NewBeginnings2018

Oh Kat I'm glad to hear you're doing ok! I haven't been around much, but I have been peeking in here and there. 12 lbs - wow! I bet you'll look amazing and be at goal. How exciting!!!! I'm so happy for you!

Things are going well April, thanks for asking. I am about a year and a half out, and I am still losing - albeit slowly. I am only 6 pounds away from onderland, which just seems amazing to me. I'm also only about 21 pounds away from goal, so it's time for me to start really putting in some greater effort. I'd really like to make goal by my 2 year bandiversary. I do have restriction, and definitely could not handle any more. There are times I wish I had less, but I think that once I lose this last 20 lbs I'll be good. You know, it is really hard to change our habits and it's sooo easy to slip back into the bad ones. I battle with that too April. Just keep at it, and if you need more fill don't be afraid to try it again after you've given yourself some time with this fill level. I found a lot of my issues were trying to eat too much. Now I eat about half of what I think I "should" eat, and I've been doing fine. It's when I push it and try and eat too much that I have the issues.

Glad to see you're doing better April!!

I'm really surprised he does not suggest a fluro, which I would think would give him a better look at things. Who knows, I don't get a lot of this. lol. Restriction is a funny thing though. I was definitely "looser" with this fill a month ago than I am now. We definitely need to plan another get together soon too! It would be good to meet back up again. Oh and Dez, I think you've probably given birth by now. lol. Congratulations!!!

Deb I'm so sorry you've still been feeling poorly. Has Jones done a Flouro or anything to see if there is slippage?

Hey everyone! Blast from the past. lol. I'm home nursing a cold and actually had time to log on and check things out. Eileen I'm so sorry to hear about your doggy. They are so much a part of the family! Kat, sounds like things have been hectic but you have a wonderful husband for sure! Mandy, how exciting for the motorcycle lessons. That is so great! I'm too chicken to ride a bike. lol Sherry - love ya girl, as always! xoxo So life has been good with me. The weight loss is slow, but it's still moving so I can't complain. I know I need to do more exercise, but you know how that goes. lol. Curtis and I are moving in together at the end of this month. I am really excited and happier than I've ever been in any relationship. It's amazing how things can change sometimes! Well it's off to bed for me. Glad to see everyone is doing well.

Ooooh, both Denise and Manatee have dates this week. That's exciting! I'm pulling for you both! I thought I should pop in and give a quick update. Things are still going great with Curtis and I, and I am actually moving in by the end of this month. I'm very excited and happier than I've ever been in any relationship. I am glad I waited to meet someone who really, truly knows how to treat me right. It was worth all the time it took.

Hey Dez, congrats on the baby - which is probably almost here by now. lol I was just asking Sherry on Saturday if she had heard about your baby. We'll be here to give the support Dez, and to take some in return! We want pics after the darling is born.

I'm glad you had a nice time April! Hawaii looks like it's an absolutely beautiful place. Fill level is such a tough thing. A little too much is just plain too much! I'm at a great fill level now, except the week of my period. I can't eat much that week because of the swelling. The rest of the time though, I can eat a bandster size portion without being uncomfortable or getting stuck and it keeps me full for a few hours. THAT is the best part of this band if you ask me.

Haha, no wedding bells here Denise, although my friends and family have me married off already. They think I"ll get a ring before a year, but I think it will take longer than that. :drool: It's funny - I have no problems flying. I only have issues when I'm retaining water - I can barely eat. Stress can get to me too. I have to remind myself to sloooooow down. lol. How's the fill working out April? Congrats Kimmie! It is so much fun to date a good guy! So my honey and I are headed to Jamaica for a little getaway. We leave April 1st for four nights and I can't wait!!! I'm so done with winter!

April I would agree that you're probably eating too large of a bite, and too quickly. Until I hit my "sweet spot" I THOUGHT I was eating slow. Ha! I have no choice now. Also, I agree with Denise's description of the sweet spot. As far as whether or not you should get another fill, I would say if you're still losing eating the amount you're eating, then stay where you are. The last thing you want is to get more sick all the time. Try and master the fill you're at, and really focus on bandster rules. Tiny bites (think meat cut the size you would feed a 2 year old), rest between bites, and don't drink right after meals. You're doing great, so I say see if you can keep it going for a while. Glad to see someone posted on the thread again. I hope everyone is doing well. Any new dates Denise? Things are still GREAT with me and Curtis. He treats me like a princess and it is just wonderful. I've never been happier. All of our going out hasn't done much for my weight loss, but I've gotten another fill and I'm ready to get back at it!

Yeah Dez!! I'm glad you can make it! I hope Deb (rainbow) and Nana can make it too! Aaamom is going to come, and hopefully we can get a few others too! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and getting some extra tips/motivation to get this scale moving again. I've been plateaued for months!

Piggie I agree with what Manatee says. If you're really nervous, then send him a pic of you now, but really - I don't think he'll notice the 20lbs. He's going to either like you for you, or he's not. 20 lbs won't make a difference. So go ahead and do it! And make sure to let us know how it goes! And because you asked, all is great here. Beyond great. I can hardly believe it. I have never dated a guy that treats me so well. He is kind, caring, supportive, and appreciative of the things I do for him. He gets along with my friends, and doesn't mind going to obligatory things like christenings because he says as long as he's with me, he's happy. He's the whole package - including the romance part too. I've always said I was single because I refused to settle and even though it took me almost 33 years, I've finally found a guy who's absolutely great and knows how to treat me like a princess. I'm not letting go of this one!

Pigsrflyin, you NEED to go on this date. If he's the right guy he will like you for you. I think sometimes we're too hard on ourselves and think that because we're not "thin" yet, someone can't be attracted to us. That's not true. Know that you're a prize and that he'd be lucky to have you. If you meet and there's chemistry - great. If you meet and there's not, just remember that it has nothing to do with you. Chemistry is funny like that. Just go out and have FUN!!

Hey Aimee! Another Boston girl! Good luck with your banding. It has been a great experience for me, even though I'm at a point where I have to work really hard if I want to lose weight. But even having lost 60 lbs makes me feel like i have a new life. As far as your man, I would say if things are going well you should probably tell him about the surgery. Some people recover quickly from it, personally it took me about a week. If you're like me, you probably won't be up for doing much for that first week, and you'll be pretty miserable as you "detox" from food. lol. But more than that, I think it's best to be open and honest because he should be there to support you. I agree that it is nice to find a guy that you know likes you when you're bigger. That was always a worry of mine, and I would worry about how a guy would react when I told him I had weight loss surgery. I'm happy to say that I never once had a bad reaction, and that the guy I am dating now has not even once asked how much weight I have lost because it doesn't matter to him in the least. As far as sex goes, I was completely single when I had surgery so I couldn't give you any factual information. lol. But I would say you'll be able to do the deed that first week, but probably not at the same intensity. You'll be sore for a while so as long as you nurse that, you'll be fine to have some fun. Good luck with the new guy - I hope it works out! :smile:

Hey everyone! I am not lost for good - just been really busy and not close to a computer much. Things are going great with the guy and I have no complaints other than having no free time. lol. But I feel so lucky to have met such a nice and wonderful person. We all deserve that, and I hope 2008 brings everyone such a great person! Missy - thanks for posting about John. Keep us updated. JC - have fun on your vacation! Denise - I'm happy that you keep getting out there! That's all you can do is keep trying. Pigs - No need to wait on dating - I bet you look great! Just go out and have some fun! Well off to finish cooking for tonight and tomorrow. I just wanted to stop by and say hi, and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Pat, I went to Cancun in 2001 and loved it. Check out Apple Vacations, #1 Tour Operator in the U.S.: Book All Inclusive Vacation Packages Online and see if they have any deals. I prefer to stay in 5-star (or apple) locations and I can usually find them for a fairly reasonable price. Once you see something you're interested in, check out Reviews of vacations, hotels, resorts, vacation and travel packages - TripAdvisor. Look up that resort and read the reviews. It's very helpful. Oh, and I'm soooooooooo jealous. I could totally go for a trip somwhere warm. It's freezing here! brrr... Not much new here. This weekend will be busy - errands today, party tonight, and my charity group is having a Holiday House Tour tomorrow so that will take up most of my day. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

This was always a tough one for me Manatee. I never wanted to just artifically bring it up and say, "hey guess what?". In this instance he asked me to be exclusive and I said before we agreed to that there was something I should probably tell him. So I told him, and he literally said, that's it? We hadn't messed around before this point so he had never seen my scars. It has not been an issue for him in the least and, I think, it won't be with the right person, although none of the guys I've dated since being banded have had an issue with it either.

Hey everyone! Sorry I have been so MIA lately. Things are going great with my man, which is why I haven't been around much. I've shared all the sappy details with Sherry, but I'll spare you all. lol. Just know that I am happy and feel so lucky to have found such a great guy who knows how to treat me right. Finally!! Cindy, hope you had a great birthday! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and had a chance to be with the ones they love.

Dibaby, hold out for what you want - you will find it. For years all I kept saying was that all I wanted was a nice, normal guy who knew how to treat me right. I didn't think I'd ever find it and I kept making "exceptions" with the guys I dated. I stopped that, and decided I was better off alone than compromising (which is different than being understanding - we all have some baggage and you know what you can and cannot live with). I dated a lot of men, but have FINALLY found the most amazing guy who treats me like a queen. It was well worth the wait. So while I agree with Manatee that there are a lot of crazies online, there are also some normal ones. Hold out for one if that's what you want.

I would suggest maybe just picking one or two points of discussion per meeting, that way you don't go through all your material in one night. lol. Perhaps the first night should be a "meet and greet" type thing, where everyone can introduce themselves and talk about any concerns they have about being single and banded. Then you have an idea of who your audience is. It's a great idea for a support group though, and you can plan socials and stuff too once it all takes off. Great idea!

Thinking of you Kat......

April congrats on getting banded! I'm so happy you were able to make it happen! Hope you're feeling better soon! Manatee - congrats on the date!! It sounds like it went well. For me, I don't want a kiss on the first date. Send her an email or give her a call after a couple of days and that will let her know you're interested. Next date I would say maybe a peck on the cheek or, if you think she's game for it, a kiss. Don't be afraid to be vocal and tell her that you'd like to give her a kiss goodnight, would she be ok with it. From a woman's perspective being respectful and a gentleman goes a long way. I don't think there's a right or a wrong way to do things, just do what feels right for you and be honest. You can't go wrong if you do that. Oh, and I think the standard for wine is 150 calories per glass, but I think that's a 4 oz glass. Pigs I think that is a great discussion topic for your group. The hardest thing for me was knowing if/when and how to tell someone. There never seems to be an easy lead in for the weight loss discussion. lol. It has never been an issue with anyone I've told, but it's still hard to bring it up. And I agree with Denise about maybe discussing dining out strategies and even alcohol since people usually will have a drink on a date and I don't know about you, but I get tipsy much easier these days.

Just popping in to say hi. Manatee congrats on your date!!! I hope it goes well, and either way it's great that you're taking the plunge. Things are going amazingly well for me and my guy. I am completely smitten, and having soooooo much fun dating him. It's about time!

Lol, you caught that huh? lol As Sherry says, it's about damn time!!