Barbara12375

BEAUTIFUL wedding pictures..........especially that skinny bride. Congratulations. The link did not work but if you type the photo address it works great.

Cathy! What great news! I think you are right about things going better for us. Our self confidence just attracts good things. Good luck in your new job and please be happy..........that's really all that matters. Now I'm going to go see if I can look at these wedding pictures!

Well there must be something in the air. I have not seen anything over 184 on the scale in over a month and this morning it says 187. I have been eating large amounts of food...........and last night, I ate a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. I haven't had a sandwich in over a year but I had made two for my husband and he only ate one. I was about to toss it in the garbage but it looked and smelled sooooooooo good that I decided to try a bite....next thing I know I had eaten the whole thing. Now I'm not saying that one sandwich made me gain 3 pounds. I have also been on a sweet kick. I've been to Cold Stone twice in the last week. Each trip I brought home two quarts and I have eaten every bite of all four quarts. Also went to Sam's this week and bought a huge bag of salt water taffy. At least three different times I've sat down with the bowl of taffy and eaten at least ten to twenty pieces. I don't think anything has changed with my band. I never eat anything until afternoon but most days I have a protein drink with my morning coffee. Yesterday I nearly pb'd on the "cold" drink but then by evening I was eating toasted ham and cheese. Along with the candies and ice cream I have been eating pounds and pounds of cheese. I have craved pizza for the last year and I've finally found a subsitute. I use the toasted bagel chips with a piece of pepperoni, spoon of pizza sauce and tons of cheese. I put it under the broiler for a minute and it is like instant pizza and I can eat 6 or 8 of them in a flash. So now that I've admitted to all this crap someone needs to tell me what the heck is going on???? I did do one positive thing this week. I joined the gym and made an appointment with a personal trainer. My husband is going away for a few days next week and I plan to use this time alone to get myself organized physically and mentally. Sorry for all this negative stuff but I needed to vent a little. Hope you are all still out there and having a great summer.

Melissa, Melissa, Melissa...........how many times have I told you, "thoughts become things". Of course your goal is attainable! I have been bouncing between 182 and 184 for close to a month now. I want to be in the 170's by August and with some effort, I can do it. We need to be motivating each other like we used to. Come on Junbies, let's get this thing done.

Hi Casey! Welcome to the banded world. We've all been at this for over a year but I remember the excitment I felt during those first weeks. Just know it's going to take time and be patient. Take care of your band and it will take care of you. I think it's a great tool to help me get my weight under control and more important, keep it under control. Good luck and most important don't get discouraged.........it's not an overnight fix!

Momma...........You look awesome!

Regina, Pinky, Barb465........... It's good to hear that everyone is doing good. Regina I am so glad everything is done a going good for you. Seems like everyone is back on track and ready to get the rest of this weight off. I think we all need to focus more on exercise. I don't intend to have any surgery and I need to get some muscles under some of this saggy skin. I know I'm not 20 anymore and it will never be pretty but it sure can be better than it is. I plan to get back into the Yoga classes to help with the flexibilty and do some strength training. I want to get a personal trainer for a few weeks to be sure I don't hurt something. Hope I can find someone who understands "old" bodies. I'm not looking to be a bodybuilder but I know I can look and feel much better with a little effort on my part. Hope everyone has a good weekend and a good 4th of July.

I'm starting to think I may have had more protein drinks than I realized. I don't remember posing for some of those pictures..........I sure look like I had a good time!

Just got in from Vegas and did a quick review of the posted pictures. One might think we did some drinking by looking at many of the pictures......just wanted everyone to know that those were protein drinks, being the good bandsters that we are. What a great group! What a great time! The only thing better would have been if more of you could have been there. Thanks to Barb465 for planning everything and to everyone else for being such great vacation partners.

I'm anxious to hear about the hyposis. I tried that years ago and it worked.........but like all diets I've tried, as soon as I quit the weight came back. But now with this new tool we have it might really be a good thing.

Hey Pinky........I know what you mean about packing for Vegas and it's almost fun to go shopping these days. I had a fun thing happen yesterday. I had to give a sales clerk my driver's license and you know how they hardly even look at them.......as she handed it back to me she said, "you've really lost some weight". Talk about making my day. I've been smiling ever since. Viva Las Vegas!

Thanks for the post Pinky. I know I am guilty of ignoring proper eating habits. I am so thankful for my band and the fact that it is filled tight. I know I would balloon right back up to my 265 pounds. I feel bad that I haven't learned anything this past year. I still am addicted to junk food. Even when I've eaten a good meal, feel no hunger, had no pb issues..........I still go grazing for "stuff". I think it's my carbohydrate addiction. It has nothing to do with hunger, never has. There are just certain things I crave and certain emotional triggers that set me off. But again, thank GOD for my band. I am down 81# for the year and while I hate what my naked body looks like, I'm at least not embarassed to be seen with clothes on. I am dealing with the heat so much better this summer without all that flab. I sure wish more of you were going to Vegas. It would so great to meet you all. This June group has been a life saver and I hope we remain an active thread throughout the coming years.

Momma..............I don't know much about kids and depression but I do know there has been so much on the news lately about kids being on antidepressants and commiting suicide. Please, please get good medical help for her. It is so scary. Our local news just had a father interviewed who is suing the company that makes Lexipro as his young daughter hung herself. I don't say these horrible things to scare you but I felt I had to say something.

Am I the only one frustrated with this website these days? Anyway, I seem to be frustrated with just about everything these days. I am having band issues also. I've had some serious pb's in the last 4 - 5 days. I'm trying to just do liquids for a couple days and see if things settle down. I believe my problems are stress related. My fill was three weeks ago and while I've had some pretty good restriction I haven't had any problems and then all of a sudden, WHAM! I'm taking a few days away/alone next week. Think I need to decompress for awhile. The scale is at 191 every morning now and I plan to come back from my mini vacation in the 180's. I've modified my bandiversary goal once again. I am usually very goal oriented but somehow these goals have just not stirred my competitive nature. I started a yoga class last night and it was wonderful. I have a long way to go to be able to do much of it but I did surprise myself with some of the things I could do. Just being able to bend my knees was so encouraging for me. I don't have nearly the knee pain that I did 70 pounds ago. Still don't feel like a 20 year old but at least I'm not feeling 90 either. Sure would like to hear from Regina. Hope everything is going ok.

Oh my God, Regina. I don't even have words to express what I am feeling for you. Thank God you are mending. Through all of this do you still have your band? Are you eating? Was this a doctor foul-up with your first gallbladder surgery? When I first started reading your post, I too thought you were having a stroke. I guess in the big scheme of things you are very lucky. I'm sure another few hours and you would have not survived. Please keep us posted on your recovery. I know there are many on here who will be praying for you and sending prayers for everyone's journey to better health.

Good to hear from you Barbara465! There is absolutely nothing wrong with 60 year old broads, I'm kinda liken' it myself. I am toying with the 180's. Can't quite get there so I know your frustration with onederland. Where's Pinkylee?

If you have subscribed to this thread you can find it under "quick links"/"subscribed threads". I saw a number on the scale this morning that I've not seen before. It was exciting but I'm going to give a day or so before I claim it. I also had my first serious pb this morning (since my last fill). I "yucked" and it was over pretty quickly. I'm trying to be so careful as I know I am filled beyond where I was when things were really bad. Easy does it!

Lisa, you sure aren't alone. I may not be Bipolar but I sure am an emotional eater. I'm convinced that depression requires carbohydrates. And of course the more carbs you eat the more you want and the more depressed you get. Talk about a vicious cycle. Hopefully the nice weather will help everyone get out and get active. I haven't really done anything active this weekend but just sitting out in the sun is wonderful. Hang in there Lisa. Hopefully you'll get your meds balanced out soon.

Socalgal............how great to find something positive in the midst of an accident! I love it! Thankfully you weren't seriously hurt. Hope your aches and pains go away soon. New car in your future? Regina..........thoughts and prayers are with you. Let us know how you are doing as soon as you can. Lisa..............yuck, soggy carpets. Sorry for your problems but on the bright side of things.........new carpet, yippee! Melissa...........good to hear from you, sorry about the ankle, great to have a new friend and even better still to have your pets. Hey, I get to Shreveport pretty often.........let's do lunch.

Good Morning all, Looks like Houston dodged the bad weather. Hope everyone else out there is as lucky. I am treading lightly with this latest fill. I think the number (1.9) scares me. I haven't had any problems yet but I haven't pushed it either. I did eat popcorn last night and it went down fine. I am feeling "puffy" this morning. My new size 14's are pretty snug. I'm sure that salty popcorn has something to do with it. It sure does feel good to have some new clothes. I had gotten to the point that I didn't even want to get dressed to go out. I was so sick of wearing the same things. I hope everyone is having a great weekend. There's still time for more of you to make plans to join us in Vegas in late June. The more of us that go the cheaper it will be. Barbara465 has a suite reserved that has room and I have a room too. When time gets closer we may combine those rooms to save some money so think about it and let us know soon if you're thinking about coming. It would be great to get to meet more of you guys. You don't have to be a gambler to enjoy Vegas. You can go non stop for days and never set foot in a casino.

Well, I got my fill today. I was at 1.5 and they bumped me to 1.9. That's more than I've ever had. All I've had so far is water and some protein drink. I'm going to try some mushies for dinner. Wish me luck. At 1.8 I was overfilled but that was also while I was under lots of stress. I'm hoping this will be the sweet spot that everyone talks about. I did a little clothes shopping today. I still find it hard to believe that last year at this time I was wearing 2 and 3X. Today I bought size 14 pants and size large shirts. I always dread the dressing rooms and all those mirrors but this wasn't half bad. Got me to thinkin that maybe I can get rid of this last forty pounds. Good grief, that would probably put me in a size 10 and I haven't seen that since I was a teenager. Hope everyone is having a good day.............Barbara465, did you get another fill? Let us know how it's going.

Good Morning All, Regina, your poem is understood by all of us, thank you. You are an inspiration to me. May I ask how tall you are? It is so great to read this thread lately. It's like everyone has come through a dark place and are heading back into the sunshine. Barbara465, you sound like a new person! What a motivation you are! I am still at the same weight since January. I'm not complaining. I am grateful not to be gaining. My eating habits are terrible but I haven't been stressing about it. I went through a really bad time when my husband was so sick in December. I lost quite a bit of weight too quickly and it took it's toll on my body. After my unfill I decided to slow down and not obsess about my weight. Near death experiences (our own or our loved ones) makes us reevaluate what is important in our lives. I know I need to lose more weight and get into better cardio health and I am.......it's just taking a little longer. I am going for another fill next week. I admit I am nervous. This will put me back to where I was when I got an unfill. I am hoping it will give me enough restriction to get my attention. I think my head is back on straight and I'm ready to get serious about healthy eating again. I feel better mentally than I've felt in months and I'm ready to start over and lose this last 40 pounds. It's a beautiful day here in Texas and I plan to get out and enjoy it. It's suppose to start raining and get cold for Easter but it's a good time for everyone to reevaluate and start fresh. What a wonderful group we have here. Thank you all for sharing.........it means alot.

ONDERLAND is that beautiful place below 200 pounds! I think it's supposed to be ONEDERLAND.

Hi HotPink, I sure hope today finds you feeling better. You've had a scary time of it lately. You've gotten lots of good advice from your doctors and from your friends here on this website now just allow your body to heal. I am a firm believer in Positive Mental Attitude and the Law of Attraction. While you're resting and healing, try to keep good thoughts going on in your head. Picture yourself as you will be in six months, one year, two years, etc. You are a young and vibrant person with your whole life ahead of you. Don't allow "what-ifs" and "why me's" into your mind. Thoughts Become Things and you need only good and positive thoughts rushing around in that pretty head right now. Please let us all hear from you as soon as you feel well enough to post. We are thinking, praying and sending all kinds of positive vibes your way. We love you.

There has to be reasons why so many of us are experiencing these weird events with our bands. Has anyone spoken with their doctor or someone "knowledgeable" about our collective problems? Everyday is worse for me. Yesterday (all day) I had three bites of a mexican dish that I have always been able to eat and bammmm! I did manage to avoid most junk food. I had a bowl of ice cream and my protein drinks. I haven't tried anything yet today except coffee. Each day is a new adventure. Since our "thoughts become things" then I refuse to think about these problems today. I am going to focus on my new healthier, thinner body and just let the band do it's thing. Have a great day everyone!