeping and television, kind of boring. But the lighting here is not conducive to reading, plus I'm in an awkward position for that with my legs elevated. Thank you for your continued good wishes, and I look forward to rejoining y'all later on in the March challenge.

Maurdal: My experience, for what it's worth, suggests that you have not yet reached optimal restriction. I have experienced many PBs caused by careless eating, but still I am easily able to overeat. Thus I continue to get additional fills, and each one has brought me closer to ideal restriction. My doctor says it takes [him] an average of six fills to achieve that. Some peope are fortunate to achieve this from surgery alone, with NO fills! But that's not me. Everyone is different. I just know that I will not be satisfied until I feel that the band is limiting the amount of food I can eat. So, yes, I will continue to get fills until I know with certainty -- and I think I WILL know -- that I have achieved optimal restriction.

I'M BAAAAACK! Well, in a matter of speaking, yes, I'm back! First, I've only this morning been able to catch up with all the posts since I last had access to a computer, on Feb. 12. So much has happened to everyone! Please excuse the fact that I don't have the energy to address each and every one of you dear ladies. But please know that I have held you all close in my heart. So reading about your successes -- and personal challenges -- has been nothing short of inspirational. And I so very much appreciate your good wishes for my continued improvement. I left the hospital, two days ago, and am continuing my treatment at "home" -- in this case, my daughter's student apartment. Not ideal, but she's wonderfully loving and devoted, and I am receiving good care. I have a PICC line in my left arm for daily antibiotic medication. Yesterday the visiting nurse came to help us, and now we're on our own. I'm feeling pretty good, no pain or discomfort, and can walk around and do things for a short period of time but am required to elevate my leg -- still somewhat swollen -- as much as possible. The plan is to remain here in Burlington, VT, until I have completed the course of antibiotics and then return to my home in Great Barrington, MA, on March 9 (ironically, my birthday). I am hopeful that everything will go well. Eating properly is a challenge because I am so dependent on my daughter for shopping and food preparation in a student kitchen with few resources. I have such longing for comfort foods! (read carbs....) Yesterday I had some Soup and couldn't stop eating the saltines. And I'm desperate to resume my exercise regimen, particularly yoga. But I have to be patient. It will all come in good time. I'll try to stay in touch when I have access. Thank you again for your wishes and prayers for my health. I can't tell you how eager I was to reconnect with this group, you all mean so much to me. Thank you.

Those words spoke to me deeply, Boo. Thank you. The death of your friend, how very sad. But a blessing that "she was at peace with her decision." Whatever is going on? We're really getting a workout as a support group -- both in the giving and the receiving. So thank you all for your support. It always feels very healing to me. The infection in my leg is only slightly improved, so I'm off again to the hospital for another IV treatment.

I feel like I've spent my entire adult life dealing with weight issues. I have tried dozens & dozens of ways to lose weight. Twice I was successful, via liquid diets. And both times I was unsuccessful in maintaining that weight. In fact gaining back +50 lbs. The LapBand is my savior because it completes the other half of the equation. I can lose weight AND I can maintain that weight. LapBand is a lifetime tool.

((((Betty)))) My thoughts and support are with you in this new medical crisis for your dear Alan. I'm sort of out-of-commission exercise-wise. I have been nursing a very minor abrasion on my left shin for over a week -- so minor that I have no memory of doing any damage -- but it gradually worsened. On Tuesday I woke up feeling no energy but went off to my regular yoga class anyway. By the time class ended, I knew I was sick, but imagine my surprise when I discovered that my entire left leg had turned bright red from knee to ankle. I immediately went to the ER and was diagnosed will cellulitis, the same stubborn infection that I suffered four years ago in the other leg (and had to spend a week in the hospital). This time, luckily, I was not hospitalized, but the treatment is IV antibiotics, so today will mark my third day in the ER for that treatment. I'm very nervous about the response time because I have unalterable travel plans for next Tuesday. Hopefully by then I'll just be on oral medication. For the rest, I have to stay home with my feet elevated. So my exercise regimen has been suspended for now. Sigh

HOORAY, JULIE!!!!! Great news that you ran such a terrific race this morning, Julie! And the fact that you so far exceeded your goal, establishing a personal best, is an auspicious sign of all the success that will be yours in future races as you qualify for the 2008 New York City Marathon. You're officially on your way, girl! Roberta, your fall down the stairs sounds painful! However did you manage to exercise yesterday with those injuries? Please take it easy! I'm such a wimp when I don't feel well. In fact exercise is always the first thing to go! I wonder if that will change as I become more & more commited to a DAILY regimen. I took a friend with me to yoga class this morning, then we did lap swim, took a sauna, washed our hair, and now I feel on top of the world. April 2006 Bandits February Challenge: 2 days of exercise completed

Who the *@&$ would call you a "failure"??? Surely not on on LapBandTalk.com, I hope! That is sooooo not acceptable!

APRIL BANDSTERS -- OLD & NEW -- COME TO CHAT (Does anyone know how to make a dash rather than two hyphens?)

Maybe we could dump the year refs completely: APRIL BANDSTERS COME TO CHAT or ALL APRIL BANDSTERS COME TO MEET

Julie, so great that your scale moved today! Just in time to give you that extra burst of energy for tomorrow's run! I saw your new listing in April 2006 Bandsters - Running weight loss totals -- the only other April 2006 Bandsters thread currently active. That got me to thinking about Amourette's comments. Which for me means, How to connect with more April Bandsters? It occurs to me that we have an ideal opportunity to bring many more April Bandsters together as we undertake your idea for mentoring the 2007 April crew. Let's make a real effort to reach out to and include ALL April Bandsters in this. For instance, we could post our intentions in the Running Totals thread (noted above) and invite everyone to join us. Additionaly, the title for the new mentoring thread should be welcoming to all April Bandsters as an ongoing support group for us April people. Lots to work on here, but these are my thoughts...

Very well stated, Julie. There is a multitude of threads on the Lap Band Talk Forum that provide support on every conceivable weight-loss issue, but this thread is for bandsters who want to participate in an exercise challenge and are committed to the goal of daily exercise. Beyond that, it has been our very good fortune to find a terrific group of like-minded bandsters so that over the past several months we have created a strong, caring bond of friendship that encompasses so much more than just exercise. This thread and this group have become the single most important motivating factor in my weight-loss journey, and certainly in my daily exercise regimen, and I don't want that to change one iota! All are welcome here -- and we are a very welcoming bunch -- but the exercise challenge is the fundamental core, and that's not going to change.

Your weight loss is awesome, Dawn! And now you're just 3 lbs from that magical number, Onederland! Way to go, girl!

Oh yeah, no problem with any injuries. The car was "totaled" by the insurance company because its value, as an 11-year-old, was less than the cost of repairs.

Omigod, Eficka, look at you! You're looking FABULOUS, girl! All that weight gone and fitting into ONE LEG of your old dungarees! We're soooooo proud of you!

Me too! I was tempted to skip lap swim this morning after my yoga class because I'm totally distracted by the fact that I killed my old car in a classic rear-ender and now must shop for another one -- and I have a deadline because I'm leaving on a month's vacation in 12 days. I MUST have a car by then, insured & registered. Then I thought to myself, Well that's no way to start off the new challenge by skipping out on the very first day. So I did lap swim after all, and now I feel both energized and virtuous! Thanks for starting the new thread, Julie. And I will be cheering you on and sending energizing thoughts your way on Sunday morning, 8 a.m. How long does a race that length take? April 2006 Bandits February Challenge: ONE day of exercise completed

Such sad news about your friend's death, Betty. Sudden, unexpected death is a sobering, chilling experience that connects us directly to the fleeting, ephemeral nature of life. And makes us value life -- our own and others' -- even more. January was a banner month for me, and I worked really hard at my commitment to daily exercise. After coming up one day short in meeting the December challenge, I logged 26 days in January, a personal best! My weight loss for the month was 11.4 lbs, a significant improvement over December's holiday toll of 3.8 lbs. The next two exercise months are going to be very challenging for me in a whole new way because I'll be away on vacation from February 13 to March 10. Which is to say that I'll be away from the regular routine that has worked for me since I began exercise in September. That routine consists of going to my fitness center every morning at the same time and taking whatever hour-long exercise or yoga class is scheduled for 10, followed by a 40-minute lap swim in the pool. Now I'm faced with a month of no classes and no lap swim! What to do other than walking? I'm excited about the vacation -- a visit with my sister & BIL in Yuma, Arizona, and then a week in Portland, Oregon, with my niece & her gang -- but I'm feeling anxious about how to deal with the lack of routine and unstructured exercise. As always, I rely greatly on the support and encouragement that I get from you ladies. I know for a fact that without this group, I would never have challenged myself to this level of exercise. I thank you all, individually and collectively, for the tremendous inspiration, and for the friendship and camaraderie as well. ON TO FEBRUARY!!! April 2006 Bandits January Challenge: 26 days of exercise completed (44 individual sessions of 40 min or more)

Boo Boo Boo Boo, we'll have none of that! There's no such thing as LAST place! So what's this talk about BARELY meeting the Challenge when you're going to complete it tomorrow? Not only will you have met the challenge, you will be a WINNER along with the rest of us, in FIRST PLACE! We derive inspiration from each other, but ultimately, we challenge ourselves. And if we meet the challenge, we're a WINNER. Even if we fall short for one reason or another -- and that's bound to happen -- we're still winners.

Roberta, congratulations on meeting the January challenge! Your accomplishment deserves special kudos because it was achieved despite the health and physical issues that have challenged you this month. Thank you for the inspiration you have given us. Julie, your mentoring idea is brilliant! Definitely count me in. Here's the thing, when you run the race on Sunday, I want you to visualize this entire group standing along the route -- actually, jumping up & down in excitement -- and cheering you on big-time. We will definitely be with you in spirit! (And if you tell me what time the race begins, I will make it a point to be there at the right time.) You run, girl, and run good! We love you. Betty, your weekend away in Palm Springs sounds fabulous. Hooray on your impressive finish in the Mah Jong tournament! I love those tiles, and I wanna learn how to play too! A guest at my Christmas bash was wearing a bracelet made of antique Mah Jong tiles, and it was the prettiest thing I ever saw. Kat & Dawn: I'm directing healing thoughts your knees' way. Kat, so good of you to fly out to Denver for SIL's knee surgery. Hope all goes well. Amourette, thanks for letting us (a little way) into your new dating life. It's so gratifying to hear about an NSV that's a Romance, and we're hanging on each new chapter! Boo, your brother is a world-class skier??!! How cool is that! And then there's our own Julie, a child-prodigy world-champion-level domino player. This is such a cool group! And I note that our endeavors now embrace even bigger athletic feats, like marathon running. April 2006 Bandits January Challenge: 25 days of exercise completed

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/223/150 - 40 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/257.5/150 - 42.5 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: DeltaDawn - 358/209/179 - 149 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/205/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/165/132 - 43 total 4-5: siestaqh - 180+/177/117/110 - 63 total--NO MORE BAND :-( 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/176/134 - 58 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/227/180 - 131 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/152/140 - 88 total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4:11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 - 28 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/206/140 - 42 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217.5/187/145 - 30 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/192/140 - 50 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: KAYBEE-284/198/180 -86 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-20: TrustUfirst - 210/205/177/135 - 32 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/179/130 - 41 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/228/156 - 60 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/208/150 - 65 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/237/150 - 73 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/98/69 - 27 kgs/59.4 lbs total 4-24: Ceparano- 255/270.5/205/170 - 65.5 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/210.5/165 - 78.5 total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/206/160 - 56 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/237/145 - 33 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/184/150 - 80 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/229/150 - 54 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/228/150 - 105 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 225/214/150/135 - 75 total 4-29: Momofsixkids - 238/188/140 - 50 total

Today is my nine-month Bandiversary, and I'm down 103 lbs! Not bad for a 63-year-old, huh? Best thing I've ever done. Too bad the procedure wasn't available years ago -- I could have done without all that yo-yo dieting and the scale moving ever higher as a result. My initial anxiety about undergoing *any* kind of weight-loss surgery notwithstanding, I found the LapBand procedure to be amazingly easy. A few hours of recovery, then home for a weekend of lounging around. No real pain, a bit of gas, but basically back to normal within a couple of days. And the results have been phenomenal! I didn't start on an exercise regimen until the fifth month out, but by then I had already lost 65 lbs, so it made movement even easier. Now I do a combination of lap swim, fitness classes, and yoga classes several times a week. I feel fantastic. I'm stronger, more flexible, and in the best physical shape of my adult life. I am off ALL medications (except a multivitamin), and that includes Rx for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. In fact my Type 2 diabetes has been "resolved" by diet, exercise, and weight loss. I'm careful about what I eat, favoring a high-Protein, low-fat, low-carb diet. My food scale has become my friend -- portion size is important! I try to make wise food choices, but I don't deprive myself of treats in moderation. Thanks to the band, I will never (be able to) binge-eat again.

Julie, I would very much like to stay with the goal that you stated in Post #1 of this month's Challenge, namely, 20 sessions a month for 45 minutes each by April. We're all in this thread because we want to challenge ourselves to exercise regularly, so LET'S DO IT! Ideally, we would all exercise daily. But since that's not a realistic goal, it seems to me that two-thirds of that is a good goal: 18 for February, 19 for March, 20 for April. April 2006 Bandits January Challenge: 22 days of exercise completed