OH Juli

I've got to update the blog, it's lapbandaid.blogspot.com though.

I'm looking at a belt lipectomy with a incision from the brest bone down. He is pulling my butt up and my back skin down. Also the incision from the breast bone down is to remove the copious excess skin on my upper abdomin. My all time highest weight was 350, I have oodles of skin. There's a mons lift in there too. Plus I'm having my arms done at the same time. God willing. Like I said I don't mean to bore you all here with the details. I might do like the other folks do and start a thread about my plastics. I'm not sure though...maybe just keep it in my blog. XO

About men talking about women's weight. My boss who is a bit younger than me, and well versed in appropriate business language. Asked me if it were okay to make a comment on my wieght. It went something like this, "You're looking really great, You're doing a great job with the weight loss. I hope it's okay to mention it, I don't want to be that inappropriate boss who says things he's not supposed to say. Is it okay that I make a comment?" He's also a little humorous. I was complimented, and he was assured he didn't offend. Men who either workout or have also struggled with their weight seem to be the ones more prone to talk to me about my weight. Interesting.

What they've said. Look at how you are dressing. Are you wearing new bras yet? The reason I ask is if the girls are not where they belong you're going to look "sloppy" and not your best. As for people not saying anything, I've lost well over 150 from my highest and I have one friend who refuses to even acknowledge I'm healthier, thiner. Go figure. Different people are just different. Don't let it get to you.

Thanks. I can't wait to see the results either. Actually, I'm still not sure which doctor I'm going to go with. I've seen one and I'm going to see a second one in December to get his opinion. He's in Cincinnati, which is about 90 minutes from home... I'm sure I'll bore you all with the details by the time is actually happens.

Hi Cycling Buddies. I want to tell you all that WOO HOO, my insurance has agreed to cover my skin removal surgery!!!! I know I'm far from goal, about 20 pounds, considering the surgeon is thinking there's 30 pounds of skin and tissue to remove. I don't know how much of the 20 will come off before April when I have the surgery, regardless I'll be able to work it off after as well. Why April? I'll be done with school come then. Any way, I know this isn't biking related, but you all have been with me for so much of this journey I wanted to share. Oh, and GO BUCKS!

Hi Chefette, Are you a chef? I work in food service. What kind of riding do you do? Seeing that I'm in Ohio I don't thing I'd be able to ride with ya, but welcome to the cycling pages of LBT. You might want to check out your local bike shops for cycling groups. Ask the staff, they should be able to point you in the right direction. Nice to meet you.

Jeni, That's good news on so many levels. Yeah for good restriction!!!! Yeah for your brother and woo hoo on having a date. Life is good indeed. Gwen, Don't let the lack of tution money get you down. I know it's a struggle for so many of us. How about getting books from the library? Or seeing what the text books are for the classes you'll not be taking and read up on your own? I believe that life long learning happens in all different kinds of ways. Good luck finding something that will fit you. And let me know you as you discover it yourself.

You are such a lovely young woman.

The size thing is crazy. When I was 16 I weighed 155 and wore a size 16. I was squishy. I now wear a 14 at 178, but my muscles are lean. There's still some fat on me and apparently a bunch of weight in skin. I don't know how much of it is changes in the clothing manufacturing industry or changes in ones body as she changes but size is pretty realative to weight and body composition. I know looking for ball park figures is useful for goal setting...just putting out my experiences.

Jeni, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. Here's to hoping you find 6cc in there on Thursday. It goes without saying need to report out to us immediately after your appointment!

K You asked in email and maybe on the yahoo thread, but to answer you, I'm going to run/walk the Jingle Bell 5-K December 6th with you. Juli

Yeah, depending on how much you lose and what you have going on as far as where your body stores fat.

300 calories isn 30 minutes is an awesome calories burn, btw. Don't think it's not.

nana, you may do better getting answers in the nutrition forum. What about chicken, ground beef, pork? There are vegetables and fruits you should be able to get down. I feed a boy with severe allergies, include soy, corn, wheat, dairy. We are able to get food in him, potatoes, rice, meat and produce. It is a challenge but it can be done. If you've not considered it, perhaps therapy for emotional eating will do you well. Good luck.

Jeni! NO! What's the scoop? How did you realize that? What's going on? Girl you're in my thoughts. Keep us up to date!

Carol, I don't post in that forum. But I'm a member of Consider Biking. The group is pretty amazing Stacy, Yeah it is sweet baby and you know it rolls by The Ohio State University. Traci, You're a rock star riding in November. Go on with your bad self. You were bitten by the cycling bug harder than I ever was. Keep us posted.

Home | Consider Biking | Columbus, Oh Bike Blvd is in my neighborhood. Actually it's at the end of my street and I drive it all the time. Ride it too. I Heart Columbus!

Mine gets sore as well. Typically when I over exercise or do something particularly stretchy in my ab area.

I finish my master's degree that week. You bet your butt I'll be there. I'm going to drag my LBT posse with me too, to celebrate! :thumbup:

I had mine measured and it was super high. Something like 2500. That's when the nutritionist and I had a heart to heart about the fact that I was eating like a line backer because if I ate regularly I'd not be 300+ pounds. To answer how they measure it, I breathed into a machine for a few minutes. It's measured my resting metabolic rate. I'm sorry yours is so low, but you can impact it by exercising. Actually doing things like doing 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon and other such things. You might want to look it up and see other ways you can change it. I know there's some flexiblity in it.

I'd go depending on the exact date. Work and kid schedules being what they are. I'm waiting for details.

Well they do come in all shapes and sizes regardless of a woman's weight, etc. What you see in mags are not reality. Have you all heard of anus bleaching??? I swear it's a procedure one could endure if they were inclined to, but who the hell is going to see it??? egad! Oh and for the record, the vagina is the opening and the labia, etc are call the vulva. So I don't think much happens with the vagina, if you had a big one from birthing babies etc, it's not going to get tighter as you lose weight. But for the vulva/labia they may get smaller. As for the mons, the triangular piece of yourself that you see in the mirror when standing, (For me I have to pick up the dropping empty pannus to get a gander at mine) if you are morbidly or super morbidly obese that is a fat collection area and it does get stretched out. As you lose the weight is sags like the underside of ones arms, inner thighs, stomach etc. The only remedy is surgery, a mons lift. Which is typically done with a tummy tuck or other abdominal work. I know because it's on my list of stuff to have removed with plastic surgery. I'm waiting on insurance approval as I type.

How much is too much? What kinds of food are you eating? If you can choke back 3 chicken breasts you have a problem with your band. If you can eat an entire half gallon of ice-cream you have a problem with your choices. If you are making decent choices and things are not getting stuck ask yourself why you eating so much. Are you exercising a lot and need the caloires? If you are eating simply because you can, maybe a slight fill will help you be more in the present with what you are putting in your mouth. Good luck.

Another POV is that many people are happy losing 50-70% of their excess body weight. I've heard a few people say at that point if they never lost another pound they would consider themselves a success. If you look at bell curves (and here goes Juli with the bell curve thing again) there are many people who are average. It stands to reason that not 100% of all people are going to lose 100% of their weight. 50% will lose 50% of what they plan on losing. It just is. But who are you? Are you an above average kind of gal? Do you want to see your goal or would you be happy being a size 14? Do you exercise? Are you able to? What other factors are impacting your decision? Are the differences between the surgeries having you lean toward one more than the other? FYI, I was over 300 when I saw my doctor the first time. He told me the surgery would help me lose about about 70 to 100 pounds. If I wanted to live at 210-200 pounds the surgery would get me there. I told him I would prove his stats wrong because I am above average. Watch and see. He's done nothing but eaten his words and been encouraging since the beginning when I lost 23 before surgery. You too can be above average. Many of the people on here actually are. There are many people with the surgery who are not. They are the bottom feeders of the bell-curve and bless them for being there so that they can pad the numbers for my success.